HOLY TIME.
CHAP. I.
Proving that the First Darknesse in Gen. 1. 5. was not a compleat Night. By three Reasons.
Reason I.
BEcause the first Darknesse 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 owne experience doth witnesse that every compleat 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 Darknesse, 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 compleat night at first, not untill the Artificial day was first compleatly formed by the shining out of the light twelve houres together, and then at the end of the said twelve houres the light went out of that horizon, and then there succeeded another darknesse of twelve Houres which began with a Twilight. The first halfe of this darknesse made up the first darknesse to be a compleat night [Page 2] of twelve houres; and the other halfe 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 Darknesse, where there is no Night?
Th [...] Answer hereunto (saith he) must be referred to the first Creation onely.
By this Answer of his, it is evident that h [...] did not hold the first Darknesse to be a true night, as most Interpreters doe, though much amisse in so doing.
The summe of what I have said, may be drawn up into this Syllogism.
No Darknesse that wants the true shape and form of a compleat night, can be called a compleat night.
But the first Darknesse wanted the true shape and form of a compleat night, because it wanted a Twilight in the begining of it, which is an inseparable adjunct to the true shape and form of a compleat night.
Therefore the first Darknesse cannot in proper speech be called a compleat night.
The Proposition is so clear that I need not prove it, because no man I thinke 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 terme synonimous with Darknesse, 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.
[Page 3] For the further proof of this, I refer you to Chapter 4. To my Answer to the second Objection.
But I will hereunto adde the description of a compleat night, which may further enlighten this truth. A compleat night is the abs [...]nce of the Suns shining for the space of twelve hours.
A compleat night is the absence of the Suns shining from off the face of the earth for the space of twelve houres, when the Sun is in the Equinoctial, as the dayes were in the first Creation: This description of the Night agrees with the testimony of Aben Ezra, immediately cited.
Object. Why doe you set out the shape and form of the first Artificial day by the shining of the Sunne, and of the Night by the absence of the Suns shining? Seeing the Sunne was not created till the fourth day; It is likely that the light that was created the first day did not then rule the day after the same manner as the Sun did on the fourth day.
Ans. Though there was no Sun-shine in the first day, yet doubtlesse instead thereof the God of Nature, and the God of Order, did cause a certaine light to shine out of darknesse, from the Element of Fire, in the selfe same manner and order, as he caused the Light to doe on the Fourth Day.
At the first, the general matter of the Globe, called Earth, was without form, Gen. 1. 2. because it was voyd of all ornaments for a time; in like sort the first Darknesse was at the first a confused thing, and without any shape or form of a night, for a time; but after the space of five or six houres God said, Let there be light, and there was light, Gen. 1. 3. It were too grosse blindnesse, to think that God did cause this Light to breake out of darknesse all on a sudden, like a flash of Lightning; no, God was now framing the First Day, to be a Patterne, and Sampler to all the rest; and therefore the God of Nature, and the God of Order, did cause the Light to breake out of Darknesse by degrees, in the same order and manner as he caused the Sunne to doe on the Fourth Day, and so by this meanes the God of Nature did first create a Twilight to the first Darknesse, before he caused the light to shine out upon the face of the Earth, as he did by the Sunne on the Fourth day; then also he caused the Light to ascend by degrees, until it came to its height at mid-day, and then he caused it to decline by degrees, [Page 4] until it went off from that Horizon, as the Sunne doth now; and so by this meanes the Artificial Day was compleatly shaped, and formed, before the whole Night could be shaped and formed.
But secondly, When the Artificial Day was thus▪ formed, by the shining of the Light twelve houres, then there succeeded another Twilight, and twelve houres Darknesse more then the first Darknesse; the first halfe of that twelve houres darknesse made up the first darknesse a compleat night of twelve houres, with a double Twilight, and so it became a true patterne and sampler to all other Creation Nights, and then the last halfe of the said twelve houres darknesse went on towards the beginning of the Second Day.
And except this order be observed, there cannot be found out a double Twilight to make the first Night a compleat patterne for all the other Creation nights.
Reason II.
It is evident that the first Darknesse was not a compleat night by the order of that Dominion which God established for the ruling of the Artificial Day by the Sun, before he gave Dominion to the Moon, and to the Starres, to rule the night.
But if the first Darknesse had been a full night before the Artificial day had received its shape and form, then the Moon and Stars should have had their dominion before the Sun, for doubtlesse the God of order would place them in their dominion in the day of their creation, according to that priority of order which the day had of the night, or the night had of the day. Gen. 1. 14. 19.
If the night of the fourth day had been first in order before the Artificial day, then the Moon and the Stars should have had the priority of their dominion to rule the night of the fourth day, before the Sun could have had its dominion to rule the artificial day; and so by this account the Sun shall borrow its light from the Moon as the chiefest in the dominion of the fourth day: Is not this to make the God of order to be the God of confusion, in setting the Cart before [Page 5] the Horse, by giving the first dominion to the Moon, and the last dominion to the Sun; as they do that make the first darknesse to be a compleat night.
Or else if you think to avoid this Rock, by saying that the Sun only was created on the fourth day to rule the artificiall day, and that the Moon and the Stars were not created, and set into their rule and dominion till the fifth night, is not this to run against the plain Text. For my part I shall think him a good Logician (that holds the first darknesse to be a compleat night) that can fairly get out of this Dilemma.
Reason III.
If the first darknesse had been formed into a compleat night before the light was formed into a compleat artificiall day; Then doubtlesse Moses would have called it Night (as the proper name of its perfect shape and form) before he called the light Day: for it was Gods usuall custome to give names to things in the same priority of order, as they had priority of form and shape: As for example, As soon as he had made man of the earth, he called him Adam, and as soon as he had made woman of his Rib, he bid Adam name her; and as soon as he had formed other creatures, he brought them to Adam, & bid him name them with names, defining their natures; & so doubtless if the first darknes, had been first form'd into a compleat night, he would have named it night in the first place; but he called it nothing else but Darknesse at first, saying the darknesse was, namely it was a mis-shapen and uncreated thing: But as soon as he had put a shape, and limited it by a double Twilight, he called it night, as the name of its perfect form and shape: But it could not receive this shape and form untill the light was first shaped and formed into an artificial day by its orderly shining upon the face of the earth for twelve hours together, and then he called it day, as the proper name of its perfect shape and form.
Hence we may cleerly perceive, That Moses in Gen. 1. 5. doth name all the parts of the first natural day in their true priority of order as they were shaped and formed, 1 Day, 2 Night, 3 Evening, 4 Morning. And secondly, hence it follows that [Page 6] the first formed part of the naturall day, was the artificiall day, and not the night.
CHAP. II.
Proving that Moses by the terme Evening in Gen. 1. 5. doth not mean the whole night; But the latter halfe of the artificial day, and the first halfe of the night.
LEarned Mr. Richardson saith, That these two words Evening and Morning do set our Divines to School to finde out what is meant by them in the first Creation.
Most Interpreters say that the two Hebrew words, Gnereb and Boker, which we translate Evening and Morning, in Gen. 1. 5. doe mean nothing else but night and day. But I must crave leave to differ from them in judgement, for these two Reasons.
Reason I.
If Moses had called the first darknesse Evening, and the artificiall day Morning, Then in reason he would have placed the said termes in the same methodicall order in the end of the verse, as he had done in the beginning of the said verse; but he doth place them in a contrary order, for in the beginning of the verse he names the Day before the Night, but in the end of the verse he names the Evening before the Morning; and what else doth this argue but that he did thereby intend that Gods people should take notice that the Evening and the morning were a differing division of the natural day from the division of Day and Night?
Reason II.
If Moses had intended to call the first darknesse Evening as synonimous to the terme Night, then doubtlesse some Scripture or other would have shewed them to be synonima, seeing the said termes are so often repeated in the Bible.
But though I have made diligent search, yet I cannot finde where the [...]rm Morning is made synonimous to the ful artificial [Page 7] day, nor where the term Evening is made synonimous to the whole night, in a proper sense.
Therefore seeing they are no where synonima, it is altogether unlike that Moses doth make them synonima in Gen. 1. 5. and no where else?
Object. Why might not the first Darknesse be a full Evening, and so a full night of twelve h [...]ures, 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 Governour of all things, to be an imperfect Artist in his first pattern? for if you make the first Night to want a Twilight in the beginning of it, do you not thereby make him an imperfect Artist in his first pattern to the other creation dayes? for it is manifest, that the shape and form of the first creation day was a true pattern by which the rest were shaped and formed; for as the text expresseth it in verse 5. so was the Morning, and so was the Evening the first day; so in like sort it is said of the second day in verse 8. and so it is said of the third day in verse 13. and so it is said of the fourth day in verse 19. and so it is said of the fifth and sixth days, all these dayes were shaped and formed just according to the pattern of the first day.
The addition of the Sun in the fourth day made no new part of Light more then the first day had, as I have noted it already, and therefore the manner how the Light did break out of Darknesse on the first day, was in the same manner and order as we see the Sun doth in the Equinoctial.
1 The Light ascended out of darknesse by degrees, as the Sun doth now, Gen. 32. 24. By means whereof it did first make a Twilight in the morning, so the Hebrew phrase calleth it in Psal. 119. 147.
2 Then after a while it began to shine upon the face of the earth, Gen. 19. 23.
3 Then it ascended higher till it came to its height at mid-day, as Es. 16. 3. Act. 22. 6. Act. 26. 13.
4 Then it ceased to ascend, and made a little stand for about halfe an hour.
[Page 8] 5 Then it began to decline or go down by degrees till it went out of the Horizon.
6 Then it made a Twilight, called the Twilight of the Evening, Prov. 7. 9.
7 Then succeeded twelve hours darknesse, the first half whereof made up the first darknesse a full night.
8 Then the last halfe of the said twelve hours darknesse went on towards the beginning of the second day.
In this admirable order did the God of nature set together all the parts of the first naturall day: But I have again set it out more fully in Section 4.
Object. 2. Some learned men say, That Moses by the terme Evening and Morning in Gen. 1. 5. meant Night and Day, no otherwise, but by the figure Synecdoche onely.
They say that the Night is called Evening no otherwise, but because it is begun of the Evening, and that the artificial day is called Morning no otherwise, but because it is begun of the Morning, and so by this Exposition they make no other part of time to be called Evening; but a little point of time onely at the beginning of the night, all the rest of the night is called Evening (say they, but by the figure Synecdoche only. In like manner they make no other part of the artificial Day to be called Morning; but a little point of time in the beginning of the artificial day onely, and this Exposition they borrow from Tremelius Annotation on Gen. 1. 5. or rather from Junius, for it is easie to make it appear, that Tremelius was of another judgement.
Ans. A man had need of more patience then ordinary that shall spend his time to answer such fantastical conceits as this. But in brief, I think I have fully confounded this Objection.
1 By proving that Moses in Gen. 1. 5. divided the first natural day into two equall parts two several wayes, as I have exemplified it by the lines of longitude and latitude on a Compasse Diall in Sect. 4. and see also the gradations to the morning in Chap. 3. Sect. 2. at Sixthly.
2 I answer by proving that Gnereb the Evening is a connexion of the latter halfe of the artificial day to the first halfe of the Night, and so making it to be an equall part of time to Boker the Morning. But the best way to answer this, and many [Page 9] other Objections, is to lay downe the true interpretation of Gnereb, the Evening, in the various use of it in the Scripture.
I am not ignorant that Gnereb is usually interpreted to signifie The Hebrew word Gnereb, which is translated Evening, in Gen. 1. 5. explained. a mixing, or mingling of things together; but I dislike this interpretation, because it is not possible by this interpretation to find out the true form, & shape of the Natural Evening, I have therefore made diligent search into the various use of this word, and I finde that Gnereb doth signifie (not a confused mixing and mingling of things together, but) a connexing, conjoyning, or coupling of two or more distinct things together, without confounding their severall species, or natures, and therefore Wine and Water mixed together cannot be called Gnereb, neither can the confused mingling of Light and Darknesse together (as it is in the Twilight) be called Gnereb, and yet that short time of Twilight is comprehended within the large limits of Gnereb, because it is the partition of (Gnarbaiim) the two Evenings; but the Twilight it selfe is ever expressed by two other severall Hebrew words, and never by Gnereb.
The thing I ayme at in this Discourse is only to clear the true signification of Gnereb, from a confused mixing or mingling of things together, and to make it clear and evident, that it only signifies a conjunction of two or more distinct things together, and therefore that Gnereb in Gen. 1. 5. must signifie the conjunction of the last halfe of the Artificiall day to the first halfe of the Night, and that these two distinct parts connexed are an even and equal portion of time to Boker, the morning.
2. I wil explaine the true meaning of this phrase in Gen. 1. 5. so was the Evening, and so was the Morning. First mark the dependence; in the former part of the Verse, it is said, God called the light Day, and the darknesse he called Night; and then it follows, so was the Evening; but how was that? was it framed out of the darknesse only? No, it was framed and formed both out of the said Light called Day, and out of the said Darknesse called Night, Conjunctim, and not Divisim, namely, the Evening was framed by conjoyning the latter halfe of the Artificiall [Page 10] day to the first halfe of the Night; and so was the Morning, namely, it was in like sort framed out of the Darknesse called Night, and out of the Light called Day, by conjoyning the last halfe of the Night to the first halfe of the Artificiall day: and it is most evident that this was the true meaning of Moses; because he doth afterwards explaine Gnereb the single Evening, by Gnarbaiim the two Evenings eleaven times over, and the reason is, because the ful Natural evening hath two parts; namely the first halfe is Day, and the latter halfe is Night, as I shal open the matter more at large, both in this Chapter by and by, and in Chapter the fist.
And from this interpretation of Gnereb, in Gen. 1. 5. these three Conclusions do follow.
1 That the First Darknesse is not, nor cannot be called Gnereb the Evening.
2 That the whole Night is not, nor cannot be called Gnereb the Evening, in a proper sense.
3 That the Twilight cannot be called Gnereb the Evening.
And the reason is, because none of these three have any distinct conjunction of species to make them Gnereb; and from this interpretation of Gnereb I frame this Argument.
The first Darknesse by it selfe considered cannot be called Gnereb the Evening, neither can the confused mixture of the Twilight be called Gnereb the Evening, because Gnereb doth signifie (not such a mixture as is confused, but) a connexing, or conjoyning of two or more things together, without confounding their distinct species; and there are no other distinct species in Gen. 1. 5. to be conjoyned together, but the Light called Day, and the Darknesse called Night.
But the first darknesse was pure darknesse, and no other thing was connexed to it til the Light was created, and that connexion though at the first it might have been called Gnereb, yet now it must not be called Gnereb, because it pleased Good to call it Boker, the morning.
Therefore the first Darknesse by it selfe considered, cannot be called Gnereb the Evening, neither was it framed into any part of the Evening at all.
[Page 11] The Assumption wil not be denied▪
The Proposition I prove severall wayes.
But first I wil begin it by a particular examination of the various use of the Hebrew word Gnereb thorow out the Scripture.
1 Gnereb is put for the conjunction of two persons together in a contract of Marriage, Ezra 9. 2. Psal. 106. 35. it is also put for the connextion of Iron and Clay in the feet of Nebuchadnezzars Image, Dan. 2. 41. 43. which connextion is expounded to be the joyning together of the Seleucida and the Lagida by Marriages, in Dan. 11. 16, 17. in like sort that Phrase of going in to another by way of Marriage, 1 King. 11. 1, 2. is called Gnereb in the Chalde, and the going in to the Nations, Josh. 23. 7. is called Gnereb in the Chalde.
These instances doe prove that Gnereb is a connexion of two distinct Persons or Species together, without confounding the Species.
2 Gnereb is put for Merchandise, because of the connexion of sundry sorts of Wares the Merchants use to joyne together, when they carry them to Faires or Markets to sell, Eze. 27. 17. 19. 25. 27, 31. 34. Gnereb is also put for Merchants by the Figure Metonymia, either because of the said connexion of sundry sorts of Wares, or else because of their manifold contracts with other persons, which contracts are usually made by connexing their hands together, Eze. 27. 13.
3 Gnereb is put for things that are sweet, or pleasant, by the Figure Synecdoche; it is put for a sweet or pleasant voyce, Cant. 2. 14. and for sweet sleep, Prov. 3. 24. Jer. 31. 26. and for other sweet and pleasant things, Prov. 13. 19. Psal. 104. 34 Jer. 6. 20. Hos. 9. 4, Mal. 3. 4. but none of these things can be said to be sweet or pleasant until they be connexed to some of the five Senses, or to some of the affections of the Soule; as for example, Psal. 104. 34. my meditation of him shal bee sweet, or my meditation shal be connexed to him, namely, with delightful thoughts.
4 Gnereb is put for a league of amity, or of confederation between two parties, for offence or defence. Eze. 20. 5. Jer. 25. 20. 24. Jer. 50. 37. and in this manner those Aegyptians [Page 12] that joyned themselves to the Israelites at their departure are called Gnereb, Exod. 12. 38. and yet they might still be distinguished from the Israelites; in like manner after their returne from their Captivity in Babylon, Nehemiah charged the Jewes to separate the Heathen people from them, which they had joyned to them in way of Marriage, and they are called Gnereb, Neh. 13. 3.
5 Gnereb is put for the connexion of two parties in a contract of Suertyship, Gen. 43. 9. Gen. 44. 32. Prov. 11. 15. and in this respect Gnereb is also put for answering to another; namely, as a Surety with another, Prov. 6. 1. and so Gnarbaiim in the duall number is likewise put for a contract between two Persons, namely, when two persons doe joyne 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 signe for the thing signified, because a pledge is given to binde 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 binde the Covenant, or Contract that is made between two Parties, 2 King. 14. 14. 2 Chro. 25. 24. Gnereb is also put for a Morgage, by the Figure Metonymia, because the thing Morgaged is given to binde the Contract between two parties, Neh. 5. 3.
Also a derivative of Gnereb is put for wicked persons, that joyne together in a Conspiracy against lawfull Authority, Prov. 24. 25. My sonne, 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 ingagement by way of Covenant, Promise, or Contract, and in this sense it is put for the conjunction of Christs heart, in a sweet Covenant to doe his Fathers wil, for Mans redemption, Jer. 30. 21. Who is this that hath ingaged 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 neere unto God for all his seed. [Page 13] See Ainsw. in Psal. 148. 14. Loe I come (saith Christ) to doe thy will O God, thy Law is in my heart, Psal. 40. 8. Heb. 10. 7.
6 Gnereb is put for the woofe of any Cloth, because it is connexed to the warp, Lev. 13. 48, 49. 51. 53. 56, 57. 59. but this connexion may easily be cleared from being a confused mixture, because the plague of Leprosie might be in the Woofe distinctly, and not in the Warp. See Ains. in Lev. 13. 48.
7 Gnereb is put for a conjunction of severall swarmes of noysome Creatures, which were miraculously combined together with one consent, to plague the Aegyptians, Exod. 8. 21, 22. 24. 29. 31. Psal. 77. 44. Psal. 105. 31. Interpretors cannot finde out the severall kindes of these Swarmes, because they are not specified in the text; but in generall, there were swarmes of venemous Flies that did plague them in their houses, and there were swarmes of venemous Creatures, and swarmes of ravenous Creatures that did plague them without doores 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 severall sorts of swarmes may easily bee cleared from confounding their kindes, for out of doubt every kinde of Swarme did keep it selfe distinct from confused mixture with other kindes; Swarmes of Flyes kept by themselves, swarmes of Serpents by themselves, swarmes of Wolves, and swarmes of Lions by themselves, yet all these Swarmes were connexed together in their endeavours to plague the Aegyptians. By this interpretation there was no confused mixture among these Swarmes, as some doe very unadvisedly expound the word Gnereb in this place to signifie.
8 Gnereb is put for a Desart, or a Wildernesse, Es. 41. 19. for a thirsty land, Es. 35. 7. for a dry land, Jer. 50. 12. Ier. 51. 43. or for an unknown land, Ier. 2. 6.
All these translated termes are Figurative, the continent is put for the connexion of the severall things that are contained in it; and our Saviour doth teach us how we must connex and couple the things of the Wildernesse together, in Luke 3. 5. compared with Es. 40. 3. 4. where the things of Gnereb are thus connexed; Mountaines and Hils are connexed to vallies, rough places are connexed to Plaines, or smooth [Page 14] ground, and there are divers other connexions in Gnereb the Wildernesse, for there are divers kindes of wilde Creatures that are connexed together in a Neighbourly cohabitation, without confounding any of their distinct kindes, as Deut. 8. 15. Mar. 1. 13.
And there are also sundry sorts of Trees growing in a pleasant Neighbour-hood together, in their severall borders, Es. 41. 19. and therefore Willow trees are called Gnereb, and Gnarbaiim in the duall number, either because of the twyparty coloured leafe, or else because they doe usually grow on both sides of the Brookes in a pleasant Neighbour-hood together, Es. 15. 7. Lev. 23. 40.
In Gnereb the Desart also, there is a connexion of many miseries which doe often fall together on poore Travellours, Ier. 2. 6. with Deut. 8. 15.
And by the Figure Synecdoche any particular thing of the Desart may be called Gnereb; as for example, the VVolfe is called the VVolfe of Gnereb, and the VVolfe of Gnaraboth, in the plurall number, Ier. 5. 6. because all VVildernesses are inhabited with VVolfes.
In this regard I cannot but wonder why some Translators doe translate, Hab. 1. 8. & Zeph. 3. 3. the VVolfe 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 Naturall 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 Naturall day; but the VVolfe is not, nor ought not to be called Gnereb in relation to the time of the Evening of the Naturall day, for the VVolfe 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 Iacob doth tell us in his allusive Prophesie, Gen. 49. 27. it is fitter therefore to interpret the VVolfe of Gnereb, with relation to the place of his abode, namely to Gnereb the VVildernesse, rather than to Gnereb the Evening, and in that respect the seventy Interpreters, in Hab. 1. 8. and in Zepb. 3. 3. doe call them the VVolves of Arabia, because [Page 15] of the manifold companies, and confederacie that is among them in the Desarts of Arabia.
9 Gnereb is put for the Continent it selfe 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 consederates therein contained, for Arab, in 2 Chron. 9. 14. is written Aereb, in 1 King. 10. 15. which doth properly signifie 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 severall sorts of people, that lived in neere 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 kindes of them are oftentimes connexed together in flocks, and also because some of their kindes are party-coloured; I have seen sundry sorts of Crowes together in flocks, and some of them were party-coloured, namely, white and black like Pyes, and Pyes are a sort of Crowes. See Ains. in Lev. 11. 15.
These severall instances doe plainly evidence, that Gnereb must not be taken for a confused mixing, or mingling of things together, whereby the distinct species may be confounded, as wine and water mixed together are, but it must be taken for such a mixing as is no other but a connexion of distinct species.
[Page 16] This explanation of Gnereb doth lead us by the hand to the right understanding of Gnereb in Gen. 1. 5. namely, that it signifies the connexion of the latter halfe of the Artificiall day with the first halfe of the Night; this part of the Naturall day our Ancestors did most fitly call the Evening; First, because Ou [...] Ancestors held Gnereb the Evening to be at all times of the yeare an even and equal part of time to Boker the morning. it was the even or equal part to Boker the morning. And Secondly, our Ancestors held the Evening to be a distinct and differing portion of time from the time called Night; and indeed experience doth tell us, that the Night is not alwayes an Even part of time to the Artificiall day, that it is many times longer, and many times shorter than the day; but the Evening as it is taken from mid-day to midnight, is alwayes an even or equal part of time to Boker the Morning, Summer and Winter, all the world over, and therefore our Ancestors could not so fitly have called the whole night an Evening, in relation to the Artificiall day, as most would have them speak, though upon better advice they wil now think otherwise.
Obj. 3. What need is there to make Gnereb comprehend such a large portion of time, as is the connexion of the latter halfe of the Artificiall day, to the first halfe of the Night; will not that little peece of light which remains after Sun-set, and which is connexed to the Night, sufficiently serve to make up the true composition of Gnereb the Evening?
Answ. Our dispute did arise at first about the first Darknesse, whether Moses, in Gen. 1. 5. did call it Gnereb the Evening or no? I told you no, because it was pure darknesse without any connexion of light at the beginning of it, and Gnereb the Evening is often put by the Figure Synecdoche for that halfe of the Evening, called the latter Evening, which doth alwayes begin at Sun-set. when God created the Light to shine out of Darknesse, God called that Light (when it had run the course of twelve hours) Day, and the first halfe of it, with the first darknesse, he did at last call it Boker the Morning (namely after the whole time of the Naturall day had run its course, and after the Darknesse was formed into a Night.) Hence it followes, that the composition of Gnereb was formed first from the latter halfe of the Artificiall day, and from the first halfe of the Night; but that little peece of light that remaines after Sun-set is no part of the Artificiall day (which is due to Gnereb) but it is a true part of the Night, and it is presently confounded with darknesse, and it is therefore called Twilight, and therefore it cannot fitly be called Gnereb.
[Page 17] 2 I answer; That seeing Gnereb is halfe Day and halfe Night, it often comes to passe that any one of these parts is Gnereb the Evening is often by the Figure Synecdoche put for the Sun-set evening, so it is also put by the Figure Metonymia for the West. called Gnereb the Evening, by the Figure Synecdoche, and both parts together is often called the two Evenings; the first Evening takes its beginning at mid-day, and the latter Evening begins at Sun-set, which doth alwayes set due West when the dayes are in the Equinoctial, and in that respect our English Translators doe put the West for Gnereb, in Dan. 8. 5. but Tremelius doth there put Sun-set for Gnereb, and the seventy in that place doe put the South-west Wind for Gnereb, (and that Wind is one of the foure Winds of Heaven, into which the Kingdome of Alexander was divided after his death, as Daniel prophesied, Dan. 8. 8.) And truly, seeing the South-west Wind proceeds indifferently both from the South, and from the West conjoyned, it doth most fitly answer to the conjunction or connexion of Gnereb; but it is evident that Gnereb is often put for the West by the Figure Metonymia, 1 Chron. 7. 28. 1 Chron. 12. 15. 1 Chron. 26. 16. 18. 30. and often elsewhere, and in this respect the Twilight is contained within that portion of time which is called Gnereb, but yet the Twilight by it selfe is never called Gnereb, but two other Hebrew words are used to express the time of Twilight, as I noted afore.
3 Gnereb is Figuratively put by Translators for the plaines of Moab, neere Jericho, Num. 33. 48, 49, 50. Numb. 36. 13. Deut. 1. 1. Deut. 11. 30. because they lye West at the setting of the Sun, where the latter Evening doth begin, but the seventy in all the said places doe put the West for Gnereb, because the situation of the plaines of Moab lay in the West part of Canaan, at the going downe of the Sun; from whence the latter evening doth begin; but see more of this latter evening in chap. 4. in the answer to Obj. 2.
4 Gnereb the Evening is Figuratively put for the last times, Gnereb the Evening is often put for the last dayes, and for the last end of a thing. Gen. 49. 27. because the time of Gnereb the Evening doth follow after the time called Boker the Morning. See more in Chap. 3. in Ans. to Obj. 1.
5 Gnereb is Figuratively put for the last dayes, even for the dayes of the Gospel, called in Zach. 14. 7. the Evening time, [Page 18] In the Evening time it shall be light; the allusion is most fit and proper to the first Evening, which doth alwaies begin at Mid-day, at the first declining of the Sun, and then the Sun is in its greatest strength both for light and heat; and then Christ Jesus appeared to Paul for his conversion, that he might send him among the Gentiles that sate in darknesse, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darknesse 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 ful strength, for now Christ and his twelve Apostles, and seventy Disciples, and divers other Prophets and Teachers, did confirme their doctrine with signs and wonders, to the conversion of many ten thousand soules that formerly sate in darknesse 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 plurall number) for the end of the weeke, 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 it selfe. In like sort they did sometimes call the whole week the Sabbath, and the seven weekes 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, then 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 severall houres of Gnereb, the Evening, and in that respect any of those houres may be called Gnereb, the Evening: But at first when Moses did conjoyn 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 [Page 19] 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 aime 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 duall 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 Naturall Evening.
I Find upon search, that Gnereb, the Evening, is eleven times over called Gnarbaiim in the duall 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 Jewes 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 circumstantiall description of them, which had been necessary if they had not been familiarly acquainted with the several limits of them; but he doth onely barely name them as a thing that was familiarly known to them.
Five times over the Lord commanded them to sacrifise all their Passeovers between the two Evenings, Exod. 12. 6. Levit. 23. 5. Numb. 9. 3, 5, 11. and four times over the Lord commanded them to sacrifise 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 sixt hour (which is at Mid-day and upwards) it is called between the two Evenings, for that the Sun declineth towards his going down, &c. between the Evening of the Day and the Evening of the Night; The Evening of the Day is from the beginning of the seventh houre, and the Evening of the Night, is when the night begins, See Ains. in Num. 9. 3.
And Aben Ezra on Exod. 12. saith, There is the Evening of the [Page 20] 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, begins at the first declining of the Sun at Mid-day, 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 explaine 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 Quailes 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 untill he had first made them dine, and after they had well dined, then he sent them away: After this Evening Christ went up into a mountain to pray, and then it is said againe, When the Evening was come, bee 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 naturall 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 Mid-day till Sun-set, and the latter Evening begins at Sun-set, and ends at mid-night, and both these Evenings are called Gnarbaiim in the duall number; that is say, the Twy-party Evening; for so Gnarbaiim in the duall 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. [Page 21] 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 duall number, 2 Sam 5. 6, 7. Psal. 51. 18. not because there were two Jerusalems, but because the City Jerusalem had two principal parts; for first, There was the City of the people on the one part; and secondly, There was the City of David and mount Zion on the other part; but neither of these parts alone could properly be called the City of Jerusalem, but both parts must be put together to make up the full City Jerusalem; and in this respect it might well be called the double Jerusalem, or the twy-party Jerusalem; the like may be said of Ramothaim, for there was but one City in Mount Ephraim that was called Ramath, as vers. 19. tels us, But this City was called Ramothaim in the duall number, because it had two principall parts. First, There was the City of the people on the one part; And secondly, There was Naioth in Ramath on the other part where the High place was, and where Samuel dwelt, and kept a Prophets School, 2 Sam. 19. 18, 19. But neither of these parts could properly be called the full City Ramath, but both of them together did make up the full City Ramath. So also Diblath, Ezek. 6. 14. is Diblathaim, Jerm. 48. 22. And so Gnereb the Evening is sometimes called Gnarbaiim the two Evenings, but neither of those two Evenings taken a part can properly be called Gnereb the full naturall Evening, as it is meant in Gen. 1. 5. but both of them put together do make up the full natural Evening; and in this respect Gnarbaiim may be translated the twofold evening or the twy-party evening, as well as the two Evenings, because indeed there is but one naturall Evening, which is divided by the time of Sunset into two principall parts. It is therefore but a woodden shift of some Scholars to call the first Evening an improper Evening, and to call the latter Evening onely the full naturall Evening: The like woodden shift it is to make no other part of time to be called Gnereb properly, but the very beginning of the Night, or of the later Evening onely, as some do interpret Junius Annotation on Gen. 1. 5. to speak.
2. If the Holy Spirit had framed Gnarbaiim, to set out both a [Page 22] proper and an improper Evening with one and the same voice and breath, then doubtlesse the seventy Translators being Hebrew The seventy Interpreters do make the two Evenings to be but one proper Evening. Doctors would have found it out, and then they would have described the various acceptation of the word, by some marke of distinction or other, especially considering they took liberty to vary the terme of their translation from Gnarbaiim, for they do never fully expresse the term Gnarbaiim the two Evenings in any place, but nine times over they translate it by the single term Evening, and therefore if they had accounted the first part of it to have been an improper Evening, and the latter part onely proper, then doubtlesse they would somewhere or other have given some mark of distinction whereby to know them asunder, especially seeing they take liberty to alter the phrase; But it seems to me they accounted both the parts of Gnarbaiim to be but one proper naturall Evening, because they do nine times over translate Gnarbaiim by the single term Evening. I confesse they doe once after a sort set out the two parts of Gnarbaiim in Lev. 23. 5. for there the Seventy read the Text thus. In the fourteenth day of the month, between the middle of those things that belong to the Evening; in this translation they doe not fully name the two Evenings, but yet after a sort they doe name the two Evenings, because they say between the middle of those things that belong to the Evening; their meaning must be this▪ In the beginning of the Passeover Evening, they in the first place did offer the daily evening Sacrifice, burne Incense, trim the Lamps, &c. Secondly, As soon as the latter evening was come (which did alwaies begin at Sun-set) they began to feast upon the flesh of their Passeovers, and of their Peace-offerings, in a solemn religious manner: Now between, or in the middle of these things all their Passeovers were sacrificed. And thus by this Interpretation it appears evidently that the seventy Translators held Gnarbaiim to be but one proper naturall evening divided into two princiall parts, because they called that which was done between the two evenings, the middle of the evening in the singular number. Therefore I may well conclude, that their distinction is absurd, that make the first part of Gnarbaiim to be no more but an improper evening, and that make the latter part onely proper. I think no man that is well advised can find any harmony in the Scripture by this Interpretation.
[Page 23] 3. It is also evident that Gnereb the Evening, is as large in length of time as Gnarbaiim the two Evenings is; for not onely The Hebrew text doth make the two Evenings to be but one proper Evening. the Seventy do translate Gnarbaiim, by the single term Evening; but the Hebrew Text it selfe doth often put Gnereb for Gnarbaiim interchangeably, as for example, four places of Scripture doe command them to offer the daily evening Sacrifice between the two evenings, but many more places say it should be done or sacrificed in Gnereb the evening; five places command all the Passeovers to be sacrificed between the two evenings, but more places say it shall be done or sacrificed in Gnereb the evening; one place saith, that the Priests must cause the Lamps to burne between the two evenings, but other places say in the evening; one place saith the Quailes came between the two evenings, but other places say they came in Gnereb the evening: Therefore Gnereb and Gnarbaiim is but one proper evening; Gnereb is as large in time as Gnarbaiim is, both parts together make up the true and proper naturall evening called Gnereb.
Hence I conclude, that the Hebrew word Gnereb doth not The two parts of Gnereb exemplified. signifie such a confused mixture as is between light and darknesse in the Twilight; but it signifies such a distinct connexion of Day and Night together, as may be called Gnarbaiim, the two evenings, and such a connexion as may be distinguished or severed from each other into two distinct parts: as I may exemplifie the matter by a party-coloured coat, one half is white and the other halfe is black; so is Gnereb the evening, the first halfe is white called day, and the other halfe is black called night, and the time of Twilight that couples these two evenings together, may be likened to the seam that couples the white and black peeces together for the compleating of the party-coloured coat. Or thus, the two parts of Gnereb may be exemplified by the cloud that stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians, the one halfe of the cloud was light towards the Israelites, and the other halfe was dark towards the Egyptians, Exod. 14. 20. So is Gnereb, the natural evening, the first halfe is light called day, and the other half is dark called night.
But if the naturall evening had been nothing else but night, as most Interpreters doe affirme upon Gen. 1. 5. then all evening Sacrifices must have been offered in the night time only; but the Hebrew Doctors wil laugh that opinion to scorn as a foule absurdity; [Page 24] for after Sun-set (say they) the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful, see Ains. in Lev. 6 9. ( [...]y mean it only of all evening Sacrifices) and therefore it was a foul mistake in K. James's Translators to translate Gnereb by the wo [...]d night, [...]n Lev. 6. 20. they say that Aarons Meat-offering was offer [...]d half of it in the morning, and halfe of it at night, so also they put night for Gnereb, in Gen. 49. 27. and in Job 7. 4. and in Psal. 30. 5. and the Geneva Translators do the like, in Gen 49. 27. and in Lev 6. 20. and often elsewhere: but I beleeve, themselves 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 d [...]monstrative grounds, that the Naturall Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun.
THe first Scripture by which I prove that the Natural Evening doth begin at Mid-day, at the first declining of the Sun, is from Jeremy, whose speech is both plain and elegant, Jeremy speaks thus in the person of the Babylonian Souldiers, Arise, let us go up at noon; woe unto us, for the day declineth, and the shadowes of the evening are stretched out, Jer. 6. 4. These words are spoken by way of allusion; but yet two phrases are remarkable in this Text. 1. The day declineth. 2. The shadowes of the evening are stretched out; both these termes are Synonima, and mean the same time of the day; for as soon as the day begins to decline, the shadowes of the evening begin to be stretched out. Hence then it follows, 1. That the evening doth begin as soon as the day begins to decline. 2. That the shadowes of the evening do begin to stretch themselves as soon as the sun which rules the day, doth begin first to decline.
Jeremy speaks these words in the person of the Babylonian Souldiers who made haste to destroy the Jewes by the Noon-tide, but when they were upon their march they saw they were like to come short of the appointed time, and therefore they [...]ry out in an angry passion, Woe unto us, for the day declineth, and the shadowes of the evening are stretched out. The Prophet speaks this [Page 25] by way of Prosopopeia; yet there must be a reall truth in the allusion.
Secondly, I prove that the natural Evening begins at Mid-day, at the first declining of the Sun, by Matth. 14. 15. When the Evening was come; Luke expounds this evening to be come, when the day began to go down or decline, Luk. 9. 12. So Mr. Broughton renders the Text: And when else doth the day first begin to go down or decline, but when the Sun that rules the Day doth first begin to go down or decline? as is above observed from Jer. 6. 4. And experience doth tell us, that the Sun doth first begin to decline at mid-day, and that it continues declining till Sun-set; So then, from the term Evening in Matthew described by this adjunct in Luke, when the day begins to go down or decline, it may truly be gathered by necessary consequence, that the natural evening doth begin at mid-day, at the first declining of the Sun; and this evening hath two parts, the first part begins at the first declining of the Sun, as I have already expounded, v. 15. and another evening doth begin at Sun-set, in v. 23.
Thirdly, I prove that the full natural evening begins 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 begins at mid-day by 1 Sam. 20. 5. David doth there intreat 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.
[Page 26] 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 mid-day, and Davids evening did begin at mid-day, 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, unlesse 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 peece of the morning at the beginning of his Journey, he might well be at the place appointed according to the punctuall time of the appointed Evening; and thus Jonathans Morning and Davids Evening do meet together at Mid-day, and no other resolution can be given, as I conceive, to make Jonathans morning and Davids 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 Sun-set 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 mid-day evening: But I will give you divers Reasons why the appointed evening cannot be meant of the Sun-set 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 Sun-set, then 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 sun-set 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.
[Page 27] Thirdly, Jonathan knew that Saul was jealous of his familiarity with David, and he knew also that Saul was much inraged against David at this time; Therefore in wisdom Jonathan would not be so long absent from Saul as from morning till Sun-set; nay, it would have been Mid-night 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 Ionathan pretended no other errand but to shoot at a mark, and therefore he took his Boy with him to witnesse so much if need should be▪
1. Hence it followes, that the place of meeting was but a little way without the City; for what need had a man goe farre to shoot at a Mark? and so it asked but a little time to goe to it, and to return from it.
2 Hence it followes, that the appointed Evening must be understood of the Mid-day Evening, and not of the Sun-set Evening: And thus Jonathans Morning and Davids Evening did fitly agree to the same appointed hour at Mid-day.
In like sort one Evangelist saith that Christ was crucified at the third houre, Mark. 15. 25. But John saith he was crucified at the sixt hour, Joh. 19. 14. this differing relation of time, may seem to have as great a difference as is between Jonathans Morning and Davids Evening, and yet there is no difference a [...] all when things come to be rightly expounded: For the Jewes divided the Artificiall 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 houres; 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 sixt, because it ended with the sixt 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 Davids Evening in v. 5. do fitly close and meet together at Mid-day.
[Page 28] Fifthly, I prove that the naturall Evening doth begin at Mid-day, by Josh. 7. 6. There Joshua and the Elders fell down upon the Earth before the Ark of the Lord till Even-tide, that is to say until Evening began.
Object. 6. This Even-tide must be understood of the Sun-set Evening.
Answ. I answer no, it cannot be understood of the Sun-set Evening, for Joshua had much businesse to doe after this, which must be done before the time of Sunset, for the Lord commanded Joshua to sanctifie the people against the morrow, Vers. 13, 14. But Joshua could not sanctifie them at the Sun-set Evening, for then the day of their cleannesse must begin, by the order of the Leviticall Law; they must therefore be washed from their defilements in the afternoon, or else they could not begin the day of their cleannesse at their Sun-set Evening; and in case they did not begin the new day of their cleannesse at Sun-set, they might not come before the Lords Arke on the morrow to beg Attonement for Transgressors, 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 Lords Ark on the morrow, if he had lain still upon the earth till the Even-tide at Sun-set; 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 sanctifie themselves from their Ceremonial defilements, by washing their Bodies and their Cloaths according to the Ceremonial customs, as they are set down in Exod. 19. 10. Gen. 35. [...]. and this must be done in the same Even-tide wherein the Lord spake to Joshua and to the Elders, saying, Ʋp, and sanctifie the people, and say, sactifie your selves 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 Cloaths before Sun-set, and then it will necessarily force us to understand this Even-tide of the Noon-tide Evening, and not of the Sun-set Evening.
[Page 29] Sixthly, I prove, That the full naturall Evening begins at Mid-day when the Afternoon begins, 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 Husband-man is in seed-time; he will not rest from sowing his seed neither Forenoon nor afternoon, because he knows not which will prove best. A wise and diligent Husband-man will go out to sow his seed in the afternoon Evening, and not defer it till the Sun-set Evening; therefore by Solomons account the Evening begins with the Afternoon at Mid-day.
2. It is said Psal. 90. 6. In the morning the grasse 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 grasse in the evening after Sun-set, or if he sometimes do so, yet it doth not wither in the evening after Sun-set; But Husbandmen use to take the opportunity to mow their grasse in the afternoon, and then it withereth, therefore the Evening begins with the afternoon.
3. It is said in 1 Sam. 17. 16. that Goliah drew near Morning and Evening forty days together: But Souldiers doe not use to call for a Pitched Battle in the evening after Sun-set, 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 Sun-set, for then they use to flie 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 testifie unto them the things of the Kingdome of God, and that he might perswade 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 Sun-set: The hungry bellies and captious spirits of most of these Jewes would not indure it; neither would Pauls wisdom nor [Page 30] his strength suffer him to offer it, especially seeing the Jewes of this Synagogue had before-hand 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 Pauls lodging at the ordinary houre 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 lesse, as in wisdom he thought it convenient, all circumstances considered, and in likelihood the Jews would not appoint to meet at Pauls lodging before the ordinary hour of morning prayer, nor be contented to stay longer than Dinner-time, when the Evening begins, at Mid-day; therefore it may be gathered by probable conjecture, that the evening began at Mid-day in Rome as well as in Iudea.
The first Naturall 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 Naturall 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 pourtray upon it the shape or image of a compasse 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 peece of Twilight to fill it up to the East point, as a sign that the light did thence break out of darknesse by degrees.
3. Then shadow out a peece 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 Mid-day.
5. Then shadow out another peece of light of six hours long for the declining of the light from the South point to the West point.
6 Then write 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 Artificiall Day shaped out, limited, and named.
7. Then shadow out a little peece of Twilight, at the departure of the light out of that Horizon, on the inside of the West point.
8. Then take twelve hours darknesse, and shadow out the first half of that Darknesse from the West point untill it meet with the place of the first darknesse at the North point.
9. Then write upon all that Darknesse 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 Darknesse be set upon the out-side of the same Compasse Diall, from the North point to the East point, for the beginning of the second Day.
[Page 33] 10 Hence we may observe the Reason why the first Darknes 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 darknes, and it could not have this form til 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 houres darknesse succeeding the Artificial Day had met with the first darknesse 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 Mid-day to Mid-night 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 Mid-day to Mid-night was called Gnereb, the Evening, and the other half from Mid-night to Mid-day 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 darknesse, 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 [Page 34] plural number, Psal. 73. 14. Psal. 101. 8. Job 7. 18. Lam. 3. 23. Is. 33. 2.
15. The Reason why the first darknesse 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 darknesse was a confused mis-shapen 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 darknesse could not be shaped into a Night until it had twelve houres darknesse 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 darknesse 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 darknesse 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 thred; 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 wonderfull variety of Gods 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 formed 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 Queston 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 begins in the dark Night.
- III. That the Morning doth begin at Mid-night.
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 signifie early. the Morning, at last; namely, as soon as all the parts of the Natural Day were formed: Because Boker, (the Morning) doth signifie 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 espie) as he that keepeth watch and ward expecting what God will answer; and the godly do often professe, 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 onely Reason why Buls 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 [Page 36] 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 Artificiall Day, because that is the fittest season to seek out or (ear [...]h 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, then they begin to look and search after lost things, and hence the beginning of the Artificiall Day is called Boker, the Morning.
Answ. I see no Reason to restrain the signification of Boker to mans seeking by the sight of his eyes, in the time of the Artificial Morning onely, but considering that Boker, the Morning, is placed among the works of Gods 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 testifie, 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 Ʋnderstanding he established the Heavens, [...]rov. 3. 19. and so by Wisdom and Understanding he formed 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 daies to the end of the world. Secondly, Early seeking may be done by advice, counsel, and meditation, as well in the time of darknesse, 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 loe 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 Gods early Providence is often set out by the term Morning, both in [Page 37] 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 shal the King of Israel be destroyed; and in this sense I shall presently expound Isa. 47. 11.
2. The term Morning doth often denote Gods early care and Providence in looking out for the Protection of his people, Exod. 14. 24. Psal. 46. 7.
Hence I infer, that seeing the word Morning doth signifie early seeking, or early looking out, it may well denote unto us, that the first Darkness was not comprehended under the term Evening, but under the term Morning, for Gnereb, the Evening, is never put for early or first, but it is always put for late or last, because it was the latter part of the Day, as I have shewed in my Answer to the third Objection of the former Chapter, and more by and by.
Secondly, It is further evident that the Morning time was first, As Gnereb the Evening is put for last time: So Boker the Morning is put for the first time, or for the beginning of a thing. and the Evening last, by Gen. 49. 27. Benjamin shall ravine like a Woolf, in the Morning he shall devour the prey, and in the Evening he shall divide the spoile; The Seventy render it, The early Morning; and truly, seeing the first Darkness had the priority of time before the Artificial Morning, it is not proper to put the Artificial Morning for first in preheminence of time before the first Darkness, and therefore in reason, the first Darkness must belong to the early Morning, as well as the first half of the Artificial Day doth, or else Jacob did not make a proper Allusion to the Morning and to the Evening, if the first Darkness had been Evening, for then the evening had been first in order of time; search into the story of Events, and see how Jacobs Prophecie doth relate to the term Morning and Evening; the event of his Prophecie lyes thus.
1. Ehud of Benjamin was raised up by God like a Woolf in the early morning to devour the Moabites, and to deliver Israel, Judg. 3. 15. Then God did also raise up Hester and M [...]decai or Benjamin like a W [...]olf 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.
[Page 38] 2. In the Evening-time of the world God raised up Paul of Benjamin to divide the spoil with the other Apostles, by the preaching of the Gospel, for Paul is said to make the Word of God to abound from Jerusalem to Illyricum, Rom. 15. 19. and it is further evident that the daies of the Gospel are called the Evening, by Zeph. 2. 7. the Prophet doth there foretel that there shall be a remnant of the Jews (namely of the dispersed Jews dwelling in several Countries) that shall be called to rest or lie down in the Evening, and to this remnant of dispersed Jewes did Peter and James write in the Evening-time of the Gospel to exhort them to rest and repose their Souls in Christ for Life and Salvation.
Zachary also doth use the term Evening for the last times, namely, for the daies of the Gospel, and in that respect the time of the Gospel is often called the last dayes, Isa. 2. 2. Jer. 30. 24. Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 20. Zacharies phrase runs thus, In the Evening time it shall be light, Zach. 14. 7. It is very suitable to compare the last daies of the Gospel to the Evening, because it is the last half of the Natural Day; and it is most suitable also to compare the light of the Gospel to the light of the Evening, for the Evening begins at Mid-day at the first declining of the Sun, and then the day is most clear and bright, and so it continues till almost Sun-set; and in the last days, when the Apostles had a Commission to preach the Gospel in all the world, the Gospel gave a light most clear to many souls that sat in darkness: But if the Evening had been no other time but the dark Night, as the most would have it, then Zacharies Allusion to the light of that Evening, had been but a poor comparison to set forth the light of the Gospel, for in such an Evening there is no other light but Star-light, or Moon-light at the best, and that is but a poor light to illustrate the light of the Gospel by, in the days of the Apostles.
Thirdly, As the Evening is often put for last, so the Morning is put for first, in Dan. 9. 21. The man Gabriel whom I had seen in a vision at First, or in the Morning, so the Hebrew speaks.
Fourthly, It is evident by another Allusion that the Morning is before the Evening, because the term Morning is put for the very first beginning of a thing; and in this sense Isaiah is most elegant, Isa. 47. 11. Evill shall come upon thee (O Babylon) and thou shalt not know the morning thereof (or the beginning thereof.) The Hebrew word signifies the early Morning; but the [Page 39] Geneva doth render it the Beginning; and by this phrase the Holy Ghost did (by a Periphrasis) describe the beginning of Babylons ruin by the early Morning.
Object. 2. Good Divines do take the term Morning here for the beginning of the Artificial Day, and the word Morning in that sense doth not hinder, but that the first Darkness was Evening.
Answ. I have already answered this Objection immediately before. I told you there, that if the first Darkness had been called Evening, then doubtless the Evening would have been put for the first beginning of any 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 Babylons fall cannot be so conveniently compared to the Morning of the Artificial day, as to the dark early morning; because the Artificial Morning is apparent and perspicuous to all men: But the ruin of Babylon was not perspicuous at first, but it was carryed on in a speedy and obscure manner by the Persians, so that the Babylonians had no suspition or discerning of their fall as yet; therefore the Morning of the Artificial Day was not so suitable to exemplifie the manner of their speedy ruin, as the early dark Morning was, for it was done speedily ere they were aware, Jer. 50. 24. as it appears by these two considerations.
1. Isay did foretel that Babylon should be destroyed in the Night, Isa. 21. 4.
2. Isay did foretel that Babylon should be destroyed in the early Morning, Isa. 47. 11.
Put both these Prophetical allusions together, and then they wil amount to thus much, that Babylon should be destroyed in that Morning, that begins in the Night; and the History of Events doth tell us, not onely 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 Babylons fall either in the former figurative sense, or in the last proper sense (either way or both wayes) and it doth sufficiently prove, that the time called Morning [Page 40] was first in order before the time called Evening, or else this Allusion of Babylons 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 Sun-set Evening, because the time of Sun-set 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 Sun-set 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 Sun-set Evening) in 1 Sam. 30. 17. and in Lev. 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 cals 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, then 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 Gods discourse with Job, and of Gods Interrogations be well marked, there is no ground to say that God did onely intend to set out the excellent nature of the Angels by comparing them to the morning of the Artificiall 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 shews him that he is not able to [Page 41] 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 dealings 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 rejoyced together, and when the Sons of God shouted, Ver. 7. The Text doth plainly call them Morning Stars, not so much in regard of the excellency of their Nature, but in regard of the time wherein they were created, or wherein they shouted at the excellency of Gods Workmanship when the foundation of the earth was laid, either way or both waies do assure us that the time of the first darkness was called Morning and not Evening. And that is the thing that I aim at in this first Section of this Chapter.
SECT. 2. Proving that the Morning doth begin in the dark Night.
FIrst, No man can deny but that the Morning is begun when the morning Watch is begun, for the text doth affirm it, Exod. 14. 24. 1 Sam. 11. 11. And it is a known thing, that among the Jews they did alwaies begin it just three hours after Midnight, not onely in the Summer time but also in the Winter time: Hence it follows, that their morning Watch in the time of Winter must needs begin in the dark night, not onely in Judea, but also in all the habitable parts of the world.
2. Hence it follows, that seeing the morning Watch did begin at three hours after Mid-night, then it will follow, that it must end just three hours after Mid-day; for in common reason the morning must be as long as the evening, namely, twelve hours long, or else the Evening may better be called an Unevening, then an Evening to the Morning; but none that have their senses will say that the morning doth continue till three hours after Mid-day.
3 Hence it follows, that it is more agreeable to Scripture and to common reason to begin the natural morning at the marked time of Mid-night, rather than three hours after, especially seeing it is then as dark all the winter long as it is at Mid-night, and [Page 42] therefore seeing the morning is begun with darkness, why not with darkness at mid-night, as well as at three hours after mid-night, seeing the world was created in the Equinoctial, and the Morning is then as dark at three hours after Mid-night, as it is at Mid-night?
Secondly, Ruth lay at the feet of Boaz until the Morning, Ruth. 3. 14. and yet she arose before one could know another. Hence it is evident that it was Morning in the time of Barly Harvest, whiles it was yet dark; it may be it was now in the end of our March, or in the beginning of our April; and though some say that the Morning Watch was not so called from the first hour of it, but from the last hour of it when it begun to be day light; yet this place of Ruth cals it Morning whiles it was yet dark, and before one could know another.
Thirdly, It is said that Christ arose in the Morning a great while before Day (or greatly in the Night) so the Greek speaks, Mar. 1. 35. Hence it is manifest that it was Morning, whiles it was greatly or much in the night.
Fourthly, None can deny but that the morning is begun at the time of day-break in all the Inhabited Countries of the world. Hence it follows, that then it is morning in some Countries near unto mid-night, especially when the daies are at the longest; and known experience doth tell us that in the North parts of England the day doth sometimes begin to break near unto mid-night; and indeed the day-light (when the daies are at the longest) is scarse ever out of the Sky in those parts, except a little while about mid-night; Hence it follows, that seeing it is day-break sometimes near unto Mid-night, then why may not the morning begin at mid-night all the year long as well in one Country as in another, seeing the God of Nature hath set such an eminent mark upon mid-night, and upon mid-day, which doubtless was to set out the bounds and limits of the Natural morning, and of the evening?
Fifthly, Both Scripture and experience doth tell us that there is a certain Star called the Morning Star, which at some time of the year is seen to arise not long after Mid-night, and all men call it morning as soon as that Star is risen, and in some parts when the daies are at the longest it riseth near unto Mid-night, but it alwaies riseth before it is day break.
[Page 43] Sixthly, It is evident that the morning begins in the dark night, by this phrase in Psal. 110. 3. The womb of the early Morning; I purpose not to meddle with the mystical sense of these words, because it concerns not the Argument in hand; but I will onely meddle with the phrase, for the phrase sake onely; for this phrase must have some proper allusion to some natural truth: Mibschar, we translate Morning, but saith Mr. Ainsworth the letter M is a Preposition, signifying [From or Before] and in that respect some translators do render the text thus, Before the womb of the early Morning; this phrase must have an allusion to some proper truth, and I can find nothing that may so fitly be called the womb of the early Morning, as the first darkness was, for out of this darkness God created the morning light, and in this respect the Morning may well be divided into several degrees of time.
1 The first Darkness was the womb of the Morning light.
2 From the womb of the morning proceeded the Son of the morning, called the morning Star, as soon as it was created, and it is now called the Son of the morning, Isa. 14. 12.
3. Then follows the ascending of the morning or day-break, Gen. 32. 24, 26.
4 Then follows the time of killing the morning Sacrifice, namely, when the face of all the East is inlightned, which is between day-break and Sun-rising, See Ains. in Num. 28. 4. And certain it is that the morning Sacrifice was not onely slain, but also offered before Sun-rising, (because the Meat Offering which was alwaies offered after the Burnt Offering) was offered before Sun rising, as it appears by 2 King. 3. 20, 22. and the Burnt Offering was alwaies first, Lev. 1. and then the Meat Offering, Lev. 2. now though the Morning Sacrifice was offered before Sun-rising, yet the Evening Sacrifices of all sorts must be offered before Sunset. For the Hebrew Doctors say, that after Sun-set the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful, See Ains. in Lev. 1. 6. 9.
5. Then follows the morning of the Artificiall day at Sun-rising, Psal. 104. 22, 23. for God did appoint the Sun to rule and limit the Artificiall day, Gen. 1.
6. Then followed the time of morning Prayer at the third hour of the day, namely at our nine a clock.
First, By these gradations to the morning we may see the vanity of their opinion that hold no other time to be called the morning [Page 44] properly, but a point of time onely, at the beginning of the Artificial day, all the rest they say is called the morning improperly.
Secondly, By these gradations to the morning it is evident that the first darkness was the root or womb of the morning, and therefore at last it was called Morning.
SECT. 3. Proving that the Morning in all likelihood doth begin at mid-night, besides the former certain grounds from the exact beginning and ending of the Evening.
FIrst, I will endeavor to prove that the morning doth begin at mid-night by an argument drawn from Job 26. 7. compared with Gen. 1. 2. Job saith, That God stretcheth out the North upon the empty; and saith Moses, The Earth was empty and void, namely, as long as darkness was upon the face of the deep; But as soon as the light was created, the earth could not be said to be empty and void any longer, for then the deep was adorned with the light as with a most glorious ornament.
Object. 4. The first Darkness did continue twelve hours upon the face of the deep, after the general matter called Earth was created: Or thus, how long was the Earth empty and void before the light was created?
Answ. The answer is from Job, That the Earth was empty and void all the space of time that the North point is stretched out upon a Compass Dial, namely, the space of six hours, for the North point on a Compass Dial doth stretch it self out untill it meet with the beginning of the East point, the four ends of the two Lines of Longitude and Latitude do make the four Cardinal Points of the Compass, North, East, South, and West: Hence it follows, that the North point is stretched out to the East point, and that is just six hours by the Compass Dyal, and so long saith Job the Globe was empty; but as soon as God created Light out of Darkness, which began to appear by degrees, first, By a Twi-light, and then shined forth at the East point, then the Earth was no longer empty and void, but it was adorued with the light.
If any man can give a better Interpretation, for the stretching out the North upon the Empty, I shall bee glad to see it.
[Page 45] But if the first Darkness had been twelve hours long, then Job should have said, that God stretched out the West point, as well as the North point upon the Empty: but Job doth not say so, but only that he stretched out the North upon the Empty, and therefore it follows,
1 That the first Darkness was not twelve hours, but only six hours long upon the face of the deep, before the light was created.
2 Hence it follows, that the first half of that twelve hours Darkness that succeeded the Artificial Day, did make up the first darkness to be a just Night of twelve hours, and after this manner both these parts of Darkness did meet together at the North point, as I have exemplified the matter upon a Compass Dyal, and the North Land in Jer. 23. 8. may according to the Hebrew be read from the Land of darkness.
And why else doth the Prophet in Psal. 89. 12. begin the time of the first Creation in order from the North point, but to remember us, where, and how long the darkness did continue upon the face of the deep after the Earth was 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 foure Cardinall 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 foure 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 [Page 46] 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, then they make the four winds in the four quarters of Heaven to lie thus, and to be called thus, North-East, South-East, South-west, North-west.
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 spake 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 Jerico which lay in the West of Canaan. See Ains. in Deut. 34. 1, 2, 3.
Secondly, I will indeavor 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 shew it self, Job 37. 22. Our eie-sight may witness the truth of this point, for in a clear Morning before Sun-rising we may often see a golden list of light stretching it self from the [Page 47] North point to the East; and again after Sun-set we may often see a golden list of light stretching it self 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 Mid-night begins by the Compass-Dyall. And Secondly, The golden list in the Evening after Sun-set from West to North, may teach us that the Evening doth reach unto Mid-night, or to the North point.
Thirdly, I prove that the Natural Morning doth begin at Mid-night, because the morning of the fifteenth day of Nishan began at Mid-night.
I collect it thus, Moses at the first passeover in Egypt gave a very strict charge to all the Israelites, that no man should go out of the door of his house untill the Morning, Exod. 12. 22. namely, not untill 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 truely 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 Transgressors 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 Mid-night 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 Arke, 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 untill the morning of the fifteenth day was come, and yet they went out of the doors of their houses at Mid-night, or presently after, because they knew that the morning of the fifteenth day was begun at Mid-night.
[Page 48] Yea, It is evident that Moses intended they should all go out of their doors in the Morning presently after Mid-night, because he had foretold them, that all the first-born of Egypt should be slain at Mid-night, 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 loyns girded, with their shooes on their feet, and with their staves in their hands, and to eat it in haste, Exod. 12. 11. all these things do testifie 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 Mid-night?
Answ. The circumstances of the Text do prove it plain enough; for as soon as the Egyptians saw all their first-born slain at Mid-night, they feared lest they should be all slain, and therefore they did urge the Israelites in all haste to depart, and the Israelites knew all this before-hand, and accordingly they prepared for their speedy departure, and because of this their preparation they are said to depart out of Egypt in the night, Deut. 16. 1. compared with Exod. 12. 29. 31, 42. The Egyptians therefore as soon as their first-born were slain at Midnight, urged the Israelites in haste to depart, and then also the Israelites did depart out of the doors of their houses, because the morning of the fifteenth day was come, but yet they could not fully depart out of Egypt untill the body of the self same day was come, namely, not till it was Mid-day. 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 depart; 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 Mid-day, and yet they made extraordinary haste to bring things thus soon to passe, 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 [Page 49] of Nishan was commanded to be remembred, and to be observed, as a Festivall Sabbath for ever, and as the first day of the Feast of unleavened bread, Exod. 13. 3. Lev. 23. 7. Deut. 16. 3.
Their Journey in the night began in this order, as soon as the first-born of Pharaoh and the Nobles were slain at Mid-night, then in their perplexed fear they did hastily call up Moses and Aaron to depart, 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 marshalled to depart in fit order, it was Mid-day, and in this sort their march began at Mid-night, and was compleated by Mid-day, 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 Mid-night at last, namely, as soon as all the parts of the Naturall day were formed and framed together.
CHAP. IV.
Proving, That the Jewes Custom in beginning their weekly Sabbath at the Sun-set 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 Lords Day at the Sun-set Evening, as the Jews did by their ceremonial Custom onely.
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 Lev. 11. 24, 25, 32. and in Lev. 12. 6. and in Lev. 22. 7. compared with Numb. 9. 10. and with Lev. 13. 6. and see also Lev. 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 Lev. 5. 2. Lev. 14. 9, 15. Lev. 15. 14. Num. 5. 7. Num. 19. 18. Gen. 35. 2. and in Exod. 19.
Thirdly, Not onely 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 clensed in one day, but the greatest degrees of their Ceremonial defilements required not only one, but many dayes 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 [Page 51] Evening hath two equal parts (as I have shewed in Chap. 2. and shall further shew it in the next. Chapter.)
In the first Evening (which doth always begin at Mid-day) they must baptize or wash themselves. The Jews were cleansed from their ceremonial defilements, 1. By washing in the afternoon; And 2. By the Suns setting upon them after their baptizing.
In the second Evening (which doth alwaies begin at Sun-set) 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 baptize himself from his Ceremonial defilements in the latter evening after Sun-set, as well as in the time of the first Evening before Sun-set?
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 Mid-day to Sun-set was allotted to them for the washing or baptizing themselves from their ceremonial sins, and this was onely as a preparation to the day of their cleanness, And this I will labor to make evident several waies.
1. Moses in Deut. 23. 11. doth command the unclean person to bath 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 shewed you in chap. 2. and in chap. 5. that the Evening doth first begin at the first declining of the Sun at Mid-day, and that it looks forth towards his setting in the west from the very first declining of the Sun from Mid-day untill 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 Isaack, that he went out into the fields to meditate at the looking forth of the Evening, Gen. 24. 63. In those daies 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.
[Page 52] In like sort, they used to bathe or baptize 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 lawfull for them to bathe themselves from their Ceremonial defilements all the time that the Sun looked forth by his shadowes towards the West, till it was ready to depart out of that Horizon. But this is to be marked, that none were commanded to baptize themselves in any part of the morning (onely 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 baptize themselves after Sun-set, for except they were baptized before Sun-set, they could not begin the day of their cleannesse at Sun-set, according to command.
2 It is evident, that the appointed season for baptizing themselves from all their Ceremonial defilements was in the time of the first Evening, by the Example of Bathshebaes baptizing herself.
The Text saith, it was in the Evening when David arose from his bed and walked upon the Roof of the Kings house, then he saw a woman washing her self, 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 Sun-set 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 Pallat, 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 baptizing her self; hence it may be gathered, that the unclean persons did use to baptize themselves from their Ceremonial defilements in the afternoon Evening.
3 It is also evident, that they baptized 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 stoln the excommunicate thing; then said the Lord to Joshua at the Even-tide, Ʋp, and sanctifie the people, and [Page 53] say, Sanctifie your selves against to morrow, Josh. 7. 6, 13, 14, 15. and how else must they sanctifie themselves for the Lords presence at his Ark on the morrow, but by washing themselves from their Ceremonial defilements, for there were scarse any but they were defiled by one accident or other, and none might come before the Lords 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 Sun-set 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 Lords presence in his Tabernacle, to be cleansed from their Ceremonial defilements, especially at their three solemn feasts; but they were not tyed to the observation of their Ceremonial baptizing when they resorted to their Synagogues on their weekly Sabbath daies, for in those places both the clean and the unclean might meet together in Gods 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 Gods displeasure against some of Ephraim & Manasses when they came to the Passeover in the daies 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 intreated, 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 purifie themselves, Joh. 7. 55. which purification was effected by two degrees of cleanness: First, By baptizing themselves in the first Evening; And secondly, By the Sun-setting upon them after their baptizing (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 baptizing and by their abstinence from [Page 54] unclean meats, and from all other things else that might defile them: That for that very obedience he doth cal 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 cleannesse.
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 baptizing, and from that time also they began to date the new day of their cleanness.
First, I prove that God ordained the Sun-set Evening to be the time of perfecting the cleanness of the baptized person, ere he None were complea [...]ly purified by being baptized til 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, then he shall go out of the Camp; and he shall bath 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, hee must yet stay a while longer without the Camp till his Sun be set,) and then when the Sun is gon down he shall come into the Camp.
Hence it is evident that his Ceremoniall purity was not compleat until his Sun was set, but then it was compleat, and therefore he did then begin to date the day of his cleanness.
Hence also I gather, that their Ceremonial baptizing might be done in any part of the afternoon, provided it were done before [Page 55] Sun-set, because the Sun did look forth towards the place of his going down by his shadow, from Mid-day, til it went out of that Horizon, as I have formerly explained the matter.
But if any were defiled by any accident in the night after his Sun was set upon him, he must remain in that uncleanness untill a new baptizing in the next afternoon, and till a new Sun-set Evening.
Secondly, It is evident, that none were compleatly purified till Sun-set, by Levit. 22. 5, 6, 7. Moses saith thus, If any man (whether Priest or Israelite) be made unclean by touching a dead creeping thing, (or the like unclean thing;) Then (in ver. 6.) he shall be unclean untill the Evening, he shall not eat of the holy things. But first, He shall bath himself in water. A [...]d then Secondly (saith ver. 7.) when the Sun is gon down he shall be clean.
By this Text it is also evident, that he did not attain to a perfect ceremonial cleanness by baptizing himself in water, untill the Sun was gon down upon him after his bathing: But as soon as his Sun was set, then he was compleatly purified, and then also he began to date the day of his cleanness, and then also he might eat of the holy things.
Thirdly, The Hebrew Doctors do abundantly testifie that no baptized person did begin the day of his cleanness untill his Sun was set; for this is their common and peculiar phrase, They shall be unclean untill their Sun be set: But the common phrase of the Ceremonial Law saith thus, They shall be unclean untill the Evening. The unclean (saith Maymony) may not eat of the Heave-Offering untill their Sun be set. See Ains. in Lev. 22. 9, 10. And hence it is evident, that they held the baptized persons to have some degree of uncleanness upon them, untill their Sun was set: And therefore Maymony saith thus; He that is baptized is the second in uncleanness, untill his Sun be set; And he that is so baptized (if his Sun bee not set) may not eat or drink of the Trumah (or holy offerings) nor of any meat or drink that is holy. See Ains. in Lev. 11. 32. and in Lev. 7. 20, 21. and in Numb. 19. 19, 20, 21. This phrase in the Law, He shall be unclean untill the Evening, is eight times over repeated in Lev. 11. and fourteen times over in Lev. 15. and often elsewhere: But the Hebrew Doctors do usually express it, He shall be unclean till his Sun be set; they accounted the term Sun-set and the term Evening to be all one time. Hence then it follows, [Page 56] that the date of their new day of cleanness did alwaies begin at the Sun-set Evening.
Fourthly, It is evident, that the Jews began the date of their new day of cleanness at the Sun-set Evening; because the Sun-set The Jews morrow began at Sun-set in Ceremonial respects. Evening is called [Their morning] 1 Sam. 30. 17. David and his men are said to pursue after the Amalekites, From the twilight unto the Evening of Their Morrow; that is to say, from the Twilight in the Morning until their Morrow, which began at the Sun-set Evening; it was a custom that was proper and peculiar unto them, & differing from other Nations, to date the new day of their cleanness from the Sun-set Evening; and therefore the Hebrew Text doth apply the word Their unto David and his men in special, calling it their morrow; Dr. Willet doth explain the word Morrow to be the next day after David & his men were set forth to pursue the Amalekites; But the text doth not say so, but that David and his men fell upon the Amalekites and pursued their victory, from the Twilight (in the morning) untill the Evening of their morrow, that is, till the Sun-set Evening, for at that Evening began their Morrow, or their new day to the person purified.
2. It is evident that the Sun-set Evening was the Jews morrow, from the time of their reckoning of the seven weeks to the day of Penticost.
They are commanded to begin that reckoning from the morrow of the Sabbath; meaning by the Sabbath, the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, which God commanded them to observe as a Sabbath, Lev. 23. 15. And by the Morrow of the Sabbath, is meant the second day of the Feast of unleavened bread, which began at the Sun-set Evening, at the end of the first day, that Evening is called the Morrow, (but this is observable also, that the seventh day of the Feast of unleavened bread did not end at Sunset; but the holy feast of that day continued in the night time after Sun-set) and in this sense the word Morrow must be understood in ver. 11. and 16.
The Hebrew Doctors say, they begin this reckoning from the beginning of the day (not from the beginning of the Artificial day as most are apt to mistake their meaning, but) from the night of the sixteenth of Nishan. See Ains. in Lev. 23. 15. and it is a known thing (as I have explained the matter) that they did account the night to begin at the Sun-set Evening according to the date of the person purified.
[Page 57] And in this sense the phrase of The next day in Matth. 27. 62. must be understood; then, the next day that followed the preparation, must be understood of the Sun-set Evening.
3. As Boker, the Morning, is put for the beginning of the day, namely, for the beginning of the Natural day, and for the beginning of the Artificial day; so also, it is once put for the beginning of the Jews Ceremonial day, or for the Sun-set Evening, in Deut. 16. 4. as I have opened the matter more at large in Chap. 5.
These places do plainly evidence that the Jews had a double Morning, and a double Morrow (as they had a double year) answerable to the Natural Day and to their Ceremonial Day.
Object. 2. Though I am willing to grant that all purified persons did It is disputed by some that the Sun-set Evening is not fully come until it be full Twilight, or somewhat past, or else they confess it cannot be proved that Christ lay three daies in his grave. begin the date of their new Day at the Sun-set Evening, yet learned men do affirm, that the Sun is not set as soon as the Body of the Sun is gone out of our sight; They say that as long as there doth remain any light in the Skie the Sun is the cause of it, and hence they assert, That the Sun is not set untill the Darkness in the Skie is more than the Light in the Skie; they say the Sun is not set untill it is full Twilight or somewhat past: and by this exposition of the Sun-set Evening, they say it way be proved that Christ lay three daies in his Grave, or else they confesse it cannot be proved.
Answ. If this grand Objection (which is very great in some mens eyes) be fully answered, then 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 Sun-set and the time of Twilight to be all one, for if this be true, then 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 laborer to work in his Garden from Sun-rising till Sun-set, and suppose That the time of Sun-set is fully come as soon as the body of the Sun is gon out of sight, and before it be Twilight. this Laborer do contract with him to continue at his labor until the precise time of Sun-set, and accordingly he continues at his labor untill the Body of the Sun is gon 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 labor until the precise [Page 58] time of Sun-set; he tels 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 controversie to be determined by competent Judges.
And first let Moses shew his Judgement, what he means by the time of Sun-set, or by the Suns going down, for he doth shew his judgement by a familiar example; He directed the Jews how to find out Mount Gerezim on the other side Jordan, It lies (saith hee) 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 shewed 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 Skie 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 Sun-set 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 Sun-set 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 Iay East, he directed them thither by the Rising of the Sun, Numb. 21. 11. Numb. 34. 15. Deuter. 4. 41, 47. Josh. 12. 1. Josh. 19. 27, 34.
Secondly, Let Joshua also shew his judgement about the time [Page 59] and place of Sun-set, and he declares his judgement by another familiar example, for he directed the Jews how to finde out the West bounds of Canaan, not by the confused, and obscure mark of Twilight; but first, by the perspicuous mark of Sun-set; and secondly by the hindmost Sea, Jos. 1. 4. he makes the hindmost Sea, and the going down of the Sun to be marks Synonima for the finding out of the West borders of Canaan; and he doth also explain this hindmost Sea to be the great Sea at Sun-set, Jos. 23. 4. and Moses likewise doth call this Sea the Hindmost Sea, Deut. 11. 24. But the Greek and Chaldee call it the Western Sea. So then from the premises it follows, That seeing the places that lye due West, are marked out by the perspicuous mark of the going down of the Sun, we must thereby understand that the Sun-set Evening doth begin as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight; and therefore hence it follows, that those that make the time of Sun-set, and the time of Twilight to be all one (for the begining of our Lords day) do build their opinion but on a sandy foundation.
Thirdly, The Hebrew Text doth often express the time of Sun-set by the going in of the Sun, to lodge all night (as it were in its chamber) and it is said to go in as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of our Horizon. See Ains. in Psa. 50. 1. on the contrary, as soon as the body of the Sun is risen upon our Horizon in the morning, it is said to come forth as a Bridegroom out of his chamber, Psal. 19. 5.
Fourthly, Experience will tell you, that the Sun is set as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight; or else if it be not set till the darknesse in the skie is more than the light in the skie, then there is no Sun-set at all in the North of England when the daies are at the longest, for experience doth testifie that the light is hardly out of the skie there, all the night long, except a little in the middle of the night, and yet experience doth witnesse that the Sun doth truly set there every day.
Fifthly, Let all Astronomers shew their judgement when the Sun doth set, and they with one consent do testifie that the Sun doth set as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gon out of sight, for they describe the time of Sun-set, and the time of the Suns rising, by the first appearing of the body of the Sun in the morning, and by the body of the Sun going out of sight in the evening, as all their Almanacks do testifie.
[Page 60] Sixthly, Let the Evangelist Marke shew his judgement, for he describes the Evening to begin at Sun-set, Mark. 1. 32. but Luke speaking of the same action saith, It was when the Sun was setting, Luke 4 40. put this together, and it implies that the time of the beginning of the Sun-set Evening is as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight.
Seventhly, Joshua doth testifie that the Evening is come as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight, Jos. 10. 26, 27. and Daniel saith, That Darius did labour to deliver him till the going down of the Sun, Dan. 6. 14. But the Seventy say, till Evening; and Moses saith, The soul that toucheth a dead creeping thing shall be unclean untill the Evening, Lev. 22 6. but saith he, in vers. 7. He shall bathe himself in water, and then he shall be clean when the Sun is gone down; from all these places it is evident, that the term Sun-set, and the term Evening, are terms convertible for the Sun-set Evening.
Eighthly, It is evident by this reason that the latter Evening doth begin as soon as ever the body of the Sun is gone out of sight, because there is no interim between the End of the first Evening, and the Beginning of the latter Evening; and I have proved in Chap. 2. that the first Evening doth end, as soon as ever the Sun doth leave off to make any more shadows upon the face of the Earth: For the whole time of the first Evening is described by its shadows looking forth towards the place of its Rest, or by the strotching out of its shadows upon the face of the Earth, as I have expounded, Jer. 6. 4. and therefore it follows by necessary consequence, that the latter Evening must begin at that instant time. This consequence is so cleer, that none that loves plain truth can deny it.
But to prevent rash zeal, and unadvised haste in feasting upon the holy flesh, the Hebrew Doctors advised to stay a little time after Sunset, They begin their Religious Festival Suppers after Sun-set, as soon as three stars appeared in the skie. for the Sun must go down upon the baptized person before his Purification was perfected, and then he began the date of his new day, and then he was made fit to eat of the holy flesh; yet they advised to stay a little time after Sun-set, namely till three stars appeared in the skie. Mamony saith, That the unclean may not eat of the Heave-offering untill their Sun be set, and three stars appear after the Sun is gone down. See Ains. in Lev. 22. 9.
Thus have I shewed how God ordained the time of the two [Page 61] Evenings for the effecting of two degrees of cleannesse; and now I shall in the next Section shew, That all the latter Evening from Sun-set till Mid-night, was appointed for the time of their Religious feasting upon their Passeovers, and Peace-offerings; and that this part of the night was a true part of the former natural day.
SECT. 3.
FRom the date of the new Day to the person purified at the Sun-set Evening, we may see the true Reason that did inforce the Jewes to begin all their Ceremonial Sabbaths at that time, and of all other dayes by occasion thereof.
But this beginning of the day was no more to be accounted for the beginning of the natural Day, than the beginning of their yeer in Nishan was to be accounted for the first month by Creation; for they began their yeer in Nishan upon the occasion of their famous deliverance out of Egypt in that month; but from the Creation the yeer began in Tizri, which now is called the Seventh month, and this seventh month was afterwards made famous again by Joshua's Conquest of Canaan, and by his division of the land thereupon to the nine Tribes and a half, in this seventh month, Jos. 14. and in remembrance thereof they began all their yeers of Rest, and all their Jubiles from that month. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 1, 2. Lev. 25. 8, 9, 10. Exod. 34. 22. Deut. 14. 22. and likewise the yeers of all Servants and Leases began at this time, Lev. 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 Lev. 23▪ 20.
1 The person purified began the date of his day of cleannesse from the Sun-set Evening.
2 They dated the time of their Religious feasting according to the natural day till midnight after; for by the Law they were expresly commanded to eat the flesh of their Peace-offerings in the same day, in which it was sacrificed, Lev. 7. 15. now it was not possible for them (at sometimes at least) to eat the holy flesh of their Passeovers, and of their commanded Peace-offerings, in the same Ceremonial day, because the time of sacrificing their Passeovers and Peace-offerings did many times continue until it [Page 62] was night, namely till Sun-set; 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 Sun-set.
Secondly, If the date of their Ceremonial day had born all the sway, then they must not only have finished the killing of all their Sacrifices, but of all their Religious feasts also, before Sun-set, and then our Saviour and his Apostles had sinned, because they kept their Religious Feast after Sun-set, 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 Sun-set 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, then you must also grant that the same fourteenth day by Creation was not ended at Sun-set, but continued still till Mid-night after.
Thirdly, Hence it follows, that seeing all Ceremonial Customes are now abolished by the death of Christ; that Gods people ought not to Judaize, in beginning the Lords day according to the Jews Ceremonial Customes, but according to the beginning and ending of the natural day from midnight to Mid-night.
Objection 3. How could the Jewes observe a double date of a double day in one and the same naturall 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 yeer was to them; they could sort out such things, as belonged to the beginning of the yeer from the seventh month from the things that belonged to the beginning of the yeer 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 naturall day. [Page 63] They knew that the Baptised person must begin his new day at Sun-set, and that all Evening Sacrifices must be finished before Sun-set; and yet in respect of the time of Feasting, they knew that the same Natural day did still continue till mid-night; Maymony saith, That the Priests must eat the Peace-offerings of the Congregation in the same Day, and in half the Night. See Ains. in Lev. 23. 20. Hence you may see, that the Hebrew Doctors, whom Maymony follows, did hold that the same day (in the case of Feasting) did continue till mid-night; and indeed this time was sufficient for the accomplishment of all their religious Feasts; in like sort Solomon cals the Twilight evening of the night, the same day wherein the Sacrifice was slain, Prov. 7. 9. but it was not the same Ceremonial day, for at Sun-set the Jews began their next day, or their morrow; but for a fuller answer, see my answer in Ch. 5. to Obj. 8. & 14. & 17.
CHAP. V.
Proving that the Passeover did begin and end according to the Natural Evening, from mid-day to mid-night.
I Have shewed in Cha. 2. and Sect. 2. that the natural Evening was divided into two equal parts, and now I shall shew you, that the Passeover was solemnized in both the parts of that Evening.
First, All the Passeovers, and all the Peace-offerings that were annexed thereunto, were all sacrificed in the time of the first Evening, and it was utterly unlawful to sacrifice any Passeover, either before this evening began, or after this evening was ended, which did ever begin at Mid-day, and end at Sun-set.
Secondly, All the Passeovers of Canaan must be feasted on, with Religious solemnity, in the time of the latter evening.
But first I will speak of the time of Sacrificing all their Passeovers, and that was between the two evenings, namely, it was between the beginning of the first, and the beginning of the latter evening; this was the precise limited time for this work.
[Page 64] 1 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in Aegypt between the two evenings, Exod. 12. 6.
2 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in the Wildernesse between the two evenings, Numb. 9. 3. 5. 11.
3 God commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in Canaan, between the two evenings, Levit. 23. 4, 5.
This space of time is called the appointed season thereof, Numb. 9. 2. Levit. 23. 4.
Solomon Jarchi expounds the two evenings thus; From the sixth hour (which is at Mid-day) and forwards, it is called between the two Evenings, for that the Sun declineth towards his going down, &c. between the evening of the day, and the evening of the night; the evening of the Day is from the beginning of the seventh hour, and the evening of the Night is when the night begins. See Ains. in Numb. 9. 3.
2 Maymony saith thus; The killing of the Passeover is after Mid-day, and if they kill it before it is not allowable; and they kill it not but after the daily evening Sacrifice, and burning of Incense, and after they have trimmed the Lamps, then they begin to kill the Paschal Lamb, until the end of the day. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 6.
Till the end of the day was, till the Sun-set evening, for after Sun-set (saith Maymony) the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawfull. See Ains. in Lev. 1. 9. Lev. 6. 9. Lev. 7. 18.
Hence we see that the Hebrew Doctors held it as a Canon among them, that no Passeover was allowable, if it were killed either before Mid-day, or after Sun-set; but all the time between was Gods appointed season, Num. 9. 2. Lev. 23. 4.
Ordinarily they began to kill their Passeovers at half an hour after two a Clock, but if the Passeover day fell out to be the Some think of no other Evening belonging to the Jews Sabbath, but the evening before the Sabbath; but they are grosly mistaken, for that was no otherwise the evening of the Sabbath but in relation to the new day to the purified person, but the evening of the Sabbath it self began and ended as the Passeover evening did from mid-day to mid-night. evening of the Sabbath (namely, that evening of the Sabbath which began at Mid-day) then they began to kill their Passeover sooner; But (still this must be remembred which Maymony often noteth, that) they never kild any Passeover till after the daily evening Sacrifice, and some other services that did ever accompany it. See Ains. in Numb. 28. 4.
[Page 65] But (say the Hebrew Doctors) God setteth no particular hour, neither for the killing of the daily evening Sacrifice, nor yet for the killing of the Passeover; but in general, he commanded them to be killed between the two evenings.
Hence it follows, That if they killed the daily evening Sacrifice, or the Passeover, or the Peace-offerings, in any part of the after-noon, between the time of Mid-day and the Sun-set evening, they were allowable, and according to Gods own limited time.
But because God requires that all his Worship in all the Circumstances of it should be done decently, and in order, both in regard of time, place, and persons; therefore the chief Rulers of the people, thought it their duty to suit all the particular businesses about the Passeover, and the daily evening Sacrifice, to certain particular hours in the evening, so as all things might be done with the best conveniency, decency, and order, that one duty might not shoulder out another.
The Hebrew Doctors in the Babylonian Thalmud say thus; the daily evening Sacrifice was killed at the eighth hour and a half, and it was offered at the ninth hour and a half (that is to say, at half an hour after three a Clock) But in the evening of the Passover it was killed at the seventh hour and a half, and offered at the eighth hour and a half (that is to say, at half an hour after two a Clock) But if the evening of the Passeover did fall out to be upon the evening of the Sabbath, then it was killed at the sixth hour and a half (that is to say, at half an hour after twelve a Clock) and it was offered at seven and a half. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 6.
Buxtorfius also in his Hebrew Lexicon upon the word Gnarbaiim, doth from the Hebrew Doctors shew, that if the Passeover evening fell upon the Sabbath evening, that then they began to kill the daily evening Sacr [...]fice at half an hour after twelve a Clock, because of the manifold businesses that belonged to the Sabbath, besides the killing of their Passeovers; therefore that the doing of one duty might not thrust out another, their Wise-men did set an order of time when they should begin to kill the daily evening Sacrifice, which in all the days of the year was deferred to the last place, except [...]on the Passeover evening, and then it was ever preferred to the first place, and when ever the Passeover evening [Page 66] fell upon a Sabbath, then they began to kill it at half an hour after twelve a Clock, and that was as soon as ever they could perceive the shadow of the evening to be stretched out, or declined; and the only reason why they began thus early upon the Sabbath evening, was, because they might have sufficient time to finish all the duties of the Sabbath, and all their Passeovers, before Sun-set, for after Sun-set the blood of all Sacrifices became unlawful, because God had expresly commanded all evening Sacrifices to be killed between the two Evenings, and because they had much work to do on Passeover evenings, especially when it fell on the Sabbath, they must begin to kill the daily evening Sacrifice at the first declining of the Sun, or else they could not kill all by Sun-set; for in the time of Josiahs Passeover, the Passeovers, and Peace-offerings were so many, that the Priests could not finish all till night, 2 Chron. 35. 14.
Obj. 1. You have often cited the Hebrew Doctors, as if they did all agree in one, That the Natural evening did begin at Mid-day; but Mr. Thomas Shepheard in his third Part on the Sabbath, Thesis 36. doth affirm, that the Hebrew Doctors testimonies are of little worth, because they do often contradict one another about the beginning of the evening, for though some of them do say, that the evening doth begin at Mid-day, yet they are over whelmed with crosse testimonies, from the most of their Fellows, who begin it some about one, some about two a Clock in the afternoon; and Josephus, who is one of most credit, in his Writings tels us, That they began their first evening about three a Clock in the afternoon.
Ans. I would Mr. Shepheard had cited the particular places, where the Hebrew Doctors do crosse one another about the beginning of the Evening, for then the particular places should have been examined, by the help of such as are expert in their Writings. I grant that some of them do speak of the beginning of the Evening at one hour, and some at another, and yet all this without any contradiction; for in regard of severall duties that must be trans-acted at several hours in the evening, they had just occasion to speak of the beginning of the evening at several hours, in relation to the said several duties that must begin at several hours of the said evening, as I noted it in chap. 2. in answer to Obj. 1. at seventhly, and as I have noted it immediately afore from the Babylonian Thalmud.
But if it do appear true, that Josephus doth precisely begin the [Page 67] evening at three a clock and not in relation to some special duty, then I grant that such a testimony is worthy of due consideration; but I beleeve that Josephus is some way or other mistaken, for the Thalmud called Jerusalemie, which was finished since Josephus See Ains. in Advertisement at the end of Deut. wrote, namely, about the year of our Lord two hund [...]ed and thirty, and the other Thalmud called Babelie, which was fi [...]ished about the year five hundred, do record the Canons and Constitutions of the Jews, according to which the Iews do live at this day; (and no question but they knew Josephus his opinion as well as others, that were more antient Doctors) and yet these do affirm that the evening begins at mid-day. And Moses the sonne of Maymon, who lived in the year of our Lord one thousand two hundred, hath set down in plainer Hebrew, the Expositions, Canons, and Traditions of the said Thalmuds, and of the more antient Hebrew Doctors, omitting the fabulous Discourses of the Thalmuds; and this Maymony is of such esteem among the Jewish Nation, that of him it is said, From Moses (the Prophet) to Moses (the sonne of Maymon) there was none like this Moses; and from him also I have cited several testimonies, that the evening begins at mid-day; therefore seing these publick and general Recorders do testifie, that the evening begins at mid-day; how can they be over-whelmed with crosse 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 Mid-day to Sun-set, to be the time of killing all their Passeovers in Canaan, seeing Moses makes the time of killing all their Passeovers in Aegypt to be about the time of Sun-sets for Moses saith thus in Deut. 16. 6. Thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover in the evening, about the going down of the Sunne, in the season thou camest out of Aegypt.
Ans. The time of killing all their Passeovers in Aegypt, 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 mid-day, and the beginning of the evening, which began at [Page 68] Sun-set, so that they might have killed all their Passeovers presently after Mid-day, or they might have staid till neer Sun-set, provided it were done before Sun-set; but they could not kill all their Passeovers in Canaan at an instant, at the time of Sun-set, as they might have done in Egypt; for.
1 In Egypt every first-born of every family might kil 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 first-born 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 first-born 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 first-born of every family needed in Egypt for the killing of the Paschal Lamb onely, without these other services.
3 They might not kill their Passeovers in Canaan in private houses as they did in Egypt; but all their Passeovers must be brought to be sacrificed at the place the Lord should choose to place his brasen Altar at, which at first was at Shilo, and at last in Solomons 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 Lev. 17. 2, 5, 8, 9. nay though a Priest did kill a Sacrifice in the Temple it self, 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 becommeth unlawful for Sacrifice, yea though they bring it in again, and sprinkle it upon [Page 69] the Altar, yet it is not acceptable. See Ains. in Lev. 1. 5.
If the Jewes 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 doubtlesse 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 yeers 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 onely use Ʋnleavened bread with bitter herbs, and wine in their private houses. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 8. Hence it follows, that seeing all the Passeovers must be brought to one publick 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 Passeovers were sacrifices therefore the blood of them all must be sprinkled on the Lords Altar. done at one Altar, and therefore it would require a longer time than they needed in Egypt; for there every first-born 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 Passeovers in Canaan could not be done in so short a space, because all must be done at one Altar one after another, Lev. 1. 5. for all Passeovers were Sacrifices, Exod. 12. 27. Exod. 23. 18. Exod. 34. 25. and no Levites, but the Priests onely, must sprinkle the blood of all Passeovers, and of all Sacrifices, upon the Lords 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 attonement for mens souls, therefore in that respect he did straitly prohibit the Jews that they should not eat any blood. See Ains. in Lev. 3. 17. Lev. 7. 2, 14, 26, 27. Lev. 17. 6, 10, 11, 12. Deut. 12. 27. and for this very reason also he forbad 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 Passeovers as much as of any other Sacrifice; all which he commanded to be burned upon his Altar [Page 70] for a sweet [...]avour of Attonement, as the former Scriptures do testifie.
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 Sun-set; and therefore this phrase about the going down of the Sun, in Deut. 16. 6. must not be understood of the very time of Sun-set, but of the whole time of the Suns declining from Mid-day till it went down out of that Horizon.
Object. 3. Though the Jews might not kill their Passeovers 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 Passeovers in Canaan might be killed, and the blood sprinkled just about the time of Sun-set.
Ans. I grant that the Lord was pleased to permit the use of many Altars and High-places in the dayes of Samuel; for there The Lord permitted many private Altars in the dayes of Samuel, but he allowed but one publick Altar for the general Feasts of the twelve Tribes, and for the Passeover day, and for the daily Morning and Evening Sac [...]ifice. 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 dayes 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 onely, raised by Gods allowance by some particular person upon some special occasion, and were after permited 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 publick Altar of all the twelve Tribes, was made of brasse, at the cost of the twelve Tribes, and this was placed at first in the Lords Tabernacle in the Wildernesse; 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 yeers, 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 battel, Psal. 78. 9. [Page 71] 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 Lords 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 Solomons dayes they were called Nethinims, 1 Chron. 9. 2.
And from henceforth this place was called the chief Highplace, because the Lords 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 Sion (of Benjamin) which he loved. Psal. 78. 68.
This brazen Altar was made and consecrated to be the publick Altar for the General Assemblies of all the twelve Tribes, Exod. 27. 1. Numb. 7. 1. and in that respect where ever this Altar was placed, there was the chief High place, untill Solomon had made another brazen 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 Passeovers of all the twelve Tribes, and they might not be offered in any of the former private High places: The Hebrew Doctors say, They sacrificed not the Passeover in a private High-place (no not in the time [Page 72] when private High-places were permitted) and whosoever offereth the Passeover in a private High-place is beaten; for it is said in Deut. 16. 5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover in any of thy gates: we have been taught, that this is a prohibition to kil it in a private High-place, although it be in the time when private High-places were permitted. See Ains. in Deut. 16. 5. and such a private Altar as this was at Bethlem where Ishai had a yeerly Sacrifice, and Feast for all the family, 1 Sam. 20. 26. and such a private Altar as this did Saul build with stone, 1 Sam. 14. 35. And of these Altars it is said, that when Asa and Jehosaphat destroyed the Idolatrous High-places, that they did not destroy these High-places, 1 King. 22. 43. 2 Chron. 15. 17.
Now from all the premises it follows, That seeing they might not kill their Passeovers at several High-places, nor sprinkle the blood on several Altars, but at the general High-place, and at the general Altar onely, That all the Passeovers in Canaan could not be killed, and their blood sprinkled in so short a time as about the time of Sun-set, and therefore that Command in Deut. 16. 6. at the going down of the Sun, must not be understood of the Sun-set Evening, but it must be understood of the whole time of the Suns declining from Mid-day till Sun-set, just according to the time of the two Evenings in Exod. 12. 6.
2. Let me adde another Reason why the going down of the Sun in Deut. 16. 6. cannot be understood of the time of Sun-set; namely The Passeover day was no Sabbath, it was but a half holy-day. because the fifteenth day according to the date of the person purified, began at Sun-set; but no Passeover might be sacrificed after the fifteenth day was come, but all are commanded to be sacrificed in the fourteenth day at Even.
3. No other part of the fourteenth day was commanded to be kept holy, but the Evening of the fourteenth day: The Jerusalemy, and the Babylonian Thalmuds say, that men might follow their work and labour all the first half of the day; but at Mid-day (say they) they must leave off, and begin their Rest. Maymony also saith, It is not unlawful to do work in the fourteenth of Nishan, save from the midst of the day, and so forwards; But (saith he) whosoever doth work in the Passeover Evening after Mid-day, he is to be scourged o [...] excommunicated, because the Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan, is not like to the Evening of other Festival dayes, because in it is the Sacrifice, and the Feast. See Ains. in Lev. 23. 5.
[Page 73] From these Testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors may be observed these four Thalmudical Tenents.
1 That the fourteenth of Nishan was not a full holy-day (as some do unadvisedly affirm) it was no more but a half-holiday, namely the full Evening onely.
2 That the Jews observed two sorts of Evenings to every Sabbath; one before the Sabbath for the date of the person purified; and another from Mid-day, and so forwards; for the Evening of the 14. of Nishan (saith Maymony) is not like unto the evening of other Festival dayes, because in it is the Sacrifice, and the Feast; But the Evening of other Festival dayes, meaning the Evening before, had no sacrifice; but yet the Mid-day Evening of every Festival Sabbath was as holy as the Passeover Evening, and had Sacrifice, and feasting belonging to it.
3 That the Evening of the fourteenth day was the time of sacrificing all their Passeovers.
4 That from the time of Sun-set till Mid-night was the time of Feasting on the Passeover, and that it belonged to the Evening of the fourteenth day.
Hence I conclude, that when Moses commanded them to kill all their Passeovers in the Evening about the going down of the Sun, Deut. 16. 6. he did not mean it of the Sun-set Evening, but of the Mid-day Evening, for then the Sun doth first begin to go down, or decline.
Object. 4. If the businesse about the Passeover was so restrained as you say it was,
- 1 To be killed by the Priests and Levites onely,
- 2 To be killed at one Temple onely,
- 3 And that the blood must be sprinkled at one Altar onely,
Then I do not see how they could sacrifice all the Passeovers of Canaan between the two Evenings from Mid-day to Sun-set; for there could not be lesse than a hundred thousand Passeovers and Peace-offerings, when all the twelve Tribes met together, though you do allow twelve or thirteen persons to each Passeover.
Ans. I think I have made it evident already,
- 1 That all the Passeovers of Canaan were killed by the Priests and Levites onely.
- 2 In one Temple onely.
- 3 That all their blood was sprinkled by the Priests onely.
- [Page 74] 4 On one Altar onely, and all this was done in the appointed season thereof, namely between the two Evenings.
And this was no impossible, but a fecible thing, if all circumstances of quick dispatch be rightly weighed.
1 There was a competent number of Priests & Levites that waited upon this service; for though at first the number of the Priests and Levites in the Wildernesse from thirty yeers old to fifty, was but eight thousand five hundred and eighty, Num. 4. 48. yet at length they were so multiplied, that in the dayes of David they were eight and thirty thousand men, 1 Chro. 23. 3. So many hands therefore would make but light work of a hundred thousand Passeovers in the time of the first Evening from Mid-day till Sun-set.
2 The place where they killed all their Passeovers and Peace-offerings was not strait, but conveniently spacious; for these kind of sacrifices might be killed in any part of the Court of the Temple, because they were numbred among their lighter holy things. But the most holy things, such as the Burnt-offering, Sin-offering and Trespasse-offerings were, these must be killed neerer to the Altar than the Passeovers and Peace-offerings were, namely upon the ground close by the North-side of the Altar, Lev. 1. 11. Lev. 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 Lev. 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 [...]evites, none but Priests onely 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 onely 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 Lev. 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 [Page 75] Passeovers and Peace-offerings between Mid-day and Sun-set; and there is a cleer example that all this was done in the time and manner aforesaid in the eighteenth yeer of Josias, and yet there never was the like Passeover kept in Israel (namely not when Israel was joyned with Judah, there was not the like Passeover, and yet doubtlesse, 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 dayes of Samuel the Prophet unto that day, 2 Chro. 35. 18.
Object. 5. How could so many thousand Passeovers be rosted in one Temple, and how could so many thousand people sit there in companies to feast on their Passeovers?
Ans. As for the great business of Rosting so many Passeovers, It was not tyed precizely to the Temple as the sacrificing was: for though there were many Passeovers Rosted in the Temple, as there were in the dayes of Josiah, 2 Chron. 35. 13. yet that business might also be transmitted to any house in the Holy City, as I shewed a little before, and as the example of our Saviour, and his Apostles doth testifie; 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 rosted; and as soon as the Sun-set 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 joyn together for one Passeover. the full time of the latter Evening from Sun-set till Mid-night, Matth. 26. 18, 20. By this example, we see that thirteen persons may conveniently joyn 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.
[Page 76] 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 Mid-day till Sun-set, 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 Mid-day. The Hebrew Doctors say, That as God brought Israel out of Egypt at Mid-day, so he slew the first-born of Egypt at Mid-night. The Israelites did not flye out of Egypt as persons frighted, either in the Sun-set 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 Mid-day the Sun is in its greatest strength, Prov. 4. 18. Psal. 37. 6. Rev. 1. 16. but after the Mid-day is past, namely as soon as the Sun is declined but a little towards the West, or towards the place of Sun-set, then 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 Mid-day, 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 yeer when they departed, and according to that time of the yeer Moses doth command them to kill all their Passovers.
Answ. This Objection argues great ignorance in the plain story: For the time of the yeer when they came out of Egypt, was on the fifteenth day of Nishan, Num. 33. 3. But Moses did straitly command them to kill all their Passeovers 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 yeer, but of the time of the day onely, which was in the strength of the day, that is to say at Mid-day, in this season [Page 77] they are commanded to begin to kill their Passeovers in Canaan, Exod. 12. 6. Lev. 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 passeover, 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 Ʋnleavened-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 Customes, 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 termes that are no where else to be found but in the ancient Hebrew Doctors, and in the Thalmuds onely.
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 alwayes sacrificed on the 14. day between the two Evenings, yet the time of feasting on that holy flesh, was after Sun-set, 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 Lev. 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 Lev. 23. 15.
[Page 78] Hence▪ you see, that he cals 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 Ʋnleavened bread, saying, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to [...]at the Passover? And thus the Evangelists speak according to the Jewish Customes; 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 Lev. 23. 6. and according to this distinction speaketh the Evangelist Mark, Mar. 14. 1. after two dayes 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 begins at Sun-set) is the Feast, Numb. 28. 16, 17.
Object. 9. Mr. Weams and others, do affirm, That the Jews ate 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 beleeve that Mr. Weames and others have no better ground for this tenent 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 grosse a transgression as this; I beleeve that the Jews, in their corruptest times before Christ, were [Page 79] 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 transferre 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 testifie 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 expresse 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 maist eat the Passeover? Mark 14. 12. this term [when they] namely when the Iews in general sacrificed the Passeover, then his Disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare, that thou (as wel as they) maist eat the Passeover on the self-same day as the Iews in general did.
Thirdly, Christ himself doth bear witnesse, that the Iews in general did keep the Pascha in the very self-same day that hee did; Yee 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 Iews.
Fourthly, The Hebrew Doctors do protest, that they punish him that passeth the fourteenth day for the killing of the Pascha; Maymony saith, it is an expresse 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 Iews protest against our slander. See Bro. in his Advertisement of corruptions in Religion, p. 104.
Fifthly, This our grosse mistake of the Iews practise doth arise from our mistake of the meaning of the word Passeover, in Iohn 18. 28. he saith thus; The Iews went not into Pilates common Hall test they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passeover; and in ch. 19. 14. Iohn saith, It was the preparation of the Passeover, and about the sixth hour. Hence some that are not wel acquainted with the Iews customs, which are now recorded in their Thalmuds, as the learned do observe, have collected this inference, that the Iews transferred [Page 90] the Passeover from the evening of the fourteenth day, to the evening of the fifteenth day, and also to the sixteenth day; but indeed in this term Passeover Iohn doth Thalmudize, and therfore without the help of the Hebrew Doctors it is not easie to spel Iohns meaning; they apply the term Passeover not only to the proper Feast of the Pascha, but (as I noted in my answer to the former objection) they use it as a general term for the whole Feast of unleavened Bread, and in that respect they count all the days of it as if they were the days of the Passeover; but more especially they did account the first day of unleavened Bread to be a Passeover day, because they did then feast on the Peace-offerings belonging to the Passeover, for they sacrificed with the Paschal Lamb on the fourteenth day, certain Peace-offerings of Sheep or Oxen, and these voluntary Peace-offerings they called the Passeover, because they were sacrificed together with the Paschal Lamb on the fourteenth day; and by the Law they might bee eaten for the space of two days and one night, Levit. 7. 16. now the Iews had eaten the Paschal Lamb the night before, but they had not as yet ended their feasting on these Peace-offerings, which Iohn calls the Passeover; the term Passeover in this last sense is not understood of many; but Mr. Broughton and Mr. Ainsworth have given special notice of the word Passeover in this sense, and that the Hebrew Doctors had grounded their common use of it on the Law, in Deut. 16. 2. 4. and Mr. Broughton cites Solomon Jarchi speaking thus in Deut. 16. If many belong to one Passeover, then they adde to it Chagiga, Oxen, for the Holy-day feast, and saith Jarchy (presently after) the proper sense of the Scripture is, that the flesh of the Chagigah-Passeover, which thou dost sacrifice in the evening with the Lamb-Passeover, shal be eaten in the fourteenth day, and in the fifteenth day (take notice by the way that he makes no mention of the sixteenth day, as Mr. Weames doth most falsly.)
Maymony also saith, When they offered the Passeover in the first Month, they offered it with the Peace-offerings of the fourteenth day, Oxen, or Flock-beasts, great or small, Male or Female; but they offered not the Chagigah if the Lamb sufficed the company, and so it was voluntary and not forced by (any affirmative) Commandment, and it was eaten two days and one night (and not in the second night, as M. Weames doth mistakingly say.)
[Page 81] In these words Maymony doth tell us, that Iohn spake from the depth of Thalmudique knowledge, and in this sense also doth Mr. Ainsworth explain the equivocation of the word Passeover from the Hebrew Doctors, in Deut. 16. 2, 4. and in Lev. 7. 16.
John saith it was morning and they went not into 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 Sun-set, but no longer, Lev. 7. 16.
These Peace-offerings are called the Passeover by the Lawonce, in Deut. 16. 2. and they are also clearly comprehended under the term Passeover in 2 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 Pilates Common Hall lest they should be defiled, and so might be made unfit to eat the Passeovers Peace-offerings at Dinner time.
Object. 10. You say that by the allowance of the Law the Jews might feast on the Peace-offerings that were offered with the Passeover, for two days and one night, namely, till the next day at Sun-set, but not after Sun-set; but John speaks of another preparation to the Sabbath, his words in chap. 19. 31. run thus; The Jews then because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the Crosse (for that Sabbath was a high day) besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken, and that they might be taken down.
Ans. This preparation is indeed a differing preparation from the former, the former was their fore-noon preparation to their Passeover Dinner, but this preparation was nigh unto Sun-set, and so consequently it approached apace unto that festival Supper, that did properly belong unto the Feast of unleavened Bread, and in that respect they besought Pilate that their leggs might be [Page 82] broken, and that they might be taken down, lest their cruelty, in suffering them to hang longer on the Tree, should be a blot to their joyful Feast, for this day was the first of unleavened Bread, which was the first and the chief of all their High Sabbaths: Now as soon as the chief Priests had made this request to Pilate, Joseph of Arimathea did wisely espy the advantage of time, and then he also went boldly unto Pilate, requesting that he might have the Body of Jesus in his own power to bury it. The time when this was done was when the Evening was come, as two Evangelists do witnesse, Mat. 27. 17. Mar. 15. 42. and so Tindall in his Bible doth translate and expound Mark 15. 42. thus, When night was come, because it was the evening that goeth before the Sabbath.
This preparation therefore in Joh. 19. 31. must needs be in relation to their solemn Festival Supper, which did properly belong to this High Sabbath, as John doth call it.
Before Dinner the Jews were careful lest they should be defiled, by going into Pilates Judgement Hall, and so should have been hindred from their Festival Dinner, and now also at Sun-set they take the like care to avoyd cruelty, &c.
If this Sabbath spoken of had been the weekly Sabbath, or seventh Day, then though they had been defiled they might have resorted to their Synagogues, for there the clean and the unclean might meet together every Sabbath, or seventh Day, as I have observed in Chap. 4. but in case they had been defiled by any accident whatsoever at Sun-set, they could not have eaten of their festival Sabbath-supper, for all Israel were admonished to be clean at every solemn Feast, saith Maymony.
Obj. 11. Why doth John call the first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread a high Sabbath? Joh. 19. 31.
Ans. All the seven solemn Festival Sabbaths in Levit. 23. 7. are called High Feasts by the Geneva, in Eze. 45. 17. But secondly, this first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread was the very first of all those seven Sabbaths, it was the day in which the Lord brought them out of Aegypt with a high hand, and therefore the Lord did in a special manner charge them to remember this day for ever, Exod. 13. 3. this Day and the weekly Sabbath have the word remember prefixed before them more than any other Sabbaths, and in this regard the Hebrew Doctors in Deuteroproton, [Page 83] and in [...] do call Pascha day a great Sabbath, but they do not give this high title to the proper Passeover day, for that was no Sabbath, it was but half Holy-day, and therefore Moses doth not reckon it into the number of the Festival Sabbaths, in Gen. 23. but they mean it of the first day of the Feast of unleavened Bread, this day they called a great Sabbath, and Pascha Day, because in it they did festivally eat the remainder of their Peace-offerings, which they had offered with the Lamb-Passeover on the fourteenth day.
But though they held this day to be a great Festival Sabbath, and shewed great reverence to it now in their request to Pilate, because it was 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 Saviours case, and after Sun-set they held it lawful not only to bury, but also to imbalm the Dead, as the godly persons did to our Saviour. See Ains. in Lev. 23. 56. but they did not hold any of this work lawful to be done on their weekly Sabbath, Luk. 23. 56.
Obj. 12. Why doth John use the term Sabbath twice over in John 19. 31. doth he speak but of one kinde, or of two sorts of Sabbaths?
Ans. John speaks but of one high Festival Sabbath only, now it was their immediate preparation to their high Festival Sabbath-Supper, and therefore having satisfied their malice on Christ, they besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken, and that they might be taken down, for that Sabbath was a high Sabbath. I grant also that the weekly Sabbath was now begun, according to the date of the person purified, but not the seventh Day it self, for this high Festival Sabbath was now in its full force, and in its solemn Feast.
Secondly, The time of Christs Burial is noted by Luke to bee when the said Festival Sabbath did begin to lighten, Luk. 23. 54 The time of Christs burial was at Star-light. so doth Mr. Broughton and Mr. Weames read it, and so doth the Syriac read it; in this phrase the Evangelist Luke doth plainly Thalmudize, his words run thus; That day was the preparation, and the Sabbath began to lighten; two things are observable; 1. Luke saith this day was the preparation, namely to their festival Supper. 2. He describes the exact time when Christ was inclosed in the heart of the earth; it was when this High Sabbath began to lighten, namely, in the first place with the Evening Star, [Page 84] and that was a perspicuous mark of the near time of their Festival Supper, but they did not begin their Festival Supper till three Stars appeared, as I have noted in chap. 4. and Luke doth relate to this custom of theirs, in shewing that the time of Christs Burial was, when the Sabbath began to lighten; but I beleeve the chief Priests did deferre the time of their feasting now somewhat longer than at other times, because they had some businesse to do with Pilate before they could intend their Festival Supper, for they went to Pilate to intreat him, that the Sepulchre might be made sure until the third day, because this Deceiver said, that he would rise again the third day, Mat. 27. 62, 63. This request of theirs no doubt did occasion their delay to begin their High Sabbath Supper till more than three Stars appeared in the Skie this night.
Obj. 12. You say the Priests went to Pilate to intreat him to make sure the Sepulchre before they kept their Festival Supper; but it is out of doubt (I think) that they did not go to Pilate till the next morning, for Matthew calls the time of their going to Pilate the next day that followed their preparation, Mat. 27. 63.
Ans. Ignorance of the I [...]wish Customs makes many misconstructions, the next day began at Sun-set, as I have sufficiently explained the matter in Chap. 4. Sect. 2. and this day followed their Preparation to their Festival Supper, for their preparation in the after-noon was either by washing away of some light d [...]filements, or else it was their preparation of holy flesh by offering sacrifices, &c.
But Matthews meaning lyes fair and round thus; The next day (a [...]ter their preparation) which began at the Sun-set evening, they assembled unto Pilate to make the fore-said request. Hence note, that they did not go to Pilate to make this request till the next day, namely, not till after Sun-set, and then also they had commission to make him sure, by appointing such a Watch; and all this they did af [...]er it was Star-light.
Their Satanical policy would not suffer them to stay so long as until the next morning, for then Pilate would have said to them, Why did you neglect to set a Watch about his Sepulcre over night, as soon as he was buried, for if his Disciples had had any minde to steale him away they would have done it in the first part of the night? and doubtlesse when the Souldiers came to [Page 85] the chief Priests to tell them what had happened, the chief Priests would have said that his Disciples stole him away before they began their watch; but the chief Priests could not plead that excuse because they went presently to the sepulchre, and made it sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch, Matth. 27. 66. Hence it follows, that they went to Pilate in the beginning of their next Ceremonial day, namely presently after Sun-set before they began their Festival Supper.
2 Pilates answer to their request implies that they came 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 til the next morning, then in reason he would have said, Get Warders, and make it sure. Hence it follows, that the next day in which they came to Pilate was at the Sun-set Evening, for that was their next day, or it was their morrow, as I have opened, 1 Sam. 30. 17. and Lev. 27. 15. All these considerations laid together make it evident that the time ere Christ was inclosed 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 Ʋnleavened-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 intirely 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 intirely 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 followes, that all the flesh of their Chagigah-Passeover must be eaten at Dinner, or else if any of it did remain untill the beginning of the sixteenth day it must [Page 86] be burnt, Lev. 7. 17. and therefore it follows that this high Sabbath-Supper was intirely 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 Lev. 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 Sun-set. 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 Sun-set; 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 Sun-set; for Moses in Deut. 16. 4. might not give a contrary Law to what he had before given in Lev. 7. 17. There he doth expresly say, that none of the flesh of the voluntary Peace-offerings shall remain untill the third day, if any thing thereof remain untill 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 Sun-set, and therfore 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 untill the beginning, or untill the morning of the sixteenth day at Sun-set, for then the flesh would have remained untill the third day after it was sacrificed, and then might not be eaten, but it must be burnt.
Secondly, The Hebrew Doctors testifie, 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 untill the beginning [Page 87] (or untill the morning) of the sixteenth day, which begins at Sun-set; in these words Moses doth truly, though figuratively, call the Sun-set 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 Lev. 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 custome it began before the Evening of the fourteenth day was ended; for the Passeover of the fourteenth day was not feasted on till after Sun-set, 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 customes: They could not keep their Religious Festival Suppers in the same Ceremonial day, for then 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, Lev. 7. 15. and Lev. 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 Sun-set to Sun-set 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 untill after Sun-set, [Page 88] because many times the Evening sacrifices were not finished till Sun-set, 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 Sun-set 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 Sun-set 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 Custome, 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 Mid-night, 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 sadnesse and mourning was forbidden at their solemn Feasts, because it did prophane that joyful Ordinance, Lev. 10. 19. Neh. 8. 10.
Object. 16. You seem to limit the time of their solemn Festival Supper, but untill Mid-night, but the prohibition in Lev. 7. 15. saith, Ye shall not leave ought thereof untill the morning; This implies a permission to continue their Religious Feasting, not onely untill Mid-night, as you would have it, but untill day-break, as the Hebrew Doctors expound it.
Ans. I confesse the Hebrew Doctors do expound the word Morning in this Text to mean day-break, 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 solemne Suppers any longer than till Mid-night.
The Hebrew Doctors say, That not onely 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 til 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 [Page 89] 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 untill MIDNIGHT. See Ains. in Lev. 7. 18.
In like sort, they say of the residue of the Burnt-offerings, that they might lye burning upon the Altar all the night long untill the morning; that is (say they) till break of day, Lev. 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 peeces of the Burnt-offering lye burning upon the Altar, but untill Mid-night, 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 day-break, for they had two dayes allowance to eat them by the Law, Lev. 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 Mid-night 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 Mid-night, not onely the Supper of the Paschal Lamb, but also the Peace-offerings, which he adjoyned 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 sate 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 ate was holy flesh, and all their Feasting was with Religious joy for their Redemption) together with his long Exhortations, Thanksgivings, Prayers and Psames. [Page 90] I apprehend it was much about the time of Mid-night, 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 religi [...]us Feasting on their Passeovers. on the Pascha till the morning at day-break, because they do of ten limit the time of their Religious Feasting, but untill Mid-night.
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 Lev. 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 dayes, and one night, Lev. 7. 17, 18. Deut. 16. 2. 10.
Secondly, Consider this well; for though the Hebrew Doctors do sometimes say, that the fats and the peeces of the Burntoffering may lye 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 Mid-night, and in Exod. 23. 8. the Lord saith, The fat of my Feast shall not remain untill the morning therefore it must be wholly consumed with fire before day-break. And indeed, they might not continue the burning any longer than til Mid-night without manifest Transgression, esp [...]cially 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 Mid-night. See Ains. in Lev. 6. 10. By this Hebrew Canon it is evident that they could not continue the burning of the fats and peeces of the Evening sacrifices untill day-break 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 untill the burning of the fats, and of the peeces of the Evening sacrifices were finished; therefore they might not continue the burning any longer than till Mid-night (at sometimes at least) [Page 91] without Transgression, especially in the night before the day of Reconciliation, for then the Priests must take away the ashes from the Altar at Mid-night; and by this it is evident that the ancient Hebrew Doctors held that the morning (namely the root of it) began at Mid-night, because they did then give order to set things in a readinesse 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 Sun-rising, but on Expiation-day it was killed at day-break. See Ains. in Num. 28. 4. and Lev. 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 Mid-night, and why they feared it might be a Transgression to continue their Festival Suppers any longer than till Mid-night; it was because they held the root of the morning to begin at Mid-night; And Maymony saith, Gratefull is a Commandement that is done in the hour of the same. See Ains. in Lev. 6. 10.
And hence my Answer is to this Objection, it is the safest way to expound the word Morning, in Lev. 7. 15. and in Lev. 22. 30. &c. to signifie, that the root or the first beginning of the morning is at Mid-night, for fear of Transgression.
After this Treatise was ready for the Presse, 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 Sun-setting; yet did they also make the Mid-night 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 untill M [...]dnight.
Ibid. in Pesach in Per. 10. The Passeover after Mid-night defiles the hands.
Jona Per. 1. & Maym. in Tamid. in Per. 2. The cleansing of the [Page 92] Burnt-offering Altar on the day of Expiation began from Mid-night.
Talm. in Zeuach in Per. 5. Trespasse-offerings might be eaten till mid-night.
Ibid. Lesser holy Offerings may be eaten till Mid-night.
Ibid. The Passeover is not eaten but in the night; and it is not eaten but till Mid-night.
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 Mid-night, 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 Mid-night, 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 Mid-night, 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 Mid-night before, and that was taken as done on the day of Expiation. (And so they observed to feast on the Passeover, but untill Mid-night.)
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 Mid-night for the day that was past; So they reckoned the morning to begin at Mid-night to the day following.
Were I to discusse 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 untill the morning; yet verse 29. at Mid-night the Lord smote the Firstborn, &c. 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 rose so very early, and went out to pray, was on the morrow after the Sabbath; [Page 93] 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 farre out of Doctor Leightfoot, which doth illustrate and strengthen that which I have said in sundry places, about the beginning of the morning at mid-night.
Secondly, I come now to speak of the second Part of the Passeover Evening, which was for the use of their Religious Feasting from Sun-set to mid-night.
After my long digression to answer several Objections about the Iews customs, I come now to speak of the second part of the Passeover Evening, appointed for the time of their religious Feasting on their Passeovers, and that was from Sun-set to Mid-night, and this space of time was all the latter evening.
And this is evident,
- 1 By the appointment of Moses.
- 2 By the practise 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 fore-noon, or in the beginning of the after-noon at Bethany, when he sent two of his Disciples to Ierusalem 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 bad them carry it to such a house, and make it ready against his coming, and in thus doing he did according to the Iews custom, for their custom was, that if thirteen or twenty did joyn 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 Sun-set they all met together, and began the feast at the hour appointed. This custom our Saviour observed, for he came not in person to Ierusalem til 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 untill three Stars did appear after Sun-set. See Ains. in Lev. 22. 9.
[Page 94] [...] It is evident that our Saviour did not begin to Feast on his Passeover untill the said evening was come, and it is evident also, that he finished all his religious exercises and solemnities within the space of this latter evening, from sun-set till mid-night, as I have opened the matter more in my answer to the sixteenth objection.
Object. 17. How can you prove that the Passeover-Supper was celebrated in the night of the fourteenth day, seeing you confesse that the fifteenth day began that night at Sun-set; and the Hebrew Doctors affirm, that the flesh of the Paschal Lamb was eaten in the fifteenth night; how then can that night appertain both to the fourteenth, and to the fifteenth day?
Ans. It was the fifteenth night, according to the date of the person purified, as I have opened the matter in chap. 4. and otherwhere, but in regard of the Feast it did still properly appertain to the fourteenth day. As for example, if a Iew were defiled on the Passeover day by any of the lighter sorts of uncleanesses, what course must he take that he might not be deprived of the Passeover Feast? the answer is, he must bathe or baptise himself in Water, at the looking forth of the evening, that is to say, in the after-noon; And what then? might hee then carry his Lamb to the Temple to be sacrificed? No, he might not yet go himself to the Temple, because his clensing was not fully compleat; but yet he might joyn with others, and cause others to kill the Passeover for him, because he was now in his first degree of cleansing, and then as soon as the Sun was fully gone down upon him he was fully clean, and then he began the date of his day of cleanenesse, and then as soon as three Stars appeared after Sunset, he might sit down with the rest of that Society to eat the Passeover. See Ains. in Num. 9. 10.
And thus the Sun-set evening was the fifteenth day to the Person purified, and yet it was properly the fourteenth day still, in respect of feasting on the Sacrifices; and thus these two actions of Feasting and Purifying may wel bear the date of two severall days thus enter-woven together, without any confusion or disorder.
1. It was necessary that the Person purified should begin the date of his new day as soon as his Ceremonial cleanenesse was perfected by the setting of the Sun upon him after his Baptising, as [Page 95] I have opened the matter in chap. 4.
2 It was also as necessary that the solemn act of feasting upon the flesh of their Sacrifices should bear the date of the same day with the said Sacrifices; 1 Because the act of Feasting received no new degree of cleanenesse at Sun-set, as the person purified did. 2. Because the act of feasting in the latter evening after Sun-set had a necessary dependence upon the act of Sacrificing in the former evening, for the act of feasting on the Holy flesh in the latter evening was but to help on the Spiritual application of that document that was typified and exhibited by the sacrifice in the former evening; therefore seeing the act of feasting had such a necessary dependence upon the act of sacrificing, I see no reason why this continued Sacramental Passeover should bear the date of two several proper Natural days; I see no reason why the act of feasting should bear the date of the fifteenth day, except it be only in relation to the date of the person purified, and thus Maymony above cited must be understood, that the flesh of the Paschal Lamb was eaten on the fifteenth night, namely, according to the date of the person purified, though in regard of the Feast it self it was but the fourteenth night still, as in my next answer at fifthly I have cited his words.
Obj. 18. I desire to see yet further, how you can prove that the latter evening at Sun-set was a true part of the fourteenth day in the case of their religious Feasting upon the Passeover.
Ans. 1. I prove it by Exod. 12. 6, 8, & 14. verses compared together; the sixth verse commanded them to kill all their Passeovers between the two evenings; this was the allowed season for the sacrificing of all their Passeovers in Aegypt. 2. The eighth verse sets out the allowed season for the time of feasting; they shall eat the flesh in that Night, namely, in that night that doth properly belong to the fourteenth day; and then 3. In [...]ose fourteen, he doth unite these two solemn: actions togethe [...] in these words; This day shall be to you for a memorial, yee shall festivally keep it for a feast unto Jehovah; mark this phrase, This day, and ye [...] shall festivally keep it; what day doth he mean olse, but the fourteenth day afore spoken of [...] and yee shall festivally keep it, and yet the Feast was kept after Sun-set. Hence it follows, that the time of feasting on the Paschal Lamb after Sun-set was a [...]rue part of the fourteenth day by Creation, though it was the beginning [Page 96] of the fifteenth day to the person purified.
2 It is evident, that the Sun-set evening is a true part of the same fourteenth day by Creation, by Numb. 9. 11. In the second Month, in the fourteenth day of the Month, between the two evenings they shall do it, with unleavened Cakes, and bitter Herbs shall they eat it.
In this text Moses doth speak of a Two-fold action to be done in the evening of the fourteenth day of the month; He speaks of doing it, namely according to the Command, that is to say, of sacrificing it between the two evenings; Secondly, He speaks of the act of feasting with unleavened Cakes, and bitter Herbs.
Moses doth not distribute these two Sacramental actions unto two severall Natural days, but commands them both to bee done in the same fourteenth day of the month.
3 It is evident by Jos. 10. 3. that they kept the Feast of the Paschal Lamb on the fourteenth day of the Month at Even; Joshuae names only the time of Feasting (though the time of Sacrificing must be understood) he saith plainly, that it must be feasted on in the fourteenth day of the Month at even, I cannot see how any man that loves plain truth can deny the Sun-set evening to be a true part of the former day.
4 It is evident that the latter evening was a true part of the fourteenth day, because the seven days of unleavened Bread have seven latter evenings belonging to them, besides the latter evening of the fourteenth day, so that they observed eight festival Evenings together, and so Josephus doth number them, in Antiq. lib. 2. ch. 5. and hence it follows, that the Festival Supper which belonged to the last day of unleavened Bread, which was the one and twentieth day of the Month, did also bear the date of the two and twentieth day to the person purified, and this latter evening was the allowed season for all their Holy Festival Suppers, and often-times it was little enough, for they must boyl and rost all the flesh of their Peace-offerings, which were of the greater kind, as sheep and Oxen, (for no Fowls were allowed for Peace-offerings. See Ains. in 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 Gods goodnesse for [Page 97] their deliverance out of Aegypt, and with Songs and Psalms of praise, Deut. 16. 15. Exod. 23. 15. Deut. 27. 7. See Ains. in Exod. 12. 8. and in this respect the latter evening was a competent time for these religious Solemnities, and to continue the time of feasting longer, was a transgression: for it is expresly commanded in Lev. 7. 15. that the holy flesh must be eaten in the same day in which it was sacrificed; But if the Sun-set evening had been the true beginning of the Natural day, then this Holy flesh could not have been eaten the same day, as I have noted the reason thereof formerly, and then God by Moses had commanded us to do that which is not possible to be done; therefore the Sun-set evening is a true part of the same Natural day wherein the flesh was sacrificed.
Maymony saith (as I noted in objection sixteen) that the Priests did eat the two Loaves which were presented to the Lord with the Meat-offering of the Congregation on the day of Penticost, in the same day, and in half the night, as the flesh of the most holy things were. See Ains. in Levit. 23. 20. so then, in the judgement of the ancient Hebrew Doctors (for Maymony doth but record their judgement) the latter evening till mid-night was a true part of the same Natural day, in which the Sacrifices were offered, though yet notwithstanding the purified person began the date of his new day at the Sun-set afore.
5 Thus (saith Maymony) after he had related divers circumstances about the Passeover, then is brought in a Table furnished with bitter Herbs, unleavened Bread, and the Body of the Paschal Lamb, and the flesh Chagigah, which is (saith he) for the fourteenth day of the Month, he doth not say which is for the fifteenth day of the Month (though otherwise he doth call this time the fifteenth day of the Month) both are true in a right sense, namely in the sense formerly given) and in another place Maymony saith thus, The evening of the fourteenth of N [...]shan is not like the evening of other Festival days, because in it are the Feast, and the killing of Sacrifices. See Ains. in Lev. 23. 5. He makes the time of feasting to belong to the fourteenth day; and secondly, he preferres this evening to the evening of the Festival Sabbaths, and therefore prescribes a greater punishment for servile work done on this evening, than for working in the evening before the Festival Sabbaths, for so is the comparison to be made, as I [Page 98] have noted it elsewhere, because in this evening was solemnized the proper Feast of the fourteenth day; but the evening before was but in way of preparation to the Sabbath it self. Thirdly, Maymony saith thus, They searched out Leaven in the beginning of the night of the fourteenth day; Maymony calls the night before the Feast of the unleavened Bread the fourteenth night, and yet in another place he calleth it the fifteenth day.
Thus have I proved, not only by Scripture, but also by the consent of the Hebrew Doctors, that the Sun-set evening is a true part of the former day, though it be also the beginning of a new day to the person purified, by a Ceremonial institution.
CHAP. VI.
Proving that the Day of Reconciliation was an extraordinary long Sabbath, and an extraordinary long Fasting-day, and therefore the beginning of this day ought not to be alleged as an exemplary Pattern, neither for the beginning of any other Fasting day, nor yet for the beginning of the Lords Day.
THe Law saith thus, in Lev. 23. 32. yee shall afflict your Souls in the ninth day of the Month, in the evening, from evening to evening you shal rest your Sabbath.
This Sabbath was singular from other Sabbaths in two regards.
- 1 No other Sabbath was like it, for the services of it.
- 2 No other Sabbath was like it, for the length of it.
1 No other Sabbath was like it, for the services of it.
For 1. All the Sacrifices of this day were commanded to be done by the High Priest only, but on other Sabbaths they might be done by any other Priest as well as by the High Priest.
2 There were more Burnt-offerings commanded to be offered for the publick on this Sabbath, than on any other Sabbath.
[Page 99] 3 More Incense must be offered on this day, than on any other day.
4 There was more often sprinkling of blood on this day, than on any other day.
5 The High Priest did oftener wash on this day, than on any other day.
6 He used more sorts of Priestly garments on this day, than on any other day.
7 He did more often change his Garments on this day, than on any other day.
8 The High Priest did enter into the Holy of Holies on this day, and on no day else all the yeer long; and thus no day was like this Sabbath in the services of it.
2 No day was like this day for the length of it, neither in respect of the fast, nor in respect of holy Rest of it.
For though it was commanded to b [...] observed in the tenth day of the seventh month, Lev. 23. 27. yet it was also commanded to begin in the Evening of the ninth day, Lev. 23. 32.
This Evening of the ninth day hath a double interpretation.
1 Some understand it of the sacrifice-Evening of the ninth day.
2 Some understand it of the Evening at the end of the ninth day where the tenth day begins
1 In the first sense, Maymony saith, They began to afflict their souls in the Evening of the ninth day, next before the tenth day, and so they tarried in their affliction a little in the night after the tenth day.
In these words you see that Maymony doth not hold this fast to begin with the tenth day at the Sun-set Evening, according to the date of the new day of the person purified; but in the evening of the ninth day, next before the tenth day: And Maymony saith moreover, That they must abide in their affliction a little in the night after the tenth day.
This early beginning, and this late ending of this fasting-day doth increase the length of this day, beyond the length of any other fasting-day, or 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 [Page 100] the next clause from Even unto Even you shall Rest your Sabbath; and by this reading, we may see that the Seventy do make the latter Evening of the ninth day, to be a true part of the ninth day, though it were also the beginning of the tenth day according to the date of the person purified.
3 Hence it is also evident, that Moses did not hold the naturall beginning of the tenth day to begin at the Sun-set evening of the ninth day, for then Moses words should have run thus, From the tenth of the month from the Evening; but Moses doth not say so, but from the ninth of the month from the Evening, either he must mean it to begin from the Sacrifice-Evening of the ninth day, as Maymony expounds it; or secondly, from the latter Evening of the ninth day (as a true part of the ninth day) as the Seventy understand it; or thirdly, from the Ceremonial beginning of the ninth day, which begins at the Sun-set Evening before the ninth day. But then,
4 If you will take this phrase from Even to Even to be from the Evening of the ninth day, according to the date of the person purified, then all the ninth day must be a fasting day as well as the tenth day, for the Evening of the ninth day is the beginning of the ninth day according to the date of the person purified; but if you desire to avoid this grosse absurdity, then you must grant that the natural Evening of the ninth day did not begin, but end the ninth day, as the Seventy Interpreters do carry it.
5 They that do place the natural Evening at the beginning of the ninth day, and yet do allow the Sacrifice Evening to be placed at the end of the ninth day, they do thereby place the natural morning of the ninth day between the two Evenings of the ninth day, and so they do make the morning Sacrifice to be killed between the two Evenings; but when men will not receive the truth in the love of it, it is just with God to let them run into such absurd consequences as these.
6 This fasting-day was longer than any other fasting-day; for all other publick fasting dayes were left to the Elders of the No fastingday among the Jews was so long as the Fast on the day of Attonement was. San [...]edrim to be appointed whensoever they were in any distress, which were proclamed to be observed in all the Synagogues of the Land, as well as at the Temple: But they did not injoyn them to begin those fasting dayes in the Evening before, with [Page 101] such a strict abstinence as they did the day of Reconciliation; for the Hebrew Doctors say, That it was lawfull for them to eat in the night, when the feast was on the morrow. See Ains. in Nu. 9. 10. By this testimony of Maymony, it is evident that they began all their other solemn fasting-dayes in the morning, and not in the evening before, except the day of Reconciliation only; therfore no other publick fasting-day was of such a length as this yeerly 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 yeerly fasting-Sabbath; For Maymony saith, Such works as may be done on the Evening of a Feast-day, they do not upon a Feast-day, &c. See Ain. in 23. 7. By this testimony it is evident, that they did not hold the Evening before their festival-Sabbaths to be as holy as the day it self.
2 Maymony saith, It is unlawful to do works in the Evening of the festival Sabbaths, from the time of the Evening Sacrifice, and forwards, Even as on the Evenings of the Sabbaths; and who so doth work in them shall never see a sign of a Bessing, and he is to be rebuked, and to be made to leave off by force, though he is not for it to be scourged or excommunicated, except in the Evening of the Passeover after Mid-day whoso doth work therein after Mid-day, is to be scourged, or excommunicated with the Niddui; for the Evening of the fourteenth day of Nishan, is not like the Evening of other festival dayes, because in it are the Feast, and the killing of Sacrifices. See Ains. in Lev. 23. 5.
Two things are observable from this Record of Maymony.
1 That the Jews did make some kind of preparation, both to their festival-Sabbaths, and to their Sabbath or seventh day, from the time of the Evening Sacrifice, and forwards.
2 Hence it is evident, that the Hebrew Doctors did not esteem any part of the Evening before their Sabbaths, to be as holy as the day following, because they did neither scourge, nor excommunicate any man, for working in the Evening before their Sabbaths, as they did for working in the Passeover Evening; and the reason is plain, because they esteemed both the parts of the Passeover-Evening [Page 102] to be the very day of the Passeover it self; but it seems they did not esteem the Evening before the Sabbath to be any true part of the Sabbath it self, for doubtlesse, if they had esteemed it as a true part of the Sabbath it self, they would not onely have scourged and excommunicated such persons, that did presume to work in the Evening, before the Sabbath, but also they would have stoned them to death, if they had presumptuously broken the rest of the holy Sabbath, Numb. 15. 35. And as Maymony makes the Evening of the Passeover, not like the Evening that went before their festival Sabbaths, nor like the Evening that went before their weekly Sabbath; So I may say of the Evening that went before the day of Attonement, that it was more strict for holy rest than the Evening that went before any of the other Sabbaths.
From all the Premises, I conclude, that no day in all the yeer was commanded to be of such a length for strict Rest as this day was, for the strict Rest of this day, and the strict Fast of this day began in the Sacrifice Evening, or else at the beginning of the latter Evening of the ninth day, and it continued not onely till a little after the Sun-set Evening of the tenth day, as Maymony saith, But also it continued longer, for some of the holy duties of the tenth day, could not be finished till Mid-night after; for
1 The Priests must eat their part of the publick Sin-offering, Num. 29. 11. which must be eaten in the same day in which it was offered, Lev. 6. 26. (as other Sacrifices were, Lev. 7. 15, 18.) and yet the Priests could not eat the holy flesh of this publick Sin-offering till after Sun-set; for the fast of this day was not fully ended till after Sun-set, and therefore also they might not begin to Cook that holy flesh untill the Fast was fully ended. Hence it follows, that the same day did still continue till after Sun-set, yea untill it was Mid-night.
2 The Priests had another work to do within the limits of this tenth day, namely, they must burn all the fats and peeces of all the publick Evening-sacrifices of this day (which were many) and some of their Evening-sacrifices were also offered neer unto Sun-set, and therefore this work and duty of burning would require not only the more diligence, but also the more time, to finish this [...] [...]ay of Attonement was. sweet savor upon the Lords Altar in its own proper day, as I have noted the commanded season thereof more at large in Lev. 6. 9.
[Page 103] 3 It appears, that some of the works which appertained to the morning-sacrifice of this tenth day, must begin at Mid-night, and that some of the works which must be done about the Evening-sacrifice were such as could not be ended untill the Mid-night after.
For the first work that must be done on this day in preparation to the Morning-sacrifice was the taking away the ashes from the Altar, and these ashes they must begin to take away at Mid-night, as Maymony saith. See Ains. in Lev. 6. 10. And in another place he saith, they took away the ashes at Mid-night, and ordered the wood, &c. and at the break of day they began to kill the daily Morning-sacrifice. See Ains. in Lev. 16. 4.
In like sort they could not finish the burning of all the Evening-sacrifices of this day till Mid-night, as I have shewed above from Lev. 6. 9. and yet over and above this full day from Mid-night to Mid-night, they began their strict Fast, and their strict Rest, in the Evening of the ninth day, which did increase the length of this day to be an extraordinary long Fasting-Sabbath.
Hence I conclude, That the beginning of this day cannot be alleged as an exemplary pattern, neither for the beginning of any other Fasting-day, nor yet for the beginning of our Lords day, as it is intended by those that allege it for the beginning and ending of the Jews weekly Sabbath from Even to Even.
CHAP. VII.
Answering their Opinion more particularly that hold the Lords day to begin at Evening; And four Objections are Answered.
Object. 1. IT is objected, that our Lords day is come in the place of the Jewish Sabbath which began at Evening; and for the proof of this they allege the Example of Nehemiah, he is said to shut up the Gates of Jerusalem when it began to be dark before the Sabbath, Neh. 13. 19. they expound the word Before, and the word Dark, in favour of their opinion thus; 1 The word Before the Sabbath, they say, doth mean just [Page 104] before the face or present beginning of the Sabbath. 2. The word Dark they say doth mean when it was full Twilight, namely when the darknesse in the Skie was somewhat more than the light in the Skie; for as long as the light in the Skie is more than darknesse, they say the Sun is the cause of it; and hence they conclude that the Sun cannot be said to be set till the darknesse in the Skie be more in quantity than the light in the Skie, and this they make to be the punctual time of the Sun-set evening, when the Jews Sabbath began, namely, when a Man could not see to read, or a Woman to s [...]w.
Ans. This exposition of the beginning of the Sun-set evening, and of the beginning of the Sabbath, is a new-found devise, I have already shewed the vanity of it in Chapter 4. in my answer to Obj. 3. That the Sun-set evening is truly come as soon as ever the Body of the Sun is gone out of sight, and that Darknesse is then begun, because the shining of the Sun is gone from off the face of the earth, and Darknesse is said to begin at the going down of the Sun, in Gen. 15. 17. and then the Jews began to set their Night-watches, and then the purified person began the date of the day of his cleanenesse, and therefore if the Sabbath it self did begin in the evening at all, it began then, namely according to the date of the day of the purified person, which began as soon as ever the Body of the Sun was gone out of sight, as I have shewed in chap. 4. and then if Nehemiah did not set a Watch at the Gates of Jerusalem till the darknesse in the Skie was more than the light in the Skie, he did not that which was sufficient to preserve the Holy rest of the Holy Sabbath, especially seeing they began to make some preparation to the observation of the Sabbath, from the time of the Evening Sacrifice before, as I have observed from the Hebrew Doctors.
But I perceive that such as hold the Sabbath it self to begin in Such as hold the Sabbath to begin [...]t the Sun set evening can never prove that Christ lay three days in hi [...] Grave. the evening, are necessitated to seek out such odde expositions as this of the time of the Sun-set evening, because else they see that they can never prove that Christ lay three days inclosed in the heart of the earth, Mat. 12. 40. and they know that Christ rose from the Dead on the first day of the Week, Joh. 20. 19. Hence it follows, that he must be inclosed in the heart of the earth, in the very self-same Friday in which he was Crucified; for the first day of the Week in which he arose from the Dead, is called the third Day after, 1 Cor. 15. 4. and in these respects it is of necessary consequence [Page 105] to describe the precise time both of his Burial, and also of his Resurrection, or else a doubting Conscience cannot be rightly established in the truth of his three days lying in the Grave.
But such as hold the Sabbath to begin at the Sun-set evening can never prove it, unlesse they can prove that Christ was inclosed in the heart of the earth some distinct time before Sun-set; but Luke saith, that the time of Christs Burial was, when it began to be Star-light, Luk. 23. 54. that is not possible to be done, for Luke saith, that the Sabbath began to lighten (with Star-light) when he was inclosed in his Grave, Luk. 23. 54.
Master Broughton, Mr. Weames, and the Syriac do render the Translation so, and the Seventy use the same Greek word in Job 25. 5. for the light of the Moon, and it may as well be used for the light of the Stars, for they are called Stars of light, Gen. 1. 14, 16. Psal. 148. 3.
Let all the circumstances of time about the burial of Christ bee cast up, and laid together, and then it will put 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 begge the Body, and that was not till the Sun-set 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 Mid-day, and Christ was then alive, therefore it must be understood of the latter evening which was not come till Sun-set.
Obj. 2. But Mr. Norton objecteth against this Translation, and In his Treatise of Christs Sufferings. saith, that it is not true that Joseph came not to begge the Body of Christ untill Sun-set; 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 carefull and mindfull 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 withall 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 Tindall doth both translate and expound Mar 15. 42 thus, When night was come (because it was the evening that goeth [Page 106] before the Sabbath) But what if the Greek doth signifie 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 Sun-set, for fear of the displeasure of the High Priests, and therefore he delayed his going to Pilate untill the High Priests had first gone and besought Pilate that their leggs might be broken, and that they might bee 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 Crosse for his greater ignominy, as long as other cursed Malefactors used to do, and that was untill 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 Sun-set) and therefore he did not command the dead Bodies of the cursed Kings to be taken down from the Tree untill 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 Carkasse hang all night upon the tree, to mean (not at all in the night) but since then I finde 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 shal 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 Sun-set untill Mid-night, as I have shewed in chap. 5. in my answer to Object. 16.
And in this respect Ioshua let the dead Bodies of the Kings hang still upon the Tree untill the Sun was set; that is to say, untill the night was begun; but if this command of burying them in the same day had meant in the same Ceremonial day, then the dead Bodies might not continue hanging on the Tree untill the [Page 107] Sun was set, except they had been buried some distinct time before Sun-set; this clause therefore [in the same day] must be understood not of the same Ceremonial day which ended at Sun-set, but of the same Natural day which continued after Sun-set till mid-night, as I have shewed 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 Star-light, therefore they besought Pilate that their leggs 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 leggs 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 Sun-set evening was done.
From the Premises I reason thus; If the Sun-set evening was come before Ioseph went to Pilate to begge the Body of Christ, then the Sabbath Star might well be risen before the Body of Christ could be inclosed in the heart of the earth, for Ioseph had many things to do after he had the grant of the dead Body, before it could be inclosed in his Grave; First, he went to the Shops to buy severall peeces of Linnen to wrap the dead Body in, according to the Iews manner, Ioh. 20. 6, 7. (as we may see the manner in Lazarus burial, Ioh. 11. 44.) and Nicodemus also did take up some time to imbalm his Body, which also was done with many circumstances according to the Iews custome▪ Ioh. 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 rowl the stone upon the mouth of his Grave, before hee could be said to be inclosed in the heart of the earth; I grant also [Page 108] 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 doubtlesse Lukes phrase doth allude to that custom. This Sabbath that did now begin to lighten was not the Sabbath it self, for if the Sabbath it self had been begun at the rising of the Evening Starre, then doubtlesse the holy Women had broken the holy rest of the Sabbath d [...]y, because after all this they went to the shops and bought Odors, and Oyntments, Luke 23. 56. compared with M [...]rk 16. 1. yea and after they had bought these Odors and Oyntments they went home and prepared them in a readinesse to per [...]ume 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 persumed 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 it self did not begin neither at the Sun-set evening, when the person purified began the date of his new day, nor yet at the rising of the evening starre, for if the Sabbath it self had been begun at either of these times, then the holy Women had most grosly broken the holy rest of the Sabbath; But the Holy Text doth witnesse on their side that they rested the Sabbath, according to the Commandment, Luk. 23. 56.
Henc [...] I conclude from this practise of the holy Women, that though the evening before the Sabbath doth bear the date of the day following to the person purified, yet in proper speaking it is no part of the Sabbath it self, it is only to be esteemed the Sabbath but by way of preparation, and no more.
Secondly I answer, That your exposi [...]ion of the word before may better carry this sense, namely that this latter evening was indeed before the Sabbath it self, and I have shewed in chap. 5. that the evening of the Sabbath is put by the Hebrew Doctors, sometimes for the evening before the Sabbath, and sometimes for the last half of the Sabbath it self; but see more in this Chapter in the answer to the next objection.
[Page 109] Objct. 2. It seems to me that the Sabbath it self did begin and end at the Sun set Evening by the Jews practise, for they held it unlawful before the Sun-set Evening was come for our Saviour to heal diseased persons; But after the Sun-set Evening was come, all manner of diseased persons came flocking to him for cure, Mar. 1. 32. Hence it appears that the Jews held the Sabbath to be fully ended as soon as the Sun-set Evening was come.
Ans. It is but the bare conjecture that they forbore to bring their sick persons till the Sabbath was ended: I deny it to be the very reason, I beleeve the onely reason why they came no sooner, was because they had no sooner intelligence of his miraculous power to heal; you do barely affirm that the Jews in general held it unlawful for our Saviour to heal diseased persons upon the Sabbath day, but you are deceived. Tremelius doth testifie from the ancient Hebrew Doctors that they held the contrary: They held that the perill of life did drive away the Sabbath; that is to say, they held it lawful to use any means to prevent the danger of death upon the Sabbath day. See Tremelius his Annot. in Mat. 12. 8. in the Syriack Testament; Mr. Ainsworth also doth affirm from the Hebrew Doctors, that they held it to be a Sabbath days work to visit the sick; for they held that perill of life did drive away the Sabbath. See Ains. in Exod. 20. 10. See also my former Treatise.
2 I do also apprehend by the circumstances of the story, that the Jews of Capernaum were not offended with our Saviour for his miraculous cure, which he did upon that Sabbath day (as the malignant Scribes and Pharisees sometimes were) in healing one in the Synagogue that had an unclean spirit, Mark. 1. 27.
3 They took no offence at him for the curing of Peters wives mother of her Feavor, presently after he had left the said Synagogue, v 31. Therefore seeing they found no fault with Christ for neither of these miraculous cures before the Sabbath was ended, doubtless they did not forbear to bring their diseased persons in respect of the Sabbath (for they admired the power of God in these miracles) and therefore as soon as the publick exercise was ended, they spread his fame, verse 28. and thereupon a multitude of the diseased persons of Capernaum came to him for cure with all the possible speed they could, as it appears by their earnest pressing [Page 110] after so short a warning, for I conceive by the circumstances of the story, that it was but a little afore Sun-set when Christ left the Synagogue, and then as soon as he had left the Synagogue he healed Peters wives mother, which was another procuring cause that made the greater flocking to him; but if his miraculous cures had been done sooner, doubtlesse the fame thereof would have made the sick persons to have flocked sooner after him.
I grant that some of the malignant Scribes and Pharisees did sometimes take offence at Christ for his miraculous healing upon the Sabbath day; But the people in general rejoyced at all the excellent things that were done by him upon the Sabbath day, Luke 13. 17. for Christ did now heal a poor crooked woman upon that Sabbath day, verse 11. And when the Ruler of the Synagogue took offence at it, Christ (by reasons) put him to silence; and the people rejoyced that Christ had put him to silence.
Therefore though some of the malignant Jews held erroniously that Christ ought not to heal upon the Sabbath day, yet that is no good argument to prove that these Jews of Capernaum did purposely detain their sick persons till the Sabbath was ended, I deny it to be the Reason; I do apprehend rather that they did hastily flock to him, rather than deliberately forbear till the Sabbath might be ended.
4 Mr. Pemble on this place saith, That this Evening was the Evening of the same day wherein Christ had done so much before, as the inference shews plainly.
5 It is evident to me from several testimonies of the Hebrew Doctors, that they held the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self, because they held it lawful to The Hebrew Doctors held the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath, to be a true part of the Sabbath it self. do many things in the Sun-set Evening before the Sabbath, which they did not hold lawfull to be done in the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath.
1 Maymony saith thus, The two Loaves of New Corn for the Wave-offering (on the day of Penticost) were not Baked on the day of Pentecost, because it was a Sabbath; nor in the Evening before, if it were a Sabbath. See Ains. in Lev. 23. 17.
Two things are evident from this Testimony.
1 That in the judgement of the Hebrew Doctors the Sun-set [Page 111] Evening after the Sabbath, was a true part of the Sabbath it self, because they held it unlawfull 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 Lev. 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 it self, no otherwise than by way of preparation.
3 Mamony gives another instance from the time of baking the twelve Loaves of Shew-bread; he saith, That the twelve Loaves of the Shew-bread 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 Lev. 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 it self, he calls the Evening before, [the Evening of the Sabbath] by custome peculiar to the Jews, from the date of the new day to the person purified (as I have formerly shewed) he allows these twelve Loaves to be baked in the Evening of the Sabbath all the yeer 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 it self, 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 Sun-set; and thence it follows, that if their festival-Sabbaths were not ended at Sun-set, then their weekly Sabbaths were not ended at Sun-set.
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 [Page 112] 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 ones pal [...]t) in a readiness against the Sabbath; for though the Manna was a ready food of it self, without preparing to some stomacks, yet not to al, til it were cooked to their palat; and it could not be prepared in this sort without great labor, 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 Sun-set 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 grinde 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 Lev. 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 onely the Sun-set 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 Mid-day; who so doth work therein after Mid-day, he is to be scourged or excommunicated with the Niddui, for the fourteenth of Nishan is not like the Evening of other Festival dayes, because in it are the Feast, and the killing of Sacrifices. See Ains. in Lev. 23. 5.
Ans. I grant that the Jews did make some kind of preparation [Page 113] both to their Festival-Sabbaths, and to their weekly Sabbaths also, from the time of the Evening-sacrifice, and forwards, till Bed-time; for though they did not begin their day of cleannesse till Sun-set, yet in regard of the many works that were to be done against their Feast-dayes (which I have immediately named) and in regard of preparing their Manna, &c. 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 bed-time; 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 Sun-set, to be as a true part of the Sabbath it self, 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 Mid-day till Mid-night; but if they had in their judgement esteemed any part of the Evening before the Sabbath to be a true part of the Sabbath it self, doubtlesse they would have punished such Transgressors 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 custome, yet it) was no true part of the Sabbath it self, but in way of preparation onely.
Secondly, That the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath was indeed a true part of the Sabbath it self.
5 It is evident that the Evening after the Sabbath was esteemed to be a true part of the Sabbath it self, 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 Sun-set, 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 lesse than three hours space, for [Page 114] 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 Lev. 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 Customes 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 untill 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 Sun-set 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 rose 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 Sun-set, 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 it self.
Obj. It appears to me that the Natural day begins at the Sun-set evening, for the Lord telleth Ezekiel in the ninth year of Jeconiahs captivity, [Page 115] that he should be dumb untill the day that Jerusalem should be destroyed, and untill 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, then 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 untill 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 Ezekiels wife dyed, vers. 18. which was the pleasure of his eyes, vers. 16. and her death was for a sign unto the Iews, 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, Ezekiels 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 lyes 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 [Page 106] 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 hee 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 Ieconiahs 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 Prophecying against other Nations, as it appears by Eze. 26. 1. and Eze. 29. 1. and Eze. 31. but he was dumb or silent from Prophecying any more against the unbeleeving Iews, as chap. 3. 26. untill this Messenger came with special tidings, to certifie him how all things were accomplished as he had foretold, and now at the coming of this special Messenger Ezekiels mouth was opened again, to utter another Prophecy of the utter ruine of the remnant of the Iews 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 Prophecying to them of their utter ruine: 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 chuse but hear of the burning of the Temple long before this Messenger came to him, partly by the poor Captives, and partly by the Souldiers, and also he could not chuse 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 Prophecying, for the sign was this, That a special Messenger should be sent unto him from Ierusalem to Chaldea (in a day) that is to say in a time to come, and then Ezekiels mouth should be opened unto him, to utter some new Prophecy to him, though it was not according to their expectation; for he fore-tels, that the remnant that were left should likewise come to destruction.
B [...]sides [...]he hand of Prophecie that came upon Ezekiel in the [Page 117] 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 unlesse it can be proved that this Evening was the Sun-set Evening, no concluding argument can be drawn from this Text to prove the Natural day to begin at the Sun-set 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 it self, and therefore they that take liberty to busie themselves about worldly matters in the Sun-set Evening after the Sabbath, do prophane that holy time that God hath sanctified to his own use.
CHAP. VIII.
Proving that the punctual time of Christs Resurrection was in the morning, just at Sun-rising.
DOubtlesse it is a matter of necessary consequence, not onely to prove cleerly the punctual time of Christs 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 dayes in the heart of the earth, according to the Prediction? Therefore as I have proved the time of Christs 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 Sun-rising on the first day of the week.
Christ did not rise from his grave before day-break, as some would have it, nor at day-break, 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 Odors that she had prepared in the Evening before the Sabbath, Matth. 28. 1. But Mark saith, That the Sun was [Page 118] just risen when she came to the Sepulchre, Mark. 16. 1. she spent all that space of time between day-break and Sun-rising, 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 Sun-rising when Mary Magdalen came to the Sepulchre, it is evident that Christ did not rise out of his grave untill these holy women came to be witnesses of the time of his Resucrection. I confesse that many Interpreters do think that Christ was risen before these holy Witnesses came to the Sepulchre, but such conjectures may not be admitted, for it is a point of necessary consequence to be proved, That Christ lay three dayes in the heart of the Earth; but if you say, That Christ was risen before these holy Witnesses came, then you cannot cleerly prove that Christ lay three dayes in the heart of earth; for it may be demanded how long was he risen before they came? If you say it was but one hour before, I may as well say it was seven or eight hours before, and then how can you satisfie a doubting conscience that Christ lay three dayes, and three nights in the heart of the earth? I cannot think that Christ would suffer his own Prediction to remain so obscure without manifest proof of the full accomplishment of it: Therefore I conclude, that Christ rose not out of his grave till the holy women came to be Witnesses of the same, which was also evidently declared unto them by this Earth-quake at their coming to the Sepulchre, just at Sun-rising, though they could not make that use of it till afterwards.
Object. 1. This Earthquake might be past before the holy women came to the Sepulchre, and they might know it afterward only by the Souldiers relation.
Ans. Christ did never shew himself to any wicked man after his Resurrection, Joh. 14. 19. Joh. 16. 20, 22. Act. 10. 41. Therefore it is not like that he would make the Roman Souldiers to be the only Witnesses of this Earthquake which did evidence the time [Page 119] of his Resurrection. I conceive the holy women would not give much credit to the testimony of the Roman Souldiers, except this Earthquake had been general to all the parts of the City, as wel as to that particular place, but it seems to me that this Earthquake was not generally spread over the City, but it was limited only to that particular place where Christs Sepulchre [...]s, as a special testimony of the time of his Resurrection: In like [...]t that place only where the Apostles were (when they were thr [...]atned by the Hgh Priests) was shaken as a testimony of encouragement to them, not to be afraid of Tyrants, Act. 4. 31. Act. 2. 2. Act. 12. 7. and so there was an Earthquake that opened the particular place where Paul was imprisoned, Act. 16. 26. the bare testimony of the Souldiers would have been but of small credit to prove so weighty a matter as the time of Christs Resurrection was: Therefore I conclude, that Christ arose not from his Grave till these holy women came to testifie the time of his Resurrection by an Earthquake, which happened at their first coming to his Sepulchre, and that was just at Sun-rising: I conceive that the holy women at first were amazed, and did not know what use to make of this Earthquake, Joh. 20. 9. but afterwards they did plainly perceive that it was a manifest demonstration of the time of his Resurrection; and after this Earthquake, Mary Magdalen went to the Apostles, and told them that Christ was risen from the dead, and she followed the Apostles back again to the Sepulchre; And 3. when they saw no body in the Sepulchre, they returned home. 4 But Mary Magdalen staid still behind; and then Christ himself did appear unto her as John doth testifie.
From all the premises it is evident, that Christ lay in the heart of the earth about four hours of the sixth day, and the whole Sabbath, and about five hours of the first day of the week, namely, from Mid-night till Sun-rising; and after this sort Christ lay three dayes, and three nights, in the heart of the Earth.
But those that begin the Sabbath at the Sun-set-Evening can never prove that Christ lay three dayes in the heart of the Earth: Therefore that opinion must needs be of evill consequence: First, Because it falsifies the said Prediction. And secondly, Because it leads men to do servile works in the latter Evening [Page 120] of the Lords day, as manyfold experience of mens worldly practises doth testifie in New England as soon as the Sun-set Evening of the Lords day is come.
If this Treatise may be of any use to satisfie a doubting conscience touching the time of Christs Burial and Resurrection, and touching the limits of the Lords day, Give glory to God, who gi [...] gifts to men for that purpose. Even so AMEN.