reason is plain because all the other Holy-dayes in Moses are fully comprehended in the other two termes 4 Solomon in 2 Chron. 2. 4. doth expound the said three termes 2 Chron. 2. 4. by shewing the solemnity of all the sorts of Holy-dayes in the Temple-service for he built a Temple to the Lord namely To burn sweet incense before Him and for the continual Shew-bread and for the Burnt-offerings of the morning and evening 1 On the Sabbath dayes 2 In the New Moons And 3 In the Solemn Feasts of the Lord. This is a perpetual thing for Israel And moreover the Hebrew Doctors say That they did blow with the silver Trumpets in the Sanctuary 1 Over the Burnt-offerings of the Sabbaths 2 In the New Moons And 3 in the Solemn Feasts By these two Scriptures compared together with Col. 2. 16. and with Gal. 49 10 11. It is evident that all the solemn Holy-dayes in Moseâ— are comprehended under the said three termes And therfore by the term Sabbaths in Col. 2. 16. as it is distinguished from the New Moon and a Holy-day must needs be meant the weekly Sabbaths onely which some Christian Jews contended to have observed in their Christian Churches in opposition to the Lords day Object 3. It seems to me that our Saviour did not ordain his Resurrection-day in place of the seventh day because our Saviour in Mat. 24. 20. Mat. 24. 20. doth warn his Disciples to pray at the time of their destruction by the Romans that their flight might not be neither in the Winter nor upon the Sabbath day Now if Christ had abolished the Sabbath by his death as you affirm then be would not have given this caution of praying that their flight might not be on the Sabbath day so long after his death for it was about forty yeers after his death ere the City was destroyed by the Romans Ans Christ did not give this caution to his Disciples in the nature of a Command or forbidding but in the nature of a dis-allowing of the Jews superstitious opinion of the outward rest of the Sabbath so long after his death They might in that space have been better taught and instructed if they had not been enemies to the Gospel of Christ but because they would not be instructed therefore our Saviour told his Disciples that the Jews of Judea in general would hold such a superstitious opinion both of the holinesse of the Temple and of the outward rest of the Sabbath day that it would be a grievous calamity to them if they were forced to flye for their lives upon the Sabbath day more than upon any other day in the week But yet this must be marked that our Saviour speaks this to his Disciples but as a Prophetical Historian foretelling them what would be the common opinion of the Nation of the Jews in those dayes namely that they would be infected with such a superstitious opinion of the holinesse of the outward rest of the Sabbath that they would neither stir hand or foot to break the outward rest of the Sabbath by flight to save their lives This caution of our Saviour to his Disciples must needs be understood in this sense because the whole frame of his speech is fetched by way of allusion to a former like sad calamity which fell upon them under Antiâ—chus Epiphanes who did purposely molest them upon the Sabbath day as also in the Winter time and then they suffered extreme miseries by reason of their superstitious opinion of the outward rest of the Sabbath day which they might have prevented if they had held it lawful at first as they did at last that in case of necessity they might either fight or flie for their lives upon the Sabbath day Our Saviour in this his speech to his Disciples doth allude to the times of Antiochus and therefore he doth mention the Winter as well as the Sabbath day for Judas Maccabeus did cleanse the Temple and the Altar in the Winter Joh. 10. 22. and three yeers before it was polluted in the Winter 1 Mac. 1. 54. And secondly it was also polluted upon the Sabbath day 1 Mac. 2. 38. and now it was a time of grievous calamity to the Jews and therefore by way of allusion to this calamitous time our Saviour bad them pray That their flight might neither be in the Winter nor yet upon the Sabbath day for then they would do as they had done neither fight nor flye to save their lives This their blind zeal our Saviour reproves 1 Mac. 2 34. 36. 38. 41. and 2 Mac. 6. 11. It follows therefore by good consequence that our Saviour did not now in sadnesse teach his Disciples the continuance of the Sabbath so long after his death no more than he taught them the continuance of the service of the Temple by calling the Temple The Holy Place vers 15. But no man I think will say that Christ did then esteem the Temple to be the Holy Place but he names it so Docasâ—icâ—s because the Jews of Judea in general would then esteem it and call it the Holy place and in that respect also our Saviour doth call the Romans that should enter into the Temple The Abomination of Desolation just as Daniel had done Dan. 9. 27. By this it is evident that Christ spake by allusion to former times But he knew well enough that the holinesse of the Temple as well as the typical Rest of the Holy Sabbath were fully ended by his death I grant that the Temple was once truly called the Holy Temple because it was ordained to be a type of the holy humane nature of Christ wherein his God-head dwelt Job 2 But yet this typical holinesse of the Temple must needs have an end as soon as the Holy of Holies did but enter through the vail of his flesh into heaven to appear before God for us Dan. 9. 24. with Mat. 27. 50 51. Heb. 9. 14. and the goodlinesse also of the Temple must have an end as soon as he that was greater than the Temple had finished his Oblation Mat. 12. 26. and by the like reason also the Sabbath as it was a type of our resting on the Seed of the Woman to break the Devils Head-plot must end as soon as Christ had finished his Sacrifice of Attonement I will therefore conclude my answer to this Objection That Christ by this speech of his to his Disciples did but tell them what would be the coÌ„mon opinion of the Nation of the Jews at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem as I have already declared it but he intended no more to teach them the continuance of the Sabbath than the continuance of the Holinesse of the Temple neither did he by this Caution to his Disciples intend to prefer the Sabbath above the Lords day no more than he intended to prefer the Winter above the Summer of all which things he spake by way of caution to his Disciples what would be the common opinion of the Jews at the destruction of Jerusalem Object 4. If Christ had ordained his resurrection-Resurrection-day as the day of his publick Worship in place of the Sabbath or
seventh day in the Evening before as they did this yeerly fasting-Sabbath For Maymony saith Such works as may be done on the Evening of a Feast-day they do not upon a Feast-day c. See Ain in 23. 7. By this testimony it is evident that they did not hold the Evening before their festival-Sabbaths to be as holy as the day it self 2 Maymony saith It is unlawful to do works in the Evening of the festival Sabbaths from the time of the Evening Sacrifice and forwards Even as on the Evenings of the Sabbaths and who so doth work in them shall never see a sign of a Bessing and he is to be rebuked and to be made to leave off by force though he is not for it to be scourged or excommunicated except in the Evening of the Passeover after Mid-day whoso doth work therein after Mid-day is to be scourged or excommunicated with the Niddui for the Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan is not like the Evening of other festival dayes because in it are the Feast and the killing of Sacrifices See Ains in Lev. 23. 5. Two things are observable from this Record of Maymony 1 That the Jews did make some kind of preparation both to their festival-Sabbaths and to their Sabbath or seventh day from the time of the Evening Sacrifice and forwards 2 Hence it is evident that the Hebrew Doctors did not esteem any part of the Evening before their Sabbaths to be as holy as the day following because they did neither scourge nor excommunicate any man for working in the Evening before their Sabbaths as they did for working in the Passeover Evening and the reason is plain because they esteemed both the parts of the Passeover-Evening to be the very day of the Passeover it self but it seems they did not esteem the Evening before the Sabbath to be any true part of the Sabbath it self for doubtlesse if they had esteemed it as a true part of the Sabbath it self they would not onely have scourged and excommunicated such persons that did presume to work in the Evening before the Sabbath but also they would have stoned them to death if they had presumptuously broken the rest of the holy Sabbath Numb 15. 35. And as Maymony makes the Evening of the Passeover not like the Evening that went before their festival Sabbaths nor like the Evening that went before their weekly Sabbath So I may say of the Evening that went before the day of Attonement that it was more strict for holy rest than the Evening that went before any of the other Sabbaths From all the Premises I conclude that no day in all the yeer was commanded to be of such a length for strict Rest as this day was for the strict Rest of this day and the strict Fast of this day began in the Sacrifice Evening or else at the beginning of the latter Evening of the ninth day and it continued not onely till a little after the Sun-set Evening of the tenth day as Maymony saith But also it continued longer for some of the holy duties of the tenth day could not be finished till Mid-night after for 1 The Priests must eat their part of the publick Sin-offering Num. 29. 11. which must be eaten in the same day in which it was offered Lev. 6. 26. as other Sacrifices were Lev. 7. 15 18. and yet the Priests could not eat the holy flesh of this publick Sin-offering till after Sun-set for the fast of this day was not fully ended till after Sun-set and therefore also they might not begin to Cook that holy flesh untill the Fast was fully ended Hence it follows that the same day did still continue till after Sun-set yea untill it was Mid-night 2 The Priests had another work to do within the limits of this tenth day namely they must burn all the fats and peeces of all the publick Evening-sacrifices of this day which were many and some of their Evening-sacrifices were also offered neer unto Sun-set and therefore this work and duty of burning would require not only the more diligence but also the more time to finish this 〈…〉 â—ay of Attonement was sweet savor upon the Lords Altar in its own proper day as I have noted the commanded season thereof more at large in Lev. 6. 9. 3 It appears that some of the works which appertained to the morning-sacrifice of this tenth day must begin at Mid-night and that some of the works which must be done about the Evening-sacrifice were such as could not be ended untill the Mid-night after For the first work that must be done on this day in preparation to the Morning-sacrifice was the taking away the ashes from the Altar and these ashes they must begin to take away at Mid-night as Maymony saith See Ains in Lev. 6. 10. And in another place he saith they took away the ashes at Mid-night and ordered the wood c. and at the break of day they began to kill the daily Morning-sacrifice See Ains in Lev. 16. 4. In like sort they could not finish the burning of all the Evening-sacrifices of this day till Mid-night as I have shewed above from Lev. 6. 9. and yet over and above this full day from Mid-night to Mid-night they began their strict Fast and their strict Rest in the Evening of the ninth day which did increase the length of this day to be an extraordinary long fasting-Fasting-Sabbath Hence I conclude That the beginning of this day cannot be alleged as an exemplary pattern neither for the beginning of any other Fasting-day nor yet for the beginning of our Lords day as it is intended by those that allege it for the beginning and ending of the Jews weekly Sabbath from Even to Even CHAP. VII Answering their Opinion more particularly that hold the Lords day to begin at Evening And four Objections are Answered Object 1. IT is objected that our Lords day is come in the place of the Jewish Sabbath which began at Evening and for the proof of this they allege the Example of Nehemiah he is said to shut up the Gates of Jerusalem when it began to be dark before the Sabbath Neh. 13. 19. they expound the word Before and the word Dark in favour of their opinion thus 1 The word Before the Sabbath they say doth mean just before the face or present beginning of the Sabbath 2. The word Dark they say doth mean when it was full Twilight namely when the darknesse in the Skie was somewhat more than the light in the Skie for as long as the light in the Skie is more than darknesse they say the Sun is the cause of it and hence they conclude that the Sun cannot be said to be set till the darknesse in the Skie be more in quantity than the light in the Skie and this they make to be the punctual time of the Sun-set evening when the Jews Sabbath began namely when a Man could not see to read or a Woman to sâ—w Ans This
him the tree of knowledge of good and evill 3 He shews the matter and manner of the Womans creation of Adams Rib vers 18. which he had omitted in Chap. 1. and it is placed in Chap. 2. vers 18. by the figure Hysteron Proteron because there was not to be found among all the other creatures that were brought before Adam a meet helper for Adam vers 20. she was the last sort of all the visible creatures of this world 4 God brings the woman to the man and joyns them together in Mariage as a meet helper for him vers 22. This was omitted in Chap. 1. 5 He shews that the place of their creation was without the borders of Paradise vers 8. 15. compared with Chap. 3. 23. 6 He describes the situation of that pleasant Garden of Paradise which God made for the place of their habitation as an addition to their happy condition by creation vers 8. c. but this is to be marked that Moses doth by the figure Hysteron Proteron place their aboad in Paradise vers 8. c. before the creation of the woman which figure he useth very often in this Chapter and in the third Chapter 7 He shews the special use of two Trees above the rest by special names vers 9. 8 He shews that God gave Adam and Eve a twofold command concerning these two Trees The first was a positive command saying unto them in the singular number because of their Mariage-union Of every Tree of the Garden thou mayest eat but of that Tree which doth most concern the good of thy present condition I have named the Tree of life therefore in the first place eat of the Tree of life and thou shalt live for ever for by the name of it God did not onely shew the use of it but also he shewed them their duty concerning it verse 9. compared with Chapter 3. 22. Secondly By way of prohibition and commination God commanded them saying Eat not of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye the death Gen. 2. 17. 9 Unto all these particulars in this order connexed together Moses doth immediately proceed to speak of Adams temptation by the Serpent Gen. 3. 1. and of his Fall Gen. 3 6. And thus after this sort Moses doth adjoyn Adams fall fast to his Creation and seating in Paradise without making mention of any other matter that came between This Reason is further strengthned by the consent of sundry good Authors both ancient and latter Calvin saith in Gen. 3. 6. It may be gathered by the Narration of Moses That Adam and Eve did not long keep their Dignity which they had received for as soon as he had but said they were made making no mention of any other matter he passeth to shew the Fall Mr. Ainsworth also observeth in Gen. 3. 1. That mans fall and misery is immediately joyned to his creation and seating in Paradise Mr. Broughton also observeth in his Sinai-sight Tab. 1. That Moses joyneth mans Creation Triall Judgement and Promise to the same day before the woman was called Eve M. Broughton also in his shewing of corruptions in Religion p. 85. saith The first day in which Adam was made he disobeyed as all may see by the continued narration for Eve and for the Serpents Speech and Temptation and Judgement for Curse upon all the Earth The Hebrew Doctors also do generally hold that Adam fell on the day of his creation Mr. Broughton saith in Consent of Scripture that he never heard of any one of them that was of a contrary judgement and Mr. Ainsworth saith in Gen. 3. that the Hebrew Doctors hold that nothing in that Chapter was done after the sixth day of Creation and saith Maymony All our wise men do agree that this whole matter in Gen. 3. was done in the sixth day Rabbi Nathan doth make the story of the sixth day remarkable by joyning many things to the story of that day in sundry Rhetoricall expressions saying thus The same day that Adam was formed the same day that he was created the same day that his fashion was fashioned the same day that his mould was made the same day that his members were knit the same day that his veines were opened the same day that life was put into him the same day that he stood first upon his feet the same day that Eve was maried to him the same day that he gave names the same day that he entred into Paradise the same day that God gave him the Commandement the same day he disobeyed the same day he was driven out of Paradise Perkins on the Creed touching the time of Adams Fall saith The received opinion in former ages hath been that our first Parents fell the same day in which they were created and therefore Augustine writes That they stood but six hours and though we cannot determine the certain time yet in all likelihood saith he it was very short for after that Moses had set down the creation of man he presently without the interposition of any thing else comes immediately to the fall Irenaeus Conâ—ra Haere Lib. 1. speaking of the day of Adams Creation and Fall saith It is evident that the Lord obeying his Father suffered death in that day wherein Adam being disobedient unto God dyed for on the sixth day the day before the Sabbatb was his Passion which was the sixth day of the Creation of the world when man was formed Chrysostome on Matth. saith That Adam and Eve in the sixth day of the first week which was the very same day of their creation were cast out of Paradise Divers other Divines both Greeks and Latines are concurrent in the same opinion many of which are also cited by Mr. Broughton in his Consent of Scripture where he citeth this as a common saying among them That in one day Adam was formed and deformed And so consequently from this Reason it follows that the Sabbath was not instituted in the time of Adams Innocency but after his Fall Reason 2. Adam fell the very first time that ever he eat any thing and therefore he fell on the day of his creation for in reason he Adam fell in the day of his creation because he fell the very first time of his eating would not abstain from eating longer than that day seeing variety of meat was created ready for him to eat and an appetite created to desire food And that he fell the very first time of eating it is evident First By the Devils Question and secondly By the Womans Answer 1 The Devil in the Serpent demandeth this Question of the woman Hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden Gen. 3. 1. mark how the Devils demand by way of Query is of a thing to come And indeed the Devill had not deserved the name of a subtil Serpent if he had demanded whether that might be done which had been
kindle a fire on the Sabbath Day for the dressing of necessary food for infirm or crasie bodies Quest 4. It seems to me that the Jews might not kindle a fire on the Sabbath Day to dresse any meat at all therewith for Moses saith thus To morrow is the Sabbath of Holinesse to Jehovah Bake that which yee will bake and seeth that which yee will seeth namely in the sixth day as it is in ver 5. and all that remaineth over lay it up for you as a reservation until the morrow Exod. 16. 23. From this Scripture I think it is evident That the Jews were prohibited Exod. 16. 23 to kindle a fire upon the Sabbath Day neither to bake or boyl any of their Manna but all must be done on the sixt day that so they might not kindle a fire for it on the Sabbath Day Ans This baking and boyling of their Manna before the Sabbath Day doth not forbid them to heat their Manna with fire in the Sabbath to make iâ— fit for infirm and weak stomacks but the baking and boyling forbidden by Moses upon the Sabbath Day was such a baking and boyling as was accompanied with laborious work such as might and ought to have been done on the sixt day as it appears by Numb 11. 8. there after the people had gathered their Manna they did prepare it with laborious Numb 11. 8 work several ways suitable to every ones taste or liking therefore they did First grinde it in Mills or beat it in Morters Secondly Then they baked it in Pans and made Cakes of it Thirdly Othersome did boyl it and thus it was several ways prepared and Cooked according to every ones taste and liking with laborious work on the sixt day now such kind of laborious works as these were forbidden to be done in the Sabbath Day because they might be done on the sixt day and in that respect the Hebrew Doctors say Whoso laboureth in the evening of the Sabbath he shall eat in the Sabbath See Ains in Levit. 16. 26. And truly I think there is no conscientious Christian that doth hold it lawful to defer or put off such like laborious works as these to the Lords Day for it is all one as if a man should defer the grinding of his Corn the baking of his Bread or the making of his Pies unto the Lords Day but no conscientious Christian that is judicious I think doth hold it unlawful to temper a Pudding of the Meal that was ground on the sixth day or to heat a Pye that was made on the sixt day or to boyl a necessary quantity of meat that was killed and quartered on the sixt day or to use that wood for fire that was carted home and cut ready for the fire on the sixt day or to use Water that was fetched home to the door on the sixt day all these and such like things might as lawfully be done by the Jews on the Sabbath Day as by godly Christians on the Lords Day and this is fully evident by our Saviour in that he did justifie his Apostles for their work in gathering of certain ears of Corn in other mens fields and rubâ—â—â—g the said ears to prepare it for food on the Sabbath Day and doubtlesse after the said rubbing it was either parched in the Fire or boyled in Water fit for the digesture of the stomack or else if they had eaten it raw it had been but course and hard food Now if it had been unlawful to prepare such a small quantity of food as was fit for the present support of nature on the Sabbath Day doubtlesse Christ would have commanded his Apostles before-hand to provide their Scrip full of Victuals namely on the sixt day but in as much as he had not made such provision on the sixt day but did justifie his Apostles for this work in the Sabbath Day by alleging the example of David in eating the Shew-bread in case of hunger he did thereby confute and reprove the Iews superstitious opinion of the outward rest of the Sabbath alleging also That the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Mar. 2. 27. as if Christ had said Mar. 2. 27. thus If man had been made for the Sabbath then man must have served the Sabbath before his own necessity but seeing man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for man namely to serve mans necessity therefore it follows that the Sabbath was made ordained or instituted after man was in necessity and in misery namely after Adams Fall chiefly for the good of his sick and sinful Soul and therefore God did blesse it with suitable Ordinances and did sanctifie that day for the use of those Ordinances but yet withall the Sabbath was made to serve man in misery in respect of his Body that it might rest and be refreshed with convenient food Physick and the like and therefore godly Wisdome will make all the godly careful to improve the Lords Day so as that it may serve to the best good both of their sinful Souls and of their weak and frail bodies also Quest 5. Are Christians bound to rest on the Lords Day as strictly from bodily recreations and from all things that are not work as the Jews â—â—re on the Sabbath Day for the Hebrew Doctors say That the Jews must rest on the Sabbath Day from things that are not work as from climbing on a Tree riding on a Beast â—â— the like from the judging of Civil causes putting off the sâ—â—â—e and taking the Brothers Wife spoken of in Deut. 25. separating of Tythes first Fruits and the like valuing of things spoken of in Levit. 27. and from speaking with a mans 〈…〉 on the Sabbath Day what he will buy or how he will build his 〈…〉 the like as it is noted by Mr. Ains in Exod. 20. 10. and in 〈…〉 â—1 17. Ans I have shewed you on the word Sanctified in Chap. 10. That God sanctified the whole seventh day for his service not only the time of the publick Ordinances but the whole day and therefore it was sanctified for the use of private Ordinances as well as for the publick and therefore no time may be exempted from these holy Duties but in cases of necessary food Physick or the like cases of necessity therefore before we addresse our selves to Gods publick Ordinances wee must be careful to prepare our Souls to come with fear and reverence and so in our Hearing in our Praying Singing c. wee must take heed how wee Hear how we Pray and Sing so likewise afterwards we must examine our selves how our Soul â—ave profited by the publick Ordinances or else we may look 〈◊〉 Curse rather than a Blessing from the said Ordinances Hence it follows by necessary consequence That no good Christian can allow himself liberty to do such kind of exercises as you have named but they will interrupt the efficacie of those blessed and commanded Ordinances
it is Behind or it is due West On the contrary when Moses directed them to other places that Iay East he directed them thither by the Rising of the Sun Numb 21. 11. Numb 34. 15. Deuter. 4. 41 47. Josh 12. 1. Josh 19. 27 34. Secondly Let Joshua also shew his judgement about the time and place of Sun-set and he declares his judgement by another familiar example for he directed the Jews how to finde out the West bounds of Canaan not by the confused and obscure mark of Twilight but first by the perspicuous mark of Sun-set and secondly by the hindmost Sea Jos 1. 4. he makes the hindmost Sea and the going down of the Sun to be marks Synonima for the finding out of the West borders of Canaan and he doth also explain this hindmost Sea to be the great Sea at Sun-set Jos 23. 4. and Moses likewise doth call this Sea the Hindmost Sea Deut. 11. 24. But the Greek and Chaldee call it the Western Sea So then from the premises it follows That seeing the places that lye due West are marked out by the perspicuous mark of the going down of the Sun we must thereby understand that the Sun-set Evening doth begin as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight and therefore hence it follows that those that make the time of Sun-set and the time of Twilight to be all one for the begining of our Lords day do build their opinion but on a sandy foundation Thirdly The Hebrew Text doth often express the time of Sun-set by the going in of the Sun to lodge all night as it were in its chamber and it is said to go in as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of our Horizon See Ains in Psa 50. 1. on the contrary as soon as the body of the Sun is risen upon our Horizon in the morning it is said to come forth as a Bridegroom out of his chamber Psal 19. 5. Fourthly Experience will tell you that the Sun is set as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight or else if it be not set till the darknesse in the skie is more than the light in the skie then there is no Sun-set at all in the North of England when the daies are at the longest for experience doth testifie that the light is hardly out of the skie there all the night long except a little in the middle of the night and yet experience doth witnesse that the Sun doth truly set there every day Fifthly Let all Astronomers shew their judgement when the Sun doth set and they with one consent do testifie that the Sun doth set as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gon out of sight for they describe the time of Sun-set and the time of the Suns rising by the first appearing of the body of the Sun in the morning and by the body of the Sun going out of sight in the evening as all their Almanacks do testifie Sixthly Let the Evangelist Marke shew his judgement for he describes the Evening to begin at Sun-set Mark 1. 32. but Luke speaking of the same action saith It was when the Sun was setting Luke 4 40. put this together and it implies that the time of the beginning of the Sun-set Evening is as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight Seventhly Joshua doth testifie that the Evening is come as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight Jos 10. 26 27. and Daniel saith That Darius did labour to deliver him till the going down of the Sun Dan. 6. 14. But the Seventy say till Evening and Moses saith The soul that toucheth a dead creeping thing shall be unclean untill the Evening Lev. 22 6. but saith he in vers 7. He shall bathe himself in water and then he shall be clean when the Sun is gone down from all these places it is evident that the term Sun-set and the term Evening are terms convertible for the Sun-set Evening Eighthly It is evident by this reason that the latter Evening doth begin as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight because there is no interim between the End of the first Evening and the Beginning of the latter Evening and I have proved in Chap. 2. that the first Evening doth end as soon as ever the Sun doth leave off to make any more shadows upon the face of the Earth For the whole time of the first Evening is described by its shadows looking forth towards the place of its Rest or by the strotching out of its shadows upon the face of the Earth as I have expounded Jer. 6. 4. and therefore it follows by necessary consequence that the latter Evening must begin at that instant time This consequence is so cleer that none that loves plain truth can deny it But to prevent rash zeal and unadvised haste in feasting upon the holy flesh the Hebrew Doctors advised to stay a little time after Sun-set They begin their Religious Festival Suppers after Sun-set as soon as three stars appeared in the skie for the Sun must go down upon the baptized person before his Purification was perfected and then he began the date of his new day and then he was made fit to eat of the holy flesh yet they advised to stay a little time after Sun-set namely till three stars appeared in the skie Mamony saith That the unclean may not eat of the Heave-offering untill their Sun be set and three stars appear after the Sun is gone down See Ains in Lev. 22. 9. Thus have I shewed how God ordained the time of the two Evenings for the effecting of two degrees of cleannesse and now I shall in the next Section shew That all the latter Evening from Sun-set till Mid-night was appointed for the time of their Religious feasting upon their Passeovers and Peace-offerings and that this part of the night was a true part of the former natural day SECT 3. FRom the date of the new Day to the person purified at the Sun-set Evening we may see the true Reason that did inforce the Jewes to begin all their Ceremonial Sabbaths at that time and of all other dayes by occasion thereof But this beginning of the day was no more to be accounted for the beginning of the natural Day than the beginning of their yeer in Nishan was to be accounted for the first month by Creation for they began their yeer in Nishan upon the occasion of their famous deliverance out of Egypt in that month but from the Creation the yeer began in Tizri which now is called the Seventh month and this seventh month was afterwards made famous again by Joshua's Conquest of Canaan and by his division of the land thereupon to the nine Tribes and a half in this seventh month Jos 14. and in remembrance thereof they began all their yeers of Rest and all their Jubiles from that
began to kill their Passeovers at half an hour after two a Clock but if the Passeover day fell out to be the * Some think of no other Evening belonging to the Jews Sabbath but the evening before the Sabbath but they are grosly mistaken for that was no otherwise the evening of the Sabbath but in relation to the new day to the purified person but the evening of the Sabbath it self began and ended as the Passeover evening did from mid-day to mid-night evening of the Sabbath namely that evening of the Sabbath which began at Mid-day then they began to kill their Passeover sooner But still this must be remembred which Maymony often noteth that they never kild any Passeover till after the daily evening Sacrifice and some other services that did ever accompany it See Ains in Numb 28. 4. But say the Hebrew Doctors God setteth no particular hour neither for the killing of the daily evening Sacrifice nor yet for the killing of the Passeover but in general he commanded them to be killed between the two evenings Hence it follows That if they killed the daily evening Sacrifice or the Passeover or the Peace-offerings in any part of the after-noon between the time of Mid-day and the Sun-set evening they were allowable and according to Gods own limited time But because God requires that all his Worship in all the Circumstances of it should be done decently and in order both in regard of time place and persons therefore the chief Rulers of the people thought it their duty to suit all the particular businesses about the Passeover and the daily evening Sacrifice to certain particular hours in the evening so as all things might be done with the best conveniency decency and order that one duty might not shoulder out another The Hebrew Doctors in the Babylonian Thalmud say thus the daily evening Sacrifice was killed at the eighth hour and a half and it was offered at the ninth hour and a half that is to say at half an hour after three a Clock But in the evening of the Passover it was killed at the seventh hour and a half and offered at the eighth hour and a half that is to say at half an hour after two a Clock But if the evening of the Passeover did fall out to be upon the evening of the Sabbath then it was killed at the sixth hour and a half that is to say at half an hour after twelve a Clock and it was offered at seven and a half See Ains in Exod. 12. 6. Buxtorfius also in his Hebrew Lexicon upon the word Gnarbaiim doth from the Hebrew Doctors shew that if the Passeover evening fell upon the Sabbath evening that then they began to kill the daily evening Sacrâ—fice at half an hour after twelve a Clock because of the manifold businesses that belonged to the Sabbath besides the killing of their Passeovers therefore that the doing of one duty might not thrust out another their Wise-men did set an order of time when they should begin to kill the daily evening Sacrifice which in all the days of the year was deferred to the last place exceptâ—on the Passeover evening and then it was ever preferred to the first place and when ever the Passeover evening fell upon a Sabbath then they began to kill it at half an hour after twelve a Clock and that was as soon as ever they could perceive the shadow of the evening to be stretched out or declined and the only reason why they began thus early upon the Sabbath evening was because they might have sufficient time to finish all the duties of the Sabbath and all their Passeovers before Sun-set for after Sun-set the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful because God had expresly commanded all evening Sacrifices to be killed between the two Evenings and because they had much work to do on Passeover evenings especially when it fell on the Sabbath they must begin to kill the daily evening Sacrifice at the first declining of the Sun or else they could not kill all by Sun-set for in the time of Josiahs Passeover the Passeovers and Peace-offerings were so many that the Priests could not finish all till night 2 Chron. 35. 14. Obj. 1. You have often cited the Hebrew Doctors as if they did all agree in one That the Natural evening did begin at Mid-day but Mr. Thomas Shepheard in his third Part on the Sabbath Thesis 36. doth affirm that the Hebrew Doctors testimonies are of little worth because they do often contradict one another about the beginning of the evening for though some of them do say that the evening doth begin at Mid-day yet they are over whelmed with crosse testimonies from the most of their Fellows who begin it some about one some about two a Clock in the afternoon and Josephus who is one of most credit in his Writings tels us That they began their first evening about three a Clock in the afternoon Ans I would Mr. Shepheard had cited the particular places where the Hebrew Doctors do crosse one another about the beginning of the Evening for then the particular places should have been examined by the help of such as are expert in their Writings I grant that some of them do speak of the beginning of the Evening at one hour and some at another and yet all this without any contradiction for in regard of severall duties that must be trans-acted at several hours in the evening they had just occasion to speak of the beginning of the evening at several hours in relation to the said several duties that must begin at several hours of the said evening as I noted it in chap. 2. in answer to Obj. 1. at seventhly and as I have noted it immediately afore from the Babylonian Thalmud But if it do appear true that Josephus doth precisely begin the evening at three a clock and not in relation to some special duty then I grant that such a testimony is worthy of due consideration but I beleeve that Josephus is some way or other mistaken for the Thalmud called Jerusalemie which was finished since Josephus See Ains in Advertisement at the end of Deut. wrote namely about the year of our Lord two hundâ—ed and thirty and the other Thalmud called Babelie which was fiâ—ished about the year five hundred do record the Canons and Constitutions of the Jews according to which the Iews do live at this day and no question but they knew Josephus his opinion as well as others that were more antient Doctors and yet these do affirm that the evening begins at mid-day And Moses the sonne of Maymon who lived in the year of our Lord one thousand two hundred hath set down in plainer Hebrew the Expositions Canons and Traditions of the said Thalmuds and of the more antient Hebrew Doctors omitting the fabulous Discourses of the Thalmuds and this Maymony is of such esteem among the Jewish Nation that of him it is said From Moses the
thing that Satan aimed at in his temptation but blessed be God that provided Jesus Christ against that time of need But after this digression in setting out the degrees of the first Spiritual death as it must be understood in Gen. 2. 17. I will now return to speak a little more of the Devils speech and subtilty in deceiving the Woman and in making her his instrument to deceive Adam The Devil did not deal with the Woman about any Morall disobedience as he did with Christ after he had tried him with many other temptations for forty days together for he knew that Adams nature was framed after Gods Image in respect of Moral perfection but he deals with her about positive commands only for he knew that she was not so perfect in the knowledge of those things by Creation as she was in all Moral things he knew that the Woman was ignorant as yet of the positive Law that was given to the Angels to attend upon them as the visible Creatures were for they being Spirits their motions and actions were not subject to be discerned by bodily senses and in that respect also Eve was ignorant of their disobedience and fall and she was also ignorant that they had obtained leave of God to tempt her about the Tree of Knowledge which was a thing indifferent in its own nature to be eaten or refused but if the Woman had but known of these things then her Moral and Natural wisdome would have fortified her will against all Satans temptations whatsoever for we see by the example of Christ that when the Devil did perswade him by Peters tongue to pitty himself and not to go to Ierusalem to suffer then Christ could not be deceived by his perswasions because he knew that Peters tongue was acted by Satan and therefore hee said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me Mat. 16. 23. but for the manner of this knowledge the Woman could not call this Angel Satan and therefore she could not resist so stedfastly as else doubtless she would have done yea if the Angels that fell had but known of Mans glory by Gods election in Christ they would not have refused to serve man for in this manner the Apostle doth reason about the Sin of the Princes of this World had they but known saith he of the hidden Wisdom of God which he ordained before the world unto our glory they would not have Crucified the Lord of glory 2 Cor. 2. 7 8. so I may say of the Womans Fall if she had but known of the fall of Angels she would not have been deceived by the Serpent But because the Woman was ignorant of those positive Secrets and God was pleased not to reveal them to her as yet she was deceived and then she was easily made Satans Instrument to deceive her Husband and then they did experimentally know that some of the Angels were faln and that they had leave of God to tempt them and that the Devil was a Liar and a Murtherer from the beginning Joh. 8. 44. The Syriack on the word Beginning is Men Breshith that is by all Rabbins within the days of Creation and saith Mr. Perkins Our Saviour calls See Perkins on the Creed the Devil a Man-slayer from the beginning not from the beginning of the Creation or of Time but of Man and seeing saith he it is the nature of the Devil to shew his malice against Man with out ceasing no doubt but he took the first occasion that might possible be had to bring man to the same Damnation with himself And why is the Devil said to go up and down or to walk a-about seeking whom he may devour like a roaring Lion but to express his speedy diligence in his first temptation as well as in his after temptations 1 Pet. 5. 8. And why is the Devil called the Old Serpent Revel 12. but from his ancient deceiving of the understanding and will of our first Parents And why is he said to have the power of Death Heb. 2. 14. but from his first prevailing temptation in prevailing with our first Parents to eat of the forbidden Fruit. Why is hee called the subtile Serpent Gen. 3. 1. but from his subtilty in deceiving Eve while she was a Virgin 2 Cor. 11. 3. And thus Adam in Honour Created after Gods Image understood not for as yet he understood not that any of the Angels were become Devils or that they spake with the tongue of the Serpent he was like the Beasts that perish Psal 49. 20. Adam did not lodge a night in Honour Psal 49. 12. for hee was deprived of the glorious Image of God namely of his Moral and Natural perfections before night came Theophilact saith As man was formed the sixth day and did eat of the forbidden Fruit at the sixth hour so Christ healing the Fall was fastned to the Tree the sixth day and the sixth hour Austin also is of opinion that Adam stood in his innocency but six hours only From all this Discourse in this reason though it be long because I have interlaced several collateral considerations yet I hope profitable to the understanding of the weaker sort this Conclusion follows That the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtile Serpent if he had not presently and without delay namely as soon as Adam had received the Commandement to eat of all the Trees in the Garden and of the Tree of Life above the rest brought him by his subtilty to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and Evil in the first place before he had so much liberty as to go first to the Tree of Life for the Devil knew that if Adam had had but a little time free from his temptation his created Wisdome was such that he would have eaten of the Tree of Life in the first place and then the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtile Serpent but because the Devil by his speedy subtilty brought our first Parents to eat of the forbidden Fruit in the first place before they had liberty in the day of their Creation to eat of the Tree of Life therefore it follows 1 That the Devil hath justly deserved the name of a subtile Serpent 2 Hence it also follows that the Sabbath was not ordained in the time of Adams innocency but after his Fall Reas 5. Adam fell in the day of his Creation because he fell The Woman fell while she was a Virgin therefore Adam fell in the day of his Creation while the Woman was a Virgin namely before he knew her after the manner of all flesh If Adam and Eve had slept but one night together in their innocency doubtlesse in wisdome they would not have omitted the act of Generation 1 Because the desire of begetting Children to increase the kinde is not only something Natural but it is the most natural thing in the world 2 And more especially because it was laid upon him by
the month between the middle of those things that belong to the Evening in this translation they doe not fully name the two Evenings but yet after a sort they doe name the two Evenings because they say between the middle of those things that belong to the Evening their meaning must be this In the beginning of the Passeover Evening they in the first place did offer the daily evening Sacrifice burne Incense trim the Lamps c. Secondly As soon as the latter evening was come which did alwaies begin at Sun-set they began to feast upon the flesh of their Passeovers and of their Peace-offerings in a solemn religious manner Now between or in the middle of these things all their Passeovers were sacrificed And thus by this Interpretation it appears evidently that the seventy Translators held Gnarbaiim to be but one proper naturall evening divided into two princiall parts because they called that which was done between the two evenings the middle of the evening in the singular number Therefore I may well conclude that their distinction is absurd that make the first part of Gnarbaiim to be no more but an improper evening and that make the latter part onely proper I think no man that is well advised can find any harmony in the Scripture by this Interpretation 3. It is also evident that Gnereb the Evening is as large in length of time as Gnarbaiim the two Evenings is for not onely The Hebrew text doth make the two Evenings to be but one proper Evening the Seventy do translate Gnarbaiim by the single term Evening but the Hebrew Text it selfe doth often put Gnereb for Gnarbaiim interchangeably as for example four places of Scripture doe command them to offer the daily evening Sacrifice between the two evenings but many more places say it should be done or sacrificed in Gnereb the evening five places command all the Passeovers to be sacrificed between the two evenings but more places say it shall be done or sacrificed in Gnereb the evening one place saith that the Priests must cause the Lamps to burne between the two evenings but other places say in the evening one place saith the Quailes came between the two evenings but other places say they came in Gnereb the evening Therefore Gnereb and Gnarbaiim is but one proper evening Gnereb is as large in time as Gnarbaiim is both parts together make up the true and proper naturall evening called Gnereb Hence I conclude that the Hebrew word Gnereb doth not The two parts of Gnereb exemplified signifie such a confused mixture as is between light and darknesse in the Twilight but it signifies such a distinct connexion of Day and Night together as may be called Gnarbaiim the two evenings and such a connexion as may be distinguished or severed from each other into two distinct parts as I may exemplifie the matter by a party-coloured coat one half is white and the other halfe is black so is Gnereb the evening the first halfe is white called day and the other halfe is black called night and the time of Twilight that couples these two evenings together may be likened to the seam that couples the white and black peeces together for the compleating of the party-coloured coat Or thus the two parts of Gnereb may be exemplified by the cloud that stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians the one halfe of the cloud was light towards the Israelites and the other halfe was dark towards the Egyptians Exod. 14. 20. So is Gnereb the natural evening the first halfe is light called day and the other half is dark called night But if the naturall evening had been nothing else but night as most Interpreters doe affirme upon Gen. 1. 5. then all evening Sacrifices must have been offered in the night time only but the Hebrew Doctors wil laugh that opinion to scorn as a foule absurdity for after Sun-set say they the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful see Ains in Lev. 6 9. â—â—y mean it only of all evening Sacrifices and therefore it was a foul mistake in K. James's Translators to translate Gnereb by the woâ—d night â—n Lev. 6. 20. they say that Aarons Meat-offering was offerâ—d half of it in the morning and halfe of it at night so also they put night for Gnereb in Gen. 49. 27. and in Job 7. 4. and in Psal 30. 5. and the Geneva Translators do the like in Gen 49. 27. and in Lev 6. 20. and often elsewhere but I beleeve themselves bâ—tâ—er advised would alter it and though the 70 Translators do take liberty to render Gnereb in differing terms yet they never do translate Gnereb by the word Night because the night in propriety of speech can not agree to the composition of Gnereb in Gen. 1. 5. SECT III. Proving by seven dâ—monstrative grounds that the Naturall Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun THe first Scripture by which I prove that the Natural Evening doth begin at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun is from Jeremy whose speech is both plain and elegant Jeremy speaks thus in the person of the Babylonian Souldiers Arise let us go up at noon woe unto us for the day declineth and the shadowes of the evening are stretched out Jer. 6. 4. These words are spoken by way of allusion but yet two phrases are remarkable in this Text. 1. The day declineth 2. The shadowes of the evening are stretched out both these termes are Synonima and mean the same time of the day for as soon as the day begins to decline the shadowes of the evening begin to be stretched out Hence then it follows 1. That the evening doth begin as soon as the day begins to decline 2. That the shadowes of the evening do begin to stretch themselves as soon as the sun which rules the day doth begin first to decline Jeremy speaks these words in the person of the Babylonian Souldiers who made haste to destroy the Jewes by the Noon-tide but when they were upon their march they saw they were like to come short of the appointed time and therefore they â—ry out in an angry passion Woe unto us for the day declineth and the shadowes of the evening are stretched out The Prophet speaks this by way of Prosopopeia yet there must be a reall truth in the allusion Secondly I prove that the natural Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun by Matth. 14. 15. When the Evening was come Luke expounds this evening to be come when the day began to go down or decline Luk. 9. 12. So Mr. Broughton renders the Text And when else doth the day first begin to go down or decline but when the Sun that rules the Day doth first begin to go down or decline as is above observed from Jer. 6. 4. And experience doth tell us that the Sun doth first begin to decline at mid-day and that it continues declining till Sun-set So then from the
respect God did pose him with this Interrogation Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth tell if thou have understanding Job 38. 4 5 6. When the morning Stars rejoyced together and when the Sons of God shouted Ver. 7. The Text doth plainly call them Morning Stars not so much in regard of the excellency of their Nature but in regard of the time wherein they were created or wherein they shouted at the excellency of Gods Workmanship when the foundation of the earth was laid either way or both waies do assure us that the time of the first darkness was called Morning and not Evening And that is the thing that I aim at in this first Section of this Chapter SECT 2. Proving that the Morning doth begin in the dark Night FIrst No man can deny but that the Morning is begun when the morning Watch is begun for the text doth affirm it Exod. 14. 24. 1 Sam. 11. 11. And it is a known thing that among the Jews they did alwaies begin it just three hours after Midnight not onely in the Summer time but also in the Winter time Hence it follows that their morning Watch in the time of Winter must needs begin in the dark night not onely in Judea but also in all the habitable parts of the world 2. Hence it follows that seeing the morning Watch did begin at three hours after Mid-night then it will follow that it must end just three hours after Mid-day for in common reason the morning must be as long as the evening namely twelve hours long or else the Evening may better be called an Unevening then an Evening to the Morning but none that have their senses will say that the morning doth continue till three hours after Mid-day 3 Hence it follows that it is more agreeable to Scripture and to common reason to begin the natural morning at the marked time of Mid-night rather than three hours after especially seeing it is then as dark all the winter long as it is at Mid-night and therefore seeing the morning is begun with darkness why not with darkness at mid-night as well as at three hours after mid-night seeing the world was created in the Equinoctial and the Morning is then as dark at three hours after Mid-night as it is at Mid-night Secondly Ruth lay at the feet of Boaz until the Morning Ruth 3. 14. and yet she arose before one could know another Hence it is evident that it was Morning in the time of Barly Harvest whiles it was yet dark it may be it was now in the end of our March or in the beginning of our April and though some say that the Morning Watch was not so called from the first hour of it but from the last hour of it when it begun to be day light yet this place of Ruth cals it Morning whiles it was yet dark and before one could know another Thirdly It is said that Christ arose in the Morning a great while before Day or greatly in the Night so the Greek speaks Mar. 1. 35. Hence it is manifest that it was Morning whiles it was greatly or much in the night Fourthly None can deny but that the morning is begun at the time of day-break in all the Inhabited Countries of the world Hence it follows that then it is morning in some Countries near unto mid-night especially when the daies are at the longest and known experience doth tell us that in the North parts of England the day doth sometimes begin to break near unto mid-night and indeed the day-light when the daies are at the longest is scarse ever out of the Sky in those parts except a little while about mid-night Hence it follows that seeing it is day-break sometimes near unto Mid-night then why may not the morning begin at mid-night all the year long as well in one Country as in another seeing the God of Nature hath set such an eminent mark upon mid-night and upon mid-day which doubtless was to set out the bounds and limits of the Natural morning and of the evening Fifthly Both Scripture and experience doth tell us that there is a certain Star called the Morning Star which at some time of the year is seen to arise not long after Mid-night and all men call it morning as soon as that Star is risen and in some parts when the daies are at the longest it riseth near unto Mid-night but it alwaies riseth before it is day break Sixthly It is evident that the morning begins in the dark night by this phrase in Psal 110. 3. The womb of the early Morning I purpose not to meddle with the mystical sense of these words because it concerns not the Argument in hand but I will onely meddle with the phrase for the phrase sake onely for this phrase must have some proper allusion to some natural truth Mibschar we translate Morning but saith Mr. Ainsworth the letter M is a Preposition signifying From or Before and in that respect some translators do render the text thus Before the womb of the early Morning this phrase must have an allusion to some proper truth and I can find nothing that may so fitly be called the womb of the early Morning as the first darkness was for out of this darkness God created the morning light and in this respect the Morning may well be divided into several degrees of time 1 The first Darkness was the womb of the Morning light 2 From the womb of the morning proceeded the Son of the morning called the morning Star as soon as it was created and it is now called the Son of the morning Isa 14. 12. 3. Then follows the ascending of the morning or day-break Gen. 32. 24 26. 4 Then follows the time of killing the morning Sacrifice namely when the face of all the East is inlightned which is between day-break and Sun-rising See Ains in Num. 28. 4. And certain it is that the morning Sacrifice was not onely slain but also offered before Sun-rising because the Meat Offering which was alwaies offered after the Burnt Offering was offered before Sun rising as it appears by 2 King 3. 20 22. and the Burnt Offering was alwaies first Lev. 1. and then the Meat Offering Lev. 2. now though the Morning Sacrifice was offered before Sun-rising yet the Evening Sacrifices of all sorts must be offered before Sun-set For the Hebrew Doctors say that after Sun-set the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful See Ains in Lev. 1. 6. 9. 5. Then follows the morning of the Artificiall day at Sun-rising Psal 104. 22 23. for God did appoint the Sun to rule and limit the Artificiall day Gen. 1. 6. Then followed the time of morning Prayer at the third hour of the day namely at our nine a clock First By these gradations to the morning we may see the vanity of their opinion that hold no other time to be called the morning properly but a point of time onely at the beginning of
his grave was opened such a like Earthquake there was aâ—â—he death of Christ which opened divers of the graves of the Saints and after the Resurrection of Christ they did rise also out of their graves and came into the holy City and appeared unto many Mat. 27. 52 53. By this Earthquake at Sun-rising when Mary Magdalen came to the Sepulchre it is evident that Christ did not rise out of his grave untill these holy women came to be witnesses of the time of his Resucrection I confesse that many Interpreters do think that Christ was risen before these holy Witnesses came to the Sepulchre but such conjectures may not be admitted for it is a point of necessary consequence to be proved That Christ lay three dayes in the heart of the Earth but if you say That Christ was risen before these holy Witnesses came then you cannot cleerly prove that Christ lay three dayes in the heart of earth for it may be demanded how long was he risen before they came If you say it was but one hour before I may as well say it was seven or eight hours before and then how can you satisfie a doubting conscience that Christ lay three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth I cannot think that Christ would suffer his own Prediction to remain so obscure without manifest proof of the full accomplishment of it Therefore I conclude that Christ rose not out of his grave till the holy women came to be Witnesses of the same which was also evidently declared unto them by this Earth-quake at their coming to the Sepulchre just at Sun-rising though they could not make that use of it till afterwards Object 1. This Earthquake might be past before the holy women came to the Sepulchre and they might know it afterward only by the Souldiers relation Ans Christ did never shew himself to any wicked man after his Resurrection Joh. 14. 19. Joh. 16. 20 22. Act. 10. 41. Therefore it is not like that he would make the Roman Souldiers to be the only Witnesses of this Earthquake which did evidence the time of his Resurrection I conceive the holy women would not give much credit to the testimony of the Roman Souldiers except this Earthquake had been general to all the parts of the City as wel as to that particular place but it seems to me that this Earthquake was not generally spread over the City but it was limited only to that particular place where Christs Sepulchre â—s as a special testimony of the time of his Resurrection In like â—t that place only where the Apostles were when they were thrâ—atned by the Hgh Priests was shaken as a testimony of encouragement to them not to be afraid of Tyrants Act. 4. 31. Act. 2. 2. Act. 12. 7. and so there was an Earthquake that opened the particular place where Paul was imprisoned Act. 16. 26. the bare testimony of the Souldiers would have been but of small credit to prove so weighty a matter as the time of Christs Resurrection was Therefore I conclude that Christ arose not from his Grave till these holy women came to testifie the time of his Resurrection by an Earthquake which happened at their first coming to his Sepulchre and that was just at Sun-rising I conceive that the holy women at first were amazed and did not know what use to make of this Earthquake Joh. 20. 9. but afterwards they did plainly perceive that it was a manifest demonstration of the time of his Resurrection and after this Earthquake Mary Magdalen went to the Apostles and told them that Christ was risen from the dead and she followed the Apostles back again to the Sepulchre And 3. when they saw no body in the Sepulchre they returned home 4 But Mary Magdalen staid still behind and then Christ himself did appear unto her as John doth testifie From all the premises it is evident that Christ lay in the heart of the earth about four hours of the sixth day and the whole Sabbath and about five hours of the first day of the week namely from Mid-night till Sun-rising and after this sort Christ lay three dayes and three nights in the heart of the Earth But those that begin the Sabbath at the Sun-set-Evening can never prove that Christ lay three dayes in the heart of the Earth Therefore that opinion must needs be of evill consequence First Because it falsifies the said Prediction And secondly Because it leads men to do servile works in the latter Evening of the Lords day as manyfold experience of mens worldly practises doth testifie in New England as soon as the Sun-set Evening of the Lords day is come If this Treatise may be of any use to satisfie a doubting conscience touching the time of Christs Burial and Resurrection and touching the limits of the Lords day Give glory to God who giâ—â— gifts to men for that purpose Even so AMEN FINIS