unto them And these were 1. Joab whose chief Captain-ship is related presently before upon the sacking of Jerusalem 2. Adino the Eznite by name called also Jashobeam by Office that is one that sat on the seat among the people as Judge the immediate Son of Zabdiel 1 Chron. 27. 2. but called a Hachmonite or the Son of Hachmoni for his former ancestry He lift up his spear against eight hundred men at one time and slew three hundred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them His name differs but one letter from Jeroboams the one promoted Davids Kingdom and the other opposed it 3. Eliazar the Son of Dodo the Ahohite 1 Chron. 27. 4. of Bethlehem After these first three brave men both the Books reckon a second Triumvirate or three gallant men more of an inferiour rank to the former three but of a superiour to all others These were 1. Abishai the brother of Joab and nephew of David he was the chief of this Triumvirate but his story is handled in the second place because of the likeness of the stories of Eleazar and Shamma the one defending a field of Barley and the other a field of Lentiles and for this likeness their stories are laid together 2. Shammah The Book of Chronicles neither uttereth his name nor mentioneth his defending a field of Lentiles against the Philistims but it includeth that story in the story of the three mens breaking through the quarters of the Philistims to the Well of Bethlehem for he was one of the three and this act of his in defending the Lentiles was in that expedition and therefore the Book of Samuel hath given a note that that expedition was in harvest and the act was done in the valley of Rephaim 3. Benaiah a Priest 1 Chron. 27. 5. After these two brave ranks of three and three there were thirty gallant Captains and Comanders more but yet that attained not to the dignity of either of these ranks The Book of Chronicles reckons many more names then the Book of Samuel for it reckoneth some other valiant Commanders that helped forward Davids settlement but were not of the highest and eminentest places after 1 CHRON. XII from ver 23. to the end A Catalogue of Commanders that came to David for his anointing King over Israel the Galileans afford the greatest number And now there lieth a matter of some difficulty before us because of a difference of order in the stories that ar◠laid next in these two Books The Book of Samuel bringeth next the story of Hirams kindness and respect to David of Davids Children of two battels with the Philistims and then it relateth the fetching up of the Ark. But the Book of Chronicles first relateth the fetching up of the Ark and then those stories of Hirams kindness Davids Children and the Philistims Battels For the methodizing therefore of these stories into their proper time and order they are to be taken up thus I CHRON. XIII Ver. 1 2 3 4. DAVID consulteth with the Captains of thousands that had come to him to Hebron and had gone with him to Jerusalem about the fetching up of the Ark. This was but a consultation and an agreement about the matter but the thing is not yet done for all Israel is first to be sent to about it and a time appointed when they shall come in Hereupon the Companies now present depart to their own homes till the time appointed for that purpose come CHAP. V. From Ver. 11. to the end I CHRON. XIV All. WHEN Israel was departed every one home Hiram King of Tyre hearing of Davids Coronation and of the solemnity of it and of the taking Jerusalem he sends betimes to him to enter amity with him and presents him with Cedar and workmen to build him an house Davids Marriages and Children reckoned up which though born in several years yet all mentioned here together when the Text is relating Davids settlement and prosperity In this space between the peoples departing from Davids Coronation and their meeting again to fetch up the Ark David being now left of those multitudes and Jerusalem not yet fully fortified the Philistims come once and again to the valley of Rephaim which lieth under Jerusalem to catch David but he beats them sore both times CHAP. VI. From beginning to ver 12. I CHRON. XIII From vers 5. to the end David 9 THE people meet for the fetching up of the Ark belike at some of the three Festivals in a vast number namely 30000 of the Nobles Magistrates and chief men and all Israel beside for the generality David imitates the Philistims carrying up of the Ark on a cart which the Lord is displeased at seeing there were Priests to have carried it on their shoulders PSAL. LXVIII WITH the third Verse of 1 Sam. 6. read Psal. 68. which though in the title it tell not the occasion whereupon it was made yet do the very first words of it shew that it was made upon the removal of the Ark For those words Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered were the words which were constantly used when the Ark removed Numb 10. 35. and the contents of the Psalm do speak to the very same tenor I CHRON. XV. From beginning to Verse 15. THREE months was the Ark in the House of Obed Edom and by the end of that time had David provided some houses for himself and servants since Hiram sent him work-men and he had made ready a place for the Ark with the first verse of this Chapter read that part of 1 Sam. 6. 12. And it was told David saying God hath blessed Obed Edom and all that he hath because of the Ark of God PSAL. CXXXII UPON this removal of the Ark this Psalm seemeth to have been penned by David wherein amongst other things he prayeth that the Lord will fit and sanctifie the Priests for the present and future service of the Ark and that he will accept of the face of his anointed so as that there may be no more breach amongst them as there was in Perez Uzza CHAP. VI. Latter part of vers 12. to vers 20. I CHRON. XV. Vers. 15. to end and 16. all DAVID removes the Ark seats it in it's place that he had prepared for it and appointeth some Psalms for the Sanctuary PSAL. CV XCVI CVI. THESE are the Psalms that he then appointed viz. Psal. 105. 96. 106. ordinarily and well known and read in the Book of Psalms when Ezra penned the Book of Chronicles and therefore he giveth them so very short in that Book CHAP. VI. From vers 20. to the end MICHAL mocketh David upon his return home c. CHAP. VII VIII all I CHRON. XVII XVIII all David 10 THESE Stories following are of an uncertain date but it is certain they David 11 came to pass in these years David intending to build Gods House God David 12 promiseth to build his He crowns his Throne with the promise of Christ
the Chronicles saith All Israel were eleven hundred thousand men and the Book of Samuel saith they were only eight hundred thousand men here are three hundred thousand difference and the Book of Samuel saith that the men of Judah were five hundred thousand but the Book of Chronicles saith they were only four hundred and seventy thousand Here is thirty thousand difference Now for the reconciling of this great and double diversity it is to be observed That there were four and twenty thousand Souldiers and Officers that attended David monthly so many every month these make in all two hundred eighty eight thousand 1 Chron. 27. These were as it were a standing Guard about the King every Month and ready for any sudden expedition There were besides these the Rulers of the Tribes and Officers under them and the Overseers and Rulers of the Kings imployments and Officers under them but the number of these was not put into the account of the Chronicles of David vers 24. so that here is the resolution of the scruple the whole number of men able to bear Arms in Israel were eleven hundred thousand and five hundred thousand in Judah but of these there were three hundred thousand of Israel and thirty thousand of Judah that were already listed and in the constant service and imployment of the King and these Joab gave not in the account because their number and list had been known long and because the King would not lay Taxes on his own servants Amongst all this number Levi and Benjamin were not reckoned For before Joab came home to sum them for he began furthest off first a plague began among the people and now the Lord began to cut off them that David had begun to make his pride and intended to make his profit The Lord proposeth to David three things among the rest whether three years famine should come upon the Land 2 Chron. 21. 12. which the Book of Samuel expresseth Shall seven years famine come vers 13. that is Shall three years famine come to make up those that have been already to be seven There had been already three years famine for the Gibeonites and this year of numbering the people was almost out and shall three years famine more come to make up seven And so we have a very good direction and guide about the order and times of the Stories that went last before concerning the three years famine and this joyned to it and this helpeth still to confirm that Series in which we have laid them or indeed rather in which they lye of themselves Where Abraham had his knife unsheathed to slay his Son but was stayed by command from Heaven In the very same place had the destroying Angel his sword drawn to slay Jerusalem but was restrained by the Lord the place was a threshing floor on Mount Moriah that belonged to Ornan or Araunah or Auranah for it is twice so written in the Text And by these several names one near another was he called A man that was descended of the Royal blood of the Jebusites and that now lived with and was the chief among other Jebusites that injoyed estates in and about Jerusalem under a Tribute This place David purchaseth in two several parcels and for two several sums The very floor and the Oxen and materials for sacrifice he bought for 50 shekels of silver 2 Sam. 24. 24. But the whole place of the Mount of the house which was a very large compass cost him six hundred shekels of gold 1 Chron. 21. 25. There David builds an Altar and sacrificeth and the Lord answereth him by fire from Heaven and from Heaven doth by this token point out the place where the Temple should be built I CHRON. XXII Vers. 1. 2 3 4 5. World 2989 David 40 DAVID prepareth for the building of the Temple He setteth Proselites or converted Gentiles a work to get stones for it This was a Type of the spiritual Temple to be built up by Gentiles under the Gospel The first Book of KINGS CHAP. I. all DAVID in his old age is struck with a cold dead palsie that no clothes can keep him warm whereupon his Phisicians perswade him to marry a young fresh Damzel which proveth to be Abishag of Shunem in the County of Issachar Adonijah upon the Kings age and decrepitness stands up for the Kingdom the Kings darling and like Elies Sons spoiled by his father for want of reproof his next child to Absalom by another woman and like Absalom in beauty and rebellion His aspiring to the Kingdom causeth David to anoint Solomon to put the matter out of question But here is a matter of some question about the time of Solomons anointing and about the order of this Chapter We find three times mention of Solomons being made King namely twice in the Book of Chronicles and once here see 1 Chron. 23. 1. 29. 22. Now the doubt lieth in this whether he were three times made King indeed and so all the three Texts that speak of it to be taken severally or whether only twice as 1 Chron. 29. 22. seemeth to settle and then this Story to be concurrent with one of those relations in the Chronicles That that must give light in this obscurity is this That this anointing of Solomon mentioned in this 1 King 1. upon this aspiring of Adonijah was the first time that ever David shewed who should raign after him see ver 20 27. and therefore it must needs be held concurrent or the same with that making Solomon King in 1 Chron. 23. 1. and the current of the Story will make it plain Only that scruple that lies yet in the way that being supposed is this That David at this first unction of Solomon should be in his chamber and upon his bed and exceedingly decrepit And yet at his second anointing should be in the midst of his Princes and Commanders and standing upon his feet 1 Chron. 28. 2. But this also will be removed if it be but considered that Davids present infirmity was not sickness but coldness and benummedness and old age he was heart whole and head whole but he was old and palsick and therefore though his most common and most commodious posture and composure was to be in his chamber and upon his couch yet upon such an occasion as to Crown Solomon again before all Israel he can come forth and stand upon his feet and make Orations and give advice for things to come I CHRON. XXII from vers 6. to the end And XXIII vers 1. THE juncture of the Story here lieth plain and easie David having caused Solomon to be anointed because of the ambition of Adonijah and that conspiracy being broken he first giveth him in charge the building of the House of the Lord as the first thing to be looked after And thus when David was old and full of days he made solomon King as is related in 1 King 1. and so the first verse
him go back and burn it before the Temple Where the Gloss thus Zophim is a place whence the Temple may be seen But another Gloss doth not understand the thing here of that proper place but of the whole compass about the City wheresoever the City could first be seen So R. Eliezar of Abraham going from the South to Jerusalem d d d d d d Pirke R. Eliezar cap. 31. The third day they came to Zophim but when he came to Zophim he saw the glory of the divine Majesty sitting upon the Mount Moriah CHAP. XLIII Ramah Ramathaim Zophim Gibeah THERE was a certain Ramah in the Tribe of Benjamin Jos. XVIII 25. and that within sight of Jerusalem as it seems Judg. XIX 13. where it is named with Gibeah and elsewhere Hos. V. 8. which Towns were not much distant See 1 Sam. XXII 6. Saul sat in Gibeah under a grove in Ramah Here the Gemarists trifle a a a a a a Bab. Taanith fol. 5. 2. Whence is it say they that Ramah is placed near Gibeah To hint to you that the speech of Samuel of Ramah was the cause why Saul remained two years and an half in Gibeah They blindly look over Ramah in the Tribe of Benjamin and look only at Ramah in Ephraim where Samuel was born His native Town is very often called Ramah once Ramathaim Zophim 1 Sam. I. 1. There was a certain man of Ramathaim that is one of the two Ramaths which were surnamed also Zophim A like form of speech is that 1 Sam. XVIII 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In one of the two thou shalt be my son in Law That Town of Samuel was Ramath Zophim and this of Benjamin was Ramath Zophim also But by a different Etymology as it seems that it may be from Zuph Sauls great great Grandfather whence that Country was so called 1 Sam. IX 5. this from Zophim of which place we have spoke in the foregoing Chapter Gibeah was Sauls Town b b b b b b Joseph d◠Bell. lib. 5. c. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Town called Gabath-Saul This stynifieth Saulshill which is distant from Jerusalem about thirty furlongs Hence you may guess at the distance of Rama from Jerusalem Josephus calls the neighbouring place of Gibeah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the long Valley of Thorns perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Valley under the rock Seneh of which mention is made 1 Sam. XIV 4 CHAP. XLIV Nob. Bahurim THAT Nob was placed in the land of Benjamin not far from Jerusalem whence Jerusalem also might be seen the words of the Chaldee Paraphrast upon Esa. X. 32. do argue For so he speaks Senacherib came and stood in Nob a City of the Priests before the walls of Jerusalem and said to his army Is not this the City of Jerusalem against which I have raised my whole army and have subdued all the Provinces of it Is it not small and weak in comparison of all the fortifications of the Gentiles which I have subdued by the valour of my hand He stood nodding with his head against it and wagging his hand up and down c. Where Kimchi thus Jerusalem might be seen from Nob. Which when he saw from thence he wagged his hand as a man is wont to do when he despiseth any thing c. And Jarchi thus When he stood at Nob he saw Jerusalem c. The a a a a a a Bab. Sanbedr fol. 94. 2. 95 1. Talmudists do concur also in the same sense with the Chaldee Paraphrast and in his very words adding this moreover that all those places which are numbred up by Esaiah in the place alledged were travailed through by the Enemy with his army in one day The Tabernacle sometime resided at Nob when that was destroyed it was translated to Gibeon b b b b b b Maim in Beth-Habbechirah cap. 1. And the days of Nob and Gibeon they are the words of Maimonides were seven and fifty years We meet with mention of Bahurim 2 Sam. XVI 5. It was a Levitical City the same with Almon Jos. XXI 18. which is also called Alemeth 1 Chron. VI. 60. Those words And David came to Bahurim in the place alledged in the book of Samuel the Chaldee renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And David the King came to Almath Where Kimchi thus Bahurim was a City of the Benjamites and is called in the books of the Chronicles Alemeth for Bahurim and Alemeth are the same Both sound as much as Young men CHAP. XLV Emmaus Kiriath-Iearim FROM a a a a a a Hieros Sheviith fol. 38. 4 Beth-horon to Emmaus it was hilly b b b b b b Luk. 24. 13. It was sixty furlongs distant from Hierusalem c c c c c c Joseph de Billo lib. 7. cap. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To eight hundred only dismissed the Army Vespasian gave a place called Ammaus for them to inhabit it is sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem I enquire whether this word hath the same Etymology with Emmaus near Tyberias which from the Warm baths was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chammath The Jews certainly do write this otherwise namely either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jerusalem Talmudists in the place above cited or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Mishnah d d d d d d Eruchin cap. 2. hal 4. The family say they of Beth-Pegarim and Beth Zipperia was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Emmaus The Gloss is this Emmaus was the name of a place whose inhabitants were Israelite Gentlemen and the Priests married their daughters Josephus mentioning some Noble-men slain by Simeon the Tyrant numbers one Aristeus who was e e e e e e De Bello lib. 5. cap. 33. a Scribe of the Councel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by extraction from Ammaus By the same Author is mentioned also f f f f f f Ibid. lib. 6. cap. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ananus of Ammaus one of the seditious of Jerusalem who nevertheless at last fled over to Cesar. Kiriath-Jearim was before time called Baale 2 Sam. VI. 2. or Baalath 1 Chron. XIII 6. Concerning it the Jerusalem Writers speak thus g g g g g g Hieros Sanhedr fol. 18. 3. We find that they intercalated the year in Baalath But Baalath was sometimes assigned to Judah and sometimes to Dan. Eltekah and Gibbethon and Baaleth behold these are of Judah Here is a mistake of the Transcribers for it should be written Of Dan Jos. XIX 44. Baalah and Jiim and Azem behold these are of Dan. It should be written Of Judah Jos. XV. 29. namely the houses were of Judah the fields of Dan. In Psal. CXXII 6. We heard of it the Ark in Ephrata that is Shilo a City of Ephraim we found it in the fields of the wood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in Kiriath-Jearim 1 Sam. VII 1. c. CHAP.
hath 600 men with him a Guard to himself and an help to Achish against Saul David dwelleth at Ziklag and invades the Countries thereabouts c. I CHRON. XII from beginning to Verse 8. World 2959 Sam. Saul 40 THither divers of Sauls own Tribe and kinred resort unto him and these are named in this Chapter before the men of Gad that had fallen to him before because these mens coming to him was most remarkable as being of Sauls own kinred CHAP. XXVIII SAULS end is now approaching He consulteth a witch He had neither Priest nor Prophet to inquire after he had despised and persecuted both He seeth a Devil in Samuels likeness and heareth of his own ruine CHAP. XXIX THE Philistims dare not trust David in battel And thus the Lord provideth for him that he might neither prove perfidious to Achish nor fight against his own people I CHRON. XII Vers. 19 20 21 22. AS he went forth with the Philistims towards the battel and as he came back again from them divers fell to him of Manasseh CHAP. XXX XXXI I CHRON. X. DAVID returning home findeth no home at all Ziklag fired A Band of Amalekites slain and as it were sacrificed to Sauls Funeral Saul himself slain by his own hand and by an Amalekite He had never prospered since he had spared that Generation The second Book of SAMUEL CHAP. I. DAVID heareth of the death of Saul and lamenteth him And chargeth the young men of Judah to learn the use of the Bow that they might match the Philistims in Archery and so be avenged on them for Sauls death for by Archery they had slain him The Story of the Amalekite to David was not a lye to curry favour or to obtain a reward but it was a very and a real truth Saul had fallen upon his own sword indeed as was related in the preceding Chapter but his Coat of mail had hindred that he had not given himself a wound so speedily deadly but that the Philistims might come and catch him alive and abuse him and so he stands bleeding at that and at his other wounds leaning on his Spear till this Amalekite came by His Armour Bearer was dead already and these words When his Armour Bearer saw that Saul was dead he fell on his sword and died also are to be understood in this sense That when he saw Saul had given himself so deadly a wound he did the like and died indeed But Sauls wound was not so quick of dispatch therefore he desireth the Amalekite to kill him out For says he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Coat of Mail hath withheld me so that my life is all this while in me And thus Saul that had been so cruel to David is now cruel to himself and he that had spared the Amalekites is now slain by one of that Nation CHAP. II. World 2950 David 1 DAVID anointed King of Judah in Hebron being 30 years old Compair David 2 Gen. 41. 46. Numb 4. 3. Luke 3. 23. In Hebran Abraham had had his David 3 first Land and much residence Here lay the Patriarks Abraham Isaac and Jacob David 4 and their wives buried and here was John Baptist born and our Saviour David 5 conceived There is long busling between the House of David and the house of David 6 Saul Abner still striving to make a party strong enough to settle one of Sauls David 7 Sons in the Kingdom Thereupon is Ishbosheth anointed in Sauls stead He is called Ishbaal 1 Chron. 8. 33. for Baal was commonly called Bosheth or Shame as Jerubbaal is called Jerubbosheth 2 Sam. 11. 21. and Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. 12. called Meribaal 1 Chron. 8. 34. see also Jer. 11. 13. Abners vapouring causeth a desperate duell of twelve and twelve men and so layeth the foundation of a continual War in an equal bloodshed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 27. If thou hadst not said saith Joab what thou didst say in the morning let the young men rise and play before us surely the people had gone away every man from his brother even in the morning and there had been never a blow struck but thou didst provoke it CHAP. III. DAVIDS six Sons born to him in Hebron in his seven years and six Months reign there are here reckoned together that that Story and matter may be dispatcht at once Abner upon discontent at Ishbosheth turneth to David and confesseth that Kingdom which hitherto he had willingly and wittingly opposed But God will not suffer such a man and upon such grounds to be a promoter of Davids throne he is slain by Joab even in a place of Judicature and with a wound parallel to that that he had given Asahel CHAP. IV. ISHBOSHETH slain by two Benjamites brethren in evil They came into the midst of the house as if they would setch wheat vers 6. that is with a sack in their hands to put his head in c. Instantly before the Text falls upon the Story of Ishbosheth it relateth the Story of Mephibosheth because he was now all the stock left of Sauls house but only Rizpahs children a Concubine and Morahs a daughter CHAP. V. from beginning to Ver. 11. And I CHRON. XI all World 2957 David 8 DAVID anointed King over all Israel at Hebron and from thence brought by all Israel to Jerusalem to settle him there and to make that the Royal City He reigned in all 40 years in Hebron seven years and an half and at Jerusalem 32 years and an half And this latter was exactly the time of our Saviours life upon earth Joab after Davids curse upon him for Abners murder is yet made Commander in chief for his taking of Jerusalem The prosperity of David at Jerusalem and his building of it is presently set down after the Story of the taking of the City as beginning from that time and continuing and going along with the times of the following Stories and so to be carried in mind Then doth the Book of Chronicles give account of Davids Worthies Which Catalogue is also mentioned by this Book of Samuel but with this difference of place that in the Chronicles it is set in the beginning of Davids Reign and in Samuel in the latter end And both very properly and much like to the placing of our Saviours Genealogy in Matthew and Luke the one giving it at his Birth and the other at his Baptism and both upon singular reason And so here the Book of Chronicles reckons up these men as those that helped David to his settlement in the Kingdom and therefore it mentions them in the beginning of his reign and the Book of Samuel reckons them up at the latter end of his reign as those that had stuck to him all the time of his reign and helped to keep him in that settlement In both the Books there is first reckoned a Triumvirate or three gallant men that were of a rank by themselves and none were equal with them or like
is darted through David mourneth sadly for him because of the desperate condition in which he died Shimei is pardoned He came down first of all the house of Joseph to meet the King chap. 19. vers 20. Here the house of Joseph is used for all Israel except Judah and set in opposition to Judah Joseph had been the prime family while the Ark was in Shiloh and all Israel were named after it as Psal. 80. 1. but then God refused Joseph and chose Judah for the chief Psal. 78. 68 69. And there began and continued the difference and distinction betwixt Israel and Judah Joseph and Judah Ephraim and Judah for by all these names are the rest of the Tribes stiled in opposition to the Tribe of Judah CHAP. XX. SHEBA the Son of Bichri rebelleth a man of Benjamin by descent ver 1. but of the hill country of Ephraim by residence ver 21. PSAL. XXX WITH the third Verse of this Chapter read the 30 Psalm which seemeth to be made by David when upon his return to Jerusalem after his flight he purgeth and halloweth his own house which had been made a Stews by Absalom PSAL. IV. VVITH this Chapter also read the fourth Psalm made as the stile of it argueth upon this rebellion of Sheba as the third Psalm was made upon the rebellion of Absalom He checketh the people for despising his Kingdom and hearkning after a Kingdom that was but vanity as first Absaloms and now Shebas ver 2. He adviseth Israel and Judah not to sin in their anger 2 Sam. 19. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be angry but sin not ver 4. He professeth in ver 7. that since the time that corn and wine and other provision increased to him from Barzillai Shobi and Nahash 2 Sam. 17. 27. c. that his heart had received comfortable confidence and assurance of his restoring again and therefore he would still trust and depend upon that goodness and providence that had delivered him out of the other trouble and wrought those good beginnings towards him CHAP. XXI to Vers. 15. David 36 THree years famine lye upon the Land for the offence of Saul He in a David 37 zeal to Israel and Judah would expel the Amorites and destroy them and David 38 with them all Wizards and Witches and with them he also falls upon the Gibeonites and destroyeth them though Joshua had made a Covenant with them That these three years famine began the next year after the year of Absaloms rebellion the Text seemeth to hint in the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vers 1. The year after that year for in all the Scripture wherein mention of famine is made it only saith There were seven years famine or ten years famine c. and that is enough and is used constantly to denote that there was famine so many years together and it never telleth that there was famine so many years year after year And therefore this expression here seemeth rather to joyn the three years of famine to the story before then to one another However we shall find a passage in the story of Davids numbring the people that directs us very well about the time of these years CHAP. XXI Vers. 15. to end I CHRON. XX. Vers. 4. to end THose Battels are of an uncertain date and therefore since there is no direction where to place them it is the safest way to take them in the order where they lye especially since both the Books of Samuel and the Chronicles have laid them in this place The Book of Samuel reckons four Battels and the Chronicles but three for that wherein David was in danger and could not come off with honour and safety is omitted The Book of Chronicles concealeth sometimes the dishonour of the Saints of God as it mentioneth not the fact of David with Uriah and his wife nor the Idolatry of Salomon c. The Book of Samuel calleth Elhanan the Son of Jaare Oregim a Bethlehemite and the Book of Chronicles calleth him the Son of Jair Now there is mention of Elhanan a Bethlehemite the Son of Dodo 1 Chron. 12. 26. and whether these were two men or only one and the same may well be questioned He is said to have slain Goliah 2 Sam. 21. 19. that is Lahmi Goliaths brother as the Book of Chronicles expounds it as by Michal is meant Michals Sister in the same Chapter of Samuel ver 8. CHAP. XXII PSAL. XVIII THere are two things that may seem to argue this not to be the proper place of this Psalm and Chapter 1. Because it was most especially composed upon Davids delivery from the hand of Saul as the title sheweth In the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul that is especially out of the hand of Saul as Josh. 2. 1. Go view the land and Jericho that is Jericho chiefly 2. Because the next Chapter in Samuel beginning thus And these are the latter words of David shewing that these of Chap. 22. were uttered a good while before them But howsoever this Song of deliverance might be penned by David many years a go upon his clear deliverance from all trouble by Saul and his Family yet is it most properly laid here and repeated by David at this time when now all his enemies had spit their venom and he was delivered from them all and now we hear of no more enemies of his stirring but himself an enemy to himself in numbring the people If any one will be so curious he may read Psal. 18. at the end of 2 Sam. 4. when David is quit from the trouble of Sauls house and he may read this 2 Sam. 22. which is the same thing again here CHAP. XXIII HEre are some words of David of a latter date 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred Verba posteriora as well as Postrema The reason of the recital of his Worthies in this place was observed before CHAP. XXIV I CHRON. XXI David 39 DAVID numbreth the people by the provoking of Satan 1 Chron. 21. 1. and by the provoking of God 1 Sam. 24. 1. the former tending to a sin in David the latter tending to a punishment of Israel the Lord was displeased at them for so little regarding Davids Kingdom as he had been at David for the matter of Uriah and as he had been at Sauls house for the slaughter of the Gibeonites and therefore he giveth up David to a covetous thought to number the people that he might lay a tax upon every Poll. Joab hath here more piety at the least more policy then David and declines the business till master'd by Davids importunity He is nine moneths and twenty days upon his counting much near the counting-time of a woman with child and at last he bringeth in the number but here the account in the Book of Samuel doth differ exceedingly from the account in the Book of the Chronicles
a man not to be certainly pointed out either who he was or when he lived and therefore that Chapter must necessarily be taken up where it lies because it is not possible to find out where else to lay it 5. The last Chapter is some part of it Batshebaes words to Solomon and some part of it Solomons words in her commendation and in commendation of all women like her And the former part which are her words might very well be laid in her Story and in Solomons minority namely after vers 25. of 2 Sam. 12. but yet it is very properly laid here where it is because the words of Solomon in commendation of such women as she were delivered when he delivered his other Doctrines and Proverbs and so the occasion that drew out those words is fitly joyned to the time of the words themselves Solomon is called Lemuel by his Mother as alluding or tuning to Shemuel or Samuel a Son of his mothers vows as Solomon is here averred by his mother to be of hers She giveth him many excellent Lessons in his tender years toward the making him a good man and a good King for which when he comes to mature years he highly commends and extols a good woman such a one as his mother was in an Acrostick or Alphabetical Oration The Song of SOLOMON or The CANTICLES AFTER the building of the Summer House in the Forrest of Lebanon Solomon pens the Book of the Canticles as appeareth by these passages in it Chap. 4. 8. Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse with me from Lebanon And Chap. 7. 4. Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon c. Upon his bringing up Pharaohs Daughter to the house that he had prepared for her 1 King 9. 24. he seemeth to have made this Song For though the best and the most proper aim of it was at higher matters then an earthly marriage yet doth he make his marriage with Pharaohs Daughter a type of that sublime and spiritual marriage betwixt Christ and his Church Pharaohs Daughter was a Heathen and a stranger natively to the Church of Israel and withal she was a Black-moor as being an African as Cant. 1. 4 5. alludeth to it and so she was the kindlier type of what Solomon intended in all particulars CHAP. X. 2 CHRON. IX From beginning to vers 29. Solomon 31 THE Queen of Sheba cometh to hear the wisdom of Solomon and so Solomon 32 condemneth the Generation of the Jews that despised the wisdom of the Solomon 33 Father Matth. 12. 42. Solomon as is probable is yet flourishing in State Power Solomon 34 and Religion And is a Prince of admirable Peace at Salem a figure of the Solomon 35 King of Righteousness and the King of Peace CHAP. XI From beginning to vers 41. Solomon 36 IN his old age Solomon is drawn away by his Idolatrous Wives to forget Solomon 37 God The wisest and the happiest man like Adam undone by women Solomon 38 Hereupon his prosperity and his happiness began to change The Book of ECCLESIASTES AFTER his great fall Solomon recovereth again by repentance and writeth this Book of Ecclesiastes as his penitential dirge for that his folly He calleth himself in it Koheleth or the Gathering-Soul either recollecting it self or by admonition gathering others that go astray after vanity He sheweth in it that all things on this side Heaven are but vanity and he had found it so by sad experience and so the Kingdom promised to David which was to be everlasting must not be expected to be of this world as Joh. 18. 36. 1 KING XI Vers. 41 42 43. And 2 CHRON. IX Vers. 29 30 31. THE Book of Chronicles omitteth to mention the fall of Solomon as he had omitted the fall of David World 3029 Solomon 39 Solomon dieth having reigned forty years as his father David had done and Solomon 40 having had a great fall in his time as his father David had had yet like him is recovered pardoned and saved Kingdom of JUDAH 1 KINGS XII from beginning Division 1 to Vers. 25. World 3030 Rehoboam 1 Ieroboam 1 REHOBOAM through his folly and tyranny looseth the people by threatning them with a heavy yoke Christ seeketh to regain them by promissing a light one Matth. 11. 29 30. Shechem once the stage of blood Gen. 34. is now the scene of this unhappy division Rehoboam was now one and forty years old 2 Chron. 12. 13. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 childish and simple 2 Chron. 13. 7. but of an haughty and oppressive spirit and so proveth himself a very fool Eccles. 2. 19. though he were the son of so wise a Father Kingdom of ISRAEL 2 CHRON. X. all And XI Division 1 to Verse 5. World 3030 Rehoboam 1 Ieroboam 1 JEROBOAM of Ephraim draweth ten Tribes from the house of David from the Temple that stood near it and from the promise of Christ that was affixed to it And this suddain rent of Solomons Kingdom did plainly teach that the King and Kingdom promised to David was not of this world but of another which King and Kingdom the revolting Tribes have now forsaken and by forsaking have lost Christ have lost Religion and have lost themselves And here is a kind of an Antichristian faction now risen in the world before Christs appearing The very foundation of this revolt of the Tribes was laid in the blood of Adoram Rehoboam seeketh to reduce the people with a strong hand whom with a gentle he would not retain PSAL. II. WITH the Story of the Apostacy of the ten Tribes read the second Psalm which was prophetically made by David Act. 4. 25. upon this revolt and rebellion and this is the first aim and intent of it though in a second and more full it hits upon the greater rebellion which this but typified and that is Judahs despising and crucifying the Lord of life being indeed exhibited as Israel despiseth him here being promised And as the Psalmist had touched in the first Psalm upon the fall of Adam who miscarried by walking in the counsel of the ungodly the Serpent and the seduced woman and had shewed a way how to withstand and escape such counsellings namely by meditation and delight in the Law of the Lord. So doth he in this Psalm touch upon the fall of the ten Tribes and how they miscarried by casting away the cords of obligation which God had tied them in to the throne of David and he giveth admonition to them to be wiser and adviseth both them and the generation that put the Lord to death and all ages to come To kiss the Son by a loving and submissive obedience as 1 Sam. 10. 1. and so to escape the wrath to come Matth. 3. when the Lords anger should be kindled and destroy the people that had been his destroyers 2 CHRON. XI From ver 5. to the end of the Chapter REhoboam fortifieth divers Cities Rehoboam 2 Ieroboam 2 Division 2 in Judah and Benjamin Rehoboam 3
the last meaning The Psalmes Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Job Ruth Esther c. Then do they tell that the Books were particularly thus ranked The five Books of Moses Joshua Judges Samuel Kings and then the Prophets among whom Jeremy was set first and then Ezekiel and after him Esay and then the twelve But they object was not Esay long before Jeremy and Ezekiel in time Why should he then be set after them in order And they give this answer The last Book of Kings ends with destruction and Jeremy is all destruction Ezekiel begins with destruction and ends with comfort and Esay is all comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore they joyned destruction and destruction together and comfort and comfort together And thus in their Bibles of old Jeremy came next after the Book of Kings and stood first in the volume of the Prophets So that Matthews alleadging of a Text of Zachary under the name of Jeremy doth but alleadge a Text out of the volume of the Prophets under his name that stood first in that volume And such a manner of speech is that of Christ Luke 24. 44. All things must be fulfilled which are written of me in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalmes in which he follows the general division that we have mentioned only he calleth the whole third part or Hagiographa by the title the Psalms because the Book of Psalms stood first of all the Books of that part In that saying Matth. 16. 14. Others say Jeremy or one of the Prophets there is the same reason why Jeremy alone is named by name viz. because his name stood first in the volume of the Prophets and so came first in their way when they were speaking of the Prophets CHRISTS Arraignment before Pilate The chiest Priests and Elders bring Jesus to Pilate but would not go into his House the House of a Heathen lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover John 18. 28. Why They had eaten the Passover over night at the same time that Jesus ate his and well they had spent the night after it But this day that was now come in was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their day of presenting themselves in the Temple and offering their Sacrifices and peace offerings of which they were to keep a solemn feasting and this John calls the Passover In which sense Passover Bullocks are spoken of Deut. 16. 2. 2 Chron. 30. 24. and 35. 8 9. The School of Shammai saith their appearing was with two pieces of silver and their chagigah with a Meah of silver But the School of Hillel saith their appearing was with a Meah of silver and their chagigah with two pieces of silver Their burnt offerings at this solemnity were taken from among common cattel but their peace offerings from their tithes He that keepeth not the chagigah on the first day of the feast must keep it all the feast c. Chagigah per. 1. Pilate conceives him brought to him as a common malefactor and therefore he bids them take him back and Judge him by their own Bench and Law and in these words he meant really and according as the truth was that it was in their power to judge and execute him and needed not to trouble him with him And when they answer We may not put any man to death Joh. 18. 31. They speak truly also and as the thing was indeed but the words of Pilate and theirs were not ad idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a tradition that fourty years before the Temple was destroyed capital Judgments were taken away from them Jerus in Sanhedr fol. 18. col 1. But how Not by the Romans for they permitted them the use of their Religion Laws Magistracy capital and penal executions and judgments in almost all cases as freely as ever they had and that both in their Sanhedrins within the Land and in their Synagogues without as far as the power of the Synagogues could reach at any time as might be proved abundantly if it were to be insisted on here The words then of these men to Pilate are true indeed That they could put no man to death but this was not as if the Romans had deprived the Sanhedrin of its power but because theeves murderers and malefactors of their own Nation were grown so numerous strong and heady that they had overpowred the Sanhedrins power that it could not it durst not execute capital penalties upon offenders as it should have done And this their own Writings witness Juchasin fol. 21. The Sanhedrin flitted fourty years before the destruction of the Temple namely from that time that the Temple doors opened of their own accord and Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai rebuked them and said O Temple Temple Zechary of old prâ—phecied of thee saying Open thy doors O Lebanon that the fire may enter c. And also becausâ— that murderers increased and they were unwilling to judge Capital matters they flitted from place to place even to Jabneh c. which also is asserted in Schabb. fol. 51. Avodah Zarah fol. 8. When they perceive that Pilate no more received the impression of their accusation of him as a malefactor like others they then accuse him of Treason as forbidding to pay Tribute to Cesar and as saying that he himself was a King and this they thought would do the business Pilate hereupon takes him into his Judgment Hall for hitherto the Jews conference and his had been at his gate and questions him upon this point and Jesus plainly confesseth that he was a King but his Kingdom not of this world and therefore he needed not from him to fear any prejudice from the Romane power and so well satisfies Pilate that he brings him out to the gate again where the Jews stood and professeth that he found no fault in him at all Then the Jews lay in fresh accusations against him to which he answereth not a word Brought before Herod Pilate by a word that dropt from them understanding that he was of Galilee Herods Jurisdiction sent him to Herod who was now at Jerusalem partly because he would be content to have shut his hands of him and partly because he would court Herod towards the reconciling of old heart-burnings between them And now Jesus sees the monster that had murthered his forerunner Herod was glad to see him and had desired it a long time and now hoped to have got some miracles from him but he got not so much as one word though he questioned him much and the Jews who followed him thither did vehemently accuse him The old Fox had sought and threatned his death before Luke 13. 31 32. and yet now hath him in his hands and lets him go only abused and mocked and gorgeously arraied and so sends him back to Pilate that so he might court him again more then for any content he had that he should escape his hands See Acts 4. 27. Before Pilate again Pilate at his gate again talks
from this quotation of the Gospel then found by them in the Text of Micah The vulgar Latine Thou art little among the thousands c. The Italian of Brucioli and the French Being little to be or to be accounted And much to the same tenour with our English Aben Ezra and David Kimchi Rabbi Solom sheweth his construction of it in this gloss It were fit thou shouldest be the least among the families of Juda because of the prophaneness of Ruth the Moabitess that was in thee yet out of thee shall come c. Jansenius saith a reconciliation might be made between the Prophet and the Evangelist by reading the Prophets Text by way of interrogation And thou Bethlehem art thou the least Which answereth in sense to thou art not But to all these interpretations alledged this one thing may be opposed that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot properly agree with the word Bethlehem according to the Syntax of Substantive and Adjective because they are of two different genders as the Grammarian will easily observe and cannot but confess For Bethlehem is of the feminine gender as are all the names of Cities and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of another as it plainly appeareth by its termination To construe them therefore together as Substantive and Adjective as it is unwarrantable by the Grammar so doth it make a sense utterly irreconcileable with this of the Evangelist To which might be added also that these words being thus conjoyned and construed together do make but an harsh sense and construction among themselves amounting to this Thou Bethlehem in being little out of thee shall come a Ruler Their Interpretation therefore is rather to be imbraced that take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter Gender as it pleadeth it self to be by its very termination the Masculine and Neuter in the Hebrew being indifferently taken the one for the other and do read it thus And thou Bethlehem Ephrata it is a small thing to be among the Princes of Juda out of thee shall come a Ruler c. As meaning this That it is the least of thine honour that thou art reckoned among the Princes of Juda as equal with them for thou hast a dignity above this and above them all in that out of thee shall come a Ruler which shall feed my people And to this sense and tenour should I interpret the Chaldee Paraphrase thought know indeed that it is generally construed another way Chizgner havetha leithmannaah And thou Bethlehem Ephratah art within a little to be superiour or perfect among the thousands of Judah c. As let the learned in the language judge whether the words in the Chaldee will not bear that sense especially the sense of the first word Chizgner being looked into the Chaldee in Psal. 2. 12. 73. 2. Hos. 1. 4. and in other places The Text of the Prophet then being rendred in this interpretation this allegation of the Evangelist will be found not to have any contrariety to it at all but to speak though not in the very same words yet to the very same tenor and purpose For while the one saith It is a small thing that thou art among the Princes of Judah and the other Thou art not the least among them they both fall into the same sense or at least into no disagreement of sense at all For if it were to be reputed a small honour to Bethlehem to be reckoned in equality with the other Princes of Judah in comparison of a greater honour that she was to have in the birth of the Messias it must readily follow what this quotation of the Evangelist inferreth namely that she was not the least among them And thus doth the Evangelist express the Prophets mind though he tie not his expression to his very words alledging his Text to its clearest sense and to the easier apprehension of the hearer It is a just exception indeed that Jansenius taketh at this interpretation because that the Scripture useth not to express this sense It is a small thing by the word Tsagnir but by Megnat as Esa. 7. 13. Gen. 30. 15. and in other places But as it is true that it often useth Megnat for that expression so it is most true that it useth not that word alone but others also As Tikton in 2 Sam. 7. 19. and Nakel in Esa. 49. 6. and why not Tsagnir then as well here §. Among the Princes of Juda. In Micah it is among the thousands of Juda and so it is translated by the LXX the Chaldee the Vulgar and unanimously by all other Translators so that here is yet another difficulty and difference in this allegation the Evangelist still swerving from the Text he citeth By the thousands of Juda Rabbi Solomon understandeth the families and Dav. Kimchi the Cities The word is once used in the very propriety of that sense in which the Prophet taketh it here Judg. 6. 15. My thousand saith Gideon is poor in Manasseh which St. Austin and R. Esaiah expound that he was Captain of a thousand Levi Gershom that his father was Captain but the Chaldee and other Rabbins understand it of the thousand in which his family was numbred and inrolled Howsoever it is understood it is apparent by this and other places laid unto it that the several Tribes of the children of Israel were divided into their several thousands and that these thousands were inrolled to this or that City to which they had relation by habitation or by inheritance Villages that were not so populous were reduced into hundreds but Cities into one or more thousands according as they were in bigness and multitude Amos 5. 3. The City that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred and that which went out by an hundred shall leave ten The Villages were justly reputed of an inferiour rank but the Cities that afforded their thousands were accounted Princes and so may the Prophet be understood and so the Evangelist reconciled to him Now the reason of their difference in words though they both redound to the same sense may be given these First Because the question in agitation was about the birth of a King and the place where now in answer to such a Quaere it was fitter to speak of Princes then thousands for where should a King be looked for but among Princes Secondly The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Prophet doth signifie both thousands and Princes indifferently and so David Kimchi upon that place in the book of Judges cited even now alledgeth There are saith he that interpret Alphi which our English readeth my thousand as it were my Father even as the word Alluph whose signification is Prince or Lord. The Evangelist therefore finding the word in the Prophet of this indifferency useth it in that sense which best suited with the present occasion both in regard of the question proposed as also thirdly in regard of the manner of Christs coming For it
3. 15. Vers. 21. Art thou Elias When he hath resolved them that he is not the Messias they presently question whether he be not Elias Messias his fore-runner for their expectation was of the fore-runners bodily coming as well as of Christs Their opinions concerning Elias his first coming and who he was then and of his latter coming and what they look for from him then it is not impertinent to take up a little in their words and Authors Some of our Rabbins of happy memory saith Levi Gershom have held that Elias was Phinehas and this they have held because they found some correspondency betwixt them And behold it is written in the Law that the blessed God gave him his covenant of peace And the Prophet saith My Covenant was with him of life and peace And by this it seemeth that God gave to Phinehas length of days to admiration And behold we find that he was Priest in the days of the Concubine at Gibeah and in the days of David we find it written And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them of old and the Lord was with him 1 Chron. 9. 20. And he was the Angel that appeared to Gedeon and to Jephthah and the Spirit of the Lord carried him like an Angel as we find also of Elias And for this it is said They shall seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Angel of the Lord and for this cause also he saith Before time and the Lord was with him And behold we find Elias himself saying unto the Lord Take now my life from me for I am no better than my fathers meaning that it was not for him to live always in this world but a certain space after the way of the earth for he was no better than his fathers We find also that he died not after he was taken away from the head of Elisha for there came afterward a writing of Elias to Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat as it is mentioned in the book of Chronicles Thus Ralbag on 1 King 17. And thus the Jews hold Phinehas and Elias to have been but one and the same man And what they held concerning Elias his singular eminency for Prophesie whilst he lived it appeareth by R. Samuel Lanjado in his Comment on 2 King 2. Elias saith he was so indued with Prophesie that many of the children of the Prophets prophesied by his means Our wise men of happy memory say Whilst Elias was not laid up the Holy Ghost was in Israel as it is said the children of the Prophets that were at Bethel said to Elisha To day God will take thy Master from thy head they went and stood afar off and they passed over Jordan It may be because they were but a few the sense telleth that there were fifty men of the sons of the Prophets It may be they were private men The text saith Thy Master It is not said our Master but thy Master shewing that they were wise men like Elias When Elias was taken up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treasured up the Holy Ghost departed from them as it is said And they said Behold there is with thy servants fifty men men of strength let them go and seek thy Master c. And concerning the departure of Elias and his estate after the same Author giveth the opinion of his Nation a little after in these words I believe the words of our wise men of happy memory That Elias was taken away in a whirlewind in the Heaven that is in the air and the Spirit took him to the earthly paradise and there he abideth in body and soul therefore they say that Elias died not and they say moreover that he went not into the firmament And they say that some have seen him in the School 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that he shall come before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Now his coming before the day of the Lord they hold to be twofold one invisible as that he cometh to the circumcision of every child and therefore they set him a chair and suppose he sitteth there though they see him not And the Angel of the Covenant which you desire behold he cometh Mal. 3. 1. The Lord shall come to his Temple this is the King Messias who also is the Angel of the Covenant or he saith The Angel of the Covenant in reference to Elias And so it is said That Elias was zealous for the Covenant of Circumcision which the Kingdom of Ephraim restrained from themselves as it is said I have been exceeding zealous for the Lord God of Israel for the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant He saith unto him Thou wast zealous in Shittim Phinehas in Numb 25. and art thou zealous here concerning Circumcision As thou livest Israel shall not do the Covenant of Circumcision till thou seest it with thine eyes From hence they have appointed to make an honorable Chair for Elias who is called the Angel of the Covenant Thus Kimch on Mal. 3. 1. Of this matter and of the Jews present expectation of Elias at every circumcision learned Buxtorfius giveth an ample relation in his Synagoga Judaica cap. 2. On the eighth day in the morning saith he those things that are requisite for the Circumcision are duly prepared And first of all two seats are set or one seat so made as that two may sit one by another in it covered with rich coverings or cushions according as every ones state will bear In the one of these seats when the child cometh to be circumcised sitteth the Sponsor or Godfather of the child and the other seat is set for Elias For they conceive that Elias cometh along with the Infant and sitteth down in that seat to observe whether the Circumcision be rightly administred and this they conceive from Mal. 3. 1. And the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye seek behold he cometh when they set that seat for Elias they are bound to say in express words This is the seat of the Prophet Elias That seat is left standing there three whole days together Rabbi Juda the holy once perceived that Elias came not to one Circumcision and the reason was because the child circumcised should once turn Christian and forsake his Judaism They use to lay the child upon Elias his cushion both before and after his Circumcision that Elias may touch him Thus he and more largely about their fancy of Elias his invisible coming upon that occasion And in the thirteenth Chapter of the same book he relateth how they expect him visibly at the other Sacrament even every Passover when among other rites and foolish customs they use over a cup of wine to curse all the people of the world that are not Jews as they are and that they do in this prayer Pour out thy wrath upon the Nations which have not known thee and upon the Kingdoms that have not called upon thy name Pour thine anger upon them and let
David took the Spear and cruse meaning Abishai by Davids appointment 2 King 22. 16. The Book which the King of Judah hath read that is which they have read before him as 2 Chron. 34. 24. explains it c. Jesus himself baptizeth not 1. Because he was not sent so much to Baptize as to preach as Paul also saith of himself 1 Cor. 1. 17. 2. Because it might have been taken as a thing something improper for Christ to have baptized in his own name 3. The baptizing that was most proper for Christ to use was not with water but with the Holy Ghost Act. 1. 5. 4. Because he would prevent all quarrellings and disputes among men about their Baptism which might have risen if some had been baptized by Christ and others only by his Disciples It is no doubt but these Disciples of Christ that baptized others were baptized themselves Now who baptized them Not Christ for he Baptized none but they were baptized by John the Baptist for it is apparent that some of them were baptized by him Joh. 1. 35. 37. 40. and that teacheth us also to judge so of the rest And by this very thing it is evident that the Baptism of John and the Baptism of the Apostles was but one and the same whatsoever the Schoolmen have said to the contrary unless the Disciples baptized others with a better Baptism than they themselves were baptized with Observe that the administration of the Ordinances of Christ by his Ministers according to his institution is as his own work The Disciples baptizing is called his baptizing Vers. 23. And Iohn also was Baptizing His Sun is now ere long to set and the Evangelist here giveth you account of his last actions and Ministery whilest he was abroad and at his liberty If his imprisonment were but a little before Christs departure into Galilee mentioned in the next chapter as it is like it was he had been a publick preacher and baptizing near upon twenty months §. In Aenon near Salim c. 1. I cannot hold that this Salim was a City near Sichem as the most general opinion doth from Gen. 33. 18. where the LXX and divers others render as our English doth And Jacob came to Salem a City of Sichem For 1. It is Salem there and not Salim 2. It may be as well and is generally by the Jews rendred Jacob come safe to the City Sichem for till then he had no miscarriage in his family as he had afterward 3. The Scripture in all the Chorography of Ephraim never nameth any such place as Salim 4. The ground that Jacob bought Gen. 33. 19. was before Sichem and not before a Salem Joh. 4. v. 5 6. c. 5. If Salem and Aenon were near Sichem they were in Samaria and what had John to do among the Samaritans See Matth. 10. 5. 15. 24. 2. Salim and Aenon appear to be on this side Jordan westward from v. 26. They came to John and said to him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest witness behold he baptizeth c. Now 1. Bethabara beyond Jordan was the only place that the Evangelist had mentioned before of Johns Baptizing and he speaketh according to his own story and so in Chap. 10. 40. he calleth it the place where John first baptized speaking still according to his own story for that was the first place that he had named And 2. at Bethabara had John pointed out Christ and born witness to him so that Disciples there began first to follow him therefore it appeareth by their speech that came to John ver 26. that Bethabara and Aenon were on the two several sides of Jordan Bethabara beyond and Aenon on this side 3. I should as soon look for Aenon and Salim in Galilee as in any other place that I have found mentioned by those that expounded this place For 1. Since Christ was first to appear in Galilee why should not his forerunner appear there also before him How much more proper is it to hold that as John baptized in Judea and there Christ was baptized of him and in Peraea or beyond Jordan and there Christ was pointed out by him so that also he baptized in Galilee and there Christ succeeded him then of all places to let him miss Galilee where Christ did first shew himself How could Herod whose residence and place was in Galilee and John come into so great converse and acquaintance as the Gospel giveth evidence they did Mark 6. 20. if John resided not in Galilee as well as Herod 3. The Septuagint mention a Salim in Galilee in the Tribe of Issachar Josh. 19. 22. differing indeed from the Hebrew Text but naming the place as may be supposed as it was called in their time as the Chaldee Paraphr also use to do Shaalim in 1 Sam. 9. 4. in some Editions of the Septuagint is written Saalim which whether it may not be the same with their Salim in Josh. 19. 22. and whether the Evangelist here refer not to that word and place I leave it to be discussed by others and whether Aenon in the Septuagint in Josh. 15. 61. can be to our purpose here 4. There is one stumbling block lies in the way of this mine opinion which holds Aenon and Salim to be in Galilee and that is in that Josephus saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John Baptist upon Herods suspition was sent Prisoner to Machaerus Antiq. 18. lib. 7. Now Machaerus Castle was in Peraea or beyond Jordan on the North-east part of that Country and confining upon Arabia which was a great distance from Galilee as the same Author averreth De Bel. lib. 3. cap. 4. to which scruple satisfaction may be given also from the same Author For it appeareth by him that the pretence of Herods imprisoning John was fear of innovation in regard of the peoples high esteem of him though the true cause indeed was about Herodias That Machaerus was a frontier garrison between the territory of Herod for he had land there though so far from Galilee but upon what title here is not a place to insist to shew and of his Father in Law Aretas King of Arabia whose daughter he put away when he took Herodias upon which occasion there was long and sad war betwixt Aretas and him therefore that he might secure John far enough from the people amongst whom he had so high repute and sure enough from rescue and tumult about him he got him into that strong hold so remote and whether he lay not there with his Army when John was beheaded it will be a more seasonable place to examine at the story of his beheading when the Lord shall bring us thither 5. I should rather take Aenon for the name of some large and spacious compass of ground full of fresh springs and waters than for any one particular Town River or City As Sharon was a large champaign from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to let loose
Prophets The Book of Josua Judges Samuel Kings Jeremiah Ezekiel Esay and the twelve And a little after But since Isaiah was before both Jeremiah and Ezekiel he ought to have been set before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But since the Book of Kings ends with destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all Jeremy is about destruction and since Ezekiel begins with destruction and ends with comfort and all Isaiah is about comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They joyned destruction with destruction and comfort with comfort that is they placed those Books together which treat of destruction and those together which treat of comfort You have this Tradition quoted by David Kimchius in his Preface to Jeremy Whence it is very plain that Jeremy of old had the first place among the Prophets and hereby he comes to be mentioned above all the rest Mat. XVI 14. because he stood first in the volume of the Prophets therefore he is first named When therefore Matthew produceth a Text of Zacharias under the name of Jeremy he only cites the words of the Volume of the Prophets under his name who stood first in the Volume of the Prophets Of which sort is that also of our Saviour Luk. XXIV 44. All things must be fulfilled which are written of me in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms In the Psalms that is in the Book of Hagiographa in which the Psalms were placed first VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barabbas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bar Abba a very usual name in the Talmudists R. Samuel Barabba and R. Nathan Barabba z z z z z z Hieros Moed Katon fol. 82. 1. Abba bar Abba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a a a a Bab. Berac fol. 18. 2. In the Jerusalem Dialect it is very often uttered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bar Ba. Simeon Bar Ba b b b b b b Taanith fol. 66. 1. R. Chaijah bar Ba c c c c c c Chagigah fol. 76. 6. c. This brings to my mind what Josephus d d d d d d De Bell. Lib. 5. Cap. 18. relates to have been done in the besieging of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When huge stones were thrown against the City by the Roman stings some persons sitting in the Towers gave the citizens warning by a sign to take heed crying out in the vulgar dialect The Son cometh that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Son of man indeed then came in the glory of his justice and his vengeance as he had often foretold to destroy that most wicked and profligate Nation VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have thou nothing to do with that just man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e e e e e e Bab. Taanith fol. 25. 2. When King Sapores went about to afflict Rabbah his mother sent to him saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have thou nothing to do with that Jew c. VERS XXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When he had scourged Iesus he delivered him to be crucified SUCH was the custom of the Romans towards those that were to be crucified f f f f f f Joseph de Bell. Lib. 2. Cap. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom after he had beaten with whips he crucified And a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be whipped before the judgment-seat and to be nailed to the Cross. VERS XXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Reed in his right hand SEE those fictions in Tanchum g g g g g g Fol. 59. 4. concerning an Angel that appear'd in the shape of Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In whose hand there was a reed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whom they struck with a reed VERS XXXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Led him away to crucifie him THESE things are delivered in Sanhedrim h h h h h h Cap. 6. Hal. 4. of one that is guilty of stoning If there be no defence found for him they lead him out to be stoned and a cryer went before saying aloud thus N. the Son of N. comes out to be stoned because he hath done so and so The Witnesses against him are N. and N. whosoever can bring any thing in his defence let him come forth and produce it On which thus the Gemara of Babylon The Tradition is that on the evening of the Passover Jesus was hanged and that a Cryer went before him for forty days making this Proclamation This man comes forth to be stoned because he dealt in sorceries and perswaded and seduced Israel whosoever knows of any defence for him let him come forth and produce it But no defence could be found therefore they hanged him on the evening of the Passover Ulla saith His case seem'd not to admit of any defence since he was a seducer and of such God hath said Thou shalt not spare him neither shalt thou conceal him Deut. XIII They led him that was to be stoned out of the City Act. VII 58. so also him that was to be crucified i i i i i i Gloss. in Bab. Sanhed fol. 42. 2. The place of stoning was without the three Camps for at Jerusalem there were three Camps namely Gods the Levites and the Peoples as it was in the encamping in the Wilderness And in every city also where there was a Council namely of twenty three the place of stoning was without the City For all cities that have walls bear a resemblance to the Camp of Israel Because Jesus was judged at a Heathen Tribunal therefore a death is inflicted on him not usual with the Jewish Council namely Crucifixion In several things the circumstances and actions belonging to his death differed from the custom of the Jews in putting persons to death 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They never judg two on the same day k k k k k k Sanhedr cap. 6. hal 4. But here besides Christ are two thieves judged 2. They never carried one that was to be hanged to hanging till near Sun-set l l l l l l Ibid. in Gemara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They stay till near Sun-set and then they pass sentence and execute him And the reason is given by the Glosser They do not perfect his judgment nor hang him in the morning lest they should neglect his burial and happen to forget themselves and the Malefactor should hang till after Sun-set but neer Sun-setting so that they may bury him out of hand But Christ was sentenced to death before noon and at noon was nailed to the Cross. For 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They first put the condemned person to death and then hanged him upon a tree But the custom of the Roman Empire is first to hang them and then to put them to death ll ll ll ll ll ll Ibid. 4. They did not openly lament for those that were led forth to be put to death but
thou sit without why dost thou not ascend He answered him they say unto me because there want those years wherein thou didst not go into the Academy of the Rabbi When his Father came he saw him weep He saith unto him why dost thou weep He saith unto him where is the Orphans money He saith unto him go and take it out of the Mill-house c. But I fear the Reader will frown at this huge length of trifles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And cool my tongue n n n n n n Hieros Chagigah fol. 77. 4. There was a good Man and a wicked Man that dyed As for the good Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had no Funeral rites solemnized but the wicked man had Afterward there was one saw in his dream the good man walking in Gardens and hard by pleasant Springs but the wicked man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his tongue trickling drop by drop at the bank of a River endeavouring to touch the Water but he could not VERS XXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A great gulf fixed IT is well known from the Poets that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek and Inferi among the Latines comprehend the seat both of the Blessed and the Damned denoting in general the state of the dead be they according to the quality of their persons allotted either to joys or punishments On this hand Elysium for the good on that hand Tartarus for the wicked the River Cocytus or Acheron or some such great gulph fixed betwixt them The Jews seem not to have been very distant from this apprehension of things o o o o o o Midras Coheseth 103. 2. God hath set the one against the other Eccles. VII 14. that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hell and Paradise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How far are they distant an handbreadth R. Johanan saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wall is between But the Rabbins say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are so even with one another that you may see out of one into the other That of seeing out of the one into the other agrees with the passage before us nor is it very dissonant that it is said they are so even with one another That is they are so even that they have a plain view one from the other nothing being interposed to hinder it and yet so great a gulf between that it is impssible to pass the one to the other That is worth noting Revel XIV 10. shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. VERS XXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have Moses and the Prophets THE Historical Books also are comprehended under the title of the Prophets according to the common acceptation of the Jews and the reading in their Synagogues p p p p p p Gloss. in Bathra fol. 13. 2. All the Books of the Prophets are eight Josua Judges Samuel the Kings Jeremy Ezechiel Isaiah and the twelve So the Gemarah also reckons them q q q q q q Ibid. fol. 14. 2. So we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Octateuch of the Prophets as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pentateuch of Moses in Photius r r r r r r Cod. 230. of which we have spoken elsewhere But are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hagiographa excluded when mention is made only of the Law and the Prophets Our Saviour speaks after the usual manner of their reading Moses and the Prophets in their Synagogues where every ordinary person even the most rude and illiterate met with them though he had neither Moses nor the Prophets nor the Hagiographa at his own house Indeed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the holy Writings were not read in the Sgnagogues for what reason I will not dispute in this place but they were however far from being rejected by the people but accounted for Divine Writings which may be evinced besides other things even from the very name Our Saviour therefore makes no mention of them not because he lightly esteems them but because Moses and the Prophets were heard by every one every Sabbath day and so were not the Hagiographa VERS XXXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead ANY one may see how Christ points at the insidelity of the Jews even after that himself shall have risen again From whence it is easie to judge what was the design and intention of this Parable CHAP. XVII VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That a Mill-stone were hanged about his neck THERE is mention among the Talmudick Authors concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Ass-mill and it is distinguisht from an Hand-mill a a a a a a Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Bava Mezia Whoso hireth an House of his Neighbour he may build 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Ass-mill but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Hand-mill To have a Mill-stone hanged about his neck was a common Proverb b b b b b b Kiddushin fol. 29. 2. Samuel saith it is a Tradition that a man may marry and after that apply himself to the study of the Law But R. Johanan saith No. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall he addict himself to the study of the Law with a Mill-stone about his neck Suidas tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they drowned any in the Sea they hung stones about their necks And quotes that of Aristophanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lifting him up I 'll plung him to the deep * A Stone hung at his neck * For so Suidas takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Stone But this Interpreter ingeniously remarks that Suidas seems to have reached the place and meaning of the Poet for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not a Stone hung about the neck of him that is to be drowned in the Sea but when he should have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hanging a Stone he does by way of jest and beside all expectation for laughters sake say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hanging Hyperbolus that is a litigious fellow about his neck whom for his peculiar wickedness he would represent as the most burthensome thing that could be to all the Athenians hanging about them like an heavy Stone that is hanged about the neck of one condemned to be drowned one indeed that deserves that fate himself that he might no more vex and disturb the Commonwealth VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebuke him THE Rabbins are not sparing in granting the lawfulness of repeating rebuke upon rebuke but they are most sparing about forgiveness where any hath given an offence They allow from Levit. XIX 17. that a man may rebuke an hundred times if there be any need for it nay that it is the duty of a Disciple to rebuke his Master if occasion
amongst them yet were they not exactly Eleven then for Thomas was absent Joh. XX. 24. 2. When the Eleven are mentioned we must not suppose it exactly meant of the number of Apostles then present but the present number of the Apostles VERS XXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They supposed they had seen a Spirit WHereas the Jews distinguished between Angels and Spirits and Daemons Spirits are defined by R. Hoshaiah l l l l l l Beresh rabb◠fol. 34. 2. to be such to whom souls are created but they have not a body made for those souls But it is a question whether they included all spirits or souls under this notion when it is more than probable that apparitions of Ghosts or deceased persons who once had a body were reckoned by them under the same title Nor do I apprehend the Disciples had any other imagination at this time than that this was not Christ indeed in his own person as newly raised from the dead but a Spectrum only in his shape himself being still dead And when the Pharisees speak concerning Paul Acts XXIII 9. That if an Angel or a Spirit hath spoken to him I would easily believe they might mean it of the Apparition of some Prophet or some other departed just person than of any soul that had never yet any body created to it I the rather incline thus to think because it is so evident that it were needless to prove how deeply impressed that Nation was with an opinion of the Apparitions of departed Ghosts VERS XLIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms IT is a known division of the Old Testament into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law the Prophets and the Holy Writings by abbrevation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. The Books of the Law and their order need not be insisted upon called commonly by us the Pentateuch but by some of the Rabbins the Heptateuch and by some Christians the Octateuch m m m m m m Schabb. fol. 116. 1. R. Samuel bar Nachman saith R. Jonathan saith Wisdom hath hewn out her seven Pillars Prov. IX 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the seven Books of the Law The Book of Numbers compleats the seven Books of the Law But are there not but five Books only Ben Kaphra saith the Book of Numbers is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three Books From the beginning of the Book to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it came to pass when the Ark set forward Chap. X. 35. is a Book by it self That verse and the following is a Book by it self And from thence to the end of the Book is a Book by it self The reason why they accounted this period Chap. X. 35. 36. to be one Book by it self was partly because it does not seem put there in its proper place partly because in the beginning of it it hath the letter Nun inverted thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so after the end of it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in both places is set for a boundary and limit to distinguish that period from the rest of the Book Whatever therefore goes before from the beginning of the Book to that period is reckoned by them for one Book and whatever follows it for another Book and the period it self for a third Eulogius speaking concerning Dosthes or Dositheus a famous seducer of the Samaritans hath this passage n n n n n n Apud Phot. Cod. ccxxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He adulterated the Octateuch of Moses with spurious writings and all kind of corrupt falsifyings There is mention also of a Book with this title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o o o o o o Cod. xxxvi The Christians Book An Exposition upon the Octateuch Whether this was the Octateuch of Moses it is neither certain nor much worth our enquiry for Photius judgeth him a corrupt Author besides that it may be shewn by and by that there was a twofold Octateuch besides that of Moses Now if any man should ask how it come to pass that Eulogius and that probably from the common notion of the thing should divide the Books of Moses into an Octateuch I had rather any one else rather than my self should resolve him in it But if any consent that he owned the Heptateuch we have already mentioned we should be ready to reckon the last Chapter of Deuteronomy for the eighth part Aben Ezra will smile here who in that his obscure and disguised denial of the Books of the Pentateuch as if they were not writ by the pen of Moses he instances in that Chapter in the first place as far as I can guess as a testimony against it You have his words in his Commentary upon the Book of Deuteronomy a little from the beginning p p p p p p Cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if you understand the mystery of the twelve c. i. e. of the twelve Verses of the last Chapter of the Book for so his own Country-men expound him thou wilt know the truth i. e. that Moses did not write the whole Pentateuch an argument neither worth answering nor becoming so great a Philosopher For as it is a ridiculous thing to suppose that Chapter that treats of the death and burial of Moses should be written by himself so would it not be much less ridiculous to affix that Chapter to any other volume than the Pentateuch But these things are not the proper subject for our present handling II. There also was an Octatuech of the Prophets too q q q q q q Bava bathra fol. 14. 2. All the Books of the Prophets are eight Josuah Judges Samuel Kings Jeremy Ezekiel Isaiah and the twelve For the Historical Books also were read in their Synagogues under the notion of the Prophets as well as the Prophets themselves whose names are set down You will see the title prefixt to them in the Hebrew Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former Prophets as well as to the others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter Prophets The Doctors give us the reason why they dispose the Prophets in that order that Jeremiah is named first Ezekiel next and Isaiah last which I have quoted in Notes upon Matth. XXVII 9. and let not the Reader think it irksome to repeat it here r r r r r r Bava bathra ubi supr Whereas the Book of Kings ends in destruction and the whole Book of Jeremy treats about destruction whereas Ezekiel begins with destruction and ends in consolation and whereas Isaiah is all in consolation they joyned destruction with destruction and consolation with consolation III. The third division of the Bible is intitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Writings And here also is found an Octateuch by some body as it seems though I know not where to
and only salve it with making a statute for her yearly lamentation In some time of the Judges the High-priesthood is translated from the line of Eleazer to the line of Ithamar as appeareth in Eli in the beginning of the Book of Samuel Now in all the story of the Judges we find not any one thing so likely to be the cause of rooting out of that house from the Priest-hood as about this matter of Jephtah they not instructing him better but suffering such a butchery for a sacrifice Jephtah hath a new quarrel with the Ephraimites and slayeth 42000 of them discovering them by the mis-pronouncing of a letter he might have offered many words that had Sh double in them as Shemesh the Sun Shelosha three Shalsheleh a chain but the word proposed is Shiboleh because of the present occasion It signifieth a stream and the Ephraimites are put to call the stream that they desired to pass over by the right name and they could not name it CHAP. XII Vers. 8 9 10. World 2825 Iephtach 1 Iephtach 2 IBSAN judgeth seven years He was a man of Bethlehem and thereupon Iephtach 3 imagined by the Jews to be Boaz without any ground or reason for since Iephtach 4 Iephtach 5 Rahab the mother of Boaz was taken into the Congregation of Israel were 270 Iephtach 6 years and then guess whether Boaz be likely to be active now Ibsan is renowned Iephtach 7 for the number and equality of the number of his sons and daughters CHAP. XIII And CHAP. XII Vers. 11 12. World 2832 Elon 1 ELON judgeth ten years He was a Galilean of Zebulon In the tenth Elon 2 year of Ibsan the Philistims forty years of oppressing begin mentioned Elon 3 Chap. 13. verse 1. Samson is born about this year if not in it for when the Elon 4 Angel telleth of his conception the Philistims were lords over Israel see Elon 5 verse 5. The story of his birth is joyned to the story of his life that there Elon 6 might be no interruption in the story of the Judges before him and that the Elon 7 whole history of his life and birth might lie together but in Chronical Series Elon 8 it lieth about the beginning of the rule of Elon Elon 9 Elon 10 JESSE the father of DAVID born by this time if not before CHAP. XII Vers. 13 14 15. World 2842 Elon 1 ABDON judgeth eight years He is exceedingly renowned for his Elon 2 children having as many young Nobles and Gallants to his sons and Elon 3 granchildren as would make a whole Sanhedrin namely seventy and himself Elon 4 the Head He was an Ephraimite of Pirathon and so Josephs glory Elon 5 shineth again in Ephraim as it had done in Joshua before the time of the Elon 6 Judges and had done in Manasseh in the Judges times in Gedeon Jair Elon 7 and Jephtah Ephraims low estate in the matter of Abimelech and Shechem is Elon 8 now somewhat recovered in Abdon CHAP. XIV XV. XVI World 2850 Elon 1 SAMSON judgeth twenty years A man of Dan and so as Ephraim Elon 2 and Dan had bred the first Idolatry they yield the last Judges he Elon 3 was born supernaturally of a barren woman and becomes the first Nazarite Elon 4 we have upon record He killeth a lion without any weapons findeth honey Elon 5 in the carkass proposeth a parable to thirty Philistim gallants which Elon 6 in three days they cannot unriddle and on the seventh day saith the Text Elon 7 they said unto his wife Perswade thy husband Chap. 14. vers 15. That is Elon 8 on the Sabbath day their irreligiousness not minding that day and now Elon 9 finding the fittest opportunity of talking with his wife alone Samson being Elon 10 imployed about the Sabbath duties He pays them with their own Countrymens Elon 11 spoil Fires the Philistims corn with three hundred Foxes is destroying Elon 12 them all his life but destroys more at his death A type of Christ. Elon 13 It is observable that the Philistims are said to bear rule and oppress Israel Elon 14 all Samsons days Chap. 13. 1. The Lord delivered Israel into the hands of the Elon 15 Philistims forty year and Chap. 15. 20. And Samson judged Israel in the days Elon 16 of the Philistims twenty years This helpeth clearly to understand that the Elon 17 years of the oppressours are included in the years of the Judge and so Elon 18 endeth the Chronicle of the Book of Judges in the death of Samson though Elon 19 the posture of the Book it self do end in another story No Judge of all Elon 20 the twelve had fallen into the enemies hand and under their abuse but only Samson but he slayeth more at his death then while he was living The first Book of SAMUEL THIS Book containeth an History of 80 years viz. from the death of Samson who died by his own hand gloriously to the death of Saul who died by his own hand wretchedly This time was divided into two equal portions namely 40 years to Eli 1 Sam. 4. 18. and 40 years to Samuel and Saul Acts 13. 21. CHAP. I. II. III. World 2870 Eli 1 ELI judgeth 40 years He was of Ithamar For Eleazers line had lost the Eli 2 High Priest-hood in the times of the Judges It had been in that family Eli 3 seven generations viz. Eleazar Phineas Abishua Bukki Uzzi Zerahiah Meraioth Eli 4 Eli 5 1 Chron. 6. 4 5 6. and there it failed till the seventh generation after Eli 6 namely through the times of Amaziah Ahitub Zadok Ahimaaz Azaria Johanan Eli 7 and then comes Azariah and he executes this Office in the Temple Eli 8 that Solomon built 1 Chron. 6. 7 8 9 10. observe these six that failed of the Eli 9 high Priest-hood left out of the Genealogy Ezra 7. 3 4. Eli was the first of Eli 10 the other line that obtained it and it run through these descents Eli Phineas Eli 11 Ahitub Ahimelech Abiathar 1 Sam. 14. 3. 22. 20. 1 King 2. 26. SAMUEL Eli 12 Eli 13 the son of his mothers prayers tears and vows was born in * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 1. 1. that is of one of the two Ramahs to wit that of the Zophites of the hill country of Ephraim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be construed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Sam. 18. 2. one of two and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be construed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh. 21. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1. 39 5. Not the hill of Ephraim but the hill country Aramathea the Eli 14 twentieth from Levi of the off-spring of Korah who was swallowed up of Eli 15 the ground 1 Chron. 6. and Numb 26. 11. He had murmured at the Priesthood Eli 16 and Magistracy and now one of his line is raised up to repair both when Eli 17 they are decaied Samuel was a vowed Nazarite and dedicated at the
of 1 Chron. 23. and that Story doth speak but one and the same thing I CHRON. XXIII from Verse 2. to end And XXIV XXV DAVID having that emergent occasion by Adonijahs Conspiracy to anoint Salomon hastily and privately When he hath so done it he intendeth World 2989 David 40 a more solemn and publick Coronation of him and therefore he calleth together all the Heads and Rulers of the people about it And as at the first platforming of the people of Israel into a Commonwealth in the Wilderness they are numbred the Levites appointed for Divine Service and the Sanctuary framed much like doth David here The Levites are numbred and distributed into their several offices and services and the Priests into their courses c. The Book of PSALMS BEsides those Psalms that we have already mentioned and ranked as we have come along there are about 120 more that are of an uncertain date or of uncertain Authors or both and therefore not certainly to be applied to any fixed time or occasion and yet may not unfitly nor impertinently be taken in here at the end of the five and twentieth Chapter of the first of Chronicles For when the Reader hath there seen how David disposeth of Asaph Heman and Jeduthun to be chief Singers in the Temple and their Sons under their hand he may very properly turn his thoughts to those Psalms that were committed to these men to sing or that were made by them to be sung He will find twelve that bear the name of Asaph viz. Psal. 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83. whether all or any of these were made by Asaph or committed to him being made by some other I will not dispute be it the one or the other it is very seasonable and very Chronical to take these Psalms to thought when the Text before you in the Book of Chronicles is telling you of Asaph set up a chief singer and his sons under him There is but one Psalm in the Book that bears the name of Heman in the front of it and that is Psal. 88. But that Heman that made that Psalm and this Heman that was appointed by David to be a chief singer were two different men of two several Tribes and of far distant times For Heman that made the 88 Psalm was of the Tribe of Judah the immediate son of Zera and lived in Aegypt in the time of Israels affliction there see 1 Chron. 2. 6. but this Heman the singer was a Levite living in the time of David and was the Grand-child of Shemuel 1 Chron. 6. 33. therefore there is not one Psalm at all that bears the name of this Heman that we have in hand and yet there are divers that have reference to him and to his sons though under another title for this Heman was of the stock and line of Korah 1 Chron. 6. 33. 37. and all those Psalms that bear the name of the sons of Korah in their front and title refer to him and his sons as Psalm 42. 44 45 46 47 48 49. 84 85 87. Jeduthun is named only in the title of three Psalms viz. 39. 62. 77. Now besides all these that have been named both now as referring to these three men and before as owning David for their Author and holding out the occasion whereupon they were made there are very many Psalms that have no title at all and own neither Author nor occasion by whom and upon which they were made and there are very many again that own David for their Author but own not the occasion of their making since therefore it is not possible to reduce and fix these to their proper time and place in the History and Chronology this may be as fit a place to take them in as any other namely now in the conclusion of Davids Story The Septuagint that we have if we would take their direction would help us both to find the Authors of many Psalms and the occasion of many others when neither the one nor the other is mentioned in the title of the Psalm it self As Psal. 33. 43 91. 95. 96 98. 99. 104. they ascribe to David Psalm 137. to Jeremy Psalm 145 146 147 148. to Haggai and Zachary Psal. 71. to the Sons of Jonadab and the people of the first Captivity And so for occasions Psal. 66. They title A Psalm of the Resurrection Psal. 76. A Song to the Assyrian Psal. 48. For the second day of the week Psal. 94. For the fourth day of the week Psal. 93. For the day before the Sabbath when the earth was inhabited Psal. 24. For the first day of the week Psal. 38. Concerning the Sabbath Psal. 27. Before David was anointed Psal. 29. At the going out of the Tabernacle Psal. 143. When his son persecuted him Psal. 144. To Goliah c. But these things I only name I dare not recommend them to the Reader for his direction I know the occasions of the most if not of all the Psalms that name it not themselves is guessed at and conjectured by various Authors and variously and so might I have done likewise and fixed all these Psalms to one place or other of the Story as it hath been drawn along but this I had rather the Reader should do himself then I to do it to his hands and then he to dislike it I have conjectured at two or three Psalms before in this kind and let that suffice 1 CHRON. XXVI XXVII XXVIII XXIX to vers 26. MOre Officers disposed of about the Temple the chief heads of the people Commanders of the Army and Officers of the King are numbred and setled And thus the chief Agents both in Church and State being fixed and determined and now altogether they anoint Solomon a second time c. 1 KING II. to ver 12. and with ver 10 11. Read 1 CHRON. XXIX ver 26. 27 28 29 30. DAVID dying leaveth charge with Solomon about Joab Shimei c. He dieth seventy years old see Psal. 90. 10. and Esay 23. 15. A very glorious Type of Christ in his birth in Bethlehem in his Shepheardry in his victory over Goliah in his power over Sauls Devil In his persecutions in his Kingdom in his victoriousness over his Enemies in his setling of Religion and the service of God c. The time of his reign is certainly fixed and determiend in a gross sum of forty years but for particular passages to own them particular years there is very little certainty or if there be certainty it is very obseure I want not ground for the times according to which I have laid them though to avoid prolixity I have avoided to express and to dispute them I shall only here name one or two things that have swayed with me to suppose of the particular times of Davids reign as I have laid them I was once of opinion and I went not alone in it but had abundance both of Jews and Christians that were of the
17 Division 239 AHAZ reigneth very Ahaz 2 Pekah 18 Division 240 wickedly serveth Baalim Ahaz 3 Pekah 19 Division 241 and burneth his Sons 2 Chron. 28. 3. that is one of his Sons 2 King 16. 3. in the fire to Molech Hezekiah is preserved by a special providence for a better purpose World 3268 Iotham 16 Ahaz 1 Pekah 17 Division 239 PEKAH is a desperate Ahaz 2 Pekah 18 Division 240 enemy to Judah and Ahaz 3 Pekah 19 Division 241 joyneth with Syria against Jerusalem to make Rezin a son of Tabeel or one of the the posterity of Tabrimmon King there Esay 7. 6. 2 KING XVI Vers. 5. ESAY VII AHAZ his wickedness bringeth Rezin and Pekah against Jerusalem but they cannot prevail against * * * Observe this phrase in ver 2. 13. the House of David for the promise sake Esay assureth Ahaz of deliverance from those two fire brands both Kings and Kingdoms which were now grown to be but tails and were ready to smoak their last He offereth Ahaz a sign which he scornfully refuseth and despiseth to try Jehovah his son Hezekiah is of another mind 2 King 20. 8. therefore the Lord himself giveth this sign That the Lord will not quite cast off the House of David till a Virgin have born a Son and that Son be God in our nature both which are great wonders indeed yet he threatens sad days to come upon Jerusalem before ESAY VIII ESay writes a Book full of no other words but this * * * Hasting to the spoil he hasteth to the prey Maher-shalal-hash-baz and takes two men that were of esteem with Ahaz Zechariah his father in law and Uriah the Priest to see and witness what he had done that so it might come to Ahaz his knowledge He also names a child that his wife bare him by this very name and all to confirm that Damascus and Samaria the two enemies of Judah now in Arms against it should speedily be destroyed He useth two several phrases of the same signification as applying them to the two places Samaria and Damascus yet doth he withal threaten those of Judah that despised the house and Kingdom of David because it was but like the waters of Shiloam of a very small stream in comparison of those great Kingdoms that were so potent and therefore that desired to be under one of those great Kingdoms and to make confederacy with it such men he threatens that he will bring upon them a Kingdom great enough which should come as a mighty River since they despised the small stream and should over-flow Emmanuels land all over He prophesieth glorious things of Emmanuel himself as that he should be a Sanctuary that he should have children or Disciples that he should give them a law and testimony which should be Oracles to inquire at and that whosoever should * * * Vers. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And â—e transgresseth against it i. e. against the Testimony ver 2. or the Gospel transgress that law and testimony should be hard bestead famished perplexed and at last driven to utter darkness ESAY IX THAT this darkness shall be a worse darkness and affliction then that was in Galilee in their captivity either by Hazael or the Assyrian for those places saw light afterward for the Gospel began there but the contempt of the Gospel should bring misery irreparable He speaketh again glorious things concerning Christ the Child promised before Davids house fail the Prince of Peace and * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 6. Father of Eternity A letter of note and remarkableness is in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lemarbeh in ver 7. Mem clausum to shew the hiddenness and mysteriousness of Christs Kingdom different from visible pomp and to hint the forty years before Jerusalems destruction when this Dominion increased through the world The juncture of the first verse of this Chapter with the last of the preceding and this subject of vers 9. 11. shew plainly that this Chapter is of the same time with those two before ESAY XVII HERE also is the Reader to take in this seventeenth Chapter of Esay made upon the very same subject that these three last mentioned the seventh the eighth and the ninth were namely concerning the final ruine of Damascus and Ephraim And whereas Damascus was destroyed and captived in the beginning of the time of Ahaz and as it is easily argued thereupon that this Prophesie that foretelleth the destruction of it should be set before the Story that relateth its destruction so it may be concluded that this Prophesie may be very properly taken in here upon these considerations 1. Till the time of the raign of Ahaz the Prophet meddles not with Damascus and Ephraim joyned together namely not till they joyned together to invade Judah 2. Step but one step further in the Chronicle then this very place where we would have this Chapter taken in and Damascus is ruined And therefore this Chapter had to deal with Damascus and Ephraim joyned together it is an argument that it is to be laid no sooner then here and since it is a Prophesie of the destruction of Damascus before it come it can be laid no further forward Now the reason why it lieth in that place of the Book where it doth is because there are many Prophesies against many several places laid there together and when the Lord is dealing threatnings among all the Countries and places thereabout Damascus and Ephraim could not go without And therefore as these three last named Chapters are laid where they be as single and singular denuntiations against these two places so is this Chapter laid where it is because it should there go in company with other threatnings ESAY XXVIII IN the same manner is the eight and twentieth Chapter of this Book which foretelleth also the destruction of Ephraim laid beyond its proper time among Chapters on either side it that are of a date after Ephraim was destroyed but it is laid there that threatnings against that place might also come in among the threatnings against other places And since there is no certain notice of what date that Chapter is it may not unfitly be taken in here and so all Esays Prophesies against Ephraim come together 2 CHRON. XXVIII vers 4 to vers 16. REZIN and Pekah returning to their several homes from Jerusalem which they could not overcome spoil Judah miserably as they go Pekah slayeth 120000 men and taketh 200000 women and children Captives but they are mercifully used and inlarged at the admonition of a Prophet the only good deed that we read of done in Samaria of a long time Rezin also carrieth a great Captivity away to Damascus 2 KING XVI ver 6. AND not content with that he taketh his opportunity after he comes home now Judah is so low to take in Eloth the Sea-town in Edom which Uzziah had recovered in the beginning of his reign
of it was nineteen or twenty years ago to shew and to record the truth of those things which that wretched King Jehoiakim would not believe but burnt the Book in the fire And these are the subject of the other Copy that Baruch wrote when the first was burnt EZEKIEL XXXIII THIS twentieth year of Nebuchad-nezzar and of the first Captivity was the twelfth year of Ezekiels Captivity with Jeconiah And on the tenth month of this year and on the fifth day of that month Ezekiel hath intelligence that Jerusalem was fired vers 21. Temple and all It is almost a year and an half since the thing was done and yet intelligence comes but now The evening before these tidings came to him his mouth is opened again to Prophesie to his own people which he had not done since the day that Nebuchad-nezzar first laid siege to Jerusalem three years ago whereof one year and a half was taken up in that siege and one year and somewhat above an half since the City was taken Compare Chap. 24. vers 1. 26 27. In this space of time though Ezekiel were dumb to Israel yet was he not to other Nations for he Prophesieth many sad things against other Countries as is apparent by the Chapters taken up before EZEKIEL XXXII IN the same year viz. the twelfth of Ezekiels and Jechonias Captivity he hath a Prophesie against Egypt in the last month of the year on the first day of the month and another on the fifteenth day of the same month vers 27. Now the dislocation of this Chapter is easily seen for the three and thirtieth Chapter that followeth it is dated in the tenth month of this twelfth year and this in the twelfth month But the reason of this transposition is almost as easily seen namely because there are divers Prophesies against Egypt and other Countries before and this is also brought thither to them that it may lye with them EZEKIEL XXXIV XXXV XXXVI XXXVII XXXVIII XXXIX Captivity 21 ALL these Chapters of Ezekiel fall not under any expressed or determinate Captivity 22 date the fortieth Chapter does under the date of the five and twentieth year of Jechoniahs captivity therefore we are to conceive at large of the time of these Chapters that they were delivered between the twelfth year of that Captivity by which the three and thirtieth Chapter is dated and the five and twentieth by which the fortieth JEREMY LII vers 30. World 3424 Captivity 23 IN the three and twentieth year of Nebuchad-nezzar or the three and twentieth of the first Captivity for these run parallel Nebuzaradan Captain of the Guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred and forty five persons it may be this was in revenge of the base usage of Gedaliah and the Chaldeans that were with him And here is the last blow of the Jews given by the Babylonian and now is Judea and Jerusalem in full and compleat Captivity PSAL. CXXXVII AND here it may not be impertinent to take in the 137 Psalm which describeth the posture and sorrow and soorn of these captived ones as they sate in Babel 1 CHRON. II III IV V VI VII VIII IX Captivity 24 NOR may it be unproper in this place to read and view again these Captivity 25 Chapters of the first of Chronicles It is true indeed that they and Captivity 26 their Texts broken in pieces might be laid to be read in other places as was Captivity 27 said before as those Genealogies and Stories that are recited else-where in Captivity 28 Scripture to be laid with those places where they are mentioned and those Captivity 29 that are not mentioned again in Scripture to be laid with the Stories of such Captivity 30 times as the best evidence or probability will tell when they came to pass or Captivity 31 were in being Those Texts that tell of Plantations of Cities or Countries Captivity 32 to be laid in that place in the Book of Joshua that relateth the dividing of the Land as was done there Those that draw long Pedegrees to conclude in some famous man as the Pedegree of Korah to Samuel Chap. 6. these to be brought in at the Story of that famous man Thus might these Genealogies and Chapters be taken up But since Chap. 9. 1. telleth that these Genealogies were written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah that were captived and since divers places in these Chapters speak of the Captivity and of these latter times and since the reading of these Chapters after the Story of Jerusalems Captivity is as it were a short review of the planting and setling and growing of that Nation in that Country out of which the Story of the Captivity hath told the Reader they were now removed it may be very methodical and proper upon these considerations and very profitable to take in these Chapters and to read them here again EZEK XL XLI XLII XLIII XLIV XLV XLVI XLVII XLVIII World 3434 Captivity 33 THIS thirty third year of the first Captivity and of Nebuchad-nezzar Captivity 34 was the five and twentieth of the Captivity of Jechoniah and Ezekiel And now the Lord sheweth the Prophet a new Temple bigger then all the old Jerusalem and a new Jerusalem bigger then all the Land of Canaan by these very dimensions shewing that these things cannot literally but must spiritually be understood EZEKIEL XXIX from vers 17. to the end And XXX to vers 20. World 3436 Captivity 35 THIS seven and twentieth year of his Captivity Ezekiel hath another Prophesie against Egypt and this is the last we have of this Prophet and it is laid here though it should have been last in the Book that all the Prophesies against Egypt might come together Nebuchad-nezzar had lately taken Tyrus and it had cost him very dear and this year he taketh Egypt as the pay of his Souldiers for that service And now is Babylon intire Monarch of all the World and Nebuchad-nezzar become the golden head Egypt the only Kingdom that opposed him being subdued DANIEL II III IV. World 3437 Captivity 36 NEBUCHAD-NEZZAR now come to his height hath a dream of the four Monarchies of the tree cut down c. grows proud and will be worshipped for a God The three Princes of Judah live in the fire they were now at the least 40 years old and therefore improperly but commonly called the three children This year is called the second year of the Kingdom of Nebuchad-nezzar Dan. 2. 1. not of his first being King but of his intire Monarchy when Egypt the only potent Prince and Nation that stood against him was now subdued So the first year of Cyrus is to be understood Ezr. 1. 1. not the first year of his being King but the first year of his universal Monarchy as the very next verse explaineth it The Lord God hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth Some part of this year is Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 37 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 38
under this sweet and lovely denomination given equally to them both The current of the story hitherto hath fairly and plainly led this occurrence to this year as the Reader himself will confess upon the trace of the History and he will be confirmed in it when he seeth the next year following to be the year of the famine which next followeth in relation in St. Luke to this that we have in hand Act. 11. 26 27 28. By what names the Professors of the Gospel were called before this time it is plain in Scripture Among themselves they were called b b b Act. 4. 15. Disciples c c c Cap. 5. 14. 6. 1. 9. 1. Believers d d d Act. 8. 1. The Church e e e Act. 8. 2. Devout men f f f Act. 11. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 6. Brethren But among the unbelieving Jews by this sole common and scornful title of g g g Act. 24. 5. The sect of the Nazarites Epiphanius hath found out a strange name for them not to be found elsewhere nor to be warranted any where and that is the name of Jessaeans Before they were called Christians h h h Lib. 1. advers Nazaraeos pag. 120. saith he they were called Jessaei either from Jesse the father of David from whom the Virgin Mary and Christ by her descended or from Jesu the proper name of our Saviour Which thou shalt find in the books of Philo namely in that which he wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which treating of their Policy Praises and monasteries which are about the Marish Marian commonly called Mareotis he speaketh of none others than of Christians Of the same opinion in regard of the men themselves are divers others both the Fathers and later writers though they differ in regard of the name No Romanist but he takes it for granted that Philo in that book that is meant by Epiphanius though he either title it not right or else couch two books under one title speaketh of Christian Monks and from thence who of them doth not plead the antiquity of a Monastick life so confidently that he shall be but laughed to scorn among them that shall deny it They build indeed upon the Ipse Dixit of some of the Fathers to the same purpose besides the likeness of those men in Philo to the Romish Monks that such a thing as this is not altogether to be passed over but something to be examined since it seemeth to carry in it self so great antiquity and weightiness Eusebius therefore in his i i i Lib. 2. c. 15 Ecclesiastical History delivereth such a matter as tradition They say saith he that Mark being first sent in Egypt preached the Gospel there which he also penned and first founded the Churches of Alexandria where so great a multitude of believing men and women grew up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a most Philosophical and strict course that Philo himself vouchsafed to write of their converse meetings feastings and all their demeanor And for this his writing of them He is reckoned by us saith k k k De Scriptorib Eccles. tom 1. pag. 102. Jerome amongst the Ecclesiastical writers because writing concerning the first Church of Mark the Evangelist he breaketh out into the praises of our men relating that they are not only there but also in many other Provinces and calling their dwellings Monasteries Of the same mind with these Fathers are Cedrenus l l l Lib. 2. cap. 16. 17. Nicephorus m m m Bibl. Sanct. l. in voce Philo. Sixtus Senensis n n n Lib. 2. c. 1. de Monach. Bellarmine o o o Apparat. Sacer. in voce Philo. Possevine and others which last cited Jesuite is not contented to be satisfied with this opinion himself but he revileth the Magdeburgenses and all others with them that are not of the same opinion with him For the examining of which before we do believe it we may part their position into these two quaeres First Whether Mark the Evangelist had founded the Church at Alexandria before Philo wrote that book And secondly whether those men about Alexandria reported of by Philo were Christians at all yea or no. First then look upon Philo and upon his age and you shall find that the last year when he was in Embassie at Rome he was ancient and older than any of the other Commissioners that were joyned with him for so he saith of himself Caesar speaking affably to them when they first came before him the standers by thought their matter would go well with them p p p In legat ad Caium But I saith he that seemed to outstrip the others in years and judgement c. and then from him look at the time when Mark is brought by the Ecclesiastical Historians first into Egypt and Alexandria q q q In Chronico Eusebius for we will content our selves with him only hath placed this at the third of Claudius in these words Marcus Evangelista interpres Petri Aegypto Alexandriae Christum annunciat And then is Philo four years older than before To both which add what time would be taken up after Marks preaching before his converts could be disposed into so setled a form of buildings constitutions and exercises and then let indifferency censure whether Philo that was so old so long before should write his two books of the Esseni and the Therapeutae after all this But because we will not build upon this alone let us for the resolution of our second Quaere character out these men that are so highly esteemed for the patterns of all Monasticks and that in Philo's own words and description PART III. The JEVVISH History §. 1. The Therapeutae THEY are called Therapeutae and Therapeutrides saith Philo either because they profess a Physick better than that professed in Cities for that healeth bodies only but this diseased souls Or because they have learned from nature and the holy Laws to serve him that is Those that betake themselves to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this course do it not out of fashion or upon any ones exhortation but ravished with a heavenly love even as the Bacchantes and Corybantes have their raptures until they behold what they desire Then through the desire of an immortal and blessed life reputing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves to die to this mortal life they leave their estates to sons or daughters or to other kindred voluntarily making them their heirs and to their friends and familiars if they have no kindred When they are thus parted from their goods being taken now by no bait they flie irrevocably leaving Brethren Children Wives Parents numerous Kindreds Societies and Countries where they were born and bred they flit not into other Cities but they make their abode without the walls in gardens or solitary Villages affecting the wilderness not for any hatred of men but because of
from the Phaenicians And Euphorus thinks that Cadmus was he that conveyed them Chaerilus in Eusebius makes Phaenicians and Jews all one For he nameth Jews in Xerxes army and names their Tongue the Phaenician his words be these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In English thus A wondrous people marcht behind along Their Dialect was the Phaenician Tongue On hill of Solymae they dwelt thereby A spacious lake not far remote doth lie These Phaenicians if you will call them so or Jews were the first that had Letters But the Jews were not Phaenicians indeed nor their Tongue the same yet for bordering of their Countries the Poet makes them all one The Phaenician is not now to be had unless the * * * The Syrian translating of the word Phaenicia in the New Testament seems to confirm this for true Punick or Carthaginian and Phaenick or Phaenician were all one which most like they were And then some few lines of the Tongue are to be found in Plautus his Paenulus which as Paraeus saith can little or nothing be made of Eusebius speaks of Sancuniathou that wrote the Phaenician History in the same Tongue but more of the Language he saith not But to the matter That Letters were so long in use before the giving of the Law I am induced to believe upon these reasons First Josephus is of this mind that Letters were before the Flood And the Scripture cites Enochs Prophesie which whether it were written by him or not is uncertain yet if there were any such thing those many places which we find of it in Tertullian Clemens and others do argue that so much could not punctually be kept by word of mouth A second reason to move me to think of Letters before the giving of the Law is to think of Josephs accounts in Egypt which seem almost impossible without writing Thirdly But omitting that I cannot see how all Arts and Sciences in the World should then flourish as considering their infancy they did without the groundwork of all Learning Letters Fourthly Again for the Jews upon the writing of the Law to be put to spelling as they that had never seen letters before and not to be able to read it had been a Law upon the Law adding to the hardness of it Fifthly Nor can I think that when Moses saith blot me out of thy book that he taketh the Metaphor from his own books which it is probable he had not yet written but from other books which were then abounding in the world Sixthly The Egyptian Chronicles of so many thousand years in Diodorus and Laertius I know are ridiculous yet their carefulness of keeping Records I have ever believed The Greeks were boys to them as it is in Plato and Moses was Scholar to them or their learning Act. 7. Now I cannot think that this their exceeding Humane Learning was kept only in their brains and none in writing Nor do I think that if it were written that it was decyphered only in their obscure Hieroglyphicks but that some of it came to ordinary writing of familiar letters CHAP. XXX Of the Hebrew Tongue WHO so will go about to commend the Hebrew Tongue may justly receive the censure that he of Rome did who had made a long book in the praise of Hercules This labour is in vain for never any one dispraised Hercules Other commendations this Tongue needeth none than what it hath of it self namely for Sanctity it was the Tongue of God and for Antiquity it was the Tongue of Adam God the first founder and Adam the first speaker of it In this Tongue were laid up the Mysteries of the Old Testament It begun with the World and the Church and continued and increased in glory till the Captivity in Babel which was a Babel to this Tongue and brought to confusion this Language which at the first confusion had escaped without ruine At their return it was in some kind repaired but far from former perfection The Holy Scriptures viewed by Ezra a Scribe fit for the Kingdom of Heaven in whose treasure were things New and Old In the Maccabean times all went to ruine Language and Laws and all lost and since that time to this day the pure Hebrew hath lost her familiarity being only known by Scholars or at least not without teaching Our Saviours times spake the Syrian Kepha Golgotha Talitha and other words do witness In aftertimes the unwearied Masorites arose helpers to preserve the Bible Hebrew intire and Grammarians helpers to preserve the Idiome alive but for restoring it to the old familiarity neither of them could prevail For the Jews have at this day no abiding City no Common-wealth no proper Tongue but speak as the Countries wherein they live This whereof they were once most nice is gone and this groat they have lost As the man in Seneca that through sickness lost his memory and forgot his own Name so they for their sins have lost their Language and forgot their own Tongue Their Cain like wandring after the murther of their brother according to the flesh Christ Jesus hath lost them this precious mark of Gods favour and branded them with a worse mark Cauterio conspirationis antiquae as saith Saint Bernard in another case Before the confusion of Tongues all the world spake their Tongue and no other but since the confusion of the Jews they speak the Language of all the World and not their own And that it is not with them so only of late but hath been long Theodoret beareth witness in these words Other Nations saith he have their children speaking quickly in their own mother Tongue Howbeit there are no children of the Hebrews who naturally spake the Hebrew Tongue but the Language of the Country where they are born Afterward when they grow up they are taught the letters and learn to read the Holy Scripture in the Hebrew Tongue Thus Theod. in quaest on Gen. 59. 60. About this their training up of their Children and growth of Men in their own Tongue and Learning a Rabbin hath this saying in Pirke Auoth Perek 1. Ben He he saith At five years old for the Scripture at ten for Mishneh at thirteen * * * Or Philacterits c. for the Commandment at fifteen for the Talmud At eighteen for Mariage at twenty for Service at thirty for Strength at forty for Understanding at fifty for Counsel at sixty for Old age at seventy for Gray Hairs at eighty ‖ ‖ ‖ Or fortitude of mind or God for Profoundness at ninety for Meditation at one hundred he is as Dead and past and gone out of the World The Jews look for a pompous Kingdom when Messias the Son of David shall come whom they watch for every moment till he come as it is in the twelfth Article of their Creed in their Common Prayer Book He shall restore them as they hope a temporal Kingdom and of that mind till they were better taught were the Apostles Acts 1.
years more their lodgings were in the buildings near some of the gates of this outmost wall but which undeterminable for that all within this inclosing was called The Temple in the Scripture and the common Language is so apparent that it needeth no demonstration CHAP. X. The dimensions and form of Solomons Temple and of that built by the returned out of Captivity HAving thus gone through and observed the compass of the Mountain of the Temple and the wall that did inclose it in so large a square with the Cloisters gates and buildings that were in that wall and affixed to it before we can come to cast out the Courts Partitions and buildings that were within and speak of their places and uses particularly it will be necessary in the first place to take a survey of the measure and situation of the Temple it self that from it and from this outer wall as from standing marks we may measure all the proportions fsbricks and distances that we are to go through The floor of the Mountain of the House was not even but rising from East to West so much in the whole a a a Maym. in Beth babbechir per. 6 that the floor of the Porch of the Temple was two and twenty cubits higher than the floor of the Gate Shushan or the East-gate in the outmost wall which in equality was cast into several levels one above another and the outmost wall accordingly did sometime run level and sometime rise from level to level even as the evenness or risings of the floor it self did call for it The measures of the Temple built by Solomon are said to have been by the first measure 2 Chron. III. 3. that is by the same cubit that measured the first Tabernacle which is the same that we fix upon and by this measure to have been seventy cubits long 1 Kings VI. 2. 2 Chron. III. 3. in these several spaces The most holy place twenty cubits the holy place forty cubits and the Porch ten And the breadth of all these was twenty cubits About the height there is some obscurity for the Book of Kings saith it was thirty cubits but the Book of Chronicles nameth no sum at all only it saith that the Porch was one hundred and twenty cubits high Now b b b Kimch in loc allegat David Kimchi doth dispute it whether this was the height of the Porch only or of the whole house throughout and he shews how it may be construed of the whole house namely that the height of it to the first floor was thirty cubits according to the reckoning of the Book of Kings and then the chambers over in several stories did rise to ninety cubits more Yet both he and c c c Ralbag in 1 Kings VI. Aben. Ezr. in Ezr. VI. R. Levi Gershom could well be perswaded to think that the Temple it self was but thirty cubits high but are somewhat swayed by the opinion of some of their Rabbins which runneth another away For from their words it appeareth say they that there were chambers over the Temple and over the Porch and this they hold from 1 Chron. 28. 11. The words of that Text are these David gave to Solomon his son the Pattern of the Porch and the houses thereof and the Treasuries thereof and the upper chambers thereof and the Parlours thereof and the place of the mercy seat where all these particulars are so couched together except the last as if they were all within the Porch But the Holy Ghost speaketh of the Porch as the first part in sight as you came up it being the front of all and the rest of the parcels mentioned are to be conceived of not as all crowded in it but as distributed and disposed in other parts of the fabrick as the Holy Ghost relateth and layeth down elsewhere And as for the upper chambers here spoken of we need not to confine them so as to set them all either over the Porch though there were some nor over the body of the Temple but to place them also as the Text doth elsewhere round about the house without in several stories The careful considering the measures of the Temple built by the Children of the Captivity will reasonably help to put us out of doubt about the matter that we have in dispute The measures they brought along with them out of Persia in Cyrus his Commission d d d Ezr. VI. 3 4. The foundations to be strongly laid the height sixty cubits and the breadth sixty cubits with three rows of great stones and a row of new timber and the expences to be given out of the Kings house Where we may observe e e e Aben Ezr. in loc 1. That the length is not mentioned because that was to be of the former measure 2. That the breadth doubled the breadth of Solomons building the side chambers and all taken in And 3. That the height was double to the height of Solomons as it is expressed in the Book of Kings and as indeed the height of the Temple was though the Porch were higher For it seemeth utterly against reason that Cyrus should offer to build the house as broad again as it was before and yet not so high as it was before by half It is no doubt but Cyrus had consultation with some of the Jews about the building and that either they counselling him should advise the abatement of so much of the height or he inlarging the breadth and the house one way should cut it short of the height and lessen it the other way is exceeding improbable the length could not be doubled because that would have lessened the measure of the Courts before it which might not be indured but the two other ways of dimension which could be allowed he allowed double to what they were before Therefore the two Texts in Kings and Chronicles are to be taken properly as they there lie before us namely that the Porch was one hundred and twenty cubits high and that the rest of the Temple was but thirty and the form of the whole House was thus It stood East and West the most Holy place Westward and the Porch or Entry Eastward and the length of all from East to West was seventy cubits the breadth twenty cubits besides the breadth of the side Chambers The height of the Holy and most Holy place thirty cubits and the Porch stood at the East end like one of our high Steeples one hundred and twenty cubits high And indeed Solomons Temple did very truly resemble one of our Churches but only that it differed in this that the Steeple of it which was the Porch stood at the East end Now round about the sides thereof North and South and the West end Solomon built Chambers of three stories high and five cubits was the height of every story the whole being fifteen cubits high in all and they joined to the wall of the House without The highest
of them according to the quinque-lateral form 668. Porters Their distribution and office their attendance were on doors gates guards c. 918 919. Possessed of the devil so often mentioned in the Gospel what they were p. 639. Christ only did dispossess them they were of two sorts p. 639 640. To be Bodily possessed was the saddest earthly misery could befal a man 640. Prayers are to be made for all and not as the Jews only for themselves and their own Nation p. 309. Prayers were made after the Phylacteries in the Morning p. 946 c. Hypocritical Prayers reproved by Christ. 1024. Praying was immediately performed after Baptism they who were Baptized coming out of the Water presently addressed themselves to Prayer 479. Preachers in the Synagogue were Priests and Levites or any other Learned men as well as they some of which had been Proselites and Mechanicks but these were first usually though not always ordained 612. Preaching whether inconsistent with Baptizing Paul saying that he came not to baptize but to preach the Gospel 217. Preaching in a Mount why used by Christ. p. 257. Preaching among the Jews was performed sitting 619. Predictions strange 820. Presidents or Overseers over the times of Service the Doors the Guards the Singers the Symbal Musick the Lots the Birds the Seals or Tickets the Drink-offerings the Sick the Waters the making of the Shew-bread Incence Vail and the Garments for the Priests what 903 904. Presidents of the Sanhedrim their Names and something of their History from the time of the Captivity 2007. Priest Christ was a Great Priest when and how p. 239. The Priest that was to burn the Red Cow was to be put apart seven days and where the place 2024. * Priesthood why changed from one House to another p. 51. It was valued by the Jews above all other things even above the Commandments of God 574. Priests and Levites how distinguished p. 89. There was a Consistory of them in the Temple to take care of the Affairs thereof and no further to act p. 281. They which were so busie in the Acts of the Apostles against Christianity were of the Sanhedrim p. 282. Their Courses in which they were to attend on the Temple Service p. 401 to 406. They were exceeding many p. 406. Some of them were a Guard to a King p. 406. They entred their Office at the age of thirty years p. 486. They could not cure the Leprosie but Christ did yet he was tender of their reputation p. 648. Their several Ranks p. 903. These were the Consistory of Priests p. 903. There were 24 Courses of them at what age they entered The manner of their Instalment p. 915. How cast into 24 Courses p. 916. According to their Division so were their Degree how they served p. 917. They were put for Heads of the Families of the Priests or chief of the 24 Courses c. 438 439 Priests Those that had blemishes ate of the Holy Things and served in the Wood-room by searching if any of the Wood for Sacrifices was Worm-eaten p. 1093. * Their Court and Desks prescribed p. 2025 to 2029. * what their Garments before and after the Law 2049. * Princes put for the Great Men of the Sanhedrim 1063. * Priority amongst the Disciples contested for at a most unseasonable hour p. 271. compared with p. 250 Prodigality what 849 850 Prodigies Very many before a great destruction in England and before the destruction of Rome and of Jerusalem and Persecution of the Primitive Christians 329 334 359 Professors of the Gospel were called Disciples Believers the Church devout Men Brethren and among the unbelieving Jews in scorn the Seat of the Nazarites at last Christians p. 871. Esseans were no Christians notwithstanding some affirm it 871 872 Prophaneness what 862 863. Prophesie and Tongues were the Gifts of the Holy Ghost p. 281. why they were given p. 281. Prophesie and Inspiration ceased when the Scriptures were finished p. 357 358. It had long ceased before John the Baptists time but began to revive with him p. 423. Text. Marg. It is put by it self in the Scriptures in Chapters as well as Books notwithstanding they were not so delivered p. 121. It had been in the Church ever since the fall of Adam Miracles but since Moses was in the Wilderness p. 701 702. Both ceased after the days of Zachary and Malachy p. 701 702. Prophesie from the death of Moses to the rising of Samuel was very rare 758 Prophet Christ was a Great Prophet when and how 239 Prophets one of the Titles of the Gospel Ministers p. 223. Prophets and Teachers were distinct Functions yet sometimes went together p. 288. The Scrutiny or judging of a Prophet belonged only to the Sanhedrim p. 321. The Law and the Prophets put for all the Old Testament and how p. 533 534. Any one that came in the Spirit of a Prophet had permission to Preach but all such were tryed whether true or false Hence it was that our Saviour and Paul c. had liberty to Preach in every Synagogue p. 613. How to know their Original 999 Prophets The four last Prophets viz. Ezra Haggai Zacchariah and Malachi are all said to dye in one year 2066 2068. * Proselites were admitted into the Jewish Church by Baptism 209 210. Proverbs of Solomon mentioned in Prov. 25. 1. were found in the Temple in an old Manuscript 106 Providence of God much seen in bringing good out of evil 48 Psalms of Degrees why so called p. 111. The Jews have a Rule that every Psalm that bears not the name of the Author of it in the Title is to be reputed of his making who was last named in the Title before but the Holy Ghost seems to intimate that David was the Author of all those that have no Author mentioned in the Title p. 761. The Book of Psalms Harmonized with the five Books of Moses 1019 Publicans what they were p. 230 231. Their Office at first was creditable but afterwards disgraceful p. 461 462. there were two sorts of them 660 Publick Prayers what 944 Pulpit of Wood in the middle of the Temple where the Minister of the Congregation stood p. 205. There was one also in the Court of the Women 973. Pulpits what 2027 * Punishing offences ought to have three causes 415. Marg. Purifyings were of four sorts in the days of Christ 585. Q. QUuadrans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what sort of measure p. 546 Quotations Allegations or Citations when taken out of the Old Testament by the New are sometimes two Places couched together as if they were one yet maketh it sure that the first is always that very Place which it taketh upon it to quote though the second be another p. 451. One place of Scripture quoting or citing another doth sometimes change the Words to fit the occasion 498. R. RAb Rabban Rabbi Titles given the Learned Jews came but in use a little before the Birth of Christ what they denote p.
3936 762 39 9 Q. Sulpit. Camarin and C. Poppaeus Sabinus 3937 763 40 10 Pub. Corn. Dolabella and C. Iunius Silanus 3938 764 41 11 M. Aemil. Lepid. and T. Statilius Taurus 3939 765 42 12 Germanicus Caes. and C. Fonteius Capito 3940 766 43 13 L. Munatius Plancus and C. Silius Caecina 3941 767 44 14 Sext. Pomp. Sexti F. and Sext. Apuleius Sexti F. Augustus Cesar died the XIXth day of August on which day he had formerly entred upon the first Consulship b b b b b b Dion Cass. lib. 56. He lived LXXV years X months and XXVI days He bore the Empire alone from the Victory at Actium XLIV years wanting only XIII days c c c c c c Eutrop. lib. 7. Tiberius held the Empire in great slothfulness with grievous cruelty wicked covetousness and filthy lust Year of the World Of the City built Of Tiberius Of Christ Consuls 3942 768 1 15 Drusus Caes. and C. Norbanus Flaccus 3943 769 2 16 C. Statil Sisenna Taurus and Scribonius Libo 3944 770 3 17 C. Caecil Rufus and L. Pomponianus Flaccus 3945 771 4 18 Tiber. Caes. Aug. III. and Germanicus Caes. II. 3946 772 5 19 M. Iulius Silanus and L. Norban Flac. vel Balbus 3947 773 6 20 M. Valerius Messala and M. Aurel. Cotta 3948 774 7 21 Tiber. Caes. Aug. IV. and Drusus Caes. II. 3949 775 8 22 D. Haterius Agrippa and C. Sulpitius Galba 3950 776 9 23 C. Asinius Pollio and C. Antistius Veter 3951 777 10 24 Sext. Cornel. Cethegus and Visellius Varro 3952 778 11 25 M. Asinius Agrippa and Cossus Cornel. Lentulus 3953 779 12 26 Cn. Lentulus Getulicus and C. Calvisius Sabinus 3954 780 13 27 M. Licinius Crassus and P. L. Calphurnius Piso. 3955 781 14 28 Appius Iul. Silanus and P. Silvius Nerva 3956 782 15 29 C. Rubellius Geminus and C. Fusius Geminus In the early spring of this year came John baptizing In the month Tisri Christ is baptized when he had now accomplished the nine and twentieth year of his age and had now newly entred upon his thirtieth The thirtieth of Christ is to be reckoned with the sixteenth of Tiberius Of Augustus now entring upon his one and thirtieth year wherein Christ was born Dion Cassius hath moreover these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having now compleated thrice ten years being compelled indeed to it he continued his Government and entred upon a fourth ten of years being now more easie and slothful by reason of age In this very year was the Taxation under Cyrenius of which Luke speaks Chap. II. So that if it be asked when the fifth Monarchy of the Romans arose after the dissolution of those four mentioned by Daniel An easie answer may be fetched from S. Luke who relates that in that very year wherein Christ was born Augustus laid a Tax upon the whole World III. Christ was born in the thirty fift year of the reign of Herod which we gather from the observation of these things 1. d d d d d d Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 10. Herod reigned from that time he was first declared King by the Romans seven and thirty years 2. Between the death of Herod and the death of Augustus there was this space of time 1. e e e e e e Ios. Antiq. lib. 1â— cap 15. The ten years current of the reign of Archelaus 2. f f f f f f Id. ibid. lib. Coponius succeeds him banished into Vienna in the Presidentship of Judea 3. Marcus Ambibuchus succeeds Coponius 4. g g g g g g Id. iold cap. 3 Annius Rufus succeeds Ambibuchus during whose Presidentship Augustus dies 18. cap. 1. Since therefore only fourteen years passed from the nativity of Christ to the death of Augustus out of which sum when you shall have reckoned the ten years current of Archelaus and the times of the three Presidents we must reckon that Christ was not born but in the last years of Herod Thus we conjecture In his thirty fift Christ was born In his thirty seventh now newly begun the Wise men came presently after this was the slaying of the infants and after a few months the death of Herod IV. Christ was born about the twenty seventh year of the Presidentship of Hillel in the Sanhedrin The rise of the family of Hillel took its beginning at the decease of the Asmonean family Herod indeed succeeded in the Kingly government a family sprung from Babylon and as was believed of the stock of David For h h h h h h Hieros Taanith fol. 68. 1. a book of genealogy was found at Jerusalem which we mentioned before in which it was written that Hillel was sprung from the stock of David by his wife Abital Now Hillel went up out of Babylon to Jerusalem to enquire of the Wise men concerning some things when now after the death of Shemaia and Abtalion the two sons of Betira held the chief seats And when he who had resorted thither to learn something had taught them some things of the Passover rites which they had forgot they put him into the chair You have the full story of it in the i i i i i i Pisachâ—n fol. 33. 1. Jerusalem Talmud We mention it Chap. XXVI 1. Now Hillel went up to Jerusalem and took the Chair an hundred years before the destruction of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k k k k k k Bab. Schabb. fol 15. 1. Hillel and his son Simeon and his son Gamaliel and his son Simeon bare the Government for an hundred years before the laying waste of the Temple Of those hundred years if you take away two and thirty and an half of the life of Christ and forty years as it is commonly computed coming between the death of Christ and the destruction of the City there remain the twenty seven years of Hillel before the birth of our Saviour Hillel held the government forty years So that his death happened about the twelfth or thirteenth year of Christ His son also held it after him and his grandsons in a long succession even to R. Judah the Holy The splendor and pomp of this family of Hillel had so obscured the rest of the families of Davids stock that perhaps they believed or expected the less that the Messias should spring from any of them Yea one in the Babylonian Gemara was almost perswaded that Rabbi Judah the Holy of the Hillelian family was the Messias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Sanhedr fol. 98. 2. Rabh said If Messiah be among the living our Holy Rabbi is such if among the dead Daniel was he V. Christ was born in the month Tisri somewhat answering to our September This we conclude omitting other things by computing backwards from his death For if he died in his two and thirtieth year and an half at the feast of the Passover in the month Nisan you must necessarily lay the time of
value upon the thing above all the gifts of them that offered CHAP. XIII VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the Mount of Olives over against the Temple THE a a a a a a Middoth cap. 1. hal 3. East gate of the Court of the Gentiles had the Metropolis Shushan painted on it And through this gate the High Priest went out to burn the red Cow And b b b b b b Cap. 2. hal 4. All the Walls of that Court were high except the East Wall because the Priest when he burnt the red Cow stood upon the top of Mount Olivet and took his aim and looked upon the gate of the Temple in that time when he sprinkled the blood And c c c c c c Parah cap. 3 hal 9. The Priest stood with his face turned Westward kills the Cow with his right hand and receives the blood with the lest but sprinkleth it with his right and that seven times directly towards the holy of Holies It is true indeed from any Tract of Olivet the Temple might be well seen but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over against if it doth not direct to this very place yet some place certainly in the same line and it cannot but recal to our mind that action of the High Priest VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not troubled THINK here how the Traditions of the Scribes affrighted the Nation with the Report of Gog and Magog immediately to go before the coming of Messiah d d d d d d Beresh Rabb §. 41. R. Eliezer ben Abina saith When you see Kingdoms disturbing one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then expect the footsteps of the Messiah And know that this is true from hence that so it was in the days of Abraham for Kingdoms disturbed one another and then came redemption to Abraham And elsewhere e e e e e e Bab. Sanhedr fol. 95. 2. So they came against Abraham and so they shall come with Gog and Magog And again f f f f f f Ibid. fol. 97. 1 The Rabbins deliver In the first year of that week of years that the Son of David is to come shall that be fulfilled I will rain upon one City but I will not rain upon another Amos IV. The second year The Arrows of famine shall be sent forth The third The famine shall be grievous and men and women and children holy men and men of good works shall dye And there shall be a forgetfulness of the Law among those that learn it The fourth year Fulness and not fulness The fifth year Great fulness for they shall eat and drink and rejoyce and the Law shall return to its Scholars The sixth year Voices The Gloss is A fame shall be spread that the Son of David comes or they shall sound with the trumpet The seventh year Wars and in the going out of that seventh year the Son of David shall come VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the beginnings of sorrows ESâ—i LXVI 7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Before she travailed she brought forth before the labour of pains came she was delivered and brought forth a male Who hath heard such a thing c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Does the earth bring forth in one day or is a Nation also brought forth at once For Sion was in travail and brought forth her sons The Prophet here says two things I. That Christ should be born before the destruction of Jerusalem The Jews themselves collect and acknowledge this out of this Prophesie g g g g g g Hieron a 〈◊〉 side lib. 1. contra Iudâ—os cap. 2. It is in the Great Genesis a very antient book thus R. Samuel bar Nahaman said Whence prove you that in the day when the desâ—ruction of the Temple was Messias was born He answered From this that is said in the last Chapter of Esaiah Before she travailed she brought forth before her bringing forth shall come she brought forth a male child In the same hour that the destruction of the Temple was Israel cryed out as though she were bringing forth And Jonathan in the Châ—ldee translation said Before her trouble came she was saved and before pains of child-birth came upon her Messiah was revealed In the Chaldee it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A King shall manifest himself In like manner in the same Book R. Samuel bar Nahaman said It happened that Elias went by the way in the day wherein the Destruction of the Temple was and he heard a certain voice crying out and saying The holy Temple is destroyed Which when he heard he imagined how he could destroy the World but travailing forward he saw men plowing and sowing to whom he said God is angry with the World and will destroy his house and lead his children Captives to the Gentiles and do you labour for temporal Victuals And another voice was heard saying Let them work for the Saviour of Israel is born And Elias said where is he And the voice said In Bethlehem of Judah c. These words this Author speaks and these words they speak II. As it is not without good reason gathered that Christ shall be born before the destruction of the City from that clause Before she travailed she brought forth before her bringing forth came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pangs of travail she brought forth a male child so also from that clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Is a Nation brought forth at once for Sion travailed and brought forth her children is gathered as well that the Gentiles were to be gathered and called to the faith before that destruction which our Saviour most plainly teacheth ver 10. But the Gospel must first be preached among all Nations For how the Gentiles which should believe are called the Children of Sion and the Children of the Church of Israel every where in the Prophets there is no need to shew for every one knows it In this sense is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pangs or sorrows in this place to be understood and it agrees not only with the sense of the Prophet alledged but with a most common phrase and opinion in the Nation concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sorrows of the Messiah that is concerning the calamities which they expected would happen at the coming of the Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h h h h Sanhedr fol. 98. 2. Ulla saith the Messias shall come but I shall not see him so also saith Rabba Messias shall come but I shall not see him That is he shall not be to be seen Abai saith to Rabba Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because of the sorrows of the Messias It is a Tradition His Disciples asked R. Eleazar What may a man do to be delivered from the sorrows of Messias Let him be conversant in the Law and in the works of mercy The Gloss
Syrians Assyrians Babylonians Mesopotanians and an infinite number of Israelites of the twelve Tribes sprinkled among them using also the same Language Now let us see briefly what Bibles were used in their Synagogues CHAP. V. The Hebrew Bible read in the Synagogues of the Hebrews THE Jerusalem Talmudists say a a a a a a Taanith fol. 56. 1. There were five things wanting under the second Temple which were under the first the fire from Heaven the Ark Urim and Thummim the oyl of anoynting and the holy Spirit or the Spirit of Prophesie Let the Hebrew Tongue the Prophetic Language be added also Of the Spirit of Prophesie the Babylonian Talmudists have these words also b b b b b b Sotah f. 24. 2. From the death of the later Prophets Haggai Zechary and Malachi the holy Spirit ceased from Israel In the first generation indeed after the return out of Babylon that the gift of prophesie flourished those Prophets and indeed very many others do witness if we believe the Masters of the Traditions For thus they speak c c c c c c Hieros Megil fol. 70. 4. Among the eighty Elders who opposed the statute of Esther and Mordecai concerning the Feast of Purim as if it were an innovation in the Law more than thirty were Prophets But that generation being extinct the gift of Prophesie vanished also and appeared no more before the morning of the Gospel To this that of St. John hath respect Chap. VII 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Ghost was not yet and Act. XIX 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have not heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Whether the use of the Mother Hebrew Tongue was continued in that first generation as the gift of Prophesie was continued we shall not dispute this certainly we cannot pass by that those Books of the sacred Canon which were writ in that generation viz. Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Haggai Zechariah Malachi only a little in the Book of Ezra excepted all were written in the Hebrew Language Whether the Hebrew Language were at that time the vulgar speech or not without all doubt in the ages following the Syriac or Chaldee was the Mother Tongue both in Babylon and Palestine and yet the Hebrew Bible was read in their Synagogues not understood by the common people but rendered into Chaldee their Vulgar Tongue by an Interpreter The Gemarists assert that it was so done in that first generation while they thus explain those words of Nehemiah Chap. VIII 8. d d d d d d Megil f. 2. 1. Nedarim fol. 37. 2. They read in the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Hebrew Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 explaining it that is with the Targum In all the following ages these things obtained e e e e e e Massech Sopher cap. 1. hal 6. â—â— any write the holy books in any Language or in any Character yet he shall not read in them publicly in the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless they be written in Hebrew f f f f f f Hieros Megil fol. 74. 4. R. Samuel bar Rabh Isaac went into the Synagogue and saw a Minister there interpreting and not any standing by him for an Interpreter He saith to him This is forbid you for as the Law was given by a Mediator so it is to be handled with a Mediator Hence were there so many and so accurate Canons concerning an Interpreter in the Synagogues g g g g g g Bab. Megil fol. 23. 2. He that reads in the Law let him not read to the Interpreter more at one time than one verse The Gloss saith Left the Interpreter mistake And h h h h h h Ibid. f. 25. 1. The deed of Ruben is read but it is not intepreted The deed of Thamar is read but it is not interpreted The first History of the golden Calf is read and interpreted the second is read but is not interpreted Where the Gloss is That History which Aaron himself relates of the Calf is called the second History of the Calf In it are thâ—se words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there came out this Calf Therefore that story is not interpeted lest the common people err and say That there was something that came forth from it self But they understood not the Hebrew Text it self Let that be marked The Gemarists go on R. Chaninah ben Gamaliel went to Chabul and hearing there a Minister of the Synagogue reading those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it came to pass when Israel dwelt He said to the Interpreter Be silent and interpret not and the wife men commanded him Very many passages of that nature might be produced whereby it appears plain that the Hebrew Text was read in the Synagogue of the Hebrews that is of those of Babylon and Palestine and whose so ever Mother Tongue was Syriac or Chaldee But whether it were read in the Synagogues of the Hellenists further enquiry must be made CHAP. VI. What the Iews think of the Versions THOSE Canons which we have cited concerning reading and interpretation do they bind the Jews Palestines and Babylonians only or other Jews and the whole Nation wheresoever dispersed Those Canons are in both Talmuds and as all other Traditions comprised in that Book do bind the whole Nation unless where the reason of times and the difference of places dispense so why should not these bind concerning reading the Law and the Prophets in the Synagogues out of the Hebrew Text The whole Jewish Nation were carried out with the highest zeal and veneration towards the Hebrew Text which to neglect in the Synagogues was accounted among them for a high impiety It was read in the Synagogues of the Hebrews and rendred very frequently in the very words of Onk los and Jonathan And why were not the Targumists themselves read rather and the business done by fewer Because the original Text is by no means to be neglected And why the Hellenists should be cooler in this business than the Hebrews who can give a reason Therefore how much the more zeal and honour they had for the Hebrew Text so much the less greatful to them was the Version of it into another Tongue For they thought so much of honour vertue and worth departed from the holy Text as that Language or those very letters were departed from I. In that Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Books pollute the hands whereby as they say the worth of those Books is proved if there be made any change of the Language or Characters so much they believe the nobility of them is diminished a a a a a a Jadaim cap. 4. hal 5. For the Targum if it be written in Hebrew and the Hebrew Bible if it be written in the Language of the Targum and the writing changed they defile not the hands and indeed those Books do not defile the hands
evinc'd that Conscience may be at miserable trouble within it self and yet that person at most intire peace with God that his peace with God may be most undoubtedly sure when his Conscience doth most doubt of it But these would require the hour to begin again to have time to speak to them And indeed it may seem as mourning at a banquet of Wine to speak of an afflicted Conscience at a Feast of rejoycing II. And therefore having thus spoke to the negative I shall come to the positive and shew what it is to have Peace having shewed what it is not But when shall I begin and when end First a discourse of this subject must begin at the suburbs of Hell enmity with God and end in the highest Heaven the full enjoyment of him in glory Secondly it must proceed to shew the original of this enmity from the disjunction of sinful nature from the holy nature of God and from disobedience of life and will to the divine Will and Law And now thirdly it comes to Jerusalem the vision of Peace The thing it self what it is we may take up in two considerations briefly 1. It is a laying away and extinguishing of Gods hatred and enmity against a sinner 2. It is not only privately the laying aside the wrath of God but positively the flowing in of the love of God Moses prays to God Lord shew me thy Glory Oh! what a sight is it when the cloud of unbelief is over how lovely and sweetly does the Son of righteousness arise upon us But I give not the whole definition of Peace with God unless to God reconciled to man I add Man reconcil'd to God We may observe how the Holy Ghost expresses the great Reconciliation the main stress lies in the reconciliation of man to God Col. I. 20. God through the blood of the cross hath reconcil'd all things to himself He saith not hath reconcil'd himself to all things but all things to himself And in II Cor. V. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself He saith not reconciling himself unto the World and vers 20. We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God The great business is for man to be reconciled unto God Absalom unto David Here then is the main trial to know whether God be at peace with you see if you be at peace with him This is the Note in the Index and if we find it there we may be sure to find the other in the Book As he that looked Westward for the rising of the Sun saw it sooner guilding the tops of the Mountains than they that looked for it in the East So this is the best way to see whether God be at peace with us let us look back upon our selves and see how our Condition is towards God Some hold that the answer by Urim and Thummim was by the rising of the stones in the High Priests brestplate Though I am not of their mind yet I may allude unto it in the case in hand Look into thine own breast make thine observation thence see how thy heart stands affected towards God and by that thou mayest undestand what Gods Answer to thy Question is viz. Whether he be at Peace with thee A SERMON PREACHED AT HERTFORD Assise March 1660. REVEL XX. 4. And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and Judgment was given unto them THIS portion of Scripture out of which I have taken this Text is as much misconstrued and as dangerously misconstrued as any one portion of Scripture in all the Bible How much I shall shew you in the unfolding of it and how dangerously you may read in the late example of a handful of unhappy men who thought to have brought our great City but indeed brought themselves to a fatal end and untimely grave meerly upon the misconstruction of this Scripture I must therefore humbly crave your patience a little whilst I speak something for the discovery of the meaning of the context that so I may facilitate and plain the way to the understanding of the meaning of the words that I have chosen What work the Millinary and Fifth-monarchists make upon this place I need not tell you I would that matter were not so well known as it is To whom and to whose opinion I must do as he did in the story who when a great company of men were met together and wanted a head over them and had agreed that he should be their chief that could first espy the Sun rising the next morning whilst all the rest stood gazing into the East for that purpose one among them turned the clear contrary way and looked Westward and he espied the shining of the Sun on the hill tops before him sooner than they could espy the body of the Sun arising in the East before them So I to these men and their opinion They look forward and make account that the things that are here spoken of their accomplishment and fulfilling are yet to come I look backward and fear not to aver that the things here spoken of have received their accomplishment not long ago They look forward and expect that the 1000 years that are here mentioned are yet to begin I look backward and make no doubt that those 1000 years ended and expired above half a thousand years since And the reason of this difference between us is because there is propotionable difference between us about subjectum quaestionis the subject and matter that the Apocaiyptick here aimeth at He speaks up that great and noble Theme that all the Prophets so divinely and comfortably harp upon namely the calling of the Gentiles that they should come in out of their dark and deluded estate to the light and embracing of the Gospel and to become the Church and People of the living God This is the Theme of our Apocalyptick here and he speaks to it in seven particulars I. As to the way and manner that God used to bring them in that Christ the great Angel of the Covenant should by the power of the Gospel chain up the Devil that he should deceive them no more as he had done The mistakers I mentioned do either ignorantly or wilfully err about the subject handled here and construe it to this sense that the Devil should be bound by Christ that he should not persecute disturb and disquiet the Church as he had done but that all along these thousand years their should be only some time of peace and tranquillity and not one cloud of disquieture or disturbance by the Devil or his instruments eclipse it A sense as far from the Holy Ghosts meaning as the East is from the West There is not a word here of the Devils binding that He should not disturb the Church but of the Devils binding that He should not deceive the Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let a Grecian Read the words and he will render them that He should not deceive the
sung at the Passover which were ordinarily used by the Jews for that occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritual Songs were other Songs in Scripture besides Davids So you read of the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb in XV. Revel 3. 3. Observe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. V. The English translates it to your selves i. e. inter vos mutuo among your selves as Beza well and as that in Col. III. explains it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admonishing one another Which speaks it a publick exercise and of communion where all joyned and stirred up one another III. Further examples of this Exercise in the New Testament we might observe in the Revelations That Book speaks of the State of the Christian Church and one great work of it is singing Rev. V. 9. And they sung a new song c. The ordinary practise was to sing the Psalms of David but they sung a new song and that is there set down Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. So in Rev. XIV 23. And I heard the voice of Harpers harping with their harps And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the Elders and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the Earth This place speaks according to the acceptation of the Jews how they shall sing when Messiah brings them out of Captivity for there is mention among them of one hundred and forty four thousand of the twelve Tribes And so upon other occasions you find the Church singing as in XV. Chap. 2 3. But that that I shall fix on is that in 1 Cor. XI 5. Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head What is meant by the woman prophesying Not preaching For that is forbidden them in the Chapter wherein the Text is 34. vers Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted them to speak c. Nay nor so much as to ask any question which in the Jewish assemblies at their Sermons was ordinary vers 35. And if they will learn any thing let them ask their husbands at home Neither is meant by this prophesying prophesying in the proper sense i. e. foretelling things to come For it is a question whether any woman in Corinth nay in rerum natura now Philips daughters excepted Act. XXI 9. did thus prophesie But it is plain the Apostle speaks of the ordinary Service which whole Congregations joyned in and the praying and prophesying here used is praying and praising or singing Psalms Take the Apostles own gloss in this Chapter vers 15 I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the Understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the Understanding also As all the Congregation joyned in prayer with the Minister and said Amen vers 16. So all the Congregation Men and Women joyned with him that had and gave the Psalm and sung with him For the Conclusion I might produce even endless Encomiums and Extollings of this work in Christian Writers viz. That it is the work of Angels the Employment of glorified Saints the musick of Heaven c. I confess I want words to express the excellency of this Duty Now to make some Use of what I have said I. If I were in a vulgar or unlearned Congregation I would give rules for singing of Psalms with profit and among divers especially these two 1. To mind what is sung not only that the Heart go along with the Tongue in general but to be carefully observant of what is sung There is variety of matter in most Psalms they pass from one thing to another This we should carefully observe now I pray now I mourn for my sins for the Church of God c. To this I may apply that in vers 15. I will sing with the understanding if the place speaks in reference to a mans own understanding of what he prays or sings but the Apostle there means of singing and praying to be understood by others 2. To apply to our selves the matter we sing as far as it may concern us To bear a part with David not in word and tune but affection This way we must use in hearing or reading the Scripture to bring it home to our own concernment So likewise in this action of singing Thus did they Revel XV. 3. They sung the song of Moses that is they applied Moses song in Exod. XV. unto themselves And this the leisure for meditation gives you opportunity to do At male dum recitas incipit esse tuus He that illy repeats another mans verses makes them ill verses but withal makes them his own But here I will alter the words a little Si bene recitas If you sing right sing Davids Psalms but make them your own Let the skill of composure be His the life of devotion yours II. If I thought there were any here that made scruple of this ordinance I would speak a word or two to them Let me say but two things First There is no plain ground why to refrain from singing but most plain grounds why to sing A thousand times we are bidden Sing never forbidden Sing not So of the holy Sacrament t is commanded in Scripture Do this but never Do it not Secondly Where a Duty is commanded and a scruple ariseth from some circumstance it is safer to go with the Command than from it It is commanded in Psal. XXXIV 3. O magnifie the Lord with me c. The scruple is that some prophane persons sing that set forms are too narrow c. It is warrantable now notwithstanding these scruples to keep up to the Command but not contra not warrantable to omit the Command because of these scruples There is no extinguishing a Duty because of some particular doubts concerning it This rule holds good of the reception of the holy Sacrament III. I might speak by way of incitation to all to make Conscience of this Duty Fail not to joyn with the Congregation in the performance of it stir up your hearts while you are conversant about it Say to your selves as David to his Instruments Awake Lute and Harp I my self will awake right early I will say but this Qui vult cantare in Coelo discat cantare in terris He that will sing in Heaven let him learn that divine exercise on Earth As S. Paul saith of Charity 1 Cor. XIII 8. Charity never faileth but whether there be prophesies they shall fail whether there be Tongues they shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away But charity only remains and goes to Heaven with us So I say of this Duty Praise only of all the Services we perform to God here goes along with us to Heaven There is no
sweetness in their sense which doth deserve and may require our serious and feeling thoughts and meditations If any one will find a knot in a bulrush and thinks he hath found a ground for the opinion of universal Redemption out of this Word the World which our Saviour useth all along let this same Evangelist give him an answer out of 1 Joh. 2. 2. where he plainly shews that the World is not to be understood de omnibus singulis of all and every singular person in the World but of all Nations and that the Gentiles come within the Compass of Christs reconciliation for sin as well as the Jews And our Saviour useth the word here the rather that by the full sense of it he might meet with the various misprisions and misconceptions of Nicodemus and the rest of the Nation about these matters that were in discourse They conceived that the Lord only loved that Nation and none else that the Messias should only come for the good of that Nation and none else nay that he should destroy other Nations for the advancement of that Nation alone but Christ informeth him here that God loved the World the Gentiles as well as the Jews that he gave his only begotten Son to the World to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews and that God sent not his Son Messias into the world to destroy and condemn it but that it might be saved the Gentiles as well as the Jewish Nation Vers. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already Not that every one that heareth the Gospel and at present believeth not is irrevocably damned for he that believeth not now may yet believe hereafter and be saved but 1. He that believeth not in Christ is yet in the State of Damnation for out of Christ out of Salvation And 2. he is already judged for so the Greek word is as deserving damnation and one that shall fall into it if he continue in his unbelief not only by God but even by the thing it self for he that will not believe in the only begotten Son of God and that will choose darkness rather than light ex reipsa he is already judged convicted and condemned as not only out of the way of Salvation but as deserving to be damned and so shall be if he thus continue These are the two emphatical things in this speech of our Saviour that aggravate the unbelief and that justifie the condemnation of the Unbeliever 1. Because he believes not in the Son of God And 2. Because light came into the world and men chose darkness rather than light If we apply the speech to the times in which Christ appeared here was the condemnation of the unbelieving Jews that they would take upon them to believe Moses and the Prophets and yet they would not believe him that sent them nay they would believe their own foolish Doctors and traditions and any one that came among them in his own name and yet they would not believe in the name of the Son of God They walked in a double darkness as namely not only in a want of the guidance of the spirit of Prophecy and of faithful Teachers but also in the leading of most blind guides and of most dark Doctors and yet when Light it self came among them they loved and imbraced this darkness and refused the Light And much in the like kind may the matter be applied to unbelievers of what time so ever Vers. 21. But he that doth truth c. As there is an opposition here of light and darkness that is of the truth and error of a true doctrine and false for so it is apparent enough that the terms are to be understood so is there an opposition of doing evil and doing the truth and the one may the better be understood by the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the phrase used here and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which phrase is used by this same Evangelist 1 Joh. 3. 8. doth not nakedly signifie to sin for the Saints of God do sin Jam. 3. 2. 1 Kings 8. 46. and cannot do otherwise Rom. 7. 15 17 18. and yet John saith that whosoever is born of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3. 9. but these phrases to do evil and commit sin do signifie a setting of a mans self to do evil Dare operam peccato as Beza translates it so on the contrary To do truth is dare operam veritati as he also renders it here when a mans bent and desire is to do uprightly when gracious desires of doing truth and uprightness lie in the bottom though the sâ—um of many failings swim aloft in heart when to will is present as Rom. 7. 18. and when the mind is to serve the Law of God as Rom. 7. 25. whosoever is so composed declineth not the light but delighteth to come to it and to the touchstone of the truth that his works may be made manifest §. That they are wrought in God That is either by the power of God for so the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may import which very commonly signifieth By as might be exemplified numerously or In God is as much as to say as in the way or fear of God as to marry in the Lord 1 Cor. 7. 39. is to marry in his way or according to his will and to die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. is to die in his fear or in his acceptance And thus hath Christ opened to Nicodemus the great Doctrines of the New birth Baptism free Grace Faith obedience and the love of the Truth and made him a Disciple as appears Joh. 19. 39. and yet he keeps his place and rank in the Sanhedrin and there doth what good offices he can Joh. 7. 50. Vers. 22. After these things came Iesus and his Disciples into the Country of Iudea c. It is not determinable in what part of Judea Christ fixed and made his abode nor indeed is it whether he fixed in any one place or removed up and down here and there in the country It appeareth by the story in the following chapter that when he had occasion to set for Galilee he was then in such a part of Judea as that his next way thither was to go through or close by the City of Samaria and so it seemeth that he was in that part of Judea that lay Northward of Jerusalem Gibeon lay much upon that point of the compass and the waters there might be a very fit conveniency for his baptizing see 2 Sam. 2. 13. §. And there he tarried and Baptized Yet Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples Chap. 4. 2. It is ordinary both in Scripture phrase and in other languages to ascribe that as done by a man himself that is done by another at his appointment as Act. 7. 21. Pharaohs daughter is said to nurse Moses 2 King 6. 7. Solomon is said to build the Temple and his own house 1 Sam. 26. 11 12. 14.