by the Council were not to be buried in the Sepulchres of their fathers but two burying places were appointed by the Council one for those that were slain by the sword and strangled the other for those that were stoned who also were hanged and burnt There according to the custom Jesus should have been buried had not Joseph with a pious boldness beg'd of Pilate that he might be more honourably Interred which the fathers of the Council out of spight to him would hardly have permitted if they had been asked and yet they did not use to deny the honour of a Funeral to those whom they had put to death if the meanness of the common burial would have been a disgrace to their family As to the dead person himself they thought it would be better for him to be treated dishonourably after death and to be neither lamented nor buried for this vilifying of him they fancied amounted to some attonement for him as we have seen before And yet to avoid the disgrace of his family they used at the request of it to allow the honour of a funeral h h h h h h See Bab. Sanhedr fol. 46. 2. 47. 1. CHAP. XXVIII VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the end of the Sabbath IN the Jerusalem Talmudists it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the coming forth of the Sabbath vulgarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the going out of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h h h h Avodah Zarah fol. 44. 4. On a certain eve of the Sabbath namely when the Sabbath began there was no wine to be found in all Samaria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But at the end of the Sabbath there was found abundance because the Aramites had brought it and the Cuthites had received it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies all the night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toward the first day of the week The Jews reckon the days of the week thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One day or the first day of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two or the second day of the Sabbath i i i i i i Bab. Maccoth fol. 5. 1. Two witnesses come and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first of the Sabbath this man stole c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and on the second day of the Sabbath judgment passed on him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The third of the Sabbath A Virgin is married on the fourth day of the week for they provide for the Feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first day of the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second day of the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the third day of the week k k k k k k Bab. Chetub fol. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the fourth day of the week they set apart him who was to burn the red heifer l l l l l l Gloss on Parah Chap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the fifth of the Sabbath Ezra ordained that they should read the Law publickly on the second and fifth day of the Sabbath c. He appointed that Judges should sit in the Cities on the second and fifth day m m m m m m Hieros Meg. fol. 75. 1. Ezra also appointed that they should wash their clothes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the fifth day of the Sabbath n n n n n n Bab. Bava Kama fol. 82. 1. The sixth day they commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eve of the Sabbath To wash their clothes on the fifth day of the Sabbath and eat onions on the Eve of the Sabbath p p p p p p Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the fifth day of the Sabbath or week and the eve of the Sabbath and the Sabbath o o o o o o Id. fol. 3◠2. The first day of the week which is now changed into the Sabbath or Lords-day the Talmudists call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Christians or the Christian day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p p p p p p Bab. Avoda◠Zarah fol. 6. 1. 7. 2. On the Christians day it is always forbidden for a Jew to traffick with a Christian. Where the Gloss saith thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Nazarean or Christian is he who followeth the error of that man who commanded them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the first day of the week a Festival-day to him and according to the words of Ismael it is always unlawful to traffick with them three days before that day and three days after that is not at all all the week through We cannot here pass by the words of the Glossers on Bab. Rosh hashanah q q q q q q Fol. 22. 2. The Baithuseans desire that the first day of the Passover might be on the Sabbath so that the presenting of the Sheaf might be on the first day of the week and the feast of pentecost on the first day of the week With good reason did our blessed Saviour remove the Sabbath to this day the day of his resurrection the day which the Lord had made Psal. CXVIII 24. when now the stone which the builders refused was become the head stone in the Corner For I. When Christ was to make a new world or a New Creation r r r r r r Esai LXV 17. it was necessary for him to make a new Sabbath The Sabbath of the old Creation was not proper for the new II. The Kingdom of Christ took its beginning principally from the resurrection of Christ when he had now overcome death and Hell The Jews themselves confess that the Kingdom of the Messiah was to begin with the resurrection of the dead and the renewing of the world Therefore it was very proper that that day from which Christs Kingdom took its beginning should pass into the Sabbath rather than the old Sabbath the memorial of the Creation III. That old Sabbath was not instituted till after the giving the promise of Christ. Gen. III. 15. and the rest of God on that seventh day was chiefly in having perfected the new Creation in Christ that also was the Sabbatical rest of Adam When therefore that was accomplished which was then promised namely the bruising of the Serpents head by the resurrection of Christ s s s s s s Heb. II. 14. and that was fulfilled which was typified and represented in the old Sabbath namely the finishing of a new Creation the Sabbath could not but justly be tranferred to that day on which these things were done IV. It was necessary that the Christians should have a Sabbath given them distinct from the Sabbath of the Jews that a Christian might be thereby distinguished from a Jew For as the Law took great care to provide that a Jew might be distinguished from an Heathen So it was provided by the Gospel with the like care that partly
little that so we may the better skan and try whether our Architriclinus here and their Symposiarchus there were the same yea or no. He was one chosen among the guests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was most festivous of all the company and that would not be drunk and yet that would drink freely He was to rule the company and to prohibit their being disorderly yet not prohibiting their being merry He was to observe the temper of the guests and how the wine wrought upon them and how every one could bear his wine and accordingly to apply himself to them to keep them all in a harmony and an equilibrial composure that there might be no disquiet nor disorder For the effecting of this he used these two ways first to proclaim liberty to every one to drink what he thought good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am Symposiarchus said he and I license every one to drink at this time as they will And secondly upon observing who among the guests was most ready to be touch'd and distempered with wine to mingle the more water with his wine thereby to keep him in an equal pace of sobriety with the other And so the work and office of this Symposiarchus or governour of the Feast was especially double to take care that none should be forced to drink and to take care that none should be drunk though unforced Of such another office might the Architriclinus be conceived here namely someone that was specially appointed to give entertainment and that had special employment about the distributing and disposing of the wine And this might seem to appear the rather because our Saviour directeth the Servitors to bring the miraculous wine to be tasted first by him But I should understand rather by Architriclinus here the chief guest at the feast than such a Symposiarchus which it may be some question whether he were in use among the Jews or no For not to go about to give account of their manner of sitting at their Feasts in this place it will be more proper elsewhere though from thence might be shewed something toward the proof of this my supposal let it but be considered that the Architriclinus in mention was a meer stranger to the business of the wine and knew not how it went Had Pluâ—archs Symposiarchus been here he would readily have known what quantity of wine and what variety there was in the house he would have well known that all the wine was gone and that they were at a loss for more for the Yeomanry of the wine was his office at that time above all other things and above all other men but this Architriclinus knew none of these things but thought the Bridegroom had used a friendly deceit to reserve the best wine to make up their mouths whereas others used to reserve the worst And he speaks as a guest and not as a Yeoman of the Feast And our Saviour sends the wine to him as to the chiefest man at the Table and as the fittest from whom the taste of the wine and the tast of the miracle wrought might be distributed and dispersed throughout all the company of the Feast Vers. 12. After this he went down to Capernaum and continued not there many days Capernaum was his own City as was said before and his return is still thither as Samuel after his circuit his return was still to Ramah for that was his own City 1 Sam. 7. 17. see Matth. 4. 14. 8. 5. Matth. 9. 1. compared with Mark 2. 1. Matth. 17. 24. John 6. 17. c. Now his stay was but a little there because the Passeover calls him up to Jerusalem And thus when the Passeover comes there is half a year passed since he was baptized forty days of which he spent in the Wilderness in his fast before the Tempter came to him beside what time was spent in the threefold temptation and in his going to and coming from the Wilderness Three days you have account of him at Jorclan and going into Galilee John 1. ver 29 35 43. and the next day after he is at Cana at a Feast this was the fourth day from his first appearing from the Wilderness but the third from his saving and entertaining any Disciples So that we have but the account of six weeks or thereabouts upon record of all the time he spent betwixt his Baptism and his first Passeover The rest is concealed and much of it was spent in his peragration and preaching through Galilee to which he addresseth himself John 1. 43. Vers. 14. And the Iews Passover was at hand and Iesus went up to Ierusalem There are none other of the Evangelists that mention any Passover at all after Christs Baptism but that at which he suffered but John reckoneth not only that but three before and so still amongst all the four Evangelists the story is made up and compleated that there is nothing wanting Three of his Passovers John nameth plainly and expresly by name viz. this here and another Chap. 6. 4. and his last Chap. 18. 39. but a fourth he hath not so openly named but meaneth it in Chap. 5. 1. as shall be cleared by Gods permission when we come there And now hath Christ three years to his death and he hath had half a year since his Baptism and so is his time from his anointing by the Spirit for the work of the Gospel till his offering up upon his Cross three years and an half see the notes on Luke 3. 21. Now whereas the Evangelist calleth the Passover the Passover of the Jews Jansenius is of opinion that he doth it for distinction of it from the Easter of the Christians which saith he was observed by them throughout all Asia when John wrote his Gospel And Baronius yet goes further and would prove it from John's calling the Christian Sabbath the Lords day Rev. 1. Annal. ad annum 159. It is not worth the labour at least not in this place to look after the antiquity and originall of the celebration of Easter amongst the Christians in the Primitive times the quarrel about the day between the Eastern and Western Churches is famous in Ecclesiastical Stories but that this is not the intention of the Evangelist in this place we need to go no further to prove than to his own expression of the same thing in another where he calleth it The Passover a Feast of the Jews Chap. 6. 4. and so sheweth that in this short Phrase The Jews Passover he meaneth not so much to distinguish it from any festival of the Christians as to shew what it was to Jews and to distinguish it from other festivals of theirs § And Jesus went up to Jerusalem 1. In obedience to the Law of the males appearing before the Lord Exod. 23. 17. from which none were excepted but for some infirmity or incapacity All are bound to appear but only the deaf fools little ones the man that is bruised in his genitals Hermophrodites
by the forsaking of those rites partly by the bringing in of different manners and observances a Christian might be distinguished from a Jew The Law was not more solicitous to mark out and separate a Jew from an Heathen by Circumcision than the Gospel hath been that by the same Circumcision a christian should not Judaize And the same care it hath deservedly taken about the Sabbath For since the Jews among other marks of distinction were made of a different colour as it were from all nations by their keeping the Sabbath It was necessary that by the bringing in of another Sabbath since of necessity a Sabbath must be kept up that Christians might be of a different colour from the Jews VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Hail IN the vulgar Dialect of the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t t t t t t Hieros Taaniâ—â— fol. 64. 2. The Rabbins saw a certain holy man of Caphar Immi and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All hail u u u u u u Ib. Sheviith â— 35. 2. 36. 1 How do they salute an Israelite All hail uu uu uu uu uu uu Id. Gittin fol. 47. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They held him by the feet This seems to have been done to kiss his feet So 2 Kings IV. 27. For this was not unusual As R. Janni and R. Jonathan were sitting together a certain man came and kissed the feet of R. Jonathan x x x x x x Hieros Kiddâ—shin â— 61. 3. Compare the Evangelists here and you will find that this was done by Mary Magdalen only who formerly had kissed Christs feet and who had gone twice to the Sepulchre however Matthew makes mention but of once going The story in short is thus to be laid together At the first dawning of the morning Christ arose a great earthquake hapning at that time About the same time Magdalen and the other women left their houses to go to the Sepulchre While they met together and made all things ready and took their journey to the Tomb the Sun was up When they were come they are informed by the Angels of his resurrection and sent back to the Disciples The matter being told to the Disciples Peter and John run to the Sepulchre Magdalen also followed after them They having seen the signs of the resurrection return to their company but she stayes there Being ready to return back Christ appears to her taking him for the Gardiner As soon as she knew him she worships him and embracing his feet kisseth them and this is the history before us which Matthew relates in the plural number running it over briefly and compendiously according to his manner VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them c. I. THE enclosure is now thrown down whereby the Apostles were kept in from preaching the Gospel to all the Gentiles Matth. X. 5. For first The Jews had now lost their priviledge nor were they hence forward to be counted a peculiar people nay they were now become Lo-ammi They had exceeded the Heathens in singing they had slighted trampled upon and crucified the Creator himself appearing visibly before their eyes in humane flesh while the Heathens had only conceived amiss of the Creator whom they neither had seen nor could see and thereby fallen to worship the creature Secondly Christ had now by his blood paid a price for the Heathens also Thirdly he had overcome Satan who held them captive Fourthly he had taken away the wall of Partition And fifthly had exhibited an infinite righteousness II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is make Disciples Bring them in by baptism that they may be taught They are very much out who from these words cry down Infant-baptism and assert that it is necessary for those that are to be baptized to be taught before they are baptized 1. Observe the words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Disciples and then after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teaching in the twentieth verse 2. Among the Jews and also with us and in all nations those are made Disciples that they may be taught * * * * * * Bab. Schab fol. 31. 1. A certain Heathen came to the great Hillel and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make me a Proselyte that thou maist teach me He was first to be Proselyted and then to be taught Thus first make them Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by baptism and then Teach them to observe all things c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptizing There are divers ends of Baptism 1. According to the nature of a Sacrament it visibly teacheth invisible things that is the washing of us from all our pollutions by the blood of Christ and by the cleansing of grace Ezek. XXXVI 25. 2. According to the nature of a Sacrament it is a Seal of divine truth So circumsion is called Rom. IV. 11. And he received the sign of Circumcision the Seal of the righteousness of Faith c. So the Jews when they circumcised their children gave this very title to circumcision The words used when a child was circumcised you have in their Talmâ—d y y y y y y Hieros Berac fol. 13. 1. Among other things he who is to bless the action saith thus Blessed be he who sanctified him that was beloved from the womb and set a sign in his flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sealed his children with the sign of the holy Covenant c. But in what sense are Sacraments to be called Seals Not that they seal or confirm to the receiver his righteousness but that they seal the divine truth of the covenant and promise Thus the Apostle calls Circumcision the Seal of the righteousness of Faith that is it is the Seal of this truth and doctrine that Justification is by Faith which justice Abraham had when he was yet uncircumcised And that is the way whereby Sacraments confirm Faith namely because they do doctrinally exhibite the invisible things of the Covenant and like Seals do by divine appoyntment sign the doctrine and truth of the Covenant 3. According to the nature of a Sacrament it obligeth the receivers to the terms of the Covenant for as the Covenant it self is of mutual obligation between God and man So the Sacraments the Seals of the Covenant are of like obligation 4. According to its nature it is an introductory into the visible Church And 5. it is a distinguishing sign between a Christian and no Christian namely between those who acknowledg and profess Christ and Jews Turks and Pagans who do not acknowledg him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all nations baptizing When they are under baptism they are no longer under Heathenism and this Sacrament puts a difference between those who are under the discipleship of Christ and those who are not 6. Baptism also brings its priviledge along with it while it
of the Covenant I need not instance hundreds of places do evidence it But what could any one see in the Ark that might speak Gods Covenant There was indeed the Mercy seat upon it and the two Cherubims at the several ends of it and the cloud oft between and this was all that any Israelite could see that looked upon it But this was not that that intitled it to that Title but the two Tables of the Law that were in it And so Moses himself doth make the exposition Exod. XXXIV 28. He wrote upon the Tables the words of the Covenant the ten Commandments Deut. IX 11. At the end of forty days and forty nights the Lord gave me the two Table of stone the Tables of the Covenant And to spare more instances you find the terms Covenant and Commands to be convertible or to mean one and the same thing Psal. CV 8. He hath remembred his Covenant the word which he Commanded And Psal. CXI 9. He Commanded his Covenant for ever He Commanded his Covenant a strange expression and a comfortless expression as one would think his Covenant to be nothing but a company of impossible Commands his Covenant to be nothing but a Law the Ministration of which the Apostle tells us was the Ministration of death II Cor. III. As he I thought he would have stroked his hand over the sore and prayed and he bids only Go wash in Jordan So one would think it should be said He hath promised tendred ingaged his Covenant and it comes off only with this He hath Commanded his Covenant And here we are come to the great question Under what notion the Moral Law stands in the Covenant of grace You know who they were that have held and I doubt too many hold it at this day that to Israel it was a Covenant of Works and thereupon infer that Christians are delivered from the obligation of the Moral Law because they are not under the Covenant of Works but the Covenant of Grace And accordingly they understand that distinction of the old Covenant and new mentioned so much by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews that the old Covenant means the Moral Law and the new Covenant the Gospel To these men let me first speak in the style of God to Abraham Gen. XV. 5. Look up to Heaven and count the Stars if thou canst number them So look up to Heaven and see the old Moon and the new and observe them Are they really two several Moons No but one and the same Moon under various shapes Or look on the Earth upon a person now Regenerated he was before an old Creature now he is a new II Cor. V. 17. What is he now a really distinct person from what he was before No but of a different condition only the same man but his condition and temper changed So the Covenant of Grace is the same like Christ the chief Tenor of the Covenant yesterday and to day and the same for ever the same from the first day that it was given to Adam to the last day of the World and till Time shall be no more The same under the Law the same under the Gospel but clothed in different garments in administrations of various fashions The Covenant of Grace to the Jew was Believe in Christ and be saved as it is to us as the Apostle clears in all his Epistles more particularly in Heb. XI But to them God added thus Because the Doctrine of Christ is not yet so clear use these Ceremonies which figure out the actings and Office of Christ the Priesthood his Mediating the Sacrifices his Death cleansing with Blood his purging of Sin and the like And because no other people is yet to be admitted to the Church and true Religion but themselves use these Ceremonies to distinguish you from all other people till time come that the Gentiles come to be admitted So that these Ceremonies were not the Covenant of Grace to them nor a Covenant of Works to them but only the manner and mode of the administration of the Covenant of Grace till the Gospel should come which when it came and Christ was come then the Doctrine of Christ was clear and all Nations were come in then were these Ceremonies laid aside and a clean different administration of the Covenant of Grace brought in and under these reasons are these different administrations called the old and new Covenant So that the Ceremonial part of the Law is called the old Covenant but the Moral doth not fall under that title nor vanish as the other did And secondly To these that we are speaking of let me propose this question Did God go backward in his Covenanting first to give a Covenant of Grace to Adam when he had broke his Covenant of Works and after to give a Covenant of Works to Israel and to lay by his Covenant of Grace The Sun in the sky stood still once and went backward once but the glorious Son of Righteousness that rose in the Covenant of Grace the first day of Adam never stood still never went back but is still keeping his course to save by Grace to save in the Covenant of Grace and not by Works If I go to Jonathans house again saith Jeremy I shall surely die and if God send man back to a Covenant of Works when Adam himself failed in his Covenant of Works man is but lost for ever And thirdly Let us read the Draught of the Covenant it self This Indenture made betwixt the great God and poor dust and ashes sinful and miserable witnesseth That God of his infinite Love and Grace and Mercy doth promise and demise and let to this poor creature Grace and Glory interest in himself and Heaven Provided always That man keep his Law and do those Commands that God lays upon him For God could not make a Covenant of Grace but it must include Commandments and a Law unless he would have conditioned thus with him Do what thou wilt live as thou wilt Eat Drink Revel be Epicure be Atheist and yet thou shalt enjoy me for ever thou shalt be blessed for ever We may tremble at such Language The Stool of wickedness could do no more And how cheap and vile a thing were God if to be enjoyed on such terms as these Man as he is a Creature must have a Law from his Creator or else God should resign his authority and let man be his own God Our obedience to God is founded in God himself If God be God serve him an argument so urgent that t is never to be dissolved And therefore that clause is set before the ten Commandments and set after divers Commands afterwards I am the Lord as an argument sufficient to challenge obedience There is nothing can dissolve the bond of mans obedience to his Creator unless God would cease to be God for if God be God serve him And therefore the Covenanting for Grace is so far from abating of a
to the wisdom of this World are the great matters and mysteries of the Gospel and of Salvation The Judgment to come that he speaks of in this verse he characters or pictures in divers colours or circumstances I. The object of it He shall judge the World II. The manner He shall judge it in Righteousness III. The time At a day which he hath appointed IV. The agent to be imploied in it The man whom he hath ordained V. And lastly the certainty of it He hath given assurance thereof c. There is some controversie about the translating of that clause He hath given assurance In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which will admit a double construction The Vulgar Latin and the Syriack gives one our English and the French another The Vulgar Latine renders it Fidem praebens omnibus Which I should have supposed might freely have been rendred in the sense our English gives Giving assurance to all but that I find some expositions constrain him another way viz. Affording faith to all and the Syrian inclines the same way for it renders Restoring every man to his faith or to faith in him As if the meaning were that God by the Resurrection of Christ did restore the World to faith and believing from that ignorance and infidelity which it lay under before which is a real and a very noble truth but I question whether that be the Apostles meaning in this place For he is shewing That God had appointed an universal Judgment and hath ordained Christ to be Judge and for proof and confirmation of both especially of the latter he saith as our English well renders he hath given assurance and as the French he hath given certainty in that he hath raised and the Greek very clearly bears such a sense And this to be the sense that is intended is yet further clear by observing the argumentation of the Apostle in this place Read the verse before The times of their ignorance God winked at but now commandeth every man to repent Because he hath appointed a day c. Why Was not this day appointed before that time that Christ was risen The Jews will tell you that Heaven and Hell were created before the World then certainly the Judgment that was to deem to Heaven or Hell was appointed before But our Saviour in the sentence that he shall pronounce at that Judgment Matth. XXV Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you c. shews that the appointing of the day of Judgment was of old time long and long ago before Christs Resurrection but the Apostle tells that he had never given such assurance of it before as he did then by raising him that should be Judge The Apostle at this portion of Scripture doth plainly shew three things First He lays down a doctrine Secondly He proves it And thirdly He makes application His doctrine is That God hath appointed a day wherein he will Judge the World in Righteousness His proof From Gods own real vouchment He hath given assurance in that he raised Christ from the dead His application therefore Let all men in every place repent I should deserve a just censure if I should refuse the Apostles method to take another and not tread in the steps of that Logical proceeding that he had printed before Yet I shall decline to insist much upon the confirmation of the doctrine as a particular head by it self since the taking up the second thing the proof of it is the doing the same thing Only I shall call out as the Prophet Esay doth in the place cited who assoon as he had said Thy heart shall meditate terrors presently subjoyns where is the Scribe c. So while our heart is meditating of terrors of the thing we are speaking this day which God hath appointed wherein he will Judge the World c. Where is the Sadducee where the Atheist where the Disputer of this World What say they to this thing I. The Sadducee will tell you That there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit Act. XXIII 8. And would perswade us that Moses was of the same opinion because he speaks not of any such things in terminis in all his book It is a common received opinion among the Learned that the Sadducees refused all the Books of the Old Testament but only the five Books of Moses If they mean it absolutely I must confess my small reading hath not taught so far as to be satisfied in that But if they mean it with some qualification then I believe the thing is very true In such a qualified sense as to say the rest of the Jews refused the third part of the Bible which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians render the word Hegiographa that is they refused to have it read in the Synagogue The Law and Prophets they read there every Sabbath Act. XIII 15. but admitted not the reading of Job Psalms Solmons books Daniel Lamentations Chronicles Ezra c. not so much out of the undervaluation of those books but because they accounted the other were sufficient So if you say the Sadducees admitted no other Books of the Old Testament to be read in their Synagogues on the Sabbath but only the books of Moses I doubt not but you speak very true but that they utterly rejected and made nothing of the rest of that Sacred Volume I am yet to seek for satisfaction And I suppose something may be said out of the ancient records of the Jews that might countenance the contrary but it is not now time and place to enter into such a discourse But you will say If they had them in their closets though not in their Synagogues If they read them though not there If they believed them how could they be ignorant of the resurrection Judgment to come and World to come of which there is so plain declaration in the rest of the Old Testament though not in Moses The answer is easie Because they had this principle that nothing is to be believed as a fundamental Article of Faith but what may be grounded in Moses The very Pharisees themselves did not far differ from them in this principle and I could produce a Pharisee in their own writings saying That if a man believed the Resurrection c. yet believed not that it was taught and grounded in the Law of Moses he should not be Orthodox Now why Moses did so obscurely intimate these great fundamentals in comparison of other parts of the Bible I shall not trouble you with discussing though very acceptable reasons may be given of it We find the Resurrection asserted by our Saviour out of Moses by one argument and we find it asserted by many arguments by the Pharisees against the Saducees in the Jews own Pandect and so we leave the Sadducees to take his answer and confutation there But II. Behold a worse then a Sadducee is here and that is a Christian
enough of him when he speaks but this Antonius Felix per omnem saevitiam ac libidinem jus regium servili ingenio exercuit Histor. lib. 5. cap. 2. Upon which Josephus will give you a large comment of his intolerable covetousness polling cruelty sacriledge murdering and all manner of wickedness His injuriousness to Paul in the story before us and the very naming of his wife Drusilla may be brand enough upon him for her by inticements and magical tricks he allured to himself from her Husband and married her And him he kept prisoner two years wrongfully because he would not bribe him In his pleading before him he makes him tremble but it is but a qualm and away CHRIST LVII NERO. III PAUL is a prisoner this year at Caesarea under Felix A great City of Jews and Greeks mixtly the place where the first spark of Jews Wars kindled afterward A famous University of Jews in time if so be it was not so at this time CHRIST LVIII NERO. IV ACTS Chap. XXIV Ver. 27. PAUL still a prisoner at Cesarea under Felix for the first part of this year Then cometh Festus into the Government and Felix packeth to Rome to answer for his misdemeanours ACTS Chap. XXV XXVI PAUL answereth for himself first before Festus alone then before Agrippa and his Sister Bernice this Agrippa was his Son whose death is related Acts 12. he by the favour of Claudius the Emperour succeeded his brother in Law-Uncle Herod for such relations did that Incestuous family find out in the Kingdom of Chalcis For Bernice his Sister had married Herod King of Chalcis her Uncle and his who was now dead and this Agrippa succeeded him in his Kingdom being also King of Judea Of this Agrippa as it is most probable there is frequent mention among the Hebrew Writers as particularly this that King Agrippa reading the Law in the latter end of the year of release as it was injoyned and coming to those words Deut. 17. 15. Thou shalt not set astranger King over thee which is not of thy brethren the tears ran down his cheeks for he was not of the seed of Israel which the Congregation observing cried out Be of good comfort O King Agrippa thou art our brother He was of their Religion though not of their blood and well versed in all the Laws and Customs as Paul speaks Chap. 26. 3. Berenice his Sister now a Widdow lived with him and that in more familiarity then was for their credit afterwards she fell into the like familiarity with Titus the Son of Vespasian when he came up to the Jews Wars There is mention in Jerus in Taanith fol. 66. col 1. and again in Megillah fol. 70. col 3. of the Scribes or learned Jews of Chalcis against whom the people rose and tumultuated In the one place it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be they were of this Agrippa's planting there As Paul pleads for himself Festus takes him to be beside himself but Agrippa better acquainted with those kind of things that he spake of was much moved and concludes that had he not appealed to Caesar he might have been quit What he did in this appeal was not a small thing and it is very questionable whether ever Jew had appealed from their own Sanhedrin to the Heathen Tribunal before But for this he had a Divine Warrant ACTS Chap. XXVII PAUL shipped for Rome and Luke with him and Aristarchus a Thessalonian Paul calls him his fellow-prisoner Coloss. 4. 10. whether now or not till he came to Rome is a question Trophimus an Ephesian is also now with him Acts 21. 29. whom he leaves sick at Miletum as he passeth by those coasts of Asia Acts 27. 2. 2 Tim. 4. 20. and there likewise he leaves Timothy Who else of those that went with him to Jerusalem Acts 20. 4. were now with him is uncertain It was now far in the year and Winter entring for the feast of expiation was over so that they met with a tempestuous journey and at last suffer shipwrack and swim for their lives and do all escape The Reader by the time of the writing of the second Epistle to the Corinthians which he hath passed will easily see that what he speaks there A day and a night have I been in the deep 2 Cor. 11. 25. cannot be understood of his shipwrack now but refers to some time a good while ago CHRIST LIX NERO. V ACTS CHAP. XXVIII from the beginning to Ver. 30. PAUL and his company are the three winter months in Malta where he doth some miracles And when winter was now drawing over they put to sea again in an Alexandrian bottom whose badge was Castor and Pollux or the Picture of two young men on white horses with either of them a javelin in his hand and by him half an egge and a star whom Heathenish folly and superstition conceited to have been twins begotten by Jupiter and Deities favourable to those that sailed on the sea And this seemeth to have been the reason why Luke doth mention this circumstance because he would intimate the mens superstition as expecting better sailing under this badge then they had had From Melita they sail to Syracuse in Sicilie and there abide three daies Form thence to Rhegium in Italy and from thence to Puteoli there they find Christians and stay with them seven daies and then set away for Rome At Appii Forum about Fifty miles from the City some of the Roman Christians hearing of their coming come to meet them and at the Tres Tabernae Thirty three from the City they met with more and so they injoy the society of one another some space together as they travel along which was no small refreshing to Paul who had desired so much and so long to see them SECTION XXVIII Ver. 30. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his hired house and received all that came to him 31. Preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him JULIUS the Centurion that had brought him and the rest of the Prisoners from Judea had been his friend and favourer from their first setting out Chap. 27. 3. and so continued even to the time of his setling in Rome obtaining him this liberty that he might take lodgings of his own and there he was kept under a restraintless restraint After three daies he sends for the Chief of the Jews and laies open his case before them and upon a day appointed he asserteth and expoundeth the truth and doctrine of the Gospel whereupon some believe but others do the rather become his enemies His accusers that were come from Judea to lay in his charge against him for we can hardly suppose otherwise but that some such were come would be urgent to get their business dispatched that they might be returning to their own homes again and so would bring him
very height of unbelief and crossness against the Gospel and others at the very depth of suffering for it therefore he comforts the one Chap. 1. and denounceth their just doom against the other Chap. 4. 5. He striveth to beat down four things especially which were not only unbecoming the Christian profession but even enemies against it The first was estimating men according to their gorgeous outside and so the poor preachers and professors of the Gospel were contemned Secondly Their having many Masters or Teachers whereby errors and schisms were easily scattered and planted among them and much mischief done by unbridled tongues Thirdly Their reliance upon their historical faith they thinking that enough and neglecting to bring forth the fruits of a faith saving and lively And lastly Their common and vain oaths to which the Jewish Nation and that by the lenity and toleration of their own Canons was exceeding loose In the close of the Epistle he speaketh of the Elders anointing the sick with oyl Chap. 5. 14. which may receive some explication from these things observed in their own writings 1. That anointing with oyl was an ordinary medicinal application to the sick Talm. Jerus in Beracoth fol. 3. col 1. R. Simeon the son of Eleazar permitted R. Meir to mingle wine and oyl and to anoint the sick on the Sabbath And he was once sick and we sought to do so to him but he suffered us not Id. in Maasar Sheni fol. 53. col 3. A tradition Anointing on the Sabbath is permitted If his head ake or if a scall come upon it he anoints with oyl Talm. Bab. in Joma fol. 77. 2. If he be sick or scall be upon his head he anoints according to his manner c. Now if we take the Apostles counsel as referring to this medicinal practice we may construe it that he would have this Physical administration to be improved to the best advantage namely that whereas Anointing with oyl was ordinarily used to the sick by way of Physick he adviseth that they should send for the Elders of the Church to do it not that the anointing was any more in their hand then in anothers as to the thing it self for it was still but a Physical application but that they with the applying of this corporal Physick might also pray with and for the patient and apply the spiritual Physick of good admonition and comforts to him Which is much the same as if in our Nation where this physical anointing is not so in use a sick person should send for the Minister at taking of any Physick that he might pray with him and counsel and comfort him Or 2. It was very common among the Jews to use charming and anointing together of persons that were sick of certain maladies of this the Jerus Talm. speaketh in Schab fol. 14. col 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man that one charmeth he putteth oyl upon his head and charmeth And a little after is related what they charmed for as for an evil eye serpents scorpions c. And in col 4. is mentioned how one charmed over a sick person in the name of Jesu Pandira Now this being a common wretched custom to anoint some that were sick and to use charming with the anointing this Apostle seeing anointing was an ordinary and good Physick and the good use of it not to be extinguisht for that abuse directs them better namely to get the Elders or Ministers of the Church to come to the sick and to add to the medicinal anointing of him their godly and fervent prayers for him far more available and comfortable then all charming and inchanting as well as far more warrantable and Christian. CHRIST XLIV NERO. X THIS year C. Lecanius and M. Licinius being Consuls befel that sore fire in Rome of which some touch was given before the sorest that ever had befallen the City and which made such desolation That whereas the City was divided into fourteen great Wards they are the words of Tacitus only four of the fourteen stood sound For three were clean burnt down to the ground and as for the other seven they were all tattered and half consumed and but a few reliques of houses remained It was commonly thought and talked that Nero himself had the chief hand in kindling and carrying on of this mischief instigated thereunto either by his own inhumane and barbarous temper which delighted in nothing more then in destroying or by a tickling humour he had to build the City a new that it might bear his name He to stop the mouth of the clamor and to salve his credit brought the Christians that were in the City to examination and execution as if they had been the only and the all in the breeding of this mishap Igitur primo correpti qui fatebantur deinde indicio eorum haut perinde in crimine incendii quam odio humani generis convicti sunt c. Therefore they were first laid hold on that confessed themselves Christians and then by their discovery a vast multitude was convicted not so much for real guilt of kindling that fire as because of the general hate of men against them And moreover there were scorns added to their deaths for they were cast wrapped in beasts skins to be devoured of dogs or they were crucified or burnt and served for lights by night when the day was gone Whereupon they were pitied seeing that they were thus destroyed not for the publick benefit but only for one mans cruelty Thus Tacitus What havock may we think this doleful persecution made As among other Christians at Rome so particularly among those eminent ones that Paul in his Epistle thither saluteth by name Rom. 16. of whom many no doubt were alive till now and now dispatched He himself and Timothy and Luke with other of his retinue may well be supposed to have been got away before this storm came because in several places of his Epistles written a good while ago as we have observed he speaketh of his setting away with what speed possible and convenient How escaped Peter if he now sate Bishop at Rome as Rome asserteth Whether this persecution were circumscribed within the bounds of Rome or Italy or whether it was carried by the command of the Tyrant through all other Countries as Vid. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. 2. c. 24. Oros. lib. 7. c. we need not to be much solicitous to go about to decide certainly though it were not inforced by any Edict or command yet such a copy would be taken for a warrant especially by those that without either command or copy had been forward enough to do mischief to the professors of the Gospel already and had taken nay had made any occasion to undo or destroy them The Jews at this mastery were the busiest men of any and that mystery of iniquity was ever working but could not strike their full stroke because something hindred 2 Thess. 2. 6 7. If he that hindred
to the charge of the Jews yet you never find them blamed in the least degree for this that they went about to corrupt the letter of the Text The sense indeed they spoiled with their glosses and so made the Word of God of no effect and this they hear of throughly but not a word of their spoiling the letter of the Text. 4. Had they been never so desirous to have imposed upon Christians by falsifying the Text they could not possibly do it For First Every Synagogue in the world having the purest Copy that possibly was to be got how impossible was it such legerdemain should be when there were so many thousand Copies to discover it unless they were all corrupt alike and multitudes out of the Synagogues Rulers and People were converted to the Gospel Secondly As learned men as any they had among them and that as well understood what Text was pure what corrupt Joseph of Arimathea Nicodemus Paul and multitudes of the Priests imbraced the Gospel and so multitudes of pure Copies were in the hands of Christians upon the first rising of the Gospel and multitudes that had such Copies in their hands were converted daily 5. To which may be added that the same power and care of God that preserves the Church would preserve the Scriptures pure to it and he that did and could preserve the whole could preserve every part so that not so much as a tittle should perish SECTION XII Concerning the Calling of the Iews BY what hath been spoken concerning the state of the Jews in their own Land after the fall of their City it may be observed wherein it is that the Lords vengeance upon that Nation doth especially consist namely in his rejection of them from being his people and in their obduration The unspeakable miseries and slaughter that they indured in the siege and ruine of Jerusalem speak as dreadful punishment as ever fell upon a Nation and yet this was but short and small in comparison of that fearful blindness and hardness that lies upon them and hath done for this sixteen hundred years together Seventy years in bodily bondage in Babel did finish the punishment of their forefathers for all the Idolatry bloodshed and impiety that they had committed But these after above twenty times seventy years under dispersion and obduration have now as little appearance of amendment of their hearts and of their condition as there was so many hundred years ago The same blindness the same doting upon traditions the same insisting upon their own works for salvation the same blind confidence that they are Gods only beloved people the same expectation of Messias to come the same hatred of Messias already come and the same opposition against the Gospel is in them still that was in that first generation that crucified the Lord of life That generation is plainly and often asserted by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament to be Antichrist and the very same Antichristian spirit hath continued in all the generations of them ever since even to this day Into the thoughts therefore concerning their Calling after so long and so extream crosness against the Gospel and the Lord of it I cannot but take these things into consideration For though I am unwilling to recede from that charitable opinion of most Christians that there shall once be a Calling of them home yet see I not how that supposal of the universal Call of the whole Nation as of one man which some entertain can be digested without some allay and mitigation 1. That all Israel both Jews and they of the ten Tribes have had as full an offer of the Gospel as any of the Gentiles have had both in the time of the Apostles and since Of the two Tribes there can be no scruple and of the ten almost as little if their sin that cast them off the place of their seating when carried out of their own Land and the carriage of the Gospel through the whole world be well considered Now that their refusing of the Gospel so offered to them in that manner as they have done should be followed with so universal a Call and Conversion is somewhat hard to believe especially when it is observed that the Gentiles despising the Gospel are doomed to the everlasting deprivation of it and to a worse condition then Tyre and Zidon 2. It is true indeed that Gods Covenant with their fathers is of special weight and observation in this business and the Apostle toucheth it in this question Rom. 11. 28. but how is this to be understood God made a twofold Covenant with their fathers viz. the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Peculiarity and the later was but a manner of the administration of the former The Covenant of Grace was made with Adam and belongs to all the seed of Christ before the Law under it and after it Jews and Gentiles Now the Oeconomy of Moses was such an administration of this Covenant of Grace as made Israel a peculiar people This effect of the Covenant with their fathers namely that they still are and ever shall be Gods peculiar is their conceit all along but little warrant for us to hold it since under the Gospel there is no distinction of Jew and Gentile And as for the other that many of them yet belong to Election and the Covenant of Grace made with their fathers it is not to be doubted which yet doth little make for so general a calling 3. It was a good sign of the general conversion of the Heathen once to be in that there were multitudes of them proselyted daily before the general Call by the Gospel came an hundred three and fifty thousand in the days of Solomon and that when Religion was then in a very narrow compass But of these how few in comparison have come in in all this long time though they have had incomparably more means and opportunity then ever those had Their sin that cast them off was more horrid then the sin that cast off the Heathen and so their blindness and obduration is beyond theirs And which deserves observation The sin of the two Tribes was beyond the sin of the ten 4. Since the New Testament doth ordinarily stile that first generation Antichrist and since as is apparent the very same spirit is in the Nation to this day I see not how we can look upon the conversion of the Jews under a lower notion then the conversion of a brood of Antichrist Therefore can I no more look for the general calling of them then I look for the general call of the Antichristian brood of Rome We see indeed by happy experience that several Nations have fallen off from the Roman Antichrist as the Protestant Countries that are at this day but Antichrist is yet in being and strong and his end will be not by conversion but perdition So can I not but conceive of the Jewish Nation That although numerous multitudes of them may
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
proved and in the progress of the discourse to come the particulars both for year and time may be cleared more fully Now the times of the Roman Emperors that came between the death of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem are thus reckoned by the Roman Historians themselves Tiberius began to reign about August the 18. He reigned 22 years 7 months and 7 days Dion And died in the 23 of his reign Suet. He died March 26. Dion Or the 17 of the Calends of April Sueton. Caius Caligula began March 27. Reigned 3 years 9 months 28 days Dion Or 3 years 10 months 8 days Sueton. Died January 23 or the 9 of the Calends of February Suet. Claudius began January 24. Reigned 13 years 8 months 20 days Dion He died in the 14 year of his reign Suet. Died October 13. Dion Or the 3 of the Ides of Octob. Suet. Nero began Octob. 14. Reigned 13 years 8 months Dion Galba reigned 9 months 13 days Dion Died in his 7 month saith Suet. Otho reigned 90 days Dion 95 days Suet. Vitellius reigned 1 year wanting 10 days Dion Vespasian reigned 10 years wanting six days Dion In his second year Jerusalem is destroyed by his son Titus Joseph de Bello Judaic lib. 7. cap. 18. And now if we cast up the times from the 18 of Tiberius to the second of Vespasian and compare and parallel them with the years of our Saviour we shall find them running together in this manner Christ Tiberius Christ Claudius 33 18 54 13 34 19 55 14 35 20 56 1 Nero. 36 21 57 2 37 22 58 3 38 1 Caius begins in March 27. 59 4 39 2 60 5 40 3 61 6 41 4 62 7 42 1 Claudius begins Ianuary 24. 63 8 43 2 64 9 44 3 65 10 45 4 66 11 46 5 67 12 47 6 68 13 48 7 69 14 49 8 70 1 Galba and Otho 50 9 71 1 Vitellius 51 10 72 1 Vespasian 52 11 73 2 Ierusalem destroyed 53 12   Vers. 4. And being assembled together with them There is no small difference among Interpreters about rendring this clause out of the Original Some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others leave the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out as thinking the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient some render it Eating with them as the Syrian Arabick Oecumenius Chrysostome Vulgar Latine Deodate and our English in the Margin the Rhemists and those that follow the Vulgar which Valla thinketh was mistaken and read convescens in stead of conversans Others Assembling them or being assembled with them as Beza Camerarius Deodate and our English in the Text the Tigurine Spanish French Erasmus and others Epiphanius as he is cited by Camerarius readeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Valla as he is cited by Erasmus saith it is so written in some Greek Copies For the setling therefore of the right construction of this place First It is the concurrent agreement of all men this last excepted to read the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word indeed the thing it self will not bear for though Christ conversed and was much among his Disciples after his Resurrection yet do we not read that he ever lodged with them which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly import Secondly In the difference about the translation whether to render it eating or being assembled with them the current of Greek Authors in the use of the word do vote for the latter sense and not at all for the former as Beza and Camerarius do prove at large and more proofs might be given were it needful Now this phrase seemeth to refer to Christs meeting his Disciples on the mountain of Galilee which he himself had appointed for a meeting place Matth. 28. 16. And the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not be wanting For in other of his appearings it was accidental and unexpected when he came among them but upon this mount he was assembled together with them upon appointment And here it is like were the five hundred Brethren mentioned by Paul and spoken of before for where was it so likely so many should have the sight of Christ at once as in that place where he had promised that he would meet them and had appointed to assemble with them §. Commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem Not that they were at Jerusalem when they received this command but that he commandeth them now to Jerusalem and there to contine Till they were come into Galilee they had no warrant to stay at Jerusalem at all but command to the contrary for he commanded them away from thence into Galilee Matth. 28. 7. 16. because he would appear to all those at once that had been most constant Auditors of him for there had been his greatest converse and being there assembled together with them according to his promise and his appointment he then chargeth them to return to Jerusalem and not to depart from thence till the promise of the Father be come Christ confineth them to Jerusalem for the receiving of the Holy Ghost 1. Because of the Prophesie Esay 2. 3. Out of Zion shall go forth the Law c. 2. Because there would be the greatest company to be spectators of that great work and to be wrought upon by it as is proved by the sequel 3. Because that this great work of Christs power was fittest to be shewed there where had been his great humiliation and that those that would not be convinced by the resurrection might be convinced by this miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost Vers. 6. They asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel This was and is the great delusion of that Nation unto this day and not a few Christians do side with them in it supposing that at the Jews conversion they shall be brought home to Canaan there inhabit with Christ visibly among them Jerusalem built again and their peace and prosperity so great as never the like and so constant as never interrupted To this tune spake the petition of Salome the wife of Zebedee and James and John her two sons Matth. 20. 20. and the speech of Cleopas Luke 24. 21. And how common this Doctrine is among the Jewish Authors it is needless for it might be endless to recite it is evidence enough in that we see it the common and general quaere of all the Disciples met together Christ since his Resurrection had spoken to them of the things that concerned the Kingdom of God and they find belike that he had passed a great Article of their belief unspoken of about restoring the Kingdom of Israel Our Saviour answers their curiosity with a check as he had done Poter Joh. 21. 22. and diverts their thoughts to the more needful consideration of the calling that he would set them about as in the next verse and sheweth that the Kingdom of
being mixed with men of different conditions which thing they know is unprofitable and hurtful This kind of people are in many parts of the world but it abounds in Egypt through every one of those places that are called Nomi especially about Alexandria Now out of all places the chief or best of the Therapeutae are sent into a Colony as it were into their Country into a most convenient region besides the lake Maria upon a low gentle rising bank very fit both for safety and the wholesom air The houses of the company are very mean affording shelter in two most necessary respects against the heat of the Sun and the coldness of the air Nor are they near together like houses in a City for such vicinity is trouble and displeasing to such as love and affect solitude Nor yet far asunder because of that communion which they imbrace and that they may help one another if there be any incursion of thieves Every one of them hath a holy house which is called a * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chappel and Monastery in which they * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being solitary do perform the mysteries of a Religious life bringing in thither neither drink nor meat nor any other necessaries for the use of the body but the Law and the Oracles given by the Prophets and hymns and other things whereby knowledge and religion are increased and perfected Therefore they have God perpetually in their mind insomuch that in their dreams they see nothing but the beauty of the Divine powers and there some of them who by dreaming do vent excellent matters of Philosophy They use to pray twice every day morning and evening at Sun rising and Sun setting and all the time between they meditate and study the Scripture allegorizing them because they believe that mystical things are hid under the plain letter they have also many commentaries of their predecessors of this Sect to this purpose They also made Psalms and Hymns to the praise of God Thus spend they the six days of the week every one in his Cell not so much as looking out of it But on the seventh day they meet together and sit down according to their age demurely with their hands within their coats the right hand betwixt their breast and their skin and the left on their side Then steps forth one of the gravest and skilfullest in their profession and preacheth to them and the rest hearken with all silence only nodding their heads or moving their eyes their place of worship is parted into two rooms one for the men and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other for the women All the week long they never taste meat nor drink any day before Sun setting because they think the studdy of wisdom to be fit for the light and the taking ease of their bodies for the dark some hardly eat above once in three days some in six on the seventh day after they have taken care of the soul they refresh the body Their diet is only bread and salt and some add a little hyssop Their drink spring-water Their cloths mean and only fit to keep out heat and cold At the end of every seven weeks they feast together honouring much the number seven Old women are present at their feasts but they are such as are Virgins upon devotion When they first meet together they first stand and pray that the feast may be blessed to them then sit they down the men on one side and the women on the other some of their young Scholers wait on them their diet is but as at other times bread and salt for their meat hyssop for sauce and water for drink there is general silence all the meal save that one or other asketh or resolveth questions the rest holding their peace and they shew by their several gestures that they understand or approve or doubt Their interpretations of Scripture are all allegories when the president hath satisfied the things proposed they give a general applause and then he singeth a Psalm either of his own making or of some of the ancients And thus do the rest in their course when all have done the young men take away the table and then they rise and fall to a daunce the men apart and the women apart for a while but at last they joyn and dance all together and this is in representation of the dance upon the shore of the red Sea Thus spend they the night when Sun riseth they all turn their faces that way and pray for a happy day and for truth and understanding and so they depart every one to their Cells To this purpose doth Philo describe these Therapeutae of his times which howsoever they are taken for Christians by divers as was said before yet it is so plain by divers passages in Philo's Charactering of them that they were no Christians but Jewish sectaries that it is even needless to determinate it let the reader but consider that it is a Jew that commends their devotion that he himself imitates their manner of expounding the Scriptures by allegories that he saith they had many commentaries of their predecessors to that tenour that they were superstitious about the number seven as he himself is not a little and if there were no other arguments to prove that they were only a Sect of the Jews these were enow §. 2. The affairs of the Jews in Alexandria and Babylonia The death of Caius was an allay to the troubles of the Jews both in Judea and Alexandria and the proclamation of Claudius which we shall hear of the next year was their utter cessation for the present but so it was not in Babylonia The terror and trouble that had seized Judea about the statue of Caesar was removed and extinct with the removal and extinction of Caesar himself so were the pressures of them in Alexandria mitigated much from what they were before though their commotions and troubling continued still in an equal measure For whereas before the displeasure of the Emperor lay so heavy upon them that they neither could nor durst stand out in their own defence when that burden is now removed they gather heart and metal and now though the Greeks and they be continually at daggers drawn yet now it is upon equal terms and they dare strike as well as the other But in Babylonia and thereabout their miseries is but now a brewing and an equal strait is preparing for them as had been to either of the other though it began with some smiling of a seeming happiness and the sunshine of present prosperity The bloodhound of vengeance was to hunt this Nation and not to be taken off till it was destroyed and therefore when it giveth off the quest in one place it takes it in another and leaveth not their footing till it had left them no footing at all Those Jews whose Tragedy we have seen acted already found their own misery though
d Ibid. per. 1. in Gemara Rabbi Meiâ— saith they may eat it all the fifth hour and were to burn it at the beginning of the sixth Rabbi Judah saith they may eat it all the fourth hour and they were to suspend all the fifth and at the sixth hour they were to burn it Which dispute Maymonides fifteth into this resolution e e e Maym. ubi supr per. 1. It was lawful to eat leaven on the fourteenth day till the end of the fourth hour but they might not eat it the fifth hour yet they might use it but he that eateth it the sixth hour was beaten with the Rebels beating and he that eat it from the beginning of the seventh was to be whipt Twelve a clock or thereabouts therefore being come it had been a strange sight to have seen every one of them either siring or drowning or scattering their leaven into the wind for any of these ways served for the expelling of it and this command and practice reached over all the Country and you might have seen them do it with this Valediction f f f Seder Hagâ—â—dab ubi sup All the leaven that is within my possession which I have seen or which I have not seen which I have cast out or which I have not cast out be it null be it as the dust of the earth SECT III. The time of killing the Passeover ABout the day of celebrating the Passover there needeth no discourse to fix it it is so plainly pointed out to be the fourteenth day of the first Month that nothing can be plainer therefore when we speak of the time of killing the Passover we speak not of the day of the month which is so well known but of the time of the day which is not so clearly pointed out The Tosaphta indeed upon the Treatise Pesachin relateth that a a a Tosaphta in Pesach per. 1. ad med the Cuthaeans sometimes kept their Passover a day before the Israelites did and sometimes a day after where the word Cuthaeans might breed some dispute for in the Talmudicks language it means sometimes Samaritans and sometimes Christians but we shall not insist upon it And there have been some Christians that have held that Christ and his Disciples kept their last Passover one day before the Jews kept theirs conceiting this from that which is spoken in John 18. 28. where it is related that when Christ was brought into Pilate's Judgment Hall which was when he had eaten the Passover as all the other Evangelists declare abundantly the Jews durst not go into Pilates Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover To which mistake I shall only give some words of Maymony at this present for answer for the ground of the mistake we shall have occasion to look after in the ensuing discourse b b b Maym. in Corban Pesach per. 1. It is an affirmative command saith he to kill the Passover on the fourteenth day of the Month Nisan in the afternoon and they kill it not but only of Lambs or Kids a male of the first year and both men and women are alike liable to this command and he that breaks this command presumptuously and passeth the fourteenth day and offereth not if he be not unclean or in a long journey he is guilty of being cut off but if he transgress the command ignorantly he is quit They kill not the Passover but in the Court even as the rest of the holy offerings yea even in those times when high places were permitted they offered not the Passover in a private high place but in the publick that is the Temple and he that offered it in a private high place was to be whipt From which words it being observed what penalty lay upon him that passed the fourteenth day and what the there was to slay the Paschal Lamb in the Court it will appear extream absurd to imagine that any Israelite should keep his Passover before the fixed day What the Cuthaeans or Samaritans might do at their Mount Gerizim it is no matter but for any Jews to celebrate the Passover at Jerusalem for no where else it might be done before the proper and fixed time could not have been without evident danger to them that did it it being so diametrically contrary both to the Law and to their Traditions and yet we find not Christ was ever toucht with the least accusation about his Passover as if he kept it on the wrong day But to let this pass which indeed is too plain to be disputed for the Evangelist most plainly tels us that on the day of unleavened bread when the Passover must be killed Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare his Passover Luke 22. 7 8. and now to come to look after the time of the day when the Passover was killed we must take these two maximes with us c c c Id. ibid. 1. That the Passover was not lawful if it were killed before noon and the reason of this is easie to give namely because the Law doth expresly appoint that they should kill it between the two evenings Exod. 12. 6. And 2. that the daily evening Sacrifice was to be killed before they began to kill the Passover and the reason of this is also readily to be given namely because an extraordinary service must not prevent one ordinary and constant d d d Id. ibid. After they had burnt the incense of the evening sacrifice and after they had dressed the Lamps then they began to kill the Passover and so continued till the end of the day The times they divided thus e e e Talm. in Pesach per. 5. they slew the daily Sacrifice at the eighth hour and an half and they offered it up at the ninth hour and an half but on the Eve of the Passover they slew it at the seventh hour and an half and offered it up at the eighth hour and an half whether the day were a common day or the Sabbath and if the Eve of the Passover fell on the Eve of the Sabbath the daily Sacrifice was killed at the sixth hour and half an hour past and offered it up at the seventh hour and half an hour past and the Passover after it It was the command both for the Passover and for the daily Evening Sacrifice that they should be slain and offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between the two Evenings Exod. 12. 6. 29. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f Ab. Ezra in Exod. 12. A very hard expression saith Aben Ezra and he gives as very hard an interpretation of it for he judgeth the two Evenings to be these the one when the Sun sets and goes out of sight and the other when the day closes in and all the light is clean gone which he saith is ordinarily about an hour and three quarters after Sun setting and so he will have the daily Sacrifice to be
Africa 789 Affirmative and Negative Word or Phrase are used together commonly in Scripture for Elegancy 513 Agapae Feasts of Charity what 315 Age of Man shortned at the flood building of Babel and in the Wilderness 11 34 Ages of the World 4 11 Ages it 's very common in Scripture in reckoning the ages of Men and other things to count the year which they are now passing for a year of their age be it never so lately begun 487 Agrippa his Original Succession to his Uncle-Brother zeal to the Jewish Law p. 321. His miseries p. 818 to 820. His case hopeful p. 825. He is fully enlarged and Crowned and not long after slew James and imprisoned Peter to please the Jews for he was much their friend p. 828 858 879 889. His Death miserable 889 Ahasuerosh the same with Artaxerxes a greater Prince than Darius c. 140 Alabarcha not the name of a Man but an Office 819 Allegory The Jews did usually turn the Scriptures into Allegory which did not only taint their own Posterity but also the Church of Christ. 373 Allegations Citations or Quotations when taken out of the Old Testament by the New are sometimes two places couched together as if they were one yet maketh it sure that the first is that very place which it taketh on it to cite though the second be another 451 Alexander the Conqueror had the Prophesie of Daniel shewed to him p. 2065. * The Occurrences of the Temple under Alexander 2065 2066. * Almanach or Kalendar Jewish with the Festivals Attendance of the Priests and the Lessons out of the Law and Prophets 401 to 406 Alms not unclean though given by an Heathen 843 Alpha and Omega so Christ is called an usual phrase in the Jewish Writers 341 Alpheus and Cleopas the same Man p. 242 270. He had four Sons Apostles 660 Altar of Incense what p. 721 1083. * Of Burnt Offerings what p. 722 2029. * The manner and way of burning up Wood for it p. 984 c. How so much burnt Offerings could be offered on it in so small a time p. 2029 2030. * When the Altar was whited p. 2036. * Brazen Altar put on the North side the Altar what p. 2036. * Of what nature and use the Horns of the Altar were 2033. * Amen The Jews used it as a solemn Affirmation upon or in a sort of swearing p. 515. In the Old Testament it s used in a way of wishing or praying Christ useth it by way of assertion or affirming with the reasons p. 535 536. Why our Saviour useth it so often ibid. Amen Amen Christ often useth it double John always and why 535 536 Anathama Maranatha what 304 305 Ananias and Saphira their History p. 762 c. They were destroyed for despising the Spirit of the Messias p. 278. For affronting the Holy Ghost ibid. And often not a Conjuctive Particle but only illustrating or explicatory p. 518. This Conjunctive Particle And is very oft cut off by Ellipsis in Scripture 782 Andrew the Apostle called one of the first yet ever put after the rest in the mentioning of them p. 635. Had a suspension for a time in his attendance on Christ. 633 635 Angels created with the Heavens in probability fell out of envy to Man p. 2. Angels for Devils or Ministers 303. Angels was one of the Titles of the Ministers of the Jewish Synagogue as also of the Gospel Ministry afterward p. 323 341 616 617. Angels are called The heavenly Host. p. 428. When the Scripture speaketh of the coming or going of Angels or Spirits it generally meaneth after a visible and an apparent manner p. 512. The Ministration of Angels what p. 668 669. Angel Tutelar or Guardian 886 Annas supposed to have been the Nasi or Head of the Sanhedrim when Christ was had before him p. 454. But he was indeed the Sagan or Vicegerent to the High Priest at that time 912 Anointing much in use among the Jews our Saviour was three times anointed by Mary Magdalen twice his feet once at her Conversion and again six days before the Passover a third time his Head and Body two days before the Passover p. 251 252. Anointing the sick with Oyl was used by the Jews for a Charm by the Christians as Physick in order to a cure the Elders of the Church being present to pray for a blessing and to instruct the sick p. 333. Christs anointing was his setting a part for Mediator and Minister of the Gospel c. also his apparent Instalment into that Office by the Holy Ghost p. 616 617. Anointing Oyl how compounded 2051. * Antichrist Paul looks upon the Jewish Nation so obstinate and unreasonable as the Antichrist p. 296. See Man of Sin St. John tells of many Antichrists these were such as were Apostates from the Gospel p. 339. Antichrist of the second Edition was much inlarged in Rome Heathen and especially Papal p. 344. At first Antichrist was the perverse Jews in their differing Sects partly unbelieving and partly apostatizing p. 373. until the Papal Antichrist arose which took up the like quantity of Traditions Legends false Miracles Ceremonys c. and then the two Parts make one entire Antichrist p. 373. The first Generation of the Jews in the Apostles time was Antichrist and the same Spirit being still in that Nation or People for any thing I know they may be destroyed with the Romish Antichrist notwithstanding a Remnant may be saved p. 376. Antichrist and his Dominion was offered to Christ. 508. Antigonus of Soto President of the Sanhedrim part of his History 2080. * Antioch a Seat of the Roman Government one of the first places planted with Christianity 286 Antiochus Epiphanes part of his History 2087 2088. * Antonia the Tower described 1060. * Antoninus Philosophus Marcus Aurelius the Emperor supposed to have many discourses with the Jewish Rabbins yea to become a Proselyte to them 369 Apion his original his writing against the Jews his end 860 Apollinaris supposed Christ to have no humane soul confuted 396. Marg. Apocrypha ill placed by the Papists between the two Testaments 1014 Apostacy or a falling away upon the first planting of the Gospel 297 298 Apostles were ordained by Christ in a Mount near Capernaum to found and carry on the Gospel Church p. 223. Their number three Ends of their appointment ibid. After they were ordained they remained about a year with Christ as Probationers to see his Works and learn his Doctrin p. 223 233. Apostles one of the Titles of the Gospel Ministers ibid. They had the Spirit given them to heal Diseases and cast out Devils some considerable time before they had it given them with commission to preach the Gospel p. 234. Why they were sent out unfurnished as to mony c. ibid. Upon Christs appearing to them at Supper after his Resurrection they receive the Holy Ghost to give them a power of Life and Death distinct from what they had yet received or were to
all the length of the River that was in Judea 478 528 Passover when Instituted p. 27. Several particulars concerning it p. 708 709. The manner of the celebration of it p. 951. The Difference and Parallel between the Passover in Egypt and the Passover in succeeding Ages p. 952. The manner of the choosing the Lamb. p. 952 953. The passages of the afternoon of the Passover Day what p. 954. The Time of killing the Passover p. 955 c. The Paschal Societies p. 956. Women were not bound to appear at the Passover but yet they usually did with the Reasons p. 956. The killing the Passover with the Hymn that was Sung in the mean while p. 262 957. The Manner or Method of eating it at evening Sitting they began with Thanksgiving then with a Cup of Wine and they were to drink four of them their Bread was unleavened they also used five kinds of Herbs Lettice Endive Succory Beets Horehound p. 959 to 965. They washed their Hands several times p. 959 964 965. The Lamb roasted was set whole on the Table they began with other Meat they used a thick Sauce p. 962 963. They gave thanks when they began on every differing part p. 959 to 965. Then the cup of blessing p. 964 965. The fourth cup of Wine then they finish with Prayers and Praises p. 967. It was a full Representation of Christs Passion it gives good instructions for the Lords Supper p. 1008. The Jews find thirteen Precepts about keeping the Passover 1009 Passover week the Riâ—es and Solemnity of the first Day p. 968. The second Day 969 Pastors one of the Titles of the Gospel Ministers 228 Patriarchs all their Bones were brought out of Egypt and buried at Sichem 781 782 Paul's Conversion c. wonderful 281 283 Paul's greatest enemies were the Hellenists because he had been one of them p. 283. He had a Trade and wrought with his Hands after he was an Apostle p. 295. He is inferior to none in wickedness except that it was not final and inferior to none in Holyness his rare History and Life with all his Travels and Affairs 789 to 794 813 to 816 Peace was universal when Christ first approved in the World 425 Peace offering of rejoycing what 968 Penalties inflicted upon unclean Persons found in the Temple what p. 901 902. Penalties Capital the Jews had four sorts of them Stoning Burning Slaying with the Sword and Strangling 2006. * Penitents comfort for them drawn out of the Scripture Genealogy 26 Pentecost Feast was a Return or Offering of the Harvest of the Jews called the Feast of Harvest Exod. 23. The Solemnity thereof how performed p. 970. It lasted eight days p. 277. The time and nature of the Feast it was called a Sabbath be it what day of the week it would p. 746 747. That day of Pentecost on which the Holy Ghost was given was the Lords Day 747 Persecution spreads the Gospel 280 785 Persecution against the Christians under Nero was very bloody and barbarous so as to move the pity of their enemies saith Tacitus the Jews heightning that Persecution against them 333 334 Persian Kings and the Time of their Government considered 138 139 Persian Monarchy the state and fate of the Temple under it 2063 to 2066. * Persons the distinction of Persons in the Trinity what 39â— Persons change of Persons in Grammatical Construction is usual in the Hebrew Rhetorick and Eloquence Page pag. 451 Peters denial of Christ was foretold by Christ at two distinct times p. 259. His improbability of being at Rome p. 316. He was Minister of the circumcision and Paul Minister of the incircumcision they had their Interchanged Agents to shew their agreement and harmony to those with whom they had to do p. 329. Peter why called Cephas p. 531 532. He had a suspension for a time in his Attendance on Christ. p. 633. He was ever first named in the Catalogue of the Apostles and why p. 634 635. He was ever a chief Speaker as concerning the Church in Judea being for the Circumcision p. 743. His shadow wrought Miracles as it seemeth p. 764. He and James were equal the first not Prince of the Apostles nor the second Bishop of Jerusalem p. 815. Whether it is probable he was Bishop of Rome at all Answered Negatively p. 878 879 880. How he was guarded in Prison and delivered by an Angel 886 Pharaoh a common Name or Title of the Egyptians Kings as Abimilech of the Philistines 423. Marg. Pharisees their Doctrine and Practises what p. 255 256 Though they differed from other Hereticks yet they harmonized with them to oppose the Gospel and Christianity p. 373. Their Original Names Qualities and Principles p. 457 458 459. They were most ceremoniously devoted to unwritten Traditions They were the Separatists of the Nation though they did not separate from publick Assemblies but in Matters referring to higher Acts of Holiness pretending to higher Degrees of Holiness than all the rest p. 656 657. The Talmud doth characterize them 656 657 658 Phaenix one seen in Egypt An. Dom. 35. 804 Philo the Jew what he was in Life and Writings 860 861 862 Philosophy was an eminent part of Solomons wisdom p. 73. He writ Books of Philosophy which are lost p. 75 Not only Moses was great in Humane Learning and Philosophy but also Heman Ethan Chalcol and Dardan 73 Phrases two Phrases of the same Nature use to heighten the sense 420. Marg. Phylacteries what p. 256. How necessary p. 568. What they were who used them when they were rehearsed 944 945 Pictures of Christ what against the Papists 232 Pillars the two Pillars in Solomons Temple described p. 1074. * Their height p. 1074. * The place where they stood and the signification of their Names 1076. * Pity is moved by cruelty 333 334 Place the most holy Place what p. 719. The most holy Place the description of it with what was contained therein 1072 1078 1080 to 1088. * Plagues of Egypt 26 Poligamy its original p. 3. It s called Fornication or Whoredom p. 15. Poligamy was the sin of Lamech 693 Pomgranates there were ninety six on a side others say there were two hundred in all 1075. * Pondion what sort of coyn 1096. * Pontius was a common Prenomen among the Romans 448 Marg. Pontius Pilate his character p. 452. His malitious and stirring Spirit always smart and furious upon the Jews p. 773 803 818. He falling into disgrace and misery ends his days with his own hands 818 Pool of Bethesda whence it received its waters whence it had its excellent Vertues 667 668 Poor put for meek humble the Saints of God 617 Porch of the Temple described p. 1073. * The steps to it It was supposed to be the place whither Satan brought Christ in his Temptation p. 1073. * The things in the Porch as a Vine Candlestick and two Tables described with their use pag. 1078. * Porches were Cloyster-walks p. 661 668. Bethesda's Pool had five
him that the blind received their sight the dead were raised Devils were cast out c. And why therefore among all the rest is not John set at liberty This Scruple as it seems stuck with the good man why do all receive benefit and comfort from Christ but only I Perhaps he laboured under that dim-sightedness which the Disciples of Christ and the whole Nation did concerning his earthly Kingdom Victories and Triumphs from which how distant alas was this that his Fore-runner and chief Minister should lye in Chains If thou art he concerning whose Triumphing the Prophets declare so much why am I so long detained in prison Art thou he or is another to be expected from whom these things are to be looked for To Johns double Question Christ renders a double Solution First ' That I am He that should come these things which I do bear witness The blind receive their sight the lame walk c. Secondly As to the present case of John who expects some body to come to deliver him out of bonds and to free the people from the yoak of Men Let him saith he acquiesce in my Divine dispensation and Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me however all things are not according to his mind which he hath expected to fall out for his present and bodily advantage And the words of our Saviour vers 11. seem to express some secret reproof of this error in John He that is less in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he The vulgar Version renders well the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 less not least as if he should say When ye went out into the desert to John ye neither looked for trifles nor earthly pomp neither a reed shaken with the wind nor a man clothed in soft raiment but ye looked in good earnest for a Prophet and in that ye did very well for he was the greatest of Prophets nay of Men as to his Office honoured in this above all others that he is the fore-runner of the Messias Howbeit there are some which indeed in respect of Office are much less than he in the Kingdom of Heaven or in the Common-wealth of Christ who yet are greater than he in respect of the Knowledge of the state and condition of his Kingdom A comparison certainly is not here made either in respect of Office or in respect of Dignity or in respect of Holiness or in respect of Eternal Salvation For who I pray exceeded the Baptist in all these or in any of them but in respect of clear and distinct knowledge in judging of the Nature and Quality of the Kingdom of Heaven Let the austerity of Johns life and the very frequent Fasts which he enjoyned his Disciples be well considered and what our Saviour saith of both and you will easily believe that John also according to the universal conceit of the Nation expected temporal Redemption by the Messias not so clearly distinguishing concerning the Nature of the Kingdom and Redemption of Christ. And you will the more easily give credit to this when you shall have observed how the Disciples of Christ themselves that conversed a long time with him were dim sighted likewise in this very thing VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence AND these words also make for the praise of John That he was a very eminent Prophet and of no ordinary Mission or Authority these things evince That from his Preaching the Kingdom of Heaven took its beginning and it was so crouded into by infinite multitudes as if they would take and seise upon the Kingdom by violence The divine warmth of the people in betaking themselves thither by such numberless crouds and with so exceeding a zeal sufficiently argued the Divine worth both of the Teacher and of his Doctrine VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If ye will receive it This is Elias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If ye will receive it The words hint some suspicion that they would not receive his Doctrine which the obstinate expectation of that Nation unto this very day that Elias is personally to come witnesseth also Upon what grounds some Christians are of the same opinion let themselves look to it See the Notes on Chap. XVII vers 10. VERS XXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Tyre and Sidon HE compares the Cities of the Jews with the Cities of the Canaanites who were of a cursed original but yet these Cities of a cursed seed and name if they had been partakers of the Miracles done among you had not hardned themselves to that degree of madness and obstinacy as you have done but had turned from their Heathenism and Canaanitism unto the Knowledge of the Gospel or at least had betook themselves to such a repentance as would have prevented vengeance So the repentance of the Ninivites however it were not to salvation yet it was such as preserved them and freed their City from the wrath and scourge that hung over them The most horrid stiffness of the Jews is here intimated of all impious men the most impious of all cursed wretches the most cursed VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the day of Iudgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the day of Judgment and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the day of the great Judgement a form of speech very usual among the Jews VERS XXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My yoak SO 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The yoak of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The yoak of the precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The yoak of the Kingdom of Heaven CHAP. XII VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At that time Iesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn THE time is determined by Luke in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is on the Sabbath from the second-first I. Provision was made by the divine Law that the sheaf of first fruits should be offered on the second day of the Passover week Levit. XXIII 10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the morrow after the Sabbath the Priest shall shake or wave it Not on the morrow after the ordinary Sabbath of the week but the morrow after the first day of the Passover week which was a Sabbatic day Exod. XII 16. Levit. XXIII 7. Hence the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The morrow of the first day the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After the Holy day The Rabbins Solomon and Menachen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the morrow after the first day of the Passover feast of which mention had been made in the verses foregoing II. But now from that second day of the Passover Solemnity wherein the sheaf was offered were numbred seven weeks to Pentecost For the day of the Sheaf and the day of Pentecost did mutually respect each other For on this second day of the Passover the Offering of the Sheaf was supplicatory and by way of prayer beseeching a blessing upon the new corn and leave to eat
IV. 12. fiery trial by Christ dictating the Epistles to the twelve Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p p p p p p Rev. II. 10. Tribulation for ten days and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q q q q q q Rev. III. 10. The hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world of Christians And this is The revelation of that wicked one r r r r r r 2 Thes. II. 8. St. Paul speaks of now in lively that is in bloody colours openly declaring himself Antichrist the enemy of Christ. In that persecution James suffered at Jerusalem Peter in Babylon and Antipas at Pergamus and others as it is probable in not a few other places Hence Rev. VI. 11 12. where the state of the Jewish Nation is delivered under the type of six seals they are slain who were to be slain for the testimony of the Gospel under the fifth seal and immediately under the sixth followeth the ruine of the Nation VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The love of many shall wax cold THESE words relate to that horrid Apostasie which prevailed every where in the Jewish Churches that had received the Gospel See 2 Thes. II. 3 c. Gal. III. 2. 2 Tim. I. 15. c. VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world JErusalem was not to be destroyed before the Gospel was spread over all the World God so ordering and designing it that the World being first a Catechumen in the Doctrine of Christ might have at length an eminent and undeniable testimony of Christ presented to it when all men as many as ever heard the history of Christ should understand that dreadful wrath and severe vengeance which was poured out upon that City and Nation by which he was crucified VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The abomination of desolation THESE words relate to that passage of Daniel Chap. IX 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I would render thus In the middle of that week namely the last of the seventy he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease even until the wing or army of abominations shall make desolate c. or Even by the wing of abominations making desolate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is An army Esay VIII 8. And in that sense Luke rendred these words s s s s s s Chap. XXI 20. When you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with an army c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him that readeth understand This is not spoken so much for the obscurity as for the certainty of the Prophesie as if he should say He that reads those words in Daniel let him mind well that when the army of the Prince which is to come that army of abominations shall compass round Jerusalem with a siege then most certain destruction hangs over it for saith Daniel The people of the Prince which is to come shall destroy the City c. the sanctuary c. vers 26. And the army of abominations shall make desolate even until the consummation and that which is determined shall be poured out upon the desolate Flatter not your selves therefore with vain hopes either of future victory or of the retreating of that army but provide for your selves and he that is in Judea let him fly to the Hills and places of most difficult access not into the City See how Luke clearly speaks out this sense in the twentieth verse of the one and twentieth Chapter VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That your flight be not in the Winter R. Tanchum observes a favour of God in the destruction of the first Temple that it happened in the Summer not in Winter For thus he t t t t t t Fol. 57. 2. God vouchsafed a great favour to Israel For they ought to have gone out of the land on the tenth day of the month Tebeth as he saith Son of Man mark this day for on this very day c. what then did the Lord Holy and Blessed If they shall now go out in the Winter saith he they will all dye therefore he prolonged the time to them and carried them away in Summer VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those days should be shortned GOD lengthned the time for the sake of the elect before the destruction of the City and in the destruction for their sakes he shortned it compare with these words before us the 2 of Pet. III. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise c. It was certainly very hard with the Elect that were inhabitants of the City who underwent all kind of misery with the besieged where the Plague and Sword raged so violently that there were not living enough to bury the dead and the Famine was so great that a Mother eat her Son perhaps the Wife of Doeg ben Joseph of whom see such a story in Bab. Joma u u u u u u Fol. 38. 2◠And it was also hard enough with those Elect who fled to the Mountains being driven out of House living in the open Air and wanting necessaries for Food Their merciful God and Father therefore took care of them shortning the time of their misery and cutting off the reprobates with a speedier destruction least if their stroke had been longer continued the Elect should too far have partaken of their misery The Rabbins dream that God shortned the day on which wicked King Ahaz died and that ten hours least he should have been honoured with mourning w w w w w w See R. Sol on Esay XXXVIII VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall show great signs and wonders IT is a disputable case whether the Jewish Nation were more mad with superstition in matters of Religion or with superstition in curious Arts. I. There was not a people upon Earth that studied or attributed more to dreams than they Hence 1. They often imposed fastings upon themselves to this end that they might obtain happy dreams or to get the interpretation of a dream or to divert the ill omen of a dream which we have observed at the fourteenth verse of the ninth Chapter 2. Hence their nice rules for handling of dreams such as these and the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let one observe a good dream two and twenty years after the example of Joseph x x x x x x Beracoth fol. 14. 1. If you go to bed merry you shall have good dreams c. y y y y y y Schabb. fol. 30 2. In the Gloss. 3. Hence many took upon them the publick profession of interpreting dreams and this was reckoned among the nobler Arts. A certain old man in Bab. Beracoth z z z z z z Fol. 55. 2. relates this story There were four and twenty interpreters of dreams in Jerusalem and I having dreamed a dream went to them all every one gave a different interpretation and yet they
〈◊〉 Zephaniah the second Priest Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zephaniah the Sagan of the Priests Caiaphas therefore was the High-Priest and Annas the Sagan or Ruler of the Temple who for his independent dignity is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or High-Priest as well as Caiaphas and seems therefore to be named first because he was the others Father-in-law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h h h h Chetub fol. 88. 2. fol. 105. 1. There was a dissention between Hanan and the Sons of the chief Priests c. It was in a judicial cause about a Wife requiring her dower c. Where the scruple is who should these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Chief Priests be Whether the Fathers and heads of the Courses or the High-Priest only and the Sagan It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i i i i i Cap. 1. of the same Treatise hal 5. a Counsel of Priests which we have already spoken to at Matth. XXVI 3. Now the question is whether by the Sons of the chief Priests be meant the Sons of the Fathers of Courses or the Fathers of Courses themselves or the Sons of the High-Priest and the Sagan where the High-Priest in that Court was like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince in the Sanhedrin and the Sagan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of the Sanhedrin k k k k k k Pesikta fol. 11. 4. Moses was made a Sagan to Aaron He put on his Garments and took them off viz. on the day of his Consecration And as he was his Sagan in life so he was in death too VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Every valley shall be filled THE Jews have a Tradition that some such thing was done by the cloud that led Israel in the Wilderness Instead of many instances take the Targumist upon Cant. II. 6. There was a cloud went before them three days journey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take down the hills and raise the valleyes It slew all fiery Serpents in the Wilderness and all Scorpions and found out for them a fit place to lodge in What the meaning of the Prophet in this passage was Christians well enough understand the Jews apply it to levelling and making the ways plain for Israel's return out of Captivity for this was the main thing they expected from the Messiah viz. to bring back the Captivity of Israel l l l l l l Beresh rabb fol. 110. 3. R. Chanan saith Israel shall have no need of the Doctrine of Messiah the King in time to come for it is said to him shall the Gentiles seek Isai. XI 10. but not Israel If so why then is Messiah to come and what is he to doe when he doth come He shall gather together the Captivity of Israel c. VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of these stones to raise up Children unto Abraham WE do not say the Baptist played with the sound of those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Banaia and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abanaia He does certainly with great scorn deride the vain confidence and glorying of that Nation amongst whom nothing was more ready and usual in their mouths than to boast that they were the Children of Abraham when he tells them that they were such Children of Abraham that God could raise as good as they from those very stones VERS XI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath two Coats let him impart to him that hath none IT would be no sense to say he that hath two Coats let him give to him that hath not two but to him that hath none For it was esteemed for Religion by some to weare but one single Coat or Garment Of which more elsewhere VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exact no more than that which is appointed you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m m m m m m Sanhedr fol. 25. 2. When the Rabbins saw that the Publicans exacted too much they rejected them as not being fit to give their testimony in any case Where the Gloss hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too much that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 More than that which is appointed them And the Father of R. Zeirah is commended in the same place that he gently and honestly executed that trust He discharged the Office of a Publican for thirteen years when the Prince of the City came and this Publican saw the Rabbins he was wont to say to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go my people enter thou into thy Chambers Isai. XXVI The Gloss is Lest the Prince of the City should see you and taking notice what numbers you are should encrease his tax yearly VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither accuse any falsly LEVIT XIX 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither lye one to another Job XXXV 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The oppressed See Psal. LXXII 4. CXIX 122. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. n n n n n n Dion Cass. lib. 58. a little from the beginning The manner of sycophants is first to load a person with reproaches and whisper some secret that the other hearing it may by telling something like it become obnoxious himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With your wages A word used also by the Rabbins o o o o o o Midr. Schir fol. 5. 3. The King distributeh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wages to his Legions p p p p p p Sanhedr fol. 18. 2. The King is not admitted to the intercalation of the year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the Opsonia That is lest he should favour himself in laying out the years with respect to the Souldiers pay VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like a Dove IF you will believe the Jews there sate a golden Dove upon the top of Solomon's Scepter q q q q q q Bemidb. rabh fol. 250. 1. As Solomon sate in his throne his Scepter was hung up behind him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the top of which there was a Dove and a golden crown in the mouth of it VERS XXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being as was supposed the Son of Ioseph A Parable r r r r r r Schemoth rabba fol. 160. 4. There was a certain Orphaness brought by a certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epitropus or Foster-father an honest good man At length he would place her in Marriage A scribe is called to write a bill of her dower Saith he to the girl what is thy name N. saith she What the name of thy Father She held her peace To whom her Foster-father why dost thou not speak Because saith she I know no other Father but thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that educateh the child is called a Father not he that begets it Note that Joseph having been taught by the Angel and well satisfied in
that particularly by very impious vows they would be making We have a little hint of it Mat. XV. 5. and more in the Treatise Nedarim See also Mat. V. 43. Thou shalt hate thine enemy This rule obtain'd in the Jewish Schools And upon that precept Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self let us see the mighty charitable Gloss in Chetubb c c c c c c Fol. 8. 2. Thou shalt love thy neighhour as thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is decree him to an easie death namely when he is adjudg'd by the Sanhedrin to die When you consider the frequent repetition of this precept Love one another consider also that passage Mat. X. 34. I came not to send peace but a sword and then having reflected on those horrid seditions and mutual slaughters wherewith the Jewish Nation raging within its self in most bloody discords and intestine broils was even by its self wasted and overwhelmed you will more clearly see the necessity and reasonableness of this command of loving one another as also the great truth of that expression By this they shall know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But I have call'd you friends because all things c. Thus is it said of Abraham the friend of God Gen. XVIII 19. VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have not chosen me FOR it was a custom amongst the Jews that the Disciple should chuse to himself his own Master d d d d d d Avoth cap. 1. hal 6. Joshuah ben Perachiah said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chuse to thy self a master and get a Colleague VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They had not had sin So also ver 24. in both places the passage is to be understood of that peculiar sin of rejecting the Messiah If I had not spoken to them and done those things that made it demonstrably evident that I was the Messiah they had not had sin that is they had not been guilty of this sin of rejecting me But when I have done such things amongst them it is but too plain that they do what they do in meer hatred to me and to my Father Our Saviour explains what sin he here meaneth in Chap. XVI 9. CHAP. XVI VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall put you out of the Synagogues THIS I presume must be understood of a casting out from the whole Congregation of Israel because I know the Jews always proceeded in that manner against the Samaritans and certainly the Disciples of Jesus were full as hateful to them as the Samaritans could be Nay they often call the Christians by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuthites as well as those Those that were cast out of the Church they despoil'd of all their goods according to Ezra X. 8. which they also did to those that were Shammatiz'd e e e e e e Moed-katon fol. 81. 2. whence it may be a question whether Shammaetizing did not cast out of the whole Congregation and again whether one cast out of the whole Congregation might be ever readmitted We may take notice of what is said in Avodah Zarah f f f f f f Fol. 7. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No one that relapseth may be receiv'd again for ever The Gloss tells us that the passage concerns the Plebeians or Laicks who having taken upon themselves any religious rule of life go back again from that profession they do not admit them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into that order and society again Whether therefore those that fell off from the Gospel returning to their Judaism again were ever admitted into the Jewish Church after they had voluntarily forsaken it might be an enquiry but these things only by the by There was in truth a twofold Epocha of the persecution of the Apostolical Church namely both before that Apostacy of which we have such frequent mention and also after it Our Saviour had foretold the Apostacy in that tremendous Parable about the unclean spirit cast out and returning again with seven worse So shall it be also saith he with this wicked generation Mat. XII 45. The footsteps of this we may discern almost in every Epistle of the Apostles It is worthy observation that of 2 Thes. II. 3. This day of the Lord shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed The day of the Lord here spoken of was that wherein Christ should come and reveal himself in that remarkable vengeance against Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation of which kind of expression we shall say more on Chap. XXI 22. The Apostacy or falling away and revelation of the man of sin was to precede that day which might be easily made out by a History of those times if I were to do the business either of an Historian or a Chronologer When therefore the severe and cruel persecution was first rais'd by the unbelieving Jews before this falling away of Christians it must needs be greatly encreas'd afterward by them and the Apostates together Which distinction we may easily observe out of this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will think that he doth God service So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Zealots of whom we have mention in Sanhedr g g g g g g Fol. 81. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Zealots kill him Gloss. These are those good men who are endued with zeal in the cause of God Such who with their own hands immediately slew the transgressor not staying for the judgment of the Sanhedrin So in the place before quoted The Priest that ministers at the Altar in his uncleanness they do not bring before the Sanhedrin but they bring him out into the Court and there brain him with the pieces of wood provided to maintain the fire upon the Altar What infinite mischiefs and effusion of blood such pretexts of zeal toward God might occasion it is easie to imagin and very direful instances have already witnessed to the world Hence was it that they so often went about to have ston'd our Saviour Hence those forty and more that had conspir'd against St. Paul And those Zealots whose butcherly cruelties are so infamous in the Jewish story took the occasion of their horrid madness first from this liberty From such kind of Villains as these the Disciples of Christ could have little safeguard indeed they were greatly endanger'd upon a threefold account I. From the stroke of Excommunication by which they were spoiled of their goods and estates Heb. X. 34. II. From the sentence of the Sanhedrin dooming them either to be scourg'd or slain III. From these Assasins for by this name a name too well known in Europe we will call them We pronounce Assasine and Assasination Gul. Tyrius calls them Assysins whom it may be worth the while to consult about the original of that name
the Pentateuch was compleated those Angels were annihilated and that after Moses there was neither Angel nor spirit nor Prophesie I have in another place taken notice that the Jews commonly distinguisht between Angels and spirits and Devils Where by spirits they understood either the Ghosts of dead persons or Spirits in humane shape but not so dreadful and terrible as the Angels and what need is there any more will the Sadducee say either of Angel or Spirit when God before Moses died had made known his whole will by his writings had given his eternal Law compleatly constituted his Church It is an innocent and blameless ignorance not to understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the depths of Satan and the secrets of Hereticks and if in learning their Doctrines we mistake and perhaps not a little the shame is not much It is venial to err concerning them to err with them is mortal Let the Reader therefore pardon my ignorance if I confess I am wholly ignorant where lay the difference between the Sadducee and Baithusian whether they agreed in one or whether they disagreed in some things The Holy Scriptures make no mention of the Baithusians the Jewish writings talk much of them and in some things they seem to be distinguished from the Sadducees but in what it is somewhat obscure We have the Sadducees disputing with the Pharisees l l l l l l Jadaim cap. 4. and we have the Baithuseans disputing with a Pharisee m m m m m m Menacoth fol. 65. 1. and a Baithusean interrogating something of R. Joshua n n n n n n Schabb. fol. 108. 1. and frequent mention of them up and down in the Jewish writings But particularly I cannot let pass one thing I have met with o o o o o o Rosh hashana cap. 2. hal 1. Of old they received a testimony of the New Moon from any person whatsoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but after that the Hereticks began to deal deceitfully c. So the Jerusalem Misna reads it But the Babylonian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after that the Baithuseans began to deal deceitfully or lightly And the Misna publisht by its self at Amsterdam hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Epicureans dealt lightly c. Where both the Gemara's tell us The Baithuseans endeavoured to lead the wise men into an error and hired for the sum of four hundred Zuzees one of our own and one of theirs to give in a false testimony as to the New Moons c. The Glosses give this reason of it The thirtieth day of the Month Adar fell upon a Sabbath and the New Moon did not appear in its time And the Baithuseans were desirous that the first day of the Passover should fall upon the Sabbath that the sheaf-offering might fall upon the first day of the week and so the day of Pentecost upon the first day of the week also Who now should these Baithusians be Sadducees or Samaritans or Christians or some fourth Sect The Christians indeed would have the day of Pentecost on the first day of the week but whether they mean them in this particular let others judg In other things q Hieros Joma fol. 39. 1. otherwise p Wherefore do they adjure the High Priest viz. that he rightly perform the service of the day of Expiation Because of the Baithuseans who say let him burn incense without and bring it within there is a story of a certain person that burnt incense without and brought it within concerning whom one said I should wonder if he should live very long they say that he died in a very little time after You would believe this was an High Priest and a Baithusean VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scribes that were of the Pharisees part FOR there were also Scribes of the Sadducees part and on both parts the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scribes must not be distinguisht either from the Pharisees or from the Sadducees that were now present in the Sanhedrin but the meaning is the Scribes that were of the Sect or profession of the Sadducees or of the Pharisees and by this twofold division the whole Sanhedrin is to be understood But if we would take the thing more strictly there were in the Sanhedrin some Scribes who took the part of the Pharisees against the Sadducees who yet were not of the Sect of the Pharisees I should believe the Shammeans and Hillelites were all against the Sadducees and yet I should hardly believe all of them of the Sect of the Pharisees We find them frequently disputing and quarrelling one against the other in the Talmudick writings and yet do not think that either the one or the other favoured the Sadducee nor that all of them bore good will to Pharisaism There is a bloody fight between them mentioned q q q q q q Hieros Schab fol. 3. 3. The Shammeans who at that time were the greatest number stood below and killed some of the Hillelites This was done in the house of Hananiah ben Hezekiah ben Garon whom they came to visit being sick A friendly visit this indeed VERS XI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So must thou bear witness also at Rome HENCE the warrant and intimation given to St. Paul of appealing to Cesar it was a rare thing for a Jew to appeal to any Heathenish Tribunal and it favoured of venomous malice the Sanhedrin had against Jesus that they delivered him over to an Heathen Judg. St. Paul therefore when he found no place or manner of escaping otherwise was directed by this Vision what to do VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Neither to eat nor drink c. VVHAT will become of these Anathematized persons if their curse should be upon them and they cannot reach to murder Paul as indeed it happened they could not must not these wretches helplesly die with hunger Alas they need not be very solicitous about that matter they have their Casuist-Rabbins that can easily release them of that Vow r r r r r r Hieros Avodah Zarab fol. 40. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath made a Vow not to eat any thing wo to him if he eat and wo to him if he do not eat If he eat he sineth against his vow if he do not eat he sinneth against his life What must such a man do in this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him go to the wise men and they will loose his Vow according as it is written the tongue of the wise is health Prov. XII 18. It is no wonder if they were prodigal and monstrous in their Vows when they could be so easily absolved CHAP. XXVIII VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melita PLINY tells us s s s s s s Nat. Hist. llb. 3. cap. 8. that in the Sicilian Sea Insulae sunt in Africam versae Gauros Milita c. there are Islands
upon horses and so they appeared if we will believe the Historian in that fight at the lake Regillus leading on the Roman horse and so pressing upon the enemy that under their conduct the victory was obtained b b b b b b Dionys. lib. 6. But another time the Pseudo-Castores false Castors and Pollux appeared not so fortunately c c c c c c Pausan. in Messenjacis vel lib. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. While the Lacedemonians were celebrating the Feast of Castor and Pollux within their Camp and had given themselves to sports and drinking after dinner Gonippus and Pandoremus two Messenian young men that were wont to wast the Lacedemonians of a sudden appear amongst these Lacedemonians clothed in white Tunicks and purple cloaks mounted on beautiful horses the Lacedemonians beholding them and supposing them no other than Castor and Pollux and that they were come to their own Festivals worship them and make their prayers to them But the young men as soon as they found themselves received in the midst of them break through them making slaughter every where with their launces and so a great number being slain they return safe to Aâ—dania casting a reproach upon the Feast of Castor and Pollux From the habit of these Pseudo-Castors false Castor and Pollux it is easie conjecturing in what form they were wont to be pictured who in the judgment of the deceived people were the true ones Comely young men in comely apparel and riding on horseback and yet they are sometimes drawn on foot as in that obscure passage of the same Pausanias d d d d d d Pausan. in Atticis vel lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Latin Interpreter renders it The Temple of Castor and Pollux is very ancient where young men are beheld sitting on horseback But the words of the Author are plainly to this purpose that Castor and Pollux are drawn standing and their boys on horseback There is something parallel in another place of this Author that gives some light in this matter e e e e e e In Corinthiacis vol. lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After this is the Temple of Castor and Pollux They are pictured themselves and their two sons Anaxis and Mnasinous and together with them their mothers Hilaria and Phebe done by the skill of Dipenus and Scyllis in Ebony-wood the greater part even of the horses being made of Ebony the rest though very little of Ivory It was believed they were propitious Deities to Mariners and therefore does the Centurion having been so lately shipwreckt so much the rather commit himself to a ship that carried that sign And what doth St. Paul say to such a superstition He knew he had the convoy and protection of a better Deity nor is it improbable but that the Centurion had imbibed something of Christianity himself and it would be strange if some of the Soldiers by so long society with St. Paul had not also But it seems there was no other ship ready at least no other that was bound for Italy VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We came to Puteoli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f Strabo lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a City a very great Mart-Town where there are havens for Ships made by art and labour Whence it is less wonder if now there were Christians there either such as were Merchants themselves or such as were instructed in Christianity by Merchants trading there The Jewish writers make some mention of this place with this story g g g g g g Echah rabbatha fol. 81. 2. Rabban Gamaliel and R. Eliezer ben Azariah and R. Joshua and R. Akiba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 went to Rome i. e. made a voyage to Rome as in this Chap. ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we went toward Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they heard the sound of the multitude at Rome being distant an hundred and twenty miles Therefore they began to weep but R. Akiba laughed They say unto him O Akiba why shouldst thou laugh while we weep He saith unto them and why should you weep They make answer have we not cause to weep when these Gentile Idolaters worship their Idols and yet remain prosperous and quiet whiles in the mean time the Temple the footstool of our God is become a flame and an habitation for wild beasts Have we not cause to weep To whom he answereth for this very cause do I laugh for if it be so prosperous with those that provoke God to anger how much more shall it be so to those that do his will This story is repeated elsewhere h h h h h h Maccoth fol. 24. 1. and there instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Puteolus it is set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet the Gloss upon the place quoted out of Echah rabbathi tells us that in the third Chapter of the Treatise Maccoth it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul and the rest abide at Puteoli seven days at the entreaty of the Christians of that place which redounded to the credit of the Centurion whose leave must be obtained in that case so that his yielding so far may somewhat argue that he favoured Christianity VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They came to meet us as far as Appii forum and the three Taverns VIA Appia and Appii forum are much spoke of in Authors but the mention of the Three Taverns is not so frequent There is mention in Zosimus of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The three Victualing houses where Severus the Emperour was strangled by the Treason i Zâ—â—im lib. 2. of Maximinus Herculeus and Maxentius his Son Hebrew and Talmudical EXERCITATIONS Upon some few CHAPTERS of the EPISTLE to THE ROMANS CHAP. III. VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They are all gone out of the way c. I. THIS with the following part of the quotation is taken out of the fourteenth Psalm according to the Greek Version being indeed added to the Hebrew context which is in truth a thing not unusual either to those Interpreters or the ordinary Interpreters in the Synagogues We have already observed elsewhere that there stood by the Reader of the Law and the Prophets in the Synagogues an Interpreter that was wont to render what was read to the people in the Hebrew into their own Language and that it was a very usual thing for those Interpreters to expatiate and by way of Comment to Preach upon the words that had been read Concerning which I have given some instances a thing also observable enough in the Chaldee Paraphrasts II. That the Greek Interpreters did the same thing upon this Psalm I do not question indeed the thing speaks it self especially if we take notice of the subject which is discoursed of there But let this be taken notice of by the
that number of twelve But omitting this there were more also present when he said these words who had followed him in the regeneration and if all they and all the Saints that should be in the whole world were to be concluded within that priviledge of sitting with Christ upon the Bench why is the number restrained only to Twelve You Twelve that is All Saints shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel that is the whole world is so thorny a Gloss that my fingers can by no means touch it III. We gave the sense of the words in their place Namely by Christ sitting in the Throne of his glory is not to be understood his Tribunal in the last judgment but when he should come in the glory of his vengeance against the Jewish nation then not the Persons but the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles should judge and condemn that most wicked Nation And as to the opinion it self concerning the Saints sitting with Christ. I. Nothing is plainer in the Scripture than that all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ 2 Cor. V. 10. as well the Sheep as the Goats Mat. XXV 32. c. Mention indeed is made of reigning with Christ but no where of judging with Christ in the day of judgment II. How little or nothing doth that sound The Saints shall approve the judgment of Christ Are thrones for this to be set up that those that sit upon them should approve the judgment The very Devils and damned themselves shall not otherwise chuse but acknowledge his justice III. And what I pray is this manner of arguing Saints in the last day shall approve the judgment and sentence of Christ Therefore ye are able to judge concerning those things which pertains to this life We therefore make no doubt that the sense of these words Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World most plainly is this Know ye not that Christians shall be Magistrates and Judges in the World Which most clearly appears by these observations I. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints in the verse before denotes all Christians as opposed to Infidels not professing Christianity But that all these shall judge the world with Christ the espousers of that opinion will not acknowledg and then let a reason be given why the word in this verse is to be taken in a different and stricter sense than the same word is in the verse aforegoing II. The Apostle speaks as of a thing known and confessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know ye not But whence was this known or to be known that Christians should be Magistrates and judges of the world Most easily and most plainly out of Dan. Chap. VII 18 27. Where when the four Heathen Monarchies which had so long ruled the world under their Tyranny fell at length the Rule and Dominion and Empire under the whole Heaven was to be translated to the people of the Saints of the most In what sense and in what latitude the word Saints is to be taken one may learn from a very plain Antithesis in that Chapter The Rule and the Dominion and Empire under the whole Heaven was before belonging to Heathens but under the reign of Christ it was the Saints that is the Christians III. This sense agrees very well with the Apostles argument Think it not unlawful to decide among themselves such differences as arise among your selves and by flying to Heathen Tribunals do not bring a reproach upon the Gospel for consider what is foretold by Daniel which ye know well enough namely that the Saints that is the Christians shall hereafter possess the Dominion and Government of the whole world as now a long while the Heathens have possessed and do possess it If they shall one day be endued with a right of governing certainly you your selves may determine of contentions now IV. That which is said by the Apocaliptic Chap. XX. 4. agrees with the sense of this place That when Christ had bound Satan that he should no more deceive the Gentiles as he had done before by Idols Oracles c. Thrones are set up and Judgment is given unto them who set upon them that is a Power and Authority of judging and ruling and exercising magistracy VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know ye not that we shall judge Angels HE saith not as he did before The Saints shall judge Angels but We shall judge them By Angels all confess Devils to be understood But certainly all Saints according to the latitude of that word in the verse foregoing that is that profess Christianity shall not judge Devils Nor is this judging of Angels to be understood in the last day But the Apostle speaks of the Ministers of the Gospel himself and others who by the preaching of the Gospel and the name of Christ should spoyl the Devils of their Oracles and Idols should deprive them of their Worships should drive them out of their seats and strip them of their Dominion Thus would God subdue the whole world under Christian Power that Christian Magistrates should judge men and Ministers of the Gospel Devils and do not you now judge among your selves of some trivial differences VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudgments of things pertaining to this life HOW judgments among the Jews were distinguished into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pecuniary judgments and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Capital judgments every one knows Whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgments of things pertaining to this life and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pecuniary judgments are the same we do not dispute certainly under Pecuniary judgments as they are opposed to Capital judgments are comprised all judgments below Capital Hence is that which we observe elswhere Capital judgments were taken away from Israel forty years before the destruction of the Temple e e e e e e Hieros Sanhedr fol. 24. 2. And Pecuniary judgments were taken away from Israel in the days of Simeon ben Jochai f f f f f f Ibid. col 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who are least esteemed in the Church I. To interpret this word here for those that are most vile or most contemptible which some versions do is certainly somewhat hard and improper What Needy persons and such as seek their living by almes or hard labour to make them Judges Whence should such have skill to judge or be at leasure for it How apt might they be to consult rather their own gain than just judgment And who would not despise such Judges The word therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least esteemed is not to be reserred to the lowest of the common people but to the lowest of the order of Judges II. That Order had these degrees in the Jewish Benches according to the custom and disposition of which it is very likely the Apostel speaks 1. There was the Great Sanhedrin consisting of LXXI Elders 2. There was the Sanhedrin of Three and Twenty in Cities of more note 3.
but him that redeemed them with a price VERS XXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the present necessity AND by and by vers 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The time is short it remaineth The Corinthians enquired of the Apostle by a letter in the case of marriage as it seems by his answer I. Concerning Marriages between a believer and an unbeliever whether they were to be continued or not continued II. Concerning the Marriages of Virgins or single persons But now how a scruple should arise to them in this latter is somewhat obscure Among the Jewish Christians a scruple might arise whether it were lawful for a single man to abstain from marriage because in that nation as we have observed they commanded matrimony by Law But if the question were whether it was lawful for a Virgin or a single man to contract Matrimony For the Apostle answereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast not sinned as though it were asked rather whether it were lawful to marry than whether it were lawful not to marry then you will scarcely conjecture whence it should arise but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the present necessity Our Apostle teacheth that some forbad marriage 1 Tim. IV. 3. But under what pretence Either under this that they babbled that marriage opposed the purity of the Gospel as Saturâ—ilus in Jereny or that they avoyded marriages for those calamities that hung over them They forbid marriage saith the Apostle and command to abstain h Lib. 1. c. 22. from meats Hear the Gemarists a little From i i i i i i â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 fol. 60. 7. the time that the second Temple was destroyed Pharisees Separatists were multiplyed in Israel who eat not flesh nor drunk wine To whom R. Josuah Why O my Sons do ye not eat flesh nor drink wine And they answered should we eat flesh of which we were wont to offer on the Altar and now it is perished And shall we drink wine of which we were wont to pour out upon the Altar and now it is ceased When a wicked Empire ruled over Israel and decreed rough things against them and made the Law and the precept cease from them and permitted them not to circumcise their children they said to R. Jesus It is fit that we resolve among our selves not to contract marriage nor beget Sons c. Behold men prepared and sworn almost to perpetual abstinence from marriage by reason of calamities From the like cause also I suspect some Christians might be in doubt in the times of the Apostles Our Saviour had foretold that those times should be very rough that went before the Destruction of Jerusalem Mat. XXIV And that not within the bounds of Judea only but that judgment should begin from the Temple of God every where 1 Pet. IV. 17. and a day of Temptation should come upon the whole world Revel III. 20. So that that prediction being known to the Churches and the times now inclining towards those calamities it is no wonder if concern and care about those straits invaded the Christians and deterred very many single persons from marriage CHAP. VIII VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know that we all have knowledg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowledg of which the Apostle here speaks is the knowledge of the liberty of the Gospel but these words are spoken Ironically as if he had said It is concluded by all that they know sufficiently that Evangelic liberty and thereupon some run out into things which are not convenient That Knowledg puffeth up renders men bold neglects the consciences of others and he that in this sense seems to know something as yet knows nothing as he ought to know VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Idol is nothing in the world I Render it We know that there is no Idol in the World that is a representation of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Idol as the Lexicographers teach is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A likeness an Image a Sign a Character a Shadow Idols indeed are in the World made of wood stone gold silver c. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is No Idol there is no representation or figure of God and none can be The Apostle hitherto as I indeed think puts on the person of those who made no scruple in eating things offered to Idols as though he had said You say We know that there is no representation of God in the World and there is only one God c. Therefore those graven Images and those various Idols are mere figments of humane mistake and to offer Sacrifices to them is a mere invention of men there is nothing sacred nothing of Religion in them because there is no representation of God in them Shall we therefore who are under the liberty of the Gospel abstain from eating that flesh which the foolishness of men only hath separated from common use and offered to stocks and stones which have nothing of God in them but are created only by the same humane sottishness Ye say truth indeed but illy applied and all have not this knowledg Or if you render it An Idol is nothing in the world it comes to the same sense VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sitting at meat in the Idol Temple COmpare those passages of the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a a a a Sanhedr fol. 61. 2. He that adores an Idol out of love or fear Rabba saith he is free Abai saith he is guilty Abai saith he is guilty because he worships it Rabba saith he is free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he take it for God he iâ— so he is guilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if he doth not he is not And a little after If he supposeth the Idol Temple to be the Synagogue and adore an Idol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold his heart is towards God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if he see a statue and adore it if he take it for God he is guilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as doing presumpâ—uously But if he takes it not for God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is nothing at all The Gloss there is Behold his heart is towards God although he know that that house is an Idol Temple and he adores God in it it is no crime c. If he see a statue such as they are wont to set up for the picture of the King and adore it not under the Notion of an Idol but in honour of the King it is nothing Hieronymus à sancta Fide cites this Talmudic passage in these words b b b b b b Lib. 2. Contr. Judaeos cap. 2. They say in the book Sanhedrin If any worship an Idol out of love or fear he is free and R. Solomon glosseth thus By love is understood that if any Master should ask his Servant that out of love to him he would adore him By fear that if any Master should threaten
But read and read again the whole story Act. XIX and there is not a syllable of any wrong that Paul at that time endured in his person VERS XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fool. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would the Talmudists say Sot mad man g g g g g g Gloss. In Taanith fol. 1â— 1. Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai answered the Baithuseans denying also the Resurrection of the dead and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fools whence did this happen to you c. VERS XLV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so it is written c. OF the former no doubt is made for it is written Gen. XI 7. But where is the latter Throughout the whole sacred book thence the Jews speak so many things and so great of the Spirit of Messias and of Messias quickning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last Adam was made a quickning Spirit Job XIX 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth Job seems to me in this place in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak in the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last Adam Of the former Adam it was said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return And I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth and he shall arise from the dust another or a latter and I shall see the Lord made of the same flesh that I am of c. Intimating the Incarnation of the Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A quickning Spirit The Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters Gen. I. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Spirit of King Messias So the Jews speak very frequently And also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messias shall quicken those that dwell in the dust It cannot be past over without Observation by what authority Paul applies those words of Psal. XCII Thou Lord in the beginning hast founded the earth c. to the Messias Heb. I. 10. to prove his Deity and dignity But thou art deceived O Paul would a Hebrew say These words are to be applied to God the Father not to the Messias The Apostle hath what to reply from the very confession of the Jewish Nation You acknowledge that Spirit which was present at and president over the Creation was the Spirit of the Messias It ought not also be past by without observation that Adam receiving from him the promise of Christ and believing it named his wife Chava that is Life So the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Adam called his wives name Life Gen. III. 20. What Is she called life that brought in death But Adam perceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last Adam exhibited to him in the Promise to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A quickning Spirit and had brought in a better life of the Soul and at length should bring in a better of the body Hence is that Joh. I. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In him was life VERS XLVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second man is the Lord. GEn. IV. 1. Eve conceived and brought forth Cain and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have possessed or obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man the Lord that is That the Lord himself should become man For let me so turn it depending upon these reasons I. That this Interpretation is without any manner of wresting the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea it is according to its most proper signification and use II. That without doubt Eve had respect to the promise of Christ when she named her son as Adam had respect to the promise in the denomination of Eve VERS LV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O death where is thy c. HOs XIII 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Seventy read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where is thy revenge O Death And thus speaks Aben Ezra There are some which invert the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be as though it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where And very truly as it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 10. Where is thy King Where the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not I will be thy King but Where is thy King So that the Greek Interpreters and the Apostle after them translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where properly and truly The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Prophet is rendred by the Targumist and the Rabbins to signifie A Word but some as Kimchi acknowledges understand it to signifie The Plague and that upon good ground because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Destruction is joyned with it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Destruction and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Plague are joyned together Psal XCI Where see the Targum and R. Solomon and compare the Greek Interpreters with them CHAP. XVI VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now concerning the Collection for the Saints UNLESS I am much deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Jerusalem Writers denotes in the like sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Collection for the wise men They have this story a a a a a a Hoâ—aioth fol. 48. 1. R. Eliezer R. Josua and R. Akiba went up to Chelath of Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Employed in the Collection for the wise Men. One Abba Judah was there who performed the Law with a good Eye Being now reduced to poverty when he saw the Rabbins he was dejected He went home with a sad countenance His wife said to him Why doth thy countenance languish He answered The Rabbins are come and I know not what to do She said to him You have one field left Go and sell half of it and give to them Which he did And when they were departed he went to plow in the half of his field and found a great treasure c. I produce this the more willingly that it may be observed that collections were made among the Jews in forrain Nations for the poor Rabbins dwelling in Judea in the same manner as they were made among Christians in forrain Nations for the poor Jews converted to Christianity in Judea VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the first day of the Week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the first of the Sabbath would the Talmudists say I. That day was every where celebrated for the Christian Sabbath and which is not to be past over without observing as far as appears from Scripture there is no where any dispute of that matter There was controversie concerning circumcision and other points of the Jewish Religion whether they were to be retained or not retained but no where as we read concerning the changing of the Sabbath There were indeed some Jews converted to the Gospel who as in some other things they retained a smatch of their old Judaism so they did in the observation of days Rom. XIV 5. Gal. IV. 10. but yet not rejecting or neglecting the
there were no age but there would be some persons Oracular as Moses If any limit then where is it fixed I say at the fall of Jerusalem And I will prove it by what they bring to prove Prophesie for these days Act. II. 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and their sons and their daughters shall Prophesie c. By the last days they would understand it of the World I of Jerusalem So in divers places besides That it is so to be understood in the place S. Peters application makes out Who applies this place of the Old Testament unto himself and the Christians at that time upon occasion of their speaking strange Languages What absurdity would there also be in his applying this place The old Oeconomy is as the old World the Evangelical is the new Heaven and the new Earth So that the last days of the old World are the last days of the old Oeconomy Hence the destruction of Jerusalem is spoke of as the destruction of the old World and Christs coming is said to be in the last days So that if we take not the pouring out of the Spirit in the last days in that sence we swerve from the sence of the phrase in Scripture And hence it appears that Spirit to be in those last days and that it was affixed to them from propriety of phrase To this we might add the manner of imparting the Spirit in those times It was either by effusion upon many together Act. II. X. or by imposition of hands upon some single ones Now who dares think that ever was since the fall of Jerusalem such manner of giving or ever will be And these are the only ways of imparting the Spirit that are spoke of since Christ ascended To all we might add that at the fall of Jerusalem all Scripture was written and Gods full will revealed so that there was no further need of Prophesie and Revelation Therefore those places they cite are misapplied both as to the time and also as to the proper sence of them So that here is a discovery of the third delusion that Prophesie still continues whereas it was to cease at the fall of Jerusalem and there is no promise whereupon any hath reason to expect it in these times IV. The standing Ministry is the ordinary Method that God hath used for the instruction of his Church It has ever been Gods way since he first wrote words to teach his Church by a studious learned Ministry who were to explain the Scripture by study not by the Spirit Mistake not this Ministry consisted not of Prophets they were occasional and of necessity but of Priests and Levites We are sent to them Hag. II. 11. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ask now the Priests concerning the Law Mal. II. 7. For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts We have mention made of the sons of the Prophets in the Old Testament these were not inspired but understanding was instilled into them by Elias and they sat at his feet such were those of Issachar So the Disciples sat at the feet of Christ. The true Apostles indeed were inspired because there was a necessity of it But when the New Testament was written there was no further need of inspiration And then the Church was sufficiently instructed by ordinary Ministers therefore was Timothy left at Ephesus Titus in Creet Thefore was the Imposition of Hands Hebrews VI. 2. I conclude all with that suitable advise of St. John I Chap. IV. 1. Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the World A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Staffordshire-Natives At St. Michaels Cornhil LONDON Novemb. 26. 1663. ROM V. Vers. 1. Being justified by Faith we have peace with God THIS Text may seem very unsuitable to this occasion but certainly to no occasion no company no season can it be unsuitable can it be unseasonable to speak hear meditate of the infinite mercy of God in justifying men and of the unexpressible happiness of man in having peace with God But I have chosen this Subject to treat upon in a methodical succession to what I have discoursed upon heretofore being called to this Employment At my first being upon this task before you from those words in X. Joh. 22 23. which speaks of Christs being at Jerusalem at the Feast of Dedication I shewed you at large how our Saviour held Communion with the Church of the Jews and thereupon I spake of such unity against Schism At my second from those words Jud. vers 12. These are spots in your Feasts of Charity I shewed that the spots spoken of were false Teachers that went abroad pretending to the Spirit and so deceiving and thereupon I spake of taking heed of such delusions against Heresie and Error And now what can I more orderly and methodically speak upon after speaking of keeping Peace with the Church and keeping Peace with the Truth than of having Peace with God Yes you will say To have taken in first having peace one with another True that might not have been immethodical But you speak that in my stead this Loving Friendly Brotherly meeting discourses that for me and makes a visible Sermon of your peace one with another And I have made that as it were a Text whereupon to raise an occasional meditation to the tenor of that which the Text that I have read speaks And let me raise it thus If it be so good and pleasant and happy a thing to see brethren thus live together in unity thus to meet together to walk together to Feast together in Love Unity and Peace Sursum corda lift up your hearts and from this lustre you see of the Sun shining in this water below look up to the light that is in the body of the Sun it self and meditate how excellent how pleasant how happy a thing it is to have peace with God to walk in peace with God in his own ways to converse in peace with God in his own House to Feast in peace with God at his own Table and at night to lie down and sleep in peace with with God in his own Bosom This is the last Epistle the Apostle wrote before his apprehension and imprisonment He wrote it from Corinth where he touched in his journy to Jerusalem his last journy thither He wrote it in the second year of Nero immediately after Easter when Claudius who had hindred the Mystery of iniquity from its working in its full scope by his discountenancing the Jewish Nation had now been taken away above a year and an half ago And now that mystery did find it self loose and acted in its full activity those of that Nation that had not embraced the Gospel persecuting it with all
them and to begin with the former I must begin with clearing a scruple or objection or discouragement T is true will an afflicted people and person say that in the times of the Old Testament God did determine the time of his peoples affliction but we can find no such determination now The affliction in Egypt determined to four hundred years Gen. XV. 13. And though the time were long yet they knew when it would expire and there might be the more patient bearing because the end was known and the end would come So for their wandring in the wilderness God told them before that it should be forty years and they might the more contentedly bear it because they saw some shore and knew that that calamity would last but to such a time So the affliction upon Judah by Israel or Ephraim it was told before hand that it should last so long and no longer Esa. VII 8. Within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people What need I speak of the Captivity in Babylon told of before and limited to seventy years and no longer And these miseries of the people in the Text it is told them before that they should expire at the end of a thousand three hundred thirty five days But now there is no such prediction no such limitation that men can know of Poor afflicted Christians may take up that mournful Ditty Psal. LXXIV 9. There is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long We are afflicted oppressed trodden under foot and we cannot tell when these things will come to an end How long Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our blood c. is their cry Rev. VI. 10. But they cannot tell how long that How long will be Is not this some disadvantage to poor Christians above what those had in antient times that God hath not doth not certifie them before hand of the end of their calamities Their case seeming something like theirs Esa. LIX 10 11. We grope for the wall like the blind we grope as if we had no eyes We roar like bears and mourn sore like doves we look for salvation but cannot discover how far it is from us I shall not insist to discuss why God gave that people of Israel such revelations before hand of the term and date of their miseries and hath not imparted such forehand discoveries to his people now It is enough to say as the Apostle These things were done to them and are written before us for our learning that since he is the same God still that changeth not and hath the same regard of the afflictions of his own people yesterday and to day and the same for ever we might believe and be assured that the affliction of his people is determined now with him as well as then that he sets his period now as well as then that he numbers the days of it now as he does theirs in the Text. But what am I the better as to my comfort if I know not when this period date and time is set I remember the story of him that carrying a basket covered very close and being asked what was in it Answered It is covered so close purposely that none should ask or know what is in it And I remember withal the saying of our Saviour Act. I. 7. It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power That was spoken in the beginning of the going forth of the Gospel and may very well be taken notice of in all ages after It pleased God so to reveal the term and end of Israels affliction to them as being a peculiar people and a people of whom Christ should at last descend and they not fail from being a people till Christ was come of them Therefore when such calamities came upon them it pleased God to tell them still of the end of them that they might still bear up in their subsistence and expectation of Christ to come Let me observe these two things to you I. That you have some old women and barren till old bare children in some generations before Christ Elizabeth in the very half year before Christs birth but you read of no such thing after The reason whereof is because their supernatural child bearing was to make way to the belief of the supernatural child bearing of the Virgin Mary For thus may reason justly argue if these bear children when past the course of nature why not a Virgin beyond the course of nature But after the birth of Christ such births of old women ceased because in the birth of Christ that which they related to was fulfilled II. That the Holy Ghost draws up a Chronicle of times from the Creation to the Redemption from the beginning of time to the fulness of it viz. from the beginning of the World to the Death of Christ and there he leaves and counts the time no further save only that he mentions Pentecost fifty days after The reason whereof is because by links and links of time God would draw men on to observe how God was numbring and counting out times toward that great time of promise and expectation and to observe when that great matter was accomplished how faithful God was through all changes and vicissitudes of times to carry on that great promise Accordingly it pleased God in the time before that great work of Redemption to certifie his people oft when they fell into misery nay oft before how long the time of their affliction and oppression should be that still they might be carried on to look for deliverance and by the deliverance might still have an eye to the promise and be confirmed in the promise concerning deliverance by Christ. So Jacob foreseeing in Gen. XLIX 17. the great deliverance of Israel from the Philistins by Samson of the Tribe of Dan that he should be as a Serpent by the way and an Adder in the path that bites the Horse-heels that he throws his rider So he caught the heels of the Philistins Horse the posts of the house on which they were mounted and overthrew house and riders even three thousand I say Jacob foreseeing this presently cries out vers 18. O Lord I have waited for thy salvation His eyes look beyond that deliverance of Samson to the deliverance or salvation of Christ and in the sight of that Type his belief of that greater matter signified is confirmed So in this very thing we are speaking of Till Christ came God very frequently acquainted his people before hand of what times were to come upon them What miseries What deliverances What oppressions What deliverance Seventy years captivity in Babylon and then deliverance three years and half oppression under Antiochus and then deliverance and so in other examples that still in their afflictions their hearts might be held up patiently to wait Gods time of deliverance and the
it did begin So though the Passover be appointed to be in that first month that began the new year and be called an Everlasting Ordinance Exod. XII 16. Yet upon occasion the Lord ordained it to be kept in the second month Numb IX To this we may add Gods changing the very end and memorial of the Sabbath to Israel themselves Changing said I or rather adding a new memorial which it had not before In Exod. XX. the memorial is to remember Gods creating and resting in Deut. V. where the Ten Commandments are repeated it is in memorial of their redemption out of Egypt Not unclothed of its first end and memorial but clothed upon So if Adam had continued innocent he must have kept the Sabbath and then it had been to him but the memorial of Gods creating and resting But when Christ and redemption by him was set up and come in before the Sabbath came in then it was clothed with another memorial viz. the remembrance of the redemption II. Christ had power and authority to change the Sabbath Mark II. 28. The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath He had power over all Divine Ordinances Hebr. III. 5 6. Now Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant c. But Christ as a Son over his own house He is not a Servant in the house but a Son to dispose of the affairs of the house as he sees good He is greater than the Temple and so may order the affairs of the Temple as he saw good If a Jew question why he laid by the Ceremonies of Moses The answer is ready because he was greater than Moses Lord of the house in which Moses was but a Servant Nay it was he that appointed Moses those Ceremonies and he might unappoint them at his pleasure That is observable Act. VII 38. This is that Moses that was in the Church in the wilderness with the Angel which spake to him at Mount Sinai and with our Fathers who received the lively Oracles to give us With the Angel who was that It was Christ the great Angel of the Covenant as he is called Mal. III. 1. The Angel of Gods presence as he is called Esai LXIII 9. Then who spake with Moses at Mount Sinai It was Christ. Who gave him the Lively Oracles Laws Testimonies Statutes It was Christ. And then might Christ that gave them dispose of them as seemed him good So that if a Jew question why Christ changed Circumcision into Baptism the Paschal Lamb into Bread and Wine the Jewish Sabbath into the Christian Sabbath The answer is ready he was Lord of them and might dispose of them Het set up Circumcision the Passover the Jewish Sabbath and might take them down and alter them as he pleased III. Ye read once and again in Scripture of Gods creating a new world Esai LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. III. 13. We according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth Rev. XXI 1. And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth Now when was this done The Apostle tells us when viz. in his own time 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature The meaning of it is Gods creating a new Estate of things under the Gospel a new Church the Jews cast off and the Gentiles taken in new ordinances in his Church Ceremonious worship taken down and Spiritual set up new Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper instead of the Circumcision and Passover a new Command of love to one another a new Covenant a new and living way into the most holy a new Creature and in a word all things become new Then certainly a new Sabbath was fit for a new Creation Lay these two places together Gen. I. 1. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and Esai LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth In fulness of time God created new Heavens and a new Earth and as the first Creation had the old Sabbath so was it not fit the new Creation should have a new Sabbath As our Saviour speaks Mat. IX 17. New cloth must not be put into an old garment nor new wine into old bottles but new wine must be put into new vessels and both are preserved So in this case a new manner of worship new Ordinances new Sacraments to be committed to the old Sabbath This is improper but a new Sabbath must be for these as well as they themselves are new How pied would Christianity have looked if it had worn a Coat all new in other respects but had had on the shirt or piecing of the old Sabbath And how unfit was it to have tyed Christians to the observation of the old Sabbath of the Jews IV. The Resurrection of Christ was the day of his birth and beginning of his Kingdom Observe the quotation Acts XIII 33. The promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled to us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee When was the day wherein Christ was begotten In the day that God raised him from the dead That is strange for as he was God was he not begotten from Eternity and as he was man was he not conceived by the Holy Ghost and born three and thirty years and an half before his Resurrection Yes both most true and yet that true too that he was begotten from the day of his Resurrection And the Apostle tells you how to understand it viz. He was the first begotten and first born from the dead begotten that day to the Gentiles and all the world from thenceforward a Saviour to them and by his Resurrection as the Apostle saith Rom. I. 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the dead So likewise his Resurrection was the beginning of his Reign and Kingdom Consider upon that Mat. XXVI 29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom That is when I am risen from the dead And see Mat. XXVIII 18. Now I begin to reign All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth For now he had conquered all his Enemies Devil Death and Hell Now was not the first day of the week the day on which Christ rose fitter to be made the Sabbath to commemorate his Birth-day from the dead and his entrance into his Kingdom than the last day of the week the old Sabbath on which day he lay in the grave and under death Kings and Potentates use to celebrate their Birth-day and the day of entrance into their Kingdom and this King of Kings was it not fit that such a memorial should be of his Birth-day and entrance into his Dominion And compare the Creation and Christs Resurrection whether of
50. The City where situate 514 515 Epistle to the Romans when and where it was writ by Saint Paul 1051 Equality of Men how all Men are equal in Gods esteem 1210 1211 Eremite or Hermite denotes a Country Man more properly than one that lives in a Desart p. 113. John the Baptist in all probability was no Eremite 387 388 Error and Ignorance do arise because Men will not know and embrace the Truth 1286 1287 Espousal an espousal of a Woman was performed by Mony or Writing or lying with 101 Espoused no Woman was married before Espoused 100 Esseans who they were p. 7. Where they inhabited p. 499 They owned the Immortality of the Soul but at the same time might deny the Resurrection of the Body p. 702. Their Religion was not the National Religion of the Jews but a Sect and an Excrescence from it 1036 Etam the Fountain what and of what use the streams 510 Eucharist when it was instituted p. 258 259. The Bread p. 259. The Wine p. 260. Judas was present at the Eucharist p. 261. Receiving the Eucharist unworthily two dreadful things against it 779 Eve her Temptation the Tradition of the Jews concerning it p. 1099. Adam and Eve believed and obtained life 1303 Evening what 198 Europe in probability is derived from Choreph which signifies Winter or cold 517 Excommunication and Reproof what they were with the difference between them p. 747 c. What the causes of Excommunication and how many sorts there were p. 747 748. The Jewish method of proceeding against the Excommunicated with the reason thereof p. 749. Whether the Jewish Excommunication was esteemed a delivery up to Satan 749 Extraordinary gifts of the Spirit are in Scripture comprized under Tongues and Prophesies 1157 Extraordinary actings of God are not Mens ordinary Rule 1276 Ezra Traditions as to their first conception are referred to the time of Ezra p. 124. In his days also was laid the foundations of Pharisaism and Sadducism p. 12. In his days some denyed the Resurrection 126 F. FAITH put for an holy boldness confidence and magnanimity Page 781 Faith great in the Thief on the Cross. 1273 1274 Faith in Christ all the holy Men that lived before Christ were saved by believing in him proved Page 1089 Fall of Angels and Adam compared together 1285 Family of the Mother not to be called a Family 99 Farthings what sort of Mony 350 Fasted the Jews fasted on the second and fifth days in the Week whether imitated by Christians 685 Fasts of the Jews what they were both in publick and in private p. 463. Fasts of the Pharisees strange stories related of them 171 Father a Father was always obliged among the Jews to teach his Son some honest Art or Trade p. 343. Father and Mother why to be honoured 1335 Fearers of the Lord used for Proselytes every one of them are blessed 689 Feast of Tabernacles the Joy and Songs thereof p. 223. The preparations for it and the parts of it p. 554 555. With the great Joy that attended it p. 555 556. The nicity of the Jews referring to the Feast of Tabernacles p. 556 557. How and wherefore the Eighth day of this Feast was computed great by the Jews p. 559 560. The strange Rites and Customs therein used 1039 Feast of weeks what 357 Feast Governour of the Feast understood of one whose place was to be Chaplain there 528 Feast of Dedication why called by the name of Lights p. 576 577. It is mentioned but once in all the Scripture and that by bare naming of it in Joh. 10. 22. p. 1033. The original Institution of it collected out of the Talmud Mainâ—onides Josephus and the first Book of Maccabees p. 1035. The strange custom of lighting up Candles therein used 1039 Feast of Purim was opposed by some of the Jews 578 Feasts Jewish The Jewish Feasts were vexed with innumerable scruples about what and how to eat and not to eat 769 Feasts of Charity what they were 1045 Festivals John is the most punctual in giving an account of the Festivals that intercurred between Christ's entrance into his publick Ministry and the time of his Death p. 1033. The Festivals of the Passover Pentecost and of Tabernacles were appointed by God for Communion as well as for Religion 1038 Fifth Monarchy is not the Kingdom of Christ but was the Kingdom of the Devil 1166 Figs and Fig-Trees there were some wild and some cultivated Figs were ripe at differing seasons and therefore Christ might expect some of a former year though as to that year the time was not come 225 to 228 Fire put for the Law of God and for Indignation 744 First born when and wherefore presented to the Lord and when redeemed 392 First Fruit sheaf when and how reaped p. 38. When to be offered p. 184. The Pomp of those that offered the First Fruits was very great 306 307 Flesh and Blood is used as opposing Men to God 204 c. Flux various Medicines for a Woman labouring under it 341 342 Fondness the Jews are fond and highly conceited of their own Nation a notable Example of this Fondness p. 1112. It hindred the execution of Malefactors 1113 Fool how came Fool to be a more greivous word than Raka 142 Forbearance in sin is the greatest punishment 1310 1311 Forms of Prayer were prescribed under the Old and New Testament p. 1137. Forms of Prayer defended and objections answered p. 1137. An account of the Jewish Forms from the Talmud and other Writers 1139 Foster Father taken for a natural Father 395 Fountain Etam the Fountain what and of what use its streams 510 France and Spain what places the Jews understood for them Page 368 Fraud Pious Fraud was one cause of the falsities of Ecclesiastical History 1143 Friendship and Conversation more inward which a Jew was not to have with an Heathen what 751 Fruits the First Fruit sheaf where and how reaped p. 38 618 619. When to be offered p. 184. The Pomp of those that offered it was very great 306 307 Furnication why or how put among things indifferent p. 696. There were two sorts of Furnication of this nature 696 G. GAD Javan in the Temple what Page 302 Gadara two places of the Name it was at first Gazara or Gezar p. 69. It was a City of Decapolis of Heathen jurisdiction 315 Gadarens whether Jews or Heathens p. 168. This Region was included within that of the Gergasens 340 Galileans had some customs different from those of Judea as in writing the Donation of the Marriage Dowry in working or not working on the Passover Eves also concerning the Trumah and the Curses of the Priests c. 77 78 Galilee was the upper nether and the valley p. 56 57. Bethshan the beginning of Galilee a most fruitful pleasant place p. 57. Caphar Hananiah the middle of Galilee p. 58. The disposition of Tribes in it p. 58 59. The West Coast of Galilee p. 59 60. Whether the Transjordanian Country was ever
to fiction and fabulous stories p. 1142. Four causes from whence these fictions proceed p. 1142 1143. Pious fraud is one cause of the falsities of this sort of History 1143 Holiness of a place computed to the foundation when the superstructure was gone 540 Holy Ghost how he went away from the Jews and when he returned p. 561. The Holy Ghost in his extraordinary Gifts and Tongues could only be communicated by the Apostles 680 Honey Wild Honey God gave the people of Israel a Land flowing with Milk and Honey Honey not from Bees but from Palm and Figtrees vast quantities p. 297 298. Honey from Figs fallen on the ground so thick as to be up to the ankles 297 325 Hosannah what p. 223 224. It was sung by the Children in the Temple 225 Houses among the Jews the lower Rooms entred by the Door the upper Rooms on the outside 334 Humane Inventions less dangerous to be brought into Divine Worship under the Jewish Law than under the Gospel and why 1038 Humane Learning is exceeding useful nay exceeding needful to the expounding of Scripture p. 1033. Two objections of those that deny this proposition answered 1034 Hyperbolus used for a litigious Fellow 459 Hypocrisie is hiding iniquity with its punishment 236 Hyssop several sorts of it and one with stalks like Canes or Reeds 617 I. JABNEH and Jamnia the same famous for an University and the Sanhedrim sitting there Page 15 16 Jacob why God wrestled with him and sought to kill him 1066 Jambres and Jannes who and whence the Names 1185 1186 Idolatry set up by the Jews only before their Captivity into Babilon p. 1113. It is an abominable and senseless wickedness p. 1312 1313. How God is jealous against Idolatry p. 1314 1315. Baal changed in the Names of Men into Bosheth which signifies shame in detestation of Idolatry Page 1315 Idols among the Jews it was held Religion to reproach Idols p. 188. The most ignominious Name given Idols was Zebul i. e. Dung or Dung-hill p. 188 189. The worst Idol or Devil was the Prime p. 189. Idols how rendred by the Lexicographers They are figments of humane mistake p. 763. Some Jews held that Idols might be bowed unto or worshiped 763 Idumea Jewish Idumea what 4 Idumea or the Land of Edom is not the same in the New Testament with that in the Old being swallowed up under the Name of Arabia but under the New Testament it was got into Judea 290 292 to 297 Jealous God what it signifies and why God is so called 1313 1314 Jealous Jealousie Zeal and Zealous are comprehended under the same word in the Hebrew what they are 1314 Jechonias who and what is said concerning him 98 99 Jeptha Gedeon and Sampson their failings p. 1215. Jephtha's vow how to be understood whether he did or did not sacrifice his Daughter 1215 to 1218 Jeremy put for Zachary in the Gospel is no fault but a thing known and received by the Jews 265 Jericho the Country of it and the situation of the City with its distance from Jerusalem p. 43 44. It was after rebuilt the next City to Jerusalem for grandure rare Schools and a Royal Palace The Men of Jericho famed for six things p. 44 45. Some Miscellanious matters belonging to the Country about Jericho 46 Jerusalem once called Salem being compounded of Jireh and Salem and why Under what Latitude It was holy above other Cities there were no Gardens in it c. p. 20 to 22. The parts of Jerusalem p. 22 to 24. It had in it Acra Bezetha and Millo p. 24. It had many Hills in it p. 22. Memorable places in it were the several Streets the ascent to the Temple some Courts Pools Stones c. p. 34 35. The Streets of Jerusalem were swept every day and Money found there in the time of Feasts were called Tenths or Tithes so also what was found at any time p. 303. The reason of the destruction of Jerusalem gathered out of the Jewish Writers and out of the Scriptures p. 468 c. The destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish State is described as if the whole frame of the World was to be dissolved p. 626 1073 1074 c. The destruction and conflagration of Jerusalem was an assurance of the judgment to come p. 1104 1119. It was set forth in Scripture in terms seeming to mean the last Judgment p. 1104. The last days of Jerusalem are characterized in one regard for the best in another for the worst of times p. 1179. New Jerusalem what it is not and what it is and where to be found 1197 1198 Jeshana a City just by Zippor 75 Jesus Christ Christ is added to Jesus in numberless places of the New Testament to shew that Christ was the true Saviour and that Jesus was the true Messias p. 96. Jesus Christ is called the Son of David a common term in the New Testament and Talmudick Writings for the true Messias p. 96 97. Jesus of Nazareth mentioned in the Talmud p. 476. Why Jesus was more opposed than John the Baptist with the reason of it p. 653. The Testimony concerning Jesus found in Josephus not proved to be the writing of Josephus yet proved from Scripture to be true concerning Jesus p. 653 654. Jesus the true Messias some testimonies of his being so p. 740. The false Logick of those who are for no Rulers or Magistrates over them but King Jesus refuted 1060 Jew a Jew was not to have an inward Conversation or Friendship with a Gentile Page 751 Jewish Nation whether as to the more general part of it it was not rejected and blinded before Christ came into the World p. 709. The Jewish State the destruction of it is described as if the whole frame of the World was to be dissolved 626 Jews how far lawful or unlawful for them to eat of the victuals of the Samaritans p. 538. Their Mother Tongue was the Chaldee Language from their return out of Babilon p. 545. Their cruelty p. 663. It was very great destroying two hundred and twenty thousand Greeks and Romans at one time feeding on their flesh eating their bowels besmearing themselves with their blood and covering themselves with their skins c. p. 686 c. They also in Egypt and Cyprus destroyed two hundred and forty thousand Men in a most Barbarous manner p. 686 687. The Jews fasted on the second and fifth days in the week whether imitated by Christians p. 685. They were not to be beholden to the Heathen p. 764. Jews and Hellenists distinguished with the reason of the distinction p. 798. The Jews themselves expected that the Messias should raign amongst them a thousand years p. 1057. They thought the Law was to restrain and bind the outward Action only not regarding the inward thought p. 1097. Jews and Romanists how they may be said to be yoak-fellows p. 1110. They were permitted by the Romans their Governors to live by their own Laws and Religion p. 752 1111. How they
the Synagogue were done p. 185. Sabbath from the second first what p. 184. Sabbath to the Jews was a day of junkets and delicious Feasting p. 184. What worldly things were not to be done on it p. 184 187 547. And what worldly things might be done on it p. 186 187 547 The care of the Sabbath lay upon Adam under a double Law p. 186 187. Sabbath days journy what p. 304. The Preparion of the Sabbath what p. 358. Second Sabbath after the first what p. 409. The Jews used to get much and excellent Victuals on that Day for the honour of the Day p. 445 446. The Jews allowed all necessary things to be done on that day as to heal the sick c. p. 446. To save Beasts in danger p. 446. The night before the Sabbath candles were lighted up in honour of it and the Evening of the Sabbath was called Light p. 479. The length of the Sabbath days journey at first was twelve Miles with the reason afterward it was confined to two thousand cubits or one mile p. 485 486 636 637. Circumcision as given by Moses gives a right understanding of the nature of the Sabbath p. 557. The institution of the Sabbath and how God rested on it p. 1325. Resting on it hath four ends Moral to rest from Labours Commemorative to remember God's creating the World Evangelical referring to Christ and Typical to signifie eternal Rest. p. 1327. It was given to the Jews at Sinai to distinguish them from all other people p. 1327 1328. It s antiquity c. Page 1328 Sabbath Christian the Jews say that the Christian Sabbath was the first day of the week why Christ changed it from the seventh to the first p. 271 272 1329 1330. It was not controverted but every where celebrated in the Primitive Times only some Jews converted to the Gospel kept also the Jewish Sabbath 792 793 Sabbatick River said to rest on the Sabbath day suspected 313 Sacrament of the Supper receiving unworthily two dreadful things against it 779 Sacramental Blood as it may be called of the Old and New Testament and the very Blood of Christ harmonized 777 778 Sacraments are visible marks of distinction proved p. 1125. They have several Ends. p. 1125. They are perpetual p. 1126. They are Seals of the life of Faith p. 1126. How they answer Circumcision and the Passover 1126 Sacrifices Spiritual every Christian hath three Spiritual Sacrifices to offer to God p. 1260. The Altar on which these Sacrifices are to be offered 1260 Sadducees their Original whence they came to deny the Râ—â—urrection p. 124 to 126. They did not utterly deny all the Old Testament except the Five Books of Moses but the Five Books were only what they would stand by for the confirmation of matters of Faith p. 542 1101. They denyed the Resurrection what therefore was their Religion and to what end p. 699. They take their Heterodoxy and Denomination say some from Sadoc p. 699 700. At first they denyed the Immortality of the Soul and so by consequence the Resurrection p. 701. The Religion of the Sadducees was not the National Religion of the Jews but a Sect and Excrescence from it p. 1036. They held nothing for a Fundamental Article of Faith but what might be grounded on the Five Books of Moses p. 1102. The Resurrection of the last day demonstrated against the Sadducees and Atheists p. 1235. The difference between the Sadducees and Pharisees in matters of Religion was very great p. 1278. Though the Sadducees and Pharisees greatly differed betwixt themselves yet they easily harmonized to oppose Christianity p. 1278 1279. The Sadducees held several Heretical Opinions about some main Articles of Faith p. 1279 1280. The Sadducees considered in their Persons or Original and Opinions 1280 to 1284 Sadduceism the Foundation of it laid in the days of Ezra 124 Sadoc said to be the first Founder of Sadduceism whether he denied the Resurrection or all the Scripture except Moses 699 700 Sagan was not so much the Vice-High-Priest as one set over the Priest therefore called the Sagan of the Priests he was the same with the Ruler of the Temple p. 397. Because his dignity was higher and independent therefore he was sometimes called High-Priest p. 397. Sagan was the same with the Prefect or Ruler he was to be a Learned Man Page 608 Saints judging the World expounded against the Fifth Monarchists p. 753. Not referred to the Last Judgment but to Christian Magistrates and Judges in the World p. 753 754. Saints in Glory have not the Spirit p. 1150. Saints in Heaven what they do referring to Saints or Sinuers on Earth 1268 Salamean or Salmean or Kenite the same and what 499 Salem the first Name for Jerusalem which was compounded of Jireh and Salem and why under what latitude how holy above other Cities 20 to 22 Salim what and where situate 498 499 Salting with fire and with salt the custom and the meaning of the phrase 346 347 Salvation and Pardon what the sure ground of hope of them is 1277 Salutares some Companies and Wings of the Roman Army being so called in likelihood gave the Title of Healthful to some Countries 294 Salutations were not performed by the Jews at some times 420 Saluting of Women was rarely used among the Jews 385 Samaria under the first Temple was a City under the second a Country called Sebaste the Religion thereof was Heathenism and Samaritanism p. 52 53. Samaria was planted with Colonies two several times 503 504 Samaritanism what 53 Samaritans rejected the Temple at Jerusalem and why p. 540 541. How they rejected all the Old Testament but the Five Books of Moses whether they were not acquainted with the rest and owned them in some cases 541 542 Samaritan Text follows the Greek Version 701 Samaritan Version or Pentateuch three things in it containing matter of notice and a fourth of suspition 504 505 Samochonitis the Lake of Samochonitis is in Scripture called the Waters of Merom c 64 Sampson what were his failings 1215 Sanctification Adam had not the Spirit of Sanctification nor of Prophesie p. 1150. Why we are justified by perfect Justification and yet not sanctified by perfect Sanctification and holiness answered 1153 Sandals and Shoos not the same against Beza and Erasmus 178 Sanhedrim the Jewish Sanhedrim consisted of Priests Levites and Israelites p. 109. Sanhedrim the Lesser and Greater their time of sitting the number that made a Council p. 355. It was against the Sanhedrims own Rule to seek for Witnesses against Christ. p. 355. The whole Sanhedrim was sometimes comprehended under the Name of Pharisees p. 571. The Sanhedrim lost the power of judging in capital Causes by their own neglect being so remiss to the Israelites with the Reasons of it p. 611 to 614. The Sanhedrim removed from the Room Gazith to the Tabernae and from the Tabernae into Jerusalem forty years before the destruction of that City with the Reason of it p.