I The Time when the FIRST SABBATH was Ordained. 1 Negatively, Not in the Time of Adam's Innocency, as many say it was. 2 Affirmatively, It was Ordained after the Time of Adam's Fall and Re-creation. TWO The Manner how the First Sabbath was Ordained. 1 By blessing the Seventh Day with many Spiritual Ordinances, both for public and private use. 2 By Sanctifying that Day for the Exercise of the said Ordinances. 3 By Sanctifying the outward Rest of that Day, to be a Typical Sign both of God's Resting, and of man's Resting in the Seed of the Woman, that was promised to break the Devil's Headplot, namely, by his Propitiatory Sacrifice. And hence it follows, 1 That as the Sabbath was Ordained to be a Typical sign, so it must be abolished, as soon as Christ had performed his said Propitiatory Sacrifice. 2 As it was Ordained to be the Sanctified Time, for the Exercise of the said blessed Ordinances; so the next day of the week, into which it was changed, must continue without intermission to the end of the world. PART II. III A Treatise of HOLY TIME, concerning the true limits of the Lords Day, when it gins, and when it ends, is hereunto annexed. By WILLIAM PYNCHON Esq. Published by Authority. LONDON, Printed by R. I. and are to be sold by T. N. at the three Lions in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange, 1654. To the Reader. Christian Reader, THis Industrious and Judicious Author, doth here present thee with two distinct Tractates concerning the Christian Sabbath, or Lords Day: In the former, the Divine Institution of it is clearly proved; In the latter, the time of its beginning is particularly determined. In the former, the erroneous conscience, which denies the morality of the fourth Commandment, is strongly convinced: In the latter, the scrupulous conscience, which doubts of the time when the Sabbath gins, is fully satisfied. In both, the serious Reader will find great profit and delight; The whole Discourse being illaborate and perspicuous, wherein besides the main points intended in it, divers other matters of important Cognizance are occasionally decided, and discussed, and many obscure Scriptures are excellently explained according to the genuine sense thereof. And this learned Discourse hath its birth in a very seasonable time, in respect of that woeful defection and Apostasy that is among us, as from the truth and ways of God in general, so in a special manner from the Religious esteem and observation of the Lords day. For never since the light of the blessed and glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ shined upon this our Goshen, was the Sabbath Day so wickedly neglected and profaned by the generality of people, and the Divine Institution thereof so shamefully denied, and decried by many pretenders to Religion, as it is at this day. And therefore (Good Reader) we hearty commend this necessary and useful work to thy diligent perusal, and thyself, and thy humble and sincere inquiries after Truth, unto the guidance and blessing of the God of all Truth. Tho. Clendon. Elidad Blackwel. Joh. Sheffield. Tho. Stevens, Minister of Peter in the Isle of Thanet. To the Reader. IF our Testimony be of any weight with the Judicious Reader, and may contribute any thing to encourage his perusal of this Book, we have to signify upon that acquaintance we have had with it, that we judge it very worthy the publishing and perusing: both for that in the former part it doth strenuously plead for the morality of the Sabbath; and in the latter part gives occasion to learned Brethren of a contrary apprehension to consider whether they have not reason to captivate their judgements to the Authors, as touching the beginning and ending of the Sabbath. Samuel Slater. Tho. Walley. A Table of the chief Heads. CHAP. I. PRoving by five Reasons, That Adam fell on the day of his Creation. Reason 1. Because Moses joineth man's Creation, Trial, Judgement, and Promise, to the same day Page 1 R. 2. Because he fell at the very first instant that ever he eat any thing p. 5 R 3. Because Adam being created after God in wisdom, would not in wisdom have omitted to have eaten of the Tree of Life in the very day of his creation, if the Devil had not first circumvented him by the unseen subtlety of his Temptation p. 6 R. 4. Because the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtle Serpent if he had left Adam at liberty to eat of the Tree of life but one whole day together p. 8 R. 5. Because the Woman fell while she was a Virgin p. 21 The time of the Fall of the Angels (now called the Devil) was when they were commanded to attend upon Adam and Eve, at their first entrance into Paradise p. 10 The true nature of the first Covenant stood in obedience, or disobedience, not to a moral, but to a positive command p. 12 The Devil knew the operation of the forbidden fruit better than Adam and Eve could do as long as they stood in their unconfirmed Innocency p. 15 CHAP. II. Proving by three Reasons that Adam was Re-created in the same day in which he was created and fell p. 23 Reason 1. From the order of Gods dealing with him immediately after his Fall p. 23 R. 2. From the new name Hevah, Life, which he gave to his wife p. 26 R. 3. From the word Enmity which God put into her as a holy qualification against the Serpent that had deceived her p. 28 The cool of the day in Gen. 3. when God came to examine Adam, was about Midday p. 23 CHAP. III. Proving, by a double Inference, that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 30 1 Drawn from the word Host and Finished, in Gen. 2. 1. p. 34 For if all the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day, than it follows that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 34 2 Drawn from the word Had made, in Gen. 2. 2. p. 35 For if God had made something in the sixth day that needed a new finishing act before the seventh day, as the Text speaks, then what can that finishing act else be but Adam's Re-creation by the Promised Seed? p. 35 Adam in his Innocency could not so well honour all his Creators as after his Fall and Re-creation p. 37 The Mystical, as well as the Natural Creation was made and finished before the seventh day, and therefore Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day p. 39 The Creation of the Humane Nature of Christ, was the perfection of the whole Creation, in the latter part of the sixth day p. 39 46 CHAP. IV. God could not be said to keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day, until he had put out sundry operations of his Eternal Providence for the finishing or perfecting of that work which he had made but mutably perfect in the forepart of the sixth day p. 42 CHAP. V This term [which he had made] in Gen. 2. 2. hath relation to the Creation of the Mediator, in two particulars. 1 In regard of his office, God created him to be a Mediatorial Priest before he could keep a perfect rest on the seventh day p. 46 2 In regard of his Humane Nature, he was virtually made flesh of the Seed of the Woman before God could keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day p. 46, 39 CHAP. VI Proving, that the whole World was made for the honour of the Mediator, as the right Heir of it all p. 50 And hence it follows. 1 That God could not keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day, until he had put the Mediator as the right Heir of all into his possession. 2 Hence it follows, that Adam must fall, and be Re-created also on the day of his Creation, before the Lord could keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day. p. 50 CHAP. VII. Proving, that Gods Rest on the seventh day was such a perfect Rest, that nothing could happen afterwards that could any whit lessen, or disturb the perfection of his Rest on the seventh day, as it would have happened, if God had kept a Sabbath of Rest whiles Adam stood in a mutable condition p. 54 CHAP. VIII. That the true nature of God's Rest on the seventh day was his sweet content in the Mediator p. 55, 56 All the Trinity rested, and were refreshed on the seventh day, because they had perfected man's happiness by a Re-creation p. 57 CHAP. IX. Proving, that God blessed the first seventh day with many sorts of spiritual Ordinances, such as were apt to convey spiritual and eternal blessedness to fallen man p. 59 God would never have blessed the seventh day with spiritual Ordinances, if the Mediator had not been declared to fallen man before the seventh day p. 60 God did not leave Adam and Eve to spend the first seventh day in private speculations, but he blessed the first seventh day with variety of Ordinances, both for public and private use, for their best spiritual good p. 60 God commanded Adam to preach every seventh day, either upon his miserable Fall, or else upon the riches of God's grace for his recovery by the Promised Seed p. 62 God commanded Adam to join the duty of Prayer to the duty of Preaching p. 63 Jesus Christ taught Adam by the Sacrifice of a Lamb, how he should be the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world p. 65 Two persons, where no more can be had, may be called a true Church of Christ, and may exercise God's Ordinances after a public manner p. 68 The dis-regarding of the Sabbath, and the Ordinances thereof is the high way to all Profaneness and Apostasy p. 70 Private duties are commanded on the Sabbath days, as necessary Handmaids to the public p. 72 CHAP. X. Showing after what manner God did sanctify the first seventh day p. 73 1 By ordaining it to be the separated time of his public and private worship. 2 By ordaining it to be as a sanctified sign of his Rest, and of man's resting on the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devil's Headplot, by the work of his Redemption and Reconciliation p 73 When ever God did sanctify any thing for man's use, he did by that act command man to separate that thing to the Lords use p. 74 When God did sanctify the first seventh day, he did thereby command Adam to prepare himself for the better sanctifying of the said seventh day p. 75 CHAP. XI. Showing that God did sanctify the outward Rest of the seventh day to be a typical sign both of his own Rest, and of man's Resting on the Seed of the Woman, for the breaking of the Devil's Headplot for man's Redemption p 78 Our Redemption from Satan's Headplot was the finishing act of the whole Creation; and therefore it was the true reason of God's Rest, and of his commanding Adam to rest on the first seventh day p. 82 CHAP. XII. Showing that God did make the first seventh day famous by honouring the number Seven ever after with famous respects p. 85 1 By contriving the Typical Ceremonies of our Redemption very often into the number of Seven, doubtless in an honourable memorial of the first famous seventh day p. 86 2 By marking out divers rare and eminent holy persons by the number Seven p. 89 3 By contriving several parcels of the Scripture Chronology into the number Seven, doubtless in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day p. 93 CHAP. XIII. Proving, That though Christ hath abolished the Seventh Day by his death, yet he hath not left the day of his public worship Arbitrary to particular Churches, to appoint what day they please in the place of the seventh day, as some unadvised Protestants do affirm, p. 94 And that Christ Jesus hath made three main changes in the ten Commandments, p. 99 CHAP. XIV. Proving by several other particular grounds that Christ himself did appoint the day of his Resurrection for the exercise of his public worship in the place of the seventh day, p. 101 Things Remarkable. ● Touching the number eight, three things are remarkable, p. 113 2 That four Sabbaths did meet together, and succeed each other at the Death and Resurrection of Christ, ibid. 3 The Resurrection of Christ was made famous by three remarkable days, p. 114 CHAP. XV. Propounding some reasons why the Apostles did allow of the Jewish-Sabbath, or seventh day in their Synagogues for a time after it was abolished by the Death of Christ, as well as of the Lords day in Christian Churches, p. 116 The opposition which some believing Jews made in Christian Churches for their not observing the Jewish Sabbath, doth fully prove that the Christian Churches had cast off the Jewish Sabbath, and that they observed the Lords Day in the place of it, p. 118 CHAP. XVI. Being an Answer to several Questions. Q. 1. Whether Christians under the Gospel are bound to observe the Lords Day as strictly from all work, and as holily in the practice of all duties of Religion as the Jews were to observe the Sabbath day? p. 129 Hence this Question is moved, Whether it be lawful to begin to solemnize a Marriage upon the Sabbath? Answered no. p. 130 Q 2. Might not the Jews kindle a fire on the Sabbath day to dress necessary food? Answered Yes. p. ibid. Q. 3. To the same purpose; Answered p. 132 Q. 4. To the same purpose; Answered p. 134 Q. 5. Are Christians bound to rest as strictly from all Works, and Recreations on the Lord's day, as the Jews were on the Sabbath day? Answered, Yes. p. 135 Q. 6. Were Recreations on the Sabbath day punished by the Magistrates among the Jews with the same kind of punishments that working on the Sabbath was? Answered No. They used differing kind of punishments p. 136 Also that Magistrates are bound to punish the profanation of any part of the Lords day (whether it be by work, or re-creation) either by scourging, or else by some Mulct that is equivalent p. 137 Q 7. Did not the Jews hold it lawful to do works of mercy, or of present necessity upon the Sabbath day? Answered, Yes p. 139 A TABLE OF Some Scriptures that are Explained or Illustrated in this first Treatise. Genesis. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 26 37 1 28 36 2 1 30, 34 2 2 30 2 3 59 2 8 10 2 9 3, 7 2 17 14, 16, 17 2 19 10 2 23 26 2 25 14 3 1 5, 13 3 2 5 3 7 14 3 8 23 3 9 23 3 11 25 3 12 25 3 13 25 3 15 25, 35, 39, 50, 62 3 17 14 3 20 27 3 22 7 4 23, 24 90 4 26 69 5 24 90 6 6 56 8 20 67 10 21 91 10 25 91 22 4 115 22 6 92 32 24 47 49 6 69 Exodus. 16 5 130 16 23 77, 148, 134 16 27, 28 77 19 10 76 20 2 83 20 8 60, 77 20 11 31, 82 22 2 139 22 30 110 23 10, 11, 12 81 24 8 83 29 30 86 31 13 84, 124, 132 31 14, 15 84, 124, 133 31 17 31, 56, 80, 84, 32 25 25 34 21 138 35 3 130, 132 Leviticus. 4 6 86 8 11 86 8 33 86, 112 15 13, 14 112 16 14 87 22 27 110 23 3 126, 63, 130, 141 23 15, 16 104 25 4 93, 113 Numbers. 6 24, 27 71 8 17 74 10 10 125 11 8 134 D●u●eronomy. 5 14, 15 82, 83 17 6 31 ●5 9 31 32 4 41 1 Chron. 24 13 40 2 Chron. 2 4 125 30 22, 23 88 Neh. 8 18 112 Job. 22 15 90 42 8 67, 87 Psalms. 8 6 44 24 1 36 24 10 36, 44 49 12, 20 20 104 30, 31 56 110 3 36, 109 118 24 109 Proverbs. 28 13 68 30 1 49 30 18, 19 49 Esay. 7 14 48, 49 53 10 92 56 4, 6 109 65 18 48 66 23 109 Jeremy. 6 4 76 31 22 47 Ezekiel. 34 26 76 46 4, 5 109 Daniel. 8 14 35 9 26, 27 98 Joel. 2 15 75 Amos. 5 21 112 8 5 138 Malachy. 1 11 100 Matthew. 4 2 6 11 29 81 12 5, 6 131 12 40 93 16 18 41 17 1 103 24 20 126 Mark. 2 27 60, 124 Luke. 1 69, 70 68 4 18, 19 28, 81, 114 9 28 103 13 32 93, 115 14 1 130 24 49 104 John. 1 3 40 5 22, 23, 27 52 6 53 47 7 22 111 7 37 112 8 44 19 10 22 124 19 19, 31 114, 158 19 20, 26 129 20 19 101 20 21 103 20 26 102, 103, 110 Acts. 1 12 141 2 1 102 3 21 68 6 14 98, 129 7 15 98 7 47 98 7 55 98 10 28 120 15 5, 24 116, 120 15 21 122 16 3 117, 120 17 4 118 18 17 118 19 9 118 20 7 117 21 20 116 120 21 21, 28 120 21 24 117 24 5 120 28 22 121 Romans. 3 23 16 5 13 52 15 25, 26 107 1 Corinth. 9 20 120 11 23 107 16 1, 2 105 2 Corinth. 9 2 106 11 1, 2 22 Galatians. 2 3, 4 120 2 5 120 4 9, 10, 11 121 Ephesians. 2 10 40, 42 Colossians. 1 15 40, 44 2 14 26 2 15 26 2 16, 17 123 2 18, 20 123 Hebrews. 1 3 36 1 6 50 2 10 44 2 14 20, 21 4 4 31 4 10 93 4 3, 9, 10 80, 81 5 5 46 7 12 99 8 13 122 9 10 99 9 14 65 9 19, 21 74 10 10, 12, 14 87 11 5 90 11 19 92, 114 12 23 112 James. 1 1 120 2 21 115 1 Peter. 4 19 41 2 Peter. 2 5 90 3 13 40 Judas 14, 15 90 Revelation. 3 12 27 3 14 44 5 11, 12, 13 45, 52 11 3 68 Errata in the first part of this Treatise. Page 15. Line 32. presented, read pretended. 17. 36. (it self) blot out, and read the light is substracted. 19 12. for the manner r. for the want of this knowledge. 22. 22. so many r. so Mary. 51. 15. of, r. [for] man's Redemption. 53. 13. instating, r. installing him. 59 13. The word And is to be blotted out as superfluous. THE PREFACE. MAny do affirm that the Sabbath was ordained in the time of Adam's Innocency: But I shall endeavour to prove that it was not ordained till after Adam's Fall and Recovery. And this I shall endeavour to make evident by proving these two points I That Adam disobeyed and fell in the same sixth day in which he was created and made. TWO That God did recover Adam by a new creation, even in the same sixth day in which he was created, and fell. CHAP. I. Proving, by five Reasons, that Adam Fell in the day of his Creation. Reason 1. MOses doth manifestly declare that Adam fell in the day of his Creation, because he joineth Because Moses joineth Adam's creation, trial, judgement, & promise, to the same day. the story of his Temptation and Fall in Chapter 3. close to his Creation, and seating in Paradise, in Chapter 2. without mentioning of any other matter to come between. Object. Here it may be objected, that Moses doth first set down the story of Adam's creation, in Gen. 1. and then he doth set down the Institution of the Sabbath in the beginning of Gen. 2. 2, 3. which is in order of time before the story of Adam's Temptation and Fall, in Chap. 3. Answ. Though Moses doth place the Institution of the Sabbath, in Gen. 2. 2 3. before the story of Adam's fall; yet it is evident that he doth place it there only by the figure Hysteron Proteron (not because he had done with the story of the Sixth day in the first Chapter, but because that story being large) he would first in a brief sort lay down the story of all the seven days of the week together, which he doth from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the third verse of the second Chapter, and then he returns again to speak of the story of the sixth day more at large, and makes a larger Narration of the Creation, and Fall of Adam, from the seventh verse of the second Chapter, to the end of the third Chapter, with variety of inlargements more than was in the first Chapter; for repetitions have usually many new additions; and so in true Chronology, and in the order of story, the Institution of the Sabbath in Gen. 2. 2, 3. must be placed at the end of Gen. 3. as I have after discussed the matter in that Text. And the method of Moses in this large story of the sixth day, is very observable, and lies thus. 1 He showeth the Matter and Form of Adam's Creation, in Chap. 2. vers. 7. but this he had omitted in Chap. 1. 2 He showeth Adam's Lordship over the creatures, for God commanded all the beasts of the field, and all the fowls of the air, to present themselves before Adam as their Lord, that he might name them with names difining their nature, and that they might wait upon him as their Lord and Master into Paradise, verse▪ 19, 20. but in a part of his Lordship he was restrained, because God did prohibit him the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 3 He shows the matter and manner of the Woman's creation, of Adam's Rib, vers. 18. which he had omitted in Chap. 1. and it is placed in Chap. 2. vers. 18. by the figure Hysteron Proteron, because there was not to be found among all the other creatures that were brought before Adam, a meet helper for Adam, vers. 20. she was the last sort of all the visible creatures of this world. 4 God brings the woman to the man, and joins them together in Marriage, as a meet helper for him, vers. 22. This was omitted in Chap. 1. 5 He shows that the place of their creation was without the borders of Paradise, vers. 8. 15. compared with Chap. 3. 23. 6 He describes the situation of that pleasant Garden of Paradise, which God made for the place of their habitation, as an addition to their happy condition by creation, vers. 8. etc. but this is to be marked, that Moses doth by the figure Hysteron Proteron, place their abode in Paradise, vers. 8. etc. before the creation of the woman; which figure he useth very often in this Chapter, and in the third Chapter. 7 He shows the special use of two Trees above the rest, by special names, vers. 9 8 He shows that God gave Adam and Eve a twofold command concerning these two Trees: The first was a positive command, saying unto them in the singular number (because of their Mariage-union) Of every Tree of the Garden thou mayest eat, but of that Tree which doth most concern the good of thy present condition (I have named the Tree of life) therefore in the first place eat of the Tree of life, and thou shalt live for ever, for by the name of it, God did not only show the use of it, but also he shown them their duty concerning it, verse 9 compared with Chapter 3. 22. Secondly, By way of prohibition and commination, God commanded them saying, Eat not of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die the death, Gen. 2. 17. 9 Unto all these particulars in this order connexed together, Moses doth immediately proceed to speak of Adam's temptation by the Serpent, Gen. 3. 1. and of his Fall, Gen. 3 6. And thus after this sort, Moses doth adjoin Adam's fall fast to his Creation, and seating in Paradise, without making mention of any other matter that came between. This Reason is further strengthened by the consent of sundry good Authors both ancient and latter. Calvin saith in Gen. 3. 6. It may be gathered by the Narration of Moses, That Adam and Eve did not long keep their Dignity which they had received, for as soon as he had but said they were made, making no mention of any other matter, he passeth to show the Fall. Mr. Ainsworth also observeth in Gen. 3. 1. That man's fall and misery is immediately joined to his creation, and seating in Paradise. Mr. Broughton also observeth (in his Sinai-sight Tab. 1.) That Moses joineth man's Creation, Trial, Judgement, and Promise, to the same day before the woman was called Eve. M. Broughton also in his showing of corruptions in Religion p. 85. saith, The first day, in which Adam was made, he disobeyed, as all may see by the continued narration for Eve, and for the Serpent's Speech, and Temptation, and Judgement for Curse upon all the Earth. The Hebrew Doctors also do generally hold that Adam fell on the day of his creation; Mr. Broughton saith, in Consent of Scripture, that he never heard of any one of them that was of a contrary judgement, and Mr. Ainsworth saith in Gen. 3. that the Hebrew Doctors hold that nothing (in that Chapter) was done after the sixth day of Creation▪ and saith Maymony, All our wise men do agree, that this whole matter (in Gen. 3.) was done in the sixth day. Rabbi Nathan doth make the story of the sixth day remarkable, by joining many things to the story of that day in sundry Rhetorical expressions, saying thus, The same day that Adam was form, the same day that he was created, the same day that his fashion was fashioned, the same day that his mould was made, the same day that his members were knit, the same day that his veins were opened, the same day that life was put into him, the same day that he stood first upon his feet, the same day that Eve was married to him, the same day that he gave names, the same day that he entered into Paradise, the same day that God gave him the Commandment, the same day he disobeyed, the same day he was driven out of Paradise. Perkins on the Creed, touching the time of Adam's Fall, saith, The received opinion in former ages hath been, that our first Parents fell the same day in which they were created, and therefore Augustine writes, That they stood but six hours; and though we cannot determine the certain time, yet in all likelihood (saith he) it was very short, for after that Moses had set down the creation of man, he presently without the interposition of any thing else, comes immediately to the fall. Irenaeus Con●ra Hear. Lib. 1. speaking of the day of Adam's Creation and Fall, saith, It is evident, that the Lord obeying his Father, suffered death in that day wherein Adam being disobedient unto God died; for on the sixth day, the day before the Sabbatb, was his Passion, which was the sixth day of the Creation of the world when man was form. chrysostom on Matth. saith, That Adam and Eve in the sixth day of the first week, which was the very same day of their creation, were cast out of Paradise. Divers other Divines both Greeks and Latins are concurrent in the same opinion, many of which are also cited by Mr. Broughton in his Consent of Scripture, where he citeth this as a common saying among them, That in one day Adam was form, and deformed. And so consequently from this Reason it follows, that the Sabbath was not instituted in the time of Adam's Innocency, but after his Fall. Reason 2. Adam fell the very first time that ever he eat any thing, and therefore he fell on the day of his creation; for in reason he Adam fell in the day of his creation, because he fell the very first time of his eating. would not abstain from eating longer than that day, seeing variety of meat was created ready for him to eat, and an appetite created to desire food. And that he fell the very first time of eating, it is evident, First, By the Devils Question; and secondly, By the Woman's Answer. 1 The Devil in the Serpent, demandeth this Question of the woman, Hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden? Gen. 3. 1. mark how the Devils demand, by way of Query, is of a thing to come: And indeed the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtle Serpent, if he had demanded whether that might be done, which had been done already. 2 The Woman's Answer to the Serpent's Question runs still of a thing to come: For the Woman said to the Serpent in Gen. 3. 2. We may eat, or we shall eat (so the Hebrew is) of the fruit of the Trees of the Garden, except of the fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden; intimating, saith Mr. Perkins on the Creed, that as yet she had not eaten when the Devil tempted her; and thus the Devil's Question, and the Woman's Answer of a thing to come, do both imply, that as yet they had not tasted any part of the fruit of the Garden; and doubtless Adam having variety of food set before him, and a created appetite to eat, he would not abstain from eating longer than the day of his creation, seeing the purest nature craves daily food, as we may see by our Saviour's hungering, and by all newborn creatures; neither was Adam necessitated to last for want of food, for variety of food was set before him, and free liberty to eat thereof, vers. 16. neither was Adam's appetite hindered through any infirmity of nature, for as God had created variety of food for their eating, so doubtless he created a true natural appetite in them to desire food (at the first convenient opportunity) though their appetite was not irregular and painful to them as ours is to us. And doubtless the devil was not ignorant that Adam and Eve had a true natural appetite to desire food, and therefore without any delay he fitted his temptation suitable to their natural appetite, and the like crafty policy he used to our Saviour when he was an hungry, and because there was no meat prepared for him in a readiness as there was for Adam, he fitted his temptation thereafter, saying, If thou be the Son of God, make this stone bread, Mat. 4. So than it appears by this reason, that Adam would not forbear eating longer than the day of his creation; and it appears by the Devils Question, and the Woman's Answer, that as yet they had eaten no fruit till they had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and therefore it follows, First, That Adam fell in the day of his creation; And secondly, that the Sabbath was not ordained in the time of Adam's innocency but after his fall. Because Adam being created after God in wisdom, would not in wisdom have omitted to have eaten of the tree of life in the very day of his creation, if the devil had not first circum▪ vented him by the unseen subtlety of his temptation. Reason 3. Adam and Eve being created after the image of God in Wisdom, had not deserved the description of being made wise according to God's Image, (if the devil had left them but one day to the freedom of their own will) if they had not made choice to eat of the Tree of life in the first place; First, seeing God had commanded them to eat freely of every Tree of the Garden, verse 16. And secondly, seeing God had commended unto them the Tree of life by name (for by the special name of it God did teach them to prefer it) before all the other trees in the Garden, for their best good: And it is evident from Gods threatening in Gen. 2. 17. that seeing man must die if he disobeyed by eating the forbidden fruit, that God's * See Mr. Ball on the Covenant, p. 6. Covenant was with Adam for life, if he had but first eaten of the Tree of life, and this is manifest by the name of the Tree, in vers. 9 compared with God's Irony in Chapter 3. 22. for by the name of it God shown him what operation it had by virtue of his Covenant And Mr. Burges in Vindiciae legis lect. 13. & vindiciae faederis, by M●. Blake. and Ordinance. Therefore if the Devil had let Adam and Eve alone but one whole day to the liberty and freedom of their own created wisdom, doubtless they would both in wisdom, and in obedience to God's command, and to God's commendation of the Tree of life for their best good, have eaten of the Tree of life in the first place, as the chiefest and best food, for it tended directly to the confirmation of them, not only in their present, but also in their future happy condition. And this the Devil knew right well, and therefore he knew that unless he could by his subtle headplot circumvent Adam and Eve, by enticing them to eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, before they did eat of the Tree of life, that he could never afterwards beguile them by any temptation whatsoever. And it is also evident, that Adam did well enough know the excellent use of the Tree of life by the name of it, vers. 9 as it appears by the speech of the blessed Trinity, in Gen. 3. 22. Behold say they, the man is become as one of US, to know good and evil, and now lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the Tree of life, and eat, and live for ever. This speech of the blessed Trinity, though it be spoken by way of Irony to Adam after his fall, yet it implieth that Adam and Eve knew that if they had but eaten of the Tree of life in their innocency, they had been confirmed in their present perfect condition for ever, but now being fallen, God doth mock their conceit as vain to think so; for a modest Irony hath always a contrary meaning to that which is spoken, and the scope of such an Irony is to express a just reprehension of some sin, as it may be observed in Judges 10. 14. 1 King. 22. 15. 1 King. 8. 27. And because the Tree of life had that virtue in it at first by God's Covenant and Ordinance; Therefore by way of comparison thereto, Christ is now called the Tree of Life, Rev. 2. 7. That whosoever believeth on him, or feedeth by faith on his death, and expiatory sacrifice, or sacrifices of Atonement (by which he hath broken the Devil's headplot) he shall never perish, but have everlasting life▪ Reason 4. The Devil had not deserved or merited the name of a subtle Serpent, if he had not by his subtle and guileful headplot, Because the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtle Serpent, if he had left Adam at liberty to eat of the Tree of life, but one whole day together. circumvented Adam, to make him eat of the forbidden fruit, in the very first place, even in the day of his creation, before he left him at liberty to eat of any other fruit of the Garden. For the crafty Devil in the subtle Serpent knew well enough that if he had but left Adam and Eve to the liberty of their own choice, but one whole day together they would in wisdom, and in obedience to God's command (that had commanded them to eat of every Tree, and in relation to God's commendation of the Tree of life above the rest of the fruit of the Garden) have eaten of that Tree in the first place; and then the Devil knew well enough by the name of that Tree, that if Adam and Eve had but first eaten of that fruit he had been confirmed in his happy condition for ever, and that he could not have been circumvented by any temptation whatsoever afterwards. This subtle and guileful headplot of the Devil, lay not only in the hiddenness and unseen danger of his temptation, but also in the speediness of the execution of it, for if it had not been speedily put in execution, the then unseen danger had been prevented by Adam's wisdom in eating of the Tree of life in the first place. But the Devil was so speedy in the transaction of this temptation that he gave Adam no opportunity of time to go first to the Tree of l●fe; and this may further be demonstrated from the antecedent Preposition in Gen. 3. 1. Now, or Then, or And; this word of connexion doth conjoin and knit together sundry actions. 1 This word Now hath relation to the woman's creation and marriage with Adam, because among all the other creatures he found not a meet helper for Adam. 2. It hath relation to the time of their entrance into Paradise. 3 To the time of the Devils fall. 4 To the time of the Devil's entrance into the Serpent. 5 To the time of their first eating. All these things fell out together, even in the neck one of another, and all of them as I conceive in the same order as I have ranked them. 1▪ God brought the woman to the man that he might name with a name defining her nature, and that he might marry them her together as one flesh; and this time of Adam's marriage with Eve was just before his entrance into Paradise; but some unadvised Expositors do confound this order, for they place the time of Adam's marriage (not before, but) after he came into Paradise; First, Because it is said that Adam in the singular number was put therein, Gen. 2. 8, 15. Secondly, Because the woman's creation and marriage is not recorded till after mention of Adam's seating in Paradise, verse 22, 23. But a sensible reason may be given to both these; first, Under the name of Adam in the singular number the woman is included, because God had made them but one flesh by marriage immediately before their entrance into Paradise, and in that respect the Seventy translate Ye, for Thou, in Gen. 2. 17. because they understood both of them to be comprehended under the term Thou. And therefore those Mariage-Books, saith Mr. Broughton, have an oversight, that say, The woman was form in Paradise; for the Commandment Thou shalt not eat thereof, in vers. 17. went not before the creation of the woman (nor before her marriage to Adam) but after; she had the Commandment as well as Adam, in the same term Thou, as being but one flesh by marriage. See Bro. in principal Positions Pag. 10. and the matter is out of controversy, for the woman doth testify that the Commadement was given to them both jointly; for thus saith she to the Serpent, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die▪ Gen. 3. 3. in this sentence she doth three times over affirm that God's prohibition was given to them both jointly. The story of the time of Adam's marriage lies thus: First, God in the sixth day created all sorts of Beasts of the Earth, and all sorts of the Fowls of the air: Secondly, Then he created Adam after his own Image, as the glory of all his creation; And thirdly, than he brought all the said creatures before him, that he might put suitable names upon them as their Lord, and that they might wait upon him as their Lord, Gen. 2. 19, 20. But fourthly, Because among them all, God did not find out a meet helper for Adam's society, thereupon God as a most expert Surgeon, did cast Adam into a deep sleep, and took out one of his Ribs, and of that Rib, as a most mighty Creator, he made a woman; and this was the last sort of visible creatures that God made. Fifthly, Then God brought her unto Adam, to see what Adam would call her, and he being exquisite in understanding said, This now is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. And sixthly, At this instant, God gave her in marriage to Adam, to be as one flesh, and to be a meet helper to him. And therefore secondly, the only reason why the woman's creation, and marriage, is not recorded till after the mention of Adam's seating in Paradise, is, because by the figure Hysteron Proteron, he would show the close joining of the Devil's temptation, and of their Fall, to their marriage. 2 This word of connexion [And or Now] hath relation to the time of Adam and Eves entrance into Paradise, it was [Now] namely as soon as God had joined them together as one flesh by marriage (which was done without the borders of Paradise) he did without delay carry them both into Paradise, as to the place of pleasure that he had in a special manner prepared for their delight and comfort during the time of their innocency; There he put the man that he had form, Gen. 2. 8. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden, Gen. 2. 15. and after his fall, thence, God sent him forth to till the ground whence he was taken, Gen. 3. 23. From these Scriptures it is evident, that as soon as God had given the woman in marriage to Adam, he presently brought them both into Paradise, and commanded all sorts of creatures to attend on them into Paradise, as on their Sovereign Lord, Gen. 1. 26, 28. Gen. 2. 19 and this is also evident, because the Serpent was there ready among the other Beasts of the field to do service to them, Gen. 3. 1. And because God had made man to be the glory of his whole creation, he did command, not only his earthly creatures, but his heavenly Angels also, to attend upon them into Paradise, as it may be gathered, because God doth still command his Angels to attend upon such as he hath The time of the fall of the Angels, now called the Devil, was when they were commanded to attend upon Adam & Eve in Paradise. dignified to be heirs of salvation, Heb. 1. 14. Psal. 91. 3 This word of connexion [Now] hath reference to the time of the Devils Fall; For the heavenly Angels (that rejoiced at the hanging of the Globe of the Earth upon nothing, Job 38. 7.) were now commanded to attend upon Adam and Eve into Paradise, is well as the Beasts of the field; But many legions of these heavenly Angels disobeyed that charge, for they saw that man's body was but an earthly substance, and that themselves were heavenly See H. Bro. in Ecc his Chief Mark. spirits, thereupon they not knowing the glory of man's Election in Christ, refused to attend upon Adam and Eve into Paradise, and for that disobedience, God deprived them of their pure qualities, and so they became dead in corrupt and sinful qualities, and ever since they have continued to be an envious company against the good of man: But it seems there was diversity of judgement among them touching that service in attending upon our first parents, for there were many legions of those Angels that despised man in comparison of themselves (because God did not support them by his assisting grace) and there were many legions that continued to do service to them, because God did support them in their obedience by his assisting grace, but the millions of them that fell for refusing to serve man, did without delay conspire together in one Headplot as soon as ever they were fallen to destroy mankind, and in that respect they are collectively called Satan, the Adversary, by which name it is evident that from the very first they were adverse to serve man. Our minds (saith Mr. Bro. in Req. of Consent. pag. 75.) cannot once think of any other subject in God (who dwelleth in terrible light) against which the Devil durst spurn, neither dealeth he but to hurt man; as still showing that from hatred to man was his Fall. Envy (saith Lanquet) came first of Satan, for envying the felicity of man whom God had created and set in Paradise, he changed himself into an Angel of light, abusing the wisdom of the Serpent to deceive man. See Marbek's Common-places, pag. 339. At the creation of the woman (which was the last particular kind of all God's creation) the Angels were not fallen; for at the end of God's visible creation on the sixth day, It is said, That God saw all that he had made, and lo it was very good, Gen. 1. 31. From this Text it may certainly be gathered, that no creature was yet become bad; and therefore that the Angels were not fallen when the woman was created; but their fall was presently after the woman was created and given in marriage to Adam; all which was done without the borders of Paradise, but then God intending to bring them into Paradise, all creatures whom Adam had named as their Lord were to attend upon him, and then God gave his Angels charge also to attend upon them (as I have formerly noted it to be a chief part of their office, from Heb. 1. 14. because God intended to dignify man's nature, not only above all his visible creatures, but even above Angels also, Heb. 2. 10. But the Angels not knowing Gods eternal Counsel concerning man's dignity, which should be so much advanced through Christ, dis-esteemed man (as being made but of the basest element) in comparison of themselves that were spirits invisible, and of a heavenly nature, and in that respect they refused to obey Gods positive command, in refusing to attend upon Adam, and then as many of them as refused that service and station in which God had set them, were by God's justice deprived of their moral perfections, and are ever since become an envious company to man's good. No other time I think can be found for the time of the Angels fall, but this, as I have formerly noted; And therefore as soon as God had brought Adam and Eve into Paradise, and all creatures both visible and invisible to attend him, than that number of the Angels that fell for refusing to serve man, took special notice of God's Command and Covenant with Adam concerning the two Trees, and concerning the condition of his nature The true nature of the first Convenant stood in obedience, or in disobedience, to a positive, and not to a moral command. See Bucan. in his 10 Com. place, and in his 15. Com. pl. what it was, and what it should be in case he did first eat of the Tree of life, or what it should be, in case he did first eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil; namely, that his nature should be confirmed in his created perfections for ever, in case he did first eat of the Tree of life; but in case he did first eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, than his nature should die the death (that is to say) he should be deprived of his natural perfections wherein he was created. Adam's Righteousness (saith Bucanus) was the Righteousness of man's nature, and not the Righteousness of a private person; If Adam (saith he) had stood in his original Righteousness, it had been derived to all his posterity; and saith he in his fifteenth Common place; Adam's Righteousness was not so much personal and proper to him, as natural, namely, as it was common to all men's nature which were originally and naturally in the loins of Adam, and therefore truly original, and so consequently in case of disobedience he should lose his original righteousness, namely his natural perfections, and instead of it should be possessed with a corrupt and sinful nature to all posterity. I say the fallen Angels did take special notice of the true nature of this first Covenant with Adam; and therefore without delay they did presently join together in one head or headplot to beguile the woman, by enticing her to eat of the forbidden fruit before she might have the opportunity to eat first of the tree of life; and the better to effect this headplot of theirs, they did first reason with God against the nature of Adam (as they did afterwards against Job) saying, That his nature was not more perfect than theirs was by creation; and therefore that Adam would disobey Gods positive command as they had done, if they might have but leave to try him. Now God being a cunning and complete Workman would not be out-bidden by Satan's brags, and therefore he gave Satan leave to do his worst (as he did afterwards give him leave to do his worst to Christ) for he knew that if his workmanship should fail upon the trial, he could tell how to mend it, and how to make it better able to endure the trial for time to come. 4 This Adverb [Now, in Gen. 3. 1.] hath relation to the time when the devil did first enter into the body of the subtle Serpent, and that was now presently without any delay; and therefore though this Serpent was but a brute creature without any natural power, to speak, discourse, and reason with an intelligible voice about what was good or evil, yet the devil had received such a power and commission from God, that he did make this Serpent to be his lively oracle (as the Angel made Balaams' Ass to be his) and therefore in as much as the Serpent did speak and discourse with Eve, it is an infallible proof that God had given the devil leave to tempt and to try Adam's obedience to the first positive Covenant by any sleight he could devise (as he did after give the devil the like leave to tempt Christ for forty days together) and therefore the devil's headplot was now instantly put in execution without any delay of time (even as soon as the Commandment & Covenant concerning the two Trees was given) he did enter into the body of the Serpent, and did actuate the tongue of the Serpent to speak his mind: And therefore in the first place, he did most cunningly preoccupy the woman's objection; yea Moreover (said he) Hath God indeed said ye shall not eat of every Tree of the Garden? This word Moreover showeth that some other speech of the woman's, in opposition to the Serpent, had gone before which the devil did now answer, by persuading her that the forbidden fruit was therefore detained from them, because it was better for their future good than the Tree of life was; For, saith the Serpent, it will make you excel in all kind of knowledge like God. To this insinuating Interrogation (which doubtless the woman thought to be no other but the voice of some good Angel or servant) ●he maketh this reply, Of the fruit of the Trees of the Garden we may eat; but of the fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. Then the good Angel in the Serpent (for the woman knew not that any of the Angels were fallen as yet) said to the woman, Ye shall not die at all: for God doth know that in the day ye shall eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as * This term Gods, was such an Equivocal term that it might well deceive the woman, for she could not conceive it to have an evil sense from a good Angel as she thought this ●o be; but she was deceived, for it was a fallen Angel that spoke this to her, and meant that she should be as Gods, namely like themselves (for the devils are called Gods, 1 Sam. 28. 13. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 1 Cor. 8. 5.) and that they should know by experience (as they did what good they should lose, and what evil they should get, by eating the forbidden fruit; but the woman taking this voice of the Serpent, for the voice and counsel of a good Angel or Servant, was persuaded that her eating of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, would better her condition, for the woman knew that their state and condition might be bettered, for she knew that her eating of the Tr●e of life would better their estate, because it was ordained to confirm them in their created perfections; and in that respect she seeing the Tree of knowledge to be good, for meat, and a desi●e to the eyes, and a tree to be coveted to make one wise, did take and eat, Gen 3. 6. and she w●s the more easily beguiled, because she knew not that any of the Angels were fallen; Adam c●uld not know (saith P. Martyr) by reason in his mind that the Devil was fallen at first; or else (saith he) his will had been governed by his mind; and in this respect Adam● disobedience is called but a stumble, which may happen to the wisest men, when they discern not the b●ock that lies hid in their way; and so the first offence in Rom. 5. 15. is translated the inconsiderate stumble (by good Linguists) Adam's integrity of nature was such by creation, that he was not ignorant of any moral duty, and therefore he could not will any moral evil, but he might will to eat any fruit that was good by creation; It was not a sin against the law of his nature so to will, and therefore in ca●e he had forborn the act of eating the forbidden fruit, he had not sinned by his desire to eat; but because he knew not that any of the Angels were fallen, he could not but think that the Angel that spoke in the Serpent, had received some new Commission from God to persuade him to eat of the forbidden fruit for his best good; and after this sort the devil in the old Prophet persuaded the young Prophet to eat and to drink in his house, though the young Prophet knew that God's positive command was to the contrary, It is likely he thou●ht that the old Prophet had received some new commission from God to persuade him, and so he was deceived to his utter ruin and death, 1 King. 13. Gods, knowing good and evil. And thus the fallen Angels did persuade the woman that she should excel in the Theory of all kind of knowledge more than she had by creation, if she did but once taste of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil. Now mark the Devil's dexterity, how cunningly, and how speedily he fitted his temptation to the woman's liking: First, It was most suitable to her natural appetite of eating. Secondly, It was most suitable to her natural desire of attaining a further degree of knowledge, which she might desire, and she knew that she might also attain it, if she had but first eaten of the Tree of life; The Devil knew the operation of the forbidden fruit, better than Adam and Eve could do as long as they stood in their unconfirmed condition. but the devil under the pretence of being an Angel of light, and of being her faithful servant (in wishing her to eat of this fruit for her good) deceived her, for he knew the operation of the forbidden fruit by his own spiritual death, better than Adam & Eve could do as yet, namely as long as they stood unconfirmed; for the Devil knew what that evil was by experience, which Adam and Eve could not so well know until they had eaten; they knew that the Tree of knowledge was called the Tree of evil death, and that it was death to eat of it; and this they might have known more fully in the Theory of it, had they but known of the fall of the Angels before they had eaten, but God was pleased to conceal the fall of the Angels from them, and to let them do their worst to make Adam fall, because he knew how to bring a greater good out of it at last, than if they had stood still in their integrity. 5 The Adverb [Now] hath relation to the time when the woman disobeyed, namely it was now before she had tasted any other fruit in the Garden: This time of her eating I have at large explained in my second Reason, and therefore do refer the Reader thither. But there are several things to be marked in the dexterity of the Devil in taking hold of the very first opportunity of time to speed his temptation. 1 He beguiled the woman's apprehension on the sudden, by The Dev●●●as exceedir ● nimble ● speed h●● temptation, and therefore he composed many a●● together ● basten th● act of Adam's disobedient eating. his specious, though deceitful persuasions, for he persuaded her it was for her greatest good to eat of the Tree of knowledge, and thereby he presented the greatest amity to her that might be in a faithful servant. 2 He did at the same instant climb the tree (for Serpents have a nimble faculty to climb trees) and made choice of the fairest fruit, and then he presented it to the woman that she might view it, and look upon it. 3 By this means he gained her natural appetite to it; for the Text saith, She saw it was good for meat, and that it was a desire to her eyes, and that it was a tree to be coveted to make one wise. And thus by this means her deceitful servant got in upon her. 4 Upon this advice of her faithful servant she took thereof and did eat. 5 As soon as she was gained to the will of Satan, then at the same time he made her his instrument to gain her husband, as soon therefore as she had tasted of the forbidden fruit she reached out her hands, and gave some of it to her husband, and he did eat without any suspicion of hurt from her that was given to him to be a meet helper; and her act of giving was prevalent with him, because instead of telling him that death was in her eating, she used words of persuasion, as it is most evident, because he is said to hearken unto the voice of his wife, Gen. 3. 17. and then the eyes of them both were opened, and then they knew that they were naked; afore this they knew that they were naked without , and yet they were not ashamed, because their created nakedness was covered and adorned with pure created qualities, Gen. 3. 7. Gen. 2. 25. But now the case of their nakedness was altered by the justice of God, for God's determinate sentence was, In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death; and this death was formally executed upon them, according to the time and manner threatened; and now Adam knew what evil was, and what death was, experimentally, as the fallen Angels did, for now they were made naked and bare of their pure created qualities. A digression to show that the death threatened in Gen. 2. 17. was executed ●e death threatened in ●●●. 2. 17. was e●●●uted on m●● nature in thr●● degrees. on man's nature in three degrees. Consider that the first Covenant was made with Adam concerning man's nature in general, as I have formerly noted, and accordingly did God execute that death upon Adam's nature, as it was the original of man's nature in general. 1 Therefore as Paul speaketh, They were deprived of the glorious Image of God, Rom. 3. 23. And this deprivation, saith M. Perkins, was inflicted by God as a deserved punshment for the sin of Adam; and See P●●ins on the Cred. p. 162. See. P. Martyr in Rom 5▪ and B●●an. in his Com. pl. p. 104. this loss of God's Image saith Peter Martyr, was from the justice of God; and I find it commonly held by other eminent Divines, that God for the sin of Adam took away his created perfections from Adam (as he took away his spirit of Government from Saul, because he spared Agag, against God's positive Command, 1 Sam. 16. 14.) for they were not yet confirmed, and therefore they were but lent him in case he disobeyed; but the Graces of God's Spirit, which Christ hath purchased for the Re-creation of the Elect after God's Image, cannot now be utterly lost by the commission of many sins, because they are purchased to be confirmed to them, and not to fail until they come to the fruition of an eternal Paradise in heaven. The Image of God wherewith Adam's Nature was adorned, would have kept him, and all his Posterity for ever from death, if he had but first eaten of the Tree of Life; but because he did first eat of the forbidden Fruit, he was deprived of God's Image; And then secondly, Death in Sin fell upon his Nature. When the Souls of men are Created and placed in their Bodies, (saith Mr. Perkins) God forsakes them not in regard of their substance, or faculties of their Soul, but only in respect of his See Perkins on the Creed, p. 162. own Image, whereof the Soul is deprived. And he asketh this question, How can the Soul die the second Death? His answer is, That the Soul dyeth not by being utterly abolished, but because it is as though it were not; and because it ceaseth to be in respect of Righteousness, and Fellowship with God; and indeed (saith he) this is the death of all deaths, when the Creature hath subsisting and being, and yet is deprived of all comfortable fellowship with God. 2 The second degree of that Death threatened in Gen. 2. 17. was death in sin, and this death fell upon Adam's nature at the very See Perkins in the right way of dying well. instant, as soon as God had substracted his Image from him; for we see by experience, that as soon as the God of Nature hath substracted the light of the Sun from our Horizon, there remains nothing but obscure darkness, and then no Artificers, nor Scholars can work, or write after their Master's perfect Copy, but instead thereof, they work, and act irregularly, and transgress against their Master's copy; Even so, as soon as God in Justice had substracted the Light and Life of his Image from Adam, what remained but obscure darkness in his mind, and then what could he do else but think and act irregularly, and that continually, as long as he did continue in that darkness? and this darkness after the light itself is mystically applied to man's corrupt estate, Eph. 4. 18. Eph. 5. 8. being alienated from the life of God. Eph. 2. 1. When the Soul is deprived of God's Image, saith Mr. Perkins, then follows a defect, or want of righteousness, and I may also say, then follows a natural proness to all kind of iniquity, so that the very thoughts and imaginations of the heart are only evil, and that continually, and this frame is called Original sin to us, though Adam's Original sin was his actual eating of the forbid-Fruit; and this is the second degree of that death threatened in Gen. 2. 17. 3 A third degree of that death was, that Adam was now under the power and slavery of Satan (which had the power of death, Heb. 2. 14.) to do his will and pleasure in all things to the full, and to be under the power of a Tyrant is death, Psal. 18. 4. But it pleased God in his eternal Counsel and Providence to provide Jesus Christ to take possession of the world as the right Heir of it, as soon as Adam fell, and so to uphold all things by the word of his power, Heb. 1. 2, 3. by which means both Satan's power, tyranny, and malice, and man's corrupt desires and endeavours are restrained, and ordered so, that now they cannot do that wickedness which else they would do; and were it not for See Capel on Tempt. p. 55, 56. and see more in ch. 3. in R. 2. this Government of Christ at the instant of Adam's fall, no man can imagine what destructive mischiefs would have fallen at that very instant upon the whole Creation, which was the very thing that Satan aimed at in his temptation; but blessed be God that provided Jesus Christ against that time of need. But after this digression in setting out the degrees of the first Spiritual death, as it must be understood, in Gen. 2. 17. I will now return to speak a little more of the Devil's speech and subtlety, in deceiving the Woman, and in making her his instrument to deceive Adam; The Devil did not deal with the Woman about any Moral disobedience (as he did with Christ, after he had tried him with many other temptations for forty days together) for he knew that Adam's nature was framed after God's Image in respect of Moral perfection, but he deals with her about positive commands only, for he knew that she was not so perfect in the knowledge of those things by Creation, as she was in all Moral things; he knew that the Woman was ignorant as yet of the positive Law that was given to the Angels to attend upon them, (as the visible Creatures were,) for they being Spirits, their motions and actions were not subject to be discerned by bodily senses, and in that respect also Eve was ignorant of their disobedience and fall, and she was also ignorant that they had obtained leave of God to tempt her about the Tree of Knowledge (which was a thing indifferent in its own nature to be eaten, or refused) but if the Woman had but known of these things, than her Moral and Natural wisdom would have fortified her will against all Satan's temptations whatsoever; for we see by the example of Christ, that when the Devil did persuade him by Peter's tongue to pity himself, and not to go to jerusalem to suffer, than Christ could not be deceived by his persuasions, because he knew that Peter's tongue was acted by Satan, and therefore he said unto Peter, Get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me, Mat. 16. 23. but for the manner of this knowledge, the Woman could not call this Angel Satan, and therefore she could not resist so steadfastly, as else doubtless she would have done; yea, if the Angels that fell had but known of Man's glory by God's election in Christ, they would not have refused to serve man, for in this manner the Apostle doth reason about the Sin of the Princes of this World, had they but known (saith he) of the hidden Wisdom of God, which he ordained before the world unto our glory, they would not have Crucified the Lord of glory, 2 Cor. 2. 7, 8. so I may say of the Woman's Fall, if she had but known of the fall of Angels, she would not have been deceived by the Serpent. But because the Woman was ignorant of those positive Secrets (and God was pleased not to reveal them to her as yet) she was deceived, and then she was easily made Satan's Instrument to deceive her Husband; and then they did experimentally know that some of the Angels were fallen, and that they had leave of God to tempt them, and that the Devil was a Liar, and a Murderer from the beginning, Joh. 8. 44. The Syriack on the word Beginning, is Men Breshith, that is, by all Rabbins, within the days of Creation, and saith Mr. Perkins, Our Saviour calls See Perkins on the Creed. the Devil a from the beginning, not from the beginning of the Creation, or of Time, but of Man; and seeing (saith he) it is the nature of the Devil to show his malice (against Man) with out ceasing, no doubt but he took the first occasion that might possible be had to bring man to the same Damnation with himself. And why is the Devil said to go up and down, or to walk about, seeking whom he may devour, like a roaring Lion? but to express his speedy diligence in his first temptation, as well as in his after temptations? 1 Pet. 5. 8. And why is the Devil called the Old Serpent, Revel. 12. but from his ancient deceiving of the understanding and will of our first Parents? And why is he said to have the power of Death? Heb. 2. 14. but from his first prevailing temptation, in prevailing with our first Parents to eat of the forbidden Fruit. Why is he called the subtle Serpent? Gen. 3. 1. but from his subtlety in deceiving Eve, while she was a Virgin, 2 Cor. 11. 3. And thus Adam in Honour (Created after God's Image) understood not (for as yet he understood not that any of the Angels were become Devils, or that they spoke with the tongue of the Serpent) he was like the Beasts that perish, Psal. 49. 20. Adam did not lodge a night in Honour, Psal. 49. 12. for he was deprived of the glorious Image of God, namely, of his Moral and Natural perfections, before night came. Theophilact saith, As man was form the sixth day, and did eat of the forbidden Fruit at the sixth hour; so Christ healing the Fall, was fastened to the Tree the sixth day, and the sixth hour. Austin also is of opinion, that Adam stood in his innocency but six hours only. From all this Discourse in this reason, though it be long, because I have interlaced several collateral considerations, yet (I hope profitable to the understanding of the weaker sort) this Conclusion follows, That the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtle Serpent, if he had not presently, and without delay, (namely as soon as Adam had received the Commandment, to eat of all the Trees in the Garden, and of the Tree of Life above the rest) brought him by his subtlety to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and Evil in the first place, before he had so much liberty as to go first to the Tree of Life; for the Devil knew that if Adam had had but a little time free from his temptation, his created Wisdom was such, that he would have eaten of the Tree of Life in the first place, and then the Devil had not deserved the name of a subtle Serpent; but because the Devil by his speedy subtlety brought our first Parents to eat of the forbidden Fruit in the first place, before they had liberty in the day of their Creation, to eat of the Tree of Life, therefore it follows, 1 That the Devil hath justly deserved the name of a subtle Serpent. 2 Hence it also follows, that the Sabbath was not ordained in the time of Adam's innocency, but after his Fall. Reas. 5. Adam fell in the day of his Creation, because he fell The Woman fell while she was a Virgin, therefore Adam fell in the day of his Creation. while the Woman was a Virgin, namely before he knew her after the manner of all flesh. If Adam and Eve had slept but one night together in their innocency, doubtless in wisdom they would not have omitted the act of Generation. 1 Because the desire of begetting Children to increase the kind is not only something Natural, but it is the most natural thing in the world. 2 And more especially, because it was laid upon him by God as a necessary duty; for God enforced his obedience to that act by an express command, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, Gen. 1. 28. Hence it follows, 1 That they would not have omitted the act of Generation as soon as they had a fit opportunity, which they should have had if they had slept but one night together in their innocency. 2 If they had but once done the act it would doubtless have taken effect, for God had promised to bless it, and to make it powerful, (there cannot be any barrenness in innocency) and then Adam should have begotten, and Eve should have conceived their firstborn Cain without sin; But the Scripture doth tell us, that never any man was so conceived and born but Jesus Christ alone, (whose conception was not by the ordinary way of generation between Man and Woman, but by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost) hence it follows, 1. That the Serpent had seduced the Woman before she knew her Husband after the manner of all flesh. And 2. Hence it follows, That she was seduced in the very day of her creation. Master Calvin saith, If they had stood but a short time, the See Calv. on Gen. 3. 6. Blessing of God had not been in vain for propagation. And Paul may well allude to Eves being deceived by the Serpent, even whiles she was a Virgin, for he writeth thus to the Corinthians, I have espoused you to one Husband, that I might present you a chaste Virgin to Christ; but I fear, lest by any means, that as the Serpent beguiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted, 2 Corinth. 11. 1, 2. The Apostle compares the guiles of false Teachers to the guiles of Satan, and he compares their sincere minds, as long as they kept fast to the Truth, to the Virgin Eut, for so long as they kept their minds unpolluted with false Doctrine, they were Virginlike; but as Eve the Virgin was beguiled, and defiled by Satan's fair but false Doctrine; so the Apostle feared lest their minds should be corrupted, by the fair though false Doctrine of their false Teachers, from that plainness that is towards Christ, for the Tempter did tempt them by many seducing Teachers, 1 Thessal. 3. 5. and the Spirit (saith the Apostle) speaketh evidently, that in the latter days, (namely in the days of the Gospel) some should departed from the Faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits, and Doctrines of Devils, 1 Tim●thy 4. 1. as the Virgin Eve once did. Erasmus maketh this Comparison; As Evah a Virgin married and undefiled, believed the speech of the Serpent, brought forth Disobedience and Death; so many a Virgin married and undefiled, believed the Angel, brought forth Obedience and Life. Conclusion. Having proved hitherto by five Reasons, that Adam fell in the day of his Creation, it follows by good consequence, That the Sabbath was not ordained in the time of Adam's Innocency, but after his Fall. CHAP. II. Proving by three Reasons that Adam was Re-created in the very same day in which he was Created and Fell. 1. IT is evident to me that Adam was Re-created in the very selfsame day in which he was created and sell, by the order of Reason 1 Gods dealing with him immediately after his Fall. For immediately after he had bitten of the forbidden fruit, and was thereby dead in corruption and sin from the life of God's Image in which he was created, Then God of his rich mercy came to him in the * The c●ol (or wind) of the day means the Eventide as the Seventy translate it, which gins at Midday, for the Evening gins when the Sun gins to decline, and then there doth usually arise a cooling wind (called a Sea-turn) which the God of nature hath ordained to cool the air in hot Countries. cool (or in the wind) of the same day, Gen. 3. 8. to confer with him, and to inquire of him into what state and condition he had brought himself by eating of the forbidden fruit, saying unto him by way of Query, Adam, Where art thou? not in what particular place art thou? (as some ignorant persons do understand it, for God was come to the very place where Adam was,) But into what case hast thou brought thyself by eating of the forbidden fruit? And unto this searching Query, Adam made a plain Answer, saying in ver. 10. I heard thy voice walking in the Garden, and I was afraid; and because I was naked of thy Image in which I was created, I hide myself. This plain Answer of Adam doth imply two things; 1 His fear of God's wrath. 2 The Reason of it. 1 His fear of God's wrath in these words, I heard thy voice walkking in the Garden; the word implies, That it walked along by him like roaring Thunder among the trees of the Garden. And with such a dreadful voice Christ manifested himself to the Israelites, when he gave the Law at Mount Sinai to awaken and over-aw their sinful consciences, as Gen. 3. 8. compared with Ex. 19 16. doth manifest and explain the matter; and in this respect the dreadful voice of Thunder is called God's voice, Psal. 29. 3. And this dreadful voice of God did so terrify his guilty conscience, that it forced Adam to say, I heard thy voice walking like Thunder in the Garden, and I was afraid; for the guilt of his conscience told him that he had grievously transgressed against God's positive command in eating of the forbidden fruit. 2 He gives another reason why he hide himself among the trees of the Garden, namely because I was naked both in body and soul of my created qualities, and therefore I hide myself among the trees of the Garden. And thus Adam's conscience was convinced of his sin, and terrified with God's dreadful voice of inquiry concerning his sin and guilt, and thereupon he made a plain confession, That he was afraid, and that he hide himself because he was naked. The Text runs thus, in Gen. 3. 8. They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool (or in the wind) of the day: And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the Garden, vers. 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? vers. 10. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And by this searching Q●ery, Adam, Where art thou? Adam was convinced, and terrified with the sense of his sin, and with the dread of God's wrath; and when he saw that he could by no means escape it, he made a plain confession of his sin and misery, and that he hide himself, because he was naked of God's Image, and subject to inordinate lusts, and thereupon to shame and horror of conscience; and ●n like sort it is said that Aaron made the people naked to their shame when he made a Molten Calf for them to worship as a God, Exod. 32. 25. for by that sin God was departed from them, and so they were made naked both of God's graces, and of God's protection, and the like is expressed in Rev. 3. ●8. Rev. 16. 15. Ezek. 16. 22. Hos. 2. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 3. God did purposely enter into a parley and communication with Adam, that thereby he might prepare him for a Reconciliation, saying to him in ver. 11. Who told thee that thou art naked? By this and the former searching Queries, God was pleased to help Adam to search himself the more deeply, and to affect him the more throughly with the sight of his sin, and with the sense of his miserable spiritual death in sin, because he intended to show him mercy; but the Lord did not propound any such searching Queries to the fallen Angels, because he intended not to show any merciful Atonement or Reconciliation to them, though notwithstanding he hath showed some common mercy to them in that he hath not sunk them into the lowest hell as yet, Mat. 8. 29. But judgement without Mercy to them he hath deferred till the Day of Judgement, 2 Pet. 2. 4. 2 Thes. 1. 9 And these searching queres made Adam and Eve to answer (as those that are deeply convinced, and humbled in the sight and sense of their Spiritual nakedness and misery) that they had eaten of the forbidden Fruit; and they freely confessed (without any extenuation) after what manner they were brought unto it; The woman (saith Adam, in vers. 12.) which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat; even she that was made of my Rib, and she that thou gavest to be a meet Helper unto me, Gen. 3. 12▪ Gen. 3. 13. she gave it unto me, and therefore I took it from her hand, (from whom I could suspect no hurt) and did eat. And the Lord said unto the Woman, what is this that thou hast done? or, why hast thou done this? And the Woman said, The Serpent (whom thou gavest to attend upon us, as a diligent and faithful servant) beguiled me, and I did eat, ver. 13. I thought the Serpent had been acted by a good Angel, that could not persuade to sin; and by this word Beguiled the woman comprehended the whole manner and order of the Devils deceitful temptation. Some Interpreters I grant do conceive, That Adam and Eve in their several answers, did not make a plain confession, but did rather labour to extenuate their sin, by posting it off from themselves to others, but all circumstances considered, their answers and confessions must needs be plain and naked, or else they had not been fit to embrace the means of Reconciliation which God was now pleased to manifest unto them. And therefore without delay God did first curse the Serpent, as it was the Devil's instrument, in vers. 14. and then secondly, he curseth the Devil himself, in ver. 15. saying, I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and her seed; He, even He, shall break thy head, and thou shalt pierce Him in the footsoals. Thus God did threaten the Devil in the Serpent, namely, to break in pieces his subtle Headplot by the work of Redemption and Reconciliation, which should be wrought by the Seed of this Woman, which the Devil had poisoned and corrupted, thinking thereby to destroy all Mankind that should come of her to the end of the World; but God threatened the Devil to break this Headplot of his, and that he would put such an enmity in the Seed of the Woman against him and his seed, as should prevail, and bring them all to a deeper ruin at last; and as God did thus curse the Devil's Headplot to ruinated it by the Seed of the Woman, in the hearing and presence of Adam and Eve (to whom it was a Prophetical Prediction and a Promise) so questionless he did not fail to instruct them more fully herein, and after what manner this Seed of the Woman should break the Devil's Headplot, namely, that through Death he should destroy him that had the power of Death, that is the Devil, Hebr. 2. 14. and that he should spoil Principalities and Powers, and make a show of them openly, triumphing over them in his Death on the Cross, Col. 2. 15. for he overcame him that had the power of Death by Death, for his Soul was not separated from his Body by the power of Satan, and his instruments, and by the power of their tortures, but by his own power, and in that respect his death was accepted of God as a propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement, and reconciliation. This good news of a Reconciliation by this means was no doubt hearty welcome to poor dejected Adam and Eve; they being fully lost and condemned in their own Consciences, did out of doubt receive this Prophetical demonstration of their Redemption, and Reconciliation, wi●h all gladness and joyfulness of Spirit, for true humbled sinners are fit to take down such Cordials with joyfulness, and God was pleased to open their minds and hearts to believe in this Seed of the Woman, and to embrace this blessed means of their Reconciliation by his Death and Sacrifice, which he should accomplish in due time, even then when the Devil should pierce him in the Footsoals upon the Cross, and by this means God was pleased to Recreate Adam and Eve in the cool of the same day wherein they were created and fell. Reas. 2 Secondly, it is evident that Adam and Eve were re-created Adam d●th testify that he was Recreated in the day of his Creation and Fall, by giving his wife the new name ●evah, life. in the da● of their Creation and Fall, because Adam did testify both his Wife's faith, and his own faith, by calling her Hevah, Life; for Adam gave this new Name to his Wife as soon as God had manifested the destroying of Satan's Headplot through the work of Reconciliation by the Seed of the Woman. Before the said threatening to break the Devil's Headplot by the Seed of the Woman, Adam called his Wife's name Isha, Woman, or of Man, because she was taken out of man, Gen. 2. 23. ●ut after the said threatening to ruinated the Devil's Headplot, by reconciling Man by the Seed of the Woman, Gen. 3. 15. then in vers. 20. Adam called his Wife Hevah, that is to say, Life, because she was the Mother of Life, Gen. 3. 20. or the Mother of that Seed that gives life from the death of sin, and in this respect she is also the Mother of all that are elected to live the life of faith; and from this precedent it is usual in Scripture to give new names upon new occasions, especially upon the manifestation of some new work of Grace upon any, as Gen. 17. 5. Es. 62. 2. Revel. 3. 12. Adam was not so senseless as to give his Wife the new Name Hevah, because she was the first living Woman, or the first Mother of Natural life to others, for all men know that it cannot be otherwise; and therefore it follows by good consequence, that Adam did give her that new Name by way of excellency, namely, because she had now received the new life of Faith in that seed of hers, that should break the Devil's Headplot. And secondly, because she was the first Woman that did live by faith, therefore she must needs be the Mother of all that should after live by faith in her Seed Christ, and in that respect she, as well, or rather more fully than Sara, may well be called the Mother of all that do live by faith, 1 Pet. 3. 6. Gal. 4. 22. 28. 31. 2 As Adam doth testify his Wife's faith, so also he doth fully testify his own faith in giving her the new name Hevah; his faith is fully evident by this, because by this new name he did so clearly distinguish her present new Spiritual condition from her corrupted condition. Immediately before this, not only the Woman, but Adam also were Spiritually dead in corruption and sin; but it pleased God to take such a speedy course for their humiliation and conviction, and for their reconciliation and conversion by the Seed of the Woman, that Adam thereupon, in testimony both of his own faith and of his Wife's faith, did by way of excellency call her Hevah, and so he changed her name from Isha to Hevah, that is to say, from woman to life. And thus we have seen how the Seed of the Woman, Christ Jesus, did honour his first Parents with the life of faith, and as he did honour them, so doubtless he did continue to honour all his Natural Parents after the flesh (sooner or later) with the like honour of the life of faith, and therefore they do ill that mak● the several wicked Kings of Solomon's house, in Matth. 1. to be his Fathers after the flesh; Christ came not of Solomon's house, as the Apostate Jews, and some unadvised Christians do hold, but he comes of Solomon's brother called Nathan (and all his Natural Fathers are laid down in Luke 3.) and I make no question but he did honour every one of them with the grace of true faith, according to his first example; and this may teach all good children to honour their Parents with their best abilities. Reas. 3. It is evident that Adam and Eve were re-created in the day of their Creation and Fall, by the word enmity against The conversion of our fi●st Parents is record●● in he Woman's enmity against the Serpent and h●s Seed. the Serpent; I will (saith God) put enmity between thee and the Woman. At the first the Woman looked upon the Serpent as a faithful and diligent servant for her good, and that the Angel that gave it speech was a good Angel, and therefore the Woman was in great amity with them, and with the Serpent's fair and specious persuasions; but now God told the Devil in the Serpent, that he would from this time forth put enmity instead of amity betwixt him and the Woman, and betwixt both their Seeds. This enmity between the Devil and the Woman ariseth from two contrary Principles: 1 The Devil's enmity against the Woman is, because by her re-creation, and reconciliation, which was effected by her Seed Christ, he was disappointed of his Headplot, which was to bring the whole race of Man under his power and dominion. 2 The Woman's enmity against Satan is manifested by seeking the ruin of his dominion, by advancing the Kingdom and power of Christ in her Soul, by getting an assurance of her Redemption from Satan's H●ad-plot, reconciliation with God, pardon of sin, and power against corrupt affections for time to come. This holy qualification of enmity, which God by his Spirit had now put into Eves Soul against Satan's H●ad-plot, is another sure note of her sound conversion, which was effected and brought to pass in the cool of the selfsame day in which Adam was created, and fell. Doubtless the Woman did now say in her heart as David once said in Psalm 139. Do not I (O Jehovah) hate them that hate thee? and am not I grieved for those that rise up against thee? with perfection of hatred do I hate them, they are to me for enemy's, Psal. 139. 21, 22. But though the woman was now converted, reconciled (and justified from the condemning power of her sins) yet she was not freed from temporal afflictions and chastisements; and therefore it pleased God to lay upon her certain degrees of punishment for her humiliation, and upon all her sex for her sake; First, because she was first in the Transgression, God made her desires subject to her husband, Gen. 3. 16. Secondly, God made her, and all her Sex, to bring forth children in pain and sorrow: But notwithstanding these degrees of her humiliation, God hath honoured the woman with a certain special honour above the man, because Jesus Christ the Mediator was conceived, and born of the seed of the woman alone, without the help of man, and therefore Adam might not reproach his wife, because she was first in the Transgression; but he must, and did honour her, because she was to be the chief outward instrument of Christ's Incarnation. And secondly, because she was made an heir as well as Adam of the promise of life by faith, 1 Pet. 3. 7. and in that respect there is now no difference between the male, and the female, but all are one in Christ Jesus, Gal. 3. 28. And the woman also may comfort herself in Christ, notwithstanding her painful travel in Childbirth, that she shall be saved by the promised seed of the woman, if she continue in faith and love, and sanctification, 2 Tim. 2. 15. Conclusion. Having in this Chapter made it evident by three Reasons (as I conceive) that Adam and Eve were Re-created and effectually converted from Satan to God, in the day of their Creation and Fall: It follows by good consequence, That God did not ordain the Sabbath in the time of Adam's Innocency, but after his Fall and Re-creation by the Promised Seed. CHAP. III. Proving that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day, namely, in the latter part of the sixth day. I Will labour to make this evident by a double inference: 1 From the word Host, and Finished, Gen. 2. 1. 2 From the word Had made, and Finished, Gen. 2. 2. But for the better discerning of the said Inferences, I will first labour to explain the text in Gen. 2. 1, 2, 3. Vers. 1. And the Heavens and the Earth were Finished, and all the Host of them. Vers. 3. And before the seventh day, God had finished the work that he had made; And he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had made. Verse 3. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because in it be had rested from all his works which God had created and made. Two things must be marked for the better understanding of these words. 1 Touching the translation of the word Before, in vers. 2. 2 Touching the circumstance of time: namely, after how much time, or Chronology of story, the second and third verses concerning the Institution of the Sabbath must be placed. 1 Touching the translation of the word [Before] the seventh day, verse. 2. 1 The Seventy Translators translate it thus; In the sixth day God ended all his works, they put the sixth day into the Text instead of the seventh day, and this they did, lest the Heathens, at whose request that Translation was made, should think that God encled his works in the seventh day. 2 Therefore, to prevent this, and such like gross mistakes, I have made choice to follow Mr. Broughtons' correction of the Geneva Translation, where instead of In the seventh day, he reads Before the seventh day, God had finished the work that he had made. He saith that the Hebrew Preposition may be translated, sometimes In, sometimes After, and sometimes Before, as the true sense of each place where it is used, will best bear it; and accordingly in this place he doth translate it, Before the seventh day, and not In the seventh day, as most suitable to the sense of this place, For God had finished all his works, namely, all the several sorts and kinds of creatures, Before the end of the sixth day, Exod. 20. 11. Exod. 31. 17. visible and invisible, Col. 1. 16. And he rested on the seventh day (namely from the making of any other new kinds or sorts of creatures) Exod▪ 20. ●1. Exod. 31. 17. Heb. 4 4. Therefore it is most agree able to the true scope of this Text, to read it Before, rather than In the seventh day. 2 The word [Before] is better than the word [In] because it is more agreeable to the sense of the words adjoining; for the frame of the next words are delivered in the Pretertense, Had finished, Had made etc. These terms do carry the work of the Creation to have been Finished, not In, but Before the seventh day; as if Moses in more words had said thus, That work which God had made but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day, he had also finished it by a Re-creation most certainly perfect, Before the seventh day; That is to say, in the latter part of the sixth day. 3 Mr. Ainsworth showeth that the Preposition In, ought sometimes to be translated Before, as in Exod. 17. 6. In the eyes of the Elders of Israel, is better read thus, Before the eyes of the Elders of Israel, likewise in Deut. 25. 9 She shall spit in his face, is better read thus, She shall spit Before his face, namely, Before the face of her husband's brother, in way of reproach to him, because he refused to raise up seed to his brother and so the Hebrew Doctors do understand her spitting to be, not In, but Before his face upon the ground, as asign of Reproach to him. I grant that the letter of this Preposition doth differ from that in Gen. 2. 2. but yet by the rules of Grammar they must suffer the like variation, when there is the like cause, the difference of the letter doth nothing alter the case. So in the eyes of Jehovah, Deut. 4. 25 Deut. 31. 29. is better read thus, Before the eyes of Jehovah; So in the New Testament it is said, In or within the Ark was put the golden pot of Manna, and Asrons' Rod, See Ains also in Gen. 36. 6. and P. Martyr● Com. pl. p ●. c. 7. on Gen 2. 2. Heb. 9 4. This place may better be translated thus, Before, or By the Ark [not in it] for there was nothing put into the Ark but the two Tables of stone only, 1 King. 8. 9 So then from all these considerations, it is clear that the Hebrew Preposition ought sometimes to be translated Before, and sometimes After, as well as In, not only in respect of person and place, but also in respect of time; and therefore this Text of Gen. 2. 3. ought to be translated thus, Before the seventh day, God had finished (namely by a Re-creation) the work that he had made; the Greek translate the work which God had begun to make, for at first it was made but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day. 2 The next considerable Rule of direction for the right understanding of these three verses, is the circumstance of time, namely after how much of the History of Adam must these three verses succeed, according to the rule of true Chronology. This consideration is a Rule of great importance to find out the true sense of these three verses. Answ. My Answer to this Query is this, namely that these three verses must in order of time be placed at the end of the third Chapter; As it hath been well observed, both by the Hebrew Doctors, and by sundry Christian Writers, as I have noted it in R. 1. and p. 1. And see also Dr. Leightfoots Chronolgy for this; and Samuel T●rshel in his Design about disposing the Bible into an Harmony, he doth in p. 10. direct us to place the three first verses of Gen. 2. 1, 2, 3. at the end of the third Chapter, and so doth Mr. Bro. also. I have also noted in Chap. 18. that the only reason why Moses doth place these three verses at the beginning of the second Chapter is this; namely, because he had begun to set down the story of all the six working days in Gen. 1. therefore he thought it meet to set down the story of the seventh day in the next place; and so he hath placed the brief story of all the seven days of the week together, that so he might take the more liberty afterwards to return again unto the large story of Adam's Creation, Fall, and Redemption, from the seventh verse of the second Chapter to the end of the third Chapter: All which story fell out upon the sixth day, and therefore the ordination of the Sabbath, though it be set in Gen. 2. 2, 3. yet in the order of Chronology, it must be set after the third Chapter of Genesis. This consideration may serve as a necessary Rule to guide us in the right apprehending, and understanding of sundry words in the said three verses, which else cannot be fully and rightly understood; for we must expound these three verses as if they had been placed at the end of the third Chapter. And this is no new device of man's brain, but it is an usual thing for the Penmen of the holy Scriptures, to make such like dislocations of Chapters and verses; and in that respect the Hebrew Doctors do say, that there is no Order of former and latter in the Law, for oftentimes the Penmen of the holy Scriptures do set that which is after, Before; and so consequently we must by the rule of Chronology place the Institution of the Sabbath after the third Chapter, though Moses for the reason aforesaid, hath set it in the beginning of the second Chapter. So then by this rule of direction, I hope it will be easy to discern that these three verses must be expounded with relation to the story of Adam's Fall, Re-creation, and Reconciliation by the Promised-Seed. And therefore it follows by necessary consequence, that Adam's Re-creation by the Seed of the woman, must be considered as the finishing act of the six day's creation, before the seventh day was ordained to be a Sabbath. And by this Rule of Exposition, many words also in the said three verses must be so expounded, as having a holy equivocation in them, namely, as having a mystical sense, as well as a literal. As for example, under this word Made and Created, must be understood the mystical and spiritual Creation, as well as the literal and visible Creation: And under the word Finished must be understood not only the finishing of the visible Creation, but of the mystical and spiritual Creation also; which must be finished, I mean some of that kind, by the Seed of the woman, before the Host of Heaven can be said to be finished (for the Host of the third heavens must be finished, as well as the Host of the visible heavens) before the end of the sixth day. The like mystical interpretation I shall give of the word Rested, Blessed, etc. when I come at them. In brief, I apprehend that there are ten several words in the said three verses that must be expounded in a mystical sense as well as in a literal. 1 The word Heavens, 2 The word Earth, 3 The word Finished, 4 The word Host, 5 The word Made, 6 The word Rested, 7 The word Blessed, 8 The word Sanctified, 9 The word Sabbath, 10 The word Seventh. But my work in this Chapter, is only to prove that Adam and Reason 1 Eve were Re-created before the seventh day; that is to say, in the Drawn from Gen. 2. 1. If all the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day, than it must needs follow that Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day. latter part of the sixth day; and this I will endeavour to prove by a necessary consequence drawn from the first verse, which runs thus, And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the Host of them. Hence I reason thus, If all the several sorts and kinds of creatures which appertained to the Host of Heaven and Earth were finished before the seventh day; then Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day: for God's Host was not finished until some of that sort of creatures were finished, which did appertain to the Host of the Church Militant here upon earth, and to the Host of the Church Triumphant in heaven. But all the several sorts and kinds of creatures which appertained to the Host of heaven and earth were finished before the seventh day, as the text doth plainly speak. Therefore Adam and Eve were Re-created before the seventh day, and did appertain to the Host of the Church Militant here on earth, and to the Host of the Church Triumphant in heaven before the seventh day, or else God did not finish all the Host of heaven and earth before the seventh day, which is to deny and contradict the words of the Holy Ghost. It is out of question therefore that the souls of Adam & Eve were Re-created, and made perfect by the Redemption of the Promised Seed before the seventh day for that sort of creature doth appertain to the heavenly Host as well as the Angels, and to God's spiritual Host and Church here upon earth, and in that respect the godly converts are called (by the Figure Continent for the for the thing contained) The new Heavens, and the new Earth, in which dwelieth Righteousness, 2 Pet. 3. 13. And it is further evident that such redeemed persons are a true part of God's Host here upon earth, because the Scripture calls the Church of Israel when it was redeemed out of Egypt, the Lords Host, Exod. 12. 41. Exod. 38. 8. Num. 1. 3. And wicked Antiochus is said to tread down God's Host or Army underfoot when he persecuted the Church, Dan. 8. 14. yea all, and every part of God's Militant Church here upon earth is called God's Host or Army, Psal. 110. 3. Adam and Eve therefore must not only fall into the spiritual death of sin, in the day of their creation, but they must also be Re-created the same day, as a principal sort of those creatures, which God did create and provide, both for his earthly, and also for his heavenly Host; for the Text saith, That the Heavens and the Earth were finished, and all the Host of them: which must be understood of every several sort of Host, not numerically of the whole number, but specifically of the several kinds of each Host, for no new thing of a new kind was created after the sixth day. Therefore seeing God did finish all the Host of heaven and earth before the seventh day, he must needs Recreate Adam and Eve before the seventh day, that so they might be a part of his Militant Church, Host, or Army, here upon earth, to maintain an utter enmity against Satan and his seed, Gen. 3. 15. and so from the first sixth day, and forwards, God will have a Militant Church to continue here upon earth to fight the warfare of Christ against Satan and his seed to the end of the world. Reason 2. It is further evident that Adam was Re-created by the Promised Seed in the day of his creation, by another Inference, Reason 2 taken from the word Had finished, as it is joined to the If God had made something in the former part of the sixth day that needed a new act of finishing before the seventh day, than what else can that finishing act be, but Adam's Recreation by the Promised Seed word Had made, vers. 2. From the frame of these words as they are laid down in the Pretertense it is evident, that before the seventh day, namely in the latter part of the sixth day, God had finished some of that work which he had made but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day; Hence I reason thus, God had made some of his works so mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day, that there needed a new act of finishing, or perfecting the same before the seventh day; and what else can that finishing act be, but Adam's Re-creation by the Promised Seed, and the putting of all the re rest of the Creation at the very instant of Adam's fall under the Dominion and Lordship of the Promised Seed? And this must needs be so, because God had made, appointed, or fore-ordained Christ to be the right Heir of all his Creation, and to uphold all things by the word of his powerful providence, Heb. 1. 2, 3. and in that respect, Adam must fall and be Re-created on the day of his creation, that so the right Heir Christ Jesus might come into actual possession of all the Creation, by means whereof, the Heavens and the Earth, and all their Host, was finished, before the seventh day; and in this respect Christ i● eminently styled Jehovah Sabbaoth, that is to say, The Lord of all Hosts, Ps. 24. 10. because they were made for his service, that he as their proper Lord might rule them, and govern them all, for it is said, That by him all things consist, Col. 1. 17. and in this respect also, he is See also ch. 4 & ch. 6 at Sixthly. called The Lord of all the whole world, and of all things therein, Jos. 3. 11. Act. 10. 36. Phi. 2. 11. Ps. 24. 1. Neh. 9 6. To him also doth appertain the Dominion of the Heavens, and of the heaven of heavens, the earth, and all that is in them, Deut. 10. 14, 15. And because all Government is his, therefore it is from him that Kings do reign and rule, Prov. 8. 15, 16. It follows therefore that God ordained Christ to be the right Heir, and sole Governor of all the Hosts both of heaven and earth, on the sixth day, and before God could be said to rest on the seventh day. 1 God made Adam in the former part of the sixth day after his own Image, as the glory of all his Creation, and gave him Dominion over all his visible creatures, Gen. 1. 26. 28. But it pleased God in his divine Wisdom, to make Adam but mutably happy, that so he might fall by the sleight of Satan, and lose his pure qualities wherein he was created after God's Image, and that he might thereby also lose his Dominion over all the visible Creation, that so Christ the right Heir might have the possession of all, for as soon as Adam fell by his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit, both Adam, and all the Creation did presently fall into confusion and disorder: And thereupon Satan might well triumph, and boast as he did in the days of Job, that he had walked to and fro in the earth as the Lord and Conqueror of it, because he had not only brought Adam and Eve into Captivity under the spiritual death of sin, and the whole Creation into confusion and disorder, but also because he had rob the holy Trinity of all the glory of their glorious Creation. 2 God was pleased in his infinite Wisdom and Providence to let all this come to pass, that so the holy Trinity might take occasion thereby to declare unto fallen Man, how wonderful they were in Counsel, and how excellent in working, in that they could tell how to make Man mutably perfect, and how to let Man fall by the sleight of Satan, and how to break the Devil's Headplot by the promised Seed, and how to reconcile and recreate Man, and how to make fallen Man know, and honour his Creators, more than otherwise he could ever have done, if he had stood still in his first integrity of Nature; for if Adam had still continued in his Created perfections, he could not have honoured the Mediator (so as he did after his Fall) seeing he needed not a Mediator in that condition; neither could he have so much honoured Gods Mercy in the Mediator as he did after his Fall and Re-creation. 3 By this time I think any man may easily see the reason why all the three Persons in the Godhead had a hand in the Creation of the World, and more eminently in the Creation of Man, Gen. 1. 26. surely the chief reason was, That God might make Adam in his Innocency could not so well honour all his Creators as after his Fall and Re-creation. Adam by his Fall and Recreation the better able to know, and honour all the three Persons in the Godhead as his Creators, for Adam could not honour all his Creators so well in his Innocency as after his Fall and Re-creation, and in this respect all the three Persons in the Godhead are called our Creators, Eccles. 12. 1. Psal. 149. 2. and our Makers, Job 35. 10. Es. 54. 5. and truly such Creators could not rest on the Seventh Day from all the Works which they had Created and made, until they had made man to know them to be their Creators by a Re-creation, which Adam could not do as long as he stood in his Innocency; but as soon as his Creation was finished and made perfect by a Re-creation, then fallen man both knew and honoured all his Creators; and the Mediator in special to be the Mediator of his Re-creation, of his Reconciliation, and eternal Redemption, and then God rested on the Seventh Day, because he had finished his Creation by the promised Seed. 4 After Adam's fall it pleased God so to question with Adam about his miserable condition by his Fall, that he made him sensible of his misery; and than it pleased God to make his Mercy known to him in the Mediator. It was a terror to the Devil to hear, that the Seed of the Woman should break his head, Gen. 3. 15. but because it was a great comfort to fallen Adam, for God declared the Mediator both in his Person and Office to fallen Adam, and by God's description Adam could not choose but know that his Person must needs be both God and Man; he could not choose but know, that he that must break the Devil's Headplot must needs be God, and that he that must be born of the Seed of the Woman must needs be Man, and then for his Office he could not choose but know, that it must be a Mediatorial office of reconciliation, or else such a miserable sinner as he could never be restored again into God's favour. In all these respects fallen Adam could not choose but know, and honour the Father for his great Mercy, in propounding such a Mediator; and he could not choose but know, and honour the Mediator of his Redemption more than if he had stood still in his innocency; and he could not choose but know and honour the Holy Ghost, because his heart and mind was recreated, and made new by the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost for the sake of the Mediator, 1 Pet. 1, 2. Fallen Adam of himself had no skill, nor will, to find out a Mediator, till the Holy Ghost did enable him to believe that the Seed of the Woman should one day give his Soul as a Mediatorial Sacrifice of atonement (even then when the Devil should pierce him in the footsoals) for the procuring of his Father's reconciliation, by which he should be eternally redeemed from the Curse due to his disobedience, and from the guilt of his sin, and so be received into God's favour as his adopted son. O the infinite Wisdom of God, that could tell how to augment man's happiness, and his own praise, by Adam's sinful disobedience! if Adam had continued still in his innocency he should have been continued only in his Natural perfections, and have been a Lord above all the rest of the visible Creation; but in that condition he could not have so much honoured all his Creators as he did after his recreation; neither should he have attained to that degree of happiness as after his Fall, by the Mediator; neither could the Holy Trinity have been so glorious in his Soul as they were after his Fall and recreation. 5 This sentence, before the seventh day God had finished the work that he had made, is a remarkable sentence, full of Spiritual weight and worth, because it imports, that though Adam and Eve were created but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day, yet that they were recreated and made perfect by the promised Seed in the latter part of that day, namely before the seventh day, and that this finishing act of God's Creation by a Recreation was the perfection of the whole Creation, so that nothing could be added to it afterwards, to make the Creation The Creation of the Human Nature of Christ in the latter part of the sixth day, was the perfection of the whole Creation. more perfect to the world's end; for by the Creation of the Human nature of Christ of the Seed of the Woman (which must be created in the sixth day) for it is a Creature, and therefore it was truly existing in that Prophetical declaration of it, Gen. 3. 15. I say, this addition to the Creation in the cool of the sixth day, made the whole Creation perfect and entire, lacking nothing, and so much the word had made, and had finished, must import; namely, it must import such a finishing act and perfection of all the Creation, as must have as full and as large a The Mystical as well as the Natural Creation was finished, and made, before the Seventh day, and therefore Adam and Eve were re-created before the seventh day. sense as can be contained in the Scriptures; namely, it must have a Mystical sense as well as a Literal, John saith, Chap. 1. 3. All things were made by him, even all things without exception that were made, were made by him in six days, therefore we must not leave any sort of Creature out of the Work of those six days, excepting him that did create them; so that whatever Mystical thing is found in any part of the Scripture to be Created by God, in relation to Man, or to the Mediator, it must be included as a particular Commentary, or Exposition of these terms, had finished, had made, had created Before the seventh day. Arius denied Christ to be of the same nature with his Father, See the Sum of Divinity, by Jo. Downham, p. 35. See also more here in ch. 5. and made him only a Creature, yet he held him to be an excellent Creature (and as it were a secondary God) Created before the World, and by whom God Created the World, and saved Mankind, and therefore as a God in Office to be adored, not in Essence. The like he saith of the Holy Ghost. But seeing it is plain that God made all Creatures in six days, both the Son and the Spirit (if they were Creatures) must have been comprehended in that work. Hence I infer, that seeing the Human nature of Christ was a Creature (and differing much from fallen man, because he was conceived by the Holy Ghost) it must be comprehended in the Creation of the sixth day; and therefore his Human nature did exist in that Prophetical declaration of being made of the Seed of the Woman to break the Serpent's head. John saith, All things were made by him, (even his own Human nature) and without him was nothing made that was made, John 1. 3. and the Apostle makes Christ as Mediator to be the first of all things, that he might be the Head of his Body the Church, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence, therefore Adam and Eve must be Re-created in the day of their Creation, that so from that day forward Christ might be the Head of his Body the Church, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence, Col. 1. 15. to 19 and in this respect also Christ is said to save us, and to call us by a holy Calling before the world was, 2 Tim. 1. 9 because he was ordained to his Office before the world was. 6 The very frame of the words in Gen. 22. (being delivered so often in the pretertence) may assure us, that not only the first natural being, or existing of the Creation is meant, but that the very best supernatural being thereof is also meant; for if the adding of some Common gifts to Nature be called a Creation, Eze. 28. 14, 15. then the super-adding of saving gifts to fallen man, must needs be esteemed as the highest degree of all God's Creation, as these Scriptures do testify, jer. 33. 26. Ezek. 43. 1. 7. 15. 21. Es. 44. 2. Ephes. 2. 10. Psal. 100 3. Psal. 102. 18. Hence it follows, that seeing the Heavens and the Earth were finished after they had been made, it must be understood that they were finished by the Redemption and Gubernation of the promised Seed before the seventh Day, and therefore that Adam and Eve must necessarily be recreated on the sixth day, and so (by the Figure Synedoche, and also by the figure Continent for the thing contained) they must be a part of the New Heavens, and of the New Earth, as well as all other re-created Souls are, Es. 51. 16. Es. 65. 17, 18. Es. 66. 22. Es. 41. 20. Psal. 96. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. The finishing act of that which God had created in the end of the sixth day by the promised Seed, may well be resembled to the finishing act of the Temple by Joash and Jehoi●da, they employed faithful Workmen to repair it, after that wicked Athaliah had destroyed it, and then it is said, That a Healing went up upon the work, 1 Chro. 24. 13. that is to say, the breaches and decays thereof were healed, repaired, and amended; for to heal a thing is to repair it, or to make it perfect and sound again, 2 Chro. 7. 14. Psal. 60. 2. 2 Chro. 34. 10. and thus the Temple which had been made was re-created, finished, and perfected by those faithful men, ver. 14. In like sort, after that Satan by his malicious Headplot had ruinated, and broken down that glorious Temple-work of God's Creation, by enticing Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden Fruit, than God laid help upon one that was able and faithful to repair it, for in the end of the sixth day God told the Devil by way of threatening, and Adam and Eve by way of Promise, That the Seed of the Woman should break this Headplot of the Devil, by his Mediatorial obedience, when he should make his Soul a propitiatory Sacrifice for his sin, even at the same time when the Devil should pierce him in the footsoals as a sinful Malefactor; now God could not declare this but by his Son's pre-consent, contract, and Covenant, upon his undertaking God's Atonement, or Reconciliation was procured, and the holy Spirit was procured thereby also for Adam's re-creation, and so a Healing went up upon the Creation by this faithful Workman, and blessed Mediator Christ Jesus, the strong Rock, whose work is perfect, Deut. 32. 4. and in this respect the Apostle Peter calls the Mediator the faithful, Creator, 1 Pet. 4. 19 whose work is perfect, but Peter's Greek (Ctistes) is borrowed from the seventy, on 1 Sam. 22. & Psal. 18. 2. where the Hebrew is Rock, and there it is the attribute of the Mediator; and Christ told his Apostles, that he would build his Church upon that Rock, and that the gates of Hell should not overcome it, Mat. 16. 18. Master Perkins on the Creed, pag. 154. saith, God is called the faithful Creator, 1 Pet. 4. 19 because he did not leave his Works of Creation without his faithful care and providence, as Masons and Carpenters leave their Houses as soon as they are built, without any further care what becomes of them, for God is a faithful Creator, that will not let his Creation go to ruin. Thus we see that Adam and Eve were twice Created in one day; 1. They were made perfect, but yet mutable in the former part of the sixth day (as it appeared) for presently by the sleight of Satan they lost their first Created perfections. 2. God did Recreate them with supernatural perfections by the promised Seed, in the end of the same day; and this Creation was permanent, because it was a Creation of God in Christ Jesus, Eph. 2. 10. and because Christ undertook to make all perfect, therefore God rewarded Christ for this his work, for at the same time the Lord put the whole Creation in subjection under the feet of Christ; and when all this was done, than the whole Creation was perfect, and entire, lacking nothing, and therefore God's rest on the Seventh Day was a perfect rest; But if God had kept his rest on the Seventh day whiles Adam had stood in his mutable condition, as some Expositors would have him to do, than God's rest (especially on the first Sabbath) had stood but upon a ticklish and litigious foundation. CHAP. IU. That this Sentence [Before the Seventh Day God had finished God did put out sundry operations of his eternal providence in the sixth day, for the finishing of that work which he had created but mutably perfect, before he could be said to keep a perfect rest on the seventh day. The reason why God made Angels but mutably perfect at first was, that they might fall, and so might become the instrument of Man's fall. the Work that he had made] doth imply, That God, by his Eternal Counsel and Providence (as the efficient cause) had contrived to put out sundry operations of his Eternal Providence in the sixth day, for the finishing, or perfect settling of all that Work which he had made but mutably perfect at first, before he could keep a perfect rest on the Seventh Day. BY the event of things now made known unto us, we may in some sort see into the Platform of God's eternal Providence, how he had contrived to finish or perfect that Work that at the first he had made, and created, but mutably perfect, before he could keep the Seventh Day as a day of perfect rest. If God by his eternal Counsel and Providence had not contrived to make Angels mutably perfect as well as Man, than Angels had not despised to attend upon Adam and Eve into Paradise (as their charge was) and then Angels had not become Devils, and then Man had not been tempted by Satan, and then man had not fallen, and then God had fore-ordained a Mediator in vain. Therefore that God might make his Free grace glorious to fallen Man, and that he might make the Mediator glorious to the Souls of the Elect, he made Adam at the first but mutably perfect, that so he might fall, and that so he might take occasion thereby to convince him, and humble him in the sight of his sin and misery, and that so he might take occasion thereby to reveal unto his Soul the way of eternal Salvation by the Seed of the Woman. And for the more speedy effecting of all this, he did by his eternal Counsel and Providence appoint his heavenly Angels, as well as his terrestrial Creatures, to attend upon Adam and Eve into Paradise, for he fore-knew that if he did but give his heavenly Angels charge to attend upon earthly Man, with other earthly Creatures into Paradise, that many Legions of them would despise Man in comparison of themselves, and would neglect their charge, that so in Justice God might deprive them of their pure Natural qualities, and then he knew that they would become an envious company against the glory of Man, and that they would agree together in one deep Headplot (altogether unseen to Man) to seduce him, and persuade him to eat of the forbidden Fruit, that so they might be brought into the same Spiritual death with themselves; and by this speedy Headplot of theirs they made account not only to corrupt Adam and Eve, but also to destroy the whole Generation of all Mankind. But God that was wise in Counsel, and wonderful in Working, who worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will, Eph. 1. 11. had contrived how to break this Headplot of the Devil in pieces by the Seed of the Woman; this Divine H●ad-plot the Angels that fell knew not of, for if they had but known it, than they would not have refused to attend upon Adam and Eve into Paradise; and thus God by his eternal Counsel and Providence had contrived how to make this Headplot of the Devil to be an occasion to declare his goodness to fallen M●n, both the goodness of Justice, and the goodness of Mercy, by making the Person and office of the Mediator better known, and more admired and honoured of fallen Man, than if Adam had stood still in his innocency. As soon therefore as Adam was fallen, God took occasion thereby to introduce the Mediator into his Priestly Office virtually, that so he might reconcile and redeem Man, and put him into a better estate again than he had by his first Creation, and that thereby God might put all the rest of his Creation under the Government of Christ, as the true Lord, and proper Heir of all things, for all things were created for him, Col. 1. 16. or else if he had not restrained sin, and been preordained to be the Heir of all things, and to be ready at hand to take the Government of all upon him at Adam's Fall, the whole Creation had been instantly confounded by a general Rebellion, and by a total Disorder, which was the main thing that the Devil aimed at in his Headplot, but it was prevented, because he had ordained Christ to be the right Heir of all, to undertake the Government of all at the very instant of Adam's Fall, and so his Mercy is over all his Works, as the Hen is over her Chickens, Psa. 145. From the Premises I reason thus: The whole Creation was made at first for that very end for which it now serveth, Psal. 119. 91. But now all the whole Creation serveth to the honour of the Mediator, for God hath laid the Government of the whole Creation upon his Shoulders, Es. 9 6, 7. and hath given him dominion over the Works of his hands, and hath put all things under his feet, Psal. 8. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 24. to 28. and in that he hath put all things in subjection under him, he left nothing that should not be subject to him, Hebr. 2. 8. Therefore God had fore-ordained the Mediator, to restrain the violence of corrupted Nature, and to take upon him the right of Government, as the right Heir of all things, even from the first moment of Man's Fall, for all things were created for him, Col. 1. 16. and therefore God could not keep a Sabbath of rest until he had put the right Heir into actual possession, and in that respect Christ is styled the Lord of all Hosts, Psal. 24. 10. because all the Hosts of Heaven and Earth were put under his Dominion, even from the day of Man's creation; and in that respect also Christ is styled and called, The beginning of the creation of God, Rev. 3. 14. Col. 1. 15. Psal. 102. 26. Heb. 2. 10. for he was ordained before all things, and by him all things do consist, Col. 1. 17. Heb. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 8. 6. And this Dominion of the Mediator all creatures do, and have acknowledged ever since the fall of Adam; and therefore the four and twenty Elders do cast down their Crowns before him, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure's sake they are, and were created, Rev. 5. 11, 12, 13. Psal. 145, 10, 11, 12. Psa. 89. 5. and Rev 5. 11, 12, 13. See also ch. 6 at Sixthly. our Saviour Christ doth still comfort his afflicted people with the constancy of his providence, for their good, saying, I have made thee (namely by a Re-creation) and I will bear thee (namely by my constant fatherly providence) Es. 64. 4. yea Christ by his overruling providence doth create, and make the wicked to serve for his glory, and for his Churches good, by limiting and ordering all their wicked actions; Behold (saith Christ) I have created the Smith, and I have created the Destroyer to destroy, Es. 64. 16. yea Christ doth order the very devils by his overruling providence, so that they cannot be so malicious, as else they would be against man, as we may see in the case of Job. So then, both Deceivers, and Deceived, all are from Him, and by Him, and for Him, Rom. 11. 35. Job. 12. 16. And thus we see that God hath put all things under the feet of Christ according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, Eph. 1. 11. Act. 2. 23. And therefore it follows, that God by his eternal Providence did ordain a Mediator against the day of Adam's fall, Eph. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 9 by whose Redemption and Gubernation, the whole Creation was finished, perfected, settled, and ordered before the seventh day; and therefore these terms (he had finished, and had made before the 7th. day) do imply, that Christ the Mediator did put out sundry operations of his eternal Providence in the sixth day for the finishing and perfect settling of all the Creation (which at first he had made but mutably perfect) before he could keep a contented settled rest on the seventh day. Mr. Perkins on the Creed, Pag. 159. saith, One of the greatest works of God's providence that can be, is about man's Fall and Restauration; First, by the just permission of his Fall, Rom. 11. 32. And secondly, by destroying this headplot of the Devil, Gal. 3 22. CHAP. V. That this term [which he had made, Gen. 2. 2.] hath relation to the Creation of the Mediator, in two particulars; 1 In regard of his Office as a Mediatorial Priest. 2 In regard of his Humane nature. GOD having provided a Mediator, by his eternal Providence, God created or installed the Mediator into his Priestly office before he could keep a perfect rest on the seven●h day. against the day of Adam's fall, for his Reconciliation, and Re-creation, was pleased accordingly to exhibit the said Mediator to Adam in a gracious declaration thereof to him, but yet it was in a way of threatening to the Serpent, that this Mediator should be the seed of that deceived Woman, and that he should break his headplot, Gen 3. 15. namely by his propitiatory sacrifice, or sacrifice of Atonement, even at the same time when the Devil by his instruments should put him to death by piercing him in the footsoals as a sinful Malefactor on the Cross; and now God did not only threaten the Devil to break his headplot, and not only comfort Adam with the assurance of his Redemption, but also he said to his Son, This day have I begotten thee, or created thee into the office of a Priestly Mediator, Heb. 5. 5. with Psal. 2. 7, 8. and in this sense God is said to make or create Moses and Aaron when he installed them into the office of deliverers, The humane nature of Christ was created and virtually made flesh of the s●ed of the woman before God could be said to keep a perfect rest on the seventh day. See John Frith against Sir Tho. Mo●● p. 109. 1 Sam. 12. 6. and in this sense God could not keep a perfect rest on the seventh day until he had created the Mediator into his Priestly office. 2 The humane nature of Christ was created, and exhibited in a gracious declaration of Adam's redemption (from the Devil's Headplot by the seed of the Woman) as the perfection of all the Creation on the sixth day, his humane nature is a creature, and therefore it was virtually made flesh of the seed of the woman, before it could be said, That God had finished all his works which be had created and made; and there fore before he could keep a perfect rest on the seventh day. Christ was as truly made flesh of the seed of the Virgin Eve on the sixth day, as he was made flesh of the seed of David, Rom. 1. 3. and his flesh was as truly eaten by faith of Adam and Eve, and of all the godly Fathers that offered Sacrifices of Atonement by faith, as it is eaten by us now; for this Proposition is general, and belongeth to the godly in all ages from the first Promise, That unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, ye can have no life in you, Joh. 6. 53. And for the confirmation of this first Promise (that Christ should be made flesh of the seed of the woman) Christ did often appear to the Fathers in the shape of a man, Gen. 32. 24. Prov. 8. 31. to assure them, that as he was truly exhibited in a gracious promise to our first Parents, so he would in due time take our nature upon him; and in this respect the humane nature of Christ was called by the Prophet Jeremy, A new created thing in the Earth, A Virgin shall compass a man, Jer. 31. 22. This whole Chapter is a Prophecy of the days of the Messiah (as any considerate Reader may easily discern) I put in the term Virgin, instead of our translated term Woman, and yet I find no fault with the term Woman, provided the interpretation be of a Virgin-Woman; but if the term Woman be taken for one that hath a Husband, in that sense I dislike the term, for it is no new created thing for a woman that hath a husband to compass a manchild in her womb. 2 I descent from them that think the word Compass doth mean the crafty fetches of an immodest woman, seeking as an agent to circumvent some man or other into the bond of marriage; This Interpretation cannot stand, because this is no new created thing. 3 I descent from them that make this Woman to be the generality of the Jews that shall conquer the great Empire of the Turks, for this new device doth not make this new created thing. But to me it is most evident that this new created thing is nothing else but the humane nature of Christ encompassed in the womb of a Virgin; First, of the Virgin Eve; And secondly, of the Virgin Mary: And at this new created thing, no doubt but Adam and Eve did as much wonder, as the Angels did at the hanging of the earth upon nothing, Job 38. 7. yea this new created thing may justly ravish both Men and Angels with wonderment, as it doth, 1 Tim. 3. 16 1 Pet. 1. 12. Exod. 25. 20. By this Vision the Prophet Jeremy did call backsliding Israel to consider this new created thing (saying, by way of wonderment at their unbeleef) How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A Virgin-woman shall compass a man. Hence it is evident, that if this backsliding Daughter had but duly considered this new created thing, it would have wrought true conversion in them as well as it did in Adam and Eve (But who hath believed our report, saith the Prophet in the like case, Es. 53. 1. Isaiah would have cured wicked Ahaz his unbeleef with this sign, Es. 7. 14. but this new created thing did not work admiration in his affections, as it did in Adam and Eve, and therefore it did him no good. After Jeremy had propounded this new created thing for the conversion of back-sliding Israel, he said, I awaked, and behold my sleep was sweet unto me, Jer. 31. 26. it wrought sweet affections of joy in the consideration of it; But if Jeremy had conceived as some Interpreters do, that this woman had been a subtle immodest woman, than I marvel how he could have had any sweet content in that consideration when he awoke. By this woman therefore I do not only understand the Virgin Mary, that did actually compass the Humane nature of Christ in her womb, but I do also understand the Virgin Eve that did virtually compass him in her womb by faith, for God did exhibit the Messiah to her in a gracious Proposition in the cool of the sixth day while she was a Virgin; And it is remarkable that the Prophet Jeremy doth speak of this new created thing both in the time past, and also in the time to come; Behold, saith he, the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth (and in the next clause he speaks of it as of a thing to come) A Virgin shall compass a man, or a manchild (for a manchild is called A man, Job 3. 2. Joh. 16. 21.) So then this phrase, God had finished his work which he had made before the seventh day, includes all this that I have spoken of the Humane nature of Christ, as I have also noted it in Chap. 3. R. 2. Also the extent of this term created and made is very large, for it is often applied to things that are new, marvellous, and glorious, Es. 65. 18. Ex. 34. 10. Num. 16. 30. also it is applied to God's powerful acts, Deut. 3. 24. and to things that are done in a miraculous manner above nature, Joh. 2. 9 In all which regards the humane nature of Christ; (as it was compassed in the womb of a Virgin that never knew man) may well be called a glorious, powerful, and miraculous new created thing in the earth to the sound conversion of a true considerate heart. 2 This new created thing the Prophet Agur doth make to be the greatest wonder of all the four which he doth name, and compare together, in Prov. 30. 18, 19 Three things (saith he) are too wonderful for me, yea four that I know not; 1 The way of an Eagle in the air. 2 The way of a Serpent from a Rock. 3 The way of a ship in the midst of the Sea. And 4 The way of a man in a Virgin. The Hebrew word which is translated Woman in this place, doth properly signify such a woman as never knew man by carnal generation. This Hebrew word is never used for a polluted Adultress as some would have it to mean in this place. 2 Neither is this Hebrew word used for a married woman, but always for a Virgin that never knew man: Examine the several places where this Hebrew word is used, and that will confirm the truth of my observation; It is used but six times only in Scripture, Gen. 24. 43. Ps. 68 25. Cant. 1. 2. Cant. 6. 7. Es. 7. 14. Prov. 30. 19 in the first five places no question is made by any to the contrary; all the question is about this last place in Prov. 30. 19 and yet if the scope of the Prophet Agur in this Chapter be well marked, there is no more question of this place, than of the rest; for in this Chapter the Prophet Agur doth speak of Christ in our nature, and calls him Ithiel and Vcall vers. 1. Mr. Broughton in Ecclesiastes, pag. 11. saith, that Agur speaks of Gods dwelling in Christ named Ithiel and Vcall, which signifies God with me, even the mighty; so that we see the Prophet Agur doth call the Mediator Ithiel and Vcall in the very same sense that Esay calls him Immanuel; the notation is much alike in both places. Therefore seeing the Prophet Agur doth speak of Christ in our nature in the forefront of this Prophecy, what lets but that he may speak also of his wonderful strange conception in the womb of a Virgin? the wonderfulness whereof he doth illustrate by way of comparison to three other things that are beyond the power of humane reason to find out; For first, who can find out the pathway where a ship hath gone in the midst of the Sea? Or secondly, the pathway where an Eagle hath flown in the midst of the air? Or thirdly, the pathway of a Serpent from the Rock: Put fourthly, who can find out how a Manchild can be conceived in the womb of a Virgin that never knew man? the Prophet Agur makes this fourth thing a greater wonder than the other three. And this last the Prophet Jeremy calls a new created thing in the earth; and seeing all sorts of creatures were created in six days, it follows, that this new created thing of the humane nature of Christ in the womb of a Virgin, was created and exhibited to fallen Adam and Eve in a gracious Propetical Declaration on the sixth day, before that God could keep a perfect rest on the seventh day. CHAP. VI Proving, that the whole world was made for the Honour of the Mediator, as the right Heir of all; 1 Hence it follows, That God could not keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day, until he had put the Mediator, as the right Heir of all, into his possession. 2 Hence follows, That Adam must fall, and be Re-created on the day of his Creation. This is proved by an induction of some particulars. 1 THe Angels were made to serve the Mediator even as he was ordained to be the seed of the woman, Psal. 91. 11, 12. Heb. 1. 6. and therefore they did sing for joy, not only at the birth of Christ when he was born of the Virgin Mary, Luke 2. 14. But doubtless, they did as much rejoice to hear that joyful news to fallen Adam and Eve, that he should be the seed of the woman to break the Devil's Headplot; and ever since that day they desire to pry into that joyful and glorious mystery, 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 12. 2 The woman was in a special manner made for the Honour of the Mediator, as well as for Admas Society, and Posterity; for without the woman's seed, Christ could not have been promised to be the seed of the woman that was fallen, and that her seed should break the Devil's Headplot, Gen. 3. 15. 3 The Sabbath was made for the Honour of the Mediator, for he was Lord of the Sabbath, even as he was the Son of Man, Mar. 2. 28 4 The distinction of the natural day into Morning and Evening was so contrived by God's providence for the Honour of the Mediator, for the glad tidings of his Propitiatory Sacrifice was constantly remembered, and typified by the Morning and Evening, Sacrifices; for that division of the day into morning and evening is a differing division from day & night (as I have showed at large in my book of Holy Time) and therefore according to the usual time of the Evening Sacrifice Christ performed his Propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement, about the midst of the first Evening, for the first natural Evening gins at Midday at the first declining of the Sun, and continues till Sunset, where the night gins, and in the midst of this evening, namely about three a clock in the afternoon, Christ made his soul an Evening Sacrifice of man's Redemption. 5 The several sorts of Beasts and Fowls were made for the Honour of the Mediator; and though some of them were by God's Providence to be of a ravenous kind, namely as soon as Adam fell, yet they could not destroy fallen man from the face of the earth, neither could they wholly destroy their fellow-creatures that were of a tame kind, because the Lord God had ordained a Mediator to be the right Heir of them all, and to rule them all (by restraining their corrupt desires, and guiding them) as soon as Adam fell, so that the hungry Lions could not devour Daniel without his licence; and as for the rest of the creatures which were ordained to be of a more quiet and harmless kind, God called them clean Beasts, and some of them he ordained for the use of Sacrifices, as the fittest to typify the innocency of Christ's humane nature, and the perfection of his Sacrifice. 6 All sorts of creatures were made for the Honour of the Mediator; and therefore as soon as Adam fell, God put all things in subjection under his feet, And there was nothing that was not made subject unto him, Heb. 2. 8. Psal. 8. 6. Col. 1. 16. Eph. 1. 22. Yea, God made him the head over the spirits of just men made perfect by the Father's forgiveness, that is to say, by the Father's justification, Heb. 12. 23. and that Dominion is called the first o● the chiefest Dominion, Mic. 4. 8. and this Dominion God gave him in the day of Adam's Fall and Re-creation. Yea all creatures in general do yield obedience unto the Mediator as their proper Lord and Governor, Rev. 5. 13. as I have noted more at large in Chap. 3. R. 2. and in Chap. 4. Yea when the Mediator was here upon earth in his humane nature, all creatures obeyed him as their Lord; for he rebuked the boy sterous winds, and the raging sea, and they obeyed him; He commanded the liquid waters to bear him as the dry land, and they obeyed him; He commanded a hundred fifty three great fishes to come into Peter's Net, and not to break it, and they obeyed him, Joh. 21. He commanded that fish that had swallowed a Stater to come to Peter's Angle to pay his tribute, and that obeyed him; He commanded the Asse-colt whereon never man sat to carry him with all gentleness to Jerusalem, as if it had been tamed by former riding, and it obeyed him; He commanded diseases of all sorts to departed from the sick, and they obeyed him: Yea he commanded the Devils to come out of certain men and women, and they obeyed him; Yea at the time of Noah's flood, He commanded all sorts of creatures, as well the wild ravenous kind, as the tame kind, to come of their own accord into Noah's Ark, and to live quietly together, and they obeyed him, Gen. 7. 8, 9 But the wicked world, because they despised the Spirit of Christ in Noah, therefore Christ commanded a deluge of water to seize upon their bodies, and their souls he sent to the prison of Hell, 1 Pet. 3. 19 7 God gave the Mediator an absolute Dominion over all Tyrants, so that they cannot do as much mischief to his people as they desire, For Christ ruleth even in the midst of his enemies, Psal. 110. 2, 5, 6, 7. Psal. 2 9 10, 11, 12. Prov. 8. 15, 16. And therefore the Father hath committed all judgement to his Son, because all men should honour the Son, as they honour the Father, Joh. 5. 22, 23. And hath given him Authority to execute judgement because he is the Son of Man, Joh. 5. 27. And if he had not been declared to be the Son of Man just upon Adam's Fall, the Devil would have made a hellish confusion of the Creation at that instant, but he was prevented by the right Heir that stood ready to take the Government of all upon him, as soon as ever Adam fell. From these, and the like considerations it is evident, that God created the world for the Honour of the Mediator, and that he might rule it as the right Heir of it; And the Hebrew Doctors have a common saying agreeing with this, That the world had not been created, but for the Messiah; And therefore hence it follows, That God could not keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day, until he had put all things in subjection under the feet of Christ, as the proper Lord, and right Heir of all the Creation; and therefore Adam must fall, and also be Re-created before the seventh day. Conclusion. God did perfect the whole Creation on the sixth day, by ordering all things according to the Platform of his eternal Counsel and Providence. 1 By ordering the Devils Fall. 2 By ordering adam's Fall. 3 By ordaining a Mediator, and instating of him into his Priestly Office. 4 By creating a humane nature for the Mediator, of the seed of Eve. 5 By his Office of Mediation he purchased the Spirit of his Father for the Re-creating of fallen Adam and Eve. 6 By this means they were made a part of God's heavenly Host. 7 By this means they were made the chiefest part of God's Host here on earth. 8 When all this was done, than Christ was Heir of all things. 9 When all this was done, than Satan's Headplot was broken. 10 When all this was done, then, and not till then, God could keep a perfect Rest on the seventh day from all his works, because by this means he had finished that work that at first he had made but mutably perfect in the former part of the sixth day: And therefore it follows by good consequence, That the Sabbath was not ordained in the time of Adam's Innocency, But after his Fall and Re-creation by the Promised Seed. CHAP. VII. Proving that God's rest on the Seventh Day was su●h a perfect rest, that nothing could happen afterwards that could any whit lessen or disturb the perfection of his rest on the Seventh Day, as it would have happened if God had kept a Sabbath of rest whiles Adam stood in a mutable condition. THe Text saith in the latter clause of Gen. 2. 2. That God rested the Seventh day from all his Works which he had made. But God could not be said to keep a perfect rest from all his Works which he had made, as long as Adam stood in a mutable condition, for God knew from Eternity that Adam and Eve would presently fall from their Created perfections, through the temptation of Satan, and that thereupon the whole Creation would fall into utter confusion, and that then God must either suffer Satan to take the Dominion of the whole Creation, or else that he must begin again to make it more perfect than it was before, by a new Creation. Seeing therefore that one of these two things must necessarily follow upon Adam's fall, God could not keep a perfect rest on the Seventh Day from all his Works, until he had installed the Mediator into his Office, and settled the whole government of all things upon his shoulders, as upon our mighty God and Prince of peace, Es. 9 6, 7. If God had rested on the Seventh Day, before he had settled the whole Creation upon the Mediator, than the Devil might have rejoiced more upon the first seventh day than God. 1 Because the Devil had made frustrate the glory of God in Man's Creation. 2 Because he had spoiled the glory of God's order in the residue of the Creation. But God could not suffer this, and therefore it follows, that God could not keep a perfect rest as long as Adam stood in a mutable condition; neither could he keep a day of rest after Adam's fall, until he had made Adam and Eve perfect again by a Recreation, and until he had established all the residue of the Creation upon that sure Rock whose work is perfect, Deut. 32. 4. But as soon as God had re-created fallen Adam and Eve, as the first fruits of his Holy Militant Church here on earth, and of his Church Triumphant in Heaven; then, and not till then, God rested on the seventh day from all his Work which he had made, and then his rest was a most perfect rest, so that nothing was lacking to the perfection thereof, and therefore nothing could happen afterwards that could any way lessen or disturb his rest, because he rested upon that sure Mediator, who had Covenanted to break the Devil's Headplot by his propitiatory Sacrifice, or Sacrifice of atonement for fallen Adam and Eve, and for all the Elect to the end of the world. CHAP. VIII. Of the true nature of God's rest on the Seventh Day. FIrst, It must be remembered, That God's rest on the seventh day was not a Natural rest, after the labour of his six Days Work; for the Creator of all the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary, Esa. 40. 28. Secondly, Neither was God's rest on the seventh day a bare cessation from Creating any other sorts of Creatures, though some inconsiderate Professors would have it to be no more, thinking thereby to warrant their Carnal ease, and their careless keeping of the Lords Day; but such kind of rest as this is God's Soul doth hate. Thirdly, Neither was God's rest upon the seventh day a bare contemplation of his visible Creation, as others would have it, thinking thereby to warrant their pleasant Recreations, and Contemplations upon the Lord's Day, by walking out into the Fields to behold the Works of God, and to behold his eternal Power and Godhead in the Creation; thi● is not the true rest of the Sabbath, for such duties as these a Heathen Philosopher may do upon the Sabbath Day, and yet not observe the true rest of the Sabbath; but this sort of Persons are misled by a false supposition, that the Sabbath was first ordained as a day of rest in the time of Adam's innocency for contemplation on the visible Creation only. Fourthly, The true nature of God's rest on the seventh day That the true nature of God's rest on the seventh day was his sweet content in the Mediator. was his sweet content in the Mediator, because he had made all his Creation perfect in the Mediator, and because he had established Adam's happiness upon the promised Seed, as upon a sure Rock, and firm Foundation, and because he had put all the rest of the Creation under his feet. As soon as God had thus renewed the face of the earth, Psal. 104. 30. and settled the government of all his Works upon the Person and Office of the Mediator, than God rested on the seventh day, with infinite content, and sweet satisfaction, rejoicing in the Works of his hands, Psal. 104. 31. but the thirtieth verse makes God's Creation to be Spiritual as well as earthly, and so doth Psal. 100 3. Psal. 102. 18. Es. 54. 5. Es. 65. 18. This sweet satisfying rest which God took in settling all the works of his hands upon the Mediator, is thus expressed by Moses, In six days Jehovah made the Heavens and the Earth, and in the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed, Exod. 31. 17. God's resting was not from his weariness of labour in the work of Creation, but from the heavy burden of Adam's sin, which had spoiled all his Creation till he had re-created Adam, and settled him and all the rest of the Creation upon the Rock Christ, and in this respect God doth often complain of Man's sin as a heavy burden to his Soul, Amos 5. 2, 13, Es. 1. 14. And as the sin of the old World did grieve God to the heart, Gen. 6. 6. so no doubt but Adam's sin above any other sin did grieve him to his heart, until God had re-created Adam and Eve by the promised Seed, and put the whole Creation under his government, and then God rested the seventh day, and was refreshed; that is to say, the grief of his heart which fell upon him in the sixth day by reason of Adam's sin, was removed from him, by the Mediators undertaking to make a reconciliation by his propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement in the cool of the sixth day, and from that day forwards God instructed Adam how to offer Sacrifices of Atonement as a liverly memorial thereof; and thenceforth all Sacrifices of Atonement are called sacrifices of rest to Jehovah, and sweet sacrifices of rest, Gen. 8. 21. because Christ's Sacrifice doth quiet and pacific God's Soul, that was so exceedingly displeased and grieved for Adam's sin, and therefore the Seventy call sacrifices of rest sweet Sacrifices, which phrase of theirs Paul doth approve and use, Eph. 5. 2. they are also called sacrifices of Atonement, or propitiatory Sacrifices. Upon this new settlement of the Creation upon the Mediator, All the Trinity rested, and were refreshed on the seventh day, because they had perfected man's happiness by a Re-creation. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost were refreshed; now all the blessed Trinity, our blessed Creators and Makers, did rejoice in the works of their hands. 1 The Father was refreshed with great joy of heart, because he had found out a Reconciler, and because his lost Son was found again, Luk. 15. 2 The Son rejoiced, and was refreshed, because he had taken upon him the Person and Office of a Mediator, that so he might seek and save that which was lost, Matth. 18. 11, 12, 13, 14. 3 The Holy Ghost rejoiced, and was refreshed, because he had re-created the heart of Adam and Eve, and filled their Souls with joy unspeakable, and glorious, by enabling them to believe in the promised Seed, as the Procurator of the Father's Atonement by his propitiatory sacrifice. And truly this work of Re-creation must needs be a ground of perfect rest, and of joyful refreshing to such blessed Creators, that could tell how to find out such a mysterious way to create anew that glorious work, that was so confounded and spoilt by Satan's Headplot. The Angels also rejoiced at the conversion of Adam and Eve, saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace, and good will towards men, Luk. 2. 14. and this must needs be so, because they rejoice at the conversion of every sinner that repenteth, Luk. 15. 7. Adam and Eve did also keep a blessed rest upon the Sabbath; for their Souls were rejoiced and refreshed, because they did by faith rest on the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devil's Headplot. And thus the first seventh day was a joyful day of rest, and rerefeshing, both to all the Trinity, to all the Elect Angels, and to repenting Adam and Eve; and so it is to all true repenting, and believing sinners. Amen. And it is further evident that God's rest on the seventh day, was nothing else but the quieting of his mind in Christ's Sacrifice of Atonement, because God is said to rest in several types of Christ as well as in the seventh day, in relation to his resting on the Mediator for man's Redemption from Satan's Headplot. 1 The Land of Canaan is called Gods Rest, Exod. 33. 14. Psal. 95. 11. Heb. 4. 1. because God had appointed that Land to be the resting place of his Tabernacle, and Temple, Jos. 22. 19 2 Sam. 7. which did typify the humane nature of Christ, Joh. 2. 19 Heb. 8. 2. Heb. 9 11. where his Sacrifices of Rest might only be offered. 2 The Tabernacle is called Gods Rest, Psal. 132. 8. 3 Zion is called Gods Rest, Psal. 132. 13, 14. 4 The Temple is called Gods Rest, 2 Chron. 6. 41. and the house of his Rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, 1 Chron. 28. 2. 5 All Sacrifices of Atonement are called Sacrifices of Rest, because they have a sweet savour that gives rest to the disquieted senses, Gen. 8. 21. Exod. 29. 18. Num. 15. 3. Ez. 20. 14. But no man, I think, will say, that God did rest in any of these things otherwise than as they were types of the Mediators Person and Sacrifice, wherein only God's soul doth rest as in the only Mediatorial procuring cause of his Atonement for man's Redemption from Satan's Headplot. The Tabernacle wherein God did dwell among the Sons of Israel was three times over most carefully described by Moses. 1 In Exod. 25. 2 In Exod. 36. 3 In Exod. 39 32 to 43. This three fold telling of the Tabernacle, which God did after cast off, saith one of the Hebrew Doctors, was not to show, that God did so highly rest in it for itself, but to show that he only rested in the Tabernacle of the Messiah; and because the blessed Martyr Stephen knew that the High Sanedrim did rest after an outward hypocritical manner in the Temple, he did upbraid their foolish confidence, saying, The most High dwelleth not (or resteth not) in Temples made with hands, Act 7. 48. implying, that the most High did only rest in Christ that was typified by the Temple. So then the place of God's rest, and of fallen man's rest, lies only in the work of Reconciliation by the Mediators Sacrifice of Atonement. Conclusion. From all the Premises I conclude, That God's rest on the seventh day, was his satisfying delight, and his sweet content in Christ, because he was ordained to be the Seed of the Woman to break the Devil's Headplot by his Propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement, and because God had settled the whole Creation upon the Mediator, whose work was so perfect that nothing was lacking to the perfection thereof; And therefore it follows, that God ordained the Sabbath, not in the time of Adam's Innocency, but after his Fall and Re-creation. CHAP. IX. Proving, that God blessed the first seventh day with many Spiritual Ordinances, such as were apt to convey Spiritual, and Eternal blessedness to fallen man. THis sentence, God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, Gen. 2. 3. doth contain in it a full description how God did bless the seventh day for the good of fallen man. 1 I will speak of the word Blessed in this Chapter. 2 I will speak of the word Sanctified in the next Chapter. 1 It is meet to inquire how God did bless the first seventh day; Did he bless it with any natural blessing above the other six days? Hath he bestowed a greater blessing of fairer weather, or the like, upon that day more than upon any other day in the week? no, but on the contrary he restrained his Manna from falling on that day, and bestowed it upon the Jews on all the other six days of the week. Therefore the blessing wherewith God did bless the seventh day was not a common natural blessing, but doubtless it was a spiritual blessing in relation to the good of fallen man. Hence then we may conclude, that God did bless that day with divers spiritual Ordinances, such as tended to make fallen man blessed, by opening the manner how the Seed of the Woman should break Satan's Headplot for man's Redemption. Adam in h●s Innocency had no need of any such spiritual God would nev●r have blessed the seventh day with spiritual Ordinances, so as he did, if the Mediator had not been declared to fallen Adam before the 7 day. Ordinances as God did bless the seventh day withal; neither could Adam in his Innocency sanctify one day more perfectly than another, for by nature he was pure without imperfection. If there had been no other Argument in all the Scripture to prove that Adam sell, and was Re-created on the sixth day by the Promised Seed, This sentence, He blessed and sanctified the seventh day, had been sufficient to prove it; for God would never have blessed the seventh day with such spiritual Ordinances as he did, nor yet have sanctified that day for the time of his spiritual Ordinances, if the Mediator had not been declared to fallen Adam before the seventh day. And this is further proved by some other Scriptures. 1 God doth command us fallen men in the fourth Commandment to remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it (and the reason is added) because in it he rested from all the works that he had made: And (for that reason) Jehovah did bless the seventh day, and sanctify it, Exod. 20. 8▪ 9, 10, 11. 2 The Prophet Isaiah saith, That God did bless the Sabbath day (namely for the good of fallen man) For (saith he) Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath, and polluteth it no●, Es. 56. 2. 3 Our Saviour doth tell us, that the Sabbath was made for man, Mar. 2. 27. namely for the good of man in misery; but Adam in God did not leave Adam & Eve to spend the seventh day in private speculations, but he blessed the first 7 day with variety of Ordinances both for public and private use, for their best spiritual good. his Innocency was not in misery, therefore the Sabbath was not then made; but as soon as he had eaten of the forbidden fruit he was in misery, for then his soul was dead in sin, and his body full of corruption, and then the Sabbath was made for man. Hence it follows by necessary consequence, that God did not bless the seventh day in Adam's Innocency, but after his Fall and Recreation. 2 God did not leave Adam to himself after his Fall and Recreation, to spend the seventh day in his own private meditations as he thought best, but God blessed the seventh day with several public Ordinances for the good of fallen Adam, and instructed him in the right use of those Ordinances; if God had left Adam to spend the Sabbath in his own private speculations as he thought best, doubtless his Religion would soon have been no better than a Samaritan Religion, for Adam by his fall was become so corrupt in his affections, and so blind in his understanding of God's will, that he would not, nor could not have spent the Sabbath to his spiritual good. It is a dangerous thing therefore to prefer a man's own private meditations, and speculations, to public Ordinances upon the Sabbath; God would not leave Adam to such a liberty to do as he thought best, such a liberty will soon open a wide gap to Satan's delusions: But God blessed the seventh day with his own public Ordinances, not excluding private meditations; God blessed the seventh day both with public and private Ordinances; for public Ordinances are not so much blessed as when they are attended with private preparation before, with reverend attention at, and with careful rumination and application afterwards▪ If there be not this care added to the public Ordinances, the Devil will soon steal away the seed that is sown, out of our hearts and souls. Now the manner how God was pleased to instruct Adam and Eve in the exercise of his public Ordinances, was by the lively Oracles of the Mediator, and therefore doubtless as he was promised to be the Seed of the woman, so he appeared to Adam in his humane shape, as he did to Jacob, Gen. 32. 24. And in this regard, he is called, The word of the Father, even from the beginning, Joh. 1. 1, 2. And the Father gave him a Commandment what to say, Joh. 12. 49, 50. And he it was that did instruct all the Fathers; And therefore Stephen saith, That he the God of glory appeared to Abraham in Ur of the calls, Act. 7. 2. and his apparition to Abraham was in such a familiar manner, that it did work in him an inward regard and attention to his words, whereby his soul was convinced and converted. In some such manner did he appear to Adam and Eve when he did instruct them in the knowledge of his Person and Office, and of the use of his public Ordinances wherewith he was pleased to bless the seventh day. Now the several Ordinances wherewith God was pleased to bless the seventh day, I will distinguish into two sorts, or ranks. 1 Into such Ordinances as were plain and manifest. 2 Into such as were Typical and Mystical. 1 I will speak of the plain and manifest Ordinances; These were often used without the typical, but the typical could not well be used without some of these were added thereto; By these plain and manifest Ordinances God appointed Adam as a Prophet, by the exercise of them, to instruct himself, his wife, and posterity, by opening the misery of his fall, and the remedy by the Promised Seed. 1 The first sort of these manifest Ordinances, was in preaching and proclaiming his own miserable condition by his disobedience God commanded Adam to preach every seventh day either upon his miserable fall, or else upon the riches of God's grace, for his recovery by the Promised Seed. in eating of the forbidden fruit; how he had lost God's Image by God's just hand of punishment, and how he was corrupted in all the parts and powers of his soul and body by the poysonful counsel that Satan breathed into Eves soul. 2 Adam must preach, open, and declare to himself, and his wife (till they were increased in number) the riches of God's grace for his recovery by the Seed of the Woman, which God had ordained to break the Devil's Headplot for their Redemption; and in opening this, he could not choose but open and declare the personal union of both the natures of the Mediator, and the excellent dignity of his Office. This blessed Doctrine Adam was commanded to study to explain and enlarge (every seventh day) in all the branches thereof, and in all the several benefits thereof to fallen man, according to the full extent of God's Declaration in Gen. 3. 15. and therefore he must open and explain how Christ should be the Seed of the Woman, and how he should break the Devil's Headplot by his Priestly Office, and by his Propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement, at the very same time when the Devil should endeavour to prevent it, by putting him to death, and by piercing his footsoals as a sinful Malefactor upon the Cross; and how he being God as well as man, should destroy through death him that had the power of death, that is the Devil, and how he should by that death (which he performed as a Mediatorial Sacrifice) reconcile God to fallen man, and so procure the Father's Justification from the sentence of Condemnation, and his favour for their adoption, and for their enjoying of his heavenly inheritance. These and such like points as these, God instructed Adam to study and to preach to himself, wife, and posterity, in season and out of season, but especially upon every seventh day. 3 To this necessary duty of preaching, whereby God doth God commanded Adam to join the duty of Prayer to the duty of Preaching. speak unto sinners, Adam was commanded to join the necessary duty of Prayer and supplication, whereby sinners do speak unto God, and he must branch out this duty of Prayer into all the several parts of it, as, 1 Into Confession of his miserable condition by his sin and disobedience, and of the sinful corruption of our nature, together with our daily actual rebellions, for the deeper abasing of our natural Pride, and selfconceited righteousness. 2 Into Petition for several graces of Sanctification, but especially for the inward testimony of our Reconciliation and Adoption. 3 Deprecation of evil, according to that Petition, Led us not into temptation. 4 Thanksgiving for all favours received, but especially for those Spiritual favours by the promised seed. 5 Singing of Psalms also must be added (sometimes at least) as an act of Spiritual joy for God's manifold savours, but especially for that Grand Mercy of our Reconciliation, procured by the Mediators propitiatory sacrifice of atonement; for by that means the Devil's Headplot is broken, and fallen Man redeemed, and set free from the power of Satan. These several sorts of Ordinances I call by the name of plain and manifest Ordinances, because they often were and might be used without any addition of Typical sacrifices, or ceremonies of cleanness. And this is evident by Gods Command afterwards to the See my Discourse touching the Jews Synagogues order on this text. Church of Israel, in Leu. 23. 3. The seventh day shall be a Sabbath of Sabbatism, a Convocation of Holiness; it shall be a Sabbath to Jehovah in all your dwellings. This sentence [in All your dwellings] proves that God commanded them to observe the Sabbath, not only at the Tabernacle where Sacrifices must be only offered, but it must be kept in all their dwellings where no Sacrifices might be offered, and yet by dwellings we must not understand every man's private Tent, for God commands a Convocation of Holiness, and a Convocation agrees not to every man's private Tent; therefore the meaning of these words, A Convocation in all your dwellings means a Convocation of Holiness in all their several Synagogues, which were to be conveniently placed in or among all their dwellings, both during the time of their abode in the Wilderness, and also wherever they dwelled afterwards. This commanded convocation was not given to the Jews in regard of their Festival Sabbaths, which were observed with the solemnity of Sacrifices, and other rites of Holiness, for their Festival Sabbaths were commanded to be observed only in the Land of Canaan, at the particular place that God should choose to place his Tabernacle or Temple in, after they should be settled in rest therein; and indeed they could not observe their festival Sabbaths in the Wilderness, neither could they every seventh day offer Sacrifices in the Wilderness, for during the time of their travels in the Wilderness the Holy things were folded up. But yet notwithstanding their travels in the Wilderness, they were commanded to observe every seventh day with a convocation of holiness, in or among all their dwellings, namely in their several Synagogues, which must be placed for their best conveniency in or among all their dwellings. And it is evident, that the Jews did observe the Sabbath with Holy convocations in all their Synagogues, because our Saviour did usually preach every seventh day in their Synagogues, either in Galilee, or in Judea, where none of Aaron's Ceremonies had any use at all. By this command of God to the Jews, it is manifest, That God commanded Adam to observe every seventh day with his plain and manifest Ordinances, and doubtless oftentimes also with his Typiral and Mystical Ordinances, which at the first were not tied to one special place. 2 The second sort of God's public Ordinances were Typical, and Mystical, the chiefest of all this kind of Worship was by propitiatory Sacrifices, or Sacrifices of Atonement, which were of several sorts. 1 offerings, Levit. 1. 2 Peace-offerings, Levit. 3. 3 Sin-offerings, Levit. 4. 3. 4 Trespass-offerings, Levit. 5. 6. All these several sorts of Sacrifices did typify and represent the Mediators Propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement, by which he procured the Father's Atonement for fallen man's Reconciliation, Justification, and Adoption, and so consequently for man's Redemption from Satan's Headplot. This blessed Doctrine of Salvation, Christ represented to Adam's faith in the very first seventh day, by causing Adam as a Priest to sacrifice some Lamb, or some such like beast, and then doubtless he said unto him, Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, Joh. 1. 29. for Christ was typically slain from the beginning of the world, Rev. 8. 13. Adam of himself could not tell how to offer sacrifice, and Christ Jesus taught Adam by the Sacrifice of a Lamb how he should be the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. therefore doubtless Jesus Christ appeared to him in the shape of his humane nature, and did instruct him by a lively Oracle, what the Office of a Priest was, and how to build an Altar of earth (for that kind of Altar was first in use, Exod. 20. 24.) and that all those places where such Altars were builded, were holy places, as long as such places were in use for sacrifice, and therefore Christ Jesus did usually sanctify such places, either by his glorious apparition, or by fire from heaven to consume the Sacrifice, or by both. The Altar was holy in another respect, namely because it was ordained to be a type of the Godhead of Christ, whereon he would one day offer his humane nature, as a sacrifice of Atonement, Exod. 29. 37. Mat. 23. 19 Heb. 9 14. And doubtless Christ Jesus did kindle Adam's sacrifice at first with fire from heaven, for he did usually kindle the sacrifices of the Fathers with fire from Heaven, as a sign and token to them, that his death was a propitiatory sacrifice of Atonement, and that their persons were thereby received into full favour, Leu. 9 23. Judg. 13. 19, 20, 23. 1 King. 18. 38, 39 2 Chron. 7. 1, 2, 3. Psal. 20. 3. And doubtless Christ Jesus told Adam that this fire from heaven did represent his Eternal Spirit, by which his humane nature should one day be offered up unto God without spot, as a propitiatory sacrifice for his eternal Redemption, H●●. 9 14. But afterwards when Cain came to offer his sacrifice upon the same Altar, Christ Jesus did not kindle his sacrifice from heaven as he kindled adam's and Abel's sacrifice; and by that Cain knew that God did not accept his person, as he did his brother Abel, and thereupon he hated his brother Abel, because his works were good, and his own evil, for Cain wanted faith in the Seed of the woman, which was promised to break the Devil's Headplot by his propitiatory sacrifice, which was taught, and typified by sacrifices: This mystery God kept secret in types from such as wanted faith, even from the beginning of the world, Rom. 16. 25. and therefore it was kept secret from the Heathen Nations: But in the fullness of time Christ Jesus sent his Apostles to publish the unsearchable riches of this mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ, Eph. 3 8 9 Col. 1. 26. Col. 2. 3. 3 God instructed Adam in sundry other kinds of Ceremonial types that tended to sanctification, before he came to present his person and sacrifice before the Lord. As for example, Christ Jesus taught him, 1 How to purify his person by washing his body, and his garments, in clean water, just like as he taught Moses afterwards, Exod. 3. 5. Exod. 19 10. or else by changing his soul garments for fair, as Jacob being first taught, did also teach his household to do, when he went into God's presence to worship, Gen. 35. 2. 2 God instructed Adam how to put a difference between beasts for sacrifice, how he should refuse the unclean, and offer the clean, just as he instructed Noah before he entered into the Ark, Gen. 7. 2. It is absurd to think that God did bless the first Sabbath with differing Ordinances from those in Moses, or that God did instruct Adam to worship him in a differing way from that which he did after establish by Moses and the Prophets. Doubtless therefore when God instructed Adam after what manner he must offer sacrifices of Atonement, he also instructed him how to understand, and how to open the plain meaning of all, and how he should preach it to others, and how to pray either by way of confession of his sinfulness, or petition for some special grace, or , or singing of Psalms, as he did after instruct and appoint by Moses and the Prophets. 1 When God appointed sacrifices of Atonement, he appointed to join preaching therewith (sometimes at least) and therefore he appointed the Levites to join preaching to their sacrifices, for they are commanded to teach his judgements unto Jacob, and his Law unto Israel, Deut. 33. 10. Leu. 10. 11. Mal. 2. 6. 7. 2 When they offered Burnt-offerings, Christ Jesus taught them to make Petition and Supplication to the Lord for his favour in Christ, 1 Sam. 13. 12. Job 42. 8. Ezra 6 9, 10. and doubtless Christ Jesus taught Adam to do so; for this kind of sacrifice was Job 42. 8. chiefest, and it was first in use, even from the beginning of the world; for Noah did offer his Burnt-offering, Gen. 8. 20. and Christ Jesus did appoint it as the first and chief sacrifice in Moses, Gen. 8. 20. Leu. 1. 2 3 When they offered Sin-offerings, or Trespass-offerings, they must lay both their hands with all their might upon the head of their sacrifice; and confess their sin to God over the head of their Sin-offering, and their trespasses to God over the head of their Trespass-offering. But why must they impose both their hands with all their might upon the head of these Sacrifices? The Answer is, because by this Imposition, they were taught and instructed to rest and repose their souls by a strong faith upon the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ, for the full Atonement of all their sins and trespasses of which they made confession, as I have opened the point more at large in the Meritorious price of man's See the meritorious price of man's Redemption on Leu. 4. Redemption on Leu. 4. And touching the point of Confession, the Hebrew Doctors have a sentence that is worthy of due observation, they say, That without particular confession of their known sins, no Atonement is made for them by their Sin-offerings, or by their Trespass-offerings. And this is just according to the rule in Prov. 28. 13. He that hides his Prov. 28. 13. sin shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy; and no question but Jesus Christ taught Adam thus to do when he offered his sin, or his Trespass-offerings. 4 When they offered Peace-offerings, they imposed their hands on the head of their Peace-offerings; And secondly, than they made confession of their peace, but especially they blessed God for their peace with God in breaking the devil's Headplot by the Seed of the Woman, Leu. 3. With these, and such like spiritual Ordinances God did bless the first seventh day. And these blessed Ordinances could not choose but fill the souls of Adam and Eve, with joy unspeakable and glorious, causing them to break out into songs of praise, as Zachary did, Luke 1. 68 saying (in effect as he did) Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for be hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us, etc. as he spoke by the mouth of all his holy Prophets ever since the world began, Luke 1. 69. In these words Luke 1 69, 70. Act. 3▪ 21. Zachary doth affirm these two things; First, That there have been holy Prophets ever since the world began, and therefore Adam was a Prophet. Secondly, That all the Prophets, even from the beginning of the world, have spoken and rejoiced in this Horn of salvation, therefore Adam did speak with joy of heart of this Horn of salvation, and made many Psalms of praise for the Seed of the Woman that should break the Serpent's head for his Redemption. And doubtless God made these Ordinances to be a rich blessing to the souls of Adam and Eve, for by them they were more fully instructed and confirmed in their blessed condition by the Promised Seed. And God is pleased still to bless his people all the world over by his plain and manifest Ordinances, as the Conduit-pipes of his spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, Epb. 1. 3. for by these Ordinances it is published to the world that Christ is the Seed of the Woman, in whom all Nations of the earth are blessed, Gen. 12. 3. Act. 3 26. Gal 3. 14. Object. But here it may be objected, That in likelihood, God did not ordain any public Ordinances in the first seventh day, nor in many other Sabbaths after, because for a long time there was no competent number of persons, to make a public meeting; and after that Adam & Eve had children, yet for many years they could not be able to understand the use and benefit of Ordinances; and Ordinances cannot be called Public, where there is no more but two persons to meet together; two persons cannot be called a public Church-Assembly. Two persons where no more can b● had, may be called a true Church of Christ, and may exercise God's Ordinances, after a public manner Rev 11 3. Answ. Two persons, where no more can be had, may be called a true Church of Christ, and may exercise God's Ordinances in a true public manner, for the Church of Christ under the persecutions of Antichrist is called by the name of Two Witnesses, Rev. 11. 3. though the Church of Christ were many thousands in those times, yet it is called by the name of Two Witnesses, because by Moses Law two Witnesses were accounted sufficient to confirm any truth, Deut. 17. Hence I infer, that if no more but two can be had to testify the truth against Ant●christ, they are to be esteemed as a true Church of Christ, and therefore they may be called a true Church of Christ as well as two thousand; and our Saviour saith, That where two or three are gathered together in his name, there he will be present in the midst of them. Matth. 18. Mat. 18. 19, 20. 19, 20. Simeon and Levy made a Church when they agreed together to Gen. 49. 6. destroy the Sichemites, for Jacob saith of them thus, My glory, be thou not joined with their (Rahal, that is to say with their) Church, Gen. 49. 6. Their Church, I grant, was a Church of evil doers, but yet they were a sufficient number to make a Church (though at this time overcome with the temptation of revenge) then why might not Re-created Adam and Eve make a Church of Christ much more, and so consequently enjoy God's Ordinances as public Ordinances, seeing God did bless the seventh day with Ordinances, and sanctify it, that is to say, God did command them to sanctify it by the use of the said ordinances? I conclude therefore, that Christ Jesus did command Adam and Eve, to exercise those Ordinances (wherewith he was pleased to bless the Sabbath) as a Church of Christ, and from thenceforth he hath and will continue his Church upon the face of the earth to the world's end, though it may, and hath oftentimes been brought to a very small number, as it was at the Flood, and at the building of Babel, and in the days of Abraham, when God called him to come away from his Country, and from his Idolatrous kindred, Gen. 12. and in the days of Job, and in the days of Enosh, for after Seth had lived a hundred and five years, which was Gen. 4. 26. two hundred thirty five years from the Creation of Adam, than many of Adam's children did not abide in the Truth, they did not regard the Sabbath, nor the Sabbath Ordinances, but they regarded the Daughters of Cain more than the children of God, and took them wives of all that they liked. And then grew profaneness instead of calling upon the name of Lord, Gen. 4. 26. Godly Seth for very grief of this profane generation called his son Enosh, that is to say Sorrowful. So Tremelius in his Elder Editions doth read the text (though Junius hath since altered him to a clean contrary sense) and so doth Mr. Broughton read it, and all the Hebrew Doctors in general, and Mr. Ainsworth comes near them. But if the children of the Church had but continued to regard the holy Sabbath, and the Ordinances thereof, as they did in The disregarding of the Sabbath, and the Ordinances thereof, is the high way to all profaneness and Apostasy. Adam's first days before Abel was killed for Religion, they could not have fallen into so deep an Apostasy as they did in the days of Enoch; for if men will but reverently attend unto the exercise of those spiritual Ordinances wherewith God did first bless the seventh day, they should doubtless be made partakers of the spiritual blessing that Christ Jesus hath annexed thereto; for the good Shepherd Christ Jesus hath promised to all his Sheep that will be guided and governned by his Ordinances, That he will make them, and the places round about his Hill, and to be a blessing, and that there shall be showers of blessing upon them, Ezek. 34. 26. and so the Prophet Isaiah Ezek. 34. 26. testifieth, saying, Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath, and polluteth it not, and that taketh hold of my Covenant (as Adam did when he believed that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpent's head) them will I bring to my holy Mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their Burnt-offerings, and their Sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar, Es. 56. 2, 6, 7. Hence it is manifest, that those that regard the Sabbath, and the Sabbath Ordinances, shall be blessed with spiritual blessings in heavenly things; And if God bless, who shall curse? for his blessing maketh rich, Prov. 10. 22. it makes them rich with temporal blessings that diligently attend upon their Civil employments, and so it also maketh them rich with spiritual blessings that diligently attend upon God's Sabbath Ordinances; Gods blessing did increase the Widow's oil, and the five loaves, and two fishes; and therefore his blessing is called Multiplication, Gen. 1. 22. and sometimes it is called A rich reward, 2 King. 5. 15. and sometimes it is called (Gods) Liberality, Prov. 11. 25. compared with 2 Cor. 9 5. Yea Gods blessing is so plentiful, and so powerful upon his Sabbath Ordinances, that he is said to Command his blessing upon Zion, and life for evermore, Psal. 133. therefore his blessing wherewith he blessed the first seventh day must needs be mighty in operation, even to the Re-creation and Conversion of many ten thousand souls, Heb. 4. 12. Luke 11. 28. and therefore David doth by way of Exclamation cry out, O blessed are they that dwell in thy house, Psal. 84. 4. namely they are thus blessed that do as it were dwell there by their frequent and constant resort to his Ordinances, for his Ordinances are apt to convey blessings to the diligent soul. And therefore Paul told the Romans, that when he should come unto them, He should come with abundance of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ, Rom. 15. 29. The Apostle made account that the preaching of the Gospel would enrich them with abundance of spiritual blessings, and this blessing doth arise from God's blessing of the first seventh day with Sabbath-Ordinances. And therefore as soon as Christ Jesus had given order about his Sabbath-Worship at Mount Sinai, and had in special commanded them to observe the seventh day, by a holy convocation in or among all their dwellings (namely in their Synagogues, as I have afore expounded it) than he made a gracious promise to his people, saying, In all places where I shall record my name, I will come unto thee, and bless thee, Exod. 20. 24. and in this respect Christ Jesus did appoint the Priests in the Sanctuary, and Zeliach Tzibbur in the several Synagogues to pronounce a gracious blessing upon the assembly (that had attended God's Ordinances) at their departure, Numb. 6. 24. and to this blessing the Lord was also pleased to add a gracious promise, in vers. 27. saying, They shall put my name upon the Sons of Israel, and I will bless Numb. 6. 24. 27. them; and this blessing is often remembered and repeated, as an encouragement to all the godly to attend his Sabbath-Ordinances, Psal. 115. 13. Psal. 134. 3. Psal. 147. 13. Object. You seem to apply God's blessing to his Sabbath-Ordinances only, but experience doth tell us, that God doth often bless the preaching of the Word upon the Weekdays, to the conversion of many souls. Ans. I answer, It is most true, that God doth often bless the preaching of his Word on the Weekdays, as well as upon the Sabbath days, to the conversion of many thousand Souls; but that lets not, but that preaching must still be accounted as one of his Sabbath-Ordinances▪ because God did first appoint it for the Sabbath day, and it is now but borrowed to the Weekdays by the good hand of God upon men's Spirits, as a furtherance to faith and holiness. And I believe there are many thousand Souls that will readily witness to the truth of this Doctrine, who by God's blessing on the Word preached on the Weekdays, have been turned from Darkness to Light, and from the power of Satan to God; and such persons doubtless will with Nehemiah account the Sabbath Day among the number of those special blessings that God bestowed upon his people, as a sign of his special grace in Christ, Nebem. 9 13, 14. Hitherto I have spoken of God's blessing the seventh day with public Ordinances; now I shall speak something of private Ordinances, wherewith God hath also blessed the seventh day. God's blessing of the Sabbath, is his blessing at large, even his Private duties are commanded on the Sabbath days, as necessary handmaids to the public. blessing upon the whole day, he blessed the seventh day with as large a blessing as may be, namely, not only with public, but also with private Ordinances, and therefore he sanctified the whole day to his service, he did not sanctify that part only wherein his public Ordinances were dispensed, but the whole day, and therefore the whole day must be set a part to his service; and therefore when the public Ordinances are ended, private duties must take place, that the whole day may be blessed to our souls, and sanctified to the Lords service. Let no man therefore mistake me, for though I do not make private duties to be commanded in the first place, yet I believe that private duties are commanded, and blessed of God, as necessary handmaids to the public, and there are good reasons for it. 1 Our barten hearts, our stony hearts, our thorny hearts, will not suffer the blessed seed of the Word the take root, and to thrive there, unless we do prepare them like to well-manured ground. 2 In hearing, Christ gives this caution, Take heed how you hear; and the Hebrew Doctors say, When any go to hear the Law read See Ains. in Deut. 31. 11. or expounded, they must prepare their hearts, and make their ears attentive to hear with fear and reverence, and with joy and trembling, as in the day when the Law was given on Moune Sinai; though they were great wise men, which knew the whole Law every whit, they were bound to hear with great attentiveness, and so God required a careful preparation of his people at the hearing of the Law, Ex. 19 3 After hearing, our Saviour doth exhort his hearers saying, Take heed what you hear, Mar. 4. 24. Mar. 8. 15. and in this respect, the men of Berea are commended by the Holy Ghost, because they seached whether those things which Paul preached were so or no, Act. 17. 11. And of four sorts of hearers our Saviour makes but one good, Mat. 13. And Christ Jesus doth exhort us by Moses, saying, These words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt whet them upon thy children and shalt speak of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, Deu. 6. 6, 7. Now if God required such diligence as this every day, then much more upon the Sabbath day, and especially after the public Ordinances are ended. And all this did Adam well understand, when God is said to bless and sanctify the seventh day, as I shall further show on the word Sanctify in the next Chapter. CHAP. X. Showing how God did Sanctify the seventh day. 1 GOD did not sanctify the seventh day, by putting any inherent sanctity into that day more than into the other six days of the week, for God doth not put inherent sanctity into any earthly creature, but into the Elect number only, 1 Pet. 1. 12. 2 How then did God sanctify the seventh day? Answ. In a twofold respect. 1 As the separated time of his public and private worship. 2 As a sanctified sign of Rest in the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devil's Headplot. 1 God did sanctify the seventh day for the separated time of his public worship; and in this sense the word Sanctified doth imply a double command of God to fallen man. 1 It implies that God commanded Adam ●o set apart the seventh day from all worldly uses, and to attend upon those spiritual Ordinances wherewith he had blessed the seventh day. 2 It implies that God commanded fallen Adam to prepare his soul and body, to come with all due care and reverence into the presence of God, to be partakers of his Sabbath-Ordinances. 1 I will speak of the word Sanctify, as it implies the command of God to Adam to set apart the seventh day from all worldly uses, and to attend upon those spiritual Ordinances wherewith God had blessed the seventh day. And this is evident, 1 Because God did never sanctify any thing for the use of fallen man, but he did thereby command fallen man to sanctify When God did sanctify any thing for man, he did by that ●ct command man ●o sanctify that thing, by separating it to the Lords use. Num. 8. 17. it to the Lords use: As for example, when God did sanctify any persons to his service, he did by that act command man to sanctify such persons to the Lord: Every firstborn of the Sons of Israel (saith the Lord) are mine, both of Man and Beast; for in the day that I smote every firstborn in the Land of Egypt I sanctified them unto me, Numb. 8. 17. that is, I commanded my people to sanctify them to my service, which they did perform; First, By setting apart some of the clean kind for Sacrifice; And secondly, by redeeming the rest with money, which money God commanded to be employed to his service, either by buying some Sacrifices of Atonement therewith for the public, or else it must be for the repairing of God's Sanctuary, as Exod. 13. doth explain it. 2 When God did sanctify the Temple for the public place of his Typical worship, 2 Chr. 7. 16. 2 Chr. 30. 8. he did thereby command man to sanctify it, by performing every particular just as he commanded. Solomon might not build the Temple after the fashion that he thought best, but he must do it in all particulars as God commanded, 1 King. 9 3. God did not leave any sanctified thing that did any way appertain either to the service of the Tabernacle, or of the Temple, neither to Moses discretion, nor to Solomon's wisdom, but when God sanctified these places for his worship, he commanded how, and after what manner Heb 9 19 21. every thing should be done, Ex. 25. 8, 9, 10. Exod. 39, 42, 43. Heb. 9 19, 21. 3 When God sanct●fied Cities of Refuge, he did thereby command his people to sanctify them; it is said, that they sanctified Kedesh in Galilee for a place of refuge, Jos. 20. 7. they did sanctify it, because God had commanded them to sanctify it, Deut. 19 2. they might not sanctify any City, but by virtue of God's command, as it is expressed in Num. 35. 6, 11. 4 When God sanctified Festival days, or Festival Sabbaths, he did thereby command the Sons of Israel to sanctify them, Leu. 23. and Jeroboam is branded as a wicked opposer of God's sanctified Sabbaths, because he commanded a standing Holiday to the Lord of his own head, 1 King. 12. 32, 33. From these, and such like examples, it follows, that when God sanctified the seventh day, he commanded Adam and Eve to sanctify the seventh day in the use of such Ordinances as he was pleased to bless the seventh day withal; Jesus Christ did not leave the sanctifying of the seventh day to Adam's discretion in an arbitrary way how much time he would set apart for God's service, but by sanctifying the seventh day God commanded Adam to set apart the whole day for his service in such public and private duties he had blessed the Sabbath withal. 2 The word Sanctified implies another command to fallen When God sanctified the seventh day, he did thereby command Adam to prepare himself for the better sanctifying of the seventh day. Joel 2. 15. Adam, namely to prepare himself to the sanctification of the Sabbath; First, By an outward; And secondly, By an inward preparation: Sanctify a Fast, call a solemn Assembly, Joel 1. 14. that is to say, Prepare yourselves to meet me in a day of public Fasting, as it is explained in Joel, 2. 15. Blow the Trumpet in Zion, Sanctify a Fast, Call a solemn Assembly; that is to say, Warn the people by a Trumpet to prepare themselves to sanctify a Fast, Joels three terms in vers. 5. are all Synonimons, and do all imply that God's people must prepare themselves for a day of Fasting; First, Outwardly, by sanctifying, or washing their bodies and garments; And secondly, Inwardly, by true humiliation of soul; and in this sense also God commanded Joshua to sanctify the people against they came into his presence on the morrow, Jos. 7. 13. Now all that Joshua did, to sanctify the people, was no more but to warn them by a Proclamation through the Camp (which usually was attended with the sound of a Trumpet) saying, Sanctify yourselves, it is as much as if he had said, God hath commanded you to sanctify yourselves; First, Outwardly, by washing; And secondly, by inward repentance, against you come into his presence on the morrow. So when God commanded Moses to sanctify the people to hear the Law delivered at Mount Sinai, Moses did not otherwise sanctify them but by commanding the people to prepare themselves in a sanctifi●d manner, First, By inward fear and reverence; And secondly, by outward washing, and by abstinence from their wives two days together, for their more reverend attention of God's Law, Exod. 19 10. Jos. 3. 5. Exod. 3. 5. 1 Sam. 16. 5. Num. 11. 18. Exod. 19 10. Jer 6 4. So in like sort, when God said, Sanctify War, it is a command to prepare for War, Jer. 6. 4. Jer. 51. 28. From these, and such like instances, it follows, That when God sanctified the first seventh day, he commanded Adam and Eve (for the more solemnity) to prepare themselves for the sanctifying of the seventh day; God having made a promise to them in the end of the sixth day, that the Seed of the Woman should break the head of the Serpent, he sanctified the next day for a Sabbath of rest, because he had blessed it with Ordinances, and thereby he did command Adam and Eve to prepare themselves against they came into his holy presence on the morrow, for sin had defiled them, and therefore they needed to prepare themselves, not only by outward washing, but also inwardly by true repentance, Act. 22. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 15. Es. 29. 23. or else instead of receiving good by that blessing wherewith God had blessed the seventh day, they might expect a curse, at least an outward curse upon their bodies, as it fell out upon Aaron's Sons, when they did not sanctify the Lord in his worship according to his command, the Lord struck them with present death, saying, I will be sanctified in all that come near me, Leu. 10. 3. and when some of Ephraim and Manasses did come to the sanctified Passeover in the days of Hezekiah, God was displeased with them, because they had not prepared themselves thereto according to the sanctified, or commanded preparation of the Sanctuary; but Hezekiah prayed for them, and the Lord heard him, and healed the people, 2 Chr. 30, 18, 19, 20. 2 I will speak a little more of the word Sanctified, as it implies a command to fallen man to prepare himself to sanctify the seventh day, for all sanctified things must be remembered by way of preparation before hand, that so they may be done in due time and order, or else God that is jealous of his sanctified things, will be displeased. And therefore one Reason why the word Remember was after added to the fourth Commadement was (not to add a new sense to that Command more than it had to Adam under the word Sanctified) but to increase the charge of preparation, with more vehemency, which at the first was couched under the word Sanctified; for now the people of God had forgotten the charge that was contained in the word Sanctified; and therefore when Jesus Christ did give the fourth Commandment at Mount Sinai by the Ministry of Moses, he added the word Remember, saying, Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it, Exod. 20. 8. for about three Exod. 20. 8. weeks before this (as the time may be calculated by comparing Exod. 16. 1. with Exod. 19 1.) Christ Jesus (by Moses) had said thus to the people, To morrow is the Rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Exod. 16. 23. Lord, Exod. 16. 23. Christ Jesus did not now speak these words to them by way of a first Institution of the Sabbath, but by way of admonition to prepare themselves to observe it as a holy or sanctified day already commanded; for how else did the seventh day come to be now called the Holy Sabbath, but by a former command? for every holy thing is first commanded of God; and therefore that they might the better remember the holy Sabbath to sanctify it, Christ Jesus restrained the falling of Manna, so that there was no Manna reigned upon that day, as there was upon all the other six days; by which wonder God did charge the people to remember the Sabbath day, and to prepare themselves for it by preparing the food of the Sabbath on the sixth day; and yet for all this, it came to pass, that there went out some of the people to gather (Manna) and they found none; thereupon the Lord Jesus said thus unto Moses, How long refuse you to keep my Commandments, and my Laws, Exod. 16. 27, 28. Hence it is evident, that Jesus Christ had made a Law for the keeping of the Sabbath, before he Exod. 16. 27, 28. gave the fourth Commandment at Mount Sinai, and no other time for that Command can be found in all the Scripture, but Gen. 2. 3. and there it is couched under the word Sanctified, therefore when God did sanctify the first seventh day, he did under that word, not only command Adam to sanctify the seventh day, but under that word he did also command him to prepare himself to sanctify it, for that word contains as much, as if he had said to Adam, Remember to sanctify it by the practice of such public and private Ordinances, as I have blessed the seventh day withal, for thy good, and prepare thyself thereto with all carefulness. From all these considerations it is evident, that Jesus Christ hath ever been uniform in his command touching the sanctified use of the seventh day, even from the very first institution of it, in Gen. 2. 3. until he had finished the typical rest of it by his Death and Resurrection, and the Hebrew Doctors agree thus far, for they say, That all the Fathers observed the Sabbath before Moses time. See Rambam in Gen. 26. fol. 46. and Aben Ezra in Exod. 20. Conclusion. The word Sanctified in Gen. 2. 3. implies, 1 A Command to sanctify the seventh day, in the practice of such Ordinances both public and private, as it pleased Jesus Christ to bless the seventh day withal. 2 It implies a Command to prepare themselves for God's presence, and so it contains as much as the preface to the fourth Command doth, Remember the seventh day to sanctify it, for all sanctified things must be remembered by way of preparation, or else God that is jealous of his sanctified time, will destroy such as come unpreparedly into his holy presence. CHAP. XI. Showing how God sanctified the outward Rest of the seventh Day to be a typical sign, both of his own Rest, and of man's Rest in the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devil's Headplot for man's Redemption. GOd did not sanctify the outward rest of the seventh day as a typical sign of his Resting from the labour of his visible Creation, as I have elsewhere noted. But God Rested the seventh day, and sanctified that day of Rest, because his soul did now rest upon the Rock Christ, who had undertaken man's Re-creation, and the government of the whole Creation in opposition to Satan's Headplot, than God's Soul rested on the seventh day, and was refreshed: If God had rested on the seventh day whiles Adam stood in a mutable condition, his ●est had been but an imperfect and uncertain rest, because of Adam's speedy fall, God did not therefore rest, nor sanctify that rest as a typical sign of his rest, and of man's rest in the Seed of the Woman, till after Adam's Fall and Re-creation, as I have noted formerly. And it is evident, that God did not ordain the holy Rest of the seventh day, nor any other thing to be a sanctified sign of his grace in Christ, as long as any of those things did lack any thing to the perfection thereof. As for example. 1 When God sanctified the Tabernacle as a type of the humane nature of Christ, he did not sanctify it, that is to say, he did not command it to be sanctified as long as it lacked any thing to the perfection thereof, but as soon as it had its perfection of being finished and reared up, he sanctified it, Num. 7. 1. 2 They did not sanctify the Altar until it was finished and made perfect, neither might they offer any offering upon the Altar after it was made, until it was sanctified by the holy anointing oil, etc. 3 God did not sanctify Aaron and his Sons, as a type of the Priestly Person of Christ, until they had completely fulfilled all the typical Ceremonies that did appertain to their Priestly Office, Ex. 28. 3. 41. Ex. 29. 1. 9 Leu. 8. 10. 4 God did not sanctify the firstborn of Israel to his service, until he had perfectly redeemed them from the destruction that fell upon all the Firstborn of Egypt, Num. 8. 17. but then after they were perfectly delivered, he commanded Moses to speak to all Israel to sanctify them to the Lord, Exod. 13. 2. namely, after a new Moon had gone over them, for until a new Moon had gone over them, they lacked of the time that God had appointed for their redemption, and then their price was given to the Lord, Leu. 27. 6. 5 God did not command the Holy City to be sanctified until the wall was finished, and the doors thereof set up, but as soon as all this was finished, and perfected, than it was sanctified, and the Dedication thereof kept with great joy, Neh. 3. 1. with Neh. 12. 27. etc. Now from these, and such like Instances, It follows, that God, could not be said to sanctify the outward rest of the seventh day to be a typical sign of his Rest, and of man's Rest in the Mediator, as long as Adam stood in a mutable, or unconfirmed condition: But as soon as God had perfected his Creation by a Re-creation, and had established the Government of all upon the Rock Christ, whose work is perfect, than God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, because in it he had rested from all his Work which God had created and made. But I shall yet a little further endeavour to make this point more evident, namely, that the sanctified rest of the seventh day was ordained to be as a sanctified sign of fallen man's resting on the promised seed by faith, for the breaking of the Devil's Headplot for Man's redemption, and so consequently as a sign of man's eternal rest in Heaven hereafter. Reas. 1. Because the Sabbath (in respect of the strict rest of it) is called a sign of the everlasting Covenant, Exod. 31. 13. 17. Exod. 31. 13 17 H●b. 4. 3, 9, 10 Heb. 4. 3, 9, 10. now there is no everlasting Covenant but that which is made in the Blood of Christ, and this Covenant of bringing man to Life thereby, is the only sure thing to rest upon, but this Covenant was not made with Man in innocency, but after his Fall, therefore the Sabbath was not ordained to be a sign of this everlasting Covenant, till after Adam fell, and therefore Adam fell before the seventh day. Reas. 2. Because God ordained sundry other things to be sanctified types and signs of man's resting on Christ by faith, as Synonimons to the rest of the seventh day, as any that have their understandings well exercised in the Scriptures may easily discern. 1 Consider this, that God sanctified the outward rest of all the Festival Sabbaths, as the type of our resting on the Seed of the Woman by faith, for the breaking of the Devil's headplot; and this is evident by Moses description of them in Levit. 23. there he reckons up eight several Festival Sabbaths in order, but he puts the seventh day first, because it is the chiefest of them all, for it is the ground and foundation of all the rest; and it is to be specially noted, that Moses doth call the seventh day a Festival Sabbath, ver. 2. as well as all the rest, and yet it was no Feasting Sabbath in respect of Belly-cheer, as the rest were, except in a Spiritual sense, and in that sense the Holy Rest of them all did typify the same spiritual resting on the seed of the Woman, and the same spiritual feasting on the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ for Man's redemption, which was typified by their feasting on their Peace-offerings on their Festival Sabbaths, and so the day of Atonement though it were a day of strict fasting, yet it was a day of Spiritual feasting, and resting on the promised Seed, as the seventh day was. 2 The sanctified rest of the seventh day did typify the same things that Josuahs' rest did, for in six years' War he conquered the Canaanites, and in the seventh year the Land rested. The Apostle doth make this rest, and the rest of the seventh day to be both alike, Heb. 4. for he doth first make them to typify our Spiritual rest on Christ by faith, and secondly to typify our eternal rest in Heaven at last, Heb. 4. 3. 9, 10. Heb. 4. 3, 9, 10 3 The Sabbatical years of rest in Leu. 25. and the Sabbatical Jubilee of rest (which is also called a great Sabbath, in Levit. 25. 4.) did alike typify our resting on Christ by faith, for our full deliverance from the servitude of Satan; just answerable to the typical rest of the seventh day, and in that respect Moses doth compare the typical rest of them all together, in Exod. 23. Exod. 23. 10, 11, 12. 10, 11, 12. None can be ignorant of the manifold great troubles that did often fall out upon God's people in the Land of Canaan, soon after the rest which it had in Joshuahs' seventh year; but yet notwithstanding so sweet was that rest which Joshua obtained for them after six years' War, that God was pleased to make that year of rest to begin the Chronologie of all their Sabbatical years of rest from thence, till all ended in the Death and Sacrifice of Christ, who is the true rest of all believing sinners; and by allusion to this typical rest, our Saviour doth invite all poor and heavy laden sinners to come unto him, and they shall find rest to their souls, Matth. 11. 29. Es. 11. 10. Eze. 34. 15, 25, 27, 28, Jer. Mat. 11. 29 33. 15, 16. Jer. 30. 10. And our Saviour in Luke 4. 19 doth expound the true nature of Luk. 4. 18, 19 that spiritual rest that was typified by the Sabbatical rest of the Jubilee, 1 By calling it the acceptable year of the Lord; and 2 By telling us in vers. 18. that God had anointed him to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the , to preach deliverance to the Captives, and recovering of Sight to the Blind, and that he should set at liberty them that are bruised; this opens the sweet rest and refreshing of Soul, that every poor humbled sinner doth find by the seed of the Woman in breaking the Devil's Headplot for their deliverance, help, and healing. And this famous deliverance by the seed of the Woman was accomplished by his propitiatory sacrifice in a Sabbatical year of Jubilee, namely in the twenty eighth Jubilee, as may be seen in Brougbtons' Consent. 4 The redemption of Israel out of Egypt (by the Typical sign of the Blood of the Paschal Lamb) is laid down as the main reason why God did sanctify the rest of the seventh day, in Deut. 5. 14, 15. and that shows, that not the Visible, but the Spiritual Deut. 5. 14, 15 Creation was the true ground and reason why God blessed and sanctified the first seventh day. Hence it follows from the Premises, that the Holy Rest of the seventh day was a typical sign of our resting on Christ by faith for our redemption from Satan's Headplot. Object. Why doth God in Exod. 20. 11, command man to rest on the Exod. 20. 11 Sabbath Day from all bis Works, because he rested on the seventh day from Creating, the Heavens and the Earth, and all things therein, visible and invisible, Col. 1. 16. seeing in Deut. 5. 15. he gives another differing reason, as the only ground of commanding man to rest on the Sabbath Day, Deut. 5. 15 because Jehovah thy God brought thee out of Egypt by a strong hand, namely by killing all their first born, but delivering the first born of Israel by the blood of the Lamb sprinkled on their door posts, as a sign of their redemption? etc. Answ. I answer, that the true ground and reason of God's rest, and of his commanding man to rest, in both places is alike, there is no difference at all if the true sense of both places be rightly understood; for God rested not from the works of Creaation Our Redemption from Satan's Headplot was the last finishing act of the whole Creation, therefore i● must needs be the only true reason of God's rest, and of his commanding man to rest on the first seventh day. until he had made the Heavens and the Earth, and all things therein, as Christ doth testify, Exod. 20. 11. now if all things in Heaven and Earth were made in six days, than were the Souls of Adam and Eve Re-created in the said six days, as a true part of that sort of Creature which appertains to the spiritual Heavens, and to the spiritual Earth, and to the Church triumphant in Heaven hereafter, and therefore seeing God made all things both in Heaven and Earth in six days, he rested not on the seventh day till he had perfected Man's Creation by a Recreation procured by the redemption of the promised Seed, which doubtless was the finishing work of God's Creation on the sixth day; so then, our redemption from Satan's Headplot was the last finishing act of the whole Creation, and therefore it was the only true reason of God's rest on the first Sabbath Day, and of his command, why man should keep a holy rest on that day, as it is also typified by the Redemption from Egypt, as in Deut. 5. 15. Hence it follows by necessary consequence, that God ordained the sanctified rest of the seventh day to be a typical sign unto fallen Man of his resting upon Christ by faith, to break the Devil's Headplot, for his Redemption, by his propitiatory sacrifice in the fullness of time, and then upon the performance thereof the typical use of the rest of the seventh day must cease, and yet such a way must be found out by the Wisdom of God, as that the seventh part of time according to the account of the days of the Week must not cease, but it must still be preserved for the exercise of God's public Worship: for seeing it hath pleased God to continue his plain and manifest Worship still to the end of the world, it hath pleased him also to continue the seventh day for the exercise of his public Worship to the end of the world; and no other way can be found out to accomplish both these, namely the ceasing of the seventh day as it was a typical sign, and the continuance of the seventh day without any intermission, as it is the sanctified time of God's public Worship, but by changing the seventh day into the first day of the Week, as I shall hereafter show more at large God willing. And this answer to the abovesaid Objection is the rather to be credited, because the Redemption from Egypt by the typical blood of the Lamb, is alleged by Christ as the general reasón to enforce his people to the observation of all the Commandments, for the Angel of the Covenant saith thus in Exod. 20. 2. I Exod. 20. 2 Deut. 5. 14, 15. am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt (namely by the typical blood of the Paschal Lamb) therefore remember the Sabbath Day to sanctify it; and so it must be applied as a reason to observe all the other Commandments; and this sense is yet further enforced, because all the precepts of the Law were sprinkled with the typical blood of Christ's sacrifice of Atonement, Exod. 24. 8. which doth plainly tell us, that he by his sacrifice Exod. 24. 8. of Atonement hath procured his Father's atonement for all our sins, against all his holy Law. 5 God doth account the violation of the Holy Rest of the seventh day by any man's work to be an exceeding great profaneness in every place of their abode, for whiles his people were in their travels in the Wilderness, he did as deeply blame them for polluting the typical rest of the seventh day, as he did after they were in a settled resting place in Canaan, Eze. 20. 13. ●sou was branded with the title of Profaneness, for contemning his Birthright in the Land of Canaan, because it was a type of the holy militant Church here on earth, and of the holy triumphant Church in Heaven; and the Jews were no less guilty of profaneness, for despising the Typical rest on the seventh day, by doing their own works therein, for by doing their own works they committed a double sin on that day; First, They profaned it as it was a sanctified sign; and, Secondly, They abused it as it was the sanctified time of God's Worship, and therefore for this double sin God provided as it were a double death, namely, 1. Stoning to death, Exod. 31. 14, 15. (for he that Exod. 31. 14, 15. gathered sticks upon the Sabbath Day was stoned to death, Num. 15.) and 2. After they were stoned to death, their dead Carcase was hanged upon a Tree, for their deeper punishment, and for the greater detestation of their sin, as I have showed elsewhere from the instance of the rebellious Son in Deut. 21. Yea, God was so jealous for the holy rest of his Sabbath, that he would not permit them to do any work at all about the promoting of the work of the Tabernacle, though he had commanded that work to be done with all diligence, Exod. 31. 13. as the place of his holy presence and residence among his people, Exod. Exod. 31▪ 13 25. 8, 22. yet notwithstanding all this, they might not do any work (to further the building of it) upon the Sabbath Day, and the reason is added, because I (saith the Lord) have ordained it to be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord that do sanctify you; that is to say, I am the Lord that do command you to sanctify the Sabbath Day (as a sign of resting on Christ) for when God doth sanctify any thing for man's use, he doth thereby impose a command upon man to sanctify that thing, or to use it as a sanctified thing, as I have erewhile noted in the beginning of this Chapter, and therefore in this respect the Lord doth in Exod. 31. again and again enforce the observation of the Sabbath Day; First, By a fresh charge, Ye shall keep the Sabbath; and Secondly, by a fresh reason, It is holiness to you; namely, it is a sign of Sanctification to you, ver. 14. yea it is Holiness to Jehovah, ver. 15. and therefore in Exod. 16. 23. it is called the rest of Holiness to Jehovah, or an exact holy rest to Jehovah; and in Exod. 31. 17. It is called a sign of the Everlasting Covenant between Exod. 31. 17 Jehovah, and the Sons of Israel, because Jehovah rested on the seventh day, and was refreshed. Conclusion. It follows from all the Premises, that God sanctified the rest of the seventh day, not only as the sanctified time of God's worship, both in public, and in private, but also as a sanctified sign of Gods resting, and of man's resting on the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devil's Headplot by his propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement, which he should accomplish at the very same time when the Devil by his instruments should pierce him in the footsoals; and therefore as soon as the Seed of the Woman had finished that sacrifice, the Holy-rest of the seventh day ceased (as well as all the other types of Moses Law, 2 Cor. 3. 7.) namely, so far forth as it was a typical sign of the said resting on the Seed of the Woman: But yet still, as the seventh day was the sanctified time of God's worship, so it must still continue for the exercise of those Spiritual Ordinances, wherewith God hath blessed the seventh day for the use of all Nations to the end of the world, and because there must not be any intermission of the seventh part of time according to the days of the week, therefore the seventh day could not be changed to any other day than the first day of the week wherein the Seed of the Woman arose from the dead as an absolute Lord and Conqueror of Satan's Headplot. CHAP. XII. Showing how God did make the first seventh day famous, by honouring the number Seven ever after with famous respects. 1 GOD hath made the first seventh day famous in three regards. 1 Because God did bless it with many Spiritual Ordinances, above all the other six days, for man's best good. 2 Because God did sanctify it as so much time for the solemnity of his public worship for ever. 3 Because God did ordain it as a sanctified type, or sign of fallen man's resting on the Seed of the Woman for the breaking of the Devil's Headplot. II. God doth often use the number seven in an honourable memorial of the first famous seventh day. 1 God hath contrived many of the Typical Ceremonies of our Redemption to be numbered by seven, in an honourable respect to the first famous seventh day. 3 He hath marked out many holy men of special note by the number seven, in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day. 3 He hath framed many parts of the Scripture Chronologie to the number seven, in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day. 1 I will begin to open the first, touching the Typical Ceremonies 1 The typical Ceremonies of our Redemption are often numbered by Seven in an honourable memorial of the first famous seventh day. Lev 8. 33. 35. Leu. 29. 30. of our Redemption. Seven days were appointed for the consecration of the Priests into their Priestly office, Exod. 29. 30. in all which seven days they must abide at the door of the Tabernacle night and day, to keep the watches of the Lord, that no defilement might befall them, or the Sanctuary, Leu. 8. 33, 35. And the chief reason why their Consecration must last seven days, was because the Sabbath (which was ordained as a typical sign of our sanctification by Christ) might pass over them in that space; and therefore the Hebrew Doctors say of this action, Great is the Sabbath, for the High Priest entereth not upon his service after he is anointed, until the Sabbath do pass over him. And also from these seven days of their Consecration, the Hebrew Doctors did gather, That the High Priest must be separated from his house before he might do the service of the day of Atonement seven days every year. See Ains. in the said places. 2 The Altar was seven times sprinkled with oil when it was consecrated to be a type of the Mediators anointing, When he should make his soul a sacrifice for our sins, Leu. 8. 11. Leu. 8. 11. 3 The blood of the Sin-offering, which the High Priest offered must be sprinkled seven times before Jehovah for Atonement, Leu. 4. 6. And on the day of Atonement he sprinkled the blood Leu. 4. 6. of Atonement seven times before the Mercy-seat, Leu. 16. 14. and seven times upon the Altar, Leu. 16. 19 This sevenfold Leu. 16. 14. sprinkling of the blood of Atonement did type out the perfect Atonement that the Seed of the Woman should one day make for all the true Israel of God by his propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement, and therefore it was offered but once for all, because it was perfect at once. Heb. 10. 10, 12, 14. Heb. 10. 10, 12, 14. 4 The number of seven Sacrifices, was often used as a typical number that God did much delight in; no doubt in relation to the first famous seventh day. As for example, When David did fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed Edom they offered seven Bullocks, and seven Rams, because the Lord enabled the Levites to bear the Ark, 1 Chr. 15. 26. And when Hezekiah caused the Levites to cleanse the Temple, than he (together with the Princes) brought seven Bullocks, and seven Rams, and seven Lambs, and seven He-goats for a Sin-offering, 2 Chr. 29. 21. In like manner Jobs three friends brought unto Job (as the Priest in those days) seven Bullocks, and seven Rams for a Burnt-offering, Job 42. 8. Job 42. 8. And in the New Jerusalem the Prince shall offer in the days of unleavened-bread, seven Bullocks, and seven Rams without blemish, daily at the time of the seven days, Ezek. 45. 23. And Balaam in imitation of such customs, and in imitation of the first famous seventh day (which doubtless was famous a long time among the Heathens) he caused Balack to build seven Altars, and to prepare seven Bullocks, Num. 23. 1. 5 In cleansing of Lepers, the Priest must sprinkle them seven times with water, wherein the blood of the Bird that was slain was mixed, Leu. 14. 7. and seven times with oil, before the Lord, vers. 16. 51. 6 Elisha the Prophet bad Naaman to wash seven times in Jordan, and then he should be cleansed of his Leprosy, 1 King. 5. 10, 14. 7 God allotted seven days for the time of Purification from sundry kinds of uncleanness. 1 The Woman in childbed must be seven days separated from the company of her husband, for a Manchild (just as long as she was separated in the time of her menstruousnesse) and twice seven days for a female, Leu. 12. 2. Leu. 15. 19 2 He that touched a dead man must be unclean seven days before he could be purified. 8 God ordained every seventh year to be a Sabbath of Rest in the land of Canaan, after that Joshua had given the people rest in the seventh year of his reign; and when seven times seven years were complete, then began the Jubilee with the fiftieth year, Leu. 25. 4, 8. 20. 9 The Lord ordained seven sorts of Festivial Sabbaths, besides the seventh day, as they may be counted in Lev▪ 23. and the Feast of Unleavened bread, was a Feast of seven days; and the seventh month was famous above other months, because it had most Festival Sabbaths in it, and in the seventh month Solomon kept the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple seven days, and seven days, 1 King. 8. 2. 65. and Hezekiah took order, because of the general uncleanness of the Priests, and of the greater number of the people, in the first month, that the Feast of Unleavened-bread should be put off unto the fourteenth day of the second month, and then after they had kept the Feast seven days, the whole assembly took counsel to keep it other seven days not with another Paschal Lamb, but only with voluntary Peace-offerings; and by this means they kept that Feast of Unleavened-bread seven days, and seven days, with joy, 2 Chr. 30. 22, 23. 2 Chr. 30. 22, 23. 10 God honoured the seventh day by instructing Joshua how to subdue the City Jericho by the divine art of Seven, he directed him to compass about the City seven days with the Ark of God's presence, and seven Priests must go before the Ark, having seven Trumpets made of seven Rams horns; and on the seventh day they must compass the City seven times; and at the seventh time the seven Priests must blow with their seven Trumpets, and then the wall of the City should fall down flat, Jos. 6. 4, 5. This divine Miracle by the number seven, was doubtless so done, in honour of the first famous seventh day, wherein God rested from all his works, when he had made the Creation perfect and entire, lacking nothing, by the Redemption and Gubernation of the Promised Seed. 11 It is not without a divine Allusion to the seventh day that the Golden Candlestick was framed into seven branches, yea all the particulars of it were so contrived, that when they are exactly counted, they do amount to just six sevens, as the Hebrew Doctors have cast them; and they say that this number is so necessary, that if it did but fail in one particular, it failed in all. See Ains. in Exod. 25. 31. And accordingly, if it be but regarded, the sixth day and the seventh day have the most famous stories belonging unto them that are in all the Bible. 12 The number seven is made famous by the Holy Ghost in the Mystical Revelation (which Christ commanded the Apostle John to write for the use and benefit of his Redeemed servants) to the end of the world. There the Vision of the seven Golden Caandlesticks represented the seven Churches of Asia, and to the said seven Churches there doth belong seven Stars, and seven Angels; there are also seven Angels with seven Trumpets, and seven Angels with seven Incense cups of wrath, pouring out seven plagues; there are also seven Thunders uttering seven voices, and a Book with seven Seals; there are also seven Spirits, seven Horns, and seven Eyes, Rev. 5. On the contrary, there is given to the Dragon seven Heads, and seven Crowns, Rev. 12. 3. and the seven Heads are the seven Mountains, Rev. 17. 9 and there are also seven Kings, etc. Can all these particulars be without any allusion to the first famous seventh day? I suppose that no advised Expositor dares affirm the contrary. 2 I come now to the second thing to be marked touching the 2 Divers 〈◊〉 persons of rare eminency in Scripture are marked cut by the number 7▪ in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day number Seven, namely, that God hath marked out many holy men of special note by the number seven in an honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day. 1 Henoc is noted by the Holy Ghost, to be a Prophet, and to be the seventh from Adam, Judas v. 14. He was rare in the faith of Christ, Heb. 11. 5. and he was by the mighty power of God taken away from the wicked Apostate world (because they were not worthy of him) when he was Three hundred sixty five years old, Gen. 5. 23. just answerable to the days of the year (according to the course of the Sun) and as he was the seventh Patriarch, so when he was taken away, there remained seven Patriarches alive as witnesses of his Translation: And by his name it is evident that his Father did at his Birth dedicate him to God, in opposition to those Apostate times; for the impiety of those days is noted out to our hand by the Prophecy of Enoch in Judas v. 14, 15. Behold (saith he) the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints, to give Judas 14, 15 judgement upon all men, and to rebuke all the ungodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they have impiously committed, and of all their wicked speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him. The horrible impiety of those days is also noted out unto us by the wicked tyrannical speeches of Lamech and Cain in Gen. 4. 23, 24. and Gen. 4. 23, 24 Job 22. 25 2 Pet. 2. 5 their impiety and wicked speakings is also noted out unto us by Job 22. 15. and by Peter, for he calls them the world of the ungodly, 2 Pet. 2. 5. Obj. Here it may be demanded, how it can be proved that Enoch did Propbesy, that the wicked world should be drowned by a deluge? Ans. Judas saith, that Enoch did Prophecy, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints, to give judgement upon all men; and what other Judgement did come in general upon all men, but the flood? Secondly, His Prophecy that God would destroy the wicked World by a Flood, is briefly, and yet plainly enough declared in the name which he gave to his Son at his birth, for he called him, Meth-u-shelach, which in English sounds thus; Meth he dyeth (or when this Child dyeth) [U] then, Shelah he sendeth, or, God sendeth; and what else did God send but the Judgement threatened upon all men in general (as I noted above) and what judgement was that, but the flood? This famous Prophet is called the seventh from Adam, doubtless in an Honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day; Moses saith, He walked with God, Gen. 5. 24. but the Apostle Gen. 5. 24 Heb. 11. 5 doth thus expound it, He pleased God, Heb. 11. 5, 6. for when he offered sacrifice he looked to Christ the true Sacrifice which only pleaseth God, Mat. 3. 17. and in the course of his life he walked in obedience to Gods will. Secondly, Eber was the seventh from Enoch, he was another rare man for grace and godliness, for he kept the faith at the building of the Tower of Babel, when all the other Families of Noah did Apostatise, therefore God hath honoured his memonial in a double respect. 1 In communicating unto him the spirit of Prophecy as well as he had done to Enoch, as we may gather by the name which he gave his Son at the building of Babel, for it is said, that he called his Son Peleg, and the reason is added, because in his days the earth was divided, Gen. 10. 25. Now he that could give his Son Gen. 10. 2●. such a name as to declare such an event, must needs be a Prophet; and by this we may certainly know that he preached to the bvilders of Babel, that though they had high imaginations to build a Tower whose top might reach unto Heaven, that they might in a near distance worship the Sun, Moon, and Stars, thinking thereby to get themselves another Sem, or name, for now they had rejected Sems Tents, and had removed themselves (from Canaan where Sem and Eber lived) into Babylon, in despite of Sem, who had the promise of the blessed Seed to come from his join; therefore the Prophet Eber did tell them, that for that impiety and Apostasy God would confound their Language, and scatter them upon the face of the earth, and in memory of that Prophecy he called his Son Peleg, and truly he must needs be a rare Sabbath-keeper, that kept the faith when all the rest of Noah's family fell away. 2 God hath honoured Ebers memorial in another respect, namely in that all the Nations of the Jews are called Ebrews after his name, Gen. 14. 13. Gen. 39 14, 17. and it seems to me that his constant abode was in the Land of Canaan, because the Land of Canaan is called the Land of the Ebrews long before the Jews came out of Egypt to dwell there, Gen. 40. 15. And secondly, because his great Grandfather Sem (who was the King of Salem in the Land of Canaan) is called the Father of all the Sons of Eber, Gen. 10. 21. Sem was the Father of many other Families Gen. 10. 21 besides Ebers, but for some special reason (namely, of their Co-habitation) Ebers Sons are called Sem's Sons, for Sem is called the father of them; which I conceive is to note out unto us that Eber was a close cohabiter and familiar with Sem in the faith of Christ, when all the other Families did Apostatise, and departed from them to Babylon to worship new gods. Master Broughton saith, That the Hebrew Tongue remained only in the faithful of Ebers House after the building of Babel, and in them is continued the name of Ebrews, as perpetually opposite to the bvilders of Babel, to whom Eber preached, that their tongues should be divided, Prin. Posit. p. 3. 3 Isaac was the seventh from Eber; his faith is famous, in his ready obedience to be sacrificed, for he was at that time in the prime of his strength, because he carried all the Wood for the Burnt-offering up the Hil, Gen. 22. 6. and therefore he might well be Gen. 22. 6. about thirty three years of age when he went with his Father Abraham up to the Mount of Moriah to be sacrificed, and therefore also he was able by strength of Nature, if he had been unwilling to be bound, to have withstood his aged Father, who was now one hundred and thirty three years old, and therefore he was in the declining of his Natural strength; and he might the more easily have withstood his aged Father, because they two were alone, and none there to help Abraham. And now seeing Abraham's faith is recorded to be famous, in that he did so readily obey God's command, not sparing to sacrifice his only Son at his command, isaack's saith is therewithal recorded to be no less famous, in that he was so cheerfully willing to be bound, and to be sacrificed; they both knew that God was able to raise him up again from the dead, Heb. 11. 19 Heb. 11. 19 and thus God made his obedience to be a sweet typical resemblance, not only of the free and voluntary, but also of the actual obedience of Jesus Christ, to make his Soul a sacrifice for our sins, Es. 53. 10. Es. 53. 10 4 Moses was the seventh from Abraham, by no less rare Providence of God than Enoch was the seventh from Adam. 5 Joshua was the seventh from his Grandfather Ephraim, and David was the seventh son of Jesse. 6 Judah was the seventh Patriarch, as the Hebrew Doctors do in this order count him. First, Abraham; second, Isaac; third, Jacob; fourth, Reuben; fifth, Simeon; sixth, Levy; seventh, Judah; and in this respect the Hebrew Doctors do compare him to the first seventh day. Secondly, In another respect they do compare him to the fourth Commandment, namely, as he was the fourth Son of Israel, and so both these ways they do make his memorial Honourable by their allusion to the first famous seventh day. See Ains. in Gen. 49. 12. 7 Bazaliel the Master-work-man of the Lords Tabernacle was the seventh from Judah, as it is evident by his Genealogy in 2 Chro. 2. 5, 9, 18, 19, 20. In all these holy Persons the providence of God ought to be sweetly considered; for it doth manifestly call to our remembrance the famousness of the first seventh day, by his disposing of great matters, and gracious, most often by seven. 3 God hath framed many parts and parcels of the Scripture 3 There are several parcels of the Scripture Chronologie that are f●amed to the number seven, in an Honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day. Levit. 25. 4 Chronologie to the number seven, doubtless in an Honourable remembrance of the first famous seventh day. 1 When God's people neglected the holy Sabbath, and profaned the holy Rest of it, than God did threaten to punish them with Sabbatical years of punishment, as in the Captivity of Babylon with ten times seven years' Captivity, that the Land might rest and enjoy her Sabbaths all the time it lay desolate, 2 Chron. 36. with jer. 25. & Levit. 26. and is it not a manifest allusion to the first famous seventh day, in that God doth call sevens of years' Sabbaths of years, Levit. 25. 4. and threaten them with Sabbatical years of punishment, for profaning the rest of the holy Sabbath? 2 At the just end of these seventy years Daniel hath annexed a Sabbatical Chronicle, which doth notably lead on, not only the Sabbatical years of rest, but even the weekly Sabbaths also unto the death and burial of Christ, Dan. 9 24. for, 1 Christ died for our Redemption, and risen again for our Justification in a Sabbatical Jubilee, even in the twenty eighth Jubilee, and from the liberties of the Jubilee the ancient Hebrew Doctors did foresee, and know, and say, That the Divine Majesty will be to Israel in a jubilee, Freedom, Redemption, and Finisher of Sabbaths. See H. Bro. in Sinai Sight, 2560. and in Req. of Consent, p. 13. 2 Daniel by his Sabbatical Chronicle doth also lead on the weekly Sabbaths to the death and burial of Christ; for First, Christ died on the first day of the feast of unleavened Bread, which john calls a High Sabbath, joh. 19 31. and Secondly, on the next day, which was the weekly Sabbath, or seventh day, his Body rested all that day in his Grave, and his Soul in Heaven, for as soon as he had finished the Work that God gave him to do, he rested from all his Works on the seventh day, as God did from his Heb. 4. 10 own on the first seventh day. 3 He rose again from the dead on the third day, for Christ did foretell this to his Disciples, that on the third day he should be perfected, Luke 13. 32. for as soon as he had performed Luke 13. 32 Mat. 12. 40 his propitiatory Sacrifice, or his sacrifice of Atonement, by which the Devil's Headplot was broken, he was declared by his Resurrection to have made a perfect Conquest over Satan, and a perfect Atonement with God his Father for man's Redemption; and this day of his Resurrection was the first day of the week by Paul, but John calls it, the Lords Day, because in it Christ risen from the Dead, as an absolute Lord and Conqueror of Satan's Headplot; and therefore now seeing his Death was declared to be a perfect sacrifice of Atonement. God made him both Lord and Christ, and thereupon Christ hath ordained that day to be the day of his public Worship in the place of the seventh day, to the end of the world. Thus have I declared the first seventh day to be made famous and honourable by three several sorts of instances that have relation to Gods resting, and to Man's resting on the seventh day, in relation to the work of our Redemption by the promised Seed. CHAP. XIII. Proving, That though Christ hath abolished the seventh day by his death, yet that he hath not left the day of his public Worship Arbitrary to particular Churches, to appoint what day they please in the place of the seventh day, as some unadvised Protestants do affirm. I Have already showed you, that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he rested from all his works that belonged either to the heavenly or the earthly Host, and that his finishing Act lay in this, namely, in ordaining the Seed of the Woman to break the Devil's Headplot, and when that Headplot was broken then God rested, and was refreshed, and then also he sanctified the outward rest of the seventh day, to be a sign both of God's rest, and of Man's rest on the Seed of the Woman; as soon therefore as the Seed of the Woman had broken the Devil's Headplot, by his propitiatory sacrifice of Atonement, the holy rest of the seventh day must cease, as it was a type or sign of that which is now performed. But yet withal I pray remember what I have said upon the word Sanctified, namely, that thereby God commanded fallen Man to set apart the seventh day for a double use; 1. As the sanctified time of that Worship wherewith he had blessed the seventh day; and, 2. As a sanctified sign; in this last respect the seventh day is abolished by the death of Christ; but in the first respect, namely as it was set apart for so much time to be employed in the exercise of such Ordinances both public and private, as God had blessed the seventh day withal, so it must continue, namely, the seventh part of time according to the days of the Week, in a constant succession to the first seventh day to the end of the world. And indeed the seventh part of time cannot be translated to any other day of the Week, but to the next day after the seventh day; for if it had been translated to any other day, God should have been a loser of his seventh part of sanctified time, there would have been a vacuum in the revolution of the seventh part of time, at least in the first translation of it to any other day but the first day of the Week, and so the roundness of the seventh part of time would have been spoiled, which must no● be admitted; for as God did not allow less than six parts of the Week for Man's civil employments, so neither will he have less time for his public worship than he appointed at first. Therefore it would have been a great dishonour to Christ, who is made of God to be both the Lord of his Church, and the Lord of the Sabbath, if he had left the day of his public Worship arbitrary to each particular Church, to transfer it to what day they pleased; A man may with as good reason affirm, That Christ hath left the outward Form of his public Worship arbitrary to each particular Church, as affirm, That he hath left the day of his public Worship arbitrary; there is as much reason for the one as for the other; for Jesus Christ by his death hath made as much alteration in the second Commandment, in respect of his outward Worship, as in the fourth Commandment, in respect of the change of the day. Secondly, the very order of the Ten Commandments doth plainly tell us, that all Gods public Worship (which is fully comprehended in the second Commandment) must have a public day appointed by God himself, for the constant exercise of his said public Worship; and consequently it follows, that as soon as Christ had abolished the seventh day by his death, he being the Lord of his Church, and the Lord of the Sabbath, must establish another certain day in the place of the seventh day to the end of the world, without any intermission or loss of time. The order of the four Commandments of the first Table, lies thus. 1 The first Commandment doth enjoin us to worship the true God alone, in Unity and Trinity, with the whole inward man. 2 The second Commandment doth enjoin us to worship the true God with all such outward worship as he had commanded at that present, or should command afterwards. 3 The third Commandment doth enjoin us to worship God in a holy manner, both publicly and privately, and with outward reverence, as well as inward. 4 The fourth Commandment doth enjoin us to observe the seventh day, not only as a sanctified sign, but also as the sanctified time of that worship wherewith God had blessed the seventh day; as soon therefore as Christ the Seed of the Woman had accomplished that work of breaking the Devil's Headplot, by his Propitiatory Sacrifice, the seventh day, in regard it was a sanctified sign, must cease; but as it was the sanctified time of God's public worship, so it must not cease, but it must still be continued, or else God's public worship must suffer loss and confusion, no other way can be found out, by which the constant solemnity of Gods established worship may be continued, but by translating the seventh day to the next day; for by that means only, God shall still have the seventh part of time for his public worship, without interruption; and by this means only the twofold manner of sanctifying the seventh day, doth attain its several ends. 2 Let it be a little further inquired into, To what end did God command all his public worship in the second Command? and to what end did he command all his public worship to be reverently performed in the third Command, if the day of his public worship in the fourth Command be wholly obliturated? 3 Consider, that the command of Christ is that all his public worship must be done decently and in order, 1 Cor. 14. and seeing he doth require that the meanest circumstances of his worship be done decently and in order, no doubt but he hath taken order that the main things of his public worship should be done decently and in order, and that cannot be without some public day be uniform. But if Christ Jesus hath left the day of his public worship abitrary to his particular Churches, they will hardly agree upon a way of decency, especially in respect of the solemnity of time, doubtless they will appoint several days of the week as every Church shall think best for their own conveniencies; yea it may be that some particular Churches may grow so corrupt, that they may think one day in a month sufficient, and others may think one day in two or three months sufficient for Gods public worship; and who can prevent such disorders as these, if Jesus Christ hath not established a standing day? There are some that profess Christianity that think that Jesus Christ hath not established a certain public day in place of the seventh day; and therefore they do still hold the Jewish Sabbath, together with the Lords day; As for example, The Melchites or Syrians (who are esteemed for number to be the greatest Sect of Christians in the Orient) these do confound the day of God's public worship; for they, and the Maronites their neighbours, do observe the Jewish Sabbath, as solemnly as the Lords day. See Brerewood in his Inquiries, p. 129. And the Habbissines of Ethiopia, who are another large Territory of Christians, they also do reverence the Jewish Sabbath equal to the Lords day. See Brerewood, p. 155. But blessed be God that hath given the Churches of Europe a clearer understanding of his will touching the day of his public worship, and yet notwithstanding, it is also much to be lamented, that some Christians do not only hold the seventh day to be abolished, but also that Christ Jesus hath not established any public day in the place of the old. But let me reason a little further, Can any man that is well acquainted with the order of the Commandments of the first Table, think that Christ (who blessed the seventh day with several Ordinances for the good of fallen man, and that sanctified that day for the exercise of the said Ordinances) should now obliturate that Commandment, and sanctify no day at all for the exercise of his said Ordinances? Can any man think that Christ should now after his death, be so far unlike to his first pattern? Surely me thinks none should be so inconsiderate. The holy Rest of the seventh day as it was a typical sign, so I grant it to be abolished, but not without any other in the place of it, but by way of exchange for the next day; And this the blessed Martyr Stephen doth explain to be the truth; for when he was accused for affirming that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy the holy place, and change the Customs that Moses had delivered unto them, Act. 6. 14. his false witnesses did affirm this word Act 6. 14. Change against Stephen, as if it had been an odious heresy to say so; but how doth Stephen answer to this Accusation? Doth he deny it? No, he doth acknowledge it to be a truth in itself, and therefore in his Oration to the High Synedrion, he doth confirm this to be a truth, by saying thus to them; Solomon built him a house, Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, as saith the Prophet (in Es. 66. 1.) What house will ye build for me, saith the Lord, or what place is it that I should rest in, Hath not my hand made all these things? Act. 7. 47. to 50. with these words Stephen doth conclude his Oration. In these words he doth reprove the High Act. 7. 47. Synedrion, because of their obstinate opposing the former Doctrine; for his Doctrine tended to prove that God would not rest locally in a Temple made with man's hands, and so consequently, not in any other outward signs, implying, that God would only rest in Christ the true Temple, whom they had slain. His false accusers did repeat (though at unawares) and as it were translate the words of the Angel Gabriel in Dan. 9 26, 27. Dan. 9 26, 27. namely, that the Messiah should by his death destroy the City and Sanctuary, and cause Sacrifice and Oblation to cease; and this very thing in true effect Stephen had taught, namely, that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy the holy place, and change the Customs that Moses had delivered, and so consequently change the Sabbath; and the Lord from heaven did justify Stephen for this speech, even in the face of the High Synedrion; for as he looked steadfastly into heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; And as he avouched this before them all, Act. 7. 55, 56. they that sat in the Council looked Act. 6. 15. Act. 7. 55. steadfastly on him, and saw his face as the face of an Angel, Act. 6. 15. And this doth evince, that as Stephen did justify his Doctrine by the words of the Angel Gabriel, so God did justify him by making his face to shine before the Council, as the countenance of the Angel Gabriel, by which miraculous glory in his countenance the Council might have seen that his Doctrine was warranted by the words of the Angel Gabriel. Stephen affirmed that which his false witnesses affirmed against him as a blasphemous thing, that Jesus of Nazaret should change the Customs of Moses: Hence I reason thus, If Jesus should do it, than he did not leave it to be done in an arbitrary way by the discretion of particular Churches; But Jesus himself did it. Mark the phrase of speaking; Jesus of Nazaret shall change the That Christ Jesus made three main changes in the ten Commandments. Customs of Moses: And it is also observable, that Jesus of Nazaret did make three main changes in the ten Commandments, two in the outward form of his public worship contained in the second Commandment, and one touching the day of his public worship in the fourth Commandment. 1 He changed Circumcision and all typical purifyings (which were commanded in the second Commandment) into the Sacramental Seal of Baptism. 2 He changed the Passeover, and all typical Sacrifices, which were also commanded in the second Commandment, into the Sacramental Seal of the Lords Supper. 3 He changed the seventh day as it was a typical sign, by translating it to the first day of the week, wherein Christ risen as a Lord and Conqueror of Satan's Headplot, for the day of his public worship, as the seventh day was at first. And the Apostle Paul doth reason much after the same manner as Stephen did; If (saith he) the Priesthood be changed, there must Heb. 7. 12. of necessity be a change of the Law, Heb. 7. 12. but the Priesthood is changed (for Christ was not of the Tribe of Levy, but of Judah, neither was he made a Highpriest by man according to the Law of the carnal Commandment, but (by God) after the power of endless life) therefore Christ did not leave it to the power of his particular Churches to change the Ordinances of Moses, but he had power from God to do it; He taketh away the first, that he Heb. 9 10. might establish the second, Heb. 9 10. that is to say, Christ only had power to take away Sacrifices, and all the other Customs of Moses, that so he might ratify his own Sacrifice in the place of them all, and therefore for the memorial of his Sacrifice, he hath now ordained two Sacramental Seals, which he hath annexed to the preaching of his Gospel; the one he hath appointed as a Sacrament of initiation to his Church, and the other as a Sacrament of confirmation to all believers: And therefore Christ Jesus hath not now tied his public worship, neither to typical persons, nor to typical places, nor to typical days and times, for by his death he hath ended all the Types of his Death; and he hath changed the Priesthood of Levy into the number of the Elect, Jer. 33. 18, 21, 22. and the typical place of his worship into particular Churches, and into godly hearts, saying, In every place Incense Mal. 1. 11. shall be offered to my Name, Mal. 1. 11. Joh. 4. 23. Act. 10. 35. And thirdly, he hath changed all the typical Sabbaths of Moses into the Lord's day; for though the Sabbath was first given to Adam, the very next day after his Creation and Fall; yet as the holy rest of it was a typical sign, so it must be reckoned among the Customs of Moses, as well as Circumcision was, for (though at the first, Circumcision was given to Abraham long before Moses, yet) it is reckoned among the Customs of Moses, because he wrote first of it as it was a typical sign; So in like sort, though the Sabbath was first given to Adam as a typical sign, yet it is reckoned among the Customs of Moses, because he first wrote of it as a typical sign, Exod. 31. 13. etc. and also Moses doth reckon it among all the other Festival Sabbaths, in Leu. 23. therefore it must be abolished by the death of Christ, as well as all the other typical Customs of Moses, by changing it into the Lord's day, Col. 2. 16, 17. Gal. 4. 10. Act. 21. 21. Conclusion from the Premises. That it is not in the power of any particular Church, or Churches, to make this change; Christ only hath power to do it, and he hath done it, as he is the Lord of the Sabbath, and the Lord of his Church, and that day cannot be altered by any Church or State to the world's end. CHAP. XIV. Proving by several other particular grounds, That Christ himself did appoint the day of his Resurrection, in the place of the seventh day, for the exercise of his public worship. 1 I Do not mean that Christ left the day of his public worship Reason 1 to the discretion of his Apostles, to appoint what day they thought good in place of the seventh day, though their appointment had been a sufficient warrant for us, knowing by what spirit they were guided; but my meaning is, that Christ himself did appoint the day, and therefore in the day of his Resurrection he did use means to assemble his Disciples together, that he might meet with them, and declare unto them the things that appertained to the Kingdom of God; he first appeared to Mary Magdalen, and at her second coming to his Sepulchre, he bid her tell his Disciples, that He was risen from the dead, Joh. 20. 17. 18. Then he appeared unto two of his Disciples as they went from Jerusalem to Emaus, Luke 24. and he proved his Resurrection to them from the Scriptures, and opened their understandings to understand what he said; and this he did to draw them back again to the rest of the Disciples, partly that they might testify the certainty of his Resurrection, and partly that they might not be absent from the Assembly when he should come unto them, to instruct them further concerning his Death and Resurrection. And at that Assembly he also opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures which he alleged, for he said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead the third day, Luke 24. 45, 46. I grant it was somewhat late in the evening ere Christ came unto their Assembly; but yet that time of the evening is plainly called the same first day of the week, Joh. 20. 19 But the particular Joh. 20. 19 Scriptures, which he alleged to prove his Resurrection, are not recorded, neither by Luke nor John; but yet we may gather by consequence, that when he spoke of his Death and Resurrection, he might well speak how he had ended all Moses Ceremonies, and so consequently how he had ended the typical use of the Sabbath by his death, and then doubtless he would nominate some other day in the place of it, for the use of his public Worship; or else he had left it to disorder and confusion, if he had left it arbitrary to particular Churches. 2 As soon as Christ had ended all his instructions concerning Reas. 2 his Death and Resurrection, he appointed another meeting on that day seven-night, Joh. 20. 26. and it is evident Joh. 20. 26 that this was the second time of his appearing to their Assembly, because the next time after this is called the third time, joh. 21. 14. I confess, if it can be proved, that Christ had appeared to them on any other day between the day of his Resurrection and that day seven-night, than his appearing on that day seven-night had not been so remarkable; but seeing he did not appear any more unto them till that day seven-night, it strongly argues, that he did purposely abstain from them the whole week, to declare his election of that day in the place of the seventh day; and I am the more confirmed in the truth of this, because this second time of his meeting was not occasioned by any Sabbatical feast of the jews, for the last day of the feast of Unleavened bread (which was a chief festival Sabbath) was past two days before this second meeting, and none of the festival days (which doubtless his Apostles kept) was any occasion of his meeting with them sooner than the same day seven-night after his Resurrection; it argues therefore that this Assembly of the Apostles and Disciples was done by Christ's directions; and Luke doth testify, that Christ did give certain Commandments to his Apostles after his Resurrection, being seen of them at times forty days, and speaking that which appertained to the Kingdom of God, Acts 1. 2, 3. now what those Commandments were, and what those things were which he spoke concerning the Kingdom of God, is not recorded; but yet it may be collected from the practice of the Apostles, in that they used the first day of the week for God's public Worship in Christian Churches, that Christ did command them to observe that day in place of the seventh day, as soon as they were separated from the jews Synagogues into particular Christian Churches; and we may the rather conceive this to be a true collection, because he did at this present give unto his Apostles a new Commission to preach the Gospel, joh. 20. 21, 22. and the Gospel Joh. 2●. 〈◊〉 was preached not only in Synagogues on the seventh day, but also in Christian Churches on the Lord's Day; yea and before his Ascension he did again command them, to Preach and Baptism through all the world, Matth. 28. doubtless therefore seeing he ordained Baptism as an appendix to the preaching of the Gospel, and as a badge of the Christian Faith in Christian Churches, he would not fail to appoint a solemn day (seeing he had abolished the seventh day by his death) in which day his command of Preaching and Baptising was ordinarily to be performed. And why doth john say, That Christ did many other Signs in the presence of his Disciples, which are not written? Joh. 21. 25. but to teach us that these two times of his miraculous appearing to his Disciples on the first day of the week, when the Doors were shut, are written, that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, joh. 20. 30, 31. and that he hath not only abolished the seventh day by his Death, but that he hath also established his Resurrection-day in the place thereof, in which he arose from the Dead, as the Lord and Conqueror of Satan's Headplot. Obj. You say, That the second time of Christ's appearing was the same day seven-night after his Resurrection; but that cannot be, because John saith it was eight days after, Joh. 20. 26. Ans. I answer, When john's eight days come to be rightly Joh. 20. 26 understood, it will appear to be no more but seven nights, and this may the better be believed, because the Evangelist Luke doth make such a kind of reckoning of days as this is, in Luke 9 28. Luke 9 28 there he saith, that the day of Christ's transfiguration was eight days after his former Miracle, but yet in proper speaking it was no more but seven nights; and this is evident, because Matthew doth make the said space of time to be but six days, Mat. 17. 1. Mat. 17. 1 This difference must thus be reconciled; Luke counteth into the number of his eight days the day of the former Miracle, and the day of the latter Miracle, wherein Christ was transformed; but Matthew doth not reckon, neither the day of the first Miracle, nor the day of the latter Miracle, but only the six whole days that came between them; so that if you will account Luke's eight days by nights, than there will be found no more but seven nights; but if you will reckon by days Artificial, then if you take a part of the day wherein the first Miracle was wrought, and a part of the day in which Christ was Transfigured, than it was eight days, but still it was but seven nights. In like sort, it was eight days from Christ's first appearing to his next appearing, as John speaketh, if you count a part of the former, and a part of the latter day into the number, but if you account it by nights, than it was no more but seven nights; so that after a sort it was eight days, but yet in true account of days natural, which is according to the account of the days of the week, it was no more but seven nights. This Interpretation and Reconciliation hath the approbation of divers learned Divines, both Ancient and Modern, and none will oppose it but peevish persons that love to seek a knot in a Bulrush. 3 A third Reason that doth persuade me that Christ hath ordained his Resurrection-day, as the day of his public worship in Reason 3 the place of the seventh day, is this, namely, because he made choice of the first day of the week, in which he did send the promise of the Father unto his Disciples, Luke 24. 49. Joh. 15. 26. Luke 24 49. Act. 1. 4. Act 2. 33. For when the day of Penticost was come (they being all as one together) there appeared unto them cloven Tongues like fire, and it sat upon each of them, Act. 2. 1. This day of Penticost was the first day of the week, in which he arose from the dead, as it may be calculated by the account of fifty days which must take their beginning from the second Sabbath, that is to say from the second day of the Feast of Unleavened-bread (or from the morrow after the first Festival day, Leu. 23. 15, 16.) to the day of Penticost, Leu. 23 15, 16. Act. 2. 1. so named of fifty days, Act. 2. 1. In the first Festival Sabbath Christ was crucified, the morrow after was the Sabbath, or seventh day, in which he lay in his grave; thence gins the reckoning to the day of Penticost. Object. It may be objected, that Christ appeared with the promise of the Father to his Apostles on this day, because it was the Festival day of Penticost, rather than because it was the first day of the week. Ans. I answer, That Christ had abolished the Command for the use of all Festival Sabbaths by his death, and therefore his appearing now was not in honour of that Festival Sabbath, but it was purposely because this day was the first day of the week in which he arose as a Lord and Conqueror of Satan's Headplot, and because he had now ordained it as the day of his public worship in the place of the seventh day, and in that respect also he made choice of this day to gift them with the immediate gift of Tongues, for the more speedy spreading of the Gospel all the world over, on the first day of the week, as the constant standing day of his public worship. I conclude therefore, that the same wonderful providence that did order the Resurrection of Christ to fall out upon the first day of the week, did order the day of Penticost to fall out at this time on the first day of the week. And by this Miracle of fiery cloven tongues on this day, Christ did not only testify that it was he that gave the Fiery Law at first, when he sounded out the Law in fire at Mount Sinai (which time hath ever since been called Penticost) for the instruction of his people in faith and holiness, but also that it was he that would sound out his Law of the glad tidings of the Gospel to all Nations, by this new gift of fiery tongues which he bestowed upon his Apostles whilst they were in a Church Assembly, for the more effectual, and more speedy spreading of the Gospel in all Christian Churches in every first day of the week; and as an earnest thereof there were three thousand souls converted at this meeting. 4 A fourth Reason that doth persuade me that Christ himself hath ordained his Resurrection-day for the day of his public Reason 4 Worship in the place of the seventh day, is this, namely because the Apostle did cause the Christian Churches of Corinth to assemble together on this first day of the week, 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2. 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2. The Apostle Paul did not now by this Epistle first begin to appoint this Church to meet together every first day of the week; for he saith, Upon the first day of the week when ye are met together, (namely according to your usual custom) Let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him, that there may be no gathering when I come, 1 Cor. 16. 2. Hence it is evident, that the first day of the week, when Christians met together, (or as the Apostles phrase is, when they are met, namely, according to their usual and constant custom) to worship God, than he did exhort them to lay aside something for the poor, for that day was a good day for their souls, and therefore that season was a good season to lay aside something for the poor Saints that were at Jerusalem. I grant that the word, Every first day, is not fully expressed in the Greek Text, but yet it must necessarily be understood, as it appears by the consequence, for the Apostle did glory of their willing mind to them of Macedonia, saying, that Achaia (in which Country the City of Corinth was seated) was prepared Ayeer ag●, and that their zeal provoked many, 2 Cor. 9 2. But how could the Apostle have thus gloried of their zeal, and of their willing mind 2 Cor 9 2. to them of Macedonia, if they had laid up something but once only upon some one first day of the week, and no more? (as some would have the Text to speak) doubtless therefore they did lay aside something, either every first day of the week (or at least usually) when they were met together for the exercise of God's worship, and in so doing, their zeal was exemplary to provoke them of Macedonia to imitate their example; and this is the rather to be believed, because the Apostle doth still exhort them to perform that duty, 2 Cor. 8. 10, 11, 12. I conclude therefore, that though the word Every be not fully expressed in the Greek Text, yet that it must necessarily be understood, and therefore the Geneva Translation that puts it in, is to be justified, because it is according to the true sense of the place. 2 Touching this phrase, Let every one of you lay by him in store, I dare not affirm that this is meant of laying up by the Deacons Collection, but I rather think it was done by separating something by way of Vow for the use of the said poor in every ones own hand, (which was as sure a course, as if it had been put into the Box of the poor) for in this phrase [Let every one of you lay by him in store.] The Apostle doth Thalmudize, as relating therein to a certain custom of the Jews in vowing something to the poor; for the Hebrew Doctors say, That Alms is comprehended in the general of Vows; and therefore he that saith thus, Lo this Shekel (or this Shilling) is an Alms, he is bound to give it to the poor out of hand; But if there be no poor present, he is bound to separate it, and to lay it Up till he find some poor. See Ains. in Deut. 23 21. The Apostle Paul did lay this duty of Vowing upon the Churches of Galatia, Corinth and Macedonia, namely, That every one of them should separate something for the poor, and lay it up on the first day of the week when they were met together, for that day was a fit day for that duty, than any other day of the week: And the Hebrew Doctors do add this to their former speech, That if a man had purposed (to give such a quantity to the poor) but in his heart only, he was bound to pay it. 3 Hence it is evident, That the first day of the week, was by Christ's Institution the day of public Worship in place of the seventh day, or else the Apostle would never have given direction to the Churches to separate something for the poor when they were me● together on that day, for the Apostle doth profess that in such matters he ordained nothing in the Church, but what he received from the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. 23. And that the things which he wrote unto them were the Commandments of the Lord, 1 Cor. 14. 37. and therefore it follows, that the Church of Corinth and 1 Cor. 11. 23. all other Christian Churches did usually meet together on this day by the special Command of Jesus Christ; And seeing the Churches of Macedonia did contribute to the poor Saints of Jerusalem, as well as the Churches of Achaia, no doubt but Paul did order them to do it on every first day of the week, answerable to the Rom. 15. 25, 26 Churches of Galatia and Achaia, Rom. 15. 25, 26, 27. And seeing Paul did observe the first day of the week to administer Act. 20. 7. the Lords Supper to the Church at Troas in Phrigia, Act. 20. 7. It doth evidence that he was uniform in ordering all Christian Assemblies to be kept on that day, for Troas was a neighbour Church to them of Galatia, and therefore they kept the same day for God's public worship as they of Galatia and Achaia did, Act. 16. 6. with Act. 18. 27. 5 A fifth Reason that doth persuade me, that Christ himself Reason 5 hath ordained his Resurrection-day for the day of his public worship in the place of the seventh day, is the hot contention that many believing Jews did make in Christian Churches about the observation of the Jewish Sabbath, for many of the believing Jews were still zealous for the observation of Moses Laws, and this contention of theirs doth strongly persuade me that all Christian Churches had laid aside the observation of the Jewish Sabbath, and that they did now observe the first day of the week in the place of it, as I shall more fully explain the matter in Chap. 15. My sixth Reason, is taken from the title of the Lords day in Reason 6 Rev. 1. 10. This title is an evident proof to all men that Jesus Christ himself did ordain the day of his Resurrection in the place of the s●venth day; for John in his Epistle to the seven, Churches of Asia, doth name i● the Lords day, as if it were a day that was familiarly known to the said Churches, though they were many miles distant from each other. But if it had been a new title of a new day, not yet familiarly known to them, John would have described it to them by some circumstantial demonstration, but in as much as he doth no more but barely name it the Lords day, without any further description of it, It argues that this day (by this time at least) was familiarly known, and grown into frequent use and practise among all the Christian Churches of Asia (for at this time John wrote to the seven Churches of Asia, in the reign of Domitian the Emperor, which was about four and fifty years after the death of Christ) by this time I say, the name of the Lords day was familiarly known among all the Churches of Asia, even as the first day of the week was familiarly known long, before this to the Churches of Achaia, Galatia, Phrigia, and Macedonia; and doubtless as these parts of the world, so many others did know that Christ Jesus had ordained the first day of the week for his public worship in the place of the seventh day. And truly John might well call it the Lords day in a double respect. 1 In relation to the day of his Resurrection, because in it he arose from the dead as the Lord and Conqueror of Satan's Headplot, Rom. 14. 9 ● Because He as the Lord of his Church, and as the Lord of the Sabbath, did ordain this day, to be the day of his Public Worship, in the place of the seventh day, to the end of the world. And in both these senses David might well say, This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us be glad and rejoice in it, Psal. 118. 24. Psal. 118. 24. The Builders, the Scribes and the Pharisees, put Christ to death as an out cast Malefactor; But thi● stone which the Builders refused, is become the head of the corner; for by his Resurrection he is become the Lord and Conqueror of Satan's Headplot, Now this is the day that the Lord hath made, let us be glad and rejoice in it. Compare with this Psalm, our Saviour's Exposition in Mat. 21. 3▪ Why should not the title of the Lords day, be as good an evidence that Christ was the Institutor of it in the place of the seventh day, as the title of the Lords Supper is, That Christ was the Institutor of it in the place of the Passeover? A seventh Reason that doth persuade me that Christ himself Reason 7 hath ordained his Resurrection-day in the place of the seventh day, is, because God had determined beforehand (as it appears by the Predictions of the Old Testament) that he would in the days of the Gospel sanctify some standing day for his public worship in the place of the seventh day. 1 It was Prophesied that in the days of Christ, his people should come willingly at the time of assembling in holy beauty, Psal. 110. 3. I think none will deny these words to be uttered as a Psal. 110. 3. plain Prophecy that the Christians of the New Testament must observe a certain day for the exercise of God's public worship in the place of the seventh day, and of all their other Sabbaths. 2 God calleth the worship of the New Testament by the name of the Sabbath, Es. 56. 2, 4, 6. implying thereby, that we Christians shall not only have a certain form of outward worship Es. 56. 2. 4. 6. according to the second Commandment, but also that we shall have a certain known day for the exercise of the said worship according to the fourth Commandment. 3 It is Prophesied that Christians shall have more Sacrifices in their Sabbath, than the Jews had under Moses Law, Ezek. 46. 4, 5. Ezek. 46. 4, 5. compared with Numb. 29. 9, 10. This mystical speech doth imply, First, that Christians shall observe a certain form of public worship: And secondly, that they shall observe a certain day for the exercise of that public worship. And truly it argues to me that God hath given over such men to a senseless mind, that though they are forced to grant that Christ hath ordained a certain form of public worship, yet do deny that Christ hath ordained a certain day for the exercise of that public worship: I cannot see how they can be separated, without apparent hazard of barbarous confusion to God's public worship. 4 It is Prophesied that the peoples shall be gathered together, and the Kingdoms, to serve the Lord, Psal. 102. 22. And that from month to month, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me saith the Lord, Es. 66. 23. Es. 66. 23. These Scriptures do plainly teach us these two Doctrines. 1 The utter abrogating of all Moses typical worship in the days of Christ, because it is not possible for all People's, and Nations to come to Jerusalem from month to month, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, to worship before the Lord there. 2 These words imply, that the Christians of the New Testament shall be very active in God's worship, and in the observing of some known public day for the exercise thereof. An eighth Reason that doth much persuade me that Christ hath ordained his Resurrection-day, for the day of his public worship Reason 8 in the place of the seventh day, is taken from the Mystical number Eight; for the day of Christ's Resurrection in a continued reckoning of days, is the Eighth day; For he rested all the seventh day in his Grave; and the next day being the Eighth day in order of days, he arose as an absolute Conqueror, and the Mystical number of Eight is a day of perfection in the Law, and therefore a fit type of the perfection of Christ by his Resurrection on the Eighth day. 1 No creature by the Levitical Law was allowable for sacrifice Reason 1 until it was eight days old, Leu. 22. 27. Exod. 22. 30. Leu. 22. 27. Exod. 22. 30. I cannot but wonder why the Lord did refuse it a● seven days old, seeing the seventh day was the day of God's perfect rest from all his works, for than he rested in Christ that had made all perfect again after Adam's fall by his Propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement. But when I consider again that his Propitiatory Sacrifice was not evident to be perfect, until he risen again from the dead, as the Lord and alone Conqueror of Satan's Headplot on the first day of the week, which day is also called the Eighth day by John, Joh. 20. 26. Joh. 20. 26. I say by this consideration, my wondering is stayed, and I do rather wonder at God's wise Providence that would not accept any young beast as a perfect beast for Sacrifice until the eighth day, doubtless it was in relation to the manifestation of the perfection of Christ his Sacrifice by his Resurrection on the eighth day. For though the number seven be a perfect number in some respects, yet in other respects, the number eight is a more perfect number. The Youngling must continue under the Dam seven days; during which space of time the Hebrew Doctors did call it Lacking Time, because in that space it was not perfect for Sacrifice, Although the Sabbath had passed over the head of it; But on the eighth day it was accounted perfect, and then, and not till then, it was accepted in Sacrifice. Therefore in the case of Sacrifices of Atonement the number seven was not so perfect as the number eighth; And what can this degree of perfection on the eighth day resemble fit than the manifestation of the perfection of Christ's propitiatory Sacrifice by his Resurrection on the eighth day: And truly, if he had not risen from death to life the next day after the seventh day, his Sacrifice of Atonement by his death had been lost and vain, 1 Cor. 15. 17. And answerable to the said eighth day, John doth call the day of Christ his Resurrection, the eighth day, Joh. 20. 26. The Providence of God so guiding his Pen, as pointing out unto us backward, to the perfection of the mystical number eight in Moses Law. My second Reason why the number eight did typify the day Reason 2 of Christ's Resurrection, as more eminent than the seventh day, is taken from the Law of Circumcision which was so strictly tied to the eighth day, that though the eighth day did fall out upon the Sabbath day, yet they must prefer the doing of the act of Circumcision, because it was the eighth day, rather than the act of rest, because it was the seventh day, Joh. 7. 22. And the Hebrew Doctors do affirm that Circumcision in the time thereof Joh. 7. 22. drives away the Sabbath; that is to say, A man must omit to keep the rest of the Holy Sabbath to circumcise his child on the eighth day; if the Sabbath be the eighth day, seven days together the young Infant was in his blood of uncleanness, but on the eighth day it must be circumcised for the full cleansing of it from all the pollution that did accompany it in the birth. And Rab. M●nac●em on Gen. 17. saith, Circumcision was therefore done on the vl day, that the Sabbath might pass over it, for there is no eighth day without a Sabbath; and then as soon as it was circumcised, it was accounted as a new creature, as if it were risen again from death to life, and this did typify our first resurrection from the death of sin, to the life of grace, by virtue of Christ's Resurrection, whose Resurrection-day is called the eighth day, as I have erewhile noted from Joh. 20. 26. A third Reason is taken from the consecration of the Priests, Reason 3 their persons were not perfectly consecrated to minister in their office until the eighth day, Leu. 8. 33. 35. Leu. 9 1. Ezek. 43. 26, 27. In like sort, the Person and Sacrifice of the Mediator Leu. 8. 33. 45. was not declared to be fully accepted until his Resurrection on the eighth day. A fourth Reason is taken from the perfect cleansing of the Reason 4 Leper on the eighth day, Leu. 14. 8, 9, 10. And from the cleansing of unclean Issues, Leu. 15. 13, 14. And from the cleansing of the Leu. 15. 13, 14. polluted Nazarite, Num. 6. 9, 10. And from sundry such like Instances, where no perfect cleansing was made until the eighth day; then, and not till then, their persons and sacrifices were acceptable unto God, as persons that were newly risen from death to life; doubtless this full acceptance of them & of their Sacrifices on the 8th day, did typify the full acceptance of Christ's Person, and Sacrifice, which was declared by his Resurrection on the eighth day, for he risen from the dead on the next day after the seventh day. A fifth Reason is taken from that special eighth day of the Feast Reas. 5 of Tabernacles which was called also a Sabbath day: This day was called the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles; and it had a Commandment by itself above the other seven days, because it was a greater Sabbath than any of the rest, and in that respect John doth call it the great and last day of the Feast, Joh. 7. 37. Joh 7. 37. And all the Tribes of Israel were bound to observe this day with a general Assembly above the other seven days, Deut. 31. 10, 11. 2 Chr. 7. 9 Neh. 8. 18. And that Assembly is called a General Assembly Neh. 8. 18. by the Seventy, in Amos 5. 21. And by allusion to that term the Apostle Paul calls all the Israel of God, The General Assembly of the firstborn, Heb. 12. 23. Amos 5. 21. Heb. 12. 23. And why was this eighth day made more eminent than all the other seven days? but to type out unto us the eminency of the Resurrection-day of Christ above the seventh day for the exercise of God's public worship to the world's end; and the New Testament doth tell us of a great number of Christians that were gathered into a great Church Assembly on this day at Jerusalem Act. 2. 41. And this great Assembly was from divers parts, and quarters of the world, for many of the dispersed Jews that did believe, resorted to Jerusalem from remote Countries at Festival times, and many that were converted to the faith did there continue, until they were dispersed again at the death of Stephen, which dispersion God turned to the further enlargement of his Church for many of these dispersed Disciples preached the Gospel in sundry parts of the world where they traveled, and by that means a multitude, both of Jews and Heathens, became Christians, and these Christians, in time made many Christian Church-Assemblies, and they all used to meet together on the first day of the week, which was the next day after the seventh, and so it was the eighth day, which was typified by the eighth and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. A sixth Reason is borrowed from the Jubilee Year which by God's special Providence was ordained to be in the eighth year Reason 6 after the seventh seven, and this sabbatical year was ordained to be a greater Sabbath than the seventh seven, because it was ordained to give a more full deliverance to God's people than the seventh seven, Leu. 25. 4, 8, 20. The seventh seven was the forty and ninth year, and the next Leu. 25. 4. year after the seventh seven was the eighth year, and it was also the fiftieth year, or the Jubilee year. And both these Sabbatical years thus succeeding each other do most lively point out unto us, how the Lords Resurrection-day (by which we have a full Jubilee of deliverance from Satan's Headplot) should succeed the Sabbath, or seventh day. Three things are remarkable touching the number Eight. 1 That the number Eight was mystical as well as the number Seven. 2 That the number Eight was a number of perfection as well as the number Seven. 3 That the number Eight was a Sabbatical number as well as the number Seven. Now seeing these things have been made clear, and cannot be denied, how can it be denied, but that the number eight must needs have relation not only to the Resurrection of Christ on the eighth day (that is to say on the next day after the seventh day) but also that the said day must be established as a Sabbatical day among Christians in the New Testament in the place of the seventh day? TWO It is no less wonderful that four Sabbaths did meet together and succeed each other at the death and Resurrection of Christ. 1 Christ did make his soul a Propitiatory Sacrifice of Atonement for our full Redemption from Satan's Headplot on a Festival Sabbath (namely on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened-bread) and this day John calls a High Sabbath, Joh. Joh. 19 31. 19 31. 2 Christ rested all the Sabbath or seventh day, namely, his body rested in his grave, and his soul in Paradise. 3 On the first day of the week he arose again from the dead as the Lord and Conqueror of Satan's Headplot; and in this respect, he being the Lord of his Church, and the Lord of the Sabbath, did ordain it for the day of his public worship in place of the seventh day to the end of the world. 4 God by his eternal Counsel ordained, and Christ in obedience to his Fathers will accomplished his Death and Resurrection in a Sabbatical Year of Jubilee. And this Sabbatical Jubilee is also called, The acceptable Year of the Lord, Luke 4. 19 And from the typical signification of the Luke 4. 19 Jubilee-deliverance, the Hebrew Doctors did foresee and foresay, to the admiration of considerate Christians, That the Divine Majesty would be to Israel in a Jubilee, Freedom, Redemption, and Finisher of Sabbaths. See Z●har on Leu. 25. Col. 2. 10. fol. 53. And to admiration also Kimchi upon Ezek 40. saith, That the Messiah Redeems in a Jubilee. See H. Bro. in Req. p. 13. and in Sinai-sight, Year of the World, 2560. III Who can but admire also at the wonderful Providence of God, 3 The Resurrection of Christ fell out so, that it was made famous by three remarkable days. that the day of Christ's Resurrection should fall out so, as that it should be remarkable by three famous days? 1 It fell out upon the first day of the week. 2 It fell out upon the eighth day. 3 It fell out upon the third day. 1 Christ's Resurrection fell out upon the first day of the week wherein God created light out of darkness, and on that day Christ did arise out of his darksome grave to give light to the world, Joh. 1. 9 Joh. 8 12. and so he made that day which was first in order in the Creation, to be first in dignity by the work of his Resurrection; he made that day which was the first fruits of time, to be the first fruits from the dead, 1 Cor. 15. Col. 1. ●6. 2 Christ's Resurrection fell out upon the eighth day, namely, on the next day after the seventh day, which is the eighth day, the eighth day was ordained by Moses Law, to be a day of perfection, above the perfection of the number seven, which I have noted, might well be to typify the day of Christ's Resurrection to come in the place of the seventh day. 3 Christ's resurrection fell out on the third day after his death, and so Christ opened and alleged from the Scriptures that he must rise again from the dead on the third day, Luke 24. 45, 46. and doubtless the Resurrection of Isaac on the third day, was a rare type of the Resurrection of Christ upon the third day, for Isaac is said to have been offered, Jam. 2. 21. and to have been raised up again from the dead after a sort on the third day, Heb. Jam. 2. 21. 11. 19 for it was the third day from their coming out to sacrifice, Heb. 11. 19 when he and his Father Abraham came to the place of performance, and from that action the Hebrew Doctors do gather that the third day is mysterious in Scripture. There are many a three days say they in Scripture, of which one is the Resurrection of the Messiah. See Ains. in Gen. 22. 4. See also H. Bro. in his Reduction in Dan. 9 and Christ himself did foretell that On the third day he should Gen. 22. 4. be perfected, Luke 13. 32. his meaning must needs be that Mediatorial Luke 13. 32. Sacrifice of Atonement should be declared to be perfect by his Resurrection on the third day. Conclusion. From all the Premises it appears, that the day of Christ's Resurrection, was the most glorious day that God had honoured, and the most glorious day that could be thought on among true Christians, and therefore it may persuade our consciences, that if Christ hath ordained any day for his public Worship in the place of the seventh day, it must needs be that day of perfection, wherein he arose as Lord and Conqueror o● Satan's Headplot, and therefore the observation of it ought to be honoured of all good Christians for evermore. Amen. CHAP. XV. Propounding some Reasons why the Apostles did allow of the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day, in their Synagogues, for a time after it was abolished by the death of Christ, as well as of the Lords Day in Christian Churches. THe Apostles knew well enough that Christ had ordained his Resurrection-day as the day of his public Worship, in place of the seventh day, and therefore in that respect they appointed all Christian Churches to observe that day for God's public Worship, and yet notwithstanding they still resorted to God's public Worship on the seventh day in the Jews Synagogues, for a certain space of years after the death of Christ; I say, for some space of time the Apostles did allow by way of permission the use of the Sabbath, or seventh day, yea they did allow of the use of Sacrifices also in the Temple for a time, for they knew that as long as Christ was willing to suffer the Temple to stand undestroyed, that he was willing to suffer and permit the use of Sacrifices and Sabbaths, and therefore for the weakness sake of many believing Jews, that did as yet remain in their old Synagogues, the Apostles did see it convenient to allow of the use of the seventh day for God's public Worship in their Synagogues, according to their ancient known custom; yea moreover the Apostles did see it convenient to allow of the use of Circumcision, and of all the other Customs of Moses also for a time, for the weakness sake of many ten thousand jews that did believe in Christ, because that many of these believing jews did still continue to be zealous assertors of the customs of Moses Law, Act. 21. 20. for many of these believing jews were Acts 21. 20 not only eminent for faith in Christ, but also they were eminent for zeal in Moses Law, as we may see in the example of Ananias that opened Paul's eyes; It is recorded of him, that he was a godly man, as pertaining to the Law, Act. 22. 12, and it is also recorded, that there were divers other jews that did believe in Christ, and yet they still continued zealous not only for Circumcision, but also for all the other customs of Moses, Act. 15. 5. Act. 15. 5. 24 and it was for the sake of these believing jews that as yet remained in Synagogues, that the Apostles did by way of permission allow of the use of the Sabbath day in their Synagogues till a convenient time of Reformation. And out of this consideration it was that the Apostles in their Decrees at jerusalem, did not absolutely forbid the use of Circumcision, Acts 15. and out of this consideration it was, that Paul took liberty to Circumcise Timothy, that so he might thereby win the affection of the said Synagogues where some believing jews were, to his person and Ministry, Act. 16. 3. Acts 16. 3 Yea a long space after the death of Christ, he did by the advice of the Apostle james take upon him to be a Consort with four men, that took upon them a Levitical vow, namely, the Nazarites Vow; and Paul did well-nigh observe all the days of Purification according to the custom of Moses Law; and he was also ready prepared to pay his part and share of their Sacrifice to be See Ainsw. in Numb. 6. 18 offered in the Temple, had not the Malignant jews hindered him, by apprehending his Person, in a sudden rage against him for polluting the holy Temple, as they surmised, Act. 21. 24. And for Acts 21. 24 this very reason the Apostles made no scruple at all to preach on the Sabbath, or seventh day, in the jews Synagogues, for in the Synagogues the jews observed no other day but the seventh day, as it is evident by Acts 13. Acts 16. Acts 17. Acts 18, etc. The Apostles therefore made no scruple, but did gladly take the opportunity of their old Sabbath, to preach unto them in their Synagogues, by the means whereof they converted many ten thousand jews unto Christ; and after conversion the Apostles l●ft them to continue still in their Synagogue-Assemblies, until the malignant jews did persecute them, and then the Apostles did advise them to separate from the Synagogue, and so to join themselves into particular Christian Churches, where they were directed to observe the Lords Day in the place of the Jewish Sabbath, for in those Heathen Countries where Paul preached in the jews Synagogues, the Heathen Governors (by God's special providence) left the jews to the free liberty of their own Consciences, to use what Worship, and what day of Worship they pleased, and in that respect the Christians had as much liberty to observe the Lords Day in their Church-Assemblies, as the jews had to observe their Sabbath in their Synagogues; and therefore as soon as the believing jews and Proselytes of Thessalonica were persecuted by the malignant Synagogue, they joined into a Christian Church-Assembly by themselves, Acts 17. 4. and so the believing jews and Proselytes of the Synagogue of Corinth Acts 17. 4 Acts 18. 17 Acts 19 9 did the like as soon as they were persecuted, Act. 18. 17. and the Christian jews and Proselytes of Ephesus did the like, Act. 19 9 These, and all the other believing jews of the other Synagogues, did separate themselves from the malignant Synagogue as soon as they were persecuted, and joined themselves into several Christian Churches, and then they kept their Church-meetings on the Lord's Day, and not on the Sabbath Day; for the Apostles did open and allege unto them, that the jewish Sabbath was abolished by the death of Christ, and that Christ had instituted his Resurrection-day in the place of it, for the day of his public Worship. Obj. Here it may be demanded, How can it be proved, that the Apostles did instruct the believing Jews and Proselytes in the observation of the Lords Day. Ans. It is evident enough by the opposition which some of the said believing jews did make against the Apostles, and the The opposition wh●ch some of the believing Jews made in Christian Churches or their not observing of the Jewish Sabbath doth fully prove, that the Christian Churches had cast off the Jewish Sabbath, and that they observed the Lo●ds Day in the place of it. Christian Churches, for the not observing of the jewish Sabbath, for it is evident that many of the said believing jews did still earnestly contend, not only for the observation of the jewish Sabbath, but also for the observation of all the other customs of Moses; but if the said Christian Churches had not altered the day of their public Worship, the said believing jews had not had any occasion at all to contend for the observation of their wont Sabbath Day; therefore by their earnest contending for the observation of the jewish Sabbath, it appears, That the Christian Churches did by the Apostles directions observe the Lords Day for God's public Worship; I say, the earnest contention that some certain jews which did believe, did make against the Christian Churches for their not observing of the jewish Sabbath, doth fully prove to my understanding, that the said Christian Churches had laid aside the use of the jewish Sabbath, and did make use of the Lords Day only for the use of God's public Worship, as I shall explain it by and by. Bu● yet I have also affirmed, that the Apostles did allow of the observation of the jewish Sabbath in the jews Synagogues, and that they did gladly embrace the opportunity of that day, to preach unto them for their conversion to the faith of Christ. And so for a time the Apostles did observe two Sabbaths together, namely, the jewish Sabbaths, in preaching to them in their Synagogues, and the Lords Day, in preaching to the converted jews and Proselytes in their Christian assemblies. And this their practice was as allowable for a time, as john's Baptism was with Circumcision for a time; for Apelles was Baptised with the Baptism of john after he had been Circumcised, Acts 19 3. and Christ himself was Baptised of john in jordan after he had been Circumcised; yea which is more, it was after that Christ had ordained john's Baptism, as a Sacrament of initiation into the Christian Church; and Paul did Circumcise Timothy, who doubtless had been formerly Baptised into the Church of Christ. Obj. Why did the Apostle Paul circumcise Timothy, seeing he had formerly been baptised into the Church of Christ? Ans. Doubtless he did not Circumcise Timothy out of any Conscience to the necessary use of Circumcision, as the Ie●s Synagogues did, but because Paul and Timothy were to be conversant in the Synagogues, where they observed the Sabbath, and Circumcision, therefore Paul did it merely out of Christian Wisdom and Providence, that he might thereby win the jews the more to respect his Person and Ministry, Act. 16. 3. ●or Paul desired to be conversant in the jews Synagogues as much as might be, but he knew he could not be admitted to converse with them in their Synagogue-Worship, having Timothy an uncircumcised Grecian for his companion, unless he was Circumcised, for uncircumcised Persons might not be admitted to familiar converse with them in the exercise of Religion, Acts 10. 28. Therefore seeing the Apostles saw cause to allow of the use of Circumcision by way of permission for a time, after that Christ had ordained Baptism, as the only Sacrament of initiation into his Church, they might by the same reason allow of the jewish Sabbath in their Synagogues, though not in their Christian Churches, no more than they might allow of the use of Circumcision in their Christian Churches, for Paul would not Circumcise Ti●us to please some zealous jews in the Christian Church, though he did Circumcise Timothy for the Synagogues ●ake, Gal. 2. 3, 4. And in this respect (though the observation of the Sabbath was fully ended virtually by the Death of Christ, and not permitted in the Christian Churches, yet) Christ was pleased to permit the use of it to his Apostles in the I●ws Synagogues for a time, namely, as long as they had opportunity to preach to the jews in their Synagogues, and in that respect it pleased Christ Jesus to bless the preaching of the Apostles and Disciples in their Synagogues upon their Sabbath Day, to the conversion of many thousand Jews, though many of them after their conversion did still continue zealous for the Law, even after separation into Christian Churches, Acts 21. 20. Acts 15. 5. 24. Jam. Acts 21. 20 Acts 15. 5. 24 Jam. 1. 1 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 1. and their zeal to Moses Law, they did witness to all men, in that many of them did still resort to jerusalem, to observe the festival Sabbaths, as some of them did in Acts 2. 5. and in this respect it was that Paul in relation to the Synagogue chief did tender their weak Consciences, saying, To the jews I became a jew, that I might win the jews, and to them that were un●er the Law as though I were under the Law, 1 Cor. 9 20. but in the Christian Churches Paul would not allow of any Jewish customs, 1 Cor. 9 20 Gal. 2. 5 Gal. 2. 5. Now this practice of the Apostles in observing the Jewish Sabbath for a time in their Synagogues, doth no more disapprove the changing of the Sabbath into the Lord's Day, than it dis-approves the changing of Circumcision into Baptism; for after that Christ had ordained the Sacrament of Baptism as one of the Seals of the New Covenant, the Apostles did still allow of the practice of Circumcision (namely in relation to their Synagogues, but not in relation to Christian Churches) and of all the other customs of Moses also by way of permission, for a time. But as soon as the Apostles did but once perceive that many of the said believing jews grew stiff and sturdy, for the observation of Moses Ceremonies in Christian Churches, much like unto the malignant jews in the Synagogues, than Paul and the other Apostles also grew resolute to oppose the practice, not only of Circumcision in the Christian Churches, but of the use of the Sabbath, and of all the other customs of Moses also, Gal. 2. 5. and thereupon many believing jews did oppose Paul, but yet the other jews of the malignant Synagogues did hate P●ul much more for his Doctrine, for they sought opportunity to lay hands on him that they might put him to death, and therefore they accused him to Felix, saying, Certainly we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the World, and a chief maintainer of the Sect of the Nazarites, Acts 24. 5. Acts 24. 5 In like sort Stephen's Accusers testified against him, saying, that he had affirmed, That Jesus of Nazaret should destroy their holy place, and change the customs of Moses, Act. 6. 14. And when Paul came Acts 6. 14 to Rome, the Jews told him there, That this Sect was every where spoken against, Acts 28. 22. and when Paul came to Jerusalem, Acts 28. 22 James told him, That the Jews were informed that he taught the Jews which were among the Gentiles, namely the Christian Churches, that they should forsake Moses, and not live after the customs, Acts 21. 21. and the Jews of Asia said, This Act. 21. 21, 28 man teacheth all men every where against the People, and the Law, and this place, Acts 21. 28. By these, and such like testimonies it is evident, that Paul did mightily cry down the observation of all Moses customs in all Christian Churches. And this is further evident also by Paul's downright reproofs to the Churches of Galatia, Gal. 2. 3, etc. Gal. 3. 1. etc. Gal. 4. 9, etc. Gal. 5. 1, 2. but especially mark the manner of his phrase in his reproof in Gal. 4. 9, 10, 11. There he calls all the customs Gal 4. 9, 10, 11 of Moses but weak, and poor rudiments, whereunto as from the beginning ye will be in bondage again (as from the beginning of your conversion, when you lived in the Synagogues) Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years, I am in fear of you, lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain. The Apostle by four Phrases doth enumerate all the solemn holidays that were commanded by Moses, the observation of all which he opposeth in Christian Churches. 1 Ye observe days; by Days he means, That some of the believing Jews among them had persuaded the Churches of Galatia to observe their old weekly Sabbath-Days for the exercise of their public Worship. 2 By Months he means, That some of the believing jews among them had persuaded them to make conscience in observing the first day of every new Moon for the public Worship of God. 3 By Times he means, That they contended for the observation of the three solemn Festival Sabbaths, by resorting if they could to jerusalem, where those three Festival Sabbaths were to be observed. And, 4 By Years he means, That they contended for the observation of that solemn Fastingday, called the day of Atonement, which always fell out upon the tenth day of the seventh Month. These were all the set Days, and solemn Times which were commanded in Moses Law, in Levit. 23. I do not mean that the said believing jews did contend for the observation of the two last-named Sabbaths, by offering sacrifices upon the days appointed by Moses, in their Christian Churches, for all the jews in general did hold it utterly unlawful, yea they held it to be death to offer any sacrifice after the Temple was built, in any Synagogue, or in any other place save in the Temple itself. But my meaning is, That the said believing jews did contend for the observation of the two first sorts of days in their Christian Churches, as the only lawful and commanded days for Gods public Worship; for the manner of the jews was to observe every seventh day in their Synagogues, Acts 15. 21. and their Acts 15. 21 manner was to observe every first day of their New Moons, not only at the Temple, but also in their Synagogues, and places of public Worship, where the Word of God was used to be preached, 2 King. 4. 23. but the Apostle Paul doth oppose the observation of these days in Christian Churches as much as he doth the other, and therefore he wrote to the dispersed Hebrews, that professed Christianity, that the former Covenant which stood in the outward observation of Moses ceremonies waxed old, and was ready to vanish away, Heb. 8. 13. and also in Heb. 13. 9 He exhorts Heb. 8. 13 them, not to be carried about with divers and strange Doctrines, (namely, not to be carried about to the observation of Moses Ceremonies) for (saith he) it is a good thing that the heart be established with Grace, and not with Meats, which have not profi●ed them that have been exercised therein; and in chap. 9 10. he calls the observation of Meats and Drinks, and divers Washings, carnal Ordinances imposed unto them, until the time of Reformation, which time of Reformation was already come. And also he exhorteth the Colossians, saying thus; Let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the Body is Christ, Col. 2. 16, 17. Col. 2. 16, 17 In these words the Apostle doth exhort them, not to let any man to rule over them as Judges of their Christian liberty, by enforcing and persuading their Consciences to the observation of Moses ceremonies, seeing they were but shadows of something to come, namely, they were but shadows of something to be fulfilled by Christ; for Christ the Body was already come in the place of them all; yea saith the Apostle, Let no man beguile you of your prize, Col. 2. 18 20 namely, of that precious liberty which Christ by his Death hath purchased for you, from the bondage of Moses ceremonies, v. 18. and then he passeth his sentence against the Authors of their disturbance, saying, They are but selfwilled in humbleness, etc. and then in ve. 20. the Apostles conclude thus, If ye be dead with Christ from the decrees of the world (if you believe that Christ by his death hath ended decrees) why as though ye lived in the world (namely in the observation of Moses ceremonies, which were composed but of worldly things, and in that respect the Sanctuary is called a worldly Sanctuary, Heb. 9 1.) Fellow ye decrees, etc. That which I aim at by this discourse is this, namely, to declare, that there were some believing Jews in the Church of Colosse that did earnestly contend (not only for the observation of Moses ceremonies in general, but also that did in particular contend) for the observation of the Jewish Sabbath, as the only commanded day of God's public Worship in Christian Churches; and hence I infer, that these believing Jews needed not to have contended so earnestly for the observation of the Jewish Sabbath, if the Apostles had not laid the observation of it aside, and required Christian Churches to observe the Lords Day for their Christian assemblies, in the place of the seventh day. Obj. 2. I conceive these believing Jews did not contend for the observation of the Jewish Sabbath, as you think, but for the observation of the other Festival Sabbaths; against which only the Apostle doth speak. Ans. 1. If you will grant, That the Apostle doth exhort the Church of Colosse not to submit their Consciences to the observation of their Festival Sabbaths, then much more doth he exhort them not to submit their Consciences to the observation of their weekly Sabbaths, or seventh day; for the weekly Sabbath was a typical sign as well as their other Festival Sabbaths, and therefore the death of Christ doth abolish them all alike. 2 And more particularly I answer, That Paul's meaning by the word Sabbaths, in Col. 2. 16. doth not (as I conceive) point out Col. 2. 16 any other Sabbath but the seventh day only; for Paul doth enumerate all the several sorts of their holidays under these three several expressions; First, saith he, Let no man judge you in respect of a Holiday; Secondly, Or of the New Moon; Thirdly, Or of the Sabbaths. 1 Under the term Holiday the Apostle doth comprehend their three yearly Holiday Feasts; for there are no other solemn commanded holidays in Moses, except the New Moon, and the ordinary Sabbath days, and these are not included in the term Holiday, because they are distinguished, and sorted out from them by other distinct terms; neither doth the Apostle comprehend any human holidays in this number, such as were sometimes commanded by their Sanedrim (upon some special occasions) as the days of Purim were, Est. 9 and as the day of Dedication was, Jo●. 10. 22. for these temporary holidays must Joh. 10. 22 not be Copartners with the said yearly standing holidays of Moses; neither do I think that the Apostle doth now forbid the observation of such occasional temporary holidays in Christian Churches; but the Apostle doth out of all doubt dehort them from the observation of their three Festival holidays; therefore by the term Holiday, which the Apostle distinguisheth from the two other sorts of holidays, namely from the New Moon, and from the Sabbath, he must needs mean no other but the said three yearly Festival holidays. 2 By the New Moon he Apostle means the first day of every New Moon, which the Jews observed in all their Synagogues, as a constant Holiday for the hearing of God's Word preached in all the costs of Israel, Numb. 28. 11. 2 King. 4 23. 3 Therefore the term Sabbaths must needs mean their weekly Sabbaths, which some Christian Jews that still remained zealous for the Law, did labour tooth and nail to persuade the Church of Colosse to observe for the day of their public Worship; but the Apostle told them, that all this Bill of Decrees Christ had wiped away by his death, Col. 2. 14. Col. 2. 14 3 It is yet further evident that these three terms in Col. 2. 16. do fully comprehend all the Holidays that are in Moses, because Moses doth comprehend them all in three the like terms in Num. 10. 10. Ye shall sound an Alarm, (1) In the day of your Gladness; Num. 10. 10. And (2) In your Solemn Feasts; And (3) In the beginning of your months. Though these three terms are not placed in the same order that Paul doth his in Col. 2. 16. yet they must needs comprehend all the Ceremonial Sabbaths, or Holidays of Moses: For first, by the day of their Gladness, Moses doth mean such a day of gladness, as he doth distinguish from their Solemn Feasts, and from their New Moons; which distinction ought not to be slighted; And therefore Baal Hattarim understands it of the Sabbath day. And indeed no day hath the pre-eminence of gladness to this day, for it was first ordained to be a day of rest to God, because he had established Adam's happiness, and the Government of the whole Creation on the Promised Seed, who had undertaken to break the Devil's Headplot, and therefore he rested in the Mediator, and was refreshed, and it was a typical sign of fallen man's resting on the Mediator for his Redemption from Satan's Headplot, and therefore it was the first great day of gladness to fallen Adam, and therefore as I have formerly noted, the seventh day is placed among the Festival Sabbaths in the first place, as the chiefest day of gladness, Leu. 23. 3. Leu. 23 3. And indeed no other day can be meant by the day of gladness, but the Sabbath or seventh day, and the reason is plain, because all the other Holidays in Moses are fully comprehended in the other two terms. 4 Solomon in 2 Chron. 2. 4. doth expound the said three terms, 2 Chron. 2. 4. by showing the solemnity of all the sorts of Holidays in the Temple-service, for he built a Temple to the Lord, namely, To burn sweet incense before Him, and for the continual Shewbread, and for the Burnt-offerings of the morning and evening, (1) On the Sabbath days. (2) In the New Moons. And (3) In the Solemn Feasts of the Lord. This is a perpetual thing for Israel. And moreover the Hebrew Doctors say, That they did blow with the silver Trumpets in the Sanctuary, (1) Over the Burnt-offerings of the Sabbaths. (2) In the New Moons. And (3) in the Solemn Feasts. By these two Scriptures compared together with Col. 2. 16. and with Gal. 49, 10, 11. It is evident that all the solemn Holidays in Mose● are comprehended under the said three terms; And therefore by the term Sabbaths in Col. 2. 16. as it is distinguished from the New Moon, and a Holiday, must needs be meant the weekly Sabbaths only, which some Christian Jews contended to have observed in their Christian Churches in opposition to the Lords day. Object. 3. It seems to me that our Saviour did not ordain his Resurrection-day in place of the seventh day, because our Saviour in Mat. 24. 20. Mat. 24. 20. doth warn his Disciples to pray (at the time of their destruction by the Romans) that their flight might not be, neither in the Winter, nor upon the Sabbath day: Now if Christ had abolished the Sabbath by his death, as you affirm, then be would not have given this caution of praying that their flight might not be on the Sabbath day, so long after his death, for it was about forty years after his death ere the City was destroyed by the Romans. Ans. Christ did not give this caution to his Disciples in the nature of a Command, or forbidding, but in the nature of a disallow of the Jews superstitious opinion of the outward rest of the Sabbath, so long after his death: They might in that space have been better taught and instructed, if they had not been enemies to the Gospel of Christ, but because they would not be instructed, therefore our Saviour told his Disciples, that the Jews of Judea in general would hold such a superstitious opinion, both of the holiness of the Temple, and of the outward rest of the Sabbath day, that it would be a grievous calamity to them if they were forced to fly for their lives upon the Sabbath day, more than upon any other day in the week: But yet this must be marked, that our Saviour speaks this to his Disciples, but as a Prophetical Historian, foretelling them what would be the common opinion of the Nation of the Jews in those days, namely, that they would be infected with such a superstitious opinion of the holiness of the outward rest of the Sabbath, that they would neither stir hand or foot to break the outward rest of the Sabbath by flight to save their lives. This caution of our Saviour to his Disciples must needs be understood in this sense, because the whole frame of his speech is fetched (by way of allusion) to a former like sad calamity, which fell upon them under Anti●chus Epiphanes, who did purposely molest them upon the Sabbath day, as also in the Winter time, and then they suffered extreme miseries by reason of their superstitious opinion of the outward rest of the Sabbath day, which they might have prevented, if they had held it lawful at first, as they did at last, that in case of necessity they might either fight or fly for their lives upon the Sabbath day. Our Saviour in this his speech to his Disciples doth allude to the times of Antiochus, and therefore he doth mention the Winter as well as the Sabbath day, for Judas Maccabeus did cleanse the Temple and the Altar in the Winter, Joh. 10. 22. and three years before it was polluted in the Winter, 1 Mac. 1. 54. And secondly, it was also polluted upon the Sabbath day, 1 Mac. 2. 38. and now it was a time of grievous calamity to the Jews, and therefore by way of allusion to this calamitous time, our Saviour bade them pray, That their flight might neither be in the Winter, nor yet upon the Sabbath day, for than they would do as they had done, neither fight nor fly to save their lives. This their blind zeal our Saviour reproves, 1 Mac. 2, 34. 36. 38. 41. and 2 Mac. 6. 11. It follows therefore by good consequence, that our Saviour did not now in sadness teach his Disciples the continuance of the Sabbath so long after his death, no more than he taught them the continuance of the service of the Temple, by calling the Temple The Holy Place, vers. 15. But no man, I think, will say, that Christ did then esteem the Temple to be the Holy Place, but he names it so Docas●ic●s, because the Jews of Judea in general would then esteem it and call it the Holy place, and in that respect also our Saviour doth call the Romans that should enter into the Temple, The Abomination of Desolation, just as Daniel had done, Dan. 9 27. By this it is evident that Christ spoke by allusion to former times: But he knew well enough that the holiness of the Temple, as well as the typical Rest of the Holy Sabbath, were fully ended by his death. I grant, that the Temple was once truly called the Holy Temple, because it was ordained to be a type of the holy humane nature of Christ wherein his Godhead dwelled, Job. 2: But yet this typical holiness of the Temple must needs have an end, as soon as the Holy of Holies did but enter through the vail of his flesh into heaven to appear before God for us, Dan. 9 24. with Mat. 27. 50, 51. Heb. 9 14. and the goodliness also of the Temple must have an end as soon as he that was greater than the Temple had finished his Oblation, Mat. 12. 26. and by the like reason also the Sabbath, as it was a type of our resting on the Seed of the Woman to break the Devil's Headplot, must end as soon as Christ had finished his Sacrifice of Atonement. I will therefore conclude my answer to this Objection, That Christ by this speech of his to his Disciples did but tell them what would be the common opinion of the Nation of the Jews at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, as I have already declared it; but he intended no more to teach them the continuance of the Sabbath, than the continuance of the Holiness of the Temple; neither did he by this Caution to his Disciples intent to prefer the Sabbath above the Lords day, no more than he intended to prefer the Winter above the Summer, of all which things he spoke by way of caution to his Disciples what would be the common opinion of the Jews at the destruction of Jerusalem. Object. 4. If Christ had ordained his Resurrection-day as the day of his public Worship in place of the Sabbath or seventh day, then me thinks the Apostles in their Writings should have recorded it, with the Circumstances of it, namely, the time when, and how he did ordain it; if this had been done, the matter had been out of question to all men. Ans. The Wisdom of God did not see it good to make all his Ordinances clear to all men at the first sight; when our Saviour was here upon the earth, he did oftentimes open his mouth in Parables, that they which see not might not perceive, and that his best servants might dig for his hidden Treasures: But I may say also it is not recorded that Christ did instruct any of his Apostles of the time when, nor of the manner how he did first ordain John to baptise, but because all men generally held John to be a Prophet, therefore they concluded that he had received some authority from heaven to baptise subjects for Christ, against he came into his Kingdom, which he proclaimed to be at hand; and by the like authority, we may conclude that the Apostles did command the observation of the Lords day for God's public Worship in the place of the seventh day, because it was in frequent use in their days, as I have proved, and they being Prophets, had special direction from Christ the Lord of the Sabbath so to direct his Churches, which directions in all probability they received from him at his first coming to their Assembly in the evening of his Resurrection-day, or else in the evening of his second coming to their Assembly, on that day seven-night, Joh. 19 20. 26. for then he opened their understandings to understand such Scriptures as he alleged concerning his Joh. 19 20, 26. Death and Resurrection, Luke 23. 54. 47. and then also he gave them a new Commission to preach the Doctrine of the forgiveness of sins in his name, Joh, 20. 21, 22, 23. and then he gave Commandments unto them, and spoke of such things as appertained to the Kingdom of God, Act. 1. 2, 3. doubtless therefore he did then instruct them concerning the day of his public worship wherein they must preach forgiveness of sins in his name to all the world; and this Commission he did again renew unto them before his ascension, saying, Go and teach all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always to the end of the world. Whatsoever therefore the Apostles commanded the Christian Churches to observe, they did it by virtue of Christ's former command; and therefore Paul saith, I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you, 1 Cor. 11. 23. The Commandments therefore which the Apostles gave unto the Christian Churches, they were the Commandments of Christ, among which Commandments, the observation of the Lords day must needs be one in place of the Sabbath, which was fully abolished by the death of Christ. CHAP. XVI. Being an Answer to several Questions, I whether Christians Quest. 1 now under the Gospel are bound to observe the Lords day as strictly from all work, and as holily in all the duties of Religion, as the Jews were to observe the Sabbath day. THe Sabbath, or seventh day, must be considered, either as it Ans. 1 was a holy sign; Or secondly, as it was the holy time of God's worship; in the first sense the Lords day is not like the Sabbath; for our Lord's day is not a sign of a thing to be performed 〈…〉 as the Sabbath was, but now our Lord's day must be observed as a memorial that Christ hath fully broken the Devil's Headplot by his Mediatorial Sacrifice; and this he hath declared to his Church by his Resurrection from the dead on the first day of the week, and in remembrance thereof, he hath now ordained that day to be employed as the sanctified time of his worship in attending upon his Ordinances both public and private, as strictly from all work, and as holily in all Christian duties, as the Jews were to observe the Sabbath day under the Law, and in remembrance thereof, John doth style it the Lords day, Rev. 1. 10. Quest. 2. Might not the Jews so much as kindle a fire upon the Sabbath day to dress necessary food? As Mr. Ainsworth seems to understand the Scriptures with the consent of the Hebrew Doctors in Exod. 16. 5. and Exod. 16. 5. Exod. 35. 3. in Exod. 35. 3. Ans. I grant, that Mr. Ainsworth doth so understand the Scriptures, and so do some of the Hebrew Doctors: But yet withal, I say, that the Scriptures rightly understood, did always allow the Jews as much liberty to kindle a fire for the dressing of necessary food upon the Sabbath day, as it allows Christians on the Lord's day, as it is evident by the example of our Saviour himself, for he went to a Feast upon the Sabbath day into the house of a chief Pharisee, Luke 14. 1. and at the same time the Pharisee Luke 14. 1. had many other guests present, for our Saviour marked them how they chose out the chiefest rooms at this Feast, v. 7, 8. And this Feast I conceive was a Wedding Feast, though I also believe that the new married parties were married before this day, & not on this day, It is unlawful to begin a Marriage upon the Sabbath day. Leu. 23 8. for the Jews held it utterly unlawful to begin their Marriage upon the Sabbath day. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 8. But yet they held it lawful to keep a Wedding Feast upon the Sabbath day, and the reason is plain, because they held it to be a lawful custom to keep a Wedding Feast for seven days together, of which number the Sabbath day must needs be one, Judg. 14. 10, 12. Gen. 29. 27, 28. And this is a common rule among the Jews, That whosoever marrieth a Maid, he shall rejoice with her seven days, not doing any work, but eating, drinking, and making merry. See Ains. in Gen. 29. 27. And none could keep such a Feast of many persons in the cold Winter without the use of a fi●e to make their food comfortable to nature, according to the nature of a Feast▪ And it is further to be noted, that whiles our Saviour was present at th● Feast, he ●ound no fault with the act of Feasting, but only within corrupt circumstances which did accompany this Feast. 1 He found fault with some of the guests, because they chose out the uppermost seats. 2 He seemed to reprove the Governor of the Feast, because he invited his rich friends only, vers. 12. But Christ told him it had been more suitable to the Sabbath day if he had invited the poor to his Feast: And yet I believe it was not sinful to bid the rich; for if it had been sinful, Christ would either have declined the invitation, or else he would have born witness against it as a sinful practice; but he did neither of these, therefore it was not sinful to invite the rich to a Feast upon the Sabbath day, where the Feast must last seven days together. 2 I answer, That it was as lawful for the Jews to kindle a fire upon the Sabbath day to prepare warm food for infirm and weak stomaches (which are almost in every family) as it was to do any other work of mercy: And it was lawful to do works of mercy upon the Sabbath days, as it is evident by our Saviour's often showing of compassion to weak and sickly persons upon the Sabbath day. 3 I answer, that the Priests did hold it lawful to kindle new fires on the Sabbath days for the use of their Sacrifices; I grant they had one constant and continual fire that was always maintained by the side of the Altar; but from this fire they used to kindle other fires for the burning of such parts of their Sacrifices as they offered on the Sabbath days. Hence I infer, that seeing Christ Jesus hath told us that he doth prefer mercy before Sacrifice, no question but he allowed the Jews to kindle a fire for works of mercy, as well as for the use of Sacrifices, on the Sabbath day, and therefore out of doubt they might kindle a fire on the Sabbath day to prepare necessary food for such as are infirm of nature. See Mat. 12. 5, 6. Mat. 12. 5, 6. 4 I answer, That the Priests did kindle new fires every Sabbath day to boil or roast their portion of meat which was due unto them from each Sacrifice by God's allowance; for God commanded them to eat their part and portion in the same day wherein the Sacrifice was offered, Leu. 7. 15. but they could not eat this portion, unless they kindled a fire, either to boil it, or roast it. 5 On the day of Atonement (which was a Sabbath of Sabbatism, and therefore every was as strict for rest as the Sabbath or seventh day was, yet) then the High Priest (which must of necessity often wash his Body for the several services of that day) might, in case he were an old man, or sickly, have his water wherein he bathed his body made warm by the use of Fire; the Hebrew Doctors say, They took off the cold from the water either by Irons made hot in the Fire, or else by mixing of hot water with the cold. See Ains. in Leu. 16. 24. By these and sundry such like instances it is evident, That the Jews might lawfully kindle a Fire upon the Sabbath Day to prepare warm meat for the comfort of the infirm, the aged, or sickly persons. Quest. 3. Is it not plainly said in Exod. 35. 3. Ye shall not kindle a Exod. 35. 3. fire in your Habitations upon the Sabbath Day? Ans. Though some that are both godly and learned Christians, as well as some later Jews, do hold it unlawful to kindle a Fire on the Sabbath Day to dress any meat, yet the more ancient Rabbins, and many learned Christians also, do restrain this Prohibition of kindling a Fire to Artificers only. But for the better understanding of the true sense of this text, it is necessary to compare it with the like prohibition in Exod. 31. 1, etc. where the Lord commanded Moses to command Bezaliel to make the Tabernacle, and all the appurtenances thereof, with all diligence; that is to say, with all possible speed, without any delay, because it was to be for the place of the Lords residence among them, Exod. 25. 8. 22. but yet notwithstanding this careful diligence, the Lord commanded Moses, saying in ver. 13. Speak unto the Sons of Israel, and say, Verily (or notwithstanding, Exod 31. 13 as the Seventy read it) my Sabbaths ye shall keep, for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your Generations, to know that I am Jehovah that sanctifieth you. In these words God gave a double reason why they might not do any work about the making of the Tabernacle upon the Sabbath Day. 1 Because the Sabbath was the sanctified time for his public Worship, in these words, Verily (or notwithstanding my command of your diligence) my Sabbath ye shall keep. 2 Because the Sabbath was a sanctifi●d sign between me and you throughout your Generations, etc. ver. 13. 3 Unto all this, a threatening is added, in case any man did presume to do any work about the Tabernacle, Every one that profaneth it shall be put to die the death, ver. 14, 15. Exod. 31. 14, 15 This phrase implies, That for their double sin in profaning God's sanctified Time, and God's sanctified Sign, they should be put to die such a kind of death, as was after a sort a double death; for 1. He must be stoned to death; and 2. His dead body must be after his death hanged upon a Tree till Sunset, for the greater detestation of that Sin, and for the greater terror of others; for this is a thing upon Record in the Hebrew Doctors, That all such Malefactors as deserved stoning to death must be hanged up afterwards upon a Tree, as it is manifest also by the instance of the rebellious Son, in Deut. 21. as I have opened the matter more at large elsewhere. But if it be conceived by any, that if any man will now presume to gather sticks upon the Lord's Day, he should be punished with stoning to death, as the man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath Day was; I answer, There is not the like reason, because the Lord's Day is not ordained to be a sanctified sign of Gods resting, and of Man's resting in the Seed of the Woman to break the Devil's Headplot, as the Sabbath was. I conclude therefore, by comparing the work of the Tabernacle in Exod. 31. with the work of the Tabernacle, as it is repeated in Exod. 35. that the only reason why they might not kindle a fire in their Habitations on the Sabbath Day was, to restrain them from their eager desire, from their rash or superstitious zeal to prosecute the work of the Tabernacle, which was commanded to be done with such careful diligence for the place of God's residence among them; the Lord doth prefix a prohibition to restrain them from kindling any fire for that work, and to prevent their rash and heady zeal a threatening is annexed; Whosoever doth any work (namely of his particular Calling) upon the Sabbath Day, shall be put to death, Exod. 35. 2. therefore ye shall kindle no fire for that business, ver. 3. And as it was unlawful for them to kindle a fire for such works as belonged to their particular Callings on the Weekdays, so out of all doubt it is as unlawful for Christians to kindle a fire on the Lord's Day to do any such servile works as that was; but wherein can you find a prohibition wherein the Jews are forbidden to kindle a fire on the Sabbath Day for the dressing of necessary food for infirm or crazy bodies? Quest. 4. It seems to me, that the Jews might not kindle a fire on the Sabbath Day to dress any meat at all therewith; for Moses saith thus, To morrow is the Sabbath of Holiness to Jehovah, Bake that which ye will bake, and seethe that which ye will seethe (namely in the sixth day, as it is in ver. 5.) and all that remaineth over, lay it up for you as a reservation until the morrow, Exod. 16. 23. From this Scripture I think it is evident, That the Jews were prohibited Exod. 16. 23 to kindle a fire upon the Sabbath Day, neither to bake or boil any of their Manna, but all must be done on the sixth day, that so they might not kindle a fire for it on the Sabbath Day. Ans. This baking and boiling of their Manna before the Sabbath Day, doth not forbid them to heat their Manna with fire in the Sabbath, to make i● fit for infirm and weak stomaches; but the baking and boiling forbidden by Moses upon the Sabbath Day, was such a baking and boiling as was accompanied with laborious work, such as might and ought to have been done on the sixth day, as it appears by Numb. 11. 8. there, after the people had gathered their Manna, they did prepare it (with laborious Numb. 11. 8 work) several ways suitable to every one's taste or liking, & therefore they did First grind it in Mills, or beat it in Mortars. Secondly, Then they baked it in Pans, and made Cakes of it. Thirdly, Othersome did boil it; and thus it was several ways prepared and Cooked (according to every one's taste and liking) with laborious work on the sixth day; now such kind of laborious works as these were forbidden to be done in the Sabbath Day, because they might be done on the sixth day; and in that respect the Hebrew Doctors say, Whoso laboureth in the evening of the Sabbath, he shall eat in the Sabbath. See Ains. in Levit. 16. 26. And truly I think there is no conscientious Christian that doth hold it lawful to defer, or put off such like laborious works as these to the Lords Day, for it is all one as if a man should defer the grinding of his Corn, the baking of his Bread, or the making of his Pies unto the Lord's Day; but no conscientious Christian that is judicious (I think) doth hold it unlawful to temper a Pudding of the Meal that was ground on the sixth day, or to heat a Pie that was made on the sixth day, or to boil a necessary quantity of meat that was killed and quartered on the sixth day, or to use that wood for fire that was carted home, and cut ready for the fire on the sixth day, or to use Water that was fetched home to the door on the sixth day; all these, and such like things might as lawfully be done by the Jews on the Sabbath Day, as by godly Christians on the Lord's Day; and this is fully evident by our Saviour, in that he did justify his Apostles for their work, in gathering of certain ears of Corn in other men's fields, and rub●●●g the said ears, to prepare it for food, on the Sabbath Day, and doubtless after the said rubbing it was either parched in the Fire, or boiled in Water, fit for the digesture of the stomach, or else if they had eaten it raw it had been but course and hard food. Now if it had been unlawful to prepare such a small quantity of food, as was fit for the present support of nature, on the Sabbath Day, doubtless Christ would have commanded his Apostles beforehand, to provide their Scrip full of Victuals, namely on the sixth day; but in as much as he had not made such provision on the sixth day, but did justify his Apostles for this work in the Sabbath Day, by alleging the example of David in eating the Shewbread in case of hunger, he did thereby confute and reprove the jews superstitious opinion of the outward rest of the Sabbath; alleging also, That the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, Mar. 2. 27. as if Christ had said Mar. 2. 27. thus, If man had been made for the Sabbath, than man must have served the Sabbath before his own necessity, but seeing man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man, namely to serve man's necessity, therefore it follows, that the Sabbath was made, ordained, or instituted, after man was in necessity, and in misery, namely after Adam's Fall, chief for the good of his sick and sinful Soul (and therefore God did bless it with suitable Ordinances, and did sanctify that day for the use of those Ordinances) but yet withal the Sabbath was made to serve man in misery, in respect of his Body, that it might rest and be refreshed with convenient food, Physic, and the like, and therefore godly Wisdom will make all the godly careful to improve the Lords Day so, as that it may serve to the best good both of their sinful Souls, and of their weak and frail bodies also. Quest. 5. Are Christians bound to rest on the Lord's Day, as strictly from bodily recreations, and from all things that are not work, as the Jews ●●re on the Sabbath Day for the Hebrew Doctors say? That the Jews must rest on the Sabbath Day from things that are not work; as from climbing on a Tree, riding on a Beast (●● the like;) from the judging of Civil causes, putting off the s●●●e, and taking the Brother's Wife (spoken of in Deut. 25.) separating of Tithes, first Fruits (and the like;) valuing of things (spoken of in Levit. 27.) and from speaking with a man's 〈…〉 on the Sabbath Day, what he will buy, or how he will build his 〈…〉 the like, as it is noted by Mr. Ains. in Exod. 20. 10. and in 〈…〉 ●1. 17. Ans. I have showed you on the word Sanctified in Chap. 10. That God sanctified the whole seventh day for his service, not only the time of the public Ordinances, but the whole day, and therefore it was sanctified for the use of private Ordinances as well as for the public, and therefore no time may be exempted from these holy Duties but in cases of necessary food, Physic, or the like cases of necessity; & therefore before we address ourselves to God's public Ordinances, we must be careful to prepare our Souls to come with fear and reverence, and so in our Hearing, in our Praying, Singing, etc. we must take heed how we Hear, how we Pray, and Sing; so likewise afterwards we must examine ourselves, how our Soul ●ave profited by the public Ordinances, or else we may look 〈◊〉 Curse, rather than a Blessing from the said Ordinances. Hence it follows by necessary consequence, That no good Christian can allow himself liberty to do such kind of exercises as you have named, but they will interrupt the efficacy of those blessed and commanded Ordinances wherewith God hath blessed the seventh day, and therefore such kind of exercises must needs be as sinful to be done by Christians upon the Lord's Day, as they were by the Jews upon the Sabbath days. Quest. 6. Were Recreations on the Sabbath punished among the Jews by the Magistrates, with the same kind of punishments that working on the Sabbath was? Ans. They did not punish all sins alike, but they made a difference, for they punished the sin of working servile works (on the Sabbath) namely such kind of works as belonged to men's particular Callings on the Weekdays, with the heaviest kind of death that was in use among them, namely with stoning to death (as I have noted it in Chap. 10. & 11.) But the said Recreations or things that were not properly work they punished only with scourging, for Maymony speaking of the day of Atonement (which was a Sabbath of Sabbatism, and therefore in all respects it must be observed with as strict a rest as the seventh day was) saith thus; All work for which men are to be stoned if they do it on the Sabbath Day, they are to be cut off if they do it on the day of Atonement; and whatsoever is unlawful to be done on the Sabbath which is not work, is unlawful to be done on this day, and if he do it, he is to be scourged, as he is to be scourged for doing it upon the Sabbath Day. See Ainsw. in Levit. 23. 20. Thus we see that the Hebrew Doctors do make a difference of Sins and Punishments, according to the difference of days and times. 1 They held, That servile working on the seventh day was to For cutting off, see Ainsw. in Exod. 22. 20. Leu. 20. 10. 17, 18. Num. 9 13 be punished with stoning to death. 2 They held, That servile working on the day of Atonement was to be punished with cutting off (which is several ways to be considered.) 3 They held, That servile working on their other festival Sabbaths was to be punished with Scourging, or with Excommunication. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 5, & 7. But, 4 All other things that were done on the seventh day which were not work (though in some sort Recreations, etc. are like work) the Magistrates punished with Scourging only, or with Excommunication for a time, for these two were esteemed among the jews to be much alike equal punishments, as I have showed in the jews Synagogues Discipline. And truly such kind of Recreations are as sinful to be used by Christians on the Lords Days, as they were to the jews on the Magistrates are bound to punish the profanation of any part of the Lords Day, (whether it be by Work, or by Recreations) either by Scourging, or by some Mulct that is equivalent. Sabbath Day, because they take off the Heart from the advantage of improving the public Ordinances to the Spiritual good of the Soul, which God intended, when he blessed and sanctified the seventh day for man's best good; I say therefore, that no conscientious Christian ought to take liberty to do such things on the Lord's Day, neither will any conscientious Magistrate permit such things to be done on that day, though it be after all public exercises are ended; yea I do believe that godly Magistrates will not only be grieved at the practice of such sins, but they will be forward and ready to put out their power to suppress such sinful practices, by punishing such Malefactors, either with scourging, or with some mulct that is equivalent thereto. Six days thou shalt labour, and in the seventh day thou shalt cease in Ear-ring time, and in Harvest thou shalt cease, Exod. 34. 21. Exod. 34. 21. Under these two words Ear-ring time and Harvest, All, or any other works of a man's particular Calling, are comprehended. Hence I reason thus: If the Plownan (by whom the King is maintained, Eccl●s. 5. 9) must cease not only from ploughing, but also from the Inning of his harvest upon the Sabbath day, yea though all the six days had been rainy weather, and that day fair, than it follows, that works of less consequence, and of less necessity (as civil Recreations, and the like) ought not to be done on the Lord's day, because it is the sanctified time of God's public worship, as the seventh day was; and therefore Christians are bound to have the like tender regard, and the like tender care of it as God's sanctified time (though it be not a sanctified sign, as the seventh day was) and seeing God is pleased to give unto us six whole days for our necessary works, and for our necessary recreations, he may well require Christians to give unto him the full improvement of the seventh day for the bettering of our souls by his public and private Ordinances, or else we may expect a curse rather than a blessing, from the careless observation of that day. God is jealous of the profanation of any part of his sanctified time; for when the greedy Earthworms among the Jews did but wish in secret in their hearts, that the Sabbath were gone that they might set out their corn to sell, A●os 8. 5. Amos 8. 5. God took notice of their inward profaning of his holy time, and he was so displeased with them for their Inward earthly wishes, that he Swore by the Excellency of jacob, saying, Surely I will never forget any of their work●; Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwells therein▪ vers. 7, 8. Now seeing God was so displeased with them for their secret profanation of the sanctified time of his worship by their worldly thoughts and desires (yea though it were but after God● public worship was ended) then doubtless seeing Jesus Christ hath still reserved the seventh part of time for his public worship, he will not allow Christians now more liberty than the Jews had, either to profane thoughts, or to spor● and recreate themselves on the Lord's day; no, though it should be after the public exercise is ended: God requires the heart on that day, as well as the body, to be employed on spiritual things only. The promise in Es. 58. 13. (to such as make conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath in the inward man) I confess, is made to that Sabbath of Sabbatism called the day of Atonement, but yet this day of Atonement must be considered as it was a Sabbath of equal respect in regard of the sanctified time of God's worship to the seventh day, and therefore that which is unlawful to be done in the one, is unlawful to be done in the other also, both in respect of the outward, and also in respect of the inward man. Quest. 7. Did not the Jews hold it lawful to do works of mercy and works of present necessity on the Sabbath day? Ans. 1. In the days of our Saviour, some of the Jews were so supestitious of the outward rest of the Sabbath, that they were often offended with our Saviour, because he did works of mercy, and works of necessity on the Sabbath day; but it was not so with the Jews from elder times; Maymony saith, If a Thief dig thorough a house upon the Sabbath day, it is free for any to kill him with any death they can put him to. See Ains. in Exod. 22. 2. This they allowed Exod. 22. 2. as a case of present necessity, it could not be deferred, as a Magistrate may defer the putting off a Malefactor to death, until any one of the six days, because the Magistrate hath the Malefactor in safe custody in some sure prison; and therefore they say, It is not lawful to put a Malefactor to death on the Sabbath day, because it is written that no fire shall be kindled upon the Sabbath day, Exod. 35. 3. namely not for the use of any man's particular Calling (as I have already opened this Text) therefore no fire may be kindled upon the Sabbath day for the execution of a Malefactor, for that was but the work of the Magistrates civil Calling. See Ains. in Exod. 18. 22. and yet notwithstanding See Ains. in Exod. 35. 3. they held it lawful for the Magistrate to put a Malefactor to death upon a Festival Sabbath (as it appears by their practice in Joh. 19 31. putting our Saviour to death on a Festival Sabbath, for they did not hold those Sabbaths to be equal to the seventh day) but if a Thief came to steal on the Seventh day, and was taken in diging thorough an house, they held it lawful for a private man to kill him on the Sabbath day (though they did not hold it lawful for a Magistrate to kill a Thief then) because it was a case of present necessity, for he might escape unless he were killed at that instant. And truly Christians may do as much as this on the Lords day, and no more, without sin. 2 Our Saviour confuted the Jews superstitious conceit of the outward rest of the Sabbath, by examples from their own practice; for when they took offence at his miraculous cures upon the Sabbath day, he asked them why they held it lawful to untie their Cattle, and lead them to the water upon the Sabbath day, and so to give them Hay and Provender, and to pull a Sheep out of the pit upon the Sabbath day; and therefore said he, Why may not I show mercy to a Daughter of Abraham that is in misery upon the Sabbath day? And seeing they held it lawful for Abiathar to give the Shewbread to hungry David, he asked them, Why it was not as lawful for his hungry Disciples to pluck ears of corn and to rub them, and prepare them for the sustenance of their present hunger upon the Sabbath day; and after Christ had cured the Cripple; he bade him take up his bed and walk, to save it from spoiling, and from loss, upon the Sabbath day; and when he cured blind eyes upon the Sabbath day with clay tempered into a salve, he did it to warrant Chirurgeons, and Physicians, that they might lawfully temper their Potions and Plasters upon the Sabbath day to cure the sick and weak. By these, and such like examples in the New Testament, our Saviour declared what liberty God gave unto the Jews, to do works of mercy, or of present necessity, upon the Sabbath day; and truly those Christians that will contend for more liberty than this upon the Lord's day, do in effect deny, that the Lords day was ordained with any solemn sanctity. 3 Though the present Apostate Jews did malign our Saviour for doing many works of mercy, and in present necessity, upon the Sabbath day; yet the ancient Hebrew Doctors, recorded by their later Doctors, held otherwise: They say, that the peril of life puts away the Sabbath, and therefore to a sick person that is in danger of death, they do all things needful for him upon the Sabbath day. See Ains. in Exod. 20. 10. And though the Hebrew Doctors do affirm that Circumcision in the time thereof doth drive away the Sabbath, because there was a necessity of doing it on the eighth day, (See Ains. in Gen. 17. 12.) yet say the Hebrew Doctors, in case of sickness they do not circumcise him that is sick, until he be well; (and again) they circumcise none but children that are without sickness, for peril of life putteth away all. See Ains. on Gen. 17. 13. And on the day of Atonement which was a Sabbath of Sabbatism for strict rest, yet than they made ready provision of food for him that lead the Scape-Goat into the Wilderness, yea though that Sabbath was also an exceeding strict Fastingday; yet then at the end of every mile they said unto him that lead the Scape-Goat, Lo here is meat, and here is water, and if his strength failed him, and if he had need to eat, he might eat. See Ains. in Leu. 16. 21. The Hebrew Doctors also say, That if the High Priest were an old man, or sickly, he might have the water made warm, wherein he washed his body on that strict Sabbath of Atonement, either by Irons made hot in the fire, or else by the mixture of some hot water with the cold. See Ains. in Leu. 16. 24. By these, and the like testimonies, we see that the ancient Hebrew Doctors held that the Sabbath was made for man in misery, not only for the curing of his sick and sinful soul by those blessed Ordinances wherewith God did at first bless the seventh day, but even for the curing and comforting of his weak and sickly body; and these are the chief ends for which the Sabbath was ordained from the very first Institution of it. And the Hebrew Doctors were very careful to provide a remedy against immoderate toil and labour to men's bodies in travelling to the public Ordinances which were dispensed every Sabbath day in their Synagogues: For by virtue of God's Command, there was a necessity laid upon all the Jews to resort to some holy Convocation in all their dwellings, Leu. 23. 3. namely, in all their Leu. 23. 3. Synagogues, which must be placed in the midst of their dwellings. Hence the Hebrew Doctors knowing the Command of God for such holy Convocations in all their dwellings; (and knowing the Command of God to rest on the seventh day from all their works) did appoint a certain distance how far men might travel on the Sabbath day to the Synagogue, and they thought good to restrain it to an English mile, to prevent the labour of travel, and the weariness of men's bodies which might unfit them for the reverend attention to God's Ordinances; and from this limited space, it is that we read of a Sabbath day's journey, Act. 1. 12. They did not ordain this Sabbath day's Acts 1. 12 journey for any Civil businesses of men's particular Callings, but for the use of Religious duties, and for works of mercy on the Sabbath day. And this proportion of a mile they took from the example of God's limits which he allowed to the Suburbs of their Cities, for the Suburbs of their Cities might not exceed two thousand Cubits by measure, Num. 35. 5. The like distance God appointed between the Camp of Israel and the Ark of the Lords Covenant when they passed over the River Jordan, Jos. 3. 4. From these eminent examples the Hebrew Doctors ordained that no Tent should be pitched in the Wilderness, nor no House in the Land of Canaan, above two thousand Cubits from their Synagogue-assemblies, which is an English mile; and this distance they usually called A Sabbath days journey. And this order was a provident provision both for the propagation of the Word (for by such short distances from their Synagogues they must have many Synagogues) and in order to a work of Mercy to their bodies, that they might not weary their bodies by long travel, when they came unto God's presence to be partakers of his holy Ordinances; but in cases of necessity (they notwithstanding this restraint to a mile) when the means of Grace did by any occasion fail in any of their Synagogues at home, than they held it without scruple lawful to go further, as we may see by the liberty that the People took in the days of Christ, for than they did leave their Synagogues to follow his preaching from place to place; and if Christ had held their practice to be unlawful, doubtless he would have reproved them, and bid them keep their own Synagogues, and not follow him from place to place as they did; and for the attaining of such excellent means of Grace, the people also held it lawful to leave their own Synagogues, and to break the outward rest of the Sabbath by longer Journeys, and greater Bodily labour; and so we see that the Priests in the Law did break the outward rest of the Sabbath by their laborious kill and dressing of Sacrifices, and yet they were blameless, Mat. 12. 5. 1 Chro. 23. 31. and so also for their Bodily food, they did kindle Fires to Rost and Boyl the portion of their Sacrifices fit for their stomaches every Sabbath Day; for their portions must be eaten in the same day in which the Sacrifice was offered, nothing thereof must remain until the morning; but in case any part of their portions did remain until the morning, it must be burnt, Levit. 7. 15. Exod. 12. 10. I conclude therefore, That the Jews had as much liberty in all respects to do any thing on the Sabbath Day, tending to the good of their Souls, or to their Bodies, either in cases of necessity or mercy, as Christians have upon the Lord's Day; but both sorts have corrupt hearts alike, and have alike need to watch unto the sanctified improvement of the whole day; and both sorts have the same Adversary the Devil to deal withal, and therefore both sorts have need alike to keep a good watch over Satan, and over their own corrupt hearts, or else the spiritual efficacy of God's Holy Ordinances will be lost and vain, which is the only thing that the Devil desires to effect, that he may rejoice in the ruin of our Souls. O that Christians therefore would submit their Consciences to the command of Christ, to keep the Lords Day as strictly from outward works, and as holily in all Christian duties, as ever the Jews did, or aught to have kept the Sabbath Day. And so Jehovah cause his face to shine upon every Soul that truly honours the sanctified time of the Lords Day, and the solemnity of all public and private holy duties. Amen, Amen. The end of the First Part. 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 Midnight; and so consequently that the Lords Day must both begin with the Natural Morning at Midnight, and end with the Natural Evening at Midnight. II. Proving, That the Jews beginning of the Day at the Sunset 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 Sunset till Midnight. 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 Cornhill, 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 employments in the Lords own Sanctified time. THis point is the more difficult to be explained, 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 gins with the Morning. 3 That the Natural morning gins at Midnight. 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 Midnight. 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 Sunset Evening, and for their better information I forced myself to compose this Treatise. I find that the chief ground of their error doth arise, First, from a mistaken interpretation of the first Darkness, to be a full Night of twelve hours; and Secondly, from a mistaken interpretation of the word Evening, because they apprehend it to be nothing else but a full Night. These and sundry such like mistakes, I conceive I have cleared, I presumed therefore that this ensuing Treatise will be hearty 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 find 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 Darkness was comprehended in the word Morning at last, and that it took its beginning from the Midnight 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 Midnight must not be ascribed to the Romans, as the first Authors of it (as many unadvisedly do,) no● 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 practice, That the Jews Sabbath (and so consequently the Lords Day) did properly begin at the Sunset 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 Sunset 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 err, both in their judgement and practice, or else how could so much Corruption, Superstition, Idolatry, and Profaneness creep in to several reformed Churches, as there hath done from time to time in sundry ages? Being therefore entreated 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 Darkness in Gen. 1. 2. was not a complete Night, By three Reasons. Page 1 The true Definition of a complete 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 explained in p. 9 1 The first Darkness 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 Darkness in the Twilight; and in that sense mis-applying Deut. 16. 6. which is meant of the time of sacrificing the Passeover, and not of the time of feasting. Our Ancestors held Gnereb, the Evening, to be at all times of the year 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 always begin at Sunset, and end at Midnight. p. 16 Gnereb is often put by the figure Metanomia for the West, because the later Evening gins at Sunset, which when it is in the Equinoctial doth always set in the West. p. 17 Gnereb, the Evening, is often put by the figure Metanomy for the last days, 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 entire, without any confused mixture; and so Gnarbaiim in the Dual number doth explain it; and therefore Gnarbaiim is eleven times over put for the two distinct parts of the natural Evening. p. 19 And because Gnarbaiim, the two Evenings, are but the two distinct parts of the full natural Evening; therefore the Seventy Interpreters do translate them in the singular, as one proper Evening. p. 22 And the Hebrew Text doth often make the two Evenings to be but one proper Evening. p. 23 SECT. 3. Proving, by seven demonstrative grounds, that the natural Evening gins at Midday at the first declining of the Sun. p. 24 The Jews divided the Artificial day into four great hours, as they divided the Night into four Watches. p. 27 CHAP. III. This Chapter hath three Sections, and five Objections are answered. SECT. 1. Proving that the time of the first Darkness was called Boker, the Morning, at last, namely, after all the parts of the natural day were shaped, framed, and set together. p. 35 Boker, the Morning, doth signify Early. p. 35 Boker i● put for Gods early seeking out, either to punish the wicked, or to protect the godly. p. 37 Boker is put for the first time, and for the first beginning of a thing. p. 37 Boker is put for the Sunset Evening, because the time of Sunset is the first beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day of Cleanness, for then the person purified began the date of his day of Cleanness. p. 40, 56, 86 SECT. 2. Proving that the Morning doth begin in the dark night. p. 41 SECT. 3. Proving that the Morning (in all likelihood) doth begin at Midnight; besides the former certain proof from the exact beginning and sending of the natural Evening, from Midday, to Midnight, p. 44 CHAP. IV. This Chapter hath three Sections, and four Objections are answered. Proving that the Jews Custom in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sunset Evening, was occasioned by their Ceremonial Custom, because the persons that were Ceremonially purified, were commanded to begin the date of their new day of Cleanness at that point of time. p. 50. And hence it follows, 1 That this accidental beginning, must not be accounted for the true beginning of the natural day. 2 Therefore the Sunset Evening is not the right time for us Christians to begin our Lord's day. p. 50 The Jews were cleansed from their Ceremonial defilements in two degrees of time. 1 In the time of the afternoon, by washing or baptising their bodies. 2 In the time of the second Evening, which did always begin at Sunset, then, and not till then, they must begin the date of their day of Cleanness. p. 51, 54 All Israel are called men of Holiness, in regard of their outward purity by their Ceremonial Cleansings. p. 54 The Jews Morrow began at Sunset in Ceremonial respects only p. 56, 86 It is disputed by some, that the Sunset 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 days in his grave. p. 57, 104 The time of Sunset is fully come as soon as the body of the Sun is gone out of sight; and therefore before it is Twilight. p. 57 The time of Christ's burial was at Star light. p. 7. 105 They did not begin their Religious Festival Suppers until three Stars appeared in the sky. p. 60 The Jews observed a double date of the day. 1 They observed the date of their Ceremonial day. 2 They observed the date of the Natural day, for several purposes. p. 61. 95, 96. at Object. 18 CHAP. V Proving that the Passeover-Evening did begin and end according to the Natural Evening from Midday to Midd-night p. 63 And in this Chapter eighteen Objections are Answered. Some think that no other Evening belonged to the Jews Sabbath but the Evening before the Sabbath; but they are much mistaken, for that was the Evening of the Sabbath, no otherwise, but only in relation to the date of the person purified. But the proper Evening of the Sabbath itself begun at Midday, and ended at Midnight, as the Passeover Evening did. p. 64. 110. & 95. at Object. 18. All Passovers were Sacrifices, and therefore the blood of them all must be sprinkled at the Lords Altar in his Temple. p. 69 Blood was the Lord's portion; and in that respect he did prohibit the Jews to eat blood, and likewise some sorts of fat. p. 69 The Lord permitted many private Altars for Sacrifice in the days of Samuel, for the use of a particular person or Tribe; but he allowed but one public Altar, for the public Sacrifices of all th● twelve Tribes, such as the Passovers were. p. 70 The Passeover-day was none of the Jews Festival Sabbaths, it was but a half Holiday. p. 72 No Levites but Priests only must sprinkle the blood of the Sacrifice upon the Lord's Altar. p. 74 It was not convenient for above twenty persons to make their count for one Lamb-Passeover. p. 75 A digression to open some difficult phrases about the Passeover, because they are borrowed from the unusual known dialect of the Thalmud. p. 77 The time of Christ's Burial was at Starlight. p. 83. 57 105 Boker, the Morning, is put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day, which did exactly begin at Sunset. 86 The Jews accounted the first half of the night to belong to the former day, as a true part thereof, in the case of their Religious Feasting upon their Passovers; and in other cases also. p. 90. 51. 64 110 The second part of the Passeover Evening was the appointed season for the time of their Religious Feasting from Sunset till Midnight. p. 93 CHAP. VI Proving, that the day of Reconciliation was an extraordinary long Fasting Sabbath; and therefore the beginning of that day ought not to be produced as an exemplary pattern, neither for the beginning of the Lords day, nor yet for the beginning of any other Fasting day. p. 98 No Fasting day among▪ the Jews was so long as the day of Atonement was. p. 110 CHAP. VII. Answering their Objections more particularly, that hold the Lords day to begin at the Sunset Evening. p. 103 Such as hold the Sabbath day to begin at the Sunset Evening, can never prove that Christ lay three days in his grave. p. 104 Luke saith, that the time of Christ's burial was when it began to be Starlight. p. 105. 57 83 The Hebrew Doctors held the Sunset Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath itself. p. 110. 50. 64 The Hebrew Doctors allow no more but seven Furlongs and a half to an English mile. p. 114 CHAP. VIII. Proving that the punctual time of Christ's Resurrection was in the Morning, just at the time of Sunrising. p. 117 A TABLE OF Such Scriptures as are Illustrated or Explained. Genesis. Chap. Verse. Page. 1 2 35, 44 1 5 8, 16, 22, 31 14 15 58 24 63 51 32 2 21, 38 38 17, 18 12 43 9 12 49 27 17, 24, 37 Exod. 8 21, 22 13 12 6 19, 65, 79 12 7 68 12 8. 42 93. 95, 97 12 11 48 12 1, 2 61 12 14 62 12 22 47 12 27 69 12 29 48 12 33, 39 47 12 38 12 12 41 48, 76 12 45 74 13 3 49, 82 14 24 37 16 12 20 19 10 28 19 22 68 22 31 54 23 8 90 24 5 68 27 1 71 29 39, 41 19 30 8 20 30 19, 20 52 Leviticus. 15 69 1 9 64 1 11 ●4 3 17 69 5 2 50 6 9 89 6 20 24 6 26 102 7 2, 14 69, 74 7 15 61, 87, 97, 102 7 16, 17, 19 81, 86, 87 7 18 64, 89 10 19 88 11 15 15 11 24, 32 50 13 48 13 16 4 91 22 5, 6, 7 55, 60 22 9, 10 55, 87 23 4 5 22, 64 23 7, 8 49, 83, 101 23 11, 15, 16 87 23 15 18, 40, 56 23 20 63, 90 23 32 99 23 40 14 25 8, 9 61 Numbers. 7 1 55 9 3, 5, 11 64, 19 9 10, 11 94, 95 9 12 93 12 1 15 19 9 54 28 4, 8 19, 43, 64, 91 28 16 61 33 3 49, 76 33 48 17 Deu●eronomy. 8 15 14 11 24 59 11 30 17, 58 16 1 36 16 2, 4 80, 90 16 4 81, 86 16 5, 6 68, 69, 72, 76 16 15 88, 97 21 23 106 23 10, 11 51, 54 23 15 97 Joshua. 1 4 59 7 6, 13. 14 28, 53 8 29 106 10 3 96 24 4 59 Judges. 3 15 37 19 19 76 Ruth. 3 14 42 1 Samuel. 1 1 21 1 19 21 17 16 29 20 5 25 20 26 71 30 17 40, 56, 85, 87 2 Samuel. 5 6, 7 21 11 2 52 19 18, 19 21 1 King. 17 6 29 22 43 72 2 King. 3 20, 22 43 14 14 12 1 Chronicles. 7 28 25 2 Chronicles. 1 3 72 9 14 15 15 17 72 13 19, 20 53 35 14 62 35 10, 11 69, 74 35 18 75 Ezra. 9 2 11 Nehemiah. 5 3 12 8 10 88, 97 13 3 12 13 19 104 Job. 3 9 2 23 8, 19 45, 58 26 7 44 37 2 46 38 6, 7 40 Ps. Psalms. 5 3, 4 35 19 5 59 37 6 76 40 8, 9 13 50 1 59 51 18 21 55 18 51 78 9, 60 72 78 68 72 89 12 45 89 13 45 90 6 29 90 14 36 104 34 11 106 35 11 110 3 43 113 3 58 119 176 36 Cham Proverbs. 3 24 11 4 18 76 6 1 12 7 9 2, 63 13 19 12 15 15 12 22 26 12 24 21 15 Ecclesiastes. 11 6 29 Esa. 2 2 37 11 12 45 13 20 15 15 7 14 16 3 7 21 4 39 24 11 18 37 7 13 40 3, 4 13 41 19 13 47 11 39 Jeremy. 2 6 14, 15 4 23 36 5 6 14 6 4 24, 31, 51 23 8 45 30 21 12 48 22 18 50 24 39 Ezekiel. 6 14 17 20 5 11 24 26, 27 115 27 13 11 27 17 11 33 21, 22 115 47 15 46 Daniel. 2 41 11 5 30 39 6 14 60 7 2 46 8 5 17 8 8 17, 46 9 21 37 Hosea. 10 15 36 Habbakkuk. 1 2 37 1 8 14 3 7 15 Zephany. 2 7 37 3 3 14 3 5 36 Zachary. 2 6 45 12 9 36 14 7 13, 28 Malachy. 3 4 11 Matthew. 12 40 104 14 15, 23 20, 25 24 31 46 26 2 79 26 17 77, 78 26 18, 20 75, 93 27 57 82, 10● 27 62, 63 57, 85 27 66 85 28 1 18, 108, 111 28 2 118 Mark. 1 13 14 1 32 60, 106, 109 1 35 42 14 1 78 14 3, 12 79, 93 14 17 93 15 25 27 15 42 82, 105 16 1 108 Luke. 3 5 14 9 12 25 9 19 76 13 17 110 18 12 18 22 1 78 22 14 73 23 54 83, 105 23 56 65, 108 John. 7 55 53 13 12 89 14 19 113, 118 18 28 79 19 14 27, 79 19 31 82, 105 19 40 107 20 6, 7 107 20 19 104, 113 Acts. 10 41 118 21 26 53 26 13 7 28 23 29 1 Corinth. 15 4 104 Galathians. 3 12 54 Hebrews. 10 7 13 Revelation. 1 16 76 7 1 46 Errata of the second part of this Treatise. Page Line 11 18 read That for the 46 26 r. Northerly 51 28 r. departed ●6 ul● r. meaning is 101 16 r. Leu. 23. 7. 107 23 r. come 109 8 r. but a bare Other Escapes the Reader may mend. HOLY TIME. CHAP. I. Proving that the First Darkness in Gen. 1. 5. was not a complete Night. By three Reasons. Reason I. BEcause the first Darkness wanted a Twilight going before it, which is a proper adjunct, and a true part, of a true created night; and therefore the first created night was not without it; and our own experience doth witness that every complete night hath a Twilight going before it in the evening as a true part thereof as well as a Twilight at the end of it in the morning: But the first Darkness, though it had a Twilight in the end of it immediately before the light shined out, yet it wanted a Twilight in the beginning of it; therefore it was not a full night: it was no more but a Synecdoche Membri, a part of the first night. And indeed there could not be a complete night at first, not until the Artificial day was first completely form by the shining out of the light twelve hours together, and then at the end of the said twelve hours the light went out of that horizon, and then there succeeded another darkness of twelve Hours which began with a Twilight. The first half of this darkness made up the first darkness to be a complete night of twelve hours; and the other half went on towards the beginning of the second natural day. And thus, after this order and manner the first night was created, shaped and limited, with a double Twilight, and by this means it became a true pattern and sampler to all the other Creation nights. Mr. Thomas Wilson in his Mystical Cases, in Aenigmate 35. propounds this necessary Question: How can there be Darkness, where there is no Night? Th● Answer hereunto (saith he) must be referred to the first Creation only. By this Answer of his, it is evident that h● did not hold the first Darkness to be a true night, as most Interpreters do, though much amiss in so doing. The sum of what I have said, may be drawn up into this Syllogism. No Darkness that wants the true shape and form of a complete night, can be called a complete night. But the first Darkness wanted the true shape and form of a complete night, because it wanted a Twilight in the beginning of it, which is an inseparable adjunct to the true shape and form of a complete night. Therefore the first Darkness cannot in proper speech be called a complete night. The Proposition is so clear that I need not prove it, because no man I think will deny it. The Assumption is thus proved, God made the Stars to rule in the night, Gen. 1. 17. And the Stars were set first into their dominion in the Twilight Evening 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 term synonimous with Darkness, and with the night, Prov. 7. 9 And Aben Ezra on Exod. 1●. 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 add the description of a complete night, which may further enlighten this truth. A complete night is the absence's of the Suns shining for the space of twelve hours. A complete night is the absence of the Suns shining from off the face of the earth for the space of twelve hours, when the Sun is in the Equinoctial, as the days were in the first Creation: This description of the Night agrees with the testimony of Aben Ezra, immediately cited. Object. Why do you set out the shape and form of the first Artificial day by the shining of the Sun, and of the Night by the absence of the Suns shining? Seeing the Sun 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 Sunshine in the first day, yet doubtless instead thereof the God of Nature, and the God of Order, did cause a certain light to shine out of darkness, from the Element of Fire, in the self same manner and order, as he caused the Light to do on the Fourth Day. At the first, the general matter of the Globe, called Earth, was without form, Gen. 1. 2. because it was void of all ornaments for a time; in like sort the first Darkness 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 hours God said, Let there be light, and there was light, Gen. 1. 3. It were too gross blindness, to think that God did cause this Light to break out of darkness all on a sudden, like a flash of Lightning; no, God was now framing the First Day, to be a Pattern, and Sampler to all the rest; and therefore the God of Nature, and the God of Order, did cause the Light to break out of Darkness by degrees, in the same order and manner as he caused the Sun to do on the Fourth Day, and so by this means the God of Nature did first create a Twilight to the first Darkness, before he caused the light to shine out upon the face of the Earth, as he did by the Sun on the Fourth day; then also he caused the Light to ascend by degrees, until it came to its height at midday, and then he caused it to decline by degrees, until it went off from that Horizon, as the Sun doth now; and so by this means the Artificial Day was completely shaped, and form, before the whole Night could be shaped and form. But secondly, When the Artificial Day was thus▪ form, by the shining of the Light twelve hours, than there succeeded another Twilight, and twelve hours' Darkness more than the first Darkness; the first half of that twelve hours' darkness made up the first darkness a complete night of twelve hours, with a double Twilight, and so it became a true pattern and sampler to all other Creation Nights, and then the last half of the said twelve hours' darkness 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 complete pattern for all the other Creation nights. Reason II. It is evident that the first Darkness was not a complete 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 Stars, to rule the night. But if the first Darkness had been a full night before the Artificial day had received its shape and form, than the Moon and Stars should have had their dominion before the Sun, for doubtless 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, than 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 darkness to be a complete 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 artificial 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 darkness to be a complete night) that can fairly get out of this Dilemma. Reason III. If the first darkness had been form into a complete night before the light was form into a complete artificial day; Then doubtless 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 usual custom 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 form other creatures, he brought them to Adam, & bid him name them with names, defining their natures; & so doubtless if the first darkness, had been first formed into a complete night, he would have named it night in the first place; but he called it nothing else but Darkness at first, saying the darkness was, namely it was a misshapen 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 until the light was first shaped and form 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 clearly 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 form, 1 Day, 2 Night, 3 Evening, 4 Morning. And secondly, hence it follows that the first form part of the natural day, was the artificial day, and not the night. 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. LEarned Mr. Richardson saith, That these two words Evening and Morning do set our Divines to School to find 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. do 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 darkness Evening, and the artificial day Morning, Then in reason he would have placed the said terms in the same methodical 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 intent that God's 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 darkness Evening as synonimous to the term Night, then doubtless some Scripture or other would have showed them to be synonimas, seeing the said terms are so often repeated in the Bible. But though I have made diligent search, yet I cannot find where the ●●rm Morning is made synonimous to the full artificial day, nor where the term Evening is made synonimous to the whole night, in a proper sense. Therefore seeing they are not where synonimas, it is altogether unlike that Moses doth make them synonimas in Gen. 1. 5. and no where else? Object. Why might not the first Darkness be a full Evening, and so a full night of twelve hours, though it wanted a Twilight in the beginning of it? might not God dispense with the Twilight in the first ●igh●? Ans. Why do you go about to make the most wise Creator and Governor 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 days? 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 form; 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 days were shaped and form 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 than the first day had, as I have noted it already, and therefore the manner how the Light did break out of Darkness 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 darkness 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 midday, as Es. 16. 3. Act. 22. 6. Act. 26. 13. 4 Then it ceased to ascend, and made a little stand for about half 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' darkness, the first half whereof made up the first darkness a full night. 8 Then the last half of the said twelve hours' darkness 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 natural day: But I have again set it out more fully in Section 4. Object. 2. Some learned men say, That Moses by the term Evening and Morning in Gen. 1. 5. meant Night and Day, no otherwise, but by the figure Synecdoche only. 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 only 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 only, and this Exposition they borrow from Tremelius Annotation on Gen. 1. 5. or rather from Junius, for it is easy 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 equal parts two several ways, as I have exemplified it by the lines of longitude and latitude on a Compass Dial 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 half of the artificial day to the first half of the Night, and so making it to be an equal part of time to Boker the Morning. But the best way to answer this, and many other Objections, is to lay down 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 signify 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 find that Gnereb doth signify (not a confused mixing and mingling of things together, but) a connexing, conjoining, or coupling of two or more distinct things together, without confounding their several species, or natures, and therefore Wine and Water mixed together cannot be called Gnereb, neither can the confused mingling of Light and Darkness 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 itself is ever expressed by two other several Hebrew words, and never by Gnereb. The thing I aim 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 signify the conjunction of the last half of the Artificial day to the first half of the Night, and that these two distinct parts connexed are an even and equal portion of time to Boker, the morning. 2. I will explain 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 darkness he called Night; and than it follows, so was the Evening; but how was that? was it framed out of the darkness only? No, it was framed and form both out of the said Light called Day, and out of the said Darkness called Night, Conjunctim, and not Divisim, namely, the Evening was framed by conjoining the latter half of the Artificial day to the first half of the Night; and so was the Morning, namely, it was in like sort framed out of the Darkness called Night, and out of the Light called Day, by conjoining the last half of the Night to the first half of the Artificial day: and it is most evident that this was the true meaning of Moses; because he doth afterwards explain Gnereb the single Evening, by Gnarbaiim the two Evenings eleven times over, and the reason is, because the full Natural evening hath two parts; namely the first half is Day, and the latter half is Night, as I shall open the matter more at large, both in this Chapter by and by, and in Chapter the fist. And from this interpretation of Gnereb, in Gen. 1. 5. these three Conclusions do follow. 1 That the First Darkness 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 Darkness by itself considered cannot be called Gnereb the Evening, neither can the confused mixture of the Twilight be called Gnereb the Evening, because Gnereb doth signify (not such a mixture as is confused, but) a connexing, or conjoining of two or more things together, without confounding their distinct species; and there are no other distinct species in Gen. 1. 5. to be conjoined together, but the Light called Day, and the Darkness called Night. But the first darkness was pure darkness, and no other thing was connexed to it till 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 Good to call it Boker, the morning. Therefore the first Darkness by itself considered, cannot be called Gnereb the Evening, neither was it framed into any part of the Evening at all. The Assumption will not be denied▪ The Proposition I prove several ways. But first I will begin it by a particular examination of the various use of the Hebrew word Gnereb thorough 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 connextion of Iron and Clay in the feet of Nebuchadnezars Image, Dan. 2. 41. 43. which connextion is expounded to be the joining 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 do 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 join together, when they carry them to Fairs 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 voice, 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 Soul; as for example, Psal. 104. 34. my meditation of him shall be sweet, or my meditation shall 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 Egyptians that joined 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 return from their Captivity in Babylon, Nehemiah charged the Jews to separate the Heathen people from them, which they had joined 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, as a Surety with another, Prov. 6. 1. and so Gnarbaiim in the dual number is likewise put for a contract between two Persons, namely, when two persons do join their hands together in token of a contract, Prov. 22. 26. And in this respect also Gnereb is put for a pledge by a Metonymia of the sign for the thing signified, because a pledge is given to bind the Covenant or Contract between two Parties, Gen. 38. 17, 18, 20. Gnereb is also put for Hostages, by the Figure Metonymia, because Hostages are given to bind the Covenant, or Contract that is made between two Parties, 2 King. 14. 14. 2 Chro. 25. 24. Gnereb is also put for a Mortgage, by the Figure Metonymia, because the thing Mortgaged is given to bind the Contract between two parties, Neh. 5. 3. Also a derivative of Gnereb is put for wicked persons, that join together in a Conspiracy against lawful Authority, Prov. 24. 25. My son, meddle not with them that are given to change; but it may be better read, Meddle not (by way of association) with them that are Conspirators, for that is a dangerous conjunction. Gnereb is also put for any engagement by way of Covenant, Promise, or Contract, and in this sense it is put for the conjunction of Christ's heart, in a sweet Covenant to do his Father's will, for Man's redemption, Jer. 30. 21. Who is this that hath engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord, or that hath connexed his heart, namely in a sweet Covenant, to approach unto me saith the Lord? and in the former clause Christ draweth near unto God for all his seed. See Ainsw. in Psal. 148. 14. Lo I come (saith Christ) to do thy will O God, thy Law is in my heart, Psal. 40. 8. Heb. 10. 7. 6 Gnereb is put for the woof of any Cloth, because it is connexed to the warp, Leu. 13. 48, 49. 51. 53. 56, 57 59 but this connexion may easily be cleared from being a confused mixture, because the plague of Leprosy might be in the Woof distinctly, and not in the Warp. See Ains. in Leu. 13. 48. 7 Gnereb is put for a conjunction of several swarms of noisome Creatures, which were miraculously combined together with one consent, to plague the Egyptians, Exod. 8. 21, 22. 24. 29. 31. Psal. 77. 44. Psal. 105. 31. Interpreters cannot find out the several kinds of these Swarms, because they are not specified in the text; but in general, there were swarms of venomous Flies that did plague them in their houses, and there were swarms of venomous Creatures, and swarms of ravenous Creatures that did plague them without doors in the Fields, for the twenty fourth verse doth tell us, that they were plagued in all the parts of the Land; but this conjunction of these several sorts of swarms may easily be cleared from confounding their kinds, for out of doubt every kind of Swarm did keep itself distinct from confused mixture with other kinds; Swarms of Flies kept by themselves, swarms of Serpents by themselves, swarms of Wolves, and swarms of Lions by themselves, yet all these Swarms were connexed together in their endeavours to plague the Egyptians. By this interpretation there was not confused mixture among these Swarms, as some do very unadvisedly expound the word Gnereb in this place to signify. 8 Gnereb is put for a Desert, or a Wilderness, Es. 41. 19 for a thirsty land, Es. 35. 7. for a dry land, Jer. 50. 12. jer. 51. 43. or for an unknown land, jer. 2. 6. All these translated terms are Figurative, the continent is put for the connexion of the several things that are contained in it; and our Saviour doth teach us how we must connex and couple the things of the Wilderness together, in Luke 3. 5. compared with Es. 40. 3. 4. where the things of Gnereb are thus connexed; Mountains and Hills are connexed to valleys, rough places are connexed to Plains, or smooth ground, and there are divers other connexion's in Gnereb the Wilderness, for there are divers kinds of wild Creatures that are connexed together in a Neighbourly cohabitation, without confounding any of their distinct kinds, as Deut. 8. 15. Mar. 1. 13. And there are also sundry sorts of Trees growing in a pleasant Neighbourhood together, in their several borders, Es. 41. 19 and therefore Willow trees are called Gnereb, and Gnarbaiim in the dual number, either because of the twy-party coloured leaf, or else because they do usually grow on both sides of the Brooks in a pleasant Neighbourhood together, Es. 15. 7. Leu. 23. 40. In Gnereb the Desert also, there is a connexion of many miseries which do often fall together on poor Travellours, jer. 2. 6. with Deut. 8. 15. And by the Figure Synecdoche any particular thing of the Desert may be called Gnereb; as for example, the Wolf is called the Wolf of Gnereb, and the Wolf of Gnaraboth, in the plural number, jer. 5. 6. because all Wildernesses are inhabited with Wolves. In this regard I cannot but wonder why some Translators do translate, Hab. 1. 8. & Zeph. 3. 3. the Wolf of the Evening, seeing Gnereb hath relation to any connexture, either of places, or of persons, or of things, as well as of the two parts of time in the Natural day, and therefore Gnereb ought not to be translated the Evening in any place of the Bible, but in those places only that have relation to time, namely to the Evening of the Natural day; but the Wolf is not, nor ought not to be called Gnereb in relation to the time of the Evening of the Natural day, for the Wolf doth not hunt after his prey more in the Evening than in the Morning, nay he doth rather seek his prey more in the Morning than in the Evening, as jacob doth tell us in his allusive Prophecy, Gen. 49. 27. it is fit therefore to interpret the Wolf of Gnereb, with relation to the place of his abode, namely to Gnereb the Wilderness, rather than to Gnereb the Evening, and in that respect the seventy Interpreters, in Hab. 1. 8. and in Zepb. 3. 3. do call them the Wolves of Arabia, because of the manifold companies, and confederacy that is among them in the Deserts of Arabia. 9 Gnereb is put for the Continent itself of Arabia, 2 Chro. 9 14. because in that Continent there were divers sorts of people that had Kings over them that were connexed, combined, and confederated together in leagues offensive, and defensive, and in that respect they are called the Kings of Gnereb, or the Kings of Arabia, the continent being put for the confederates therein contained, for Arab, in 2 Chron. 9 14. is written Aereb, in 1 King. 10. 15. which doth properly signify a connexed multitude. See Ainsw. in Gen. 10. 7. and the Aethiopians in 2 King. 19 9 and in 2 Chron. 14. 9 12. are called Cushites of Arabia, by Sir Wal. Rawley, p. 151. 154. 10 Gnereb is also put for several sorts of people, that lived in near cohabitation 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 S●●a and Havilah, of Sab●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 kinds of them are oftentimes connexed together in flocks, and also because some of their kinds are particoloured; I have seen sundry sorts of Crows together in flocks, and some of them were particoloured, namely, white and black like Pies, and Pies are a sort of Crows. See Ains. in Leu. 11. 15. These several instances do 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 half of the Artificial day with the first half of the Night; this part of the Natural day our Ancestors did most fitly call the Evening; First, because Ou● Ancestors held Gnereb the Evening to be at all times of the year 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 always an Even part of time to the Artificial day, that it is many times longer, and many times shorter than the day; but the Evening as it is taken from midday to midnight, is always 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 Artificial day, as most would have them speak, though upon better advice they will 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 half of the Artificial day, to the first half of the Night; will not that little piece of light which remains after Sunset, 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 Darkness, whether Moses, in Gen. 1. 5. did call it Gnereb the Evening or no? I told you not, because it was pure darkness without any connexion of light at the beginning of it, and Gnereb the Evening is often put by the Figure Synecdoche for that half of the Evening, called the latter Evening, which doth always begin at Sunset. when God created the Light to shine out of Darkness, God called that Light (when it had run the course of twelve hours) Day, and the first half of it, with the first darkness, he did at last call it Boker the Morning (namely after the whole time of the Natural day had run its course, and after the Darkness was form into a Night.) Hence it follows, that the composition of Gnereb was form first from the latter half of the Artificial day, and from the first half of the Night; but that little piece of light that remains after Sunset is no part of the Artificial day (which is due to Gnereb) but it is a true part of the Night, and it is presently confounded with darkness, and it is therefore called Twilight, and therefore it cannot fitly be called Gnereb. 2 I answer; That seeing Gnereb is half Day and half Night, it often comes to pass that any one of these parts is Gnereb the Evening is often by the Figure Synecdoche put for the Sunset evening, so it is also put by the Figure Metonymia for the West. 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 midday, and the latter Evening gins at Sunset, which doth always set due West when the days are in the Equinoctial, and in that respect our English Translators do put the West for Gnereb, in Dan. 8. 5. but Tremelius doth there put Sunset for Gnereb, and the seventy in that place do put the South-west Wind for Gnereb, (and that Wind is one of the four Winds of Heaven, into which the Kingdom 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 conjoined, 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 itself 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 plains of Moab, near Jericho, Num. 33. 48, 49, 50. Numb. 36. 13. Deut. 1. 1. Deut. 11. 30. because they lie West at the setting of the Sun, where the latter Evening doth begin, but the seventy in all the said places do put the West for Gnereb, because the situation of the plains of Moab lay in the West part of Canaan, at the going down 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 days, 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 days, even for the days 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 always begin at Midday, at the first declining of the Sun, and then the Sun is in its greatest strength both for light and heat; and than Christ Jesus appeared to Paul for his conversion, that he might send him among the Gentiles that sat in darkness, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, Act. 22. 6, 14. Act. 26. 13, 18. and he made the word of God to abound through a great part of the world, even from Jerusalem to Illiricum, Rom. 15. 19 In this evening time of the world, the Gospel did shine in its full strength, for now Christ and his twelve Apostles, and seventy Disciples, and divers other Prophets and Teachers, did confirm their doctrine with signs and wonders, to the conversion of many ten thousand souls that formerly sat in darkness under the power of Satan. 6 Gnereb is put for the last end of a thing, as in Isa. 24. 11. The mirth of the land is (Gnereb, that is to say) ceased or ended; And in this sense Matthew puts the evening of the Sabbaths (in the plural number) for the end of the week, Mat. 28. 1. for the Jews used to date all the days of the week from the Sabbath day, in this order, the first of the Sabbath, the second of the Sabbath, and so on till the week ended with the Sabbath itself. In like sort they did sometimes call the whole week the Sabbath, and the seven weeks to Penticost they called seven Sabbaths, Levit. 23. 15. and the Pharisee said, I fast twice in the Sabbath, Luk. 18. 12. or, twice in the week; now if the Evening had been the beginning of the Natural day, than all these allusions from Gnereb to the last times, or to the last end of a thing, had been very improper and very absurd. 7 Gnereb, by the figure Synecdoche, is often put for any particular hour in the afternoon, or in the beginning of the night, for the Jews were to transact many Civil and many Religious actions in the several hours of Gnereb, the Evening, and in that respect any of those hours may be called Gnereb, the Evening: But at first when Moses did conjoin and set together all the parts and parcels of the first natural day, No question but he did use Gnereb in its full and proper sense for the conjunction of the latter half of the Artificial day, with the first half of the night, as the even and equal part of time to Boker the morning; and that is the thing which I mainly aim at in all my discourse upon Gnereb. SECT. 2. It is further evident that Gnereb must be taken for such a connexion of things, as doth still preserve the Species distinct, because Gnarbaiim in the dual number is put for the connexion of any two things without confounding their species; But especially it is Eleven times over put for the two parts of the Natural Evening. I Find upon search, that Gnereb, the Evening, is eleven times over called Gnarbaiim in the dual number, because the God of Nature had from the first day divided the natural Evening into two parts, which are rightly called the two Evenings by many Translators. These two Evenings were famously known to all the Jews in Egypt; for when Moses commanded them to kill the Passeover between the two Evenings, Exod. 12. 6. he did not explain what he meant by the two Evenings, he did not make any circumstantial description of them, which had been necessary if they had not been familiarly acquainted with the several limits of them; but he doth only barely name them as a thing that was familiarly known to them. Five times over the Lord commanded them to sacrifice all their Passovers between the two Evenings, Exod. 12. 6. Levit. 23. 5. Numb. 9 3, 5, 11. and four times over the Lord commanded them to sacrifice the daily Evening sacrifice between the two Evenings, Exod. 29. 39, 41. Num. 28. 4, 8. Solomon Jarchi describes the two Evenings thus, from the sixth hour (which is at Midday and upwards) it is called between the two Evenings, for that the Sun declineth towards his going down, etc. 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 gins, See Ains. in Num. 9 3. 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. And Rab. David in Perek Aboth ch. 5. saith, There is the Evening of the Suns declining, and the Evening of the Suns setting. His meaning is according to other Hebrew Doctors, namely, that the Evening of the Suns declining, gins at the first declining of the Sun at Midday, and that the Evening of the Suns setting doth begin then. And Buxtorfius in his Hebrew Lexicon upon the word Gnarbaiim doth cite other Hebrew Canons to this very purpose; But I shall refer you to Chap. 5. for a further description of the two Evenings, where I explain the Passeover Evening. I have already cited nine places of Scripture, where the term of two Evenings is cited in the Hebrew text, and now I will cite two places more: The Priests were commanded to light up their Lamps between the two Evenings, Exod. 30. 8. and the Quails came between the two Evenings, Exod. 16. 12. Also I find one clear example of the two Evenings in the New Testament, in one and the same day; It is said in Matth. 14. 15. When it was evening the Disciples came to him and said, the time is now past (that is to say, it is now past dinner time) send the multitude away; But Christ did not send them away until he had first made them dine, and after they had well dined, than he sent them away: After this Evening Christ went up into a mountain to pray, and then it is said again, When the Evening was come, be was there alone, ver. 23. This Evening in ver. 23. is another Evening besides that in vers. 15. and between these two Evenings Christ did a long action, for he fed many thousands plentifully; And thus I have proved by a Jury of twelve Witnesses that the natural Evening is divided into two Evenings, and I have set out the limits of the first Evening by the testimony of the Hebrew Doctors from Midday till Sunset, and the latter Evening gins at Sunset, and ends at midnight, and both these Evenings are called Gnarbaiim in the dual number; that is say, the Twy-party Evening; for so Gnarbaiim in the dual number must be understood, as it appears by the like form of speech, where the Scripture setteth out the twy-party connexture of other things, as for example, Ramath in mount Ephraim, 1 Sam. 1. 19 is called Ramothaim in the dual number, 1 Sam. 1. 1. some Translators render it the two Ramaths in mount Ephraim, but indeed they are deceived, for there is but one Ramath in Mount Ephraim, and that Ramath is called Ramothaim in the dual number, because it had two parts, and so Jerusalem is usually called Jerusalaim in the dual number, 2 Sam 5. 6, 7. Psal. 51. 18. not because there were two Jerusalem's, 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 tells us, But this City was called Ramothaim in the dual number, because it had two principal 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 dwelled, and kept a Prophet's 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 natural 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 natural Evening, which is divided by the time of Sunset into two principal parts. It is therefore but a wooden shift of some Scholars to call the first Evening an improper Evening, and to call the latter Evening only the full natural Evening: The like wooden 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 only, 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 doubtless 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 mark of distinction or other, especially considering they took liberty to vary the term of their translation from Gnarbaiim, for they do never fully express 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 only proper, then doubtless 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 natural Evening, because they do nine times over translate Gnarbaiim by the single term Evening. I confess they do once after a sort set out the two parts of Gnarbaiim in Leu. 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 do not fully name the two Evenings, but yet after a sort they do 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, burn Incense, trim the Lamps, etc. Secondly, As soon as the latter evening was come (which did always begin at Sunset) they began to feast upon the flesh of their Passovers, and of their Peace-offerings, in a solemn religious manner: Now between, or in the middle of these things all their Passovers were sacrificed. And thus by this Interpretation it appears evidently that the seventy Translators held Gnarbaiim to be but one proper natural 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 only 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 only 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 itself doth often put Gnereb for Gnarbaiim interchangeably, as for example, four places of Scripture do 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 Passovers 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 burn between the two evenings, but other places say in the evening; one place saith the Quails 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 natural evening called Gnereb. Hence I conclude, that the Hebrew word Gnereb doth not The two parts of Gnereb exemplified. signify such a confused mixture as is between light and darkness 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 exemplify the matter by a particoloured coat, one half is white and the other half is black; so is Gnereb the evening, the first half is white called day, and the other half 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 pieces together for the completing of the particoloured coat. Or thus, the two parts of Gnereb may be exemplified by the cloud that stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians, the one half of the cloud was light towards the Israelites, and the other half was dark towards the Egyptians, Exod. 14. 20. So is Gnereb, the natural evening, the first half is light called day, and the other half is dark called night. But if the natural evening had been nothing else but night, as most Interpreters do affirm upon Gen. 1. 5. then all evening Sacrifices must have been offered in the night time only; but the Hebrew Doctors will laugh that opinion to scorn as a foul absurdity; for after Sunset (say they) the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful, see Ains. in Leu. 6 9 (●●y mean it only of all evening Sacrifices) and therefore it was a foul mistake in K. James' Translators to translate Gnereb by the wo●d night, ●n Leu. 6. 20. they say that Aaron's Meat-offering was offered half of it in the morning, and half of it at night, so also they put night for Gnereb, in Gen. 49. 27. and in Job 7. 4. and in Psal. 30. 5. and the Geneva Translators do the like, in Gen 49. 27. and in Lev 6. 20. and often elsewhere: but I believe, themselves b●t●er advised would alter it, and though the 70 Translators do take liberty to render Gnereb in differing terms, yet they never do translate Gnereb by the word Night, because the night in propriety of speech can not agree to the composition of Gnereb, in Gen. 1. 5. SECT. III. Proving by seven demonstrative grounds, that the Natural Evening gins at Midday at the first declining of the Sun. THe first Scripture by which I prove that the Natural Evening doth begin at Midday, at the first declining of the Sun, is from Jeremy, whose speech is both plain and elegant, Jeremy speaks thus in the person of the Babylonian Soldiers, Arise, let us go up at noon; woe unto us, for the day declineth, and the shadows of the evening are stretched out, Jer. 6. 4. These words are spoken by way of allusion; but yet two phrases are remarkable in this Text. 1. The day declineth. 2. The shadows of the evening are stretched out; both these terms are Synonimons, and mean the same time of the day; for as soon as the day gins to decline, the shadows of the evening begin to be stretched out. Hence than it follows, 1. That the evening doth begin as soon as the day gins to decline. 2. That the shadows of the evening do begin to stretch themselves as soon as the sun which rules the day, doth begin first to decline. Jeremy speaks these words in the person of the Babylonian Soldiers who made haste to destroy the Jews by the Noon-tide, but when they were upon their march they saw they were like to come short of the appointed time, and therefore they ●ry out in an angry passion, Woe unto us, for the day declineth, and the shadows of the evening are stretched out. The Prophet speaks this by way of Prosopopeia; yet there must be a real truth in the allusion. Secondly, I prove that the natural Evening gins at Midday, at the first declining of the Sun, by Matth. 14. 15. When the Evening was come; Luke expounds this evening to be come, when the day began to go down or decline, Luk. 9 12. So Mr. Broughton renders the Text: And when else doth the day first begin to go down or decline, but when the Sun that rules the Day doth first begin to go down or decline? as is above observed from Jer. 6. 4. And experience doth tell us, that the Sun doth first begin to decline at midday, and that it continues declining till Sunset; So then, from the term Evening in Matthew described by this adjunct in Luke, when the day gins to go down or decline, it may truly be gathered by necessary consequence, that the natural evening doth begin at midday, at the first declining of the Sun; and this evening hath two parts, the first part gins at the first declining of the Sun, as I have already expounded, v. 15. and another evening doth begin at Sunset, in v. 23. Thirdly, I prove that the full natural evening gins at midday, at the first declining of the Sun, by Deut. 16. 6. Thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover at Evening, at the going down of the Sun, at the season thou camest out of Egypt. This Text is very pregnant to prove the point in question; but because I have occasion to expound this Text at large in chap. 5. Therefore I refer the Reader thither. Fourthly, I prove that the full natural Evening gins at midday by 1 Sam. 20. 5. David doth there entreat Jonathan to meet him on the third day at Even, and it appears that Jonathan was very careful to observe the punctual beginning of this appointed evening, because it was a matter of weight, and because David depended upon his punctual observation of the precise time, therefore Jonathan did confirm his promise by an oath, ver. 13. besides, David did over and above all this charge Jonathan to come to him quickly or diligently, that is to say, to be exact, and to keep the appointed time diligently or punctually, and accordingly Jonathan did manifest his diligence to observe the punctual time, as it is evident, because he went out into the field on the third day in the Morning, which (saith the Text) was at the time appointed with David, v. 35. Object, 4. How can you make Jonathans' Morning to be the appointed time with David, seeing David did not appoint Jonathan to meet him on the third day in the morning, but on the third day at even, as v. 5. testifieth? Answ. Jonathans' morning was the appointed time with David, because Jonathans' morning did end at midday, and David's evening did begin at midday, at the first declining of the Sun: now Jonathan could not have come quickly, diligently, exactly and punctually to the place appointed at the beginning of the evening, unless he went out on the third day morning, that is to say, a little before the evening began; but by his diligence in taking in a little piece of the morning at the beginning of his Journey, he might well be at the place appointed according to the punctual time of the appointed Evening; and thus Jonathans' Morning and David's Evening do meet together at Midday, and no other resolution can be given, as I conceive, to make Jonathans' morning and David's evening to agree together at one and the same appointed time but this. Object. 5. Why may not the appointed evening be understood of the night-evening, and the appointed place be a great way off, and in that respect Jonathan might begin his journey in the morning, that so be might come to the place appointed at the time of the Sunset evening? Answ. I perceive that men are loath to have any other evening, but the night-evening, and therefore they are willing to raise what Objections they can against the midday evening: But I will give you divers Reasons why the appointed evening cannot be meant of the Sunset evening. First, If the place of meeting had been so far off as to cause Jonathan to spend so much time in going thither as from morning till Sunset, than Jonathan could not have had time enough left to return back again into the City in the same day. But the Text in ver. 23. doth tell us that Jonathan did return the same day into the City; therefore the appointed evening cannot be understood of the sunset evening. Secondly, Jonathan returned alone without any company with him, for he had sent his Boy back into the City before, which in reason he would not have done, if the place of meeting had been so far off as you make it. Thirdly, Jonathan knew that Saul was jealous of his familiarity with David, and he knew also that Saul was much enraged against David at this time; Therefore in wisdom Jonathan would not be so long absent from Saul as from morning till Sunset; nay, it would have been Midnight ere he could have returned, if the place appointed to meet at had been so far off as you would make it, and then Saul might well have suspected that Jonathan might have had some other errand into the field besides shooting at a mark, by his long and late absence; but jonathan pretended no other errand but to shoot at a mark, and therefore he took his Boy with him to witness so much if need should be▪ 1. Hence it follows, that the place of meeting was but a little way without the City; for what need had a man go fare to shoot at a Mark? and so it asked but a little time to go to it, and to return from it. 2 Hence it follows, that the appointed Evening must be understood of the Midday Evening, and not of the Sunset Evening: And thus Jonathans' Morning and David's Evening did fitly agree to the same appointed hour at Midday. In like sort one Evangelist saith that Christ was crucified at the third hour, Mark. 15. 25. But John saith he was crucified at the sixth hour, Joh. 19 14. this differing relation of time, may seem to have as great a difference as is between Jonathans' Morning and David's Evening, and yet there is no difference a● all when things come to be rightly expounded: For the Jews divided the Artificial Day into four great Hours, just as they divided the Night into four great Watches, Mark. The Jews divided the day into four grea● hours, as they divided the night into four watches. 13. 35. every great hour contained in it three small hours; The first great hour they called by the name of the third hour, because it ended with the third small hour, which we call nine a clock; and their second great hour they called their sixth, because it ended with the sixth small hour, which we call twelve a clock; and thus as soon as the first great hour ended with our nine a clock, the second great hour began with our ten a clock: And thus Peter Martyr in the Judges, Mr. Godwin, and Mr. Weames, do accord these great hours with our small hours, and just after this sort the end of Jonathans' Morning in v. 35. and the beginnings of David's Evening in v. 5. do fitly close and meet together at Midday. Fifthly, I prove that the natural Evening doth begin at Midday, by Josh. 7. 6. There Joshua and the Elders fell down upon the Earth before the Ark of the Lord till Eventide, that is to say until Evening began. Object. 6. This Eventide must be understood of the Sunset Evening. Answ. I answer no, it cannot be understood of the Sunset Evening, for Joshua had much business to do after this, which must be done before the time of Sunset, for the Lord commanded Joshua to sanctify the people against the morrow, Vers. 13, 14. But Joshua could not sanctify them at the Sunset Evening, for then the day of their cleanness must begin, by the order of the levitical Law; they must therefore be washed from their defilements in the afternoon, or else they could not begin the day of their cleanness at their Sunset Evening; and in case they did not begin the new day of their cleanness at Sunset, they might not come before the Lords Ark on the morrow to beg Atonement for Transgressor's, as I have opened the matter more at large in Chap. 4. Now Joshua could not have sanctified the people in a fit manner to come before the Lord's Ark on the morrow, if he had lain still upon the earth till the Eventide at Sunset; for Joshua must have a large time to inform all the people by a Proclamation through all the Camp, what was the cause of the Lords anger, and what they must do by way of preparation before they could obtain the Lords favour: The thing they must do by way of preparation was to sanctify themselves from their Ceremonial defilements, by washing their Bodies and their according to the Ceremonial customs, as they are set down in Exod. 19 10. Gen. 35. ●. and this must be done in the same Eventide wherein the Lord spoke to Joshua and to the Elders, saying, Up, and sanctify the people, and say, sactifie yourselves against to morrow, Vers. 13. Now then consider the time that must be taken up for this Proclamation throughout all the Camp, and consider the time they must have for the washing of all their Bodies and their before Sunset, and then it will necessarily force us to understand this Eventide of the Noon-tide Evening, and not of the Sunset Evening. Sixthly, I prove, That the full natural Evening gins at Midday when the Afternoon gins, because the Evening in Scripture is often put for the Afternoon, as the morning is put for the Forenoon: In the morning sow thy seed, and in the Evening let not thy hand rest, Eccles. 11. 6. Sol●mons meaning is, that men should be as diligent in doing good at all times, as the Husbandman is in seedtime; he will not rest from sowing his seed neither Forenoon nor afternoon, because he knows not which will prove best. A wise and diligent Husbandman will go out to sow his seed in the afternoon Evening, and not defer it till the Sunset Evening; therefore by Solomon's account the Evening gins with the Afternoon at Midday. 2. It is said Psal. 90. 6. In the morning the grass flourisheth and groweth up, but in the evening it is cut down and withereth: The Husbandman doth not use to go out to mow his grass in the evening after Sunset, or if he sometimes do so, yet it doth not whither in the evening after Sunset; But Husbandmen use to take the opportunity to mow their grass in the afternoon, and then it withereth, therefore the Evening gins with the afternoon. 3. It is said in 1 Sam. 17. 16. that Goliath drew near Morning and Evening forty days together: But Soldiers do not use to call for a Pitched Battle in the evening after Sunset, but either in the Forenoon or in the Afternoon Evening. 4. It is said 1 King 17. 6. That the Ravens brought bread and flesh to Elijah morning and evening: but the Ravens do not use to carry meat in the evening after Sunset, for than they use to fly to their Roost, and so to continue there all night; Therefore the Ravens carried meat to Elijah in the Afternoon Evening. Seventhly, Paul sent for the Jews in Rome to come to his lodging that he might testify unto them the things of the Kingdom of God, and that he might persuade them concerning Jesus, and they came at the day appointed, and then Paul preached unto them from morning till evening, Act. 28. 23. But I think no deliberate man will say that Paul continued his Sermon to that mixed multitude from the morning light, till the evening at Sunset: The hungry bellies and captious spirits of most of these Jews would not endure it; neither would Paul's wisdom nor his strength suffer him to offer it, especially seeing the Jews of this Synagogue had beforehand manifested to Paul their dislike of this Sect, vers. 22. These circumstances considered, this phrase from morning till evening must be understood of a convenient portion of time for one Sermon. It is like they came to Paul's lodging at the ordinary hour wherein they used to resort to their Synagogues, about nine a clock in the morning, and it is like also that Paul continued his Sermon to them till the Noon-tide evening, a little more or less, as in wisdom he thought it convenient, all circumstances considered, and in likelihood the Jews would not appoint to meet at Paul's lodging before the ordinary hour of morning prayer, nor be contented to stay longer than Dinnertime, when the Evening gins, at Midday; therefore it may be gathered by probable conjecture, that the evening began at Midday in Rome as well as in judea. The first Natural Day is divided two several ways by Moses in Gen. 1. 5. 1 Into Day and Night by the Line of Longitude. 2 Into Evening and Morning by the Line of Latitude. The Hebrew word Gnereb in Gen. 1. 5. was well translated the Evening by our Ancestors, because it is a connexture of so much Day and Night together as makes up an even and equal part of time to Boker the morning▪ And secondly, Because the Natural Evening is half Day and half Night, therefore Moses doth eleven times over call it the two Evenings, as it in noted in Chap. 2. Sect. 2. SECT. 4. Bring a Description of the twofold Division of the first Natural Day, how and in what order every part of it was shaped, named and framed together. THe first Natural day in Gen. 1. 5, was twice divided by Moses, just according to the Lines of Longitude and Latitude in the Globe, and i● was shaped and framed together in this order. Take a p●●ce of paper and portray upon it the shape or image of a compass Dial. Then first shadow out upon it the first darkness from the N●rth point almost to the East point. 2. Then shadow out a little piece of Twilight to fill it up to the East point, as a sign that the light did thence break out of darkness by degrees. 3. Then shadow out a piece of light of six hours long, for the ascending of the shining light from the East point to the South point. 4. Then make a mark of distinction at the South point for the standing still of the light for a little while at Midday. 5. Then shadow out another piece of light of six hours long for the declining of the light from the South point to the West point. 6 Then writ upon all this shining light from the East point to the West point, the name Day, as the proper name of his perfect shape and limit; and in this order was the first Artificial Day shaped out, limited, and named. 7. Then shadow out a little piece of Twilight, at the departure of the light out of that Horizon, on the inside of the West point. 8. Then take twelve hours' darkness, and shadow out the first half of that Darkness from the West point until it meet with the place of the first darkness at the North point. 9 Then writ upon all that Darkness from the West point to the East point, the name Night, as the proper name of its perfect shape and limit, and in this order was the night last shaped out, limited and named. Then let the other half of the last twelve hours' Darkness be set upon the outside of the same Compass Dial, from the North point to the East point, for the beginning of the second Day. 10 Hence we may observe the Reason why the first Darkness could not be called Night at first, namely, because it wanted the form and limits of a Night, for it wanted the shape of a twilight going before it, and therefore until it had obtained that, it was call●d nothing else but confu●ed darkness, and it could not have this form till the last period of time belonging to the night was finished; and it could not have that period till the first half of that twelve hours' darkness succeeding the Artificial Day had met with the first darkness at the North point, and that conjunction occasioned a mark of distinction in the middle of the night. 11. By these marks of distinction, the true Form and Figure of the two Lines of Longitude and Latitude, from East to West, and from North to South, were clearly marked out. 12. By this Line of division from Midday to Midnight the Natural Day was again divided into two equal parts (in a differing manner from the division of the Day from the Night) the first half from Midday to Midnight was called Gnereb, the Evening, and the other half from Midnight to Midday was called Boker, the Morning, 13. After this sort hath the God of Nature halsed and quartered the Natural day by the Lines of Longitude and Latitude. 14 By this method the God of Nature hath not only made the natural day to be a twiparty day, consisting of light, and darkness; But also Secondly, He hath made the Artificial Day to be a twiparty day, because he hath made the one half of it to belong unto the Morning, and the other half of it to belong unto the Evening. Thirdly, He hath also made the Night to be a twiparty Night, because he hath made the one half of it to belong unto the Evening, and the other half of it to belong unto the morning. And in this regard the night is sometimes called nights in the plural number, Psal. 134. 1. Psal. 92. 2. Fourthly, He hath also made the Natural Evening to be a twiparty evening, because it is a connexion of the latter half of the Day, to the first half of the Night; and in this respect it is called Gnereb, a connexion, and sometimes it is called Gnarbaiim, the two Evenings, because of the two parts of it. Fifthly, He hath also made the Natural Morning to be a twiparty Morning, because it is a connexion of the first darkness, or of the latter half of the night, with the first half of the Artificial day, and in this respect it is often called Mornings in the plural number, Psal. 73. 14. Psal. 101. 8. Job 7. 18. Lam. 3. 23. Is. 33. 2. 15. The Reason why the first darkness could not be called either Boker the Morning, or Gnereb the Evening, at first, was, because these names are names of the perfect shape and limits given unto these two parts of the Natural day; and the first darkness was a confused misshapen thing at first, therefore it could not belong either unto the Morning or unto the Evening, until it was first shaped and limited into a night; for Boker the Morning is constituted of a part of the shaped Night, as well as of a part of the shaped Artificial Day; and the first darkness could not be shaped into a Night until it had twelve hours' darkness succeeding the Artificial Day, by means whereof the first half had a Twilight going before it, and then as soon as it met with the first darkness at the North point, it First gave perfection of shape to the Night. And Secondly, It gave perfection of shape to the Evening. And thirdly, It gave perfection of shape to Boker the Morning. And accordingly, every part of this day had its name as soon as it had its perfect shape; as for example, when the shining light had finished its last period at the West point, it was called Day; in like sort, when the darkness had finished its last period at the North point, it was called Night: And then also the Evening and the Morning was the First Day. Pharez and Zara were Twins, and when they came to their Birth, Zara thrust out his hand first, thereupon the Midwife said this is first, and she did mark it out for the first by a red thread; yet notwithstanding Pharez did finish his Birth first, and thereupon he was first named Pharez, and Zara was last named though he begun his Birth first: Even so, the time called Morning began its birth first, but yet notwithstanding the time called Evening was first perfected in its shape and limits, and thereupon it was first called Gnereb. O the wonderful variety of God's wisdom in contriving and setting together all the parts and parcels of this first Natural Day! CHAP. III. Proving that the time of the first Darkness was called Morning at last, namely as soon as that Darkness was form into a Night. MOses doth tell us, Gen. 1. 1, 2. That in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth, and that darkness was upon the face of the deep, namely for the space of six hours, before the light was created. The Question is, Whether this first Darkness was called Morning or Evening. The Answer shall be framed into three Heads or Sections. I. I will prove that the Creation began in that part of time which at last was called Boker, the Morning. II. That the Morning gins in the dark Night. III. That the Morning doth begin at Midnight. SECT. I. Proving that the time of the first Darkness was called Boker, the Morning, at last. FIrst, It appears to me that the first Darkness was called Boker, Boker the morning d●th signify early. the Morning, at last; namely, as soon as all the parts of the Natural Day were form: Because Boker, (the Morning) doth signify Early, See Ains. in Psal. 5. 4. and in this sense the Morning is put for the first opportunity of time for any business, as in seeking unto God early by prayer, and in this sense David saith in Psa. 5. 3. Jehovah, in the morning (or early) I will direct my prayer unto thee, and will look out (or espy) as he that keepeth watch and ward expecting what God will answer; and the godly do often profess, that they will look out early after God (by the term Morning) as in Psal. 90. 14. and Psal. 143. 8. and truly I conceive, that the only Reason why Bulls and Cows, And all the Herds of that kind are called Baker (from whence Boker is derived) is from their early seeking out for their meat from God, sooner than other Cattle use to do: for in the Evening or in the beginning of the Night they use to sit down and chew their Cud, but in the early Night-morning, they usually rise up and seek out for food before other sorts of Cattle. Object. 1. Boker, the Morning, is put for the beginning of the Artificial Day, because that is the fittest season to seek out or (earth after things that be lost, or after things that are to be sought after; men do not usually seek after things in the dark, but as soon as the morning light appears, than they begin to look and search after lost things, and hence the beginning of the Artificial Day is called Boker, the Morning. Answ. I see no Reason to restrain the signification of Boker to man's seeking by the sight of his eyes, in the time of the Artificial Morning only, but considering that Boker, the Morning, is placed among the works of God's Creation before man was created, it may be considered as Gods first early time in ordering the Creation in the best manner; for God may be said to seek early (after the manner of men) not for want of knowledge in particulars, but to set out his Wisdom and Prudence, and Fatherly care, and the like, in the first Creation, as these Scriptures do testify, Exod. 14. 24 27. Ezek. 34. 11, 12, 16. Psa. 30. 6. Psa. 90. 14. Isa. 17. 14. Psal. ●19. 176. Zach. 12. 9 For by Wisdom the Lord founded the Earth, and by Understanding he established the Heavens, ●rov. 3. 19 and so by Wisdom and Understanding he form all the parts of the First Day, in such an exquisite O●der, that so it might be for an exemplary pattern to all the other Natural days to the end of the world. Secondly, Early seeking may be done by advice, counsel, and meditation, as well in the time of darkness, as in the morning light. Thirdly, When it pleased the Lord to uncreat Judab by his destroying Judgements (namely, by wars from the Enemy) how did God order it to be done? but by his early looking out and searching into things; For thus saith the Lord, I looked upon the Earth, and lo it was without form and void, and to the Heavens, and they had no light, Jer. 4. 23. for by their wicked confused Government they had provoked the Lord by wars to turn all their Commonwealth into a Chaos again. This form of speech (by contraries) declares that God by his wise Providence did search out in the time of the first darkness how to adorn the earth with light, and how to order all the parts of the first day in the best manner, and in this respect God's early Providence is often set out by the term Morning, both 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 protects 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 shall 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 signify 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 showed 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 Wolf, in the Morning he shall devour the prey, and in the Evening he shall divide the spoil; 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 pre-eminence 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 jacob's Prophecy doth relate to the term Morning and Evening; the event of his Prophecy lies thus. 1. Ehud of Benjamin was raised up by God like a Wolf in the early morning to devour the Moabites, and to deliver Israel, Judg. 3. 15. Then God did also raise up Hester and M●●decai or Benjamin like a Wolf as it were in the Artificial Morning, to deliver the Jews, and to devour Ha●nan and all his Confederates in a hundred twenty seven Provinces, Hest. 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 days of the Gospel are called the Evening, by Zeph. 2. 7. the Prophet doth there foretell 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 Jews 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 days of the Gospel, and in that respect the time of the Gospel is often called the last days, 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 days 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 gins at Midday at the first declining of the Sun, and then the day is most clear and bright, and so it continues till almost Sunset; 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, than 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 Starlight, or Moonlight 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. Evil 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 Babylon's 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 thin●, 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 Babylon's 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 carried on in a speedy and obscure manner by the Persians, so that the Babylonians had no suspicion or discerning of their fall as yet; therefore the Morning of the Artificial Day was not so suitable to exemplify the manner of their speedy ruin, as the early dark Morning was, for it was done speedily ere they were ware, Jer. 50. 24. as it appears by these two considerations. 1. Isay did foretell that Babylon should be destroyed in the Night, Isa. 21. 4. 2. Isay did foretell that Babylon should be destroyed in the early Morning, Isa. 47. 11. Put both these Prophetical allusions together, and then they will amount to thus much, that Babylon should be destroyed in that Morning, that gins in the Night; and the History of Events doth tell us, not only that Belshazzer was slain in the Night, Dan. 5. 30. but also it is apparent by the circumstances of time that must be spent at that drunken feast before that Daniel could be sought out and brought in, to interpret the vision, that it was in the latter part of the Night, after the Morning was begun. Take the early Morning of Babylon's fall either in the former figurative sense, or in the last proper sense (either way or both ways) and it doth sufficiently prove, that the time called Morning was first in order before the time called Evening, or else this Allusion of Babylon's fall to the early Morning had been improper; hence it follows, that the first Darkness was comprehended under the term Morning, and not under the term Evening. Fifthly, Boker, the morning, is put for the first beginning of a Fifthly, Boker, the morning, is put for the Sunset Evening, because the time of Sunset is the first beginning of the Jews day of cleannesses. thing, because it is put for the first beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day (or for the Sunset Evening) as the Hebrew Doctors do witness. See Ains. in Deut. 16. 4. This I have further opened in another place; and so in like sort Macar, the morrow, is put for the first beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day (or for the Sunset Evening) in 1 Sam. 30. 17. and in Leu. 23. 15. as it is further opened in chap. 4. Sixthly, It is evident that the morning was before the time called Evening by the title that Job gives to the Angels, he calls them Morning-Stars, Job 38. 6, 7. These Morning-Stars cannot be meant of the Stars in the Firmament, for they were not created till the fourth day, Gen. 1. 14. But these Morning-Stars are said to shout and sing when the foundation of the earth was laid; Hence it follows, that the Angels are called Morning-Stars, either because of the time wherein they shouted at the first laying of the foundations of the earth, which was done in the time of the first darkness, or else in relation to the time of their Creation, which was also done in the time of the first darkness, as many learned do accord. But if the time of their Creation, or the time wherein they shouted at the laying of the foundations of the earth had been Evening, than the Angels should more properly have been called Evening-Stars, than Morning-Stars. Object. 3. The Angels are called Morning-Stars, not in relation to the time of their Creation, but by way of allusion to the excellency of their Nature, and this is more suitable to be expressed by the light of the Artificial morning, than by the first darkness. Answ. If the Circumstances of God's discourse with Job, and of God's Interrogations be well marked, there is no ground to say that God did only intent to set out the excellent nature of the Angels by comparing them to the morning of the Artificial day. For the main thing that God aimed at by his Interrogations to Job, was, to make him see his folly in desiring to dispute the cause of his afflictions with God, God shows him that he is not able to find out the depths of his Wisdom in the first laying of the foundation of the earth, because it made the Angels to shout out with admiration, and therefore Job was much less able to search out the reason of his deal with him, in his present afflictions, and in that respect God did pose him with this Interrogation, Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth, tell, if thou have understanding? Job 38. 4, 5, 6. When the morning Stars rejoiced together, and when the Sons of God shouted, Ver. 7. The Text doth plainly call them Morning Stars, not so much in regard of the excellency of their Nature, but in regard of the time wherein they were created, or wherein they shouted at the excellency of God's Workmanship when the foundation of the earth was laid, either way or both ways do assure us that the time of the first darkness was called Morning and not Evening. And that is the thing that I aim at in this first Section of this Chapter. SECT. 2. Proving that the Morning doth begin in the dark Night. FIrst, No man can deny but that the Morning is begun when the morning Watch is begun, for the text doth affirm it, Exod. 14. 24. 1 Sam. 11. 11. And it is a known thing, that among the Jews they did always begin it just three hours after Midnight, not only in the Summer time but also in the Winter time: Hence it follows, that their morning Watch in the time of Winter must needs begin in the dark night, not only in Judea, but also in all the habitable parts of the world. 2. Hence it follows, that seeing the morning Watch did begin at three hours after Midnight, than it will follow, that it must end just three hours after Midday; for in common reason the morning must be as long as the evening, namely, twelve hours long, or else the Evening may better be called an Unevening, than an Evening to the Morning; but none that have their senses will say that the morning doth continue till three hours after Midday. 3 Hence it follows, that it is more agreeable to Scripture and to common reason to begin the natural morning at the marked time of Midnight, rather than three hours after, especially seeing it is then as dark all the winter long as it is at Midnight, and therefore seeing the morning is begun with darkness, why not with darkness at midnight, as well as at three hours after midnight, seeing the world was created in the Equinoctial, and the Morning is then as dark at three hours after Midnight, as it is at Midnight? Secondly, Ruth lay at the feet of Boaz until the Morning, Ruth. 3. 14. and yet she arose before one could know another. Hence it is evident that it was Morning in the time of Barley Harvest, whiles it was yet dark; it may be it was now in the end of our March, or in the beginning of our April; and though some say that the Morning Watch was not so called from the first hour of it, but from the last hour of it when it begun to be day light; yet this place of Ruth calls it Morning whiles it was yet dark, and before one could know another. Thirdly, It is said that Christ arose in the Morning a great while before Day (or greatly in the Night) so the Greek speaks, Mar. 1. 35. Hence it is manifest that it was Morning, whiles it was greatly or much in the night. Fourthly, None can deny but that the morning is begun at the time of daybreak in all the Inhabited Countries of the world. Hence it follows, that then it is morning in some Countries near unto midnight, especially when the days 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 midnight; and indeed the daylight (when the days are at the longest) is scarce ever out of the Sky in those parts, except a little while about midnight; Hence it follows, that seeing it is daybreak sometimes near unto Midnight, then why may not the morning begin at midnight all the year long as well in one Country as in another, seeing the God of Nature hath set such an eminent mark upon midnight, and upon midday, 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 Midnight, and all men call it morning as soon as that Star is risen, and in some parts when the days are at the longest it riseth near unto Midnight, but it always riseth before it is day break. Sixthly, It is evident that the morning gins 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 only meddle with the phrase, for the phrase sake only; 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 daybreak, Gen. 32. 24, 26. 4 Then follows the time of killing the morning Sacrifice, namely, when the face of all the East is enlightened, which is between daybreak and Sunrising, See Ains. in Num. 28. 4. And certain it is that the morning Sacrifice was not only slain, but also offered before Sunrising, (because the Meat Offering which was always offered after the Offering) was offered before Sun rising, as it appears by 2 King. 3. 20, 22. and the Offering was always first, Leu. 1. and then the Meat Offering, Leu. 2. now though the Morning Sacrifice was offered before Sunrising, yet the Evening Sacrifices of all sorts must be offered before Sunset. For the Hebrew Doctors say, that after Sunset the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful, See Ains. in Leu. 1. 6. 9 5. Then follows the morning of the Artificial day at Sunrising, Psal. 104. 22, 23. for God did appoint the Sun to rule and limit the Artificial 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 only, 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 midnight, besides the former certain grounds from the exact beginning and ending of the Evening. FIrst, I will endeavour to prove that the morning doth begin at midnight 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 itself out until 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, than 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 be glad to see it. But if the first Darkness had been twelve hours long, than 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 created, before the light was created? And so likewise for this Reason, Job doth teach us in what order we must place the four ends of the two Lines of Latitude and Longitude (now called the four Cardinal Points of the Compass) by placing a man in this order to view the Globe. 1 He calleth the North point, the left hand. 2 He calleth the South point, the right hand. 3 He calleth the East point, before. 4 He calleth the West point, behind. See Tremelius for this in Job 23. 8 9 So then, He that desires to behold the Globe in a right order, how the God of Nature did divide it and quarter it, must place the North point of the Globe at his left hand, the East before, the South at his right hand, and the West behind. See Ains. in Psal. 89. 13. and in Numb. 2. 3, 29. 2 The holy Scriptures do often direct us to observe the four ends of the two Lines of Latitude and Longitude. 1 Because they divide the whole earth into four quarters. 2 Because they divide the heavens into four quarters. And in this respect the four quarters of the Earth are sometimes called the four wings, or the four corners of the Earth, Revel. 7. 1. Numb. 24. 17. Isa. 11. 12. Ezek. 7. 2. Job 37. 3. and 38. 13. 2 The Heavens are divided into four quarters, and in this respect the four Winds are said to come from the four quarters of Heaven, Jer. 49. 36. Ezek. 37. 9 Dan. 7. 2. and 8. 2. Zach. 2. 6. Mat. 24. 31. And when the Lines of Latitude and Longitude are drawn upon a Compass Dyal or upon a Globe, than they make the four winds in the four quarters of Heaven to lie thus, and to be called thus, North-East, Southeast, South-west, Northwest. And thus the Holy Scripture doth force us to observe the various use of these two Lines of Longitude and Latitude; and therefore doubtless Job was not ignorant, but spoke as a man of knowledge, when he said that God stretched out the North upon the Empty. First, He was not ignorant of the North point. Nor secondly, How far it stretched. Nor thirdly, of the time of the Globes emptiness. 3 Ezekiel doth direct us to take notice of the North point as the first in order of the four Cardinal points, because he doth first begin the division of the Land of Canaan from the North quarter, and so he ends it with the West quarter, read Ezek. 47. from ver. 15. to the end of the Chapter; and in this order also the Lord was pleased to let Moses take a view of the land, he stood in the Land of Gilead, and from thence in the first place he viewed Dan which was the furthest Northward and Northally in Galilee, which lay also Northward. Secondly, Then he viewed the land of Ephraim and half Manasseh which lay Eastward from him in the middle of the Land. Thirdly, Then he viewed the Land of Judah to the South. And fourthly, Then he viewed the Land of Jericho which lay in the West of Canaan. See Ains. in Deut. 34. 1, 2, 3. Secondly, I will endeavour to prove that the Morning began with the first darkness, and that the first darkness must be placed at the North point by another phrase of Job, for Job doth tell us that when the winds have purged the Air, and made it clear from clouds and vapours, that then out of the North a golden light doth show itself, Job 37. 22. Our eyesight may witness the truth of this point, for in a clear Morning before Sunrising we may often see a golden list of light stretching itself from the North point to the East; and again after Sunset we may often see a golden list of light stretching itself from the West point to the North point. This Observation, First, Of the golden list from North to East, may teach us that the root of the Morning comes from the North point, where the Midnight gins by the Compass-Dyall. And Secondly, The golden list in the Evening after Sunset from West to North, may teach us that the Evening doth reach unto Midnight, or to the North point. Thirdly, I prove that the Natural Morning doth begin at Midnight, because the morning of the fifteenth day of Nishan began at Midnight. I collect it thus, Moses at the first in Egypt gave a very strict charge to all the Israelites, that no man should go out of the door of his house until the Morning, Exod. 12. 22. namely, not until the morning of the fifteenth day was come; this was Moses express charge. Hence I reason thus, if any man of Israel had gone out of the door of his house before the morning of the fifteenth day was truly come, contrary to this charge (as those did that went out of the door of their houses to gather Manna on the Sabbath-day morning) they would have been condemned as Transgressor's for it (as they were that gathered Manna on the Sabbath day morning, Exod. 16. 27. 28.) But all the people of Israel went out of the doors of their houses either at Midnight or presently after, as it appears by ver. 33. and 39 and yet none of them were condemned as transgressors for it: But on the contrary, their exact obedience to all Moses commands is twice over testified in ver. 28. and twice over again in ver. 50. The Text saith, they did all things as God commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they, Even as exactly as Noah did in making the Ark, Gen. 6. 22. or as Moses did in making the Tabernacle, Exod. 40. 16. for their obedience is alike set out by the same double expression. Therefore seeing all the people were thus exact in their obedience to all Moses commands; it follows, that they did not go out of the doors of their houses until the morning of the fifteenth day was come, and yet they went out of the doors of their houses at Midnight, or presently after, because they knew that the morning of the fifteenth day was begun at Midnight. Yea, It is evident that Moses intended they should all go out of their doors in the Morning presently after Midnight, because he had foretold them, that all the firstborn of Egypt should be slain at Midnight, Exod. 11. 4. 5. And secondly, He had foretold them that the Egyptians would thrust them out of Egypt, v. 1. and that the Nobles would come and bow down to Moses saying, Go thou out and all the people at thy feet, Exod. 11. 8. Yea, Moses did prepare them for a sudden departing from their houses, because he commanded to eat the Passeover with their loins girded, with their shoes on their feet, and with their staves in their hands, and to eat it in haste, Exod. 12. 11. all these things do testify that Moses intended they should go out of the doors of their houses as soon as ever the morning of the fifteenth day was come, and he meant it was come as soon as Midnight was come. Object. 5. I grant that all Israel departed out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of Nishan, Numb. 33. 3. But how prove you that they began their journey at Midnight, or that the fifteenth day began at Midnight? Answ. The circumstances of the Text do prove it plain enough; for as soon as the Egyptians saw all their firstborn slain at Midnight, they feared lest they should be all slain, and therefore they did urge the Israelites in all haste to departed, and the Israelites knew all this beforehand, and accordingly they prepared for their speedy departure, and because of this their preparation they are said to departed out of Egypt in the night, Deut. 16. 1. compared with Exod. 12. 29. 31, 42. The Egyptians therefore as soon as their firstborn were slain at Midnight, urged the Israelites in haste to departed, and then also the Israelites did departed out of the doors of their houses, because the morning of the fifteenth day was come, but yet they could not fully departed out of Egypt until the body of the self same day was come, namely, not till it was Midday. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 41. they had many businesses to do after they went out of the doors of their houses before they could fully departed; for they must assemble together 600000 men besides women and children, and many connexed people and cattle, and before all this could be put into a fit posture for their orderly marching away, it was Midday, and yet they made extraordinary haste to bring things thus soon to pass, and through their great haste they took their Dough as it was unleavened, and carried it upon their shoulders, ver. 34. and thenceforth the fifteenth of Nishan was commanded to be remembered, and to be observed, as a Festival Sabbath for ever, and as the first day of the Feast of unleavened bread, Exod. 13. 3. Leu. 23. 7. Deut. 16. 3. Their Journey in the night began in this order, as soon as the firstborn of Pharaoh and the Nobles were slain at Midnight, then in their perplexed fear they did hastily call up Moses and Aaron to departed, and then they gave the Alarm to the rest, and as the first of them marched through the land of Goshen, the rest fell in by Troops, but before they could be all marshaled to departed in fit order, it was Midday, and in this sort their march began at Midnight, and was completed by Midday, according to Numb. 33. 3. Conclusion. From all the premises (which I have laid down under three Heads or Sections) it follows, That the time of the first darkness (after the Creation of the Earth) was Morning (and not Evening.) And secondly, That it began at that time which the God of Nature made Midnight at last, namely, as soon as all the parts of the Natural day were form and framed together. CHAP. IU. Proving, That the Jews Custom in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sunset Evening, was occasioned by their Ceremonial Custom, namely, Because the persons that were ceremonially purified from their ceremonial Defilements, were commanded to begin their new day of cleanness then; and hence it follows, first, That that accidental beginning of the Day must not be accounted for the true beginning of the Natural Day; And Secondly, Hence it follows, That it is not the right time for us Christians to begin our Lord's Day at the Sunset Evening, as the Jews did by their ceremonial Custom only. SECT. 1. THe Jews were often guilty of sundry degrees of sins of uncleanness against the Ceremonial Law (besides their sins against the Moral Law) as you may find them noted and distinguished by Mr. Ainsworth in Leu. 11. 24, 25, 32. and in Leu. 12. 6. and in Leu. 22. 7. compared with Numb. 9 10. and with Leu. 13. 6. and see also Leu. 14. 9, 17. and Num. 5. 2, 3. and Numb. 19 2, 7, 11. Secondly, Answerable thereunto, the Ceremonial Law did ordain several degrees of purification, from these several degrees of ceremonial uncleanness; as you may find them noted also by Ainsworth, in Leu. 5. 2. Leu. 14. 9, 15. Leu. 15. 14. Num. 5. 7. Num. 19 18. Gen. 35. 2. and in Exod. 19 Thirdly, Not only the manner how, but also the time when they must cleanse themselves, was ordained and appointed by the Ceremonial Law. Some kind of defilements might be cleansed in one day, but the greatest degrees of their Ceremonial defilements required not only one, but many days for their cleansing; but all were commanded to begin their cleansing in the Evening in two degrees of time, according to the two parts of the Evening, for the natural Evening hath two equal parts (as I have showed in Chap. 2. and shall further show it in the next. Chapter.) In the first Evening (which doth always begin at Midday) they must baptise or wash themselves. The Jews were cleansed from their ceremonial defilements, 1. By washing in the afternoon; And 2. By the Sun's setting upon them after their baptising. In the second Evening (which doth always begin at Sunset) they did begin to date the day of their cleanness. For by the setting of the Sun upon them, after their washing, two things were effected; First, Their cleanness by their former washing was confirmed or made perfect; And secondly, As soon as their cleanness was made perfect, they began the day of their cleanness. Object. 1. Might not the unclean person baptise himself from his Ceremonial defilements in the latter evening after Sunset, as well as in the time of the first Evening before Sunset? Ans. He might not, because God had appointed the time of the two Evenings for two distinct degrees of their cleansing: The first Evening from Midday to Sunset was allotted to them for the washing or baptising themselves from their ceremonial sins, and this was only as a preparation to the day of their cleanness, And this I will labour to make evident several ways. 1. Moses in Deut. 23. 11. doth command the unclean person to bathe himself in water, at the looking forth of the Evening, So the Hebrew phrase is, but it may be demanded, what time is that, that is meant by the looking forth of the Evening? Answ. I have showed you in chap. 2. and in chap. 5. that the Evening doth first begin at the first declining of the Sun at Midday, and that it looks forth towards his setting in the west from the very first declining of the Sun from Midday until it depart from that Horizon, and to this sense I have expounded the shadows of the Evening to look forth, in Jer. 6, 4. See Chap. 2. In like sort it is said of Isaac, that he went out into the fields to meditate at the looking forth of the Evening, Gen. 24. 63. In those days they had no private upper Rooms to meditate in, because they lived in Tents, and therefore they used to sequester themselves by going out into the fields to meditate, where they had Groves of Trees for shade and refreshing, and thither the godly used to go to meditate or to study divine mysteries in the heat of the day, at the first looking forth of the Evening. See Ains. in Psa. 55. 18. In like sort, they used to bathe or baptise themselves from their Ceremonial defilements at the looking forth of the Evening, and then also the water was well warmed by the Sun, and so made the more fit for bathing▪ I grant also, that it was lawful for them to bathe themselves from their Ceremonial defilements all the time that the Sun looked forth by his shadows towards the West, till it was ready to departed out of that Horizon. But this is to be marked, that none were commanded to baptise themselves in any part of the morning (only the Priests were commanded to wash their hands and their feet every morning, although they were clean before. See Ains. in Exod. 30. 19, 20.) neither were they commanded to baptise themselves after Sunset, for except they were baptised before Sunset, they could not begin the day of their cleanness at Sunset, according to command. 2 It is evident, that the appointed season for baptising themselves from all their Ceremonial defilements was in the time of the first Evening, by the Example of Bathshebaes' baptising herself. The Text saith, it was in the Evening when David arose from his bed and walked upon the Roof of the King's house, than he saw a woman washing herself, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon, 2 Sam. 11▪ 2. This Evening when David arose from his bed, cannot be understood of the latter Sunset Evening, for then for want of Sun-light he could not have discerned her beauty from the Roof of his house, but it must be understood of the afternoon Evening; for in those hot Countries they used to sleep in the afternoon upon some Bed or , as Ishbosheth did, 2 Sam. 4. 5. from whence he arose and walked upon the flat Roof of his house, and thence he beheld the beauty of Bathsheba as she was baptising herself; hence it may be gathered, that the unclean persons did use to baptise themselves from their Ceremonial defilements in the afternoon Evening. 3 It is also evident, that they baptised themselves in the afternoon Evening from their Ceremonial defilements by a famous example in Josh. 7. for when the Lords wrath was gone out against them, in that the men of Ai slew about thirty six of Israel, because that Achan had stolen the excommunicate thing; then said the Lord to Joshua at the Eventide, Up, and sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, Josh. 7. 6, 13, 14, 15. and how else must they sanctify themselves for the Lord's presence at his Ark on the morrow, but by washing themselves from their Ceremonial defilements, for there were scarce any but they were defiled by one accident or other, and none might come before the Lord's Ark in their Ceremonial defilements upon pain of being cut off; and before Joshua could make proclamation through the Camp for their purification, and for their solemn meeting to seek the Lord for mercy on the morrow, it would require a good space of time, therefore this Evening cannot be understood of the Sunset Evening, but of the noon-tide Evening, as I have explained the matter more at large in Chap. 2. 4 All Israel were warned when ever they came before the Lord's presence in his Tabernacle, to be cleansed from their Ceremonial defilements, especially at their three solemn feasts; but they were not tied to the observation of their Ceremonial baptising when they resorted to their Synagogues on their weekly Sabbath days, for in those places both the clean and the unclean might meet together in God's worship, as I have opened the matter in my discourse of the Jews Synagogues Discipline. But under pain of the Lords displeasure none might approach to the Lords Sanctuary without their legal purifications, as it is manifest by the example of God's displeasure against some of Ephraim & Manasses when they came to the Passeover in the days of Hezekiah without their purifications; but as soon as Hezekiah perceived their error (which doubtless the consciences of the visited persons made them to acknowledge) he prayed to the Lord for them, & the Lord was entreated, and healed the people, 2 Chron. 30. 19, 20. and for the better avoiding of this error afterwards, it was observed as a custom among the Jews, to go out of the Country up to Jerusalem before the Feast of Passeover, to purify themselves, Joh. 7. 55. which purification was effected by two degrees of cleanness: First, By baptising themselves in the first Evening; And secondly, By the Sunsetting upon them after their baptising (as I have formerly proved the matter) for none might approach the Sanctuary until they could declare their purification to the Priests that were the Porters, 2 Chron. 23. 19 as Paul did, Act. 21. 26. And the Lord did so much approve of their Ceremonial purity, both by their actual baptising and by their abstinence from unclean meats, and from all other things else that might defile them: That for that very obedience he doth call the whole Nation, All Israel are called men of Holiness in regard of their ceremonial purity. Men of holiness, Exod. 22. 31. for all the Nation in general were very careful to maintain this kind of holiness. And the Hebrew Doctors say, that if any man of the common people did but say, I am clean to keep the sin-water, he was to be trusted, for there is no man of Israel too vild for it, See Ains. in Num. 19 9 that is to say, no man of Israel was too vild for it, if he were but Ceremonially clean; and in this sense all Israel were holy, namely, to the purifying of their flesh; for the Law is not of Faith, Gal. 3. 12. a man might keep the Law to the purifying of his flesh, though they wanted saving-Faith to apply the blood of Christ for the cleansing of their consciences from the guilt of sin. And thus much touching the first degree of time in which they must perform the first degree of their Ceremonial cleanness. SECT. 2. I Come now to speak of the second degree of time wherein their Ceremonial cleanness was perfected, and that was as soon as the Sun was set upon them after their Ceremonial baptising, and from that time also they began to date the new day of their cleanness. First, I prove that God ordained the Sunset Evening to be the time of perfecting the cleanness of the baptised person, ere he None were completely purified by being baptised till the Sun was set upon them. could begin the day of his cleanness, by Deut. 23. 10, 11. There Moses saith thus to all Israel, If there be in thee a man that is not clean by reason of an accident in the night, than he shall go out of the Camp; and he shall bathe himself in water at the looking forth of the Evening (and what then, was he now made clean as soon as ever he had bathed himself in water? The answer is, no, he must yet stay a while longer without the Camp till his Sun be set,) and then when the Sun is gone down he shall come into the Camp. Hence it is evident that his Ceremonial purity was not complete until his Sun was set, but than it was complete, and therefore he did then begin to date the day of his cleanness. Hence also I gather, that their Ceremonial baptising might be done in any part of the afternoon, provided it were done before Sunset, because the Sun did look forth towards the place of his going down by his shadow, from Midday, till 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 until a new baptising in the next afternoon, and till a new Sunset Evening. Secondly, It is evident, that none were completely purified till Sunset, 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 until the Evening, he shall not eat of the holy things. But first, He shall bathe himself in water. A●d then Secondly (saith ver. 7.) when the Sun is gone down he shall be clean. By this Text it is also evident, that he did not attain to a perfect ceremonial cleanness by baptising himself in water, until the Sun was gone down upon him after his bathing: But as soon as his Sun was set, than he was completely 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 testify that no baptised person did begin the day of his cleanness until his Sun was set; for this is their common and peculiar phrase, They shall be unclean until their Sun be set: But the common phrase of the Ceremonial Law saith thus, They shall be unclean until the Evening. The unclean (saith Maymony) may not eat of the Heave-Offering until their Sun be set. See Ains. in Leu. 22. 9, 10. And hence it is evident, that they held the baptised persons to have some degree of uncleanness upon them, until their Sun was set: And therefore Maymony saith thus; He that is baptised is the second in uncleanness, until his Sun be set; And he that is so baptised (if his Sun be 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 Leu. 11. 32. and in Leu. 7. 20, 21. and in Numb. 19 19, 20, 21. This phrase in the Law, He shall be unclean until the Evening, is eight times over repeated in Leu. 11. and fourteen times over in Leu. 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 Sunset and the term Evening to be all one time. Hence than it follows, that the date of their new day of cleanness did always begin at the Sunset Evening. Fourthly, It is evident, that the Jews began the date of their new day of cleanness at the Sunset Evening; because the Sunset The Jews morrow began at Sunset 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 Sunset 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 Sunset 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) until the Evening of their morrow, that is, till the Sunset Evening, for at that Evening began their Morrow, or their new day to the person purified. 2. It is evident that the Sunset 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, Leu. 23. 15. And by the Morrow of the Sabbath, is meant the second day of the Feast of unleavened bread, which began at the Sunset 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 Sunset; but the holy feast of that day continued in the night time after Sunset) 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 Leu. 23. 15. and it is a known thing (as I have explained the matter) that they did account the night to begin at the Sunset 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 Sunset 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 Sunset 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 Sunset 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 days in his grave. begin the date of their new Day at the Sunset 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 Sky the Sun is the cause of it, and hence they assert, That the Sun is not set until the Darkness in the Sky is more than the Light in the Sky; they say the Sun is not set until it is full Twilight or somewhat past: and by this exposition of the Sunset Evening, they say it way be proved that Christ lay three days in his Grave, or else they confess it cannot be proved. Answ. If this grand Objection (which is very great in some men's eyes) be fully answered, than all the Conclusions that are built upon it must needs fall to the ground with it. I confess I cannot but wonder that any learned men should make the time of Sunset and the time of Twilight to be all one, for if this be true, than all Astronomers must go to School again to learn better how to set the Minutes of the Suns rising and of the Suns setting. But see what I say further in answer to this Objection, in Chap. 7. And suppose a man that holds thus, should hire a labourer to work in his Garden from Sunrising till Sunset, and suppose That the time of Sunset is fully come as soon as the body of the Sun is gone out of sight, and before it be Twilight. this labourer do contract with him to continue at his labour until the precise time of Sunset, and accordingly he continues at his labour until the Body of the Sun is gone out of sight, and then he leaves off and takes witness of it, and presently goes to his Master for wages according to Contract; his Master refuseth to pay him because he did not continue at his labour until the precise time of Sunset; he tells him, that the Sun is not yet set, because the Light in the Sky is more in quantity than the Darkness; for saith he, the Sun is the cause of that light, and therefore it is not yet set, and he takes witness, and so they part in discontent; and because they could not agree about the precise time of Sunset, they refer this controversy to be determined by competent Judges. And first let Moses show his Judgement, what he means by the time of Sunset, or by the Sun's going down, for he doth show his judgement by a familiar example; He directed the Jews how to find out Mount Gerezim on the other side Jordan, It lies (saith he) behind the way, at the going down of the Sun, Deut. 11. 30▪ In these words Moses doth give them a twofold mark of direction. 1. It lies behind, 2. It lies at the going down of the Sun, and I have showed you in expounding Job 23. 8, 9 that this phrase behind is often put for the West. And in this sense also see Ains. in Gen. 14. 15. 2. Moses saith, It lies at the going down of the Sun; if you say this going down of the Sun is not meant of the place where the body of the Sun goes out of sight, but of the place of Twilight, then whither might the Jews wander by that mark of direction to seek out Mount Gerezim? For when the darkness in the Sky is somewhat more than the light in the Sky, the Jews might wander into the North or into the South as well as into the West, for the time and place of Twilight is but an uncertain mark to steer their course by to Mount Gerezim. But to place the time of Sunset where the body of the Sun goes out of sight, is a perspicuous mark for the West (when the Sun is in the Equinoctial, as it was when this direction was given) and in this respect the time of Sunset is often put for the West. See more in Chap. 2. in answer to Objection 3. And see Ains. in Psal. 113. 3. and this direction agrees to the first direction, it is Behind, or it is due West. On the contrary when Moses directed them to other places that jay East, he directed them thither by the Rising of the Sun, Numb. 21. 11. Numb. 34. 15. Deuter. 4. 41, 47. Josh. 12. 1. Josh. 19 27, 34. Secondly, Let Joshua also show his judgement about the time and place of Sunset, and he declares his judgement by another familiar example, for he directed the Jews how to find out the West bounds of Canaan, not by the confused, and obscure mark of Twilight; but first, by the perspicuous mark of Sunset; and secondly by the hindmost Sea, Jos. 1. 4. he makes the hindmost Sea, and the going down of the Sun to be marks Synonimons for the finding out of the West borders of Canaan; and he doth also explain this hindmost Sea to be the great Sea at Sunset, Jos. 23. 4. and Moses likewise doth call this Sea the Hindmost Sea, Deut. 11. 24. But the Greek and Chaldee call it the Western Sea. So then from the premises it follows, That seeing the places that lie due West, are marked out by the perspicuous mark of the going down of the Sun, we must thereby understand that the Sunset Evening doth begin as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight; and therefore hence it follows, that those that make the time of Sunset, and the time of Twilight to be all one (for the beginning of our Lord's day) do build their opinion but on a sandy foundation. Thirdly, The Hebrew Text doth often express the time of Sunset by the going in of the Sun, to lodge all night (as it were in its chamber) and it is said to go in as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of our Horizon. See Ains. in Psa. 50. 1. on the contrary, as soon as the body of the Sun is risen upon our Horizon in the morning, it is said to come forth as a Bridegroom out of his chamber, Psal. 19 5. Fourthly, Experience will tell you, that the Sun is set as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight; or else if it be not set till the darkness in the sky is more than the light in the sky, than there is no Sunset at all in the North of England when the days are at the longest, for experience doth testify that the light is hardly out of the sky there, all the night long, except a little in the middle of the night, and yet experience doth witness that the Sun doth truly set there every day. Fifthly, Let all Astronomers show their judgement when the Sun doth set, and they with one consent do testify that the Sun doth set as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight, for they describe the time of Sunset, and the time of the Suns rising, by the first appearing of the body of the Sun in the morning, and by the body of the Sun going out of sight in the evening, as all their Almanacs do testify. Sixthly, Let the Evangelist Mark show his judgement, for he describes the Evening to begin at Sunset, Mark. 1. 32. but Luke speaking of the same action saith, It was when the Sun was setting, Luke 4 40. put this together, and it implies that the time of the beginning of the Sunset Evening is as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight. Seventhly, Joshua doth testify that the Evening is come as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight, Jos. 10. 26, 27. and Daniel saith, That Darius did labour to deliver him till the going down of the Sun, Dan. 6. 14. But the Seventy say, till Evening; and Moses saith, The soul that toucheth a dead creeping thing shall be unclean until the Evening, Leu. 22 6. but saith he, in vers. 7. He shall bathe himself in water, and then he shall be clean when the Sun is gone down; from all these places it is evident, that the term Sunset, and the term Evening, are terms convertible for the Sunset Evening. Eighthly, It is evident by this reason that the latter Evening doth begin as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight, because there is no interim between the End of the first Evening, and the Beginning of the latter Evening; and I have proved in Chap. 2. that the first Evening doth end, as soon as ever the Sun doth leave off to make any more shadows upon the face of the Earth: For the whole time of the first Evening is described by its shadows looking forth towards the place of its Rest, or by the strotching out of its shadows upon the face of the Earth, as I have expounded, Jer. 6. 4. and therefore it follows by necessary consequence, that the latter Evening must begin at that instant time. This consequence is so clear, that none that loves plain truth can deny it. But to prevent rash zeal, and unadvised haste in feasting upon the holy flesh, the Hebrew Doctors advised to stay a little time after Sunset, They begin their Religious Festival Suppers after Sunset, as soon as three stars appeared in the sky. for the Sun must go down upon the baptised person before his Purification was perfected, and then he began the date of his new day, and then he was made fit to eat of the holy flesh; yet they advised to stay a little time after Sunset, namely till three stars appeared in the sky. Mamony saith, That the unclean may not eat of the Heave-offering until their Sun be set, and three stars appear after the Sun is gone down. See Ains. in Leu. 22. 9 Thus have I shown how God ordained the time of the two Evenings for the effecting of two degrees of cleanness; and now I shall in the next Section show, That all the latter Evening from Sunset till Midnight, was appointed for the time of their Religious feasting upon their Passovers, and Peace-offerings; and that this part of the night was a true part of the former natural day. SECT. 3. FRom the date of the new Day to the person purified at the Sunset Evening, we may see the true Reason that did enforce the Jews to begin all their Ceremonial Sabbaths at that time, and of all other days by occasion thereof. But this beginning of the day was no more to be accounted for the beginning of the natural Day, than the beginning of their year in Nishan was to be accounted for the first month by Creation; for they began their year in Nishan upon the occasion of their famous deliverance out of Egypt in that month; but from the Creation the year began in Tizri, which now is called the Seventh month, and this seventh month was afterwards made famous again by Joshua's Conquest of Canaan, and by his division of the land thereupon to the nine Tribes and a half, in this seventh month, Jos. 14. and in remembrance thereof they began all their years of Rest, and all their Jubiles from that month. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 1, 2. Leu. 25. 8, 9, 10. Exod. 34. 22. Deut. 14. 22. and likewise the years of all Servants and Leases began at this time, Leu. 25. And after this manner they observed a double date according to the beginning of their double day. The Jews observed both the date of their ceremonial day, and the date of their natural day for several purposes. See Ains. in Leu. 23▪ 20. 1 The person purified began the date of his day of cleanness from the Sunset Evening. 2 They dated the time of their Religious feasting according to the natural day till midnight after; for by the Law they were expressly commanded to eat the flesh of their Peace-offerings in the same day, in which it was sacrificed, Leu. 7. 15. now it was not possible for them (at sometimes at least) to eat the holy flesh of their Passovers, and of their commanded Peace-offerings, in the same Ceremonial day, because the time of sacrificing their Passovers and Peace-offerings did many times continue until it was night, namely till Sunset; and so it fell out in the time of Josias Passeover, 2 Chron. 35. 14. Hence it follows by a necessary consequence, That the command to eat the holy flesh in the same day must be understood (not of the same Ceremonial, but) of the same natural day; and in case any of the holy flesh had remained uneaten in the same day in which it was sacrificed, it must be burnt, and then sometime it must be all burnt, and none of it eaten, namely when it was sacrificed at the point of Sunset. Secondly, If the date of their Ceremonial day had born all the sway, than they must not only have finished the kill of all their Sacrifices, but of all their Religious feasts also, before Sunset, and then our Saviour and his Apostles had sinned, because they kept their Religious Feast after Sunset, namely in the night wherein he was betrayed; for though they caused their Passeover to be sacrificed on the fourteenth day, yet they deferred the time of their feasting till after Sunset when the fifteenth day was begun, according to the date of the person purified. But if you will grant that our Saviour did not sin against that Command of eating their Passeover in the same day, than you must also grant that the same fourteenth day by Creation was not ended at Sunset, but continued still till Midnight after. Thirdly, Hence it follows, that seeing all Ceremonial Customs are now abolished by the death of Christ; that God's people ought not to Judaize, in beginning the Lords day according to the Jews Ceremonial Customs, but according to the beginning and ending of the natural day from midnight to Midnight. Objection 3. How could the Jews observe a double date of a double day in one and the same natural day without confusion? Answ. Their double date of their double day was not strange to them, no more than their double date of their double year was to them; they could sort out such things, as belonged to the beginning of the year from the seventh month from the things that belonged to the beginning of the year in the first month, without any confusion at all; so in like manner they could sort out all those Religious duties that belonged to their Ceremonial date, from those duties that belonged to the date of the natural day. They knew that the Baptised person must begin his new day at Sunset, and that all Evening Sacrifices must be finished before Sunset; and yet in respect of the time of Feasting, they knew that the same Natural day did still continue till midnight; 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 Leu. 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 midnight; and indeed this time was sufficient for the accomplishment of all their religious Feasts; in like sort Solomon calls 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 Sunset 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 midday to midnight. I Have showed in Cham 2. and Sect. 2. that the natural Evening was divided into two equal parts, and now I shall show you, that the Passeover was solemnised in both the parts of that Evening. First, All the Passovers, 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 Midday, and end at Sunset. Secondly, All the Passovers 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 Passovers, 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 Passovers in Egypt between the two evenings, Exod. 12. 6. 2 God commanded them to kill all their Passovers in the Wilderness between the two evenings, Numb. 9 3. 5. 11. 3 God commanded them to kill all their Passovers 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 Midday) and forwards, it is called between the two Evenings, for that the Sun declineth towards his going down, etc. 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 gins. See Ains. in Numb. 9 3. 2 Maymony saith thus; The kill of the Passeover is after Midday, 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, than 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 Sunset evening, for after Sunset (saith Maymony) the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful. See Ains. in Leu. 1. 9 Leu. 6. 9 Leu. 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 Midday, or after Sunset; but all the time between was Gods appointed season, Num. 9 2. Leu. 23. 4. Ordinarily they began to kill their Passovers 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 grossly mistaken, for that was not otherwise the evening of the Sabbath but in relation to the new day to the purified person, but the evening of the Sabbath itself begun and ended as the Passeover evening did from midday to midnight. evening of the Sabbath (namely, that evening of the Sabbath which began at Midday) than they began to kill their Passeover sooner; But (still this must be remembered which Maymony often noteth, that) they never killed 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 kill of the daily evening Sacrifice, nor yet for the kill 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 afternoon, between the time of Midday and the Sunset 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, than 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 show, that if the Passeover evening fell upon the Sabbath evening, that then they began to kill the daily evening Sacr●fice at half an hour after twelve a Clock, because of the manifold businesses that belonged to the Sabbath, besides the kill of their Passovers; therefore that the doing of one duty might not thrust out another, their Wisemen 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, exception the Passeover evening, and then it was ever preferred to the first place, and when ever the Passeover evening fell upon a Sabbath, than they began to kill it at half an hour after twelve a Clock, and that was as soon as ever they could perceive the shadow of the evening to be stretched out, or declined; and the only reason why they began thus early upon the Sabbath evening, was, because they might have sufficient time to finish all the duties of the Sabbath, and all their Passovers, before Sunset, for after Sunset the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful, because God had expressly commanded all evening Sacrifices to be killed between the two Evenings, and because they had much work to do on Passeover evenings, especially when it fell on the Sabbath, they must begin to kill the daily evening Sacrifice at the first declining of the Sun, or else they could not kill all by Sunset; for in the time of Josiahs Passeover, the Passovers, and Peace-offerings were so many, that the Priests could not finish all till night, 2 Chron. 35. 14. Obj. 1. You have often cited the Hebrew Doctors, as if they did all agree in one, That the Natural evening did begin at Midday; but Mr. Thomas Shepherd in his third Part on the Sabbath, Thesis' 36. doth affirm, that the Hebrew Doctors testimonies are of little worth, because they do often contradict one another about the beginning of the evening, for though some of them do say, that the evening doth begin at Midday, yet they are over whelmed with cross testimonies, from the most of their Fellows, who begin it some about one, some about two a Clock in the afternoon; and Josephus, who is one of most credit, in his Writings tells us, That they began their first evening about three a Clock in the afternoon. Ans. I would Mr. Shepheard had cited the particular places, where the Hebrew Doctors do cross one another about the beginning of the Evening, for then the particular places should have been examined, by the help of such as are expert in their Writings. I grant that some of them do speak of the beginning of the Evening at one hour, and some at another, and yet all this without any contradiction; for in regard of several duties that must be trans-acted at several hours in the evening, they had just occasion to speak of the beginning of the evening at several hours, in relation to the said several duties that must begin at several hours of the said evening, as I noted it in chap. 2. in answer to Obj. 1. at seventhly, and as I have noted it immediately afore from the Babylonian Thalmud. But if it do appear true, that Josephus doth precisely begin the evening at three a clock and not in relation to some special duty, than I grant that such a testimony is worthy of due consideration; but I believe that Josephus is some way or other mistaken, for the Thalmud called Jerusalemie, which was finished since Josephus See Ains. in Advertisement at the end of Deut. wrote, namely, about the year of our Lord two hund●ed and thirty, and the other Thalmud called Babelie, which was finished about the year five hundred, do record the Canons and Constitutions of the Jews, according to which the jews do live at this day; (and no question but they knew Josephus his opinion as well as others, that were more ancient Doctors) and yet these do affirm that the evening gins at midday. And Moses the son of Maymon, who lived in the year of our Lord one thousand two hundred, hath set down in plainer Hebrew, the Expositions, Canons, and Traditions of the said Thalmuds, and of the more ancient Hebrew Doctors, omitting the fabulous Discourses of the Thalmuds; and this Maymony is of such esteem among the Jewish Nation, that of him it is said, From Moses (the Prophet) to Moses (the son of Maymon) there was none like this Moses; and from him also I have cited several testimonies, that the evening gins at midday; therefore seeing these public and general Recorders do testify, that the evening gins at midday; how can they be overwhelmed with cross testimonies, as Mr. Shepheard doth unadvisedly affirm? and I little question but Josephus is taken in a wrong sense by Master Shepheard, and if the place had been cited it should have been examined, and a more particular answer returned; and take notice by the way, that I do not find any other Objection in Mr. Shepheard that is of any moment, but it is already fully answered here and there in this Treatise. Object. 2. Why do you make the whole time of the first Evening from Midday to Sunset, to be the time of killing all their Passovers in Canaan, seeing Moses makes the time of killing all their Passovers in Egypt to be about the time of Sunsets for Moses saith thus in Deut. 16. 6. Thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover in the evening, about the going down of the Sun, in the season thou camest out of Egypt. Ans. The time of killing all their Passovers in Egypt, was commanded to be between the two evenings, Exod. 12. 6. that is to say, between the time of the first Evening, which began at midday, and the beginning of the evening, which began at Sunset, so that they might have killed all their Passovers presently after Midday, or they might have stayed till near Sunset, provided it were done before Sunset; but they could not kill all their Passovers in Canaan at an instant, at the time of Sunset, as they might have done in Egypt; for. 1 In Egypt every firstborn of every family might kill the Paschal Lamb. 2 They might kill it in their own private house. 3 They might sprinkle the blood of it upon their door-posts without going to the Altar. But in Canaan they must have a longer space of time to do these works in; for, 1 The firstborn of every family might not kill their Sacrifices in Canaan, but in their place the Lord chose the Tribe of Levy. See Ains. in Exod. 19 22. Num. 3. 12. 41, 45. Exod. 24. 5. and the number of this Tribe, I conceive, were not so many as the firstborn were in Egypt, and therefore could not kill all in so short a time. 2 The Levites had many more businesses to do about the Passeover in Canaan than in Egypt (especially if the Passeover fell out upon a Sabbath) for saith Maymony, They kill not the Passeover, but after the daily evening sacrifice, & after the burning of incense, and after they have trimmed the Lamps, and besides in Canaan they used to kill many Peace-offerings therewith: all this would require more time than the firstborn of every family needed in Egypt for the kill of the Paschal Lamb only, without these other services. 3 They might not kill their Passovers in Canaan in private houses as they did in Egypt; but all their Passovers must be brought to be sacrificed at the place the Lord should choose to place his brazen Altar at, which at first was at Shilo, and at last in Solomon's Temple. See Ains. in Deut. 16. 5, 6. with Exod. 12. 7. Deut. 12. 5, 11, 12, 14, 18. and in respect hereof the Hebrew Doctors say, He that killeth holy things out of the Court of the Sanctuary, if he do it presumptuously, he is guilty of cutting off. See Ains. in Leu. 17. 2, 5, 8, 9 nay though a Priest did kill a Sacrifice in the Temple itself, yet it might become unlawful, if the blood thereof were but carried out of the Temple before it was sprinkled upon the Altar; for thus saith Maymony, The blood of the holy things that goeth out of the Court becometh unlawful for Sacrifice, yea though they bring it in again, and sprinkle it upon the Altar, yet it is not acceptable. See Ains. in Leu. 1. 5. If the Jews had thought it as lawful for them to kill the Passeover in a private house (ever since the destruction of the Temple) as they did at the first Passeover in Egypt, then doubtless they would not have omitted to sacrifice the Passeover now in all the places of their dispersion; but ever since their Temple was destroyed, they have been without the Passeover, and without all other Sacrifices for the space of sixteen hundred years together; And thus speaketh Mr. Broughton from the Hebrew Doctors: He that shall kill the Pascha, ever since Jesus Christ conquered Canaan, in a private house, had been held an open enemy to the truth of God. And Maymony saith, That now they can have no sacrifice, because they can have no Temple, neither can they kill the Paschal Lamb, but instead thereof they only use Unleavened bread with bitter herbs, and wine in their private houses. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 8. Hence it follows, that seeing all the Passovers must be brought to one public place, that it would require a longer space to kill one after another than they needed in Egypt where every house might kill their Lamb at one hour. Fourthly, In respect of the place of sprinkling, it must be all All Passovers were sacrifices therefore the blood of them all must be sprinkled on the Lord's Altar. done at one Altar, and therefore it would require a longer time than they needed in Egypt; for there every firstborn might sprinkle the blood upon the door-posts of his own private house at one hour together, but the sprinkling of the blood of all the Passovers in Canaan could not be done in so short a space, because all must be done at one Altar one after another, Leu. 1. 5. for all Passovers were Sacrifices, Exod. 12. 27. Exod. 23. 18. Exod. 34. 25. and no Levites, but the Priests only, must sprinkle the blood of all Passovers, and of all Sacrifices, upon the Lord's Altar, 2 Chron. 30. 16. 2 Chron. 35. 11. And because the Lord did appropriate the blood of all Sacrifices Blood was the Lords peculiar portion, therefore he prohibited the Jews to eat blood, and also some sorts of fat. to himself as his peculiar right to make atonement for men's souls, therefore in that respect he did straight prohibit the Jews that they should not eat any blood. See Ains. in Leu. 3. 17. Leu. 7. 2, 14, 26, 27. Leu. 17. 6, 10, 11, 12. Deut. 12. 27. and for this very reason also he forbade them to eat such parts of the fat as he did, challenge for his own Altar; and in this respect also he did challenge the fat of their Passovers as much as of any other Sacrifice; all which he commanded to be burned upon his Altar for a sweet ●avour of Atonement, as the former Scriptures do testify. Now from the consideration of these four Circumstances, it follows, that all the Passeovets in Canaan could not be sacrificed in so short a time as about the time of Sunset; and therefore this phrase about the going down of the Sun, in Deut. 16. 6. must not be understood of the very time of Sunset, but of the whole time of the Suns declining from Midday till it went down out of that Horizon. Object. 3. Though the Jews might not kill their Passovers in Canaan in their private houses as they did in Egypt, yet they might kill them at more Altars than one; for the Lord was pleased to allow several Altars for Sacrifices in several places; and by this means all the Passovers in Canaan might be killed, and the blood sprinkled just about the time of Sunset. Ans. I grant that the Lord was pleased to permit the use of many Altars and High-places in the days of Samuel; for there The Lord permitted many private Altars in the days of Samuel, but he allowed but one public Altar for the general Feasts of the twelve Tribes, and for the Passeover day, and for the daily Morning and Evening Sacrifice. was an Altar at Gilgal, 1 Sam. 10. 8. 1 Sam. 11. 15. Secondly, There was an Altar at Betbel, 1 Sam. 10. 3. 5. Thirdly, At Mizpeh, 1 Sam. 7. 9 Judg. 21. 1, 4. Fourthly, At Ramab, 1 Sam. 7. 17. and there were several Altars also in the days of Elijah; for he complained to God that Jezabel had broken down his Altars; But notwithstanding all this, no Passeover might be killed at any of these Altars; for the Passeover in Canaan was commanded to be observed as a general Feast; but these Altars were private Altars only, raised by God's allowance by some particular person upon some special occasion, and were after permitted to be used by some adjacent Tribe or persons, and in that respect these Altars were made but of earth or stone that was unhewn: But the Altar that God commanded to be erected as the general public Altar of all the twelve Tribes, was made of brass, at the cost of the twelve Tribes, and this was placed at first in the Lord's Tabernacle in the Wilderness; afterwards this Tabernacle, together with the brazen Altar, was placed by Joshua, and the whole Congregation, in Shilo in the Tribe of Ephraim, Josh. 18. 1. and there it continued for the place of the general Assembly of all the twelve Tribes for three hundred and fifty years, till the death of Eli; but after the Philistims had taken the Lords Aark, 1 Sam. 4. 10, 11. and slain the most valiant men of Ephraim in that battle, Psal. 78. 9 God was wroth with Shilo, and forsook it, Psal. 78. 60. for by that great destruction of all the valiant men of Ephraim, Shilo was now become too weak a place to guard the holy Tabernacle, and the holy Altar, and therefore it was by the Lord's advice removed to Gibbeon, 2 Chron. 1. 3, 4, 5. which was a Royal City, and a place of great strength, Josh. 10. 2. lying in the Tribe of Benjamin, and it was allotted to the Priests, Josh. 21. 17. and the Gibbeonites the ancient inhabitants were given to the Priests to cut wood, and draw water for the house of the Lord, Josh 9 21, 23. 27. and afterwards in Solomon's days they were called Nethinims, 1 Chron. 9 2. And from henceforth this place was called the chief High-place, because the Lord's Tabernacle, and the Lords Altar were 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 Zion (of Benjamin) which he loved. Psal. 78. 68 This brazen Altar was made and consecrated to be the public 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, until Solomon had made another brazen Altar 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 Passovers 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 kill 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 yearly 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 Passovers at several High-places, nor sprinkle the blood on several Altars, but at the general High-place, and at the general Altar only, That all the Passovers in Canaan could not be killed, and their blood sprinkled in so short a time as about the time of Sunset, and therefore that Command in Deut. 16. 6. at the going down of the Sun, must not be understood of the Sunset Evening, but it must be understood of the whole time of the Suns declining from Midday till Sunset, just according to the time of the two Evenings in Exod. 12. 6. 2. Let me add another Reason why the going down of the Sun in Deut. 16. 6. cannot be understood of the time of Sunset; namely The Passeover day was no Sabbath, it was but a half holiday. because the fifteenth day according to the date of the person purified, began at Sunset; 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 Midday (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 Midday, he is to be scourged o● excommunicated, because the Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan, is not like to the Evening of other Festival days, because in it is the Sacrifice, and the Feast. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 5. From these Testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors may be observed these four Thalmudical Tenants. 1 That the fourteenth of Nishan was not a full holiday (as some do unadvisedly affirm) it was no more but a half-holiday, namely the full Evening only. 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 Midday, and so forwards; for the Evening of the 14. of Nishan (saith Maymony) is not like unto the evening of other Festival days, because in it is the Sacrifice, and the Feast; But the Evening of other Festival days, meaning the Evening before, had no sacrifice; but yet the Midday 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 Passovers. 4 That from the time of Sunset till Midnight 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 Passovers in the Evening about the going down of the Sun, Deut. 16. 6. he did not mean it of the Sunset Evening, but of the Midday Evening, for then the Sun doth first begin to go down, or decline. Object. 4. If the business about the Passeover was so restrained as you say it was, 1 To be killed by the Priests and Levites only, 2 To be killed at one Temple only, 3 And that the blood must be sprinkled at one Altar only, Then I do not see how they could sacrifice all the Passovers of Canaan between the two Evenings from Midday to Sunset; for there could not be less than a hundred thousand Passovers 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 Passovers of Canaan were killed by the Priests and Levites only. 2 In one Temple only. 3 That all their blood was sprinkled by the Priests only. 4 On one Altar only, and all this was done in the appointed season thereof, namely between the two Evenings. And this was no impossible, but a feasible 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 Wilderness from thirty years old to fifty, was but eight thousand five hundred and eighty, Num. 4. 48. yet at length they were so multiplied, that in the days of David they were eight and thirty thousand men, 1 Chro. 23. 3. So many hands therefore would make but light work of a hundred thousand Passovers in the time of the first Evening from Midday till Sunset. 2 The place where they killed all their Passovers and Peace-offerings was not straight, but conveniently spacious; for these kind of sacrifices might be killed in any part of the Court of the Temple, because they were numbered among their lighter holy things. But the most holy things, such as the Burnt-offering, Sin-offering and Trespass-offerings were, these must be killed nearer to the Altar than the Passovers and Peace-offerings were, namely upon the ground close by the North-side of the Altar, Leu. 1. 11. Leu. 7. 2. But the light holy things, such as the Passeover, and Peace-offerings were, them they killed, and received the blood in Bowls, in any part of the Court-yard, saith Manymony. See Ains. in Leu. 1. 11. 3 Though no Levite might sprinkle the blood of any Sacrifice upon the Altar, yet for the quicker dispatch of many Sacrifices they might kill and receive the blood in Bowls, and so bring it No levites, none but Priests only must sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice upon the Altar. to the Priests that stood ready at the foot of the Altar to receive it, and to sprinkle it upon the Altar; for no Levite, but Priests only might sprinkle the blood upon the Altar; for the sprinkling of the blood was of the Essence of the sacrifice as the Hebrew Doctors do collect. See Ains. in Leu. 1. 5. 6. Exod. 12. 45. The Levites might kill, and flay, and receive the blood in Bowls, and bring it to the Priests that stood ready to receive it at their hands at the foot of the Altar, 2 Chron. 29. 34, 35. 2 Chro. 30. 17. 2 Chron. 35. 11. and this occasioned the Priest to make the more quick dispatch; and especially considering the Priests and Levites were so dextrous in their office they might kill a hundred thousand Passovers and Peace-offerings between Midday and Sunset; and there is a clear example that all this was done in the time and manner aforesaid in the eighteenth year of Josias, and yet there never was the like Passeover kept in Israel (namely not when Israel was joined with Judah, there was not the like Passeover, and yet doubtless, there were as many Paschal Lambs, but never the like multitude of Peace-offerings that were added to the Passeover, and in that respect they were called the Passeover, as they are in Deut. 16. 2. 4.) from the days of Samuel the Prophet unto that day, 2 Chro. 35. 18. Object. 5. How could so many thousand Passovers be roasted in one Temple, and how could so many thousand people sit there in companies to feast on their Passovers? Ans. As for the great business of Roasting so many Passovers, It was not tied precizely to the Temple as the sacrificing was: for though there were many Passovers Roasted in the Temple, as there were in the days of Josiah, 2 Chron. 35. 13. yet that business might also be transmitted to any house in the Holy City, as I shown a little before, and as the example of our Saviour, and his Apostles doth testify; for our Saviour was at Bethany, when he sent two of his Disciples to make ready the Passeover; 1 By carrying their Lamb to the Temple to be sacrificed, and thence to a private house in the holy City to be roasted; and as soon as the Sunset Evening was come, our Saviour came to the place appointed, and as soon as the hour for feasting was come, our Saviour sat down with the twelve, and he continued in feasting with the twelve first on the Passeover, and then 2 on their Peace-offerings, with his prayers and exhortations, It was not convenient for above twenty persons to join together for one Passeover. the full time of the latter Evening from Sunset till Midnight, Matth. 26. 18, 20. By this example, we see that thirteen persons may conveniently join together at one Passeover, and the Hebrew Doctors say, That twenty may make their account for one Lamb, Exod. 12. 4. but not above twenty. By this means we may perceive that all the Passovers in Canaan might well be dispatched in the Evening of the fourteenth day, in the first Evening they might be all sacrificed, and in the second Evening they might all be feasted on with Religious solemnity, without any doubt to the contrary. Reason 3. I will now return to prove by a third Reason, that the going down of the Sun in Deu. 16. 6. must be understood from the first going down of the Sun from Midday till Sunset, because the next phrase will not suffer it to be understood otherwise. At the season thou camest out of Egypt. Object. 6. Here it may be demanded what season was it in which they came out of Egypt? Answ. It was in the strength or in the body of the day, Exod. 12. 41. namely it was about Midday. The Hebrew Doctors say, That as God brought Israel out of Egypt at Midday, so he slew the firstborn of Egypt at Midnight. The Israelites did not fly out of Egypt as persons frighted, either in the Sunset Evening, or in the Twilight, as it were through stealth, or through fear, as Zedekiah did out of Jerusalem, Ezek. 12. but they went out of Egypt with a high hand, in the fight of all the Egyptians, Numb. 33. 3. or they went out in the strength or in the body of the day, for at Midday the Sun is in its greatest strength, Prov. 4. 18. Psal. 37. 6. Rev. 1. 16. but after the Midday is past, namely as soon as the Sun is declined but a little towards the West, or towards the place of Sunset, than the day is said to grow weak, so the Hebrew speaks, Jud. 19 19 for then the Sun hath lost much of its strength which it had at Midday, and then the day may be said to be spent, or to be bowed down, or declined; all these phrases are used, and may be compared together, see Judg. 19 19 with Mar. 6. 35. Luk. 9 19 and Luk. 24 29. Object. 7. Perhaps this phrase, At the season thou camest out of Egypt, doth not mean the time of the day, but the time of the year when they departed, and according to that time of the year Moses doth command them to kill all their Passovers. Answ. This Objection argues great ignorance in the plain story: For the time of the year when they came out of Egypt, was on the fifteenth day of Nishan, Num. 33. 3. But Moses did straight command them to kill all their Passovers on the fourteenth day of Nishan between the two Evenings; and this fourteenth day was so strictly commanded that it might not be altered, though it fell out upon a Sabbath day; Therefore this phrase, At the season thou camest out of Egypt, must not be understood of the time of the year, but of the time of the day only, which was in the strength of the day, that is to say at Midday, in this season they are commanded to begin to kill their Passovers in Canaan, Exod. 12. 6. Leu. 23. 5. Num. 9 3. Object. 8. May not the sacrificing of the Passeover be changed from the A digression to open some difficult phrases about the , and they are the more difficult, because they are borrowed from the Dialect of the Thalmud. fourteenth day, to the fifteenth day; seeing Matth. saith thus, On the first day of Unleavened-bread, the Disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passeover, Matth. 26. 17. Now the first day of unleavened-bread was the fifteenth day of Nishan? Answ. This day which is called the First day of Unleavened bread, cannot be rightly understood without the knowledge of the Jewish ancient Customs, which are now for our information recorded in the Thalmuds; and because this, and many other phrases in the New Testament are recorded in the Thalmuds, we may well say, That the New Testament doth often Thalmudize, because it useth many terms that are not where else to be found but in the ancient Hebrew Doctors, and in the Thalmuds only. Now for Answer in a more special manner, the Hebrew Doctors do comprehend under the general term of the Feast of Unleavened-bread (and more especially under the first day of Unleavened-bread) the Feast of the Paschal Lamb; for though they are two distinct Feasts, yet they are also so interwoven together, that they may well be called the one for the other; for though the Paschal Lamb was always sacrificed on the 14. day between the two Evenings, yet the time of feasting on that holy flesh, was after Sunset, which was after the fifteenth day (called the first of Unleavened-bread) was begun, according to the date of the person purified; and yet the Feast of this Evening was no part of the Feast of Unleavened-bread, for the sacrifices of that day were not yet killed; but this Feast was the proper Feast of the Passeover belonging to the fourteenth day, and with the Passeover also they might not eat any Leavened (but Unleavened) bread, and in this respect Maymony doth call the Feast of the Paschal Lamb, the Feast of Unleavened-bread, and sometimes he calls the seven days of the proper Feast of Unleavened bread by the name of the Passeover, interchangeably confounding the termer. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 7. and in this sense also Targum Jonathan calls the second day of Unleavened-bread, the day that followed the first good day of Passeover. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 15. Hence▪ you see, that he calls the first day of Unleavened-bread, The first good day of the Passeover, and so interchangeably they call the proper feast of the Pascha, the first day of Unleavened-bread; and from this usual dialect among them the Evangelist Matthew saith, That the Disciples came to Jesus Christ on the first day of Unleavened bread, saying, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to ●at the Passover? And thus the Evangelists speak according to the Jewish Customs; sometimes they call the proper feast of the Pascha, the first of Unleavened-bread, as Matth. 26. 17. and Mark. 14. 12. and sometimes they call the proper Feast of Unleavened-bread by the name of the Passeover, as Luke doth, chap. 22. 1. But yet secondly, The Hebrew Doctors do sometimes distinguish the proper Feast of the Pascha from the first day of the proper Feast of Unleavened bread; Charkumi calleth the Evening of the first good day, and that Night, the Passeover; But (saith he) the residue of the Feast from the first Night, and so forwards, is called the Feast of Unleavened-cakes; See Ains. in Leu. 23. 6. and according to this distinction speaketh the Evangelist Mark, Mar. 14. 1. after two days followed the Pascha, and the Unleavened-bread; and this distinction doth also agree with the twofold Command in Moses, In the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passeover; And in the fifteenth day (which gins at Sunset) is the Feast, Numb. 28. 16, 17. Object. 9 Mr. Weams and others, do affirm, That the Jews eaten not the Passover on the fourteenth of Nishan as Christ did, but transferred it to the fifteenth day, and to the beginning of the sixteenth day; and he gives this reason for it, because the next day (after Christ had eaten his Passover) is called the Preparation-day to the Jewish Passover, Joh. 18. 28. Joh. 19 14. Hence he infers, that the Jews transferred the eating of the Passover till the next day after Christ had eaten his. See Weams on the Ceremonial Laws, Pag. 89. and the Annotat. of our old English Bibles in Mat. 26. Ans. I believe that Mr. Weames and others have no better ground for this tenant but some frivolous Authors, and therefore Mr. Godwin doth put a note of dislike upon such as follow such frivolous Authors; and indeed it is a great impiety for us Christians to slander them with so gross a transgression as this; I believe that the Jews, in their corruptest times before Christ, were very strict in observing the letter of the Command, and mor● zealous also to punish such as did openly practise the contrary; and it is most evident, that they held so close to the letter of the Command, that they would not transfer it to any other day, though i● fell out to be on a Sabbath day; it is a received Canon among them, that the keeping of the Pascha on the fourteenth of Nishan doth put away the Sabbath, as I have noted it formerly. Secondly, The Evangelist Mark doth testify on the Jews behalf against all men, that they kept the Pascha in the very selfsame day that our Lord and his Disciples did, for Mark doth express it thus; In the first day of unleavened Bread, [when they Sacrificed the Passeover] his Disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayst eat the Passeover? Mark 14. 12. this term [when they] namely when the jews in general sacrificed the Passeover, than his Disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare, that thou (as well as they) mayst eat the Passeover on the selfsame day as the jews in general did. Thirdly, Christ himself doth bear witness, that the jews in general did keep the Pascha in the very selfsame day that he did; Ye know (said Christ unto his Disciples) that after two days the Pascha is kept, Mat. 26. 2. he saith, You know it, that the Pascha is then kept; it was a known custom among them, that after two days the Pascha is kept, namely generally of all the jews. Fourthly, The Hebrew Doctors do protest, that they punish him that passeth the fourteenth day for the kill of the Pascha; Maymony saith, it is an express Commandment to kill the Pascha in the month Nishan, in the 14th. day, and (saith he) he that breaketh this Commandment and killeth it not in the 14th. day, being not defiled, nor in a far journey, is guilty of being rooted out (or cut off) thus the jews protest against our slander. See Bro. in his Advertisement of corruptions in Religion, p. 104. Fifthly, This our gross mistake of the jews practice doth arise from our mistake of the meaning of the word Passeover, in john 18. 28. he saith thus; The jews went not into pilate's common Hall test they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passeover; and in ch. 19 14. john saith, It was the preparation of the Passeover, and about the sixth hour. Hence some that are not well acquainted with the jews customs, which are now recorded in their Thalmuds, as the learned do observe, have collected this inference, that the jews 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 john doth Thalmudize, and therefore without the help of the Hebrew Doctors it is not easy to spell john's 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 be eaten for the space of two days and one night, Levit. 7. 16. now the jews had eaten the Paschal Lamb the night before, but they had not as yet ended their feasting on these Peace-offerings, which john 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 citys Solomon Jarchi speaking thus in Deut. 16. If many belong to one Passeover, than they add to it Chagiga, Oxen, for the Holiday 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, shall 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 falsely.) 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 john spoke 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 Leu. 7. 16. John saith it was morning and they went not into P●ae●orion that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Pass●over; 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 Sunset, but no longer, Leu. 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 C●ron. 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 pilate's Common Hall lest they should be defiled, and so might be made unfit to eat the Passovers 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 Sunset, but not after Sunset; 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 Cross (for that Sabbath was a high day) besought Pilate that their legs 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 forenoon preparation to their Passeover Dinner, but this preparation was nigh unto Sunset, 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 legs 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 witness, Mat. 27. 17. Mar. 15. 42. and so tindal 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 pilate's Judgement Hall, and so should have been hindered from their Festival Dinner, and now also at Sunset they take the like care to avoid cruelty, etc. 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 Sunset, 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 Egypt 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 Holiday, 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 festival 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 shown great reverence to it now in their request to Pilate, because it was the●r 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 Saviour's case, and after Sunset they held it lawful not only to bury, but also to embalm the Dead, as the godly persons did to our Saviour. See Ains. in Leu. 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 kind, 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 legs 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 itself, for this high Festival Sabbath was now in its full force, and in its solemn Feast. Secondly, The time of Christ's Burial is noted by Luke to be when the said Festival Sabbath did begin to lighten, Luk. 23. 54 The time of Christ's burial was at Starlight. 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 enclosed 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 showing that the time of Christ's Burial was, when the Sabbath began to lighten; but I believe the chief Priests did defer the time of their feasting now somewhat longer than at other times, because they had some business to do with Pilate before they could intent their Festival Supper, for they went to Pilate to entreat 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 theirs no doubt did occasion their delay to begin their High Sabbath Supper till more than three Stars appeared in the Sky this night. Obj. 12. You say the Priests went to Pilate to entreat 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. 63. Ans. Ignorance of the Jewish Customs makes many misconstructions, the next day began at Sunset, 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 afternoon was either by washing away of some light d●filements, or else it was their preparation of holy flesh by offering sacrifices, etc. But Matthews meaning lies fair and round thus; The next day (a●ter their preparation) which began at the Sunset evening, they assembled unto Pilate to make the foresaid request. Hence note, that they did not go to Pilate to make this request till the next day, namely, not till after Sunset, and then also they had commission to make him sure, by appointing such a Watch; and all this they did af●er it was Starlight. 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 Sepulchre over night, as soon as he was buried, for if his Disciples had had any mind to steal him away they would have done it in the first part of the night? and doubtless when the Soldiers 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 Sunset before they began their Festival Supper. 2 pilate's answer to their request implies that they came overnight, 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 till 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 they came to Pilate was at the Sunset Evening, for that was their next day, or it was their morrow, as I have opened, 1 Sam. 30. 17. and Leu. 27. 15. All these considerations laid together make it evident that the time ere Christ was enclosed in the heart of the earth, was when the Sabbath began to lighten with stars. Object. 13. How can you call their Festival Supper the proper Feast that doth most properly belong to the first day of unleavened-bread; had they not a Festival Dinner belonging to this High Sabbath as well as a Festival Supper? Ans. I grant they had a Festival Dinner belonging to this day, as well as a Festival Supper; but my meaning is, that their Festival Dinner was not entirely made of the sacrifices of this day, as their Festival Supper was: for part of their Festival Dinner (at least) was made of the Remainder of those Peace-offerings which were sacrificed in the former day with the Lamb-Passeover, and so by that means their festival Dinner did partake of the Sacrifices of the fourteenth day; but their Festival Supper was made entirely of the Sacrifices of the fifteenth day, and yet this Sabbath-Feast was kept in the night after the date of the Ceremonial beginning of the sixteenth day, in which none of the flesh of their Chagigah-Passeover might remain, for that had been to keep the holy flesh within the third day, which was plainly prohibited by the letter of the Law: Hence it follows, that all the flesh of their Chagigah-Passeover must be eaten at Dinner, or else if any of it did remain until the beginning of the sixteenth day it must be burnt, Leu. 7. 17. and therefore it follows that this high Sabbath-Supper was entirely made of the Sacrifices of the fifteenth day, and in that respect, it was the most proper solemn Feast of this High Sabbath. Object 14. It seems to me that Moses doth allow the flesh of the Chagigah-Passeover to remain unto the morning of the third day, in Deu. 16. 4. and that is a longer time than you speak of from Leu. 7. 17. Ans. Boker, the morning, in Deu. 16. 4. must not be taken in a Boker, the morn●ng, is put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day at Sunset. proper sense, either for the beginning of the natural day, or of the morning of the Artificial day; but in this place, it must be taken figuratively for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day at Sunset; for as Boker, the morning, is properly put for the beginning of the Natural day, or of the Artificial day, so also it is figuratively put for the beginning of any other thing (as in Chap. 3. I have given several instances) and accordingly in this place it is figuratively put for the beginning of the Ceremonial day at Sunset; for Moses in Deut. 16. 4. might not give a contrary Law to what he had before given in Leu. 7. 17. There he doth expressly say, that none of the flesh of the voluntary Peace-offerings shall remain until the third day, if any thing thereof remain until the third day it shall be burnt. Hence it follows by necessary consequence, that Boker, the morning, in Deu. 16. 4. must be taken in a figurative sense for the beginning of their Ceremonial day at Sunset, and therefore none of the flesh of the Chagigah-Passeover, (Moses doth not speak of the Lamb-Passeover in Deut. 16. 2. but of the Cagigah-Passeover) of Sheep and Oxen, which were sacrificed in the fourteenth day with the Paschal Lamb, none of this flesh might remain until the beginning, or until the morning of the sixteenth day at Sunset, for then the flesh would have remained until the third day after it was sacrificed, and then might not be eaten, but it must be burnt. Secondly, The Hebrew Doctors testify, that the flesh of their voluntary Peace-offerings must remain but one whole night after it was sacrificed, and so consequently but one natural morning. Maymony saith thus, By word of mouth we have learned that this is a prohibition for leaving the flesh of the Cagigah of the fourteenth day unto the sixteenth day, as it said [unto the morning] that is till the morning of the second day. See Ains. in Deu. 16. 4. their meanings, that it should not be kept until the beginning (or until the morning) of the sixteenth day, which gins at Sunset; in these words Moses doth truly, though figuratively, call the Sunset Evening, the morning, in Deut. 16. 4. This is a mystery that belongs peculiarly to the Ceremonial Law, which the inexpert cannot presently perceive; the like mystery it is to call the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day, the morrow, as it is three times over called in Leu. 23. 11, 15, 16. and once more in 1 Sam. 30. 17. as it is explained in Chap. 4. and it is called their next day in Mat. 27. 62. And it is a further mystery also that the Jews Ceremonial day should begin six hours before the Natural day is ended. As for example, The fifteenth day of Nishan was the first day of Unleavened bread, and a high Sabbath, and by their Ceremonial custom it began before the Evening of the fourteenth day was ended; for the Passeover of the fourteenth day was not feasted on till after Sunset, namely, not till after the fifteenth day by their Ceremonial account was begun, according to the date of the person purified. These are Riddles to such as are not studious in the Jews customs: They could not keep their Religious Festival Suppers in the same Ceremonial day, for than they must have kept them the night before their Sacrifices were offered, which was impossible; therefore the night after their Festival Sabbaths, was the proper night of the Sabbaths by Creation, though not by Ceremony; for the Ceremonial day, in which the polluted person must be purified against their festival Sabbaths, must needs begin the date of their new day before hand; and yet they must also keep the Festival Supper appertaining to the Sabbath in the night after, and so by this means, the Ceremonial day was interwoven with the Natural day for the several respects already named, and therefore this phrase, It shall be eaten in the same day, in which the Sacrifice was offered, Leu. 7. 15. and Leu. 22. 30. must not, nor cannot be understood of the same Ceremonial day, but it may, and must be understood of the same Natural day. Object. 15. What need had they to keep their Religious Feasts in the night after the Sabbath? was not the whole day from Sunset to Sunset sufficient? Ans. It was not sufficient, because they must feast upon their Evening sacrifices, as well as ●pon their Morning sacrifices, but they could not feast upon their Evening sacrifices until after Sunset, because many times the Evening sacrifices were not finished till Sunset, 2 Chron. 35. 14. therefore they must of necessity have the night after as the appointed season for the solemnity of their Religious Suppers; and therefore the Sunset Evening before was not the beginning of the Natural day, it was but the beginning of the new day to the person purified, he must of necessity begin his new day then, or else he could not partake in the solemnities of their Sacrifices the day following; but the Sunset Evening after the Sabbath was a natural part of the former day, and the proper Feast of the Sabbath was then celebrated; and the Prophet Isaiah hath reference to this Custom, when he saith, Ye shall have a Song as in the Night, when a holy Solemnity is kept, Isa. 30. 29. for they kept their Religious Suppers till Midnight, and it is evident that all their Religious Feasts were kept with songs and with such like expressions of joy in the Messiah for his Redemption, Es. 23. 15. Deu. 16. 15. Judg. 21. 19, 21. and in this respect, all kind of sadness and mourning was forbidden at their solemn Feasts, because it did profane that joyful Ordinance, Leu. 10. 19 Neh. 8. 10. Object. 16. You seem to limit the time of their solemn Festival Supper, but until Midnight, but the prohibition in Leu. 7. 15. saith, Ye shall not leave aught thereof until the morning; This implies a permission to continue their Religious Feasting, not only until Midnight, as you would have it, but until daybreak, as the Hebrew Doctors expound it. Ans. I confess the Hebrew Doctors do expound the word Morning in this Text to mean daybreak, but yet they do also often correct th●t Exposition, for they say more than once, that they feared it might be a transgression to continue the time of their solemn Suppers any longer than till Midnight. The Hebrew Doctors say, That not only the sacrifice of confession of Peace-offerings (but of other kinds of sacrifices also) might be eaten all the night long till break of day; As for example, The Nazarites Ram, and the bread that came with it, whether it were the portion of the Priests, or the portion of the Owners, These might be eaten all the night long till break of day; and the same law they say was for the Sin-offerings, and for the Trespas-offerings, & for the Peace-offerings of the Congregation, and for the residue of the Meat-offerings: All these (say the Hebrew Doctors, may be eaten all the night long till break of day: But yet (saith Maymony) To keep men far from Transgression, our wise men have said, They are not to be eaten, but until MIDNIGHT. See Ains. in Leu. 7. 18. In like sort, they say of the residue of the Burnt-offerings, that they might lie burning upon the Altar all the night long until the morning; that is (say they) till break of day, Leu. 6. 9 but yet they do also correct that Interpretation; for they say, Our wise men have said, that the Priests might not let the fats or pieces of the Burnt-offering lie burning upon the Altar, but until Midnight, for fear of Transgression. The Hebrew Doctors say also, that they might continue feasting upon the flesh of the Paschal Lamb till morning, Exod. 12. 10. that is (say they) till break of day; but yet they say also that none of the company might eat again after he had slept, though it were in the beginning of the night. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 10. Hence it is evident that they did allow none to make any more but one distinct meal of the Paschal Lamb; and truly so small a creature needed not so long a time to feast on it (but their voluntary Peace-offerings which they offered with the Paschal Lamb, and in that respect did call them the Passeover, they might feast upon that flesh till daybreak, for they had two day's allowance to eat them by the Law, Leu. 7. 17, 18.) therefore seeing they might make but one meal of the Lamb-Passeover, why should any man think of a longer time to feast on it than till the Midnight Morning? if it had been requisite to feast on it till day break, our Saviour would have improved the full time; but it is evident that he did finish all by Midnight, not only the Supper of the Paschal Lamb, but also the Peace-offerings, which he adjoined to the Paschal Lamb, Joh. 13. 12. (This 12. Ver. saith, when he was set down again, namely, after he had ended the Lamb-Passeover in Verse 2. then he arose from Supper, and washed his Disciples feet, Verse 3. then he sat down again to feast upon the Chagigah-Passeover, Verse 12. At which Feast they used to drink two or three cups of Wine, which our Saviour improved for the institution of his own Supper; they had no common Supper this night as some unadvisedly speak, but all the flesh they eaten was holy flesh, and all their Feasting was with Religious joy for their Redemption) together with his long Exhortations, Thanksgivings, Prayers and Psames. I apprehend it was much about the time of Midnight, or rather before, when he had ended all. And it doth further appear that the Hebrew Doctors did fear it might be a Transgression to continue at their Religious Feasting The Jews accounted the first half of the night to be a part of the former day in the case of their religious Feasting on their Passovers. on the Pascha till the morning at daybreak, because they do of ten limit the time of their Religious Feasting, but until Midnight. Maymony saith, That the two Lambs which were presented as a Meat-offering, together with the Two Loaves for the Peace-offerings of the Congregation, on the day of Penticost, were eaten by the Priests in the Same Day, and in Half the Night, as the flesh of the most Holy things were. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 20. By this Testimony it is evident, that all their holy things were eaten in the same day, and in half the night, except their voluntary Peace-offerings, for they had allowance from the Law to feast on that flesh two days, and one night, Leu. 7. 17, 18. Deut. 16. 2. 10. Secondly, Consider this well; for though the Hebrew Doctors do sometimes say, that the fats and the pieces of the Burnt-offering may lie burning upon the Altar all night till break of day, yet they do also say, that their Wise men did advise the Priests not to continue the burning upon the Altar any longer than till Midnight, and in Exod. 23. 8. the Lord saith, The fat of my Feast shall not remain until the morning therefore it must be wholly consumed with fire before daybreak. And indeed, they might not continue the burning any longer than till Midnight without manifest Transgression, especially at festival times; for at festival times, saith Maymony, The Priests must take away the ashes from the Altar at the beginning of the third part of the night; But on Reconciliation-days they took away the ashes at Midnight. See Ains. in Leu. 6. 10. By this Hebrew Canon it is evident that they could not continue the burning of the fats and pieces of the Evening sacrifices until daybreak without transgressing this necessary order in cleansing the Altar by way of preparation to the morning sacrifices, for they might not do any other work about the morning sacrifice till the ashes were taken from the Altar, for that was the first work in order to the morning sacrifice, and they could not do that work until the burning of the fats, and of the pieces of the Evening sacrifices were finished; therefore they might not continue the burning any longer than till Midnight (at sometimes at least) without Transgression, especially in the night before the day of Reconciliation, for then the Priests must take away the ashes from the Altar at Midnight; and by this it is evident that the ancient Hebrew Doctors held that the morning (namely the root of it) began at Midnight, because they did then give order to set things in a readiness for the morning Sacrifice; and after this work was done, they had many other things to set in order before they could offer the morning Sacrifice, and the usual time of killing the morning Sacrifice was before Sunrising, but on Expiation-day it was killed at daybreak. See Ains. in Num. 28. 4. and Leu. 16. 4. By these Records of the Hebrew Doctors, we may see the true Reason why they feared it might be a Transgression to continue the burning any longer than till Midnight, and why they feared it might be a Transgression to continue their Festival Suppers any longer than till Midnight; it was because they held the root of the morning to begin at Midnight; And Maymony saith, Grateful is a Commandment that is done in the hour of the same. See Ains. in Leu. 6. 10. And hence my Answer is to this Objection, it is the safest way to expound the word Morning, in Leu. 7. 15. and in Leu. 22. 30. etc. to signify, that the root or the first beginning of the morning is at Midnight, for fear of Transgression. After this Treatise was ready for the Press, I met with a passage in Dr. * See his third part of his Harmony. p 194. Leightfoot on Mark 1. 35. worth the inserting into this place. Although (saith he) the Jews did precisely begin their day from Sunsetting; yet did they also make the Midnight a distinctive period to part between day and day, so as to determine Rem Diei, in Diem suum. Talmud in Beracoth, Per. 1. From what time do they say over their Phylacteries at Even? From the time that th● Priests go in to eat their portion of the Sacrifices, till the end of their first Watch; But saith R. Eliezer, The Wise men said until Midnight. Ibid. in Pesach in Per. 10. The Passeover after Midnight defiles the hands. Jona Per. 1. & Maym. in Tamid. in Per. 2. The cleansing of the Burnt-offering Altar on the day of Expiation began from Midnight. Talm. in Zevach in Per. 5. Trespass-offerings might be eaten till midnight. Ibid. Lesser holy Offerings may be eaten till Midnight. Ibid. The Passeover is not eaten but in the night; and it is not eaten but till Midnight. The meaning of these Passages is, That whereas these things were to be done to day, and might not be put off till to morrow: If they were done any time before Midnight, it was reputed current, as done to day. Their Phylacteries were to be said over every day at Even: If they were said over before Midnight, it served the turn for the day before. And the parts of the Offerings that were to be eaten in the same day that the Offering was offered (and might not be kept till the morrow) if they were eaten before Midnight, it did serve the turn for the day before. The Altar of Burnt-offering was to be cleansed every day; but on the day of Expiation it began to be cleansed from the Midnight before, and that was taken as done on the day of Expiation. (And so they observed to feast on the Passeover, but until Midnight.) These things I have produced the rather, because of this passage in Mark 1. 35. which calls it the Morning; and yet it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, much of the Night yet remaining: for as they reckoned up till Midnight for the day that was passed; So they reckoned the morning to begin at Midnight to the day following. Were I to discuss the Question about the beginning and ending of our Christian Sabbath, I should think this matter worth consideration to that purpose. And something parallel to this are those Texts in Exod. 12. 22. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning; yet verse 29. at Midnight the Lord smote the Firstborn, etc. verse 33. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people that they might send them out, Deut. 16. 1. and God brought thee forth of Egypt by Night. Now this Morning in Mar. 1. 35. in which Christ risen so very early, and went out to pray, was on the morrow after the Sabbath; the day on which the Christian Sabbath was fixed ere long, which may not be unobserved, since so special▪ a matter is mentioned of that day. Thus fare out of Doctor Leightfoot, which doth illustrate and strengthen that which I have said in sundry places, about the beginning of the morning at midnight. Secondly, I come now to speak of the second Part of the Passeover Evening, which was for the use of their Religious Feasting from Sunset to midnight. After my long digression to answer several Objections about the jews customs, I come now to speak of the second part of the Passeover Evening, appointed for the time of their religious Feasting on their Passovers, and that was from Sunset to Midnight, and this space of time was all the latter evening. And this is evident, 1 By the appointment of Moses. 2 By the practice of our Saviour. 1 Moses appointed all Israel to eat the flesh of the Paschal Lamb [In that Night] Exod. 12. 8, 42. namely in that part of the night that belonged to the fourteenth day by Creation. 2 It is evident that Christ did not sit down to eat the Passeover with his twelve Apostles, until the latter evening was come; for Christ himself was in the forenoon, or in the beginning of the afternoon at Bethany, when he sent two of his Disciples to jerusalem to prepare the Passeover, and to present it to the Priests to be killed for them all between the two evenings, Mar. 14. 3. 12. 13. then after it was sacrificed he bade them carry it to such a house, and make it ready against his coming, and in thus doing he did according to the jews custom, for their custom was, that if thirteen or twenty did join together for one Passeover, they did send one or two of their company to present it to the Priest, and so to make it ready for the rest. See Ains. in Numb. 9 12. then at Sunset they all met together, and began the feast at the hour appointed. This custom our Saviour observed, for he came not in person to jerusalem till the latter evening was come, Mat. 26 20. 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 Sunset, but the particular hour of their feasting was not by the Hebrew Doctors Canons until three Stars did appear after Sunset. See Ains. in Leu. 22. 9 ● It is evident that our Saviour did not begin to Feast on his Passeover until 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 sunset till midnight, 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 confess that the fifteenth day began that night at Sunset; 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 jew 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 afternoon; And what then? might he then carry his Lamb to the Temple to be sacrificed? No, he might not yet go himself to the Temple, because his cleansing was not fully complete; but yet he might join 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 cleanness, and then as soon as three Stars appeared after Sunset, he might sit down with the rest of that Society to eat the Passeover. See Ains. in Num. 9 10. And thus the Sunset 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 well bear the date of two several 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 cleanness 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 cleanness at Sunset, as the person purified did. 2. Because the act of feasting in the latter evening after Sunset 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 itself 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 Sunset 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 Passovers between the two evenings; this was the allowed season for the sacrificing of all their Passovers in Egypt. 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 ●●ose fourteen, he doth unite these two solemn: actions together in these words; This day shall be to you for a memorial, ye shall festival keep it for a feast unto Jehovah; mark this phrase, This day, and ye● shall festival keep it; what day doth he mean olse, but the fourteenth day afore spoken of ● and ye shall festival keep it, and yet the Feast was kept after Sunset. Hence it follows, that the time of feasting on the Paschal Lamb after Sunset was a ●rue 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 Sunset 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 Twofold 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 several Natural days, but commands them both to be 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 Sunset 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 oftentimes it was little enough, for they must boil and roast 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 Bev. 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 God's goodness for their deliverance out of Egypt, 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 expressly commanded in Leu. 7. 15. that the holy flesh must be eaten in the same day in which it was sacrificed; But if the Sunset evening had been the true beginning of the Natural day, than 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 Sunset 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 midnight 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 Sunset 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 N●shan is not like the evening of other Festival days, because in it are the Feast, and the kill of Sacrifices. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 5. He makes the time of feasting to belong to the fourteenth day; and secondly, he prefers 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 solemnised the proper Feast of the fourteenth day; but the evening before was but in way of preparation to the Sabbath itself. 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 Sunset 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 Fastingday, 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 Leu. 23. 32. ye shall afflict your Souls in the ninth day of the Month, in the evening, from evening to evening you shall 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 public 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 year 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 b● observed in the tenth day of the seventh month, Leu. 23. 27. yet it was also commanded to begin in the Evening of the ninth day, Leu. 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 gins 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 Sunset 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 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 Dreposition 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 natural beginning of the tenth day to begin at the Sunset 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 gins at the Sunset 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, than 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 gross absurdity, than 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 all other public fasting days were left to the Elders of the No fasting-day among the Jews was so long as the Fast on the day of Atonement was. San●edrim to be appointed whensoever they were in any distress, which were proclaimed to be observed in all the Synagogues of the Land, as well as at the Temple: But they did not enjoin them to begin those fasting days in the Evening before, with such a strict abstinence as they did the day of Reconciliation; for the Hebrew Doctors say, That it was lawful 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-dais in the morning, and not in the evening before, except the day of Reconciliation only; therefore no other public fasting-day was of such a length as this yearly fasting-day was. 7 Neither was any other Sabbath of such a length for strict Rest as this 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 yearly 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, etc. 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 itself. 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 Midday whoso doth work therein after Midday, 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 days, because in it are the Feast, and the kill of Sacrifices. See Ains. in Leu. 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 itself; but it seems they did not esteem the Evening before the Sabbath to be any true part of the Sabbath itself, for doubtless, if they had esteemed it as a true part of the Sabbath itself, they would not only 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 Atonement, 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 year 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 only till a little after the Sunset 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 Midnight after; for 1 The Priests must eat their part of the public Sin-offering, Num. 29. 11. which must be eaten in the same day in which it was offered, Leu. 6. 26. (as other Sacrifices were, Leu. 7. 15, 18.) and yet the Priests could not eat the holy flesh of this public Sin-offering till after Sunset; for the fast of this day was not fully ended till after Sunset, and therefore also they might not begin to Cook that holy flesh until the Fast was fully ended. Hence it follows, that the same day did still continue till after Sunset, yea until it was Midnight. 2 The Priests had another work to do within the limits of this tenth day, namely, they must burn all the fats and pieces of all the public Evening-sacrifices of this day (which were many) and some of their Evening-sacrifices were also offered near unto Sunset, and therefore this work and duty of burning would require not only the more diligence, but also the more time, to finish this 〈…〉 ●ay of Atonement was. sweet savour upon the Lord's Altar in its own proper day, as I have noted the commanded season thereof more at large in Leu. 6. 9 3 It appears, that some of the works which appertained to the morning-sacrifice of this tenth day, must begin at Midnight, and that some of the works which must be done about the Evening-sacrifice were such as could not be ended until the Midnight 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 Midnight, as Maymony saith. See Ains. in Leu. 6. 10. And in another place he saith, they took away the ashes at Midnight, and ordered the wood, etc. and at the break of day they began to kill the daily Morning-sacrifice. See Ains. in Leu. 16. 4. In like sort they could not finish the burning of all the Evening-sacrifices of this day till Midnight, as I have showed above from Leu. 6. 9 and yet over and above this full day from Midnight to Midnight, 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 Fastingday, nor yet for the beginning of our Lord's 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 Lord's 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 darkness in the Sky was somewhat more than the light in the Sky; for as long as the light in the Sky is more than darkness, they say the Sun is the cause of it; and hence they conclude that the Sun cannot be said to be set till the darkness in the Sky be more in quantity than the light in the Sky, and this they make to be the punctual time of the Sunset evening, when the Jews Sabbath began, namely, when a Man could not see to read, or a Woman to s●w. Ans. This exposition of the beginning of the Sunset evening, and of the beginning of the Sabbath, is a newfound devise, I have already shown the vanity of it in Chapter 4. in my answer to Obj. 3. That the Sunset evening is truly come as soon as ever the Body of the Sun is gone out of sight, and that Darkness is then begun, because the shining of the Sun is gone from off the face of the earth, and Darkness 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 cleanness, and therefore if the Sabbath itself 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 showed in chap. 4. and then if Nehemiah did not set a Watch at the Gates of Jerusalem till the darkness in the Sky was more than the light in the Sky, 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 itself to begin in Such as hold the Sabbath to begin ●t the Sun set evening can never prove that Christ lay three days in hi● Grave. the evening, are necessitated to seek out such odd expositions as this of the time of the Sunset evening, because else they see that they can never prove that Christ lay three days enclosed in the heart of the earth, Mat. 12. 40. and they know that Christ risen from the Dead on the first day of the Week, Joh. 20. 19 Hence it follows, that he must be enclosed in the heart of the earth, in the very selfsame 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 Sunset evening can never prove it, unless they can prove that Christ was enclosed in the heart of the earth some distinct time before Sunset; but Luke saith, that the time of Christ's Burial was, when it began to be Starlight, Luk. 23. 54. that is not possible to be done, for Luke saith, that the Sabbath began to lighten (with Starlight) when he was enclosed 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 be cast up, and laid together, and then it will put the matter out of doubt, that the burial of Christ could not be finished till it was Sar-light. 1 Consider the time when Joseph went to Pilate to beg the Body, and that was not till the Sunset evening was come, Mat. 27. 57 Mar. 15. 42. This evening that was now come cannot be understood of the first evening, for that was come at Midday, and Christ was then alive, therefore it must be understood of the latter evening which was not come till Sunset. Obj. 2. But Mr. Norton objecteth against this Translation, and In his Treatise of Christ's Sufferings. saith, that it is not true that Joseph came not to beg the Body of Christ until Sunset; but Joseph (saith he) came as the evening was coming, as the Greek hath it, therefore before it was actually come; and besides, (saith he) he could not otherwise have taken down the Body, and buried it the same day according to the Law, Deut. 21. 23. which John testifieth they were careful and mindful of, Joh. 19 31. Ans. As touching the translation of the Greek in Matthew and Mark, I have searched into sundry Translations, and all that I can yet meet withal have it, When the evening was come; I have also conferred with some that are learned in the Tongues, and they say it is but a harsh translation to render it, When the evening was coming; and tindal doth both translate and expound Mar 15. 42 thus, When night was come (because it was the evening that goeth before the Sabbath) But what if the Greek doth signify no more but as Master Norton saith, when the evening was coming? yet that translation makes the difference of time so small that it is not worth the speaking of, for in the like case Mark saith, That at the evening, when the Sun was set, the Jews brought their diseased persons to Christ to be cured, Mark 1. 32. but Luke saith, It was when the Sun was setting, Luk. 4. 40. that is to say, when the evening was coming, for in proper speech, the latter evening cannot be said to be coming till the Sun be setting. And secondly, It seems to me that Joseph of Arimathea durst not go to Pilate to beg the dead Body before Sunset, for fear of the displeasure of the High Priests, and therefore he delayed his going to Pilate until the High Priests had first gone and besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken down, because it was the time of their preparation to their High Festival Sabbath-Supper, for Joseph knew that the High Priests were desirous that Christ should hang upon the Cross for his greater ignominy, as long as other cursed Malefactors used to do, and that was until the Sun was set, and in this sense Joshua did understand the Law to mean, namely, that they might Deut. 21. 23. hang upon the Tree after the night was begun (which was begun at Sunset) and therefore he did not command the dead Bodies of the cursed Kings to be taken down from the Tree until the Sun was down, Jos 8. 29. I grant that formerly I have expounded this clause in Deut. 21. 23. Thou shalt not let his Carcase hang all night upon the tree, to mean (not at all in the night) but since then I find upon better examination that I was in an error, though Master Norton takes it for a truth, and so in like sort he takes some plain truths for great errors; but this sentence, they shall not hang all night, implies, that they may hang some part of the night upon the tree, provided they were buried the same day, namely in the same Natural day, which lasted after Sunset until Midnight, as I have showed in chap. 5. in my answer to Object. 16. And in this respect joshua let the dead Bodies of the Kings hang still upon the Tree until the Sun was set; that is to say, until the night was begun; but if this command of burying them in the same day had meant in the same Ceremonial day, than the dead Bodies might not continue hanging on the Tree until the Sun was set, except they had been buried some distinct time before Sunset; this clause therefore [in the same day] must be understood not of the same Ceremonial day which ended at Sunset, but of the same Natural day which continued after Sunset till midnight, as I have showed more at large in Chapter five, in my answer to Objection sixteen, and in chap. 4. ult. and in other places also. The chief Priests were first in their request to Pilate, because it was the time of their preparation to their solemn High Sabbath-Supper, for it was the first day of unleavened bread, which was a high Sabbath, and their Festival-Supper was to begin at Starlight, therefore they besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away, Joh. 19 31. thus you see that the Priests in regard of their preparation to their Sabbath-Supper were first in their request unto Pilate, presently upon this Pilate commanded that their legs should be broken, and Joseph perceiving their request, first did wisely espy the advantage of time, and without delay he went boldly unto Pilate, and besought him, that he might take away the Body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave; he came therefore and took the Body of Jesus, Joh. 19 38. this was all done in the neck of one another, and this time is recorded by Matthew and Mark, to be when the Sunset evening was done. From the Premises I reason thus; If the Sunset evening was come before joseph went to Pilate to beg the Body of Christ, than the Sabbath Star might well be risen before the Body of Christ could be enclosed in the heart of the earth, for joseph had many things to do after he had the grant of the dead Body, before it could be enclosed in his Grave; First, he went to the Shops to buy several pieces of Linen to wrap the dead Body in, according to the jews manner, joh. 20. 6, 7. (as we may see the manner in Lazarus burial, joh. 11. 44.) and Nicodemus also did take up some time to embalm his Body, which also was done with many circumstances according to the jews custom▪ joh. 19 40. (as it is set down by Mr. Ainsworth in Gen. 46. 4. and in Gen. 50. 2.) and then (though the place of burial were near, yet) it would require both hands and time to carry him thither, and to roll the stone upon the mouth of his Grave, before he could be said to be enclosed in the heart of the earth; I grant also that all this was done with as much haste as might be, because of the I●ws preparation to their Festival Supper, and yet as soon as this was done, or could be done, their High Festival-Sabbath began to lighten, namely, with the Evening Star at least, if not with more Stars, for it was a Canon among them, not to begin their Festival-Suppers till three Stars did appear, and doubtless Luke's phrase doth allude to that custom. This Sabbath that did now begin to lighten was not the Sabbath itself, for if the Sabbath itself had been begun at the rising of the Evening Star, then doubtless the holy Women had broken the holy rest of the Sabbath d●y, because after all this they went to the shops and bought Odours, and Ointments, Luke 23. 56. compared with M●rk 16. 1. yea and after they had bought these Odours and Ointments they went home and prepared them in a readiness 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 presumed his Body before his burial, ●s Nicod●mus 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 itself did not begin neither at the Sunset evening, when the person purified began the date of his new day, nor yet at the rising of the evening star, for if the Sabbath itself had been begun at either of these times, than the holy Women had most grossly broken the holy rest of the Sabbath; But the Holy Text doth witness on their side that they rested the Sabbath, according to the Commandment, Luk. 23. 56. Henc● I conclude from this practice 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 itself, 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 itself, and I have showed 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 itself; but see more in this Chapter in the answer to the next objection. Objct. 2. It seems to me that the Sabbath itself did begin and end at the Sun set Evening by the Jews practice, for they held it unlawful before the Sunset Evening was come for our Saviour to heal diseased persons; But after the Sunset 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 Sunset 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 believe the only 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 testify from the ancient Hebrew Doctors that they held the contrary: They held that the peril 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 peril 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 Peter's wives mother of her Favour, 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 public 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 Sunset when Christ left the Synagogue, and then as soon as he had left the Synagogue he healed Peter's wives mother, which was another procuring cause that made the greater flocking to him; but if his miraculous cures had been done sooner, doubtless 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 rejoiced 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 rejoiced that Christ had put him to silence. Therefore though some of the malignant Jews held erroneously 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 shows plainly. 5 It is evident to me from several testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors, that they held the Sunset Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath itself, because they held it lawful to The Hebrew Doctors held the Sunset Evening after the Sabbath, to be a true part of the Sabbath itself. do many things in the Sunset Evening before the Sabbath, which they did not hold lawful to be done in the Sunset 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 Leu. 23. 17. Two things are evident from this Testimony. 1 That in the judgement of the Hebrew Doctors the Sunset Evening after the Sabbath, was a true part of the Sabbath itself, because they held it unlawful to bake the said two Loaves of new corn in the Evening before the day of Penticost, if it were a Sabbath: But they might with out scruple have baked the said two Loaves in the said Evening before Penticost, as well as on any other Evening, if they had held that the Sabbath had then been fully ended. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 6, 7. 2 Hence it is evident, that the Hebrew Doctors did not hold the Evening before the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath itself, no otherwise than by way of preparation. 3 Mamony gives another instance from the time of baking the twelve Loaves of Shewbread; he saith, That the twelve Loaves of the Shewbread might not be baked on the Sabbath, nor on a Feast-day, but in the Evening of the Sabbath they baked it, and set it in order on the morrow. See Ains. in Leu. 24. 5. Hence this is remarable in this Hebrew Record; That he makes a manifest difference between the Evening that goes before the Sabbath, and the Sabbath itself, he calls the Evening before, [the Evening of the Sabbath] by custom peculiar to the Jews, from the date of the new day to the person purified (as I have formerly showed) he allows these twelve Loaves to be baked in the Evening of the Sabbath all the year long, except it fell out to be in the latter Evening of a Festival-Sabbath; and therefore it doth hence follow, that not the Evening before, but the Evening after their Festival-Sabbaths, was a true part of their Festival-Sabbaths; And so likewise Tremelius a Christian Jew, doth make the Evening after the Sabbath to be true part of the Sabbath itself, in his Translation and note on the Syriak Testament in Matth. 28. 1. Therefore by the judgement of the Hebrew Doctors, the Festival-Sabbath was not ended at Sunset; and thence it follows, that if their festival-Sabbaths were not ended at Sunset, than their weekly Sabbaths were not ended at Sunset. 4 Maymony saith thus, Who so laboureth in the Evening of the Sabbath, he shall eat in the Sabbath, See Ains. in Exod. 16. 26. Hence it follows, that in the judgement of the Hebrew Canons, the Evening before the Sabbath was no part of the Sabbath no otherwise but by way of preparation to the Sabbath; for they say, That he that will eat in the Sabbath, must labour in the Evening of the Sabbath, namely in the Evening before the Sabbath; This they speak, as I conceive, of their laborious preparing of their Manna (according to every one's pal●t) in a readiness against the Sabbath; for though the Manna was a ready food of itself, without preparing to some stomaches, yet not to all, till it were cooked to their ; and it could not be prepared in this sort without great labour, for it was ground in Mills, and beaten in Mortars, Num. 1 1. 8 And in that respect the Hebrew Doctors say, Who so laboureth in the Evening of the Sabbath, shall eat in the Sabbath; but in case they neglected this work in the Evening of the Sabbath, they might not do it on the Sabbath day, but they must rather fast and endure hunger for their negligence sake. Hence it follows, that the Evening before, was called the Evening of the Sabbath, no otherwise but by way of preparation, and it is called the Evening of the Sabbath from their new date to the person purified; his new day did ever begin at the Sunset Evenning. 5 Maymony saith thus, Such works as may be done in the Evening before a Feast-day they do not upon a Feast-day; they may not reap, nor thresh, nor winnow, nor grind corn, nor the like upon a Sabbath day, for all these things may be done in the Evening of a Sabbath, killing of Beasts, baking of bread, kneading of dough, and the like, may be done in the Evening of a Sabbath. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 7. in like sort their laborious preparation of their Manna must be done in the Evening of the weekly Sabbath. Object. 4. By the Evening of the Sabbath the Jews do not mean only the Sunset Evening, but they accounted the Sabbath Evening to begin at three a clock in the afternoon before; and in this respect Maymony saith thus, It is unlawful to do works in the Evenings of the Festival-Sabbaths from the time of the Evening sacrifice, and forward (even as upon the Evening of the weekly Sabbaths) and who so doth work in them shall never see a sign of blessing, 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 Midday; who so doth work therein after Midday, he is to be scourged or excommunicated with the Niddui, for the fourteenth of Nishan is not like the Evening of other Festival days, because in it are the Feast, and the kill of Sacrifices. See Ains. in Leu. 23. 5. Ans. I grant that the Jews did make some kind of preparation both to their Festival-Sabbaths, and to their weekly Sabbaths also, from the time of the Evening-sacrifice, and forwards, till Bedtime; for though they did not begin their day of cleanness till Sunset, yet in regard of the many works that were to be done against their feast-days (which I have immediately named) and in regard of preparing their Manna, etc. against the Sabbath, their wise men held it convenient to forbear, and leave off the ordinary works of their calling from the time of the Evening-sacrifice, and forwards, till bedtime; and in that respect the Magistrates themselves did forbear to sit in their Courts of Judicature after the time of the Evening-sacrifice. See Ains. in Exod. 18. 22. But this degree of preparation had no other command from God, but the general rule of conveniency. 2 It is evident from the said Testimony, that they did not esteem any part of the Evening, neither before, nor after Sunset, to be as a true part of the Sabbath itself, because they did neither scourge nor excommunicate any man that did any servile work in this Evening, as they did for working in any part of the Passeover Evening from Midday till Midnight; but if they had in their judgement esteemed any part of the Evening before the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath itself, doubtless they would have punished such Transgressor's more severely than for working upon the Passeover Evening, for by Moses Law, such persons ought to be stoned to death, Numb. 15. 34, 35. Hence it follows first, That the Evening before the Sabbath (though it be called the Evening of the Sabbath according to their ceremonial custom, yet it) was no true part of the Sabbath itself, but in way of preparation only. Secondly, That the Sunset Evening after the Sabbath was indeed a true part of the Sabbath itself. 5 It is evident that the Evening after the Sabbath was esteemed to be a true part of the Sabbath itself, by the testimony of the Evangelist John, in Chap. 20. 19 the Text runs thus, The same day at Evening, being the f●rst day of the week; John calls this Evening not the second, but the first day of the week, and yet it must needs be now a good space after Sunset, for there were two Disciples now present that came from Emaus, and it was towards Evening before they came from Emaus, and they could not well come from thence to Jerusalem in less than three hours' space, for it was sixty Furlongs from Emaus to Jerusalem, Luke 24. 13. 29. 36. Mr. Goodwin, and others, allow eight Furlongs to an English or Italian mile; but the Hebrew Doctors allow but seven Furlongs and a half to an English mile. See Ains. in Leu. 16. 21. The New Testament doth not follow the Italian Furlong, but the Greek Furlong (or stadium Olympicum) which contains six thousand feet; and the Hebrew Doctors say that two thousand Cubits make a mile. See A●ns. in Exod. 16. 29. The New Testament doth follow th● Greek Customs as frequently as they followed the Greek Tongue; Therefore in reason as the New Testament was written in Greek so it should follow the Greek stadium rather than the Italian; besides, I conceive that the Italian stadium came not into common use until after the New Testament was written. So then by the Hebrew Doctors account, it was eight miles from Emaus to Jerusalem; that is to say, it was Eight English miles: Now if you will allow but three hours' time for the going of these eight miles, it must needs be after Sunset when they came to the Apostles; and after they were come, they spent some time in relating unto the Apostles what had happened to them the same day as they went to Emaus, and as they were making this Relation Jesus came and stood in the midst of them, Luke 24. 36. These circumstances considered, it must needs be after the date of the Jews Ceremonial day before Christ came in among them, and yet the Evangelist calls this time of the Evening, the same day in which Christ risen from the dead; and secondly, he calls it the first day of the week. So then, by these two expressions the Evangelist puts the matter out of doubt to such as will be satisfied by plain consequences of Scripture, that this latter Evening when Christ came into the house to the Apostles, was a true part of the former day, and yet it was after Sunset, and therefore it was after their Ceremonial day was begun. 6 And lastly, I may well bring hither all those five Arguments which I alleged in Chap. 5. to prove the latter Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan to be a true part of the fourteenth day, and therefore it follows by good consequence, ●hat the latter Evening of the Sabbath was a true part of the Sabbath itself. Obj. It appears to me that the Natural day gins at the Sunset evening, for the Lord telleth Ezekiel in the ninth year of Jeconiahs' captivity, that he should be dumb until the day that Jerusalem should be destroyed, and until a Messenger should come to Ezekiel to tell the news thereof, Ezek. 24. 26, 27. this is the Prediction, now the accomplishment of this Prophecy is set down in Eze. 33. 21, 22. In the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth Month, and in the fifth day of the Month, than one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto Ezekiel, and said, The City is smitten; now saith Ezekiel, The hand of the Lord had been upon me in the evening before he that had escaped came, and had opened my mouth until he came to me in the morning, and when he had opened my mouth I was no more dumb. From these two Scriptures compared it is evident, that the evening before the Messenger came, and the morning after he was come, are termed the same day; therefore it follows by good consequence that the same day began in the evening. Ans. This is a strange collection to prove the evening to be the beginning of the Natural day; the vanity of this collection will appear by the opening of two words in this Prophecy, which must not be taken as you do, in strict propriety of speech, but in a figurative sense, I mean the word Day, and the word Dumb. 1 I say the word Day must not be taken in a strict sense for a proper Natural day of twenty four hours, but it must be taken Figuratively for a time to come, as it appears by the computation of time; for Ezekiel is said to be dumb in the ninth year of Jeconiahs' captivity, in the tenth Month, and in the tenth day of the Month, Eze. 24. 1, 2. in which day ezekiel's wife died, vers. 18. which was the pleasure of his eyes, vers. 16. and her death was for a sign unto the jews, that the Temple which was the pleasure of their eyes, vers. 21. should be destroyed) and then in that day (namely when the Temple should be destroyed, he that escapeth in that day should come to Ezekiel and tell him; And in [that day] viz. in time to come, Ezekiel's mouth should be opened unto him which escaped to tell him, and then he should speak and be no more dumb, ver. 26, 27. This is the Prediction; now compare the story of events, and that lies thus, The Temple was burnt on the tenth day of the fifth Month, in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, Jer. 52. 12, 13. and there is no record to be found that any Messenger came to Ezekiel to tell him in the same day, neither is it possible for any man to come from Jerusalem to Chaldea in one Natural day of twenty four hours, therefore the Messenger that came to him in (that day) came to him in that day which is Figuratively put for the time to come, for the Messenger came not to Ezekiel until seventeen Months after that the Temple was destroyed, for he came not till the fifth day of the tenth Month, and in the twelfth year of Jeconias' captivity, Ezek. 33. 21. therefore this phrase the same day must not be understood of the same Natural day, but of day at large, for the term day is often put for a large time to come, as in Ezek. 23. 38, 39 & Ezek. 33. 12. and in Deut. 27. 2 See Ains. 2 Ezekiel is said to be dumb in the ninth year, Ezek. 24. 12. 27. till the Messenger came to him in the twelfth year of jeconiahs' captivity, in all which space Ez●kiel was not dumb from ordinary speech (as Zachary was, Luk. 1. 20.) neither yet was he dumb from Prophesying against other Nations, as it appears by Eze. 26. 1. and Eze. 29. 1. and Eze. 31. but he was dumb or silent from Prophesying any more against the unbelieving jews, as chap. 3. 26. until this Messenger came with special tidings, to certify him how all things were accomplished as he had foretold, and now at the coming of this special Messenger ezekiel's mouth was opened again, to utter another Prophecy of the utter ruin of the remnant of the jews that were left, Ezek. 33. 2, 3. and from this time forth he was no more dumb; that is to say, he was no more restrained from Prophesying to them of their utter ruin: So then, this Messenger was sent to Ezekiel on purpose, to tell him the present state of things, and to inquire of him what should be the future event of the remnant that were left. Ezekiel could not choose but hear of the burning of the Temple long before this Messenger came to him, partly by the poor Captives, and partly by the Soldiers, and also he could not choose but hear of the death of Gedaliah before this special Messenger came; but such accidental tidings did not answer to the sign that was given for the time of his new Prophesying, for the sign was this, That a special Messenger should be sent unto him from jerusalem to Chaldea (in a day) that is to say in a time to come, and then Ezekiel's mouth should be opened unto him, to utter some new Prophecy to him, though it was not according to their expectation; for he foretells, that the remnant that were left should likewise come to destruction. Besides ●he hand of Prophecy that came upon Ezekiel in the Evening before the Messenger came, may be taken as well for the first, as for the latter Evening; for God did often give Visions to his Prophets in the first Evening, at the time of the Evening Sacrifice, Act. 3. 1. Dan. 9 21. Act. 10. 3, 9 Therefore unless it can be proved that this Evening was the Sunset Evening, no concluding argument can be drawn from this Text to prove the Natural day to begin at the Sunset Evening; no, though the term Day, and the term Dumb had been spoken properly. So then from all the premises, I conclude, that not the Evening before, but the Evening after the Sabbath was a true part of the Sabbath itself, and therefore they that take liberty to busy themselves about worldly matters in the Sunset Evening after the Sabbath, do profane that holy time that God hath sanctified to his own use. CHAP. VIII. Proving that the punctual time of Christ's Resurrection was in the morning, just at Sunrising. Doubtless it is a matter of necessary consequence, not only to prove clearly the punctual time of Christ's burial, but of his Resurrection also; for if the time of his Resurrection be uncertain, how can a doubting conscience be satisfied that Christ lay three days in the heart of the earth, according to the Prediction? Therefore as I have proved the time of Christ's burial to be finished when their Festival-Sabbath began to lighten by the Evening-star, so I say also that the time of his Resurrection was just about the time of Sunrising on the first day of the week. Christ did not rise from his grave before daybreak, as some would have it, nor at daybreak, as others would have it, by uncertain guesses. Matthew saith, that Mary Magdalen went out of the door of her house in the first day of the week when it began to dawn, intending to perfume his burial with the sweet Odours that she had prepared in the Evening before the Sabbath, Matth. 28. 1. But Mark saith, That the Sun was just risen when she came to the Sepulchre, Mark. 16. 1. she spent all that space of time between daybreak and Sunrising, partly in calling upon other holy women to go with her, Luke 24. 10. and partly in going so much ground as was from her lodging to the Sepulchre, and then when she was come to the Sepulchre, there was a mighty Earthquake, Mat. 28. 2. and then his grave was opened; such a like Earthquake there was a●●he death of Christ, which opened divers of the graves of the Saints, and after the Resurrection of Christ, they did rise also out of their graves, and came into the holy City, and appeared unto many, Mat. 27. 52, 53. By this Earthquake at Sunrising when Mary Magdalen came to the Sepulchre, it is evident that Christ did not rise out of his grave until these holy women came to be witnesses of the time of his Resucrection. I confess that many Interpreters do think that Christ was risen before these holy Witnesses came to the Sepulchre, but such conjectures may not be admitted, for it is a point of necessary consequence to be proved, That Christ lay three days in the heart of the Earth; but if you say, That Christ was risen before these holy Witnesses came, than you cannot clearly prove that Christ lay three days in the heart of earth; for it may be demanded how long was he risen before they came? If you say it was but one hour before, I may as well say it was seven or eight hours before, and then how can you satisfy a doubting conscience that Christ lay three days, and three nights in the heart of the earth? I cannot think that Christ would suffer his own Prediction to remain so obscure without manifest proof of the full accomplishment of it: Therefore I conclude, that Christ risen not out of his grave till the holy women came to be Witnesses of the same, which was also evidently declared unto them by this Earthquake at their coming to the Sepulchre, just at Sunrising, though they could not make that use of it till afterwards. Object. 1. This Earthquake might be passed before the holy women came to the Sepulchre, and they might know it afterward only by the Soldier's relation. Ans. Christ did never show himself to any wicked man after his Resurrection, Joh. 14. 19 Joh. 16. 20, 22. Act. 10. 41. Therefore it is not like that he would make the Roman Soldiers to be the only Witnesses of this Earthquake which did evidence the time of his Resurrection. I conceive the holy women would not give much credit to the testimony of the Roman Soldiers, except this Earthquake had been general to all the parts of the City, as well as to that particular place, but it seems to me that this Earthquake was not generally spread over the City, but it was limited only to that particular place where Christ's Sepulchre ●s, as a special testimony of the time of his Resurrection: In like ●t that place only where the Apostles were (when they were threatened by the Hgh Priests) was shaken as a testimony of encouragement to them, not to be afraid of Tyrants, Act. 4. 31. Act. 2. 2. Act. 12. 7. and so there was an Earthquake that opened the particular place where Paul was imprisoned, Act. 16. 26. the bare testimony of the Soldiers would have been but of small credit to prove so weighty a matter as the time of Christ's Resurrection was: Therefore I conclude, that Christ arose not from his Grave till these holy women came to testify the time of his Resurrection by an Earthquake, which happened at their first coming to his Sepulchre, and that was just at Sunrising: I conceive that the holy women at first were amazed, and did not know what use to make of this Earthquake, Joh. 20. 9 but afterwards they did plainly perceive that it was a manifest demonstration of the time of his Resurrection; and after this Earthquake, Marry Magdalen went to the Apostles, and told them that Christ was risen from the dead, and she followed the Apostles back again to the Sepulchre; And 3. when they saw no body in the Sepulchre, they returned home. 4 But Marry Magdalen stayed still behind; and than Christ himself did appear unto her as John doth testify. From all the premises it is evident, that Christ lay in the heart of the earth about four hours of the sixth day, and the whole Sabbath, and about five hours of the first day of the week, namely, from Midnight till Sunrising; and after this sort Christ lay three days, and three nights, in the heart of the Earth. But those that begin the Sabbath at the Sun-set-Evening can never prove that Christ lay three days in the heart of the Earth: Therefore that opinion must needs be of evil consequence: First, Because it falsifies the said Prediction. And secondly, Because it leads men to do servile works in the latter Evening of the Lords day, as manifold experience of men's worldly practices doth testify in New England as soon as the Sunset Evening of the Lords day is come. If this Treatise may be of any use to satisfy a doubting conscience touching the time of Christ's Burial and Resurrection, and touching the limits of the Lords day, Give glory to God, who gi●● gifts to men for that purpose. Even so AMEN. FINIS.