to hinder him from the Love of God the Believer hath Sin the World the Flesh the Devil nay Deum Visum iratum God himself when he seems to be angry yet he loves God through all these Whereas Adam fell in the first opposition 3. A Believers obedience is more excellent than Adam did or could perform Adam had no hindrance nay he was not in a condition of passive obedience A Believer obeys through poverty sadness pains nay to death it self Thus Having the Spirit speaks not perfection yet at last brings to perfection in Heaven Adam begun in perfection and grew imperfect Holiness begins and sojourns in imperfection here and ends in perfection hereafter VII Having the Spirit speaks having it for ever XIII Joh. 1. Having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end The falls of them that have the Spirit as for example of Peter of David speaks not the loss of the Spirit nor the weakness of the Spirit but only the Spirits disposing Every sickness is not loss of life so every fall is not the loss of the Spirit I might illustrate this from the Spirits acting in ruling and guiding the course of nature The Spirit as Creator preserves the Universe in its being and order How In that he hath set rules in the course of nature that there should be such seasons such productions such causes to produce such effects that warmth and nearness of the Sun should cause Spring and Summer and so contra And the Spirit sits above all and gives influence So when Nature is inverted that there happen winter-weather in Summer and contra Summer-weather in Winter the Spirit is not departed from his work nor is he become weak but so disposes and that after his own Rule viz. Northern cold winds and rain to breed cold though in Summer thick cloudy air and sky warmth even in Winter So though he fails of the Rule set in regard of the seasons yet not of the Rule set of such causes producing such effects So the Spirit hath set a Rule in Course in the work of Grace that such cause produce such effect that it should be Summer or Winter with the Christian as the Sun of Righteousness is near or far off And in Winter we have not lost the Sun though he be not so near Now when the Course of Grace is inverted and man falls the Spirit is not lost but this is according to the Rule set of causes and effects care of mens ways to produce growth and comfort neglect thereof to produce failings But yet the Spirit is not quite gone from his work VIII Having the Spirit speaks not having the gift of Prophesie As some did not distinguish before concerning the Indowments of the Spirit so do others not distinguish here or at least confound Hence some will say I believe therefore I have the Spirit of prophesie Of all men I believe least they have the Spirit that boast of it But to this I shall only say two things First Did the very holiness of Christs person necessarily indue him with the Spirit of Prophesie If so then what need had he of the gift of the Spirit It is said of John Luke I. 15. That he should be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb But it is not said so of Christ. Nor was John Baptist filled with the Holy Ghost in that sense Secondly These are of so different natures that one is not the cause of the other 1. The Spirit of Sanctification is only to help our infirmities c. the Spirit of Prophesie not 2. The Spirit of Sanctification is beneficial to the person in order to his Salvation the other not 3. The Spirit of Sanctification only proves good the other may be the occasion of evil S. Pauls revelations were in danger to puff him up 2 Cor. XII 7. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given unto me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me 4. The Spirit of Sanctification changeth the heart the other not 5. It goeth through the whole soul the other not And thus I have done with the eight Observations I named which may serve as good directions for our understanding what it is to have the Spirit and what is the nature of his operations I might add more As First One may have the Spirit and not know it Secondly One may have a great measure of the Spirit and yet doubt whether he have it at all Thirdly The Spirit is not had upon courtesie of mans will but by the over-powering of Gods grace Fourthly The chief way of the working of the Spirit is to work Faith and Love and to build up Christians by Faith and Love A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge June 24. 1660. 1 COR. XIV 26. How is it then Brethren When ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation let all things be done to edifying THE last time I spoke of one abuse in the Publick Assembly of this Church of Corinth and that was misjudging and misreceiving the Holy Sacrament Here in the Text is another disorder and confusedness in the exercise of the Publick Ministry from what arising uncertain but certainly ending in non-edification as the Apostle intimates by the conclusion of the verse Such confusion indeed in their business that we know not where to find them and indeed the Chapter is very hard very hard either to find out what it was they did or what it is the Apostle would have them do or whence proceeded that enormity that he doth correct We will inquire after it the best we can and keep as near as we can to the words of the Text. In it are three parts I. What to do in a certain case How is it then Brethren II. The case propounded When ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation III. The Determination given Let all things be done to edifying I. What to do in a certain case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a School-phrase and if I be not much deceived the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word used infinitely in the Talmud and in Tanchum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word occurs a thousand times It means most commonly What is to be done in this case or May such a thing be done Either will serve here Every one hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue c. What is to be done in this case Or may we do thus and keep to this Custom The Apostle resolves the case in the end of the Verse Let all things be done to edifying And so vers 15. compared with vers 14. If I pray in an unknown Tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful And then comes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is
that performed it not but plainly demonstrated that none could perform it and so left all under a curse and these words Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. conclude both So that the Law was not given for justification but to be subservient to the Covenant of Justification not to cross the Covenant but to serve it not purposely to leave under the curse but to shew the curse and to drive men to get from under it So that men might live in it but not by it It was the way in which men were to go to seek for Justification but it was not the cause or means whereby they were justified See Gal. 3. 5. The Jews made the Moral Law cross to the Covenant of Grace whilst they sought to be justified by works and they made the Ceremonial Law cross the Moral whilest they resolved all duty into Ceremony and so the Law which in it self was holy and pure and good they turned to death unto themselves by their abuse They might have lived in the Moral Law had they used it aright though not by it for the more a man sets himself to the exact performance of it the more he sees he cannot perform it and therefore he is driven the more to Christ But they resolved all into Ceremonious performance and so lost sincerity toward the Moral and hereupon the Ceremonial Law good in it self became to them Statutes not good and Judgments wherein they could not live Exek 20. 25. From Rome also and reasonable early in this year Paul wrote THE EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY and in it urgeth Timothy to come to him before Winter Timothy was now at Ephesus when this Epistle was directed to him as may be observed out of the Epistle it self by these collections 1. In that he willeth him to salute the houshold of Onesiphorus Chap. 4. 19. who was an Ephesian Chap. 1. 16 18. 2. In that he biddeth him take Troas in his way as he comes to him Chap. 4. 13. which had been the way that Paul himself had gone from Ephesus 2 Cor. 2. 22. and to Ephesus again Acts 20. 5. 3. In that he warneth him of Alexander Chap. 4. 14. who was an Ephesian 1 Tim. 1. 20. Act. 19. 33. There is one passage in this Epistle which hath caused some to doubt about the time of its writing for about the place there is no doubt and that is what he saith Chap. 4. 6. I am now ready to be offered up and the time of my departure is at hand which would make one think that he was now ready to be martyred and taken away and it hath made some believe that this was the last Epistle that ever he wrote but when we compare his own words again in ver 17 18. and Phil. 1. 25. and Philem. ver 22. it maketh it past controversie that he speaketh not of his sudden Martyrdoom but that he is to be understood in some other sense But what is that Baronius giveth this gloss The words of Paul concerning his speedy death seem not possibly otherwise to be understood then that God had revealed it to him that he should suffer death under Nero. For that time might very well seem near which was to be fulfilled under the same Prince I but Nero for his age might have reigned 50 or 60 years after the Apostles writing of this Epistle and so the last words of this gloss are but a very poor salving And indeed the resolution of the difficulty lieth open and conspicuous in the text it self Paul looked upon Timothy as the prime and choice man that was to succeed him in the work of the Gospel when he himself should be dead and gone as being a young man not only of singular qualifications for that work but of whom there had been special Prophesies and predictions to such a purpose 1 Tim. 1. 18. as was observed before He exhorts him therefore in this place to improve all his pains and parts to the utmost to do the work of an Evangelist and to make proof of his Ministry to the full for that he himself could not last long being now grown old and worn with travel and besides all this in bonds at present and so in continual danger therefore must Timothy be â—itting himself daily to take his work up when he was gone With Timothy he desires that Mark may come along with him to Rome whom we observed to be at Corinth at Pauls last coming thither and one clause in this Epistle seemeth also to speak to that matter Chap. 4. 20. Erastus abode at Corinth but Trophimus I left at Miletum sick Erastus abode at Corinth Why that Timothy knew without any information for he was with Paul all along that journey when Erastus went to Corinth and staied there And Trophimus I left at Miletum sick Why Timothy could not but know that too without Pauls telling him so from Rome Miletum and Ephesus were so very near together nay it is more than probable that Timothy was left at Miletum too when Trophimus was left there But when was he left Not when Paul went towards Jerusalem and sent for the Elders of Ephesus to Miletum Acts 20. for Trophimus went and was with him at Jerusalem Acts 21. 19. But it was when Paul returned from Jerusalem in bonds to Rome as hath been said though it be not particularly mentioned that he touched there Some would have the word Miletum to be read Mileta among whom is Beza who is ever one of the forwardest to tax the Text for corrupt when he cannot clear it Poâ—ius conjicio legendum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he quod vocabulum facile fuit in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depravare Luke saith plainly that at Pauls coming away from Judea in his voyage to Rome it was their resolution to sail by the coasts of Asia Act 27. 2. which had been a far fairer ground to have concluded upon that Paul was at Miletum in that voyage since that was a part of those Asian coasts then to change Miletum into Melita upon no ground at all And certainly the very scope of the Apostle in that passage will not admit of that change for he is not telling Timothy of Erastus his abode at Corinth or of Trophimus his sick stay at Miletum as things unknown to him but as things very well known yet mentioned to him as making to the Apostles present purpose He had sent for Timothy and Mark to come away to him to Rome and to forward them to that journey he doth these two things 1. He sheweth how all his company was scattered from him ver 9. 10. and therefore he had need of them in that destitution 2. He telleth how supply might be made in their places though they came away for though Mark should come from Corinth yet Erastus might be a supply for Erastus abode there And Timothy come away from Ephesus yet Trophimus is there ready to supply his place for
reliance upon Christ comes not into date till a man do the best he can to fit himself to be a sacrifice for that Altar The Altars sanctifying of the gift came not in date till the offering was fit for the Altar There must be these concurrents First It must be of the clean kinds of Beasts or Birds Oxen or Sheep or Goats Sparrows Pigeons or Turtles not Dog Cat Ass Bear not a Crow Raven Owl or Vultur Then it must be viewed by some skilful person that it be without blemish as well as that it be clean viz. That it be not a blind Bullock or Lamb that it be not broken diseased c. And lastly the Offerers free-will and mind in his offering must be concurrent And thus qualified it was fit for the Altar and the Altar sanctified it Now was there all this care about the offering of a beast upon a material Altar of brass or stone and is not as much at least required for the offering of a souls own self on Christ the Altar Must any thing polluted or unclean come near that Altar Faith in Christ is not so easie a matter as men take it for a man must first do all he can in purifying himself before he can believe For his believing is his refuging to Christ to make out for him when he sees he cannot do it himself And by this appears the vast difference 'twixt the believing of a Jew and the faith of a true Christian. The Jew as he thought performed the Law and believed that he should be justified by his performance and looked no further A true Christian observes the Law the best he can but when he hath done all he finds himself but an unprofitable servant and that he comes infinitely short of Justification by all he can therefore casts himself upon Christ to satisfie for him The sacrifices of God are a broken heart a broken and a contrite spirit O God thou wilt not despise Psal. LI. 17. Under the Law nothing that was broken or bruised was to be offered under the Gospel no heart but broken or bruised is to be offered And whereupon bruised and broken not only upon sight of the evil they have committed but also upon sense how little they can do of good when they have done their best And then lay such an heart upon the Altar Christ and the Altar sanctifies the gift and makes out for it Brethren take heed you be not deceived about Faith by which you must stand or fall to all eternity It is more than fancy or thinking or hoping you shall be saved by Christ it is more than taking on you to pray in the name of Christ more than begging mercy for the sake of Christ. It is working and labouring in the way of Gods Commandments till you be weary and heavy laden and then resting your selves in Christ for safety and refreshing It is doing your duty all you can and still leaning on Christ to make out all failings for you It is that that must bring up the reer of your best endeavours As Simon of Cyrene was laid hold upon to bear the Cross of Christ after him when it was too heavy for him So on the contrary lay hold on Christ and get him to bear your burthen for you when you your selves are not able to bear it II. By this also we may observe the absolute necessity of keeping Gods Commandments for salvation as well as the absolute necessity of faith for salvation and the amicable and indeed unseparable agreement 'twixt these two It is impossible to find acceptance with God for justification and salvation unless by faith in Christ we be presented as living sacrifices upon him the Altar And it is impossible to be fit sacrifices for that Altar unless by keeping the Commandments of God we be purified and fitted For as Faith purifieth the heart where it is once come Act. XV. 9. So keeping the Commandments of God is purifying the heart that Faith may come Consider of that 1 Pet. I. 22. Seeing you have purified your hearts in obeying of the truth Now what is obeying of the truth but doing what God in the word of truth directeth and commandeth and this also purifieth the heart toward believing as Faith doth when a man now believes And thus believing and obeying are so twisted together that without keeping of Gods Commandments the best you can you cannot come by Faith and Faith when it is come it cannot be without keeping of Gods Commandments the best you can For as to the former we may not unproperly apply those words of the Apostle Gal. III. 23. For before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed And as to the later that in Jam. II. 26. As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also And now to make some Application upon what hath been spoken and to take up the words in order First From the title here given to our Saviour that he is our Altar upon and through whom to offer our selves and all our services to God we may observe that the bare offering of Christ himself upon the Cross is not the all that a Christian hath to look after for his salvation but he himself is also to offer himself through Christ to God Christ was a dying sacrifice a Christian must be a living and as Christ voluntarily offered himself to God so is he also to do in his place and station How oft do we find in Scripture that the death of Christ doth challenge our dying to sin and not living to our selves 1 Cor. V. 7. Purge out the old leaven that ye may be a new lump for even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us 2 Cor. V. 15. And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them And so there are divers other places to the like tenor The obedience of Christ does not dissolve the obedience of a Christian but enhance it For his obedience was not to disannul our obedience but to challenge it to love him who loved us first His offering himself was to lead us the way and to teach and engage us to offer our selves also He to die according to the will of God and we to live according to his will that is to die unto sin and to live unto righteousness Secondly Now since every one that is accepted of God is to be presented to him as a sacrifice offered through Christ as the most Sacred Altar it may give us just cause daily to examine our selves how fit we are to be presented to that Altar and from that Altar to God The Sacrifice under the Law was to be examined whether it were fit or no by one that was skilful in such a scrutiny The work now under the Gospel must be our own every one to examine his own heart since the heart
THE WORKS Of the REVEREND and LEARNED John Lightfoot D. D. LATE Master of KATHERINE Hall in CAMBRIDGE Such as were and such as Never before were PRINTED In Two Uolumes WITH THE AUTHORS LIFE AND Large and Useful TABLES to each Volume Also Three Maps One of the TEMPLE drawn by the AUTHOR himself The others of JERUSALEM and the HOLY LAND Drawn according to the AUTHORS Chorography with a DESCRIPTION collected out of his Writings LONDON Printed by W. R. for Robert Scot in Little-Britain Thomas Basset in Fleet-Street Richard Chiswell in St. Paul's Church-yard and John Wright on Ludgate-Hill MDCLXXXIV THE WORKS OF THE REVEREND LEARNED John Lightfoot D. D. LATE Master of KATHERINE Hall in CAMBRIDGE and Prebend of ELY In two Uolumes VOLUME 1. Being a Collection of all those Tracts which he Published in English the Titles whereof are in the Page following Revised and Corrected By GEORGE BRIGHT D. D. Rector of Loughborough in Leicester-shire LONDON Printed by W. R. for Robert Scot in Little-Britain Thomas Basset in Fleet-Street Richard Chiswell in St. Paul's Church-yard and John Wright on Ludgate-Hill M DC LXXXIV TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND High-born Princess MARY PRINCESS OF ORANGE c. MADAM WHEN my unhappy Circumstances obliged me to retreat from Your Highnesses Person and Service it soon came into my mind what engagements I remained still under to testifie as I had occasion my sincere and Profound Respect and Devotion to both And that although I could not enjoy the Honour and Happiness of a near attendance yet I should never think my self emancipated and at liberty The rare Goodness and Sweetness of Your Temper and Behaviour The exemplary Piety Virtue and Prudence of so exalted a condition have so powerful an influence upon all who approach Your Highness that nothing but a perfect inability can hinder them from serving You without any other reward than the honour and satisfaction of its performance and acceptance Persons of our Garb and Profession have seldom any better way of signifying our respect than a Book sometimes our own sometimes anothers of the former I had none ready of the latter it hath happened I had no contemptible one under my hand A Divine of Your Highnesses own Country A Son and Dignitary of the Church of ENGLAND In one sort of Learning the most knowing perhaps of any Man in Europe and the most enquired after in the Country where Your Highness now resides of any English Divine Insomuch that most of these English Works are as I am informed Translating into Latine by some of our own Country-Men here and in Holland as his Latine ones are here in England now Translated into English These last with some pieces in English never before Printed are Collected into a Second Volume and with the first humbly beg the honour of admission into Your Highnesses presence This will still more confirm Your Highnesses own Observation and the proof of Your Highnesses own Closet that no one Country hath and doth still more abound in Learned Pious Judicious writing Divines than ENGLAND In Talking Noise and Gesture perhaps they may be equallized or out done Not that I will answer for all or perphaps a great number of Notions and Observations of the Author that 's enough to do for ones self Some things were written when young Some things were the Systematical and received Opinions of the Times But generally speaking as many useful and peculiar Notions are to be found in this Author as in most other I am not unsensible that although the Author be in English yet not only the meanness but also the unsuitableness of such a Present to Your Highness being so full of Hebrew and Chronological Learning may seem to want excuse enough But first the greatest part of this Volume is the whole History contained in the Scriptures the most Venerable and Valuable for Antiquity Certainty Variety Rarity and Use of any extant and that so well Methodized and laid together according to order of time as to make it very easie and pleasant And then for the Hebrew as all other the Learned Languages they are generally rendred into English except the unusualness of the Writing or the Emphasis of the Phrase or some other such cause hinder Finally for the Chronological part The great Condescension and most obliging Freedom with which Your Highness is pleased to Treat those who have served You in my Quality have given me opportunity enough to know so much as notto doubt of Your Highnesses capacity to understand and make use of it when You please Besides the Dedication of this Authors Works thus Revised and Corrected to so Great so Judicious and exemplary a Patroness of the Church of England and so Illustrious an Ornament to it by Your Practise seems a convenient expiation for I had almost said the innocent fault or the unhappy mistakes of the Author in that kind having through an excess of misguided Gratitude prefix't the Name of one of the Worst of Men free Confession may sooner gain pardon to one of the best of his pieces I am not here to detain Your Highness any longer than with the addition of my unfeigned and uncessant Prayers for the improvement of those excellent Qualities already attained in so great a degree by Your Highness of Religion Virtue and Prudence the proper Characters of great Minds who are to fill great Places the Continuance and Preservation of Health the Blessing of Posterity in Gods due time the Encrease of all Prosperity here and the Immortal reward of Pious and Virtuous Souls hereafter These I am sure have the concurrence of all who have had the happiness of knowing any thing of Your Highness But are more especially due from him who hath had the Honour and Benefit too of attending Your Highness in Holy things and still retains the just Ambition of ever continuing Your Highnesses Most Devoted and Most Humble Servant GEORGE BRIGHT Advertisement to the Binder AN ELENCHUS OF The several Tracts and Discourses of the AUTHOR contained in this FIRST VOLUME I. THE Harmony c. of the Old Testament II. The Harmony c. of the New Testament III. The Harmony of the Four Evangelists I II III Parts IV. Observations upon Genesis V. Aâ— handful of Gleanings out of the Book of Exodus VI. A Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles VII The Temple Service as in the days of our Saviour VIII Miscellanâ—es IX The Temple described as it stood in the days of our Saviour which by mistake is placed last in order X. A Map of the TEMPLE drawn by the AUTHOR himself Page 1049. There are also in this Volume At the Beginning THE Publishers Epistle Dedicatory and Preface The LIFE of the AUTHOR with an Appendix to the same A Map of CANAAN according to Dr. LIGHTFOOT Page 1. At the End Five Tables I. Of Scriptures illustrated explained or reconciled II. Of some places of Scripture differently read from the ordinary Translation III. Of Authors or
Office he discharged with great care and diligence though he had at that time a multiplicity of affairs to divert him especially that of perusing the sheets of the Polyglott as they were wrought off from the Press He was extreamly solicitous during his being Vice-Chancellor that he might not do any wrong to any Man or any unkindness to his friend He did once fear during that year that he had by a Sentence determined injuriously against a Friend of his This was so great a torment to his mind that he told a Friend that is yet alive that he thought it would accompany him with sorrow to his grave But the good Man was soon satisfied that what he had determined was not only just but necessary also Nor were our Authors Labours confined to the University and to his Rectory For besides the many excellent Books which he wrote of which I forbear to give any account here because I find it done to my Hand he was concerned in the useful undertakings which were begun and finished in his time Among which the Edition of the Polyglott Bible which was finished in the year 1657. deserves to be mentioned in the first place This excellent and useful Work was in great measure accomplished by the indefatigable pains of the Learned and Reverend Brian Walton D. D. and afterwards Lord Bishop of Chester and remains a monument of the exemplary diligence and eminent Learning of that excellent Prelate I shall only at present consider how far our Author was concerned in that Work I find him consulted about that whole Work by Doctor Walton at his first entrance upon it in a Letter of the Doctors to him bearing date Jan. 2. 1653. In which he begs our Authors assistance as to the Samaritan Pentateuch which he bestowed much pains about Vid. Dec. Chorograph in S. Marc. Cap. X. § 5. Nor was this the first application which had been made to him for by that Letter it appears that our Author had modestly declined the employment upon the score of his inability to which the Doctor in that Letter replies that our Author had given sufficient and publick Testimony to the World of his ability I find also that Doctor Walton as appears by his Letters bearing date Feb. 23. 1653. and April 24 1654. and June 14. 1654. and several others sent our Author the several Alphabets of sheets as they came off from the Press and desired him to peruse them as he had done and note the mistakes he should meet withal In one of which he tells him that as to the Samaritan his Diligence and Judgment had been so exact that there would be little cause to alter much less to censure and correct I find also that our Author assisted in that Work several other ways not only by procuring Subscriptions toward its encouragement but by furnishing him with several M S S. out of the University Library viz. a Syriac M S. of the Prophets which the Doctor acknowledges in a Letter bearing date Nov. 7. 1655. and a Syriac Lexicon a MS. He assisted him likewise in rectifying the Map of Judaea as appears by another Letter dated July 23. 1656. and with certain Notes out of the Jerusalem Talmud as appears by another Letter Nov. 4. 1657. Besides this our Author sent him his Chorographical Observations which we find prefixed to the Polyglott Bible under his Name Next to the Polyglott Bible and in order to render that the more useful also the greatest Work of this last age and indeed of any other of that kind is that incomparable Book the Lexicon Heptaglotton by Edmund Castell D. D. published in the year 1669. I find that Dr. Castell a Man for his great Piety incomparable Learning and incredible Diligence not to be mentioned without a Preface of honour before he entred upon that Work consulted our Author about it and submitted it to him either to stifle or give it life as he expresseth himself in a Letter to him bearing date Dec. 2. 1657. To which when the Doctor had received our Authors Answer in which he approves his excellent design in a second Letter the Doctor returns him his thanks and after his acknowledgments he adds And truly says he had we not such an Oracle to consult with bootless and in vain it would be to attempt such an undertaking And a little afterwards he adds O nos felices ter amplius quibus contigit Te vivo opus hoc tam grande quam arduum auspicato suscepisse Et benedictus ob hoc semper sit summus ille rerum Arbiter This Letter is not dated but must be written upon the beginning of that great undertaking I forbear to relate in how many particulars his Advice and Assistance toward that excellent Work was requested The Doctor tells our Author in a Letter dated Feb. 22. 1663. what his sense of him was in these word your Worth and Works so transcendent to the Vulgar way of writing all the learned World doth and ought highly to esteem I have and shall as does become me in this Work now upon me sundry times with honour mention c. Our Author did not only advise and commend and speak well These are cheap things He assisted by supplying with Money and supporting the excellent undertaker This I find acknowledged by the Doctor in a Letter bearing date March 14. 1663. How far our Author gave his assistance this way I know not but this I find that in that Letter the Doctor is transported that in these three Kingdoms says he to our Author there should be one found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for such a second has never yet appeared to me who has manifested such a sentiment of my ruined and undone condition He does indeed except in that Letter the Bishop of Exon whose kindness to him was incomparably great Doctor Lightfoot indeed was very much concerned for that most Worthy undertaker and did I find do his utmost to support the Good Man in that excellent Work He wrote often to him and failed not by all manner of ways to encourage him in his Labours The Doctor tells him in a Letter bearing date Nov. 15. 1664. next to the Divine I meet with no lines like yours that so sweetly refresh and delight my Soul when quite wearied with labour c. When the first Volume of that excellent Book came out I find the Doctor giving our Author the notice of it and promising him to transmit it with a request to give a Censure of it none being either more able to judge or that will do it with greater Candor especially he desires his more severe scanning of the Arabick This he does in a Letter dated Jan. 14. 1667. He acquaints him also with the finishing of the Second Volume in a Letter dated to him June 9. 1669. By this it appears how far our Author was concerned in the encouraging of this excellent Work For the Synopsis Critiâ—orum undertaken by Mr. Matthew Pool I find our
I might mention the care and regard he ever had to the family of the Cottons And I do remember that when I was a Student of Katharine Hall there was one who was a Cotton and an heir of that Family was likewise a Student and admitted there by the Doctors means over whom he had a more especial Eye and frequently had him sent for into his Lodgings to eat with him and confer with him and to shew kindness to him for Jonathans I mean his Great Uncles sake And out of respect to that dear name he caused one of his sons to be called Cottonus Nay he loved the very name of Bellaport the seat of Sir Rowland And I have a Letter which Sir Rowland wrote Anno 1629. in answer to his Epistle Dedicatory to him before his first Book that he published this beloved Letter the Doctor preserved unto his dying day as a kind of Sacred Relique upon which was wrote with his own hand Sir Rowland Cottons Letter And for a conclusion of our Discourse of Sir Rowland Cotton whom we have spoke so largely of and of whom Dr. Lightfoot could never talk enough hear the Conclusion of his Funeral Sermon upon him prepared though not Preached upon what occasion I know not That blessed Soul that is now with God in the night of its departure laid the burthen of this present Work upon me in these words You are my old acquaintance do me the last Office of a Friend make my funeral Sermon but praise me not A hard task Fathers and Brethren is laid upon me when I who of all Men this day have the greatest cause to mourn for his loss that is departed should of all Men this day be allowed the least liberty of mourning because of this present work And a strange task Fathers and Brethren is laid upon me when I must make to you all a Funeral Sermon and yet must tell to none of you for whom t is made For if I do but call him Sir Rowland Cotton I commend him It was not a time to say so then but now I dare say it over again a hard task Fathers and Brethren is laid upon me when I must have much cause of tears for his death and yet not be allowed to weep and such reason of remembrance of his life and yet be denyed to praise I obey Blest Soul I obey but I am full I cannot hold Dispence with me something for I cannot hold It is for your sake Worthy Audience that I must hold tears lest they should hinder my speech Be pleased to give me liberty of speech in recompence of my restrained tears And it is for thy sake Blest Soul that I must withhold commendation lest I should break thy command give me liberty of indignation against that command in recompence of my restraint from thy Commendation Meus Tuus noster imo Christi as Hierom of Nepotianus so we of him whose departure we may commemorate My Sir Rowland Cotton Yours the Countries nay Christs hath forsaken us and because Christs therefore he hath forsaken us to go to him whose he wholly was Oh! that my head were waters or rather words for only that manner of mourning and my Tongue a fountain of tears for only that instrument of weeping is allowed me now that I might weep day and night not for him that is gone for he is gone where he always was and where he would be but for my self but for you but for the Country It is not my ambition but my sorrow that I claim the first place and to be first served in this heavy dole of lamentation For I have lost I cannot tell you what My Noble Patron my best Friend my Father my my Self I should lose if I should but begin to tell what he was to me Why should I speak more For should I speak my self away I could never speak enough Oh! my Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the Horseman thereof How thy love to me was wonderful passing the love of Women And is it nothing to you O ye that sâ—â— by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger He it was that first laid the foundation of my poor Studies and always watered them with his discourse and encouragement and now the Lord hath taken my Master from my head He it was under whose branches I sheltred when any storm was up and now my Tree of defence is cut down He it was that was my Oracle both for things of this life and of a better and now my Prophet is not any more He it was that was all things to me that man could be but now can be nothing to me but sorrow And is this nothing to you O all ye that sit by Yes the Cup is gone among you also and a great Man is fallen in your Israel Hath not the Magistracy hath not the Gentry hath not the Country lost such a Man as was But you must speak out the rest for his Command stops my mouth You of the Magistracy know how he had Wisdom in an high degree as was his calling and withal care and conscience answerable to his Wisdom to discharge his calling And you may commend this rarity in him I dare not You of the Gentry know that he was a prime Flower in your Garland that he spake a true Gentleman in all his actions in his comportment in his attendance in his talk once for all in his hospitality even to admiration and you may commend him I dare not c. A sensible strain of Rhetorick which passion and inward sorrow had as large a share in dictating as Art XIII His Relations HAving expatiated thus largely in our notices of this Man that we may omit nothing that is material we will now begin to consider him in his more private and personal capacity His Reverend Father had five Sons whereof our John was the second His eldest was Thomas the only of all his Sons bred to a secular employment being a trades Man The third Peter a very ingenious Man and practised Physick in Uttoxeter and besides his Art he was of great usefulness in that Country and often in Commissions for ending of differences He also had intended to have writ the Life of his Brother Dr. John Lightfoot but was prevented by death The next was Josiah who succeeded his Brother Dr. Lightfoot in his Living of Ashley the only of the Brothers now living The youngest was Samuel a Minister also but long since deceased And as it was his Honour that he was derived of an honest and gentile stock by both Father and Mother so it was a part of his Happiness that God blest him with a Posterity He was twice married and both times into Families of Worship His first Wife was Joyce the Daughter of Crompton of Staffordshire Esquire a Gentleman of a very antient
denial Likewise that his Feast must come in here Matthews words ver 18. do make it plain for he saith that while Jesus was speaking those things concerning fasting c. Jairus came to him whose coming the other two Evangelists have cleerly pitched in this place In Matthew the late Publicans house when Christ is invited to dinner many Publicans and Sinners sit down at meat with him a thing as far contrary to the Pharisaical discipline as what was most contrary for which the Pharisees challenge him and his Disciples They looked upon Christ and his Disciples as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of Religion and Devotion and therefore that ought to seperate themselves from the vulgar sort of people especially from such as these were of an infamous stamp and character A Scholar of the wise by their Canons might not eat with one of the vulgar much less with Publicans and Sinners the worst sort of all the vulgar that were SECTION XLI MARK Chap. V. from Ver. 22 to the end LUKE Chap. VIII from Ver. 41 to the end MATTH Chap. IX from Ver. 18 to Ver. 27. Abloody issue healed Jairus daughter raised MATTHEW assures the order for he saith While Jesus was speaking those things that are recorded in the preceeding Section concerning Fasting and not putting new wine into old bottles c. Jairus came to him to beg the recovery of his now dying daughter Jairus was one of the Rulers of Capernaum Synagogue and had seen so many miracles done by Christ there that if he were not a Disciple already yet he belives that Christ can easily recover her though when he came away from her she was giving up the ghost As Jesus goeth with him in Capernaum streets a woman with a bloody issue of twelve years continuance cometh behind him and toucheth him Her disease and Jairus daughter wereborn in one and the same year for they were both twelve years old Luke 8. ver 42 43. The malady of this woman was not only of the said languishing but it was also of a great uncleanness according to the uncleanness mentioned in the Law The Talmudick treatise Zavim and Maymony in Issurei biah cap. 4 5 6. would read a doleful Lecture upon her disease as to this point of uncleanness And this it may be was one main cause that made the woman to come trembling and fearing to Christ when she saw she could not be hid Mat. 5. 33 because she had been so bold as to touch Christ in her uncleanness The story of the Pictures of Christ and this woman touching him both made in brass of which the Papists have made no small ado towards their worshipping of Images hath spoken exceeding wide and far from hitting upon the right place where this woman and Christ met The story as it is related by Eusebius Baronius and others is this That in Caesarea Philippi called otherwise Paneas the house of this woman was to be seen and before the door of the house a brazen Image of a woman kneeling and before her the brazen statute of a man in a garment down to the feet and stretching out his hand to the woman And that there grew there a certain strange herbe which when it grew up to touch the brazen hem of his garment it had the medicinal virtue of healing any disease But why all this at Caesarea Philippi whereas this occurrence of the womans healing by the touch of the hem of his garment was in Capernaum for Matthew tells that when Jesus came back out of the Country of the Gadarens he came into his own City Matth. 9. 1. which was Capernaum and there was Matthews house in which he was when Jairus came to him See Sect. 23. Before he comes to Jairus his house his daughter is dead and there he finds minstrels and piping in a mournful tone for the bewailing of her This was the custom of the Jews in such cases as is to bee seen in Talm. Jerus in Beracoth fol 5. col 4. Maymony in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 14 c. vid etiam Jerus Moed Katon fol. 83. col 4. A goodwhile ago he had denounced a sad doom against Capernaum Matth. 11. 23. at Sect. 52. O thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shalt be brought down to hell c. which was spoken as to the generality of the City who for the things they had heard and seen were exalted to heaven as that being Christs own City or the place of his habitation yet they believed not And this may be some reason why when he had raised this dead girle he bids her parents keep the matter close for that City had justly forfeited all such revelations of him Yet for all the denouncing of that sad fate against her he oft resorteth thither and forsaketh not his habitation there partly because he had some there who for all the unbelief of the generality belonged to him and believed in him and partly because he had no reason to remove his habitation for their unbelief or to pass off his dwelling for other mens wickedness for where could he go to reside but he should reside among some of the same temper SECTION XLII MATTH Chap. IX from Ver. 27 to Ver. 35. Two blind men and a possessed dumb man healed THe order is cleer from these two passages of connexion When Jesus departed thence ver 27. And As they went out ver 32. Jesus from Jairus his house returned to his own home ver 28. and there two blind men come to him whose eyes he toucheth and saith According to your faith be it to you urgoing this upon them the rather because of the general untowardness and unbelief of the place where he now was Capernaum and because of the Pharisees that were now present ver 34. that he might magnifie faith As these blind men went out they brought in a man possessed with a dumb Devil and he also was healed which the Pharisees still ascribe to magick c. SECTION XLIII MARK Chap. VI. Ver. 1 2 3 4 5 6. MATTH Chap. XIII Ver. 54 55 56 57 58. CHRIST at Nazaret and offence taken at him IT is said by Matthew that when Jesus returned back out of the land of the Gadarens he came into his own City Matth. 9. 1. that is to Capernaum where he himself dwelt and Matthew and Jairus and the three last Sections relate stories done in their three houses Now Mark saith that from thence he went out and came into his own Country that is to Nazareth which title is used of that City again John 4. 44. In that Synagogue he had been abused a good while ago and his life endangered Luke 4. 29. and thither he is come now to try them again and finds not much better entertainment then before but only not so full of danger therefore he did not many great works there because of their unbelief which Mark uttereth He could do no mighty works there ver 5. which meaneth not
of the Gospel and if my poorness could some contribution towards the building of Sion The Method that I prescribed to my self in this undertaking some glimpse whereof thou maist see in this present Parcel was 1. To lay the Text of the Evangelists in that order which the nature and progress of the Story doth necessarily require 2. To give a Reason of this Order why the Text is so laid more largely or more briefly according as the plainness or difficulty of the connexion doth call for it 3. To give some account of the difficulties in the language of the Original as any came to hand either being naturally so in the Greek it self or being made difficulties when they were not so by the curiosity misconstruction or self-end-seeking of some Expositors 4. And lastly to clear and open the sense and meaning of the Text all along as it went especially where it was of more abstruseness and obscurity These two last things did I assay and go on withal a great way in the work with much largeness and copiousness both concerning the language and the manner For for the first I did not only poise the Greek in the ballance of its own Country and of the Septuagint but I also examined translations in divers languages produced their sense and shewed cause of adhering to or refusing of their sense as I conceived cause And for the second I alledged the various Expositions and interpretations of Commentators both ancient and modern and others that spake to such and such places occasionally I examined their Expositions and gave the Reader reason to refuse or imbrace them as cause required When seeing the Work in this way likely to rise to vastness of bulk it self and of trouble to the Reader I chose to abridg this first part for a trial and therein having expressed only those things which were most material for the understanding of the Text where it is less plain for where it is plain enough why should I spend time and labour about it And spoken mine own thoughts upon it and omitted unless it be for a taste of what I had done the glosses and thoughts of others I now wait for the direction and advice of my learned and loving Friends and Readers whether to exhibite the other parts that are to follow by Gods good blessing and assistance in that large and voluminous method that at the first I prescribed to my self or in that succiseness that this present parcel holdeth out I have partly chosen and have partly been constrained to tender this work to publick view by pieces whereof only this and this but a small one neither appears at this time I have chosen so to do that I might give the world my thoughts upon the Evangelists as the Lord giveth time for who would defer to do any thing of such a work till he have done all since our lives are so short and uncertain and the work so long and difficult And I have been constrained thus to do partly because of mine other occasions many and urgent which deny me opportunity to follow that business as such a bulk would require and partly because of the straits of the times which have straitned our Presses that they Print but rarely any thing voluminous Every year by Gods permission and good assistance shall yield its piece till all be finished if the Lord spare life health and liberty thereunto Divers things were fitting to have been premised to a work of this nature but because that if they should all be set before this small piece that we now exhibit the Preface or Prolegomena would be larger than the Book it self therefore have I reserved to every piece that shall come forth it s own share and portion And the things that I have thought upon and hewed out unto this purpose are these 1. To fix the certain year of our Saviours birth as a thing very fit to be looked after and to shew the certain grounds whereupon to go that our fixing upon such a year may be warranted and without wavering This have I premised to this first part wherein comes the Story and Treatise of our Saviours birth 2. To give account of all the dislocations of Texts and Stories in the Old Testament which are exceeding many to shew where is their proper place and order and to give the reason of their dislocation And this being so copious and frequent in the Old Testament the like will be thought the less strange and uncouth in the New 3. To make a Chorographical description of the Land of Canaan and those adjoyning places that we have occasion to look upon as we read the Gospel a thing of no small necessity for the clearer understanding of the Story 4. To make a Topographical description of Jerusalem and of the Fabrick of the Temple which will facilitate divers passages in the Gospel which are of no small obscurity 5. To give some account and Story of the State and Customs of the Iews in these times when the Gospel began and was first preached among them out of their own and other Writers which things the Evangelists mention not and yet which conduce not a little to the understanding of the Evangelists These as things very necessary for the matter in hand shall wait severally upon the several parts that shall follow as the Lord shall please to vouchsafe ability time health and safety From my Chamber in Westminster Octob. 1. 1644. PROLEGOM I. The Age of the World at our Saviours birth fixed the account proved the chiefest difficulties in the Scripture Chronicle resolved IN the Stories of times the times of the stories do challenge special notice and observation and of all other that of our Saviours birth being the fulness of time may best as best worthy make such a challenge A time to which all the holy ones that went before it did bend their eyes and expectation and a time from which all the Christians that have lived since have dated their Chronical accounts and computation And yet how unfixed is this time and age of the world in which so great a mystery came to pass and upon which so general accounting doth depend in the various reckonings of learned and industrious men It is not only to be seen in their writings wondered at in regard of the great difference at which they count but the fixed time is the more to be studied for upon this very reason because such men do so greatly differ among themselves The only way to settle in such variety is to take the plain and clear account and reckoning of the Scripture which hath taken a peculiar care to give an exact and most certain Chronicle to this time and not to rely upon the computation of Olympiades Consuls or any other humane calculation which it cannot be doubted must of necessity leave the deepest student of them in doubting and uncertainty Now the Scripture carrying on a most faithful reckoning of the times from
miracle of his birth his adoration by the Wisemen his wisdom at 12 years old the voice from heaven and his saftety among wild beasts at this time shew that impossible But concluding the thing it self to be so he argueth from it to perswade Christ to act as the Son of God and to do things miraculously And the If in his speech is not so much of doubting as of assurance as the If in those words of Lamech If Cain shall be avenged seventy fold and he forceth it as the consequence upon a thing undoubted Seeing thou art the Son of God as the voice from heaven did proclaim thee it is very agreable to thy so being that thou shouldst exert thy divine power and command these stones into bread for the satisfying thy hunger And so in the other temptation that carryeth the same front Seing thou art the Son of God it is very fit thou shouldest act according thereunto and not go down the stairs as men do but cast thy self headlong and shew thy power In both which temptations though a close perswasive to distrust Gods provision for him in the wilderness to rely too much upon second causes and to presume without warrant upon a promise be included yet Satans main bent and aim is to move him to act according to the dictate and direction of the Devil And as he had perswaded Eve from the commandement of God to follow his advice so would he fain do Christ from that work and injuction which God had laid upon him for the Ministery and for mans redemption to do things tending nothing at all to that purpose but rather to vain-glory and self-exalting and the Devil had had enough if he could have moved the Redeemer to have acted any thing upon his instigation Ignatius Martyr Hilary and others of old and Beza Chemnitius some others of late suppose that Satan knew not yet the mystery of the incarnation no more than the Disciples did till after the resurrection but that he proposeth this if thou be the Son of God as doubting of the truth of the thing and seeking to be resolved in it nay that by the phrase the Son of God is to be understood and was so in Satans apprehension only a very holy and an extraordinary qualified man as whereas the Centurion calls Christ the Son of God Mat. 27. 4. Luke expresseth it only a righteous man Luke 23. 47. Answer 1. It is most true indeed that the mystery of the Incarnation is a mystery most high and deep and which created understandings cannot fadome and that the Disciples were exceedingly ignorant of it till more than flesh and blood revealed it to them but yet for all this the Angels good and bad might know the truth of the thing though they could not reach the mystery of it and the Disciples have some light of it before though they had the more perfect understanding of it after the resurrection as see Mat. 16. 16. The Devil was not ignorant of the Angels proclaiming him Christ the Lord or Jehovah Luke 1. 16 17. 2. 11. of an Angels and Gods proclaiming him The Son of God Luke 1. 35. 3. 22. Of the Prophets calling him Jehovah Jer. 23. 6. And the mighty God and Father of Eternity Esay 9. 6. and an hundred such expressions as these which could not but put him past all questoning who it was with whom he dealt 2. It is true indeed that the Church and people of God are called his Sons but it will be hard to find this applyed to any one particular person or single man in all the Scripture That in 2 Sam. 7. 14. Psalm 89. 28 27. is readily known to be spoken of Christ and that in Luke 3. 38. we have explained before 3. It is likewise true that whereas the Centurion in Matthew is brought in saying This was the Son of God Luke hath brought him saying This was a righteous or just man but must it therefore follow that he took him not for the Son of God but that he called him so only because he was a holy man In very many of the Evangelists various expressions we are not always to take the one to mean the other but we must take them both in their proper sense to make up the full sense as will fall to be observed in divers places And so is it to be done here The Centurion and his company upon the sight of the wonders that attend our Saviours death concluded that not only he was a most holy man but some rose higher and sure say they He was the Son of God Compare and examine the places Now the daring impudence of the Devil thus to assault and assail him whom he knew to be the Son of God will be the less wondrous and strange if we consider joyntly with his pride desperate wickedness and malice the ground that he might think he had to undertake such an attempt as this to go about to foil him who his own heart told him was the Son of God And that was from those words of God in the garden to him when upon the denunciation upon him that the seed of the woman should break his head yet God tells him withall That he should bruise his heel Hence did his impudence take its rise to do and dare what he did and dared at this time and the having this very passage in ones eye and consideration upon the reading of this story of the temptation will help exceedingly to clear inlighten and explain it For whereas two main scruples may arise about this temptation besides this that we have in hand of the Devils daring to assault Christ thus namely how chance it was now and not before and why it is said by Luke after these temptations that the Devil departed from him for a season the consideration of this thing doth give so much satisfaction to both these doubts For 1. it is indeed some matter of wonder that Christ should live to thirty years and the Devil never attempt to tempt him of long a time but should now come to assail him when he had a testimony from heaven that he was the Son of God and when he had the fulness of the Spirit in him above measure which were greater disadvantages to Satan than ever but the reason was because that now Christ was offered to the Duell in an apparent manner which he never had been before to try that mastery with the Devil about breaking and brusing head and heel and the Devil having an assurance that he should bruise his heel undertakes the combate and dares be thus impudent And 2. when he saw that he could not prevail with him this way to bruise him namely by temptation he departs from him for a season till he can find an opportunity for another way to do it namely by open and actual persecution Sect. Command that these stones be made bread To change the form of a Creature is the greatest miracle as
being The former which he prosecuteth hither he handleth in these several particulars His power of miracles to the highest demonstration of Divine Power equal with the Father vers 19 20 21. His absolute authority of ordering all things vers 22. His Divine Worship under the New Testament as the Fathers under the Old vers 23. His being the Teacher of his Church and preacher of the Gospel vers 24. His calling of the Gentiles vers 25. His raising of himself from the dead and having the disposal of life and death in his own hand vers 26. His universal dominion over all vers 27. His being the powerful raiser and Judge of all at the general resurrection vers 28 29 c. All that are in the graves In Daniel it is Many of those that sleep in the dust c. that is The many meaning All Not that all the dead are in graves for some were drowned some burnt c. but because the grave is the most common receptacle of the dead and because the Jews did ordinarily render the word Sheol which betokeneth the place and state of the dead generally by the grave as see Targ. Jonath in Gen. 37. 35. 44. 29. c. Buxtorf in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat Sheol in genere locum corporum humanorum post mortem unde communiter pro Sepulchro c. Shall hear his voice We might here intricate our selves in a dispute whether there shall be an audible voice of Christ at the general resurrection or whether the hearing of his voice do mean the feeling of his power only as some do understand it to the expence of that time which might be better improved in preparing against that time come These Scriptures speak about that matter 1 Cor. 15. 52. The Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised 1 Thess. 4. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God 2 Pet. 3. 10. The day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise c. But as for that Text which is commonly produced to the same purpose Mark 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds c. It plainly speaketh only of Christs sending his Ministers with the Trumpet of the Gospel to fetch in people to the Faith for vers 34. saith that this and the other things spoken with it in the verses before must be accomplished before that generation that was then alive should pass It is not to be doubted but the coming of Christ to Judgment will be in the dreadfullest state and terror that heart can conceive and the terror of that day of accounting for all actions may well be guessed by the terror of the day of giving the rule of all actions Exod. 19 20. and that the Lord shall then utter his voice his mighty voice it is not to be doubted neither but this in thunders and dreadful and majestick noises for such are called the voice of God rather than in any articulate sound of words The Talmud in Sanhedrin fol. 97. cited before speaking of Voices and Thunders that should be a little before the coming of the Messias the Gloss there saith These are the voices of the Son of David I shall leave it to the Readers own thoughts to make the most feeling and dread commentary upon these words that he can towards the awing of his heart to a preparedness against that dreadful time when it shall come Vers. 30. As I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which sent me Our Saviour seemeth in these words to allude to two customs and traditions of the Jews and to plead with them from their own principles 1. The Talmudick tract Sanhedrin speaking concerning mens inquiring of the Judicatories in matters of difficulty hath this Tradition They ask first of the Sanhedrin in their own City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they had heard it they resolve them If not they go to a Sanhedrin near their City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they had heard it they resolve them If not they go to that in the gate of the Mountain of the House 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they had heard it they resolve them c. Perek 11. where by the words if they had heard they mean if the Sanhedrin had heard by Tradition what was to be the determination of such a matter they judge accordingly but if they had not heard then the last recourse was to the great Sanhedrin of 71. which was the very Treasury of Traditions Christ being come now before the Sanhedrin seemeth here to speak to them according to their own rule As you judge according as you hear and receive by Tradition so I judge as I hear meaning either as he had heard and received from the Father in the divine and secret Counsels between them or rather as he received intelligence and warrant for his actions from the Word of God doing those things that were there written of him And the words immediately before I can do nothing of my self being understood of him as God-Man may be easily understood and without straining in such an exposition 2. Rambam in his tract about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers and Partners and the Talmudists occasionally in the Treatises about Contracts Espousals and Divorces c. conclude this for a Maxim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That a Messenger that doth that upon which he was sent all his acts are good in Law And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Messenger that transgresseth against the words of him that sent him his act is nuâ—â— upon this very ground Christs arguing here is clear and pregnant and cometh home to their own position My judging is just because I being sent of the Father do not mine own will but do the errand that he sent me upon and do his will And to this sense may we also interpret his words in vers 24. for the fuller clearing of them He that heareth my word and believeth him that sent me because his words were but the words of him that sent him the Doctrine of the Gospel being but the same with the Doctrine of the Law and Prophets Vers. 31. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true This he speaketh also according to their own grounds and manner of proceeding in their Courts Though he did bear witness of himself yet his witness was true Joh. 8. 14. but in their Judicatories a man was not to be witness in his own cause but he stood or fell by the witness of others And so not true here is to be understood ad modum recipientis they would not accept it as a current testimony in his pleading for himself to bear
and vex the Reader and yet there are none who do more intice and delight him In no Writers is greater or equal trifling and yet in none is greater or so great benefit The Doctrine of the Gospel hath no more bitter enemies than they and yet the Text of the Gospel hath no more plain interpreters To say all in a word To the Jews their Countrymen they recommend nothing but toys and destruction and poyson but Christians by their skill and industry may render them most usefully serviceable to their Studies and most eminently tending to the Interpretation of the New Testament We here offer some specimen of this our reading and our choice for the Readers sake if so it may find acceptance with the Reader We know how exposed to suspicion it is to produce new things how exposed to hatred the Talmudic Writings are how exposed to both and to sharp censure also to produce them in holy things Therefore this our more unusual manner of explaining Scripture cannot upon that very account but look for a more unusual censure and become subject to a severer examination But when the lot is cast it is too late at this time to desire to avoid the sequel of it and too much in vain in this place to attempt a defense If the work and book it self does not carry something with it which may plead its cause and obtain the Readers pardon and favour our oration or beging Epistle will little avail to do it The present work therefore is to be exposed and delivered over to its fate and fortune whatsoever it be Some there are we hope who will give it a milder and more gentle reception for this very thing dealing favourably and kindly with us that we have been intent upon our Studies that we have been intent upon the Gospel and that we have endeavoured after Truth they will shew us favour that we followed after it and if we have not attained it they will pity us But as for the wrinkled forehead and the slern brow we are prepared to bear them with all patience being armed and satisfied with this inward Patronage That we have endeavoured to profit But this Work whatever it be and whatever fortune it is like to meet with we would dedicate to You My very dear Katherine-Hall men both as a Debt and as a Desire For by this most close bond and tye wherewith we are united to You is due all that we study all that we can do if so be that All is any thing at all And when we desire to profit all if we could which becomes both a Student and a Christian to do by that bond and your own merits You are the very centre and rest of those Desires and wishes We are sufficiently conscious to our selves how little or nothing we can do either for the publick benefit or for Yours yet we would make a publick Profession before all the World of our Desire and Study and before You of our inward and cordial affection Let this pledge therefore of our love and endearment be laid up by You and while we endeavour to give others an account of our Hours let this give You an assurance of our Affections And may it last in Katherine-Hall even to future Ages as a Testimony of Service a Monument of Love and a Memorial both of Me and You. From my Study The Calends of June 1658. HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae OR HEBREW AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS upon the Evangelist St. Matthew CHAP. I. VERS I. Βίβλος ΓενÎσεως Ἰησοῦ ΧÏιστοῦ The Book of the Generation of Iesus Christ. _×¢ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TEN a Stocks came up out of Babylon 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priests 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levites 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a a a a Talm. in Kiddush cap. 4. Art 1. Israelites 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Persons as to the Priesthood such whose Fathers indeed were sprung from Priests but their Mothers unfit to be admitted to the Priests Marriage Bed 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liberti or Servants set Free 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothi for such as were born in Wedlock but that which was unlawful 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nethinims 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bastards such as came of a certain Mother but of an uncertain Father 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as were gathered up out of the Streets whose Fathers and Mothers were uncertain A defiled Generation indeed and therefore brought up out of Babylon in this common sink according to the Opinion of the Hebrews that the whole Jewish Seed still remaining there might not be polluted by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Ezra went not up out of Babylon until he had rendred it pure as flower They are words of the Babylonian Gemara which the gloss explains thus He left not any there that were illegitimate in any respect but the Priests and Levites only and Israelites of a pure and undefiled stock Therefore he brought up with him these ten kinds of Pedigrees that these might not be mingled with those when there remained now no more a Sanhedrin there which might take care of that matter Therefore he brought them to Jerusalem where care might be taken by the Sanhedrin fixed there that the legitimate might not marry with the illegitimate Let us think of these things a little while we are upon our entrance into the Gospel History I. How great a cloud of obscurity could not but arise to the people concerning the original of Christ even from the very return out of Babylon when they either certainly saw or certainly believed that they saw a purer spring of Jewish blood there than in the Land of Israel it self II. How great a care ought there to be in the Families of pure blood to preserve themselves untouched and clean from this impure sink and to lay up among themselves Genealogical Scrols from generation to generation as faithful witnesses and lasting monuments of their legitimate stock and free blood Hear a complaint and a Story in this case b b b b b b Hiâ—â—â—â— Kiddâ—â— fol. 6â— â— Bab. ibid fol. 71. R. Jochanan said By the Temple it is in our hand to discover who are not of pure blood in the Land of Israel But what shall I do when the â—â—â—â—â— mâ—â— of this generation lie hid that is when they are not of pure blood and yet we must not declare so much openly concerning them He was of the same Opinion with R. Isaac who said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Family of the poluted blood that lies hid let it lie hid Abai also saith We have learned this also by tradition that there was a certain Family called the Family of Beth-Zeripha beyond Jordan and a son of Zion removed it away The gloss is some eminent Man by a publick Proclamation declared it impure But he caused another which was such that is
he propounded more plainly and familiarly II. But however it was whether those things were true indeed or only believed and conceived so by a most apt and open comparison is shewn that the Devil was first cast out of the Jewish Nation by the Gospel and then seeking for a seat and rest among the Gentiles and not finding it the Gospel every where vexing him came back into the Jewish Nation again fixed his seat there and possessed it much more than he had done before The truth of this thing appears in that fearful Apostasie of an infinite multitude of Jews who received the Gospel and most wickedly revolted from it afterwards concerning which the New Testament speaks in abundance of places CHAP. XIII VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that he sate and the whole multitude stood SO was the manner of the nation that the Masters when they read their lectures sate and the Scholars stood Which Honorary custom continued to the death of Gamaliel the Elder and then so far ceased that the Scholars sate when their Masters sate Hence is that passage a a a a a a Sotah cap. 9. hal 15. From that time that old Rabban Gamaliel died the Honor of the Law perished and purity and Pharisaism died Where the Gloss from Megillah writes thus Before his death health was in the world and they learned the Law standing but when he was dead sickness came down into the world and they were compelled to learn the Law sitting VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Parables I. NO Scheme of Jewish Retoric was more familiarly used than that of parables which perhaps creeping in from thence among the Heathen ended in Fables It is said in the place of the Talmud just now cited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the time that R. Meri died those that spake in Parables ceased not that that Figure of Rhetoric perished in the Nation from that time but because he surpassed all others in these flowers as the Gloss there from the Tract Sanhedrin speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A third part of his discourses or sermons was Tradition a third part Allegory and a third part Parable The Jewish books abound every where with these Figures the Nation enclining by a kind of Natural Genius to this kind of Rhetoric One might not amiss call their Religion Parabolical folded up within the Coverings of Ceremonies and their Oratory in their Sermons was like to it But it is a wonder indeed that they who were so given to and delighted in Parables and so dextrous in unfolding them should stick in the outward Shell of Ceremonies and should not have fetched out the Parabolical and spiritual sense of them neither should be able to fetch them out II. Our Saviour who always and every where spake with the vulgar useth the same kind of speech and very often the same preface as they did in their Parables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. To what is it likened c. But in him thus speaking one may both acknowledg the divine Justice who speaks darkly to them that despise the light and his divine Wisdom likewise who so speaks to them that see and yet see not that they may see the shell and not see the Kernel VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Some fell by the way side c. COcerning the husbandry of the Jews and their manner of sowing we meet with various passages in the Tracts Peah Demai Kilaim Sheviith We shall only touch upon those things which the words of the Text under our hands do readily remind us of There were ways and paths as well common as more private along the sown fields see Chap. XII 1. hence in the tract b b b b b b Cap. 2. Peah where they dispute what those things are which divide a field so that it owes a double corner to the poor thus it is determined These things divide a River an Aqueduct a private way a common way a common path and a private path c. See the place and the Gloss. VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some fell among stony places c c c c c c In Hieros Kilaim fol. 27. 1. DIscourse is had concerning some laws of the Kilaim or of the seeds of different kinds and of the seventh year where among other things we meet with these words R. Simeon ben Lachish saith That he is freed from those Laws who sows his seed by the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon rocks Shelves and rocky places These words are spoken according to the reason and nature of the land of Israel which was very rocky and yet those places that were so were not altogether unfit for tillage VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Others fell among thorns HERE the distinction comes into my mind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a white field that is which is all sowen and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a woody field that is in which trees and bushes grow here and there Concerning which see the Tract d d d d d d Chap. 2. Sheviith So there is very frequent mention in the Talmudists of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beds in fields and vineyards e e e e e e Peah cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which speaks the same thing f f f f f f Kilaim c. 3. And of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baldness in a field that is when some places are left not sowen and some places lying between are g g g g g g Kilaim c. 4. VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And brought forth fruit some an hundred c. THESE words are spoken according to the fruitfulness of the land of Israel concerning which the Talmudists speak much and hyperbolically enough which nevertheless they confess to be turned long since into miserable barrenness but are dim-sighted as to the true cause of it h h h h h h Hieros Peah fol. 20. 1 2. They treat of this matter and various stories are produced which you may see we will only mention these two R. Jochanan said The worst fruit which we eat in our youth excelled the best which we now eat in our old age for in his days the World was changed R. Chaijah bar Ba said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Arbelite bushel formerly yelded a bushel of flower a bushel of meal a bushel of bran and a bushel of course bran and a bushel of courser bran yet and a bushel of the coursest bran also but now one bushel scarcely comes from one bushel VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They seeing see not HERE you may observe this people to have been given up to a reprobate mind and a spirit of deep sleep now a great while before the death of Christ Which being observed the sense of the Apostle will more easily appear Rom. XI where these very words are repeated If you there state aright the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In reproving thou shalt reprove He reproves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he heareth not Whence is it proved he is bound to a second reproof The Text saith In reproving thou shalt reprove And a little after How long must we reprove Rabh saith Even to blows that is until he that is reproved strikes him that reproves him Samuel saith Until he is angry See also d d d d d d â—â— Peah c. 6. Maimonides VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Take with thee one or two more c. THE Hebrew Lawyers require the same thing of him that sins against his brother e Samuel saith Whosoever sins against his brother he must say to him I have sinned 〈…〉 Iâ—ma fol. 4â— â— Bab. â—oma â—â— â— against thee If he hear it is well If not let him bring others and let him appease him before them If perhaps he die let him appease him at his sepulchre and say I have sinned against thee c. But our Saviour here requires a higher charity namely from him who is the offended party In like manner f f f f f f Maimon in Avod â—arah cap â— The great Sanhedrin admonished a City lapsed to Idols by two Disciples of the Wise men If they repented well if not all Israel waged war against it In like manner also The Jealous husband warned his wife before two witnesses Do not talk with N. c. VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell the Church THAT which was incumbent upon him against whom the sin was committed was this That he should deliver his soul by reproving his brother and by not suffering sin in him This was the reason that he had need of witnesses for what else could they testifie They could not testifie that the brother had sinned against him that reproved him for this perhaps they were altogether ignorant of but they might testifie this that he against whom the sin was committed used due reproof and omitted nothing which was commanded by the Law in that case whereby he might admonish his brother and if possible bring him back into the right way The witnesses also added their friendly admonition whom if the offender hearkned not unto Let it be told the Church We do not here enter upon that long dispute concerning the sense of the word Church in this place However you take it certainly the business here is not so much concerning the censure of the person sinning as concerning the vindication of the person reproving that it might be known to all that he discharged his duty and freed his soul. It was very customary among the Jews to note those that were obstinate in this or that crime after publick admonition given them in the Synagogue and to set a mark of infamy upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Bab. Sanhedr fol. 26. 2. All these have need of public admonition in the Consistory The business there is about some Shepherds Collectors and Publicans and it is declared how uncapable they are giving Evidence in any Judiciary matter but not before public admonition is gone out against them in the Consistory h If any denie to feed his children they reprove him they shame him they urge him â— Maimon In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 12. if he still refuse they make proclamation against him in the Synagogue saying N. is a cruel man and will not nourish his children more cruel than the unolean birds themselves for they feed their young ones c. i i i i i i Id. ibid. cap. 14. A provoking wife who saith I will create vexation to my Husband because he hath done thus or thus to me or because he hath miscalled me or because he hath chiâ— me c. The Consistory by Messengers send these words to her Be it known unto you if you persist in your perversness although your dowry be an hundred pounds you have lost it all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And moreover they set forth a public proclamation against her in the Synagogues and in the divinity-Schools every day for four Sabbaths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be to thee as an Heathen and a Publican He saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be to thee Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be to the Church because the discourse is of peculiar and private scandal against a single man who after three admonitions given and they to no purpose is freed from the Law of brotherly obligation and he who being admonished does not repent is not to be esteemed so much for a brother to him as for a Heathen c. I. Christ does not here prescribe concerning every offender according to the full latitude of that Law Levit. XIX 17. but of him that particularly offends against his brother and he does particularly teach what is to be done to that brother II. Although he against whom the offence is committed had a just cause why he should be loosed from the obligation of the Office of a brother towards him who neither would make satisfaction for the wrong done nor be admonished of it yet to others in the Church there is not the same reason III. The words plainly mean this If after a threefold and just reproof he that sinned against thee still remains untractable and neither will give thee satisfaction for the injury nor being admonished doth repent thou hast delivered thine own soul and art free from brotherly offices towards him just as the Jews reckon themselves freed from friendly offices towards Heathens and Publicans That of Maimonides is not much different k k k k k k In Gerushin cap. 3. A Jew that apostaâ—izes or breaks the Sabbath presumptuously is altogether like a Heathen 1. They reckoned not Heathens for brethren or neighbours l l l l l l Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any ones Ox shall gore his neighbours Ox. His neighbours not a Heathens when he saith neighbours he excludes Heathens A Quotation which we produced before 2. They reputed Publicans to be by no means within Religious society 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m m m m m m Hieros Demai fol. 23. 1. A religious man who becomes a Publican is to be driven out of the Society of Religion 3. Hence they are neither with Heathens nor with Publicans concerning which thing they often quarrel our Saviour Hence that of the Apostle 1 Cor. V. With such a one no not to eat is the same with what is spoke here Let him be to thee as a Heathen c. n n n n n n Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 12. It is forbidden a Jew to be alone with a Heathen to travel with an Heathen c. 4. They denyed also brotherly offices to Heathens and Publicans o o o o o o Maimon Gezelah cap. 11. It is forbidden to bring home any thing of a
of some delicate niceness VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above three hundred pence I. THE prizes of such precious oyntments as it seems in Pliny were commonly known For thus he f f f f f f Lib. XII c. 1◠The price of Costus is XVI pounds The price of Spike Nard is XC pounds The Leaves have made a difference in the value From the broadness of them it is called Hadrospherum with greater Leaves it is worth X xxx that is thirty pence That with a lesser leaf is called Mesopherum it is sold at X lx sixty pence The most esteemed is that called Microspherum having the least leafe and the price of it is X lxxv seventy five pence And elsewhere g g g g g g Cap. 20. To these the merchants have added that which they call Daphnois surnamed Isocinnamon and they make the price of it to be CCC 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three hundred pence See more there II. It is not easie to reduce this sum of three hundred pence to its proper value partly because a peny was twofold a silver peny and a gold one partly because there was a double value and estimation of mony namely that of Jerusalem and that of Tyre as we observed before Let these be silver which we believe which are of much less value than gold and let them be Jerusalem pence which we also believe which are cheaper than the Tyrian yet they plainly speak the great wealth of Magdalen who poured out an oyntment of such a value when before she had spent some such other Which brings to my mind those things which are spoken by the Masters concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The box of spices which the husband was bound to give the wife according to the proportion of her dowry h h h h h h Bab. Chetub fol. 66. 2. But this is not spoken saith Rabh Ishai but of Jerusalem people There is an example of a daughter of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicodemus ben Gorion to whom the Wise men appoynted four hundred crowns of gold for a chest of spices for one day She said to them I wish you may so appoynt for their daughters and they answered after her Amen The Gloss is The husband was to give to his wife ten Zuzees for every Manah which she brought with her to buy spices with which she used to wash her self c. Behold a most wealthy woman of Jerusalem daughter of Nicodemus in the contract and instrument of whose marriage was written A thousand thousand gold pence out of the house of her Father besides those she had out of the house of her Father in-Law whom yet you have in the same story reduced to that extream poverty that she picked up barly corns for her food out of the cattles dung VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For ye have the poor always with you SAmuel i i i i i i Bab. Schabb. fol. 63. 1. saith There is no difference between this world and the days of the Messias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anless in regard of the affliction of the Heathen kingdoms as it is said A poor man shall not be wanting out of the midst of the earth Deut. XV. 11. Observe a Jew cofessing that there shall be poor men even in the days of the Messias Which how it agrees with their received opinion of the pompous kingdom of the Messias let him look to it R. Solomon and Aben Ezra write If thou shalt obey the words of the Lord there shall not be a poor man in thee but thou wilt not obey therefore a poor man shall never be wanting Upon this received reason of the thing confess also O Samuel that there shall be disobedient persons in the days of the Messias which indeed when the true Messias came proved too too true in thy Nation VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And on the first day of unleavened bread SO Matth. Chap. XXVI 17. and Luke Chap. XXII 7. And now let them tell me who think that Christ indeed kept his Passover the fourteenth day but the Jews not before the fifteenth because this year their Passover was transferred unto the fifteenth day by reason of the following Sabbath Let them tell me I say whether the Evangelists speak according to the day prescribed by Moses or according to the day prescribed by the Masters of the Traditions and used by the Nation If according to Moses then the fifteenth day was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first of Unleavened bread Exod. XII 15 18. But if according to the manner of the Nation then it was the fourteenth And whether the Evangelists speak according to this custom let us enquire briefly Sometime indeed the whole seven days feast was transferred to another month and that not only from that Law Numb IX but from other causes also concerning which see the places quoted in the margin l l l l l l Hieros in Maasar Sheni fol. 56. 3. Maimon in Kiddush Hodesh cap 4. But when the time appointed for the feast occurred the Lamb was always slain on the fourteenth day I. Let us begin with a story where an occasion occurs not very unlike that for which they of whom we spake think the Passover this year was transferred namely because of the following Sabbath The story is this m m m m m m Hieros Pisachin fol. 33. 1. After the death of Shemaiah and Abtalion the sons of Betyra obtained the chief place Hillel went up from Babylon to enquire concerning three doubts When he was now at Jerusalem and the fourteenth day of the first month fell out on the Sabbath observe that it appeared not to the sons of Betyra whether the Passover drove off the Sabbath or no. Which when Hillel had determined in many words and had added moreover that he had learnt this from Shemaiah and Abtalion they laid down their authority and made Hillel president When they had chosen him President he derided them saying What need have you of this Babylonian Did you not serve the two chief Men of the world Shemaiah and Abtalion who sat among you These things which are already said make enough to our purpose but with the Readers leave let us add the whole story While he thus scoffed at them he forgat a Tradition For they said What is to be done with the people if they bring not their knives He answered I have heard this tradition but I have forgot But let them alone for although they are not Prophets they are Prophets sons Presently every one whose Passover was a Lamb stuck his knife into the fleece of it and whose Passover was a Kid hung his knife upon the horns of it And now let the impartial Reader judge between the reason which is given for the transferring the Passover this year unto the fifteenth day namely because of the Sabbath following that they might not be forced to abstain from
these were Angels that brought this Stone So he gave the Elders the Money for which the Angels had bargained with him In truth I should easilier incline to believe this Story than that of Loretto because there is some reason to apprehend this R. Chaninah no other than Haninah ben Dusa a notorious Magcian i i i i i i Juchasin fol. 57. 1. Unless you will also say that the Chappel at Loretto took that jaunt by the help of Magick k k k k k k In Bemidbar Rabba fol. 257. A huge Stone of its own accord takes a skip from the Land of Israel and stops up the Mouth of the Den in Babylon where Daniel and the Lyons lay But so much for Tales SECT II. The situation of Nazareth THE situation of Nazareth according to Borchard Breidenbach and Saligniac ought to be measured and determined from Mount Thabor For so they unanimously A Nazareth duabus leucis contra orientem est Mons Thabor From Nazareth two leagues Eastward is Mount Tabor Nor is there any cause why with respect to that Region of Galilee in which they place this City we should dissent from them seeing there are others of the same opinion Now the Mount Tabor was in the very confines that divided Issachar from Zabulon Jos. XIX 22. And the coast i. e. of Issachar reacheth to Tabor and Shahazimath But what coast should this be Northor South The North coast saith Josephus l l l l l l Antiqu. lib. 5. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Manassites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. next to Manasseh is Issachar having for its bounds of longitude Mount Carmel and the River Jordan and of latitude Mount Tabor That is The latitude of Issachar is from Manasseh to Mount Tabor as Josephus plainly makes out in that place Mount Tabor therefore lay as it were in the midst betwixt the Coasts of Samaria and upper Galilee Having on this side Issachar toward Samaria and on that side Zabulon toward the aforesaid Galilee Josephus m m m m m m Lib. de bell 4. cap. 6. describes Mount Tabor where these things seem something obscure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have already seen where Scythopolis lay and where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great plain near Scythopolis But what should that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great Plain be that lyeth so behind Tabor toward the North that Tabor should be betwixt it and Scythopolis Is not Zabulon so called in Josephus yea and Issachar too at least a great part of it if we consult the same Josephus n n n n n n Lib. 3. cap. 4. So that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Scythopolis or Manasseh is distinctly called by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great Plain of Samaria o o o o o o Ibid. lib. 2. cap. 21. And the lower Galilee is described by the Talmudists by this character that it produceth Sycamines which the upper Galilee doth not p p p p p p Shevith cap. IX hal 2. Now the Sycamine Trees were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vale 1 King X. 27. And hence seems to arise the distinction between the upper and the lower Galilee the lower so called because more plain and Champaigne the upper because more Hilly and Mountanous I am deceived if the upper Galilee be not sometimes by way of Emphasis called Galilee nor without cause whenas the lower might be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the great plain So Cana hath the adjunct of Cana of Galilee perhaps that it might distinguish that Cana which bounds both the Galilees of which more in its proper place That passage which we meet with in our Evangelist Chap. IV. 43 44. He departed from thence from Samaria and went into Galilee for Jesus himself testified that a Prophet hath no honour in his Country It looks this way that is he would not go into Nazareth but into Galilee viz. the upper and so came to Cana. Nazareth therefore was in the lower Galilee in the very confines of Issachar and Zabulon and is commonly received within Zabulon its self being distant sixteen miles or more from Capernaum for from Capernaum Mount Tabor is distant ten miles or thereabouts SECT III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ben Nezer I Am not abundantly satisfied in the common writing of the word Nazareth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much less that Nazarenus should be expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the sacred Amanuenses write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I can hardly suppress a just indignation when I read what the Jews scribble about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ben Nezer q q q q q q Chetubb fol. 51. 2. The Rabbins have a Tradition Those that are taken out of the Kingdom behold they are properly Captives but those that are taken by Thieves they are not to be called Captives The Tradition is to be distinguished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to Kingdom and Kingdom there is no difficulty That is as to Kingdoms which are equal But between the Kingdom of Ahashuerus and the Kingdom of Ben Nezer there is Between Thieves and Thieves there is no difficulty but between ben Nezer and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Thieves of the world viz. common Thieves there is There in Palestine Ben Nezer is called a King Here in Babylon he is called a Robber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gloss. Ben Nezer was a Thief and took Cities and ruled over them and became the Captain of Robbers It is very suspicious to what purpose they have invented that name for the most infamous Robber to call him the Son of Nezer By those very Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they write the City Nazareth Read on and the suspition will encrease r r r r r r Beresh rabb sect 76. I considered the horns and behold there came up among them another little horn Dan. VII 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is Ben Nezer Aruch quoteth this passage under the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this manner There came up among them another little horn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Kingdom of the Cuthites Now what they meant by the Kingdom of the Cuthites may be conjectured from s s s s s s Midras Schir fol. 17. 2. The Winter is past Cant. II. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Kingdom of the Cuthites And a little after The time is coming when the Kingdom of Cuth shall be destroyed and the Kingdom of Heaven shall be revealed It is easie imagining what they would point at by the Kingdom of the Cuthites the Christians no doubt unless they will pretend to some Samaritan Kingdom And if so it is as obvious whom they design by Ben Nezer Let them shew whence came the name of the Tetrarchy of the Nazarens in Celosyria Of which Pliny t
they could not sit in judgment upon them they said let us remove c. So in the case of Adultery which we also observed in our Notes upon Chap. VIII f f f f f f Maimon in Sotah cap. 3. Since the time that Adultery so openly advanced under the second Temple they lest off trying the Adulteress by the bitter water c. So that we see the liberty of judging in capital matters was no more taken from the Jews by the Romans than the beheading of the Heifer or the tryal of the suspected Wife by the bitter waters was taken away by them which no one will affirm But rather III. When the Sanhedrin saw that it was in vain to struggle against the mighty torrent and inundation of all manner of wickedness that played Rex and encroached so fast upon them and that the interposure of their authority could do nothing in suppressing them they being uncapable of passing judgment as they ought they determine not to sit in judgment at all And whereas they thought themselves bound by the Majesty and awfulness of the place while they sate in the Room Gazith In the very Court of Israel before the Altar to judge according to the sacredness of the place but could not indeed do it by reason of the daring pride and resolution of the Criminals they threw themselves out of that apartment and went further off into the place where the Exchangers shops were kept in the Court of the Gentiles and so to other places which we find mentioned in Rosh hashanah * * * * * * Fol. 31. 1. IV. It is disputed whether they ever returned to their first place Gazith or no. It is affirmed by the Gloss in Avodah Zarah g g g g g g Fol. 8. 2. When for a time they found it absolutely necessary they betook themselves again to that room We have the same also elsewhere upon this Tradition h h h h h h Chetubb fol. 30. 1. It is a Tradition of R. Chaia From the day wherein the Temple was destroyed though the Sanhedrin ceased yet the four kinds of death which were wont to be inflicted by the Sanhedrin did not cease For he that had deserved to be stoned to death he either fell off from some house or some wild Beast tore and devoured him He that had deserved burning he either fell into some fire or some Serpent bit him He that had deserved to be slain i. e. with the Sword was either delivered into the hands of an heathen King or was murdered by Robbers He that had deserved strangling was either drowned in some River or choaked by a squinancy But it may be objected why is it said From the time that the Temple was destroyed and not forty years before the destruction of the Temple To this the Gloss answereth Sometimes according to the urgency and necessity of the time the Sanhedrin returned to the room Gazith c. It is further excepted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But they never returned to sit in capital causes or to try Murders For the reason of their removal at first was because the numbers of Homicides so encreast upon them c. V. When the great Council did not sit in Gazith all Courts for capital matters ceased every where else One Gloss saith thus They took no cognisance of capital matters in any of the lesser Sessions so long as the great Sanhedrin did not sit in the room Gazith Another saith What time the great Sanhedrin sate in its proper place where it ought near the Altar then thou shalt make thee Judges in all thy Gates to judge in capital causes but when that removed then all cognisance about those matters ceased VI. The Sanhedrin removed as we have already seen from Gazith forty years before Jerusalem was destroyed and this is the very thing that was said forty years before the destruction of the City judgment in capital causes was taken away from them And now let the Reader judge what should be the reason of their being deprived of this priviledge whether the Romans were in fault or whether rather the Jews nay the Sanhedrin it self had not brought it upon themselves When the Sanhedrin flitted from Gazith all judgment of this kind vanished and upon what reasons they did thus flit we have learnt from their own Pens We will not contend about the time when these forty years should first begin though I am apt to think they might begin about half a year before Christ's death The words which we have under consideration spoken by the Sanhedrin to Pilate seem to referr wholly to the reason we have already mentioned It is not lawful for us to put any man to death Why is it not lawful Because being forced by the necessity of the times we retired from the Room Gazith where if we sit not neither we our selves nor any Court under us can take any cognisance of causes of life and death But what necessity of times could urge you to remove So greatly did the Criminals multiply and grew to such an head that we neither could nor durst animadvert upon them according to what the Majesty of the place might expect and require from us if we should sit in Gazith That must be observed from the Evangelists that when they had had Christ in examination in the Palace of the High-Priest all night in the morning the whole Sanhedrin met that they might pass Sentence of Death upon him Where then was this that they met Questionless in the Room Gazith at least if they adhered to their own rules and constitutions Thither they betook themselves sometimes upon urgent necessity The Gloss before quoted excepts only the case of murder which amongst all their false accusations they never charged Christ with But however suppose it were granted that the great Council met either in the Taberne or some other place which yet by no means agreed with their own Tradition did they deal truly and as the matter really and indeed was with Pilate when they tell him it is not lawful for us to put any man to death He had said to them Take ye him and judge him according to your Laws We have indeed Judged and Condemned him but we cannot put any one to death Was this that they said in fact true how came they then to stone the Protomartyr Stephen How came they to stone Ben Sarda at Lydda i i i i i i Hieros San. hedr. fol. 25. 4. How came they to burn the Priest's Daughter alive that was taken in Adultery k k k k k k Bab. Saâ—hedr fol. 52. â— Juchasin fol. 51. 1. It is probable they had not put any one to death as yet since the time that they had removed out of Gazith and so might the easilier perswade Pilate in that case But their great design was to throw off the odium of Christ's death from themselves at least
Church Mercy to our Estates for their preservation mercy to our Lives for their security mercy to the Nation for its peace mercy to Widows for their incouragement mercy to the Gospel for its maintaining mercy to Souls for their reducing Such a mercy is a Christian Magistracy and so is the end and such the fruit of the execution of their Office the execution of Judgment which is the third thing I have to speak to from the third clause in the Text and Judgment was given unto them III. He saith not Power for that would not have included Judgment but he saith Judgment which includeth also lawful power yea and something else Righteousness and Justice I am assured there is none that hear me this day is so little acquainted with the stile of Scripture but he knoweth that when it speaketh of Judgment as the work of the Magistrate it meaneth the execution of Justice or of right Judgment Shall not the Judge of all the World do right Gen. XVIII 25. The very title of Judge speaketh doing right as it was with the Judge of all the World so with the Judges of any part of it This my Lords and Gentlemen is your work and imployment to judge righteous Judgment to plead the cause of the oppressed to relieve the fatherless and widow and him that hath no helper to reward every one according to the Justice of his cause before you As you carry the stamp of Christs own image in your Power so it is no whit to the life if Justice be not stamped there also And your being a mercy to the people is by doing Justice to the people I shall not here go about to teach you what you have to do in your Imployment and Function I am far from supposing that either you know not your duty or that I know it better than your selves Only give me leave to be your remembrancer a little of what is the charge that lies upon you and that not by setting any rules before you but by setting some Divine copies before you most fairly written upon which to look with a single eye may be enough to stir you up to your duty and that the more because we are commonly more wrought upon men by example than by precept I shall only propose three two copied out by God in his own example and the third a singular copy set out in his Word The first I shall be bold to offer to you of the Magistracy The second to all that have to do with you at the present occasion Counsel Jurors and Witnesses and the third before all that hear me The first is this You know Gods Attributes Power Mercy and Justice Now God acteth not any of his Attributes according to the utmost extent of the infiniteness of it but according to the most wise and most holy counsel and disposal of his own Will God never acted his Power according to the utmost infinity of his Power for else whereas he made one World he might have made a Thousand He never acted his Mercy according to the utmost infinity of his Mercy for then whereas he saveth but a little flock he might have saved all Men and Devils Nor did he ever act his Justice according to the utmost infinity of his Justice for then all flesh would fail before him and the Spirits that he hath Created But his Will as I may speak it acts as Queen Regent in the midst of his Attributes and limits and confines their acting according to the sacred disposal of that So that he sheweth his Power not when and where he can but when and where and how he will shew his Power He sheweth his Justice not when and where he can but when and where he will shew his Justice And he will shew Mercy not on whom he can but on whom he will shew Mercy Rom. IX 18. Look upon this copy and then reflect upon your selves and your Function You have your Attributes let me so call them of Power Mercy Interest in the people and the like now how are these to be acted by you An unjust Magistrate like him Luke XVIII would be ready to miswrite after the copy and say I will act these after mine own will as God acteth his after his own will No he is mistaken let him look better on his Commission The Judgment that is put into his hand is the Will of God put into his hand As the Apostle saith This is the Will of God even your Sanctification so This is the Will of God even the Judgment that is given him his Commission carries it not sic velis sic jubeas do not thou with thy Power what thou wilt but sic volo sic jubeo Do in thine Office as it is my Will and as I Command The Sun in Heaven sends down his shine upon the Earth and we are to set all our dials by that light and not by any candle of our own The Will of God as it is the rule of all his own actions so he sends down the beams of it in his Word to men to be the rule of theirs By the Ministry God puts his Will revealed in his Word into the hands of men to do according to that rule and not by any rule of their own Will So the Commission that he puts into the hands of the Magistracy is the Will of God to act by as he hath revealed in his Word not to act according to their own mind Not to shew Mercy Justice Power and Favour as they please but as Gods Will appears in their Commission It was the custom in Israel that when the King was Crowned the book of the Law was put into his hand the Will of God to be his rule and not his own So when Joshua is made chief Magistrate God instates him in his Power and with all put the Law into his hand Josh. I. 8. This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth c. And so at the Crowning of young Joash I King XI 12. They put the Crown upon him and gave him the Testimony Look then upon the Copy that is before you and look upon the Commission he hath given you His Will in Heaven acts all his glorious Attributes and as I may speak it with reverence his Will rules them He hath transcribed his Will in little in your Commission to act all yours Now his Will be done by you upon Earth as it is done by himself in Heaven A second Copy that I would present before you and before all that have any thing to do with you at present about Judicature Counsel Witnesses and Jurors is Gods own righteousness and that especially in one particular example It is needless to tell you from Scripture that the righteous God loves righteousness delights in righteousness practises righteousness commands righteousness That one acting of his does demonstrate all these to admiration and that is his Justice in justifying a sinner Much is
of the Nation it self It is observable concerning that unhappy Nation that before their Captivity into Babylon they were all for Idolatry but after their return out of Captivity they abhorred Idolatry but were all for Traditions they changed naught for naught or rather naught for worse For indeed their Traditions one may justly say were more destructive than their Idolatry Their Traditions wrought them and brought them to murder the Lord of life and glory which their Idolatry would hardly ever have brought them to And the very principles of their Traditions were such that they had not been right Scholars in that School they had not been faithful to their principles if they had not destroied him So directly contrary to the tenor of the Gospel and to the quality and appearance of Christ were those cursed Traditions that if they sought not withal might and main to destroy them and root them out the beast did not work according to the nature of the beast but clean contrary to it It is very generally conceived that God rejected that Nation for the murther of the Lord of life And that was a very just cause and reason why they were rejected But if I should say God rejected the bulk and mass of that Nation long before the death of Christ for those cursed Traditions I believe I should not speak it without good proof and warrant And it is observable that John Baptist calls them a generation of Vipers which in plain English is The seed of the Serpent at his first preaching among them And it is observable that which we are upon that wickedness and villanies were grown so abounding and so predominant that they were past the Magistrates correcting before ever our Saviour comes to be arraigned And it is no wonder they were grown so abounding and predominant when their very Principles led them to make crimes of those that were but trifles and no crimes of those that were crimes indeed to omit the great things of the Law whereby they might have beaten down cruelty dishonesty and debauchery and to make all their business only about toys only for the promoting of formality and hypocrisie and seeming goodness And thus you see wickedness uncorrected till it grow incorrigible an unhappy Magistracy asleep till it wake like Sampson with the locks of his strength cut and overpowred by the Philistins and a miserable Nation bleeding to death and weltering in its own blood because the Physitian would not let blood when he should have done in due time and in the right vein And now do I need to say any thing by way of Application As the Apostle concerning Abel He being dead yet speaketh so I of Judea she is here dying and do you not hear her speak nay as he of old Loquere ut te videam Do you not see her speak The very looking on her may read a Lecture As the Lacedaemonians read a silent Lecture against drunkenness to their children only by shewing them their slaves Swine-drunk So t is a silent Lecture against neglecting of the execution of Justice and Judgment and against partiality in executing of Judgment and Justice only to look upon her and her undone condition It is well known to you all that pass by behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow that is done unto me And who wrought it to thee O unhappy Nation Oh! I was wounded in this house of my friends Folly and fondness partiality and foolish tenderness sloth and sleepiness have been my undoing Discite justitiam moniti Take warning by my fate all Nations and Countries and set your selves to execute Judgment and do Justice lest wickedness grow that there be no curbing and so vengeance follow that there be no healing The Grandees of that Nation though so careless as to practise this will tell you that all the six hundred and thirteen precepts contained in the Law of Moses are couched and included within those two in Esay LVI 1. Keep judgment and do justice And indeed how much and how great things are included in those two keeping or observing Judgment in causes Controversal and doing just in causes Criminal The Greek Poet will tell you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That in Justice is comprehended all Vertues and the Scripture will tell you that under the name of righteousness is comprehended all piety by the use of the name a righteous man for one after Gods own heart I might speak how much piety is comprehended in doing Justice and how much charity how much service to God how much benefit to the Country But need I to illustrate these things that are so plain It is something strange and not to be passed by without observation that in the New Testament in several places the second Table is cited and taken for the whole Law without mention of the first Table at all In Matth. XIX 16. when a man comes and asks what he should do to have eternal life Christ bids him keep the Commandments When he demands which He refers him only to the second Table Thou shalt do no murder Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Honour thy Father and thy Mother And Thou shall love thy neighbour as thy self You have the like reference to the second Table Rom. XIII 8. Ow nothing to any man but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law And there going to reckon up the Commandments of the Law he mentions only those of the second Table And you may observe the Apostle S. James using the same style Jam 11. 8. If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye do well What then is the younger sister fairer than the Elder the second Table more lovely than the fiâ—â—â— that Jacob mâ—â—t serve his â—pprenticeship for Rachel the younger rather than for Iâ—â—ah the eldeâ— As Micah VI 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requires of thee to do justly and love mercy For these two are the Urim and Thummim of the second Table the very life of true Christian piety and of a true Christians acting And the Lord thus directs men to the duties of the second Table as the touchstone of Piety whereby to try whether we love God by our love to our neighbour whether he will do God right by doing right to his neighbour If time would permit I mâ—ght speak I. How great a duty Justice is of the second Table II. How great a charity to a place or Country III. How great a tye upon all not Judges and Magistrates only but Juries Witnesses all in their places to promote it IV. How great a misery and undoing of a Nation to have the current of it stopped A SERMON PREACHED AT ELY ASSISE Septemb. 12. 1671. JAMES V. 9. Behold the Iudge standeth before the door THE great Court of Judicature
Pet. II. Their sins will not let them linger and slumber but continually cry in the ears of God for judgment The injuries they do to Law Gospel and Blood of Christ will not let them linger nor slumber but these are continually crying to God to avenge their cause And will not God avenge his cause What need I speak of his Soveraignty challenging that he dispose of all mens eternal being as he brought them into being here What should I speak of his Justice challenging that every one be rewarded according to his work And indeed what need I to insist much to prove that God is Judge of all and that he will bring all to judgment to any that call themselves Christians and have the Bible in their hand And so I have done with the first double Proposition in the Text viz. That God is Judge and Judge of all And now briefly to speak to the second duplicity viz. He stands before the door and before the door of all I know the Apostles expression means in general the Judge is near but if it should come to particularizing of this or the other or any person would he not say the same And will not any say the same that will acknowledge a Judge or Judgment Who can say who dares say the Judge stands not before my door I am sure a good man dares not say so for he accounts his God and Judge near unto him Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my ways Psal. CXXXIX 3. And if any wretched man dare say so let him take heed that he finds not his Judge a great deal nearer than he supposes nay the nearer for his putting him so far off The Scripture speaks of two kinds of people but indeed are but one and they seem to look two several ways whereas indeed they look but one and the same way viz. those that put the evil day far from them and those that desire the evil days coming You have mention of them both near together in one and the same Prophet Of the former Amos VI. 3. Wo to you that put the evil day far away And of the latter Amos V. 18. Wo to you that desire the day of the Lord. How they put away the evil day in their own foolish fancy and conceit is no hard thing to understand I wish that too common experience had not acquainted us with that too much and too many a time But how do such wicked wretches desire the day of the Lord The Prophet Esay tells you of some Chap. V. 19. That say let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it and let the counsil of the holy one of Israel draw near and come that we may know it And all this in scorn as making a puff at the Word of the Lord that tells of an evil day and a day of the Lord to come Here is talk of the Word of the Lord I pray you let us see it and telling of the Lords coming where is it Let him come that we may know it Directly these mockers 2 Pet. III. 2. That say in scorn where is the promise of his coming Now is the Judge ever the farther off for these mens putting him and his judgment far away Nay is he not the nearer In that place of Esay the wretches that spake so in scorn are said to draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with cart-ropes And if they draw these do they not draw judgment on too Judgment is the nearest when the sinner is securest and when men cry peace peace then sudden destruction cometh upon them 1 Thes. V. But First At whose door doth not the Judge stand harkening and taking notice of mens behaviour Rev. III. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock He knocks that if it may be he may be admitted but if he be not he stands not in vain but takes notice of what passes in the house that he may take account of it in his due time Jer. VIII 6. I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done Mal. III. 16. The Lord hearkened and heard and a book of remembrance was written before him The Judge writes what passes and in time will have a reckoning about it And so may the counsil of the Apostle here be very well construed Grudge not brethren one against another grumble not repine not one against another for the Judge is at the door and he takes notice of every thing that passeth and you must account for it It were an excellent lesson for every Christian to get the hundred and nine and thirtieth Psalm not only by heart but in his heart and to be convinced and have a feeling of what is there spoken concerning Gods nearness to every man in what place and posture soever he is I need no more proof for that we are speaking of than only that Psalm I would every heart would make the Use of the doctrine there taught and make Application by his practise Secondly Who can say otherwise then that the Judge is at the door and may break in any moment by death and judgment And this needs no other proof than only to remember the uncertainty of death and judgment Isaac was of this belief when he said I know not the day of my death Gen. XXVII 2. whereas he lived many a fair year after And remarkable is that of the Apostle that when he is speaking of the Judgment to come he states it as if it were to come even in his time whereas so many hundred of years above a thousand are passed since his time We shall not all die but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. XV. And 1 Thes. IV. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout And then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him into the clouds Why Blessed Apostle dost thou think the resurrection and general judgment shall come while thou art alive Do it or do it not I have learned always to think that the Judge always stands before the door And I would teach all generations and ages to believe the same that the Judge standeth c. And Thirdly who can keep him out when he is pleased to break in Elisha could shut the door against the Kings messenger that was sent to take away his life can any man do it against the great Judge when he comes to do it Are any doors judgment proof when the Lord will batter against them Rather list up your heads O ye gates and be lift up O ye everlasting doors that the King of glory may come in Prepare to meet thy God O Israel that when he comes thou mayest comfortably entertain him It may seem a very hard passage that of the Apostle 2 Pet. III. 12. Looking for and hasting to the day of God when the heavens being on fire shall
him from death and was heard in that he feared It lies upon glorified Saints in one part of it viz. Thanksgiving It is so a Duty for the unholiest that though they sin in their prayers yet they sin worse if they pray not Your prayers are not sin as to the Act but because of other things External adoration is absolutely required to be given to God by all his creatures and if that be not yielded they doubtless sin This the wicked man when he prays gives to God They mistake foul that say Pray not till the Spirit move you Truth saith Pray because Duty requires you and in doing your duty wait for the Spirit 3. It is a Duty that makes out and sanctifies all our duties As 1 Tim. IV. 5. Every creature of God is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer So is every religious duty that we perform What is our hearing reading meditation if we pray not that God would sanctifie it and make it beneficial to holy ends and purposes to us 4. We had need to pray in reference to our Duty lest God turn us out of all and own us not for Tenants because we pay not our Rent You read in XXX Exod. 12. c. That every Israelite was to give half a shekel for the Redemption of his Soul the rich was not to give more nor the poor less This Christ himself paid Matth. XVII 24. c. Prayer is that half shekel to us The rich can give no more and the poor hath this to give viz. To make our humble acknowledgments to God for our lives and our comforts This is the greatest owning of our homage and none is so poor as to be without it The words that signifie Prayer speak this viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judging our selves and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depending upon grace We hold all upon grace The acknowledgment of this is the payment of our Homage to our Creator Would you comfortably enjoy your Houses Lands Studies Comforts pay your Rent Pray Pray Pray See what becomes of them that pay not this Homage Jerem. X. 25. Pour out thy sury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name Secondly We had need pray because of our wants This is the only way for our supply II. This is the bucket to draw our Water Ask and you shall have Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee Yea though God know our wants we must pray for the supply of them That is a strange motive to prayer in Matth. VI. 8. Your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask them What need then is there to tell them If he will give he will give whether we ask or ask not Yes pray for what ye stand in need of though ye are sure of the grant of those things Daniel prayed for the restoration of the Captivity which he knew certain David for the pardon of his sin which he knew God would pardon And that for these reasons First God will have his Homage T is reason Elias should have his cake first that provides meal for the maintenance of the whole family 1 Kings XVII 13. Secondly We pray not to shew God our wants as if he were ignorant of them but to shew that we are sensible of them and to signifie that we know he only is able to supply them Saints are called poor because they know their wants and know they live on Gods Alms. See Rev. III. 17 18. Because thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked I counsil thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire that thou mayest be rich c. God would that this Church of Laodicca should know her wants and buy by prayer the supply of them Thirdly I may add We had need to pray because of our advantage and benefit yea though we receive not particularly what we pray for Though as Psal. XXII 2. We cry in the day time and God heareth not and in the night season we take no rest Though God seem as in Psal. LXXXVIII 14. to cast off our Soul and hide his face from us yet we had need to pray still because we still want and if we never receive particularly what we pray for yet these benefits we shall reap by our prayers 1. We keep up and refresh our communion with God Constant prayer hath this advantage that it suffereth not God to forget us Lord why hast thou forgotten me saith David Prayer permits not God to forget no more than a Mother can forget a crying child He that prays is Gods Remembrancer and gives him no rest 2. The more we pray the better God will know our faces at the day of judgment I know you not shall Christ say to some why They never looked towards him Psal. XIV 2 3. The Lord looked down from Heaven to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside c. And I. Esay 4. There t is said of wicked men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are estranged backward or turned backward To these methinks the great Judge will say another day Ye were always strangers to me such as turned their backs upon me I could never see your face and therefore verily I know you not But on the contrary he that now confesses Christ and makes himself known to him by prayers and humble addresses he will know and confess him at the day of Judgment 3. The more we pray the more the heart is in Heaven and with God So that Prayer it self is a blessed benefit Phil. III. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven This of all other Conversations is the heavenly Conversation As Christ when he prayed was transfigured Luke IX 29. So in prayer the Christians heart is changed the soul is winged and mounts up till it gets hold of God as Jacob had him in his arms when he prayed 4. Time will come that all our prayers and tears shall meet us God puts our tears in his Bottle God reserves our prayers not one of them is left and we shall in time receive the fruit of them In 1 Kings VIII 59. There Solomon prays Let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night that he maintain the cause of his Servant c. Prayers are nigh unto God And thus I have finished the first Observation viz. That we had need to pray I come to the second II. That we had need to be taught to pray There is no doing spiritual work but according to the Patern in the Mount God prescribed Forms As at the offering of the first-fruits of the Land of Canaan XXVI Deut. 3 4. c. Thou shalt go unto the Priest that shall be in those days and
contabescere morbo corrodi to languish to pine away to be eaten up with some malady and if I miscount not you have it but three times in the Bible and those in the Psalms Psal. VI. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by our English Mine eye is consumed because of grief by the Interlineary Latine Erosus est prae indignatione oculus meus And the very same words you have Psal. XXXI 9. where our English renders after the same manner and that Latine Contabuit and in the very next verse after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My bones are consumed Now the third person future of that word if you would write it in Greek letters you can hardly do it more properly than in the word Jesus that is before us And to this Hebrew word I cannot but conceive that the Syriack Translator had an Eye when he writes not Bar Jesus but Bar Shuma by which he means not Filius Nominis a man of Name or renown as some would have it and as indeed it might signifie but a man of sores swellings or breakings out for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in Levit. XII 2. in the Targum of Jerusalem and Jonathan upon the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Esa. I. 6. and elsewhere in the Targum of the other Jonathan upon the Prophets And how Bar Shuma a man of sores agrees with Bar Jesus a man wasting and languishing I need not tell you But how doth Elymas agree with both vers 8. Elymas the Sorcerer for so is his name by interpretation But there is some scruple which name is meant whether his name Bar Jesus or his title Magus And that that hath been the currentest rendring hath been by the Arabick word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ain inchoante which signifies a knowing a wise man and so may be bowed to the sense of Magus But both the Syriack and Arabick Translators begin the word Elymas with another Letter I learn from that incomparable work for pains and learning the Heptaglot Lexicon that Alima or Elima Eliph inchoant in the Arabian Tongue signifies Dolere or cruciari to be in pain or anguish And I think I need to look no further how Elymas doth interpret Bar Jesus when the one signifies contabescere and the other dolere the one morbo corrodi and the other cruciari the words being so near a kin It were worth inquiring why his Hebrew name is rendred into Arabick and not into Greek as is generally done all along the New Testament with other names But that discussion is not so proper for this time and occasion The mans sickly names therefore Bar Jesus or Contabescens and Elymas or dolens may justly make us to look upon him as some pitiful pining langushing diseased body Which whether that were so or no is not much material but certainly the titles that the sacred Historian and blessed Apostle do give him put it out of all question that he carried a very sad sickly and diseased soul. The Jewish Writers when they would speak out a very wicked man indeed they say that he brake out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the superfluity of naughtiness as our English renders the phrase turned into Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. I. 21. Now read this mans Epithites and guess whether he could have broken out further than he did The holy Pen-man calls him a Jew a false prophet a Sorcerer vers 6. The holy Apostle calls him full of all subtilty full of all mischief the child of the Devil and enemy of all righteousness in the verse before us Titles or Epistles or Stigmata or call them what you will so foul that an hours discourse can speak but little to them of what might be or what were requisite to be spoken to give every of them their due Therefore to confine my self to the time I shall confine my discourse only to his present action upon which the Apostles Eye is more peculiarly intent viz. that he perverted and ceased not to pervert the right ways of the Lord. Into which sink of his as into a common sewer flowed all the rest of his puddles here mentioned some as causes of his so acting and some as instruments Hither flowed as causes his being a Jew a false prophet a Sorcerer these set him on work And hither flowed as instruments his subtilty his mischievousness his Devilishness his enmity against all righteousness these helped him in his work And what his work was or what is meant by his perverting the right ways of the Lord we need not go far to learn the eighth verse resolves it fully he withstood the Apostles Barnabss and Paul and he sought to turn away the Deputy Sergius Paulus from the faith He opposed the preaching of the Gospel and he opposed the conversion of the Gentile And such Emissaries some will tell you the Jews had abroad in the World for such a purpose subtil and mischievous men sent abroad purposely to oppose and contradict and vilifie the Gospel and to hinder as much as possibly the conversion of any Heathen It were too bold to say this man was sent by the Sanhedrin upon such an employment If he were not they could hardly have fitted themselves better for such a business than with him so accomplished and accoutred for so cursed a design The very mildest title that he carries viz. as he was a Jew speaks him capacitated and principled sufficiently for such an Employment had he been neither false prophet nor Sorcerer Accordingly I shall only take up that Epistle and relation of his and let all the rest alone and consider him as a Jew and so acting as a Jew in this his cursed employment Not ceasing to pervert the right ways of the Lord or to oppose the Gospel If you scan and observe the demeanor of the Devil in the two different ages of the World under Heathenism and under the Gospel you will find this to have been his method and his shifting policy viz. That under Heathenism he foisted upon the World the greatest lie that could be forged in Hell to make the Heathen believe that the Devils that they served were Gods And under the Gospel when that lie would not do he set men to oppose and contradict that greatest truth that could be revealed from Heaven the truth and tenor of the Gospel And the first Agents that he employed in this business was the Nation of the unbelieving Jews A generation by the very principles of their Religion fermented into a sowrness and contrariety to the Gospel and the right ways of the Lord in it Our Apostle in Rom. XI 8. tells us They were under the spirit of slumber And 1 Thes. II. 15. he intimates how they were under a spirit of contradiction They are contrary to all men Under the spirit of slumber so that all their Religion was but ◠dream of men that slumbred And under the spirit of contradiction so that all their acting was
will become of thee when those thy Treasures those thy Teachers are no more Why naught become of them For presently after the death of those Prophets and the departure of the Spirit of Prophesie the Nation parted into two deadly heresies viz. The Pharisees teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Mat. XV. And the Sadducees teaching for doctrines the very dictates of Devils That there is no resurrection nor Angel nor Spirit nor world to come The first thing that I observe hence is That two such different Parties should be in the Nation together should sit as they do here in council together So great a difference betwixt the parties and a continual contestation about that difference and yet both parties admitted to be in the Church to bear office in the Church and to sit Judges in the great Council There were Sadducee-Priests as well as Pharisee And the Jews Records have a story of a Sudducee-Priest that was to offer the drink offering upon the Altar at the Feast of Tabernacles and because he missed something of doing exactly as he should have done all the Company present fell a pelting him with Pomecitrons which every one used to carry at the Feast And there were Sadducee Magistrates and Judges as well as Pharisee And the Jews Records do give us notice that there was once a time that the great Council at Jerusalem consisted almost all of Sadducees if not altogether In reading of the Context at your leisure you will see that in that great Council now as Paul stands before it there were not a few Sadduces as well as there were divers of the other Sect. And what toleration there was of a dissenting Party in that Church is worth the considering of those that have to dispute about that Case Another Gloss that I should make upon both these opinions should be this question II. Was it possible that a Sadducee and a Pharisee should be saved Some will maintain that a man may be saved in any Religion in any opinion so that he live honestly toward men and devoutly towards God Whereas a man may take up an opinion and belief which may put such a bar against his salvation as to make it impossible for him to be saved let him live never so honestly For it is not bare civil honesty nor blind devotion will bring to Heaven Let a Sudducee live never so honestly never so devoutly was it not utterly impossible for him to be saved while he held the opinions that he did which were directly against Salvation And a Pharisee while he made it the great Article of his Faith that he could be justified and saved by his own works put a bar against all possibility of his justification and salvation Men think it a small thing to be medling with this or that new strange opinion or should I not say they think it a great thing a brave matter to invent and vent some new opinion or other when that very thing and opinion may be the very lock and key and bar to keep them out of Heaven Instance and example of such opinions might be given in men of several professions and religions in too great plenty But we will look more particularly on this before us The Sadducees say there is no resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit The Sadducees here are marked for their Heretical opinions about some main Articles of Faith and it gives us occasion I. To observe that they denyed such Articles II. To consider the Articles they denyed As to the First we may first remember that saying of the Apostle 1 Cor. XI 19. For I. there must be heresies among you that they that are approved may be made manifest among you That is a sad accent there must be heresies And whence comes that must be or that necessity Hath God any hand in it that it must be because he will have it Or is there any such necessity that it must be because the Church hath need of Heresies There must be weeds in the garden Is it because the garden hath need of weeds It hath need of weeding rather than of weeds But the must be proceedeth from the corruption of men of evil minds that will raise up heresies And it cannot be otherwise while their minds are and will be so evil That we may take some view of this unhappy necessity proceeding from such an unhappy cause let us gradually observe these things I. That God gives forth his word and truth to men authoritatively that men should beleive them at their peril He sends forth his word not to go a begging for belief of it and obedience to it but let men disbelive and disobey it at their peril Ezek. I. Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear yet shall they know that there hath been a Prophet among them And let them answer it according as they have recieved him II. Now the causes of mens not believing the World and not obeying the truth are in themselves and not at all in God He that gave his word to be believed and obeyed would not be the cause that it should not be believed nor obeyed It is the wickedness of mens own hearts that causeth it and it is the voluntary doing of their hearts not to obey it It is said Joh. XII They could not believe but the first cause was because they would not believe And so by the continual practise of not willing to believe they came to the fatal distemper that they could not believe The Prophet Esa. Chap. LIII cryeth out Who hath believed our report Why no body And what is the reason Was not the word worth believing Or could they say they could not believe it The truth was they had no mind to it They had a mind against it They in Jeremy Chap. XLII deal plainly and speak out We will not hear the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken to us And what was their reason They had no mind to it because it was not to their mind Now had they been disputed with and questioned Do you not think that God is wiser than you Are not his Councils better than your Councils and the words of his mouth more to be valued than the suggestions of your hearts What answer do they make Be it what it will we will have our own minds This is the cause of the must be because men will have it so and no perswasion to the contrary can prevail with them We have the mind of Christ is the Apostles rejoycing but we will have our own minds is the worlds language and practice And upon this mad wilfulness it is that there must be Heresies III. Now it is too tedious to enquire into all the immediate causes and originals of Heresies they are so many The Father of them was an Amorite and the Mother an Hittite the whole breed a Canaanite a cursed generation a monstrous generation bred very oft of clean contraries bred ever of