into the Christian Church and the seven are chosen to this work out of the number of the hundred and twenty that are mentioned Chap. 1. 15. and that company only was the choosers of them and not all the Believers in Jerusalem The reason why the Hebrews neglected the widows of the Hellenists may be supposed either because they would stick to their old rule mentioned once before That a widow was to be maintained by her husbands children Talm. in chetub per. 11. Maym. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per. 18. compare 1 Tim. 5. 4. or because the Hebrews of Judea had brought in more into the common stock for the poor by sale of their Goods and Lands then those that had come from forrain Countries had done they not having Goods and Lands so ready to sell. All that had been brought in hitherto had been put into the Apostles hands and they had been burdened with the care and trouble of the disposal of it but now they transfer that work and office to the seven solemnly ordaining them by Imposition of hands into it and here only the Imposition of the Apostles hands confers not the Holy Ghost for these men were full of the Holy Ghost before Stephen an eminent man among them is quarrelled by certain of the Libertines and the Hellenists Synagogue Libertini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are exceeding frequently spoken of in the Jews Writings And the Alexandrian Synagogue one of the Hellenists is mentioned in Jerus in Megillah fol. 73. col 4. and Juchas fol. 26. who tell that R. Eliezer bar Zadoc took the Synagogue of the Alexandrians that was at Jerusalem and imployed it to his own use When they are not able to overpower him by argument and disputation they take a ready way to do it by false accusation and conventing him before the Sanhedrin where being accused of vilifying Moses and speaking of the destruction of that place he is vindicated even miraculously before he pleadeth his own cause by his face shining like the face of Moses and bearing an Angelical aspect and Majesty for indeed he spake but what was spoken by the Angel Gabriel Dan. 9. 26 27. In his Apology he speaketh to the heads of his accusation but somewhat abstrusely yet so as to them to whom he spake to be well understood his discourse being according to their own Rhetorick and Logick To what was laid to his charge for vilifying Moses and saying his customs should be changed he rehearseth in brief the whole history of Moses and shews he was Orthodox to him but yet he driveth all to this that as the times before Moses were still moving and growing on to settlement in Moses so when Moses himself had setled all he had to do yet he pointed them to a Prophet yet to come to whom they should hearken as the ultimate Oracle which was this Jesus that he preached to them And whereas he was accused for speaking of the destruction of the Temple he first shews that fixedness to this or that place is not so much to be stood upon as appears by the flitting condition of the Patriarchs whose flittings he giveth the story of at large and by the moving condition of the Tabernacle before the Temple was built And when the Temple was built it was not because God would confine himself to one place for the most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands ver 48. c. He inserteth two or three sharp and true accusations of them whereas theirs of him had been but false and causeless As that their fathers had persecuted those tha◠foretold of Christ as they did him for now preaching him and they followed their fathers steps nay went further for they had murdered Christ whereas their fathers had but murdered his Prophets And whereas they were so punctual about the Ceremonious rites given by Moses they neglected the moral Law which was given by the disposition of Angels This cuts them to the heart that they pass a rancourous and furious sentence of death upon him but he hath a sight of the high bench of Heaven God and Christ at his right hand their judge and his A most fit prospect for the first Martyr They cast him out of the City and stone him for blasphemy For these were to be stoned He that went in to his mother or to his fathers wife or to his daughter in Law or to a male or to a beast and he that blasphemed or that committed Idolatry c. And the place of stoning was out from the place of Judgment nay out of the City as the Gemarists resolve it because it is said Bring him that cursed out of the Camp And A crier went before him that was to die proclaiming his fault Sanhedr per. 6. 7. When he was come within four cubits of the place of stoning they stript him naked only covered his nakedness before Ibid. And being come to the very place first the witnesses laid their hands upon him Maym. in Avodah Zarah per. 2. and then stripping off their coats that they might be more expedite for their present work first one of them dasheth his loins violently against a stone that lay for that purpose if that killed him not then the other dasheth a great stone upon his heart as he lay on his back and if that dispatched him not then all the people fell upon him with stones Talm. ubi sup Steven in the midst of all this their fury and his own anguish gets on his knees and prays for them and having so done he fell asleep The Jews do ordinarily use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie Dying which properly signifies sleeping especially when they speak of a fair and comfortable death which word Luke translates here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that were stoned were also hanged up upon a tree Talm. ubi sup Whether Steven were so used is uncertain but it is evident that he had a fair burial and not the burial of a malefactour CHRIST XXXIV ACTS CHAP. VIII A Great persecution followeth the death of Steven in which Saul was a chief agent Scholar of Gamaliel President of the Sanhedrin and it may be the busier for that In Talm. Bab. Sanhedr fol. 43. col 1. they say Jesu had five Disciples Mathai Nakai Netser Boni and Thodah and they are urging reasons there why they should all be put to death c. All the hundred and twenty Ministers mentioned Chap. 1. 15. are scattered abroad only the twelve stay at Jerusalem as in the furnace to comfort and cherish the Church there in so sad a time and they preach all along as they go and so Satan breaks his own head by his own design for by persecution by which he had contrived to smother the Gospel it spreads the more The first plantation of it mentioned is in Samaria and that according to Christs own direction and foretelling Act. 1. 8. Ye shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and
years of age and he did not only understand but readily speak the Language This worthy Knight our Author often mentioned as his great Friend and a person of a most exemplary life as well as of great Learning and Judgment I have seen a Sermon of our Authors prepared to be Preached at his Funerals in which he bewails his death and complains at the close of it that he was hindred by the express Command of this worthy and modest Knight upon his death bed from saying any thing of him This may seem to be a digression but it is a very pardonable one it being designed only to take an occasion of speaking well of one who deserved well of the World and particularly of our learned Author whose incomparable learning and skill in the Hebrew affairs are under God in great measure owing to the Learned and Religious Gentleman Sir Rowland Cotton did whiles our Author preached at the place above named out of respect to his hopeful parts take him into his own family as his Chaplain There he laid the foundation of his Rabbinical Learning for which he is justly renowned not only here in England but beyond the Seas And that which put him upon it as our Author himself would frequently relate it was this Sir Rowland would often question him in that Language in which our Author was then but a Novice and this after some time wrought upon him so effectually that out of shame and indignation that he wanted that Learning which his Patron had he set himself close to the Study of the Tongues and the Hebrew especially He was ashamed to be baffled as he confessed he often was by a Country Gentleman and that also in a piece of Learning which he by his Profession and his Character was much more obliged to attain to than his Patron could be supposed to be And this was the occasion of his applying himself to those very useful Studies to which otherwise probably he would have continued a stranger In his Studies in this Family he made a great progress and was greatly cherished in them by his Patron to whom he was always very dear With him he continued at Bellaport till Sir Rowland left the Country and went to reside at London with his Family at the request of Sir Allen Cotton his Fathers younger Brother who was Lord Mayor of the City Within a little while our Author followed his Patron to the City He continued not long there before he returned into the Country again and visited his Father and Mother at Uttoxetar above named of whom he took a solemn leave with a resolution to travel beyond the Seas to their no little sorrow But having left his Father and Mother and travailing as far as Stone in the County of Stafford which place was then destitute of a Minister he was by the importunity of those who were concerned perswaded to accept of that place And so he did and forthwith set his Parents at ease by letting them know that his Travels were now at an End At this place he continued two years or thereabouts During this time May 21. 1628. he married Joice the Daughter of William Crompton of Stone Park Esq and Widow of George Copwood of Dilverne in the County of Stafford Gentleman From Stone our Author removed to Hornsey near the City of London for the sake of the Library of Sion College to which he often resorted and from thence in the Spring Anno Domini 1630. he and his Family came to Uttoxetar aforesaid where he continued till the September following when Sir Rowland Cotton preferred him to the Rectory of Ashley in the County of Stafford Here our Author continued in great esteem for the space of twelve years and here he very much pursued his Rabbinical Studies And to that end he bought a small piece of Land lying near unto his Parsonage-house where he built a small House in the midst of a Garden containing a Study and withdrawing room below and a lodging Chamber above Here he closely followed his said Studies with great delight and unwearied diligence and did choose to lodge here very often though it were so near to his Family and Parsonage House He continued in this place till June Anno Domini 1642. when upon what occasion soever it was most probably being called up to the Assembly of Divines unwillingly he seems to leave his abode and Country and became a kind of Exile in London as we may collect from his Epistle before his Handful of Gleanings upon Exodus Where he thus bespeaks the Parishoners of S. Bartholomews behind the Exchange That when exiled from his own they made him theirs But in this his destitute state it seems he continued not long His parts and worth like a great light could not be hid but soon were taken notice of in the City So that he became Minister to the Inhabitants of the Parish aforesaid Where as we learn from that Epistle their first meeting was with extraordinary kindness and the same mutual affection abated not between them About this time it was also that another employment was laid upon him namely to be a Member of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Whether I shall now follow him and give some account of his carriage and demeanour there In the year 1643. The Ministers of the City of London met together to consult whether they should preach on the Christmas day following as they had been wont to do or take no notice at all of the day One of them whom I shall not name of great Autority among them was against their Preaching and was very near prevailing with the rest of his Brethren to forbear Our Author was at that meeting being at that time Minister at St. Bartholomews aforesaid who was so far from consenting to the advice of that person who gave it that he took him aside and argued the Point with him and did not only maintain the lawfulness of the thing in question but the expedience of it also and shewed that the omitting it would be of dangerous consequence and would reflect very much upon those Men who made profession of no other design but reforming what was culpable and faulty In a word he so far prevailed with the Company that when it was put to the question it was carried in the Affirmative and there were not above four or five of the whole who dissented I forbear to mention the particular arguments which our Author made use of which I could easily have done because I do not mention it as an instance of his Learning that he was able to maintain this cause than which no thing can be thought more defensible but only to let the Reader know that though our Author lived in the late unhappy times and conversed with Men who were extravagantly bent upon extreams yet he did not want courage and integrity in standing against the stream In the debates of that Assembly at Westminster our Author used the
overcome Domitius in eloquence whereas Domitius had more cause to rejoyce that he had so overcome him by silence PART III. The JEWISH Story § 1. Herod and Herodias before the Emperour WE are now to present to Caius as bloody a woman as he was a man Herodias that hath committed as much murder in taking away but one mans life John the Baptist as he hath done in all his And when these two are met together two Princes of the greatest cruelty and bloodiness that either sex could then afford are met together You may remember that not long since we left Her and her Herod for husband I may not call him shipped for Rome to purchase if possible the Emperours good respect and with that an augmentation of their dignity and dominion Agrippa knowing of this their journey and suspecting that as it began in envy and emulation to him so would it terminate if they could compass it to his disadvantage he sendeth his servant Fortunatus after them with letters to the Emperour either because himself was not yet at leasure to come or in policy trying how his letters would speed and be entertained before he ventured his own person At Baiae they all met before Caesar and Agrippa's complaint by writing meeteth theirs by word of mouth He layeth to Herods charge confederacy with Sejanus at Rome and with Artabanus in Parthia and an armory and magazine at his own home sufficient to furnish seven thousand men all which laid together could not but breed a just suspition of his revolting Herod not being able upon questioning to deny the last thing that he was charged withall about his arms gave Caius presumption to conclude the truth of all the other whereupon he adjudgeth him to perpetual banishment to Lions in France and thus thank Herodias by his looking for a greater dignity and honour he lost that which he had already Caesar would have spared Herodias for Agrippa's sake as being his sister but she refused the curtesie and chose to suffer the same fortune with her husband and but very justly neither for she had brought him to it And she could not in civility refuse to take part with him in his misery as he had done with her in her folly that had caused it both their estates dignities and dominions Caius bestoweth upon Agrippa to their greater vexation and so we leave them going to Lions there to think and repent too late how wholesome the counsel was that was given them by the Baptist and that they tooke it not § 2. The Alexandrian Jews still perplexed And now let us return from Rome to Alexandria where the last year we left the Jews in so extream misery and distress and now it is to be suspected we shall find them in the same still Being so oppressed plundred and massacred by Flaccus as we have heard their utmost refuge is to petition to the Emperour but a miserable refuge you must needs think it will prove when they cannot do it but by Flaccus his permission and assistance When they made this motion and request to him foolish men to expect such curtesie from their greatest enemie he taketh on him to approve of their intention promiseth to speed their petition the best he could but when he had it pretending to have sent it away he keepeth and suppresseth it and answered neither his promise nor their expectation either in hast or in assisting Thus do the poor Jews lie waiting in uncertain hopes but in certain misery looking for some comfortable answer from Rome to their petition which is still at Alexandria But at last comes their old friend and countreyman Agrippa to Rome with the old grudg in his bosome against Flaccus for his base usage of him at his last being there and he promotes their cause to Caesar with the best excuses he can make for them and with some bitter accusing of their enemie the Govenour § 3. Flaccus his downfall Whether it were the prevalency of Agrippa's letters with the Emperour or the divine vengeance upon this unjust and murderous Governour or both or some other conjoyned Caius ere long sent Bassus a Centurion with his band into Alexandria to apprehend Flaccus He stole in by night into the City lest his approach had it been detected should have bred commotion and meeting with a Souldier in the dark and inquiring for the chief Captain that he might acquaint him with the cause of his coming and obtain his assistance with his Souldiers if there should be any resistance he was informed that Flaccus and he were both at supper with Stephanio one of the Freemen of Tiberius Thither he getteth with all secrecy and scouting before the house he sendeth in one of his Souldiers habited in the garb of a Servingman that he might the more safely thrust in among the Servitors to see what store of company was there and when he heard by him that it was but small he bursteth in with his men and apprehendeth him I leave to the Reader to imagine the contrary operation that this suddain action had with Flaccus and with the Jews It was now the time of the feast of Tabernacles with them but the feast was intermitted because of their common misery but now somewhat solaced by the event of this feast of Flaccus He is hurried away to Rome in the beginning of winter and there tried and condemned to perpetual banishmen◠〈…〉 Isle of Andros where what became of him you shall hear the next year § 4. The Jews of Alexandria still distressed Flaccus the Jews enemies at Alexandria they are thus happily rid of but a worse if worse may be springeth as it were out of his corruption at Rome Helicon a Servant of Tiberius whilst he lived and now of Caius a fit man for such a master the more to ingratiate himself into the Princes favour yet had he it already in no ordinary measure bendeth himself with the utmost of his Rhetorick and Eloquence skill and flattery to traduce the people and Religion of the Jews and to make them odious and himself the more acceptable to the Emperour The envious Alexandrians having by their Ambassadours espied this advantage do spur him forward who needed no incitation with great presents and greater promises they urge him on to prosecute that malicious accusation that he had begun which he performed accordingly with a renewed impetuousness added to his present spleen by his future expectation and present fee. The miserable Jews thus betrayed lie under distress and under the Emperours displeasure for a season and could not learn from whence it proceeded But at last they address a number of petitioners to Rome to make their peace with Helicon if possible and to make an humble remonstrance to the Emperour of their state and grievances and a petition for some remedy and redress Their Legation and Ambassy they indeed presented not to the Prince till the next year yet since Philo saith that they took their voyage in the
is exceedingly delighted with and given to the cruelty of the Sword-plays in which he swept away a world of Servants and Freemen that had been accusers of their Masters in the time of Caius And which was most ridiculous he caused the statue of Augustus to be removed out of the place because it should not behold such bloody work being inhumanely himself delighted in that butchery which he thought too barbarous for a brazen statue to look upon These bloody spectacles brought him to an habit of cruelty which was augmented and hardened in him by the damnable counsels of his Empress Messalina a woman wicked above parallel or expression and by the spurrings on of other sycophants C. Appius Silanus is put to death because he refused to incestuate Messalina when she desired him for he had married her mother but because Claudius must not hear of this beastly cause of her displeasure Narcissus a freeman of the Emperor accused him for this that in a dream he had seen Appius slay the Emperor Upon his death the people began to expect no more goodness from Claudius at all but gave him up for a Tyrant like the two that had gone before him whereupon Annius Vincianus and Futius Camillus Scribonianus and others conspired against him but being deserted of their souldiers in the enterprize they are glad to end their lives by their own hands that they might escape the executioners Messalina and Narcissus and others of their faction using the stupid folly of the Emperor to the compassing of their own wills involve in false accusations and in miserable deaths an infinite multitude of men and women honorable and inferior of all qualities and conditions according as the spleen of any of them moved or was provoked Among them that thus perished Arria the wife of Caecinna is upon record for her Roman valour for when her husband trembled and was afraid to slay himself she took the sword out of his hand and fell upon it and gave it him again reeking with her blood with these words Behold boy how I feel no pain And now saith my Author were matters come to such a pass that nothing was reputed a greater vertue than to die valiantly and like a Roman To such a cruelty had custom and evil counsel brought him that of himself was of a reasonable gentle nature but wanted constancy and discretion to manage it THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY THE Jewish and the Roman Of the Year of CHRIST XLIV And of the Emperor CLAUDIUS III. Being the Year of the WORLD 3971. And of the City of ROME 796. Consuls Claudius Caesar III. L. Uitellius ACTS CHAP. XII Vers. 2. And he killed Iames. §. 1. The Martyrdom of James the great WE are now come to the time of Great James his death For Agrippa coming the last year into Judea as we saw from Josephus and it not being probable that he should do this exploit before Easter as the circumstances told us we may justly take this year for its proper time and place Now about that time saith St. Luke Herod the King the Syriack addeth who is called Agrippa stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Jews and he killed James the brother of John with the sword The first words About that time relate to what went before in the preceding Chapter vers 28. and meaneth in the days of Claudius Caesar. Now what should be the incentive of the spleen of Agrippa against the Church is not specified it may well be supposed it proceeded from that his Ceremoniousness and strict observance of Mosaick Rites which is mentioned by Josephus Concerning the Martyrdom of James under this his spleen we will content our selves with the words of the Text He killed James the brother of John with the sword accounting all other additional circumstances which may be found in officious Authors to be nothing else but gilded legends and fond inventions As that mentioned by Eusebius out of Cleniens his Hypotyposeon concerning his accuser that seeing his constancy to the death confessed the faith and was martyred with him That by Epiphanius that he lived and died a Virgin and that by * * * Tom. 2. Iulii 25. Surius who is the bell-weather for old winter tales that telleth That his body after his martyrdom was shipped by Ctesiphon and his fellow-Bishops for Spain that the Ship in six days was directed thither without Pilot or Compass but only by the influence of the Corps that it carried That at the landing the body was taken up into the air and carried near the place of its burial twelve miles off That Ctesiphon and his fellows werâ— led to it by an Angel And more such trash that it is but labour lost either to read or mention §. 2. The Apostles Creed The Creed was made upon this occasion saith a a a De Institut Cleric l. 2. c. 56. extat in Auctario ad Biblioth Patrum â—ol 620 Rabanus Maâ—…s as our Ancestors have delivered unto us The Disciples after the Ascension of our Saviour being inflamed with the Holy Ghost c. And being charged by the Lord to go to all Nations for the preaching of the Gospel when they are to part one from another they first make a common platform among themselves for their future preaching Lest being severed in place divers and different things should be preached to those that were invited to the faith of Christ. Being therefore together in one place and filled with the Holy Ghost they compose a short platform for their preaching conferring together what they thought And this they appoint to be given to them that believe and to be called Symbolum c. Thus he and very many others with him conceiving that the Apostles supplied not only the matter of the Doctrine contained in the Creed but the very form and words also For Peter said say they I believe in God the Father Almighty John The maker of Heaven and Earth James And I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. Andrew Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary Philip Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Thomas He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead Bartholomew He ascended into Heaven sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty Matthew From thence shall he come to judge both the quick and the dead James the son of Alpheus I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church Simon Zelotes The communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins Judas the brother of James The resurrection of the flesh Matthias The life everlasting Amen Thus the hundred and fifteenth Sermon de Tempore that goeth under the name of b b b Tom. 10. col 849. Austen but apparent that it is not his by this that here is reckoned the descent into Hell which in his book c c c Tom. 3. p. 143. de Fide Symbolo is quite omitted Now were this
Whosoever putteth away his wife let him give her a bill of Divorsement NOtice is to be taken how our Saviour passeth into these words namely by using the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it hath been said This particle hath this Emphasis in this place that it whispers a silent objection which is answered in the following verse Christ had said Whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already But the Jewish Lawyers said If any one sees a woman which he is delighted withal above his wife let him dismiss his wife and marry her Among the Chapters of Talmudical Doctrine we meet with none concerning which it is treated more largely and more to a punctilio than of Divorces and yet there the chief care is not so much of a just cause of it as of the manner and form of doing it To him that turns over the Book Gittim as also indeed the whole Seder Nashim that part of the Talmud that treats of women the diligence of the Masters about this matter will appear such that they seem to have dwelt not without some complacency upon this article above all others God indeed granted to that Nation a Law concerning Divorces Deut. XXIV 1. permitted only for the hardness of their hearts Mat. XIX 8. In which permission nevertheless they boast as though it were indulged them by more priviledg When God had established that fatal Law of punishing Adultery by death Deut. XXII for the terror of the people and for their avoiding of that sin the same merciful God foreseeing also how hard occasion being taken from this Law the issue of this might be to the women by reason of the roughness of the men lusting perhaps after other women and loathing their own wives he more graciously provided against such kind of wife-killing by a Law mitigating the former and allowed the putting away a wife in the same case concerning which that fatal Law was given namely in the case of Adultery So that that Law of Divorce in the exhibition of it implied their hearts to be hard and in the use of it they shewed them to be carnal And yet hear them thus boasting of that Law k k k k k k Hieros in Kiddushin fol. 158. 3. The Lord of Israel saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he hateth putting away Mal. II. 16. Through the whole Chapter saith R. Chananiah in the name of R. Phinâ—has he is called the Lord of Hosts but here of Israel that it might appear that God subscribed not his name to Divorces but only among the Israelites As if he should say To the Israelites I have granted the putting away of wives to the Gentiles I have not granted it R. Chaijah Rabbah saith Divorces are not granted to the Nations of the World Some of them interpreted this Law of Moses as by right they ought to interpret it of the case of Adultery only l l l l l l Gittin cap. 9. hal ult The School of Shammai said a wife is not to be divorced unless for filthiness that is Adultery only because it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because he hath found filthy nakedness in her that is Adultery m m m m m m Gemara â—b Rabh Papa said If he find not adultery in her what then Rabba answered When the merciful God revealed concerning him that corrupted a maid that it was not lawful for him to put her away in his whole life Deut. XXII 29. you are thence taught concerning the matter propounded that it is not lawful to put her away if he shall not find filthiness in his wiâ—e With the like honesty have some commented upon those words cited out of the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he hateth putting away n n n n n n Ibid. R. Jochanan saith The putting away of a wife is odious Which others also have granted indeed of the first wife but not of those that a man took to himself over and above For this is approved among them for a Canon o o o o o o Maimon in Gerushin cap. 10. Let no man put away his first wife unless for adultery And p p p p p p Gittin in the place above R. Eliezer saith for the divorcing of the first wife even the Altar it self sheds tears Which Gloss they fetch from thence where it is said Let no man deal treacherously towards the wife of his youth Mal. II. 15. The Jews used Polygamy and the divorcing of their wives with one and the same license and this that they might have change and all for the sake of lust q q q q q q Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 10 14. It is lawful say they to have many wives together even as many as you will but our wise men have decreed that no man have above four wives But they restrained this not so much out of some principles of chastity as that least a man being burdened with many wives might not be able to afford them food and clothing and due benevolence for thus they comment concerning this bridle of Polygamy For what causes they put away their wives there is no need to enquire for this they did for any cause of their own free will I. It is commanded to divorce a wise that is not of good behaviour and who is not modest as becomes a daughter of Israel So they speak in Maimonides and Gittin in the place above specified Where this also is added in the Gemarists R. Meir saith As men have their pleasures concerning their meat and their drink so also concerning their wives This man takes out a fly found in his cup and yet will not drink after such a manner did Papus ben Judah carry himself who as often as he went forth bolted the doers and shut in his wife Another takes out a fly found in his cup and drinks up his cup that he doth who sees his wife talking freely with her neighbours and kinsfolks and yet allows of it And there is another who if he find a fly in his basket eats it and this is the part of an evil man who sees his wife going out without a vail upon her head and with a bare neck and sees her washing in the baths where men are wont to wash and yet cares not for it whereas he is bound by the Law to put her away II. r r r r r r Maimonides in the place above If any man hate his wife let him put her away excepting only that wife that he first married In like manner R. Judah thus interprets that of the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he hate her let him put her away Which sense some Versions dangerously enough have followed R. Solomon expresses the sense of that place thus It is commanded to put away ones wife if she obtain not favour in the eyes of her
in white and had a white veil and entred and ministred with his Brethren the Priests 2. We meet also with mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Council-house of the Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q q q q q q Bab. Joma fol. 66. 1. in Gemara The High Priests made a Decree and did not permit an Israelite to carry the scape Goat into the wilderness But in the Gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Council of the Priests did not permit this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r r r r r r Chetubh chap. 1. hal 5. The Council of the Priests exacted for the portion of a Virgin four hundred Zuzees and the wise men did not hinder it First This was that Council of which we spoke before in the Chamber of the Councellors Secondly That which was decreed by them concerning the carrying away of the scape Goat belonged meerly to the Service of the Temple as being a caution about the right performance of the office in the day of Attonement Thirdly And that about the portion of a virgin was nothing else but what any Israelite might do and so the Gemarists confess If any noble family in Israel say they would do what the Priests do they may The Priests set a price upon their virgins and decreed by common consent that not less than such a portion should be required for them which was lawful for all the Israelites to do for their virgins if they pleased 3. s s s s s s â—â—â— Hashanah chap. 1. hal 7. There is an example brought of Tobias a Physician who saw the New Moon at Jerusalem he and his Son and his servant whom he had freed The Priests admitted him and his Son for witnesses his servant they rejected but when they came before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bench they admitted him and his servant and rejected his Son Observe 1. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Council is here opposed to the Priests 2. That it belonged to the Council to determine of the New Moon because on that depended the set-times of the Feasts this is plain enough in the Chapter cited 3. That what the Priests did was matter of Examination only not Decree 4. t t t t t t Jerus 〈◊〉 fol. 2â— 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Elders of the City Deut. XXII 18. are the Triumvirat Bench. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the Gate v. 24. means the Bench of the chief Priest The matter there in debate is about a married woman who is found by her husband to have lost her virginity and is therefore to be put to death Deut. XXII 13 c. In that passage among other things you may find these words ver 18. And the Elders of that City shall lay hold of that man and scourge him The Gemarists take occasion from thence to define what the phrase there and in other places means The Elders of the City and what is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Gate when it relates to the Bench. That say they signifies the Triumvirat Bench This the Bench or Council of the High Priest that is unless I be very much mistaken every Council of twenty three which is clear enough both from the place mentioned and from reason it self 1. The words of the place quoted are these R. Bon bar Chaija enquired before R. Zeira What if the Father of the Virgin should produce witnesses which invalidate the testimony of the husbands witnesses if the Fathers witnesses are proved false he must be whipped and pay a hundred Selaim in the Triumvirat-Court but the witnesses are to be stoned by the Bench of the Twenty three c. R. Zeira thought that this was a double judgment but R. Jeremias in the name of R. Abhu that it was but a single one But the Tradition contradicts R. Abhu for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Elders of the City ver 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is To the Triumvirat Bench. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But at the Gate means the Bench of the High Priest It is plain that the Bench of the High Priest is put in opposition to the Triumvirat-Bench and by consequence that it is either the chief Council or the Council of the Twenty three or some other Council of the Priests distinct from all these But it cannot be this third because the place cited in the Talmudists and the place in the Law cited by the Talmudists plainly speaks of such a Council which had power of judging in capital causes But they that suppose the Ecclesiastical Council among the Jews to have been distinct from the Civil scarce suppose that that Council sat on capital causes or passed sentence of death much less is it to be thought that that Council sat only on life and death which certainly ought to be supposed from the place quoted if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Council of the High Priest did strictly signifie such a Council of Priests Let us illustrate the Talmudical words with a Paraphrase R. Zeira thought that that cause of a husband accusing his wife for the loss of her virginity belonged to the judgment of two Benches namely of the Triumvirat which inflicted whipping and pecuniary mulcts and of the Twenty three which adjudged to death but Rabbi Abhu thinks it is to be referred to the judgment of one Bench only But you are mistaken good Rabbi Abhu and the very phrase made use of in this case refutes you for the expression which is brought in To the Elders of the City signifies the Triumviral Bench and the phrase at the Gate signifies the Bench of Twenty three for the chief Council never sat in the Gate 2. Now the Council of Twenty three is called by the Talmudists the Bench or the Council of the chief Priest alluding to the words of the Law-giver Deut. XVII 9. where the word Priests denotes the inferiour Councils and Judg the chief Council II. In the chief Council the President sat in the highest seat being at this time when Christ was under examination Rabban Gamaliel as we said but the High Priest excelled him in dignity every where for the President of the Council was chose not so much for his quality as for his learning and skill in Traditions He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a phrase very much used by the Author of Juchasin applied to Presidents that is Keeper Father and deliverer of Traditions and he was chose to this office who was fittest for these things Memorable is the story of Hillel's coming to the Presidentship being preferred to the Chair for this only thing because he solved some doubts about the Passover having learnt it as he saith himself from Shemaiah and Abtalion u u u u u u Jerus Pesach fol. 33. 1. We will not think it much to transcribe the story The Sons of Betira once forgot a Tradition for when the fourteenth day on which the Passover was to be
are mightily mistaken that think that Absalom wore his hair so long because he was proud of it he wore it so long because he had vowed Nazaritism and by way of humiliation and denied himself that neatness that he used before For that which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. XI 14. Doth not nature it self teach that if a man have long hair it is a shame to him the Jewish Nation consented to with all their hearts And therefore they looked upon Nazarites with their long hair as men under humiliation and that wore it so to take shame unto themselves before God and Men. And so they took up their Vow as whereby to tie themselves to a more strict way of religiousness and humiliation Men generally think there is some weight and aw and terror in a Vow and even the profanest of men stand in fear of breaking even of foolish and rash Vows Prov. VII 14. The Whore there speaks This day have I paid my Vows I have known where a wicked fellow having made a Vow that he would never go in at his neighbours door durst not for his Vow sake go in at the door but could be content to creep in at the window And another that having made a Vow he would not go into such an Alehouse of so long a time durst not for his Vow sake go into it but could be content to be carried in Now however these wretches dallied with God and trifled with their Vows and their own Souls yet they shewed that there is some aw of a Vow even upon an ungodly heart and that that stands over them as with a whip and scourge A good heart discerns the aw of it much more and many a good man hath made Vows of careful walking that he might have his Vow his Monitor and keep him in aw to it hath stuck as it were this rod always by him to mind him to have a care and to whip him if he failed Now is every man bound to make such Vows as these with David to make a Vow to take heed to his ways and to take an oath and swear that he will keep Gods commandments The bond lies upon us from God to walk holily and carefully have we need or are we bound to add to the bond and to lay a Vow upon our selves so to do For answer to this I shall recommend to you two passages of Solomon and one of David First That in Prov. XX. 25. It is a snare to a man to devour that which is holy and I. after Vows to make enquiry For a man to Vow and to devour what he had vowed and not pay it and then to make enquiry concerning his Vow whether he vowed well or ill or no This is a snare This should have been done before he made his Vow and not after It is best for a man to consider before he Vows whether he do well in making his Vow and whether he shall be able to perform it when he hath made it The great cause of breaking Vows or repenting of what a man hath vowed is want of consideration before hand what he goes about A Vow even a holy Vow is a thing of deliberation and not to be undertaken rashly but as in our Saviours parable He that builds a Tower had need to sit down and cast whether he be able to finish it when he hath begun it To consider whether he be able to perform his Vow when he hath made it For as a Vow is to be of a thing lawful and weighty so it is to be of a thing possible He that vows that which is not reasonably in his power to perform casts not himself only into a bond but into a snare Such is the Nuns Vow of Virginity and the Priests Vow among the Papists never to marry It is not more a Vow than a Snare because they cannot say or think it is absolutely in their power to perform it And the contrary hath been proved and is daily among them by doleful experience A good heart out of a good intention may be willing to bind himself under a Vow to walk as carefully before God as possible but let him well consider before hand how he can keep his Vow For consider that considerable place of the same Solomon Secondly Eccles. V. 5. It is better that thou shouldst not Vow than that thou shouldst II. Vow and not pay Whether Solomon spake there only of vowing a Sacrifice or generally of any holy Vow his saying will hold true that it is better not to Vow than to Vow and not perform Such holy Vows as we speak of a mans vowing all care possible in his holy walking proceed either from conscientiousness of his Duty or consciousness of his frailty A man out of conscientiousness and a holy zeal to his Duty binds himself by a Vow to his utmost performance of it that his Vow may be a continual spur and Monitor to him to keep up to it Another out of consciousness of his readiness to fail or to be sleepy in his Duty or to be ready to faulter from it binds himself by a Vow to be as a Bell to keep him awake to it and to be a check to his faultering These men have done well in making their Vows if they keep them but if they keep them not it had been far better not to have vowed than not to pay God undoubtedly requires that they should perform when they have vowed but we cannot say that he so strictly requires that they should Vow Which makes me remember that of Peter to Ananias Act. V. 4. While it remained was it not thine own and when it was sold was it not in thine own power And thou mightest have chosen whether thou wouldst have vowed and consecrated it to God or no but since thou hast taken on thee to devote it to him the Lord requires that thou shouldst perform and not faulter with him As a man may chuse whether he will enter into bonds or no but when he is entred into them he must look to pay them Thirdly A hint about this matter let us take from Psal. LVI 12. Thy Vows O Lord III. are upon me He speaks oft of his own Vows being upon him here of the Lords Either thy Vows that is made to thee So sacrifice was the Lords sacrifice Or thy Vows that is that thou hast laid upon me the bonds wherein thou hast bound me A Vow in Baptism is laid on us by God so on Israel by circumcision and God even as soon as we come into the World seizes upon us and would tie us to him Swaddles us in the bond of the Covenant as soon as we come into the swaddles that he might bring us up for his And as it is said of Jonathan That he made David swear and enter into oath with him because he loved him as his own Soul so God makes us to swear and to enter into Vow to him because he
one against another whereas there is nothing in the world of which you can give less a reason Why a Man should love every Man in the world I can give variety of reasons but why any one should hate any one Man in the world the invention of Men and Devils cannot give a solid reason He hath wronged thee So hast thou done others He hath deceived thee So hast thou but too oft done thy self He hath been offensive to thee So hast thou been to God Thou canst give no reason why thou shouldst hate thy Brother but the same will be reâ—orted upon thee that for the same cause thou shouldst hate thy self II. To love our Neighbour as our selves This is a Royal Law Jam. II. 8. or the Law of the King And that which the King of his Church hath not only given but a Law which he put himself also in subjection to Deny else his doing for mankind Did he not love his Neighbour Man as himself when he left the bosom of his Father to take the nature the infirmities the sins of Man upon him Did he not love his Neighbour Man as himself when he laid down his life for him and that with as exquisite cruelty anguish and torture executed against him as Men and Devils could invent And if you doubt of his love to Man his Neighbour look into the wound in his side and put your finger into the print of the nails in his hands and feet and ask how those came there And when this Patern and Copy of Love sends his choise Apostle into the world to testifie his love to the world he warrants and he inables him to express as much love to Men as it was possible for Man to express Look else upon his indefatigable pains for the good of Men his sufferings his troubles his bonds and imprisonment and in a word the constant course of his life and ministry And all for the benefit of Men in the service of his Master And then believe the better what he speaks here That he could wish himself accursed that they might be saved This is the Copy of a Christian and not of an Apostle only And this must every one of us write after in the best degree we can Now if any inquire what is the proper reason and ground of the love of our Neigbour I might treat at large of these things That a Christian is to love every one I. For his own sake II. For Gods sake III. For his Souls sake I. For his own sake If any ask why the Answer is ready because he is thine own flesh and blood All the Nation of Israel is akin to our Apostle as all descending of one blood So this same Apostle tells that all the men in the world do Act. XVII 26. God hath made of one blood all Nations of Men. Men of all Nations are akin for they are all of one blood Nay that of the Prophet seems to bring the kindred something nearer Es. LVIII 7. That thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh The Prophets meaning is That thou hide not thy self from the poor when he comes to seek relief and comfort from thee A poor tattered miserable creature that it may be thou wouldst scorn to look upon or be loath to come near or have any thing to do withall yet for all thy goodliness he is thine own flesh II. For Gods sake Because he commands it urges it and it is pleasing to him Doest thou love God This Love of God is to keep his Commandments And there is hardly any Command that is urged more than Love and Unity and affection one towards another III. A third bond that should tye us to love our Neighbour is For his Souls sake This was that that especially moved the Apostle to such an Affection towards his Nation He had as little cause upon any outward or carnal respect to love them as a man could have They were indeed his Brethren but Brethren Enemies they were his Kinsmen but spiteful Kinsmen he never enjoyed peace or safety for them When were they not clamouring against accusing whipping persecuting imprisoning him and seeking his life And yet he cannot but love them wish them well for their Souls sake You would think the Apostle little loved the incestuous Person 1 Cor. V. but his very severity was out of love to his Soul vers 5. That the spirit might be saved When he gave up Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan one would think he heartily hated them when he dealt so severely with them but it was that if possible good might accrue to their Souls For consider his reason of that action I have given them up to Satan Why Not that I might plague them revenge my self on them bring them to ruine but that they might learn not to blaspheme 1 Tim. I. 20. That if it may be they may learn better manners and Religion The Kings Daughter is black but comely Cant. I. Black because the Sun hath looked upon her She was born in the Morians Land But she is glorious within because of her virtuousness and goodness The sinful Souls of men as they are sinful are black deformed things but as they are Souls and in regard of their Essential constitution they are lovely and precious And there is more in any Soul in the World to move thee to love him than there is in his Person or Actions to move thee to hate him And how great is the beauty of the Soul when it carries the image of God himself Even the poorest and most contemptible Soul in the world carries the image of God upon it It is Gods own argument against Murther Gen. IX 6. Whoso sheddeth Mans blood by Man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he Man The very same may be used against the hating of our Neighbour the seed of Murther thou shalt not hate thy Neighbour for in the image of God he made thy Neighbour Object But I had thought that by the fall of Man the image of God had been quite lost from him For I have often heard that every Man is born in the sinful image of Adam but the glorious image of God is utterly gone off from him And so the Apostle Rom. III. 23. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God Answer Do you not observe that Gen. I. 26. where mention is made of Adams Creation that God said Let us make Man in our image after our likeness Where the image of God refers to the Essence of mans Soul the likeness to the qualities The Qualities were Holiness and Righteousness in the likeness of God And so the Apostle Eph. IV. 22 c. tells That when any soul is restored again to the likeness of God it is in Holiness and Righteousness This is utterly lost in humane nature till Grace restore it in any Person But the image of God that is in the Soul viz. as the Soul is a Spiritual