them was the greater matter whether of them the greater work Was not the Resurrection Not indeed in regard of the Power that effected both but in regard of the effect or concernment of man 1. By his Resurrection he had destroyed him and that that had destroyed the Creation viz. Sin and Satan and did set up a better world a world of Grace and Eternal Life 2. Had it not been better that Man as he now was sinful had never been created than Christ not to have risen again to save and give him life As it was said of Judas It were better if he had never been born so it were better for sinful men if they had never been born than that Christ should not have been born from the dead to restore and revive them Observe that the Resurrection of the Heathen from their dead condition took its rise and beginning from the Resurrection of Christ as Christ himself closely compares it from the example of Jonahs rising out of the Whales belly and converting Nineveh To that purpose is that prophesie Esai XXVI 19. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in dust The dead Heathen that had lain so long in the grave of sin and ignorance when Christs body rose had life put into them from that time and they rose to the life of grace For by his Resurrection he had conquered him that had kept them so long under death and bondage Now was it not most proper for the Church of the called Heathen to have a Sabbath that should commemorate the cause time and original of this great benefit accruing to them A SERMON PREACHED upon EXODUS XX. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee THIS is the First Commandment of the Second Table and it is the first with promise Eph. VI. 2. Why it is the first of the second Table the reason is easie because when the second Table teaches our duty towards our Neighbour it is proper to begin with the Neighbour nearest to us such is our Father and Mother and with the Neighbour to whom we owe most peculiar Duty as we do to those that are comprehended under this title of Father and Mother But why this is called the First Commandment with promise is not so easie to resolve The difficulties are in these two things I. Because that seems to be a promise in the Second Commandment Shewing mercy unto thousands c. II. And if it be to be understood the first of the Second Table that hath a promise annexed unto it that is harsh also because there is no other promise in the Second Table and the First Commandment with promise argues some other Commandments with promise to follow after Now to these difficulties I Answer First That in the Second Commandment is rather a description of God than a direct Promise A jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children c. and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me As much Gall is mingled there as Honey as dreadful threatnings as comfort and therefore not to be looked on as a clear promise but as an argument and motive to Obedience taken from both mercy and judgment Secondly It is true there is never a promise more in the Second Table that comes after this but there are abundance of promises after in the rest of the Law And so may this be understood it is the First Commandment with promise in the whole Law from the Law given at Sinai to all the Law that Moses gave them afterwards And the first promise in the Law given to Israel is the promise of long life That thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee So that here especially are four things to be spoken to I. The nature of the promise that it is a temporal promise concerning this life II. The matter of the promise Length of life in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee III. The suitableness of the Promise to the Command Honour thy Father and Mother that thy days may be long c. IV. The extent of the Promise to all that keep the Commandment Which four heads will lead us to the consideration of several Questions The first leads us to this Observation That the Promises given to Israel in the Law are I. most generally and most apparently promises temporal or of things concerning this life First look upon this Promise which is first in the Law and whereas it may be construed two ways yet both ways it speaks at first voice or appearance an earthly promise There may be an Emphasis put either upon Thy days shall be long or upon Thy days long in the land Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long that thou mayst have long life Or Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. That thou mayst have long possession of the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and mayst not be cast out of it as the Canaanites were before thee Now take it either way what speaks it else but a temporal promise and that that refers to this life and to our subsistence in this world And so look upon those promises that are in Levit. XXVI and Deut. XXVIII and you find them all referring to temporal and bodily things And hereupon it may be observed that you hardly find mention of any spiritual promises especially not of eternal in all Moses Law No mention of Eternal Life joys of Heaven Salvation or Everlasting glory none but of things of this life Hence it was that the Sadducees denyed the Resurrection and the world to come because they only owned the five Books of Moses and in all his Books they found not mention of any such thing And therefore when our Saviour is to answer a Cavil of theirs against the Resurrection Mark XII 18 c. observe what he saith vers 26. Have you not read in the Book of Moses c. For he must prove the thing out of Moses to them or they would take it for no proof And observe also how he proves it by an obscure collection or deduction viz. because God says I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Therefore they lived though they were dead Which he would never have done had there been plain and evident proof of it And which if there had been they could never have denyed it And that which we are speaking to that the promises of the Law are of temporal things is also asserted by that Heb. VIII 6. He is the Mediator of a better Covenant established upon better promises If the promises of the Law had been Heavenly promises there could not have been better promises Had they been of Grace and Glory there could not have been better promises but those of the Law were
to West ends and as far South as to the middle of the Altar was used to slay the Beasts in and all that was accounted as the North So on the South-side of the Altar there were Marble Tables and low Pillars for the very same use that there were on the other side of the Altar namely for the fleaing and cutting up and washing the Intrals of the Sacrifices but when greater store came than that very space just between the Altar and the South-wall would contain then all the South-side of the Court was permitted for that use even as far as the middle of the Altar betwixt North and South The five and twenty cubits space therefore that we are to give account of between the South-wall of the Court and the foot of the rise of the Altar were thus parcelled 1. There were eight cubits from the Court-wall to the Pillars as there were on the North-side and this was the breadth of the Cloister and the standing of Israel on that side the Court. 2. The disposal of the Tables as on the other side before the Pillars took up four cubits 3. And then the thirteen cubits between these and the foot of the Altar rise was partly as is probable taken up with some rings as on the North-side though not so many for they needed not and partly with some plain pavement next to the rise that the Priests might have access to it the better CHAP. XXXVI The space between the Altar and the Porch THE Altar stood before the Gate or entrance of the Porch that gave access into the Temple and the space between the foundation of the Altar and the foundation of the Porch a a a Mid per. 3. was two and twenty cubits But there was not so much clear ground or plain pavement and passage between them for the stairs of the Porch being in number twelve and every step a cubit broad besides the half pace or inlarging at every third step caused that these steps lay down a great way in the Court towards the Altar and took up a good space of these two and twenty cubits Every one of these steps was half a cubit high and thereupon the whole rise ariseth to be six cubits from the ground to the landing in the Porch so that he that stood in the Porch-gate his Feet stood even and level with his Feet that stood upon the Circuit of the Altar b b b Tamed per. 7. Upon these steps of the Porch the Priests stood when they came out from burning Incense and blessed the People As concerning the space betwixt the Porch and Altar these things are remarkable about it 1. c c c Kelim per. 1. That no man might come upon this space that had any blemish upon him nor any man might come here bare headed the reason of the former restraint is easie to be apprehended because of the holiness of the place being so near both to the Alar and the Temple and the reason of the later is because in their greatest devotions they used to cover their Head and therefore none might come bare-headed into so devout a place 2. That no man might stand upon this space or stay within it while the Priest was burning Incense in the Holy place d d d Maym. in Tamid in per. 3. For whilest they burned Incense in the Temple every day all the People departed from the Temple so that between the Temple and the Altar there was not a man till he that burned Incense came forth And so at the time that the High Priest went in with the Blood of the Sin-offering which was to be sprinkled within all the People withdrew from between the Altar and the Temple till he came forth again And because they might know the time when to withdraw from this space at the daily Incense the Sagan or President of the Service called to the Priest that was within the Holy place with a loud voice and gave him notice when he should begin with the Incense saying to him Offer the Incense and as he spake thus the People withdrew The reason of this custom I shall not be curious to look after but whether the Ceremony did not fitly resemble how far distant all men are from having any share with Christ in his Intercession which the offering of the Incense resembled be it left to the Reader to consider 3. In this space between the Temple and the Altar was the murder committed upon Zacharias the son of Barachias as our Saviour mentioneth Matth. XXIII 35. Now there are various conjectures who this Zachary should be some think of Zachary the Prophet whose Book of Prophesie we have in the Old Testament Some suppose it might be John Baptists Father and some conceive that Christ speaketh there predictively foretelling that they should slay Zachary the son of Baruch in the Temple the story of which Josephus giveth in lib. 4. de bell cap. 19. But the Talmudists do help us to understand it of Zachary the son of Jehoiada who was stoned by the people in this place in the days of King Joash 2 Chron. XXIV Why he is called the son of Barachias and not the son of Jehoiada is not a place here to dispute the Jerusalem Talmud hath this story concerning his slaughter which may give us cause to think that our Saviour spake according to the common received Opinion and was understood to mean Zachary the son of Jehoiada though for special reason he calleth him the son of Barachias e e e Talm. Ierus in Taanith f. 6â— Rab. Jochanan saith Eighty thousand young Priests were slain for Zacharias blood R. Jordan asked R. Aha where slew they Zacharias In the Court of the Women or in the Court of Israel He saith to him Not in the Court of Israel nor in the Court of the Women but in the Court of the Priests c. And seven Transgressions did Israel transgress that day They slew a Priest a Prophet a Judge shed innocent Blood and defiled the Court and the Sabbath which was also the day of expiation And when Nebuzaradan came thither he saw the Blood bubling He saith to them What meaneth this They said to him It is the Blood of Bullocks and Rams and Lambs which we have offered upon the Altar Presently he brought Bullocks and Rams and Lambs and killed them and as yet the Blood bubled or reeked above theirs And when they confessed not he hanged them up They said The Lord is pleased to require his Blood at our hands They say to him It is the Blood of a Priest and Prophet and Judge who Prophesied to us concerning all that thou hast done to us and we stood up against him and slew him Presently he brought Eighty thousand young Priests and slew them And still the Blood bubled Then he was angry at it and said to it What wouldest thou have That all the People should perish for thee Presently the holy blessed God was
Lords day They celebrated it and made no manner of scruple as appears concerning it but they would have their old festival days retained too and they disputed not at all whether the Lords day were to be celebrated but whether the Jewish Sabbath were not to be celebrated also So they admitted Baptism but it went against them not to admit Circumcision also And so also in some other Articles of Judaism not rejecting the Gospel but superinducing something of Judaism As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia saith the Apostle so do ye also On every first day of the Week c. And yet the same Apostle saith of the same Galatians Ye observe days and months Not that they refused the Christian Sabbath but that they retained the Jewish Sabbaths II. The Lords day sufficiently commended it self by its own authority nor could the institution of it at all be doubted by the converted Gentiles as never knowing or at least owning any other Sabbath nor by the converted Jews if they acknowledged Jesus for the true Messias because they had learnt in their Schools that Messiah should make a new Law as Moses had made the old And that also which they had drunk in from their cradles that Messiah should not abolish the Institutions of Moses but raise them higher and make them more splendid although it might be more a scruple among them of the abolishing the Jewish Sabbath yet it could make none of superinducing the Christian Sabbath III. In that controversie of the change of the Sabbath from the Jewish to the Christian which some prosecute too much without any cause they reckon the Scriptures silence concerning the Institution of the Lords day for a denial of the thing as if it were by no means to be believed because it is not expressed in plain words Among many things said in that case let us put in these few I. The Holy Text indeed is silent of this matter while the scene of Christian affairs is laying in Judea mention being only made by the Evangelists of the appearances of Christ the first day of the week namely on that day wherein he arose from the dead and the first day of the week following Joh. XX. 26. But when the scene is transferred to the Gentiles then there is very open mention of it namely in this place and Act. XX. 7. and Revel I. 10. II. For the chief care concerning mentioning the Sabbath was this that mention might be made of that Sabbath which was to be among the Gentile Churches and was to endure for ever And of that mention is most evidently made in the history of those Churches III. Therefore the former silence does by no means argue that the Apostles and Disciples in Judea converted to the faith did not celebrate the Lords Day or that they observed it not by Divine Institution but by good right and reason the mention of it is reserved to its most proper place that is in the story of the Gentile Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laying up For these saith Beza are true riches laid up in Heaven c. By occasion of whose words let us add these few passages of the same subject A b b b b b b Bab. Cheâ—ubâ— fol. 66. 2. certain woman came to Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai and said Sir vouchsafe me sustinence To whom he answered And who art thou my daughter I saith she am the daughter of Nicodemus ben Gorion And replied he O daughter what is become of the riches of the family of thy Father She answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Rabbi Do not they use this Proverb at Jerusalem The salt of riches is the want of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But those that stood by said to her But mercy or alms is their salt Where the Gloss is Whosoever will season his riches that is make them not to putrifie let him bestow them in alms and the want of riches arising from such a cause is the seasoning of them VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For I do pass through Macedonia THERE is a division about the sense and translation of these words and here indeed the whole hinge of the controversie turns upon the place whence this Epistle was writ There are some that render it to this sense I am now passing through Macedonia which without doubt he did whosoever he were who first joyned those words to the end of the Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi and they must do the same who think it sent from thence But the Vulgar and Interlineary Interpreter For I shall pass through Macedonia in the future tense is more true and best of all For that this Epistle was sent from Ephesus these and other things make plain I. That the Apostle salutes the Corinthians in the name of the Churches of Asia which it is probable he would not at all have done if he now were in Macedonia But be it granted that he very lately coming out of Asia carried the salutations of those Churches along with him it is as improbable that he would not also salute them in the name of the Churches of Macedonia II. It appears that he wrote this Epistle before he came into Macedonia from what he saith in the second Epistle Chap. II. 12 13. and Chap. VII 5 6 7. For when he met not Titus at Troas whom together with Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus he had sent to Corinth with this Epistle nor as yet could know what fruit it had gained among the Corinthians he hastned a journey into Macedonia And when he came thither and found not Titus there he stayed for some time with an unquiet mind until Titus the messenger of good news at last came III. He saith vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall tarry in Ephesus as if he would say Here at Ephesus where now I am I shall remain until Pentecost VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I will tarry in Ephesus WHETHER he tarried at Ephesus until the time determined by him that is Pentecost or the uproar of Demetrius drove him away thence sooner is uncertain Being driven thence Macedonia received him as is related Act. XX. Where although among his travails there is no mention of his journy to Corinth yet thither he travailed while his companions went before to Troas and expected him there VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For a door is opened to me c. See Act. XIX 17 18 19 20. VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if Timothy come THIS place deceived him again who added the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Underwriting to this Epistle in whose fancy Timothy was sent with Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus to bring the Epistle to the Corinthians by no light mistake for Timothy indeed was sent but from Ephesus into Macedonia with Erastus Act. XIX 22. to see the Corinthians in his return but not at all sent
of the nature of this work which will speak it moral and upon that account fit to be used in the Christian Church And secondly the Evidence of the use of it in the first times And first of the Nature of this Duty Many things are spoken of the excellency of the book of Psalms and many may be spoken of the Excellency of singing Psalms I may allude to that expression Many daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all So may I say in reference to this Duty all Duties are excellent but this includes all In singing of Psalms there is what is in other Services and more Prayer is our duty Praise speaking of Gods works singing are our Duties but this last is all it is like the holy Incense mixt of all these perfumes The excellency of this duty will appear further under these four heads First It is an action that helps up and keeps up the heart in a Spiritual frame as much as any See the Apostle arguing for singing upon this account V. Ephes. 18 19. Be filled with the spirit Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And V. James 13. Is any among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merry Let him sing Psalms If the heart would be up in mirth use this to help it up being not yet come into frame If it be up use this to keep it that it be not transported The Heart by spiritual musick is called up to beat in the right mean As David by his Harp calmed Sauls spirit so this is proper to beat down immoderate mirth And so on the other hand it is proper to free the mind of lumpishness and sadness as Elisha being put into a passion and disturbance at the sight of the King of Israel called for Temple Musick to pacifie and allay his discomposed mind 2 King III. 14 15. And Elisha said as the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee But now bring me a Minstrel And it came to pass when the Minstrel played that the hand of the Lord came upon him See a strange passage in Jer. XX. at the 12. vers the Prophets heart is quite down O Lord of Hosts that tryest the righteous and seest the reins and the heart let me see thy vengeance on them for unto thee have I opened my cause At the 14 vers his heart is lower yet Cursed be the day wherein I was born let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed But in the midst of these sorrows and dejections he falls to praising and singing unto God At the 13 vers Sing unto the Lord praise ye the Lord. He strives to wind up his heart to a right pitch with Sing unto the Lord. As God requires outward and inward worship so a spiritual frame for inward worship may be forwarded by the outward composure Gazing drowsiness hinders the activity of the Soul but the contrary temper furthers and helps it Singing calls up the Soul into such a posture and doth as it were awaken it t is a lively rowzing up of the heart Secondly This is a work of the most meditation of any we perform in publick It keeps the heart longest upon the thing spoken Prayer and hearing pass quick from one Sentence to another this sticks long upon it Meditation must follow after hearing the word and praying with the Minister for new sentences still succeeding give not liberty in the instant well to muse and consider upon what is spoken But in this you pray and meditate praise and meditate speak of the things of God and meditate God hath so ordered this duty that while we are imployed in it we feed and chew the cud together Higgaion or Meditation is set upon some passages of the Psalms as IX Psal. 16. The same may be writ upon the whole duty and all parts of it viz. Meditation Set before you one in the posture to sing to the best advantage eyes lift up to Heaven denote his desire that his heart may be there too hath before him a line or verse of prayer mourning praise mention of Gods works how fairly now may his heart spred it self in Meditation on the thing while he is singing it over Our singing is measured in deliberate time not more for Musick than Meditation He that seeks not finds not this advantage in singing Psalms hath not yet learned what it means Thirdly This is a Service in which we profess delight in the thing we have in hand Yea even in sad mourning ditty we delight so to mourn Psal. C. 1. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands serve the Lord with gladness T is a noise of joy and gladness It speaks that we delight in Gods Ordinances that we are about As Musick at Table shews we make a Feast of delight of what God hath provided Solatur voce laborem He that sings at his work shews that his work goes on with contentedness David at his harp and composing Psalms to the honour of God what delight did he take therein So that in singing there must be two things I. The Ditty to be applied by Meditation And II. Tuning the Voice to it in the best liveliness we can as delighting in the work Nay Fourthly This is a Service wherein one is cheared from another It is a joynt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One takes mirth life and warmth from another a holy servor and emulation as the Seraphins Esa. VI. strive to outvy one another in praising God Who is there but while he is joyning with the Congregation in this Duty feels such an impression and excitation his own string wound up by the consort of the Quire T is a story goes of St. Austin that it was one means of his conversion the hearing the heavenly singing of Psalms at Milan As all our Duties here in publick carry some bond and badge of communion we come to pray together hear together and so profess our selves Christians together we being all Scholars in the School of Christ so this of singing together more especially speaks it out But herein is not only a sign of communion but also mutual excitation As David speaks when he was at this work Psal XXXIV 3. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together We do as it were joy one another to put on all as much as we can to joyn together in the praise and honour of God I need to say no more to shew that so excellent a Duty could not but be setled by Christ with others in the Christian Church the very nature of the thing may speak it I shall therefore only speak to three things I. The warrant of Christ for the observance of this Duty II. The admonitions of the Apostle for the same purpose And
averse to embrace and receive that that their mind doth or might know In a natural and unregenerate Soul the Will generally sways both Understanding and Conscience But in a good Soul Understanding and Conscience sways the Will it is moved by those wheels but it moves not them You remember that saying of the Apostle they would not receive the love of the truth therefore c. And this is a very common cause of ignorance and error because men will not know and embrace the truth My people love to have it so as God complains in the Prophet There is no ignorance like the ignorance that is wilful and none so blind as he that will not see but will put out his own eyes These Sadducees might have seen better might have known better but they would not know nor see The Pharisees might have taught them better in those poynts about which they erred but they scorned to be taught by them The Word of God would have taught them better if they would have embraced it But they were prejudiced against it and forestalled by their own opinion They had drunk in their error about No resurrection and no Angel nor Spirit from their Teachers and from their Youth and to that they will stick and hear nothing against it As he of old Though I see reason in that thou teachest when one taught the Gospel yet I have been taught and trained up otherways and there I must and will hold And this is all the reason that the most in the Romish Religion can give of their Religion It is the old Religion the Religion in which their Fathers Grandfathers and Ancestors were born bred lived and dyed and by no means must they forsake their Fathers Religion As he in the story that professed that he would go to Hell whether he was told his Ancestors were gone because they were Heathen rather than to go to Heaven alone In enumerating the immediate causes of heresie and error this comes not in the last rank of them that men are and will be wedded to their own opinion and will not be moved from the fancy that they have enclined to and taken up And those words of the Apostle may hint another cause and reason of it 2 Pet. III. 5. For this they are willingly ignorant of And that willing and wilful ignorance is most commonly the parent of such a paradox and strange brood The only Inference I shall make from the whole discourse is that we labour to know the truth and to keep it Christians it is not a small promise that our Saviour maketh Joh. VIII 32. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free There is a wheel within a wheel one promise within another First the truth shall make you free Secondly Ye shall know the truth without which the other promise would little avail them The freedom he speaks of is freedom from sin as he shews in his discourse following and the way the only way to come to attain this freedom is by the knowledge of the truth So great a thing is it to know the truth to embrace the truth and to keep in it And it is not so slight and small a thing as men commonly make of it to take up new opinions either impertinent to the truth or contrary to it By our standing to the truth or falling from it we must stand or fall And as we have stood to it or fallen from it we must be judged at the last day But in the different and various opinions that are abroad in the world how shall I do to pitch upon the right I am unlearned and cannot sist differing opinions with reason and argument as learned men can and therefore how should I do to chuse the right and keep in it An objection that a stander by at Jerusalem that was neither Pharisee nor Sadducee might have made about the poynts in controversie between these two Sects The Pharisee says There is a Resurrection of the dead there are Angels and Spirits And the Sadducee denies both How should I that am unlearned know whether side to take and whether opinion to cleave to The first answer I should make not to wade into any Scholastic dispute upon this matter should be Pray earnestly to God for his direction to the God of truth that he would direct you into the way of truth At the Tabernacle and Temple when the Lamps were dressed and mended Incense also was offered at the same time Prayer is to go along with the dressing of the candle of our minds It was Davids constant prayer for himself that God would inlighten his understanding and it was the Apostles prayer for Timothy The Lord give thee understanding in all things It was the Profession once of a very good man and a very learned I ever obtained more knowledge of divine things by prayer than by all my study He took the right way to attain knowledge following the rule prescribed by the Holy Apostle If any man want wisdom let him ask it of God Jam. I. 5. And he had Solomons copy before him Lord give me wisdom And it is not the least cause of the ignorance that is in the world that men do no more pray for understanding How needful is such prayer every Lords day morning but how few do conscientiously make it We think we are wise enough and know enough and that a little ado will help us to stock enough of understanding So did the great wise ones among the Jews They were called the Wise men and they thought they were Wise men And This people that knoweth nâ—t the Law are cursed but they knew it And The people are blind but Are we blind also And yet those Wise men knew not the things of their Peace nor the day of their Visitation Secondly A means and an only means to know truth to avoid error and to judge clearly of the things we ought to know is to get and keep our minds clear from lusts If thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light And 2 Pet. III. 1. Stir up your pure minds Such minds are likely to receive the truth in love As the pure in heart shall see God So they shall see the things of God Lusts like coloured glass make men misjudge Heresie seldom proceeds from bare ignorance but from one lust or other A SERMON PREACHED upon JOHN XI 51. This spake be not of himself but being High Priest that year be Prophesied That Iesus should dye for that people AND is Caiphas among the Prophets And is his counsil among the Prophesies He the wickedest man then upon Earth excepting Judas Iscariot and His the wickedest counsil that ever was given since the Serpent counselled Eve to destroy mankind Had not the Spirit of Prophesie by the pen of this our Evangelist made this Interpretation of it who could ever have thought it of such a construction If it may be wished I would the same
and Earth and in the same instant created the Angels with the Heavens Now these Angels that fell were not fallen doubtless before man was made For upon creating of Man who was the last of the Creation it is said Gen. I. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good and there was yet nothing bad or evil in the world no Angels fallen no sin at all But when those that fell saw the dignity and honour and happiness that God had placed man in a piece of clay a lump of earth dust of the ground and that he put all Creatures under his feet as it is Psal. VIII 5 6. yea and gave Angels charge to attend him as it is Psal. XCI 11 They maliced this happiness and honour and scorned this service and attendance and damned themselves meerly upon this spite at Man Would they therefore think you delay any time of tempting man to try whether they could shake him out of his happiness and honour and bring him into the same condemnation with themselves No the Devil never since slacked time and put off any opportunities of doing mischief much less would he then when he had mischieved himself with such a spleen Secondly I might speak of divers things As that if Adam had kept the Sabbath in innocency he had kept the Law that if he had continued any time without sin he had begot Cain without sin if Eve had been a little practised in obedience she had not so soon been shaken when she came to be tried that their speech sheweth that no fruit had been eaten before But that which is especially considerable is that the Redemption was to be shewed instantly upon the Creation Since Christ was to be set up Lord of all the Saviour of all that are saved and the second Adam repairer of the ruines of the first it was not only fit but indeed needful that he should be proclaimed King and Saviour even the first day of man I do not say it was needful that Adam should fall on his first day that Christ might be proclaimed on his first day and yet I say it was needful that Christ should be proclaimed that day viz. that he might be set up Lord of all men from the first day of man But especially that what stability or firmness there is in obedience and holiness it might be founded in Christ alone I could almost say it was needful that Adam should fall on the day of his Creation not in regard of any necessity God put upon him but in regard of the â—ickleness of created nature being left to it self When I say it was almost needful I mean almost inevitable but that he left intirely to himself and to his own strength should stand the temptation of an Angel a Creature so far above him by nature and so far wiser than he though he were full of wisdom And you see Satan did not so much tempt his strength as his wisdom and there he overturns him by a trick of subtility out-witting his wisdom However it was fit the Redeemer should be held forth even the first day of man as the heir of all things Heb. I. 2. as the root of all to be saved and the sure foundation of all holiness grace and eternal life And III. Do but observe what correspondence there is twixt the Fall and Redemption and the later will speak the former to have been on Adams first day Redemption was wrought on the sixth day as the Fall had been on the sixth day And when Christ had wrought that great work he rested the seventh day in his grave as God rested on the seventh day when he had wrought the great work of Creation To this purpose I might also apply the particular times of the one and the other About the third hour the hour afterwards of sacrifice and prayer it is very probable Adam was created And Mark tells you Chap. XV. 25. And it was the third hour when they crucified him that is when they delivered him up to Pilate to be crucified About the sixth hour or high noon Adam most probably fell as that being the time of eating And John tells you Chap. XIX 14. that about the sixth hour he was condemned and led away to be crucified And about the ninth hour or three a clock afternoon Christ was promised which Moses calls the cool of the day and about the ninth hour Christ cried out with a loud voice and gave up the Ghost Such Harmony may be found betwixt the day and hours of the one and of the other the later helping to prove and clear that Adam fell on the sixth day the day on which he was created and continued not in honour all night Ah! what a glassy brittle thing is poor humane nature when it is so shaken all to pieces from so great perfection that it holds not whole above three hours or thereabouts And that it held whole so long was because it had not yet met with a temptation And that Satan offered not a temptation all that while was because he would hold off till they came to their time of eating and their first meal proves their poyson But Ah! the glorious and divine power of the grace of the Lord Jesus that inables a poor sinful Soul to hold out against the shocks of all the temptation of Hell and to break through all and to get to glory Compare Adam shaken with the first temptation the Devil offers with Job not shaken with all that the Devil could do and to the praise of the glory of his grace as it is said Ephes. I. 6. we have cause to cry out all our lives and so do Saints in glory to eternity Great is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now read the words carrying this that hath been spoken in your minds In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore God blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it And on the sixth day Adam fell and Christ was promised and on the Seventh day God rested and blessed the Sabbath day c. And so the Chaldee Translater of the Psalms considers of the thing For upon Psalm XCII which is intituled for the Sabbath day he saith thus A Psalm or Song which Adam the first man sung concerning the Sabbath day And the same Chaldee Translater on Cant. I. yet more plainly When Adam saw that his sin was forgiven when the Sabbath came he sung a Psalm as it is said A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath day And now looking on this first week of the world in this prospect viz. as sin come into the world and Christ promised before the seventh day came it will give us a clearer prospect of the Sabbath and of Gods resting viz. I. That God had created a new creation before he rested on the Sabbath For when Adam and mankind by his fall was shattered
and Wine in the Lords Supper and he moved that it might be expressed thus It is not only lawful but also sufficient And it was done so accordingly Concerning the Members of a Synod the Proposition was That Pastors and Teachers and other fitting persons are constituent Members of a Synod This our Author opposed and gave his Interpretation of the Brethren and the whole Church Act. XV. viz. that by Brethren was meant the uncircumcised Converts as vers 1 23. And that it was most likely the Churches of the uncircumcised would send their Ministers and not Laymen And that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was meant not the Church but the meeting of the Council There were many other matters debated in that Assembly in which our Author was greatly concerned and did not fail to argue very strenuously upon occasion against those opinions that were then in vogue I could give a particular account of what he said in the debates touching the admission of persons to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper of Private Baptism of the Learning required in those who were to be Ordained of the raising Doctrines from a Text of the use of learned Languages in Sermons c. But I forbear these things not being willing to exceed that short account of our Author which I only undertook at first In the later end of the year 1643. I find our Author was preferred to the Rectory of Much-Munden in the County of Hertford void by the Death of that excellent Person Samuel Ward D. D. the Lady Margaret Professor in the University of Cambridge In that Rectory he continued to the day of his Death He resided upon his Living as much as was consistent with his relation to Catharine-Hall in Cambridge of which he was Master many years before his Death He was uneasie when he was from his Living and would express a great desire to be at home with his Russet-Coats as he was wont to call his Country neighbours when he was absent from them His Labours in that place were very great and exemplary He was unwearied in his Studies which he followed early and late with indefatigable diligence he was a most constant and painful Preacher His Parsonage House was about a mile distant from his Parish Church whereunto he resorted every Lords-day read the Prayers and Preached Morning and Afternoon and did many times continue there all the day and returned not home till Night remaining in the Church not diverting to any other House to refresh himself until Evening Service was all finished He had for his Flock the care and compassions of a Father he lived among them in great peace and with great Hospitality There he continued without let or disturbance many years Indeed soon after the happy Restauration of his Majesty a Fellow of a College in Cambridge procured a grant of our Authors Living Of this he was soon advertised by his Neighbour and worthy Friend Sir Henry Caesar upon which by the favour of the late Archbishop Sheldon our Author was confirmed in his Rectory This great favour of the Archbishop our Author gratefully acknowledgeth in two Epistles Dedicatory to him prefixed to his Horae Hebraicae upon St. Mark and St. Luke And he would often mention the great favour he received from that worthy and very excellent Person Sir Henry Caesar whose Neighbourhood and encouragement was one of the greatest comforts of our Authors life He commenced Doctor in Divinity in the year 1652. His Latine Sermon was upon those words If any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. XVI 22. When he was in the University he Preached frequently and to the great advantage of the Students there He always pressed an exemplary Life upon his Auditors and to very good purpose Preached up the necessity of humane Learning and exploded the Enthusiasm which had at that time gotten a great possession of the minds of unstable Men He Preached up the lawfulness of Forms of Prayer in those times when many Men were so extravagantly vain as to decry it And for Schism and Separation from an Established Church he was so great an Enemy to it that he did in those times urge the necessity of Communion with a Church which had corruption in it And whoever will be at the pains to consider what he hath to this purpose in his Horae Hebraicae upon St. Matthew Chap. VIII vers 4. and especially in his Sermon Preached at St. Michaels Church in Cornhill before his Country-men of the County of Stafford upon St. Joh. X. 22. which is Printed with the rest of his Works will be abundantly convinced of this When he Preached at Cambridge he did generally pitch upon some difficult Text of the Holy Scriptures which he explained to the great satisfaction of the learned Auditors In which I reckon he did very considerable service to the Publick In doing so he relieved the minds of honest and inquisitive Men who were at a stand and defended the Holy Scriptures from the contempt of those who were prophane Scoffers and were ready upon all occasions to lessen their Autority And indeed he was very happy this way I have heard a very Learned and Reverend Divine lately deceased Profess that he never heard our Author preach but he learned something which he did not know before He was of very singular use in the University in those times and his discourses were of that nature that they greatly gained upon the more Studious and inquisitive sort of Men. He laboured much in proving Infants Baptism against the Antipaedobaptists of those times This he did upon most substantial grounds and such as commended themselves to the lovers of Truth I doubt not but that he did confirm many by his way of proof who were wavering before I find among our Authors Papers a letter directed to him from a very Learned Divine William Outram D. D. who was then his Auditor in Cambridge In which he gives our Author all possible thanks for his choice and truly learned Observations as he justly calls them in relation to the Lords Prayer in which he asserted the lawfulness of Forms and is earnest with him to grant him his Notes of his Sermons on Baptism which says he I have most earnestly longed for ever since they were Preached and not without due cause For verily had I not heard them I should not to this day have been so well reconciled to Infants Baptism as I bless God I now am I desire therefore that you would be pleased to consider what real usefulness your notes may be of and how for my own part I am infinitely more perswaded by your way of probation than by some other ratiocinations of Men ordinarily used There are many persons now living that have great cause to bless God for our Author and will confess the eminent service which he did in that time In the year 1655. Our Author was chosen Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge which
Friends to procure good benefactions for the same use from others But he died soon after the Work was begun So that the good Progress that is since made in that chargable Work is owing in the first place to the indefatigable pains of the Reverend and very Worthy John Eachard D. D. present Master and those very many generous persons in London and elsewhere whose love of Learning and favour to him have excited them freely to contribute thereunto But to return to Dr. Lightfoot Who besides the former contribution had before been a Benefactor to his College by redeeming a piece of Land to it And therefore is always mentioned at the Commemoration of the Benefactors It was not his want of affection to his College that made him reside not much there but partly because he thought himself most bound to be chiefly among his Flock of whose Souls he had the care and partly because in the Country was most retirement a thing that for the sake of his Studies he greatly affected to the last Which were not ingrateful to his old Age but rather an ease and a pleasure to it Studendo solor senectutem was a saying of his to a Learned Man XII His Patrons and Friends HIS great Learning and excellent Qualities reconciled him Friends and admirers among those of his own Rank and Degree and made him a favourite to Men of Eminency and Honour Besides those I have already mentioned he was dear to and highly valued by his Grace the most Reverend Father in God Gilbert late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury through whose mediation his Parsonage of Great Munden and his Mastership of Katharine Hall were confirmed to him by the King Which he acknowledged in two Epistles before two of his Hebrew and Talmudick Exercitations The Right Honorable Sir Orlando Bridgman sometime Lord Keeper of the Great Seal a Learned and Good Man took a pleasure in his Learning and when he was Judge and went the Circuits he always desired and frequently procured Dr. Lightfoot to preach at the Assises at Hertford whom for his Learned and unusual Notions he delighted to hear He was one of his great Encouragers to proceed in his Hebrew and Talmudical Explanations of the New Testament Consilio auxilio Patrocinio Munificentia by his Counsil aid Patronage and Bounty as he speaks himself in his Epistle Dedicatory before the Horae upon S. John The Right Honorable and Right Learned Sir William Morice Kt. one of the Principal Secretaries of State deserves to be mentioned in the next place who unasked unsought to was very serviceable to our Author in procuring the Kings favour and his Letters Patents for him The sense of which for none so sensible of kindnesses made him think himself obliged to put his Name before one of his Books He was also endeared to two Personages of Hertfordshire of great Honour and Integrity viz. Sir Tho. Brograve Baronet and Sir Henry Cesar Knight The former of these was doubly related to the Doctor viz. in affinity and in the course of his Studies being Learned in the Jewish literature As appears by a design he and the Doctor had of going to Dr. Castels Library to peruse some Books of his of that nature To which Dr. Castel in a Letter gives them free leave telling them That his Cabbalistic and Rabbinic Books were most of them at Higham Gobyon where his Study doors should stand wide open to give Sir Thomas and him entrance every Book they found there most truly at the service of them both to take and use at their pleasure The entercourse between Sir Thomas and the Doctor was very frequent both by Letters and Visits the distance not being so great only two miles but that they might walk the one to the other on foot which they often did out of that great endearedness that was between them and for conferring together in the things of their Studies A Friend of mine has heard the Doctor tell more than once how upon occasion of some discourse between them about such a Subject Sir Thomas departed from him and presently penned a Discourse about the University of Athens and brought it to him which the Doctor after lent out to some one that had desired it but could not call to mind to whom so that that Learned piece was stifled and irrecoverably gone And I have great cause to suspect that this which happened to the Writing of the Doctors friend happened also otherwhiles to himself In whose hands soever any of his Books or Writings lie concealed to say no worse of them they deserved not the Friendship of so worthy a Man His friendship to Sir Henry Cesar appeared in the several Visits he gave him in his sickness the small Pox which I think was mortal to him Though he was very fearful for his own Family yet his singular love and respect to Sir Henry made him not to prefer that consideration to his service in such a time Whose early death he very much lamented But his first and antient Friend Chaplain and Patron as he used to call him and that in many just regards we must not we cannot forget for he never forgat him to his dying day and scarcely ever spake of him but with a transport of affection I mean Sir Rowland Cotton of Shropshire Who gave him the Presentation of Ashley in Staffordshire and was the great instrument of putting him upon the study of the Rabbins and being himself very Learned in them was his Tutor as well as his Patron With much care tenderness and condescension did he guide and lead on my Studies as he publickly declares in an Epistle to Mr. William Cotton his Nephew and his Heir in the same way that he himself had been trained by that choice and incomparable Oracle of Learning Mr. Hugh Broughton And in the same Epistle He professeth he always esteemed it one of the choisest advantages that ever accrued to him that it was his hap and happiness at his first setting out into the Study of Scriptures and Divinity to be settled in his House and to come under his Tutorage and Instruction Undoubtedly Sir Rowland had perceived a good Spirit and an excellent genius in young Mr. Lightfoot and that he wanted nothing but counsil and direction and some body to recommend a good method of study to him to make him a great Scholar and this made that worthy Person undertake him himself as foreseeing what he would afterwards prove in case his Studies were well regulated at first This kindness he ever remembred which let him speak for himself He meaning Sir Rowland laid such doubled and redoubled obligations upon me by the tender affection respect and favour that he shewed towards me as have left so indelible an impression upon my heart of Honour to his dear Name and observance to his House of Bellaport that length of time may not were it out nor distance of place ever cause me to forget it As a Commentary upon which words
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
Ismael 22 Isaac 8 league c. God had foretold Abraham of the Egyptian Abram 109 Ismael 23 Isaac 9 affliction and his affliction beginneth first by an Egyptian Abram 110 Ismael 24 Isaac 10 namely by Hagar and her son There is mention of Abram 111 Ismael 25 Isaac 11 a double space of his seeds sojourning in a land not Abram 112 Ismael 26 Isaac 12 theirs viz. 400 years Chap. 15. 13. which was from Abram 113 Ismael 27 Isaac 13 Ismaels mocking to their delivery out of Egypt and Abram 114 Ismael 28 Isaac 14 430 years Exod. 12. 40. which was from the promise Abram 115 Ismael 29 Isaac 15 given to Abram Gen. 17. 1. to their delivery Gal. 3. 17. Abram 116 Ismael 30 Isaac 16 Abraham consecrateth a grove at Beersheba that he Abram 117 Ismael 31 Isaac 17 might have hallowed wood for his sacrifices as well as holy fire see Chap. 21. 7. he had had fire from heaven at some time upon his sacrifice and he preserved it World 2126 Sem 568 Salah 433 Eber 403 Abram 118 Ismael 32 Isaac 18 SALAH or Shelah dieth being 433 years old read Gen. 11. 14 15. Abram 119 Ismael 33 Isaac 19 There is a good space of time passed over in silence Abram 120 Ismael 34 Isaac 20 concerning Isaac for from the time of Ismaels mocking Abram 121 Ismael 35 Isaac 21 which was at his fifth year till the time of his offering Abram 122 Ismael 36 Isaac 22 up in a figure which was at his thirty third as Abram 123 Ismael 37 Isaac 23 may be conceived there is no mention of him for as Abram 124 Ismael 38 Isaac 24 yet the story most especially followeth the Acts of Abraham Abram 125 Ismael 39 Isaac 25 Now it is very likely that as the offering up of Abram 126 Ismael 40 Isaac 26 Isaac was so plain and perfect a figure of the offering up Abram 127 Ismael 41 Isaac 27 of Christ in other things so also that these two things the Type and Antitype did agree in the time and that Isaac was offered when he was two and thirty years and an half old or three and thirty current which was the age Abraham 128 Ismael 42 Isaac 28 of our Saviour when he was crucified And the like concurrence Abraham 129 Ismael 43 Isaac 29 and circumstance of the time may be also well Abraham 130 Ismael 44 Isaac 30 conceived of Abel at his death who murdred by his brother Abraham 131 Ismael 45 Isaac 31 typified the same thing that Isaac did sacrificed by Abraham 132 Ismael 46 Isaac 32 his father CHAP. XXII Abraham 133 Ismael 47 Isaac 33 ISAAC probably offered up this year The mount Moriah Abraham 134 Ismael 48 Isaac 34 Ver. 2. the third day Ver. 4. His first bearing the Abraham 135 Ismael 49 Isaac 35 wood and then the wood bearing him Vers. 6 9. His Abraham 136 Ismael 50 Isaac 36 being bound hand and foot Vers. 9. do call us to remember such circumstances in the death of Christ. CHAP. XXIII World 2145 Sem 587 Eber 422 Abraham 137 Ismael 51 Isaac 37 SARAH dieth being 127 years old the only woman Abraham 138 Ismael 52 Isaac 38 whose age is recorded in Scripture A burial place is Abraham 139 Ismael 53 Isaac 39 the first land that Abraham hath in Canaan CHAP. XXIV XXV to Verse 7. and 1 CHRON. 1. Vers. 32 33. World 2148 Sem 590 Eber 425 Abraham 140 Ismael 54 Isaac 40 ISAAC is married to Rebeccah Abraham after Sarahs Abraham 141 Ismael 55 Isaac 41 death marrieth Keturah and hath divers children by Abraham 142 Ismael 56 Isaac 42 her those children when they come to age he sendeth Abraham 143 Ismael 57 Isaac 43 away into those countries beyond Jordan and in Arabia Abraham 144 Ismael 58 Isaac 44 which Kedarlaomer and the Kings with him had conquered Abraham 145 Ismael 59 Isaac 45 and by the conquest of them they descended to Abraham Abraham 146 Ismael 60 Isaac 46 There these sons of his grow into Nations and become continual Abraham 147 Ismael 61 Isaac 47 enemies to the seed of Israel Though Abraham were Abraham 148 Ismael 62 Isaac 48 very old at Sarahs death being 137 years old then yet is Abraham 149 Ismael 63 Isaac 49 he not past the strength of generation through the strength of that promise I will multiply thee c. The greatest wonder of Isaacs birth was that he was born of an old barren woman World 2158 Sem 600 Eber 435 Abraham 150 Ismael 64 Isaac 50 SEM dieth being 600 years old read Gen. 11. 11. the Abraham 151 Ismael 65 Isaac 51 same was Melchisedech the only man in the world greater Abraham 152 Ismael 66 Isaac 52 then Abraham For though Eber and Arphaxad and the Abraham 153 Ismael 67 Isaac 53 other Patriarchs had this dignity above Abraham that they Abraham 154 Ismael 68 Isaac 54 were his fathers yet he was dignified above them all in Abraham 155 Ismael 69 Isaac 55 this that he had the singular and glorious Promise made to Abraham 156 Ismael 70 Isaac 56 him which was not made to any of them but only Sem Abraham 157 Ismael 71 Isaac 57 Sem saw the two great miseries of the world the Flood Abraham 158 Ismael 72 Isaac 58 and the confusion of Tongues but he saw comfort in Abraham Abraham 159 Ismael 73 Isaac 59 and Isaac He lived as many years after Abraham came into the land of Canaan as Abraham was old when he came thither namely 75 years CHAP. XXV Ver. 11. and from Ver. 19. to the end World 2168 Eber 445 Abraham 160 Ismael 74 Isaac 60 JACOB and Esau born first he that was natural Abraham 161 Ismael 75 Isaac 61 Iacob 1 and then he that was spiritual These children Abraham 162 Ismael 75 Isaac 61 Iacob 2 strove in the womb and Rebeccah inquired after the Abraham 163 Ismael 77 Isaac 63 Iacob 3 cause and the Lord by an oracle it is like by Abrahams Abraham 164 Ismael 78 Isaac 64 Iacob 4 oracle at Beersheba resolves her of the difference of the Abraham 165 Ismael 79 Isaac 65 Iacob 5 children and of the Nations that should descend of Abraham 166 Ismael 80 Isaac 66 Iacob 6 them Esau is born all hairy over like a kid a strange Abraham 167 Ismael 81 Isaac 67 Iacob 7 birth and he is therefore named Esau that is Made Abraham 168 Ismael 82 Isaac 68 Iacob 8 for he had his beard and his pubes now even from the Abraham 169 Ismael 83 Isaac 69 Iacob 9 birth as if he had been a mature man The story is Abraham 170 Ismael 84 Isaac 70 Iacob 10 now to fall upon the acts of Isaac and Jacob and therefore in this Chapter it concludes the story of Abraham and Ismael reckoneth up the tearm of their lives and mentioneth their deaths by anticipation the Reader Abrah 171 Ismael 85 Isaac 71 Iacob 11 will readily reduce the Texts that mention these to Abrah
goeth from his brethren at Shechem and marrieth Isaac 161 Iacob 101 Ioseph 10 ER born to Judah Isaac 162 Iacob 102 Ioseph 11 ONAN born to Judah Isaac 163 Iacob 103 Ioseph 12 SHELAH born to Judah Judah is now resident at Chezib near the borders of the Philistims observe these particulars concerning Judah 1. That he was but three and forty years old at their going down into Egypt 2. That his son Pharez had then two sons Gen. 46. 12. 3. Observe the story of Er Onan and the birth of Pharez and then guess how very young Judah was when he had his first child these stories of his marriage and birth of his children are laid after the story of the sale of Joseph though they were before because the Holy Ghost would handle all Judahs story together Now there are some things in that Chapter that come to pass after Josephs sale and are laid there in their proper order and so these are laid with them that all that story may be taken up at once CHAP. XXXIV Isaac 164 Iacob 104 Ioseph 13 DINAH ravished giveth cause of tears to the tender eyes of her mother Leah this was the first miscarriage in Jacobs house and it is no wonder if the Lord overtake him with some scourge when he is so slack to purge his family and to pay his vows it is now seven or eight years since the Lord brought him back from Haran and yet he hath not thought of the vow that he made when he went thither Circumcision groweth deadly to the Sichemites CHAP. XXXV from ver 1. to ver 28. Isaac 165 Iacob 105 Ioseph 14 NOW it is time for Jacob to pay his vows and to purge his Isaac 166 Iacob 106 Ioseph 15 house from Idols when he hath neglected it so long and when Isaac 167 Iacob 107 Ioseph 16 so sad a dysaster is befaln him in his family the Lord therefore commands him to Bethel where his vow had been made and there he burieth all his family Idols under an oak and admitteth the Proselytes of Shechem and Syria into his Religion by Baptism for Circumcision was become deadly before their eyes He burieth Deborah at Shechem hath a vision and setteth up a pillar He maketh thence for Hebron hath Benjamin born by the way and burieth Rachel besides Bethlehem and hath Bilhah defiled by Reuben and at length he cometh up to Hebron to his father Isaac when he had now been thirty years absent from him CHAP. XXXVI 1 CHRON. 1. ver 34. to the end THE thirty and sixth Chapter doth very properly come next after these stories for when the Holy Ghost hath related the story of Jacob hitherto and is now to fall upon the story of Joseph he doth first dispatch the story of Esau he had reckoned the sons of Jacob immediately before and now he cometh to reckon up the posterity of Esau that the blessing of Isaac upon Esau may be observed how it took place Observe in this Genealogy of Esau and Seir besides the change of the names of Esaus wives 1. That Esau marrieth Aholibamah the great grand-child of Seir the daughter of Anah the son of Zibeon the son of Seir ver 20 24 25. whereas Eliphaz the son of Esau marrieth Timnah Seirs immediate daughter ver 20 22. and so the fathers wife is of the third generation after the sons 2. That Timna the concubine of Eliphaz is reckoned as his son 1 Chron. 1. 36. 3. That there was a Duke Korah of the stock of Eliphaz in after-times whereas Eliphaz had no immediate son of that name compare ver 11. with ver 16. 4. That whereas it is said that Esau took his wives and his children and his cattel and went into the countrey from the face of his brother Jacob ver 6. It is to be understood that he did this to make room for Jacob against he should come from Haran for when he went thither he left Esau in Canaan and when he came thence he found him in Seir. CHAP. XXXVII World 2276 Isaac 168 Iacob 108 Ioseph 17 JOseph sold he being seventeen years old ver 2. the 36 Chapter handleth the story of Esau the hater of his brother and that lost his birth-right by his own fault Now this 37 Chapter cometh and handleth the story of Joseph the hated of his brethren and he that obtaineth the birth-right by the fault of another Reuben had forfeited his birth-right about a year or two ago by lying with his fathers wife and now Jacob devolveth the birth-right upon Joseph and maketh him a part-coloured coat as the badge of it for this love of Jacob to him and for this priviledge conferred upon him his brethren hate him and for his dreams their hate increaseth that they sell him His father first sets him to feed the flocks with his brethren but the sons of the very hand-maids made * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 2. a servant of him then his father sent him to visit his brethren at their flocks at Shechem but there the Amorite had taken possession upon Jacobs departure and theirs after Shechems slaughter so that they are forced to go for pasture at Dothan there Joseph findeth them and by the counsel of Judah as Christ by the villany of Judas he is sold to Medanites Midianites and Ismaelites for by all these names are the merchants that brought him named for these people lived so promiscuously together that any of them did indifferently bear any of these names Jacob is now deceived with the blood of a kid in stead of Josephs as he had deceived his father with the flesh and skin of a kid in stead of venison and his own skin Joseph is sold to Potiphar CHAP. XXXIX Isaac 169 Iacob 109 Ioseph 18 JOseph in Egypt is prosperous in his masters house and the Lord is Isaac 170 Iacob 110 Ioseph 19 with him his master intrusteth him with all that he hath his Isaac 171 Iacob 111 Ioseph 20 black-moor mistress lusting after his beauty causeth his misery she Isaac 172 Iacob 112 Ioseph 21 cloaks her villany under his coat the shewing of his coat had before caused his fathers sorrow and now it doth his own Here the chastity of Joseph now the first-born shameth the unchastity of Reuben the first-born before the one denies his mistress the other solicites his fathers wife CHAP. XXXVIII from ver 6. to the end Isaac 173 Iacob 113 Ioseph 22 ER and Onan about this time miscarry and Judah himself not Isaac 174 Iacob 114 Ioseph 23 very long after incestuates his own daughter-in-law of which Isaac 175 Iacob 115 Ioseph 24 incest Pharez is begotten yet a father of Christ according to the Isaac 176 Iacob 116 Ioseph 25 flesh The story of the affairs of Judahs is laid presently after Isaac 177 Iacob 117 Ioseph 26 the story of the sale of Joseph though some things contained in it Isaac 178 Iacob 118 Ioseph 27 came to pass a long time before
as they would make him Chap. 31. Then Elihu the Pen-man undertakes to moderate but inclining to the same misprision with the others the Lord himself convinceth them all of the uprightness of Job which no arguments of Job could do and this not only by an oracle from Heaven but also by Jobs revived prosperity wherein every thing that he had lost was restored double to him but only his children which though they died yet were not lost His years were doubled for he lived an hundred and forty years after his trouble and so was seventy years old when his trouble came and died two hundred and ten years old the longest liver born since Terah CHAP. II. to Ver. 11. Years of the Promise 341 ISRAELS afflictions increase upon them the cruel King of Egypt commanding Years of the Promise 342 all the Male children to be slain Miriam was born not far from Years of the Promise 343 this time she was able to stand and watch Moses when he was cast into the Years of the Promise 344 river her name signifieth Bitterness and Rebellion both and it is not to be Years of the Promise 345 doubted but holy Amram when he gave her name had regard to that sad Years of the Promise 346 cause and effect of which they had so great cause to be sensible Miriam Years of the Promise 347 was a Prophetess Exod. 15. 20. Micah 6. 4. World 2431 Years of the Promise 348 AARON born a Saint of the Lord Psal. 106. 16. His name soundeth Years of the Promise 349 both of sorrow and joy as the tenor of Psal. 88. 89. made in these afflictions Years of the Promise 350 doth World 2433 Years of the Promise 351 Moses 1 MOSES born supernaturally his mother being exceeding old at his Years of the Promise 352 Moses 2 birth she was his fathers own Aunt the daughter of Levi so is Moses Years of the Promise 353 Moses 3 a Levite both by father and mother He is preserved in an ark like a Years of the Promise 354 Moses 4 second Noah his mother is paid for nursing her own child he is adopted Years of the Promise 355 Moses 5 by Pharaohs daughter for her own son and so the King is his nursing Father Years of the Promise 356 Moses 6 and the Queen his nursing Mother And in this doth Moses typifie Years of the Promise 357 Moses 7 Christ that his true Father is unknown to the Egyptians and he Years of the Promise 358 Moses 8 reputed the son of Pharaoh as the true Father of Christ unknown to Years of the Promise 359 Moses 9 the Jews and he reputed the son of Joseph Years of the Promise 360 Moses 10 Moses was educated and learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians Years of the Promise 361 Moses 11 Years of the Promise 362 Moses 12 Acts 7. 22. Stephen speaketh this from necessary consequence not having Years of the Promise 363 Moses 13 express Text for it for it could no otherwise be conceived of the adopted Years of the Promise 364 Moses 14 Years of the Promise 365 Moses 15 son of a King and of a King of Egypt which Nation was exceedingly Years of the Promise 366 Moses 16 given to learning and study JOB is yet alive and probably out-liveth Years of the Promise 367 Moses 17 Moses In the reading of his Book it may be advantagious to the Years of the Promise 368 Moses 18 Years of the Promise 369 Moses 19 Reader to observe how in very many places it toucheth upon the history Years of the Promise 370 Moses 20 Years of the Promise 371 Moses 21 that is contained in the Book of Genesis though that Book was not then Years of the Promise 372 Moses 22 written The creation is handled Chap. 38. The first Adam mentioned Years of the Promise 373 Moses 23 Chap. 15. 7. The fall of Angels and Man Chap. 4. 20. 5. 2. The miserable Years of the Promise 374 Moses 24 Years of the Promise 375 Moses 25 case of Cain that was hedged in that he could not die Chap. 3. 21. Years of the Promise 376 Moses 26 The old world and the flood Chap. 22. 6. The builders of Babel Chap. 3. Years of the Promise 377 Moses 27 Years of the Promise 378 Moses 28 15. 5. 13. The fire of Sedom Chap. 20. 23 26. and divers such references Years of the Promise 379 Moses 29 may be observed which are closely touched in the Book which Years of the Promise 380 Moses 30 Years of the Promise 381 Moses 31 they came to know partly by tradition partly by living so near the Hebrews Years of the Promise 382 Moses 32 and the places where these things were done and partly by revelation Years of the Promise 383 Moses 33 as Chap. 4. 12. 38. 1 Years of the Promise 384 Moses 34 Years of the Promise 385 Moses 35 The Pen-man of the Book before and after the speeches of Job and his Years of the Promise 386 Moses 36 friends often useth the name Jehovah but in all the speeches never but Years of the Promise 387 Moses 37 once and that is in Chap. 12. 10. speaking there of Gods giving the Creature Years of the Promise 388 Moses 38 Years of the Promise 389 Moses 39 his being CHAP. II. from Ver. 11. to the end World 2473 Years of the Promise 390 Moses 40 MOses by faith at forty years old Acts 7. 23. refuseth the Courts Years of the Promise 391 Moses 41 visiteth his brethren slayeth an Egyptian fleeth into Midian Years of the Promise 392 Moses 42 Years of the Promise 393 Moses 43 Heb. 11. 24 25 26. By faith Moses refuseth to be called the son of Pharaohs Years of the Promise 394 Moses 44 daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then Years of the Promise 395 Moses 45 Years of the Promise 396 Moses 46 to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ Years of the Promise 397 Moses 47 greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence Years of the Promise 398 Moses 48 Years of the Promise 399 Moses 49 of the reward In Midian he marrieth Zipporah and hath a son by Years of the Promise 400 Moses 50 her whom he calleth Gershom which signifieth a desolate stranger because Years of the Promise 401 Moses 51 of his remote residence from his own people in a forain land Years of the Promise 402 Moses 52 Years of the Promise 403 Moses 53 Israel is not yet throughly humbled under their affliction and therefore Years of the Promise 404 Moses 54 it is but just they should continue under it they refused the deliverer Years of the Promise 405 Moses 55 Years of the Promise 406 Moses 56 when he offered himself unto them with Who made thee a Prince Years of the Promise 407 Moses 57 and a Ruler over us And therefore they are but answered according to Years of the
Potectors Amaziah 10 Ierob 24 Division 169 whilst Uzziah is in his Amaziah 11 Ierob 25 Ierob 26 Division 170 Division 171 minority 2 KING 14 ver 23. to 29. Amaziah 27 Ierob 13 Division 158 Jehu even from the entring Amaziah 28 Ierob 14 Division 159 in of Hamath on the North World 3189 Amaziah 29 Ierob 15 Division 160 to the Sea of the plain or Amaziah 1 Ierob 16 Division 161 the dead Sea South He also Amaziah 2 Ierob 17 Division 162 restoreth Hamath it self Amaziah 3 Ierob 18 Division 163 and Damascus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amaziah 4 Ierob 19 Division 164 to Judah in Israel Amaziah 5 Ierob 20 Division 165 2 King 14. 28. David had Amaziah 6 Amaziah 7 Ierob 21 Division 166 conquered them and they Amaziah 8 Ierob 22 Division 167 being now revolted he rerecovers Amaziah 9 Ierob 23 Division 168 them to Israel in Amaziah 10 Ierob 24 Division 169 Judahs title as fitter to Amaziah 11 Ierob 25 Division 170 be subject to the Seed of Ierob 26 Division 171 Israel then to Syria Judah was not able to recover his own right for they had lately been subject to Jeroboams father and he had sacked Jerusalem and done with it what pleased and now Jeroboam his son being a far more potent King and Judah continuing still in its wickedness as having never recovered strength since Jehoash conquered Amaziah and pulled down Jerusalem wall and withal there being now no King on the throne of Judah this Jeroboam when he had recovered the two Tribes and half beyond Jordan from Syria in the right of the Kingdom of Samaria he also recovers Hamath and Damascus to himself and Israel in the right and title of Judah Judah being now exceeding much in his power since his father had so miserably brought them under Of these Victories over the Syrians Jonah the Prophet prophesied who lived in these times but his journey to Niniveh was not as yet but some space hereafter as shall be observed anon 2 KINGS XIV ver 21 22 15. ver 1 2 3 4. World 3201 Uzziah 1 Ieroboam 27 Division 172 UZZIAH crowned he Uzziah 2 Ieroboam 28 Division 173 is also called Azariah Uzziah 3 Ieroboam 29 Division 174 both the names sounding to Uzziah 4 Ieroboam 30 Division 175 the same sence the one The Uzziah 5 Ieroboam 31 Division 176 Lord is my strength the other Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 The Lord is my help as 2 Chron. Uzziah 7 Ieroboam 33 Division 178 26. 7. Uzziah 8 Hereabout was the time that Uzziah 9 Ieroboam 34 Division 179 Hosea and Joel began to prophesie Uzziah 10 Ieroboam 35 Division 180 and presently after Amos Uzziah 11 Ieroboam 36 Division 181 also beginneth Uzziah 12 Ieroboam 37 Division 182 There had been Prophets before Uzziah 13 Ieroboam 38 Division 183 this time continually but Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 39 Division 184 none left their Prophesies behind Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 40 Division 185 in writing but now ariseth a company of Prophets World 3215 Uzziah 15 Ieroboam 41 Division 186 that do 2 CHRON. XXVI ver 1 2 3 4. 2 KING XIV ver 29. World 3201 Uzziah 1 Ieroboam 27 Division 172 IN the twenty and seventh Uzziah 2 Ieroboam 28 Division 173 year of Jeroboam began Uzziah 3 Ieroboam 29 Division 174 Azaâ—iah to reign two and Uzziah 4 Ieroboam 30 Division 175 fifty years He built Elath or Eloth Uzziah 5 Ieroboam 31 Division 176 in the Country of Edom Deut. Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 2. 8. 2 Chron. 17. And restored Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 it to Judah after that the King Uzziah 7 Ieroboam 33 Division 178 Amaziah slept with his fathers Uzziah 8 Uzziah 9 Ieroboam 34 Division 179 that is even in those eleven Uzziah 10 Ieroboam 35 Division 180 years before his Coronation Uzziah 11 Ieroboam 36 Division 181 whilst he was yet in his minority Uzziah 12 Ieroboam 37 Division 182 Uzziah 13 Ieroboam 38 Division 183 A fearful Earthquake happens Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 39 Division 184 before the death of Jeroboam Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 40 Division 185 and Amos fore-tells it two years before it comes and foretells World 3215 Uzziah 15 Ieroboam 41 Division 186 of Jeroboams death by the sword Amos 7. The order and time of these former PROPHETS THE Murder of Zacharias the son of Barachias or Jehoiada was the first ruine of Judah and the beginning of their first rejection For when they slew that Prophet and Priest of the Lord in the Court of the Temple and besides the Altar they plainly shewed how they despised and rejected the Lord and his Temple Priest-hood and Prophesie From that time did their state decay and was mouldring towards ruine and that from thence forward fell into sad diseases as well as King Joash did that commanded the Murder This Hosea toucheth upon as the very Apex of their wickedness when they so brake out as that blood touched blood Hos 4. 2. the blood of the Sacrificer was mingled with the blood of the Sacrifice as Luke 13. 1. And the very Apex of their incorrigibleness in that they proved a people that strove with the Priest Hos. 4. 4. And this wicked act of theirs our Saviour makes as the very period and Catastrophe of their State and Kingdom Matth. 23. 35. How they declined from that time both in Religion Joash and Amaziah and the people with them becoming open Idolaters and in the State by the oppression of Syria and of Joash is so apparent in the Story that he that runneth may read and he that readeth not the cause with these effects readeth not all that may be read But more especially in these times that we have in hand in the latter times of Jeroboam the Lord spake indignation from Heaven in more sensible and more singular and terrible manner in three dreadful judgments the like to which neither they nor their fathers had seen nor heard and the sight and feeling of which when it did not avail with them for their conversion and bettering the Lord hath a company of Prophets that are continually telling them of worse judgments namely of final subversion to come upon them The first of these fearful judgments was an earthquake so terrible that it brought them to their wits ends and put them to flee for their lives but they knew not whether Ye shall flee as they fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah Zech. 14. 5. This was as the beginning of their desolation and the shaking of the earth was as a sign unto them that their State and Kingdom should ere long be shaken Amos prophecied of this two years before it came Amos 1. 1. and that the Lord would roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem as did Joel also some time before Joel 2. to 11. This earthquake was in the days of Jeroboam as well as in the days of Uzziah for so Amos sheweth
Darius and their Astyages were all one and that Darius because of his Grand-fathership did bear the name of the Royalty though Cyrus in this conquest had equal share with him and was for other victories a Conqueror beyond him Not to insist upon those mixtures of fabulousness that the Heathens have invented for the inhancing of the credit of Cyrus as they were used to do about men that were the first raisers of a Kingdom as that his Grand-father Astyages delivered him to Harpagus a Noble Man as soon as he was born to be made away that Harpagus afraid of such a Fact delivered him to the Kings chief Shepherd for such a purpose that he laid and left the infant in a wood that it was there nourisht by a Bitch that the Shepherds wife took it home and nurst it and exposed an infant of her own instead of it c. To omit these things which were invented only for the honour of the beginning of the Persian Empire we may safely take up that relation which is unanimously given by all their Historians and in which there can be no flattery at all suspected and that is of the Pedigree and descent of Cyrus and the names and qualities of his Parents and so they give him for the son of Cambyses the King of Persia and of Mandane the Daughter and only child of Astyages King of Media and so was he heir to both the Kingdoms Now upon the conquest of Babylon Darius or Astyages plat-forms the Government of that Monarchy under one hundred and twenty Governours in the one hundred and twenty Provinces that belonged to it And above these he set a Triumvirate or three Princes to be supervisors to them and to take their accounts both of Tribute and Affairs Daniels knownness in Babylon which was newly taken for his divine and wonderful wisdom and spirit bringeth him to be one of these three and that promotion and his singular carriage in it bringeth him into envy and that into the Lions Den c. This occurrence may be conceived to have been presently after the conquest of Babel even in the compass of that year upon these grounds 1. Because Darius it is like would form the Government of his Monarchy as soon as he had it and Daniel would not be long unenvied when promoted 2. It is very probable that Darius reigned but a little beyond this year 3. The writing of this Chapter in the Chaldee Tongue may be some argument that this occurrence befel Daniel while he was in Chaldea DANIEL VIII THE first and second Verses of this Chapter plainly shew that Belshazzar reigned but three years for it telleth that in the third year of Belshazzar Daniel was in Shushan the royal City of Persia. It cannot be imagined that he was there in Belshazzars life time for his preferment and residence was in Babylon till Babylon fell but his coming thither was by the transporting of him thither by the Persian Monarch after he had conquered Babylon who as it appeareth by vers 27. had preferred him there and interessed him in the Kings imployment This is called the third year of Belshazzar purposely that we might learn to give the first year of Cyrus its proper date Belshazzar was dead and gone and Darius had fashioned the Babylonian Monarchy into another Government Daniel had been cast into the Lions Den in Babylon and was now removed to the Court of Persia Cyrus and Darius had ruled all for a certain space and yet is this Chapter and the occurrences in it dated by this that it was the third year of Belshazzar partly that we might learn to reckon the first of Cyrus and Darius not the very year that Babylon fell but the year after and partly that we might observe how in the very year that the Medes and Persians destroy Babel the Lord revealeth to Daniel the destruction of the Medes and Persians and the two Monarchies after them All the Chapters in Daniel from Chap. 2. vers 4. to the beginning of this Chapter are written in the Chaldee Tongue and from the beginning of this Chapter to the end of the Book he writeth in Hebrew for the affairs that fell under the Chaldean Monarchy he hath registred in the Chaldean Tongue but now that Kingdom is destroyed he will have no more to do with that Language but thence forward he applies himself to write his own native Tongue the Hebrew seeing that God would not have the Persicke under which Language he now was to be the original of any part of Scripture DANIEL IX DANIEL knowing from Jeremies Prophesie that the seventy years of Captivity were now fully expired addresseth himself to God by prayer for their return He receiveth not only a gracious answer to his desire but a Prediction of what times should pass over his people till the death of Christ namely seventy weeks or seventy times seven years or four hundred and ninety This space of time the Angel divideth into three unequal parts 1. Seven sevens or forty nine years to the finishing of Jerusalems Walls 2. Sixty two sevens or four hundred thirty four years from that time till the last seven 3. The last seven in the latter half of which Christ Preacheth viz. three years and an half and then dieth c. The twenty seventh Verse therefore is to be read thus He shall confirm the Covenant with many in the one week and in half that week he shall cause Sacrifice and Oblation to cease c. So that from this year to the death of Christ are four hundred ninety years and there is no cause because of doubtful Records among the Heathen to make a doubt of the fixedness of this time which an Angel of the Lord hath pointed out with so much exactness EZRA CHAP. I. And 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 22. 23. CYRUS published a Decree for the Jews returning to their own Land again This Decree was signed at the very instant of Daniels prayer Dan. 9. 23. Darius was yet alive and reigning as appears by comparing Dan. 9. 1. but the Decree and Proclamation is the Act of Cyrus not only in regard of a Prophesie that went before concerning him Esay 44. 28. but also because he was the greater Conqueror and the greater Prince For 1. He was not only sharer with Darius in the Conquest of Babylon but was also sharer with him in the Kingdom of Media as being sole heir to it but Darius had no claim with him in the Kingdom of Persia. 2. Berosus not that of Annius but cited by Josephus Lib. 1. cont Apion saith that Cyrus had conquered even all Asia before he came to besiege Babel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrus delivered out to Zerubabel who by the Chaldeans was called Shesbazzar all the Vessels of the Temple that Nebuchad-nezzar had captived In the summing of them there is some obscurity for there is a particular given only of two thousand four hundred ninety nine and yet the Text summeth up
my self to Comment but in a transient way to hint the clearing of some of the most conspicuous difficulties and that partly from the Text it self and partly from Talmudical collections Of which later I have alleadged very many and the most of them I hope not impertinently but for usefull illustration For though it is true indeed that there are no greater enemies to Christ nor greater deniers of the Doctrine of the Gospel then the Hebrew Writers yet as Corah's Censers and the spoils of David's enemies were dedicated to the Sanctuary service so may the Records to be met with in these men be of most excellent use and improvement to the explication of a world of passages in the New Testament Nay multitudes of passages not possibly to be explained but from these Records For since the scene of the most actings in it was among the Iews the speeches of Christ and his Apostles were to the Iews and they Iews by birth and education that wrote the Gospels and Epistles it is no wonder if it speak the Iews Dialect throughout and glanceth at their Traditions Opinions and Customs at every step What Author in the World but he is best to be understood from the Writers and Dialect of his own Nation What one Roman Writer can a man understandingly read unless he be well acquainted with their History Customs Propriety of phrases and common speech So doth the New Testament loquitur cum vulgo Though it be penned in Greek it speaks in the phrase of the Iewish Nation among whom it was penned all along and there are multitudes of expressions in it which are not to be found but there and in the Iews Writings in all the world They are very much deceived that think the New Testament so very easie to be understood because of the familiar doctrine it containeth Faith and Repentance It is true indeed it is plainer as to the matter it handleth then the Old because it is an unfolding of the Old but for the attaining of the understanding of the expressions that it useth in these explications you must go two steps further then you do about the Old namely to observe where and how it useth the Septuagints Greek as it doth very commonly and when it useth the Iews Idiome or reference thereunto which indeed it doth continually A Student well versed in their Language and Writings would find it no great difficulty to translate the the New Testament into Talmudick language almost from verse to verse so close doth it speak all along to their common speech The allegations that I have produced of this nature in this present Tract I have done but cursorily as not writing a Comment but a running Survey of the Times Order and History of the whole New Testament So that it may be many of them may not speak to every Reader that full intent for which they are produced and which would I have spent time to have been their Interpreter but I was willing to avoid prolixity I could have made them to have spoken plainly What I might have done in this kind I shall shew but by one instance which let not the Reader think tedoius here since I have avoided tediousness in this kind all along hereafter and this is by a Comment in the way we have been speaking of but upon one verse and that is the 22d verse of the 5th Chapter of Matthew which I have picked out the rather to make an exercitation upon because it is generally held by all Expositors that in it there is a plain reference to something in the Iewish Customs which is the thing we have been mentioning Whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of Judgment c. The sense which is ordinarily given of this verse in the construction of many Expositors is made to refer unto the three sorts of Iudicatories among the Iews the lowest consisting of three Iudges the middle of twenty three and the supream of seventy one With which allusion and explication I cannot close upon these three Reasons 1. Because the lowest Iudicatory to which they apply the word The Judgement had nothing to do in capital matters and so the conclusion of the verse before cannot be understood in this verse The murderer shall be in danger of being judged by the Judicatory of three for they judged no such thing and answerably the first clause in this verse where the same word The Judgment is reserved cannot have the same application 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used only in the second clause and it will be hard to give a reason why the middle Sanhedrin should only be so called as that interpretation makes it to be when all the three and most eminently the highest did bear that name 3. To apply Gehenna ignis to penalty inflicted by the highest Sanhedrins as divers do doth cause so hard straining as may be observed in the several allusions that are framed of it that it is very far from an easily digested and current sense I deny not indeed that Christ in the verse alluded to something of the Iews practises in some point of Iudicature but unto what I shall defer to conjecture till its course come in the method in which it seemeth most genuine to take the unfolding of the verse up and that is 1. To consider of three words in it which also are to be met in other places and so carry a more general concernment with them then to be consined unto this verse and those are Brother and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gehenna 2. To consider of the three degrees of offences that are spoken of namely causeless anger saying Raka and calling Thou fool And 3. to consider of the three penalties denounced upon these offences viz Judgment The Council and Hell fire 1. The word Brother which doth so constantly wrap up all professors of the Name of Christ in the signification of it in the New Testament may not unfitly be looked upon by reflection upon the sense of the word Neighbour in the Old Testament as that was commonly interpreted and understood by the Iews By using the word Neighbour saith Rabbi Nathan he excludeth all the Heathen Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And let this passage of Maymony be well weighed It is all one saith he to slay an Israelite and to slay a Cananite servant he that doth either must be put to death for it An Israelite that slayeth a stranger sojourner is not put to death by the Sanhedrin for it because it is said if a man come presumptuously upon his Neighbour Exod. 21. 14. and it is needless to say he is not to be put to death for a Heathen And it is all one for a man to kill another mans servant or to kill his own servant for he must die for either because a servant hath taken upon him the Commandments and is added to the possession of the Lord. In Rotseahh c.
fidelity than barely what will keep the Translatours out of danger Thirdly Therefore they strive as much as they can to conceal the Truth and Treasure of the Scripture from the Heathen and as much as they dare to delude them Their chief means for this is to use an unpricked Bible in which the words written without vowels might be bended divers ways and into divers senses and different from the meaning of the Original and yet if the Translation were questioned they might prick or vowel the word so as to agree to their Translation How they have dealt in this kind there is none that ever laid the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint together but hath observed Fourthly Their differences from the Original which were innumerable were partly of ignorance they themselves not being able to read the Text alway true in a Copy unvowelled But this ignorance was also voluntary in them they not caring to mistake so that they might do it with their own security Their general care was that since of necessity they must Translate the Bible as little of it might be imparted and revealed by the Translation as was possible Their particular and special heed was also that those places of the Text which Translated Literally or according to the true meaning might prove dangerous any ways to the Nation of the Jews or bring them into distaste with the potent King for whom they Translated should be so tempered and qualified that no hazzard might arise nor any such matter might be seen Fifthly It was a common speech among the Jews and rang ordinarily in their Schools and Pulpits That the seventy Souls of Jacobs family that went down into Egypt were equivalent or answerabe in worth to all the seventy Nations of the World This was a dangerous doctrine for the Jews if it should come to be known as it could not choose but be especially when their puissant enemies should find the numbers agreeable of seventy Souls Gen. 46. and seventy Nations Gen. 10. To prevent any such danger the Translators thought it a sure way to spoil the just number in both places and so they did reckon seventy five Souls and seventy two Nations both which accounts are followed by Saint Luke Act. 7. and in this place Sixthly The several persons reckoned Gen. 10. Every one of which was the Father and original of a several Nation be just seventy The Translatours to spoil the sum which might prove perilous have added two more and both of the same name Cainan the one the immediate son of Sem the other his Grandchild or the son of Arphaxad For ver 22. of that Chapter they read thus The sons of Sem were Elam and Ashur and Arphaxad and Lud and Aram and Cainan and vers 24. thus Arphaxad begat Cainan and Cainan begat Sala In which additions these two things are very observable First The place where they have thrust in these two men Namely so close to Sem as could not possibly be closer unless they would have had him to have had two sons of the same name Cainan Secondly The name it self that they have thus chosen twice over namely Cainan which signifieth mourning or lamenting So Enosh called his son Gen. 5. 9. Because of the lamentable corruption of Religion in those times And it is without doubt the Translatours in the iterated choice of this word or heavy and doleful name intended to shew some inward sorrow the cause of which may be best imagined by laying the name and the place of it together The blessing of Noah upon Japhet God shall inlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the tents of Sem Gen. 2. 27. The Jews themselves of old understood to aim at the Greek Tongue viz. that God should use that as a means for the admission of the Heathen to the secrets and mysteries of the Jews Religion This was their vexation at all times to hear or to think of the Gentiles being called as appears by Jonah Chap. 4. 1. by the Nazarites Luke 4. 28. and by them of Jerusalem Act. 22. 21 22. For Moses had plainly told them that their calling in should be the others casting off Deut. 32. 21. Therefore it could not but be a most vehement sorrow and main vexation to these Translators that they perforce and so sore against their wills must be made the instruments by translating the Bible into Greek to let Japhet or the Heathen into the tents of Sem. This sorrow as their Nation expressed by a mournful Fast so did they themselves among other things by a lamenting and sorrowing name Cainan twice over put in so close to Sem as if they called on him to mourn with them because his tents were now unlocking for the entrance of the Gentiles Seventhly God using the Septuagint as the Key for admission of the Heathen and as an Harbinger to the New Testament left it not there but therein used it also in allegations from the Old yet oftentimes differing from the letter of the same but never without special reason Eighthly Saint Luke as he followed the Doctor of the Gentiles Saint Paul so he wrote his Gospel for the Gentiles therefore whereas Matthew writing his for the Jews deriveth the Genealogy but from Abraham the first Father of the Jews This Evangelist writing for the Gentiles fetcheth the Line from Adam the common Father of all both Jews and Gentiles This is the aim and scope of this Genealogy and the reason why it is set at Christs Baptism First To shew that there was no distinction of persons in the promise given to Adam for all Nations were then equally in his loins for this the holy line runs down to him Secondly That therefore all Nations have equal interest in the Messias and that in the Preaching of the Gospel which Christ began from his Baptism there should be no difference of people made as there was before This being the intent of the Pedegrees placing here as the very placing of it doth inevitably evince it is not only warrantable but also admirably divine that Luke taketh in Cainan from the Seventy For first writing for Heathens he must follow the heathens Bible in his quotations Secondly In Genealogies he was to be a Coppier not a Corrector Thirdly and chiefly In following this insertion of the Seventy he imbraceth not their error but divinely draweth us to look at their intent When Jude mentioneth Michaels striving with Satan about the body of Moses he approveth not the story as true which he knew to be but a Talmudick Parable but from the Jews own Authors he useth this as an argument against them and for their instruction So though Luke from the Seventy the Bible of the Heathen have alledged Cainan the son of Arphaxad he alledgeth it not as the truth more than the Hebrew but from the Septuagints own authority or from the matter which they inserted in distaste of the calling of the Heathen he maketh comfortable use and instruction to the
3. 15. Vers. 21. Art thou Elias When he hath resolved them that he is not the Messias they presently question whether he be not Elias Messias his fore-runner for their expectation was of the fore-runners bodily coming as well as of Christs Their opinions concerning Elias his first coming and who he was then and of his latter coming and what they look for from him then it is not impertinent to take up a little in their words and Authors Some of our Rabbins of happy memory saith Levi Gershom have held that Elias was Phinehas and this they have held because they found some correspondency betwixt them And behold it is written in the Law that the blessed God gave him his covenant of peace And the Prophet saith My Covenant was with him of life and peace And by this it seemeth that God gave to Phinehas length of days to admiration And behold we find that he was Priest in the days of the Concubine at Gibeah and in the days of David we find it written And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them of old and the Lord was with him 1 Chron. 9. 20. And he was the Angel that appeared to Gedeon and to Jephthah and the Spirit of the Lord carried him like an Angel as we find also of Elias And for this it is said They shall seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Angel of the Lord and for this cause also he saith Before time and the Lord was with him And behold we find Elias himself saying unto the Lord Take now my life from me for I am no better than my fathers meaning that it was not for him to live always in this world but a certain space after the way of the earth for he was no better than his fathers We find also that he died not after he was taken away from the head of Elisha for there came afterward a writing of Elias to Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat as it is mentioned in the book of Chronicles Thus Ralbag on 1 King 17. And thus the Jews hold Phinehas and Elias to have been but one and the same man And what they held concerning Elias his singular eminency for Prophesie whilst he lived it appeareth by R. Samuel Lanjado in his Comment on 2 King 2. Elias saith he was so indued with Prophesie that many of the children of the Prophets prophesied by his means Our wise men of happy memory say Whilst Elias was not laid up the Holy Ghost was in Israel as it is said the children of the Prophets that were at Bethel said to Elisha To day God will take thy Master from thy head they went and stood afar off and they passed over Jordan It may be because they were but a few the sense telleth that there were fifty men of the sons of the Prophets It may be they were private men The text saith Thy Master It is not said our Master but thy Master shewing that they were wise men like Elias When Elias was taken up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treasured up the Holy Ghost departed from them as it is said And they said Behold there is with thy servants fifty men men of strength let them go and seek thy Master c. And concerning the departure of Elias and his estate after the same Author giveth the opinion of his Nation a little after in these words I believe the words of our wise men of happy memory That Elias was taken away in a whirlewind in the Heaven that is in the air and the Spirit took him to the earthly paradise and there he abideth in body and soul therefore they say that Elias died not and they say moreover that he went not into the firmament And they say that some have seen him in the School 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that he shall come before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Now his coming before the day of the Lord they hold to be twofold one invisible as that he cometh to the circumcision of every child and therefore they set him a chair and suppose he sitteth there though they see him not And the Angel of the Covenant which you desire behold he cometh Mal. 3. 1. The Lord shall come to his Temple this is the King Messias who also is the Angel of the Covenant or he saith The Angel of the Covenant in reference to Elias And so it is said That Elias was zealous for the Covenant of Circumcision which the Kingdom of Ephraim restrained from themselves as it is said I have been exceeding zealous for the Lord God of Israel for the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant He saith unto him Thou wast zealous in Shittim Phinehas in Numb 25. and art thou zealous here concerning Circumcision As thou livest Israel shall not do the Covenant of Circumcision till thou seest it with thine eyes From hence they have appointed to make an honorable Chair for Elias who is called the Angel of the Covenant Thus Kimch on Mal. 3. 1. Of this matter and of the Jews present expectation of Elias at every circumcision learned Buxtorfius giveth an ample relation in his Synagoga Judaica cap. 2. On the eighth day in the morning saith he those things that are requisite for the Circumcision are duly prepared And first of all two seats are set or one seat so made as that two may sit one by another in it covered with rich coverings or cushions according as every ones state will bear In the one of these seats when the child cometh to be circumcised sitteth the Sponsor or Godfather of the child and the other seat is set for Elias For they conceive that Elias cometh along with the Infant and sitteth down in that seat to observe whether the Circumcision be rightly administred and this they conceive from Mal. 3. 1. And the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye seek behold he cometh when they set that seat for Elias they are bound to say in express words This is the seat of the Prophet Elias That seat is left standing there three whole days together Rabbi Juda the holy once perceived that Elias came not to one Circumcision and the reason was because the child circumcised should once turn Christian and forsake his Judaism They use to lay the child upon Elias his cushion both before and after his Circumcision that Elias may touch him Thus he and more largely about their fancy of Elias his invisible coming upon that occasion And in the thirteenth Chapter of the same book he relateth how they expect him visibly at the other Sacrament even every Passover when among other rites and foolish customs they use over a cup of wine to curse all the people of the world that are not Jews as they are and that they do in this prayer Pour out thy wrath upon the Nations which have not known thee and upon the Kingdoms that have not called upon thy name Pour thine anger upon them and let
hath more clear prediction concerning Christ than the book of Daniel And yet neither of these are taken in among the books of the Prophets as the Jews did commonly divide them in their Bibles and read them in their Synagogues but they come under the third part Cetubhim And therefore as by the Law here is to be understood all the Books of Moses so by the Prophets is to be understood all the Old Testament beside And so what is spoken in a Psalm is said to be spoken by a Prophet Matth. 13. 35. and Daniel is called a Prophet Matth. 24. 13. And so the Penman of the book of Job Esther Chronicles c. deserve the same name And this very consideration were argument enough if there were no more to plead Solomons salvation 2. That Christ is the general and chief subject of the Law and the Prophets And here are we got into a very large field if we would but traverse it to shew how Law and Prophets in types and prophesies did speak before of Christ but this consideration and particulars of it will be continually occurring and emerging as we go along 3. That when Nathaneel saith That we have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write Jesus of Nazaret he meaneth not that either Moses or the Prophets had so articulately named him but that Jesus of Nazaret proved to be he of whom they had written and spoken so much Vers. 46. Can there any good thing come out of Nazaret This seemeth to be spoken by Nathaneel not only as referring to the poorness and obscurity of the City Nazaret as that it is neither mentioned by the Prophets to be a producer of any good nor likely in it self to be so being a place of an inferior and contemptible rank but as referring rather to the wickedness and prophaneness of the place that it was so wretched and ungodly a City that it was unlikely that any good thing should come out of it The wickedness of the people of this place appeareth Luke 4. 29. when they are so desperate as to go about to murder Christ at his first appearing among them Vers. 47. compare Jer. 9. 4 5 6. Behold an Israelite indeed c. Although this be the character of every true Christian as Esay 65. 8. and it be accordingly conceived almost generally by Expositors that our Saviour aimeth only at such a thing here namely that this is one that serveth God sincerely and with a good heart and this is such a one as God requireth a man to be in the profession of Religion yet can I not apprehend this to be the sole and proper meaning and intention of these words for why might not the same have been spoken of and to Peter Andrew and Philip Certainly they were very sincere and upright towards God and were Israelites indeed without guile or hypocrisie in matter of Religion as well as Nathaneel their fetching one another to Christ and the readiness of them all in imbracing of Christ confirmeth this past all denial and it is hard and harsh to think that Christ should give that for a singular Encomion to Nathaneel which might generally be given to any of his Disciples when he nameth Simon Peter it was for some singular and peculiar respect and so when he nameth James and John Boanarges and doubtless when he passeth such a character as this upon Nathaneel it was for some regard and respect in which he was differenced from other men The cause and occasion therefore of this description of him by our Saviour I conceive rather to be Nathaneel's uprightness and deceitlesness towards men than towards God though his uprightness and sincerity towards God is by no means to be denied And it seemeth that this was a common name and title which Nathaneel had got among his neighbors and those that knew him for his very honest upright and exemplary dealing converse and integrity amongst them that he was commonly called the guiltless Israelite as that Roman was called verissimus for his exceeding great truthfulness And truly to me it is very probable that the great variety of names that we find divers men in Scripture to have had as some to have two names some three some more proceeded in very many of them from this very cause and occasion namely their neighbors and acquaintance observing some singular quality in them and action done by them gave them some denomination or other agreeable to that action or quality So Gedeon came by his name Jerubbaal Judg. 6. 32. and Jerubesheth 2 Sam. 11. 21. So Shemaiah the false Prophet came to be called the Nehelamite or the dreamer Jer. 29. 31. and divers others mentioned in Scripture and in Josephus some of which will be taken up in their due places Now it being a common title that Nathaneel had got among all that knew him to be called the Israelite without guile our Saviour when he sees him come towards him calls him by the same name and thereupon Nathaneel questions him how he came to know him that he could so directly hit upon his common denomination Vers. 48. When thou wast under the figtree I saw thee This seemeth to refer not only to his being under the figtree but to some private and secret action that he did there and for which he went thither And as our Saviour convinceth the woman of Samaria that he was the Messias by telling her of her evil actions that she did in the dark and secret so doth he Nathaneel by hinting some good things that he did from the eyes of men under a figtree before Philip light on him there as praying vowing or some other action which none knew of but himself And this appeareth rather to be the matter that Christ aimed at and that worketh in Nathaneel for his conviction because that it was possible that Christ might have been near the figtree himself as well as Philip and he might see Nathaneel and Nathaneel not see him and so might Nathaneel have supposed but when he telleth of some secret action that passed from him under the figtree which his conscience told him that no mortal eye could be conscious to but himself then he crys out Thou art the Son of God c. Vers. 49. Thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel This he speaketh from 2 Sam. 7. 14. Psal. 2. 6 7. Psal. 89. 26 27. Where God setteth his own and only begotten Son upon his hill of Zion and throne of David and to rule over the house of Jacob for ever Luke 1. 33. Vers. 51. Verily verily I say unto you In the Greek it is Amen Amen Now because this manner of expression is exceeding usual in the speeches of our Saviour through the Gospel sometimes single Amen as in the rest of the Evangelists and constantly doubled in John Amen Amen and because this is the first place according to our Harmony-order and method that we meet with the word at
it again to plead about the Sabbath as he doth here Whatsoever the Sanhedrin said or did to him upon this his discourse certainly he left such a proof and evidence of himself amongst them that he left them no room to plead ignorance of him or that they did not know him but made them in their crosness and bitterness against him utterly unexcusable The Reader observing how plainly Christ speaketh out himself at this time and that before the Sanhedrin may have occasion to use this his observation upon several passages in the story afterward and he may make some advantage of the use of it Vers. 2. Now there was at Ierusalem by the Sheep-gate a pool which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda The situation and the healing vertue of this people do as much trouble Expositors to find out the place of the one and the cause of the other as any one verse doth in all the Gospel for so little is said of either in the Old Testament or in Josephus or in the Talmudists that all that have medled with them have had enough to do to make but handsom conjectures concerning them And the Anabaptists as Tolet reports them have held this story to be but a fiction blaspheming what they could not understand or what they thought did pinch their opinion In following the inquiry after these two things that lie so obscure we shall not be much sollicitous to find a substantive to fit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether to render it by the Sheep-gate or by the Sheep-market the one no doubt took the name from the other and they were so near together as to breed no scruple in our iniquiry I should rather render it the Sheep-gate and so the most have done because there is such a gate mentioned in Scripture Nehem. 3. 1. 32. 12. 39. and rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Septuagint 1. This Gate lay upon the South-east point of the outmost wall of the City as may be supposed upon these grounds 1. Nehemiah in numbring the Gates and surveying this wall round about the City beginneth at the Sheep-gate and goes the round till he comes to the Sheep-gate again Nehem. 3. 1 32 33. In this his circuit he goes from the East along the South wall and so West North and to the East again If this were a a place to survey Jerusalem this might be shewen at large through all the particulars of that Chapter It will be enough to an observant eye for discovery that his march is this way when he sees him go up from the pool of Siloam which lay on the West of the City as shall be shewed by and by along by the ascent of the stairs of Sion and so upward on Sion to the sepulchers of David vers 15 16. and behind the Kings house full North vers 24. and at length he is got to the East quarter to the Water-gate vers 26. to Ophel vers 27. and the Horse-gate vers 28. which was on the East Jer. 31. 40. and about the turning of the South-East corner he is got to the Sheep-gate again where he began vers 32. II. This pool of Bethesda I cannot but conjecture to be the same with that which by Josephus is called the pool of Solomon in this passage of his lib. de bell 5. cap. 13. where he thus describes the situation of the outmost wall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the West it goeth along through the valley called Bethso to the Essenegate and then on the South turning above the fountain Siloam from thence it winds about to the East to Solomons pool and going along to a place called Ophel it reacheth to over against the East cloister of the Temple In this survey it is casie to observe that he comes the way back that Nehemiah had gone forward and below the turning of the South-east corner whereabout we place the Sheep-gate he placeth Solomons pool upon the East Let any one but seriously consider of the situation of the Sheep-gate in Nehemiah and of this pool of Solomon in Josephus and he will not find about all Jerusalem a place so likely to be Bethesda as was this III. The waters of this pool were drawn and conveyed in a source thither from the fountain of Siloam For the clearing of this we must 1. observe that Gihon and Siloam were all one And so the Chaldee Paraphrast renders these words in 1 King 1. 33. Bring him down to Gihon and 33. They brought him down to Gihon Bring him down to Siloam and they brought him down to Siloam and so likewise Rabbi Solomon and David Kimchi say upon the place Gihon is Siloam 2. The fountain Gihon or Siloam had two courses or streamings into two several pools which were called the upper and the neather see Esa. 7. 3. 2 Kings 18. 17. The neather pool was that which was called the Pool of Siloam Joh. 9. 7. Neh. 3. 15. which lay on the West of the City being brought down thither by Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 20. The upper pool was this pool of Solomon called the old pool Esa. 22. 11. from that its ancient author the water-course to it was stopped by Hezekiah that he might the better and fuller be furnished with water at his own pool of Siloam near his gardens Nehem. 3. 15. but in aftertimes opened again in times of danger for the advantage of the City and so it continued And thus did the fountain Siloam lying on the West of Sion called Siloam and the other on the East of Jerusalem called of old Solomons from its Author and now Bethesda from its soveraign Virtue IV. Now when and whereupon this wondrous excellency accrewed to this pool it is easier to alledge what others have supposed upon it than to produce any substantial proposal of ones own yet shall I not insist upon opinions given hereupon already which are very well known but offer mine own thoughts in this conjecture 1. The waters of Siloam in the Lords own construction did signifie and resemble Davids and so Christs Kingdom Esa. 8. 6. And in regard of this signification Levi Gershom and other of the Jews do not observe amiss that David chooseth to have Solomon anointed at Siloam or Gihon in token of the continuance and spreading of his Kingdom as the springing of that Fountain was continual and the streams of it did dilate themselves And since God had put such an honour upon those waters as to make them an embleme of that Kingdom the Jews held them in so high a repute that they applied those words of the Prophet to those waters Esa. 12. 13. With joy shall ye draw water out of the Wells of Salvation and they drew and poured out of those waters at the Feasts of Tabernacles in their highest rejoycing nay stuck not to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From thence they drew the Holy Ghost Talm. Jerus in Succah fol. 55. 2. It may therefore be a conjecture
as if he desired to make himself the head of a party No saith he it is not honour from men that I look after but the glory of God and to approve my self to him c. Vers. 42. But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you There needeth no much curious insisting upon the manner of expression whether to take the verse as it lies verbatim before us or to make only the sense of it as some do I know that you have not the love of God in you To take it either way it is very sharp and cutting and carries a smart and a sad but a most deserved censure in it compare Exod. 3. 19. Revel 2. 2 7. 13. 19. c. Joh. 2. 25. c. The juncture of these words with the former for the word but relates them thither is first to be looked after and then the intent of the words themselves Our Saviour had said before that he received not either testimony from men or glory from men but that he had his witness from God for this is plainly expressed and that he received honour from God for that is included But he concludeth that they for all this would neither receive that Testimony that God had given of him nor would they regard him himself nor the honour of God that he looked after and all because they had not the love of God in them Were the love of God in them they would receive him whom God sent to whom he bare witness and to whom he gave honour but I know you saith he that ye have not this love in you Herein 1. He taxeth their great hypocrisie who pretended so much religion and so much love of God and godliness when as there was indeed no such matter in them 2. He meeteth particularly with their pretended zeal about the Sabbath which they charged him that he had violated and sheweth that howsoever they took upon them so much forwardness in that cause of God yet did it not proceed from any love in them that they bare to God for they seemed to call the Sabbath a delight but they did not delight themselves in the Lord as Isa. 58. 13 14. And whereas he saith He knoweth them that they are devoid of this love 1. It may be understood in opposition to the apprehensions of others concerning them who were deluded with their fair outward shews and thought they had abundance of piety and the love of God in them but he knew them that there was no such thing 2. He speaketh this as the Messias the knower of the heart and their hearts if they had any stirring in them could not but witness with him that he spake to purpose 3. He might speak this from that visible evidence and experiment that they gave continually of their want of the love of God in accepting the persons of men and disregarding those that came in the name of the Lord as he prosecutes this argment in the verse following And thus the Lord is come to his own Temple as a Refiners fire and Fullers sope a searcher of hearts and a discerner between dross and silver betwixt him that loveth the Lord and him that loveth him not Mal. 3. 2. Judging the great Judges of the Sanhedrin and charging most justly upon them who were the great examiners of witnesses for despising the witness of God and who were to be custodes utriusque tabulae that the sum and tenor of the first Table the love of God was not at all in their hearts Vers. 43. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not if another come in his own name him ye will receive 1. Here is a proof and confirmation of what he had said before that the love of God was not in them for they received not him that came in the name of God 2. He seemeth to foretel how ready they should be to embrace false Prophets and false Christs which would arise abundantly amongst them after they had refused the true Messias as Matth. 24. 24. as to omit all other instances Rabbi Akibah the very head of the Sanhedrin in his time became even Armour-bearer to Ben Cozba a false pretended Messias who drew many thousands into error and ruine in the time of Adrian 3. He sheweth that their principles carried them necessarily to despise those that were sent of God and to embrace them that came in their own name because they looked after and regarded humane glory And upon this point our Saviour Christ differed from all false Prophets and false Christs that had appeared either before or after him because he sought not the praise of men but of God The falsest cheats that came took upon them to come in the name of God even as he did and yet he saith they came in their own names because they sought their own glory and worldly advancement which he did not Ben Cozba made wars obtained great victories stamped coin in his own name and looked only after worldly pompousness But our Saviour came poor and lowly sought nothing of this world and ascribed all he did to the glory of him that sent him Vers. 44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another c. How these great ones looked after the praise of men not caring to approve themselves to God it is intimated in the Gospel many times over Matth. 23. 5. All their works they do for to be seen of men Joh. 12. 43. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God c. Now this ambitious humor of theirs was as far contrary to believing in Christ as could be possible For their high thoughts and his lowly condition were not consistent or of capacity to suit together since they that were all for vain glory and the praise of men did think it scorn to be Disciples to one of so mean a condition as he appeared Compare James 2. 1 2 3. c. Seeking the honour that cometh from God only is so to approve heart and ways before him and unto him as to have his approval Euge bone serve c. See Rom. 2. 29. Vers. 45. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father c. As Elias did Israel Rom. 11. 2. and Esay did Chap. 6. 5. Coals saith Rabbi Solomon are mentioned concerning Esay and concerning Elias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they spake accusation against Israel the one called them a people of uncircumcised lips and the other said they have forsaken thy Covenant c. Our Saviour in the verses before had justly taxed these men for divers guilts as for want of the love of God for unbelief for defect of the Word in them for ambition and seeking the praise of men and not of God and upon all these he might take occasion to accuse them to the Father But the special thing that he aimeth at in these words that we are about is their refusal of him whom the
matter if we can be sure it was not in the forty years in the Wilderness And that appears to be so by the very scope of Stevens speech for 1. he telleth that they made a golden calf in the verse before and that God for this Idolatry gave them up to worship all the host of heaven whereupon it is evident that this Idolatry with the calf was neither of these mentioned in this verse neither with Moloch nor Remphan but as it were a cause of these for for it the Lord gave them up to these 2. He seemeth to handle this justice of God upon them in giving them up to Idolatry under these two heads 1. In neglect of Gods own service in the Wilderness ye offered me no sacrifice for forty years And 2. in their choosing of Idols to worship afterward So that the two verses seem to run in this sense O house of Israel ye were not content to offer me sacrifices for forty years together in the wilderness but ye were well content to sacrifice to Idols and to worship all the host of heaven afterward III. The Tabernacle of Moloch In the Hebrew in Amos it is Siccuth Malkekem which is rendred by some Siccuth your King by others the Tabernacle of your King by a third sort the observance of your King as if it were derived from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 27. 9. Vid. Ab. Ezr. in loc Kimchi in Michlol The Seventie in the unprickt Bible read it Succoth a Tabernacle which Steven followeth and they both do not cross but illustrate the sense of the Hebrew Now Molech or Moloch was the Idol of the children of Ammon 1 King 11. 17. prohibited to Israel in a singular manner Lev. 18. 21. and 20. 2. yet did they worship him most familiarly 2 Chron. 28. 3. Jer. 7. 31. And Solomon built an high place for him on mount Olivet before Jerusalem 1 King 11. 7. The Valley between was called Tophe and the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom 2 King 23. 10 c. This Idol and Idolatry is thus described by the Rabbins Our Rabbins of happy memory say Although all houses of Idolatry were in Jerusalem Molech was without Jerusalem and the Image was made hollow set within seven Chappels Now whosoever offered flower they opened to him the first of them who so offered Turtles or Pigeons they opened to him the second whosoever offered a Lamb they opened to him the third whosoever offered a Ram they opened to him the fourth whosoever offered a Calf they opened to him the fifth whosoever offered an Ox they opened to him the sixth but whosoever offered his Son they opened to him the seventh Now his face was like a Calf and his hands were stretched out as a mans that reacheth out to receive something from his neighbour And they set him over a fire and the Priests took the child and put him between the arms of the Idol and there the child gave up the Ghost D. Kimch on 2 King 23. 10. He was made of brass and was heat with fire under till he was glowing hot and then the Priests put the child into his arms and there he was burnt and the Priests made a noyse in the mean while with Drums that the Father might not hear the childs cry And therefore it was called Tophet from Toph a Drum or Taber Vid. R. Sol. on Jer. 7. 31. These seven Chappels if there be truth in the thing help us to understand what is meant by Molechs Tabernacle and seem to give some reason why in the Prophet he is called Siccuth or the Covert God because he was retired within so many Cancelli for that word Kimchi useth before one could come at him And so the translation of the Seventy is but a gloss or exposition of that phrase in the Prophet ye took up Siccuth or the Covert God your King which they render according as the Nation readily understood the thing the Tabernacle of Moloch that Idol you so highly prize as your chiefest King Now Molech or Moloch or Milchom or Malcham for all these names are but one and the same was also called Baal in a special and distinctive sense as is apparent by Jer. 7. 31. and 19. 5. compared together and this consideration helpeth to understand divers places where the word Baal is singly used as 1 King 16. 31 32. and 18. 19 c. And according to this sense should I understand the matter of Baal-peor in which Israel was joyned to him to have been sacrificing their children to Molech And answerably should I interpret that speech of the Psalmist They ate the sacrifices of the dead Psal. 106. 28. that is sacrifices offered up when they offered up their children to be burnt And this was the first time they committed this horrid Idolatry in the very close of the forty years in the Wilderness in which forty years they had not cared to offer any sacrifices to God And this abomination with Molech they committed also presently after they were come into the Land Psal. 106. 35 36 37. Judg. 2. 13. IV. And the Star of your God Remphan Here is the main difficulty of this Verse and that not only in regard of the difference of these words of Stephen from those of Amos but also in regard of the obscurity of the matter it self Amos readeth thus Chijun your Images the Star of your God Now the question in the first place is what is meant by Chijun and it may be scrupled whethere it be the proper name of an Idol as some think or a word appellative to another sense I should rather take it the latter way although I know generally it is construed for an Idols name either for Hercules who among the Egyptians was called Chon or for Saturn who among the Arabians was called Chevan as see Aben Ezra on Amos and Beza on this place For there are two things in this passage of Stephen and Amos very considerable toward the understanding of this place 1. That Stephen saith God gave them up to worship all the host of heaven now if Chijun betoken but one Idol or one Planet this cometh very short of the intent that he aimeth at their worshipping of all 2. That Amos saith Chijun Tsalmekem the latter word in the plural number and as it seemeth by the very posture of it the latter of two Substantives and not in apposition For if Chijun were but one Idol it is somewhat improper to say Chijun your images as speaking of more I should therefore construe Chijun appellatively for the ordering or disposing of their Images as that it meaneth thus that they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or representations as Stephen calls them of the whole heaven and host of it in one Series or in one body as see Ezek. 8. 10. beset with variety of Stars and Figures representing this or that Planet and this or that constellation And that Amos meaneth thus you took up Siccuth
your King and the frame or disposal of your Images in one compact piece the stars of your Gods which you have made to your selves shewing that when they would worship all the host of heaven in Images and representations that they made a fabrick and compacture in one bulk or in one room representing in several fashions and forms in it the several planets and constellations of Heaven and this he calleth Chijun Tsalmekem the ordering or disposing of your Images See 2 King 23. 4 5. V. Now for the word Remphan in which lieth the most obscurity of all many conjectures are given upon it The Seventie hath rendred Chijun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mistaking one piece of a letter as it is conceived by Buxtorfius and reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza conceiveth it was purposely done for that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Giant is to be understood Hercules and yet he scrupleth whether it should not be rather read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as aiming at the God of the Syrians 2 King 5. 18. But not to insist upon producing such variety of conjectures upon this matter which are to be seen in several authors it seemeth to me 1. that Stephen doth something follow the Seventy in this word as well as he doth in the rest of the Text and for the new Testament to follow them differently from the Hebrew Text is no wonder and needeth nothing to be said upon it 2. That Stephen doth add a letter to the word or doth a little change it from those very Syllables that the Septuagint use that he might give the sense of the Prophet the more clearly and speak out the matter he hath in hand the more plainly And the word Remphan seemeth to be compounded either of an Hebrew and a Greek word or of two Hebrew words together and to mean either the high shiner of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the high representation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the latter the more probable For as the Prophet in the word Chijun expressed the Fabrick of the host of heaven which the Idolatrous people had wrought and represented in one piece so would Stephen speak to the very same sense and therefore forsaketh the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he found in the Septuagint and taketh up or formeth it into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the high face or high representation or that whole piece that represented the whole heaven which he calleth their God because in that they adored all the Stars and hosts of Heaven at once and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but one number put for another one star for many VI. I will carry you away beyond Babylon Both in the Hebrew of Amos and in the Greek of the Septuagint it is Beyond Damascus which Stephen seemeth purposely to have changed into beyond Babylon because that as he had treated in the beginning of the Chapter of Abrahams coming out of those parts into that land he would now shew e contra how they for their Idolatry should be carried out of that land into those parts again Acts VIII Vers. 1. And there was a great persecution c. §. 1. Persecution THE spite and cruelty of the adversary was not quenched by the blood of Stephen but rather inflamed Stephens confuting and confounding the great Scholars of the Synagogue of the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrians and Cilicians had bred in them so hateful a disdain of being put to a nonplus and his cutting words at his death to all the people Acts 7. 51 52 53. had galled them so sore And especially his denouncing of ruine to Moses ceremonoies and to the Temple as they charged him with it had so exasperated their blind zeal that it is not sufficient as they think to have Stephen put to death only but it is not fit that others should live who were of the same heresie and blasphemy with him for so they construed it Hence ariseth a bitter persecution to destroy the Church at Jerusalem because it held an opinion that Jerusalem and the rites there should be destroyed In this Tragedy was Saul a chief actor sparing neither place from search Sex from apprehension nor the apprehended from torture or imprisonment Such a Testimony doth Luke give of him Acts 8. 3. and such a confession doth he make of himself Act. 22. 4. and 26. 11. By which the Epistle of Lucianus concerning the finding out of the body of Stephen may again be challenged for forgery when it maketh Gamaliel a most zealous convert and professor of the Gospel and that at this time insomuch that he took care for the burial of Stephen and received Nicodemus when the Jews had cast him out which will prove incredible in regard of his scholar Saul For who can believe either that the scholar should be so great a persecutor when the master was so great a professor or that if it were so Gamaliel of all other should scape with his life when his scholar of all other could not but know where to find him out and how to follow him close or who can imagine that Paul when he was answering for his life for being a Christian should plead his education under Gamaliel if he were as notorious a Christian as â—e This had been to bring his master into danger and not himself out and to mar another mans cause not mending his own Vers. 1. And they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles § 2. Dispersion upon the persecution Out of the darkness of persecution the Lord bringeth forth the light and the propagation of the Gospel Providing at once for the safety of some by their flight and for the calling home of many more by their dispersion At that time saith Luke there was a great persecution against the Church that was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles Where as the preservation of the Apostles in the very centre of the Tyrant is admirable so the scattering of the other into their several places is considerable For that they travailed into Judea and Samaria Damascus Phoenicia Cyprus and Syria the Text is plain in this and in other places but since it mentioneth none of their journeys any further what is said of them more is but groundless conjectures or rather ridiculous Fables For though it were granted that they scattered through other Countries of the Heathen yet to bring them as far as France and England as some do is almost as far from reason as these places are distant from Jerusalem unless some other cause can be alledged of this their flight than to avoid the danger Yes it may be said they took so long a journey to preach the Gospel but 1. the Text
27. 2. The High-priests Bullock for ignorantly committing something that should not be done Levit. 4. 3. the blood of this Bullock was brought within the holy place and his flesh and skin c. burnt without the Camâ— vers 11. This Bullock is called by the Hebrew writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * * * Maym. ubi supr The Bullock that was offered in reference to all the Commandments ‖ ‖ ‖ Ab. Ezra in Levit. 4. And there are some that say that he was to offer such a sin offering once every year which as it was for an atonement for himself so as Baal Turint applies it it was for incouragement to others to confess their sins * * * Haal Tur. in Levit. 4. The Law commands saith he that the sin offering of the High-priest be burnt publickly in the place of the ashes that no man might be ashamed to confess his sin for lo the High-priest sinned and confessed his sin and brought his sin offering 3. There was the sin offering of the Ruler Levit. 4. 22. this was to be a male Kid vers 23. his blood put on the horns of the Altar his fat burnt on the Altar and the flesh eaten vers 25. c. 4. There was also the sin offering of any particular private person Lev. 4. 27. this was to be a Lamb or Kid but females the blood put on the horns of the Altar the fat burnt and the flesh eaten by the Priests These were the several sin offerings that were to be offered some upon express and singular command and some upon the general rule of seeking atonement upon discovery of a sin unwittingly committed Now for the more compleat understanding of the manner of the managing and disposing of these sin offerings we may observe these several particulars and circumstances about them 1. That the place and manner of presenting killing and laying hands upon the sin offering was the same with the place and manner of these things with the burnt offering 2. That the blood of those that was brought into the holy place was thus disposed * * * Tosaph ubi supr The Bullocks that were burnt and the Goats that were burnt without the Camp between the time of their killing and sprinkling of their blood upon the Altar of burnt offering the Priest went in and stood between the Golden Altar and the Candlestick the Altar was before him he dipt in his finger and sprinkled the blood seven times towards the most holy place and at every dipping and sprinkling he also put the blood upon a horn of the Altar 3. The blood that was not brought within the holy place was put upon the horns of the burnt offering Altar and so was some of the blood also that was brought out of the holy place again and the manner of that rite was thus a a a Malm. ubi supr ver 5. Talm. in Zeâ—ac per. 5. The Priest went up the rise or bridge of the Altar and went off on the right hand to the circuit of the Altar and first to the South-east horn of it he dipped his foremost finger of his right hand in the blood which was in the vessel and dropt it or sprinkled it upon the horn and then wiped his finger on the side of the dish and got off the blood that remained on it then went he to the North-east horn and did after the very same manner and so at the North-west corner and likewise at the South-west And this was the blood that was bestowed above the red line that went about the Altar just in the middle and only the blood of sin offerings was sprinkled with the finger 4. Whereas it is said that the rest of the blood he poured at the bottom of the Altar it is to be understood upon the foundation and either upon the South or West side because in the South-west corner of it were the two holes into which the blood sunk of which we have spoken in the description of the Altar Some distinguish the pouring of the blood thus that which had been in the holy place was poured on the West side and that which had not been there was poured on the South b b b Tosaph ubi â—â—te but Rabbi Simeon saith both the one and the other were poured on the West side and they fell into an underground channel and they were conveyed into the valley of Kidron and sold to the Gardiners to fatten their grounds But R. Meir asserteth that the wise men said that they were not put to any use at all 5. c c c Maym. ubi supr per. 1. Those Goats and Bullocks that were burnt without the Camp were cut into pieces skins and all upon them and cast into the fire even as the burnt offering was laid on the fire upon the Altar 6. These sin offerings that were not so burnt without the Camp were eaten by the Priests after the fat was offered upon the Altar Levit. 6. 25 26. 10. 17. and the eating of them was in the Court. And in corrupt times it is charged upon the Priests that in their service they regarded not devotion but only to fill their own bellies making those their God They eat up the sin that is the sin offerings of my people and set their heart on their iniquity Hos. 4. 8. SECT III. Trespass Offerings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TRespass Offerings as to the cause and occasion of their offering up were so like to sin offerings as that they seem brethren and it is something nice and intricate to distinguish betwixt them For as Sin-offerings came for offences against negative precepts so did these and as those were offered for such offences ignorantly committed so likewise were these and as those had a reference to the danger of cutting off so had these also and yet a difference is betwixt them but such a difference as that these Trespass offerings were but in order to the other Now Trespass-offerings were of these two kinds there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a Maym. in Corban per. 9. a doubtful trespass offering and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a trespass offering undoubted and these were so called not in regard that there was any doubt in the offering whether it were an offering or no when it was presented but because there was some doubtfulness or there was undoubtedness in the cause of its Offering The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doubtful or Suspensive Offering for so the word most properly signifieth is conceived by some of the Jewish Writers to be so called because it suspended the party that had committed a Trespass from that penalty that was due to him for it or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b Gloss. in Misuajoth in 8. Because it suspendeth and fenceth him against the due castigations Which though indeed it carrieth a truth with it yet is the Etymology of the Phrase more generally given to be
Vid. Lev. Gers. ibid. If this be spoken concerning the Lamps in the Candlestick this was somewhat before day for the Lamps burnt from Even till Morning yet did they sometimes some of them go out in the Night They put Oil into them by such a measure as should keep them burning from Even till Morning and many times they did burn till Morning and they always found the Western Lamp burning Now it is said that this Prophesie came to Samuel before the Lamps went out while it was yet Night about the time of Cocks crowing for it is said afterward that Samuel lay till Morning Or allegorically it speaks of the Candle of Prophesie as they say the Sun ariseth and the Sun sets Before the holy blessed God cause the Sun of one righteous Man to set he causeth the Sun of another righteous Man to rise Before Moses his Sun set Joshua's Sun arose before Elie's Sun set Samuel's Sun arose And this is that which is said Before the Candle of God went out The Lord needed no light of Candles no more than he needed Bread which was set upon the Shew-bread Table nor the Priests needed no Candles in this room neither for the Windows though they were high yet did they give light into the Room abundantly but God by these Candles did as it were enlighten the People to teach them Spiritual things by these Corporal and to acquaint them with the necessity of the light of his Word and the Bread of Salvation which came down from Heaven And therefore when Solomon did make d d d 2 Chron. IV. ten Candlesticks and ten Tables and set them intermixedly by five and five on either side the House he added nothing to God but he added only more splendor to the service and more lustre to the Doctrine of the necessity of the light of the Word and of the Bread of Life e e e Baal Hatturim in Lev. XXIV Our wise Men say saith Baal Hatturim that the Western Lamp which never went out was a testimony that the Divine glory dwelt amongst Israel SECT V. The Shew-bread Table ON the North-side of the House which was on the right Hand stood the Shew-bread Table of two cubits long and a cubit and a half broad a a a Exod XXV 23. in the Tabernacle of Moses b b b Maym. ubi sup but wanting that half cubit in breadth in the second Temple the reason of the falling short not given by them that give the relation It stood length ways in its place that is East and West and had a Crown of Gold round about it toward the upmost edge of it which c c c Vid. Baal hatturim in Exod. XXV the Jews resemble to the Crown of the Kingdom Upon this Table there stood continually twelve Loaves which because they stood before the Lord they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d Mark XII 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The bread of setting before for which our English hath found a very sit word calling it the Shew-bread The manner of making and placing of which Loaves was thus e e e Maym. in Tamidâ—n per. 5. Out of four and twenty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sata three of which went to an Ephah that is out of eight bushel of Wheat being ground they sifted out f f f Lev. XXIV 5. four and twenty tenth Deals g g g Exod. XVI 36 or Omers of the purest Flower and that they made into twelve Cakes two Omers in a Cake or the fifth part of an Ephah of Corn in every Cake They made the Cakes square namely ten Hand breadth long and five broad and seven Fingers thick They were made and baked in a room that was in the great building Beth mokadh on the North-side of the Court as we shall shew anon and they were baked on the day before the Sabbath On the Sabbath they set them on the Table in this manner Four Priests went first in to fetch away the Loaves that had stood all the week and other four went in after them to bring in new ones in their stead Two of the four last carried the two rows of the Cakes namely six a piece and the other two carried either of them a golden dish in which the Frankincense was to be put to be set upon the Loaves and so those four that went to fetch out the old Bread two of them were to carry the cakes and the other two the dishes these four that came to fetch the old Bread out stood before the Table with their Faces towards the North and the other four that brought in the new stood betwixt the Table and the Wall with their Faces toward the South those drew off the old cakes and these as the other went off slipt on the new so that the Table was never without Bread upon it because it is said that they should stand before the Lord continually They set the cakes in two rows six and six one upon another and they set them the length of the cakes cross over the breadth of the Table by which it appears that the Crown of Gold about the Table rose not above the surface of it but was a border below edging even with the plain of it b b b R. Sol. in Exod. XXV as is well held by Rabbi Solomon and so the cakes lay two hand breadths over the Table on either side for the Table was but six hand breadth broad and the cakes were ten hand breadth long Now as for the preventing that that which so lay over should not break off if they had no other way to prevent it which yet they had but I confess that the description of it in their Authors I do not understand yet their manner of laying the cakes one upon another was such as that the weight rested upon the Table and not upon the points that hung over The lowest cake of either row they laid upon the plain Table and upon that cake they laid three golden Canes at distance one from another and upon those they laid the next cake and then three golden Canes again and upon them another cake and so of the rest save only that they laid but two such Canes upon the fifth cake because there was but one cake more to be laid upon Now these which I call golden Canes and the Hebrews call them so also were not like Reeds or Canes perfectly round and hallow thorow but they were like Canes or Kexes slit up the middle and the reason of laying them thus betwixt cake and cake was that by their hollowness Air might come to every cake and all might thereby be kept the better from moldiness and corrupting and thus did the cake lie hollow and one not touching another and all the golden Canes being laid so as that they lay within the compass of the breadth of the Table the ends of the cakes that lay over the Table on
Heads born up as it were with the points of their Wings which they held upright over their Heads covering their Faces with them Above that Sky a Throne on which sat the resemblance of a Man all fiery from his Loins upward like fire glowing and from his Loins downward like fire flaming and a brightness in the form of a Rain-bow round about him Compare Rev. IV. 2 3. And now to take up the moral or signification of this Emblem we will first begin with the consideration of the general Intention of it and then descend to the Application of particulars That it intends in general to signifie and character out unto us the Lords Glory and Presence dwelling at his Temple and among his People these Observations will make it past doubting or peradventure 1. The Temple is very commonly in Scripture stiled by the Name of Gods Throne as Jer. XVII 12. A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary Ezek. XLIII 7. The place of my Throne and the place of the soles of my Feet where I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel c. Which the Lord proclaimeth when his Glory was returned to the renewed Temple as is apparent in the verses immediately preceding And so the Prophet Esay saith I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his Train filled the Temple c. And the House was filled with smoak c. Esay VI. 1 4. Where he charactereth the Lords sitting parallel to his dwelling in the Cloud of Glory upon the Ark and from thence filling the whole House with the train of his Glory And so in the Book of the Revelation where the Lord is inthroned with such living Creatures attending him as are described here there are so plain intimations that it meaneth his Glory at his Temple that nothing can be plainer for when there is mention of a Sea of Glass before the Throne and of seven Lamps Rev. IV. vers 5 6. and of a golden Altar of Incense Chap. VIII 3. and of a voice from that Altar Chap. IX 13. c. the allusion is so clear to the Molten Sea seven Lamps of the golden Candlestick the Altar of Incense and the Oracle given from beyond it which all were before the Ark where the Lords Glory dwelt in the Cloud that the matter needeth no more proof than only to observe this And that the Throne and Glory of God throughout all that description meaneth in this sense there is evidence enough in that one clause in Chap. XVI vers 17. a voice came out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne 2. Ezekiel himself sheweth that this glory referred to the Temple because he hath shewed it pitched there flitting thence and returning thither again 1. He saith That the Glory of the God of Israel was at the Temple namely that that he had seâ—n and described in the first Chapter Chap. VIII 4. though he be there in numbring up the abominations that were committed in the Temple which were great and many yet doth he relate that this Glory was there still because the Lord had not yet withdrawn his Presence thence But 2. At the last the provocations in that place do cause it to depart and that departure he describeth in Chap. X. and there he setteth forth the very same Glory and almost in the very same terms that he doth in Chap. I. He telleth that this Glory of the Lord departed from off the Cherub that is from off the Mercy seat where it had always dwelt between the Cherubins and went out first to the threshold vers 4. then to the East-gate vers 19. then to the City and to the Mount Olivet and so departs Chap. IX 23. But 3. When he speaketh of and describeth a new Temple then he sheweth his Glory returned thither again Chap. XLIII 2 3 4. And upon these three particulars of its pitching at the Temple flitting thence and returning thither again we may take up these observations for the further clearing of this signification 1. That the Prophet maketh some distinction betwixt the Glory of the Lord dwelling upon the Cherub that is on the Mercy Seat over the Ark and the Glory of the Lord upon these Cherubins for he saith The Glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood over the threshold of the House these Cherubins then standing on the right side of the House Chap. X. 3 4. and then that the Glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the House and stood over the Cherubins vers 18. The Glory of the Lord in the representation that the Prophet describeth in the first Chapter was upon the Cherubins already for he saith The Glory of the God of Israel was there according to the vision that I saw in the plain Chap. VIII 4. and yet he mentioneth another Glory now added to it namely the Cloud of Glory that dwelt upon the Mercy seat for he saith that upon the flitting of that Glory from off the Cherub to the threshold the House was filled with the Cloud the meaning of this we shall look at afterward 2. As to the flitting of this Glory from the Temple the Prophet saith He saw it when he came to destroy the City Chap. XLIII 3. that is when he came to foretel that the City should be destroyed And he dated the time of his first seeing of this Glory in the fifth year of the Captivity of Jehoiakim Chap. I. 2. which was the fifth year of the reign of Zedekiah 2 Kings XXIV 8 17 18. in which very year Zedekiah did rebel against the King of Babel which action was the very beginning of Jerusalems ruine 3. As to the returning of this flitted Glory again to the new built Temple Chap. XLIII it is observable that the Cloud of Glory which had descended and filled the Tabernacle and had done the like at Solomons Temple did never so at the second Temple or that built after the Captivity as the Jews themselves confess and that not without good reason Yet doth the Prophet as clearly bring that Glory into his new Temple as ever it had come into them but only that this was in a vision and so it shewed visionarily the Lords dwelling in his Ordinances and presence among his People under the second Temple unto which the People returned out of Babel and in the Spiritual Temple or Church under the Gospel for Ezekiels new Temple promised a bodily Temple to the returned and promised and typified a Spiritual Temple under the Gospel even as he had done visibly in his Cloud of Glory in the Tabernacle and first Temple And secondly he addeth further that when that Glory was entred the East-gate at which it came in was shut and never opened after Chap. XLIV 2. to denote the Everlasting dwelling of the Lord in the Church of the Gospel among his People and never departing as he had done from Hierusalem Temple This then
Firstlings which were sit which were unfit to be offered p. 2014. * Who had the approving of them p. 2014. * Where they were to be killed 2015. * Fleaing the Burnt Offerings the Ceremonies of it 926 Flesh when first eaten and why not the Blood 9 695 Flies not infecting the Temple what 2030. * Flittings of the divine Glory Rabbi Johanan's ten flittings of the divine Glory what p. 1062. * Also his ten flittings of the Sanhedrin what p. 1062. * With the Reason thereof 1063. * Flood of Noah its nature time of beginning and duration 6 to 9 Floor of Christ by it is meant the Church of Israel or the Nation of the Jews alone 469 Flying in the Air Christ tempted to it practised by Simon Magus c. 510 Fornication put for Poligamy 15 Friend of the Bridegroom what among the Jewish Writers 585 586 Fruits First Fruits the manner of bringing and presenting them 984 Fulness of time why so called it denotes Christs Birth which was Anno Mundi 3928 c. 383 G. GAdarens and Gergasens the same People Page 230 Gaius in Greek Caius in Latine there was two of the Name p. 313. What kind of Host. 315 339 Galilee although undervalued by the Jews had been re-renowned for many Atchievments Page 627 Gallio was Brother to Seneca the famous Court Philosopher several things concerning him 296 Gamaliel Paul's Master was a Man of great Original and Excellency p. 765. He was long President of the Sanhedrim and for all his fairness authorised a Prayer against Hereticks that is the Christians and their Doctrine commanding its constant use in the Synagogues 278 Gamaliel Rabban there were three of the Name Presidents of the Sanhedrim part of their History 2009. * Garments of the High Priest described p. 723 905 1077. * The rending of them when used 263. The nature and number of the Garments of the Priests p. 2049 2050. * The Jews think they were the same before the Law p. 2049. * What Garments the High Priest had that other Priests had not p. 2050. * He was consecrated under the Second Temple by putting on the holy Garments 2050. * Gate East Gate what Upon it was pictured the resemblance of the City Shushan and why Upon which account it or part of it was called by that Name it was also called the Kings Gate p. 1052. * The Gate of Shallecheth or Coponius what the names and where situate p. 1055. * The Gate Parbar what the word where the place p. 1056. * The Horse Gate two of the Name where p. 1057. * The North Gate Tedi or Tadde why so called p. 1059 1060. * The Beautiful Gate of the Temple what p. 1091. * The Upper Gate of the Lords House where situate p. 1098. * The New Gate where p. 1098. * The Gate of Nicanor which and why so called p. 1098 1099. * The Brazen Gate what It s opening of its own accord a sign of the Destruction of Jerusalem p. 1101. * The Gate Sur what and where situate p. 1100 1101. * The upper Gate of the Lords House how otherwise called 1098. * Gates of the City of Jerusalem what p. 666 c. Gates of Huldah whence so called p. 1054. * Gates of Assuppim where and what p. 1057 1058. * At which of the Gates Guards were kept by night p. 1062. * The Gates in the Court Wall on the East and South sides what p. 1104. * The Gates Corban where and why so called 2020 2021* Gaza what and where 281 Gazith was the Chamber or Room where the Sanhedrin sat being part common and part holy 2020 2021. * Gedeon called Jerubaal and why 49 Gehenna a form taken from the Jewish Writers 1005 1006 Gemara was one part of the Talmud 997 Gemarists they explain the Mishnah shewing the opinion of the Ancients upon it 369 General Christ was Lord General in the wars of Canaan p. 40. When he ceased to be so p. 45. General of an Army once was a Priest 71 Gentiles brought into the Gospel Religion by the Gift of Tongues p. 276. They receive the Holy Ghost contrary to the Jewish opinion p. 285. How called p. 314. Their Calling was a matter the Jews could never hear of with patience p. 621. The difference between them and the Jews went away when Christ and the Gospel came 845 to 847 Gergasens and Gaderens the same people 230 Giddeons Army 998 Gift of Tongues what 281 Gifts Prophetick Gifts what p. 499 500. They differed very far from the Grace of Sanctification p. 500. These Gifts had their Limitations and restrictions in all Men excepting Christ so that they could not always act a like Page 501 Gihon is sometimes called Siloam 667 668 Girdle of the High Priest what 905 Gizbarin Receivers of Tribute the Councellors of the Temple 914 Glory of God the cause of its removal from Jerusalem 125 Glory ten flittings of the divine Glory what p. 1062. * The Emblem of the divine Glory what p. 2052 to 2060. * The Moral or signification of this Emblem what 2055 to 2060 Goat Scape Goat his choice his sending away into the Wilderness with the manner of it 972 973 974 God it is necessary to think of him and converse with him the Heathens thought there was a God and Plato that he was only one p. 993. The Names of God used among the Jews and Gentiles what p. 993 to 995. God False Caius the Emperor creating himself a God with the Reasons p. 834. He was little better than a Devil p. 836. He made his Whore a Goddess p. 836 837. God speed an usual Salutation p. 339 340 Gog and Magog the Title of the Syrogrecian Monarchy 353 355 Golden Calf Israels punishment for it 715 Golgotha what 267 Goods the community of Goods or the having them in common by the Primitive Christians how practised and of what extent 762 Gospel the Gospel began with the Ministry of John the Baptist. p. 209. It was spread abroad by Persecution p. 280. At its first setling in the World it was much confronted by Magicians p. 289. The Jews had three ways of opposing the Gospel by a Prayer against Hereticks p. 289. by Emissaries whose business was to cry it down and preach every where against it by the use of Magick in doing strange Things exceeding many of them being skilled therein p. 290. Women laboured to advance the Gospel though they did not Preach p. 294. See how they dit it p. 315. Gospel of Matthew was chiefly to the Jews of Luke to the Gentiles p. 471. Extreamly hindered and corrupted in its first planting by the Jews p. 372. Gospel Day or Age began with the entrance of the Preaching and Ministry of John the Baptist sometimes stiled the Last day sometimes the Acceptable year of the Lord sometimes the Kingdom of God and sometimes a new Heaven and a new Earth p. 450. Gospel what in four things Christ the Author of it p. 450. What in the publications of John
thou hast promised by the Prophets And in another place this is thrice recited t t t t t t Sotah cap. 9 hal 15. Whom have we whereon to relye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides our Father which is in Heaven u u u u u u Joma cap. 8. hal 9. Blessed are ye O Israelites who cleanseth you your Father who is in Heaven x x x x x x Hieros Maaseroth fol. 50. 3. Ye gave not to your Father who is in Heaven but to me the Priest II. But in what sense did the Jews call God their Father in Heaven when they were altogether ignorant of the Doctrine and mystery of Adoption besides that Adoption whereby God had adopted them for a peculiar people I answer for that very cause they were taught by God himself so to call him Exod IV. 22. Deut. XXXII 6 c. Nor was there any among them who not only might not do this but also who ought not to do it While the Heathen said to his Idol Thou art my Father Jer. II. 27. the Israelite was bound to say Our Father which art in Heaven Es. LXIII 16. LXIV 8. III. When Christ useth this manner of speech so very well known to the Nation does he not use it in a sense that was known to the Nation also Let them answer who would have the Lords Prayer to be prayed and said by none but by those who are indeed Believers and who have partook of true adoption In what sense was our Saviour when he spake these words understood of the Hearers They were throughly instructed from their Cradles to call God the Father in Heaven they neither hear Christ changing the Phrase nor curtailing any thing from the latitude of the known and used sense Therefore let them tell me Did not Peter John and the rest of the Apostles think that it was as lawful for all Christians to say to God Our Father which art in Heaven as it was lawful for all Jews They called God Father because he had called them into the profession of him because he took care of them and instructed them c. And what I beseech you hinders but all Christians obtaining the same priviledges may honour God with the same compellation There is nothing in the words of Christ that hinders and there is somewhat in the very phrase that permits it VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdom come THIS obtained for an Axiom in the Jewish Schools 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y y y y y y Bab. Beracoth fol. 40. 2. That prayer wherein there is not mention of the Kingdom of God is not a prayer Where these words are also added Abai saith like to this is that of Rabh to be reckoned that it is a tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have not transgressed thy precepts nor have I forgot them they are the words of him that offereth the first fruits Deut. XXVI 13. I have not transgressed that is by not giving thanks And I have not forgot them that is I have not forgot to commemorate thy name and thy Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thy will be done as in Heaven c. z z z z z z Bab. Berac fol. 29. 2. What is the short prayer R. Eliezer saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do thy will in Heaven and give quietness of spirit to them that fear thee beneath or in earth VERS XI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Our daily bread THat is provide to morrows bread and give it us to day that we be not solicitous for to morrow as ver 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that which next follows not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super substantial from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The necessities of thy people Israel are many and their knowledge small so that they know not how to disclose their necessities let it be thy good pleasure to give to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What sufficeth for food c. VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deliver us from Evil. a a a a a a Berac f. 16. 2. RAbbi Judah was wont thus to pray let it be thy good pleasure to deliver us from impudent men and impudence from an evil man and from an evil chance from an evil affection from an evil companion from an evil neighbour from Satan the destroyer from a hard judgment and from a hard adversary c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For thine is the Kingdom c. I. In the publick Service in the Temple the commemoration of the Kingdom of God was the Respond instead of which the people answered Amen when the Priests ended their prayers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tradition is that they answered not Amen in the house of the Sanctuary What said they then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed by the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever b b b b b b Hieros Berac fol. 13. 3. Hence in the Tract Joma where the Rubrick of the day of Expiation is after various prayers recited which on that day the High Priest makes is added And the people answered Blessed be the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever See the c c c c c c Bab. Joma fol. 39. 1. 41. 2. but chiefly fol. 66. 1. places of that Tract noted in the margent There a short prayer of the High Priest is mentioned in which he thus concludes Be ye clean before Jehovah and these words are added But the Priests and people standing in the Court when they heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Name Jehovah pronounced out in its syllables adoring and falling prostrate upon their face they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed be the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever See also the Tract d d d d d d Bab. Taanith fol. 16. 2. Taanith where a reason is given of this doxology in the Gloss there II. This also they pronounced softly and in a gentle whisper while they were reciting the Phylacteries e e e e e e Bab. Pesachin fol. 56. 1. It is said of the men of Jericho that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They folded up the Schmah It is disputed what this means And R. Judah saith that they made some small pause after the reciting of this period Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord but they said not Blessed be the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever But by what reason do we say so R. Simeon ben Levi explains the mystery who saith Our father Jacob called his sons and said Gather your selves together and I will declare unto you It was in his mind to reveal to them the end of days and the Holy Spirit departed from him he said therefore Perhaps there is something prophane in my bed
this be a Rabbi let there not be many such in Israel VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye devour widows houses THE Scribes and Pharisees were ingenious enough for their own advantage Hear one argument among many forged upon the anvil of their covetousness a little rudely drawn but gainful enough g g g g g g Bab. Joma fol. 72. 2. saith the Lord Make me an Ark of Shittim-wood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence it is decided say they in behalf of a Disciple of the wise men that his fellow citizens are bound to perform his servile work for him O Money thou mistress of Art and mother of Wit So he that was preferred to be President of the Council was to be maintained and enriched by the Council See the Gloss on Bab. Taanith i i i i i i Fol. 21. 1. They angled among the people for respect and by respect for gain with a double hook I. As Doctors of the Law where they first and above all things instilled into their Disciples and the common people That a wise man or a Master was to be respected above all mortal men whatsoever Behold the rank and order of benches according to these Judges k k k k k k Jerus Horaioth fol. 84. 2. A wise man is to take place of a King A King of a High Priest A High Priest of a Prophet A Prophet of one anointed for war One anointed for war of a President of the Courses A President of the Courses of the head of a family The head of a family of a Counsellor A Counsellor of a Treasurer A Treasurer of a private Priest A private Priest of a Levite A Levite of an Israelite An Israelite of a Bastard A Bastard of a Nethinim A Nethinim of a Proselyte A Proselyte of a freed slave But when is this to be namely when they are alike as to other things But indeed if a Bastard be a Disciple or a wise man and the High Priest be unlearned the Bastard is to take place of him A wise man is to be preferred before a King for if a wise man die he hath not left his equal but if a King die any Israelite is fit for a Kingdom This last brings to my mind those words of Ignatius the Martyr if indeed they are his in his tenth Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. My Son saith he Honour God and the King But I say Honour God as the cause and Lord of all the Bishop as the chief Priest bearing the image of God in respect of his rule bearing Gods image in respect of his Priestly office Christs and after him we ought to honour the King also II. Under a pretence of mighty devotion but especially under the goodly shew of long prayers they so drew over the minds of devout persons to them especially of women and among them of the richer widows that by subtle attractives they either drew out or wrested away their goods and estates Nor did they want nets of counterfeit authority when from the Chair they pronounced according to their pleasures of the dowry and estate befalling a widow and assumed to themselves the power of determining concerning those things Of which matter as it is perplexed with infinite difficulties and quirks you may read if you have leisure the Treatises Jevamoth Chetubboth and Gittin Concerning the length of their prayers it may suffice to produce the words of the Babylon Gemara in Beracoth l l l l l l Fol. 32. 2. The religious anciently used to tarry an hour meditating before they began their prayers whence was this R. Joshua ben Levi saith it was because the Scripture saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed are they who sit in thy house R. Joshuah ben Levi saith also He that prays ought to tarry an hour after prayers As it is said The just shall praise thy name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The upright shall sit before thy face It is necessary therefore that he should stay meditating an hour before prayers and an hour after and the religious anciently used to stay an hour before prayers an hour they prayed and an hour they stayed after prayers Since therefore they spent nine hours every day about their prayers how did they perform the rest of the Law and how did they take care of their worldly affairs why herein In being religious both the Law was performed and their own business well provided for And in the same place m m m m m m Fol. 54. 2. Long prayers make a long life VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To make one Proselyte THE Talmudists truly speak very ill of Proselytes n n n n n n Bab. Middah fol. 13. 2. Our Rabbins teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Proselytes and Sodomites hinder the coming of the Messias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes are as a scab to Israel The Gloss For this reason that they were not skilled in the commandments that they brought in revenge and moreover that the Israelites perchance might imitate their works c. Yet in making of these they us'd their utmost endeavours for the sake of their own gain that they might some way or other drain their purses after they had drawn them in under the shew of Religion or make some use or benefit to themselves by them The same covetousness therefore under a vail of hypocrisie in devouring widows which our Saviour had condemned in the former clause he here also condemns in hunting after Proselytes which the Scribes and Pharisees were at all kind of pains to bring over to them Not that they cared for Proselytes whom they accounted as a scab and plague but that the more they could draw over to their Religion the greater draught they should have for gain and the more purses to fish in These therefore being so Proselyted they made doubly more the children of Hell than themselves For when they had drawn them into their net having got their prey they were no further concern'd what became of them so they got some benefit by them They might perish in ignorance superstition atheism and all kind of wickedness this was no matter of concern to the Scribes and Pharisees only let them remain in Judaism that they might Lord it over their Consciences and Purses VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple he is a debtor THESE words agree in the same sense with those of the Corban Chap. XV. 5. We must not understand the gold of the Temple here of that gold which shined all about in the walls and cielings but the gold here meant is that which was offered up in the Corban It was a common thing with them and esteemed as nothing to swear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Temple and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Altar which we have observed at the 31 vers of the 5th
confirmed by his Hand and the Great Seal of England And thus rooted out here he replanted me and ready to be rooted out elsewhere he preserved me rescued me from danger freed me of my fear so that now I as well as my Worthy predecessors have this to boast of that I have a King to my Patron But far be it far be it from me most unworthy Man to boast all this most Great most Merciful Prince redounds to your Praise alone and let it do so rather let England glory in such a Prince and let the Prince glory in such Mercy Triumph Cesar triumph in that brave Spirit of yours as you well may You are Charles and you conquer you subdue all by pitying delivering giving and forgiving all That conquest I shall always acknowledge with all humility and thankfulness and thou little Book and you trifling Sheets wheresoever ye shall fly tell this abroad in my Name every where and to every man That although there be nothing else in you worthy to be read yet that this my sincere profession may be read and heard that next after the Divine Mercy I ow to the mercy of the King that I enjoy this sweet leasure for Learning that I enjoy these quiet Retirements that I enjoy a House that I enjoy my Self So O Father of the Country may the Father of Mercies reward you seven fold and seventy times seven fold into your bosom and may you feel every day the benefit and sweetness of doing good by the recompences that are made you by Heaven Thus may your Mercy ever triumph and ever reap as the fruit of it the eternal favour of the Divine Mercy Thus may England be Crowned for a long time with her King and may the King be Crowned for ever with the Love of God with his Protection his Blessing his Grace his Glory Made these Vows Ian. I. 1661. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND Father in CHRIST GILBERT BY THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE LORD BISHOP OF LONDON THE Sacrifice by the Law was to be delivered into the hands of the Priest and to be offered by him and since your hands Reverend Prelate vouchsafed to offer my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Petitions to the Kings Majesty I now become an humble Petitioner that those hands would please to offer also my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Testimonials of my thanks I bring the first fruits of my replantation which the Royal favour indulged me by the intercession of your Honour when I had been rooted up For since by that Favour I am restored to these Seats to peace and my studies there is nothing I now desire besides nothing more than that that most excellent Prince may perceive that he hath not been a Benefactor to an ingrateful person however unworthy however obscure and that your Honour may see that you have not interceded for a forgetful person howsoever undeserving I shall never forget Great Sir with how much kindness and candor your Honour received me in my straits altogether unknown to You and whose face You had never before seen with how great concern You pleaded my cause before the Kings Majesty before the most Honourable the Lord Chancellor of England and before the right Reverend my Diocesan how your Honour consulted for me wrote Letters laid Stops that my ruine might not proceed beyond a possibility of restoration All which while I reflect upon which I ever do and while together with that reflection I consider what obligation lays upon me on one hand and my own meanness on the other on one hand how unworthy I am of so great favour and how altogether unable to make any recompence on the other what else is left me but to fly again to the same Kindness humbly imploring it that as it at first so obligingly received me a person unknown and unworthy so it would now entertain me known and bound by so great obligation and approaching with all the thanks I can give Those thanks so due to your Honour I have committed to these papers unlearned indeed they are and undressed but such as carry Sincerity with them though not Learning Thankfulness though not Eloquence And I have intrusted this charge with them the rather because I suppose they may disperse themselves far and near and perhaps may live to posterity and that which I desire of them is that they would declare to all how endebted he is to your Honour and to your great Humanity with how great obligations he is bound to You and with how grateful a mind and inward affection he professeth all this and will acknowledge it for ever Who is My Lord Your Honours most obliged Servant IOHN LIGHTFOOT A CHOROGRAPHICAL DECAD Searching into some Places OF THE Land of ISRAEL Those especially whereof mention is made in St. MARK WHEN this our Evangelist whom we have undertaken to handle makes mention of some places in the Land of Canaan whose situation is somewhat obscure and more remote from vulgar knowledge I might seem to be wanting to my task if I should pass them over unsaluted and not clear them as much as lyes in me with some illustration which I thought very convenient to do here in the very entrance partly lest by the thrusting in of these discourses into the body of this Comment whatsoever it be the order of it might be too much broken and partly because I would do the same here that I did before my Animadversions on St. Matthew The places which here are handled are these I. Idumea Mark III. 8. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Wilderness Chap. I. 4. III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Treasury Chap. XII 41. IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Village over against Chap. XI 2. V. Dalmanutha Chap. VIII 10. VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Borders of Tyre and Sidon Chap. VII 24. VII The Coasts of Decapolis Chap. VII 31. And to compleat the Decad are added VIII Some Measurings IX Some places here and there noted X. Concerning some Inhabitants of the Land That I have enlarged upon some places besides those in the Evangelists I have done it for the Readers sake to whom I hope it will not be unacceptable to hear such things which do either bring with them profit or pleasure or at lest such as are not commonly heard of CHAP. I. I. Idumea II. A few things of Pelusium III. Casiotis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cas-Iah Exod. XVII 16. IV. Rhinocorura The Arabic Interpreter noted V. The Country of the Avites a part of of new Idumea VI. The whole Land of Simeon within Idumea VII The whole Southern Country of Iudea within Idumea VIII Concerning healthful Palestine SECTION I. Idumea Mark III. 8. THERE was a time when the Land of Israel and Idumea were not only distinct Countries but separated with an iron Wall as it were of Arms and Hostility but I know not how Idumea at last crept into Judea and scarcely left its name at home being swallowed up in Arabia They were truths
Nor do we say this upon conjecture alone but by very many examples among the Israelites and indeed among other Nations and this in that very Nation of which we are speaking In Gen. XXXVI Zibeon was the son of Seir vers 20. and the whole Nation and Land was called The Nation and Land of the sons of Seir. But now that that Seir was of the Canaanite pedegree appears sufficiently hence that his son Zibeon was called an Hivite vers 2. After the same manner therefore as the Seirites who were of Canaanite blood were so named I make no doubt the Perizzites were named from one Perez a man of great name in some Canaanite stock SECT IV. The Kenites OF the same rank were the Kenites the Knizzites Cadmonites by original indeed Canaanites but so named from some Cain and Kenaz and Cadmon men of famous renown in those families If so be the Cadmonites were not so called from their antiquity or rather from their habitation Eastward Which is the derivation of Saracens from Saracon the East The Masters of the Traditions do not agree among themselves what to resolve concerning these Nations In the Jerusalem Talmudists you have these passages h h h h h h Hieros Kiddush fol. 61. 4. Your Fathers possessed seven Nations but you shall possess the Land of ten Nations The three last are these the Kenites the Kenizzites the Cadmonites R. Judah saith These are the Salmeans the Sabeans and the Nabatheans R. Simeon saith Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Damascus R. Lazar ben Jacob saith Asia and Cartagena and Turky Rabbi saith Edom and Moab and the first fruits of the children of Ammon In the Babylonian Talmudists these passages i i i i i i Bab. Bathra fol. 56. 1. Samuel saith All that Land which God shewed to Moses is bound to tithes To exclude what To exclude the Kenites the Kenizzites the Cadmonites A Tradition R. Meir saith These are the Naphtuchites the Arabians and the Salmeans R. Judah saith Mount Seir Ammon and Moab R. Simeon saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asia and Spain l l l l l l Berish. rab fol. 28. 2. These Nations were not delivered to Israel in this age but they shall be delivered in the days of the Messias In m m m m m m Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 8. the days of the Messias they shall add three other Cities of refuge But whence From the Cities of the Kenites the Kenizzites and the Cadmonites Concerning whom God gave a promise to our father Abraham but they are not as yet subdued We may borrow light concerning these Nations from those words of Moses Gen. X. 18. Afterwards the families of the Canaanites were dispersed First They replenished Phenicia and the Northern Country of the Land of Canaan by little and little the whole Land of Canaan within Jordan Then they spread themselves into the Land which afterwards belonged to the Edomites and there they were called Horites from Mount Hor and the children of Seir from Seir the father of those families he himself being a Canaanite On the East they spread themselves into those Countries which afterwards belonged to the Moabites the Ammonites the Midianites and they were called Kenites Kenizzites Cadmonites from one Cain one Kenaz and perhaps one Cadmon the fathers of those families if so be the Cadmonites were not so called from the aforesaid causes The mention of a certain Cain calls to my mind the Town or City Cain which you see in the Maps placed not far from Carmel in that of Do et adorned shall I say or disfigured with a Dutch picture of one man shooting another with this inscription Cain wert geschoten van Lamech Cain was shot by Lamech Gen. IV. A famous monument forsooth That place indeed is obscure Gen. IV. and made more obscure by the various opinions of Interpreters and you Do et have chosen the worst of all If the words of Lamech may be cleared from the Text and if you clear it not from the context whence will you clear it they carry this plain and smooth sense with them He had brought in Bigamy that also had laid waste the whole World Gen. VI. For so wretched a wickedness and which by his example was the destruction of infinite numbers of men Divine Justice and Vengeance strikes and wounds him with the horror and sting of conscience so that groaning and howling before his two bigamous wives Adah and Zillah he complains and confesseth that he is a much more bloody murtherer than Cain For he had only slain Abel but he an infinite number of young and old by his wicked example SECT V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rephaim THE Samaritan Interpreter always renders these Aseans in Gen. XV. 20. written with Cheth But in Deut. II. 20. with Aleph If they were called Aseans as they were by him so by all other speaking Syriac and Chaldee I know not whence the word Asia may more fitly be derived than from the memory of this Gygantic race living almost in the middle of Asia and monstrous and astonishing above all other Asiatics The LXX call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titans 2 Sam. V. 18. 22. The word used by the Samaritan denotes Physicians and so it is rendred by me in the Polyglot Bible lately published at London Deut. II. partly that it might be rendred word for word but especially that it might be observed by what sound and in what kind of pronunciation he read the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rephaim So the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physicians Esa. XXVI 14. c. HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae OR HEBREW AND TALMUDIC EXERCITATIONS upon the Gospel of St. MARK CHAP. I. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The beginning of the Gospel THE Preaching and Baptism of John was the very gate and entrance into the state and dispensation of the Gospel For I. He opened the door of a new Church by a new Sacrament of admission into the Church II. Poynting as it were with the finger at the Messias that was coming he shewed the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the world to come III. In that manner as the Jews by Baptism admitted Gentile Proselytes into the Jewish Church he admits both Jews and Gentiles into the Gospel Church IV. For the doctrine of justification by works which the Schools of the Scribes had defiled all Religion with he brings in a new and yet not a new and truly saving doctrin of Faith and Repentance VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it is written in the Prophets HERE a doubt is made of the true reading namely whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Prophets or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Esaias the Prophet These particulars make for the former I. When two places are cited out of two Prophets it is far more congruously said As it is witten in the Prophets than As it is written
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
it should necessarily be supposed that they were now at Jerusalem that passage ver 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they were come together may signify their assembling in that place and the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he commanded them c. may very well be construed that he commanded them to repair straightway to Jerusalem and not to depart thence III. I conceive therefore that these things were spoken and done in the mountain of Galilee where probably the five hundred at once were together to see him 1 Cor. XV. 6. and that when the time of his ascension drew near For reason would perswade us that they would not delay their return into the City when he had commanded them thither nor that he commanded them thither but when the time drew near wherein he was to meet them there And whereas he adds in the very same place and discourse ver 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not many days hence it is necessary that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should have its due force having not been added here in vain but seems to respect the daies that were yet to come between that and Pentecost We have frequent mention amongst the Rabbins concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Paras of the Passover and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Paras of Pentecost and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Paras of the Feast of Tabernacles Now the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paras themselves being the interpreters was that space of fifteen days immediately before any of these Feasts So that five and thirty days after the second of the Passover began the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Paras of the Feast of Tabernacles and the second day of those fifteen was this year the Lords-day on which I almost think they had that assembly on the mountain of Galilee and that the Disciples being remanded from thence to Jerusalem got thither within three days But lest we should streighten the matter within too narrow a compass of time and seem too nice and curious about the very day I should judge we can hardly more properly apply these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being assembled together with them than to that meeting on the mountain of Galilee which Christ himself had made the appointment of From thence it was that Christ commanded them to Jerusalem a place which having tainted it self with the blood of their Lord they might probably have very little mind to return to again had it not been by some special command and do we think they would have gone thither to have celebrated the Feast of Pentecost or indeed have been present all at it in that place had not their Master directed them so to do VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel IT is very apparent that the Apostles had the same phansiful conceptions about the earthly reign of Christ with the rest of that Nation But yet they seem here a little to doubt and hesitate either as to the thing it self or at least as to the time and that not without cause considering some things which had so lately fallen our Lord wilt thou restore the Kingdom to those that have dealt so basely and perfidiously with thee what to this generation that lies under the actual guilt of thy bloodshed Or indeed to this Nation at all which by the perpetration of the late wickedness had made it self unworthy of so great a kindness Now what our Saviour returns for answer viz. that it is not for them to know the times or the seasons does not in the least hint any such Kingdom ever to be but he openly rebukes their curiosity in enquiring into the times and in some measure the opinion it self when he tells them that they should receive power from Heaven and should be his witnesses c. What that Nation apprehended concerning the temporal reign of the Messias as to many things they speak plainly and openly enough but in other things a man may enquire but can hardly satisfie himself what they mean or intend To omit others they are in three things somewhat obscure I. Whether the ten Tribes be to be admitted to the felicities of this reign For as to this matter it is disputed by the Rabbins The ten Tribes are not to return f f f f f f Sanhedr cap. Chelek halak 7. But in the Jerusalem Talmudists it is expressed thus The ten Tribes have not a part in the world to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither shall they see the future age Which is discoursed in the Babylonian writers viz. whether this be not to be understood of those individual persons only that were carried away by the King of Assyria that they indeed shall not partake of the blessings of the Messias though their posterity should So that there may lie hid something of ambiguity in the word Israel in this passage we are now examining that is whether in the conception of those that speak it the ten Tribes are included yea or no. For commonly the name Israel amongst the Jews was wont to be taken for the Jews only so that they called themselves Israel and the ten Tribes by way of distinction the Ten Tribes In which sense and according to which distinction that of the Apostle seems to be said Are they Hebrews So am I. Are they Israelites So am I. 2 Cor. XI 22. II. What opinion was to be had of the two Messiah's Messiah ben David and Messiah ben Joseph or ben Ephraim as he is called by the Paraphrast Cant. IV. 5. Whether they were to reign at the same time the one over the ten Tribes the other over the two or whether in succession to one another both of them over the whole Nation Messiah ben Joseph was to be cut off g g g g g g Succah fol. 52. 1. And then what must become of his Subjects whether they were of the ten Tribes or of the two or of all III. It is further obscure in their writings whether they had an apprehension that the Messiah should reign alone or whether he should substitute any King or Kings under him or after him It seems probable to them that the Messiah should reign his thousand years alone but then as to that age which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if Eternity be not meant by it what did they conceive must be done in it whether Kings should be substituted in it of the race of David They can dream of nothing but mere Earthly things and if from such kind of dreams we might conjecture what kind of future state that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be we may guess what should then be done But to what purpose is it to trace error where as we cannot so much as fix a foot so the further we proceed the more we slip What kind of Kingdom the Apostles had framed in their imaginations is not easy to conceive There was something
those of Cyprus and Cyrene seem to be who are mentioned Chap. XI 19 20. who in Cyprus Phenice and Antioch it self preached the word of God amongst the Hebraizing Jews though perhaps they might also speak the Greek Tongue and at length to the Hellenists in Antioch i. e. the Jews who understood nothing but Greek to whom the Hebrew Tongue was perfectly unknown For so I would distinguish the Hellenists from the Jews in that place and not oppose them to the Jews as if they were not Jews themselves And let me crave the Readers leave to give my judgment of these Hebrews and Hellenists in these following particulars I. That the Hellenists were Jews dwelling among the Gentiles and not at all skilled in the Hebrew Tongue The Apostle in that division of his which he so oftentimes useth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jews and Greeks meaning by Greeks all other Nations excepting the Jewish only speaks chiefly to the capacity of the Vulgar to whom by reason of the late circumjacent Empires of the Greeks that way of expressing the Gentiles was most known and familiar nor perhaps was it so very safe at that time to have brought in the Romans in that Antithesis But may the word Hellenist be taken with that latitude on the other side that the phrase may be applyed not to the Jews only who understood nothing but Greek but to all the Jews also that did not understand Hebrew Perhaps the strict Etymology of the word may make something against it but should it be granted it would not be of so absurd a consequence if we do but except the Parthians Medes Elamites and the rest of those Eastern Countries who were not of the Greek or Macedonian but the Persian and Babylonish Captivity or transmigration For the very word Hellenist especially as it is opposed to Hebrew seems to intend some such thing viz. that those who are called Hebrews should be those who were of the Captivity and dispersion beyond the River and those that go under the denomination of Hellenists are those who after their return from this Captivity have suffered some other removal or scattering among the Greek or Western Countries and understood no other Language but of those Countries only having lost the use of what was originally their native Tongue viz. the Hebrew or Chaldee II. As to the Hebrews I suppose there are hardly any will deny but that all in general might be so called that used the Hebrew as their own Mother-Tongue nor can I imagine for what other reason Paul of Tarsus should go under the denomination of an Hebrew but because the Hebrew Tongue in his Fathers family was his Mother-Tongue and the Greek was the Mother-Tongue of the place where he was born But that we may enquire a little more strictly into the peculiar propriety of this title and denomination let us propound this question viz. to whom that Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews was particularly written I would say to those of Palestine for to them it is that the name of Hebrew doth of greatest right belong which these two particulars if I mistake not will make very plain 1. That it seems most proper that they should be termed Hebrews who use the Hebrew Tongue and none else as their natural Language rather than they who use the Greek and Hebrew Tongue indifferently 2. Indeed the Mesopotamians used the Hebrew only as their Mother-Tongue and ought in reason to be accounted amongst the Hebrews in general but they went commonly under the denomination of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Captivity because they dwelt still in the place whether they had been led captive and had not returned into their own Land But those of Palestine who had returned thether were the most properly called Hebrews because they had past over from beyond the River and had brought the transfluvian Tongue along with them And as to what concerns this present matter viz. the murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews about an equal distribution of the common Charity it may be made a question whether any other besides those of Palestine had as yet sold their Lands and Patrimonies For omitting that by reason of the distance of place they could hardly yet be capable of doing it that concerning Barnabas selling his Land in Cyprus seems to hint some such thing and that it was a thing very extraordinary and that had not deen done elsewhere But our enquiry is chiefly about the Hellenists not the Hebrews and what we have said concerning both is ingenuously submitted to the candor of the judicious Reader VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Seven men of honest report c. I. THIS office of the Deacon to whom the charge and care of the poor was entrusted was translated from the Jewish to the Christian Church For there belonged to every Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three Deacons with whom that care was deposited w w w w w w See Hor. in Matth. IV. 23. and elsewhere II. As to the number Seven I would not be curious the multitude of the poor and the encrease of the Church made it necessary that the number of the Deacons should exceed the number that were allotted for every single Synagogue why they should be just seven let him that hath confidence enough pretend to assign a particular reason Only from the number and character of the men I cannot but call to mind the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven good men of the City frequently mentioned by the Rabbins and I would suppose them chosen both out of the number of the CXX mentioned Chap. I. 15. and also by them only and not the whole Church in general VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Nicholas a Proselyte of Antioch I. WHereas this Nicholas only is termed a Proselyte it makes it evident that all the rest excepting himself were Jews however they might be known by Greek names Nor yet would I call them Hellenists but Hebrews rather who understood Greek indeed and for that reason the care of the Hellenists was comitted to them but yet the Hebrew was their own Mother-Tongue For it is hardly supposable that Stephen when he pleaded his cause before the Sanhedrin and the whole multitude would plead it in Greek though he understood it well II. It is so constant an opinion of the Antients that the most impure sect of the Nicolaitans derived their name and filthy doctrins from this Nicolas x x x x x x â—renae lib. 1. cap. 27. Epiphan lib. 1. â—â—res 5. c. that so much as to distrust the thing would look like contradicting antiquity But if it were lawful in this matter freely to speak ones thoughts I should conjecture for the honour of our Nicolas that the name might take its derivation from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nocola Let us eat together those bruits animating one another to eat things offered to Idols Like those in Isai. XXII
26. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All his pleasure There is a dispute in the place newly quoted whether it be lawful to alienate a Synagogue from its sacred to a common use and it is distinguisht betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Synagogue of one man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a public Synagogue And upon permitting that the former may be alienated but the later not there is this story which I have newly quoted objected to the contrary and this passage further added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Alexandrians build that Synagogue at their own charge which doth both attest to what our sacred Historian mentions of a Synagogue of Alexandrians at Jerusalem and argues that they were divers Synagogues here spoken of one of the Libertines another of the Cyrenians and so of the rest which may be so much the more credible if that be true which is related in the same place viz. that there were CCCCLXXX Synagogues in Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And them of Cilicia Saint Paul seems to have been of this Synagogue but of the School of Gamaliel for the Jewish youth sent out of far Countreys to Jerusalem for education being allotted to this or that Synagogue chose this or that Master for themselves according to their own pleasure Saint Paul had been brought up in a Greek Academy from his very childhood viz. that of Tarsus I call Tarsus both an Academy and a Greek one too upon the credit of Strabo who speaks thus concerning it f f f f f f Geogr. lib. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tarsus was built by the Argives that wandred with Triptolemus in the search of 10. And a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They of Tarsus had so great a love to Philosophy and all liberal Sciences that they excelled Athens Alexandria and if there were any other place worth naming where the Schools and disputes of Philosophy and all human arts were maintained Hence is it so much the less strange that Saint Paul should be so well stockt with the Greek Learning and should quote in his discourses the Poets of that nation having been educated in so famous an University from his very youth VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it had been the face of an Angel GOD himself by a miracle bears witness to the innocence of this holy man and shews he had done no wrong to Moses when he makes his face shine as Moses's had formerly done and gave him an Angelical countenance like that of Gabriel for if he had said that Jesus should destroy that place c. he had but said what Gabriel had said before him CHAP. VII VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia g g g g g g Beresh Rabba fol. 32. 3. ABRAHAM is like the friend of a King who when he saw the King walking in darksome Galleries gave light to him by a window which when the King saw he said unto him because thou hast given me light through a window come and give me light before my face So did the Holy Blessed God say to Abraham because thou hast given light to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of my Mesopotamia and its Companious come and give light to me in the Land of Israel Whether or no it be worth the while to enquire why God should term it my Mesopotamia as also what should be the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her Consorts or Companions yet can I not but take notice that this adjunct doth once and again occur in the writings of the Jews h h h h h h Ib. fol. 48. 1. O seed of Abraham my friend I took thee from the ends of the Eurth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. from Mesopotamia and her Companions i i i i i i Ib. fol. 66. 1. Who is he among you that feareth the Lord This is Abraham who walketh in darkness Who came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Mesopotamia and her Consorts and knew not whither like the man that dwelleth in darkness It is written indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it should be out of Spain but I correct it by the authority of the Aruch and indeed the very sense it self corrects it The Gloss hath nothing but this trifling passage in it I have found the interpretation of Mesopotamia viz. that it is the name of a City in Aram Naharaim The Geographers do indeed distinguish betwixt Mesopotamia and Babylon or Chaldaea So in Ptolomys fourth Table of Asia to omit other authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Country of Babylon is bounded on the South lieth Mesopotamia c. And yet Babylon may in some measure be said to be in Mesopotamia partly because it lay between the two Rivers Euphrates and Tigris but especially according to the propriety of Scripture Language because it was beyond the River Which we may take notice was observed by the Vulgar Interpreter in Josh XXIV 3. where what in the Hebrew is I took your Father Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the other side of the flood he hath rendred it I took your Father Abraham De Mesopotamiae finibus from the borders of Mesopotamia Josephus speaking of Abraham and his removing from his Country hath this passage k k k k k k Antiqu. lib. 1. cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wherefore the Chaldeans and other Mesopotamians moving tumults against him he thought fit to remove his seat c. Where we see the Chaldeans amongst others are called those of Mesopotamia Nor indeed without cause when as Eratosthenes in Strabo tells us l l l l l l Lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that Mesopotamia with the Country of Babylon is contained in that great compass from Euphrates and Tigris And so perhaps the Rabbin newly quoted distinguisheth that that is Mesopotamia which he makes to be called by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Mesopotamia is Charran where the worship of God had been kept up in the family of Nahor and which had been the native Country and breeder up of eleven Patriarchs And so let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her Consorts Babylon and Chaldea for in what other signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here can be taken in I cannot well tell In that Stephen speaks of God appearing to Abraham while he was yet in Chaldea before he removed to Charran when Moses rather ascribes that passage to Terah his Father Gen. XI he speaks with the Vulgar according to the commonly received opinion of his Countrymen Who not only taught that Abraham acknowledged and worshipt the true God even while his Father Terah worshipped Idols bur further that Terah was so zealous an Idolater that he delivered his son Abraham to Nimrod to be cast into a fiery furnace We have the tale in Bereshith Rabba * * * * * * Fol. 42. 2. ridiculous
therefore very much deceived who think that Absalom let his hair grow out of pride when he did so indeed by reason of a vow at least a feigned vow of Nazarite-ship The Jerusalem Talmudists say very truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d d d d Nazir fol. 51. 2. Absalom say they was a perpetual Nazarite Very truly I say in this that they assert he was a Nazarite but of the perpetuity of his vow we will not here dispute See 2 Sam. XV. 7 8. There is in Tacitus a wicked Votary not unlike him Civilis by name of whom thus he speaks e e e e e e Hist. lib. 4. cap. 14. Civilis barbaro Voto post coepta adversus Romanos arma propexum rutilatumque crinem c. Civilis by a barbarous vow after armes taken up against the Romans laid down his long red hair the slaughter of the Legions being at last executed The Jews if they were not bound by the vow of a Nazarite cut their hair very often and however they did it at other times certainly always before a Feast and that in honour of the Feast that was approaching Whence a greater suspicion may here arise that these Corinthians by their long hair professed themselves Nazarites These f f f f f f Moed Katâ—n cap. 3. hal 1. cut their hair in the feast it self He that comes from a Heathen place and he that comes out of prison and the excommunicate person who is loosed from his excommunication The sense of the Tradition is this Those who were detained by some necessity before the Feast that they could not cut their hair might cut it in the Feast it self But if no such necessity hindred they cut their hair before the Feast and commonly on the very Eves of the Feast g g g g g g Piske Tosaph at Moed Katon Art 78. When any man cuts not his hair on the Eves of the Festival day but three days before it appears that he cut not his hair in honour of the Feast We cannot here omit this story h h h h h h Hieros Avodah Zarab fol. 41. 1. A certain Travailer who was a Barbar and an Astrologer saw by his Astrology that the Jews would shed his blood which was to be understood of his Proselytism namely when they circumcised him when a certain Jew therefore came to him to have his hair cut he cut his throat And how many throats did he cut R. Lazar ben Jose saith Eighty R. Jose ben R. Bon saith Three hundred VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Her hair is given her for a Covering THE daughter of Nicodemus being reduced to miserable poverty going to Rabban Jochanan to speak to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i i i i i Bab. Chetubb fol. 66. 2. vailed her self with her hair and stood before him The poor woman had no other vail therefore she used that which was given her by nature and she used it shall I say as a sign Or as an Instrument and mark of modesty and shamefacedness VERS XXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one taketh before other his own supper I. I Wonder the Agapae The love Feasts of which S. Jude speaks vers 12. should among Interpreters receive their exposition hence In those Feasts saith Beza which they call Agapae that they used to take the holy Supper of the Lord appears from 1 Cor. XI Of which thing discourse is had in Tertullians Apologetick Chap. XXXIX and in other writings of the Ancients So he also speaks at Act. II. 42. And upon this place The Apostle saith he passeth to another Head of this Discourse namely the administration of the Lords Supper to which the Love-feasts were joyned c. And upon the following verse The Love-feasts although they had been used a long while in the Church and commendably too the Apostles themselves being the Authors of them yet the Apostle judgeth them to be taken away because of their abuse So also Baronius The use of a most commendable thing persevered as yet in the Church that what Christ had done at his last Supper and had admonished his Disciples to do in remembrance of him that Christians meeting in the Church should sup together and withal should receive the most holy Eucharist Which nevertheless when the Corinthians fulfilled not as they ought Paul doth deservedly reprove He that should deny such charitable Feasts to have been used in the Church together with the Eucharist certainly would contradict all antiquity but whether those Feasts were these Agapae of which the Apostle Jude speaks whether those Feasts had Christ or his Apostles for their Authors and whether these Corinthian Feasts were such if any doubt he doth it not without cause nor doth he without probability believe the contrary Of these Corinthian Feasts here what Sedulius saith Among the Corinthians saith he heretofore as some assert prevailed an ill custom to dishonour the Churches every where by Feasts which they eat before the Lords Oblation Which Supper they began a nights and when the rich came drunk to the Eâ—charist the poor were vexed with hunger But that custom as they report came from the Gentile Superstition as yet among them Mark that I should say From the Jewish Superstition The very same is in Primasius II. If I may with the good leave of Antiquity speak freely that which I think concerning the Agapâ— of which the Apostle Jude speaks take it in a few words Those Agapae we suppose were when strangers were hospitably entertained in each Church and that at the cost of the Church And we are of opinion that this laudable custom was derived from the Synagogues of the Jews l l l l l l Gloss in Bavâ— Bathra f. 3. 2. In the Synagogues they neither eat nor drink c. But there was a place near the Synagogue in which Travellers were wont to sleep and eat Hence that in Pesachin m m m m m m Fol. 101. 1. where it is asked why they consecrate the day which was usual over a cup of wine in the Synagogue And it is answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Travellers also may do their duty who eat and drink and feast in the Synagogue Here the Glosser enquires whether it were lawful to eat and drink in the Synagogues when it is forbid by an open Canon n n n n n n Megil fol. 28. 1. And at length among other things he answereth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Chambers which joyned to the Synagogue are called Synagogues also and from thence travellers heard the Consecration There was therefore a certain Hospital either near or joyning to the Synagogue wherein travellers and pilgrims were received and entertained at the common cost of the Synagogue Compare Act. XVIII 7. But now that a custom of so great charity was translated into the Christian Church there are many things which perswade as also that
spoken in Scripture of this righteousness of God and indeed never enough My righteousness is never to be revealed To bring in everlasting righteousness New Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness c. Never enough spoken never enough conceived of this Righteousness the most mysterious acting of Heaven the wonder of wonders among men the Justice of God in justifying a sinner A Divine Justice that exceeds divine Justice Divine Justice turned into Mercy You may think I speak strangely if I do it I am something excusable with Peter ravished with the Transfiguration I am upon a subject that may swallow up all minds with amazement but I clear my meaning In Rom. I. 17. It is said Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Revealed in the Gospel not in the Law Was there no revelation of Justice till the Gospel came Yes the Law revealed Justice but it was condemning Justice as that Text speaks From faith to faith so from righteousness to righteousness Gods Justice was most divine that appeared in the Law to condemn but that Justice exceeded in the Gospel to justifie Where are they that talk of being justified by their own works Then must they have a righteousness of their own that must out-vy Gods condemning justice which is infinitely just But his own justifying justice doth out-vy it As it is said Where sin abounded Grace did superabound So where condemning Justice was glorious justifying Justice was much more glorious I said Justice was turned into mercy I say the greatest Justice into the greatest mercy How are we justified and saved By Mercy True and yet by Justice become mercy not ceasing to be Justice what it was but becoming Mercy what it was not Here is a lively Copy before you God so loveth so acteth justice that he will satisfie it upon his own Son that he might glorifie it by way of mercy on all justified His greatest mercy appeareth in this acting of his justice and you are the greatest Mercy to a people when you do them the most Justice A third and last Copy that I would set before you all that hear me this day is fairly yet seems strangly written with Gods own hand in the Gospel In divers places of the New Testament where mention is made of the Law and where you would think it meant both the Tables it comes off only with mention of the Second Matth. XIX 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments You would look for all the Ten but look forward and he pitcheth only upon the second Table So Rom. XIII 8. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law You would look for the whole Law to be mentioned there but look forward in vers 9. and only the second Table is mentioned So Jam. II. 8. If you fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture c. you would look for the whole Law but he concludes all under this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Why where are the Duties of the first Table See how God put even all religion in the second Table As it is said Behold how he saved Lazarus so Behold how God loveth honest upright charitable dealing 'twixt man and man I shall not insist to shew you the reason of this strange passage I might tell you it is because whatsoever men pretend of Religion towards the Commands of the first Table it is nothing if it appear not in our obedience to the second I might tell you God puts you to that that is more in your own power as to obey the second Table is more so than the first But I leave the Copy in your own hands to read and comment on And when you have studied it the most you will find this to be the result how God requires how God delights in our righteous upright charitable dealings one with another A SERMON PREACHED AT HERTFORD Assise March 13. 1663. JUDG XX. 27 28. And the Children of Israel enquired of the Lord. For the ark of the Covenant of the Lord was there in those days And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron stood before it in those days AND it was time to enquire of the Lord considering their present condition and exigent and it was well they had the Ark in those days to enquire at considering the evil of those days and their exceeding wickedness And it was strange that Phinehas was then there considering the time of the story when he is thus brought in The three clauses in the Text that hint their inquiring and the manner of their inquiring and the Person by whom they inquired of the Lord and they inquired at the Ark of the Covenant and they inquired by Phinehas require each one a serious explication and each one explicated it may be will afford something of information that every one hath not observed before I. They enquired of the Lord. And it was time to enquire indeed when business went so crosly with them that though the Lord himself had encouraged them to that war yet they lose so many thousands in the battel At their first mustering they ask counsel of God and he allows their quarrel and appoints their Captain vers 18. And the Children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God and asked counsel of God and said which of us shall go up first to the battle against the Children of Benjamin And the Lord said Judah shall go up first And yet when they come to fight they lose two and twenty thousand men vers 21. They ask counsel of God again and he bids them go up and yet when they come to fight again they lose eighteen thousand men more And now after the loss of forty thousand men they inquire again and indeed it was very full time But what was it they inquired about If why they thus fell when God himself had encouraged them to the War which was a very just Quaere Had I or you been there we might have resolved them without an Oracle There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel and a very strange accursed thing that it is not strange that thou canst not stand but fallest thus before thine enemies In the Chapter before a Levites Concubine plays the whore and runs from him and as he fetches her again she is paid in her kind and whored with at Gibeah till it cost her her life Hereupon all Israel musters in arms as one man and solemnly vows and resolves to avenge her quarrel But in the Chapter before that Idolatry is publickly set up in the Tribe of Dan. And in the Chapter before that it is publickly enough set up in the Town of Micah and yet not one man that stands up or stirs in the quarrel of the Lord. Oh Israel that art thus zealous in the quarrel of a Whore and hast been no whit zealous in the cause of the Lord it is no wonder if thou fall and fall
sin unto death viz. that brought to an immediate liableness to cutting off by divine vengeance Now this was a sin of presumption and despising the Word of God as Moses explains what that presumptuous sinning is in a high degree which as the Apostle tells in the same Chapter that it was a treading under foot the Son of God c. Therefore it is no wonder if with Paul there be no Sacrifice for it and with this Apostle no praying for it But why does not this our Apostle speak out and say I say he should not pray for it but says only I do not say that he should Let me lay to this expression that passage of our Saviour Matth. XVIII 17. If he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen or a Publican By which our Saviour doth not excommunicate such a one out of the Church for he saith not let him be to the Church but thee as a Heathen But he dischargeth and acquitteth the party injured from those duties and offices which he ought otherwise to him as a brother Our Apostles expression is much like to the same tenor He takes care of the Consciences of the people of God as well as he sheweth the two conditions of the sinner he speaketh of There were some that might be in a strait what to do in this case They were commanded by their Lord and Master to pray for their enemies these enemies of theirs were become so like their Father the Devil that it might pose their Consciences whetheâ— they should pray for them or no. Therefore this divine Apostle useth a happy temper that he will lay no charge on them that are so pinched to pray for them nor indeed forbid those to pray for them that are more inlarged for undoubtedly the indifferent expression of the Apostle as I may call it seems plainly to carry with it such a consideration Ye see here in the Text a deadly wounded wretch like Amasa II Sam. XX. wallowing in his own blood if you call in Moses and Paul to give their Coroners verdict concerning the manner and cause of his death from those Texts of theirs that we have cited they will tell you that he is felo de se that he destroied himself and they will tell you that it was by wilful sinning after the knowledge of the truth wilful sinning against the Word of God That sin is the more desperately deadly by how much it is the more desperately wilful Hos. V. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the Commandment One would think it should be because he did not willingly walk after the Commandment but by Commandment is meant the idolatrous Commandment of Jeroboam the Statutes of Omri and Ephraim was broken in pieces because he walked after them and broke the more because he walked after them willingly If the motions of sin which are by the Law do work in them to bring forth fruit unto death as the Apostle says Rom. VII 5. much more the motions of sin which are clean against the Law I must confess I do not understand the irritating or provoking power of the Law which some collect from this place for to me it is without doubt that the meaning of the Apostle is The motions of sin that were by the Law mistaken not efficiently for such was the Judgment of the Jews concerning the Law viz. That it did restrain only the outward action but regarded not the internal motion and so the Apostle seems to give some hint of his own mistake a while of the Law about the point of lust Now if the fruit of those motions of sin which are by the mistake of the Law be so deadly how must the actings of sin which are against the known Law wilfully committed be much more deadly Among the grains shall I call them or the talent weights that are cast into the scales to make sin weigh exceeding sinful this adds not the least aggravation if it do not indeed the greatest that it was done knowingly and wilfully And therefore in that cousen german sin to this we are speaking of for to me they are clearly distinct the sin against the Holy Ghost the grievousness of it in comparison of sinning against the Son lies not in regard of the persons sinned against as if the Holy Ghost were a nobler person than the Son but in regard of the manner of sinning the Son they knew not in so much humility and so blasphemed him out of ignorance but they saw the apparent evidence of the Holy Ghost in the miracles they saw and yet blasphemed him wilfully This dies the sins of wicked men of so deep a dye above the sins of the Saints of God because those sin with whole propensity of mind these of infirmity and against their wills And I cannot but remember the determination of St. Austin in a point of this nature About chaste Christian matrons and virgins that were ravished by the enemy when he broke into the City he determines well that they were not defiled though they were defiled their minds pure though the body polluted and he concludes Duo fuerunt ast unus adulterium commisit there were two in the action but one of them in the adultery And that here one sinned wilfully the other had no mind to the sin at all This then if there were nothing else doth sufficiently aggravate the grievousness of wilful sinning that it carries the very image and superscription of the sin of the Devil it is as it were flesh and bone of his bone and sin of his sin very Devil of very Devil Does any ask me what was that sin of the Devil It has been conceived by many that it was such a Pride as made him aspire to be equal with God or above him to set his Throne even with God or to unthrone him and to this purpose have those words been applied Esa. XIV 12 13. How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning c. For thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my throne above the stars of God c. I will be like the most High Which words indeed mean only the arrogance and haughtiness of the proud King of Babylon Does any one then ask me what was the sin of the Devil I should answer desperate malicing the honour and happiness of man in which God had placed him and desperate despising and scorning of that charge and command that God had laid upon Angels concerning man that they should attend him and keep him in all his ways And both these desperately wilful for he could sin at no lower rate for he could not sin of ignorance being an Angel and an Angel could have no tempter to sin but himself I shall not go about to define or circumscribe exactly the bounds wherin to conclude wilful sinning I shall not confine this evil spirit with any circle
City officiousness of story must do something more for the Church there Every place almost had had Paul for their Founder it was fit sure the Church at Rome should outvy others as being the nobler place therefore Historical officiousness brings Peter thither also For that Church strove for dignity of place before it did for superiority of Episcopacy And upon this account t is like it was invented that the Minister of Circumcision Peter as well as the Minister of Uncircumcision Paul was brought thither II. Now whencesoever this opinion sprang it was a chief prop for this argument That Rome is called Babylon by John in the Revelations True and good cause but Peter had not so good cause to conceal its name Plin. lib. III. cap. 5. Romae nomen alterum dicere arcanis ceremoniarum nesas habetur It might be too homely to say John was imprudent in concealing the name of Rome under another but rather it had been danger in him to have called it by its name at that time when he spake such things of its Wickedness and of its Judgments it might have indangered himself and the Christian cause to have spoken out what City he meant Rome reigning and raging then as it did Now Peter had no such cause What was there in his Epistle or in himself but he might call Rome Rome when he would speak of it Paul doth and why not Peter He deserved not to be Bishop of Rome if he would not call it Rome Therefore Babylon here is to be properly taken viz. for Babylon in Chaldea And to clear it I shall only use two arguments or demonstrations First Peter was the Minister of Circumcision and what had he to do at Rome the chief City of the Gentiles Paul was there justly but if Peter had been there he would have been in Pauls line Herein he held agreement with Paul II. Gal. 9. He with James and John gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that these should go unto the Heathen and they unto the Circumcision T is true there were some Jews in Rome but they were but an handful in comparison not a fit company to ingage the Minister of the Circumcision to come thither to live and dye there But rather on the Contrary But Babylon was one of the greatest knots of Jews in the world Scan that Prophesie Esa. XIX 23. In that day shall there be an high way out of Egypt to Assyria and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrian In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and Assyria Compare this with this story In Judea were Jews none doubts In Egypt there were no small number of Jews likewise because of Onias his Temple Now Assyria should be as Egypt replenished with Jews Of which Country Babylon was a part And since the ten Tribes and the two had been carried away Captive unto these Countries in former times no doubt there were now no small remainders of them there And then take Peter chief Minister of the Circumcision in Babylon and he is in the midst of the Circumcision Need I shew how there were multitudes of Jews in Babylon that returned not with Ezra Need I tell you that in that Country there were three Jewish Universities Or need I speak how there were ten Tribes scattered in Assyria Then how proper was it for Peter to have been there Secondly The word Bosor in 2 Pet. II. 15. speaks Peter in Babylon What would they think of it to whom he wrote if he wrote from Rome But if from Chaldea it was the Idiom of that Country Bosor was the name of the place whereof Balaam was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Balaam of Bosor But in XXII Numb 5. it is called Pethor Pethor being turned into Bosor by a change of two letters ordinarily done by the Jews in those times their language being now degenerated into Syriac viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew was sounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Syrian And Peter speaking in the Dialect of Babylon it is a fair conjecture he was at Babylon when he spake so I shall not add more every argument that is used to prove Peter was not at Rome is some argument for this that we are upon viz. That he was at Babylon And the Consideration that Peter ended his days at Babylon is very useful if my judgment fail not at the setting out of Ecclesiastical story I only add one thing that if Philostratus or his intelligencer Damis spake true of Apollonius Thyaneus his being at Babylon this calculation of time shews that he was there when Peter was there And I doubt not but if Babylon had been rightly and clearly construed the officiousness of History would have had a story of his contestation with Apollonius as it hath with Simon Magus And so II. We are come to the second thing observable in the words That there was a Church at Babylon I will not insist on the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether it is to be taken for the City or the Country As for the word Church t is not in the original but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Translations generally say Church and I know not what word else could come in unless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dispersion used vers 1. of the Epistle and then there is this parity They to whom he writes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dispersion and the Elected and so are these among whom he is Under these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ecclesia the Dispersion and the Church joyned we may best come to take up the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elected together And here again I shall as I did before make two or three Historical Observations I. That the Jews were scattered before Christ is not so hard to prove as just to be wondred at In which respect there was no Nation like them How they were scattered in the Nations nearest Judea in Scripture it is plain how in all parts of the Eastern Empire of Babylon Media Persia you may read Esth. III. 8. Haman said unto King Ahashuerus There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom meaning the Jewish people How in the Western parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dispersed of the Gentiles Joh. VII 35. is apparent in Scripture likewise and all other Writers In a word all stories speak of Judaei intra Romanum imperium Jews within the Roman Empire even in all places and Dion of Judaei extra Romanum Imperium Jews without the extent of the Roman Empire that assisted against Titus II. As this was an extraordinary thing so there was an extraordinary work of God in it Gods work appears in
not what spirit you are of His meaning was that they understood not what spirit the Disciples of Christ should be of not so fiery but meek charitable and forgiving Did these men think you ever consult Christ and his oracle when they went about to fire Parliament and State and Kingdom Would Christ think you ever have given such counsel and would he have owned such a spirit for the spirit of a true Chistian Certainly they are gone astray from his right way that breath nothing but fire and sword and blood and slaughter I have heard it more then once and again from the Sheriffs that took all the Powder Traitors and brought them up to London that every night when they came to their lodging by the way they had their musick and dancing a good part of the night One would think it strange that men in their case should be so merry And was it think you because God had prevented their shedding so much innocent blood as Divid once rejoyced for such a prevention by the Counsel of Abigail No it was because they were to suffer for such an undertaking accounting they should dye as Martyrs in such a cause Let them dance and make themselves merry with such a fancy I am sure we have cause to rejoyce and to leap for joy because their design was prevented For where had England been had their design taken effect It may make us even to tremble to think where England had been had their design taken effect Blessed be the God of our mercies that hath given us cause only to think of it and that we did not feel it that only shewed us the pit and did not shut us up in it The great Memorandum to Israel was I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of Egypt out of the house of bondage To England it may be I am the Lord thy God which kept thee out of Egypt and from the house of spiritual bondage And our keeping from falling into that servitude was little less if not as much as their delivery out of it A SERMON PREACHED AT ELY Novemb. V. MDCLXXIII 2 TIM III. 8. As Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth IF any one be of that curiosity as to desire to see the picture of incarnate Devils let him look here for the Apostle is charactering such from the beginning of the Chapter hitherto A generation of men as black as Hell and of that linage and kinred An ungodly breed of worthies that like the Devil himself sinned as deeply as they could against God as irrecoverably as they could against themselves and as destructively as they could to others That whereas the Lycaonians said concerning Paul and Barnabas The Gods were come down to them in the likeness of men Paul and Barnabas might very well say concerning these That fiends were come up among men in the same likeness of men From such turn away is the Apostles counsel at the fifth verse of this Chapter which words compare but with those words of another Apostle Resist the Devil and he will flee from you and guess what kind of creatures these were A man may make the Devil flee from him but there is no putting of these to flight but you must flee from them Impudent untractable ones that will by no means be moulded to Religion Reason or Humanity that will never be convinced answered satisfied that there is no way to deal with them but not to deal with them no way to deal with them but to flee from them Their manners the Apostle begins to describe as vers 2. That they were lovers of themselves lovers of money proud boasters blasphâ—mers desobedient c. so he goes on to the 5th verse There he describes their Religion That they had a form of godliness as a Devil in shape of an Angel of light but that they denied the power of it resisted the truth of it and that not in an ordinary manner and degree but as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses So that in the words you have mention of a cursed Copy and a cursed Company that wrote after it The Copy Jannes and Jambres withstanding Moses and the cursed Company that wrote after it those also resist the truth The former obscure who they were and the latter obscurer I. Of Jannes and Jambres you have no more mention by name in all the Scripture For Moses himself nameth no such men though the Apostle say They were the men that did resist him And the Apostle gives no other signification of them but only that they resisted Moses Who then were they and whence had the Apostle their names From the common received opinion and agreement of the Jewish Nation that currently asserted that the Magicians of Egypt was called by these names So their own Authors tell us in their Babylonian Talmud in the Treatise Menacoth Aruncha Talmudical Lexicon in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Chaldee Paraph. of Jonathan upon Exod. I. to omit more So that the Apostle takes up these two names neither by revelation as certainly asserting that the Sorcerers of Egypt were of these names but as he found the names commonly received by the Jewish Nation so he useth them Such a passage is that of the Apostle Jude about Michael contending with the Devil about the body of Moses which he neither speaketh by inspiration nor by way of certain assertion but only citing a common opinion and conceit of the Nation he takes an argument from their own Authors and concessions The observation of such a thing as this is useful upon general places of the New Testament which is more worth discoursing upon â—â— it suited with the time and pâ—ace Thus have we intâ—lligencâ— who Jannes and Jambres werâ— the Sorcerers or Magicians of Egypt that withstood Moseâ— helped to haâ—â—en Pharâ—â—h â—eceived the people with lying wonders affronted the real miracles of God and opposed the deliverance of Israel Wretches that one would think they should never find their matches and yet the Apostle hath found mates for them For where was there ever copy of villany set but some or other was found that hath written after it Even the crucifying of the Lord of glory when it cannot be done literally because he is not here again to be crucified yet there are but too many that in our sense crucifie the Lord of â—lâ—ry Heb. VI. 6. And if he had been again upon Earth do you not think he would have been crucified again before this II. Who these are whom the Apostle compares with Jannes and Jambres is harder to find than to find who Jannes and Jambres were For the mark whereby the Apostle would discover them seems rather to cloud than to clear their discovery viz. the circumstance of the time wherein they lived which he calls the last days vers 1. This know that in the last days shall perilous times come So 2 Pet. III. 3. In the last days
be taken for a Jacob yet she must give leave to standers by to take her for Esau when her hands and neck and other parts be as rough as his Set her and this mystery of iniquity we have been speaking of together and can you know them asunder Though I am not perswaded the Apostle speaks of Rome in 2 Thes. II. but of these first Apostate Christians yet comes not Rome an inch behind what is charactered there I. Both of them Apostatized from the truth she as well as those in the Text before us It s very true Rome had once been a famous Church whose Faith was renowned through the whole World as the Apostle intimates once and again in his Epistle thither But as the Historian Quaeres Samnium You may seek for Samnium where Samnium was and not find it so may you seek for such a Church there where once such a Church was and be far enough from finding it Corruptio optimi The corruption of that best Church that then was is become the worst corruption And if you would find either truth or a right Church there you do but look for the living among the dead They brag of their incorruption and that their Doctrine and Worship hath descended pure all along and that that Church hath not been tainted from its first foundation by Peter and Paul So the Jews of old cried The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord when they had made it a den of thieves You can hardly perswade me but some taint was got into that Church in the time of Peter I do not say for I am assured he never was there but even before Paul came there and while he was there and sure he must be of a large faith that can believe she hath kept pure so many hundred years together above a thousand When I read that Rom. XVI 17. I beseech you brethren mark those that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine ye have learned and avoid them For they serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly I cannot but strongly suspect that there were some such wretched ones as these we have been speaking of then tampering in the Church of Rome and it was well if she received no taint from them hardly any Church in the World but did And when I read that Philip I. 16. Some preach Christ of envy and contention not purely thinking to add affliction to my bonds I cannot but suspect that that was in Rome it self where the Apostle then lay prisoner And that then the quarrel I am of Paul I am of Cephas or Peter was set afoot in the Church of Rome as it was in the Church of Corinth How ever I believe that that Star that fell from Heaven to whom was given the key of the bottomless Pit and he opened the Pit and let out horrid smoke and so horrid Locust Rev. IX beginning is most truly understood by our Protestant Divines of the Bishop of Rome or the Papacy For a Star in the Revelation-language is a Doctor or Minister of the Church and falling from Heaven is falling from the Truth and the true Church II. As the Apostasie of the men in the Text and in the Apostles description in this Chapter and elsewhere was into the two contraries strictness in outward ceremony and looseness of life and conversation he that knows not the like in the Papacy is little acquainted with their story As great strictness injoyned in the one and as great loosness permitted in the other in that Church as that the Jews themselves were not more strict in the one nor the Heathens themselves more loose in the other Like Solomons Temple windows if it were fit to compare so noble a thing with so base narrow without and broad within strict in outward formality loose in inward conversation III. As these in the Text resist the Truth so that the Papacy doth none that is a child or disciple of the Truth but he knows with grief and can they of the Papacy but know it themselves How many witnesses of this matter have been in every corner of the World especiall in those where the truth or purity of the Gospel hath appeared Were you to name the greatest contrariety to the truth of the Gospel that you could name could you name any thing so directly contrary as Popery The smoke out of the bottomless pit that is as contrary to the purity of the light as what can be most contrary I should but do what is done again and again in large and numerous volumes if I should go about to prove and evidence this to you viz. That the Papacy is the great resister of the Truth and Gospel and the great contrariety to the purity of the Gospel There are two things that speak it out though all Protestants hold their peace And those are 1. Their corruption of the Scriptures and the Fathers As the messengers for Micaiah would have corrupted him to speak as the false Prophets did so do these by the Scriptures and Fathers to make them speak according to their own mind Their Index expurgatorius shews that they are void of all shame in this point as well as void of all conscience And crueller then the Gileadites that slew so many for saying Sibboleth these make those say Sibboleth whether they will or no that they may destroy the Truth that they once spoke out 2. The bitter and bloody persecution that the Church of Rome hath ever used against the true profession of the Gospel is a testimony written in blood how incomparable a resister of the Truth the Papacy is And had Christ been at Rome any time for those many and many years he had tasted of their kindness that way It is compounded of such principles that the Truth and it cannot live together but it cannot but seek to destroy the Truth The very temper of the Devil himself who not only strives to destroy the Gospel but cannot do it with all his endeavour Aut tu illum aut ille vi He must either destroy it or it will destroy him What resistance the Papacy practiseth against the Truth by persecution I suppose it needless to speak of unto any that hath heard of the bloody days of Queen Mary the Massacre in France and the Powder Treason in England that you need go no further for instance And blessed be the Lord for that we have these testimonies only to our ears and have not seen Popish resistance of the Truth by persecution with our eyes The Lord grant that England never see it Thus have we briefly taken some view of the mystery of iniquity hinted in the Text and verse whence it is taken Men of corrupt minds reprobated concerning the faith resisting the truth as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses Now how large a discourse might we take up of the mysterious dispensation of God in permitting his most sacred Truth to be so affronted and resisted His
strength is firm But vers 19. How are they brought into desolation as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors So God tells Pharaoh I have preserved thee alive that I might make my power known in thee II. Sometimes Gods forbearance to cut off the wicked is for their punishment not only when he strikes them with horror as he did Lamech but when they prosper Let Ephraim alone was Ephraim's punishment The Uses of this Discourse might be these 1. To Examine while we live and prosper whether it be for our punishment 2. To be jealous of an untroubled condition 3. This may teach with more patience and chearfulness to bear the Cross. For as Gods suffering men to succeed and prosper is sometimes a judgment a token of his displeasure so afflictions and troubles may be signs of his care and good will 4. Not to envy the prosperity of the wicked 5. To labour so to live as to be able to give a comfortable account of long life and age A SERMON PREACHED upon EXODUS XX. 5. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me THE first Commandment with threatning as Paul saith the first of the second Table was the first with promise Ephes. VI. And the threatning is most properly affixed to the Command against Idolatry Because God hath a special enmity and quarrel against Idolatry as one of the greatest derogations to his honour that can be in the World Observe in the Prophets the great complaint against the people is for Idolatry and unrighteousness The former the great injury done to God the later to Men the former the height of Impiety the later of Uncharitableness When man is bound to love his neighbour as himself to shew him mercy to be helpful to him and useful to him in all ways of charity how high an iniquity is it to defraud undermine oppress and deal injuriously with him And when bound to worship God alone as the great dreadful and glorious Creator of Heaven and Earth and all things in them how abominable a wickedness is it to give this honour to a piece of wood a stock or stone of our own framing How God detests this he hath uttered abundantly in Scripture partly by proclaiming Idols to be abominable to him Deut. VII 25. and XXVII 15. And by giving them names of the greatest abomination Vanities 1 King XVI 26. Jer. XIV 22. Lyes Esa. XLIV 20. Jer. X. 14. And so is that to be understood Rev. XXII 15. Without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Jonah putteth both the names together Jonah II. 8. They that observe lying vanities Nay the very name of abomination it self is given them 1 King XI 7. Nay the very name of Devils is given them Deut. XXXII 17. 1 Cor. X. 20. And as thus in his word he hath shewed his detestation against Idols and Idolatry so hath he also in his providence by those fearful judgments that he hath shewed against them that have been Idolatrous Witness Jeroboam and his house Ahab and his rooted out and devoured by this deadly canker themselves and their posterity undone according to the threatning here Visiting the sins of the Fathers upon the children It were a wonder and thing of amazement that the Church of Rome should ever be so zealous for Images were it not that there is something more behind the curtains than is seen They distinguish betwixt an Image and an Idol and say They worship not the Image but before it only for a memorandum But to omit the vanity of such a distinction which hath been abundantly confuted by our Divines where is their care of that rule of the Apostle To avoid all appearance of evil Certainly if there be not the appearance of Idolatry in worshipping before an Image what call you the appearance of Idolatry The Heathen persecutors of old thought their turn served if they could bring Christians to cast a little incense into the fire before an Idol Here the Christians might have pleaded it was not in worship to Idols but to please their Masters but they saw in it so much appearance of Idolatry that they gave up their lives rather than to consent to such an appearance of evil But that that is behind the curtains with the Papists is covetousness and gain of mony And if it were not that I make no question but they would be fâ—r cooler in pleading for their Images than they are It is upon very good reason that the Apostle calls Covetousness Idolatry for it is not only making mony our God but it is the very Father and Mother of Idolatry This is it that hath made these men so bold with adoring of Images so bold as to take away this Commandment against Idolatry out of the Ten though a Command so needful so dreadful and that hath so terrible a threatning with it For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God A Command that one might wonder at but that you can never enough wonder at the wickedness of mens hearts First One would wonder that ever such a Command should need Thou shalt not worship a stock or stone nor make that thy God which thine own hands have made Reason and light of nature and common sense one would think should so cry this down to men that have their wits about them that there might not any such Command from God be needful You may see how the Spirit of God does stand as it were wondring at the sottishness of those that make and worship Idols in Esa. Chap. XL. and three or four Chapters forward And did you see a Heathen or do you see a Papist worshipping and bowing down to the stock of a tree as he calls it there whether have you more cause to mourn to see God so dishonoured or to think what a stock and stupid thing sinful man is become to pray to or trust in a piece of wood or stone Secondly One might wonder that such a Law given should be so broken A Law so easie to keep and in so sensless a thing to break it Of all sins what easier to avoid than falling down to the stock of a tree And yet how were men infatuated with it as the Heathen and Israel were continually Who would have thought that Israel having seen the wonders in Egypt and the glory of God at Sinai should ever especially so suddenly have worshipped a golden Calf and said These are thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt What monstruous madness and senslesness is there in this Idolatry That 1. Whereas God made man for man to think that he can make a God 2. Man that can see and hear and speak and stir to think that his help should lye in that that can neither see nor hear nor speak nor
Temple at Jerusalem wanted the Divine Presence the Ark the Cherubims the Urim and Thummim and the Spirit of Prophesie 541 Temptation the method the Devil used in tempting Christ. 129 130 Ten the Nation of the Jews delighted mightily in the number Ten. 246 Ten Tribes they were placed in Assyria and Babilon p. 800 801. The Seats Cities and Countries of the Ten Tribes were well known to the Talmudists and much more so in the times of the Apostles 801. Tera Abraham's Father his place of Residence Religion and time of Death wrong computed by the Rabbins 666 Testament the New Testament revealeth the Old it requires Study to unfold it rather than Revelation and why p. 1034 The New Testament Phrases and Passages the surest and safest way to understand them is not by framing a sense of out own which we think fair and probable but by observing how they were understood by them to whom they were uttered Page 1041 1042 Testimony or Witness was of three sorts Vain Standing and of the words of them that agreed 335 337 Text of Scripture usually varied or inverted by the Reader or Preacher in the Pulpit or Schools among the Jews with the reason thereof p. 673. When read to them that understood not the Language it was interpreted into the Mother Tongue 688 689 Thamna three of the Name 373 Thanks before meat the manner of it 23 Thessalonians the first Epistle to them was Writ the first of all the Epistles 1145 Theives of Israel were esteemed by the Jewish Doctors to be the People of God so not punished 612 Thousand years the opinion of the Millinaries concerning it refuted by shewing that the Thousand years which they expect are already expired p. 1056 1057 1171 1172. The Jews themselves expected that the Messias should raign amongst them a Thousand years 1057 Threatnings of God some are like Thunderclaps 1295 Three years and an half often made use of to express things affective and sorrowful 513 Throne of Christ put for his judgment in his entrance upon his Evangelical Government 220 Tiberias a fortified City from the days of Joshua then called Rakkath p. 67. The situation of Tiberias is ill placed in the Maps p. 67 68. The Rabbins of Tiberias what p. 73 74. Tiberias very delightfully seated built in honour to Tiberius the Emperor after some time it became the chief City of the Land of Israel p. 72. Talmudick Mishna and the Jerusalem Talmud was written there 72 73 Times and affairs of Men how God knows and dates them 1250 c. Timnath three of the Name 373 Tisri was ennobled before Christs time by many excellent things done in it p. 107. This Month is drawn down from its beginning to the Feast of Tabernacles 554 555 Tongue Mother Tongue when the Text of Scripture was read to them that understood not the Language it was interpreted into the Mother Tongue 688 689 Tongues the Gift of them was general upon all the Disciples p. 643. The Holy Ghost in his extraordinary Gifts and Tongues could only be communicated by the Apostles p. 678. Tongues and speaking with Tongues what is meant thereby p. 1157. Tongues was one of the two extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit 1157 Towns were fortified places p. 87. Towns Cities and Villages distinguished 333 334 Trachon or Trachonitis what and where 81 82 364 Tradition managed all among the Scribes and Pharisees even all the common things of Seedtime Harvest and Vintage 87 88 Traditions were valued by the Jews above the Word of God p. 199 They were valued above Miracles p. 345. They were as much esteemed and desired by the Jews when they returned from their captivity as Idolatry was before p. 1113. They were more destructive to the Jews than Idolatry was p. 1113. How they deceived the Jews to their own destruction p. 1193 1194. The Traditions of Rome and of Old Jerusalem of what simeâ—ry or likeness and effect they are 1200 Traditionarians refer the first conception of their Traditions to the times of Ezra 124 Transmigration or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Souls also their Pre-existence were the opinion of the Jews 569 Transubstantiation not believed how punished 117â— Treasury called Corban what p. 299. Where it was 301 Tree in Paradise which was forbidden to Adam what 382 Tribes the Ten Tribes were placed in Asyria and Babilon p. 800 801. The Seats Cities and Countries of the Ten Tribes were well known to the Talmudists and much more so in the times of the Apostles p. 801. Two of the Jewish Tribes were dispersed before our Saviours time and the other Ten not the reason of this Page 1145 Tribute money what two things perswade that it was the half Shekel paid yearly in the Temple 211 212 Tribute God requires some Tribute of Men for their preservation 1208 Trinity the Doctrine of it by degrees grew up to a full maturity p. 275. The Trinity proved from the Scripture p. 1128. This Doctrine was intimated by the Holy Ghost in expressing the most great Actions in Scripture 1128 Truma how the Galileans and Jews differed about it 78 Trumpet whether a Trumpet was sounded when the Jews did their Alms 154 155 Truth why the Gospel is so called p. 1187. Who are the great resisters of it p. 1189. Why God permits wicked Men to resist the Truth p. 1190. The cause of Ignorance and Error is because Men will not know and imbrace the Truth p. 1286 1287. Truth is to be laboured after and kept p. 1287. How to know it among the various Opinions that are abroad 1287 Tsok a Rock twelve miles from Jerusalem 50 Twilight distinguished among the Rabbins into four Parts which will easily reconcile the four Phrases of the Four Evangelists about the Resurrection of Christ. 359 Tyre was the Name of diverse Towns because built in rocky places 80 Tyths the Priests and Levites always lived upon Tyths when they Studied in the Universities Preached in the Synagogues and attended on the Temple Service p. 86. Out of what Tyths were paid 235 Tything of Lambs how performed by the Jews 575 V. U The Syriack Tongue affects the letter U in the first Syllable of Words Page 694 Vail with which Women Christian Women were covered was not for a sign of subjection to their Husbands 771 772 773 Vailing or covering the head why used by the Jews in Prayers and Fasts c. 769 770 771 Valley of Crafts-Men what p. 325. Of Hinnon used Historically in the Old Testament metaphorically in the New it was the common sink of Jerusalem there was a constant fire to burn up the bones and filth of the City p. 38. Valley of Jehosophat what p. 39. Valley of Rimmon what 52 Vanity the Gentile World was subject to vanity of mind 708 Veil of the Temple what 268 269 Vengeance The day of Vengeance put for Christ's coming with vengeance to judge the Jewish Nation six differing ways of expressing it 346 Venus Bath of Venus in Aecon 60 Version the Jews
Sons who either have been or now are an honour and an ornament to thee But I am deeply sensible how void of Learning how ignorant how nothing I am I most freely confess and lament it and so he goes on in an elegant strain of Rhetorick to undervalue himself And subscribes himself Indignissimus Hominum The most unworthy of Men. Oh! how becoming was so great Learning vailed under so much modesty And in another Epistle to the Reader That you may see this was not a single transient fit of humility but his constant tenour he styles himself The least of Men and of capacities who am nothing and less than nothing in comparison of many thousands And again Heu quam ego cum Doctos cogito in oculis meis non sordesco solum sed nihilesco And lastly in respect of his published labours this is the sense he had of them and of their Author Being most ready ever to submit to others and to acknowledge mine own infirmities and owning nothing in my self but sin weaknesses and strong desires to serve the Publick As he writes in the conclusion of his Epistle before the second Part of the Harmony And this humble Spirit methinks I have well reserved to the conclusion of my Discourse upon our Doctor being the very Crown of all his other Virtues and accomplishments And in this he had outstripped his Masters Master I mean Mr. Hugh Broughton a Man greatly Learned but as greatly conceited impatient of contradiction and apt to despise others which qualities our Doctor never knew XVI Some Apology for our Author and the Conclusion HAving said all this I know nothing else needful to be done but to dispel some mists that may darken his Name and to leave Dr. Lightfoots memory as fair and unblemisht as may be to posterity and so we will gently draw the curtains about his Hearse and take our leave of the Reader and him at once I plainly see there are two things that some will be apt to charge upon him The one is certain peculiar Opinions that he espoused and the other that he seemed to be too much carried away with the late Evil Times I do not pretend wholly to excuse and justifie him in these things but only to lessen and mollisie the charge Consider then that he was but a Man and so subject to humane slips and frailties as well as others and that even such who have enjoyed the greatest fame either for Learning or Goodness have for the most part had some abatement in their Coat of Arms. Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura And those great endowments that were in him and that eminent service he did the Church and Common-wealth of Learning may justly merit his pardon for any faults which either his ignorance or infirmity betrayed him into As for his peculiar Opinions such as the utter and everlasting Rejection of the Jews his different judgment about the four Monarchies his interpretation of some things in the Revelations and some others that may be observed in his Writings and in his Disputes in the Assembly of Divines there is this that may be apologized for them that if they were not true yet they were innocent such as made no breach either upon the Churches Peace or the Analogy of Faith two things that he was ever most tender of Innocua ut spero proponens semper Propounding I hope such things as are always harmless As he speaks in his Epistle before the Horae upon S. John And before another I hope it will not give offence upon this account that if I am mistaken I mistake only in Historical matters as most things are that create difficulty here viz. The Epistle to the Corinthians where there is no fear of infringing the Analogy of Faith or the Doctrine of the Church And so long as these are preserved safe it seems allowable especially for learned Men offering fair probabilities to abound in their own sense He was indeed a Member of the Assembly of Divines and long after that I think one of those who at the beginning of the Kings joyful Return were appointed to confer with the Episcopal Divines at the Savoy whereby it appears that he bended sometime towards Puritanism It was indeed his unhappiness as well as of many other pious well meaning Men to live in those times of Temptation whereinto if they fell it was because they were not Politicians enough to see the bad consequences of those smooth and fair pretences I may plead for him that it was his credulity not his malice or any evil design that made him err He was carried away with their Dissimulation and there was an Apostle once was so and that the more easily being a Man of an innocent and unsuspicious nature especially when such goodly things as Religion and Reformation were so much boasted And I make no doubt he afterwards was convinced how he had been trepanned and saw his error as appeared sufficiently by his ready compliance with the Laws and orders of the established Church upon the happy Restauration and encouraging his Sons also to the same who were both conformable men of the Clergy He never was a Bigot or a busie officious Man always rather Passive than Active unless in the Assembly And then generally those matters wherein he stirred were such points as in which the very Locks of the Presbyterians strength lay which he for the most part opposed And certainly when we consider how he thwarted their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their chief principles arguing against Lay Elders standing for general admittance to the Sacrament for Forms of Prayers and many such like the Presbyterians could never reckon him truly theirs and I am apt to think they wished him more than once out of their Assembly Indeed he was then rather a Man at large by himself that followed his own Studies than followed any party of Men and promoted true goodness as far as in him lay In those times he particularly made these three or four things his main Drift viz. To beat down Enthusiasm which he plainly saw tended to the enervating the Authority of the Holy Scriptures To maintain the honour of Learning and a Regular Clergy and to shew the necessity of keeping up publick Communion with the National Church whereby unquestionably he did excellent service to the Church in those evil days He had an excellent faculty in resting out of the Hands of Shismaticks those weapons that they most confided in For this I might shew his way of dealing with Enthusiasts Anabaptists c. But I will instance only in those that would justifie their separation from the word Saints in Scripture supposing that thereby were meant persons truly and inwardly Holy The ignorance of the latitude of this word was then the cause of many bitter contentions and wild opinions nay and of no small danger to all that were not Saints in their account To this purpose he speaks in a Latine Sermon preached at Ely
at an Episcopal Visitation held there by the Right Reverend Father in God Benjamin late Lord Bishop of Ely Nec periculosius aut terribilius sonâ—it olim Shibboleth Gileaditarum c. That the Shibboleth of the Gileadites antiently sounded not more dangerously than the Title of Saints of late Whereas as he shews in that Sermon and used to urge in the late times That by Saints is meant nothing but Christians in opposition to Heathens or Unbelievers And that the Apostle in that phrase speaks with the common notion of the Jewish Nation to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Holiness signifies no more than Within the Profession of the Jewish Religion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not in Holiness signifies as much as In Heathenism But it is time to make an end though I am sensible all that hath been said is far short of what might have been concerning a Man of his Figure in the Learned World and what should if further accounts of him had come to hand from such his Learned friends and acquaintance as could or would have imparted them But what hath been written is sufficient to give a Draught of him Which however defective it may be it hath this advantage that it is a true one these notices being taken partly from such Persons who well knew him or were related to him and partly collected out of his Printed Epistles but chiefly out of abundance of other Letters loose Papers Note-books and other M S S. in my hands Which course is now become the most fashionable as it is indeed the best way of writing Historical matters Epistolaris Historia est optima Historia as Cardinal Baronius used to say I have had no temptation to write any thing favore aut odio having no other aim in this undertaking but to represent our Author fairly and truly to such as shall be disposed to read him or know him And I chose to digest it in this method as most proper for it being a hasty Rapsody of remainders of things worthy to be remembred concerning this excellent Man and which were omitted in the Account of his Life The method I know is not so correct and exact as it might have been and as it should if more time and leisure had been allowed If any would know our Author better let him have recourse unto his Books there he shall have Doctor Lightfoot speaking for himself and giving his own Character in every Page there he may read and see Learning Diligence Accuracy Candor Humility a love of Peace and an earnest scrutiny after Truth and a great Zeal for God and Religion shining every where And now upon the whole shall we retire from reading this long Relation without reaping any benefit thereby further than to have heard some news Then we have in effect but lost our time Great Examples are great arguments to provoke to imitation If we desire the Esteem he had left behind him among good Men let us take the course he did and try to arrive at his Virtue and Learning and if we would attain to that let use his tools I mean Industry Study Constancy and especially Modesty and a sense of our own Ignorance Without which last if any one hath attained to any considerable degree of knowledge thousands have failed thereof for the want of it This was Seneca's judgment Puto multos potuisse ad Sapientiam pervenire nisi putassent se pervenisse That many might have arrived to Wisdom had they not vainly thought that they had already done it Finally if we are any thing our selves or have any advantages communicated to us from the gifts and endowments of others as all is ultimately to be resolved into the grace and goodness of God so let us not forget to give him all the Praise and Glory I. STRYPE Ad Autorem ETsi jam tristem glacies incarcerat annum Excidit rigida penna caduca manu Ipse licet stupeat concretus pyxidis humor Durus in nigras perneget ire notas Immo etiam resoluta focis prodire tremiscit Pallens conspecta lacryma nigra nive Quamvis Musarum stagnent in marmora fontes Fluminis obliti vena nec ulla fluat Attamen huic dextrae veteri ne desit amico Quod negat undarum vena dabit silicis Gratulor ergo tibi Lightfoote volumine justo Quod libros donet postuma cura tuos Nam quasi praesentem nunâ— te compellat amice Musa memor palpi suspicione procul Tu Rabbinorum percurris singula sordes Edoctus planta transiliisse levi Dumque tuas longis redimis de noctibus Horas Concinnas nobis ex Oriente diem Abstulerat quondam Legis gens invida clavem ac In Talmude suo postea condiderat Hanc tu ruspando reperisti hac plurima pandis Et reseras nobis quae latuere diu Sic clavam Alcidae extorques ensemque Goliae Cum spoliis Phariis das modo sacra Deo Sic olim Paulus quam scripsit Epistola cunctas Exhibuit nobis Gamalielis opes W. D. IOHANNES LIGHT FOOT S. T. P. Agro Staffordiensi oriundus Ecclesiae Magnae Mundoniae in agro Hertfordiensi Rector Aulae S. Catharinae apud Cantabrigienses Praefectus Et Eliensis Canonicus Eruditione omnifaria praesertim Orientali Instructissimus Qui Thalmudicam doctrinam miro judicii acumine tractavit Et Rabbinicae literaturae venam exhibuit Quod rarum sine scoriis S. Scripturis obscurioribus lucem dedit confusis harmoniam In Chronologiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eruendis Conjector felicissimus Et Hebraicae veritatis Vindex strenuus Intimus Templi Hierosolymitani Mystes Qui secretiora adyta penetravit sacra ordinavit Atria mensus est Calamo vere Angelico Terram Canaaniticam Injuria temporis magna parte deperditam Face requirens Thalmudica Sibi ipsi Orbi restituit Qui bonas literas optimis ornavit moribus Suavitate singulari candore summo humilitate eximia Amicis maximum reliquit sui desiderium Omnibus exemplum Senectute vegeta Studendo scribendo concionando lubenter impensa Deposuit tandem quicquid erat mortale Horis vero Hebraice Talmudice impensis Nomen suum reliquit Aeternitati Sacrum Whereas at the beginning of the Indexes of this Volume there are inserted several Errors escaped in the same Here follow some others since observed upon review thereof what more the Judicious Reader shall meet with he is desired courteously to correct with his Pen. ERRATA'S In the Life and Appendix PAge IX line 10. read Lodice p. XIX l. 1. r. all p. XXII l. 37. r. Knorr p. XXVI l. 1. r. Turretinus Ibid. l. 36. r. And as one p. XXIX l. 12. r. Master and Patron p. XXX l. 2. r. We now commemorate Ibid. l. 12. r. My self I should p. XXXVII l. 19. r. Let us In the first Volume PAge 21. for § 14. read 24. p. 46. for 400 Men r. 600. p. 37. for Syris r. Syria p. 369. for Mugdala r. Magdala p. 453. l.