A Rejoinder to Mr Drake, Part 2 · Section 7
Sect. 7 THe ſeventh Objection is, Judas received not the Sacrament becauſe hee went out, John 13.30. My anſwer was, it appears expreſſely, by ver. 1. and 29. that this Supper of John was before the Feaſt of the Paſſeover, and that very likely two nights, comparing Lu. 22.1—4. Mat. 26.2.14.
Unto this, all Mr. D. anſwers (p 176.) is, Mr. H. in two leaves takes ſome pains to ſmal purpoſe. Anſw. I pray note it, while I alleadge Scripture to prove that this Supper in John, and the Paſſeover were two different Suppers, and in two different places, Bethany, and Jeruſalem, (which Mr. Light foot ſayes is moſt cleare hand. glean. on Exo. ſect. 19.) he tels us, this is to ſmall purpoſe: as if the alleadging Judas went out to agree with the High Prieſt from a Supper two nights before the Sacrament, was ſufficient proofe that therefore he went out, at the Sacrament.
I muſt confeſſe there are here many difficulties, if we compare Mat. 16.17. Mark. 14 12. with Joh. 18.28. Joh. 19.14. This one thing ſhall ſuffice me for an argument; The evening of the fourteenth, and morning of the fifteenth day of Niſan (as I judge) was the Feaſt of the Paſſeover; for the Scripture reckons the day from evening to evening, Gen. 1.5. and from the evening of the fourteenth day, to the evening of the twenty one, is juſt ſeven evenings and mornings, and ſo the feaſt compleat of ſeven Scripture dayes according to the computation, Exod. 12.15, 16, 18. and this explains Num. 28.16, 17. where the fourteenth day is called the Paſſeover, and the fifteenth the Feaſt of the Paſſeover, and yet the Paſſeover and feaſt, not diſtinguiſhed, as ſome think.
Now then I argue, if this Supper of John was before the evening of the fourteenth of Niſan, then was it not when Chriſt inſtituted the Sacrament; for he inſtituted that queſtionleſſe at the Paſſeover; But this Supper was before that evening, Probo. The evening of the fourteenth day of Niſan, and the morning of the fifteenth (as appears) was the feaſt of the Paſſeover, (or the day of the feaſt called ſo foreign) But Johns Supper he tels us expreſſely was before the feaſt of the Paſſeover; Ergo, it was before the evening of the fourteenth of Niſan, and the time Chriſt inſtituted his Supper.
As for thoſe other reaſons Mr, D. repeates againſt Judas receiving, and are anſwered before, I count them only as ſo many cyphers joyned to a figure, which may ſerve indeed to advance the number while that figure ſtands, but when this reaſon once (which is the figure) is taken away, the reſt will come to ſigniſie nothing of their own accord. And yet there is one new paſſage he has here very remarkable, and not to be forgotten, that is, It ſeems probable (ſaies he) that Christ excluded Judas in particular, in theſe words, Lu. 22, 21. But behold, the hand of him that betraieth me, is at the table. Anſw. A very probable argument indeed; Judas was excluded from the Sacrament, becauſe Chriſt ſaies expreſſely he was preſent at it. It is fictioned of a certaine fellow, who to get a little mony pretended he could goe inviſible, and nothing ſhould be ſeen of him but his hand; the people aſſemble to the ſight, he having gotten their pence, runs away, and leaves them a paper with this writing in it, Here is my hand but ſee me if you can. I perceive this fellow is nothing to Mr. D. for invention, who will make Judas abſent at the Table, when the hand of him that betrayed Christ was there without equivocation.