of being rooted out or cut off thus the Iews protest against our slander See Bro. in his Advertisement of corruptions in Religion p. 104. Fifthly This our grosse mistake of the Iews practise doth arise from our mistake of the meaning of the word Passeover in Iohn 18. 28. he saith thus The Iews went not into Pilate common Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passeover and in ch 19. 14. Iohn saith It was the preparation of the Passeover and about the sixth hour Hence some that are not wel acquainted with the Iews customs which are now recorded in their Thalmuds as the learned do observe have collected this inference that the Iews transferred the Passeover from the evening of the fourteenth day to the evening of the fifteenth day and also to the sixteenth day but indeed in this term Passeover Iohn doth Thalmudize and therfore without the help of the Hebrew Doctors it is not easie to spel Iohns meaning they apply the term Passeover not only to the proper Feast of the Pascha but as I noted in my answer to the former objection they use it as a general term for the whole Feast of unleavened Bread and in that respect they count all the days of it as if they were the days of the Passeover but more especially they did account the first day of unleavened Bread to be a Passeover day because they did then feast on the Peace-offerings belonging to the Passeover for they sacrificed with the Paschal Lamb on the fourteenth day certain Peace-offerings of Sheep or Oxen and these voluntary Peace-offerings they called the Passeover because they were sacrificed together with the Paschal Lamb on the fourteenth day and by the Law they might bee eaten for the space of two days and one night Levit. 7. 16. now the Iews had eaten the Paschal Lamb the night before but they had not as yet endedtheir feasting on these Peace-offerings which Iohn calls the Passeover the term Passeover in this last sense is not understood of many but Mr. Broughton and Mr. Ainsworth have given special notice of the word Passeover in this sense and that the Hebrew Doctors had grounded their common use of it on the Law in Deut. 16. 2. 4. and Mr. Broughton cites Solomon Jarchi speaking thus in Deut. 16. If many belong to one Passeover then they adde to it Chagiga Oxen for the Holy-day feast and saith Jarchy presently after the proper sense of the Scripture is that the flesh of the Chagigah-Passeover which thou dost sacrifice in the evening with the Lamb-Passeover shal be eaten in the fourteenth day and in the fifteenth day take notice by the way that he makes no mention of the sixteenth day as Mr. Weames doth most falsly Maymony also saith When they offered the Passeover in the first Month they offered it with the Peace-offerings of the fourteenth day Oxen or Flock-beasts great or small Male or Female but they offered not the Chagigah if the Lamb sufficed the company and so it was voluntary and not forced by any affirmative Commandment and it was eaten two days and one night and not in the second night as M. Weames doth mistakingly say In these words Maymony doth tell us that Iohn spake from the depth of Thalmudique knowledge and in this sense also doth Mr. Ainsworth explain the equivocation of the word Passeover from the Hebrew Doctors in Deut. 16. 2 4. and in Lev. 7. 16. John saith it was morning and they went not into Pâ—aetorion that they might not be defiled but might eat the Passeover not the Passeover strictly taken for that was eaten the night before but that they might eat their voluntary Peace-offerings which they had sacrificed with the Lamb-Passeover the day before and which by the Laws allowance they might feast on all the next day till Sun-set but no longer Lev. 7. 16. These Peace-offerings are called the Passeover by the Lawonce in Deut. 16. 2. and they are also clearly comprehended under the term Passeover in 2 Chron. 35. 11. but they are most usually called the Passeover in the Writings of the Hebrew Doctors and from their custom John doth use the word Passeover in their sense John saith it was morning and it was the preparation of the Passeover and about the sixth hour which sixth hour according to their account by their great hours began at our ten a Clock and ended with our twelve a Clock and this time was called the Jews preparation in order to their Passeover Dinner and in that respect they were afraid to come into Pilates Common Hall lest they should be defiled and so might be made unfit to eat the Passeovers Peace-offerings at Dinner time Object 10. You say that by the allowance of the Law the Jews might feast on the Peace-offerings that were offered with the Passeover for two days and one night namely till the next day at Sun-set but not after Sun-set but John speaks of another preparation to the Sabbath his words in chap. 19. 31. run thus The Jews then because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the Crosse for that Sabbath was a high day besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and that they might be taken down Ans This preparation is indeed a differing preparation from the former the former was their fore-noon preparation to their Passeover Dinner but this preparation was nigh unto Sun-set and so consequently it approached apace unto that festival Supper that did properly belong unto the Feast of unleavened Bread and in that respect they besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and that they might be taken down lest their cruelty in suffering them to hang longer on the Tree should be a blot to their joyful Feast for this day was the first of unleavened Bread which was the first and the chief of all their High Sabbaths Now as soon as the chief Priests had made this request to Pilate Joseph of Arimathea did wisely espy the advantage of time and then he also went boldly unto Pilate requesting that he might have the Body of Jesus in his own power to bury it The time when this was done was when the Evening was come as two Evangelists do witnesse Mat. 27. 17. Mar. 15. 42. and so Tindall in his Bible doth translate and expound Mark 15. 42. thus when night was come because it was the evening that goeth before the Sabbath This preparation therefore in Joh. 19. 31. must needs be in relation to their solemn Festival Supper which did properly belong to this High Sabbath as John doth call it Before Dinner the Jews were careful lest they should be defiled by going into Pilates Judgement Hall and so should have been hindred from their Festival Dinner and now also at Sun-set they take the like care to avoyd cruelty c. If this Sabbath spoken of had been the weekly Sabbath or seventh Day then though they had been defiled they might have resorted to their
Synagogues for there the clean and the unclean might meet together every Sabbath or seventh Day as I have observed in Chap. 4. but in case they had been defiled by any accident whatsoever at Sun-set they could not have eaten of their festival Sabbath-supper for all Israel were admonished to be clean at every solemn Feast saith Maymony Obj. 11. Why doth John call the first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread a high Sabbath Joh. 19. 31. Ans All the seven solemn Festival Sabbaths in Levit. 23. 7. are called High Feasts by the Geneva in Eze. 45. 17. But secondly this first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread was the very first of all those seven Sabbaths it was the day in which the Lord brought them out of Aegypt with a high hand and therefore the Lord did in a special manner charge them to remember this day for ever Exod. 13. 3. this Day and the weekly Sabbath have the word remember prefixed before them more than any other Sabbaths and in this regard the Hebrew Doctors in Deuteroproton and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do call Pascha day a great Sabbath but they do not give this high title to the proper Passeover day for that was no Sabbath it was but half Holy-day and therefore Moses doth not reckon it into the number of the Festival Sabbaths in Gen. 23. but they mean it of the first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread this day they called a great Sabbath and Pascha Day because in it they did festivally eat the remainder of their Peace-offerings which they had offered with the Lamb-Passeover on the fourteenth day But though they held this day to be a great Festival Sabbath and shewed great reverence to it now in their request to Pilate because it was their preparation time to their Festival Supper yet in the morning they held it lawful to judge Causes of Life and Death as we may see they did in our Saviours case and after Sun-set they held it lawful not only to bury but also to imbalm the Dead as the godly persons did to our Saviour See Ains in Lev. 23. 56. but they did not hold any of this work lawful to be done on their weekly Sabbath Luk. 23. 56. Obj. 12. Why doth John use the term Sabbath twice over in John 19. 31. doth he speak but of one kinde or of two sorts of Sabbaths Ans John speaks but of one high Festival Sabbath only now it was their immediate preparation to their high Festival Sabbath-Supper and therefore having satisfied their malice on Christ they besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken and that they might be taken down for that Sabbath was a high Sabbath I grant also that the weekly Sabbath was now begun according to the date of the person purified but not the seventh Day it self for this high Festival Sabbath was now in its full force and in its solemn Feast Secondly The time of Christs Burial is noted by Luke to bee The time of Christs burial was at Star-light when the said Festival Sabbath did begin to lighten Luk. 23. 54 so doth Mr. Broughton and Mr. Weames read it and so doth the Syriac read it in this phrase the Evangelist Luke doth plainly Thalmudize his words run thus That day was the preparation and the Sabbath began to lighten two things are observable 1. Luke saith this day was the preparation namely to their festival Supper 2. He describes the exact time when Christ was inclosed in the heart of the earth it was when this High Sabbath began to lighten namely in the first place with the Evening Star and that was a perspicuous mark of the near time of their Festival Supper but they did not begin their Festival Supper till three Stars appeared as I have noted in chap. 4. and Luke doth relate to this custom of theirs in shewing that the time of Christs Burial was when the Sabbath began to lighten but I beleeve the chief Priests did deferre the time of their feasting now somewhat longer than at other times because they had some businesse to do with Pilate before they could intend their Festival Supper for they went to Pilate to intreat him that the Sepulchre might be made sure until the third day because this Deceiver said that he would rise again the third day Mat. 27. 62 63. This request of their 's no doubt did occasion their delay to begin their High Sabbath Supper till more than three Stars appeared in the Skie this night Obj. 12. You say the Priests went to Pilate to intreat him to make sure the Sepulchre before they kept their Festival Supper but it is out of doubt I think that they did not go to Pilate till the next morning for Matthew calls the time of their going to Pilate the next day that followed their preparation Mat. 27. 62. Ans Ignorance of the Iewish Customs makes many misconstructions the next day began at Sun-set as I have sufficiently explained the matter in Chap. 4. Sect. 2. and this day followed their Preparation to their Festival Supper for their preparation in the after-noon was either by washing away of some light defilements or else it was their preparation of holy flesh by offering sacrifices c. But Matthews meaning lyes fair and round thus The next day after their preparation which began at the Sun-set evening they assembled unto Pilate to make the fore-said request Hence note that they did not go to Pilate to make this request till the next day namely not till after Sun-set and then also they had commission to make him sure by appointing such a Watch and all this they did after it was Star-light Their Satanical policy would not suffer them to stay so long as until the next morning for then Pilate would have said to them Why did you neglect to set a Watch about his Sepulcre over night as soon as he was buried for if his Disciples had had any minde to steale him away they would have done it in the first part of the night and doubtlesse when the Souldiers came to the chief Priests to tell them what had happened the chief Priests would have said that his Disciples stole him away before they began their watch but the chief Priests could not plead that excuse because they went presently to the sepulchre and made it sure sealing the stone and setting a watch Matth. 27. 66. Hence it follows that they went to Pilate in the beginning of their next Ceremonial day namely presently after Sun-set before they began their Festival Supper 2 Pilates answer to their request implies that they came over-night for Pilate saith You have a Watch go make it sure as you know Hence it follows that they came to Pilate when Watches were wont to be set but if they had not come to him til the next morning then in reason he would have said Get Warders and make it sure Hence it follows that the next day in which
Holy Time OR The True Limits of the Lords Day I. Proving That the Lords Day doth begin with the Natural Morning and that the Morning of the Natural day doth begin at Mid-night and so consequently that the Lords Day must both begin with the Natural Morning at Mid-night and end with the Natural Evening at Mid-night II. Proving That the Jews beginning of the Day at the Sun-set Evening was only in relation to the date of the Person purified from his Levitical uncleanness III. That The Jews themselves did hold That the Natural day did continue after Sun-set till Mid-night Maymony saith Grateful is a Command that is done in the hour of the same so say I grateful is the sanctifying of the Lords Day in the hour of the same In his Treatise of Offering Sacrifice Chap. 4. Sect. 1. Part II. By WILLIAM PYNCHON Esq Published by Authority Printed at London by R. I. and are to be sold by T. N. at the Sign of the three Lions in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1654. Grace and Peace to such as desire to know when the Lords Day doth begin and end To the end they might abstain from their own Worldly imployments in the Lords own Sanctified time THis point is the more difficult to be explaned because I have not met with any beaten road from other Interpreters But I have laboured to make it evident 1 That the Sanctified and separated time of the Lords Day is just according to the Natural day 2 I have laboured to make it evident That the Natural day begins with the Morning 3 That the Natural morning begins at Mid-night 4 That the Natural day and so consequently the Lords Day doth begin with the Natural morning and doth end with the Natural evening at Mid-night And for the want of the knowledge of these things I perceive that many godly persons do the works of their ordinary Callings in some part of the Lords sanctified and separated day as those do that begin and end the Lords Day at the Sun-set Evening and for their better information I forced my self to compose this Treatise I finde that the chief ground of their error doâ—h arise First from a mistaken interpretation of the first Darknesse to be a full Night of twelve hours and Secondly from a mistaken interpretation of the word Evening because they apprehend it to bee nothing else but a full Night These and sundry such like mistakes I conceive I have cleared I presum'd therefore that this insuing Treatise will be heartily welcome to every tender Conscience that doth truly desire to give unto the Lord his own separated and sanctified time Many godly Christians to my knowledge have been much exercised in their Studies and Meditations to finde out the true limits of the Lords Day that so they might abstain from the works of their particular Calling in every part of that sanctified and separated time from the beginning of the day to the full end thereof For their sakes also and at the special request of some of them I have laboured in this Treatise to prove That all the time of the first Darknesse was comprehended in the word Morning at last and that it took its beginning from the Mid-night at last namely as soon as all the several parts of the Natural day were shaped and set into their order And therefore the beginning of the Morning from the time of Mid-night must not be ascribed to the Romans as the first Authors of it as many unadvisedly do nor yet to any other Nation but it is the most ancient Scripture-Computation from the very first created day and so consequently it must needs be the true beginning of the Jews Sabbath This Tenent may happily seem strange at the first to such as have long held both in their judgement and practise That the Jews Sabbath and so consequently the Lords Day did properly begin at the Sun-set evening and of this judgement and practice are most of the Churches in New England and in that respect many Professors among them do without scruple take liberty in the Sun-set Evening of the Lords Day to do the servile works of their particular Callings and others take liberty to use Recreations But it is worthy to be taken notice of that whole Churches do many times erre both in their judgement and practice or else how could so much Corruption Superstition Idolatry and Prophanenesse creep in to several reformed Churches as there hath done from time to time in sundry ages Being therefore intreated by some godly persons in New England and being also moved thereunto by the fear of God I have taken this difficult Task in hand lest to confute this corrupt judgement and practice it should spread like Leaven to the corrupting of Posterity and so I rest Thine in the Lord WILLIAM PYNCHON The chief Heads of this Treatise OF HOLY TIME CHAP. I. PRoving that the first Darknesse in Gen. 1. 2. was not a compleat Night By three Reasons Page 1 The true Definition of a compleat Night It is the absence of the Suns shining for the space of twelve Hours p. 3 CHAP. II. Proving that Moses by the term Evening in Gen. 1. 5. doth not mean the whole Night but the latter half of the Artificial Day and the first half of the Night p. 6 This Chapter is distributed into four Sections and six Objections are answered SECT 1. The Hebrew word Gnereb translated the Evening in Gen. 1. 5. is explaned in p. 9 1 The first Darknesse cannot be called the Evening in a proper sense p. 10 2 Neither can the whole night be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense p. 10 3 Neither can the Twilight be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense p. 10. And therefore it is a great mistake in our larger Annotation in Mat. 26. 20. to say that Harab properly signifieth mixed namely the mixture of Light and Darknesse in the Twilight and in that sense mis-applying Deut. 16. 6. which is meant of the time of sacrifising the Passeover and not of the time of feasting Our Ancestors held Gnereb the Evening to be at all times of the yeer an even and equal part of time to Boker the Morning p. 16 Gnereb the Evening is often put by the figure Synecdoche for the later half of the Evening which doth alwayes begin at Sun-set and end at Mid-night p. 16 Gnereb is often put by the figure Metanomia for the West because the later Evening begins at Sun-set which when it is in the Equinoctial doth alwayes set in the West p. 17 Gnereb the Evening is often put by the figure Metanomy for the last dayes and also for the last end of a thing because it is the last half of the natural day p. 17 SECT 2. Gnereb signifies such a connexion of several species as doth ever preserve the said several species distinct and intire without any confused mixture and so Gnarbaiim in the Dual number doth explain it and therefore
he had bathed himself in water The answer is no hee must yet stay a while longer without the Camp till his Sun be set and then when the Sun is gon down he shall come into the Camp Hence it is evident that his Ceremoniall purity was not compleat until his Sun was set but then it was compleat and therefore he did then begin to date the day of his cleanness Hence also I gather that their Ceremonial baptizing might be done in any part of the afternoon provided it were done before Sun-set because the Sun did look forth towards the place of his going down by his shadow from Mid-day til it went out of that Horizon as I have formerly explained the matter But if any were defiled by any accident in the night after his Sun was set upon him he must remain in that uncleanness untill a new baptizing in the next afternoon and till a new Sun-set Evening Secondly It is evident that none were compleatly purified till Sun-set by Levit. 22. 5 6 7. Moses saith thus If any man whether Priest or Israelite be made unclean by touching a dead creeping thing or the like unclean thing Then in ver 6. he shall be unclean untill the Evening he shall not eat of the holy things But first He shall bath himself in water And then Secondly saith ver 7. when the Sun is gon down he shall be clean By this Text it is also evident that he did not attain to a perfect ceremonial cleanness by baptizing himself in water untill the Sun was gon down upon him after his bathing But as soon as his Sun was set then he was compleatly purified and then also he began to date the day of his cleanness and then also he might eat of the holy things Thirdly The Hebrew Doctors do abundantly testifie that no baptized person did begin the day of his cleanness untill his Sun was set for this is their common and peculiar phrase They shall be unclean untill their Sun be set But the common phrase of the Ceremonial Law saith thus They shall be unclean untill the Evening The unclean saith Maymony may not eat of the Heave-Offering untill their Sun be set See Ains in Lev. 22. 9 10. And hence it is evident that they held the baptized persons to have some degree of uncleanness upon them untill their Sun was set And therefore Maymony saith thus He that is baptized is the second in uncleanness untill his Sun be set And he that is so baptized if his Sun bee not set may not eat or drink of the Trumah or holy offerings nor of any meat or drink that is holy See Ains in Lev. 11. 32. and in Lev. 7. 20 21. and in Numb 19. 19 20 21. This phrase in the Law He shall be unclean untill the Evening is eight times over repeated in Lev. 11. and fourteen times over in Lev. 15. and often elsewhere But the Hebrew Doctors do usually express it He shall be unclean till his Sun be set they accounted the term Sun-set and the term Evening to be all one time Hence then it follows that the date of their new day of cleanness did alwaies begin at the Sun-set Evening Fourthly It is evident that the Jews began the date of their new day of cleanness at the Sun-set Evening because the Sun-set The Jews morrow began at Sun-set in Ceremonial respects Evening is called Their morning 1 Sam. 30. 17. David and his men are said to pursue after the Amalekites From the twilight unto the Evening of Their Morrow that is to say from the Twilight in the Morning until their Morrow which began at the Sun-set Evening it was a custom that was proper and peculiar unto them differing from other Nations to date the new day of their cleanness from the Sun-set Evening and therefore the Hebrew Text doth apply the word Their unto David and his men in special calling it their morrow Dr. Willet doth explain the word Morrow to be the next day after David his men were set forth to pursue the Amalekites But the text doth not say so but that David and his men fell upon the Amalekites and pursued their victory from the Twilight in the morning untill the Evening of their morrow that is till the Sun-set Evening for at that Evening began their Morrow or their new day to the person purified 2. It is evident that the Sun-set Evening was the Jews morrow from the time of their reckoning of the seven weeks to the day of Penticost They are commanded to begin that reckoning from the morrow of the Sabbath meaning by the Sabbath the first day of the feast of unleavened bread which God commanded them to observe as a Sabbath Lev. 23. 15. And by the Morrow of the Sabbath is meant the second day of the Feast of unleavened bread which began at the Sun-set Evening at the end of the first day that Evening is called the Morrow but this is observable also that the seventh day of the Feast of unleavened bread did not end at Sun-set but the holy feast of that day continued in the night time after Sun-set and in this sense the word Morrow must be understood in ver 11. and 16. The Hebrew Doctors say they begin this reckoning from the beginning of the day not from the beginning of the Artificial day as most are apt to mistake their meaning but from the night of the sixteenth of Nishan See Ains in Lev. 23. 15. and it is a known thing as I have explained the matter that they did account the night to begin at the Sun-set Evening according to the date of the person purified And in this sense the phrase of The next day in Matth. 27. 62. must be understood then the next day that followed the preparation must be understood of the Sun-set Evening 3. As Boker the Morning is put for the beginning of the day namely for the beginning of the Natural day and for the beginning of the Artificial day so also it is once put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day or for the Sun-set Evening in Deut. 16. 4. as I have opened the matter more at large in Chap. 5. These places do plainly evidence that the Jews had a double Morning and a double Morrow as they had a double year answerable to the Natural Day and to their Ceremonial Day Object 2. Though I am willing to grant that all purified persons did It is disputed by some that the Sun-set Evening is not fully come until it be full Twilight or somewhat past or else they confess it cannot be proved that Christ lay three daies in his grave begin the date of their new Day at the Sun-set Evening yet learned men do affirm that the Sun is not set as soon as the Body of the Sun is gone out of our sight They say that as long as there doth remain any light in the Skie the Sun is the cause of it and hence they assert That the
signifie The Hebrew word Gnereb which is translated Evening in Gen. 1. 5. explained a mixing or mingling of things together but I dislike this interpretation because it is not possible by this interpretation to find out the true form shape of the Natural Evening I have therefore made diligent search into the various use of this word and I finde that Gnereb doth signifie not a confused mixing and mingling of things together but a connexing conjoyning or coupling of two or more distinct things together without confounding their severall species or natures and therefore Wine and Water mixed together cannot be called Gnereb neither can the confused mingling of Light and Darknesse together as it is in the Twilight be called Gnereb and yet that short time of Twilight is comprehended within the large limits of Gnereb because it is the partition of Gnarbaiim the two Evenings but the Twilight it selfe is ever expressed by two other severall Hebrew words and never by Gnereb The thing I ayme at in this Discourse is only to clear the true signification of Gnereb from a confused mixing or mingling of things together and to make it clear and evident that it only signifies a conjunction of two or more distinct things together and therefore that Gnereb in Gen. 1. 5. must signifie the conjunction of the last halfe of the Artificiall day to the first halfe of the Night and that these two distinct parts connexed are an even and equal portion of time to Boker the morning 2. I wil explaine the true meaning of this phrase in Gen. 1. 5. so was the Evening and so was the Morning First mark the dependence in the former part of the Verse it is said God called the light Day and the darknesse he called Night and then it follows so was the Evening but how was that was it framed out of the darknesse only No it was framed and formed both out of the said Light called Day and out of the said Darknesse called Night Conjunctim and not Divisim namely the Evening was framed by conjoyning the latter halfe of the Artificiall day to the first halfe of the Night and so was the Morning namely it was in like sort framed out of the Darknesse called Night and out of the Light called Day by conjoyning the last halfe of the Night to the first halfe of the Artificiall day and it is most evident that this was the true meaning of Moses because he doth afterwards explaine Gnereb the single Evening by Gnarbaiim the two Evenings eleaven times over and the reason is because the ful Natural evening hath two parts namely the first halfe is Day and the latter halfe is Night as I shal open the matter more at large both in this Chapter by and by and in Chapter the fift And from this interpretation of Gnereb in Gen. 1. 5. these three Conclusions do follow 1 That the First Darknesse is not nor cannot be called Gnereb the Evening 2 That the whole Night is not nor cannot be called Gnereb the Evening in a proper sense 3 That the Twilight cannot be called Gnereb the Evening And the reason is because none of these three have any distinct conjunction of species to make them Gnereb and from this interpretation of Gnereb I frame this Argument The first Darknesse by it selfe considered cannot be called Gnereb the Evening neither can the confused mixture of the Twilight be called Gnereb the Evening because Gnereb doth signifie not such a mixture as is confused but a connexing or conjoyning of two or more things together without confounding their distinct species and there are no other distinct species in Gen. 1. 5. to be conjoyned together but the Light called Day and the Darknesse called Night But the first darknesse was pure darknesse and no other thing was connexed to it til the Light was created and that connexion though at the first it might have been called Gnereb yet now it must not be called Gnereb because it pleased God to call it Boker the morning Therefore the first Darknesse by it selfe considered cannot be called Gnereb the Evening neither was it framed into any part of the Evening at all The Assumption wil not be denied The Proposition I prove severall wayes But first I wil begin it by a particular examination of the various use of the Hebrew word Gnereb thorow out the Scripture 1 Gnereb is put for the conjunction of two persons together in a contract of Marriage Ezra 9. 2. Psal 106. 35. it is also put for the connexion of Iron and Clay in the feet of Nebuchadnezzars Image Dan. 2. 41. 43. which connexion is expounded to be the joyning together of the Seleucida and the Lagida by Marriages in Dan. 11. 16 17. in like sort that Phrase of going in to another by way of Marriage 1 King 11. 1 2. is called Gnereb in the Chalde and the going in to the Nations Josh 23. 7. is called Gnereb in the Chalde These instances doe prove that Gnereb is a connexion of two distinct Persons or Species together without confounding the Species 2 Gnereb is put for Merchandise because of the connexion of sundry sorts of Wares the Merchants use to joyne together when they carry them to Faires or Markets to sell Eze. 27. 17. 19. 25. 27 31. 34. Gnereb is also put for Merchants by the Figure Metonymia either because of the said connexion of sundry sorts of Wares or else because of their manifold contracts with other persons which contracts are usually made by connexing their hands together Eze. 27. 13. 3 Gnereb is put for things that are sweet or pleasant by the Figure Synecdoche it is put for a sweet or pleasant voyce Cant. 2. 14. and for sweet sleep Prov. 3. 24. Jer. 31. 26. and for other sweet and pleasant things Prov. 13. 19. Psal 104. 34 Jer. 6. 20. Hos 9. 4 Mal. 3. 4. but none of these things can be said to be sweet or pleasant until they be connexed to some of the five Senses or to some of the affections of the Soule as for example Psal 104. 34. my meditation of him shal bee sweet or my meditation shal be connexed to him namely with delightful thoughts 4 Gnereb is put for a league of amity or of confederation between two parties for offence or defence Eze. 20. 5. Jer. 25. 20 24. Jer. 50. 37. and in this manner those Aegyptians that joyned themselves to the Israelites at their departure are called Gnereb Exod. 12. 38. and yet they might still be distinguished from the Israelites in like manner after their returne from their Captivity in Babylon Nehemiah charged the Jewes to separate the Heathen people from them which they had joyned to them in way of Marriage and they are called Gnereb Neh. 13. 3. 5 Gnereb is put for the connexion of two parties in a contract of Suertyship Gen. 43. 9. Gen. 44. 32. Prov. 11. 15. and in this respect Gnereb is also put for answering to another namely
together in Arabia Es 13. 20. and in that respect the Midianites because they were inhabitants in some part of Arabia are called Arabians See Tremelius in Hab. 3. 7. in that respect Moses his Midianitish Wife is called an Aethiopian in Num. 12. 1. and because in that continent there lived divers other sorts of people in cohabitation therefore they are called Gnereb for there lived the Posterity of Saba and Havilah of Sabâ—ah Regmah and Sabteca and many others all which are called Gnereb or Arabians that is to say a connexed people by a neighbourly cohabitation See Ainsw in Gen. 10. 7. and in Gen. 37. 25. 11 The Raven also and all sorts of Crows are called Gnereb because all the kindes of them are oftentimes connexed together in flocks and also because some of their kindes are party-coloured I have seen sundry sorts of Crowes together in flocks and some of them were party-coloured namely white and black like Pyes and Pyes are a sort of Crowes See Ains in Lev. 11. 15. These severall instances doe plainly evidence that Gnereb must not be taken for a confused mixing or mingling of things together whereby the distinct species may be confounded as wine and water mixed together are but it must be taken for such a mixing as is no other but a connexion of distinct species This explanation of Gnereb doth lead us by the hand to the right understanding of Gnereb in Gen. 1. 5. namely that it signifies the connexion of the latter halfe of the Artificiall day with the first halfe of the Night this part of the Naturall day our Ancestors did most fitly call the Evening First because Our Ancestors held Gnereb the Evening to be at all times of the yeare an even and equal part of time to Boker the morning it was the even or equal part to Boker the morning And Secondly our Ancestors held the Evening to be a distinct and differing portion of time from the time called Night and indeed experience doth tell us that the Night is not alwayes an Even part of time to the Artificiall day that it is many times longer and many times shorter than the day but the Evening as it is taken from mid-day to midnight is alwayes an even or equal part of time to Boker the Morning Summer and Winter all the world over and therefore our Ancestors could not so fitly have called the whole night an Evening in relation to the Artificiall day as most would have them speak though upon better advice they wil now think otherwise Obj. 3. What need is there to make Gnereb comprehend such a large portion of time as is the connexion of the latter halfe of the Artificiall day to the first halfe of the Night will not that little peece of light which remains after Sun-set and which is connexed to the Night sufficiently serve to make up the true composition of Gnereb the Evening Answ Our dispute did arise at first about the first Darknesse whether Moses in Gen. 1. 5. did call it Gnereb the Evening or no I told you no because it was pure darknesse without any connexion of light at the beginning of it and Gnereb the Evening is often put by the Figure Synecdoche for that halfe of the Evening called the latter Evening which doth alwayes begin at Sun-set when God created the Light to shine out of Darknesse God called that Light when it had run the course of twelve hours Day and the first halfe of it with the first darknesse he did at last call it Boker the Morning namely after the whole time of the Naturall day had run its course and after the Darknesse was formed into a Night Hence it followes that the composition of Gnereb was formed first from the latter halfe of the Artificiall day and from the first halfe of the Night but that little peece of light that remaines after Sun-set is no part of the Artificiall day which is due to Gnereb but it is a true part of the Night and it is presently confounded with darknesse and it is therefore called Twilight and therefore it cannot fitly be called Gnereb 2 I answer That seeing Gnereb is halfe Day and halfe Gnereb the Evening is often by the Figure Synecdoche put for the Sun-set evening so it is also put by the Figure Metonymia for the West Night it often comes to passe that any one of these parts is called Gnereb the Evening by the Figure Synecdoche and both parts together is often called the two Evenings the first Evening takes its beginning at mid-day and the latter Evening begins at Sun-set which doth alwayes set due West when the dayes are in the Equinoctial and in that respect our English Translators doe put the West for Gnereb in Dan. 8. 5. but Tremelius doth there put Sun-set for Gnereb and the seventy in that place doe put the South-west Wind for Gnereb and that Wind is one of the foure Winds of Heaven into which the Kingdome of Alexander was divided after his death as Daniel prophesied Dan. 8. 8. And truly seeing the South-west Wind proceeds indifferently both from the South and from the West conjoyned it doth most fitly answer to the conjunction or connexion of Gnereb but it is evident that Gnereb is often put for the West by the Figure Metonymia 1 Chron. 7. 28. 1 Chron. 12. 15. 1 Chron. 26. 16. 18. 30. and often elsewhere and in this respect the Twilight is contained within that portion of time which is called Gnereb but yet the Twilight by it selfe is never called Gnereb but two other Hebrew words are used to express the time of Twilight as I noted afore 3 Gnereb is Figuratively put by Translators for the plaines of Moab neere Jericho Num. 33. 48 49 50. Numb 36. 13. Deut. 1. 1. Deut. 11. 30. because they lye West at the setting of the Sun where the latter Evening doth begin but the seventy in all the said places doe put the West for Gnereb because the situation of the plaines of Moab lay in the West part of Canaan at the going downe of the Sun from whence the latter evening doth begin but see more of this latter evening in chap. 4. in the answer to Obj. 2. 4 Gnereb the Evening is Figuratively put for the last times Gnereb the Evening is often put for the last dayes and for the last end of a thing Gen. 49. 27. because the time of Gnereb the Evening doth follow after the time called Boker the Morning See more in Chap. 3. in Ans to Obj. 1. 5 Gnereb is Figuratively put for the last dayes even for the dayes of the Gospel called in Zach. 14. 7. the Evening time In the Evening time it shall be light the allusion is most fit and proper to the first Evening which doth alwaies begin at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun and then the Sun is in its greatest strength both for light and heat and then Christ Jesus appeared
so Jerusalem is usually called Jerusalaim in the duall number 2 Sam 5. 6 7. Psal 51. 18. not because there were two Jerusalems but because the City Jerusalem had two principal parts for first There was the City of the people on the one part and secondly There was the City of David and mount Zion on the other part but neither of these parts alone could properly be called the City of Jerusalem but both parts must be put together to make up the full City Jerusalem and in this respect it might well be called the double Jerusalem or the twy-party Jerusalem the like may be said of Ramothaim for there was but one City in Mount Ephraim that was called Ramath as vers 19. tels us But this City was called Ramothaim in the duall number because it had two principall parts First There was the City of the people on the one part And secondly There was Naioth in Ramath on the other part where the High place was and where Samuel dwelt and kept a Prophets School 2 Sam. 19. 18 19. But neither of these parts could properly be called the full City Ramath but both of them together did make up the full City Ramath So also Diblath Ezek. 6. 14. is Diblathaim Jerm 48. 22. And so Gnereb the Evening is sometimes called Gnarbaiim the two Evenings but neither of those two Evenings taken a part can properly be called Gnereb the full naturall Evening as it is meant in Gen. 1. 5. but both of them put together do make up the full natural Evening and in this respect Gnarbaiim may be translated the twofold evening or the twy-party evening as well as the two Evenings because indeed there is but one naturall Evening which is divided by the time of Sunset into two principall parts It is therefore but a woodden shift of some Scholars to call the first Evening an improper Evening and to call the latter Evening onely the full naturall Evening The like woodden shift it is to make no other part of time to be called Gnereb properly but the very beginning of the Night or of the later Evening onely as some do interpret Junius Annotation on Gen. 1. 5. to speak 2. If the Holy Spirit had framed Gnarbaiim to set out both a proper and an improper Evening with one and the same voice and breath then doubtlesse the seventy Translators being Hebrew The seventy Interpreters do make the two Evenings to be but one proper Evening Doctors would have found it out and then they would have described the various acceptation of the word by some marke of distinction or other especially considering they took liberty to vary the terme of their translation from Gnarbaiim for they do never fully expresse the term Gnarbaiim the two Evenings in any place but nine times over they translate it by the single term Evening and therefore if they had accounted the first part of it to have been an improper Evening and the latter part onely proper then doubtlesse they would somewhere or other have given some mark of distinction whereby to know them asunder especially seeing they take liberty to alter the phrase But it seems to me they accounted both the parts of Gnarbaiim to be but one proper naturall Evening because they do nine times over translate Gnarbaiim by the single term Evening I confesse they doe once after a sort set out the two parts of Gnarbaiim in Lev. 23. 5. for there the Seventy read the Text thus In the fourteenth day of 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
to their Ceremonial date from those duties that belonged to the date of the naturall day They knew that the Baptised person must begin his new day at Sun-set and that all Evening Sacrifices must be finished before Sun-set and yet in respect of the time of Feasting they knew that the same Natural day did still continue till mid-night Maymony saith That the Priests must eat the Peace-offerings of the Congregation in the same Day and in half the Night See Ains in Lev. 23. 20. Hence you may see that the Hebrew Doctors whom Maymony follows did hold that the same day in the case of Feasting did continue till mid-night and indeed this time was sufficient for the accomplishment of all their religious Feasts in like sort Solomon cals the Twilight evening of the night the same day wherein the Sacrifice was slain Prov. 7. 9. but it was not the same Ceremonial day for at Sun set the Jews began their next day or their morrow but for a fuller answer see my answer in Ch. 5. to Obj. 8. 14. 17. CHAP. V. Proving that the Passeover did begin and end according to the Natural Evening from mid-day to mid-night I Have shewed in Cha. 2. and Sect. 2. that the natural Evening was divided into two equal parts and now I shall shew you that the Passeover was solemnized in both the parts of that Evening First All the Passeovers and all the Peace-offerings that were annexed thereunto were all sacrificed in the time of the first Evening and it was utterly unlawful to sacrifice any Passeover either before this evening began or after this evening was ended which did ever begin at Mid-day and end at Sun-set Secondly All the Passeovers of Canaan must be feasted on with Religious solemnity in the time of the latter evening But first I will speak of the time of Sacrificing all their Passeovers and that was between the two evenings namely it was between the beginning of the first and the beginning of the latter evening this was the precise limited time for this work 1 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in Aegypt between the two evenings Exod. 12. 6. 2 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in the Wildernesse between the two evenings Numb 9. 3. 5. 11. 3 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in Canaan between the two evenings Levit. 23. 4 5. This space of time is called the appointed season thereof Numb 9. 2. Levit. 23. 4. Solomon Jarchi expounds the two evenings thus From the sixth hour which is at Mid-day and forwards it is called between the two Evenings for that the Sun declineth towards his going down c. between the evening of the day and the evening of the night the evening of the Day is from the beginning of the seventh hour and the evening of the Night is when the night begins See Ains in Numb 9. 3. 2 Maymony saith thus The killing of the Passeover is after Mid-day and if they kill it before it is not allowable and they kill it not but after the daily evening Sacrifice and burning of Incense and after they have trimmed the Lamps then they begin to kill the Paschal Lamb until the end of the day See Ains in Exod. 12. 6. Till the end of the day was till the Sun-set evening for after Sun-set saith Maymony the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawfull See Ains in Lev. 1. 9. Lev. 6. 9. Lev. 7. 18. Hence we see that the Hebrew Doctors held it as a Canon among them that no Passeover was allowable if it were killed either before Mid-day or after Sun-set but all the time between was Gods appointed season Num. 9. 2. Lev. 23. 4. Ordinarily they 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 if 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 sonner 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 Sacrifice 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 except on the Passeover evening and then it was ever preferred to the first place and when ever the Passeover evening fell
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-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
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