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
Apostles and Disciples and should pick out a man that we all know was no Apostle that no one knows whether he were a Disciple or no. But II. It is agreeable to all reason to conceive that as the man to whom God vouchsafed the revelation and discovery of the times and occurrences that were to intervene betwixt his own times and the fall of Jerusalem was Daniel a man greatly beloved so that the John to whom Christ would vouchsafe the revelation and discovery of the times and occurrences that were to intervene betwixt the Fall of Jerusalem and the end of the World was John the Disciple greatly beloved III. Of that Disciple Christ had intimated that he would that he should tarry till â—e came Joh. XXI 22. that is till he should come in vengeance against the Jewish Nation and their City to destroy them for that his coming both in that place and in divers other places in the New Testament doth mean in that sense it were very easie to make evident should we take that subject to insist upon Now as our Saviour vouchsafed to preserve him alive to see the Fall and destruction of that City so also did he vouchsafe to him the sight of a new Jerusalem instead of the old when that was ruined laid in ashes and come to nothing He saw it in Vision we see it in the Text and upon that let us six our Eyes and Discourse for we need not speak more of him that saw it In the verse before he sees a new Heaven and a new Earth and in this verse a new Jerusalem I. Something parallel to which is that in Esa. LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth And in the verse next following Behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing The expressions intimate the great change of affairs that should be in the World under the Gospel from what had been before A new Heaven or a change of Church and Religion from a Jewish to a Gentile Church and from Mosaick to Evangelical Religion A new Earth or a change in the World as to the management or rule of it from Heathenism to Christianity and from the rule of the four Heathen Monarchies Dan. VII to the Saints or Christians to iudge the World 1 Cor. VI. 2. or being Rulers or Magistrates in it And the new Jerusalem is the emblem and Epitome of all these things under this change as the old Jerusalem had been before the change came There is none but knoweth that Jerusalem in Scripture language is very commonly taken for the whole Church then being as well as it is taken particularly and literally for the City it self then standing That City was the Church in little because there were eminently in it all those things that do make and constitute a true Church viz. the administration of the Word and divine Ordinances the Assemblies of the Saints the Worship of the true God by his own appointment and the presence of God himself in the midst of all And can any doubt but that the new Jerusalem meaneth in the like sense and upon the like reason The Church of God under the Gospel this inriched with all those excellencis and privileges that that was yea and much more There was the Doctrine of Salvation but wrapped up in Types and Figures and dark Prophesies but here unfolded to the view of every Eye and Moses vail taken off his face There Ordinances of divine Worship but mingled with multitudes of carnal rites here pure adoration in Spirit and Truth There an assembly only of one People and Nation here a general assembly compacted of all Nations There God present in a cloud upon the Ark here God present in the communication of his Spirit Therefore it is the less wonder that it is called the holy City because of these things II. which is the second circumstance considerable in the words I saw the new Jerusalem The holy City It is observable that the second old Jerusalem for so let me call the Jerusalem that was built and inhabited after the return out of Captivity was called the holy City when goodness and holiness were clean banished out of the City and become a stranger there When the Temple had lost its choisest ornaments and endowments that contributed so much to the holiness of the place and City The Ark the cloud of Glory upon it the Oracle by Urim and Thummim the fire from Heaven upon the Altar these were all gone and Prophesie was utterly ceased from the City and Nation yet even then it is called the holy City in this her nakedness Nay when the Temple was become a Den of Thieves and Jerusalem no better if not worse when she had persecuted the Prophets and stoned those that were sent unto her when she had turned all Religion upside down and out of doors and worshiped God only according to inventions of men yet even then and when she is in that case she is termed the holy City Matth. IV. 5. Then the Devil taketh him up into the Holy City and setteth him on a pinacle of the Temple Nay when that holy Evangelist had given the story of her crucifying the Holy of Holies the Lord of life and glory even then he calls her the holy City Chap. XXVII 53. The bodies of many Saints which slept arose and came out of their graves after his Resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared to many Call me not Naomi but call me Marah might she very well have said then and so might others say of her for it might seem very incongruous to call the holy City when she was a City so very unholy She was indeed simply and absolutely in her self most unholy and yet comparatively The holy City because there was not a place under Heaven besides which God had chosen to place his Name there and there he had and that was it that gave her that name and title And while she kept the peculiarity of the thing she kept the name but at last forfeited both and then God finds out another City where to place his Name A new Jerusalem A holy City a holier City her younger sister fairer than she Holy under the same notion with the other because God hath placed his Name only III. there Holier than she because he hath placed it there in a more heavenly and spiritual manner than in her as was touched before And Holier still because she shall never lose her holiness as the other did as we shall touch hereafter And she cannot but be holy as I said before when she comes down from Heaven and is sent thence by God And this is the third thing remarkable in the Text I saw the new Jerusalem coming down from Heaven The Apostle S. Paul calls her Jerusalem which is above Gal. IV. 26. Our Apostle sees her coming down from above and the Prophet Ezekiel in his fortieth Chapter and forward seeth her pitched here below when she is
Father who was properly called Absolom is called Uriel which hath very near affinity in signification with Ner and Esâ—baal men of the stock and family of Saul Although Abijah and Judah were very wicked yet God in this quarrel owneth them for the Kingdom of Davids sake which he had setled and for Religions sake which was extant and in practice at Jerusalem though much corruption mingled with it Abijah recovereth Bethel of Jeroboam 2 Chron. 13. 19. but destroyed not the Idolatry there for which it may be God shortned his reign and days 2 CHRON. XIII all JEROBOAM warreth with World 3047 Abijah 1 Ieroboam 18 Division 18 Abijah continually he bringeth Abijah 2 Ieroboam 10 Division 19 800000 men into the field to fight for Idolatry but half so many of Judah slay 500000 of them 1 KING XV. ver 9. to ver 16. 1 CHRON. XIV ver 1 2. World 3049 Abijah 3 Asa. 1 Ieroboam 20 Division 20 AS A reigneth in the twentieth of Jeroboam and by this it is apparent that the three years of the reign of Abijah are counted only current World 3050 Asa. 2 AS A doth uprightly in the sight of the Lord though he were educated and brought up by his Idolatrous grandmother Ieroboam 21 Nadab 1 Division 21 Maacah and therefore she said to be his mother 1 King 15. ver 10. World 3051 Asa. 3 Ieroboam 22 Nadab 2 Division 22 BAASHA who began to reign this year proved a desperate enemy to Asa but seven years Asa was quiet from him Baasha 1 for Baasha coming to the Kingdom by a Conspiracy against the King must needs have some time and pains to settle and confirm himself in it and so his imployment at home about this business giveth Asa rest and respite a long time The land was quiet in his days ten years 2 Chron. 14. 1. that is the three years of the beginning of his own Reign before Baasha was King and seven years of the Reign of Baasha 1 KING XV. verse 25. to 32. JEROBOAM is rid of his World 3049 Abijah 3 Asa. 1 Ieroboam 20 Division 20 scourge Abijah He liveth and dieth in his Idolatry and so do all the Kings of Israel after him And herein are they and the Kingdom of the ten Tribes like the Papacy revolters from and opposers of the true Religion NADAB reigneth in the World 3050 Asa. 2 second year of Asa even while his Father Jeroboam is alive Ieroboam 21 Nadab 1 Division 21 1 King 15. 25. for God smote Jeroboam with some sad diseases that he could not rule the Kingdom 2 Chron. 13. 20. World 3051 Asa. 3 Ieroboam 22 Nadab 2 Division 22 BAASHA slayeth Nadab and reigneth in the third of Asa 1 King 15. 28. Baasha 1 He destroyeth Jeroboams House Jeroboam himself is alive this year and if he escaped the sword of Baasha yet died he not long before that Sword destroyed his family Jeroboam was so broken by Abijah when he lost his five hundred thousand men that neither he nor Nadab could recover it to disturb Asa in the beginning of his raign nor could Baasha do it for his imployments at home in the beginning of his 2 CHRON. XIV vers 3. to the end And XV. all Asa. 4 Baasha 2 Division 23 ASA in his years of peace Asa. 5 Baasha 3 Division 24 reformeth and buildeth Asa. 6 Baasha 4 Division 25 and fortifieth and listeth an Army Asa. 7 Baasha 5 Division 26 out of Judah and Benjamin of five hundred thousand and eighty thousand men and groweth Asa. 8 Baasha 6 Division 27 strong and prospereth for Asa. 9 Baasha 7 Baasha 8 Division 28 he and the people sought the Asa. 10 Baasha 9 Division 29 Division 30 Lord. World 3059 Asa. 11 Baasha 10 Division 31 Asa and Baasha fall to wars after Asa. 12 Baasha 11 Division 32 ten years quiet and these Asa. 13 wars continue while they two live together 1 King 15. 16 32. World 3062 Asa. 14 Baasha 12 Division 33 Asa destroyeth a million of Cushites World 3063 Asa. 15 Baasha 13 Division 34 At Pentecost this fifteenth of Asa 2 Chron. 15. 10. he maketh a thorow Reformation upon the Council of Azariah a Prophet and the people enter into a Covenant and an Oath to destroy those that would not leave their Idols to seek God This Oath un-Queens the Kings Grandmother for her Idolatry past she must dye if she do the like again In the Story of the Reformation wrought by Asa it is said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 15. 12. He took away the Sodomites or the men that prostituted themselves to Sodomy and the women that kept brothel houses against a plain and express Law Deut. 23. 17. These Sodomites seem to have been some remnant of the Canaanites that were left in the Land and that followed the Canaanitish filthiness not any remnant of the City Sodome but called Sodomites because they followed the abomination that City In 2 King 23. 7. there is mention of Sodomites houses that were by the House of the Lord. Probably houses of Jebusites that stood near to the Mount of the House of the Lord for that Mount was purchased from Ornan the King of the Jebusites King there when David conquered Jerusalem 1 KING XV. ver 27 28 29 30 32 33 34. Asa. 4 Baasha 2 Division 23 BAASHA the son of Ahijah Asa. 5 Baasha 3 Division 24 performeth against the Asa. 6 Baasha 4 Division 25 house of Jeroboam what the Prophet Asa. 7 Baasha 5 Division 26 Ahijah had denounced against it yet forsaketh he not Asa. 8 Baasha 6 Division 27 that Idolatry of Jeroboam for Asa. 9 Baasha 7 Division 28 which he himself had been raised an Asa. 10 Baasha 8 Division 29 instrument to destroy that Asa. 10 Baasha 9 Division 30 House World 3059 Asa. 11 Baasha 10 Division 31 Baasha now setled in his Kingdom Asa. 12 Baasha 11 Division 32 beginneth to bussle and to disturb Asa with inroads upon his Country World 3062 Asa. 14 Baasha 12 Division 33 He seeth the special assistance World 3063 Asa. 15 Baasha 13 Division 34 of God to Asa against the Cushites yet will he still be an Enemy to him 1 KING XV. ver 16. to ver 23. World 3065 Asa. 16 Baasha 14 Division 35 ASA bringeth dedicate things Asa. 17 Baasha 15 Division 36 into the Temple This seventeenth year of Asaes reign is called the six and thirtieth year of his Kingdom 2 Chron. 15. 19. And there was no war more unto the five and thirtieth year of Asaes Kingdom And 2 Chron. 16. 1. In the six and thirtieth year of Asaes Kingdom Baasha King of Israel came up The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be understood of the time of Asaes reign but the Kingdom of Asa distinct from the Kingdom of Israel That it cannot be understood of the time of Asaes reign appears by this because Baasha was dead many years before the six and thirtieth year of Asaes reign
is now within four years to come 2. That this was spoken after Hoshea had intertained amity with Aegypt of which there is mention 2 Kings 17. 4. For see how Chap. 7. 11. 12. 1. do speak of and intimate such a thing And 3. That this was spoken after the expedition of Shalman mentioned before in which expedition he destroyed Beth-arbel Chap. 10. 14. and before his second expedition when he should destroy Bethel 2 KING XVIII vers 4. 5 6 7 8. World 3284 Hezekiah 3 Hoshea 6 Division 255 HEZEKIAH still goeth Hezekiah 4 Hoshea 7 Division 256 on in his uprightness Hezekiah 5 Hoshea 8 Division 257 and in reforming He destroyeth the brazen Serpent World 3287 Hezekiah 6 Hoshea 9 Division 258 which the people had Idolized Hezekiah 7 Division 259 It was now about seven hundred Hezekiah 8 Division 260 and thirty years old He Hezekiah 9 Division 261 conquereth the Philistims as Hezekiah 10 Division 262 Esay had prophesied of him Hezekiah 11 Division 263 Esay 14. 28. and smote them Hezekiah 12 Division 264 even unto Gaza and the borders Hezekiah 13 Division 265 thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. both garrisoned Towers or Castles and fenced Cities He also rebelled against the King of Assyria who had set him upon the Throne and would no more homage him relying upon the Lord for assistance to keep the Throne of David free from such slavery 2 KING XVII vers 4. to vers 24. XVIII ver 9 10 11 12. World 3284 Hezekiah 3 Hoshea 6 Division 255 HOSHEA imprisoned Hezekiah 4 Hoshea 7 Division 256 for disloyalty Hezekiah 5 Hoshea 8 Division 257 Samaria besieged Samaria still besieged World 3287 Hezekiah 6 Hoshea 9 Division 258 Samaria taken and the ten Hezekiah 7 Division 259 Tribes captived Israel is now Hezekiah 8 Division 260 Lo-ruchamah No more pitied Hezekiah 9 Division 261 Hos. 1. 6. The Story of the Hezekiah 10 Division 262 King of Assyria's planting Samaria Hezekiah 11 Division 263 with a mixt people is Hezekiah 12 Division 264 related instantly after the story Hezekiah 13 Division 265 of her captiving though they were a great while distant that the story of Samaria might be related and concluded all at once And observe how the story of its captiving is related twice viz. Chap. 17. as referring to the times of Hoshea and Chap. 18. as reserving to the times of Hezekiah ESAY XV XVI IN these fifteenth and sixteenth Chapters there is a sad Prophesie against Moab which was to have its accomplishment within three years after it was prophesied Chap. 16. 14. Within three years as the years of an hireling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned Seder Olam applies these three years to the three years of the siege of Samaria where he conceiveth the Moabites like base hirelings did assist the King of Assyria against Israel and for these three years base service the Lord would requite her with confusion and contempt But the like threatning being used against Kedar and terminated within one year Chap. 21. 16. doth shew that this is to be taken in the proper sense of coming to pass within three years Now when this ruine and misery of Moab befel it is not specified nor whence these three years are to be dated can it be determined But only thus much may be concluded That the Assyrian Army was continually abroad and conquering up and down both in the time of Shalmanezer and in the time of Sennacherib and whether Shalmanesers Army before the taking of Samaria or after or Sennacheribs Army before his coming up to Jerusalem did destroy and subdue Moab it is uncertain but that one of these did it at some one of these times it is more then probable for the Prophet can hardly possibly be interpreted to any other date and to which of these times soever it be referred the order of these Chapters will yet appear very proper as we have laid them in the first thirteen years of Hezekiah ESAY XVIII XIX A Prophesie against Assyria and Egypt the one the scourge and the other the carnal considence of Israel He calleth Assyria the land shadowing with wings descanting upon his own phrase which he had used in Chap. 8. 8. The stretching out of his wings shall fill thy Land O Immanuel And foretelleth of the destruction of the Host of Assyria by the stroke of the Angel He also prophesieth the destruction of Egypt and Judahs going down to dwell there even to the filling of five Cities with the Language of Canaan but those should prove also Cities of Destruction Yet in time Egypt and Assyria and Israel should come to the obedience of the Gospel ESAY XX. IN the year that Tarton took Ashdod Esay hath another Prophesie against Egypt and one against Ethiopia Tartan was an Assyrian chief Commander under Sennacherib 2 Kings 18. 17. and it is very probable that he died among the 185000 men that were slain by the Angel 2 Kings 19. ver 35. 2 Chron. 32. 21. And so his taking of Ashdod must fall out before that time And this consideration doth help very well to know the time and method of this Chapter Esay was now in sackcloth mourning belike for the ten Tribes captiving And the Assyrian Army is now abroad taking in Cities and places as fast as it can and the Lord in this Chapter threatens the two most potent Kingdoms then extant Egypt and Cush that they shall both be captived and shamefully used by Assyriah Tarhakah King of Cush faceth Seâ—nacherib 2 King 19. 9. and is foiled by him as appeareth Chap 43. 3. ESAY XXI ABout the same time hath the Prophet a sad vision against Babylon now rising and against Dumah and Kedar Countries of Arabia see Gen. 25. 13 14. and foretelleth of Kedars ruine within one year which directeth us to the order and time of this Prophesie namely that it was in these conquering times of the Assyrian before he received his sad blow by the Angel He foretelleth of Babylon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 2. That there should be a cozener of Babylon the cozener and a spoiler of that spoiler and that all sighing through Babylonian pressures should cease That Belshazzers night of pleasure and banqueting should be turned into fear vers 4. That while they were furnishing Tables and setting Centinels to watch while they eat and drank the alarm should be given and they should cry Arise ye Princes and anoint the shield ver 5. By a couple of Horse-men and two Chariots of different draughts he charactreth Cyrus and Darius and the Median and Persian Nation vers 7. and proclaimeth the ruine of Babylon by them Of Dumah he telleth that in Seir or Idumea it would be questioned what was the issue of that night when Babylon was destroyed Watchmen what of that night And the issue and the answer should be that first a morning or some dawning from Babylons bondage was sprung but afterward a sad night of sorrow should come
on Dumah also as it had done on Babylon That Arabias tents should be so spoiled that they should be forced to lodge in the open forrest c. ESAY XXII THIS Chapter containeth a sad Prophesie against Judea which he calleth The valley of vision because of Gods revealing himself there to his Prophets He foretelleth in it the heavy times that were coming upon that people of Judea by the Assyrian Army before it was miraculously destroyed That the slain thereof should not only be slain with the sword nor dead only by battel but dead with famine vers 2. for the invasion of that Army should cause husbandry to be neglected so that Briars and Thorns should come upon the land through this neglect and there should be this trouble for many days and years together and lamenting for the pleasant Fields and the fruitful Vine as Chap. 32. 10. 12 13. Elam and Kir Persia and Assyria should be combined in this invasion and should fill the Country with Charets and Horsmen that by this misery the Lord should discover the covering or uncloak the hypocrisie and pretences of Judah for now they would shew their carnal confidence ver 9. 10 11. and their carnal security vers 12. 13. He prophesieth of the displacing of Shebna from being over the houshold and placing of Eliakim in his room which was accomplished and was come to pass when Rabshakeh lay before Jerusalem Esay 36. 22. ESAY XXIV XXV XXVI XXVII XXIX AS in the two and twentieth Chapter the Prophet had foretold the misery and perplexity of Judea by Sennacheribs army before the Angel destroyed it so in the first and last of these Chapters he declareth the final desolation of it by Nebuchadnezzar as he doth the desolation of Tyrus by him Chap. 23. and the final desolalation of Ephraim by Salmaneser Chap. 28. He mingleth many sweet and gracious promises and comforts among his threatnings c. He calleth the Altar Ariel and Jerusalem Ariel or the Lion of God the one for devouring sacrifices the other for devouring men by slaughter And he threatneth that God would distress Ariel the City and it should be as Ariel the Altar with abundance of slain about it Chap. 29. 2. ESAY XXX XXXI THE oppression and terrour of the Assyrian Army made perplexed Judea look after an arm of flesh the reed of Egypt as Chap. 36. 9. This carnal confidence the Prophet taxeth smartly in these two Chapters yet for his promise sake assureth of deliverance and foretelleth the Divine vengeance upon the Assyrian The misery and oppression by this Army what under Shalmaneser and what under Sennacherib had been long and had been grievous so that they had eaten the bread of adversity and drunken the water of affliction and their teachers had been removed into corners c. Chap. 30. 20. But as the stream of the Assyrian power had overflowed and rought up even to the neck as Chap. 8. 8. so should the Lords anger do now to him Chap. 30. 28. And they of Jerusalem should have joy in the night ver 29. Compare Chap. 37. 36. for the Assyrian should be beaten down with the voice of the Lord ver 31. In the valley of Hinnom or Tophet ver 33. And should fall not by the sword either of great or mean man but of the mighty God Chap. 31. 8. These and other particulars do plainly clear the method of these Chapters and shew they lye here in their proper time ESAY XXXII XXXIII XXXIV XXXV UNTO the same times are we to refer these Chapters also speaking amongst other things of the sad times that Judah suffered while the Assyrian Army was ranging and destroying up and down before the Lord destroyed him That he should spoil the Vintage and Husbandry Chap. 32. 10. 12. and that he made the High-ways waste and cared not to keep any Covenant that he made Chap. 33 8. but he should be destroyed and so should the other enemies of the Church particularly Edom who was a constant adversary Chap. 34. and good and comfortable things should accrew to Sion Chap. 35. MICAH III IV V VI VII THE last verse of the third of Micah is owned by the men of Jeremiahs time to have been uttered in the time of Hezekiah Jer. 26. 18. and here may both that whole Chapter and all the Chapters that follow it be very well placed as Prophesied in some time of Hezekiahs first thirteen years before Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem for in Chap. 5. 1. he seemeth to speak of that siege and of Sennacheribs blasphemy both against God and Hezekiah smiting the Judge of Israel as with a rod upon the cheek and he fore-telleth that Christ should be the peoples peace in the Assyrians invasion and that though the proud enemy thought to triumph and tread down the chief City of all the Nation Jerusalem yet should that be so far from being insulted over by him that Bethlehem a poor Town should yield and produce one that should tread both the Assyrian and all other the Churches enemies under foot And so as the birth of Christ of a Virgin was a sign to Ahaz so is his birth in Bethlehem a sign in the days of Hezekiah The Prophesie of NAHUM all IN these days of Hezekiah also lived Nahum the Prophet and was one of the comforters of Jerusalem Esay 40. 1. against the burden and terrours of Assyria He is generally held to have prophesied in the days of Manasseh with Habakkuk which he might very well do beginning in the reign of Hezekiah and continuing in Manasseh He mentioneth the evil counsel of Sennacherib against the Lord and fore-telleth his death in his Idol Temple Chap. 1. 11. 14. and denounceth destruction to Niniveh the chief City of Assyria c. 2 KINGS XVIII from ver 13. to the end and XIX all 2 CHRON. XXXII from beginning to vers 24. ESAY XXXVI XXXVII World 3295 Divvision 266 Hezekiah 14 SENNACHERIB the King of Assyria having invaded Judah Hezekiah sends a submission to him at Lachish who cheatingly gets three hundred and thirty Talents from him and then departs not away from him for all that year The Assyrian first sends some of his servants with a Message to Jerusalem to have perswaded the people out of their own defence but when that would not prevail he sendeth a great force against the City where Rabshakah in the head of them revileth Hezekiah and the Lord c. But Hezekiah praying and sending to Isaiah hath a comfortable answer and a comfortable sign A comfortable answer that the King of Assyria should be bridled and muzled and this very thing should be a comfortable sign for the future that God would prevent the famine which they had great cause to fear and that God would establish them for the time to come The Assyrian Army had spoiled all their tillage thorow the Country for a long time as Chap. 32. 9 10 12 13. c. and what shall they do now for meat and sustenance
image of provocation or a provoking image vers 3. 5. in the entry into the Temple 2. The very whole Sanhedrin and Jaazaniah their chief committed all manner of Idolatry vers 10. 11. 3. The woman weeping for Adonis vers 14. And 4. The twenty four heads of the courses of the Priest-hood and the High Priest that should have been serving God at the Altar turning their backs upon it and adoring the Sun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 16. a very strange framed word to express their strange abominableness In Chap. 9. God marketh his own before destruction cometh Compare Rev. 7. Jeremy Baruch Ebedmelech and whosoever else feared the Lord are here marked out for deliverance Chap. 10. Ezekiel seeth the glory of God in the Temple which he had seen at Chebar but now it is fleeting off and removed as far as the East Gate And in Chap. 11. it is flitted clean off the City to mount Olivet Chap. 12. When God had thus flitted away his own Glory he setteth the Prophet to flit away his stuff and this doth he that he might the more throughly set on the impression of captivity And from thence forward the Prophet falleth upon the people the false Prophets and Prophetesses with sharp reproofs c. In Chap. 17. there is a terrible denuntiation of Judgment against Zedekiah for violating his Oath and fealty to the King of Babel and seeking to Aegypt for help and strength that he might rebel against him This the Book of Chronicles brandeth him for that he rebelled against King Nebuchad-nezzar who had made him swear by God 2 Chron. 36. 13. It appeareth that at this time he had revolted and began to rebel and so was now brewing his own and Judahs destruction and therefore the Prophet throughout all these Chapters doth lay on the more load of threatning and terror EZEKIEL XX XXI XXII XXIII World 3416 Division 387 Years of Captivity 15 Zedekiah 7 DEstruction is now drawing on apace God will not give the Elders of Israel any answer no more then he would to Saul A sword is sharpned and preparing for Jerusalem and Rabbah Nebuchad-nezzar providing to be avenged on both it seems the King of Ammon proved traitor to Babel as well as Zedekiah had done This prophane wicked Prince of Israel his day is come the Crown must be over-turned over-turned over-turned till Christ come whose right it is The sins of Jerusalem and Israel are reckoned up now she is ready to be called to account Division 388 70 years Captiv 16 Zedekiah 8 Of any passage or occurrence of this year there is no mention 2 KING XXV vers 1. 2. JEREMY XXXIX vers 50. 52. vers 4. 5. World 3418 Division 389 70 years Captiv 17 Zedekiah 9 IN the ninth year of Zedekiah in the tenth month or the month Tebeth the tenth day of the month in the very deep of winter Nebuchad-nezzar layeth siege to Jerusalem EZEKIEL XXIV THAT very day Ezekiel is told of the thing by the Lord in Chaldea and by the Parable of the death of a beloved wife he is told and telleth the people of the destruction of the City and Temple their delight EZEKIEL XXV YET will the Lord take vengeance of those neighbour Nations that took content and rejoyced in the misery of Jerusalem JEREMY XXI ZEDEKIAH upon the Chaldeans incamping against the City inquireth of Jeremy what shall become of them and receiveth a sad answer of destruction and captivity the reason of the order of this Chapter was observed before JEREMY XLVII JEREMY fore-telleth the subduing of the Philistims by Nebuchad-nezzar even before Gaza one of their chief Cities was subdued by Pharaoh this was when Pharaohs Army was abroad and raised the siege at Jerusalem Jerem. 37. This Chapter lieth where it doth that the Prophesies against Egypt may be joyned together JEREMY XXXVII World 3419 Division 390 70 years Captiv 18 Zedekiah 10 THE Egyptians to whom Zedekiah had revolted from Nebuchad-nezzar raise his siege at Jerusalem yet Jeremy telleth that the Chaldeans shall return and take the City he is taken and put in prison JEREMY XXXII XXXIII XXXIV JEREMY in the prison buyeth and purchaseth Land in token of the peoples return thither again he Prophesieth comfortable things thereupon but sad things to the present Generation in Jerusalem who had covenanted to let their servants go free but afterwards reduced them to servitude again EZEKIEL XXIX to vers 17. IN this tenth year the tenth month and twelfth day of the month the Word of the Lord cometh to Ezekiel against Aegypt c. And here is a visible dislocation for Chap. 26. is dated by the eleventh year and Chap. 30. vers 20. and Chap. 31. are dated by the eleventh year yet this Chapter that comes between is dated by the tenth Now the reason of this misplacing is easie to be apprehended and that is this 1. The Prophesie against Egypt was in the tenth year as most properly meeting with Egypt in the very height of its pride and of Jerusalems carnal confidence in it For now it was a foot with all its force to raise the siege at Jerusalem and Jerusalem with all its hope did relye upon it and therefore in that very time the Lord denounceth destruction to it and frustration to the Jews hopes in it Now 2. The reason of setting this Prophesie that fore-telleth so much after the Prophesie against Tyrus which was in the eleventh year is because Tyrus was first to be destroyed and Egypt was to be the wages of Nebuchad-nezzar for destroying Tyrus Chap. 29. 18 19. and therefore that this might be observed the better the threatning of the destruction of Tyrus which was given after yet is set before the threatning of the destruction of Egypt which was given before EZEKIEL XXVI XXVII XXVIII World 3420 70 years Captivity 19 Zedekiah 11 THIS eleventh year of Zedekiah and nineteenth of Nebuâ—â—ad-nezzar was the fatal year of Jerusalems destruction and now are Ezekiels three hundred and ninety years up Ezek. 4. 5. we counted the very year of the division of the Tribes the first of them or else the very last of them would have fallen here on the very first day of this year hath Ezekiel the sad prediction concerning the ruine of Tyrus and Sidon EZEKIEL XXX from vers 20. to the end ON the seventh day of this first month Ezekiel Prophesieth of the weakning and fall of Egypt whom Nebuchad-nezzar had now beaten off and was returned to Jerusalems siege again EZEKIEL XXXI ON the first day of the third month of this year Ezekiel hath another Prophesie against Egypt JEREMY XXXVIII IN these gasping times of the City when all the provision in it was even spent vers 9. Jeremy by cursed suggestion to the King is cast into the Dungeon but delivered thence by the good care of Ebed-melech a Cushite c. JEREMY XXXIX vers 15 16 17 18. JEREMY thus delivered by the means of Ebed-melech from the Dungeon Prophesieth
Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 39 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 40 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 41 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 42 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 43 Captivity 44 Nebuchad-nezzar restored to his wits and Kingdom again Captivity 45 2 KINGS XXV vers 27 28 29 30. JEREMY LII vers 31 32 33 34. World 3446 NEbuchad-nezzar dieth and Evil-merodach reigneth This is the thirty Captivity 46 seventh year of the Captivity of Jechoniah On the five and twentieth Captivity 47 day of the twelfth moneth Evil-merodach bringeth him out of Captivity 48 prison and on the seven and twentieth day he promoted him above all the Captivity 49 Kings of Babel and feedeth him all his life it may be Nebuchad-nezzars seven Captivity 50 years madness and misery had wrought some humility and gentleness upon Captivity 51 this his Son Jechoniah was now fifty five years old and had indured seven Captivity 52 and thirty years imprisonment and now the Lord releaseth him and he nameth Captivity 53 Salathiel as his next heir to Davids Throne and Principality for Jechoniah Captivity 54 had no heir of his own The time of the three Babylonian Kings that Captivity 55 took up the whole space of that Monarchy are easily to be collected by the Captivity 56 Scripture namely Nebuchad-nezzar to have reigned five and forty years current Captivity 57 Evil-merodach three and twenty current and Belshazzar three The Captivity 58 first is plain by this that the seven and thirtieth of Jechoniah is called Evilmerodachs Captivity 59 first The last will be made plain by and by and the apparency of Captivity 60 the second will result from both these Evil-merodach by the Septuagint in Captivity 61 Jer. 52. is called Ulamadachar but he is called far nearer to his own name by Captivity 62 them in 2 King 25. Josephus calleth him Abilamaridochus Antiq. lib. 10. cap. 12. Captivity 63 There is a general silence in Scripture of any thing done in his time besides Captivity 64 his inlarging of Jechoniah whereas there are very wondrous and remarkable Captivity 65 matters mentioned and recorded to have been done in Babylon in the time of Captivity 66 Nebuchad-nezzar his father and of Belshazzar his Son World 3468 Captivity 67 Belshazzar reigneth three years DANIEL VII IN this first of Belshazzar Daniel seeth the Vision of the four Kingdoms that troubled the World but especially the Church from the first rising of Nebuchad-nezzar till the coming of the everlasting Kingdom of Christ in the Gospel viz. Babylonian Mede-Persian Grecian and Syrogrecian All the time of the Kingdoms before the Babylonian is not medled withal because handled before along in the Bible and all the times of the Roman State after the coming of Christ is not medled withal neither but left to be treated of by a beloved Disciple as these are by a beloved Prophet viz. in the Revelation The dislocation of this Chapter will easily be spied by any eye that looketh but upon the two Chapters next before it for the fifth speaks of Belshazzars end of reign and this of his beginning and the sixth speaks of matters done in Darius his time which was after Belshazzars death and this of matters done in the first of Belshazzers reign but the reason of this dislocation is almost as conspicuous as the dislocation it self and that is because the Historical things of this Book are set by themselves first and the visionary or prophetical things afterward Captivity 68 Belshazzar 2 In this second of Belshazzar there is no particular occurrence mentioned DANIEL V. World 3470 Captivity 69 Belshazzar 3 BABYLONS Sins are now come to the full Belshazzar toppeth them up by abuse of the Vessels of the House of God at a drunken and Idolatrous Feast to the despite and scorn of him that owed them and to the grief of those that had concernment in them Hereupon that Divine hand that had written the two Tables for a Law to his people writeth the doom of Babel and Belshazzar upon the wall viz. the ruine of these his enemies This turneth the night of the Kings pleasure into fear unto him as Esay had Prophesied of him long ago Esay 21. 4. and Jeremy Jer. 50. 43. The Wise Men of Babylon are become fools and cannot read this writing though it were in their own Language Daniel readeth and interpreteth it and that both in an Hebrew and a Chaldee construction for the words were both Languages Mene Mene He hath numbred and finished Tekel in Chald. He hath weighed In Heb. Thou art too light Parsin in Heb. The Persians Paresin in Chald. Dividing and Daniel interprets it according to the extent of the words in both Tongues for both Hebrews and Chaldeans were concerned though differently in the issue of the matter Presently the enemy that lay about the Town began to storm and the Centinels and Watch-men in the Watch Towres give the Alarme Arise ye Princes and anoint the Shield see Esay 21. 5. And one Post runs to meet another to shew the King of Babylon that his City is taken at one end Jer. 51. 31. and that night is Belshazzar slain And Darius the Median took the Kingdom being sixty two years old and so it appears he was born in the year of Jehoiaâ—ims and Jehoiachins captivity and thus did the Lord provide that in that very year when the Babylonian was most busie to captive and destroy the captiver and destroyer of Babylon should be born The Reader will here observe in the Chronicle in the Margin that the third of Belshazzar proves but the sixty ninth year of the Captivity and not the seventy But if he do but withal observe that part of Jehoiakims third was properly the beginning of those seventy years he will also see that part of Belshazzars third was in the like reckoning some of the seventieth year and the rest of that year was taken up in Cyrus and Darius setling the Monarchy before the Decree for building Jerusalem come forth Cyrus the Persian was joyned with Darius the Median in the expedition against Babel and so in the rule of the Monarchy when they had obtained it and therefore the Prophet Esay describeth the enemies of Babel by a Chariot with a couple of Horse-men a Chariot of Asses and a Chariot of Camels Esay 21. 7. 9. and Daniel interprets the hand-writing on the wall that the Babylonian Monarchy should be divided betwixt the Median and the Persian But Darius only carrieth the name here because he was far the older man and because indeed he was Cyrus his Grand-father If we may conjecture any thing from the Heathen Writers They speak of Astyages the Median King who had one only Daughter called Mandane and she the Mother of Cyrus by Cambyses the King of Persia vid. Xenoph Herod Justin. Now this being the general consent of all the Writers of the best repute among the Heathen that there was no King of Media at that time but only Astyages Cyrus his Grand-father we may very well conclude that this
At this Passover a man is healed at Bethesda who had been diseased from seven years before Christ was born This was a pool first laid up by Solomon as may be conjectured from Josephus de Bel. lib. 5. cap. 13. compared with Nehem. 3. and at first called Solomons Pool but now Bethesda or the place of mercy from its beneficial virtue It was supplied with water from the fountain Siloam which represented Davids and Christs Kingdom Isa. 8. 6. The five porches about it and the man when healed carrying his bed out of one of them calls to mind the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mevuoth or Entries that are so much spoken of in the Treatise Erubbin the carrying of any thing out of which into the street on the Sabbath day was to carry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of a private place into a publick and was prohibited He is hereupon convented before the Sanhedrin and there he doth most openly confess and prove himself to be the Messias And he asserteth that all Power and Judgment is put into his hand and that he hath the same authority for the dispensing of the affairs of the New Testament that the Father had for the old And this he doth so plainly that he leaveth their unbelief henceforward without excuse The Jews speak of divers ominous things that occurred fourty years before the destruction of the City As It is a tradition that fourty years before the Sanctuary was destroyed the Western Lamp went out and the scarlet list kept its redness and the Lords lot came up on the left hand And they locked up the Temple doors at even yet when they rose in the morning they found them open Jerus in Joma fol. 43. col 3. And Sanhedr fol. 18. col 1. Fourty years before the Temple was destroyed power of judging in capital matters was taken away from Israel Now there are some that reckon but thirty eight years between the death of Christ and the destruction of the City and if that be so then these ominous presages occurred this year that we are upon It being just fourty years by that account from this Passover at which Christ healeth the diseased man at Bethesda to the time of Titus his pitching his Camp and siege about Jerusalem which was at a Passover But of this let the Reader judge SECTION XXV LUKE Chap. IV. from the beginning to Ver. 12. MARK Chap. II. from Ver. 23 to the end and Chap. III. from the beginning to Ver. 7. MARK Chap. XII from the beginning to Ver. 15. The Disciples plucking ears of Corn A withered hand healed on the Sabbath THE words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Luke hath used ver 1. being rightly understood will help to clear the order of this Section and to confirm the order of the preceding The Law enjoyned that the next morrow after the eating of the Passover should be kept holy like a Sabbath Exod. 12. 16. and accordingly it is called a Sabbath Lev. 23. 7 11. And there the Law also enjoyns that the next day after that Sabbatical day they shall offer the sheaf of first fruits to the Lord and from that day they should count seven Sabbaths to Pentecost which was their solemn festival and thanksgiving for that half harvest viz. Barley harvest which they had then inned Lev. 23. 15 16 17. That day therefore that they offered their first Barley sheaf and from which they were to count the seven Sabbaths or weeks forward being the second day in the Passover week the Sabbaths that followed did carry a memorial of that day in their name till the seven were run out as the first was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first second-day Sabbath The next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second second-day Sabbath the next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third second-day Sabbath and so the rest of all the seven through Now let it be observed 1. That no Corn no not ears of Corn might be eaten till the first-fruits sheaf was offered and waved before the Lord Lev. 23. 14. 2. That it was waved the second day of the Passover week 3. That this was the first Sabbath after that second day when the Disciples pluckt the ears of Corn and it will plainly evince that we must look for a Passover before this story and so it will shew the warranty and justness of taking in the â—ifth of John next before it But the order of Matthew may breed some scruple and that the rather because that though he hath placed this story after divers occurrences that are yet to come yet he hath prefaced it with this circumstance At that time Now this expression doth not always center stories in the same point of time but sometimes it hath made a transition betwixt two stories whose times were at a good distance asunder as Gen. 38. 1. Deut. 10. 8. and so likewise the phrase In these days Matth. 3. 1. The latter story about healing the man with the withered hand is so unanimously ordered by all the three after the other that there is no doubt of the method of it It was a special part of religion which the Jews used on the Sabbath to eat good meat and better then they did on the week days yea they thought themselves bound to eat three meals on that day as was said before and for this they alledge Isa. 58. 13. Vid. Kimch ibid. Tanch fol. 1. Talm. Maym. in Shab c. compare Phil. 3. 19. Observe how far the Disciples are from such an observance and from such provision when a few ears of Barley for that was the Corn plucked must make a dinner The plucking of ears of Corn on the Sabbath was forbidden by their Canons verbatim Talm. in Shab per. 7. Maymon Shab per. 7 8. He that reapeth Corn on the Sabbath to the quantity of a fig is guilty And plucking Corn is as reaping And whosoever plucketh up any thing from it growing is guilty under the notion of reaping Christ before his healing the withered hand is questioned by them Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day Their decretals allowed it in some cases Tanch fol. 9. col 2. our Doctors teach the danger of life dispenseth with the Sabbath And so doth Circumcision and the healing of that But this is a rule saith Rabbi Akibah that that which may be done on the eve of the Sabbath dispenseth not with the Sabbath Talm. in Shabb. per. 19. Such was this case Compare Luke 13. 14. They accounted that this might have been done any other day SECTION XXVI MARK Chap. III. from Ver. 7 to Ver. 13. MATTH Chap. XII from Ver. 15 to Ver. 22. Great multitudes follow Christ who healeth all that come to him THe connexion that both these Evangelists have at this story doth abundantly assert the order The Pharisees took counsel to destroy him but when Jesus knew it he departed c. The Herodians joyn with them in their plotting which seem to have been
any want of power but it relateth to his will and to the rule by which he went in doing his works such another phrase see Gen 19. 22. When it is said by the same Evangelist He marveled at their unbelief it meaneth not that he marvelled because they had not saving faith but he marvelled because they believed no more then they did SECTION XLIV MATTH Chap. IX Ver. 35 36 37 38. Another perambulation of Galilee MATTHEW himself joyns this portion to the stories in Sect. 42. and the last words of Mark in the Section preceding he went round about the villages teaching are concurrent with the first words in this and so do assert the connexion CHRIST at his former rejection at Nazaret begins to go abroad preaching through their Synagogues as in Sect. 18. and so he doth now and so great multitudes resort unto him that he now resolveth upon sending forth his Disciples to preach abroad also SECTION XLV MATTH Chap. X. all the Chap. And V. 1. of Chap. IX MARK Chap. VI. V. 7 8 9 10 11. LUKE Chap. IX Ver. 1 2 3 4 5 6. The twelve Apostles sent out to preach THe order in Matthew and Mark shews and clears it self The twelve had been ordained for Apostles a great while since and all that while had been with Christ as probationers to see his works and to learn his Doctrine and since their pointing out to be Apostles it is observable how much Christ hath applied himself to Doctrine that they might learn the Gospel of the Kingdom and be stored with what to preach when he should send them forth Hitherto they had been learners and as for the gifts of the Spirit they as yet differed nothing from the rest that followed him but now he gives them power of healing and casting out devils and now is the power of miracles restored So that they cured diseases by the Spirit but they preached not by the Spirit but taught that only which they had learned from the mouth of Christ. He sendeth them out by two and two and so it is like the twelve spies divided themselves when they went to search the Land It may be the Apostles went in these couples that Matthew had reckoned them in What Christ forbiddeth them to take with them for their journey was 1. to inure them to depend upon his protection and not upon their own carefulness And 2. He hereby intimates that they should find such good entertainment in their Ministry that they should find safety and maintenance wheresoever they came Therefore when in Luke 22. 6. Now take purse and scrip c. he thereby would not signifie that his care of them was any whit abated of what it was now but that they should meet with worse times and worse entertainment then they had had now Whereas in Matthew and Luke they are forbidden to take staves in Mark it is said they should take nothing for their journey save a staffe only not staves for weapons or for their defence but a staff for their resting on for their ease in the journey as Gen. 32. 10. They are confined to preach to Israel only though many Gentiles dwelt intermixedly with them in their Cities because the Lord would own the peculiarity of the Nation in the first preaching of the Gospel as he had done all along in the Oeconomy of the Law when they had forfeited their priviledge of being a peculiar people by crucifying him that sent the Gospel amongst them then is the Apostles commission inlarged to go to the Gentiles Matth. 28. SECTION XLVI MARK Chap. VI. from Ver. 14. to Ver. 30. MATTH Chap. XIV from the beginning to Ver. 13. LUKE Chap. IX Ver. 7 8 9. JOHN beheaded his Disciples come into Christ. MARY and Luke do justifie the order for both of them have laid this story next to the story of Christs sending forth his Disciples Matthew when he saith At that time he useth the word in its latitude as it is often used in Scripture not precisely or determinately for the very day or season when a thing wasdone but in the current of time then in being And yet in this expression he seemeth also to have respect to the story that he had related next before though that were some reasonable space of time before this For there he had told that Christ coming into his own Country was slighted and undervalued and they were offended in him yet Herod was amazed at the wonders that he heard of him Here are two times regardable in this Section namely the time of John Baptists death and the time of Herods hearing of the fame of Jesus and the juncture of the stories is very close As the Disciples were preaching up and down according to Christs mission Herod beheaded the Baptist and by their preaching in the name of Jesus the fame of Jesus cometh to Herods hearing and the Disciples again hearing of the murder of John get in to their master So that the story of Johns death is related here in the proper place and time when it did occur And from one passage in John the Evangelist in the next following Section there is the ground of a fair conjecture of the time of his beheading For we shall see in the beginning of the next Section that all the four do speak of Christ departing privately into a desert place Matthew particularly gives the reason namely because he had newly heard by Johns Disciples of the death of their master Now John the Evangelist in giving that story of Christs retiring hath inserted this passage And the Jews Passover was nigh whereby we may conclude that the Baptists death was a little before the time of the Passover And from hence we may take up the whole space of his Ministry and imprisonment He began to Preach and Baptize in the year of Christ 29 at the spring of that year or about Easter Half a year after Jesus is baptized by him about the Feast of Tabernacles Till after the Feast of Tabernacles come twelve month viz. in the Year of Christ 30 he is still abroad baptizing in Bethabara and Aenon About October in that Year he is imprisoned and so lieth in restraint till almost Easter twelve month which was in the Year of Christ 32. And so his story is of three years space the better half of which he preached at liberty and the other half he lay in prison Herod upon the hearing of the fame of Jesus is struck with horror of conscience upon thought of the murder of John and if the leaven of Herod was Sadduceism his horrour makes him deny his Sadducaical principles and to think that John was Risen from the dead SECTION XLVII MATTH Chap. XIV from Ver. 13. to the end of the Chapter JOHN Chap. VI. from beginning of Chap. to V. 22. MARK Chap. VI. from V. 30. to the end of the Chap. LUKE IX from V. 10. to Ver. 18. Five thousand fed miraculously Christ walketh on the Sea ALL the
education parts and hopes and some remarkable Prophesies and predictions had been given concerning him what an instrument he should prove in the Gospel which made Paul to fix upon him as one designed for him from Heaven They set forth an◠travel Phrygia and Galatia and when they would have gone into Asia and Bithynia the Spirit forbad them because the Lord would hasten them into Macedonia unto a new work and such a one as they had not medled withal till now and that was to preach to a Roman plantation for so the Text doth intimate that Philippi was ver 12. and ver 21. and so saith Pliny lib. 4. cap. 11. He had indeed been always in the Roman dominions but still among other Nations as Jews Greeks Syrians and the like but we read not that he was in any City of Romans till here And his going to preach to that people is so remarkable that the Text seemeth to have set two or three notable badges upon it For that Nation lieth under so many sad brands in Scripture and lay under so great an abominating by the Jews that the Gospels entring among them hath these three singular circumstances to advertise of it 1. That the Spirit diverted Paul from Asia and Bithynia to hasten him thither 2. That he was called thither by a special vision the like invitation to which he had not in all his travels to any other place 3. The Penman doth not joyn himself in the story till this very time For hitherto having spoken in the third person he and they as He came to Derbe ver 1. They went through the Cities vers 4. c. he cometh now to joyn himself and to use the word We and Us. After he had seen the vision immediately we indeavoured to go into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us vers 10. Yet was this City mixed also of abundance of Jews living among them as that people was now dispersed and sowed in the most places of the Empire from Rome it self Eastward however it was on this side On the Sabbath by a river side where the women it seemed used their bathings for purification and where was a Synagogue they preach and convert Lydia a proselytess and she is instantly baptized and her houshold before she go home for ought can be found otherwise in the Text from whence we may observe what believing gave admission to Baptism to whole housholds In this Roman Colony it is observable that the Synagogue is called proseucha and that it is out of the Town Paul casteth out a spirit of divination and is thereupon beaten and imprisoned he and Silas but inlarged by an earthquake and the Jaylour is converted and he and his family instantly baptized After a little while Paul and Silas depart having laid the foundation of a very eminent Church as it proved afterward from which Paul in his Epistle thither acknowledgeth as many tokens of love received as from any Church that he had planted and to which he made as many visits afterward When he departeth he had ordained no Ministers there for ought can be gathered from the Text and it may be he did not till his return thither again which was the course he had used in other Churches Acts 14 23. He speaketh of divers fellow-labourers that he had there in the Gospel both men and women Phillip 4. 3. which cannot be understood of preaching but that these being converted they used their best indeavour to perswade others to imbrace the same Religion c. ACTS CHAP. XVII PAUL and Silvanus and Timothy come to Thessalonica where they make many converts but withal find very much opposition In three weeks space or very little more they convert some Jews many Proselytes and not a few of the chief Gentiles women of the City which number considered with the shortness of the time in which so many were brought in and the bitterness they indured from the unbelieving made their piety to be exceedingly renowned all abroad 1 Thess. 1. 6 7 8. Persecution driveth the Apostles to Beraea another Town of Macedonia Plin. l. 4. c. 10. there they found persons better bred and better learned then that rabble mentioned ver 5. that they had met withal at Thessalonica The Jews called their learned men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filii nobilium it may be Lukes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 11. translates that The rabble from Thessalonica brings the persecution hither also so that Paul is glad to depart to Athens but Silas and Timothy abide at Berea still At Athens there was a Synagogue of Jews and Proselytes ver 17. so that it is undoubted the Scholars of the University had heard from them the report of the true God therefore Paul is not so much cried out upon for telling them of the true God in opposition to the false as for preaching of Jesus crucified risen and glorified which neither they nor even the Jews Synagogue there had ever heard of before for this he is convented before their great Court of Areopagus where his discourse converts one that Bench Dionysius ACTS CHAP. XVIII FROM Athens Paul cometh to Corinth Urbs olim clara opibus post clade notior nunc Romana colonia saith Pomp. Mela. lib. 2. cap. 3. A little view of the City may not be useless It stood in the Isthmus or that neck of Land that lay and gave passage betwixt Peloponesus and Attica upon which Isthmus the Sea pointing in on either hand made Corinth a famous and a wealthy Mart Town by two Havens that it had at a reasonable distance from it on either side it the one Jochaeum at which they took shipping for Italy and those Western parts and the other Cenchraea at which they took shipping for Asia Merchandise arriving at these Ports from those several parts of the World were brought to Corinth which lay much in the middle between them and so this City became the great Exchange for those parts It lay at the foot of a high promont called Acrocorinthus or the Pike of Corinth The compass of the City was some forty furlongs or five miles about being strongly walled In it was a Temple of Venus so ample a foundation that it had above a thousand Nuns such Nuns as Venus had to attend upon it The City was sacked by L. Mummius the Roman General as for some other offence that it had given to that state so more especially for some abuse shewed to the Roman Embassadors there But it was repaired again by the Romans and made a Colony Vid. Strabo lib. 8. Plin. lib. 4. cap. 4. Paul coming hither findeth Priscilla and Aquila lately come from Italy because of Claudius his Decree which had expelled all the Jews from Rome Of this Decree Suetonius speaketh as he is generally understood In Claudio cap. 25. Judaeos impulsore chresto assidue tumultuantes Roma expulit Claudius expelled the Jews out of Rome who continually tumultuated because of Christ.
much augmented and inlarged The Jews the first as we observed at the second Epistle to the Thessalontans and this the second Antichrist at his full stature It is true indeed that Rome Heathen is one part of him but observe how little a part reputed in comparison of Rome Papish the Star fallen from Heaven So that though that did woful things yet you see the first wo is fixed here The way of his bringing wo upon the Earth is by filling the World with smoke and darkness of ignorance and humane traditions and inventions and out of this smoke come his locusts of his votary orders The locusts described much like those in Joel 1. for their terror and destroying only their having the faces of men speaks them men-caterpillers and their Nazarite-like hair long as the hair of women speaks them votaries or such as take on them vowed Religion Their trading is not with grass or the green things of the Earth as other Locusts do but with Men and they are Locusts in name but Scorpions in action wounding with the sting of their tails the teacher of lies is the tail Isa. 9. 15. but not killing leaving men indeed in a Religion and a profession of Christ but no better then a venomed and dying one The time of their tormenting is five months the time of Locusts ravening ordinarily from the spring well shot forth to harvest This is the first wo. These Locusts stings mind me of a story or two in the Roman History which let me mention here though I cannot apply them hither Dion in his story of the life of Domitian saith thus About that time divers began to prick many whom they pleased with poysoned needles whereof many died hardly feeling what was done to them And this was practised not only at Rome but almost through all the world And again in the life of Commodus About that time saith he there was so great a mortality that oft times there died two thousand in Rome in one day And many not only in the City but also through the whole Roman Empire were killed by mischievous men who poysoning needles pricked others with them as also it had been in Domitians time and so innumerable people died by this means But there was no greater plague then Commodus himself c. The sounding of the sixth Trumpet begins another wo. Four Angels loosed which were bound in Euphrates and come with a terrible Army and horses breathing fire and smoke and brimstone and having stings in their tails c. The Turks and Mahumetans coming as a plague upon the Eastern part of the World as the Papacy on the Western These hurt with their tails false doctrine as well as the other did in the former Trumpet but these have also heads in their tails which the other had not for these hold out another Head and Saviour Mahomet REVEL CHAP. X. A Little Book in the hand of Christ speaketh the restoring of Religion and Truth after all the darkness and confusions mentioned before The words in ver 6 7. do help to state the intent of this Vision He sware by him that liveth for ever that there should be delay of time no longer but in the days of the seventh Trumpet the mystery of God should be fulfilled The mystery of God is his gathering in of his Elect more especially of the Gentiles Rom. 16. 25 26. Ephes. 3. 5 6. and hitherto there had been great hinderance by Rome Heathen by Heresies Papacy Turcism but at last Christ swears that there should be no more delay the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be taken so here and not unconsonant to the signification of the word and very consonant to the context and to the place from whence this verse is taken That is Dan. 12. 7. where the Angel is brought in swearing as here that the trouble of Antiochus and his persecution and hindrance should be so long and there should be no delay further but there should be a restoring That place laid to this and Antiochus looked upon as a figure of Antichrist the construction of this place is easie Only the great Angel would have the speech of the seven thunders which refer to these times to be concealed The Prophesie in general intimates the restoring of the Gospel in these later times which is handled in the next Chapter but very generally and very briefly Johns eating of the little Book as Ezek. 2. 8. and the words to him Thou must Prophesie again before many People and Nations and Tongues and Kings do not so much infer Johns going abroad after this to preach to many Nations himself as it doth the progress of the truth that he preached through Nations and People which had been supprest so long aiming at these times when the Gospel last broke out from under Popery The passage is parallel to the last words in the Book of Daniel Go thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of days Not that Daniel should live till the end of those miseries by Antiochus but that his doctrine and the truth should stand up and be restored in those times The phrase is such another as when Christ telleth his Disciples that they should sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel which is not meant of their personal sitting to judge but that their doctrine should judge and condemn that unbelieving Nation REVEL CHAP. XI THE Vision of this Chapter is in order to the accomplishing of the mystery of God which was spoken of Chap. 10. 7. As Ezekiels measuring of a new Temple shewed the restoring of Religion and of the Lords people and foretold of the new Jerusalem and calling of the Gentiles To the same purpose is the measuring of the Temple here The Church was under the mystical Babylon Chap. 9. as the Jews were under the Eastern when Ezekiel wrote those things now as that description of the measures of the Temple was a prediction and pledge of their coming forth so this speaketh to the same tenor John is commanded to leave the Court which is without the Temple forth and not to measure it Because it was given to the Gentiles and they should tread the holy City fourty and two moneths Not in an hostile way but as the flock of the Lord tread his Courts there worshipping him as see the phrase Isa. 1. 12. Psal. 122. 2. and the meaning seemeth to be this Measure not the Court of the Gentiles for their multitudes that come to attend upon the Lord shall be boundless and numberless The two and forty moneths and a thousand two hundred and sixty days ver 3. and Chap. 12. 6. and a time and times and half a time Chap. 12. 14. are but borrowed phrases from Daniel who so expresseth the 3 years and an half of Antiochus his persecution and treading down Religion Dan. 7. 25. 12. 7 11. and they mean times of trouble and are used
to express that but not any fixed time The Jews themselves have learned to make the same construction of it when they say Adrianus besieged Bitter three years and an half Jerus Taanith fol. 68. col 4. And this also that comfort might stand up against misery was the time of our Saviours Ministry when he restored decaied and ruined Religion in so happy a manner Dan. 9. 27. And this the Jews also have observed in that saying we have mentioned before The divine glory shall stand upon mount Olivet three years and an half and shall preach c. So that according to this interpretation of the numbers the things they are applied unto are facil The Gentiles shall tread the Lords Courts fourty two months and the two Witnesses shall Prophesie a thousand two hundred and sixty days clothed in sackcloth Meaning that the Gentiles shall worship God and attend upon him in a Gospel Ministry and for that allusion is made to the space of time that Christ administred the Gospel but this ministring and attending shall not be without persecution and trouble and for intimation of that allusion is made to the bitter times of Antiochus Two witnesses is a phrase taken from the Law In the mouth of two or of three witnesses every word shall stand and it means all that should bear witness to the truth in the times spoken of But more especially the Ministry which is charactered by the picture of Moses and Elias the two great Reformers in their several times the former the first Minister of the Jews the later of the Gentiles These are two Olive trees See Zech. 4. 3. Rom. 11. 17 24. and two Candlesticks See Chap. 1. 20. gracious in themselves and having light and holding it out to others They must finish and accomplish their work that they had to do and then be overcome by Antichrist and slain Their case is clearly paralleled with Christ their Masters by comparing it with which it is best understood He preached three years and six months in trouble and sorrow so they in sackcloth He having finished his Ministry was slain so they He revived and ascended so they likewise Now this that especially states the case and the counting of the progress of proceedings intended here is this That as Christ laid the foundation of the Gospel and when he having finished his Ministry was slain risen and ascended the Gospel was not extinct with him but increased more and more by the Ministry that followed after So seems this that alludes thereunto to be understood As that the two Witnesses should mean the first Ministry and bearing witness to the truth at the first breaking of it out of Popery which was followed with horrid persecutions and multitudes of Martyrdoms but these first Witnesses having so done their Testimony and vast numbers of them having sealed it with their blood and being gone to Heaven yet the Gospel increased and shook down a part of Rome even at these first beginnings Their dead bodies must be cast in the streets of the great City where our Lord was crucified The term The great City resolves that Rome is meant if there were no other evidence which see explained Chap. 17. 18. And by her power and sentence our Lord was crucisied and for a quarrel of hers being accused and condemned by Pilate as a Traytor to the Roman power for saying he was a King This is the rather mentioned now there is speech of Romes last bloodiness against Christs Witnesses that it might be shewed that it persevered the same to his that it had been to him and that to the last and that these Witnesses drunk but of the same cup that their Master had drunk before them She is called spiritually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jews speak Sodom and Egypt Sodom for filthiness and Egypt for Idolatry and mercilesness Never did place under Heaven wallow in fleshly filthiness and particularly in the Sodomitick bestiality as Rome did about those times that John wrote and how little it hath been mended under the Papacy there are Records plain enough that speak to her shame He that reads Marâ—ial and Juvenal to name no more may stand and wonder that men should become such beasts and it had been better that those Books had been for ever smothered in obscurity then that they should have come to light were it not only for this that they and others of the like stamp do give that place her due character and help us the better to understand her description It is observable what Paul saith Rom. â—1 21 22 23 24. that because the Heathen had brutish conceptions concerning God abasing him he gave them over to brutish abasing their own bodies by bestiality or indeed by what was above bestial And so he shews plainly that Gods giving up men to such filthiness especially Sodomy was a direct plague for their Idolatrous conceptions of God and their Idolatry And to this purpose it may be observed that when the Holy Ghost hath given the story of the worlds becoming Heathenish at Babel for and by Idolatry Gen. 11. he is not long before he brings in mention of this sin among the Heathen and fearful vengeance upon it Gen. 19. Apply this matter to the case of Rome and it may be of good information The casting their dead bodies in the streets speaks the higher spite and detestation against them and in this particular they are described different from their Master And as they had prophesied three years and an half so they lay unburied three days and an half till there was no apparent possibility of their recovery But they revive and go to Heaven and a tenth part of the City falls by an Earthquake and seven thousand perish but the rest of that part of the City that fell who perished not gave glory to God Nine parts of the City left standing still whose ruine is working still from henceforward by the Gospel that these Witnesses had set on foot which brings in the Kingdoms to become the Kingdoms of Christ c. REVEL CHAP. XII AS Daniel Chap. 2. giveth a general view of the times from his own days to the coming of Christ in the mention of the four Monarchies in the four parts of Nebuchadnezzers Visionary Image which should run their date and decay and come to nothing before his coming and then in Chap. 7. handles the very same thing again in another kind of scheme and something plainer And then in Chap. 8. 10. 11. 12. doth explain at large and more particularly some of the most material things that he had touched in those generals So doth our Apocalyptick here and forward He hath hitherto given a general survey of the times from his own days to the end and now he goes over some of the chief heads again with explanation And first he begins with the birth of Christ and the Christian Church and the machination of the Devil to destroy both The Church
to the charge of the Jews yet you never find them blamed in the least degree for this that they went about to corrupt the letter of the Text The sense indeed they spoiled with their glosses and so made the Word of God of no effect and this they hear of throughly but not a word of their spoiling the letter of the Text. 4. Had they been never so desirous to have imposed upon Christians by falsifying the Text they could not possibly do it For First Every Synagogue in the world having the purest Copy that possibly was to be got how impossible was it such legerdemain should be when there were so many thousand Copies to discover it unless they were all corrupt alike and multitudes out of the Synagogues Rulers and People were converted to the Gospel Secondly As learned men as any they had among them and that as well understood what Text was pure what corrupt Joseph of Arimathea Nicodemus Paul and multitudes of the Priests imbraced the Gospel and so multitudes of pure Copies were in the hands of Christians upon the first rising of the Gospel and multitudes that had such Copies in their hands were converted daily 5. To which may be added that the same power and care of God that preserves the Church would preserve the Scriptures pure to it and he that did and could preserve the whole could preserve every part so that not so much as a tittle should perish SECTION XII Concerning the Calling of the Iews BY what hath been spoken concerning the state of the Jews in their own Land after the fall of their City it may be observed wherein it is that the Lords vengeance upon that Nation doth especially consist namely in his rejection of them from being his people and in their obduration The unspeakable miseries and slaughter that they indured in the siege and ruine of Jerusalem speak as dreadful punishment as ever fell upon a Nation and yet this was but short and small in comparison of that fearful blindness and hardness that lies upon them and hath done for this sixteen hundred years together Seventy years in bodily bondage in Babel did finish the punishment of their forefathers for all the Idolatry bloodshed and impiety that they had committed But these after above twenty times seventy years under dispersion and obduration have now as little appearance of amendment of their hearts and of their condition as there was so many hundred years ago The same blindness the same doting upon traditions the same insisting upon their own works for salvation the same blind confidence that they are Gods only beloved people the same expectation of Messias to come the same hatred of Messias already come and the same opposition against the Gospel is in them still that was in that first generation that crucified the Lord of life That generation is plainly and often asserted by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament to be Antichrist and the very same Antichristian spirit hath continued in all the generations of them ever since even to this day Into the thoughts therefore concerning their Calling after so long and so extream crosness against the Gospel and the Lord of it I cannot but take these things into consideration For though I am unwilling to recede from that charitable opinion of most Christians that there shall once be a Calling of them home yet see I not how that supposal of the universal Call of the whole Nation as of one man which some entertain can be digested without some allay and mitigation 1. That all Israel both Jews and they of the ten Tribes have had as full an offer of the Gospel as any of the Gentiles have had both in the time of the Apostles and since Of the two Tribes there can be no scruple and of the ten almost as little if their sin that cast them off the place of their seating when carried out of their own Land and the carriage of the Gospel through the whole world be well considered Now that their refusing of the Gospel so offered to them in that manner as they have done should be followed with so universal a Call and Conversion is somewhat hard to believe especially when it is observed that the Gentiles despising the Gospel are doomed to the everlasting deprivation of it and to a worse condition then Tyre and Zidon 2. It is true indeed that Gods Covenant with their fathers is of special weight and observation in this business and the Apostle toucheth it in this question Rom. 11. 28. but how is this to be understood God made a twofold Covenant with their fathers viz. the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Peculiarity and the later was but a manner of the administration of the former The Covenant of Grace was made with Adam and belongs to all the seed of Christ before the Law under it and after it Jews and Gentiles Now the Oeconomy of Moses was such an administration of this Covenant of Grace as made Israel a peculiar people This effect of the Covenant with their fathers namely that they still are and ever shall be Gods peculiar is their conceit all along but little warrant for us to hold it since under the Gospel there is no distinction of Jew and Gentile And as for the other that many of them yet belong to Election and the Covenant of Grace made with their fathers it is not to be doubted which yet doth little make for so general a calling 3. It was a good sign of the general conversion of the Heathen once to be in that there were multitudes of them proselyted daily before the general Call by the Gospel came an hundred three and fifty thousand in the days of Solomon and that when Religion was then in a very narrow compass But of these how few in comparison have come in in all this long time though they have had incomparably more means and opportunity then ever those had Their sin that cast them off was more horrid then the sin that cast off the Heathen and so their blindness and obduration is beyond theirs And which deserves observation The sin of the two Tribes was beyond the sin of the ten 4. Since the New Testament doth ordinarily stile that first generation Antichrist and since as is apparent the very same spirit is in the Nation to this day I see not how we can look upon the conversion of the Jews under a lower notion then the conversion of a brood of Antichrist Therefore can I no more look for the general calling of them then I look for the general call of the Antichristian brood of Rome We see indeed by happy experience that several Nations have fallen off from the Roman Antichrist as the Protestant Countries that are at this day but Antichrist is yet in being and strong and his end will be not by conversion but perdition So can I not but conceive of the Jewish Nation That although numerous multitudes of them may
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
coming unto her in visible appearance as Chapter 18. 14. At the time appointed I will return c. Or it may be taken in connexion to the sense of the Verses preceding That after the defect of Prophecy the dawning of that gift and after the darkness of the Doctrine of Salvation as it was in the Law the day-spring of it from an high came now to visit us in the brightness of the Gospel Vers. 80. And was in the deserts Of Ziph and Maon 1 Sam. 23. 14. 25. which were places not far from Hebron where John was born Josh. 15. 54 55. His education was not in the Schools at Jerusalem but in these plain Country Towns and Villages in the Wilderness Till the day of his shewing unto Israel That is when at thirty years of age he was to be brought to the Sanctuary service Numb 4. 3. to which he did not apply himself as the custom was but betook himself to another course SECTION VI. S. LUKE CHAP. II. CHRIST born published to the Shepherds rejoyced in by Angels circumcised presented in the Temple confessed by Simeon and Anna. AND it came to pass in those days that there went out a a a a a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek in Dan. 6. 8 12. a decree from b b b b b b Câ—sar the common name of the Roman Emperors as Abimelech of the Philistims Kings Ols. 34. in tit and Pharaoh of the Egyptians from Julius the first Emperor who was of this name but the name Caesar was long before him see Plin. l. 7. cap. 9. Caesar Augustus that c c c c c c As Ezr. 1. 2. all the World should be taxed 2. And that taxing was first made when d d d d d d In the Roman Historians he is called Quirinus Cyrenius was Governor of Syria 3. And all went to be taxed every one into his own City 4. And Joseph also e e e e e e Taking a journy in Scripture be it whither soever it will is called indifferently a going up or going down as Numb 16. 12 14 Jer. 21. 2. Judg. 16. 18. Gen. 42. 3. Judg. 15. 8. 1 Sam. 26. 10. went up from Galilee out of the City of Nazareth into Judea unto the City of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the stock and linage of David 5. To be f f f f f f This word here and in vers 1. 3. hath various translations That they might be enrolled Syr. Arab. Rhem. That they might profess Vulg. Eras. That they might be taxed Erasm. again and our English All these laid together make up a compleat description of the manner of their taxing First They were taken notice of who were in every Town and City and were Inrolled upon their inrolling they professed subjection to the Roman State and upon this profession they payed some money at which they were assessed taxed with Mary his espoused wife being great with Child 6. And so it was that while they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered 7. And she brought forth her first-born Son and g g g g g g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the Gr. in Job 38. 6. and Ezek. 16. 4. some deriving the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To reâ—d conceive that is meant that his swaddles were poor and ragged and that this is expressed as a particular of his abasement wrapped him in swadling cloaths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for him in the Inn. 8. And there were in the same Country Shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock h h h h h h Christ born by night for if he were born by day why should the revealing of it be forborn till night by night 9. And lo the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid 10. And the Angel said i i i i i i This message of the Angel as it was full of comforts so also was it of plainness according to the condition of the men to whom he spake Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people 11. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. 12. And this shall be a sign unto you ye shall find the babe wrapped in swadling cloaths lying in a manger 13. And suddenly there was with the Angel k k k k k k Or the multitude a multitude of the Heavenly host praising God and saying 14. l l l l l l Or the good will of God towards men is glory to God in the Highest and peace on the earth Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will towards men 15. And it came to pass as the Angels were gone away from them into Heaven the m m m m m m It hath been held that these Shepherds were about the Tower of Edar Gen. 35. 21. and that this was about a mile from Bethlehem Shepherds said one to another Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass which the Lord hath made known unto us 16. And they came with hast and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in the manger 17. And when they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child 18. And all they that heard it wondred at those things which were told them by the Shepherds 19. But Mary kept all these things and pondred them in her heart 20. And the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them 21. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child his name was called Iesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the womb 22. And when the days of her purification n n n n n n Levit. 12. according to the Law of Moses were accomplished they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23. As it is written in the Law of the Lord o o o o o o Exod. 13. 1. every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. 24. And to offer a Sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord p p p p p p Maries poverty in that her hand could not reach to a Lamb which was the proper offering that the Law required Levit. a pair of Turtle Doves and two young Pigeons 25. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and the same Man was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and q q q q q q The spirit of Prophesie It had been long a stranger among
the Gospel of the Kingdom the former denoteth the more general tenor of his doctrine as his explanation of the Law Admonition Exhortation and Reproof and the latter betokeneth his proving that the long and much looked for Kingdom of Messias was now come and his preaching the doctrines that particularly concerned that Kingdom Vers. 24. And his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought unto him all sick We shall the better understand what is meant by all Syria if we look upon the next following verse where mention is made of places out of which such multitudes followed Christ as were drawn unto him by the fame that went of him and especially if we observe that Region which was called Decapolis which Pliny describeth thus Jungitur ei Judaeae latere Syriae Decapolitana regio a numero oppidorum in quo non omnes eandem observant Plurimi tamen Damascum Opoton riguas amne Chrysorrhoa Fertilem Philadelphiam Raphanam omnia in Arabiam recedentia Scythopolin antea Nisam a Libero patre sepulta ibi matre Scythis deductis Gadara Hieromiace praefluente jam dictum Hippon Dion Pellam aquis divitem Galasam Canatham Intercursant cinguntque has urbes tetrarchiae regionum instar singulae in regna contribuuntur Trachonitis Paneas in qua Caesarea cum supra dicto fonte Abila Arca Ampeloessa lib. 5. cap. 18. The Region of Decapolis joineth to Judaea on the side of Syria it was so called from the number of the ten Cities in it about which all do not hold alike But the most hold for Damascus and Opotos both watered by the River Chrysorrhoas Fruitful Philadelphia and Raphana all lying towards Arabia Schythopolis so called from Scythians brought thither by Bacchus where he buried his mother but of old called Nisa Gadara by which Hieromiax runs and so by that which is now called Hippon Dion Pella bravely watered Galasa Canatha Among and about these Cities there lie Tetrarchies every one like whole Countries and they are divided into Kingdoms Trachonitis Paneas in which is Caesarea Philippi with the fountain Abila Area Ampeloessa c. By all Syria therefore is meant all the Country of the Jews in its full extent both within and without Jordan for as that was within the Jurisdiction of the Roman Governour of Syria so was it ordinarily called by that name and not only that but all this large Region of Decapolis which did expatiate far into Syria properly so called and into some part of Arabia So that here is a concourse of Heathens to Christ as well as of Jews even out of those Countries which had been the constant and bitter enemies of Israel and this is the first coming in and it is a remarkable one too of abundance of Gentiles to our Saviour compare Zech. 9. 1 2. upon which the Rabbins give this Gloss. Rabbi Benaja saith Hadrach is Messuâ—s Rabbi Josi the son of Durmaskith or of a woman of Damascus saith to him How long wilt thou pervert the Scriptures to us I call Heaven and Earth to witness that I am of Damascus and there is a place there which is called Hadrach He saith to him But I argue thus And Damascus shall be his rest for Jerusalem shall reach unto Damascus as it is said And his rest now his rest is at Jerusalem as it is said This is my rest for ever He saith to him But I argue thus The City shall be built upon her heap He saith to him That meaneth that she shall not be moved out of her place He saith to him I argue further thus And she shall be broad and of large compass exceedingly for Jerusalem shall be exceeding broad and enlarged on every side as this fig-tree which is narrow below and broad above and the gates of Jerusalem shall reach even to Damascus and so it is said Thy nose is as the Tower of Lebanon which looketh towards Damascus For the eyes of man shall be towards the Lord that is The eyes of every man shall be towards the Lord and not towards their Idols and Images therefore the Land of Hadrach and Damascus and the rest of the places near to the Land of Israel shall be as Tyre and Sydon and Hamath and the Cities of the Philistims comprehended among the Cities of Judah and they shall be of the faith of Israel D. Chimch R. Sol. in loc The fame of Christ divulged in Syria bringeth in many from thence to be healed of their diseases and they also become Converts and follow him so was the case about Elisha and Naaman 2 King 5. Now though Christ professeth to a Syrian woman that he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel yet he refuseth not the lost sheep of the Gentiles when they seek to him And though he seemeth to deny her request because she was a Heathen yet that was rather to kindle her Faith than to repel her Petition SECTION XXII St. MARK Chap. I. Vers. 40. AND there came a Leper to him beseeching him and kneeling down to him and saying unto him If thou wilt thou canst make me clean 41. And Iesus moved with compassion put forth his hand and touched him and saith unto him I will Be thou clean 42. And assoon as he had spoken immediately the Leprosie departed from him and he was cleansed 43. And he straitly charged him and forthwith sent him away 44. And saith unto him See thou say nothing to any man but go thy way shew thy self to the Priest and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them 45. But he went out and began to publish it much and to blaze abroad the matter insomuch that Iesus could no more openly enter into the City but was without in desert places and they came to him from every quarter St. LUKE Chap. V. Vers. 12. AND it came to pass when he was in a certain City behold a man full of Leprosie who seeing Iesus fell on his face and besought him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 13. And he put forth his hand and touched him saying I will Be thou clean And immediately the Leprosie departed from him 14. And he charged him to tell no man but go and shew thy self to the Priest and offer for thy cleansing according as Moses commanded for a testimony unto them 15. But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities 16. And he withdrew himself into the Wilderness and prayed St. MATTH Chap. VIII Vers. 2. AND behold there came a Leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 3. And Iesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will Be thou clean And immediately his Leprosie was cleansed 4. And Iesus saith unto him See thou tell no man but go thy way shew thy self to the Priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded
may be said to be made good For having gotten the liberty of retiredness saith * * * Cap. 42 43 44 Suetonius and being removed from the eyes of the City he now let go loose all the vices that he had so long dissembled Uncleanness both with Boys and Girls ravishing both of wives and maids new invented arts of lechery and trades of lust obscene bathings and filthy feasts and such horribleness of beastiality that the mention thereof is not fit for a Christians hearing nay Rome her self had not heard of none such till this very time §. His cruelty and how forwarded Nor which is wonderful did he in all this delicacy and effeminateness remit or ungive any thing of his bloodiness and cruelty but as in his person he plaid the Swine in Capreae so by his letters did he the Lion at Rome The cowardize and fawning of the Senate from which he was run and which he sought to destroy did forward his inhumane disposition exceeding much for as this inhumanity provoked him to do what mischief he could so did their compliance shew him that he might do what his list when things were come to that pass saith * * * Lib. 58. Dion that there was no man that could deny but that he could heartily eat the Emperors flesh yet when Cn. Domitius and Camillus Scribonianus were Consuls which was the year we have in hand a thing most ridiculous came to pass For whereas it had been decreed long before that the Senate should not swear to the acts of the Emperor on the first day of January man by man but that one should take the oath and the rest should give their consent this year they did not so but of their own offer and no one constraining they were sworn every man in particular And there befel also a thing yet more ridiculous than this For they decreed that Tiberius should choose out of their order as many as he would and twenty of those chosen by lot and weaponed he should have for his guard whensoever he should come into the Senate Now seeing that without the Senate house all was well guarded with a band of Souldiers and that no private man came within for whom else would they or could they have this guard added but for themselves Tiberius commended their forwardness and gave them thanks for their good will but the thing it self he declined as a thing unusual for he was not so simple as to put swords into their hands whom he so much hated and of whom he was hated so much Thus Dion and thus the Senate taken in their own net which they had laid too plain arming Tiberius with suspition hatred and power while they thought to have weaponed themselves A far milder nature than his would hardly have missed to have made a domineering use of such an opportunity when their visible hatred had shewed him his own danger and their cowardly flattery had shewed him his power and how he made advantage of these his notions did appear by the sequel §. 5. Divers cruelties Sejanus his high exalted favorite had been found or at least suspected by him to go about to undermine him as he had done Drusus by his setting on and he had the last year been put to death upon that certainty or suspition and now must all his friends creatures kindred and adherents which had been exceeding many to so great a favorite come to the same reckoning and ruine with him And this advantage had the old Politician by his kennelling in the solitariness of the Country that both he might be as impudent as he would in putting forward his designs for his letters could not blush and resolute enough in following them to their accomplishing for he was far enough from the danger of the discontented City He began with the confiscation of Sejanus his goods and went on with the banishment Tacit. lib. 6. Annal. Dion ubi sâ—pra of Junius Gallio one of his friends This Gallio or Gallenus as Dion calleth him in a base flattery to Tiberius made the motion that the Souldiers of his guard should at the shews sit in the Knights form A proposal more full of simplicity and fawning than of any danger or suspition and yet is he sharply taken up for it by the Emperors letters as for an overture of sedition made by a friend of Sejanus as thinking to corrupt the minds of the Souldiers by hope of honours And for no other fault but this is Gallio banished to Lesbos but recalled again ere long because it was thought by the Emperor that he took delight in the pleasentnesâ— of the Island and then he was committed to custody in the Magistrates houses The same letters thunderbolt Sestius Paconius and either they or the next do as much for Latiaris the betrayer of Sabinus and shortly are the like come for Caecilianus a Senator Quintus Servaeus once Pretor and Minutius Thermus a Knight and if they came not into the same black bill yet did Julius Africanus and Seius Quadratus come into the same danger §. 6. Strange accusing Thus came his packets very frequent to the Senate and seldom or never but written in some mans blood or other he being cankered and crafty enough to accuse and pretend and the Senate so officious and serviceable to him as to condemn and execute And happy had the condition of the City been had he rested there to have been accuser only himself but his subtle policy had found out a way and practised it and he thought himself happy in it to set such division and sow such seeds of accusations among the people that now they do nothing nor affect nothing more than to accuse impeach and charge one another and to contrive and compass each others death Cruel and inhumane that he was thus to divide and imbroile his own people and Subjects to destroy each other that the clearer way might be made to his tyranny through their destruction and that he cannot think himself an absolute Prince nor truly happy unless his people die at his pleasure or live in misery Yet can I not but think of an invisible hand of justice in this deplorate condition of the City and State wrought and brought upon her by her own Prince that she now perisheth daily and sadly by her false accusing and condemning and destroying one another for at this very time by false accusation and unjust condemning she had destroyed and murdered the Lord of life Now saith Tacitus did Tiberius inciting the chiefest men to mischief admonish C. Caestius Tiberius inciting the chiesest men to mischief the father to tell the Senate what he had written to him and Caestius took upon him to accuse A bane which those times brought forth when the chief men of the Senate would practise most base accusations some openly many secretly nor could you then discern strangers from kinsmen friends from men unknown nor what was new nor what was obscure
they sought it not and how much more shall they that we are now to bring upon the scene that sought and wooed it with their utmost pains §. 1. The rebellion of some Jews There were in Neardaa the residence and University of the Jews in Babylonia two brethren named Asinaeus and Anilaeus or in their proper language Chasinai and Chanilai These two their Mother their Father being dead had put to a trade and to a Master for the making of sails or other tackle for ships The sturdy youths having one day given their Master some offence and he them some blows did take the matter in such high scorn and disdain that they resolve not only to overrun their Master but indeed to run over all Mastership whatsoever They therefore getting away all the Arms their Masters house would afford betake themselves to a strong place in an Island of Euphrates and there publish and proclaim their rebellious resolution Young men flock in to them apace men of the same desperate minds and fortunes and after building some Castles in the air of future expectations they begin to build a Fort in the Isle for their present security and rendevouz They then command the neighbour Towns to pay them Tribute which the numerousness and resolution of the Commanders made them that they durst not disobey The Governor of Babylonia thinking to quel this growing evil before it should be too strong cometh secretly upon them on the Sabbath day thinking to involve them in their own superstition into the trap that he had prepared for them But the furious youths were not so over-religious as to be kild in devotion nor did they prize the Sabbath above their own lives but for all it was that day they are resolved to fight and they fight resolvedly and kill and rout and soil the forces that made no other account but of victory Artabanus King of Parthia hearing of the power of this newborn Army and the resolution of those upstart Captains and considering how advantageous it might be for his own affairs to have them sure and firm unto himself he sendeth for the two Brethren with assurance of their safety whereupon they come to him and are Royally and bravely intertained by him and when Abdagasis the General of his Army would have slain Asinaeus treacherously the King forbad him sent Asinaeus home with rich gifts and the Government of Babylonia committed to him There he grew greater and greater in power and honour and stood in high repute both with the Babylonians and the Parthians and had all Mesopotamia at his command And thus continued these Brethren in pomp and height for fifteen years together till a miscarriage of Anilaeus began to cloud and eclipse their prosperity For Anilaeus having slain a Parthian Peer that he might enjoy his Lady and she when she was now his wife using her ancient Idolatry as in her first husbands days this became a double offence to his chiefest friends namely for that he had married an Heathen and for that she continued still in her Idolatry They seriously admonish Anilaeus of the matter but he slew one of the chiefest of them for his home-reproof and admonition Therefore the rest address themselves to Asinaeus and demand the vindication of their native Laws and Religion he rebuketh his Brother Anilaeus and is therefore poisoned by the Parthian Lady because that her husband might be from under rebuke and might be commander of all He being now so indeed first invadeth the Country of Mithridates son in Law to Artabanus and forrageth that and by a surprizal getteth Mithridates prisoner yet sendeth him home again to his own possessions having hardly delivered him from his Souldiers fury that they did not kill him Mithridates sensible of the disgrace of his usage for they had set him naked upon an Ass and instigated by the haughty and revengeful spirit of his wife raiseth what force he can get and giveth Anilaeus battel and routeth him But Anilaeus himself escaping and recruiting an Army of dissolute and resolute fellows again he beginneth to spoil some Towns of the Babylonians but the Babylonians finding a fit opportunity fall upon Anilaeus and his troop and slew many of them and Anilaeus himself among the rest This bridle and curb of the Jews which had lain so long and so heavy upon the Babylonians being now taken off they begin now to rise up and to curb and oppress the Jews who for their safety flee to Seleucia and there they reside quietly for the space of five years but in the sixth year a hot Plague driving the rest of them that had staied behind at Babylon into Seleucia also providence did as it were bring them all thither together to execution for a quarrel being first between the Greeks and Syrians that dwelt in that City and the Syrians getting the better through the help of the Jews at last Greeks and Syrians joyn both together against the Jews and destroy fifty thousand of them And this was a second notable vengeance that hath ovetaken that Nation since the murder of the Lord of Life THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY THE Jewish and the Roman Of the Year of CHRIST XLIII And of the Emperor CLAUDIUS II. Being the Year of the WORLD 3970. And of the City of ROME 795. Consuls Claudius II. C. Largus ACTS CHAP. IX Vers. 28. Great dearth throughout all the World which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. THAT this famine was in the second of Claudius we have shewed before not only out of Dion the Roman Historian but even by necessary collection from other things Now whether it proceeded from want of Rain or from what other cause it is not determinable it appeareth by Suetonius that it came to this height through a continued sterility of the ground which it seemeth had been some years together This year was Helena the Queen of the Adiabeni present at Jerusalem and her presence there was a happiness to the City for from Cyprus and Alexandria she sent for Provisions and distributed them among the people when divers had perished of famine before Vers. 30. Sent it to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul §. Pauls rapture into the third Heaven Although it be not mentioned in this Chapter that Paul went up to Jerusalem but was sent only with provisions to the poor brethren in Judea yet have we also proved before that at this journey he had his trance in the Temple Acts 22. 17. and in that trance he was rapt up into the third Heaven The story of which he himself relateth 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether in the body I cannot tell c. And there he relateth also the story of the messenger of Satan buffeting him and himself praying and God giving him a gracious answer all which we shall explain by Gods permission in another place In this trance God bids him get out of Jerusalem and gives him
Sanctuary and it was made of brass and the sound of it was sweet It became crackt and the wisemen sent and fetcht workmen from Alexandria who mended it but then the sound was not so sweet as before They took off the mending and the sound was as sweet as it used to be * * * Maym. in Kele Mlkd. per. 3. There might not be above one Cymbal in the Quire at once and this seemeth to have born the Base as being deepest and loudest to this the Apostle alludes in his expression 1 Cor. 13. 1. We shall not be further curious nor inquisitive about this matter concerning the form or nature of the musick-instruments since our inquiry is after the song it self I shall only add this w w w Erach per. 2 in Mishu. that of the Nebhels or Harps there might not be less than two in the Quire nor above six x x x Tosaph in Erach per. 2. and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kinnor or Viols not under nine but as many above as possible and so the least Quire that could be was nine Viols two Harps and one Cymbal And now let us hear the Musick it self 1. The Trumpets sounded their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taratantara for so for company will we call it y y y Succ. per. 5. in Mish Maym. in every morning at the opening at the Court Gates particularly at the opening of the East gate or the gate of Nicanor z z z Gloss. ibid. Now though this practice had not any express and literal Command yet was it grounded upon this necessity and reason because that the Levites and Stationary men might have notice to come to attend their Desks and Service and that the People of Jerusalem might hear and take notice and those that would come to the Temple so that this sounding was as it were the Bells to ring them into the Service And after this the Trumpets sounded not till the very time of the morning Sacrifice 2. The Song and Musick began not to sound till the pouring out of the Drink-offering This is a Traditionary Maxime exceeding common and received among the Rabbins and they descant upon it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 1 1 Erachin in Gemara ubi sup sol 11. They utter not the song but over the Wine of the Drink-offering 2 2 2 Gloss. ibid. for a man singeth not but for gladness of heart 3 3 3 Gloss. in Pesachen cap. 5. sol 64. Therefore they utter not the song at the very time of the Offering but over the Wine which cheareth God and Man as Jud. 9. 13. And so the Treatise Tamid describing the manner of the daily service relateth that when the High-priest was minded to offer the Sacrifice 4 4 4 Tam. per. 7. He went up the rise or bridge of the Altar and the Sagan on his right hand when he came to the midst of the rise the Sagan took him by the right hand and lift him up then the first man that was to bring up the pieces of the sacrifice reached him up the head and the feet and the second reached him the two shoulders and so the rest reached him the rest of the parts and he disposed of them c. And when he was to go about the Altar to sprinkle the blood upon the horns of it he began at the South-east corner and from thence to the North-east and so to the North-west and concluded at the South-west They give him the wine of the drink-offering to pour it out the Sagn stood by the horn of the Altar and a napkin in his hand and two Priests stood by the Table of the fat and two silver Trumpets in their hand to sound They came and stood by Ben Arza the one on his right hand and the other on his left He the High-priest stooped down to pour out the drink-offering and the Sagan waved with his napkin and Ben Arza struck up his Cymbal and the Levites began the song And so may we understand that passage 2 Chron. 29. 27. And when the burnt-offering began the song of the Lord began with the Trumpets and with the Instruments namely when the drink-offering was poured out for till then the Offering was not perfect because every burnt offering was bound to have a meat offering and a drink offering or else it was not right Num. 15. 5. And this may be the proper cause whatsoever the Jews descant why the Musick began not till the drink-offering namely they stayed till the offering was compleat and then began 3. The constant and ordinary Psalms that they sang were these 5 5 5 Tamid ubi sup Rosk hash sol â—1 Maym. in Tamid per. 6. On the first day of the week the four and twentieth Psalm The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof c. On the second day of the week the forty eight Psalm Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of God c. On the third day the eighty second Psal. God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty and judgeth among the Gods c. On the fourth day the ninety fourth Psal. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth c. On the fifth day the eighty first Psal. Sing aloud unto God our strength make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob c. On the sixth day of the week the ninety third Psal. The Lord reigneth he is cloathed with Majesty c. On the sabbath day they sang the ninety second Psal. which bears the Title of A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath day These were the known and constant and fixed Psalms that the singers sang and the musick plaid to on the several days of the week And the reason of the choice of these several Psalms for the several days 6 6 6 Rosh hash ubi sup Gloss. in Tamid c. 7. the Gemara on the Treatise Rosh hashanah and the Gloss upon the Treatise Tamid do give to this purpose On the first day of the week they sang the Psalm The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof c. Because on the first day of the week of the Creation God possessed the world and gave it in possession and ruled in it On the second day of the Week they sang the Psalm Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised c. For on that day the Lord divided his works the waters and reigned over them On the third day they sang the Psalm God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty c. Because on that day the earth appeared on which is Judging and Judges and by his Wisdom he discovered the Earth and established the World by his Understanding On the fourth day they sang the Psalm O Lord God to whom Vengeance belongeth c. Because on the fourth day he made the Sun Moon and Stars and will be avenged on them that worship them On the fifth
the Reader comparing the action of our Saviour at his last Passover he will easily perceive that the mention of the first thing he did is coincident with the third cup or the cup of blessing which he biddeth them to divide among themselves And then he taketh some of the unleavened bread again and blesseth and breaketh and giveth to be eaten for his body from henceforth in that sense that the flesh of the Paschal Lamb which they had newly eaten had been his body hitherto And that which was commonly called the cup of the Hallel he taketh and ordaineth for the Cup of the New Testament in his Bloud and after it they sung the Hymn or the Hallel out and so he went out into the Mount of Olives CHAP. XIV SECT I. Of the Solemnity and Rites of the first day in the Passover Week of the Hagigah and Peace Offering of rejoycing THE next day after the Passover was eaten was holy and no servile work to be done in it but it was accounted and kept as a Sabbath and so it is called Lev. 23. 6 7 15. a a a Talm. in Hagigah per. 1. Maym. in Hagig per. 1. On this day all the Males were to appear in the Court of the Temple and to bring with them a burnt offering for their appearance and a double peace offering one for the solemnity and another for the joy of the times The offering for their appearance was called Corban Raajah and they conclude it due from these words None of you shall appear before me empty Exod. 23. 15. Yet if any one failed of bringing such a gift his shame and his conscience go with it but there was no penalty upon him because though he had broken a Negative Precept yet there was no work nor action done by him in it The peace offerings for the solemnity of the time were called the Hagigah and they were to be of some Beast Bullock or Sheep Hereupon in 2 Chron. 30. 24. 35. 7. 8. there is mention of Bullocks and Oxen for the Passover and in Deut. 16. 2. there is speech of sacrificing the Passover of the herd which cannot be understood of the Passover that was to be eaten on the fourteenth day at Even for that was punctually and determinately appointed to be of Lambs or Kids Exod. 12. 5. but it is to be construed of these peace offerings which were for the solemnity of the time And this is that which the Evangelist John calleth the Passover when he saith The Jews went not into Pilates judgment Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover Joh. 18. 28. For they had eaten the Paschal Lamb the night before They held themselves obliged by the Law as to appear at the three solemn festivals and to pay their offerings and their services then due so to make merry and to rejoyce and cheer up one another because it is said Thou shalt rejoyce before the Lord Deut. 16. 11 14 c. And hereupon they took up the use of Wine at the Passover Supper as was observed before and hereupon they took up other peace offerings besides the Hagigah at the Passover solemnity and called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The peace offerings of rejoycing And by the offering of these two sorts of peace offerings it is like they thought themselves the better discharged though they brought not the offering of their appearance for if they brought these they might the better think they appeared not empty And so Levi Gershom construeth that passage concerning Elkanah that he went up yearly from his City to Shiloh to sacrifice to the Lord in application to these sorts of peace offerings rather than any other offering for it meaneth saith he that b b b R. Lev. Gersom in 1 Sam. 1. he sacrificed his peace offerings of rejoycing and his peace offerings for the Hagigah The time for the offering of these they accounted the first day of the Festival to be most proper and they strove to dispatch upon it that they might return home the sooner but if these Sacrifices were offered in any day of the Festival it served the turn On this first day of the Feast when these great matters were to be in hand namely their appearing in the Court and offering these their Sacrifices of solemnity and rejoycing at the last Passover of our Saviour they shewed themselves otherwise employed for on this day they crucified the Lord of Life In reference to whose judging condemning and executing though it be somewhat beside the bent of the present discourse let the Reader scan two or three of their Traditions 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c c c Maym. in Sanhedr per. 6. They might begin no judgments in the night nor received they any witness in the night but the judgments were to be in the day only yet were they in the examination and judgment of our Saviour all night long 2. d d d Talm. in Sanhedr per. 1. The judging of a false Prophet was only to be by the great Sanhedrin of seventy and one Under this notion they blasphemously accused and arraigned our Saviour Joh. 18. 19. Luke 23. 2. and unto this those words of his refer Luke 13. 33. It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem 3. e e e Ib. per. 1. They put not an Elder that transgresseth against the determination of the great Sanhedrin to death neither at the Sanhedrin that was in his own City nor at the Sanhedrin that was at Jabneh but they bring him up to the great Sanhedrin at Jerusalem and keep him till a solemn festival and execute him at the Feast according to what is said That all the People may hear and fear c. SECT II. The second day in the Passover Week The gathering and offering of the first fruits Omer THE first and last days of the solemn festival Weeks were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy days or good days and the observation of them differed little in strictness from the observation of the Sabbath See Lev. 23. 7 8 c. Now the days between them were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moed Katon or the lesser solemnity a a a Talm. in Moed Katon per. 1 c. in which although there were not the like strictness of observance that there was of the Holy days yet was there a distinction made betwixt them and other ordinary times and divers things were prohibited especially by their Traditions to be done in them which were permitted to be done on other days And as for the service and imployment in the Temple there was commonly more work and sacrificing on these days than on other ordinary days because the peace offerings due or reserved to that time could not all be dispatched on the other days but did take up much of these days and did find the Priests more than ordinary attendance and imployment about the Altar On this day that we have
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
m R. Sol. in â—sâ—y XIX We learn in Sedar Olam that after the fall of Sennacherib Ezekiah stood up and let go all the multitudes that he had brought with him from Egypt and Cush and they took upon them the Kingdom of Heaven and they returned to their own place as it is said In that day there shall be five Cities in the Land of Egypt c. They went and built an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt and offered upon it an offering to God to fulfill what was spoken In that day there shall be an Altar to the Lord in the Land of Egypt c. But some of our Doctors in the Treatise Menacoth do understand it of the Altar of the Temple of Onias the Son of Simeon the Just who fled to Egypt and built there an Altar In the last Chapter of the Treatise Menacoth the tract which our Rabbin citeth the Talmudists have speech concerning this Temple of Oniâ—s and particularly these passages n n n Menachoth per. 13. A man saith Behold I undertake to offer a burnt-offering he must offer it at the Sanctuary and if he offer it at the Temple of Onias he is not discharged If he say I undertake for an offering in the Temple of Onias he is to offer it at the Sanctuary but if he offer it at the Temple of Onias he is discharged If he say I undertake to be a Nazarite he is to poll his Head at the Sanctuary and if he poll it at the Temple of Onias he is not discharged But if he say I will poll at the Temple of Onias let him poll at the Sanctuary yet if he do poll at the Temple of Onias he is quit The Priests that serve at the Temple of Onias shall not serve at the Sanctuary at Jerusalem So that it appeareth that there were Sacrifices offered and other Temple-rites used in this Temple in Egypt as were in the Temple at Jerusalem o o o Iuchas ubi supra and it so stood in great glory two hundred years according to the opinion of Rambam But it seems they are the words of Juchasin that it stood all the time of the Sanctuary for Joshuah the son of Perahiah fled thither and so in the time of Hillel and they were obedient to the wise Men of Jerusalem and brought offerings and so they brought their Wives espousal writings to Hillel for they said they were bastards and he allowed them And there was there a great Congregation double to the number that came out of Egypt till after the destruction of the second Temple when Adrian the Emperor came up against them and slew them all at the time of the destruction of Bitter Think of this great plantation of Jews in Egypt when ye read Matth. II. 13 14. But let us return from this Temple in Egypt to the Temple at Jerusalem where our business lies Alcimus the High Priest whose illegal induction to that Office had occasioned this Act of Onias as he was the Creature of the Antiochian family so was he serviceable to it to his utmost even to the mischief of that Religion and People in and among which he took on him the High Priesthood He assists Demetrius though he had slain Antiochus who had so favoured him in the invasion of Judea and attempteth to p 1 Mac. IX Jos. Ant. lib. 12 cap. 17. pull down the Wall of the inner Court of the Sanctuary but is suddainly struck with a Divine stroke from Heaven and so dieth Nicanor a Commander of this Demetrius forced Judas Maccabeus to betake himself to a Garrison in Jerusalem and he himself going up into the Temple and there intertained fawningly by the Priests who clawed him by shewing him the Sacrifices which they said they offered for his Lord the King he taunted them and threatned mischief to the place if Judas were not delivered to him but ere long the proud boaster and threatner was overthrown and slain Jonathan the Brother and Successor of Judas Maccabeus in his command proved to be so in favour with Alexander the Successor of Demetrius and Demetrius again the Successor of Alexander and Antiochus that succeeded him that though there were now and then some stirrings among them yet the Temple which is our scene that we are upon did suffer little alteration or prejudice all his time no more did it in the times of Simon his Brother and Successor nay he in his first year obtains the peoples liberties dismantles the Antiochian Garrison in Jerusalem purifies the place and appoints that day for a yearly rejoycing and restores the Land to intire peace and prosperity Hyrcanus the Son and Successor of Simon being straitly besieged in Jerusalem by Antiochus at the Feast of Tabernacles desires a cessation for the time and solemnity of the Feast which he not only obtaineth but many and costly Sacrifices also from Antiochus which nobleness causeth Hyrcanus to seek for an agreement and so the Siege is raised He is reported to have heard a voice in the Temple whilest he was offering Incense there which told of the victory of his Sons who were then in battel with Antiochus Cyzicenus and when he came out he told so much to the people Josephus sticks not to style him a King Priest and Prophet or at least he speaketh but little short of so much when he saith q q q Id. ib. lib. 13 cap. 18. that God vouchsafed him the three greatest honours the rule of the Nation the honour of the High Priesthood and Prophesie He cast off the Syrian yoke and homage Alexander his Son proves an unhappy scourge to his own Nation so much scorned and despised by them that at the Feast of Tabernacles they pelted him with their Pomecitrons whereupon he slays six thousand of them and troubles the Land with a six years civil War He railed in the Court of the Priests that none but the Priests might come in there for fear of the peoples disturbance Aristobulus and Hyrcanus the Sons of this Alexander quarrel about the rule and call in forrain aid as first Aretas King of Arabia who besiegeth Aristobulus in the Temple and then Pompey who cometh in taketh the City and Temple bringeth the Nation under the Roman yoke from under which it never delivered its neck till City and Temple by that power was raked up in ashes SECT IV. The state of the Temple under the Romans SO sad were the beginnings of the Temple under the Roman Power that an Omen might have been taken from them what would become of it ere this Nation had done with it Pompey coming up to Jerusalem had the Gates shut against him so that he presently begirt it with a Siege a a a Dion Cass. lib. 36. But the taking of the City cost him not much labour saith Dion Cassius for he was let in by the party of Hyrcanus But the Temple which Aristobulus party had possessed cost him some
5. I wist not that he was the High Priest 320 26. 24. Thou art besides they self 311 ROMANS Ch. vers  Page 9. 14 15. I Will have mercy on whom I will c. harmonized with Mal. 1. 2 3. 15 1 CORINTHIANS Ch. vers  Page 1. 17. CHRIST sent me not to baptize 217 6. 2. Saints shall judge the World 301 7. 14. How Children were computed holy 203 10. 4. They drank of the rock that followed them 711 11. 10. The Woman to have power on her Head because of the Angels 302 303  25 28. With the context about the calling of the Jews 376 377 12. 3 4. No man speaking by the Spirit of God can call Jesus accursed c. 303 14. 4. He that speaketh a Tongue edifieth himself 285 15. 29. Baptism for Death and Martyrdom 250 841  32. Fought with Beasts c. 299 16. 9. Great and effectual door opened 300  22. Anathama Maranatha 304 2 CORINTHIANS Ch. vers  Page 8. 18. WHO the two Brethren were 310 311 10. 10. For his Letters are weighty c. 311 11. 24. Fourty stripes save one 901  25. A day and a night in the deep 321 12. 2. Whether in the body I cannot tell 877 878 GALATIAN Ch. vers  Page 4. 26. JERUSALEM from above 455 5. 2. If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing 319 EPHESIANS Ch. vers  Page 2. 2. PRINCE of the power of the air 509 5. 26 27. Without spot or wrinckle 325  29. Men ought to love their Wives as their own body 325 PHILIPPIANS Ch. vers  Page 3. 2. DOgs concision 326  19. Whose God is their belly 222 4. 3. Women labouring in the Gospel 294 COLOSSIANS Ch. vers  Page 1. 23. PREACHED to every Creature 272 4. 16. Epistle from Laodicea what 326 2 THESSALONIANS Ch. vers  Page 2. 6 7. WHAT withholdeth and that letteth will let 298 1 TIMOTHY Ch. vers  Page 1. 4. ENDLESS Genealogies what 308 3. 12. Let the Deacons be c. 308  15. Ground and Pillar of Truth 309 5. 17. Let the Elders be counted worthy of double honour c. 308 2 TIMOTHY Ch. vers  Page 1. 15. ALL in Asia are turned from me 341 3. 8. Jannes and Jambres 1005 1006 4. 10. Crescens to Galatia 322 323  13. Cloak 316 TITUS Ch. vers  Page 3. 9. ENDLESS Genealogies 308 HEBREWS Ch. vers  Page 7. 3. SEM without Father c. 11 10. 29. Blood of the Covenant wherewith he i. e. Jesus Christ was sanctified 331 332 11. 21. Blessed both the sons of Joseph 22 12. 16. For his Polygamy Esau is called a fornicator 15 13. 12. The place of Execution without the City applied to Christs sufferings 267 JAMES Ch. Vers.  Page 5. 8 9. COMING of the Lord draweth nigh Behold the Judge standeth at the door 332 333  14. Anointing the sick with Oyl 333 1 PETER Ch. vers  Page 3. 19. SPIRITS in prison what 336  21. Baptism doth now save us 336 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand for the desolation of the Jewish Nation 335 2 PETER Ch. ves  Page 1. 14. I Must shortly put off this Tabernacle 338 2. 1. Damnable Heresies 338 1 JOHN Ch. vers  Page 2. 16. LUST of the Flesh of the Eye and pride of Life 211 692 5. 6 8. Spirit Water and Blood 517 JUDE  Vers.  Page  8. FIlthy dreamers 371  9. Michael the Arch Angel contending c. A story currant among the Jews 338 REVELATIONS Ch. vers  Page 2. 10. WHO that Jezabel might be 787 7. 6. Manasseh for Moses 45 10. 6 7. He swaer by himself that liveth c. 345 11. 1 2. The holy Ground not bounded or measured and why 1051. * An Appendix of some Places of Scripture differently Read from the ordinary Translation GENESIS Ch. vers  Page 44. 15. CAN make a very strict inquiry 20 EXODUS Ch. vers  Page 18. 6. I Jethro thy Father in Law come to thee not am come to thee 711 DEUTERONOMY Ch. Vers.  Page 8. 3. BY every thing that cometh out of the mouth 496 33. 6. Not die the second death 39. Text Marg. JUDGES Ch. vers  Page 1. 8. AND the Children of Judah warred against Jerusalem and took it and smote it 44 1 SAMUEL Ch. vers  Page 7. 2. Then not and. 54. Text. Marg. 2 KINGS Ch. vers  Page 5. 18. WHEN my Master hath gone and hath bowed 86 6. 23. Came no more as yet into the Land 86 1 CHRON. Ch. vers  Page 7. 21. FOR the men of Gath who were born in the Land slew them for they came c. 22 19. 7 18. Thirty two thousand men with Chariots Seven thousand men with Chariots 63 2 CHRON. Ch. vers  Page 22. 2. A Haziah was the son of the two and fourty years 387 EZRA Ch. vers  Page 6. 3. THREE Houses of hewn stone what 1066. * 10. 15. Stood against this matter 144 JOB Ch. vers  Page 1. 5. AS the days of their Feasting went about 23 PSALMS Ps. vers  Page 52.  Title David came 57. Text. Marg. 58. 9. As he lively so the wrath 58 ISAIAH Ch. vers  Page 11. 4. Wicked one for the Romans 424 JEREMIAH Ch. vers  Page 89. 3. Rab-Mag or the Great Mag. 437 DANIEL Ch. vers  Page 9. 27. WITH many in one week and half that week 136 LUKE Ch. vers  Page 1. 17. In the wisdom of the righteous 409 1. 57. Had magnified Mary 420. Text. Marg. JOHN Ch. vers  Page 5. 39. Ye search Indicatively 664 684 12. 3. Maâ—y which had anointed 249  7. She hath kept it 251 The ACTS Ch. vers  Page 1. 2. How to be pointed and read 734  4. Variously rendred 737 14. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 292 21. 27. As the seven days were to have been accomplished 319 1 THESSALONIANS Ch. vers  Page 5.  Postscript from Athens but it was writ from Corinth not from Athens demonstrated 296 2 THESSALONIANS Ch. vers  Page 3.  Postscript not from Athens but Corinth 296 297 A Second Table of AUTHORS or their WORKS Quoted in the First Volume A. ABarbinel Aben Ezra Abraham Zaccuth Ado. Alphesi Ammonius Appianus Aquila Aquinas Aristeas Aruch and the Author of the Aruch Athanasius Augustinus or S. Augustine B. BAal Hatturim Baal Turim Baronius Beda Bellarmine Berosus Beza Brucioli Buxtorfius C. CAjetan Calvin Camerarius Cassiodorus Chaldee Paraphrast Chemnitius Chrysostom Clemens Alexandrinus Crantzius Cyprian Cyrill D. DAmascen David Kimchi De Dieu Diodorus Siculus Dion Dion Cassius E. EGesippus Elias Levita Epiphanius Erasmus Eusebius F. FUller Funccius G. GAlatine Galatius Gellius Gemara Gemarists of Ierusalem Babilon Grotius H. HErodian Herodotus Hierom. Hilariy Hottinger I. JAnsenius Ignatius Martyr Ionathan ben Uzziel Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast
from the South-West corner Josephus speaking of that deep Valley which runs between Sion and Acra saith b b b b b b Joseph de Bell. lib. 5. cap. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is extended to Siloam for so we call the sweet and large fountain But now the Mounts Sion and Acra and likewise the Valley that cut between them did run out from East to West And the same Author in the same place speaking of the compass of the outtermost wall saith these things among other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And thence it bends to the South behind the fountain Siloam After the tumult raised at Jerusalem by the Jews under Florus the Neapolitane Tribune coming thither with King Agrippa is beseeched by the Jews c c c c c c Idem ibid. lib. 2. cap. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that taking only one servant he would go about through the City as far as Siloam that is from the East to the West through the whole City and that thence from the peaceable and quiet behaviour of the people towards him he might perceive that the people were not in a heart against all the Romans but against Florus only III. Siloam was on the back of Hierusalem not of Sion Let that of Josephus be noted d d d d d d Idem ibid. lib 6. cap. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Romans when they had drove out the Seditious from the lower City burnt it all to Siloam This we therefore observe because we may see some Maps which placing Siloam behind Sion do deceive here and are deceived when in truth it ought to be placed behind Acra The pool indeed of Siloam was behind some part of Sion Westward but the fountain of Siloam was behind Acra IV. It emptied it self by a double rivolet into a double pool to wit the upper and the lower 2 Kings XVIII 17. Esa. VII 3. The Lower was on the West and is called The Pool of Siloam Joh. IX 7. Nehem. III. 15. The Upper perhaps was that which is called by Josephus The Pool of Solomon in the place lately quoted And thence saith he the outermost wall bends to the South behind the fountain of Siloam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And thence again bends to the East at the Pool of Solomon See 2 Chron. XXXII 30. And Esa. XXII 9 11. V. They drew waters out of the fountain of Siloam in that solemn festivity of the feast of Tabernacles which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pouring out of water concerning which the Fathers of the Traditions thus e e e e e e Succah cap. 4. â—al 7. The pouring out of water in what manner was it There was a golden cup containing three logs which one filled out of Siloam c. The Gemarists inquire f f f f f f Bab. ibid. fol. 48. 2. Whence was this custom From thence that it is said And ye shall draw waters with joy out of the wells of salvation g g g g g g Hieros ibid. fol. â—5 1. R. Levi saith Why is it called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The place of a draught Because thence they draw out the holy Spirit h h h h h h Parah cap. 3. hal 2. Thence also they drew the water that was to be mingled with the ashes of the red Cow when any unclean person was to be sprinkled i i i i i i Avoth R. Nathan fol. 9. 1. The Priests eating more liberally of the holy things drunk the waters of Siloam for digestion sake l l l l l l Hieros Chagigah fol. 76. 1. Let us also add these things but let the Reader unriddle them He that is unclean by a dead carkas entreth not into the mountain of the Temple It is said that they that should appear should appear in the Court Whence do you measure From the wall or from the houses Samuel delivers it from Siloam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Siloam was in the middle of the City CHAP. XXVI The Girdle of the City Nehem. Chap. III. THE beginning of the circumference was from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sheep gate That we suppose was seated on the South part yet but little removed from that corner which looks South East Within was the Pool of Bethesda famous for healings Going forward on the South part was the Tower Meah and beyond that the Tower of Hananeel in the Chaldee Paraphrast it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tower Piccus Zech. XIV 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piccus Jer. XXXI 38. I should suspect that to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hippic Tower were not that placed on the North side this on the South The words of Jeremy are well to be weighed The City shall be built to the Lord from the Tower of Hananeel to the gate of the corner And a line shall go out thence measuring near it to the Hill of Gareb and it shall go about to Goah And all the valley of dead carkasses and of ashes and all the fields to the brook Kidron even to the corner of the Horse gate on the East shall be holiness to the Lord c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The hill of Gareb Not that Gareb certainly where the Idol of Micah was concerning which the Talmudists thus a a a a a a Bab. Sanhedr fol. 103. 2. See also Midr. Till in Psal. 132. Buxt in Lexic Talmud in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Nathan saith from Gareb to Shiloh were three miles and the smoke of the Altar was mixed with the smoke of Michahs Idol but as Lyranus not amiss The Mount of Calvary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goathah The Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Calves Pool following the Etymology of the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bellowing Lyranus Golgotha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The valley of Carkasses and ashes The Chaldee Paraphrast and the Rabbines understand this of the place where the army of the Assyrians perished nor very subtilly For they seem to have perished if so be they perished near Jerusalem in the valley of Tophet or Ben-Hinnom Esa. XXX 33. And Jeremiah speaks of that valley namely the sink and burying place of the City a place above all others that compassed the City the most foul and abominable foretelling that that valley which now was so detestable should hereafter be clean and taken into the compass of the City but this mystically and in a more spiritual sense Hence we argue that the Tower of Hananeel was on the South side of the City on which side also was the valley of Ben-Hinnom yet bending also towards the East as the valley of Kidron bent from the East also towards the North. It will be impossible unless I am very much mistaken if you take the beginning of that circumference in Nehemiah from the corner looking North East which
XLVI The Country of Iericho and the situation of the City HERE we will borrow Josephus his Pensil a a a a a a Joseph de Bello lib. ◠cap. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Jericho is seated in a Plain yet a certain barren Mountain hangs over it narrow indeed but long for it runs out Northward to the Country of Scythopolis and Southward to the Country of Sodome and the utmost coast of the Asphaltites Of this Mountain mention is made Jos. II. 22. where the two Spies sent by Josua and received by Rahab are said to conceal themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Opposite against this lyes a Mountain on the other side Jordan beginning from Julias on the North and stretched Southward as far as Somorrha which bounds the Rock of Arabia In this is a Mountain which is called the Iron Mountain reaching out as far as the land of Moab But the Country which lies between these two Mount anous places is called The Great Plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extended from the Village Ginnaber to the lake Asphaltites in length a thousand two hundred furlongs an hundred and fifty miles in bredth an hundred and twenty furlongs fifteen miles and Jordan cuts it in the middle Hence you may understand more plainly those things that are related of the Plains of Jericho 2 Kings XXV 5. and what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Region about Jordan means Matth. III. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Jericho is distant from Jerusalem an hundred and fifty furlongs eighteen miles and three quarters and from Jordan sixty furlongs seven miles and an half The space from thence to Jerusalem is desert and rocky but to Jordan and the Asphaltites more plain indeed but alike desert and barren This our Author asserts the same distance between Jericho and Jordan elsewhere in these words b b b b b b Antiq. lib. 5. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Israelites travailing forward fifty furlongs from Jordan encamped the distance of ten furlongs from Jericho that is in Gilgal in the East coast of Jericho Jos. IV. 19. But concerning the distance between Jericho and Jerusalem he does not seem to agree with his Country-men For however they according to their Hyperbolical style feign very many things to be heard from Jerusalem as far as Jericho to wit c c c c c c Tamid cap. 3 hal 8. the sound of the gate of the Temple when it was opened the sound of Migrepha or the little bell c. yet there are some of them who make it to be the distance of Ten Parsae d d d d d d Bab. Joma fol. 20. 2. 39. 2. Rabbath bar Bar Channah saith Rabbi Jochanan saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Jerusalem to Jericho were ten Parsae and yet from thence thither the voice of the high Priest in the day of expiation pronouncing the name Jehovah was heard c. The hinges of the gates of the Temple are heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as far as the eighth bound of the Sabbath that is as far as a Sabbaths days journey eight times numbred The Gloss hath these words The hinges indeed not further but the gates themselves are heard to Jericho There is an Hyperbole in their measuring of the space as well as in the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And that Plain burns in the Summer and by too much heat renders the air unhealthful for it is all without water except Jordan the Palms that grow in whose banks are more flourishing and more fruitful than those that grow more remote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Near Jericho is a very plentiful spring and very rich for watering and moistening the ground it riseth near the old City and Jesus the Son of Nave took it Of which Spring there is a report that in former times it did not only make the fruits of the Earth and of the Trees to decay but also the offspring of women and was universally unwholsom and harmful to all but it was changed into a better condition by Elizeus c. See 2 King II. 21. So that those waters which before were the cause of barrenness and famine did thenceforth produce fruitfulness and abundance and they have so great a vertue in their watering that whatsoever place they touch they bring on to a very speedy ripeness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they overflow the Plain seventy furlongs in length and twenty in bredth and there they nourish very fair and thick gardens of Palm-trees of divers kinds c. That place also feeds Bees and produceth Opobalsamum and Cyprinum and Myrobalanum so that one might not call it amiss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A divine Country c. Strabo speaks like things e e e e e e Strabo Geogr. lib. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Jericho is a plain cirrounded with Mountains which in some places bends to it after the manner of a Theatre A grove of Palmtrees is there with which are mixed also other garden plants a fruitful place abounding with Palmtrees for the space of an hundred furlongs all well watered and full of habitations The Royal Court and Paradice of Balsom is there c. And Pliny f f f f f f Plin. lib. 5. cap. 14. Jericho planted with Groves of Palms and well watered with springs c. Hence the City is called the City of Palmtrees Deut. XXXIV 3. and Judg. I. 16. where for that which in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the City of Palmtrees the Targum hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the City Jericho which nevertheless Kimchi approves not of reckoning the City of Palmtrees to be near Hebron whom see See also the Targum upon Judg. III. 13. and Kimchi there and the Targum upon Judg. IV. 5. When you take a view of that famous fountain as it is described by Josephus thence you understand what waters of Jericho the Holy Ghost points out in Jos. XVI 1. And when you think of that most pleasant Country watered from thence let that Rabbinical story come into your mind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gift of Jericho of five hundred cubits square granted to the sons of Hobab Moses father in Law of which see Baal Turim upon Numb X. 29. and the Rabbins upon Judg. I. CHAP. XLVII Iericho it self WE read that this City was not only wasted by Josua with fire and sword but cursed also Cursed be he before the Lord who shall rise up and build that City Jericho Jos. VI. 26. a a a a a a Hieros Sanhedr fol 29. 4. Nor was another City to be built say the Talmudists which was to be called by the name of Jericho nor was Jericho it self to be built although to be called by another name And yet I know not by what chance this City crept out of dust and rubbish lived again and
An upper and an inward garment to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answer c c c c c c Bab. Bava Mezia fol. 782. If any give a poor man a penny to buy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inward garment let him not buy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a coat nor an upper garment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d d d d Nidarim fol. 33. 1. He lends him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An inner garment and a Coat VERS XLI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile c. TO him that had some corporeal wrong done him were these five mulcts to be paid according to the reason and quality of the wrong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e e e e e e Bava Kama in the place above A mulct for maiming if so be the party were maimed a mulct for pain caused by the blow or wound given a mulct for the cure of the wound or blow a mulct for the reproach brought upon him and a mulct for ceasing when being wounded or beaten he kept his bed and could not follow his business To the first the first words of our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That ye resist not evil seem to relate Do not so resist or rise up against an injurious person as to require the law of retaliation against him The second and fourth the words following seem to respect viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever smiteth thee so that it cause pain and shame and those words also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that will take away thy coat To the last do these words under our hand refer and to the second certainly if some intolerable kind of service be propounded which the famous Beza asserts The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very usual among the Talmudists whereby they denote accompanying him that goes somewhere out of honour and respect reaches not the sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but is too soft and low for it It is reckoned for a duty to accompany a dead corps to the grave and a Rabbine departing somewhere Hence is that story f f f f f f Hieros Schabb. 8. 3. Germani the Servant of R. Judah Nasi willing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to conduct R. Illa going away met a mad dog c. The footsteps of this civility we meet with among the Christians Tit. III. 13. John Ep. III. ver 6. Marks they were of respect love and reverence but that which was required by the Jewish Masters out of arrogance and a supercilious authority was to be done to a Rabbine as a Rabbine But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to compel to go a mile sounds harsher and speaks not so much an impulse of duty as a compulsion of violence and the Talmudists retain that very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angaria and do shew by examples not a few what it means g g g g g g Bab. Joma fol. 35. 2 It is reported of R. Eliazar ben Harsum that his Father bequeathed him a thousand Cities on the dry land and a thousand Ships on the Sea but yet he every day carrying along with him a bottle of meal upon his shoulder travayled from City to City and from Country to Country to learn the Law On a certain day his Servants met him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 angariate compel him He saith to them I beseech you dismiss me that I may go and learn the Law They say to him by the life of R. Eliazar ben Harsum we will not dismiss you c. Where the Gloss is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angariah is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the service of the Governor of the City and he was here to serve himself for he was Lord of the City But they knew him not but thought him to belong to one of those his Cities for it was incumbent on them to attend on their Master Again h h h h h h Nedarim fol. 32. 1. R. Elizer saith Why was Abraham our father punished and why were his sons afflicted in Egypt two hundred and ten years 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because he angariavit compelled the disciples of the Wise men to go with him as it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He armed his Catechumens or his trained or instructed Gen. XIV 14. The same almost is said of King Asa. i i i i i i Sotah fol. 10. 1. Rabba asked why was Asa punished with the Gou◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because he compelled the Disciples of the Wise men to go along with him as it is said And Asa gathered together all Judah none excepted c. 1 King XV. 22. We meet with mention also of Angariating cattle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k k k k k k â—ava Mâ—zia cap. 6. hal 3. An Ass is hired for a hilly journey but he that hireth him travayls in the Valley although both be of the like distance that is ten miles if the Ass dyes he who hireth him is guilty c. But if the Ass were angariated the Hirer saith to the Owner Behold Take your beast to your self c. The Gloss is If he were angariated that is if they take him for some work of the King c. You see then whither the exhortation of our Saviour tends 1. To patience under an open injury and for which there is no pretence vers 39. 2. Under an injury for which some right and equity in law is pretended ver 40. 3. Under an injury compulsion or violence patronized by the authority of a King or of those that are above us VERS XLIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt hate thine enemy HERE those poysonous Canons might be produced whereby they are trained up in eternal hatred against the Gentiles and against Israelites themselves who do not in every respect walk with them in the same traditions and rites Let this one example be instead of very many which are to be met with every where l l l l l l Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 4. The Heretical Israelites that is they of Israel that worship Idols or who transgress to provoke God also Epicurean Israelites that is Israelites who deny the Law and the Prophets are by precept to be sâ—ain if any can sâ—ay them and that openly but if not openly you may compass their death secretly and by subtilty And a little after O! ye extreme charity of the Jews towards the Gentiles But as to the Gentiles with whom we have no war and likewise to the shepherds of smaller cattel and others of that sort they do not so plot their death but it is forbidden them to deliver them from death if they are in danger of it For instance A Jew sees one of them fallen into the Sea let him by no means lift him out thence for it is written Thou shalt not rise up against the
IV. 12. fiery trial by Christ dictating the Epistles to the twelve Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p p p p p p Rev. II. 10. Tribulation for ten days and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q q q q q q Rev. III. 10. The hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world of Christians And this is The revelation of that wicked one r r r r r r 2 Thes. II. 8. St. Paul speaks of now in lively that is in bloody colours openly declaring himself Antichrist the enemy of Christ. In that persecution James suffered at Jerusalem Peter in Babylon and Antipas at Pergamus and others as it is probable in not a few other places Hence Rev. VI. 11 12. where the state of the Jewish Nation is delivered under the type of six seals they are slain who were to be slain for the testimony of the Gospel under the fifth seal and immediately under the sixth followeth the ruine of the Nation VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The love of many shall wax cold THESE words relate to that horrid Apostasie which prevailed every where in the Jewish Churches that had received the Gospel See 2 Thes. II. 3 c. Gal. III. 2. 2 Tim. I. 15. c. VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world JErusalem was not to be destroyed before the Gospel was spread over all the World God so ordering and designing it that the World being first a Catechumen in the Doctrine of Christ might have at length an eminent and undeniable testimony of Christ presented to it when all men as many as ever heard the history of Christ should understand that dreadful wrath and severe vengeance which was poured out upon that City and Nation by which he was crucified VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The abomination of desolation THESE words relate to that passage of Daniel Chap. IX 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I would render thus In the middle of that week namely the last of the seventy he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease even until the wing or army of abominations shall make desolate c. or Even by the wing of abominations making desolate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is An army Esay VIII 8. And in that sense Luke rendred these words s s s s s s Chap. XXI 20. When you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with an army c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him that readeth understand This is not spoken so much for the obscurity as for the certainty of the Prophesie as if he should say He that reads those words in Daniel let him mind well that when the army of the Prince which is to come that army of abominations shall compass round Jerusalem with a siege then most certain destruction hangs over it for saith Daniel The people of the Prince which is to come shall destroy the City c. the sanctuary c. vers 26. And the army of abominations shall make desolate even until the consummation and that which is determined shall be poured out upon the desolate Flatter not your selves therefore with vain hopes either of future victory or of the retreating of that army but provide for your selves and he that is in Judea let him fly to the Hills and places of most difficult access not into the City See how Luke clearly speaks out this sense in the twentieth verse of the one and twentieth Chapter VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That your flight be not in the Winter R. Tanchum observes a favour of God in the destruction of the first Temple that it happened in the Summer not in Winter For thus he t t t t t t Fol. 57. 2. God vouchsafed a great favour to Israel For they ought to have gone out of the land on the tenth day of the month Tebeth as he saith Son of Man mark this day for on this very day c. what then did the Lord Holy and Blessed If they shall now go out in the Winter saith he they will all dye therefore he prolonged the time to them and carried them away in Summer VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those days should be shortned GOD lengthned the time for the sake of the elect before the destruction of the City and in the destruction for their sakes he shortned it compare with these words before us the 2 of Pet. III. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise c. It was certainly very hard with the Elect that were inhabitants of the City who underwent all kind of misery with the besieged where the Plague and Sword raged so violently that there were not living enough to bury the dead and the Famine was so great that a Mother eat her Son perhaps the Wife of Doeg ben Joseph of whom see such a story in Bab. Joma u u u u u u Fol. 38. 2◠And it was also hard enough with those Elect who fled to the Mountains being driven out of House living in the open Air and wanting necessaries for Food Their merciful God and Father therefore took care of them shortning the time of their misery and cutting off the reprobates with a speedier destruction least if their stroke had been longer continued the Elect should too far have partaken of their misery The Rabbins dream that God shortned the day on which wicked King Ahaz died and that ten hours least he should have been honoured with mourning w w w w w w See R. Sol on Esay XXXVIII VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall show great signs and wonders IT is a disputable case whether the Jewish Nation were more mad with superstition in matters of Religion or with superstition in curious Arts. I. There was not a people upon Earth that studied or attributed more to dreams than they Hence 1. They often imposed fastings upon themselves to this end that they might obtain happy dreams or to get the interpretation of a dream or to divert the ill omen of a dream which we have observed at the fourteenth verse of the ninth Chapter 2. Hence their nice rules for handling of dreams such as these and the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let one observe a good dream two and twenty years after the example of Joseph x x x x x x Beracoth fol. 14. 1. If you go to bed merry you shall have good dreams c. y y y y y y Schabb. fol. 30 2. In the Gloss. 3. Hence many took upon them the publick profession of interpreting dreams and this was reckoned among the nobler Arts. A certain old man in Bab. Beracoth z z z z z z Fol. 55. 2. relates this story There were four and twenty interpreters of dreams in Jerusalem and I having dreamed a dream went to them all every one gave a different interpretation and yet they
out of which one Course of Priests proceeded were gathered together into a stationary City and lodged in the Streets In the morning he who was the first among them said Arise Let us go up to Zion to the house of the Lord our God An Ox went before them with gilded horns and an Olive crown upon his head The Gloss is That Ox was for a Peace-offering and the Pipe played before them until they approached near to Jerusalem When then they came to Jerusalem they crowned their first fruits that is they exposed them to sight in as much glory as they could and the chief men and the high Officers and Treasurers of the Temple came to meet them and that to do the more honour to them that were coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the workmen in Jerusalem rose up to them as they were in their shops and saluted them in this manner O our brethren Inhabitants of the City N. ye are welcome The Pipe played before them till they came to the Mount of the Temple When they came to the Mount of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even King Agrippa himself took the basket upon his shoulder and went forward till he came to the Court the Levites sung I will exalt thee O Lord because thou hast exalted me and hast not made mine enemies to rejoyce over me Psal. XXX 1. While the basket is yet upon his shoulder he recites that passage Deut. XXVI 3. I profess this day to the Lord my God c. R. Judah saith when he recites these words A Syrian ready to perish was my Father c. vers 5. he casts down the basket from his shoulders and holds his lips while the Priest waves it hither and thither The whole passage being recited to vers 10. he placeth the basket before the Altar and adores and goes out CHAP. V. Dalmanutha Mark VIII 10. I. A Scheme of the Sea of Genesaret and the places adjacent II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The house of Widowhood Zalmon Thence Dalmanutha MAtth. XV. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And came to the coasts of Magdala Mark VIII 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Came into the parts of Dalmanutha The story is one and the same and that Country is one and the same but the names Magdala and Dalmanutha are not so to be confounded as if the City Magdala was also called Dalmanutha but Dalmanutha is to be supposed to be some particular place within the bounds of Magdala I observe the Arabick Interpreter in the London Polyglot Bible for Dalmanutha in Mark reads Magdala as it is in Matthew in no false sense but in no true interpretation But the Arabick of Erpenius his edition reads Dalmanutha Erasmus notes saith Beza upon the place that a certain Greek Copy hath Magdala And Augustin writes that most Copies have Mageda But in our very old Copy and in another besides for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into the parts of Dalmanuthâ—… is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into the Coasts of Madegada If the name and situation of Magdala in the Talmudists had been known to these Interpreters I scarcely think they would have dashed upon so many uncertainties We have largely and plainly treated of it in another Volume out of those Authors and out of the same unless I mistake something may be fetched which may afford light to Marks Text of Dalmanutha Which thing before we take in hand perhaps it will not be unacceptable to the Reader if we describe the Sea of Genesaret and the places adjoyning by some kind of delineation according to their situation which we take up from the Hebrew Writers SECT I. A Scheme of the Sea of Genesaret and the places adjacent COmparing this my little Map with others since you see it to differ so much from them you will expect that I sufficiently prove and illustrate the situation of the places or I shall come off with shame I did that if my opinion deceive me not a good while ago in some Chapters in the Chorographical Century I will here dispatch the sum total in a few lines I. a a a a a a Megill fol. 6. 1 Hieros Erub fol. 23. 4. Id. Kiddush fol. 64. 3. Id. Shtviith fol. 36. 3. Chammath was so called because of the warm baths of Tiberias from which it was so very little distant that as to a Sabbath days journey the men of Tiberias and the men of Chammath might make but one City It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chammath of Gadara not only to distinguish it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chammath of Pella that is Callirrhoe but because a part of it was built upon the bank of Gadara and another part upoâ— the bank of Nephthali or Tiberias the bridge lying between which shall be shewn presently Tiberias stood touching on the Sea b b b b b b Megill in the place above for on one side it had the Sea for a Wall Genesaret was a place near Tiberias where were Gardens and Paradises They are the words of the Aruch Capernaum we place within the Country of Genesaret upon the Credit of the Evangelists Matth. XIV 34. and Mark VI. 53. compared with Joh. VI. 22 24. c c c c c c Joseph in his own life Taricha was distant from Tiberias thirty furlongs Bethmaus four furlongs Magdala was beyond Jordan for it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magdala of Gadara and that which is said by the Talmudists d d d d d d Hieros in â—â—ubh in the place above The Gadarens might by the permission of R. Juda Nasi come down to Chammath on the Sabbath and walk through it unto the furthest street even to the bridge is expressed and expounded by them in the same place That the people of Magdala by the permission of R. Juda Nasi went up to Chammath c. From which single tradition one may infer 1. That Magdala was on the bank of Gadara 2. That it was not distant from Chammath above a Sabbath days journey 3. That it was on that side of Chammath which was built on the same bank of Gadara by which it reached to the bridge above Jordan which joyned it to the other side on the bank of Galilee e e e e e e Joseph in his own life Hippo was distant from Tiberias thirty furlongs With which measure compare these words which are spoken of Susitha which that it was the same with Hippo both the derivation of the words and other things do evince R. Juda saith f f f f f f Bereshiâ—h rab Sect. 31. The Monoceros entred not into Noahs Ark but his whelps entred R. Nehemiah saith Neither he nor his whelps entred but Noah tyed him to the Ark. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he made furrows in the waves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as much space as is from Tiberias to Susitha And again g g g g g g Ibid. Sect. 32. The
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
VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings TWO Sparrows were sold for one farthing d d d d d d Mat. X. 29. and five for two We find that Doves were sold in the Temple upon the account of women in child-bed and their issues of blood by whom a pair of Turtles and young pigeons were to be offer'd if they had not wherewithal to present a more costly sacrifice so probably the Sparrows were likely to be sold upon the account of lepers in the cleansing of whom they were made use of e e e e e e Levit. XIV 4. I confess the Greek Version in this place hath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two sparrows but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two little birds And yet if you will believe the far-fetcht reason that R. Solomon gives you will easily imagine that they are sparrows that are pointed at The leprosie saith he came upon mankind for an evil tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for too much garrulity of words and therefore in the cleansing of it they used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sparrows that are always chirping and chattering with their voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not one of them is forgotten before God f f f f f f Beresh rabb fol. 88. 4. R. Simeon ben Jachai standing at the mouth of his Cave wherein he lay hid for the space of thirteen years he saw a certain man catching of birds And when he heard Bath Kol out of Heaven saying mercy mercy the birds escaped But when he heard Bath Kol saying the pain of death then was the bird taken He saith therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A bird is not taken without God much less the life of a man This passage is also recited in Midras Tillen g g g g g g Fol. 15. 1. but the circumstances vary VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But he that denyeth me c. COnsider whether in these words and in the following Verse our Blessed Saviour do not point at those two unpardonable sins Apostacy or denying and renouncing of Christ and Blasphemy or the sin against the Holy Ghost The first is called a sin unto death h h h h h h 1 Joh. V. 16. And so in truth and in the event is the latter too I find them indeed confounded by some who discourse upon the sin against the Holy Ghost when yet this difference may be observed viz. that Apostacy cannot properly be charged on any but who have already profest Christianity but Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was uttered by the Scribes and Pharisees at that time that they disowned and rejected Christ. VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he divide the inheritance with me I. IN the titles of brethren this obtained amongst them that as the eldest was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first born so the younger was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simple because without the title of first-born It seems to be only two brethren here betwixt whom the complaint is made but which of them is the complainant it is not so easie to determine You will say the younger most probably because it is more likely that the first-born should wrong the younger than the younger the first-born And yet in that Court of Judicature which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Court of thou draw and I 'll draw the younger might be troublesome to the first-born as well as the first-born to the younger That matter was thus i i i i i i Baâ—a bathra fol. 13. 1. When a Father had bequeathed to his first-born and younger Son a servant and an unclean beast which could not be parted in two then saith the one to the other do thou draw or I 'll draw that is do thou redeem thy share or I will redeem mine Now here the younger brother may be perverse and as well hinder the redemption as the first-born II. In the division of inheritances how many vexations and quarrels may arise both reason and common experience do abundantly teach us The Rabbins are very large upon this head and suppose that great controversies may arise either from the Testament of the Father or the nature of the inheritance or the quality of the Sons as if the younger Son be a Disciple of the Wise-men and the elder not if the younger be made a Proselyte the elder a Gentile c. But in the instance now before us the complaint or controversie is not about dividing but about not dividing because the first-born most probably would not gratifie the younger in that thing The Judges in that case was the Bench of the Triumviri these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges in the Controversie and decreed concerning the right or equity of dividing And either some were appointed by them or some chosen by those between whom the cause depended as arbiters in the case and these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dividers those that took care as to the equality of the division Now we cannot easily suppose what should move this man to appeal to our Saviour as judge in this matter unless either himself or Brother or both were of the number of his Disciples VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Soul take thine ease eat drink c. k k k k k k Tâ—anith fol. 11. 1. WHen the Church is in distress let not any man then say I will go into mine house and will eat and drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and peace be to thee O my soul. For if any one shall so do it is written of him behold joy and gladness staying Oxen and killing Sheep eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye But what follows It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged away from you till you dye And what if he should so say and do when the Church is not in distress VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This night shall thy soul be required of thee HOwever this following story hath something in it that may be laught at yet hath it something in it that is serious enough l l l l l l Elleh Haddehbarim rabb fol. 300. 1. The Rabbins say It fell out in the days of R. Simeon ben Chalaphta that he went to a certain Circumcision and there feasted The Father of the infant gave them old wine wine of seven years old to drink and said unto them with this wine will I grow old in the joy of my Son They feasted together till midnight R. Simeon ben Chalaphta trusting to his own vertue went out at midnight to go into the City In the way he finds the Angel of death and observes him very sad Saith he to him who art thou He saith I am the messenger of the Lord And why then saith
upon the place adds That they may lead out the Horse to the water that he may dip the Collar in the water if the Collar be unclean To this may be referred that abstruse and obscure rule p p p p p p Erubhin fol. 17. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the building of mounds about a spring that belongs to a private man with that art that the beast being led thither to watering on the Sabbath day shall not go out of the place that is of common right q q q q q q Ibid. fol. 20. 2. It is not only permitted to lead the beast out to watering on the Sabbath day but they might draw water for him and pour it into troughs provided only that they do not carry the water and set it before the beast to drink but the beast come and drink it of his own accord VERS XXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are there few that be saved THIS question Lord are there few that be saved when it was a received opinion amongst the Jews that all Israel should have their part in the world to come makes it doubtful whether it was propounded captiously or meerly for satisfaction This very matter is disputed amongst the Doctors r r r r r r Sanhedr fol. 111. 1. Therefore hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyond the statute s s s s s s Isa. V. 14. Resh Lachish saith this is for him who forsaketh one statute The Gloss is He that leaves one statute unobserved shall be condemned in hell But R. Johanan saith Their Lord will not have it so as thou sayest concerning them The Gloss is He will not have thee judge so concerning Israel For the sense is Although a man have not learnt but one statute only he shall escape Hell It is said t t t t t t Zechar. XIII 8. It shall come to pass that in all the land saith the Lord two parts of it shall be cut off and dye and the third part shall be left Resh Lachish saith The third part of Shem. R. Johanan saith unto him Their Lord will not have it so as thou saist concerning them for it is the third part of Noah It is said u u u u u u Jerem. III. 14. I will take you one of a City and two of a Tribe Resh Lachish saith These words are to be understood in the very letter R. Johanan saith unto him Their Lord will not have it so as thou sayest concerning them but one of a City shall expiate for the whole City and two of a family for the whole family It is said I will take them for my people and it is said I will bring you into the land He compares their going out of the land of Egypt with their coming in to their own land Now how was their coming in into the land of Canaan There were only two persons of threescore Myriads that entred in Rabba saith So also shall it be in the days of the Messiah A man would hardly have expected such ingenuity from a Jew as we here meet with in Resh Lachish and Rabba VERS XXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell that Fox I Conceive our Saviour may allude here to the common Proverb x x x x x x Megillah fol. 16. 2. The Brethren of Joseph fell down before his face and worshipped him saith R. Benjamin bar Japheth Saith R. Eliezer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is what is commonly said amongst men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worship the Fox in his time The Gloss is In the time of his prosperity But go you and say to that Fox however he may wallow in his present prosperity that I will never flatter him or for any fear of him desist from my work but behold I cast out devils c. VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It cannot be that a Prophet should perish c. y y y y y y Sanhedr fol. 2. 1. A Tribe nor false Prophet such an one they accounted the Holy Jesus nor an High-Priest can be judged but by the bench of seventy one Rambam upon the place as also the Gemara We know that a false Prophet must be judged by the Sanhedrin from the parity of the thing for so is judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rebellious Judge Now as to the judgment it self these things are said z z z z z z Ibid. fol. 89. 1. They do not judge him to death in the Court of Judicature that is in his own City nor in that that is at Gabneh but they bring him to the great consistory that is at Jerusalem and reserve him to one of their Feasts and at their Feast they execute him as it is said All Israel shall hear and shall fear and do no more so VERS XXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say Blessed is he c. THere was a time I confess when I apprehended no difficulty at all in these words but now which may seem a Paradox my old eyes see better than my younger ones did and by how much the more I look into this passage by so much the more obscure it appears to me I. What sence must that be taken in ye shall not see me when as after he had said this at least as the words are placed in our Evangelist they saw him conversant amongst them for the space of three months and more particularly and in a singular manner in that august triumph when riding upon an Ass he had the acclamations of the people in these very words Blessed is he that cometh c. one might therefore think that the words have some respect to this very time and action but that in St. Matthew these words are repeated by our Saviour after this triumph was over a a a a a a Matt. XXIII 39. Christ is now at Jerusalem at the feast of Dedication at least that feast was not far off for we find him going to it ver 22. so that this exposition of the words looks fair enough ye see me now but henceforward ye shall see me no more until ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord which very thing was said in that triumph of his But what shall we say then to that of St. Matthew that these very words are recited sometime after he had receiv'd these acclamations from the people I would hardly believe with the Learned Heinsius that the words in St. Matthew are not set in their proper place but the series of the History is transpos'd I would rather think our Saviour meant not an ocular seeing him but spoke it in a spiritual and borrow'd sense viz. in that sense wherein the Jews were wont to use the word seeing when they spake of seeing the Messiah the days of the Messiah and
the consolation of Israel that is of partaking and enjoying the comforts and advantages of the Messiah and of those days of his So that our Saviours meaning may seem to be this Ye shall from hence forward enjoy no benefit from me the Messiah till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh c. For it is worthy our enquiry whether Christ ever after these words of his did endeavour so to gather the children of Jerusalem together that the City might not be destroy'd and the whole Nation cast off He did indeed endeavour to gather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remnant according to the election of grace but did he ever after this labour that the place and Nation might be preserv'd As to these it is argument enough that he had given them wholly over in his own mind in that here and in St. Matthew he did in such precise terms denounce the ruin of Jerusalem immediately before he utter'd these words I had rather therefore than admit any immethodicalness in St. Matthew expound the passage to this sense From hence forward ye shall never see the consolations of Messiah nor have me any ways propitious amongst you endeavouring at all the preservation of your City or Nation from ruin till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. II. But then here ariseth as great a difficulty about the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till that is whether it concludes them that in time they will say and acknowledg it or whether it excludes and denies that they ever shall for who knows not how different and even contrary a force there is in this word until Occupy till I come b b b b b b Luk. XIX 13. Here it concludes that he will come again This iniquity shall not be forgiven you till you die c c c c c c Isa. XXII 14. There their forgiveness is excluded for ever And indeed the expression in this place looks so perfectly two ways that he that believes the conversion of the Jewish Nation as a thing that must come to pass may turn it to his side he that believes the contrary to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. ALthough a more intimate weighing of these words will not very much help in determining the force of this word until in this place yet will it probably afford us some light into the whole clause The words are taken out of Psal. CXVIII 26. and were sung in the great Hallel So that I will beg the Readers leave to digress a little in search of this usage especially as to those words that are now in hand I. The great Hallel was the recitation of Psalms CXIII CXIV CXV CXVI CXVII CXVIII upon every feast in every family or brotherhood The Hymn that our Saviour Mat. XXVI with his Apostles sung at the close of the Passover d was the latter part of this Hallel II. Every one indeed was of right bound to repeat it intirely in his own person But seeing it was not every one's lot to be so learned or expedite as that came to there was one to recite it in the stead of all the rest and they after him made some responsals This went for a maxim amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he hear 't is as if he responded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he hear though he do not answer he performs his duty the meaning is if any be so unskilful that he can neither recite himself nor answer after another that doth recite let him but hear attentively and he doth as much as is required from him III. There was a twofold way of responding according to the difference of persons reciting If an elder or master of a family or one that could fitly represent the whole Congregation should recite or lead in singing then the rest repeat no other words after him except the first clause of every Psalm and as to all the remainder they answer'd verse by by verse Allelujah For the action of him that represented them and led up in singing avail'd for those that were represented especially they having testify'd their consent by answering Allelujah He was a dunce indeed that could not answer so far amongst the rest IV. But if there wanted such an elder so well skill'd in reading or reciting that it became necessary for a servant or woman or some more skilful boy to lead up then let â—â—â—ccath â— 1. us hear what they did in that case e If a servant or woman or boy should lead in singing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one in the Congregation recites those very words which he had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a more antient person or one of greater note do sing or read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they answer after him Hallelujah Now the reason why the words recited by a servant Woman or Boy should be repeated after them Verbatim was this because such an one was unfit to represent a Congregation and his action could not avail for the rest so that it behoved every person to recite singly for himself that he might perform his duty V. When they came to the words now in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord if it be a boy or a servant that is the praecentor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saith Blessed be he that cometh and the rest answer in the name of the Lord. And this is that for which I have so long ventured upon the Reader 's patience that he may observe what is done differently from the rest when this clause is recited It is cut in two which is not done in others And the first words are not repeated after the praecentor as they are in other clauses And whether this custom obtained only in families where servants or boys led up in singing we may judge from this following passage f f f f f f Hieros Succah fol. 54. 1. They askt R. Chaijam bar Ba how doth it appear that he who heareth and doth not answer perform his duty From this saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we see the greatest Rabbins standing in the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say blessed be he that cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they answer in the name of the Lord and they both perform their duty Midras Tillin leaves these last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly out For so that hath it The men of Jerusalem say from within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 save us now O Lord we beseech thee The men of Judea say from without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prosper us now Lord we beseech thee The men of Jerusalem say from within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessed be he that cometh and the men of Judea say from without we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. I will not confidently assert that these men
office there At the due time the Sacrifices appointed for the Chagigah were slain those parts of them that pertain'd to the Altar or to the Priest were given to them the rest of the beast was shar'd amongst the owners that had offer'd it and from thence proceeded their Feastings together and their great mirth and rejoycings according to the manner of that Festival This was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 14. The preparation of the Passover and that was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Passover to which the Elders of the Council reserving themselves would by no means enter into the Judgment-hall Chap. XVIII 28. II. That day drawing toward night those that were deputed by the Sanhedrin to reap the sheaf of the first-fruits went out f f f f f f Menacoth fol. 65. 1. Those that were deputed by the Sanhedrin to reap went forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the evening of the Feast-day the first day of the Feast and bound their corn in sheafs pretty near the ground that the reaping might be the easier All the neighbouring Towns about gather'd together that it might be done with the greater pomp When it grew duskish he that was about to reap said The Sun is set and they answer'd Well The Sun is set and they answer'd Well With this Sickle Well With this Sickle Well In this Basket Well In this Basket Well And if it happen'd to be on the Sabbath-day he said On this Sabbath and they answer'd Well On this Sabbath Well I will reap and they said reap I will reap reap And so as he said these things thrice over they answer'd thrice to every one of them Well well well And all this upon the account of the Baithusians who said the sheaf of the first-fruits ought not to be reaped on the close of the Feast-day About that hour of the day wherein our Saviour was buried they went forth to this reaping and when the Sabbath was now come they began the work for the Sabbath it self did not hinder this work g g g g g g Ibid. fol. 63. 2. R. Ananias the Sagan of the Priests saith on the Sabbath-day they reap'd the sheaf only to the measure of one Seah with one Sickle in one Basket but upon a common day they reapt three Seahs with three Sickles in three Baskets But the wise men say The Sabbath-days and other days as to this matter are alike III. This night they were to lodg in Jerusalem or in Booths about so near the City that they might not exceed the bounds of a Sabbath-days journey In the morning again they met very early in the Court as the day before the Sacrifices are brought for the peoples appearing before the Lord the sheaf of first-fruits is offer'd in its turn the rites and usages of which offering are described in the place above quoted So that upon this high day there happen'd to be three great Solemnities in one viz. the Sabbath the sheaf-offering and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the appearing of the people in the Court before the Lord according to the command Exod. XXIII 17. VERS XXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With a Spear pierced his side THE Arab. Vers. of the Erpenian Edition adds the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he pierced his right side afraid as it should seem lest the miracle should not be great enough if the blood and water should have been suppos'd to have issued from his left-side because of the water that is said to be contain'd in the Pericardium which being pierced it is conceived blood and water could not but upon natural reasons flow out of it But this issue of blood and water had something of mystery in it beyond nature if nothing preternatural had been in it I hardly imagin the Evangelist would have used that threefold asseveration concerning the truth of the thing as we see he doth And he that saw it bare record c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There came out blood and water It is commonly said that the two Sacraments of the New Testament Water and Blood flow'd out of this wound but I would rather say that the Antitype of the Old Testament might be here seen I. The Apostle teacheth us that the ratification of the old Covenant was by Blood and Water Heb. IX 19. Moses took the blood of calves and of goats with water c. I confess indeed that Moses makes no mention of water Exod. XXIV but the Apostle writing to the Hebrews does not write without such authority as they could not tell how to gainsay And if my memory do not fail me I think I have read some where among some of the Jewish Authors but the place its self is unhappily slipt from me that when there was some pause to be made betwixt the slaying of the Sacrifice and the sprinkling of the blood upon the Altar such a kind of pause as Moses made when he read to the people the articles of their Covenant they mingled water with the blood lest it should congeal and coagulate However the authority is sufficient that the Apostle tells us that the first Testament was dedicated by Blood and Water The Antitype of which is clearly exhibited in this ratification of the New Testament and hence is it that the Evangelist by so vehement asseverations confirms the truth of this passage because it so plainly answers the Type and gives such assurance of the fulfilling of it II. I must not by any means let pass that in Shemoth rabba h h h h h h Fol. 122. 1 He smote the rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the waters gushed out Psal. LXXVIII 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies nothing else but blood as it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman that hath an issue of blood upon her Levit. XV. 20. Moses therefore smote the rock twice and first it gusht out blood then water The rock was Christ 1 Cor. X. 4. Compare these two together Moses smote the rock and blood and water saith the Jew flow'd out thence The Souldier pierced our Saviour's side with a Spear and water and blood saith the Evangelist flow'd thence St. John concludes this asseveration of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye might believe It is not without moment what is commonly said viz. that by this flowing out of water and blood it is evident his Pericardium was pierced and so there was an undoubted assurance given of his death but I hardly believe the Evangelist in this clause had any direct eye toward it would he be so vehement in asserting he that saw bare record and he knoweth that he saith true that ye may believe that Jesus was indeed dead surely there was no need of such mighty asseverations for that questionless therefore he would intimate something else viz. that you may believe that this is the true blood of the New Covenant which so
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wise man Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to call him him a Prophet for he did great miracles He goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the Christ Matth. XXI 38. The Husbandmen seeing the Son said among themselves this is the heir come let us kill him Now if the rest of that Parable agree with the actions of the Rulers of that Nation in persecuting the Prophets and even Christ himself which any one may discern then why may not this clause be accounted to agree so far with them too as that when it shews that they said amongst themselves this is the heir c. it may intimate that the chief of the Jews who Condemned and Crucified the Lord Jesus knew him to have been the Messiah To proceed in the Historian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He appeared to them his Disciples having revived the third day Let us but consult Matth. XXVIII 13 14 15. and see if there can be any doubt whether the Priests and Fathers of the Sanhedrin were not convinced and perswaded that Jesus had indeed arose from the Dead when they did so knowingly and industriously devise a tale to elude his Resurrection Thus far therefore Josephus if it was he indeed that was the Author of that passage hath uttered nothing but what the Rulers themselves were conscious of if they would have spoken out but what is added in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The divine Prophets having said these and a thousand other wonderful things of him This I confess is so noble and ingenuous an acknowledgment of Jesus that I would hardly expect it from Josephus and much less from any of his Country-men But however be this passage Josephus his own or no yet III. That which we assert seems confirmed by that of Joh. XI 47 48. The Chief Priests and Pharisees said what do we this man doth many miracles if we let him thus alone the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation Who does not here see that they that speak this had their eye upon that of Daniel IX 26 27. where the Prophet discourseth about the Messiah that he shall be cut off that he shall cause the Sacrifice and the oblation to cease that the people of the Prince that shall come i. e. the Romans shall destroy the City any Sanctuary Whence it may very probable be argued that they both from the agreement of times and from the miracles and Doctrine of Jesus did more than suspect that this was the Messiah of whom the Prophet had there discoursed and that they were in great doubt what to do with him This man doth many miracles and demonstrates himself to be the Messiah and what shall we do To cut off the Messiah would be an horrid thing And yet on the other hand if we should suffer him he would make the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease he would put an end to the service in the Temple our Religion would fall and then what remains but that the people of the Prince that shall come the Romans will come and take away both our place and Nation Object But do we not meet with such passages as these And now Brethren I wot that through ignorance ye did it as also did your Rulers Acts III. 17. For they that dwell at Jerusalem and their Rulers because they know him not nor yet the voices of the Prophets c. Chap. XIII 27. Answ. They knew not indeed the person and office of the Messiah they were ignorant of his Godhead and as to his office dreamt of nothing but Earthly and Temporal things but then this doth not hinder but that they might know Jesus to be the true Messiah whom when they found falling short of the expectations and conceipts they had framed of the Messiah and that his Doctrine tended to the subversion of Judaism they had rather have no Messiah than such an one And let himself and his Gospel perish with him rather than their Judaism VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of a truth they were gathered together AND then follows in some Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this City So Beza the Vulgar the Syriac and the Alexandriam MS. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this City of thine Which might be therefore the rather allowed of because the Jews do remove the insurrection that should be made against the Lord and his Christ so far from their own City It is a thing they will not believe that in Jerusalem or amongst the Jews any rebellion against the Messiah should ever be moved or fomented these things they say were spoken concerning Gog and Magog that rose up against Israel a a a a a a Avodaâ— Zaraâ— fol. 3 2. Or concerning some other heathen Country rebelling against the Messiah b b b b b b â—â—â—r Till fol. 4. 2. VERS XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ioseph surnamed Barnabas c. WHereas there were two very noted Joseph's for distinctions sake as it should seem the one was Joseph Barnabas the other Joseph Barsabas The Apostles gave the name of Barnabas it may be questioned whether they did the name of Barsabas or no Because there is a Judas Barsabas also in Acts XV. 22. It is uncertain whence the name Barnabas derives its self and so much the more because it is uncertain what the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signifie in this place It is generally interpreted The Son of Consolation In the Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence by a long deduction they would make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naba I contend not but when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equally signifies Exhortation as well as Consolation and the Apostle expressly distinguisheth it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consolation 1 Cor. XIV 3. it seems more probably to take its original from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Prophesie under which word every one knows Exhortation is comprehended in the first place and according to this signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we find him behaving himself Cap. XI 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Country of Cyprus So the two Apostles of the Gentiles have Gentile Countries for their native soil Paul in Cilicia Barnabas in Cyprus Where he also sold his Land for it is a question whether he could have sold it in the Land of Israel as also whether he being a Levite was capable of possessing any Land that had not belonged to the Cities of Levi which could not be sold in the same manner that other Lands were Nay It was not lawful for an Israelite to part with the Land of his inheritance unless constrained to it by his poverty according as it is said if thy Brother should become poor and sell his possession c. c c c c c c Maimon Shemittah Vâ—jobâ—l
given unknown Tongues to be unknown to all besides those to whom they were given In what I have said of the Greek Version and of the not reading it among the Hellenists I know I have very learned Men differing in their opinions from me and heretofore I my self was of a contrary judgment Whence I hope the Reader will be the more easily perswaded that I do not speak these things from a desire of contention but from a serious enquiry as far as I am able into the thing from often repeated thoughts and a most hearty desire of searching after truth FINIS THE WORKS OF THE REVEREND LEARNED John Lightfoot D. D. LATE Master of KATHERINE Hall in CAMBRIDGE The Second Volume PART II. CONTAINING SERMONS and DISCOURSES upon sundry Subjects and Occasions A Catalogue whereof with their several Texts you will find in the following Pages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCLXXXIV A TABLE of the Texts of the Ensuing SERMONS together with an account of the time when the places where and the occasions whereupon the more publick of them were Preached Sermons Preached before the NATIVES of STAFFORDSHIRE AT S. Michaels Cornhil London Novemb. 25. 1658. Ioh. X. 22 23. And it was at Ierusalem the Feast of Dedication and it was Winter And Iesus walked in the Temple in Solomons porch At S. Mary Woolchurch London Novemb. 22. 1660. S. Iude vers 12. These are spots in your Feasts of charity At S. Michaels Cornhil London Novemb. 26. 1663. Rom. V. 1. Being justified by saith we have peace with God Sermons Preached at the ASSISES at HERTFORD March 1660. Revel XX. 4. And I saw Thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them March 16. 1663. Iudges XX. 27 28. And the children of Israel enquired of the Lord. For the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was there in those days And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron stood before it in those days March 29. 1663. 2 Pet. III. 13. Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness March 17. 1664. Ioh. VIII 9. And they being convinced by their own conscience went out one by one beginning at the eldest even to the last July 16. 1665. Ioh. XIV 2. In my Fathers house are many mansions c. April 6. 1666. 1 Ion. V. 16. There is a sin unto death I do not say that he should pray for it March 27. 1669. Act. XVII 31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in righteousness by the Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead August 6. 1669. Ioh. XVIII 31. Then Pilate said unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your Law The Iews therefore said unto him It is not lawful for us to put any Man to death A Sermon Preached at the ASSISES at ELY Septemb. 12. 1671. Iames V. 9. Behold the Iudge standeth before the door Sermons Preached at S. MARIES CAMBRIDGE Octob. 7. 1655. Matth. XXVIII 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost At Aspiden April 5. 1660. 1 Cor. X. 2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea Febr. 24. 165◠Luke XI 2. When ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven April 9. 1658. 1 Pet. V. 13. The Church which is at Babilon elected together with you saluteth you Novem. 27. 1659. Rom. VIII 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves grone within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body June 24. 1660. 1 Cor. XIV 26. How is it then Brethren When ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation Let all things be done to edifying Sermons Preached on the Fift of NOVEMBER 1661. Dan. X. 21. And there is none that holdeth with we in these things but Michael your Prince 1669. At Ely Rev. XIII 2. And the Dragon gave him his Power and his Seat and great Authority 1670. At Ely Rev. XX. 7 8. And when the Thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison And shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battle whose number is as the Sand of the Sea 1672. At Ely 2 Pet. II. 15. Who have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousness 1673. At Ely 2 Tim. III. 8. As Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth 1674. At S. Maries Cambridge Act. XIII 9 10. Then Saul who also is called Paul filled with the Holy Ghost set his Eyes on him And said O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord A Sermon Preached at Guild-hall LONDON before the Lord Mayor Jan. 24. 1674. Rev. XXI 2. And I Iohn saw the holy City the new Ierusalem coming down from God out of Heaven More private Sermons Exod. XXX 15. The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a Shekel when they give an offering unto the Lord to make an attonement for their Souls Judg. XI 39. And it came to pass at the end of two months that she returned to her Father who did with her according to his Vow which he had vowed 1 King XIII 24. And when he was gone a Lion met him by the way and slew him and his carcass was cast in the way And the Ass stood by it the Lion also stood by the carcass Act. VII 53. Who have received the Law by the Disposition of Angels and have not kept it Rev. XX. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the first resurrection 2 Sam. XIX 29. I have said Thou and Ziba divide the Land Dan. XII 12 13. Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days But go thou thy way till the end for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of days Heb. X. 29. And hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing Heb. XIII 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle Luke XV. 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance Luke XXIII 42
tyranny in the one and the Jews malice and mischievousness in the other and upon the full view the Roman and the Jew conspiring together and becoming guilty of this horridest fact that ever was committed under the Sun the murthering of the Lord of life and glory Let us begin first with Pilate who stands first in mention in the Text as he stands representative of Rome whose authority he carried and whose Tyranny in this case he exercised Methinks there is hardly a more remarkable passage in the whole book of the Revelations then that Chap. XIII 2. The Dragon gave his power and seat and great authority unto the Beast Which in plain English is this The Devil gave his power and seat and great authority to Rome For that by the Dragon is meant the Devil there is none but grant and that by the Beast is meant Rome even Romanists themselves do not deny When you read that passage in S. Luke IV. 5 6. that the Devil shewed our Saviour all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them do you not presently conceive that he shewed him Rome her Empire and Glory For then where was the pomp and glory of the World but within that City and Empire And when you read that he said unto him All this power will I give thee and the glory of them do you not presently conceive that he offered to make him Caesar or Lord of that vast Empire if he would fall down and worship him And how pat do these words of his for that is delivered to me and to whomsoever I will I give them agree with these in the Revelations The Dragon gave his power and seat and great authority unto the beast It neither is nor indeed could be said so of the other Monarchies or Empires that had gone before It is not said the Dragon gave his power to the Babylonian Empire nor to the Persian nor Grecian nor Syrogrecian nor indeed could it be so truly and pertinently said so concerning them as concerning Rome For the Dragon had a business for Rome to do which the other neither did nor could do for him which was to put the Lord of life to death The old Serpent knew from of old that he was to bruise the heel of the seed of the woman that he was to compass the death of Messias and it was reserved to Rome and her power and tyranny to be the instrument of such an action and the Dragon gave his power seat and authority to that City for that purpose that it might do his business in murthering Christ and his members after him Pilate who carried with him the authority and commission of that City confessed him innocent and yet condemned him pleaded for him that he was not guilty and yet crucified him and that mainly upon the account of Rome and for her sake because forsooth there must be no King but Caesar or who was set up or kinged by Caesar. In Revel XI 8. where mention is made of slaying the two witnesses it is said their dead carcasses shall lie in the streets of that great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified The last clause where also our Lord was crucified may seem to direct your eyes to Jerusalem but the title The great City which Chap. XVII ult is defined The great City which ruleth over the Kings of the Earth calls them back again to look at Rome as our Lords crucifier by whom that work must be done or not done at all for to such a tenour do the Jews tell Pilate in the Text when they say It is not lawful for us Before ever I should turn Romanist I must be satisfied in this scruple and question How comes the Jew and Jerusalem so cursed a Place and Nation for the murther of our Lord and the Romanist and Rome so blessed as to be the holy mother Church of all the World when that City and Nation had as deep and bloody a hand in the murther of the Saviour of the World as the other if not deeper I remember the story of one of the Grand Seigniors that when he had received a foul and base foil before a poor and contemptible Town Scodra if I mistake not the name for very rancour and vexation and that he might be whetting on himself continually to revenge he commanded him that waited nearest on him to be minding him continually with these words Remember Scodra May I be so bold as to hint such a memorandum to you against Rome As oft as you read or rehearse or hear rehearsed that article in our Creed He suffered under Pontius Pilate Remember Rome and that under that it was our Saviour suffered and the article minds you of so much and if it were not intended for such a memorandum had it not been enough to have said He suffered without any mention of Pontius Pilate at all Let us reason with the Romanist a little after the manner of his own Logick He argues thus Peter was at Rome and sat Bishop there and suffered martyrdom and died there Ergo Rome is the mother Church and head of all Churches We argue in like manner Pilate was at Jerusalem sat Judge there condemned and crucified the Lord of life there and that by the Power and Authority of Rome Ergo let Rome look to it how she clears her self of that fact and guiltiness And so I have done with the first party in mention in the Text Pilate and he invested with the Roman authority The other party are the Jews more peculiarly the Sanhedrin invested also wiâ—â— the Jewish power and Representatives of the whole Nation How busie and active the Jews were in this bloody business needs no illustration of mine the Sacred pens of the Evangelists have done that abundantly Only I might speak to this circumstance and not impertinent question whether the Jews did not indeed think him to be the Messias and yet murthered him Pilate condemned him though he knew him innocent and did not they murther him though they knew him to be the very Christ Methinks that passage in the Parable of the husbandmen in the Vineyard speaks very fairly for the Affirmative Matth. XXI 38. When the husband men saw the Son they said this is the heir come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance They knew him to be the heir and yet they kill him nay they kill him because they know him to be the heir and that by killing him they shall get the inheritance It is said indeed they knew him not Act. XIII 27. which if you interpret that they knew not the dignity of his person and that he was God as well as man the Jews will not be perswaded of the Godhead of Messias to this day that does not deny but that they might take him for the Messias howsoever But I shall not dispute this case If they took him for Messias they thought he was not
at Jerusalem sat near the Altar of burnt offerings half the room where they sat being in that holy Court where the Altar stood And they thought they were bound to sit so near the Altar as long as they might and they thought they were bound while they sat there to execute impartial justice because of the nearness of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine presence which they accounted was always upon the Altar A very needful useful and proper conception and remembrance for every Court of Judicature to take up to think how near the Divine presence is unto them to overlook them how God is close by them near unto them nay as David tells us sitting among them seeing and observing their doing and demeanour in that great employment Therefore being to speak to such a Court if I should be so bold a◠to take on me to direct the way to the impartial administration of justice I could find no more proper way of direction in that case than to mind you of the noble copy you have before you viz. the great Judge Or if I should set my self to exhort to the execution of it I could use no more enforcing and perswasive arguments or exhortations than to mind you how near this great Judge is unto you Behold the Judge standeth before the door But do we behold him Could we see him with these bodily eyes as we see that honourable Person I should need to say no more Such a sight would be Text and Sermon enough and enough again for us But is there no other eye to see him that is invisible It is a true Christians motto I have set the Lord always before me and he sees him though he sees him not and with God in his eye he frameth all his demeanor and carriage and lives and walks and does and suffers and dies as seeing him that is invisible as it is said of Moses Heb. XI 27. But to see him as the great Judge is as I may say a second contemplation of God and as needful as the first The first I call that when the Soul contemplates God as the chiefest choicest only and most desirable Good and so all its affections desires and longings are laid out upon him striving for the enjoyment of him But withal the good soul contemplates God so as to make him his fear and his dread as well as his portion and delight he owns him infinitely just as well as he owns him infinitely good and as he looks upon him as his God so he looks upon him as his Judge Job IX 15. Whom though I were right yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Judge Such a Contemplation of God may the very present occasion call upon us to take up For can so great and remarkable an occasion pass us without some spiritual reflection and heavenly meditation Occasional meditation is a second sacred concoction as I may call it that when the body or sence hath or hath had the use of an earthly occurrence turns it to the good and nourishment of the soul. And shall such an occasion as this you are now entring on pass without some such beneficial spiritual improvement For what kind of heart does he carry that can see the day of an Assise and never think of the great day of judgment that can see a Judge a tribunal arraignings sentencings and never remember that We must all stand before the tribunal seat of Christ nor remember with himself For all these things God will bring thee to judgment Therefore Sursum Corda let us lift up our hearts and let their thoughts carry us beyond sight and sence and pick up the hony of some spiritual meditation from so noble a flower And the Text in some particulars directs us how to do it viz. that as we see the Judge already come and ready to enter upon the work of the Assise so to remember the great Assise is coming the great Judge is coming For he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth Nay behold he standeth behold he standeth before the door But there may be some question what is our Apostles immediate and most intent and direct sence in these words For there are several expressions of the like nature in Scripture which seem to intend more especially the nearness of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation For as Christs pouring down his vengeance in the destruction of that City and people is called his coming in his glory and his coming in judgment and as the destruction of that City and Nation is charactered in Scripture as the destruction of the whole World so there are several passages that speak of the nearness of that destruction that are suited according to such characters Such is that in 1 Cor. X. 11. Upon us the ends of the world are come 1 Pet. IV. 7. The end of all things is at hand Heb. X. 37. Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry And to the very same tendency may this be in the words of the Text Behold the Judge standeth before the door As also that in the Verse before The coming of the Lord draweth nigh There is very much mention in Scripture of the last days and both of exceeding much good and exceeding much evil that should accrew in them Our present dealing is about the latter By the last days are meant the last days of Jerusalem and of that Nation And there is foretold of them that in the last days there should be perillous times 2 Tim. III. 1. That in the last days there should come mockers 2 Pet. III. 3. That in the last times there should come many Antichrists which was an evidence that those were the last times 1 Joh. II. 18. Under those sad times did the poor professors of the Gospel live till God gave them some recovery and refreshment by the ruine of the City and Nation They were times of mockings and scourgings and imprisonments and of most bitter persecution of the Church both by the Jews that never believed and by Apostates that had believed but were revolted from the Gospel and become enemies to it A sad hour of temptation Rev. III. 10. Judgment began at the house of God 1 Pet. IV. 17. A fiery tryal at the thirteenth verse of the same Chapter Therefore the Apostles to bear up the hearts of the poor persecuted and afflicted Saints of God mind them concerning Christs coming in vengeance against that City and people to make an end of the persecution by making an end of the persecutors Instances might be given of this numerously if I would insist upon it Such an one I suppose is that in the verse before Be patient Brethren till the coming of the Lord Be patient for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh And that in the verse of the Text Grudge not Brethren one against another lest you be condemned with them that grudge at you
say unto him I profess this day unto the Lord thy God that I am come unto the Country which the Lord sware unto our Fathers for to give us And the Priests shall take the basket out of thine hand and set it down before the Altar of the Lord thy God And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God A Syrian ready to perish was my Father and he went down into Egypt and soiourned there with a few and became there a Nation great mighty and populous c. likewise there was a form appointed to be said over the beheaded Heifer XXI Deut. 6 7. c. And all the Elders of that City that are next unto the slain man shall wash their hands over the Heiser that is beheaded in the Valley And they shall answer and say Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seen it Be merciful O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto thy people Israels charge The Priests when they blessed the people had also a form prescribed them VI. Numb 23 24. c. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons saying On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord bless thee and keep thee The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee The Lord lift up his Countenance upon thee and give thee peace And David appointed Psalms for the Tabernacle 1 Chron. XVI 7. And the Schools of the Prophets no doubt had Forms delivered to them So John and Christ taught their Disciples to Pray as wellas to Preach He had not been the Great Teacher had he not taught a Form of Prayer We should have been left untaught in not the least thing Consider also in the behalf of prescribed Forms that we poor creatures short fighted in divine things know not what we ought to pray for Peter at the Transfiguration prayed he knew not what IX Luke 33. We often as Adonijah are ready to ask our own Bane There is no man but if God had granted all that ever he asked it would have been worse with him Midas his wish may teach this But that place of the Apostle will be objected against me in Rom. VIII 26. The Spirit helps our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered Therefore we need no forms as long as what we are to pray is dictated to us by the Spirit But I answer T is the Spirit not an Oracle within us to teach us immediately The Word teaches us what and how to ask But the Office of the Spirit is to help our infirmities in asking our infirmities of memory our want of application to ourselves of what we know to be our wants So in the application of Doctrines of Promises the Spirit teaches us no new thing but minds us and brings home to the feeling of our Souls those things we learnt from the Word Consider moreover we had need to be taught of God what language to use when we are speaking to God T is no small thing to betake our selves before him and to speak to him who is the great and living God Now is it an easie thing to speak as we ought to do unto him Jobs friends spake not right things of God XLII Job 7 8. For which God tells them his wrath was kindled against them and requires them to make attonement for it by offering up seven Bullocks and seven Rams Moses could not speak unto Pharaoh IV. Exod. 10. Much less how shall the poor creature address unto the great God Therefore we are advised by the Prophet Hosea when we approach unto God to take words along with us XIV Hos. 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our lips Where you see are express words put into our Mouths to use when we go and make our Confessions unto God Ah! Gracious God how ready art thou to give that biddest us Ak and teachest us to ask also That puttest Words into our Mouths and teachest us what to say to thee He must needs be ready to pardon sin that would prevent sin in our prayers that are begging for pardon Christ well knew the Majesty of God and the necessities of men the need of Prayer and our disability to pray and therefore he left not himself without a witness of infinite mercy and condescention nor us without one of the greatest things that we could have prayed for when he left us this Platform of Prayer When ye pray say c. And so I come to the Prayer or Form it self When ye pray say Our Father c. It is an opinion then that I can rather wonder at then understand that bids when we pray Say not Our Father As I have often grieved to see the neglect and disuse of the Lords Prayer and to hear the reproach that some have cast upon it so have I as seriously as I could considered what ground these have had for the disusing of it and to this hour I rest admiring and no way satisfied why they should refrain it when Christ hath commanded the use of it as plain as words can speak Matth. VI. 9. After this manner pray ye and again in the Text When ye pray say The Cavils that are made against the use of it are obvious I. To avoid superstition for unto such ends it hath been used Here I cannot but think how wild it is to extinguish a thing good per se because another useth it ill To cut down Vines to avoid drunkenness How subject is he that makes it all his Religion to run from a Superstition to run he knows not whether II. Such a narrow Form straitens the heart is too strait stinting the exercise of the gift of Prayer And here I cannot but think of Soloecisms in pride of apparel It is monstrous to make cloths our pride which are only a badge of sin and cover of shame So it is a Soloecism to cast away this Prayer upon presumption that we can pray so well when it is mainly given because we cannot pray at all III. It is generally questioned whether it be a Form of Prayer or a Copy to pray by IV. If a Form yet what warrant have we to subjoyn it to our Prayers as we usually do V. And if both yet that it is not lawful for every one to say Our Father I shall not dispute these Questions The words of the Text plainly answer the most of them Nor that I go about to give the sense of the Petitions There are many good Comments upon them I shall only consider the nature of the Prayer and the manner of its giving that we may be the better satisfied in the manner of its use First As the Ten Commandments are
and all destroyed before Christ came in the flesh as is apparently to be observed there They were the Babylonian Mede-Persian Grecian and Syro-Grecian and after them rose the fift this of the Roman And which is observable and which may be observed out of Roman Records It began most properly to be a Monarchy that very year that our Saviour was born as might be shewed out of Dion c. if material and so Christ and this Roman Beast born and brought forth at the very same time Well the Devil gave his Seat and Power to this Beast this City If you look for any thing but Devilishness and mischief from it you look for Grapes of Thorns and Figs of Thistles True there was in the beginning of the Gospel a flock of Christ there holy and their Faith famous Rom. I. 8. but poor men they were underlings and of no power We speak of Rome in its pomp and power acting in its authority and dominion as it ruled over all the World and as it was invested in the Authority and Seat of the Dragon himself And why did the Devil give his Seat and Power and great Authority to it You may easily guess for what viz. that it should be an enemy to that and them to whom he himself was chiefly an Enemy Christ and his Gospel and his People We cannot say that Rome conquered Nations and subdued Kingdoms by the power of the Dragon so properly as that Rome fought against Christ and his Gospel and People by the power of the Dragon And this was the very end why the Dragon gave him his Seat and Power And that City hath done that work for her Lord and Master the Dragon as faithfully zealously constantly as the Dragon himself could have done For indeed the spirit of the Dragon hath all along acted her and been in her The first cast of her office for her Master and which shews what she would do all along for him was that she murthered Christ himself the Lord of life I said before that it is not said of the Monarchies before that the Dragon gave his power and his seat and great authority to them nor indeed could it so properly be said of them as of Rome For the Dragon had something for Rome to do which they did not could not viz. to murther the Saviour of the World the Lord of Glory In Rev. XI 8. where mention is made of the witnesses Prophesying and being martyred it is said Their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified When you hear of the City where our Lord was crucified you will think of Jerusalem but when you hear of the great City this Apostle teaches us to look at Rome And who can but observe that which our Saviour himself saith concerning himself Luke XVIII 32 33. The Son of man shall be delivered to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully entreated and spitted on And they shall scourge him and put him to death Who was it that so spitefully entreated and put to death the Son of God The Gentiles And who those Gentiles The Evangelists tells you who Pilate the Roman Governor and the Roman Souldiers and that by the Authority and Tyranny of Rome and in the cause of Rome that would have no King but Cesar. There were two Nations that had a hand in the conspiracy of Christs murther the Jew and the Roman and whether of them deeper in the murther The Evangelists tell and the Jews themselves tell that the Roman must do it or it could not be done Joh. XVIII 31. Pilate said unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your Law the Jews therefore said unto him It is not lawful for us to put any man to death Therefore thou must do it or it will not be done And he did it And now as Hannibals father brought him to an Altar and engaged him in an oath to be an enemy to Rome so let me bring your thoughts to Christs cross and engage your hearts in such another enmity Christian it was Rome that murthered thy Saviour and need I to say any more As oft as you read repeat the History of our Saviours bitter passion remember Rome for it was Rome that caused him so to suffer and Pontius Pilate brought him to it by the Authority of Rome And the very frame of the Article in the Creed Suffered under Pontius Pilate hints you to observe and remember such a thing For if it had meant to intimate Christs sufferings only it had been enough to have said He suffered without saying any more but when he saith He suffered under Pontius Pilate it calls you to think of that Power and Tyranny by which he suffered viz. the Power and Tyranny of Rome which Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor acted and exercised And here let us argue with a Romanist according to the cue of his own Logick He saith Peter was at Rome c. Ergo. We argue likewise Pilate was at Jerusalem c. Ergo. Here was a sad beginning and that which speaks plainly why it was that the Devil made Rome his Deputy and invested it in his Seat and Power viz. that it might murther his great enemy the Lord Christ. And this was but too plain a prognostick what it would do to the members of Christ in succeeding generations which how it did there are so many thousand stories written in blood that I need not to mention them I might begin with the Ten Persecutions raised by the Heathen Emperors against the Professors of Christ and his Gospel wherein so many thousand poor Christians were destroyed with the most exquisite torments that could be invented and whereby that City and Empire shewed how zealously it wrought for its Master and would not spare the dry tree when it had cut down the green would not spare Christ in his members who had so little spared him himself in his own person But a Papist will say True indeed Heathen Rome was even as you say but Papal Rome is of another kind of temper It is the Church of Christ the Mother Church the chief of Churches It was Babylon and Sodom and Egypt in the Heathen Emperors time and the seat of the Devil but under the Popes it is Jerusalem Sion and the City of God I should ask him that pleads thus one question and ere ever I should turn Romanist I I. would be resolved of but I doubt the infallible chair it self is not able to resolve it and that is this Whence it is that since the Jew that had a hand in murthering Christ hath laid under a curse ever since and hath been utterly cast off of God for it and is like to be to the end how comes it to pass that the Roman that had a hand as deep in that horrid act if not deeper should be so blessed as to be the only people and
Text When the thousand years are expired Satan III. shall be loosed upon which passage and providence we cannot but stand and muse a little to see Barabbas the Vilain and Murtherer let out of prison and at liberty again Can you but wonder at it that such a horrid Vilain as he should not be kept fast when he was caught and laid fast That Satan did break prison and loose himself from his bands I suppose none can imagine that remember that Christ laid him up and Christ was too strong and too watchful to let such a prisoner escape from him whom he had so fast And the very expression in the Text Satan was loosed from his prison hint that he got not loose himself but was loosed by him that had tyed him up And this in some reflection may speak comfort that the Devil whom God hath in a chain is not at his own disposal and liberty but that God restrains or enlarges binds or looses him at his pleasure He reserves him in chains of the darkness of his wrath and displeasure that he shall not finally escape him and he hath him in the chains of his providence and disposal that at his pleasure he curbs and restrains him rage he never so much and be he never so furious But there are two things here that are a just cause of sadness for this one of comfort First That Christ should let him loose when he had him fast seeing with him there is nothing but mischief Had he broke loose it had been another matter but that Christ should loose him it is something the more bitter to think of as it is very well worth the thinking of Let me relate this story for answer to this strangeness When the cruel and bloody Phocas was Emperor of Greece and the Church and Kingdom lay under very much sadness and affliction under so wretched a Ruler a good and holy man in his zeal and devotion made bold to question God why he had set so wicked a Governor over his People And he received this answer That Phocas indeed was as vile and wicked a Ruler as could be set over them but that the sins of the People had deserved that such a Tyrant should be set over them If any one in like zeal and bitterness of Spirit should be so bold as to question Christ Lord Jesus why shouldest thou let Satan loose when thou hadst him fast seeing thou knewest that he being loose would only do mischief and destroy He might very well receive this most true and just answer That it is indeed a very woful thing that Satan should be let loose to go and deceive the Nations and to lead them into blindness and error but the Nations had deserved that they should be so served And let the Apostles be the Lords interpreters 2 Thes. II. 10. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God sent them strong delusions the great deluder that they might believe a lye God had chained Satan that he should not deceive them in that he had brought in the Gospel among them But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked The World grew wanton with the Gospel and toyed with it They prized it not as they should improved it not as they should slighted the truth embraced error followed their own ways and follies Therefore saith Christ as it is in Esa. LXVI I also will chuse their delusions to give them up to them and because decipi vult hic Populus decipiatur Therefore among them Satan and let them have enough of falshood deceiving and delusion because this people love to have it so Wantoning with the Word of God and dallying with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is but too justly punished with the loss of it and with removing the Candlestick out of its place if men care not to walk by the light of the candle When men will shut their eyes against the light it is no wonder if God make them dwell in darkness This is one sad business that Satan is thus let loose to deceive but behold a second we cometh after it viz. Secondly That he being thus loosed you never find that he is bound again He had been loose before and was bound but loosed here and for ought we find loosed ever Read the Chapter henceforward and you find no end of his deceiving till you find an end of his being In the Text he is deceiving and his army is mustered and marching against the beloved City and what is the next news vers 9. Fire came down from Heaven and devoured them and vers 10. The Devil that deceived them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone Ask you how long shall Satan be thus loose and deceive how long shall his army battel against the Camps of the Saints and besiege the beloved City The Apocalyptick here tells you till his army be destroyed by the fire of Gods vengeance from Heaven and till Satan himself be cast into fire and brimstone A passage which I think is very well worth their considering which look for and speak of such golden and glorious times yet to come before the end of the World Fourthly Satan loosed you see falls to his old trade again of deceiving the Nations IV. A right Jail-bird indeed a Theif that delivered out of prison falls to his old course of theiving again and will not leave till the Gallows ended him Would you not think that a thousand years imprisonment should have wrought some change in him and amendment upon him But bray a fool in a mortar and he will come out a fool still Satan is no changling but will be Satan still Who what he is we shall have occasion to speak to more hereafter Fifthly Among the Deceived by him Gog and Magog is particularly named And V. what is meant by them is variously and by some wildly guessed I might make a long Discourse concerning Gog and Magog and tell you 1. That the Jews from Ezek. XXXVIII XXXIX where there is a dreadful Prophesie concerning Gog do hold that such a dreadful enemy shall appear a little before Messias shall appear and that Elias shall come to fight with him and they tell terrible things about the War of Gog framed out of their own fancy 2. That some Christians by Gog and Magog understand the Turk some the Pope some both Not to trouble you with things more immaterial our Apocalyptick alludes to that Gog in Ezekiel he means not the same person with that Gog there mentioned but one of the same temper and qualities with him So he calls the City where our Lord was crucisied Sodom and Egypt Chap. XI 8. because that City was a place of the like wickedness with them Now that Ezekiel by Gog and the Land of Magog means the Kingdom of the Syro-Grecians or Greek-Syrian more especially Antiochus the great Persecutor of the Jews and their Religion might be copiously
the most power of godliness There is a form and a power of godliness and as much difference between them as between a picture taken to the Life and the live person of whom the picture is taken A form of godliness is like an apparition of a dead person that carries the resemblance of him when he was alive but it is but an empty airy Phantasm an apparition no substance but the power of godliness is that that is substantial and hath life in it a living Religion a fruitful Religion a Religion with power as it is 2 Tim. I. 7. God hath given us not the Spirit of fear but of power I cannot but observe that in 1 Tim. IV. 8. the distinction betwixt bodily exercise and godliness Bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable to all things By bodily exercise he means strictness or austerity used upon the body upon a Religious account much fasting watching lying hard faring hard and even severity upon a mans self The Papists will tell you brave stories of such persons and brag of the stupendious austerity of their Saints Hermits Anchorits Cloisterers how hard they faired how they watched how hard they lay what cold what heat they endured whereas when all is done all that may prove a clean distinct thing from godliness and may prove but little profitable I might speak at large what godliness is as distinct from this what the power of godliness is as distinct from the form and wherein true Religiousness shews forth the power of godliness but I will give you only the Apostles brief description of all Jam. I. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the Fatherless and the Widdows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the World True Religion is that that brings forth the fruits of charity and purity The power of godliness is that that appears in charity and purity to visit the Fatherless and Widdows and to keep unspotted from the World Need I much discourse to shew what a sad cheat Satan puts on them that he deceives to be enemies to the power of godliness If time would permit I might reckon by particulars First Is it not a base cheat of Satan to make men his drudges and deputies to vent his spleen In the Fable the Fox uses the Cats foot to take the apple out of the fire Satan puts such mens fingers into the fire to serve his own turn Sometimes wicked men are instruments in the hand of God to punish the wicked and God when he hath done with the rod throws it into the fire but to be an instrument in the hand of the Devil to persecute godly men is a dreadful cheat of the Devil to bring men to it and if that rod scape fire you might say There is no God Secondly T is a base cheat to bring men to account it godliness to hate godliness to do God service by doing him disservice to cheat men even out of their wits to think it Religion to hate persecute and destroy those that will not be as irreligious ceremonial profane and evil as themselves An old trick that began in Cain 1 Joh. III. 12. and hath been in fashion too much in all time Thirdly To deceive men that profess the Gospel to persecute the Gospel is to cheat men to the very height of iniquity Some think this carries a great smatch of the sin against the Holy Ghost Certainly it will be hard for you to name a greater impiety Error in Religion is sad and lamentable corruption in manners is sinful and deplorable but to persecute and hate the power of godliness breaths the very breath and lungs of the Devil A SERMON PREACHED AT ELY Novemb. V. MDCLXXII 2 PET II. 15. Who have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Bozor who loved the wages of unrighteousness THE last days of Jerusalem are charactered in Scripture in one regard the best of times in another the worst The best in regard of the dealing of God the worst in regard of the dealing of men For I. As to the dealing of God In the last days of that City for so is that expression to be understood most commonly when we meet with mention of the last days God sent his Son Heb. I. 2. In the last days of that City God poured down his Spirit Act. II. 17. In the last days of that City was the mountain of the Lords house exalted above the mountains and many Nations flowed unto it Es. II. 2. And in a word in the last days of that City were accomplished all the great things that God promised concerning Christ the coming of the Gospel and calling of the Gentiles The happiest times that ever came in regard of Gods actings II. But in regard of the actings of men the most unhappy and wretched For in those last days were perillous times 2 Tim. III. 1. In those last times there were those that departed from the faith 1 Tim. IV. 1. In those last times were Mockers 2 Pet. III. 2. And in a word in those last times were many Antichrists 1 John II. 18. By which saith the Apostle we know that they are the last times And hence the generation of those times are pictur'd so black and ugly all along the New Testament An evil and adulterous generation Mat. XII 39. An untoward generation Act. II. 40. A generation of vipers Mat. XXIII 33. And in a word a generation that no man can speak out their wickedness for so the Prophet means Esay LIII 8. Who shall declare his generation Meaning the wickedness of the generation wherein Christ lived The men the Apostle speaks of in the words of the Text are the worst of that generation as that generation was the worst of all before it That the very dregs of time and these the very dregs of those dregs In so much that if you would give forth a lot to find out the wickedest generation of men and the wickedest men of the generation that had been from the beginning of the world till those times that generation and those men would be taken How these men are pictured at large in their proper ugly colours and complection in those places in the Epistles to Timothy in the Epistle of Jude and this Chapter all along you may read at leisure What their Character is in the words that are before us gives a fair conjecture what they are in their full description and the words speak them bad and bad again though they say no more of them They have forsaken the right way and are gone astray c. They are gone out of the right way and have betaken them to the wrong and have chosen even the worst of wrong ways the way of Balaam Of him and of his actings you have the story in Numb XX and forwards and the Apostle gives a very fair Epitome of it here in a very few
You have mention of her armies Dan. IX ult but with this brand upon them that they are called The abominable army that maketh desolate there styled by their Vulgar Latine as in Matth. XXIV the abomination of desolation But thirdly That which tops up all is that she is called Babylon in this Book of the Revelations and described there as she is For that by Babylon is meant Rome the Romanists themselves will readily grant you if you will grant them the distinction of Rome Pagan and Christian Imperial and Pontifical And the last verse of Chap. XVII puts the matter out of all doubt where it says that the Woman the scarlet Whore which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Upon which every one that is acquainted with the Rome-history must needs conclude that no City can there be understood like the City Rome Now it is a very improper inquest to look for the new Jerusalem in a place that must perish for ever to look for the holy City among the abominable armies and to look for Sion the City of God in Babylon that Mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth Secondly Whereas old Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation incurred so great a curse and guilt for the murther of the Lord of life as we all know it did it requireth very cogent arguments to prove that Rome that had a hand as deep in that murther should obtain so great a blessing and happiness on the contrary as to be the only Church in the World and the Mother of all Churches There is no Christian but knoweth how deep a hand Jerusalem had in that horrid fact and he knoweth but little that knoweth not that Pontius Pilate was Deputy for Rome there and how deeply also he was ingaged in it as her Deputy And so much be spoken concerning the very Place and how unlikely it is to find the new Jerusalem there How improper it is to imagine that that should be the City of God of which God himself in his Word speaks not one good Word but evil to imagine that he should choose that of all Cities for his dearest spouse that of all Cities had the deepest hand in the murther of his dear Son II. Concerning their Church and Religion If these men that pretend to lead men to the new Jerusalem and lead them to Rome would but speak out and plain and tell them that they will lead them to the old Jerusalem and so lead them to Rome they speak something likely For what is the Church and Religion of Rome but in a manner that of old Jerusalem translated out of Judaick into Roman and transplanted out of Palestina into Italy And there is hardly an easier or a clearer way to discover that she is not the new Jerusalem then by comparing her with the old as God doth most clearly discover the Jerusalem then being Ezek. XXIII by comparing her with Samaria and Sodom divers hours would scarce serve to observe the parallel in all particulars and punctually to compare the Transcript with the Original I shall only and briefly hint two things to you to that purpose And First Let me begin with that distinction that the Jews have in their writings once and again of the Mosaick Law and the Judaick Law or the Law of Moses and the Law of the Jews And they will tell you such and such things are transgressions of the Mosaick Law and such and such are transgressions of the Judaick Law And as they themselves do make the distinction so they themselves did cause the distinction What they mean by the Mosaick Law we all understand and by their Judaick Law they mean their Traditional Law which they call the Law unwritten While they kept to the Law of Moses for a rule of faith and life as they did under the first Temple they did well in point of Doctrine and no heresie and heterodoxy tainted them but when they received and drank in Traditions as they did under the second Temple they drank in their own bane and poison There is in Scripture frequent mention of the last days and the last times by which is meant most commonly the last days of old Jerusalem and of the Jewish oeconomy when they were now drawing toward their dissolution But from what date or time to begin her last days may be some question If you date them from the time she first received and entertained her traditions you do but fit the calculation to the nature of the thing calculated For then did she fall into the consumption and disease that brought her to her grave then did she catch that infection and plague that never left her but grew upon her till it made her breath her last in a fatal end Traditions spoiled her Religion and brought her to worship God in vain teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men Matth. XV. 9. Traditions spoiled her manners and trained her up in a vain conversation received by tradition from the Fathers 1 Pet. I. 18. In a word Traditions as they made the Law so they made the Gospel of no effect and the doctrine of Christ the death of Christ the belief in Christ to be but needless business and things to no purpose Nay Traditions leavened them to hate the Gospel to murther Christ and to persecute his Disciples For by the principles of their Traditions they could do no less than all these Now surely Jerusalem that is above is above this infection and the new holy City certainly brought no such infection from Heaven nor was tainted with this contagion which was the death of the old as a Priest in Israel could hardly be infected with Leprosie But you may see the tokens upon the Church of Rome very thick traditions upon traditions some of so like stamp to those of old Jerusalem that you can hardly know them asunder but all of the like effect and consequence that they make the Gospel of none effect as those did the Law and causing men to worship God in vain while they are taught for Doctrines the commandments of men How great a part of their Religion is nothing else but the commandments of men and other Traditions and how great a part of their Church is built upon nothing else The very chief corner stone in all their fabrick is of no better substance and solidity viz. that S. Peter was Bishop there and there was martyred when the Scripture and reason gives a far fairer probability that he was Apostle to the circumcision in Babylonia and there ended his days Secondly You would hardly think that there was a worse brood in the old Jerusalem than those that we have spoken of the men so infected with the Plague and with a Frenzy with it of traditions And yet I can name you a worse and that was those that had forsaken their Judaism and entertained and embraced the Gospel but at last apostatized from it and revolted to their old
the virtue of his blood i. e. of his obedience and righteousness so see what the same Apostle saith of his Exaltation Phil. II. 8 c. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow c. And think here Christian what a stock of obedience and righteousness here is for thee to answer and satisfie for thy disobedience and unrighteousness if thou become a child of the Covenant as this blood was the blood of the Covenant It is said in Dan. IX 26. That Messiah should be cut off but not for himself This blood of the New Testament was not shed for himself but for many And here is enough for every soul that comes to him be they never so many Like the Widdows oyl in the Book of the Kings there is enough and enough again as long as any Vessel is brought to receive it And this may direct us toward the forming of the reliance of our Faith upon the blood of Christ the great work that a Christian hath to do for his Justification and Salvation Which will be the more cleared to us by considering how his blood is the blood of the Covenant Which is the next thing we should speak to had we time to do it A SERMON PREACHED UPON HEBREWS XIII 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle THERE is one that asks our Saviour Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life Mat. XIX 16. And another that asks his great Apostle What must I do to be saved Act. XVI 30. The questions mean one and the same thing but only proposed in different expressions And the answers tend to one and the same purpose though proposed in terms very different Our Saviour answers If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments The Apostle answers If thou wilt be saved believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The one proposeth Faith the other proposeth Good works not in such contrariety as the Apostle James speaks of Faith and Works Chap. III. but in such consonancy as that the one is subservient unto the other keeping of the Commandments towards the bringing on of Faith and Faith to the breeding and forwarding the keeping of the Commandments and both to obtain eternal life I will speak at present of the absolute necessity of Faith for the obtaining eternal life and therefore have I chosen these words which I have read to you which seem at first sight to be meer strangers to such a subject but when explained and rightly understood are very pertinent to such a matter I say rightly understood for there are many the Popish Expositors especially that understand them exceedingly wrong and as far from the Apostles meaning as likely can be By we have a Altar they understand the Altar in their Churches viz. the Table where they administer the Sacrament and thence they call the Sacrament The Sacrament of the Altar A title that hath been too common in England and which hath cost many a good man very dear The Lord grant the title be never known here any more But the title of the Altar is commonly known among us still and ask many why they call it an Altar they will be ready to produce this place of the Apostle We have an Altar As if the Apostle who had been crying down the service and sacrifices of the Altar all along this Epistle and shewed that they were but shadows and to vanish when the substance appeared should set them up again and build up anew what he had so earnestly set himself to destroy As if Gedeon that destroyed the Altar of Baal in the night should fall awork in the morning and build it up again But the Altar in the Apostles meaning here is Christ himself And as he had called him an High Priest and a Sacrifice along in the Epistle before so he calls him also the Altar here shewing that all those things did but represent him and that he was the substance and reality of those shadows He shews how he was the Great High Priest in the later end of the fourth and along the fifth Chapter He shews how he was the great Sacrifice in the ninth and tenth Chapters and how he was the great Altar he shews at this place We have an Altar And that he means Christ by the Altar is apparent by two things that follow to omit more that might be collected by the context The first is in the words immediately following For those beasts whose blood was brought by the High Priest into the holy place for sin their bodies were burnt without the Camp Therefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate His argumentation is this The great solemn Sacrifice for sin on the day of attonement was not burnt upon the Altar in the Temple but was burnt without the City so Christ was sacrificed without the gate so that whosoever will partake of that true Sacrifice for sin must go to the Altar there and not to the Altar within the Temple And in the next verse but one he shews yet more plainly that he means Christ by our Altar ver 13. Therefore by him let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God As on the Altar in the Temple they offered their Sacrifices and Thank-offerings so by him as on our Altar Let us offer our sacrifice of praise to God So that in the words you have an Affirmative assertion and a Negative The Affirmative That we have Christ for our Altar The Negative That they that serve the Tabernacle have no right to eat of this Altar The Affirmative comfortable to every true Christian the later seems comfortless for every true Jew The reason of the Negative assertion we may inquire more particularly into afterwards To the former to speak at present we take up this Observation from it That he that will offer any sacrifice acceptable to God must go to Christ as the true Altar on which to offer it No sacrifice among the Israelites could be accepted if it were not offered on the Temple-altar And it was Gods special command Thou shalt not offer thy sacrifice in any of thy Cities but shalt go to the Altar of the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse Nor can any sacrifice be acceptable to God of any Christian but what is offered to him upon the Altar of his appointment the Lord Christ where alone is attonement for sinners As Priesthood and Sacrifice were typical and signified to this purpose so also was the Altar of the same signification And whereas there were two Altars at the Temple one for Sacrifice the other for Incense they did both but represent Christ and his acting
Earth with the everlastingness of God makes them as of no lastingness at all Psal. CII 26 27. They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end 2. The longest life compared with the Saints in Glory is as nothing 2 Cor. V. 1. This Tabernacle always dissolving what is it to an Eternal building in the Heaven Here we have none abiding City saith the Apostle but he saith again 1 Thess. IV. 17. that we shall be ever with the Lord. Here our life is but a vapour Jam. IV. as a Sleep Psal. XC as nothing but there we shall live as long as the Lord himself shall live 3. The longest life compared with the long lives that some have lived to wit the Patriarchs before the flood is but of very few days and but as an inch to an ell And so Jacob compares his life Gen. XLVII 9. Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been That is few and full of misery have they been Jacob was of a very fair age an hundred and thirty years old and so old a Man as it is likely Pharaoh had never seen so aged and venerable a head and therefore you find him asking him but that one question How old art thou And yet in Jacob's computation his age was but short in comparison of his Fathers that had gone before him his hundred and thirty compared with Adam's nine hundred and thirty or Methuselah's nine hundred sixty nine So that we are not to judge of long life so comparatively but simply and to measure it by the common stint of Nature that God hath set Which Moses holds out to us Psal. XC 10. The days of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years c. And so length of life is to be understood that that reacheth up to that stint and limit of nature So that though seventy or eighty years be but a short time in comparison of the Eternity of God and of Heaven and in comparison of the ages heretofore yet it is a long life because it reacheth up to the utmost on Natures allowance And it is a long time if we consider humane frailty that a poor piece of clay a Man as brittle as glass as unstable as water as fading and fleeting as a blast or shaddow a poor thing that carries death in its principle and walks in danger of death every moment should come up to seventy or eighty years and the pitcher and glass not broken It is a long time for that which is frailty it self to hold so from breaking So that though comparatively to come up to the full stint of Nature be but a short life yet simply considered it is a long time for so brittle a thing to hold out A long time for an ungodly Man to be provoking of God all along and a long time for a godly man to be from home in this sinful world and not got to Heaven But if long life be so frequent in the mouth of God as a promise of a blessing How was it that God shortned mens lives when they were at a fair length I have formerly observed to you that lives were shortned at the Flood and brought from a thousand years almost to about five hundred or not so much Shortned again at the building of Babel and cut from about five hundred to two hundred or little more And when God gives the Ten Commandments at Sinai and this promise in this Commandment he was to shorten lives again which he did within a year and an half or thereabout after he had given this promise at Sinai Now if long life were such a promise such a blessing why did he not suffer lives to stand at their first stint or at that length that those lived before the flood Let us a little consider the length of those first lives and then the shortning of them Some ascribe the length of them to natural causes as that then their bodies were more big strong and vigourous than men are now and that the Elements were then more pure and uncorrupted than they became after and that their diet was more moderate wholesome and nourishing Which if it were so though some question may be made of it yet certainly there was something more concurrent to the prolongation of their lives to that long extent than merely natural causes Their Diet indeed was changed after the flood from eating herbs and fruits of the ground to a liberty to eat flesh and to that referr the words of Lamech upon the naming of his Son Noah Gen. V. 29. And he called his Name Noah saying this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed That is he shall be a comfort to the world in that liberty to eat flesh that shall be granted to him which will be a great ease from the toil and tugging used before to get all the provision they used by toyling in the ground But were the Elements changed after the flood as well as their Diet was changed First We might ascribe the length of their lives something to the promise of life through Christ that was given to Adam And the nearer they were to the giving of the promise the more might we conceive they received bodily vigor from the promise for temporal life as well as spiritual life and vigor of soul to life eternal What was that that made Israel to multiply and to be so fruitful in Egypt even when they were overtoiled and worn out with labour St. Stephen tells you Act. VII 17. that is was the strength of the promise When the time of the promise drew nigh which God had sworn to Abraham the people grew and multiplied in Egypt This it was and not the strength of nature that made the men though over spent with hard toil and labour yet to be vigorous for generation And this was it that made the Hebrew Woman so lively and quick in time of travail and delivery incomparably beyond the Woman of Egypt as the Midwives do relate of them to Pharaoh Exod. I. 19. For that was not a lye of the Midwives as divers Expositors will tell you it was but it was a true relation of them observing the wonderful hand of God in such a strange matter But Secondly We are to consider that in that minority of the world God spared men to very long lives for propagation sake and the peopling of the world And this methinks is hinted in that constant expression Gen. V. and XI and begat Sons and Daughters It might be some Question whether the holy and prophane before the flood and after had their lives lengthned alike Seth the Son of Adam a holy Man lived nine hundred and twelve
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
the Lord because of its prevalency against all enemies whatsoever whilest it continued to be the Lords through the strength of those promises that were made unto it but when it forsook the Lord and became prophane it is threatned that it shall become as the other Ariel or the Altar where was continually abundance of shedding of blood and slaughter Esai XXIX 1 2. The very top of the Altar was four and twenty cubits square and this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maaracah or the Hearth where as we observe elsewhere there were fires continually burning but especially one very great one for the Sacrifices And thus was the bulk and platform of the Altar It was a large pile of ten cubits high rising by degrees so as that at the foot it was two and thirty cubits on every side of the square but at the top came to be but four and twenty The rising thus 1. The base one cubit rising and then the square lessened a cubit 2. The body of the Altar rising plain five cubits and then lessening one cubit in the square 3. A cubit rising again and the square lessening a cubit and at the bench where it narrowed there stood the four horns out at the four corners 4. A rising again one cubit and a narrowing one cubit and there was the bench where the Priests stood to serve 5. And then a rising two cubits and there was the Hearth Thus stood the Altar and thus stood the Priests upon the highest bench to serve but how came they up thither If they could have gone up the steps that we have mentioned namely where the square still descended yet was it unlawful because of that command Exod. XX. 26. But they could not go up that way neither for we have seen that between the first bench and the second there was five cubits rising which is a measure far beyond any Mans stepping up the way therefore for them to go both to the top of the Altar to their bench two cubits below the top and to the other benches as there was occasion was thus provided There c c c Mid. per. 3 was a gentle rising Cawsey for so let us call it they called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chebbesh on the South side of the Altar sixteen cubits broad that began two and thirty cubits from the Altar foot and rose easily to the head of it in a gentle descent made of the same materials that the Altar was of which hereafter so that this Cawsey lay out from the Altar two and thirty cubits on the South side leaving on either side it four cubits breadth which it wanted of the breadth of the Altar On d d d Gloss. in Tamid per. ult Maym. in beth babbech per. 2. the West side of it there stood two Tables one of Silver on which they set and laid the Vessels of the Service the other of Marble which was called the Table of the Fat on which they laid the pieces of the Sacrifice when they were to be brought up to the Altar And there was also on e e e Middoth ubi supra the same side of it and as f f f C. Lemp in Mid. pag. 112. it is probably conjectured made in the very side of the Cawsey or rise it self a place into which those birds that being present to be offered did prove unfit were cast till some convenient time to convey them away this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebubah for so we may conclude upon g g g Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Nathan's credit who so readeth though others differ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h Maym in beth habbech per. 2. And there saith the general consent they laid up the Birds unmeet for Offering i i i Tamid per. 1. On the East side of it was the place where they laid the guts and garbidge of the Birds that were offered and where he that cleansed the Incense Altar poured down the ashes he brought forth and he that brought the first ashes from off the Burnt-offering Altar did the like But these things continued long there after they were laid down but were speedily by some or other conveyed away k k k Tamid per. 7. By the Marble Table which called the Table of the Fat the Priests stood when they sounded their Trumpets at the time of Divine Service The l l l Talm. in Zevach per. 6. ordinary way of going up this Cawsey or Bridge or call it what you will was on the right side of it that is on the East and to come down on the West only upon three occasions mentioned in the place cited in the Margine he came down the same way he went up but backward and this helps us somewhat to understand a story which we shall have occasion to look after elsewhere related in Joma m m m Ioma per. ◠of two Priests going a strife who should first get up to cleanse the Altar of its ashes which was the first work done in the Morning the one of them thrust the other off the bridge and broake his leg because they went so near the sides though they had room enough to have gone up in the middle without danger but the manner was not to go up that way As n n n Maym. ubi supr a Man went up first there was a little Cawsey on the East side that brought him from the first beginning of this great Cawsey to the Foundation of the Altar if he had occasion to go thither And as he went up higher when he was come as high as the Circuit there was another to carry him off thither if he had occasion to sprinkle blood upon the horns of the Altar But above that I read not of any such come off not that the Priests had not constant occasion to step off to the uppermost ledge or bench for there they used to stand continually when they were turning the pieces in the fire or the like but because by the time that the rise was come up thither the step off was so easie that a less matter than what deserved the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bridge would serve the turn Thus was the form of the Altar and the ascent to it but I must mention here before I have done with the form of it somewhat that was visible upon it that had some reference also to the form of it and that was o o o Middoth p. 3. A red line that went round about it in the just middle between the bottom and the top to be a direction to the Priests that they might sprinkle the blood above or beneath for sometime they did the one and sometime the other as we shall shew when we treat concerning Sacrifice as the occasion called upon them to do and not mistake For whereas some blood was to be poured or sprinkled at the bottom of the Altar and