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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91415	The Jewes synagogue: or, A treatise concerning the ancient orders and manner of worship used by the Jewes in their synagogue-assemblies. Gathered out of the sacred scriptures, the Jewish Rabines, and such modern authors, which have been most conversant in the study of Jewish customes. Wherein, by comparing the scriptures in the Old and New Testament together, many truths are fully opened, and sundry controversies about church-government truly and plainly stated. By William Pinchion of Springfeild [sic] in N. England.	Pynchon, William, 1590-1662.	1652 (1652)	Wing P4309; Thomason E802_4; ESTC R207368	80,705	99

Typified all the outward Professors of the Faith in all Nations as well as the inward Professors of the Faith all the world over In this outward Temple or Church Antichrist did set up the throne of his Dominion to rule them and govern them after his own will by his own Laws and Decrees Secondly What other Church was it which Paul did persecute but the universall visible Church of Christ He saith that in times past he did persecute the Church of God and wasted it he is not said to persecute any one particular Church but he persecuted the Church of God in general not in Iudea onely but in other strange Conntries and Cities also that is to say he persecuted divers Godly persons that believed in Christ and which as yet continued in several Synagogues in several Countries Acts 22. 19. 26. 11. All these visible Professors of the Faith in several Synagogues and in several Countries the Apostle calls them all together The Church of God in the singular number Gal. 1. 13. Phil. 3. 6. Though they were not personally united into one particular visible Church yet they were united together by the same Faith into one universal visible Church The Jerusalem from Heaven 3. What other Church was it whereof Paul was made a Minister that he might preach unto the Heathen the unsearchable riches and mysteries of Christ that the Church might know the manifold wisdom of God Eph. 3. 8. 10. verse 21. He desires that praise may be given for it in the Church through all Generations for ever But Paul was not made a Minister to any one particular Church but to the Church of Christ in General 4. Paul tells the Corinthians that God had ordained in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets c. For what particular Church did God ordain these Officers surely not for any particular Church therefore they were ordained for the good of the general visible Church dispersed over all the world where ever a doore of entrance was opened to them and when Christ gave them a new Commission to preach the Gospel at his Ascention he did not send them to any particular Church but appointed them to preach the Gospel to all Nations in the world 5. Christ made a promise unto Iacob That he should grow into a Church of Nations Gen. 28. 3. Gen. 35. 15. 48. 4. This Church of Nations must be understood of an universal visible Church dispersed into all nations as well as of the invisible Church as I noted in the first mark of an universall visible Church The universal visible Church doth include the Elect among others that hope to go to Heaven as well as they by their outward Profession Therefore all outward Professors of the Faith may be well called the Children of Iacob because they profess the Faith of Iacob and because they are begotten to this Faith by the children of Iacob For the twelve Apostles and the seventy Disciples were of Iacobs loyns They begate other Preachers who begate many children unto the Faith of Iacob Therefore all these professors of the Faith may well be called the children of Iacob Galathians 6. 16. And thus Iacob did grow into a Church of Nations The Hebrew Doctors say That God did not onely ordain the twelve Tribes to make one National Church but they say also That every Tribe was a Church by it self as I have formerly noted It is written in 2 Chron. 20. 5. that Iehosaphat in the Church of Iudah Here the Tribe of Iudah is called a Church And so it is again in verse 24. and in 2 Chron. 30. 25. Therefore say the Hebrew Doctors When the Church brought a Bullock for a sinne-offering as it was commanded in Leviticus 4. 14. The Elders of the Sanhedrin brought twelve Bullocks for twelve Churches because every Tribe made a Church by it self Vide Ainsworth in Leviticus 4. 14. and Numbers 15. 34. And it seems to me that every Tribe made such a kind of Church by it self as a Christian Nation is For I apprehend that a Christian Nation may be called a Church as well as a Tribe by it self may Scholar How can such visible National Professors be called a Church or be called the Kingdom of Heaven seeing most outward Professors are but Hypocrites Teacher It is true most outward Professors are but Hypocrites yet these together with some Godly among them may well be called The Church of Christ and by the noblest part they may well be called The Kingdom of Heaven because their profession is of an Heavenly calling And so that place must be understood in Matthew 13. 19. 41. 42. 44. 47. and Matthew 8. 12. Apoc. 8. 10. and 10. 1. and 12. 14. And for the outward Covenant sake he doth outwardly own them rule them govern them as his Church and People and if any do wrong them he doth revenge their cause Therefore all visible Churches have great priviledges Scholar Very learned men do think that none ought to be admitted into a particular visible Church as a Member thereof until the same Church shall judge them to have true grace in their souls by trying and examining the marks of their effectual conversion for they do not hold it lawfull to receive any one that is an Hypocrite into a particular visible Church Teacher If none ought to be admitted into a particular visible Who are to be accounted as fit persons to be admitted as members of a particular visible Church Church until they manifest the Truth of Grace in their souls then doubtless Christ hath given infallible rules whereby the Church may discern aright of the Truth of their Grace and distinguish it from close hypocrisie But I must confess that I am to seek where to find those rules For though the Scriptures have perfect rules in general yet when these rules come to be applied to particular persons then am I to seek for certainty of judgement I conceive it is one of the royal Prerogatives of the Lord Jesus to know what particular persons have the truth of Grace in their Souls Questionless all such are the most fit persons that are to be joyned as Members of particular Churches But yet if there be any other that do call upon the Name of the Lord and depart from iniquity our Lord Jesus Christ would have us to esteem them also as fit matter for a particular visible Church until by their scandalous walking they deserve to be excommunicated I will no more speak of this because divers godly learned have dealt in the Argument to very good purpose Yet this I would say let Churches both Teachers and Members be careful that they be not too censorious and pragmatical lest they turn men upon the stumbling blocks of Anabaptistry c. CHAP. III. That Schools of Learning were at the first erected by Jesus Christ for the breeding of a Succession of able Men for Pastors Teachers Elders Iudges c. to the end of the world

THE JEWES Synagogue OR A TREATISE CONCERNING The ancient Orders and manner of Worship used by the JEWES in their SYNAGOGVE-ASSEMBLIES Gathered out of the Sacred SCRIPTURES the Jewish Rabines and such Modern Authors which have been most conversant in the study of Jewish Customes WHEREIN By comparing the SCRIPTURES in the Old and New Testament together many truths are fully opened and sundry Controversies about Church-Government truly and plainly stated By William Pinchion of Springfeild in N. England LONDON Printed for John Bellamie and are to be sold at his shop at the three golden Lions in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1652. To the Christian Readers of great BRITANY CHristian Reader all the Authors that I have read about the discipline of the Iews Synagogues have mixed many of the Jewes late superstitious practices among some of their ancient approved practices and because they have not distinguished the one from the other they have rather confounded the Reader than given him any distinct aime how to judge of their Synagogue-orders and whether they were ever any particular Churches of Jesus Christ Nay many learned have concluded that they never were ordained for any true Churches of Christ And therefore they have slighted all their discipline-practices as nothing exemplary to the government of the particular Churches of Iesus Christ at this day But my apprehensions are otherwise for I conceive that Iesus Christ did originally ordain them as true particular visible Churches Therefore I thought it necessary to search out as well as I could their Synagogue-worship together with some of their ancient Discipline-practices and herein I have endeavoured to avoid their late superstitious observations which they have added from their own brains in the time of their Apostasie This labour I thought necessary to communicate to the godly for the better searching into the fundamental grounds of Church-Discipline If any thing I have alledged be profitable to thy understanding let God have the glory in the wise improvement thereof for the peace and comfort of all the Churches of Iesus Christ Amen A Table of some chiefe Heads Chap. 1. That the Jewes Synagogue-Assemblies were true visible Churches of Jesus Christ 1 THe Jewes Synagogues were particular Churches of Jesus Christ pag. 1. 2 Their nationall Church-worship was not sufficient of it self to preserve the truth of Religion among them But their Synagogue-worship was sufficient without their nationall worship both when they lived in the wildernesse and when they lived in Heathen Countries p. 9 3 The antiquity of Synagogues in heathen countries p. 12 4 The provident care of Jesus Christ for the speedy spreading of particular Christian Churches into all parts of the world doth mightily appeare by his dispersing the Jewes into sundry heathen countries to build Synagogues and to get Assemblies before hand fit for the Apostles and Disciples of Christ to preach to 12 5 The Christians that were first converted by the Apostles in the Iewes Synagogue did not presently separate themselves from the Iewes Synagogues to make particular Churches by themselves untill the Synagogues did first persecute them for their faith in Christ crucified 15 6 Iesus Christ did ordain that the place of his particular Church-meetings should be conveniently seated in some convenient distance from every ones dwelling 16 7 If ten men of Israel did live remote from any synagogue they must prepare a new synagogue nigh and fit for their dwellings 17 8 That kinde of worship which Christ ordained to be used in their synagogue-assemblies was prayer and preaching without any leviticall ceremony 18 9 They used to keep weekly Lectures in their synagogues 21 10 How the Iewes received Heathens to be members of their Nationall Church and of their particular synagogue also 21 11 The Iudges of their Sanhedrims were the Elders of their nationall Church 22 12 In their synogogues they observed dayes of publick fasting upon occasion of any distresse that was upon them 24 13 How the blessing was pronounced in the synagogue after the Lecture of the Law was ended 25 14 No Leviticall worship was lawfull to be used in their synagogues 25 15 What officers the Iewes had in their synagogues 26 16 Why they called the Pastor of their synagogue Zeliah Zibbur 26 17 In the Heathen countries when the Hebrew tongue was lost from the common use then Zeliach Zibbur did read his text in the Hebrew tongue but afterwards he did expound it in the common Dialect of that nation where they lived 27 18 The Pastors of their synagogues were not Levites but they were chosen out of any tribe 28 19 The manner how the Elders of the Sanhedrim made Doctors at large 92 20 This phrase Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven is a Talmud phrase 29 21 The Discipline which Christ ordained for the government of the Iewish synagogue is recorded in fragments by Maymony and the two Talmuds 31 22 The New Testament hath many phrases that are Talmudique which cannot be so fitly opened as by the Talmud 32 Chap. 2. That the government of the Church of the Jewes was instituted by Jesus Christ to be 1. Dependent when they lived together in the land of Canaan 2. Independent when they inhabited in Heathen Countries 1 The Jewes Synagogue Discipline was sometimes dependent and sometimes independent 38 2 In heathen countries every Synagogue had a generall license to exercise such a discipline among themselves as tended to the correction of vice except life and limb 39 3 Their synagogue-Discipline was dependent as long as they lived in Canaan 41 4 When the Sanhedrim government was first ordained 41 5 Iesus Christ first constituted the Sanhedrim government 42 6 The high Sanhedrim ordained all the other Sanhedrims 43 7 To sit in Moses Chaire is to judge according to Moses Lawes 46 8 The Elders of the Sanhedrim were the generall Elders of the Church and therefore they had power to deale in all matters of Religion as well as in civill causes 47 9 The High Sacrificer was not the chiefe Elder of the Nationall Church of Israel as some affirm 49 10 Christ gave the power of excommunication originally to the Elders of the Sanhedrim in the Wildernesse 53 11 In what cases the Elders of the Sanhedrim did excommunicate 55 12 An excommunicate person and a publicane might goe into the Temple but an heathen might not 58 13 What kinde of excommunication is the Anathema Maranatha 59 14 Christ did not first ordain excommunication in Matth. chap. 18. 1 62 15 This phrase Tell the Church means nothing else but Tell the Elders of the Sanhedrim 69 16 A Court of Elders is a Church in Scripture phrase 70 17 All the outward professors of faith through the world doe make an universall visible Church of Christ 78 18 Who are to he accounted as fit persons to be admitted as members of a particular visible Church 80 Chap. 3. That Schools of learning were at the first erected by Jesus Christ for

not ashamed to expound the Law of God being sent unto the people for that purpose hence I gather that any Prince of any Tribe having a fair calling by the Sanhedrin might as lawfully preach in any synagogue of the Jews as Paul of Benjamin might or as the Apostles of Iudah might But this example ought not to be imitated by such as want an outward calling or that want learned abilities After this Iehosaphat prosecuted this new-begun Reformation by restoring the Sanhedrin courts to their original puritie First He reformed those Courts that consisted of three and twenty Judges in all the strong Cities of Iuda Citie by Citie 1 Chron. 19. 5. 2. He reformed the high Sanhedrin of seventy Judges setting up some Levits some Priests and some of the chief families of Israel for the Judgements and Cause of the Lord 1 Chron. 19. 8. The Rulers of Israel did not take themselves necessarily tyed to set up some Levits among the Elders of Israel For the Hebrew Doctors say that this high Sanhedrin might be all of Israel though usually they adjoyned some of Levi to them Aaron was joyned to Moses the King in the first election Numb 11. afterwards Moses also did appoint some Priests and Levits to sit with the other Judges of the other Tribes Deut. 17. 9 to 14. and Aaron was joyned with Hur among the Elders of Israel at Mount Sinai Exod. 24. 14. After the captivitie Ezra also did obtain so much favour of the Persian Princes that he restored this government again to the puritie thereof Ezra 7. 25 26. with ch 10. 14. But in processe of time when the Romane Emperours were Lords over the Jewes then they took away from them the power of life and death about a yeare or two before the death of Christ For Talmud Ierusalemi and Maymony in San. do shew that 48. yeers before the destruction of Ierusalem causes of life and death were taken away from Israel and this Testimony is confirmed by the Jews own confession to Pilate for they told Pilate that it was not lawful for them to put any man to death Ioh. 18. 31. and this was brought to passe before the death of Christ by Gods special providence that the words of Christ might be fulfilled when he fore-told the manner of his death that it should not be after the Iewish but after the Romane manner Ioh. 12. 32. 33. Mat. 20. 19. And yet though the Romans took away the power of life and death from the Jewes they did not take away all power of Government from the Jews but they still left them to exercise the power of their Sanhedrin Courts in all other cases as Pilats speech to the Scribes and Pharisees doth import when he bade them take Christ and judge him according to their own Law Ioh. 18. 31. * And our Saviour taught the Jews to Hear that is to say To sit in Moses chair is to iudge according to Moses Lawes to obey the Scribes and Pharisees as long as they sate in Moses chair that is to say As long as they judged according to the Gramatical sense of Moses precepts and for that cause our Saviour doth eight times over curse them because they urged the observation of their own traditions with equal authoritie to Moses Lawes Mat. 23. Therefore the Jews did exercise the power of Government in their Sanhedrin Courts except in the case of life and death when the Romans had taken away from them the power of life and death Scholar I had thought this speech of hearing the Scribes and Pharisees that sit in Moses chair had been meant of such Preachers and Teachers as used to expound Moses Laws in their synagogues and not of the Sanhedrin Doctors that expounded Moses Laws in their Sanhedrin Courts or Scholes Teacher This speech Hear the Scribes and Pharisees that sit in Moses chair doth plainly point out unto us that we must hear and obey the Laws and Constitutions of the Scribes and Pharisees as long as they sit in Moses chair that is to say As long as they expounded Moses Laws in a Grammatical sense For as Christ the Angel Act. 7. was the first giver of all Moses Laws and ordained Moses to be the chief head of the Sanhedrin Court so he bade the Jews Hear all those that sit in Moses chair It was Christ that bade Moses charge the Levits to lay up the book of the Law in the side of the Ark as the Standard of all their Laws and Constitutions and as the rule of all their judgements and proceedings Deuterenomie chapter 31. verse 24 25. Scholar You said ere-while that the Elders of the Sanhedrin were the Elders of the Church But how doe you prove that the Elders of the High Sanhedrin were the general Elders of the whole Church in all matters of Religion as well as in matters of the Common weal Teacher I have already proved that Christ did put this power into their hands 1. They are plainly called the Elders of the Church Levit. 4. 14 15. 2. It is evident that every Elder of the chief Synedrion was chosen to be a general Elder of the whole Church Numb 11. 25. 30. And the Elders of this high Synedrion set up other Courts and other Elders in every Citie who judged in all matters of Religion that fell out in their respective parts as The Elders of the Sanhedrin were the general Elders of the Church and therefore they had power to deal in all matters of Religion as well as in civil causes well as in civil matters except the matter were too hard for them and then in such cases Moses ordained before-hand that all such hard matters should be brought in an orderly way unto the high Synedrion which was setled afterwards at Ierusalem And this orderly way of bringing the difficult causes before them is described by the Hebrew Doctors as you may see it set down by Mr Ains in Deut. chap. 17. 9. 3. It is evident that the Elders of the high Synedrion were the general Elders of the Church because they were ordained to bee Judges not only in civil Causes but also in Levitical matters as these places well examined doe fully testifie Deut. 19. 12. and 21. 2. 19 20. and 22. 15. to 19. and 25. 7 8 9. and 27. 1. and 29. 10. and 31. 9. And the Angel-Iehovah Christ 1 Cor. 10. commanded Moses the Magistrate as well as Aaron the Priest to instruct the people in all his Levitical Laws Speak ye to all the people of Israel saying c. that is Teach them to observe all my Levitical Laws Levit. 11. 2. Hence it is evident that if any question did arise about the practise of the Levitical Lawes that Moses the chief Magistrate as he was the Head of the Sanhedrin must expound the true sense and meaning of such Lawes both to the Levits and people and in case any did walk contrary to their Teaching they might correct and punish them as

as it was a sin against his person in that sense they knew he might forgive it if he pleased and he did forgive it though it were a sin of the highest nature for the sin that is done against a mans person is far greater then that which is done against a mans goods and so the Hebrew Doctors affirm they say if a man have done his neighbour dammage ●n his goods assoon as he hath paid that which he ought to pay atonement is made for him But he that hurteth his neighbours person although he give unto him for satisfaction all the five things spoken of in Exod. 21. 13. yet atonement is not made for him thereby yea though he should sacrifice unto God all the Rams of Nebaioth Es 60. 7. yet atonement is not made for him nor his iniquity forgiven until he request it of Him that was hurt and he do forgive it him Ains in Gen. 50. 17. Our Saviour also gives the like rule of caution If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thine offering before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Mat. 5. 23 24. Thirdly This kind of sin against a brother may be explained by other instances Jonathan entreated Saul not to sin against David because David did not sin against him 1 Sam. 19. 4. And so David pleaded with Saul when he cut off the skirt of his robe Know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hands I have not sinned against thee yet thou huntest my soul to take it 1 Sam. 24. 11. In this sense also Iacob asked Laban What is my trespass and what is my sin that thou hast so hotly pursued after me Gen. 31. 36. the 70. translate this phrase thus What is my injury and what is my sin Shimei also met David at his return and acknowledged that he had sinned against him and desired pardon thereupon David accepted of his acknowledgment and forgave him 2 Sam. 19. 19 20. 23. David forgave the sin that was done to his person but David could not forgive his sin as it was done against God So the prodigal son when he had sinned against his Father in wasting his Fathers goods he confessed his sin against his Father and said Father I have sinned against heaven and against thee Luke 15. 18. and his Father forgave him the sins that were done against him Breach of promise is a great sinne against man as Iudah did acknowledge unto Iacob vide Ains in Gen 43. 9. 44. 32. which a man may forgive to his brother 4. It is plain that Christ speaks in this Text of such a kind of sin as a brother may forgive because Peter demands this question in ver 21. in relation to Christs exhortation How oft shall my brother sinne against me and I forgive him Our Saviour by his answer to the end of the Chapter sheweth that he spake of the sin of injurious dealing against a mans brother and our Saviour doth much inculcate upon this point of dealing brotherly in point of wrongs and injuries and in his form of Prayer he doth lay it down as one of the conditions of those Petitions which we ought to make unto God in our dayly prayers To forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us Matth. 6. 12. and in verse 14. he enforceth this point by this reason If you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if you do not forgive men their trespasses no more will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses And in this sence Christ did conclude his answer to Peters question Matth. 18. 35. All these places compared together do plainly evidence that the kind of sin Christ speaks of in Matth. 18. 15. is no other but the sin of trespass or injury which one brother may do unto another Scholar It seems to me that our Saviour doth exhort his Disciples to rebuke a brother for every sinne they see in him for sinne against God as well as for sinne against man As for example if a man hear his brother swear a vain oath ought he not to rebuke his brother for it and if he repent not then to take one or two with him c. Yet that sin doth no hurt to a mans brother it is onely a sinne against God immediately Teacher The point about which we reason is about a particular case namely about a brother sinning injuriously against a brother But now you start a question about sinne against God immediately Whether a man that sees his brother sin against God immediately ought not to rebuke him for it I will answer as plainly as I can First I say that all sinne in general ought to be rebuked But yet secondly I say that this duty of rebuking sinne against God must be grounded on some other command of Christ that is more large then this in Matth. 18. 15. namely it must be grounded upon the second or third Commandments or upon Levit. 19. 17. Which I conceive is a general command to rebuke all kind of sinne in all sorts of persons as farre as any brother may have a necessary calling thereunto or else saith our Saviour He hates his brother in his heart and must bear sinne for him and if he remain impenitent or perverse he ought to complain against him to authority provided he can witness his complaint But this extraordinary command in Matth. 18. 15. is a more particular command to rebuke a trespassing brother in a private way first which is a loving and honourable kind of dealing and this duty is of necessary concernment to be practised for the better preservation of Christian love and society as I have above noted it from our Saviours large answer to Peters question Therefore now I conclude from all the premisses that our Saviour did not ordain excommunication in this Text no otherwise then he ordained scourging fining or the like punishments for the correction of unrepenting sinners such as the Church or Court of Magistrates should see cause to inflict upon complaint and proof Scholar Do you hold the word Church in Matth. 18. 17. to be a Court of Magistrates learned Divines hold it to be meant of a particular Christian Church assembled together both Elders and Members Teacher I apprehend that the word Church in Matth. 18. 17. This phrase Tell the Church means nothing else but tell the Elders of the Sanhedrin Must be taken for a Court of Magistrates and that it cannot be taken for a particular Christian Church of Elders and Members assembled together First because there were no particular Christian Churches as yet established Secondly It is plain by the circumstances of the Text that Christ spake of such a Church as was in present being unto which the present offended brother might repair for justice against his

excluded from the Church at large he was only excluded from bearing special Office in the Church as a Priest compleat and as a Magistrate For this phrase He shall not enter in or come in is expounded To beare Office as a Magistrate 1 Kings 3. 9. 9. The Congregation of the gods Psal 82. 1. is translated by the Seventy the Synagogue of the gods it may be as well translated the Church of the gods for the seventy do often put the term Synagogue for the term Church and for the term Congregation vid. Ains Exod. 21. 6. 10. The Congregation before whom the man-slayer must stand in judgement Numb 35. 12. c. and Ios 20. 6. is termed by the Seventy the Synagogue or Church of Elders for I finde these three termes Congregation Synagogue and Church often put the one for the other as termes Synonima 11. Salomon describes the course of Justice against an impenitent person much like to that course of Justice which Christ doth direct us to in Matth. 18. 15 16 17. He saith That hee whose hatred is covered by deceit his wickednesse shall bee shewed before the whole Church Prov. 26. 26. The Hebrew word in this place is Kahal but the Seventy translate it the Synedrion or the Session of Elders Salomon by this phrase his hatred is covered by deceit doth imply that hee will not acknowledge his fault to his neighbour but did labour to cover his hatred to his brother by deceit thereupon the matter must be brought before the Church or Court of Elders called the Synedrion And our Saviour doth tell us that contumelious nick-names such as Raca is in the Talmud were a just cause to bring such a person before the Elders of the Synedrion Matth. 5. 22. or at least they were lyable to be brought thither and the Greek word in Mat. 5. 22. is Synedrion and so the word Church in Ier. 15. 17. is Synedrion in the seventy 12. The Church is commanded to rejoyce in the Feast of Tabernacles with exceeding joy with musick songs and palm-branches in their hands Levit. 23. 40. But this kinde of joy was not acted by the whole multitude of the Church but by the Elders of the Sanhedrin Court only for they were the whole Church representatively vid. M. Ains in Levit. 23. 40. 13. Not only the Elders assembled in the high Sanhedrin but all the Elders of their inferiour Sanhedrins in each Session might well be called a Church as in Psal 107. 32. Let them exalt him in the Church of the people and praise him in the sitting of the Elders The term Church and the sitting of the Elders are terms Synonima in this Text. The manner how the Jews did exalt God in the Church of the people and praise him in the sitting of the Elders is thus recorded by the Hebrew Doctors Men made confession unto God for four sorts of deliverances before ten men whereof two of them must be wise men After this manner they exalted God before the Church of the people because it was done before some of the Elders of the Church who may be called a Church for so they are called representatively And marvel not that two Elders or two wise men are called A Church for if Symeon and Levi assembled together in Counsel about the destruction of the Sychemites be called Kahal a Church as they are in Gen. 49. 6. then two wise men or Elders of the Sanhedrin with eight of the people in their company may as well be called A Church of people 14. Kahal the Church Prov. 5. 14. translated by the Septuagint Ecclesia means the Assembly or Court of Elders the words of the text run thus I was almost in all evil in the midst of the Church and Assembly The Seventy have the like phrase upon the word Church in 1 Chron. 28. 8. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the Church of the Lord this Church was nothing else but the Congregation of Elders compared with verse 1. and with chap. 29. 1 10 20. These Elders were the chief Doctours in Moses Laws and therefore those that lived in evil contrary to their teaching might well fear the evil of punishment when they stood in the middest of their Church and Assembly as Salomon warneth Prov. 12. 13 14. 15. Iesus Ben Syrack one of the former Hebrew Doctors since the Prophets puts the word Church for a counsel of wise and learned men He first shews the un-aptnesse of Artificers for matters of Counsel and Judicature they shall not be sought unto saith he in matters of publique Counsel neither shall they sit high in the Church nor sit in the Iudges seat nor understand the sentences of Iudgement Ecclus. 8. 24. 33. In these words he doth plainly make the Elders of the Court Sanhedrin to be a Church by themselves 16. The same Authour saith that the adulterous wife shall be brought into the Church and inquisition and examination shall be made of her children Ecclus. 23. 22 24. he saith plainly that the adulterous woman shall be brought before the Church of the Elders and they shall make inquisition concerning the Legitimacy or bastardy of her children And after this sort the Congregation or Church of Elders sit to judge them that had taken strange wives Ezra 10. 14. 16. 17. It is no more absurditie to call the Elders of the Sanhedrin a Church then it is to call a Court of Heathen Magistrates a Church But a Court of Heathen Magistrates are called a Church properly for the Town-Clerk of Ephesus told Demetrius and his consorts that if they had any thing to lay against Paul and Alexander it should be determined in a lawfull Church that is to say it should be legally determined in an Assembly of Magistrates Act. 19. 39. Therefore seeing a Court of Heathen Magistrates are properly called a Church why may not that Church in Mat. 18. 17. be taken for a Court of Elders seeing the Elders of all their Synedrions were the chosen Elders of the Church for all matters and therefore were or ought to bee learned and expert in all the Lawes of Moses both Leviticall and Judiciall 18. Those eminent persons in the Church of Corinth that spake with Tongues and prophesied are called a Church by the figure Synecdoche 1 Cor. 14. 23. Thus the text is when the whole Church is come together into one and all speak strange tongues No man that is well advised will say that the word Church in this place doth mean the whole people in general the word all must not have that sence except you will say also that the whole multitude spake with strange tongues but no man I think will say so therefore the word all and the word Church must have reference to those only that spake with strange Tongues These only are called the whole Church by the figure Synecdoche Likewise it is said every one that hath a Psalme or hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath interpretation this