doubtlesse Lukes phrase doth allude to that custom This Sabbath that did now begin to lighten was not the Sabbath it self for if the Sabbath it self had been begun at the rising of the Evening Starre then doubtlesse the holy Women had broken the holy rest of the Sabbath day because after all this they went to the shops and bought Odors and Oyntments Luke 23. 56. compared with Mark 16. 1. yea and after they had bought these Odors and Oyntments they went home and prepared them in a readinesse to perfume the Body of Christ with them as soon as ever the Sabbath was past Mat. 28. 1. If they had bought them before his burial they would have perfumed his Body before his burial as Nicodemus did Therefore seeing these holy Women did all this work after the burial and after the Sabbath began to lighten it is an evident proof that the Sabbath it self did not begin neither at the Sun-set evening when the person purified began the date of his new day nor yet at the rising of the evening starre for if the Sabbath it self had been begun at either of these times then the holy Women had most grosly broken the holy rest of the Sabbath But the Holy Text doth witnesse on their side that they rested the Sabbath according to the Commandment Luk. 23. 56. Hence I conclude from this practise of the holy Women that though the evening before the Sabbath doth bear the date of the day following to the person purified yet in proper speaking it is no part of the Sabbath it self it is only to be esteemed the Sabbath but by way of preparation and no more Secondly I answer That your exposition of the word before may better carry this sense namely that this latter evening was indeed before the Sabbath it self and I have shewed in chap. 5. that the evening of the Sabbath is put by the Hebrew Doctors sometimes for the evening before the Sabbath and sometimes for the last half of the Sabbath it self but see more in this Chapter in the answer to the next objection Object 2. It seems to me that the Sabbath it self did begin and end at the Sun-set Evening by the Jews practise for they held it unlawful before the Sun-set Evening was come for our Saviour to heal diseased persons But after the Sun-set Evening was come all manner of diseased persons came flocking to him for cure Mar. 1. 32. Hence it appears that the Jews held the Sabbath to be fully ended as soon as the Sun-set Evening was come Ans It is but the bare conjecture that they forbore to bring their sick persons till the Sabbath was ended I deny it to be the very reason I beleeve the onely reason why they came no sooner was because they had no sooner intelligence of his miraculous power to heal you do barely affirm that the Jews in general held it unlawful for our Saviour to heal diseased persons upon the Sabbath day but you are deceived Tremelius doth testifie from the ancient Hebrew Doctors that they held the contrary They held that the perill of life did drive away the Sabbath that is to say they held it lawful to use any means to prevent the danger of death upon the Sabbath day See Tremelius his Annot. in Mat. 12. 8. in the Syriack Testament Mr. Ainsworth also doth affirm from the Hebrew Doctors that they held it to be a Sabbath days work to visit the sick for they held that perill of life did drive away the Sabbath See Ains in Exod. 20. 10. See also my former Treatise 2 I do also apprehend by the circumstances of the story that the Jews of Capernaum were not offended with our Saviour for his miraculous cure which he did upon that Sabbath day as the malignant Scribes and Pharisees sometimes were in healing one in the Synagogue that had an unclean spirit Mark 1. 27. 3 They took no offence at him for the curing of Peters wives mother of her Feavor presently after he had left the said Synagogue v 31. Therefore seeing they found no fault with Christ for neither of these miraculous cures before the Sabbath was ended doubtless they did not forbear to bring their diseased persons in respect of the Sabbath for they admired the power of God in these miracles and therefore as soon as the publick exercise was ended they spread his fame verse 28. and thereupon a multitude of the diseased persons of Capernaum came to him for cure with all the possible speed they could as it appears by their earnest pressing after so short a warning for I conceive by the circumstances of the story that it was but a little afore Sun-set when Christ left the Synagogue and then as soon as he had left the Synagogue he healed Peters wives mother which was another procuring cause that made the greater flocking to him but if his miraculous cures had been done sooner doubtlesse the fame thereof would have made the sick persons to have flocked sooner after him I grant that some of the malignant Scribes and Pharisees did sometimes take offence at Christ for his miraculous healing upon the Sabbath day But the people in general rejoyced at all the excellent things that were done by him upon the Sabbath day Luke 13. 17. for Christ did now heal a poor crooked woman upon that Sabbath day verse 11. And when the Ruler of the Synagogue took offence at it Christ by reasons put him to silence and the people rejoyced that Christ had put him to silence Therefore though some of the malignant Jews held erroniously that Christ ought not to heal upon the Sabbath day yet that is no good argument to prove that these Jews of Capernaum did purposely detain their sick persons till the Sabbath was ended I deny it to be the Reason I do apprehend rather that they did hastily flock to him rather than deliberately forbear till the Sabbath might be ended 4 Mr. Pemble on this place saith That this Evening was the Evening of the same day wherein Christ had done so much before as the inference shews plainly 5 It is evident to me from several testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors that they held the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self because they held it lawful to The Hebrew Doctors held the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self do many things in the Sun-set Evening before the Sabbath which they did not hold lawfull to be done in the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath 1 Maymony saith thus The two Loaves of New Corn for the Wave-offering on the day of Penticost were not Baked on the day of Pentecost because it was a Sabbath nor in the Evening before if it were a Sabbath See Ains in Lev. 23. 17. Two things are evident from this Testimony 1 That in the judgement of the Hebrew Doctors the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath was a true part of the
of any other Sabbath day 2 This clause In the ninth day of the month in the Evening is thus read by the Greek Interpreters From the ninth of the month from the Evening and thus they vary the Preposition from In to From and their Translation agreeth fitly to the next clause from Even unto Even you shall Rest your Sabbath and by this reading we may see that the Seventy do make the latter Evening of the ninth day to be a true part of the ninth day though it were also the beginning of the tenth day according to the date of the person purified 3 Hence it is also evident that Moses did not hold the naturall beginning of the tenth day to begin at the Sun-set evening of the ninth day for then Moses words should have run thus From the tenth of the month from the Evening but Moses doth not say so but from the ninth of the month from the Evening either he must mean it to begin from the Sacrifice-Evening of the ninth day as Maymony expounds it or secondly from the latter Evening of the ninth day as a true part of the ninth day as the Seventy understand it or thirdly from the Ceremonial beginning of the ninth day which begins at the Sun-set Evening before the ninth day But then 4 If you will take this phrase from Even to Even to be from the Evening of the ninth day according to the date of the person purified then all the ninth day must be a fasting day as well as the tenth day for the Evening of the ninth day is the beginning of the ninth day according to the date of the person purified but if you desire to avoid this grosse absurdity then you must grant that the natural Evening of the ninth day did not begin but end the ninth day as the Seventy Interpreters do carry it 5 They that do place the natural Evening at the beginning of the ninth day and yet do allow the Sacrifice Evening to be placed at the end of the ninth day they do thereby place the natural morning of the ninth day between the two Evenings of the ninth day and so they do make the morning Sacrifice to be killed between the two Evenings but when men will not receive the truth in the love of it it is just with God to let them run into such absurd consequences as these 6 This fasting-day was longer than any other fasting-day for No fasting-day among the Jews was so long as the Fast on the day of Attonement was all other publick fasting dayes were left to the Elders of the Sanhedrim to be appointed whensoever they were in any distress which were proclamed to be observed in all the Synagogues of the Land as well as at the Temple But they did not injoyn them to begin those fasting dayes in the Evening before with such a strict abstinence as they did the day of Reconciliation for the Hebrew Doctors say That it was lawfull for them to eat in the night when the feast was on the morrow See Ains in Nu. 9. 10. By this testimony of Maymony it is evident that they began all their other solemn fasting-dayes in the morning and not in the evening before except the day of Reconciliation only therfore no other publick fasting-fasting-day was of such a length as this yeerly fasting-fasting-day was 7 Neither was any other Sabbath of such a length for strict Rest as this fasting-fasting-Sabbath was for they must begin the strict Rest of this day either in the Sacrifice Evening of the ninth day or at the beginning of the latter Evening of the ninth But they did not begin the strict Rest neither of their festival Sabbaths nor 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 fasâ— 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 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 an other 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 sew Ans This exposition of the beginning of the Sun-set evening and of the beginning of the Sabbath is a new-found devise I have already shewed the vanity of it in Chapter 4. in my answer to Obj. 2. That the Sun-set evening is truly come as soon as ever the Body of the Sun is gone out of fight and that Darknesse is then begun because the shining of the Sun is gone from off the face of the earth and Darknesse is said to begin at the going down of the Sun in Gen. 15. 17. and then the Jews began to set their Night-watches and then the purified person began the date of the day of his cleanenesse and therefore if the Sabbath it self did begin in the evening at all it began then namely according to the date of the day of the purified person which began as soon as ever the Body of the Sun was gone out of sight as I have shewed in chap. 4. and then if Nehemiah did not set a Watch at the Gates of Jerusalem till the darknesse in the Skie was more than the light in the Skie he did not that which was sufficient to preserve the Holy rest of the Holy Sabbath especially seeing they began to make some preparation to the observation of the Sabbath from the time of the Evening Sacrifice before as I have observed from the Hebrew Doctors But I perceive that such as hold the Sabbath it self to begin in Such as hold the Sabbath to begin â—t the Sun set evening can never prove that Christ lay three days in his Grave the evening are necessitated to seek out such odde expositions as this of the time of the Sun-set evening because else they see that they can never prove that Christ lay three days inclosed in the heart of the earth Mat. 12. 40. and they know that Christ rose from the Dead on the first day of the Week Joh. 20. 19. Hence it follows that he must be inclosed in the heart of the earth in the very self-same Friday in which he was Crucified for the first day of the Week in which he arose from the Dead is called the third Day after 1 Cor. 15. 4. and in these respects it is of necessary consequence to describe the precise time both of his Burial and also of his Resurrection or else a doubting Conscience cannot be rightly established in the truth of his three days lying in the Grave But such as hold the Sabbath to begin at the Sun-set evening can never prove it unlesse they can prove that Christ was inclosed in the heart of the earth some distinct time before Sun-set but Luke saith that the time of Christs Burial was when it began to be Star-light Luk. 23. 54. that is not possible to be done for Luke saith that the Sabbath began to lighten with Star-light when he was inclosed in his Grave Luk. 23. 54. Master Broughton Mr. Weames and the Syriac do render the Translation so and the Seventy use the same Greek word in Job 25. 5. for the light of the Moon and it may as well be used for the light of the Stars for they are called Stars of light Gen. 1. 14 16. Psal 148. 3. Let all the circumstances of time about the burial of Christ bee cast up and laid together and then it will put
of the fourth day Gen. 1. 17. in respect whereof Job doth call them the Stars of the Twilight Job 3. 9. But the Seventy Translators call them the Stars of the night because they held Jobs Twilight to be a true part of the night And Solomon doth likewise make the Twilight of the Evening to be a terme synonimous with Darknesse and with the night Prov. 7. 9. And Aben Ezra on Exod. 12. saith there is the evening of the Sun and the evening of the Night when the shining of the Sun is gone from off the Earth For the further proof of this I refer you to Chapter 4. To my Answer to the second Objection But I will hereunto adde the description of a compleat night which may further enlighten this truth A compleat night is the absence of the Suns shining for the space of twelve hours A compleat night is the absence of the Suns shining from off the face of the earth for the space of twelve houres when the Sun is in the Equinoctial as the dayes were in the first Creation This description of the Night agrees with the testimony of Aben Ezra immediately cited Object Why doe you set out the shape and form of the first Artificial day by the shining of the Sunne and of the Night by the absence of the Suns shining Seeing the Sunne was not created till the fourth day It is likely that the light that was created the first day did not then rule the day after the same manner as the Sun did on the fourth day Ans Though there was no Sun-shine in the first day yet doubtlesse instead thereof the God of Nature and the God of Order did cause a certaine light to shine out of darknesse from the Element of Fire in the selfe same manner and order as he caused the Light to doe on the Fourth Day At the first the general matter of the Globe called Earth was without form Gen. 1. 2. because it was voyd of all ornaments for a time in like sort the first Darknesse was at the first a confused thing and without any shape or form of a night for a time but after the space of five or six houres God said Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. 3. It were too grosse blindnesse to think that God did cause this Light to breake out of darknesse all on a sudden like a flash of Lightning no God was now framing the First Day to be a Patterne and Sampler to all the rest and therefore the God of Nature and the God of Order did cause the Light to breake out of Darknesse by degrees in the same order and manner as he caused the Sunne to doe on the Fourth Day and so by this meanes the God of Nature did first create a Twilight to the first Darknesse before he caused the light to shine out upon the face of the Earth as he did by the Sunne on the Fourth day then also he caused the Light to ascend by degrees until it came to its height at mid-day and then he caused it to decline by degrees until it went off from that Horizon as the Sunne doth now and so by this meanes the Artificial Day was compleatly shaped and formed before the whole Night could be shaped and formed But secondly When the Artificial Day was thus formed by the shining of the Light twelve houres then there succeeded another Twilight and twelve houres Darknesse more then the first Darknesse the first halfe of that twelve houres darknesse made up the first darknesse a compleat night of twelve houres with a double Twilight and so it became a true patterne and sampler to all other Creation Nights and then the last halfe of the said twelve houres darknesse went on towards the beginning of the Second Day And except this order be observed there cannot be found out a double Twilight to make the first Night a compleat patterne for all the other Creation nights Reason II. It is evident that the first Darknesse was not a compleat night by the order of that Dominion which God established for the ruling of the Artificial Day by the Sun before he gave Dominion to the Moon and to the Starres to rule the night But if the first Darknesse had been a full night before the Artificial day had received its shape and form then the Moon and Stars should have had their dominion before the Sun for doubtlesse the God of order would place them in their dominion in the day of their creation according to that priority of order which the day had of the night or the night had of the day Gen. 1. 14. 19. If the night of the fourth day had been first in order before the Artificial day then the Moon and the Stars should have had the priority of their dominion to rule the night of the fourth day before the Sun could have had its dominion to rule the artificial day and so by this account the Sun shall borrow its light from the Moon as the chiefest in the dominion of the fourth day Is not this to make the God of order to be the God of confusion in setting the Cart before the Horse by giving the first dominion to the Moon and the last dominion to the Sun as they do that make the first darknesse to be a compleat night Or else if you think to avoid this Rock by saying that the Sun only was created on the fourth day to rule the artificiall day and that the Moon and the Stars were not created and set into their rule and dominion till the fifth night is not this to run against the plain Text. For my part I shall think him a good Logician that holds the first darknesse to be a compleat night that can fairly get out of this Dilemma Reason III. If the first darknesse had been formed into a compleat night before the light was formed into a compleat artificiall day Then doubtlesse Moses would have called it Night as the proper name of its perfect shape and form before he called the light Day for it was Gods usuall custome to give names to things in the same priority of order as they had priority of form and shape As for example As soon as he had made man of the earth he called him Adam and as soon as he had made woman of his Rib he bid Adam name her and as soon as he had formed other creatures he brought them to Adam bid him name them with names defining their natures so doubtless if the first darknes had been first form'd into a compleat night he would have named it night in the first place but he called it nothing else but Darknesse at first saying the darknesse was namely it was a mis-shapen and uncreated thing But as soon as he had put a shape and limited it by a double Twilight he called it night as the name of its perfect form and shape But it could not receive this shape and
form untill the light was first shaped and formed into an artificial day by its orderly shining upon the face of the earth for twelve hours together and then he called it day as the proper name of its perfect shape and form Hence we may cleerly perceive That Moses in Gen. 1. 5. doth name all the parts of the first natural day in their true priority of order as they were shaped and formed 1 Day 2 Night 3 Evening 4 Morning And secondly hence it follows that the first formed part of the naturall day was the artificiall day and not the night CHAP. II. Proving that Moses by the terme Evening in Gen. 1. 5. doth not me an the whole night But the latter halfe of the artificial day and the first halfe of the night LEarned Mr. Richardson saith That these two words Evening and Morning do set our Divines to School to finde out what is meant by them in the first Creation Most Interpreters say that the two Hebrew words Gnereb and Boker which we translate Evening and Morning in Gen. 1. 5. doe mean nothing else but night and day But I must crave leave to differ from them in judgement for these two Reasons Reason I. If Moses had called the first darknesse Evening and the artificiall day Morning Then in reason he would have placed the said termes in the same methodicall order in the end of the verse as he had done in the beginning of the said verse but he doth place them in a contrary order for in the beginning of the verse he names the Day before the Night but in the end of the verse he names the Evening before the Morning and what else doth this argue but that he did thereby intend that Gods people should take notice that the Evening and the morning were a differing division of the natural day from the division of Day and Night Reason II. If Moses had intended to call the first darknesse Evening as synonimous to the terme Night then doubtlesse some Scripture or other would have shewed them to be synonima seeing the said termes are so often repeated in the Bible But though I have made diligent search yet I cannot finde where the term Morning is made synonimous to the ful artificial day nor where the term Evening is made synonimous to the whole night in a proper sense Therefore seeing they are no where synonima it is altogether unlike that Moses doth make them synonima in Gen. 1. 5. and no where else Object Why might not the first Darknesse be a full Evening and so a full night of twelve houres though it wanted a Twilight in the beginning of it might not God dispense with the Twilight in the first night Ans Why do you go about to make the most wise Creator and Governour of all things to be an imperfect Artist in his first pattern for if you make the first Night to want a Twilight in the beginning of it do you not thereby make him an imperfect Artist in his first pattern to the other creation dayes for it is manifest that the shape and form of the first creation day was a true pattern by which the rest were shaped and formed for as the text expresseth it in verse 5. so was the Morning and so was the Evening the first day so in like sort it is said of the second day in verse 8. and so it is said of the third day in verse 13. and so it is said of the fourth day in verse 19. and so it is said of the fifth and sixth days all these dayes were shaped and formed just according to the pattern of the first day The addition of the Sun in the fourth day made no new part of Light more then the first day had as I have noted it already and therefore the manner how the Light did break out of Darknesse on the first day was in the same manner and order as we see the Sun doth in the Equinoctial 1 The Light ascended out of darknesse by degrees as the Sun doth now Gen. 32. 24. By means whereof it did first make a Twilight in the morning so the Hebrew phrase calleth it in Psal 119. 147. 2 Then after a while it began to shine upon the face of the earth Gen. 19. 23. 3 Then it ascended higher till it came to its height at mid-day as Es 16. 3. Act. 22. 6. Act. 26. 13. 4 Then it ceased to ascend and made a little stand for about halfe an hour 5 Then it began to decline or go down by degrees till it went out of the Horizon 6 Then it made a Twilight called the Twilight of the Evening Prov. 7. 9. 7 Then succeeded twelve hours darknesse the first half whereof made up the first darknesse a full night 8 Then the last halfe of the said twelve hours darknesse went on towards the beginning of the second day In this admirable order did the God of nature set together all the parts of the first naturall day But I have again set it out more fully in Section 4. Object 2. Some learned men say That Moses by the terme Evening and Morning in Gen. 1. 5. meant Night and Day no otherwise but by the figure Synecdoche onely They say that the Night is called Evening no otherwise but because it is begun of the Evening and that the artificial day is called Morning no otherwise but because it is begun of the Morning and so by this Exposition they make no other part of time to be called Evening but a little point of time onely at the beginning of the night all the rest of the night is called Evening say they but by the figure Synecdoche only In like manner they make no other part of the artificial Day to be called Morning but a little point of time in the beginning of the artificial day onely and this Exposition they borrow from Tremelius Annotation on Gen. 1. 5. or rather from Junius for it is easie to make it appear that Tremelius was of another judgement Ans A man had need of more patience then ordinary that shall spend his time to answer such fantastical conceits as this But in brief I think I have fully confounded this Objection 1 By proving that Moses in Gen. 1. 5. divided the first natural day into two equall parts two several wayes as I have exemplified it by the lines of longitude and latitude on a Compasse Diall in Sect. 4. and see also the gradations to the morning in Chap. 3. Sect. 2. at Sixthly 2 I answer by proving that Gnereb the Evening is a connexion of the latter halfe of the artificial day to the first halfe of the Night and so making it to be an equall part of time to Boker the Morning But the best way to answer this and many other Objections is to lay downe the true interpretation of Gnereb the Evening in the various use of it in the Scripture I am not ignorant that Gnereb is usually interpreted to
in regard of his early Judgements upon a people and also in regard Boker the Morning is put for Gods early seeking either to punish the wicked or protect the godly of his early Preservation of his own people 1. His early and speedy Judgements upon the wicked are set out by the term Morning in Num. 16. 5. Zeph. 3. 5. Psal 73. 14 Ezek. 7. 7 10. and so in Hos 10. 15. In the morning shal the King of Israel be destroyed and in this sense I shall presently expound Isa 47. 11. 2. The term Morning doth often denote Gods early care and Providence in looking out for the Protection of his people Exod. 14. 24. Psal 46. 7. Hence I infer that seeing the word Morning doth signifie early seeking or early looking out it may well denote unto us that the first Darkness was not comprehended under the term Evening but under the term Morning for Gnereb the Evening is never put for early or first but it is always put for late or last because it was the latter part of the Day as I have shewed in my Answer to the third Objection of the former Chapter and more by and by Secondly It is further evident that the Morning time was first As Gnereb the Evening is put for last time So Boker the Morning is put for the first time or for the beginning of a thing and the Evening last by Gen. 49. 27. Benjamin shall ravine like a Woolf in the Morning he shall devour the prey and in the Evening he shall divide the spoile The Seventy render it The early Morning and truly seeing the first Darkness had the priority of time before the Artificial Morning it is not proper to put the Artificial Morning for first in preheminence of time before the first Darkness and therefore in reason the first Darkness must belong to the early Morning as well as the first half of the Artificial Day doth or else Jacob did not make a proper Allusion to the Morning and to the Evening if the first Darkness had been Evening for then the evening had been first in order of time search into the story of Events and see how Jacobs Prophecie doth relate to the term Morning and Evening the event of his Pâ—ophecie lyes thus 1. Ehud of Benjamin was raised up by God like a Woolf in the early morning to devour the Moabites and to deliver Israel Judge 3. 15. Then God did also raise up Hester and Mâ—rdecai of Benjamin like a Woolf as it were in the Artificial Morning to deliver the Jews and to devour Haâ—an and all his Confederates in a hundred twenty seven Provinces Hâ—st 8. and Hest 9. 2. In the Evening-time of the world God raised up Paul of Benjamin to divide the spoil with the other Apostles by the preaching of the Gospel for Paul is said to make the Word of God to abound from Jerusalem to Illyricum Rom. 15. 19. and it is further evident that the daies of the Gospel are called the Evening by Zeph. 2. 7. the Prophet doth there foretel that there shall be a remnant of the Jews namely of the dispersed Jews dwelling in several Countries that shall be called to rest or lie down in the Evening and to this remnant of dispersed Jewes did Peter and James write in the Evening-time of the Gospel to exhort them to rest and repose their Souls in Christ for Life and Salvation Zachary also doth use the term Evening for the last times namely for the daies of the Gospel and in that respect the time of the Gospel is often called the last dayes Isa 2. 2. Jer. 30. 24. Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 20. Zacharies phrase runs thus In the Evening time it shall be light Zach. 14. 7. It is very suitable to compare the last daies of the Gospel to the Evening because it is the last half of the Natural Day and it is most suitable also to compare the light of the Gospel to the light of the Evening for the Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun and then the day is most clear and bright and so it continues till almost Sun-set and in the last days when the Apostles had a Commission to preach the Gospel in all the world the Gospel gave a light most clear to many souls that sat in darkness But if the Evening had been no other time but the dark Night as the most would have it then Zacharies Allusion to the light of that Evening had been but a poor comparison to set forth the light of the Gospel for in such an Evening there is no other light but Star-light or Moon-light at the best and that is but a poor light to illustrate the light of the Gospel by in the days of the Apostles Thirdly As the Evening is often put for last so the Morning is put for first in Dan. 9. 21. The man Gabriel whom I had seen in a vision at First or in the Morning so the Hebrew speaks Fourthly It is evident by another Allusion that the Morning is before the Evening because the term Morning is put for the very first beginning of a thing and in this sense Isaiah is most elegant Isa 47. 11. Evill shall come upon thee O Babylon and thou shalt not know the morning thereof or the beginning thereof The Hebrew word signifies the early Morning but the Geneva doth render it the Beginning and by this phrase the Holy Ghost did by a Periphrasis describe the beginning of Babylons ruin by the early Morning Object 2. Good Divines do take the term Morning here for the beginning of the Artificial Day and the word Morning in that sense doth not hinder but that the first Darkness was Evening Answ I have already answered this Objection immediately before I told you there that if the first Darkness had been called Evening then doubtless the Evening would have been put for the first beginning of any thing and the Morning for last but because the Morning is put for the first beginning of a thing therefore it is out of all doubt to me that the first Darkness did belong to the Morning and not to the Evening 2. I answer further that the Morning of Babylons fall cannot be so conveniently compared to the Morning of the Artificial day as to the dark early morning because the Artificial Morning is apparent and perspicuous to all men But the ruin of Babylon was not perspicuous at first but it was carryed on in a speedy and obscure manner by the Persians so that the Babylonians had no suspition or discerning of their fall as yet therefore the Morning of the Artificial Day was not so suitable to exemplifie the manner of their speedy ruin as the early dark Morning was for it was done speedily ere they were aware Jer. 50. 24. as it appears by these two considerations 1. Isay did foretel that Babylon should be destroyed in the Night Isa 21. 4. 2. Isay did foretel
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 the Artificial day all the rest they say is called the morning improperly Secondly By these gradations to the morning it is evident that the first darkness was the root or womb of the morning and therefore at last it was called Morning SECT 3. Proving that the Morning in all likelihood doth begin at mid-night besides the former certain grounds from the exact beginning and ending of the Evening FIrst I will endeavor to prove that the morning doth begin at mid-night by an argument drawn from Job 26. 7. compared with Gen. 1. 2. Job saith That God stretcheth out the North upon the empty and saith Moses The Earth was empty and void namely as long as darkness was upon the face of the deep But as soon as the light was created the earth could not be said to be empty and void any longer for then the deep was adorned with the light as with a most glorious ornament Object 4. The first Darkness did continue twelve hours upon the face of the deep after the general matter called Earth was created Or thus how long was the Earth empty and void before the light was created Answ The answer is from Job That the Earth was empty and void all the space of time that the North point is stretched out upon a Compass Dial namely the space of six hours for the North point on a Compass Dial doth stretch it self out untill it meet with the beginning of the East point the four ends of the two Lines of Longitude and Latitude do make the four Cardinal Points of the Compass North East South and West Hence it follows that the North point is stretched out to the East point and that is just six hours by the Compass Dyal and so long saith Job the Globe was empty but as soon as God created Light out of Darkness which began to appear by degrees first By a Twilight and then shined forth at the East point then the Earth was no longer empty and void but it was adorued with the light If any man can give a better Interpretation for the stretching out the North upon the Empty I shall bee glad to see it But if the first Darkness had been twelve hours long then Job should have said that God stretched out the West point as well as the North point upon the Empty but Job doth not say so but only that he stretched out the North upon the Empty and therefore it follows 1 That the first Darkness was not twelve hours but only six hours long upon the face of the deep before the light was created 2 Hence it follows that the first half of that twelve hours Darkness that succeeded the Artificial Day did make up the first darkness to be a just Night of twelve hours and after this manner both these parts of Darkness did meet together at the North point as I have exemplified the matter upon a Compass Dyal and the North Land in Jer. 23. 8. may according to the Hebrew be read from the Land of darkness And why else doth the Prophet in Psal 89. 12. begin the time of the first Creation in order from the North point but to remember us where and how long the darkness did continue upon the face of the deep after the Earth was
placed therein 1 King 3. 4. and in that respect David took care to provide a competent number of Priests to attend it But afterwards when David had recovered the Ark from the Philistims and had brought it into the Tent that he had provided for it in Jerusalem He divided the Priests into two parts and he appointed Asaph and his brethren to minister before the Lord at Jerusalem 1 Chron. 16. 37. and he appointed Zadoc and his brethren to minister at the Lords brazen Altar at his Tabernacle at Gibbeon 1 Chron. 16. 39. But when Solomon had finished his Temple he caused the Priests first of all to bring the Ark of the Lord into its place provided for it in the Temple and then he caused the Priests to bring up the Tabernacle of the Congregation with all the holy vessels into the Temple 1 King 8. 4. and after this manner the Lord refused Ephraim and chose the Tribe of Judah and Mount Sion of Benjamin which he loved Psal 78. 68. This brazen Altar was made and consecrated to be the publick Altar for the General Assemblies of all the twelve Tribes Exod. 27. 1. Numb 7. 1. and in that respect where ever this Altar was placed there was the chief High place untill Solomon had made another brazen Alrar in the place of it 2 Chron. 4. 1. At this Altar was offered the daily Morning and Evening sacrifices for all the twelve Tribes and the Passeovers of all the twelve Tribes and they might not be offered in any of the former private High places The Hebrew Doctors say They sacrificed not the Passeover in a private High-place no not in the time when private High-places were permitted and whosoever offereth the Passeover in a private High-place is beaten for it is said in Deut. 16. 5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover in any of thy gates we have been taught that this is a prohibition to kil it in a private High-place although it be in the time when private High-places were permitted See Ains in Deut. 16. 5. and such a private Altar as this was at Bethlem where Ishai had a yeerly Sacrifice and Feast for all the family 1 Sam. 20. 26. and such a private Altar as this did Saul build with stone 1 Sam. 14. 35. And of these Altars it is said that when Asa and Jehosaphat destroyed the Idolatrous High-places that they did not destroy these High-places 1 King 22. 43. 2 Chron. 15. 17. Now from all the premises it follows That seeing they might not kill their Passeovers at several High-places nor sprinkle the blood on several Altars but at the general High-place and at the general Altar onely That all the Passeovers in Canaan could not be killed and their blood sprinkled in so short a time as about the time of Sun-set and therefore that Command in Deut. 16. 6. at the going down of the Sun must not be understood of the Sun-set Evening but it must be understood of the whole time of the Suns declining from Mid-day till Sun-set just according to the time of the two Evenings in Exod. 12. 6. 2. Let me adde another Reason why the going down of the Sun The Passeover day was no Sabbath it was but a half holy-day in Deut. 16. 6. cannot be understood of the time of Sun-set namely because the fifteenth day according to the date of the person purified began at Sun-set but no Passeover might be sacrificed after the fifteenth day was come but all are commanded to be sacrificed in the fourteenth day at Even 3. No other part of the fourteenth day was commanded to be kept holy but the Evening of the fourteenth day The Jerusalemy and the Babylonian Thalmuds say that men might follow their work and labour all the first half of the day but at Mid-day say they they must leave off and begin their Rest Maymony also saith It is not unlawful to do work in the fourteenth of Nishan save from the midst of the day and so forwards But saith he whosoever doth work in the Passeover Evening after Mid-day he is to be scourged or excommunicated because the Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan is not like to the Evening of other Festival dayes because in it is the Sacrifice and the Feast See Ains in Lev. 23. 5. From these Testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors may be observed these four Thalmudical Tenents 1 That the fourteenth of Nishan was not a full holy-day as some do unadvisedly affirm it was no more but a half-holiday namely the full Evening onely 2 That the Jews observed two sorts of Evenings to every Sabbath one before the Sabbath for the date of the person purified and another from Mid-day and so forwards for the Evening of the 14. of Nishan saith Maymony is not like unto the evening of other Festival dayes because in it is the Sacrifice and the Feast But the Evening of other Festival dayes meaning the Evening before had no sacrifice but yet the Mid-day Evening of every Festival Sabbath was as holy as the Passeover Evening and had Sacrifice and feasting belonging to it 3 That the Evening of the fourteenth day was the time of sacrificing all their Passeovers 4 That from the time of Sun-set till Mid-night was the time of Feasting on the Passeover and that it belonged to the Evening of the fourteenth day Hence I conclude that when Moses commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in the Evening about the going down of the Sun Deut. 16. 6. he did not mean it of the Sun-set Evening but of the Mid-day Evening for then the Sun doth first begin to go down or decline Object 4. If the businesse about the Passeover was so restrained as you say it was 1 To be killed by the Priests and Levites onely 2 To be killed at one Temple onely 3 And that the blood must be sprinkled at one Altar onely Then I do not see how they could sacrifice all the Passeovers of Canaan between the two Evenings from Mid-day to Sun-set for there could not be lesse than a hundred thousand Passeovers and Peace-offerings when all the twelve Tribes met together though you do allow twelve or thirteen persons to each Passeover Ans I think I have made it evident already 1 That all the Passeovers of Canaan were killed by the Priests and Levites onely 2 In one Temple onely 3 That all their blood was sprinkled by the Priests onely 4 On one Altar onely and all this was done in the appointed season thereof namely between the two Evenings And this was no impossible but a fecible thing if all circumstances of quick dispatch be rightly weighed 1 There was a competent number of Priests Levites that waited upon this service for though at first the number of the Priests and Levites in the Wildernesse from thirty yeers old to fifty was but eight thousand five hundred and eighty Num. 4. 48. yet at length they were so multiplied that in the dayes of David they were eight
Mar. 14. 17. and when he was come he did not sit down to eat until the appointed hour was come Luk. 22. 14. this hour in general was the latter evening at Sun-set but the particular hour of their feasting was not by the Hebrew Doctors Canons untill three Stars did appear after Sun-set See Ains in Lev. 22. 9. 2 It is evident that our Saviour did not begin to Feast on his Passeover untill the said evening was come and it is evident also that he finished all his religious exercises and solemnities within the space of this latter evening from sun-set till mid-night as I have opened the matter more in my answer to the sixteenth objection Object 17. How can you prove that the Passeover-Supper was celebrated in the night of the fourteenth day seeing you confesse that the fifteenth day began that night at Sun-set and the Hebrew Doctors affirm that the flesh of the Paschal Lamb was eaten in the fifteenth night how then can that night appertain both to the fourteenth and to the fifteenth day Ans It was the fifteenth night according to the date of the person purified as I have opened the matter in chap. 4. and otherwhere but in regard of the Feast it did still properly appertain to the fourteenth day As for example if a Iew were defiled on the Passeover day by any of the lighter sorts of uncleanesses what course must he take that he might not be deprived of the Passeover Feast the answer is he must bathe or baptise himself in Water at the looking forth of the evening that is to say in the after-noon And what then might hee then carry his Lamb to the Temple to be sacrificed No he might not yet go himself to the Temple because his clensing was not fully compleat but yet he might joyn with others and cause others to kill the Passeover for him because he was now in his first degree of cleansing and then as soon as the Sun was fully gone down upon him he was fully clean and then he began the date of his day of cleanenesse and then as soon as three Stars appeared after Sun-set he might sit down with the rest of that Society to eat the Passeover See Ains in Num. 9. 10. And thus the Sun-set evening was the fifteenth day to the Person purified and yet it was properly the fourteenth day still in respect of feasting on the Sacrifices and thus these two actions of Feasting and Purifying may wel bear the date of two severall days thus enter-woven together without any confusion or disorder 1 It was necessary that the Person purified should begin the date of his new day as soon as his Ceremonial cleanenesse was perfected by the setting of the Sun upon him after his Baptising as I have opened the matter in chap. 4. 2 It was also as necessary that the solemn act of feasting upon the flesh of their Sacrifices should bear the date of the same day with the said Sacrifices 1 Because the act of Feasting received no new degree of cleanenesse at Sun-set as the person purified did 2. Because the act of feasting in the latter evening after Sun-set had a necessary dependence upon the act of Sacrificing in the former evening for the act of feasting on the Holy flesh in the latter evening was but to help on the Spiritual application of that document that was typified and exhibited by the sacrifice in the former evening therefore seeing the act of feasting had such a necessary dependence upon the act of sacrificing I see no reason why this continued Sacramental Passeover should bear the date of two several proper Natural days I see no reason why the act of feasting should bear the date of the fifteenth day except it be only in relation to the date of the person purified and thus Maymony above cited must be understood that the flesh of the Paschal Lamb was eaten on the fifteenth night namely according to the date of the person purified though in regard of the Feast it self it was but the fourteenth night still as in my next answer at fifthly I have cited his words Obj. 18. I desire to see yet further how you can prove that the latter evening at Sun-set was a true part of the fourteenth day in the case of their religious Feasting upon the Passeover Ans 1. I prove it by Exod. 12. 6 8 14. verses compared together the sixth verse commanded them to kill all their Passeovers between the two evenings this was the allowed season for the sacrificing of all their Passeovers in Aegypt 2. The eighth verse sets out the allowed season for the time of feasting they shall eat the flesh in that Night namely in that night that doth properly belong to the fourteenth day and then 3. In verse fourteen he doth unite these two solemnâ— actions together in these words This day shall be to you for a memorial yee shall festivally keep it for a feast unto Jehovah mark this phrase This day and yee shall festivally keep it what day doth he mean else but the fourteenth day afore spoken of and yee shall festivally kâ—ep iâ— and yet the Feast was kept after Sun-set Hence it follows that the time of feasting on the Paschal Lamb after Sun-set was a true part of the fourteenth day by Creation though it was the beginning of the fifteenth day to the person purified 2 It is evident that the Sun-set evening is a true part of the same fourteenth day by Creation by Numb 9. 11. In the second Month in the fourteenth day of the Month between the two evenings they shall do it with unleavened Cakes and bitter Herbs shall they eat it In this text Moses doth speak of a Two-fold action to be done in the evening of the fourteenth day of the month He speaks of doing it namely according to the Command that is to say of sacrificing it between the two evenings Secondly He speaks of the act of feasting with unleavened Cakes and bitter Herbs Moses doth not distribute these two Sacramental actions unto two severall Natural days but commands them both to bee done in the same fourteenth day of the month 3 It is evident by Jos 10. 3. that they kept the Feast of the Paschal Lamb on the fourteenth day of the Month at Even Joshuae names only the time of Feasting though the time of Sacrificing must be understood he saith plainly that it must be feasted on in the fourteenth day of the Month at even I cannot see how any man that loves plain truth can deny the Sun-set evening to be a true part of the former day 4 It is evident that the latter evening was a true part of the fourteenth day because the seven days of unleavened Bread have seven latter evenings belonging to them besides the latter evening of the fourteenth day so that they observed eight festival Evenings together and so Josephus doth number them in Antiq. lib. 2. ch 5. and hence it follows that the
Festival Supper which belonged to the last day of unleavened Bread which was the one and twentieth day of the Month did also bear the date of the two and twentieth day to the person purified and this latter evening was the allowed season for all their Holy Festival Suppers and often-times it was little enough for they must boyl and rost all the flesh of their Peace-offerings which were of the greater kind as sheep and Oxen for no Fowls were allowed for Peace-offerings See Ains in Lev. 3. 6. this did much increase the quantity of their Provisions and therefore it required the longer time both to Cook it and to feast on it and all these days of Feasting were commanded to be done with great solemnity especially the first and the last and with many relations of Gods goodnesse for their deliverance out of Aegypt and with Songs and Psalms of praise Deut. 16. 15. Exod. 23. 15. Deut. 27. 7. See Ains in Exod. 12. 8. and in this respect the latter evening was a competent time for these religious Solemnities and to continue the time of feasting longer was a transgression for it is expresly commanded in Lev. 7. 15. that the holy flesh must be eaten in the same day in which it was sacrificed But if the Sun-set evening had been the true beginning of the Natural day then this Holy flesh could not have been eaten the same day as I have noted the reason thereof formerly and then God by Moses had commanded us to do that which is not possible to be done therefore the Sun-set evening is a true part of the same Natural day wherein the flesh was sacrificed Maymony saith as I noted in objection sixteen that the Priests did eat the two Loaves which were presented to the Lord with the Meat-offering of the Congregation on the day of Penticost in the same day and in half the night as the flesh of the most holy things were See Ains in Levit. 23. 20. so then in the judgement of the ancient Hebrew Doctors for Maymony doth but record their judgement the latter evening till mid-night was a true part of the same Natural day in which the Sacrifices were offered though yet notwithstanding the purified person began the date of his new day at the Sun-set afore 5 Thus saith Maymony after he had related divers circumstances about the Passeover then is brought in a Table furnished with bitter Herbs unleavened Bread and the Body of the Paschal Lamb and the flesh Chagigah which is saith he for the fourteenth day of the Month he doth not say which is for the fifteenth day of the Month though otherwise he doth call this time the fifteenth day of the Month both are true in a right sense namely in the sense formerly given and in another place Maymony saith thus The evening of the fourteenth of Nâ—shan is not like the evening of other Festival days because in it are the Feast and the killing of Sacrifices See Ains in Lev. 23. 5. He makes the time of feasting to belong to the fourteenth day and secondly he preferres this evening to the evening of the Festival Sabbaths and therefore prescribes a greater punishment for servile work done on this evening than for working in the evening before the Festival Sabbaths for so is the comparison to be made as I have noted it elsewhere because in this evening was solemnized the proper Feast of the fourteenth day but the evening before was but in way of preparation to the Sabbath it self Thirdly Maymony saith thus They searched out Leaven in the beginning of the night of the fourteenth day Maymony calls the night before the Feast of the unleavened Bread the fourteenth night and yet in another place he calleth it the fifteenth day Thus have I proved not only by Scripture but also by the consent of the Hebrew Doctors that the Sun-set evening is a true part of the former day though it be also the beginning of a new day to the person purified by a Ceremonial institution CHAP. VI. Proving that the Day of Reconciliation was an extraordinary long Sabbath and an extraordinary long Fasting-day and therefore the beginning of this day ought not to be alleged as an exemplary Pattern neither for the beginning of any other Fasting-day nor yet for the beginning of the Lords Day THe Law saith thus in Lev. 23. 32. yee shall afflict your Souls in the ninth day of the Month in the evening from evening to evening you shal rest your Sabbath This Sabbath was singular from other Sabbaths in two regards 1 No other Sabbath was like it for the services of it 2 No other Sabbath was like it for the length of it 1 No other Sabbath was like it for the services of it For 1. All the Sacrifices of this day were commanded to be done by the High Priest only but on other Sabbaths they might be done by any other Priest as well as by the High Priest 2 There were more Burnt-offerings commanded to be offered for the publick on this Sabbath than on any other Sabbath 3 More Incense must be offered on this day than on any other day 4 There was more often sprinkling of blood on this day than on any other day 5 The High Priest did oftener wash on this day than on any other day 6 He used more sorts of Priestly garments on this day than on any other day 7 He did more often change his Garments on this day than on any other day 8 The High Priest did enter into the Holy of Holies on this day and on no day else all the yeer long and thus no day was like this Sabbath in the services of it 2 No day was like this day for the length of it neither in respect of the fast nor in respect of holy Rest of it For though it was commanded to bâ— observed in the tenth day of the seventh month Lev. 23. 27. yet it was also commanded to begin in the Evening of the ninth day Lev. 23. 32. This Evening of the ninth day hath a double interpretation 1 Some understand it of the sacrifice-Evening of the ninth day 2 Some understand it of the Evening at the end of the ninth day where the tenth day begins 1 In the first sense Maymony saith They began to afflict their souls in the Evening of the ninth day next before the tenth day and so they tarried in their affliction a little in the night after the tenth day In these words you see that Maymony doth not hold this fast to begin with the tenth day at the Sun-set Evening according to the date of the new day of the person purified but in the evening of the ninth day next before the tenth day And Maymony saith moreover That they must abide in their affliction a little in the night after the tenth day This early beginning and this late ending of this fasting-day doth increase the length of this day beyond the length of any other fasting-day or