another prayed or preached in the Hebrew Language according to the custom used in the Synagogues Which thing indeed the Apostle allowed so there were an Interpreter as was done in the Synagogues because that Language full of misteries being rendred by a fit Interpreter might very much conduce to the Edification of the Church I suspect also that they Judaized in the confused mixture of their voices which seems to be done by them because the Apostle admonisheth them to speak by turns ver 27. and not together Now from whence they might fetch that confusedness judge from these passages d d d d d d Megil fol. 21. 2. The Rabbins deliver In the Law one reads and one interpreters And let not one read and two interpret But in the Prophets one reads and two interpret But let not two read and two interpret And in the Hallel and in the book of Esther ten may read and ten interpret The Gloss is thus Let not one read in the Law and two interpret Much less let two read And the reason is because two voices together are not heard But in the Prophets let one read and two interpret Because the interpretation was for the sake of women and the common people who understood not the holy Language An it was necessary they should hear the interpretation of the Law that they might understand the precepts But of the interpretation of the Prophets they were not so accurate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that prophesieth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To prophesie comprehends three things Singing Psalms Doctrin and Revelation as vers 26. I. To Prophesy is taken for singing Psalms or celebrating the praises of God 1 Sam. X. 5. A Choir of Prophets shall meet thee with a drum a pipe and a harp and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall prophesy Where the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they shall sing or praise And Chap. XIX 24 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he went forward singing And he put off his royal garment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sung From this signification of the word prophesying you may understand in what sense a woman is said to prophesy Chap. XI 5. that is To sing Psalms For what is there said by the Apostle A man praying or prophesying and a woman praying or prophesying is explained in this Chapter when it is said I will pray and I will sing II. To prophesie is to preach or to have a doctrin as vers 26. Hence the Chaldee almost always renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prophet by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scribe or Learned or one that teacheth When it is very ordinarily said of those that were endued with extraordinary gifts That they spake with Tongues and Prophesied Act. X. 46. it is said that they spake with Tongues and magnified God For they prophesied is said they magnified God And that these two ways either by praysing God or by preaching and declaring the wonderful things of God Act. XI 11. III. To Prophesy is to foretel and teach something from divine revelation which is expressed vers 26. by Hath a revelation In those times there were some who being inspired with a Spirit of Revelation either foretold things to come as Agabus did a famine Act. XI 28. and Pauls bonds Act. XXI 10. or revealed the mind of God to the Church concerning the doing or the not doing this or that thing as Act. XIII 2. By the Prophets of Antioch they separate Paul and Barnabas c. VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I would that ye all spake with Tongues THE words do not so much speak wishing as directing as though he had said I restrain you not to prophesying alone however I speak those things which are vers 1 2 3. But I will exhort that ye spake with Tongues when it is convenient but rather that ye prophesy He had said Tongue in the singular number vers 2 4. because he spake of a single man now he saith Tongues in the plural number in the very same sense but that he speaks of many speaking Would the Apostle therefore have this or doth he perswade it or doth he wish it if so be it be a wish I would have you all speak in the Church in the Punic Egyptian Ethiopic Scythian and other unknown tongues Think seriously to what end this could be But if you understand it of the Hebrew the end is plain VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is it then THE Apostle renders in Greek the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most common in the Schools e e e e e e Bab. Chetubb fol. 39 1. Rabba asked Abai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man goes in to the woman when she is espoused what then Or what is to be resolved in that case Again f f f f f f Ibid. f. 61. 1. The wife saith I will suckle the Infant but the husband saith thou shalt not suckle him The women hearken But the husband saith that she should suckle it the wife saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is then to be done g g g g g g Bava Mezia fol. 24. 2. One goes in the street and finds a purse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is to be done with it behold it becomes his But an Israelite comes and gives some signs of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is then to be resolved on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h h h h Jevamoth fol. 25. 1. Let our Master teach us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Priest that hath a blemish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is it that he lift up his hands to bless the people that is What is to be resolved concerning him whether he should lift up his hands or no And the determination of the Question follows every where To the same sense the Apostle in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What therefore is to be done in this case about the use of an unknown tongue he determines I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding So vers 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is it brethren that is What is to be done in this case when every one hath a Psalm hath a doctrin c. He determines Let all things be done to edification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I will pray with the Spirit c. That is in the demonstration of the gifts of the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding that is That I be understood by others VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that occupieth the room of the unlearned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hidjot a word very usual among the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i i i i i Bab. Mezia fol. 104. 1. R. Meir explained or determined in the private tongue So also R. Judah And Hillel the old And R. Jochanan ben Korchah c. The Gloss is Private men were wont to write
husband III. s s s s s s Gittin in the place above And R. Sol. R. Nissin there The School of Hillel saith If the Wife cook her husbands food illy by over salting or over roasting it she is to be put away IV. Yea If by any stroke from the hand of God she become dumb or sottish c. V. But not to relate all the things for which they pronounce a wife to be divorsed among which they produce some things that modesty allows not to be repeated let it be enough to mention that of R. Akibah instead of all t t t t t t Mishnah ult in Gittin cap. 9. R. Akibah said If any man sees a woman handsomer than his won wife he may put her away because it is said If she find not favour in his eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bill of Divorce And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Bill of Divorce Mat. XIX 7. and in the Septuagint Deut. XXIV 1. Of which Beza thus This bil may seem to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as Departing away not in respect of the wife put away as of the husband departing away from his wife Something hard and diametrically contrary to the Canonical doctrine of the Jewes For thus they write u u u u u u Maimon in Gerushin ca. 1. It is written in the bill Behold thou art put away Behold thou art thrust away c. But if he writes I am not thy husband or I am not thy spouse c. it is not a just bill for it is said He shall put her away not He shall put himself away This Bill is called by the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Bill of cutting off and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Bill of expulsion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Instrument and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Instrument of dismission and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters of forsaking c. I. A Wife might not be put away unless a bill of divorce were given Therefore it is called saith Baal Turimi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A bill of cutting off because there is nothing else that cuts her off from the husband For although a wife were obtained three ways of which see the x x x x x x Kiddush cap. 1. hal 1. Talmud yet there was no other way of dismissing her besides a bill of divorce y y y y y y Baal Turim upon Deutr. XXIV II. A wife was not put away unless the husband were freely willing for if he were unwilling it was not a divorce but whether the wife were willing or unwilling she was to be divorsed if her husband would z z z z z z Maimon in Gerushin cap. 1. III. a a a a a a Rashba in Tikkun Gâ—t at the end of Gittin in Alphes A bill of divorce was written in twelve lines neither more nor less R. Mordechai gives the reason of this number in these words b b b b b b Ch. 1. upon Tract Gittin Let him that writes a bill of divorse comprize it twelve lines according to the value of the number of the letters in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Get. But Rabh Saadias interprets that the bill of divocre should be written with the same number of lines wherein the books of the Law are separated For four lines come between the book of Genesis and the book of Exodus four between the book of Exodus and the book of Leviticus four between the book Leviticus and the book Numbers But the four between the book of Numbers and Deuteronomy are not reckoned because that book is only a repetition of the Law c. IV. You have the Copy of a Bill of Divorce in c Alphesius upon Gittin in this form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Bill of Divorce On the day of the week N. of the month of N. of the year of the Worlds Creation N. according to the computation by which we are wont to reckon in the Province N. I N. the son of N. and by what name soever I am called of the City N with the greatest consent of my mind and without any compulsion urging me have put away dismissed and expelled thee thee I say N. the daughter of N. by what name soever thou art called of the City N. who heretofore wert my wife But now I have dismissed thee thee I say N. the daughter of N. by what name soever thou art called of the City N. So that thou art free and in thine own power to marry whosoever shall please thee and let no man hinder thee from this day forward even for ever Thou art free therefore for any man And let this be to thee a bill of rejection from me Letters of Divorse and a Scedule of expulsion according to the Law of Moses and Israel Reuben the son of Iacob witness Eliezer the son of Gilead witness See also this form varied in some few words in Maimonides d d d d d d In Gerushin sol 273. 2. V. This bill being confirmed with the husbands seal and the subscription of witnesses was to be delivered into the hand of the wife either by the husband himself or by some other deputed by him for this office or the wife might depute some body to receive it in her stead VI. It was not to be delivered to the wife but in the presence of two who might read the bill both before it was given into the hand of the wife and after and when it was given the husband if present said thus Behold this is a bill of Divorce to you VII The wife thus dismissed might if she pleased bring this bill to the Sanhedrin where it was enrolled among the Records if she desired it in memory of the thing The dismissed person likewise might marry whom she would if the husband had not put some stop in the bill by some clause forbidding it VERS XXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Whosoever shall put away his wife c. 1. OUR Saviour does not abrogate Moses permission of Divorses but tolerates it yet keeping it within the Mosaic bounds that is in the case of adultery condemning that liberty in the Jewish Canons which allowed it for any cause II. Divorse was not commanded in the case of adultery but permitted Isralites were compelled sometimes even by Whipping to put away their Wives as appears in e e e e e e In Gerushin cap. 2. Maimonides But our Saviour even in the case of adultery does not impose a compulsion to divorse but indulgeth a licence to do it III. He that puts away his wife without the cause of Fornication makes her commit adultery that is if she commits adultery or although she commit not adultery in act yet he is guilty of all the lustful motions of her that is put away for he that lustfully desires is said to commit adultery vers 28. VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉
other should preach c. For the Interpreter did sometimes Comment and Preach upon what they read And probably Christ did at this time both read and properly interpreted h h h h h h Beresh rabb Sect. 80. Jose the Maonite expounded in the Synagogue of Maon Hear O ye Priests harken O House of Israel and give ye ear O House of the King Hos. V. 1. He said The Holy blessed God is about to snatch away the Priests and set them in judgment saying unto them Why have ye not laboured in the Law Have you not had the use and enjoyment of four and twenty portions belonging to the Priests They say unto him They have not given us any thing Harken O ye House of Israel Why have you not given those four and twenty portions to the Priests which I have commanded you in the Law They answer him Because of those who are of the house of the Prince who devour all themselves Give ear O house of the King for judgment is toward you For to you I have said that this should be the rule concerning the Priests To you therefore and over you is it turned a rule of judgment Rabbi the Prince heard this and was displeased with it i i i i i i Massech Sopherim cap. 13. After these things did King Ahashuerus promote Hamon the Son of Hammadetha Rabh Joseph expounded it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After these things the King promoted Hamon of Hammadetha the Agagite the son of Cuza the son of Aphlet the son of Dio the son of Diasot the son Paros the son of Nidan the son of Baalkan c. See loc and compare it with the Targumist upon Esther Chap. III. 1. k k k k k k Megil fol. 2◠1. A reader in the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlargeth upon Shemaa the manner and form of the thing we have l l l l l l In Massech Soph. cap. 14. he passeth before the Ark and lifteth up his hands that is in order to give him blessing but if he be a child his Father or his Master doth these things in his stead c. But the Gloss tells us That these things are to be understood of an ordinary reader of the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now Christ was an extraordinary Reader However he read here which he hid not do in any other Synagogue for this was the Synagogue to which he belonged and he read as a member of that Synagogue VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there was delivered unto him the Book of Esaias I. THE Minister of the Church kept the sacred Books in his custody and brought them out to be read when they met together in the Synagogue m m m m m m Joma fol. 68. 2. The High-Priest came to read on the day of expiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Minister of the Synagogue takes the Book of the Law and giveth it to the Ruler of the Synagogue c. Where the Gloss is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chazan of the Synagogue that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Minister From him did our Saviour receive the Book and to him he returned it again II. If it be askt whether he received the Book of the Prophet Isaiah by it self or joyned with the other Prophets it is not easie to determine it We may gather something from what vulgarly obtained amongst them n n n n n n Bava bathr◠fol. 13. 2. The Rabbins deliver Let a man frame the Law and the Prophets and the Holy Writings into one volume They are the words of R. Meir But R. Judah saith Let the Law be apart by it self the Book of the Prophets by it self and the Book of the Holy Writings by it self o o o o o o See the Tract Sopherim cap. 3. And the Wise-men say Every Book by it self But we may ask if every Prophet was by himself Isaiah by himself Jeremiah by himself c. It is probable they were For so they sometimes divided the Law into single Quintanes or fifth parts All know what title the Books of the Law do bear in the front of the Hebrew Bibles viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The five Quintanes of the Law Genesis is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Quintane Exodus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second Quintane and so of the rest Concerning the dividing of every of these quintanes into particular Volumes consult the Tract Sopherim in the place already quoted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p p p p p p Megill fol. 27. 1. They fold up the Book of the Law in the cloth of the Quintanes and the Quintanes in the cloth of the Prophets and Hagiographa but they do not fold up the Prophets and Hagiographa in the cloth of the Quintanes nor the Quintanes in the cloth of the Law And a little after They lay the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Quintanes and the Quintanes upon the Prophets and Hagiographa but not the Prophets and Hagiographa upon the Quintanes nor the Quintanes upon the Law That is not any one single Quintane upon all the Quintanes made up into one Volume So the Gloss hath it A Quintane that is A Book of the Law in which there is only one Quintane Seeing therefore that the Book of the Law was sometimes divided in this manner into distinct Books we may judge as well that the greater Prophets might be thus divided also and the twelve lesser made up into one Volume Hence perhaps that passage q q q q q q Megill fol. 24. 1. The Reader of the Prophet might skip from one Text to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he might not skip from Prophet to Prophet but in the twelve Prophets it was lawful For they were all made up in one Volume ready to his hand and so were not the greater Prophets Give me leave therefore to conjecture that on that Sabbath wherein these things were transacted in the Synagogue at Nazareth that Section which was to be read in the Prophets was according to the Rubrick in the Prophet Isaiah and upon that account the Minister of the Synagogue delivered that Book to our Saviour when he stood up to read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And when he had opened the Book he found the place c. In the Talmudick Language I would render it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew unroling the Book But then how should we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 20 Even in the very same words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 roling up the Book r r r r r r Joma cap. 7. hal 1. The High-Priest after the reading of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 roling or folding up the Book puts it into his bosom And yet s s s s s s Fol. 70. 1. It is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which
we must not render they do not fold up but they do not unfold or unrol the Book of the Law in the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t t t t t t Massech Sopherim cap. 11. They unrol a Prophet in the Congregation but they do not unrol the Law in the Congregation That is as the Gloss hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u u u u u u Megill fol. 32. 1. They unrol from one place or passage to another passage in another place So they were wont to do in the Prophets but not in the Law And upon this account was it permitted for the Reader to skip in the Prophet from one place to another because it was permitted them to unrol the Prophet either a single Prophet or the twelve lesser in the Synagogue but as to the Law it was not allowed them so to do And they put the question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x x x x x x Megil fol. 24. 1. How far may he skip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that he that Interprets do not break off The Gloss is Let him not skip from the place he reads unless that he may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unrol the Book and be ready to read the place to which he skips when the Interpreter ceaseth And because it was not lawful for him so to unrol the Law in the Synagogue On the Kalends of the month Tebeth if it proved to be the Sabbath day they brought three Books of the Law and read in one of them the place for the Sabbath in another that for the Kalends in the third that for the Feast of dedication y y y y y y Joma fol. 70. 1. The words therefore of our Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to me seem not barely to mean that that he unfolded or opened the Book but that being opened he unrolled it from folio to folio till he had found the place he designed to Read and Expound Which though it was not the Section appointed by the Rubrick for the day yet did not Christ much recede from the custom of the Synagogue which allowed the Reader to skip from one place to another VERS XXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physician heal thy self YOU will say unto me this Proverb Physician heal thy self I would express it thus in the Jerusalem language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z z z z z z Beresh rab sect 23. Tanchum fol. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physician heal thine own lameness VERS XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the heavens were shut up three years and six months THIS number of three years and six months is much used both in the Holy Scriptures and in Jewish Writings concerning which we have more largely discoursed in another place And although both in the one and the other it is not seldom used allusively only yet in this place I can see nothing hinder why it should not be taken according to the letter in its proper number however indeed there will be no small difficulty to reduce it to its just account That there was no rain for three years together is evident enough from 1 Kings XVII c. But whence comes this addition of six months Elijah said to Ahab as the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand there shall not be dew nor rain these years but according to my word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If there shall be these years These words include three years at the least because he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Years in the plural and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Years in the Dual And Chap. XVIII The word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year saying Go shew thy self unto Ahab and I will send rain upon the earth In the third year where then shall we find the six Months I. Doubtless both our Saviour and his Apostle St. James Chap. V. vers 17. in adding six months do speak according to the known and received opinion of that Nation which is also done elsewhere sometimes in Historical matters in the New Testament St. Stephen tells us Acts VII 16. that the bones of the twelve Patriarchs were carried over from Egypt and buried in Sichem when Holy Writ mentions only the bones and burial of Joseph Wherein he speaks according to the vulgar opinion of the Nation a a a a a a See Hierosâ—… Sotah fol. 18 3. and Bab. Bava kama fol. 92. 1. Again Vers. 30. he tells us That Moses was forty years old when he fled into the Land of Midian and that he tarried there forty years more when Moses himself mentions nothing of this circumstance This he speaks agreeably to the opinion of that people b b b b b b See Beresh rab sect 100. II. Neither our Saviour nor St. James say that Elijah shut up the Heavens three years and six months but Christ tells us That the Heaven was shut up in the days of Elias three years and six months And St. James That Elias prayed that it might not rain and it rained not upon the Earth by the space of three years and six months May I therefore have leave to distinguish in this manner Elijah shut up the Heaven for three years that there might be no rain as in the Book of Kings And there was no rain for three years and a half as our Saviour and St. James relate III. The words of Menander in Josephus may help a little toward the untying this knot c c c c c c Antiqâ— lib. 8. cap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menander also makes mention of this drought in the acts of lihobalus King of Tyre saying There was no rain from the month of October to the month of October the year following It is true he shortens the space of this drought by making it continue but one year but however having placed the beginning of it in the Month of October gives us a key that opens us a way into things more inward and secret IV. Consider the distinction of the former and the latter rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. XI 14. Jerem. V. 24. Joel II. 23. d d d d d d Taanith fol. 6. 1. The Rabbins deliver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former is in the Month Marheshvan the latter in the Month Nisan The Targumist in Joel II. 23. Who hath given you the first rain in season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the latter in the month Nisan See also our Note upon Chap. II. vers 8. R. Solomon upon Deut. XI differs a little but we are not solicitous above the order which should be the first either that in the Month Marheshvan or that in the Month Nisan that which makes to our purpose is that rains were at those stated times and for the rest of the year generally there was no rain V. Those six Months mentioned by our Saviour and St. James must be accounted before
Learning and in the fame of his Coat and of his Country The next Book to the Polyglot Bible for Labour and Worth and which is always to be named with it is the Heptaglot Lexicon to the laborious Author of which our Doctor also contributed his aid A Work it was of seventeen years a seventeen years drudgery as he styles it in one of his Letters in which besides his own pains he maintained in constant salary seven English and as many strangers for his assistants all which died some years before the Work was finished and the whole burthen of it fell upon himself Though by Gods grace he at last finished it before it finished him And here I cannot but turn a little out of my way to condole with this Author that wore out himself and his Estate too in a Work so generally beneficial and had little thanks after for his labour See and pity his condition as he sets it out in one of his Letters to Dr. Lightfoot where he says He had spent twenty years in time to the publick service above 12000 l. of his own estate and for a reward left in the close of the Work above 1800 l. in debt Thus he kept his resolution though it was as fatal to him as useful to the World For in the beginning of the undertaking he resolved to prosecute it though it cost him all his Estate as he told Mr. Clark This forced him to make his condition known unto his Majesty wherein he petitioned That a Jaylmight not be his reward for so much service and expense T is pity such true Learning and hard Labour should meet with no better encouragement But to go back whence for mere charity and commiseration we diverted In this great undertaking Dr. Castel more than once acknowledgeth the help of our Author Sure I am my Work could never have been so intire as it is without you All pretenders to the Oriental Tongues must confess their great obligation to you And in another Letter with which he sent him his Lexicons he tells him That his Name ought to have shined in the Front who had given the most orient splendor if there be any such in them unto all that is Printed and may therefore most justly saith he be called Yours And again He calls him His greatliest and most highliest honoured Master Father and Patron Indeed our Doctor did frequently encourage and comfort him with his Letters got him Subscribers and Friends afforded him his Lodgings at Katherine Hall whensoever he came to Cambridge to read his Arabick Lectures for some years and such like kindnesses For which he always professed a most dear affection and honour for him Another great Man in this kind of Learning I mean Mr. Samuel Clark one employed in both the aforesaid great Labours applied to him for his Counsel and help in a learned Work that he designed for the publick Which was the publishing of the Targum upon the Chronicles with his own Translation which was a part of the Hebrew Bible belonging to the Library of the University of Cambridge A MS. it seems that the University set so highly by that he made three journies to Cambridge before he obtained it But he borrowed it at last by Dr. Lightfoots means about the year 1659. And by the Doctors interest had it continued to him for some years This he designed as soon as he had finished it to joyn with some other Additionals to the Polyglot Bible Which design he communicates to our Doctor before he came to a resolution about it telling him that if he and such as he approved the design it would be an encouragement to him to proceed in it That the Doctor approved of his purpose it appears from that constant assistance that he gave him afterwards about it Mr. Clark sending it as he transcribed and translated sheet by sheet for the Doctors review and correction For which in a Letter dated from Holywel Sep. 3. 1667. He professeth himself exceedingly engaged to him for the great pains he had taken and that he had so freely declared his judgment in some places he had noted being so far from unwillingness saith he to have my errors shewed me that I am very thankful to you for it and entreat you to go on as freely with the rest This Targum it seems by a place in the Talmud mentioning Onkelos the Doctor was moved to think Onkelos might be the Author of For which discovery Mr. Clark heartily thanks him telling him that he would do him a great favour if he would please to let him know his sense of it whether he conceived that passage of weight enough to entitle him to this his Targum as he calls it upon the Chronicles This same worthy Person had Printed that Tract of the Talmud called Beracoth which he sent to our Doctor desiring his impartial judgment upon his performance therein and begging him to signifie to him wherein he might be guilty of mistake Nor ought we to forget the assistance he gave to the Author of the Synopsis of the Criticks upon his desire For he cheerfully devoted himself to the publick good First He encouraged him with an ample Testimonial of the usefulness of the design in general and of the careful and impartial management of it by the undertaker Then as to his pains in the Work it self he seems to have reviewed it piece by piece as it passed from the hand of Mr. Pool before it went to the Press For in one Letter he tells the Doctor that he therewith sent him one part upon Numbers begging still his thoughts upon any thing as he should meet with it He likewise promised him in such places as he observed to be most defectively done to give him some explications tending to the clearing of the Hebrew words or phrases or matter which Mr. Pool designed to bring â—nto a distinct Volume as Paralipomena to go under the Doctors name by themselves with some other things as Appendices to his Work as De Nummis ponderibus mensuris De Templo Quaestiones Chronologicae Chorograpicae Historicae c. Some sheets of these Explications of Scripture I have seen which he had sent to Mr. Pool according to his promise There is all the Book of Josua and some Chapters of Exodus and Numbers Where the Doctor proceeds Chapter by Chapter briefly to give the sense or illustration of difficult passages according to the Talmudists and Rabbins But this last designed additional Volume I think Mr. Pool never published And this was not all for in another Letter he takes notice of a promise made him by the Doctor of his assistance in reference to the Historical Books of the Old Testament from Josua to Job out of the Rabbins and Talmud unless perhaps this was the same with the former VI. The addresses of Learned Men to him IT would be endless to mention the Applications of Learned Men to him The deeply Learned Mr. Herbert Thorndike in the
broken heart had not our Worthy Man continually upheld him encouraged him by Mony Subscriptions Counsel Comfort So that that the Work was ever finished was owing in a great measure sub bono Deo to Dr. Lightfoot and a few more Men in the World of that tendency of Learning But the truth is saith he one Dr. Lightfoot is more to me than ten thousand such Censors Besides some few others amongst our selves I have a Golius a Buxtorph a Hottinger a Ludolfo c. in forain parts that both by their Letters and in Print have not only sufficiently but too amply and abundantly for me to communicate exprest their over high esteem of that which finds but a Prophets reward here in its own Country He highly admired Mr. Broughton and Mr. Selden Men deeply Studied in this kind of Learning calling them a matchless pair and never mentioned them without honour undervaluing himself to nothing as often as he had occasion to speak of them or such as they And for the better setting afoot these Studies upon the death of the Learned Golius Hebrew Professor beyond Seas who had an excellent collection of Rabbinical and Oriental Books vast were the pains and diligence he and Dr. Castel and some others used for the purchasing of them for the enriching the Library of Cambridge or some other publick one here in England Though I think they succeeded not those Books being afterwards sold at a publick Auction in Holland He could not patiently hear the antient Records of the Rabbines too much aspersed as proceeding most commonly from ignorance of their admirable use in explaining the Holy Scripture When Rutherford in the Assembly of Divines had said that there was no news of somewhat in controversie but in the Rabbines It was of a Cup in the institution of the Passover seeming to speak contemptibly of them Dr. Lightfoot replyed That there are divers things in the New Testament which we must be beholden to the Rabbins for the understanding of or else we know not what to make of them So much did he delight in any Scholar that took in hand the Study of those Eastern Languages that in case any were minded to ingratiate himself into Dr. Lightfoots affection next to Piety and Religion he could not take a readier course to do it than bending his Studies that way And very officious he was to assist such with his directions labouring to bring young beginners into an affection and liking to that Learning and facilitating the crabbedness of it to them as much as he could I know some now alive that have had the experience of what I say XI His kindness and affection to Katharine Hall AS he truly loved Learning so he had an intire favour to the Universities where it was fostered and promoted This appeared in that publick and open joy and Triumph that he expressed in his Oration when Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge which was Anno 1655. at the opening of the Commencement For when in those unjust and Violent times wherein so much malice was exercised against Religion no wonder its handmaid Learning was designed for ruine nothing then was talked of so much and so much intended and almost come to a final resolution as the seizing the possessions and revenues of the University and turning out the Scholars to shift for themselves But by Gods gracious overruling Providence this feral design took not place Upon which our Vice-Chancellor made a long Harangue expressive of wonderful joy and thankfulness Non fingere nobis idque moestis animis tremulisque non potuimus qualis futura Anglia erutis oculis c. We could not but imagine and that with sad and trembling hearts what England would have been her Eyes viz. The Universities and Clergy being put out what Cambridge would have been without Cambridge what a spectre of a dead University what a Sceleton of empty Colleges what a funeral of the Muses and a carkas of deceased Literature c. and after breaks forth into thanks to Almighty God for their happy deliverance And then taketh occasion hence to expatiate Learnedly in his Rabbinical way of the Antitiquity use and necessity of Universities Academias primum fundavit ipse Deus c. God was the first Founder of Universities of equal age with his Law and visible Church and not to dye but with them c. as he Elegantly and Learnedly goes on Thus his good will spred it self over the whole Universities but it was more peculiar to two Colleges in that of Cambridge unto which he was particularly related viz. Christs College where he had first been bred and Katharine Hall over which for many years he presided And this kindness he shewed by dedicating a Book to each That to Katharine Hall is before the first Horae Hebraicae he published Wherein by giving them account of his first falling upon Jewish Studies and the excellent method he used in perusing the Rabbins he like a careful Master directs their Studies and in the close he professeth his Dedication proceeded from that real respect and endearment he had to them and that he designed his Book as an eternal memorial of it What else sounded those kind words which he used in his Letters to forainers concerning his College styling the Students thereof Catharinenses mei And Doctor Castel who knew as much of his mind as any there being a great friendship between them speaking to him concerning the College calls it Your delighted in Katharine Hall T is true he was at first put in Master there by the Powers that then were but upon the happy settlement of these Kingdoms upon their old and true foundation of Monarchy and the restitution of the King our Doctor knowing the right of that place belonged to another namely to Dr. Spurstow voluntary and freely went and resigned it up to him but upon his refusal to return back again and take that charge he applied to the King who graciously bestowed his Letters upon him to confirm and settle him in that Mastership And upon his coming down with those Letters the Fellows of the College rode out some miles to meet him and to receive him with that ceremony as if he had been a New Master of Katharine Hall A small College indeed it was and illy built but yet was so blessed by God that it could boast of many famous and excellent Divines and Prelates of the Church of England and other very worthy Men formerly members of it and was usually stored with such numbers of Students that they could hardly be contained within the Walls of the College For the honour therefore of it as well as its necessary enlargement this our Master and the Fellows resolved to pull down at least some part of it and to build it with more decency capacity and advantage Towards which as every Fellow presently laid down twenty pounds so our Doctor gave a very liberal and generous contribution and moreover was instrumental by his interest with his
Aaron and dwelling in the hill Country of Juda it were senseless to seek for his house in any other place then Hebron This place had been excellently renowned in ancient time Here was the promise given of Isaac here was the institution of Circumcision here Abraham had his first land and David his first Crown and here lay interred the three couples Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca Jacob and Leah and as antiquity hath held Adam and Eve Now there are many reasons given by Expositors of Maries hasting hither after the Message of the Angel As either to know the truth of what was told her about Elizabeth or to congratulate and rejoyce with her or to minister to her in her great belliedness or that the Baptist in Elizabeths womb might be sanctified by the presence of Christ in hers c. But I cannot but conceive this to be the very reason indeed That she might there conceive the Messias where so many types figures and things relating to him had gone before namely in Hebron For First This suited singularly with the Harmony and Consent which God useth in his works that the promise should begin to take place by the conception of Messias even among those Patriarchs to whom the promise was first given Secondly A kind of necessity seemeth to lie upon it that this Shiloh of the Tribe of Judah and the seed of David should be conceived in a City of Juda and of David as he was to be born in another City that belonged to them both Thirdly The Evangelists so punctually describing this City seemeth rather to refer to Christ then John who being of the Priests might indifferently have been born in any of the Tribes whatsoever Only the Holy Ghost giveth us to observe this which may not be passed That John that should bring in Baptism in stead of Circumcision was born in that very place where Circumcision was first ordained in the City Hebron It is generally held indeed that the Virgin conceived in Nazaret and in the very instant of the Angels talking with her but whether there be not as much probability for this opinion as for that I refer to the equal and judicious Reader Ver. 40. And saluted Elizabeth This seemeth to have been at some distance and a wall or floor between as consider seriously on ver 42. 44. Ver. 41. The babe leaped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used by the LXX for Jacobs and Esaus stirring in the womb Gen. 25. 22. And the leaping of the mountains at the giving of the Law Elizabeth in ver 44. addeth The babe leaped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not that he knew what he did when he leaped any more then they but that either this was the first time or this time was extraordinary The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth outward gesticulation or exultation as well as inward joy yea though there be no inward joy at all as Psalm 65. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little hills shall be girded with exultation And so is it to be understood here The babe in my womb leaped with extraordinary gesticulation or exultation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the manner of the thing done and not the cause of the doing Ver. 45. And blessed is she that believed Elizabeth in this clause seemeth to have an eye to her own husbands unbelief and the punishment that befel him for the same He a Man a Priest aged learned eminent and the message to him of more appearing possibility and Mary a Woman mean unlearned and of a private condition and the tidings to her most incredible both to nature and reason and yet she believed and he did not Ver. 48. He hath regarded the low estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the LXX 2 Sam. 9. 8. and Psal. 25. 16. and importeth a look of pity and compassion and not of observation of desert as the Papists would have it here For some of them render this clause thus He hath looked on mine humility with approbation and others give this gloss upon it Because of her humility she deserved to be exalted and by it she was primely disposed to conceive and bear the only begotten Son of God But first the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is said before in the LXX who must best help us to interpret it signifieth a look of another nature Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not the vertue of humility or the lowliness of mind but the state of a low and poor condition and so is it rendred here by the Syrian Arabick Spanish French Deodates Italian Dutch and all Latines that are not wedded to the vulgar And so is it used by the LXX Gen. 16. 11. 41. 52. 1 Sam. 1. 11. and so again by the New Testament Act. 8. 33. compared with the Original in Isa. 53. 8. And so prophane and heathen Authors distinguish betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the former understanding as we do here and by the latter the vertue of humility Thirdly The same word in a manner or one of the same root in ver 52. is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and inevitably beareth the sense we follow Fourthly If the Virgin spake in the sense the Romanists would have her He hath looked upon my lowliness to give it its desert she would prove to be intolerably proud in the valuing of her humility All generations shall call me blessed As Gen. 30. 13. Not only thou oh Cosin Elizabeth and the Jewish Nation that expect the Messias but even all the world and all successions of ages among the Heathen shall come to the knowledge and confession of Christ and account me blessed in the favour that I have received Ver. 51. He hath scattered the proud c. If the Virgin aim these words and those of the same tenour that follow at any particular persons as some conceive she doth and meaneth the Devils or the Pharisees or the Jews it might as well be conceived that she hath respect to the four tyrannous and persecuting Monarchies in the Book of Daniel which were now destroyed as much as to any thing else But since the very same words in a manner are to be found in the song of Hannah 1 Sam. 2. they warrant us to interpret them not so restrictively as to any one particular example but of the general and ordinary dealing of God in the world with the wicked SECTION III. S. MATTHEW CHAP. I THE a a a a a a Gen. 5. 1. Book b b b b b b It might be understood The Book of the History as generation is taken Gen. 2. 4. and 37. 2. and so it might be the title not of this Chapter only but of the whole book But since the Evangelists intention is to set down Christs alliance to the Royal line by his Father Joseph the phrase must be understood accordingly and so the Chaldee useth the very
the fury of thy wrath lay hold of them c. Which while the Master of the house is praying one runs to the gate or door of the house and sets it wide open in sign of their deliverance and in hope of Elias his coming to tell them of the approach of the Messias And presently in comes one cloathed in white that their children may believe that Elias is now come among them indeed And in the eleventh Chapter of the same book he relateth that every Sabbath day at night they call hard upon Elias and since he vouchsafed not to come among them on the Sabbath which is now past they earnestly intreat him that he would come the next Sabbath day And their Rabbins and Wisemen have taught them that Elias every Sabbath day sitting under the tree of life in Paradise takes account of and writeth down the good works of the Jews in their keeping of the Sabbath I shall trespass too much upon the Readers patience if I trouble him with any more such trash and ridiculous sluff as this is about this matter Ihave been the bolder with him that I might the more fully shew the earnest and foolish expectation of that blinded Nation in this particular I shall only crave leave to alledge some few expressions more out of their own Authors upon this subject that here once for all their doctrine and opinion of the coming of Elias which cometh in mention now and then in the Evangelists may be handled and may trouble us no more Their second and greater expectation then of Elias is that he will come visibly and bodily before the coming of the Messias and that he will do great things when he cometh The Disciples well knew and spake the common opinion of the Nation when upon our Saviours discourse concerning his own resurrection they make this reply Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come Matth. 17. 10. And so are their Authors full of assertions to such a purpose The four Carpenters in Zechary saith Rabbi Simeon are Messias ben David Messias ben Joseph Elias and the Priest of righteousness vid. Kimch in Zech. 1. Elias shall restore three things in Israel saith Rabbi Tanchuma the pot of Manna the cruse of the anointing oyl and the cruse of water And as some say also Aarons rod with its blossoms and almonds Tauch on Exod. 1. The Talmudists in Erubhim Perek 4. are discoursing of this coming of Elias and inquiring the time and they have this conclusion That Israel is assured that Elias will not come but on the evening of the Sabbaths or on the evening of Feastival days and when he cometh they shall say to the great Sanhedrin He is come fol. 43. And in the Treatise of the Sabbath they intimate that one work of Elias when he thus cometh shall be to destroy Every one say they that observes stedfastly three repasts on the Sabbath is delivered from three vengeances From Messias his destroying from the Judgment of hell and from the war of Gog and Magog From the destruction of Messias It is written here The day viz. remember the Sabbath day and it is written there Behold I send unto you Elias the Prophet before the day come c. Perek 16. fol. 118. And in a common and current proverb among them they hold that another work of Elias when he cometh shall be to resolve doubts and scruples and to unite doctrinal knots And that he shall purifie Bastards and make them fit to come into the congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Kimch in Zech. 9. And that he shall be one of the seven Shepherds and eight principal ones mentioned Michah 5. 5. Our Rabbins say Who are the seven Shepherds David in the middle Seth Enoch and Methuselah on his right hand and Abraham and Jacob and Moses on his left And who are the Eight principal ones Jesse Saul Samuel Amos Zephany Ezekiah Elias and Messiah Kimch in Mich. 5. And for this coming of Elias doth Elias Levita so heartily pray in Tisbi in rad Tishbi Elias was in the days of Gibeah So let it be Gods good will that he may be with us in this time and let that verse be accomplished upon us Behold I send you Elias So is the prayer of Elias the Author By these and divers other speeches of the like nature which might be produced out of the Hebrew Authors shewing the common opinion of that people concerning the coming of Elias bodily before the coming of Christ it is no wonder if when the Jews saw so eminent a man as John the Baptist come in so powerful a way of Ministry so great a change of a Sacrament and so strict austerity of life they question with themselves and with him whether he be not the Messias and when he denies that then whether he be not Elias But it is some wonder and that the rather because our Saviour hath long ago resolved what was meant by that place of the Prophet Behold I send Elias and hath plainly told that John the Baptist was the Elias that was to come I say it is a wonder this considered that ever this Jewish opinion of Elias coming before the coming of the Messias should be so transplanted into the hearts of Christians under this notion of Elias his coming before Christs second coming as that so many understand it as literally personally and really as ever the grossest Jew in Judea did It were endless to reckon their names both Ancient and Modern that have verily believed and as boldly asserted that Enoch and Elias shall come visibly and bodily to destroy Antichrist to convert the Jews and to build up the elect in the faith of Christ. He that desires names may see enow in Bellarmine de Roman Pontif. lib. 3. cap. 6. where he proves that the Pope is not Antichrist by this argument that Elias and Enoch never came against him in Cornel. a Lapide in Apocal. 11. where he holds the two witnesses to be these two men Enoch and Elias It is somewhat beside our work to take up this controversie in this place but it may not be besides the advantage of the Reader to take up two or three considerations upon this matter and to ruminate and study upon them towards the confutation of this groundless opinion 1. That the great and terrible day of the Lord before which Elias was promised to come is exceedingly mistaken by those that understand it of the day of Judgment for it meaneth only the day of the destruction of Jerusalem as might be proved at large by divers other places of Scripture where the same phrase is used And the like misconstruction is there of the phrase in the last days by taking it for the last days of the world whereas it meaneth only the last days of Jerusalem 2. Those two witnesses mentioned Rev. 11. upon whom there are so various glosses and different opinions are pictured and charactered out like Moses and Elias
for a Pearl of the Sea is not unfit for Zebulon a dweller by the Sea Gen. 49. 13. Pearl in Act. 22. the name of a Town I think I may safely suppose that the Town took the name from the Man the Sea from the Town and the Pearl from the Sea Cittim got into the Isle Cyprus near his brother Tarshish from him that Island in old time was called Cethin as Ant. di Guenara nameth it in Relox de los princip And the Men of Cyprus acknowledged Cythnon quendam one Cythnus or Cittim for their Predecessor as saith Herodotus lib. 7 That Island set out Colonies further to replenish the Western World who bare the memory and name of their Father Cittim with them all along as they went Macedon or Macetia is called Cittim 1 Mac. 1. 1. At last they arrived in Italy which is called Cittim Num. 24. 24. and so rendered by the Chaldees Thus Javans posterity grew great in Greece and Italy and at last sent us men over into these Isles of the Gentiles CHAP. VI. Of Iewish Learning THE Jews chief Studies are about the Scriptures or about the Hebrew Tongue but some have dealt in other matters Their Tongue is their chief Learning which is indeed the ground of all sacred knowledge In it some are most ignorant and some again as accurate They value it so highly that the mistaking of a Letter in it say they destroys the world He that in this verse En kadosh caihovah readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth for Caph makes it there is no holiness in Jehovah and destroyeth the world He that will may see most copious work of this nicety in Tauch on Gen. 1. How nimble Textualists and Grammarians for the Tongue the Rabbins are their Comments can witness But as in Chaucer the greatest Clarks are not the wisest men so among them these that are so great Textualists are not best at the Text. In humane Arts some of them have practised Kimchi and Levita for Grammar Rabbi Simeon for Logick and others in other things as Buxdorsius in his collection of Jewish Authors will fully satisfie CHAP. VII Of the Talmud WHO so nameth the Talmud nameth all Judaism and who so nameth Mishneh and Gemara he nameth all the Talmud And so saith Levita Hattalmudh nehhlak c. The Talmud is divided into two parts the one part is called Mishneh and the other part is called Gemara and these two together are called the Talmud This is the Jews Councel of Trent the foundation and ground work of their Religion For they believe the Scripture as the Talmud believes for they hold them of equal authority Rabbi Tanchum the son of Hamlai saith let a man always part his life into three parts A third part for the Scriptures a third part for Mishneh and a third part for Gemara Two for one two parts for the Talmud for one for the Scriptures So highly do they Papist-like prize the vain Traditions of Men. This great Library of the Jews is much alike such another Work upon the Old Testament as Thomas Aquinas his Catena aurea is upon the New For this is the sum of all their Doctors conceits and descants upon the Law as his is a Collection of all the Fathers Explications and Comments upon the Gospel For matter it is much like Origens Books of old ubi bene nemo melius c. and where they write well none better and where ill none worse The word Talmud is the same in Hebrew that * * * Elias Lâ—u in Tisbi Doctrine is in Latine and Doctrinal in our usual speech It is say the Jews a Commentary upon the written Law of God And both the Law and this say they God gave to Moses the Law by day and by writing and this by night and by word of mouth The Law was kept by writing still this still by Tradition Hence comes the distinction so frequent in Rabbins of Torah she baccathubh and Torah she begnal peh the Law in writing and the Law that comes by word of mouth * * * Pirk. Abhoth Per. 1. Moses say they received the Law from Sinai this Traditional Law I think they mean and delivered it to Joshuah Joshuah to the Elders the Elders to the Prophete and the Prophets to the men of the great Synagogue And thus like fame in Virgil crevit eundo like a snow-ball it grew bigger with going Thus do they father their fooleries upon Moses and Elders and Prophets who good men never thought of such fancies as the Romanists for their Traditions can find Books of Clemens Dionysius and others who never dreamed of such matters Against this their Traditional our Saviour makes part of his Sermon in the mount Matth. 5. But he touched the Jews freehold when he touched their Talmud for greater Treasure in their conceits they had none like Cleopatra in Plutarch making much of the Viper that destroyed them CHAP. VIII Talmudisme TO omit the time when it was written and the distinction of Jerusalem and Babilon Talmud the chief end of them both as they think is to explain the Old Testament The Titles of the Books shew their intents Pesachin about the Passover Sanhedrin about the high Courts Beracoth about thanksgiving Sometime they Comment sometime they Allude sometime Controvert sometime Fable For this Book contains their Common Law and Civil and commonly some things above all Law and Civility To instance in one or two that by Hercules foot ye may guess his body Judges 9. 13. It is said by the Vine shall I leave my Wine which cheareth God and Man How doth Wine chear God Rabbi Akibhah saith because men give God thanks for it There also they question or controvert whether a man should give thanks or say grace for his meat and drink before he taste it And otherwhere whether a man may bless God for the sweet smell of Incense which he smells offered to Idols Whether a man may light a candle at another candle that burns in a candlestick that hath Images on it Whether a man at his Devotions if a Serpent come and bite him by the heel may turn and stoop to shake her off or no Which question Rabbi Tanchum answers very profoundly that they must not so much as shake the foot to get a Serpent off and gives a huge strong reason For saith he such a one was praying and a Serpent comes and catcheth him by the heel He holds on his Devotion and stirs not and presently the Snake falls away stark dead and the man not hurt Legenda aurea hath not the Art of this coining beyond them For their allusions take a piece out of the book Mincha which I have transcribed and translated into our own Tongue full of true Talmudisme Our Rabbins teach Israel is beloved because God hath favoured them with the Commandment of Philacteries upon their heads and upon their arms fringes upon their garments and marks upon their doors And concerning them
Text that saith that it contained two thousand Baths meaneth the common and constant quantity of Water that was in it that was fit and served for their washing and the other that saith it contained three thousand Baths meaneth that it would hold so much being filled up to the brim About the Body of this huge Vessel there were two borders of Ingraving the Work of which the Book of Kings calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Chaldee and the Jews interpret Ovals but the Book of Chronicles calleth them Oxen not in their full proportion but the Heads only and the rest in an Oval in stead of the Body and it is conceived by some that out of these Heads or out of some of them the Water issued forth they being made as Cocks or conveyances for that purpose The supply of Water to these huge Vessels and that so abundantly that they were not only always full but continually ran out and yet were full still was from the Well Etam of which we have spoken before And the Jerusalem Talmud in the Treatise Joma speaking particularly of this Molten Sea and how it was for the Priests to bath their Bodies in against they came to the Service it proposeth this question d d d Talm. Ierus in Ioma per. 3. Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maym. in Beth Mikd. per. 5. But is it not a Vessel Yes but Rabbi Jehoshua the son of Levi saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Pipe of Water cometh into it out of the well Etam The meaning of the dispute is this It was not lawful to bath for Purification in a Vessel but in a gathering of Waters upon the ground and how then might the Priests bath in the Molten Sea which was a Vessel To this Rabbi Joshua giveth this satisfaction That the Sea was as it were a spring of Water for Water ran into it continually out of the Well Etam and accordingly Water ran continually out of it SECT IV. Basins Chargers Dishes c. King Ptolemies and Queen Helens tables IT is not to be imagined that either the numbers or the names or the several fashions or the several uses of all the Vessels in the Sanctuary should be given it is ods there were but a very few Priests though they waited there that were able to give a precise distinct account about these things therefore our going about to speak of them it is rather because we would not say nothing than from any hope or possibility we have to give an estimate or description of them any whit near unto the full Their number was so great that they were reckoned to five thousand and four hundred in Ezr. I. 11. and ninety and three are averred by the a a a Tamid per. 3. Talmud to be used every day about the dayly Sacrifice and in the Treatise Joma it appeareth that b b b Ioma per. 3. there were special Vessels for the Service of the day of expiation and that King Monobazes made golden handles to them and so other peculiar Services had their peculiar Vessels in so much that partly because of the multitude of imploiments of Vessels at some certain times and partly because of the change of Vessels at special times the number could not but be very great nor is it to be supposed certain the piety of one or other still offering one Vessel or other in devotion The several fashions and cizes of them are rather to be guessed at than determined and the uses to which they were put must help us better towards such a conjecture than either their names do or any description we can find of them 1. There were Basins in which the Blood was taken when the Beast for the Sacrifice was slain as Exod. XXIV 6. and these the Jerusalem Talmud thinketh to be those that are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agartalin Ezr. I. 9. c c c Talm. Ierus in Ioma per. 3. Thirty Agartalin of Gold R. Samuel bar Nachman saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In it they gathered the Blood of Lambs A thousand Agartalin of Silver R. Simeon ben Lachish saith It was that wherein they took the Blood of Bullocks 2. There were dishes out of which the Blood was sprinkled on the Altar and these are held to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kephorim in the place alledged out of Ezra and to be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mizrakim of which word there is frequent mention in the Scripture d d d R. Sol. in Ezr. I. Kephorim saith Solomon Jarchi are Mizrakim and they are called Kephorim which betokeneth cleansing because he that took the Blood in this Vessel wiped off the drops and Blood that stuck on his Hand on the side of the dish which action we have taken notice of in handling the manner of sprinkling the Blood on the Horns of the Altar So that in these Jews construction Ezra reckoneth by name but the two sorts of Vessels that were first and most certainly used in the Service namely the great Chargers or Basins in which they took the Blood and the lesser dishes out of which they sprinkled it And it may be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that every one of the twelve Princes offered at the dedication of the Tabernacle Numb VII were these two sorts of Vessels The Mizrakim are said to be before the Altar Zech. XIV 21. 3. There were great Voiders or Trays as I may call them of Gold or Silver in which the inwards of the Beasts were taken and brought to washing and brought when they were washed to the Altar And dishes in which Salt was brought for the salting of all the Sacrifices And dishes in which the Meat-offering was mingled and other dishes in which it was offered And it may be these that brought the Inwards or the Meat-offering were those that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth if that word meaneth any Vessel at all as it is thought it doth in 2 Chron. XXIV 14. Some think it meaneth Pestels saith Kimchi wherewith they pounded the spices for the Incense But in mine opinion it was a little Vessel wherewithal they took Wine out of the Hin for the Drink-offerings And so it is used in the words of the Rabbins The Maids of the House of Rabbi as he was teaching them in the Language of Wisdom said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go into the Tankard That is the little Vessel wherewithal they drew Wine out of the Tankard c. I shall not trouble my self nor the Reader about this Word nor about his Opinion the Translation that our English hath made of it is not only very facil but also very warrantable 4. There were Vessels out of which they poured the Drink-offering it may be those are they that Josephus calls Phialas Vials e e e Iof. Aut. lib. 11. cap. 1. as he reckoneth the holy Vessels upon the place
besides the Inhabitants of Bethshemesh it was now upon the time of the Feast of Tabernacles when the Ark came up to them and it may be that might cause the more conflux to the Ark when it was come and the Lord for the boldness of Priests and People that would be looking into the Ark breaketh out upon them with the Plague and destroyeth so many thousands of them The Priests of Bethshemesh that had escaped sent to the Men of Kiriathjearim to fetch up the Ark to them and so they do It is equally questionable why they that were Priests should send about such a matter as this to the Men of Kiriathjearim which were not and that the Men of Kiriathjearim should venture to fetch up the Ark when they had seen the speeding of Bethshemesh by it But the Lord had now forsaken the Tribe of Ephraim in which Tribe Shiloh stood and had made choice of the Tribe of Judah Psal. LXXVIII 67 68. of which Kiriathjearim was a chief City and whether he used the counsel of Samuel to the People for a means to accomplish his determination or what other way is not determinable but it is brought to pass and the Ark now seated in the Tribe of Judah out of which it never unsetled again whilest it was in being A long time whilest it stayed in Kiriathjearim it was under the curb of a Philistine Garrison which was in that City 1 Sam. X. 5. which might much damp the Peoples seeking and resorting to it especially in this loosness and lukewarmness or rather utter coldness of Religion that was amongst them However at the end of twenty years a general Reformation doth begin amongst them and they begin to hearken after God the Ark and Religion and put away the strange gods that were among them and God at that very instant doth grant them a miraculous Victory against the Philistins 1 Sam. VII We read once of the Arks being within the compass of the Tribe of Benjamin before David fetched it up to Jerusalem and that was with Saul at Gibeah 1 Sam. XIV 18. but it was restored from thence to Kiriathjearim at the place appointed for it as yet by Divine direction for otherwise it might as easily have been set up in Nob where the Tabernacle was now standing David about the second year of his Reign in Jerusalem fetcheth it up from Kiriath-jearim thither and there pitched an habitation for it in Sion where it resided till it was translated into Solomons Temple save only that once it was taken out to have flitted with David in his flight from his son Absalom but soon restored to its place again 2 Sam. XV. At this Tabernacle in which the Ark was lodged in Sion David sets up an Altar 1 Chron. XVI 2. for the offerings at that present time of the Arks bringing up thither but not for continual sacrificing And there he appointed a constant Musick to attend of the Levites but the Priests waited at Gibeon where the Tabernacle was and the daily Sacrifice CHAP. XL. The state and fate of the first Temple AT Naioth in Ramah where Samuel and David spent some time together they platformed the buildings of the Temple and the manner of the Service It was an unlikely time for David to think and contrive for such a thing at that time when he knew not where to hide his own Head from the fury of Saul yet so sure was the Promise to him and so assured was his Faith in it that even from that time he laid the Foundation of his thoughts towards the building of a Temple setling of a Service and even all his time after was preparing towards it In all his Wars and Victories he still remembred to dedicate something of his spoils for that purpose 2 Sam. VIII 10 11. 1 Chron. XVIII 8 c. so that at his death he left the greatest sums of Silver and Gold and stock of Brass and Iron and such materials that is Recorded in any Story And as he had his first instructions from Samuel so did he ripen then by the Prophetick directions of Gad and Nathan the Prophets 2 Chron. XXIX 25. and so setled the Priests and Levites in their courses and Carpenters and Masons to work and had described the platform of all things so exactly that he left to Solomon in a manner but the care to see the Work done for he had prepared all things before About eleven or twelve years space was the Work of the Temple in Hand before it was finished namely four years in hewing Stone and framing Timber and seven years and an half in bringing up the building For David in the last year of his Reign had gathered all the Proselytes in the Land to the number of one hundred fifty and three thousand and had set them to work and so they continued framing and preparing materials till the fourth year of the Reign of Solomon in the second month of which year the Foundation of the House was laid and in the eighth month of the eleventh year the Work was finished 1 King VI. 38. and so it was seven years and an half in building which the Text for roundness of number doth count but seven It was a year within a month after that it was finished before the Dedication of it in which time it is likely they were getting away the rubbish and preparing for its consecration it lying useless all the while for the Providence of the Lord disposed that it should be Dedicated at such a time as that the time should carry a Mystery and Type with it as well as the Temple it self In the eleventh year of Solomons Reign in the month Bull which is the eighth month it was finished 1 Kings VI. 38. and in his twelfth year in the month Ethanim which is the seventh month it was consecrated even at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles 1 King VIII 20. 2 Chron. V. 3. or the fifteenth day of that month Concerning the title Ethanim by which this month was named the Jews have these Glosses The Chaldee renders that verse in the Book of Kings thus And all the Men of Israel were gathered to the King in the old month which they called the first month but now the seventh h h h Aruch in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some of the Rabbins say it was called Ethanim which signifieth strength or strong ones because the Fathers were born in it which were the mighty ones of the World And others i i i Levi Gersh in 1 King VIII because in it were the greatest Feasts or k k k Kimch iâ—i as others because in it the Fruits were gathered which are the strength of Mans life c. But whatsoever was the notation of the Name certainly the remarkableness of that month was singular in regard of many eminent occurrences that befel in it of which we have spoken elsewhere the most renowned of all which was that our Saviour
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
XL. Abimelech III. Tolah XXIII Jair XXII Jepthah VI. Ibsan VII Elon X. Abdon VIII Sampson XX. Eli XL. In all CCCXXXIX The Tyrants Chushan VIII Eglon XVIII Sisera XX. Midian VII Ammon XVIII The Philistins XL. In all CXI So that reckoning three hundred thirty nine and one hundred and eleven together the Sum amounts exactly to four hundred and fifty II. Josephus seems expressly to follow this computation s s s s s s Antiqu. lib. 8. cap. 2. Solomon began to build his Temple in the fourth year of his reign and in the second month which the Macedonians term Artemision the Hebrews Ijar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After five hundred ninety and two years from the Israelites going out of Egypt In 1 Kings VI. 1. there are reckoned four hundred and fourscore years Josephus five hundred ninety two exceeding that number by a hundred and twelve years So as the three years of the Tyrants makes the number to exceed in this place III. In the particular summing up of these years I cannot omit what is said concerning Sampson in the Jewish Writers t t t t t t Hieros Sotah fol. 17. 2. Sampson saith O Lord Eternal give me a recompence for one of mine eyes in this world and for the other in the world to come One place saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he judged Israel forty years Another place saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he judged Israel twenty years R. Acha saith by this it is hinted that the Philistines were afraid of him twenty years after his death as they had stood in fear of him twenty years while he was alive From these words we might imagine that it was written concerning Sampson that he judged Israel Forty years which yet is no where found only it is said in two places Judg. XV. 20. and Chap. XVI 31. that he judged twenty years Whence the Jewish Writers draw that conclusion as was said before viz. that the Philistines were under the terror of him for the space of twenty years after he had been dead Indeed it is said of Eli That he judged Israel forty years 1 Sam. IV. 18. which when I observe the LXX rendring by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twenty years I cannot but suspect they might somewhat favour the received opinion amongst the Jews VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the second Psalm u u u u u u Hieros Taanith fol. 65. 3. WHY are the daily Prayers to the number of eighteen R. Joshua ben Levi saith it is according to the eighteen Psalms from the beginning of the Psalms to The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble Psal. XX. 1. But if any one say to thee they are nineteen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say thou to him Why do the heathen rage i. e. the second Psalm is not one of them Hence they say he that prays and is not heard it is necessary for him to fast too I. Judge hence whether this second Psalm were joyned or confounded with the first when it seems in some measure sequestred from the whole number And do you observe the Rabbins way of arguing Being to prove that the number of the daily Prayers being eighteen was adapted to the number of the eighteen Psalms from the beginning of the Book to that place The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble c. Psal. XX. he takes refuge in a common Axiom of theirs He that prayeth and is not heard must fast also As if that Maxim was founded upon the equality of numbers and the authors of that Maxim did so design it q. d. He that pours out eighteen Prayers according to the number of those eighteen Psalms and is not head let him Fast and he shall be heard according to the tenor of the Psalm immediately following The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble i. e. in the day when thou troublest and afflictest thy self with Fasting II. I will not make any nice enquiry for what reason they should exclude the second Psalm out of the number We find in it however shut out of the number a considerable testimony to the resurrection of the Messiah and perhaps to this the Apostle may have some respect in these words But if not by this his noting the number and order of the Psalm we may guess he spake to this sense viz. ye have a testimony of the Resurrection of Christ in the very entrance of the Book of Psalms so near the beginning of it that we meet with it even in the second Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee R. Solomon confesseth that the Rabbins do interpret this Psalm of the Messiah but he had rather it should be applied to David For the Jews take special care that the Messias should not be acknowledged as the genuine Son of God Hence Midr. Till * * * * * * In loc Thou art my Son Hence we may answer the Hereticks who say he is Son to God Do thou answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He doth not say thou art Son to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thou art my Son A very learned distinction indeed As the Master speaking kindly to his Servant may say to him I love thee like my own Son So the Targumist ‖ ‖ ‖ ‖ ‖ ‖ In loc The Lord said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art beloved to me as a Son is to his Father They do indeed acknowledge that the Messiah is concerned in this Psalm w w w w w w Succah fol. â—2 1. but then if you will be a true Jew indeed you must have a care how you acknowledge him the begotten Son of God It would be a vain and impertinent thing to collect all their little artifices by which they endeavour to evade the force of this place It were much more proper for us to observe the way of the Apostles arguing and by what means he makes it out that these words of the Psalmist point at the Resurrection of the Messiah Take this passage by the way x x x x x x Midr. Tillin ubi supr R. Honna saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are three portions of chastisements divided The Fathers of the world and all generations received one part The generation of persecution another and the generation of the Messias another And when his time cometh then will the Holy blessed say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it lies upon me to make him a new creature And so he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to day have I begotten thee When the Jews asked a sign of our Saviour he constantly gives them the sign of Jonas the Prophet that is that his Resurrection which should come to pass should be a most undoubted proof for him that he is the Son of God the true Messias So Rom. I. 4. He was declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the dead
Law by it self and changed thirteen places in it the examination of the latter clause will yield light to the former and will give its vote to him that says that it does not appear in the Talmudists that the LXX translated at all but that they only transcribed the Hebrew Books in Hebrew CHAP. VIII Of the thirteen places that were changed BOTH Talmuds as also other Rabbins who relate the story of the LXX Elders add always this that they changed thirteen places in the Law which they also reckon up But now when those different readings are not found in the Greek Version that story is exploded by the most as a mere fiction when indeed the change was not in the Version but in the Hebrew Transcription Let the thing speak it self They wrote say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God created in the beginning Gen. I. 1. not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the beginning God created Lest the King should say Bereshith is God and there were two powers and the first created the later a a a a a a See the Gloss in Megill fol. 9. 1. But now in the Greek Version it was impossible that such a scruple should arise it could arise only from the Hebrew Text and it must necessarily be that this change intended for an amendment should be reckoned to be in the Hebrew words themselves They write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Sarah laughed among her neighbours Gen. XVIII 12. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within her self They wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever was desirable I took not from them Numb XVI 15. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Ass. Now who will doubt but that the change was made in the Hebrew words themselves In the former from the affinity of the words in the later from the similitude of the letters But instead of more let this one Example serve They wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he sent worthy men of the children of Israel Exod. XXIV 5. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 young men Now if it be asked whether they wrote the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the sense of it in the Greek Language the Jerusalem Gemarists witness that that very same word was writ by them in this story Three books say they were found in the Court of the Temple In one of them was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. XXXIII 27. in two was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They received those two and they rejected the third In one was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sent worthy men of the children of Israel In two was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sent young men of the children of Israel They received those two and rejected the third In one was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nine In two was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eleven They received those two and rejected the third Now it may be asked What I pray were those two Copies in which it was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were Hebrew Copies without all controversie and so was that without all doubt in which it was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no reason therefore why that tradition of the thirteen places changed should bear so ill a report and be accounted for a fiction because those thirteen alterations are not met with in the Greek Version For the Talmudists plainly treat of the Seventy two not Translating out of Hebrew but transcribing the Hebrew Books themselves Let us also add the introduction that the Jerusalem Writers make to this history b b b b b b Megill f. 71. 4. The Jerusalem Talmudists say they wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerusalem Jerushlema Tzaphon Tzephona Teman Temna That is they changed the writing of these Hebrew words and immediately they add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wise Men altered thirteen places for Ptolomey the King Which is also to be understood of the Hebrew words themselves otherwise this does not suite with what goes before CHAP. IX In what value the Version of the Seventy as it is commonly called seems to have been among the Iews THUS it remains doubtful whether the Talmudists acknowledge any Version of the Seventy two Elders or no. Let it be granted therefore that they attributed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine inspiration to them from hence that being put asunder yet they all conspired in one mind and sense nevertheless it will not at all follow thence that any honour was given by them to this Version which is carried about under that name One may much more readily perceive in it the breath of Jewish Traditions than any inspiration of the Holy Ghost And although their own Traditions were of account certainly to the Nation and for the patronizing them many things seem to be put into the Version which favour them yet this did by no means so much obtain with them as that they valued the Version above the Hebrew Original and that the casting away that made choise of this to themselves but they always reserved to the Hebrew Text its due honour I. What the Learned among them might judge of the Greek Version one may somewhat guess from hence that even a Christian himself seriously reading and viewing it may observe many things in it whereby he may discover by what counsils cautions and crastiness that Version was published especially if together with it he hath in his Eye the Manners Traditions Ordinances and State of the Jewish Nation to which allusion is very frequently made and respect had by those Interpreters The matter may be illustrated by one or two examples as to their Traditions Gen. XX. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because the Lord in shutting shut up all the Womb without Whence comes the putting in of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without It agrees with the Tradition that the Wombs were barred up against copulation a a a a a a Bava Kama fol. 92. 1. Exod. XXIV 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saw the place where God had stood instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saw the God of Israel Compare the Tract Kiddushin b b b b b b Fol. 49. 1. with this where the Gloss is this R. Hananiel saith He that renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saw the God of Israel is a liar c. See the Notes before at Chap. XIV vers 2. Deut. XXX 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Lord shall purifie thy heart And Jos. V. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After which manner Joshua purified the children of Israel for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He circumcised in a sense too much inclining to the trifling praises of Circumcision among the Masters Whence are those words taken Jos. XXI 42. and XXIV 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There they laid