only asks How shall this be c Doubtless she took the Prophecy in its proper sense as speaking of a Virgin untoucht She knew nothing then nor probably any part of the Nation at that time so much as once thought of that sense by which the Jews have now for a great while disguised that place and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 II. Give me leave for their sakes in whose hands the book is not to transcribe some few things out of that noble Author Morney a a a a a a De Verit. Christ. Relig. cap. 28. which he quotes concerning this grand mystery from the Jews themselves b b b b b b Moses Haddarson in Psa LXXXV Truth shall spring out of the earth R. Jotten saith he notes upon this place That it is not said truth shall be born but shall spring out because the Generation and Nativity of the Messiah is not to be as other creatures in the world but shall be begot without Carnal Copulation and therefore no one hath mentioned his Father as who must be hid from the knowledge of men till himself shall come and reveal him And upon Genes Ye have said saith the Lord we are Orphans bereaved of our Father such an one shall your redeemer be whom I shall give you So upon Zachary Behold my servant whose name is of the branch And out of Psal. CX Thou art a Priest after the order of Melchizedech He saith R. Berachiah delivers the same things And R. Simeon Ben Jochai upon Genes more plainly viz. That the Spirit by the impulse of a mighty power shall come forth of the Womb though shut up that will become a mighty Prince the King Messiah So he VERS XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath also conceived a Son in her old age THE Angel teaches to what purpose it was that Women either barren before or considerably stricken in years should be enabled to conceive and bring forth viz. to make way for the easier belief of the Conception of a Virgin If they either beside or beyond nature conceive a Child this may be some ground of belief that a Virgin contrary to Nature may do so too So Abraham by Faith saw Christ's day as born of a pure Virgin in the birth of his own Son Isaac of his old and barren Wife Sarah VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. She went into the hill Country c. THAT is to Hebron Jos. XXI 11. For though it is true indeed the Priests after the return from Babylon were not all disposed and placed in all those very same dwellings they had possest before the Captivity yet is it probable that Zachary who was of the seed of Aaron being here said to dwell in the hill Country of Judah might have his House in Hebron which is more peculiarly said to be the City of Aaron's off-spring VERS XLI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Babe leaped in her Womb. SO the Seventy Gen. XXV 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Children leaped in her womb Psal. CXIV 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mountains skipped That which is added by Elizabeth Vers. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The babe leaped in the womb for joy signifies the manner of the thing not the cause q. d. it leaped with vehement exultation For John while he was an Embryo in the Womb knew no more what was then done than Jacob and Esau when they were in Rebecca's Womb knew what was determined concerning them a a a a a a Hieros Sotah fol. 2. 3. At the Red Sea even the infants sung in the wombs of their Mothers as it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. LXVIII where the Targum to the same sense Exalt the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye infants in the bowels of your Mothers of the seed of Israel Let them enjoy their Hyperboles Questionless Elizabeth had learnt from her Husband that the Child she went with was designed as the fore-runner of the Messiah but she did not yet know of what sort of Woman the Messiah must be born till this leaping of the infant in her womb became some token to her VERS LVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abode with her three Months A Space of time very well known amongst the Doctors defined by them to know whether a Woman be with Child or no. Which I have already observed upon Matth. I. a a a a a a Iâ—â—â—moth fol. 33 2. 34. â— 35. 1 c. VERS LIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they called it c. I. THE Circumciser said a a a a a a Schabb. fol. 137. 2. Blessed be the Lord our God who hath sanctified us by his precepts and hath given us the Law of Circumcision The Father of the infant said who hath sanctified us by his precepts and hath commanded us to enter the Child into the Covenant of Abraham our Father But where was Zachary's tongue for this service II. God at the same time instituted Circumcision and changed the names of Abraham and Sarah hence the custom of giving names to their Children at the time of their Circumcision III. Amongst the several accounts why this or that name was given to the Sons this was one that chiefly obtained viz. for the honour of some person whom they esteemed they gave the Child his name Which seems to have guided them in this case here when Zachary himself being dumb could not make his mind known to them Mahli the Son of Mushi hath the name of Mahli given him who was his Uncle the Brother of Mushi his Father 1 Chron. XXIII 21 23. b b b b b b Cholin fol. 47. 2. R. Nathan said I once went to the Islands of the Sea and there came to me a Woman whose first born had died by Circumcision so also her second Son She brought the third to me I bad her wait a little till the blood might asswage She waited a little and then Circumcised him and he lived They called him therefore by my name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nathan of Babylon See also Jerusalem Jevamoth c c c c c c Fol. 7. 4. d d d d d d â—ab Jevam. fol. 105. 1. There was a certain Family at Jerusalem that were wont to die about the eighteenth year of their age They made the matter known to R. Johanan ben Zacchai who said perhaps you are of Elie's Lineage concerning whom it is said The increase of thine House shall die in the flower of their age Go ye and be diligent in the study of the Law and ye shall live They went and gave diligent heed to the Law and lived They called themselves therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Family of Johanan after his name It is disputed in the same Tract e e e e e e Fol. 24. 1. whether the Son begot by a Brother's raising up seed to his Brother should not be called after the
denial Likewise that his Feast must come in here Matthews words ver 18. do make it plain for he saith that while Jesus was speaking those things concerning fasting c. Jairus came to him whose coming the other two Evangelists have cleerly pitched in this place In Matthew the late Publicans house when Christ is invited to dinner many Publicans and Sinners sit down at meat with him a thing as far contrary to the Pharisaical discipline as what was most contrary for which the Pharisees challenge him and his Disciples They looked upon Christ and his Disciples as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of Religion and Devotion and therefore that ought to seperate themselves from the vulgar sort of people especially from such as these were of an infamous stamp and character A Scholar of the wise by their Canons might not eat with one of the vulgar much less with Publicans and Sinners the worst sort of all the vulgar that were SECTION XLI MARK Chap. V. from Ver. 22 to the end LUKE Chap. VIII from Ver. 41 to the end MATTH Chap. IX from Ver. 18 to Ver. 27. Abloody issue healed Jairus daughter raised MATTHEW assures the order for he saith While Jesus was speaking those things that are recorded in the preceeding Section concerning Fasting and not putting new wine into old bottles c. Jairus came to him to beg the recovery of his now dying daughter Jairus was one of the Rulers of Capernaum Synagogue and had seen so many miracles done by Christ there that if he were not a Disciple already yet he belives that Christ can easily recover her though when he came away from her she was giving up the ghost As Jesus goeth with him in Capernaum streets a woman with a bloody issue of twelve years continuance cometh behind him and toucheth him Her disease and Jairus daughter wereborn in one and the same year for they were both twelve years old Luke 8. ver 42 43. The malady of this woman was not only of the said languishing but it was also of a great uncleanness according to the uncleanness mentioned in the Law The Talmudick treatise Zavim and Maymony in Issurei biah cap. 4 5 6. would read a doleful Lecture upon her disease as to this point of uncleanness And this it may be was one main cause that made the woman to come trembling and fearing to Christ when she saw she could not be hid Mat. 5. 33 because she had been so bold as to touch Christ in her uncleanness The story of the Pictures of Christ and this woman touching him both made in brass of which the Papists have made no small ado towards their worshipping of Images hath spoken exceeding wide and far from hitting upon the right place where this woman and Christ met The story as it is related by Eusebius Baronius and others is this That in Caesarea Philippi called otherwise Paneas the house of this woman was to be seen and before the door of the house a brazen Image of a woman kneeling and before her the brazen statute of a man in a garment down to the feet and stretching out his hand to the woman And that there grew there a certain strange herbe which when it grew up to touch the brazen hem of his garment it had the medicinal virtue of healing any disease But why all this at Caesarea Philippi whereas this occurrence of the womans healing by the touch of the hem of his garment was in Capernaum for Matthew tells that when Jesus came back out of the Country of the Gadarens he came into his own City Matth. 9. 1. which was Capernaum and there was Matthews house in which he was when Jairus came to him See Sect. 23. Before he comes to Jairus his house his daughter is dead and there he finds minstrels and piping in a mournful tone for the bewailing of her This was the custom of the Jews in such cases as is to bee seen in Talm. Jerus in Beracoth fol 5. col 4. Maymony in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 14 c. vid etiam Jerus Moed Katon fol. 83. col 4. A goodwhile ago he had denounced a sad doom against Capernaum Matth. 11. 23. at Sect. 52. O thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven shalt be brought down to hell c. which was spoken as to the generality of the City who for the things they had heard and seen were exalted to heaven as that being Christs own City or the place of his habitation yet they believed not And this may be some reason why when he had raised this dead girle he bids her parents keep the matter close for that City had justly forfeited all such revelations of him Yet for all the denouncing of that sad fate against her he oft resorteth thither and forsaketh not his habitation there partly because he had some there who for all the unbelief of the generality belonged to him and believed in him and partly because he had no reason to remove his habitation for their unbelief or to pass off his dwelling for other mens wickedness for where could he go to reside but he should reside among some of the same temper SECTION XLII MATTH Chap. IX from Ver. 27 to Ver. 35. Two blind men and a possessed dumb man healed THe order is cleer from these two passages of connexion When Jesus departed thence ver 27. And As they went out ver 32. Jesus from Jairus his house returned to his own home ver 28. and there two blind men come to him whose eyes he toucheth and saith According to your faith be it to you urgoing this upon them the rather because of the general untowardness and unbelief of the place where he now was Capernaum and because of the Pharisees that were now present ver 34. that he might magnifie faith As these blind men went out they brought in a man possessed with a dumb Devil and he also was healed which the Pharisees still ascribe to magick c. SECTION XLIII MARK Chap. VI. Ver. 1 2 3 4 5 6. MATTH Chap. XIII Ver. 54 55 56 57 58. CHRIST at Nazaret and offence taken at him IT is said by Matthew that when Jesus returned back out of the land of the Gadarens he came into his own City Matth. 9. 1. that is to Capernaum where he himself dwelt and Matthew and Jairus and the three last Sections relate stories done in their three houses Now Mark saith that from thence he went out and came into his own Country that is to Nazareth which title is used of that City again John 4. 44. In that Synagogue he had been abused a good while ago and his life endangered Luke 4. 29. and thither he is come now to try them again and finds not much better entertainment then before but only not so full of danger therefore he did not many great works there because of their unbelief which Mark uttereth He could do no mighty works there ver 5. which meaneth not
entertain what he was relating to her Shall give unto him the Throne Psal. 2. 7 8 9. Ezek. 21. 27. Dan. 7. 14. c. Vers. 33. He shall reign over the house of Jacob. This term the house of Jacob includeth First All the twelve tribes which the word Israel could not have done Secondly The Heathens and Gentiles also for of such the house and family of Jacob was full Vers. 34. Seeing I know not a man These words say the Rhemists declare that she had now vowed Virginity to God For if she might have known a man and so have had a child she would never have asked how shall this be done And Jansenius goeth yet further From these words saith he it doth not only follow that she hath vowed but this seemeth also to follow from them that her vow was approved of God See also Aquin. part 3. quaest 28. art 4. Baron in apparatu ad Annal. c. Answ. First Among the Jews marriage was not held a thing indifferent or at their own liberty to choose or refuse but a binding command and the first of the 613. as it is found ranked in the Pentateuch with the threefold Targum at Gen. 1. 28. and Paul seemeth to allude to that opinion of theirs when speaking of this subject he saith Praeceptum non habeo 1 Cor. 7. 6. Secondly Among the vows that they made to God Virginity never came in the number Jephtha's was heedless and might have been revoked as the Chaldee Paraphrast and Rabbi Solomon well conceive and David Kimchi is of a mind that he was punished for not redeeming it according to Lev. 27. Thirdly To die childless was a reproach among men Luke 1. 25. and to live unmarried was a shame to women Psal. 78. 63. Their Virgins were not praised that is were not married Now what a gulf is there between vowing perpetual Virginity and accounting it a shame dishonour and reproach Fourthly If Mary had vowed Virginity why should she marry Or when she was married why should she vow Virginity For some hold that her vow was made before her espousals and some after Fifthly It was utterly unnecessary that she should be any such a votal it was enough that she was a Virgin Sixthly It is a most improper phrase to say I know not a man and to mean I never must know him and in every place where it is used concerning Virgins why may it not be so understood as well as here Seventhly While the Romanist goeth about with this gloss to extol her Virginity he abaseth her judgment and belief For if she meant thus she inferreth that either this child must be begotten by the mixture of man which sheweth her ignorance or that he could not be begotten without which sheweth her unbelief Eighthly She uttereth not these words in diffidence as Zachary had done when he said how shall I know this but in desire to be satisfied in the mystery or the manner as she was in the matter She understood that the Angel spake of the birth of the Messias she knew that he should be born of a Virgin she perceived that she was pointed out for that Virgin and believing all this she desired to be resolved how so great a thing should come to pass Vers. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee c. The Angel satisfieth the Virgins question with a threefold answer First Instructing her in the manner of the performance Secondly Furnishing her with an example of much like nature in her Cosin Elizabeth Thirdly Confirming her from the power of God to which nothing is impossible Now whereas this unrestrained power of God was the only cause of such examples as the childing of Elizabeth and other barren women in this birth of the Virgin something more and of more extraordinariness is to be looked after In it therefore two actions are expressed to concur First The Holy Ghost his coming upon the Virgin Secondly The power of the most High overshaddowing her and two fruits or consequents of these two actions answerable to them First The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee therefore that that is born of thee shall be holy Secondly The power of the most High shall overshadow thee therefore that that is born of thee shall be called the Son of God The coming of the Holy Ghost upon her was First In the gift of Prophesie whereby she was both informed of the very instant when the conception was wrought and also more fully of the mystery of the Incarnation then before Secondly He did prepare and sanctifie so much of her flesh and blood or seed as to constitute the body of our Saviour The work was the work of the whole Trinity but ascribed more singularly to the Holy Ghost first because of the sanctifying of that seed and clearing it of original taint for sanctification is the work of the Holy Ghost Secondly For the avoiding of that dangerous consequence which might have followed among men of corrupt minds who might have opinionated if the conception of the Messias in the womb had been ascribed to the Father that the Son had had no other manner of generation of him The power of the most High His operating power supplying the want of the vigour and imbraces of the masculine Parent For to that the word overshaddow seemeth to have allusion being a modest phrase whereby the Hebrews expressed the imbraces of the man in the act of generation as Ruth 3. 9. Spread the skirt of thy garment over thine handmaid Therefore that holy thing This title and Epithet first not only sheweth the purity and immaculateness of the humane nature of Christ but also secondly it being applied to the preceding part by way of consequence as was touched before it sheweth that none ever was born thus immaculate but Christ alone because none had ever such a way and means of conception but only he Ver. 36. Thy Cosin Elizabeth hath conceived a Son As he had informed the Virgin of the birth of the Messias of her self so doth he also of the birth of his fore-runner of her Cousin Elizabeth For that he intended not barely to inform her onely that her Cousin had conceived a Child but that he heightens her thoughts to think of him as Christs forerunner may be supposed upon these observations First That he saith A Son and not a Child Secondly That such strangely born Sons were ever of some remarkable and renowned eminency Thirdly That if he had purposed only to shew her the possibility of her conceiving by the example of the power of God in other women he might have mentioned Sarah Hannah and others of those ancient ones and it had been enough Vers. 39. And Mary arose c. And went with haste into the hill Country into a City of Juda. This City was Hebron For unto the sons of Aaron Joshua gave the City of Arba which is Hebron in the hill country of Judah Josh. 21. 11. And Zacharias being a son of
Aaron and dwelling in the hill Country of Juda it were senseless to seek for his house in any other place then Hebron This place had been excellently renowned in ancient time Here was the promise given of Isaac here was the institution of Circumcision here Abraham had his first land and David his first Crown and here lay interred the three couples Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca Jacob and Leah and as antiquity hath held Adam and Eve Now there are many reasons given by Expositors of Maries hasting hither after the Message of the Angel As either to know the truth of what was told her about Elizabeth or to congratulate and rejoyce with her or to minister to her in her great belliedness or that the Baptist in Elizabeths womb might be sanctified by the presence of Christ in hers c. But I cannot but conceive this to be the very reason indeed That she might there conceive the Messias where so many types figures and things relating to him had gone before namely in Hebron For First This suited singularly with the Harmony and Consent which God useth in his works that the promise should begin to take place by the conception of Messias even among those Patriarchs to whom the promise was first given Secondly A kind of necessity seemeth to lie upon it that this Shiloh of the Tribe of Judah and the seed of David should be conceived in a City of Juda and of David as he was to be born in another City that belonged to them both Thirdly The Evangelists so punctually describing this City seemeth rather to refer to Christ then John who being of the Priests might indifferently have been born in any of the Tribes whatsoever Only the Holy Ghost giveth us to observe this which may not be passed That John that should bring in Baptism in stead of Circumcision was born in that very place where Circumcision was first ordained in the City Hebron It is generally held indeed that the Virgin conceived in Nazaret and in the very instant of the Angels talking with her but whether there be not as much probability for this opinion as for that I refer to the equal and judicious Reader Ver. 40. And saluted Elizabeth This seemeth to have been at some distance and a wall or floor between as consider seriously on ver 42. 44. Ver. 41. The babe leaped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used by the LXX for Jacobs and Esaus stirring in the womb Gen. 25. 22. And the leaping of the mountains at the giving of the Law Elizabeth in ver 44. addeth The babe leaped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not that he knew what he did when he leaped any more then they but that either this was the first time or this time was extraordinary The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth outward gesticulation or exultation as well as inward joy yea though there be no inward joy at all as Psalm 65. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little hills shall be girded with exultation And so is it to be understood here The babe in my womb leaped with extraordinary gesticulation or exultation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie the manner of the thing done and not the cause of the doing Ver. 45. And blessed is she that believed Elizabeth in this clause seemeth to have an eye to her own husbands unbelief and the punishment that befel him for the same He a Man a Priest aged learned eminent and the message to him of more appearing possibility and Mary a Woman mean unlearned and of a private condition and the tidings to her most incredible both to nature and reason and yet she believed and he did not Ver. 48. He hath regarded the low estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the LXX 2 Sam. 9. 8. and Psal. 25. 16. and importeth a look of pity and compassion and not of observation of desert as the Papists would have it here For some of them render this clause thus He hath looked on mine humility with approbation and others give this gloss upon it Because of her humility she deserved to be exalted and by it she was primely disposed to conceive and bear the only begotten Son of God But first the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is said before in the LXX who must best help us to interpret it signifieth a look of another nature Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not the vertue of humility or the lowliness of mind but the state of a low and poor condition and so is it rendred here by the Syrian Arabick Spanish French Deodates Italian Dutch and all Latines that are not wedded to the vulgar And so is it used by the LXX Gen. 16. 11. 41. 52. 1 Sam. 1. 11. and so again by the New Testament Act. 8. 33. compared with the Original in Isa. 53. 8. And so prophane and heathen Authors distinguish betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the former understanding as we do here and by the latter the vertue of humility Thirdly The same word in a manner or one of the same root in ver 52. is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and inevitably beareth the sense we follow Fourthly If the Virgin spake in the sense the Romanists would have her He hath looked upon my lowliness to give it its desert she would prove to be intolerably proud in the valuing of her humility All generations shall call me blessed As Gen. 30. 13. Not only thou oh Cosin Elizabeth and the Jewish Nation that expect the Messias but even all the world and all successions of ages among the Heathen shall come to the knowledge and confession of Christ and account me blessed in the favour that I have received Ver. 51. He hath scattered the proud c. If the Virgin aim these words and those of the same tenour that follow at any particular persons as some conceive she doth and meaneth the Devils or the Pharisees or the Jews it might as well be conceived that she hath respect to the four tyrannous and persecuting Monarchies in the Book of Daniel which were now destroyed as much as to any thing else But since the very same words in a manner are to be found in the song of Hannah 1 Sam. 2. they warrant us to interpret them not so restrictively as to any one particular example but of the general and ordinary dealing of God in the world with the wicked SECTION III. S. MATTHEW CHAP. I THE a a a a a a Gen. 5. 1. Book b b b b b b It might be understood The Book of the History as generation is taken Gen. 2. 4. and 37. 2. and so it might be the title not of this Chapter only but of the whole book But since the Evangelists intention is to set down Christs alliance to the Royal line by his Father Joseph the phrase must be understood accordingly and so the Chaldee useth the very
he hints his Separation and estrangement from other men as a despicable person and unworthy of the society of men I. Let it be observed that the Evangelist does not cite some one of the Prophets but All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken by the Prophets But now all the Prophets in a manner do preach the vile and abject condition of Christ none that his original should be out of Nazareth II. David in his person speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was a stranger to my brethren Psal. LXIX 6. III. If you derive the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazarene which not a few do from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazir a Nazirean that word denotes not only a separation dedicated to God such as that of the Nazareans was but it signifies also the separation of a man from others as being unworthy of their society Gen. XLIX 26. They shall be on the head of Joseph and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren Therefore let us digest the sense of the Evangelist by this Paraphrase Joseph was to depart with Christ to Bethlehem the City of David or to Jerusalem the royal City had not the fear of Archelaus hindred him Therefore by the signification of an Angel he is sent away into Galilee a very contemptible Country and into the City Nazareth a place of no account whence from this very place and the name of it you may observe that fulfilled to a tittle which is so often declared by the Prophets that the Messias should be Nazor a stranger or separate from men as if he were a very vile person and not worthy of their company CHAP. III. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Iudea THAT John was born in Hebron one may not unfitly conjecture by comparing Luke I. 39. with Jos. XXI 11. and that he was born about the feast of the Passover namely half a year before the Nativity of our Saviour Luke I. 36. So the conceptions and births of the Baptist and our Saviour innobled the four famous Tekupha's Revolutions of the year One being conceived at the Summer Solstice the other at the Winter one born at the Vernal Equinox the other at the Autumnal John lived in the deserts until he made himself known unto Israel Luke I. 80. That is if the Popes School may be interpreter he led the life of an Hermite But I. Be ashamed O Papist to be so ignorant of the sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wilderness or Desert which in the common dialect sounds all one as if it had been said He lived in the Country not in the City his education was more course and plain in the Country without the breeding of the University or Court at Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Menachoth cap. 7. â—al 1. An oblation for thanksgiving consists of five Jerusalem Seahs which were in value six Seahs of the wilderness that is six Country Seahs m m m m m m Bab. Erubh. fol. 83. 1. A Jerusalem Seah exceeds a Seah of the wilderness by a sixt part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n n n n n n Rambam in Demai cap. 1. The trees of the wilderness are those which are common and not appropriate to one Master that is Trees in common Groves and Meddows So 2 Cor. XI 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in perils in the City and in perils in the Country II. The Wildernesses of the land of Canaan were not without Towns and Cities nor was he presently to be called an Eremite who dwelt in the Wilderness The Hill Country of Judea Johns native soil is called by the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The royal Mountain or Hill and by the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The desert Hill Country Psal. LXXV 6. and yet o o o o o o Hieros Taanith fol. 69. 1. in the Royal Mountain were a myriad of Cities III. David passed much of his youth in the Wilderness 1 Sam. XVII 28. but yet who will call him an Eremite In the like sense I conceive John living in the Desarts not only spending his time in leisure and contemplation but employing himself in some work or studies For when I read that the Youth of our Saviour was taken up in the Carpenters trade I scarcely believe his forerunner employed his youth in no calling at all Beginning now the thirtieth year of his age when according to the custom of the Priests he ought to have come to the chief Sanhedrin to undergo their examination and to be entred into the Priesthood by them the Word of God coming unto him Luke III. 2. as it had done before to the Prophets he is diverted to another Ministry VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repent ye A Doctrine most sit for the Gospel and most sutable to the time and the word or the phrase as agreeable to the Doctrine I. A Nation leavened with the error of the Pharisees concerning Justification by the works of the Law was necessarily to be called off to the contrary Doctrine of Repentance No receiving of the Gospel was otherwise to be expected II. However the Schools of the Pharisees had illy defined Repentance which we observe presently yet they asserted that Repentance it self was necessary to the reception of the Messias p p p p p p Sanhedr fol. 98. c. Concerning this matter the Babylonian Gemarists do dispute whom Kimchi also upon Esa. LIX 19. cites and determines the question From the words of our Rabbins saith he it is plain there arose a doubt among them concerning this matter namely whether Israel were to be redeemed with repentance or without repentance And it sprang from this occasion that some texts of Scripture seemed to go against them such as those He saw and there was no man and he wondred that there was none to interceed therefore his own arm brought salvation And also Not for your sake O Israel do I this And again I will remember for them my old Covenant c. And these places on the other hand make for repentance Thou shalt return to the Lord thy God and shalt harken to his voice And again And thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God and shalt find him if thou seekest him with all thy heart c. But these may be reconciled after this manner namely that many of Israel shall repent when they shall see the signs of redemption And hence is that which is said And he saw that there was no man because they will not repent untill they see the beginning of redemption q q q q q q Hieros Taanith fol. 64. 1. If Israel shall repent but one day forthwith the Redeemer cometh Therefore it is very fitly argued by the Baptist and by our Saviour after him Matth. IV. 17. from the approach of the
13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us eat flesh and drink wine VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They laid their hands upon them WE read of this or that Rabbin constituting * * * * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deacons in this or that Synagouge a a a a a a Hieros Pâ—ah fol. 21. 1. but not a word about laying on of hands in that action and no wonder when even in the promotion of their Elders they commonly used only some form of words and not this rite or ceremony which we observe in notes upon Chap. XIII The Apostles in this place and elsewhere retain the ancient usage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of imposition of hands At other times frequently that they might in ordaining any to the ministry impart to them the gift of the Holy Ghost here that they might ordain persons to the office of Deacons without the gift of the Holy Ghost For these seven had been so endowed already vers 3. VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certain of the Synagogue which is called the Synagogue of the Libertines LIbertines i. e. servants that had received their Freedom called in the Jewish writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I. Must be understood of Servants that were of the Jewish Nation for this was a rule amongst them b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not lawful to make a Canaanite or Maimon Avadim cap. 2. Gentile Servant free and if any one doth make such an one free he transgresseth the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be your bondmen for ever Levit. XXV 46. but if any one do make him free he is made free There is a dispute about this matter in Sotah c c c c c c Fol. 3. 1. R. Ismael saith there is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Licence granted if you have a mind of keeping a Canaanite as bondman for ever But R. Akibah saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a binding command that every one who hath a Canaanite Servant is bound to keep him in his service and never to make him free If it should be granted what R. Ishmael would have that a man might if he please make a Gentile Servant free yet is it not likely there could be an whole Synagogue of such so made free II. Those therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servants that had their freedom whom the Talmudick writers so frequently speak of they were certain Jews who had either been sold into bondage by the Sanhedrin for theft or who had sold themselves for meer poverty and had now regained their freedom anew Exod. XXI 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou buy an Hebrew Servant * * * * * * R. Solomon upon the place If thou buy him from the hand of the Sanhedrin who sell him for his thieving or if he have sold himself through meer necessity In the servitude of these there were these differences d d d d d d Kiddushin fol. 14. 2. It is a Tradition He that selleth himself is sold for six years or for more than six He that is sold by the Sanhedrin is sold but for six years only He that selleth himself is not boared through the ear with an awl e e e e e e Exod. XXI 6 He that is sold by the Sanhedrin is boared through He that selleth himself they provide no viaticum for him he that is sold by the Sanhedrin they do provide for him A man that selleth himself his Master cannot give him a Canaanitish handmaid to wife To him that is sold by the Sanhedrin he may III. In what manner these are made free either by paying a price or by the year of Jubilee or by the seventh year or upon any other occasions having a writing of their freedom given them Maimonides treats largely in Avadim and the Talmudie writers in the place already quoted and elsewhere I question not but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Libertines in this place were such and that our Historian doth by this phrase render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than which nothing was more commonly known in that nation or more commonly mentioned in Jewish writers And if so then may we see what dregs of people what a lowsy tribe if I may so speak rose up against our most blessed Martyr Such as had been formerly either beggars or thieves afterwards slaves and were now little else but a pack of knaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrenians What Cyrene that was from whence these Cyrenians are so called St. Luke points to us Act. II. by its neighbourhood to Lybia which whether the Interpreters rightly understand when they render Kir by Cyrene let us consult themselves and see So the Vulgar and the Alexandrian M. S. in 2 Kings XVI 9. The Vulgar and Targum in Amos I. 5. Whether these Cyrenians mentioned by St. Luke here and elsewhere took their denomination from the City Cyrene or the Country of Cyrene is hardly worth our enquiring Strabo describes the City lib. 17. and Pliny the Country lib. 5. cap. 5. but neither of them say any thing of the Jews dwelling there However Dion Cass. in the life of Trajan speaks it out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In the mean time the Jews who dwelt about Cyrene under the conduct of one Andrew fell upon both Romans and Greeks tear their flesh devour their entrals besmear themselves with their blood and cover themselves with their skins They sawed many of them in sunder from the Crown of the head they threw many to the beasts and forced several of them to fight one with another So that they destroyed at least two hundred thousand men It must surely be an infinite number of Jews that could commit so great a slaughter the like the Jews did in Egypt and Cyprus It might be a wonder how so vast a multitude of Jews could be got together in those Countries But this is not our present enquiry That which is rather to be discust is what Language the Cyrenian Jews used I would say Greek for that was the Language of Cyrene the City having been built by the Grecians and the whole Country under the Government of the Ptolomies as Strabo tells us in the place before quoted I would reckon them therefore among the Hellenists to whom the Hebrew Tongue was strange and forreign unless that this Synagogue having been conversant at Jerusalem might perhaps have learnt the Language there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alexandrians We met with a Synagogue of Alexandrians in Jerusalem mentioned in the Jewish Writers There is a story of R. Eliezar ben Zadoc that he took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Synagouge of the Alexandrians that was in Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and turned it to his own use word for word Did in it all his business e e e e e e Hieros Megil fol. 73. 4. Juchos f.
could not relieve themselves Issachar Iair 22 is sluggish and unactive at home as Gen. 49. 14. yet thus active abroad in Iair 23 Tola now and in Baasha in after times 1 King 15. 27. and both in and about the same place Shechem and Samaria CHAP. X. Ver. 3 4 5. World 2797 Iair 1 Iair 2 JAIR or Jairus a Gileadite judgeth two and twenty years he was a man Iair 3 of great honour having thirty sons that were lords of thirty Cities and Iair 4 that rode upon thirty Asses of state like Judges or men of honour as Chap. Iair 5 5. 10. This is not that Jair that is mentioned by Moses as if he had spoken Iair 6 of this man and these Towns prophetically but this is one of the same family Iair 7 and of the same name as Tola that went before him is of the same name with Iair 8 the first-born of Issachar Gen. 46. 13. And whereas it is said by Moses that Iair 9 Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small Towns of Gilead and called them Iair 10 Iair 11 Havoth Jair Numb 32. 41. Deut. 3. And whereas it is said here that Jairs Iair 12 thirty sons had thirty Cities which were called Havoth Jair it is to be understood Iair 13 that thirty of those threescore Villages that old Jair had conquered and possessed Iair 14 in the time of the first plantation of the land these sons of this Jair being Iair 15 of this line had repaired and brought Iair 16 ELY born in the sixteenth of Jair into the form of Cities and dwelt in Iair 17 Iair 18 them and yet they retained their old Iair 19 name of Havoth Jair for the honour of him that first wan and planted them Iair 20 That old Jair was the son of Segub the son of Prince Hesron by Machirs daughter Iair 21 1 Chron. 2. 22. and so by his father side of Judah and by his mothers of Iair 22 Manasseh CHAP. X. from Vers. 6. to the end JEphtah a Gileadite ariseth a Judge after Jair but there is some scruple first to be resolved and removed concerning his time and the oppression that he was raised to remove It is said vers 6 7 8. that Jair died and the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord and he sold them into the hands of the Philistims and that year they oppressed the children of Israel eighteen years Now the question is when these eighteen years began and whether they are to be taken for a sum of years apart from the years of the Judges or to be reckoned with them and what is meant by that expression and that year they vexed Israel Answer These eighteen years are to be reckoned together with the last eighteen years of Jair and they began with his fifth year for though he be said to have judged two and twenty years yet it is not to be so understood as if no enemy peeped up in all that time for we shall see the contrary cleared by the Judgeship of Samson but the meaning is that the Lord at the first stirred him up for a deliverer and wrought some great deliverance by him in the beginning of his time and afterward he continued a Judge and one that sought the reformation of his people but he could neither work that to keep them from Idolatry nor work their total deliverance to keep their enemies under but in his fifth year Idolatry broke out in Israel and continued to a horrid increase so in that very year that this Idolatry broke out their oppressours broke in upon them and kept them under for eighteen years and Jair could not help it but it continued so till his death so that the beginning of Vers. 6. is thus to be rendered in Chronical construction Now the children of Israel had done evil again c. This long oppression at last forceth Israel to seek the Lord and to forsake their Idolatry and the Lord findeth out Jephtah for a deliverer CHAP. XI XII to Ver. 8. World 2819 Iephtach 1 JEPHTAH judgeth six years subdueth the Ammonites sacrificeth his own Iephtach 2 daughter and destroyeth 42000 Ephraimites He was the son of Gilead Iephtach 3 by a concubine this was not that Gilead that was Machirs immediate son but Iephtach 4 one that bare the name of that old Gilead and so we observed of Tola and Iephtach 5 Jair before Jair was the chief man in one half of Gilead and Gilead in another Iephtach 6 Jephtah being expelled out of his fathers family for bastardy betaketh him to arms in the land of Tob in Syria and prospereth and thereupon his prowess being heard of he is called home again and made commander in chief in Gilead In his transactions with the King of Ammon he mentioneth three hundred years of Israels dwelling in Heshbon and Aroer c. in which sum five and thirty of the forty years in the wilderness are included in which they were hovering upon those parts although they dwelt not in them it was now three hundred and five years since their coming out of Egypt His vow concerning his daughter may be scanned in these particulars 1. That his vow in general was of persons for 1. he voweth that whatsoever should come forth of the doors of his house 2. Whatsoever should come to meet him now it is not likely nor proper to understand this of Sheep and Bullock for who can think of their coming out of his house much less of their coming to meet him 3. How poor a business was it to vow to sacrifice a Bullock or Sheep for such a victory Therefore his vow relateth to persons and so might it be translated Whosoever cometh forth 2. What would he do with his vowed person Make him a Nazarite He might vow the thing but the performance lay upon the persons own hand Dedicate him to the Sanctuary Why he might not serve there as not being a Levite Sequester him from the world He might indeed imprison him but otherwise the sequestring from the world lay upon the persons own hand still Suppose one of his married maid servants or man-servants or his own wife had met him first what would he have done with any of them Therefore I am inforced by the weighing of these and other circumstances in the Text to hold with them that hold he sacrificed his daughter indeed though I have been once of another mind And it seemeth that this was a part of the corruption of those times and was but mutato nomine a sacrifice to Molech the God of the Ammonites against whom he was now to go to sight when he maketh this vow The Sanhedrin undoubtedly was now sitting and there was the Priest-hood attending upon the Ark at Shiloh and yet is Israel now so little acquainted with the Law that neither the Sanhedrin nor the Priests can resolve Jephtah that his vow might have been redeemed Levit. 27. But they suffer her thus to be massacred
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
was both the expectation of the Jews and the fear of Herod that he would come with a conquering and victorious temporal Sword and restore them to a pompous Earthly State and expel him out of his Kingdom Now for the Evangelist to have directed in this quotation to look for Christ among the thousands of Juda had backed these Opinions for the term soundeth of War and it had been a direction where likelier to find an earthly Warrier then the Prince of Peace among the thousands or among the Militia And therefore he qualifieth the term to the best satisfaction of Herod and the People Among the Princes There is that saith it might be construed In Princes and not among them and the meaning to be this Thou Bethlehem art not the least in the Princes of Juda that is in breeding or bringing them forth but this relisheth more of wit then solidity and agreeth better with the Latin then with the Greek Original §. For out of thee shall come a Governor The Chaldee readeth it in the Prophet Out of thee shall come Messias and so is it expounded by Rabbi Solomon and David Kimchi And therefore that is most true which is inferred by Lyranus that those Catholicks that interpret it of Ezekiah do more judaize then the Jews themselves Some Jews indeed saith Theophylact do apply this to Zorobabel but as he answereth it is like that Zorobabel was born in Babel and not in Bethlehem And St. Matthew hath plainly taught both Jews and Gentiles to understand it in another sense But here again doth he differ from the Letter of the Prophet but cometh so near the sense that the difference is as no difference at all Vers. 7. Herod privily called the Wisemen Privily For had the Jews heard of his pretences they had so long been acquainted with his policy tyranny and ambition they could readily have descried his mischievousness and spoiled his bloody contrival by better information given to the wisemen §. Enquired diligently of them the time when the Star appeared Had they taken their journy instantly upon the Stars appearing Herod could easily have computed the time by the length of their journy but by this his enquiry it is apparent that they had told him of its appearance at some good space before which in ver 16. is plainly resolved to be two years by the Wisemens own acknowledgment and resolution Vers. 11. Gold and Frankincense and Myrrhe The mysterious application of these presents as Myrrham homini uncto aurum c. be left to them that delight and content themselves in such things the plain and easie interpretation of the matter is that they tendred to Christ the chiefest and choicest commodities that their Country could afford which they carried in their treasures as the Text calleth it that is in and among those commodities that the men of those Nations used to carry with them when they travailed especially when they meant to present any one to whom they went as Gen. 24. 53. 1 King 10. 2. Vers. 15. Out of Egypt have I called my Son The two allegations produced here out of the Old Testament this and that out of Jeremy in Rama was a voice heard are of that fulness that they speak of two things a piece and may very fitly be applied unto them both and shew that the one did resemble or prefigure the other as this Text of Hosea aimeth both at the bringing of the Church of Israel in old time and of the head of that Church at this time out of Egypt Then a Joseph nourished his father now a Joseph doth so to his redeemer then was Egypt deadly to every male child that was born now is it a place of refuge and preservation to this child Ver. 18. In Ramah was there a voice heard c. Ramah stood not far from Bethlehem though they were in two Tribes and the cry that the poor Parents and children made in Bethlehem when this matchless butchery was in hand reach't to Ramah and was plainly heard thither Now observe the fulness of this Scripture as it is uttered by the Prophet and as it is applied by the Evangelist It was fulfilled in one kind in the time of Jeremy himself and then was the lamentation and weeping in Ramah it self for hither did Nebuzaradan bring his Prisoners after he had destroyed Jerusalem and there did he dispose of them to the Sword or to Captivity as seemed good unto himself Jer. 40. 1. And imagine what lamentation and crying was then in that City when so many were doomed there either to be slain in that place or to go to Babel never to see their own Land again Then was the cry in Ramah and it was heard no doubt to Bethlehem But now the Prophesie is fulfilled in another kind when Herod destroyeth so many Children in Bethlehem and in the Suburbs and Borders belonging to it And now the cry is in Bethlehem and it is heard to Ramah §. Rachel weeping for her children c. Rachels grave was betwixt Bethlehem and Ramah or at least not far distant from either of them Gen. 35. 16 20. 1 Sam. 10. 2. The Holy Ghost therefore doth elegantly set forth this lamentation by personating Rachel who died in the birth of her Ben-Oni the Son of her sorrow sorrowing for her Sons and Children that were thus massacred And this sheweth that the Text in the Prophet aimeth in the first place and intention at the matter of Nebuzaradan for in Bethlehem Rachel properly had no children at all that City being inhabited by the children of Judah which descended of Leah but in Ramah dwelt Rachels children that being a Town of Ephramites descended from Joseph Howsoever Rachel may be said to weep for the Babes of Bethlehem as her own children though they were not strictly and properly her seed in regard of the interest that she had in all the tribes of Israel as being wife unto their Father as Joseph is often called the Father of Christ being only husband to his mother And see such another phrase Gen. 37. 10. Shall I and thy mother come to bow down before thee Whereas Josephs mother was dead already Vers. 19. But when Herod was dead c. The end of Herod was not long after the massacre of these infants and his bloodiness which he had used all his life long and topped up in the murder of these innocents and in desire to have done as much to the Lord of life the Lord doth now bring upon his own head This matter with the children of Bethlehem we conceive to have been some three months more or less before his end in which space this was his behaviour as may be collected out of Josephus He had slain long before this his two sons Alexander and Aristobulus and now was he about to do as much by his Son Antipater a child too like the Father and one whom he left by will the Successor in his Kingdom Him suspected by him for
Jews Barnaba and Barabba Consider 3. How common the Greek Bible or the LXX was in use among the Jews at this time and how much mixture of Greek words was used in their common language at this time as appeareth by the Syriack translater the Chald. Paraphrasts the Talmuds and others the most ancient Jewish Writers and then we have good cause to think that they that used the whole Bible in Greek and that used to speak so much Greek mingled with their Syriack language continually would not stick to utter one letter that sounded of the Greek when that letter was only and properly added to denote a proper name But you will say that the New Testament writeth Ezekias Josias Jonas and the like with s in the end as these words are written and yet there is none that can think that the Jews uttered those words so but as they are written in the Old Testament Ezekiah Josiah Jonah It is true that it is most like they did so but the difference betwixt them and these words that we have in hand is so apparent that it is hardly needful to shew it those were proper names originally these were common names made proper those had s added in the end not to shew that they were proper names but to supply the Hebrew h or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Greek in the end of a word cannot utter but these have s added in the latter end purposely and intentionally to make them proper names and to shew that they are so And 4. let it be observed How it could be possible for the Disciples in those words of our Saviour Tu es Petrus super hanc petram Math. 16. 18. to understand them otherwise than that Peter should be called the Rock if Christ used Cepha in both places Thou art Cepha and upon this Cepha Thou art a Rock and upon this Rock will I build my Church let any one but judge what interpretation they could make of it by his own construing and interpreting it according to the propriety as the words lie before him Therefore it is more than probable that Christ called his name Cephas uttering and sounding the s in the latter end and that the addition of that letter was not from the Evangelist but from Christ himself and that in the speech mentioned he thus differenced the words Thou art Cephas and upon this Cepha will I build my Church II. Now the reason why our Saviour giveth him this name Cephas or Rocky was not so much for that he was built upon the Rock for so were all the rest of the Apostles except Judas but because he had a special work to do about that building which Christ was to found upon the Rock For in those words upon this Rock will I build my Church he meaneth the Church of the Gentiles which was now in founding and in that building Peter had this special and singular work and priviledge that he was the first that preached the Gospel to the Gentiles Act. 10. Acts 15. 7. §. Which is by interpretation Peter For so should the word be rendred and not as our English hath it which is by interpretation a stone This is a passage like that in the verse preceding Messias which is by interpretation Christ and that Acts 9. 39. Tabitha which is by interpretation Dorcas where our Translaters have very properly observed and followed the intention of the Evangelists which is to give these proper names out of one language into another and not to give them out of proper names into common nouns And here they should have followed the same course which they have done in the margin but have refused it in the Text The Arabick and Vulgar Latine and divers others translate it Petrus according to our sense but the Syriack translateth not the clause at all Vers. 43. The day following Jansenius dare not suppose this to be the next day after that Andrew and the other Disciple followed Jesus to his own home but he thinks it was the day after Christ had named Simon Cephas The cause of his doubting is this because it being late towards night when Jesus and Andrew and the other Disciple came to the place where Jesus dwelt ver 39. he cannot suppose how Peter should be found and brought to Christ before the next day and yet he confesseth Epiphanius to be of opinion against him But it being observed that Peter and Andrew were brethren that they dwelt together Mar. 1. 29. that they fished together Matth. 4. 18. c. it will be no difficulty to conceive how Andrew might find out Peter upon a sodain and bring him to Jesus that very night that they came into Capernaum though it were late and accordingly there is no scruple to expound this day following of the very next day after Vers. 44. Bethsaida This was a Town that stood beside the lake of Gennesaret changed by Philip the Tetrarch into the form or state of a City and named by him Julia after the name of Caesars daughter so Josephus witnesseth Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Town Bethsaida by the lake of Gennesaret he brought to the dignity of a City both in multitude of inhabitants and in other strength and called it after the name of Julia the daughter of Caesar. Bethsaida signifieth the house or place of hunting and it seemeth to have been so called because it stood in a place where was store of Deer or Venison And to this sense is that passage of Jacob to be understood Gen. 49. 21. Nephthali a Hind let loose that is Nephthali shall abound in Venison as Asher with bread and oyl ver 20. and Judah with wine ver 11. view the places in the original Now Bethsaida stood either in or very near the tribe of Nephthali as shall be shewed elsewhere §. The City of Andrew and Peter Andrew and Peter after this removed and dwelt in Capernaum Mark 1. 21 29. because they would be near Christ whose residence was there as was observed before And there Peter pays tribute for himself as in proper place Matth. 17. 27. §. We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write c. Now to insist upon the studiousness of Philip and Nathaneel in the Law and Prophets as some collect it out of this expression there are these things most observable out of these words 1. That the whole Scriptures of the Old Testament are comprehended under these two heads the Law and the Prophets And so again Matth. 11. 13. Luke 16. 29. For though indeed the Law and the Prophets only were read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day as Acts 13. 15. yet the third part of the Old Testament called Cetubhim or Hagiographa did prophesie of Christ as well as the other two and so must of necessity be included here For what book of Scriptures is more full of prophesies of Christ than the book of Psalms And what
Synagogues as they now stood it is in the second place worth the examination upon what ground and reason Christ was permitted to teach in their Synagogues he being a private man and of a mechanick education He was not only a Carpenters Son in common repute but he is also called a Carpenter himself Mark 6. 3. And was it used among the Jews that mechanicks and tradesmen might preach if they would thrust themselves upon it No it was not any such use or custom in the nation that gave Christ this admission to the Pulpit but the wonders and miracles that he wrought which caused his fame to go through all the country and which caused the people to take him for a Prophet this was that that procured him admittance and acceptance to teach and preach in any Synagogue where he came 1. From the very first platforming of the Church of Israel the tribe of Levi was set a part for the publick ministery to attend upon the Altar at Jerusalem and to teach the people up and down the Nation Deut. 33. 10. Mal. 2. 7. and for the better fitting of them for teaching they had eight and forty cities allotted them Josh. 21. in which they dwelt together as in so many Universities studying the Law that they might be able in time to be Preachers in the Synagoguess and Teachers in schools up and down the Land 2. Men of other tribes also studied the Law and became learned men and publick Preachers as well as the Priests and Levites as the Scribes of Zebulun Judg. 5. 14. the learned men of Issachar 1 Chron. 12. 32. The great Hillel of the tribe of Judah and his posterity Rabban Simeon Rabban Gamaliel Pauls master c. and Paul himself of the Tribe of Benjamin Nay sometime they had Doctors and publick Teachers of the Law and professors of Divinity that either were not Israelites at all but only Proselytes or Proselytes Sons as R. Akibah a man exceeding famous was the son of Joseph a Proselyte of Righteousness Maym. pref ad Jad hazahah or that were but half Israelites as Shemaiah and Abtalion are said by Maymony in the place cited to be Proselytes of righteousness also and by Abraham Zaccuth to be of the posterity of Sennacherib but their mother was an Israelite Juchasin fol. 50. 3. There were some of their publick Teachers and Preachers that had been Mechanicks as R. Johanan called Sandelar or the Shoomaker R. Judah called Hajiat or the Jaylor c. And so saith Maymonides c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some of the greatest wisemen of Israel have been some of them hewers of wood and drawers of water and some of them blind yet for all that they plyed the Law day and night and so became some of the great Traditionaries In Talm. torah per. 1. 4. Now none of these forementioned were admitted to this publick imployment of teaching and preaching but he was first ordained and had Ordination as a State call and commission to that Office So Johanan the Shoomaker or Sandeler mentioned before was ordained by R. Akibah before ever he was publick Teacher or called Rabbi Juchasin fol. 61. for none were called Rabbi but who were first ordained for that was one of the passages in their ordination They laid not always their hands on him that was to be ordained but they called him Rabbi and said to him Behold thou art ordained c. Maymon in Sanhedr per. 4. And all the while before his Ordination he was called after his Fathers name as Ben Betirah but after his Ordination he was called R. Joshua Ben Betirah Juchasin fol. 56. Till Hillels time a publick Teacher having been ordained himself had authority and used to ordain his Scholars according as he saw them sit but for honour to Hillel that rite was centred in the Sanhedrin and they used to ordain men to particular imployment in the publick administration and they might not go beyond that particular to which they were ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have power saith Maymony to appoint whom they will to particular matters As for example there was an exceeding great wise man that was fit to teach all the Law every whit it was in the power of the Sanhedrin to ordain him so as that he might not judge or that he might not teach about bound and loose or they might give him license to teach about bound and loose but not to judge in matters of mony or they gave him power to judge in this matter but not to judge in matters of damage c. Maym. ubi supra Thus curious and circumspect they were in and about the matter of ordination and concerning a lawful and authoritative designation of publick Teachers and Judges to their peculiar and particular imployment in the publick to fix them within their own compass and line and that every one might not intrude upon what ministerial or magisterial ministration he would And therefore it was far from being a common use or from being any use at all among the Jews in their Church to let any Mechanical or uncalled and unordained men to step up into the Doctors chair or Ministers Pulpit to read Divinity publickly or to preach in their Synagogues as impudency or folly would put them forward on it but they had a solemn State-call or dimission into such imployments by a lawful Ordination by men themselves ordained 5. But if any man came in the spirit of a Prophet and took on him to preach under that nation he found permittance under that notion yet was there not immunity and liberty for any whosoever to become Preacher upon that tearm and so to continue but the Sanhedrin was to judge concerning false Prophets and he that was not a Prophet and yet would be preaching as a Prophet did it at his own peril This then was that that procured our Saviour liberty to Preach and audience to his Preaching in every Synagogue where he came because he came not only in the name but also in the visible power and demonstration of a Prophet doing such wondrous signs and miracles as that his Prophetick call could not be denyed but he was glorified of all Vers. 16. And he came to Nazareth He had avoided this place purposely when he came out of Judea because he knew a Prophet hath no honour in his Country John 4. 44. for it would have been so strange a thing in the eyes of the people of that Town that he that had been a tradesman among them all his life hitherto should now fall a Preaching as a Prophet that it was easie to see how little he would have been intertained but now that he hath got a name through all the Country there about and hath taught in all their Synagogues and is glorified of all now he cometh at the last to his own Town to see how his doctrine would take with them there § As his Custom was he went into the Synagogue Whether it mean as
from his Baptism to his death which the Prophet Daniel did foretell and preceding Types did fore-signifie should be three years and an half as hath been cleared heretofore 2. When Christ was in the field of Samaria it was then but four months to Harvest as was observed on Joh. 4. 35. Now their harvest began at the Passover at which time they offered the first fruits sheaf at the first putting the Sickle into the Corn. It was therefore four months before the Passover when our Saviour uttereth those words or towards the latter end of our November betwixt which time and the Passover there was no Feast unless the Feast of dedication were after those words spoken which had no great solemnity at Jerusalem above what it had in other places nor was there any command of attending it there nor indeed could Christ reach up to it at Jerusalem after his utterance of those words if it were after considering the time he spent in Galilee before This Feast therefore that the Evangelist mentioneth here being the next that Christ went unto or indeed could go unto it must of necessity be the Feast of the Passover And this may be supposed the reason why the Evangelist did not syllabically call it the Feast of the Passover though he meant so because that speech and passage in the fourth Chapter did inforce it to be so understood though not expressed 2. Look back to the end of the last Section about Levies calling and then forward to what must next follow it since his Feast did not as hath been observed and the two Evangelists Mark and Luke will resolve you that the next story in their relation that did follow was the Disciples plucking the ears of Corn They have indeed laid Levies Feast and the Disciples questioning at that time about fasting between because they would conclude all Levies story together but it will sufficiently appear to him that will but studiously search and examine the Order of the story that his Feast was not at his calling but a good while after The plucking of the ears of Corn then being the story that in those two holy Penmen is next to follow we must conclude that a Passover must come between For till the Passover the Corn was not ripe and till they had offered a first fruits sheaf on the second day after the Passover it was not lawful to put the Sickle into the Corn to cut it down to pluck the ears to eat neither till the offering of the first sheaf had sanctified the Corn to their eating as well as it gave them liberty to fall to harvest But a word that Luke hath used hath put the matter out of all doubt He saith the plucking of the earns of Corn was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is on the first Sabbath after the second day in the passover week on which second day they offered their first sheaf and from which second day they counted their weeks and Sabbaths until Pentecost Between Levies calling then and the Disciples plucking of the ears of Corn a Passover must necessarily be understood to have passed and this Feast that is mentioned in the beginning of this Chapter must also needs be that Passover or else you find not that Passover mentioned at all and you find not any place in the series of the Evangelical story where this Feast and the story attending it in the fifth of John can be so fitly and properly laid And for the clearer observation of these things let us trace the time and the progress of Christ from his being in Sychar field at Jacobs well when he saith it was then four months to harvest or to the Passover when their harvest began to this Feast which we doubt not to assert for that next Passover Two days he tarried in Samaria and then he goes for Galilee Joh. 4. 43. There he preacheth up and down in their Synagogues and at last cometh to Nazareth his own City Luke 4. 14 15 16. with Joh. 4. 43 44. Being refused and in danger there he goeth and dwelleth at Capernaum Matth. 4. 13. calleth four Disciples Luke 5. 1. c. continueth in Capernaum some Sabbaths Luke 4. 31. on one casteth out a Devil healeth Peters mothers in law and divers diseased Goeth and preacheth abroad in the Synagogues of Galilee Mark 1. 23. 29. 32. 39. cureth a Leper in one of those Cities Luke 5. 22. returns to Capernaum and recovereth a Palsick man and calleth Levi from the receipt of custom Mark 2. and by this time his four months may well be expired and we mustlook out for a Passover which we find in this Chapter that we have in hand or we know not where to find any Harmony and Explanation Vers. 1. Iesus went up to Ierusalem c. OUR Saviours constant appearing at the festivals at Jerusalem did not only shew his obedience to the Law which injoyned that appearance but his Communion with the Church of Israel for those appearances were Ordinances and Symboles also of Communion At such times he had most pregnant opportunities to reveal himself as far as his Divine Wisdom thought it fitting when all the people of the Country were gathered together and might be spectators and auditors of what was done and spoken by him At the Passover before this mentioned in this Chapter which was at this time 12 month he had done many miracles there so that he could not but be looked upon as a Teacher come from God as Nicodemus professeth of him Chap. 2. At this Passover of which there is mention in the present Section he doth a remarkable miracle in healing a man so long diseased but doing it on the Sabbath day it became offensive to them that strained at a Gnat and swallowed a Camel Chap. 7. 21. 23. For this he is convented before the Sanhedrin to answer for himself and there he doth as clearly and fully not only confess but also prove himself to be the Messias as at any time or in any passage in all the Gospel besides And to this his speech he himself doth refer them once and again when they question him who he was as to an acknowledgment so plain that there had needed no more questioning had they not been wilfully blinded Chap. 8. 25. They said unto him Who art thou And Jesus saith unto them Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning Chap. 10. 25 26. They said to him If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Jesus answered I told you and ye believed not c. He had preached before That the Kingdom of Heaven or the revealing of the Messias was at hand and here in his plea before the Council he confirmeth that doctrine and cleareth it affirming and proving himself most undeniably to be he How he came off upon this his plain speech the Evangelist hath not particularly mentioned or recorded within the compass of a week at the least he was walking in the Corn fields and put to
the Syriack translates it until the fulness of the time of all things c. And the Arabick did not much different until the time in which all things shall be perfected or finished c. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed signifieth a restitution to a former estate a repairing or an amending as might be frequently shewed in Greek Writers but in Scripture doth not so properly signifie this as what the Rabbins would express by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fulfilling or accomplishing and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not so much stand in the force of Re or again but it stands in opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privative in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth unsetled or unconfirmed and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polyb. Hist. lib. 4. Settlement of a City to tumult And to take up these two places where this word is used in the New Testament Matth. 17. 11. and here Elias indeed shall first come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall restore all things What To their former estate Nay that the Baptist did not for he brought them into a clean different estate to their former or he shall amend all things That is true indeed so the Baptist did but how will this place in hand bear that sense which speaketh not of the mending of all things but of their ending And how improper would either of these senses run in this verse Till the restoring of all things to their former estate which God hath spoken by the mouth of his Prophets Or till the amending of all things which God hath spoken by his Prophets But clear and facil is that sense that is given Till the accomplishment of all things that God hath spoken by the mouth of his Prophets The things which God had spoken by the mouth of his Prophets from the beginning of the world were Christs victory over Satan in the Salvation of all his people his conquest of the last enemy Death the calling of the Jews the fulness of the Gentiles c. and how can these things be said to be restored or amended They may most fitly be said to be accomplished perfected or performed and so must the same words be rendred of the Baptist Elias truly cometh and accomplisheth all things that are written of him and so must the Son of man do all things that are written of him as Mark follows the sense Mark 9. 12. Vers. 24. All the Prophets from Samuel He is reckoned the first of the Prophets after Moses First Because Prophesie from the death of Moses to the rising of Samuel was very rare 1 Sam. 3. 1 2. Secondly Because he was the first Prophet after Moses that wrote his Prophesie From the beginning of Samuels rule to the beginning of the captivity in Babel was 490 years and from the end of that captivity to the death of Christ 490 years more and the 70 years captivity the midst of years between as I have shewed elsewhere But I must advertise the Reader here that the beginning of Samuels Prophetickness in this reckoning is not from the death of Eli but from one and twenty years after And here let me take up a verse of as much difficulty and of as little observing of it as almost any in the Old Testament as that is 1 Sam. 7. 2. And it came to pass while the Ark abode at Kiriath-jearim that the time was long for it was twenty years and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. Now the Ark was undeniably above forty years in Kiriath-jearim namely all the time from Elies death till David fetcht it to Jerusalem which was seven and forty years and somewhat above only that first excepted in which it was seven months in the Land of the Philistims 1 Sam. 6. 1. and a little time in Bethshemesh what then should be the reason that it is said to be in Kiriath-jearim only twenty years Why the meaning is not that that was all the time that it was there but that it was there so long a time before the people ever hearkned after it Their idolatry and corruption of Religion had so transported them that they thought not of nor took regard to the Ark of God for twenty years together Then all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord for so must it be rendred and not And all the house of Israel c. And so have we one and twenty years taken up from the Death of Eli till this time of Israels repentance which yet are counted to Samuels forty but are not reckoned in the account of Habakkuk of the extent of the race of the Prophets Upon this place therefore we may take up these pertinent observations First That God did now on a suddain pour a spirit of Reformation generally upon all the people of Israel after a long time of prophaneness and Idolatry They had been exceedingly prophane in the time of Elies sons And therefore the Lord in justice forsook his Tabernacle in Shiloh the Tent which he had pitched besides Adam when Israel passed through Jordan Josh. 3. 16. Psal. 78. 60. and he gave the Ark into the Enemies hand yet was not Israel humbled for it The Ark was restored to them and was among them twenty years together and they continued in their Idolatry still and never sought after it nor took it to heart At last upon a suddain and with a general conversion Israel begins to turn to the Lord and lament after him and forsake their Idols Secondly Here was a strange and wondrous spirit of conversion poured upon the people at the beginning of the race of the Prophets as there was at the end of it in these Chapters of the Acts of the Apostles Thirdly As the practise here in the Acts was to repent and to be baptized so was it then with Israel as that expression may most properly be interpreted vers 6. They drew water and poured it out before the Lord as washing or baptizing themselves from their Idolatry Vers. 25. Ye are the children of the Prophets That is the Scholars or Disciples of them as the phrase The children of the Prophets is ordinarily used in the Old Testament 2 King 2. c. and Amos 7. 14. I was neither Prophet no Prophets son that is nor Prophets Scholar And Matth. 11. 19. Wisdom is justified of her children that is of her Disciples ACTS CHAP. IV. Vers. 1. The Captain of the Temple THIS was the Captain of that Guard or Garison which was placed in the Tower of Antonia for the guard of the Temple This Tower stood in the North-east corner of the wall that parted the mountain of the House from the City It was built by Hyrcanus the Asmonean the High Priest and there he himself dwelt and there he used to lay up the holy Garments of the Priest-hood whensoever he put them off having done the Service of the Temple Joseph Antiq.
common in all their Authors When they cite any of the Doctors of their Schools they commonly use these words Amern rabbothenu Zicceronam libhracah in four letters thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus say our Doctors of blessed memory But when they speak of holy men in the Old Testament they usually take this Phrase Gnalau hashalom on him is peace in brief thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus when they mention Moses Solomon David or others this is the memorial they give them The Arabians have the like use in their Abbreviation of Gnalaihi alsalemo on whom is peace The words in Hebrew want a verb and so may be construed two ways On him is peace or on him be peace The learned Master Broughton hath rendered it the former way and his judgement herein shall be my Law To take it the latter way seems to relish of Popish superstition of praying for the dead which though the Jews did not directly do yet in manner they appear to do no less in one part of their Common Prayer Book called Mazkir neshamoth the remembrancer of Souls which being not very long I thought not amiss to Translate out of their Tongue into our own that the Reader may see their Jewish Popery or Popish Judaism and may bless the Creator who hath not shut us up in the same darkness CHAP. XL. Mazkir neshamoth or the Remembrancer of souls in the Iews Liturgy Printed at Venice THE Lord remember the soul or spirit of Abba Mr. N. the son of N. who is gone into his world wherefore I vow to give Alms for him that for this his soul may be bound up in the bundle of life with the soul of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Sarah and Rebecca Rachel and Leah and with the rest of the righteous men and righteous women which be in the garden of Eden Amen The Lord remember the soul of Mrs. N. the Daughter of N. who is gone to her World Therefore I vow c. as in the other before Amen The Lord remember the soul of my father and my mother of my grandfathers and grandmothers of my uncles and aunts brethren and sisters of my cosens and consenesses whether of my fathers side or mothers side who are gone into their world Wherefore I vow c. Amen The Lord remember the soul of N. the son of N. and the souls of all my cosens and cosenesses whether on my fathers or mothers side who were put to death or slain or stabd or burnt or drowned or hanged for the sanctifying of the Name of God Therefore I will give Alms for the memory of their souls and for this let their souls be bound up in the bundle of life with the soul of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Sarah and Rebecca Rachel and Leah and with the rest of the righteous men and righteous women which are in the garden of Eden Amen Then the Priest pronounceth a blessing upon the man that is thus charitable as it followeth there in these words He that blessed our father Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses and Aaron David and Salomon he bless Rabbi N. the son of N. because he hath vowed Alms for the souls whom he hath mentioned for the honour of God and for the honour of the Law and for the honour of the day for this the Lord keep him and deliver him from all affliction and trouble and from every plague and sickness and write him and seal him for a happy life in the day of Judgment and send a blessing and prosper him in every work of his hands and all Israel his brethren and let us say Amen Thus courteous Reader hast thou seen a Popish Jew interceding for the dead have but the like patience a while and thou shalt see how they are Popish almost entirely in claiming the merits of the dead to intercede for them for thus tendeth a prayer which they use in the book called Sepher Min hagim shel col Hammedinoth c. which I have also here turned into English Do for thy praises sake Do for their sakes that loved thee that now dwell in dust For Abraham Isaac and Jacobs sake Do for Moses and Aarons sake Do for David and Salomons sake Do for Jerusalem thy holy Cities sake Do for Sion the habitation of thy glories sake Do for the desolation of thy Temples sake Do for the treading down of thine Altars sake Do for their sakes who were slain for thy holy Name Do for their sakes who have been massacred for thy sake Do for their sakes who have gone to fire or water for the hallowing of thy Name Do for sucking childrens sakes who have not sinned Do for weaned childrens sakes who have not offended Do for infants sakes who are of the house of our Doctors Do for thine own sake if not for ours Do for thine own sake and save us Tell me gentle reader 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whether doth the Jew Romanize or the Roman Judaize in his devotions This interceding by others is a shrewd sign they have both rejected the right Mediator between God and Man Christ Jesus The prophane Heathen might have read both Jew and Papist a lecture in his Contemno minutos istos Deos modo Jovem propitium habeam which I think a Christian may well English let go all Diminutive Divinities so that I may have the great Jesus Christ to propitiate for me CHAP. XLI Of the Latine Translation of Matth. 6. 1. ALms in Rabbin Hebrew are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedhakah righteousness which word the Syrian Translator useth Matth. 6. 1. Act. 10. 2. and in other places From this custom of speech the Roman vulgar Translateth Attendite ne justitiam vestram faciatis One English old manuscript Testament is in Lichfield Library which hath it thus after the Latine Takith hede that you do not your rightwisnes before men to be seyne of hem ellis ye shullen have no mede at your fadir that is in hevenes Other English Translation I never saw any to this sense nor any Greek copy It seems the Papist will rather Judaize for his own advantage than follow the true Greek The Septuagint in some places of the Old Testament have turned Tsedhakah Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almsdeeds or little or to no sense As the Papists have in this place of the New Testament turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almsdeeds by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness to as little purpose In the Hebrew indeed one word is used for both Tsedhakah for Almsdeeds which properly signifies Righteousness upon what ground I know not unless it be to shew that S◠Chrysostom hath such ◠touch Alms must be given of rightly gotten good or else they are no righteousness or they are called Zadkatha in Syrian Hu ger zadek le mehwo they are called righteousness because it is right they should be given and given rightly The Fathers of the Councel of Trent speak much of the merit of Alms whom one may
Solomon will spare me as he did Abiathar For that â—he laying hold of the Altar in this kind had a Vow in it for the future as well as a present safety might be argued from the nature of the Altar which made holy what touched it and from the very circumstance of laying hold upon it But Joab to the wilful murder of Abner and Amasa had added contempt and opposal of the King upon Davids Throne which figured him that was to Reign over the House of Israel for ever and therefore unfit to escape and uncapable to be any such votary 4. A cubit above the first rising of the horns of the Altar the square narrowed a cubit y Mid. ubi supr Ataym ubi supr again and so was now but four and twenty cubits every way and so held on to that flat of it on the top where the fire lay The cubits-ledge that the abatement made to be as a bench round about was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place whereupon the Priests went and stood about the Altar to lay on the pieces of the Sacrifice or to stir them as they lay in the fire And this helpeth us to judge concerning the manner and fashion of the horns spoken of last namely that they did not rise directly upright higher than the Altar it self for then it had been impossible for the Priest to go about the Altar upon this ledge for the horns would have hindred if they had risen a full cubit square up hither but their form is to be conceived as was said before namely that they rose indeed up even with this ledge but they so sharpened and bended outward when they came level with it that the Priests had passed between them and the Altar From the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Circuit of the Altar upward which was four cubits was that part which more peculiarly was called Harel and Ariel Ezek. XLIII 15. And Harel was four cubits and from Ariel upwards were the four horns He had described the gradual risings of the Altar hitherto in the Verses before in these characters and descriptions Vers. 13. The bottom shall be a cubit and the breadth a cubit This was the Foundation of which we have spoken a cubit high and a cubit broad And the border thereof by the edge thereof round about a span The edge of this Foundation was not sharp as are the edges of stone steps but it was wrought as are the stone borders of our Chimney-hearths with a border of a span over and so the blood that was poured upon this Foundation could not run off to the Pavement but was kept up that it might run down at the holes fore-mentioned into the Common-shore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus was the top of the Altar The top of the Altar was also finished with such another bordering Vers. 14. And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle two cubits Not that the Foundation called here the lower settle was two cubits thick in the flatness of it as it lay upon the ground for the Verse before saith that the bottom was but a cubit but that from this Foundation there arose a slope rising a cubit height which was somewhat thicker than the body of the Altar presently above it and so from the ground to the top of this rising where the square narrowed were two cubits and from the top of this sloping where the square narrowed to the Circuit was properly but four cubits but from the Foundation five And so though the Talmud speaketh differently from the Prophet when it saith the Foundation or lower settle was but one cubit high and he two and when it saith the height from the lower to the higher settle or from the Foundation to the circuit was five cubits and the Prophet saith but four yet do they both mean but one and the same thing but understood as hath been spoken namely the one taketh the Foundation or lower settle barely as it lay flat upon the ground and the other takes it with this cubital slope rising from it made leaning a cubit height to the body of the Altar and this interpretation helpeth to understand that which David Kimchi professeth he cannot tell what to make of and that is why the upper settle which was narrower by two cubits in the square is called the greater and the lower which was larger in the square is called the lesser The reason whereof is this because the upper though it were less in compass yet was larger in bredth because this leaning slope rising that we speak of took up a good part of the bredth of the lower and so the walk upon it was not so clear and large as it was upon the other And then the Prophet tells us that when the body of the Altar was thus risen six cubits high to the upper settle which the Talmudicks call the circuit That thence Harel was to be four cubits and from Ariel and upward the four horns There a a a Kimch in loc â—â—â—â—t Lemp in Mid. p. 97. are some that conceive that Harel and Ariel are indeed but one and the same word though so diversly written from whom I cannot much differ as to point of Grammar because the Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do admit of such alternancy in the language yet me thinks the difference of the words should hold out some difference of the sense and Harel to signifie the Lords Mountain and Ariel the Lords Lion upon the Mountain the lower part at the horns more properly Harel and the upper more properly Ariel But since the Text gives the b b b Vid. R. Sol. ibid. name Ariel to all that part that was from the Root of the horns upward we shall not much stick upon it The word Harel if you will construe it the Mountain of the Lord David Kimchi tells you that it is as much as to say The House of the Lord and because they served other Gods in every place upon high Hills this which was the Hill of the Lord was but four cubits high And if you will take the word Ariel our Rabbins of happy memory saith he say the Altar was called Ariel or the Lords Lion because the holy fire that came down from Heaven couched on it like a Lion The word Ariel doth also signifie one exceeding strong 2 Sam. XXIII 20. and so doth Arel Esai XXXIII 7. But take it whether way you will here either for a strong thing or for the Lords Lion the Altar was very properly so called either because of the devouring of many Sacrifices Lion like or because of the great strength and prevalency the people had by Sacrifice the Lord owning them wonderfully in that service whilest gone about according to his Will or because of the strong Lion Christ whom the Altar and Sacrifices did represent Jerusalem and especially Zion the City where David Dwells is also called Ariel the strong one or the Lion of
Vessels nor Urim and Thummim to honor the Priests and yet was the Place and Service then as holy as it was before God by this abatement of those external advantages and excellencies and yet by the continuance of the honour of his Worship and Service making way to the dignifying of the Spiritual Worship under the Gospel when such external and visible appearances of his Presence were not to be looked for and when all Ceremoniousness in holy things should be abolished and laid aside With the holy Oil whilest it was in use and imployment was the High Priest anointed as well as other things and when the use of the Oil ceased then was he consecrated by the arraying of him in the Garments appointed for the High Priests wearing and he was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consecrated by the vestments as we have observed in another place The manner of his anointing whiles that was used is described by the Talmudists to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d Ibid. after the form of a Greek Chi They anointed the Kings say they after the form of a Crown but the Priests after the form of a Chi. What means after the form of a Chi e e e Talm. in Kerithuth per. 1. R. Menasses the son of Gada saith After the form of a Greek Chi. But what means this f f f R. Sol. in Lev. VIII R. Solomon saith It was first poured on his Head and then put between his Eyebrows and drawn this way and that way with the Finger of him that put it there which others express thus g g g Aruth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One poured the Oil upon his Head and it ran down this way and that way like two pearling droppings upon his Beard as Psal. CXXXIII 2. The Oil and anointing wherewith the Priests and the Vessels of the Lords House were sanctified did denote the Word and the Spirit of God whereby he sanctifieth the Vessels of his Election even persons of his Choice to his Service and Acceptance Oil and anointing do signifie the Word as well as the Spirit And in that sense should I interpret the anointing in 1 John II. 20. 27. Ye have an unction that is the word from the holy One and ye know all things by it And the anointing that is the Word which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye are not to seek for Teaching from any Man for the same Word hath taught you abundantly of all things c. CHAP. XXXVIII The Emblem of the Divine Glory at the Temple Ezek. I. Esay VI. Rev. IV. c. Explained THE Prophet Ezekiel saw the visionary Glory that he hath described Chap. I. and Chap. X. four times over 1. At the River Chebar among the Captives of his own Captivity Chap. I. 1 that is that Captivity which was carried away with Jechoniah for then was he himself Captived 2. In a plain among the Captives of the other Captivity that is Jehoiakims Dan. I. who dwelt indeed upon the Coasts of the same River but at some distance from the other Chap. III. 15 20 23. 3. In the Temple Chap. VIII 4. And 4. at the renewed Temple again Chap XLIII 2 3. The vision and Glory that he saw was thus Ezek. I. vers 4. Behold a whirle-wind out of the North c. Out of the North appeared a stormy cloud with fire wrapped in it which flamed into a brightness all about and in the middle of all was as a glowing fire For out of the North namely from Babel was a storm to rise and fire to come that was to destroy both City and Temple and that should cause the Glory of the Lord which dwelt there to come out thence as out of burning as this Glory that he saw which represented that came out of this fire Vers. 9. Four living creatures and this was their appearance they had the likeness of a Man That is in stature and proportion of Body Thighs and Legs they had the likeness and erect shape of a Man only their Head and Feet and some particulars else were different of which he giveth account in the following verses Vers. 6. But every one had four Faces c. I render the conjunction ◠But because the Particle bearing it it being so translated giveth the clearer and the readier sense They had the likeness of a Man But every one had four Faces And in vers 7. The same particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being Translated exegetically For doth also clear the sense Their Feet were straight Feet for the sole of their Feet was as the sole of a Calfs Feet And they sparkled c. that is their Feet sparkled like burnished Brass for the brightness of their Bodies is described at vers 13. Vers. 8. And the hands of a Man were under their Wings on their four sides so had they four their Faces and their Wings That is they had their Faces and their Wings on their four sides namely a Wing on their Breast and a Face that way a Wing on the Back and a Face that way and a Wing on either Shoulder and Faces likewise and under their Wings every way was a Mans Hand and Arm. Vers. 9. Their Wings were joining one to another This is explained at vers 11. They turned not about when they went they went every one straight before his Face Which way soever they were to go they needed not to turn their Bodies to set their Face that way as Men and other Creatures do who when they are to go this way or that way they turn their Bodies till their Faces stand the way they are to go but these did not nor needed they to do so for go which way they would they had a Face that led them that way Vers. 10. As for the likeness of their Faces c. Every one had the Face of a Man before and the Face of an Eagle behind the Face of a Lion towards the right Hand and the Face of a Bullock towards the left It is not much important to dispute whether they had four Heads as well as Faces or only one Head faced on every side I should rather hold for the former and could give some reasons that sway me to that opinion but I shall not insist upon them here Some there have been that have conceived that the quarters of their Faces are named in reference to their standing towards Ezekiel as that the Face towards Ezekiel was a Mans the Face which was upon Ezekiels right Hand which was the left Hand of the Cherub was a Lions the Face on Ezekiels left Hand which was the Cherubs right the Face of a Bullock and the Face of an Eagle behind but they that have been of that opinion have not observed that the four living Creatures stood not in a straight line all facing Ezekiel but in a square posture as shall be shewed by and by
thus The spittle of any unclean person is unclean and defiles But strangers of another Country are as unclean among us as those that have a flux Now the strangers dwelt in the upper street Here I remember the story of Ismael ben Camithi the High Priest d d d d d d Avoth R. Nathan fol. 9. 1. who when he went out on the day of Expiation to speak with a certain Heathen Captain some spittle was sprinkled upon his cloths from the others mouth whereby being defiled he could not perform the service of that day his brother therefore officiated for him V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The street of the Butchers VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The street of those that dealt in Wool e e e e e e Erubbin cap. 10. hal 9. In the Butchers street which was at Jerusalem they locked the door on the Sabbath and laid the key in the window which was above the door R. Jose saith That this was in the street of those that dealt in Wool Josephus hath these words f f f f f f De bello lib. 5. cap. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the new City there was a Wool-market and Braziers shops and a market of garments VII g g g g g g Rosh hashanah cap. 2. hal 5. At Jerusalem was a great Court called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth Jaazek where the Cities were gathered together namely that they might testifie concerning the New Moon and there the Sanhedrim took them into examination and delicious feasts were made ready for them there that they might the more willingly come thither for the sake thereof VIII h h h h h h Parah cap. 3 hal 2. Some Courts also were built upon a rock under which there was made a hollow that by no means any sepulchre might be there Hither they brought some teeming women that they might be delivered there and might there also bring up their children And the reason of that curiosity was that those children there born and brought up where they were so secure from being touched by a sepulchre might be clean without doubt and fit to sprinkle with purifying water such as were polluted with a dead carkase The children were shut up in those Courts until they became seven or eight years old So R. Solomon who also cites Tosaptoth where nevertheless it is until they are eighteen years of age And when the sprinkling of any one is to be performed they are brought with the like care and curiosity to the place where the thing is to be done riding upon Oxen because their bellies being so thick might defend them the more securely from the defilement of any sepulchre in the way IX There were not a few Caves in the City hollowed out of the rock which we observed concerning the hollowed floor of the Temple i i i i i i Joseph de Bell. lib. 7. c. 7. Into one of these Simon the Tyrant betook himself with his accomplices when he dispaired of his affairs Of whom you have a memorable story in the place quoted X. Besides the Pool of Siloam of Bethesda of Solomon if that were not the same with Bethesda k k k k k k Idem ibid. lib. 5. cap. 30. there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sparrow-pool before Antonia and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almond-pool on the Northside of the City XI We cannot also pass over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Taanith cap. 3 hal 8. The stone of things lost where publication was made concerning any thing lost or missing XII We conclude with the Trench brought round the City by Titus wherein he shut it up in the siege m m m m m m Joseph de Bello lib. 5. cap. 13. Beginning from the Tents of the Assyrians where he encamped he brought a Trench 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the nether new City the upper was the hill Bezetha the nether was a place somewhat lower on the East of Sion and thence along Kidron to Mount Olivet Thence bending to the South he shut up the Mountain round to the rock called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dove-cote and the hill beyond which lies over the valley of Siloam From thence bending on the West he came even into the vale of the fountain After which ascending along the Sepulchre of Anan the chief Priest and inclosing the mountain where Pompey pitched his tents he bended to the North side and going forward as far as the Village which is called The House or place of Turpentine perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after that taking in the Sepulchre of Herod he came Eastwardly to his own Entrenchment CHAP. XXXVI Synagogues in the City and Schools R. a a a a a a Hieros Chetub fol. 35. 3. Phinehas in the name of R. Hoshaia saith There were four hundred and sixty Synagogues in Jerusalem every one of which had a house of the book and a house of doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A house of the book for the Scripture that is where the Scripture might be read and a house of doctrine for Traditions that is the Beth Midrash where Traditions might be taught These things are recited elsewhere and there the number ariseth to four hundred and eighty b b b b b b Idem Megillah fol. 73. 4. R. Phinehas in the name of R. Hoshaia saith There were four hundred and eighty Synagogues in Hierusalem c. We do not make enquiry here concerning the numbers being varied the latter is more received and it is made out by Gematry as they call it out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full Esa. I. 21. c c c c c c R. Sol. In Esa. 2. 1. We find in Pesikta R. Menahem from R. Hoshaia saith four hundred and eighty Synagogues were in Hierusalem according to the Arithmetical value of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Note that the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aleph is not computed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Synagogue of the Alexandrians is mentioned by the Talmudists concerning which also the Holy Scripture speaks Act. VI. 9. d d d d d d Hieros in Megill in the place above and Juchas fol. 26. 2. Eleazar ben R. Zadok received for a price the Synagogue of the Alexandrians and did his necessary works in it The Alexandrians had built it at their own charge This story is recited by the Babylonian Talmudists and they for Alexandrians have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Braziers For so they write e e e e e e Bab. Megill fol. 26. 1. The Synagogue of the Braziers which was at Jerusalem they themselves sold to R. Eleazar c. The Gloss renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Workmen in brass The reason why the Alexandrians were so called you may fetch perhaps from this story f f f f f f
Beror Chel A Feast is there a Feast is there These things are something obscure and do require light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beror Chel seems to design a place but what place Indeed the Sanhedrin of R. Jochanan was in Jafne but his Consistory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his seat of Judgment seems to be distinguished from the Sanhedrin So Paul was brought up at the feet of Rabban Gamaliel not in his Sanhedrin but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Consistory or School So you may conjecture that Rabban Jochanan besides that he sat President of the chief Sanhedrin had his peculiar Consistory in Jafne it self or in some neighbour place That which follows A Tradition The sound of mills c. is cleared by the Glossers The sound of mills in Burni was a sign that there was a Circumcision there as if it had been publickly proclaimed The Infants week expires in this place And the sound of a mill was a sign that spices were ground to be applied to the wound of the Circumcision It was a time of persecution wherein it was forbidden to circumcise they feared therefore by any publick notice to make known that there was to be a Circumcision but they appointed this sign A candle in Beror Chel The Gloss writes The light of one candle in the day time but many candles burning in the night gave a sign as if one had given notice by a publick Proclamation that a feast of Circumcision was there c. Another Gloss is thus They were wont to light candles at a Circumcision It was also a custom to spread a Table cloth at the door hence is that A custom prevailed at Jerusalem that as long as the Table cloth was spread at the door travailers went in The Aruch writes thus a a a a a a Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the time of persecution they could not celebrate publick matrimony nor publick Circumcision therefore they did them secretly wheresoever therefore were lighted candles on the lintel of the door they knew that there was a wedding feast there and wheresoever was the sound of mills there was a Circumcision The Jerusalem Talmudists add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b b b b Châ—tubâ— fol. 25. 3. Although the Persecution ceased yet that custom ceased not The Babylonian Talmudists go on Go to R. Josua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Pekiin In the Jerusalem Talmudists it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bekiin in this story that follows c c c c c c Chagigah fol. 75. 4. R. Jochanan ben Bruchah and R. Eliezer the blind travailed from Jabne to Lydda and received R. Josua in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bekiin Go to Rabban Gamaliel to Jabne Go to Rabbi Akiba to Bene Barak Go to R. Mathia to Roma Go to R. Chananiah ben Teradion to Siâ—ni To R. Jose to Zippor To R. Judah ben Betirah to Nisibin To R. Josua to the Captivity viz. to Pombiditha To Rabbi to Beth-Shaaraim To the wise Men in the chamber Gazith CHAP. XCVII The Cities of the Levites COncerning them see Numb Chap. XXXV and Jos. Chap. XXI a a a a a a Maimon in Shemittâ—h Vejobel cap. 13. The suburbs of the Cities of the Levites were three thousand cubits on every side viz. from the walls of the City and outwards as it is said From the walls of the City and outwards a thousand Cubits and thou shait measure from without the City two thousand Cubits Numb XXXV 4 5. The former thousand were the Suburbs and the latter two thousand were for Fields and Vineyards They appointed the place of burial to every one of those Cities to be without these bounds for within them it was not lawful to bury a dead corps Do you ask the reason It was not so much for the avoiding Pollution which might be contracted from a Sepulchre as by reason of the Scribes curious interpretation of the Law that saith The Suburban lands of these Cities were given to the Levites for their Cattel and Oxen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for all their living creatures Numb XXXV 3. therefore say they Not for the dead or for burial b b b b b b Id. in Roâ—zeaâ— cap 8. All the Cities of the Levites were Cities of refuge but with this distinction from those six which were properly so called that those six afforded refuge to every one that dwelt in them whether he betook himself thither for that end or no but the other Levitical Cities were not so And also that the unwitting Manslayer flying to those six Cities dwelt there at free cost without paying any rent for his house but in the other Levitical Cities he lived not at free cost Those forty eight Cities of the Levites were so many Universities where the Ministerial Tribe distributed in companies studied the Law became learned and thence scattered through the whole Nation dispersed learning and the knowledge of the Law in all the Synagogues Two things are not without good reason to be observed here which perhaps are not seriously enough observed by all I. The setled Ministry of the Church of Israel was not Prophets but Priests and Levites Mal. II. 7. For it was not seldom when there were no Prophets and the Prophets send the people to the Priests for instruction Hag. II. 11. and Mal. in the place mentioned already II. That Tithes were granted to the Priests and Levites not only when they ministred at the Altar or in the Temple but when they studied in the Universities and preached in the Synagogues Behold the method of Gods own Instituion God chuseth Israel to be a peculiar people to himself to this chosen people he gives a Law and a Clergy on the Clergy he enjoyns the study of the Law to their studies he suits Academical Societies on the Universities he bestows Lands and Tithes on the Synagogues he bestows Tithes and University men And the Schools of the Prophets were little Universities and Colleges of Students For their Governor they had some Venerable Prophet inspired with the Holy Spirit and that partook of Divine Revelations The Scholars were not inspired indeed with the same Prophetical Spirit but received Prophesies from the mouth of their Master He revealed to them those things that were revealed to him of the Will of God and the state of the people of the times and events of Israel and above all of the Mysteries of the Gospel of the Messias of his coming times death resurrection and those things that were to be done by him In these small Universities the Prophets who prophesied of the grace that should come as the Apostle Peter speaks enquired diligently of Salvation searching what or what manner of time that was which was pointed out by the Spirit of Christ that was in them when he foretold the sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow These things not to be fetched out by the meer and bare study of the
of Israel for thou art to be crowned with higher dignity for from thee shall go forth a Ruler c. And in effect to this sense unless I mistake does the Chaldee Paraphrast plainly render it whom I suspect to be present at this very Councel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art within a little to become chief See the same sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Targum upon Psal. LXXIII 2. Hos. I. 4. c. VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Star which they saw in the East went before them IT is probable the Star had shone in the very birth night and thence forward to this very time it had disappeared The Wise men had no need of the Star to be their guide when they were going to Jerusalem a City well known but going forward thence to Bethlehem and that as it seems by night it was their guide VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Departed into Egypt EGYPT was now replenished with Jews above measure and that partly by reason of them that travailed thither under Jochanan the son of Karcah Jer. XLIII partly with them that flocked thither more latewardly to the Temple of Onias of which d d d d d d Antiq. lib. 13 cap. 6. Josephus writes and e e e e e e In Menacoth ch 13. Succah ch 5. Hieros Ioma fol. 43. 4. both Talmuds When Simeon the Just said I shall dye this year They said to him Whom therefore shall we put in thy place He answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold my son Onias is before you They made Onias therefore High Priest But his brother Simeon envyed him Onias therefore fled first into the Royal Mountain and then into Egypt and built there an Altar repeating that of the Prophet In that day there shall be an Altar to the Lord in the midst of Egypt f f f f f f Id. Succah fol. 55. 1 2. He that hath not seen the Cathedral Church of Alexandria hath never seen the Glory of Israel It was after the manner of a Court Walk double cloistred There were sometimes there so many as doubly exceeded the number of those that went out of Egypt There were seventy golden Chairs set with gems according to the number of the Seventy Elders A Wooden Pulpit also placed in the middle in which the Bishop of the Synagogue stood And when the Law was read after every benediction a sign being given by a private person waving an handkerchief they all answered Amen But they sat not confusedly and mixedly together but every artificer with the Professors of the same art So that if a stranger came he might mingle himself with the workmen of the same trade c. These did wicked Trajane destroy c. g g g g g g Succah fol. 51. 2. The Babylonian Gemara repeats almost the same things alledging these last matters after this manner They sate not confusedly but the Artificers by themselves the Silver Smiths by themselves the Braziers by themselves the Weavers by themselves c. so that if a poor stranger came in he might know his own fellow workmen and betake himself to them and thence receive sustinence for himself and family So provision was made for the poverty of Joseph and Mary while they sojourned in Egypt at Alexandria probably partly by selling the Presents of the Wise men for food and provision by the way and partly by a supply of Victuals from their Country-folks in Egypt when they had need There are some footsteps in the Talmudists of this journey of our Saviour into Egypt but so corrupted with venomous malice and blasphemy as all their Writings are that they seem only to have confessed the truth that they might have matter the more liberally to reproach him For so they speak h h h h h h Bab. Sanhedr fol. 107. 2. When Jannai the King slew the Rabbins R. Josua ben Perachiah and Jesus went away unto Alexandria in Egypt Simeon ben Shetah sent thither speaking thus From me Jerusalem the holy City to thee O Alexandria in Egypt my Sister Health My husband dwells with thee while I in the mean time sit alone Therefore he rose up and went And a little after He brought forth four hundred trumpets and anathematized Jesus And a little before that Elizaeus turned away Gehazi with both his hands and R. Josua ben Perachiah thrust away Jesus with both his hands i i i i i i Schabb. fol. 104. 2. Did not ben Satda bring inchantments out of Egypt in the cutting which was in his flesh Under the name of Ben Satda they wound our Jesus with their reproaches although the Glosser upon the place from the authority of R. Tam denies it For thus he R. Tam saith This was not Jesus of Nazareth because they say here Ben Satda was in the days of Paphus the son of Judah who was in the days of R. Akiba but Jesus was in the days of R. Josua the son of Perachiah c. VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From two years old and under IT was now two years ago or thereabouts since the Star had shone and Christ was born The reason of the tarrying of Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem was this that they believed that the Messias who according to the Prophet was born there should have been brought up no where but there also nor dared they to carry him elsewhere before they had leave so to do by an Angel from Heaven The Jewish Nation are very purblind how and whence the Messias shall arise and whence is that Nemo novit no man knows whence the Son of man is Joh. VII 27. that is from what original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was doubted b whether k Hieros Berac fol. 5. 1. he should come from the living or from the dead Only it was confessed by all without controversie that he should first make some shew of himself from Bethlehem which the Priests and Scribes of the people assert vers 4. Hence you have Christ now in his second year at Bethlehem whether Joseph and Mary had again betaken themselves with him when they had now presented him in the Temple according to the Law being forty days old Luke II. 22. And had taken care for his education in this place and not elsewhere until he himself going forth from hence might shew himself openly the Messias if they had not been sent away some where else by permission from Heaven VERS XXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall be called a Nazarene THOSE things which are brought from Esa. XI 1. concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Netzer the Branch and those things also produced concerning Samson the Nazarite a most noble Type of Christ have their weight by no means to be despised We add that Matthew may be understood concerning the outward humble and mean condition of our Saviour And that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazarene
Lavatory of Bethany PARDON the word which I am forced to frame left if I had said The Bath or the Laver they might streighten the sense of the thing too much That place whereof we are now speaking was a Pool or a Collection of waters where people were wont to wash and it agreeth very well with those things that were spoken before concerning Purifications Here either unclean men or unclean women might wash themselves and presently buying in the neighbouring Shops what was needful for Purification they betook themselves to Jerusalem and were purified in the Temple Of this place of washing whatsoever it was the Gemarists speak in that story 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f Bab. Cholin fol. 53. 1. A Fox rent a Sheep at the Lavatory of Beth Hene and the cause was brought before the Wisemen and they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not a rending We doubt not that Beth Hene is Bethany and this cause was brought thence before the Wise men of Jerusalem that they might instruct them whether it were lawful to eat of the carcas of that sheep when the eating of a beast that was torn was forbidden See if you please their distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snaâ—ching away by a wild Beast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tearing in the place cited where they discuss it at large Travailers speak of a Cistern near the Town of Bethany neer which in a field is shewn the place where Martha met our Lord coming to Bethany They are the words of Borchard the Monk Whether the thing it self agrees with this whereof we are speaking must be left uncertain SECT IV. Migal Eder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BY occasion of these places discovered to us by the Talmudists I cannot but observe another also out of them on another side of the City not further distant from the City than that whereof we now spake if it were as far distant as that That is Migdal Edar or the Tower of the Flock different from that mentioned Gen. XXXV 21. The Jerusalem Talmudists of this our place speak thus g g g g g g Hieros Kidd fol. 63. 1. The Cattle which are found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Jerusalem as far as Migdal Eder on every side c. The Babylonian Writers more fully h h h h h h Bab. Kidd fol. 55. 1. The Cattle which are found from Jerusalem as far as Migdal Eder and in the same space on every side being males are burnt offerings females are peace offerings In that place the Masters are treating and disputing Whether it is lawful to espouse a Woman by some consecrated thing given in pledg to assure the thing And concerning Cattle found between Jerusalem and Migdal Eder and the same space every where about Jerusalem they conclude that they are to be reputed for consecrated Because it may be supposed as the Gloss speaks that they were strayed out of Jerusalem for very many Cattle going out thence were to be sacrificed They have a tradition not unlike this as we said before of mony found within Jerusalem i i i i i i Bava Mezia fol. 26. 1. Monies which are found in Jerusalem before those that buy Cattle are always tithes c. But to our business From the words alledged we infer that there was a Tower or a place by name Migdal Eder but a very little space from Jerusalem and that it was situate on the South side of the City I say A little space from Jerusalem for it had been a burthen to the Inhabitants dwelling about the City not to be born if their Oxen or smaller Cattle upon any occasion straying away and taken in stray should immediately become consecrated and that the proper Owner should no longer have any right in them But this Tower seems to be situate so near the City that there was no Town round about within that space We say also that that Tower was on the South side of the City and that upon the credit shall I say or mistake of the LXX Interpreters SECT V. The LXX Interpreters noted HERE Reader I will resolve you a riddle in the LXX in Gen. XXXV In Moses the story of Jacob in that place is thus They went from Bethel and when it was but a little space to Ephratha Rachel travailed c. And afterwards Israel went on and pitched his Tabernacle beyond the Tower Eder The LXX invert the order of the history and they make the encamping of Jacob beyond Migdal Eder to be before his coming to the place where Rachel dyed For thus they write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Jacob departing from Bethel pitched his tent over against the Tower Gader And it came to pass when he approached to Chabratha to come to Ephratha Rachel travailed c. I suspect unless I fail in my conjecture that they inverted the order of the history fixing their eyes upon that Migdal Eder which was very near Jerusalem For when Jacob travailed from Bethel to the place of Rachels Sepulchre that Tower was first to be passed by before one could come to the place and when Jacob in his journey travailed Southward it is very probable that Tower was on that quarter of the City There was indeed a Migdal Eder near Bethlehem and this was near Jerusalem and perhaps there were more places of that name in the Land of Israel For as that word denotes The Tower of a Flock so those Towers seem to have been built for the keeping of Flocks that Shepherds might be there ready also anights and that they might have weapons in a readiness to defend their Flocks not only from wild beasts but from robbers also And to this sense we suppose that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tower of the Keepers is to be taken in that saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the Tower of the Keepers to the strong City 2. King XVII 9. XVIII 8. Hence the Targumist Jonathan to distinguish Migdal Eder of Bethlehem from all others thus paraphraseth Moses words And Israel went forward and pitched his Tabernacle beyond Migdal Eder the place whence the Messias is to be revealed in the end of days Which very well agree with the history Luke II. 8. Whether Micha Chap. IV. 8. speak of the same enquire SECT VI. The Pomp of those that offered the first fruits WE have spoken of the places nearest the City the mention of them taking its rise from the Triumph of Christ sitting upon the Ass and the people making their acclamations and this awakens the remembrance of that Pomp which accompained the bringing of the first fruits from places also near the City Take it in the words of the Masters in the place cited in the Margin After l l l l l l Biccurim c. 3. what manner did they bring their first fruits All the Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were of one station that is
say the Gemarists tithe the tithe of the Poor in the seventh year c. Where the Gloss thus Ammon and Moab are Israelites who dwell in the Land of Ammon and Moab which Moses took from Sichon And that land was holy according to the holiness of the Land of Israel But under the second Temple its holiness ceased They sow it therefore the seventh year and they appoint thence the first tithe and the poorâ— tithe the seventh year for the maintenance of the poor who have not a corner of the field left nor a gleaning that year Thither therefore the poor betake themselves and have there a corner left and a gleaning and the poors tithe We produce this for the sake of that story which relates how the Christians fled from the siege and slaughter of Jerusalem to Pella And why to Pella Certainly if that be true which obtains among the Jews that the destruction of Jerusalem was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the seventh year which was the year of release when on this side Jordan they neither plowed nor sowed but beyond Jordan there was a Harvest and a Tithing for the poor c. hence one may fetch a more probable reason of that story than the Historians themselves give Namely that those poor Christians resorted thither for food and sustinence when husbandry had ceased that year in Judea and Galilee But we admire the story rather then acquisece in this reason SECT V. Caphar Tsemach Beth Gubrin Caphar Carnaim WE neither dare nor indeed can number up all the Cities of Decapolis of the same condition with Bethshean yet the Jerusalem Talmudists fix and rank these three under the same condition with it in those words which were alledged before Caphar Carnaim excepted of which afterwards I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphar Tsemach Let something be observed of its name out of R. Solomon 1. In the Jerusalem Talmudists it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphar Tsemach but R. Solomon citing them reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphar Amas which one would wonder at But this is not so strange to the Chaldee and Syriac dialect with which it is very usual to change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsadi into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ain So that the Rabine in the prouncing of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amas plays the Syrian in the first letter and the Grecian in the last ending the word in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samech for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheth 2. We dare prononnce nothing confidently of the situation of the place we have only said this of it before that it is reckoned by the Jerusalem Writers among 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cities forbidden in the borders perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Coast of which before but I resolve nothing II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth Gubrin The situation of this place also is unknown There was a Gabara about Cesarea Philippi called by the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tarnegola the Upper But we dare not confound words and places It is famous for s s s s s s Hieros Megil fol. 71. 2. R. Jochanan of Beth Gubrin who said there are four noble tongues c. III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t t t t t t Id. Demai fol. 22. 3. Caphar Karnaim say the Jerusalem Talmudists is of the same condition with Bethshean that is of Heathen jurisdiction And now let the Reader judge whether these were some of the Decapolitan Cities Whether they were or no we neither determine nor are we much solicitous about it that which we chiefly urge is that by the places before mentioned it appears as I suppose that the Cities of Decapolis were indeed within the limits of the Land of Israel but inhabited by Gentiles Jews indeed dwelt with them but fewer in number inferior in power and not so free both in their possessions and priviledges And if you ask the reason why they would dwel in such an inferiority with the Heathens take this u u u u u u Bab. Cherub fol. 110. 2. The Rabbins deliver Let one always live in the Land of Israel though it be in a City the greatest part of which are Heathens And let not a man dwel without the Land yea not in a City the greatest part of which are Israelites For he that lives in the Land of Israel hath God but he that lives without the Land is as if he had not God as it is said To give you the Land of Canaan that God may be with you c. Would you have more reasons whosoever x x x x x x Ibid. f. 111. 1. lives within the Land of Israel is absolved from iniquity And whosoever is buried within the Land of Israel is as if he were buried under the Altar Take one for all y y y y y y Gloss in Bab. Sanâ—dr f. 5. 1. The men of Israel are very wise For the very climate makes wise O most wise Rabbins SECT VI. Cesarea Philippi THIS City also is of the same rank with Bethshean in the Talmudists and Ptolomy besides encourages us to number it among the Cities of Decapolis who reckons it among the Cities of Midland Phenicia and Josephus who in his own life intimates Syrians to be its Inhabitants We correct here that which elsewhere slipped us namely that the Arabic Interpreter while he renders Cesarea for Hazor Jos. XI 1. may be understood of Cesarea of Strato when he seems rather to respect this Cesarea And now from what has been said think with your self Reader what is to be resolved concerning those words of St. Mark Jesus went from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon unto the Sea of Galilee through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis Think I say and judge whether by the coasts of Tyre and Sidon any place can be understood at the very gates of Sidon and not rather some place not very remote from Cesarea Philippi And judge again whether Decapolis ought to be placed within Galilee and not rather with Pliny and Josephus that a great part of it at least ought not to be placed in the Country beyond Jordan and if any part of it stood in Galilee whether it ought not to be placed in the utmost Northern coast of it except only Scythopolis or Bethshan SECT VII The City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orbo BY occasion of the mention of Bethshean I cannot but subjoyn the mention of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the words of R. Judah in the place at the margin x x x x x x Berish. rabba §. 33. R. Judah saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ravens or The people of Orbo brought bread and flesh Morning and Evening to Elias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That City was in the borders of Bethshean and was called Orbo Some Jews raise a Scruple whether Ravens brought Elias bread and flesh or men called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ravens So
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are a kind of clean locusts and are eaten And the Gemara a little after He that hunts Locusts in the time of the dew on the Sabbath is not guilty The Gloss there writes thus The Locusts in the time of the dew are purblind so that if you hunt them at that time they stop their pace The Gemara goes on Eliezer ben Mahbai saith If they go in Flocks he is not guilty The Gloss writes If they flock together in troops and be as it were ready to be taken he is not guilty who hunts them even in the time of heat VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And was with the Wild Beasts HE was among the wild beasts but was not touched by them So Adam first before his fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Angels ministred to him Forty days he was tempted by Satan invisibly and Angels ministred to him visibly Satan at last put on the appearance of an Angle of light and pretending to wait on him as the rest also did hid his hook of temptation the more artificially VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou come to destroy us US Whom The Devils or those Galileans in the Synagouge See what the Masters say i i i i i i Massecheth Derech arâ—tâ— Zuâ—a cap. 6. In that Generation in which the Son of David shall come saith Rabban Gamaliel Galilea shall be laid wast and the Galileans shall wander from City to City and shall not obtain mercy If such a report obtained in the Nation the Devil thence got a very fit occasion in this possessed man of affrighting the Galileans from receiving Christ because they were to expect nothing from his coming but devastation VERS XXXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Towns WHAT this word means may be excellently well discovered by searching into the distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cities and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Villages and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Towns in the Evangelists do answer I. I render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cities But by what word you will say will you render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Towns l l l l l l Bab. Cheâ—â—â— fol. 110. A man cannot compel his wife to follow him to dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Town to City nor from City to Town The proper English of which take from what follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is plain why he cannot force her from City to Town 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because in a City any thing is to be found or to be had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in a Town any thing is not to be had The Gloss writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kerac is greater than Ir that is A City than a Town And there is a place of broad streets where all neighbouring Inhabitants meet at a Market and there any thing is to be had So the same Gloss elsewhere m m m m m m Ioma fol. 12. Kerac is a place of broad streets where men met together from many places c. The Gemarists go on R. Josi bar Chaninah saith Whence is it that dwelling in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keracin cities is more inconvenient For it is said And they blessed all the people who offered themselves willingly to dwell at Jerusalem Neh. XI Note by the way that Jerusalem was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kerac The Gloss there is Dwelling in Keracin is worse because all dwell there and the houses are streightned and joyn one to another so that there is not free air But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In a Town are gardens and paradices by the houses and the air is more wholesome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keracim therefore were 1. Cities girt with walls Hence is that distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there were some Keracin which were girt with walls from the days of Joshuah and some walled afterwards 2. Trading and Mart Cities and that were greater and nobler than the rest II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore were Villages or Country Towns in which no Synagogue was Hence is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n n n n n n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Megil cap. 1. A Kerac a City in which are not ten men to make a Synagogue is to be reckoned for a Village And o o o o o o Megil cap. 1. where some of a Village are bound to read the book of Esther in the Feast of Purim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is indulged to them to do it on a Synagogue day that is when they had not a Synagogue among them but must resort to some neighbour Town where a Synagogue was it was permitted them to go thither on some week day appointed for meeting together in the Synagogue and that they might not take the trouble of a journey on another day however that day was appoynted by Law for that Lession III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which word is commonly rendred Urbs or Civitas A City and denoted generally fortified Cities and Towns also not fortified where Synagogues were and Villages where they were not Hence is that distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That was a great City where there was a Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A small City where there was not By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore here are to be understood Towns where there were Synagogues which nevertheless were not either fortified or Towns of trade among us English called Church-Towns CHAP. II. VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They uncovered the roof c. HERE I recollect that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The way of the roof a a a a a a Bab. Moâ—d Katon fol. 25. 1. When Rabh Honna was dead his Bier could not be carried out through the door the door being too straite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore they thought good to draw it out and let it down through the roof or through the way of the roof But Rabh Chasda said to them Behold we have learned from him That it redounds to the honour of a wise man to be carried out by the door It b b b b b b Bava Mezia fol. 88. 1. is written And they shall eat within thy gaies Deut. XXVI 12. that is when the entrance into the house is by the gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To except the way through the roof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c c c c c c Ibid. s. 117. 1. Does he enter into the house using the way through the gate or using the way through the roof The place treats of an House in the lower part of which the Owner dwels but the upper part that which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is let out to another It is asked What way he must enter who dwells in an upper room
men were wont to wash themselves in Siloam not the Fountain but the Pool p p p p p p Midras Coheleth fol. 95. 3. Simeon Sicuensis dug Wells Cisterns and Caves in Jerusalem saith Rabban Jochanan ben Zacchai if a woman should come to thee and ask thee about her Menstrua Thou saist to her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dip thy self in this Well for the waters thereof will purifie III. Those five Porches therefore seem to be the several entrances by which the unclean went down into the waters to be washed and in which before washing they might lay up their Cloths and after it put them on again being there always protected from the rain And perhaps they had their different entrances and descents according to the different sorts of uncleanness that all those that were one and the same way defiled should have one and the same entrance and descent into the Pool That this was the first design and use of these Porches I do not at all doubt though afterward there was another use for them brought in And as to the washing of the unclean in this Pool let me also superadd this one remark That when they allowed and that of necessity because of the multitudes of unclean persons the lesser gatherings of waters viz. forty Seah's of water in a place fitted on purpose both for bredth and depth if there was no greater plenty of water then we must not suppose that they would by any means neglect the Ponds and Pools VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Angel went down at a certain season IT is hardly imaginable that these impotent people lay day and night throughout the whole year at this Pool It seems rather that the troubling of the waters and healing the sick was usual only at the solemn Feasts probably only the Feasts of the Passover And so it may not be â—miss to interpret the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with this restriction it was a Feast of the Jews and an Angel went down at that certain season into the Pool c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And troubled the water We have this Story or rather this Tale concerning a certain Fountain troubled by an evil Angel f f f f f f Vajicra rabba sect 24. It is a Story in our City concerning Abba Joses saith R. Berechiah in the name of R. Simeon that when he sate at the Fountain and required something there appear'd to him the Spirit that resided there and said you know well enough how many years I have dwelt in this place and how your selves and your Wives have come and returned without any damage done to you But now you must know that an evil Spirit endeavours to supply my room who would prove very mischievous amongst you He saith to him what must we do then He answered him and said Go and tell the Towns people that whoever hath an Hammer and an Iron Pinn or Bolt let him come hither to morrow morning and have his eyes intent upon the waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when you see the waters troubled then let them knock with the Iron and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the victory is ours and so let them not go back till they see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thick drops of blood upon the face of the waters The Gloss is By this sign it will appear that the Spirit was conquered and killed And so they rest of the Legend tells us that they did as was commanded and did not depart till they saw the thick drops of blood upon the waters Let them enjoy themselves in their doughty victory When the time was not afar off wherein there should be a Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness Zech. XIII 1. viz. The Fountain of the blood of Christ divine Providence would have it that a thing of that inconceiveable excellency and benefit should not want some notable prognostick and forerunner And therefore amongst all the Fountains and Pools that were in Jerusalem for washing the unclean he chose the most noble and celebrated Pool of Bethesda or Siloam that in that might appear some prefiguration of his blood that should heal the world Those waters therefore that had been only cleansing before were made healing now that by their purifying and healing quality they might prefigure and proclaim that that true and living Fountain was not far off who should both purge and heal mankind in the highest degree How many years before our Saviour's suffering this miraculous vertue of the Pool discovered its self the Holy Story doth not tell us and as for the traditional Books I do not find that they once mention the thing although I have turned over not a few of their Writings if possible to have met with it From what Epocha therefore to date the beginning of it would seem rashness in us to undertake the determining Whether from the first structure of the Sheep-gate by Eliashib as some persons of great note judge or whether from the extinction of the Asmonean Family or the rebuilding of the Temple by Herod or from the Nativity of our Saviour or from any other time let the Reader make his own choice What if we should date it from that great Earth-quake of which Josephus g hath this passage About that time about the Battel of Actium betwixt â— Antiqu. lib. 15. cap. 7. Cesar and Antony the seventh year of the Reign of King Herod there was a mighty Earthquake in Judea that made an infinite slaughter of Beasts in that Country and near ten thousand people slain by the fall of Houses Perhaps in that ruine the Tower of Siloam fell of which Luke XIII 4. and what if then the Angel made his descent first into the Pool as Matth. XXVIII 2. There was a great Earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended c. But in this matter I had rather learn than dogmatize It might be further enquired at what time it was first known that the healing quality followed the troubling of the waters but this is as dark and obscure as the former especially when the Spirit of Prophecy appearance of Angels and working of Miracles had been things so long unwonted in that Nation The Masters attribute such a kind of an healing virtue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the fountain of Miriam as they call it in the Sea of Tiberias h h h h h h Midras Coheleth 97. 2. The Story is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a certain Ulcerous Man who went down to the Sea of Tiberias that he might dip himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it happened to be the time when the Well of Miriam flowed so that he swam there and was healed They have a fiction about a certain Well that opened it self to the Israelites in the Wilderness for the merits of Miriam which at her departure disappeared They suppose also as it should seem that a certain Well or gulph in some part of the Sea
the Chel he went up into the Court of the Women twelve steps whereof every step was half a cubit in height Along the whole Court of the Women he went in a level and thence went up into the Court of Israel fifteen steps every step half a cubit in height b b b b b b Midd. cap. 2. hal 6. The Court of Israel was an hundred thirty five cubits in length eleven in bredth Through all this Court one went in a level and thence went up into the Court of the Priests by one step of a cubit high on which was set a pulpit where the Choiâ—e of the Levites that sung stood and in it were three steps each half a cubit Therefore the Court of the Priests is found to be two cubits and an half higher than the Court of Israel The Court of the Priests was an hundred thirty five cubits in length eleven in bredth And they divided the heads of the beams between the Court of Israel and the Court of the Priests They went through the Court of the Priests in a level and the same they did along the space by the Altar and along the space between the Altar and the Pronaon or the Porch of the Temple Thither they ascended by twelve steps each half a cubit high The floor of the Pronaon and the Temple was all level and was higher than the floor of the East Gate of the Court of the Gentiles two and twenty cubits The length of the whole Court was an hundred eighty seven cubits that is from East to West To wit The bredth of the Court of Israel XI The bredth of the Court of the Priests XI The bredth of the Altar XXXII The space between the Altar and the Pronaon XXII The length of the Pronaon and the Temple C. Behind the Temple to the West wall XI  CLXXXVII CHAP. XXXIV The Altar The Rings The Laver. THE a a a a a a Middoth cap. 3. Altar was on every side two and thirty cubits after the ascent of one cubit it was so straitned that it was less by one cubit in the whole square that is on every side thirty cubits It went up five cubits and again was straitned a cubit so that there it was eight and twenty cubits on every side The place of the horns on every part was the space of one cubit so that now it was six and twenty cubits every way The place of the Priests walk hither and thither was one cubit so that the place of burning extended four and twenty cubits round about A scarlet threed begirt the middle of the Altar to discern between the upper bloods and the lower The Basis of the Altar toward the South-East had no corner because that part was not within the portion of Judah At the horn between the West and the South were two holes like nostrils through which the sprinkled blood descended and flowed into the brook Kedron The ascent to the Altar was on the South two and thirty cubits and the bredth sixteen cubits b b b b b b Bab. Ioma 23. 1. There was a time when upon this ascent one Priest stabbed another Priest with his knife while they strove who should first get up to the Altar On the North was six orders of rings each of which contained four There are some who assert there were four orders and each contained six at which they killed the sacrifices there therefore was the place of slaughter Nearby were low pillars set up upon which were laid overthwart beams of Cedar in these were fastned iron hooks on which the sacrifices were hung and they were flayed on marble Tables which were between those pillars There was a Laver or Cistern between the Porch and the Altar and it lay a little to the South c c c c c c Ibid. fol. 37. 1 Ben Kattin made twelve Cocks for it which before had but two He also made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The machine of the Cistern that is as the Gloss explains it Ben Kattin when he was the chief Priest made those Cocks for the Cistern that the waters might flow out of them he made also a pulley or a wheel whereby water might be drawn for the use of the Cistern Between the Altar and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Porch was the space of two and twenty cubits They went up thither by twelve steps each half a cubit in height d d d d d d Midd. cap. 4. The Temple was streight on the hinder part but broad on the fore part and resembled the figure of a Lion because it is said Wo to Ariel the Lion of the Lord to Ariel the City where David encamped As the Lion is narrower behind and broader before so also was the Temple For the Porch was broader than the Temple fifteen cubits on the North and fifteen cubits on the South and that space jetting out on both sides was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The place of knives namely where the holy knives used in killing of the sacrifices were laid up The length of the Temple contained an hundred cubits the bredth seventy including within this measure the Porch the Chambers and the thickness of the outward wall to trace all which would be too much And these things which we have said we have therefore run through with the more hast both because the famous Constantine l'Empereur hath very learnedly and largely treated of them and because we our selves largely enough though much more unlearnedly have heretofore done these things in a just volume in our English Tongue CHAP. XXXV Some other memorable places of the City I. THERE was a Street leading from the Gate of Waters to the Mount of the Temple which seems to be called the Street of the Temple Ezra X. 9. This way they went from the Temple to Mount Olivet II. The ascent to the Mount of the Temple was not so difficult but Cattle and Oxen might be driven thither nor so easie but that it required some pains of those that went up a a a a a a Chagig cap. 2. hal 1. A child was free from presenting himself in the Temple at the three feasts until according to the School of Hillel he was able his father taking him by the hand to go up with him into the Mount of the Temple III. b b b b b b Joseph de Bello lib. 5. cap. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vale of the Tyropaei or the Cheesmongers that divided between the hill of the upper City and the lower went down unto Siloam The Entrance into this Vale probably was Eastward by the Horse-gate and the Street the most noted of the whole City went onward to the West IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The upper street c c c c c c Shekalim cap. 8. hal 1. Any spittle found in the City was clean except that which was found in the upper street The Gloss