PAR. 4.
IN the Passeover, or first supper they might have no other meatē but rosted, and no other rosted meate but a Lambe.
In the 2. Chron. 30.21. The children of Israel kept the feast of unleavened bread seaven daies, with great gladnesse, yea seaven other dayes also of a vo∣luntary devotion, vers. 23. For Hezekiah gave to the Congregation 1000. bullockes, and 7000. sheepe, vers. 24.
More plainly, 2 Chron. 35.13. They rosted the Passeover with fire, according to the ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots and in cauldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people. Speedily, that is, even in the same night, even in the same houre, that they began to eate unleavened bread (and the eating of the unleavened bread, immediately and presently prepared the way to the eating of the Paschall Lambe) so the boyled meate was not kept till next morning untouched; but was speedily distributed among all the people.
Deeply consider the whole context, and by the effects you shall apparently discerne their second supper distinguished from the first (though not by those names of number) Their Chagigah from their Pascha, and the severall dressings of some of all the meate, at one meale: in the beginning of the first day of unlea∣vened bread: and severall offerings at the same time made ready, the very night of the Passeover; which offerings of the herd were spedily divided unto them in the first supper; one supper did as it were touch the other.
Once more I desire you to weigh this point, viz: that the beginning of the first day of unleavened bread, wa•• at their beginning to eate their Paschall Lambe. For they did not eate unleavened bread till that houre; and then they did eate it with the Passeover, and with sowre hearbes.
Duplici coenâ fungebantur in ritu Agni Paschalis. They had two suppers at the eating of the Paschall Lambe; yea all their greatest solemne feasts, as not onely the Passeover, but Pentecost, and the feast of Tabernacles, whilest the Jewish policie flourished, and whil'st their Temple stood, were alwaies passed over, with partaking of two suppers. So farre excellently, the worthy Ioseph Scaliger de emendatione temporum, 6. pag. 571. What was granted to their other high feasts, cannot be thought to be denied to the passeover; which was indeed their most solemne chiefest feast, and was ordeined on greatest occasions: Yea seldome did the Jewes offer any sacrifice; but they also feasted. See the 1 Sam. 9.15. &c. which custome, it seemeth the heathen tooke from the Jewes: for the hea∣thens themselves did so. It is observable from Theophrastus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: that when the Grecians offered any sacrifices, they used to second them with feasting, and carowsing. Causabon hath observed it: which custome it seemeth they tooke up from the Iewes.