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
could not relieve themselves Issachar Iair 22 is sluggish and unactive at home as Gen. 49. 14. yet thus active abroad in Iair 23 Tola now and in Baasha in after times 1 King 15. 27. and both in and about the same place Shechem and Samaria CHAP. X. Ver. 3 4 5. World 2797 Iair 1 Iair 2 JAIR or Jairus a Gileadite judgeth two and twenty years he was a man Iair 3 of great honour having thirty sons that were lords of thirty Cities and Iair 4 that rode upon thirty Asses of state like Judges or men of honour as Chap. Iair 5 5. 10. This is not that Jair that is mentioned by Moses as if he had spoken Iair 6 of this man and these Towns prophetically but this is one of the same family Iair 7 and of the same name as Tola that went before him is of the same name with Iair 8 the first-born of Issachar Gen. 46. 13. And whereas it is said by Moses that Iair 9 Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small Towns of Gilead and called them Iair 10 Iair 11 Havoth Jair Numb 32. 41. Deut. 3. And whereas it is said here that Jairs Iair 12 thirty sons had thirty Cities which were called Havoth Jair it is to be understood Iair 13 that thirty of those threescore Villages that old Jair had conquered and possessed Iair 14 in the time of the first plantation of the land these sons of this Jair being Iair 15 of this line had repaired and brought Iair 16 ELY born in the sixteenth of Jair into the form of Cities and dwelt in Iair 17 Iair 18 them and yet they retained their old Iair 19 name of Havoth Jair for the honour of him that first wan and planted them Iair 20 That old Jair was the son of Segub the son of Prince Hesron by Machirs daughter Iair 21 1 Chron. 2. 22. and so by his father side of Judah and by his mothers of Iair 22 Manasseh CHAP. X. from Vers. 6. to the end JEphtah a Gileadite ariseth a Judge after Jair but there is some scruple first to be resolved and removed concerning his time and the oppression that he was raised to remove It is said vers 6 7 8. that Jair died and the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord and he sold them into the hands of the Philistims and that year they oppressed the children of Israel eighteen years Now the question is when these eighteen years began and whether they are to be taken for a sum of years apart from the years of the Judges or to be reckoned with them and what is meant by that expression and that year they vexed Israel Answer These eighteen years are to be reckoned together with the last eighteen years of Jair and they began with his fifth year for though he be said to have judged two and twenty years yet it is not to be so understood as if no enemy peeped up in all that time for we shall see the contrary cleared by the Judgeship of Samson but the meaning is that the Lord at the first stirred him up for a deliverer and wrought some great deliverance by him in the beginning of his time and afterward he continued a Judge and one that sought the reformation of his people but he could neither work that to keep them from Idolatry nor work their total deliverance to keep their enemies under but in his fifth year Idolatry broke out in Israel and continued to a horrid increase so in that very year that this Idolatry broke out their oppressours broke in upon them and kept them under for eighteen years and Jair could not help it but it continued so till his death so that the beginning of Vers. 6. is thus to be rendered in Chronical construction Now the children of Israel had done evil again c. This long oppression at last forceth Israel to seek the Lord and to forsake their Idolatry and the Lord findeth out Jephtah for a deliverer CHAP. XI XII to Ver. 8. World 2819 Iephtach 1 JEPHTAH judgeth six years subdueth the Ammonites sacrificeth his own Iephtach 2 daughter and destroyeth 42000 Ephraimites He was the son of Gilead Iephtach 3 by a concubine this was not that Gilead that was Machirs immediate son but Iephtach 4 one that bare the name of that old Gilead and so we observed of Tola and Iephtach 5 Jair before Jair was the chief man in one half of Gilead and Gilead in another Iephtach 6 Jephtah being expelled out of his fathers family for bastardy betaketh him to arms in the land of Tob in Syria and prospereth and thereupon his prowess being heard of he is called home again and made commander in chief in Gilead In his transactions with the King of Ammon he mentioneth three hundred years of Israels dwelling in Heshbon and Aroer c. in which sum five and thirty of the forty years in the wilderness are included in which they were hovering upon those parts although they dwelt not in them it was now three hundred and five years since their coming out of Egypt His vow concerning his daughter may be scanned in these particulars 1. That his vow in general was of persons for 1. he voweth that whatsoever should come forth of the doors of his house 2. Whatsoever should come to meet him now it is not likely nor proper to understand this of Sheep and Bullock for who can think of their coming out of his house much less of their coming to meet him 3. How poor a business was it to vow to sacrifice a Bullock or Sheep for such a victory Therefore his vow relateth to persons and so might it be translated Whosoever cometh forth 2. What would he do with his vowed person Make him a Nazarite He might vow the thing but the performance lay upon the persons own hand Dedicate him to the Sanctuary Why he might not serve there as not being a Levite Sequester him from the world He might indeed imprison him but otherwise the sequestring from the world lay upon the persons own hand still Suppose one of his married maid servants or man-servants or his own wife had met him first what would he have done with any of them Therefore I am inforced by the weighing of these and other circumstances in the Text to hold with them that hold he sacrificed his daughter indeed though I have been once of another mind And it seemeth that this was a part of the corruption of those times and was but mutato nomine a sacrifice to Molech the God of the Ammonites against whom he was now to go to sight when he maketh this vow The Sanhedrin undoubtedly was now sitting and there was the Priest-hood attending upon the Ark at Shiloh and yet is Israel now so little acquainted with the Law that neither the Sanhedrin nor the Priests can resolve Jephtah that his vow might have been redeemed Levit. 27. But they suffer her thus to be massacred
Christ from beyond Jordan into Judea again He staies two days after he had received the message in the same place where the messenger found him and in the story of this Section he is set forward And being now upon his last journey to Jerusalem he foretelleth to his Disciples what should become of him there They followed him with fear and amazement before foreseeing that he went upon his own danger and yet when he had spoken the thing out to them at the full they understood him not SECTION LXVIII MATTH Chap. XX. from Ver. 20. to Ver. 29. MARK Chap. X. from Ver. 35. to Ver. 46. The request of Zebedees sons They are told of their Martyrdom THe order is plain of it self and yet the connexion is somewhat strange for in the last words before Christ had foretold of his death yet the Sons of Zebedee here desire to sit on his right hand and left in his Kingdom Galatius resolves it thus Discipuli in errore aliquando fuerunt credentes Christum illico post resurrectionem terreni regni sceptro potiturum unde quidam eorum super caeteros primatum ambientes c. The Disciples sometimes were mistaken conceiving that Christ presently after his resurrection should obtain the scepter of an earthly Kingdom whereupon some of them ambitious of priority above the rest desired to sit on his right hand and left c. lib. 4. cap. 1. It is true indeed that the Jewish Nation and the Disciples with them erred in judging about Messias his Kingdom Act. 1. but they erred as far also about Messias his Resurrection till experience had informed them better Therefore it cannot well be imagined that the Wife and Sons of Zebedee thought of Christs Resurrection in this their request but conceived of his temporal Kingdom according to the notions of the rest of the Nation about it What therefore our Saviour had spoken instantly before of his being scourged crucified killed and Rising again they understood in some figurative sense or other but the Evangelists plainly tell us they understood it not in the sense that he spake it It may be his naming these two The sons of thunder gave them some blind incouragement to such a request Christ foretels his own death and their suffering Martyrdom under the title of Baptism in which sense the Apostle also useth the word 1 Cor. 15. 29. The Jewish baptizings or dippings in their purifications was a very sharp piece of Religion when in frost and snow and wind and weather they must over head and ears in cold water from which the phrase was used to signifie death and the bitterest sufferings The Jerusalem Gemarists do tell us that the Women of Galilee grew barren by reason of the cold in their purifyings R. Aha in the name of Tanchum bar R. Chaia saith In the days of R. Joshua ben Levi they sought to abolish this dipping because of the women of Galilee which were made barren by reason of the cold R. Joshua ben Levi saith Do ye seek to abolish a thing that fenceth Israel from transgression c. Beracoth fol. 6. col 3. SECTION LXIX LUKE Chap. XVIII Ver. 35. to the end MATTH Chap. XX. from Ver. 29. to the end MARK Chap. X. from Ver. 46. to the end Blind healed CHRIST in his journey from beyond Jordan to Bethany for the raising of Lazarus passeth through Jericho and he healeth one blind man as he entreth into Jericho of which Luke speaketh and another as he goeth out of which the other two Matthew indeed speaketh of two healed as he came out of Jericho comprehending it may be the story of him that was healed on the other side of the Town and this together in one story for briefness sake Or if there were two healed on this side of the Town Mark only mentions one because he rather aimeth at shewing of the manner or kind of the miracle then at the number as we have observed the like before at Sect. 39. SECTION LXX LUKE Chap. XIX from the beginning to Ver. 29. Zaccheus a Publican converted THe order lies plain in ver 1. Christ was passed through Jericho before he met with Zaccheus c. Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai hath made the name Zaccai or Zaccheus renowned in Jewish writings his Father Zaccai might very well be now alive and for any difference of the times might well enough be the Zaccheus before us but that some other circumstances do contradict it Whosoever this man was it is observable that though his name Zaccheus speak him a Jew yet Christ reputes him not a Child of Abraham till he believe ver 19. Ver. 11. They thought that the Kingdom of Heaven should immediately appear Observe this this they had learned from Dan. 9. where the time is so punctually determined that they that looked for the consolation of Israel could not but observe it and they that observed could not but see it now accomplished SECTION LXXI JOHN Chap. XI from Ver. 17. to the end of the Chapter Lazarus raised Caiaphas Prophecieth NOw is Christ come up to Bethany Whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by Talm. Bab. Pasachin fol. 53. facie 1. where they speak of the figs of Bethhene and the dates of Tubni be the same with this Bethany we shall not dispute here Both a Town and some space of ground about it was called by this name Bethany As he had staied in the place where he was when he heard of Lazarus sickness purposely that he might die before he came to him that God might be the more glorified by his raising ver 15. so did he make sure to stay long enough after he was dead before he came that the glory might be the more He had been four days dead ver 39. Compare with this these sayings of the Jews Maym. in Gerushin per. ult If one look upon a dead man within three days after his death he may know him but after three days his visage is changed Jerus in Moed Katon fol. 82. col 2. Three days the Soul flies about the body as if thinking to return to it but after it sees the visage of the countenance changed it leaves it and gets it gone Upon the miracle wrought the Jews seek to kill Jesus and Lazarus both whereupon Jesus goeth to a City called Ephraim ver 54. Talm. Bab. in Menachoth fol. 85. fac 1. Juchne and Mamre Jannes and Jambres said to Moses Dost thou bring straw to Ephraim Gloss. Ibi. Juchne and Mamre were the chief Sorcerers of Egypt they when Moses began to do miracles thought he had done them by magick they said Dost thou bring straw to Ephraim Ephraim was a place that exceedingly aboundeth with corn and darest thou bring Corn thither meaning Dost thou bring Sorceries into Egypt that abounds so with Sorceries Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephraim was a City in the Land of Israel where there was abundance of Corn. Where is the chiefest provision for Offerings The chiefest
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
Hebron very many things are said by very many men The City was called Hebron that is A Consociation perhaps from the Pairs there buried Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their wives Not a few believe Adam was buried there in like manner some that he was buried once and buried again e e e e e e Idem fol. 5. 1. Adam said say they after my death they will come perhaps and taking my bones will worship them but I will hide my Coffin very deep in the Earth in a Cave within a Cave It is therefore called The Cave Macpelah or the doubled Cave CHAP. L. Of the Cities of Refuge HEBRON the most eminent among them excites us to remember the rest a a a a a a Bab. Maccoth fol. 9. 2. The Rabbines deliver this Moses separated three Cities of refuge beyond Jordan and against them Josua separated three Cities in the land of Canaan And these were placed by one another just as two ranks of Vines are in a Vinyard Hebron in Judea against Bezer in the Wilderness Shechem in Mount Ephraim against Ramoth in Gilead Cadesh in Mount Nephthali against Golan in Basan And these three were so equally disposed that there was so much space from the South coast of the land of Israel to Hebron as there was from Hebron to Schechem and as much from Hebron to Shechem as from Shechem to Cadesh and as much from Shechem to Cadesh as from Cadesh to the North coast of the land b b b b b b Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 8. It was the Sanhedrins business to make the ways to those Cities convenient by enlarging them and by removing every stop against which one might either stumble or dash his foot No hillock or river was allowed to be in the way over which there was not a bridge and the way leading thither was at least two and thirty cubits broad And every double way or in the parting of the ways was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Refuge Refuge lest he that fled thither might mistake the way c c c c c c Maccoth fol. 11. 1. The Mothers of the high Priest used to feed and cloth those that for murder were shut up in the Cities of Refuge that they might not pray for the death of their sons since the Fugitive was to be restored to his Country and Friends at the death of the high Priest but if he died before in the City of Refuge his bones were to be restored after the death of the high Priest d d d d d d Maimon in the place above The Jews dream that in the days of the Messias three other Cities are to be added to those six which are mentioned in the Holy Scripture and they to be among the Kenites the Kenezites and the Kadmonites Let them dream on e e e e e e Bab. Sanhedr fol. 18. 2. Let him that kills the high Priest by a sudden chance fly to a City of Refuge but let him never return thence Compare these words with the State of the Jews killing Christ. CHAP. LI. Beth-lehem THE Jews are very silent of this City nor do I remember that I have read any thing in them concerning it besides those things which are produced out of the Old Testament this only excepted that the a a a a a a Beracoth fol. 5. 1. Jerusalem Gemarists do confess that the Messias was born there before their times b b b b b b Just. Martyr Apol. 2. pag. 75 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bethlehem is a certain Town in the land of the Jews thirty five furlongs distant from Jerusalem and that toward the South The Father of the Ecclesiastical Annals citing these words of Eusebius c c c c c c Euseb. Eccles. hist. lib. 4. cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. thus renders them in Latine d d d d d d Baron Annal. ad annum Christ. 137. Jam vero cum decimo octavo anno imperii Hadriani bellum juxta urbem Beth-lehem nuncupatam quae erat rerum omnium praesidiis munitissima neque adeo longe a Civitate Hierosolymarum sita vehementius accenderetur c. But now when in the eighteenth year of the Empire of Adrian the war was more vehemently kindled near the Town called Beth-lehem which was very well fortified with all manner of defence nor was seated far from the City of Jerusalem c. The Interpreter of Eusebius renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth-thera not illy however it be not rendered according to the letter Perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crept into the word instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the carelesness of the Coppiers But by what liberty the other should render it Beth-lehem let himself see Eusebius doth certainly treat of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Betar it is vulgarly written Bitter of the destruction of which the Jews relate very many things with lamentation which certainly is scarcely to be reckoned the same with Bethlehem The same Father of the Annals adds that Beth-lehem from the times of Adrian to the times of Constantine was profaned by the Temple of Adonis for the asserting of which he cites these words of Paulinus Hadrianus supposing that he should destroy the Christian Faith by offering injury to the place in the place of the Passion dedicated the Image of Jupiter and profaned Beth-lehem with the Temple of Adonis As also like words of Hierome yet he confesses the contrary seems to be in Origen against Celsus and that more true For Hadrian had no quarrel with the Christians and Christianity but with the Jews that cursedly rebelled against him CHAP. LII Betar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OF this City there is a deep silence in the Holy Scriptures but a most clamorous noise in the Talmudic Writings It is vulgarly written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Betar and rendred by Christians Bitter or Bither but I find it written in the Jerusalem Talmud pretty often in the same page a a a a a a Hieros Taanith fol. 68. 4. 69. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be read as it seems 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth-Tar and casting away the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thau which is very usual in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be-Tar The House of the Inquirer Wherefore say they was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth-Tar laid waste Because it lighted candles after the destruction of the Temple And why did it light candles Because the Councellors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at Jerusalem dwelt in the midst of the City And when they saw any going up to Jerusalem they said to him We hear of you that you are ambitious to be made a Captain or a Councellor but he answered There is no such thing in my mind We hear of you that you are about to sell your wealth But he answered Nor did this come into my mind Then would one of
the company say Whatsoever you ask of this man Write it and I will seal it He therefore wrote and his fellow sealed it and they sent this feigned Instrument to their friends saying if N. endeavours to come again to the possession of his wealth suffer him not to do it for he hath sold it among us The principal cause of the destruction of Beth-Tera was Ben-Cozba and his Rebellion against the Romans The Babylonian Writers assign another cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b b b b Bab. Gittin fol. 57. 1. For the foot of a chariot was Bethara laid waste It was a custom that when an Infant male was born they planted a Cedar when an Infant female a pine And when the children contracted marriage out of those trees they made the Bed-chamber On a certain day the daughter of the Emperour passed by and the foot of her chariot broke They cut down such a Cedar and brought it to her The Jews rose up against them and beat them It was told the Emperour that the Jews rebelled Being angry he marched against them and destroyed the whole horn of Israel c. c c c c c c Hieros in the place above Hadrian beseiged Bether three years and an half d d d d d d Gittin in the place above And when they took it they slew the men the women and the children so that their blood flowed into the great Sea You will say perhaps that it was near the Sea but it was a mile distant The Tradition is that R. Eliezar the Great saith that there were two Rivers in the Valley of Jadaim of which one flowed this way the other that And the Rabbins computed that the third part of them was blood and two parts water It is delivered also that the Heathen gathered the Vintages for the space of seven years without dunging the land because the Vinyards were made fruitful enough by the blood of the Israelites The Jerusalem Writers do hyperbolize enough concerning the distance of this City from the Sea For if you say say they that it was near the Sea was it not distant forty miles They say that three hundred skulls of young children were found upon one stone and that there were three chests of torn Phylacteries each chest containing nine bushels but there are others that say Nine chests each containing three bushels Josephus mentions e e e e e e Jos. de Bell. lib. 4. cap. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Betaris and Kaphartobas two midland Towns of Idumea Where by Idumea he means the Southern part of Judea especially that that was mountanous as appears by the Context He calls Idumea properly so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idumea the Great CHAP. LIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephraim WE mean not here the Land of Ephraim but a certain Town in the Confines of that Land Of which you read 2 Chron. XIII 19. and of which the Talmudic Writers speak a a a a a a Menacoth cap. 9. hal 1. What is the best flower to be offered in the Temple Micmas and Mezonechah obtain the first place for fine flower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephraim in the Valley obtains the next place to them These words are not read the same way by all Those of the Mishnaioth in the eighth Chapter read as we had writ it The Tosaphtah also reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Micmas but the Talmud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Aruch also hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Micmas b b b b b b Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mezonechah it hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanoah The same also read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Am the Talmud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephoraim the Gloss saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephoraim is a City of which it is thus written in the books of the Chronicles And Abijah took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephraim The Gemarists read it after the same manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephraim this story being added c c c c c c Bab. Menacoth fol. 55. 1. Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jannes and Mambres said to Moses Do you bring straw into Ephraim Which the Aruch reciting adds these words There was a City in the land of Israel very fruitful in bread corn called Ephraim when Moses therefore came with his miracles Jannes and Mambres who were the chief of Pharaohs Magitians said unto him This is our business and we can do thus with our inchantments you therefore are like one bringing straw into Ephraim which is the City of bread corn and out of which is provision for many places therefore how doth any carry in straw thither c. Josephus speaking of Vespasian hath these words d d d d d d Joseph de Bell. lib. 4. c. 33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After he went into the Hill Country he took two Toparchies namely Gophnitica and Acrabatena and together with them Bethel and Ephraim two small Cities Into this Ephraim we suppose it was that Christ retired in that story Joh. XI 54. Let us also add these things from the places alledged above e e e e e e Tosapht in Menacoth c. 9. R. Josi saith They brought also of the wheat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Barchaim and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Caphar Achum which were near Jerusalem f f f f f f Ibid. Menach in the place above hal 3. For Oyl Tekoa deserves the first praise Aba Saul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ragab beyond Jordan obtains the next to it R. Eliezer ben Jacob saith Gush Chalab in Gallilee obtains the third place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Ibid. Karhiim and Atolin otherwise written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Karuthim and Hatolin in the Aruch it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Karuchaim produce the best Wine Beth Rimmah and Beth Laban in the hilly Country and Caphar Sigana in the Valley next to them Let us also add these words elsewhere h h h h h h Bab. Sanhedrin fol. 70. 2. He eateth all manner of Victuals and eateth not flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The clusters of figs of Keila are brought in He drinks all manner of drink but he drinks not Wine hony and milk are brought in And elsewhere i i i i i i Idem Joma fol. 76. 1. He eateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Clusters of Keila and drinks Honey and Milk and enters into the Temple CHAP. LIV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsok and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth Chadudo WHEN a a a a a a Bab. Joma fol. 66. 2. they sent forth the Goat Azazel on the day of expiation before that they set up ten Tents a mile distant one from another where some betook themselves
the Gloss. The Lord said I said when ye shall pass Jordan ye shall set up stones but you have spread your selves as far as sixty miles And f f f f f f Id. Sotah fol. 36. 1. Gerizim and Ebal were sixty miles distant from Jordan But certainly that Gilgal of which Moses in those words speaks Are not Gerizim and Ebal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over against Gilgal Is to be understood some other than that which Josua named by that name Jos. V. 9. For when Moses spoke those words the name of that Gilgal near Jericho was not at all nor can that which is spoke in the book of Josua concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Nations of Gilgal Jox. XII 23. be applied to that Gilgal when it had obtained that name Therefore in both places by Gilgal seems to be understood Galilee and that as well from the nearness of the words for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gilgal and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galil are of the same root and etymology as from the very sense of the places For when in Josua some Kings of certain particular Cities in Galilee Kedesh Jokneam Dor c. are reckoned up the King of the Nations of Gilgal or Galilee is also added who ruled over many Cities and Countries in Galilee So also the words of Moses may very well be rendred in the like sense Are not those mountains Gerizim and Ebal beyond Jordan over against Gilgal or Galilee These things following strengthen our conjecture I. The Version of the LXX who render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The nations of Gilgal by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The land of Galilee II. The comparing Josephus with the book of the Maccabees in the story of Demetrius He pitched his tent saith Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Arbel a City of Galilee but 1 Macc. IX 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They went forth the way that leadeth to Galgala and pitched their tents before Mesaloth which is in Arbel In one Arbel is in Galgala or Gilgal in the other it is in Galilee CHAP. LXXXIX Divers Towns called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tyre BEsides Tyre the noble Mart of Phenicia we meet with various places of the same name both in the Talmudists and in Josephus a a a a a a Hieros Demai fol. 22. 4. In the place noted in the Margin they mention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Tyre in the very borders of the land which was bound to pay Tiths and another in like manner in the borders which was not bound we shall hereafter produce their words And in these examples which follow and in very many others which might be produced they leave it undecided whether the discourse is of Tyre of Phenicia or of some other place of that name b b b b b b Id. Kiddushin fol. 64. 4. Jacob Navoriensis travailed to Tyre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there taught some things for which R. Chaggai would have him beaten c c c c c c Id. Avod Zar. fol. 42. 1. R. Mena went to Tyre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom R. Chaija bar Ba found there and going forward he told R. Jochanan those things which he had taught d d d d d d Ibid. fol. 44. 2. R. Issa went to Tyre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and saw them drinking wine c. Josephus thus writes of Hircanns the brother of Simon the High Priest He built a strong place between Arabia and Judea beyond Jordan e e e e e e Jos. Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and called it Tyre The same Author of John ben Levi thus When he had endeavoured to retain the Giscalites now attempting to shake off the Romane yoke it was no purpose f f f f f f Jos. in his own life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the bordering people the Gadarens the Gabaraganeans and the Tyrians having got together considerable forces invade Giscala You can scarcely suppose that these Tyrians came out of Tyre of Phenicia but from some other place of the same name Upon that reason that very many Towns in the land of Israel were called by the name of Rama namely because they were seated in some high place by the same reason very many are called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tyre because they were built in a rocky place CHAP. XC Cana. WE have little to certifie as of the situation of this place only we learn this of Josephus concerning Cana that it was such a distance from Tiberias as he could measure with his Army in one night For when word was brought him by letters that the enemy Justus had endeavoured to draw away the Tiberians from their fidelity towards him a I was then saith he in a Town of Galilee called Cana taking therefore d Joseph in his life p. 631. with me two hundred Souldiers I travailed the whole night having dispatched a messenger before to tell the Tiberians of my coming and in the morning when I approached the City the people came out to meet me c. He makes mention also of Cana in the same book Of his own life in these words b b b b b b Ibid. p. 653. Sylla King Agrippa's General encamping five furlongs from Julias blocked up the ways with guards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both that which leads to Cana and that which leads to the Castel Gamala But now when Julias and Gamala without all doubt were beyond Jordan it may be enquired whether that Cana were not also on that side But those things that follow seem to deny this for he blocked up the ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by this means he might shut out all supplies that might come from the Galileans Mark that that might come from the Galileans that is from Cana and other places of Galilee about Cana. That Julias which Sylla besieged was Julias Betharamphtha of which afterwards which was seated on the further bank of Jordan there where it is now ready to flow into the Sea of Genesaret Therefore Cana seems on the contrary to lie on this side Jordan how far removed from it we say not but we guess not far and it was distant such a space from Tiberias as the whole length of the Sea of Genesaret doth contain CHAP. XCI Perea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beyond Iordan THE a a a a a a Joseph de bell lib. 3. cap. 4. length of Perea was from Macherus to Pella the bredth from Philadelphia to Jordan b b b b b b Hieros Sheviith fol. 38. 4. The Mountanous part of it was Mount Macvar and Gedor c. The Piain of it was Heshbon with all its Cities which are in the Plain Dibon and Bamoth-Baal and Beth-Baal-Meon c. The Valley of it is Beth-Haran and Beth-Nimrah and Succoth c. c c c c c c Tamid cap. 3. hal 8.
Lavatory of Bethany PARDON the word which I am forced to frame left if I had said The Bath or the Laver they might streighten the sense of the thing too much That place whereof we are now speaking was a Pool or a Collection of waters where people were wont to wash and it agreeth very well with those things that were spoken before concerning Purifications Here either unclean men or unclean women might wash themselves and presently buying in the neighbouring Shops what was needful for Purification they betook themselves to Jerusalem and were purified in the Temple Of this place of washing whatsoever it was the Gemarists speak in that story 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f Bab. Cholin fol. 53. 1. A Fox rent a Sheep at the Lavatory of Beth Hene and the cause was brought before the Wisemen and they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not a rending We doubt not that Beth Hene is Bethany and this cause was brought thence before the Wise men of Jerusalem that they might instruct them whether it were lawful to eat of the carcas of that sheep when the eating of a beast that was torn was forbidden See if you please their distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snaâ—ching away by a wild Beast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tearing in the place cited where they discuss it at large Travailers speak of a Cistern near the Town of Bethany neer which in a field is shewn the place where Martha met our Lord coming to Bethany They are the words of Borchard the Monk Whether the thing it self agrees with this whereof we are speaking must be left uncertain SECT IV. Migal Eder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BY occasion of these places discovered to us by the Talmudists I cannot but observe another also out of them on another side of the City not further distant from the City than that whereof we now spake if it were as far distant as that That is Migdal Edar or the Tower of the Flock different from that mentioned Gen. XXXV 21. The Jerusalem Talmudists of this our place speak thus g g g g g g Hieros Kidd fol. 63. 1. The Cattle which are found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Jerusalem as far as Migdal Eder on every side c. The Babylonian Writers more fully h h h h h h Bab. Kidd fol. 55. 1. The Cattle which are found from Jerusalem as far as Migdal Eder and in the same space on every side being males are burnt offerings females are peace offerings In that place the Masters are treating and disputing Whether it is lawful to espouse a Woman by some consecrated thing given in pledg to assure the thing And concerning Cattle found between Jerusalem and Migdal Eder and the same space every where about Jerusalem they conclude that they are to be reputed for consecrated Because it may be supposed as the Gloss speaks that they were strayed out of Jerusalem for very many Cattle going out thence were to be sacrificed They have a tradition not unlike this as we said before of mony found within Jerusalem i i i i i i Bava Mezia fol. 26. 1. Monies which are found in Jerusalem before those that buy Cattle are always tithes c. But to our business From the words alledged we infer that there was a Tower or a place by name Migdal Eder but a very little space from Jerusalem and that it was situate on the South side of the City I say A little space from Jerusalem for it had been a burthen to the Inhabitants dwelling about the City not to be born if their Oxen or smaller Cattle upon any occasion straying away and taken in stray should immediately become consecrated and that the proper Owner should no longer have any right in them But this Tower seems to be situate so near the City that there was no Town round about within that space We say also that that Tower was on the South side of the City and that upon the credit shall I say or mistake of the LXX Interpreters SECT V. The LXX Interpreters noted HERE Reader I will resolve you a riddle in the LXX in Gen. XXXV In Moses the story of Jacob in that place is thus They went from Bethel and when it was but a little space to Ephratha Rachel travailed c. And afterwards Israel went on and pitched his Tabernacle beyond the Tower Eder The LXX invert the order of the history and they make the encamping of Jacob beyond Migdal Eder to be before his coming to the place where Rachel dyed For thus they write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Jacob departing from Bethel pitched his tent over against the Tower Gader And it came to pass when he approached to Chabratha to come to Ephratha Rachel travailed c. I suspect unless I fail in my conjecture that they inverted the order of the history fixing their eyes upon that Migdal Eder which was very near Jerusalem For when Jacob travailed from Bethel to the place of Rachels Sepulchre that Tower was first to be passed by before one could come to the place and when Jacob in his journey travailed Southward it is very probable that Tower was on that quarter of the City There was indeed a Migdal Eder near Bethlehem and this was near Jerusalem and perhaps there were more places of that name in the Land of Israel For as that word denotes The Tower of a Flock so those Towers seem to have been built for the keeping of Flocks that Shepherds might be there ready also anights and that they might have weapons in a readiness to defend their Flocks not only from wild beasts but from robbers also And to this sense we suppose that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tower of the Keepers is to be taken in that saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the Tower of the Keepers to the strong City 2. King XVII 9. XVIII 8. Hence the Targumist Jonathan to distinguish Migdal Eder of Bethlehem from all others thus paraphraseth Moses words And Israel went forward and pitched his Tabernacle beyond Migdal Eder the place whence the Messias is to be revealed in the end of days Which very well agree with the history Luke II. 8. Whether Micha Chap. IV. 8. speak of the same enquire SECT VI. The Pomp of those that offered the first fruits WE have spoken of the places nearest the City the mention of them taking its rise from the Triumph of Christ sitting upon the Ass and the people making their acclamations and this awakens the remembrance of that Pomp which accompained the bringing of the first fruits from places also near the City Take it in the words of the Masters in the place cited in the Margin After l l l l l l Biccurim c. 3. what manner did they bring their first fruits All the Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were of one station that is
Nor do we say this upon conjecture alone but by very many examples among the Israelites and indeed among other Nations and this in that very Nation of which we are speaking In Gen. XXXVI Zibeon was the son of Seir vers 20. and the whole Nation and Land was called The Nation and Land of the sons of Seir. But now that that Seir was of the Canaanite pedegree appears sufficiently hence that his son Zibeon was called an Hivite vers 2. After the same manner therefore as the Seirites who were of Canaanite blood were so named I make no doubt the Perizzites were named from one Perez a man of great name in some Canaanite stock SECT IV. The Kenites OF the same rank were the Kenites the Knizzites Cadmonites by original indeed Canaanites but so named from some Cain and Kenaz and Cadmon men of famous renown in those families If so be the Cadmonites were not so called from their antiquity or rather from their habitation Eastward Which is the derivation of Saracens from Saracon the East The Masters of the Traditions do not agree among themselves what to resolve concerning these Nations In the Jerusalem Talmudists you have these passages h h h h h h Hieros Kiddush fol. 61. 4. Your Fathers possessed seven Nations but you shall possess the Land of ten Nations The three last are these the Kenites the Kenizzites the Cadmonites R. Judah saith These are the Salmeans the Sabeans and the Nabatheans R. Simeon saith Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Damascus R. Lazar ben Jacob saith Asia and Cartagena and Turky Rabbi saith Edom and Moab and the first fruits of the children of Ammon In the Babylonian Talmudists these passages i i i i i i Bab. Bathra fol. 56. 1. Samuel saith All that Land which God shewed to Moses is bound to tithes To exclude what To exclude the Kenites the Kenizzites the Cadmonites A Tradition R. Meir saith These are the Naphtuchites the Arabians and the Salmeans R. Judah saith Mount Seir Ammon and Moab R. Simeon saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asia and Spain l l l l l l Berish. rab fol. 28. 2. These Nations were not delivered to Israel in this age but they shall be delivered in the days of the Messias In m m m m m m Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 8. the days of the Messias they shall add three other Cities of refuge But whence From the Cities of the Kenites the Kenizzites and the Cadmonites Concerning whom God gave a promise to our father Abraham but they are not as yet subdued We may borrow light concerning these Nations from those words of Moses Gen. X. 18. Afterwards the families of the Canaanites were dispersed First They replenished Phenicia and the Northern Country of the Land of Canaan by little and little the whole Land of Canaan within Jordan Then they spread themselves into the Land which afterwards belonged to the Edomites and there they were called Horites from Mount Hor and the children of Seir from Seir the father of those families he himself being a Canaanite On the East they spread themselves into those Countries which afterwards belonged to the Moabites the Ammonites the Midianites and they were called Kenites Kenizzites Cadmonites from one Cain one Kenaz and perhaps one Cadmon the fathers of those families if so be the Cadmonites were not so called from the aforesaid causes The mention of a certain Cain calls to my mind the Town or City Cain which you see in the Maps placed not far from Carmel in that of Do et adorned shall I say or disfigured with a Dutch picture of one man shooting another with this inscription Cain wert geschoten van Lamech Cain was shot by Lamech Gen. IV. A famous monument forsooth That place indeed is obscure Gen. IV. and made more obscure by the various opinions of Interpreters and you Do et have chosen the worst of all If the words of Lamech may be cleared from the Text and if you clear it not from the context whence will you clear it they carry this plain and smooth sense with them He had brought in Bigamy that also had laid waste the whole World Gen. VI. For so wretched a wickedness and which by his example was the destruction of infinite numbers of men Divine Justice and Vengeance strikes and wounds him with the horror and sting of conscience so that groaning and howling before his two bigamous wives Adah and Zillah he complains and confesseth that he is a much more bloody murtherer than Cain For he had only slain Abel but he an infinite number of young and old by his wicked example SECT V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rephaim THE Samaritan Interpreter always renders these Aseans in Gen. XV. 20. written with Cheth But in Deut. II. 20. with Aleph If they were called Aseans as they were by him so by all other speaking Syriac and Chaldee I know not whence the word Asia may more fitly be derived than from the memory of this Gygantic race living almost in the middle of Asia and monstrous and astonishing above all other Asiatics The LXX call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titans 2 Sam. V. 18. 22. The word used by the Samaritan denotes Physicians and so it is rendred by me in the Polyglot Bible lately published at London Deut. II. partly that it might be rendred word for word but especially that it might be observed by what sound and in what kind of pronunciation he read the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rephaim So the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physicians Esa. XXVI 14. c. HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae OR HEBREW AND TALMUDIC EXERCITATIONS upon the Gospel of St. MARK CHAP. I. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The beginning of the Gospel THE Preaching and Baptism of John was the very gate and entrance into the state and dispensation of the Gospel For I. He opened the door of a new Church by a new Sacrament of admission into the Church II. Poynting as it were with the finger at the Messias that was coming he shewed the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the world to come III. In that manner as the Jews by Baptism admitted Gentile Proselytes into the Jewish Church he admits both Jews and Gentiles into the Gospel Church IV. For the doctrine of justification by works which the Schools of the Scribes had defiled all Religion with he brings in a new and yet not a new and truly saving doctrin of Faith and Repentance VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it is written in the Prophets HERE a doubt is made of the true reading namely whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Prophets or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Esaias the Prophet These particulars make for the former I. When two places are cited out of two Prophets it is far more congruously said As it is witten in the Prophets than As it is written
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
so much upon the same reason that Bethphage was which was the outmost part of the City toward the East For that was so called viz. a place of green Figgs from the Figg-trees that grew near it in the Mount of Olives So here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaphenatha some part of that out-most Coast toward the East and Mount of Olives so called from the Dates growing there For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chephanioth is frequently used amongst the Talmudists for the Dates of Palm-trees that never come to their full maturity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A sort of ill Palm-trees as the Gloss in Beracoth s s s s s s Fol. 57. 2. the fruit of the Palm that never ripens So Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphnith By a signification near akin to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hene and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahene which denotes the unripe Dates of Palms from whence I suppose Bethany in the Mount of Olives is derived So that some out-most part of the City and Wall toward Mount Olivet was called Bethphage from the Figgs that grew there and another part of it Chaphenatha from the Dates SECT V. The Targumist Ionathan upon Numb XXXIV 8. noted MOSES hath it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Mount Hor Ye shall point out the border unto the entrance of Hamath and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad But the Targumist thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the Mount Umanus you shall point out your border to the entrance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Tiberias and the goings out of that border 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tending from the two sides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Codcor bar Zaamah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to Codcor bar Sinegoyra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Divachenus and Tarnegola unto Cesarea by which thou enterest into Abela of the Cilicians Every word almost in this place must be considered as indeed almost every word of it is obscure I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tauros This indeed is not so obscure but that every one knows Mount Taurus so noted by Geographers and Historians derived its name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more emphatically thence since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taur both in the Chaldee and Syriack signifies a Mountain II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Umanus Neither is this so very obscure but that all who have turned over the Jewish Writings do acknowledge it to be the Mountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amana and who have turned over other Books Amanus But in the mean time I doubt they as well as my self cannot tell why the same Targumist should call Mount Hor where Aaron dyed by the same name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taurus Umanus Numb XX. III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the entrance of Tiberias It is a strange thing the Targumist should be no better read in Chorography than to mistake the reading of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place For it is plain he read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chammoth or the warm Baths of Tiberias when it is really Hamath or Antioch He is a blind Geographer that brings down the borders of the Land of Israel to Tiberias unless he mean something beyond our capacity to apprehend IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the two sides It is plain here also that he took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zedad appellatively for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a side V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Codcor bar Zaamah If he doth not blunder we do We only take notice that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zaamah and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinegora do signifie indignation and advocate perhaps in the same sense that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are often used in the Rabbinical Writers for accuser and advocate But what it should signifie in him he must shew him an Oedipus or some body else VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divachenus I suspect this to be Greek viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which is intimated some back of a Mountain either lifting it self up or stretching it self out And this I suspect the more by the Jerusalem Version upon vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I would thus render The border shall be to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the snowy Mountain of Cesarea Where by Cesarea is to be understood Cesarea Philippi where indeed the border of the North part of the Land did not end but extended higher and beyond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to upper Tarnegola which is above Cesarea i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the neck of the Mount Antilibanus The whiteness of Libanus gave it its name both of Libanus and the Mountain of Snow because its whiteness was occasioned by the Snows upon it But by what derivation Cydnus should in the Syrian Language denote whiteness I confess it is beyond my skill in that Tongue to know which yet Solinus t t t t t t Cap. 41. affirms it doth Whatever is white saith he the Syrians in their language call Cydnus whence the name given to the River Cydnus And it is worthy noting that Lebanon in the Hebrew Text is often by the Greek Interpreters rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antilibanus So Deut. XI 24. Jos. I. 4 c. and sometimes by the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bala u u u u u u Cholin fol. 80. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Shee-Goats of Bala are in the Gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Shee-Goats of Lebanon And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Glosser is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Bull of Lebanon For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he signifies a Grove Let me conclude the whole with a conjecture something extravagant which the mention of Lebanon gives rise to I suspect our Europe did first derive its name from cold as that Mountain did from the Snows The Phenicians sailing to Hercules his Pillars of which see the Learned Bochart had on their left hand the Land of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cham heat or burning i. e. Africa On the right hand the Land of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Choreph winter or cold especially compared with the other's heat from which word Choreph probably our word Europe takes its original That very Learned Man derives it otherwhere and let him enjoy his sense whiles I beg leave to enjoy my conjecture HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae OR HEBREW AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS upon the Evangelist St. JOHN CHAP. I. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the beginning was the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the beginning in the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bereshith In the beginning in the History of the Creation Gen. I. 1. For the Evangelist proposeth this to himself viz. to shew how that by the Word by which the Creation was perfected the Redemption was perfected also That the second person in the Holy Trinity in the fulness of time
to prove it When therefore there was so vehement and universal an expectation of the coming and reign of the Messiah amongst the Jews and when some token and indication of these times might appear to Nicodemus in the miracles that Christ had wrought our Saviour instructs him by what way and means he may be made apt and capable for seeing and entring into this Kingdom and enjoying the benefits and advantages of Messiah's days For II. The Jews had conceited that it was enough for them to have been of the seed of Abraham or the stock of Israel to make them fit subjects for the Kingdom of Heaven and the happiness that should accrue to them from the days of the Messiah Hence that passage h h h h h h Sanhedr fol. 90. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a part allotted to all Israel in the world to come That is in the participation of the Messiah But whence comes it that universal Israel claim such a part meerly because they are Israelites i. e. Meerly because they come of the stock and lineage of Israel Our Saviour sets himself against this error of theirs and teacheth that it is not enough for them to be the Children of Abraham or the Stock of Israel to give them any title to or interest in the Messiah but they must further be born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above they must claim it by an Heavenly not an Earthly birth These words of his seem to fall in and bear the same kind of sense with those of John Baptist Think not to say we have Abraham for our Father III. The Jews acknowledged in order to Proselytisme some kind of regeneration or new-birth absolutely necessary but then this was very slightly and easily attainable i i i i i i Jevamoth fol. 62. 1. 92 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any one become a Proselyte he is like a Child new born But in what sense is he so k k k k k k Maimoâ— Issurâ—i biaâ— câ—p 14. The Gentile that is made a Proselyte and the servant that is made free behold he is like a Child new born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all those relations he had whiles either Gentile or Servant they now cease from being so By the Law it is lawful for a Gentile to marry his Mother or the Sister of his Mother if they are Proselyted to the Jewish Religion But the wise men have forbidden this lest it should be said we go downward from a greater degree of sanctity to a less and that which was forbidden yesterday is allowable to day Compare this with 1 Cor. V. 1. Christ teaches another kind of new birth requisite for those that partake of the Kingdom of the Messiah beyond what they have either as Israelites or Proselytes viz. that they should be born from above or by a celestial generation which only makes them capable of the Kingdom of Heaven VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Can he enter the second time into his Mother's Womb THE common opinion of the Jews about the qualification of an Israelite qua Israelite still sticks in the mind of this Pharisee and although our Saviour useth that term which in the Jewish Language plainly enough intimates the necessity of being born from Heaven yet cannot he easily get off from his first prejudice about the Israelitish Generation Whereas the Israelites as they are Israelites have a right to be admitted into the Kingdom of the Messiah do you therefore mean by this expression of yours that it is necessary for any to enter a second time into his Mother's Womb that he may be an Israelite anew He knew and acknowledged as we have already said that there must be a sort of a new-birth in those that come over to the Jewish Religion but he never dreamt of any new proselytism requisite in one that had been born an Israelite He could not therefore conceive the manner of a new birth that he should be made an Israelite anew unless it were by entring into the Mother's Womb a second time which to him seemed an impossible thing VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit HE tells him that the Jew himself cannot be admitted into the Kingdom of the Messiah unless he first strip himself of his Judaism by Baptism and then put off his carnal and put on a spiritual state That by water here is meant Baptism I make no doubt nor do I much less question but our Saviour goes on from thence to the second Article of the Evangelical Doctrine And as he had taught that toward the participation of the benefits to be had by the Messiah it is of little or of no value for a man to be born of the seed of Abraham or to be originally an Israelite unless he was also born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or from above so he now further teacheth him that this admission is not to be obtained but by an absolute renunciation of Judaism and being Baptized into the profession of the Gospel For the tenor of Christian Baptism runs point blank against Judaism The Jewish Religion taught justification by works but Evangelical Baptism obliged to Repentance and alarum'd the sinner to look elsewhere for remission of sins so that to a Jew Baptism was indispensibly necessary in order to his admission into the Kingdom of the Messiah that by that Baptism of his he might wholly divest himself of his Jewish state VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou a Master of Israel l l l l l l Echa rabbathi fol. 66. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou a wise man in Israel It was the answer of a Boy to R. Joshua when he asked him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is the shortest way to the City The Boy answered this is the shortest way though it is the longest and that is the longest way though it is the shortest R. Joshua took that way which was the shortest though the longest When he came very near the City he found Gardens and places of pleasure hedged in so that he could go no further He returned therefore to the Boy and said to him my Son is this the shortest way to the City The Boy answered art thou a wise man in Israel did I not thus say to thee That is the shortest way though the longest c. VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent c. THE Jews dote horribly about this noble mystery There are those in Bemidbar rabba m m m m m m Sect. 19. that think that the Brazen Serpent was not affixed to a pole but thrown up into the Air by Moses and there to have settled without any other support n n n n n n Baal Turim in Numb XXI Moses put up the Serpent for 〈…〉 sign as he that
that might seem to cherish that opinion about a temporal reign wherewith they had been leavened from their very childhood and that was That not only Christ but several of the Saints had rose from the dead and that the Kingdom of the Messiah should commence from some resurrection they had already learnt from some of their own traditions But in what manner should Christ now reign His body was made a spiritual body Now he appears anon he vanisheth and disappears again and how will this agree with Mortals The traditions indeed suppose the Messiah would be perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the dead but when he should revive he was to have the same kind of body with other men This was apprehended by some in Sanhedr h h h h h h Fol. 92. 2. that those dead mentioned Ezek. XXXVII did revive returned into the Land of Israel married wives and begat Children I my self saith R. Judah ben Betirah am one of their offspring and these very Phylacteries which my Grandfather bequeathed to me belonged to them Now who is it can so much as imagine what opinion the Apostles conceived concerning the bodily presence of Christ in this Kingdom of his which they had been dreaming VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Sabbath-days journey I Have already said something in Luke XXIV concerning a Sabbath-days journey I will add a few things in this place i i i i i i Maimonid Schabb. cap. 27. Whosoever goeth beyond the bounds of the City on the Sabbath day let him be scourged because it is said let no one go out from his place on the seventh day this place is the bounds of the City The Law doth not determine the compass of these bounds But the wise men define these bounds from without to be about twelve miles according to the Israelites camp for Moses our Master said unto them ye shall not go out of your camp However it is ordained by the words of the Scribes let no one go out of the City beyond two thousand cubits For two thousand cubits are the suburbs of the City From whence we may learn that it is lawful to walk clear through the City on the Sabbath day be it as spacious as Nineveh and whether it be walled or no. He may also expatiate beyond the City to the length of two thousand cubits from every side of it But if a man go beyond these two thousand cubits they scourge him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the scourge of Rebellion that is if he go so far as twelve miles but if he go out of the City beyond twelve miles though it be but the space of one cubit he is scourged according to the Law Let us comment a little I. It was commonly believed that the Israelites encamping in the wilderness was about twelve miles square k k k k k k Targ. Jonath in Numb 2. The length of the Israelites camp was twelve miles and the bredth twelve miles The bredth of the waters that is those that were divided in Jordan was twelve miles answerable to the camp of Israel according as our Rabbins expound it l l l l l l Kimch in Josh. 3. 16. The waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap Jos. III. 16. And what was the height of these waters it was twelve miles height upon twelve miles bredth according to the camp of Israel Where the Gloss is The camp of the Israelites was twelve miles upon twelve miles that is twelve miles square and they past over Jordan according to their encampings viz. the whole bredth of their camp past over together for the space of twelve miles m m m m m m Sotah fol. 34. 1. Hence that in Hieros Sotah n n n n n n Fol. 21. 4. Adam and Zarethan i. e. the place from whence and the place to which the waters were divided were distant from one another twelve miles Whether they took the number of twelve miles precisely from allusion to the twelve Tribes or from any other reason retained that exact number and space is not easy to determine yet this is certain that the Israelites camp was very spacious and had a very large compass especially granting a miles distance between the first Tents and the Tabernacle And indeed as to this commonly received opinion of the camps being twelves miles square on every side we shall hardly believe it exceeds the just proportion if we consider the vast numbers of that people nay it might rather seem a wonder that the encamping of so many Myriads or rather so many hundred thousands should not exceed that proportion Place the Tabernacle in the midst allow the space of one mile from each side of it in which space were the tents of the Levites before you come to the first tents of the Israelites and then guess what length and bredth and thickness all the other tents would take up II. It is supposed lawful for any one to have walked upon the Sabbath day not only from the outmost border of the camp to the Tabernacle but also through the whole camp from one end of it to the other Because the whole encamping was of one and the same and not a diverse jurisdiction According to that known Canon concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commixion or Communion of Courts And hence it is that Maimonides makes such mention of twelve miles and the lawfulness of walking on the Sabbath day through any City be it as spacious as Nineveh it self III. But when the people were disposed of and placed in their several Cities and Towns in the Land of Canaan and the face of things quite changed from what it had been in the wilderness it seemed good to the wise men to circumscribe the space of a Sabbath-days journy within the bounds of two thousand Cubits And that partly because the inmost borders of the Israelites tents was so much distant from the Tabernacle as may be gathered from Jos. III. 4. and partly because it is said Numb XXXV 4 5. From the wall of the City ye shall measure a thousand Cubits and from without the City ye shall measure two thousand Cubits Now o o o o o o Sotah fol. 27. 2. a thousand Cubits are the suburbs of the City and two thousand Cubits are the bounds of the Sabbath IV. As to these words therefore of the Evangelist now before us we must suppose they do not define the exact distance of the mount of Olives from Jerusalem which indeed was but five furlongs p p p p p p Joseph Antiqu lib. 20. cap. 6. nor do they take in the town of Bethany within the bounds of the Sabbath which was distant fifteen furlongs Joh. XI 18. but they point out that place of the Mount where our Saviour ascended into Heaven viz. that place where that tract of the Mount of Olives ceased to be called Bethphage
the River Nile Westward and the River Astabora Eastward From whence perhaps the Eunuch came Acts 8. 27. which may call to mind Zeph. 3. 10. v. II. p. 679 Merom-waters Vid. Samachonitis Meroz A Town in Galilee that lay very near the place where the Battle was fought betwixt Israel and Sisera v. II. p. 49 Mesopotamia or Aram Naharaim Geographers distinguish betwixt Mesopotamia and Babylon or Chaldaea So Ptolomy Mesopotamia lyeth South of the Country of Babylon And yet Babylon may be said in some measure to be in Mesopotamia because it lay between Tigris and Euphrates but especially in Scripture-Language for it was beyond the River Chaldeans are therefore said to be of Mesopotamia and Strabo saith that Mesopotamia with the Country of Babylon is contained in the great compass from Euphrates to Tigris The Mesopotamian or Chaldaee Language was spoken in Assyria Chaldaea Mesopopotamia Syria Coelo-Syria c. v. I. p. 46. 752. v. II. p. 665 Metheg Ammah or the bridle of Ammah 2 Sam. 8. 1. because there was a continual Garrison of the Philistines in the Hill Ammah 2 Sam. 2. 25. which the Philistines of Gath used as a bridle to curb those parts v. I. p. 63 Michmash was Eastward from Bethaven 1 Sam. 13. 5. and seemed to be upon the Confines of Ephraim and Benjamin Isa. 10. 28. v. I. p. 104 Middin A Town in the Wilderness of Juda Josh. 15. 61. The Greek puts Aenon for Middin Aenon being in signification A place of Springs and Middin A place of those that draw waters So in the Hebrew we find Middin Judg. 5. 10. which if rendred Ye that dwell by Middin Kimchi will warrant it who in his Notes upon the place saith Middin is a City mentioned in Joshua and it follows vers 11. among the places of drawing waters as explaining the other v. II. p. 499 Midian was twofold the one South of Canaan toward the Red Sea and near to Amalek whither Moses fled and where Jethro lived Exod. 2. 11. the other was Eastward betwixt Moab and Syria v. I. p. 33. 37 Migdal Edar or the Tower of the Flock there was one of that name Gen. 35. 21. about a mile from Bethlehem and whereabout it hath been held that the Shepherds were unto whom the Angels appeared at the Birth of our Saviour Luke 2. 8. There was also another place of that name spoken of in the Rabbins situated on the South side of Jerusalem and so near the City that there was no Town round about within that space or betwixt that and the City v. I. p. 423. v. II. p. 305. Migdal zabaaia or the Town of Dyers that was destroyed for Fornication say the Jews v. II. p. 51 Migron A Town in Benjamin Isai. 10. 28. v. I. p. 104 Miletum Acts 20. 17. A Port Town to Ephesus and near to it v. I. p. 317 325 Mithcah The five and twentieth Mansion of the Israelites in the Wilderness v. I. p. 35 Mizaar or Missaar Psal. 42. 6. seems to be the Hilly part of Zoar whither Lot would have fled Gen. 19. 20. O let me escape to this City is it not Mizaar or a little one So that the Hill Misaar may be the same as if it had been said the hilly part of the little Hill Zoar. The reasons of which are two 1. As Hermon was near the Springs of Jordan so the hilly part of Zoar lay hard by the extreme parts of Jordan in the Dead Sea and the Psalmist seems to measure out Jordan from one end to the other 2. As David betook himself towards Hermon in his flight from Absalom so when flying from Saul he betook himself to Zoar in the Land of Moab 1 Sam. 22. 3. and so bewails his condition as banished to the utmost Countries North and South that Jordan washed v. II. p. 501 502 Mizgah A place near Tiberias of an unwholsom Air. v. II. p. 310 Mizpeh There were several places of this name in Scripture 1. One in Gad called Ramath-Mizpeh Josh. 13. 26. 2. In the North part of Manasseh beyond Jordan near Hermon Josh 11. 3 8. 3. In Moab 1 Sam. 22. 3. 4. Not far from Jerusalem in the confines its likely of Judah and Benjamin Josh. 15. 38. and 18. 26. Here the Sanhedrim sat in the time of Samuel and Saul was proclaimed King 1 Sam. 10. 17. v. I. p. 55 Moab called Arabia of the Nomades situated on the East of the Dead Sea v. II. p. 501. Modin 1 Macab 2. 1. the Sepulchre of the Macabees fifteen miles from Jerusalem v. II. p. 319 Moseroth the seven and twentieth Mansion of the Israelites in the Wilderness and the same place or Country with Hor Gudgodah and Horagidgad v. I. p. 35 39 Mountains The Black Mountains run from the Bay which is near Pharan to Judea Ptolomy v. II. p. 501 Mountain of Iron in the South in the Desert of Sin another of that name was also in Peraea v. II. p. 43 88 Mountain where Christ was tempted was probably beyond Jordan Eastward because his first appearing afterward was at Bethabara on that side Joh. 1. 28. But whether Pisgah Nebo Horeb or what else is uncertain v. I. p. 507. Mount of Transfiguration not Tabor but some Mountain near Caesarea Philippi perhaps that which Josephus saith was the highest and hung over the very Fountains of Jordan It being improbable Christ should go from Caesarea Philippi where he was immediately before his Transfiguration through the length of almost whole Galilee and from thence back again by a Course to Capernaum where he immediately afterward was v. II. p. 346. N. NAbathaeans inhabited in and about the Town Petra in Arabia Plin. With whom David had War saith Jos. Vol. II. Pag. 321 365. Nain Luke 7. 11. so called from the pleasantness of its situation and probably as it s of the like signification so was the same with Engannim It was in the extreme Borders of Issachar toward Samaria opposite to Genta the extreme of Samaria toward Issachar if not the same with it and in the way from Galilee to Jerusalem It is two Leagues from Nazareth and not much above one from Tabor saith Borchard v. II. p. 369 370 Naveh A Town three miles from Chalamish the former inhabited by the Jews and the latter by the Gentiles of Moab and Ammon its uncertain where they were Vol. II. Pag. 515 Nazareth See 2 Kings 17. 9. the Tower of Nozarim which if Chorography would suffer might be understood of this City which was built like a Watch-Tower on the top of a steep Hill Luke 4. 29. Nazaret in the Arabick Tongue signifieth help in the Hebrew a Branch by which name our Saviour is called Isa. 11. 1. It is in the lower Galilee two leagues West from Tabor in the Bounds of Issachar and Zebulun but within Zebulun and sixteen miles from Capernaum v. I. p. 411 v. II. p. 495 496 Nazarens A Tetrarchy in Caelo-Syria near to Hierapolis v. II. p. 496 Neapolis Vid. Sichem Neardaa