A Table of the years from the birth of Christ to the Fall of Ierusalem XIII The Iewish Christian Roman History Anno Christi XXXVI XIV The Chronology and History of Dioclesian Constantine and Constantius Indeed some of these were only Notes and Memoranda for his own private use but several of them undoubtedly were intended to have seen the Light at one time or other but that he found the Press so loth to receive things of that nature and so he cast them by some only begun and as it were in Design all of them imperfect but One. IX Encomiums given him by Learned Men. ALL these Labours of his published and unpublished and those deep notions in the way of his Learning that he communicated by Letters or in Conversation raised high and Venerable opinions of him amongst the best and most knowing Men. It would be endless to recount what large Testimonials and Commendations they have given him Some we have read already Let us hear a few more Your Name saith Dr. Castel is indeed a sweet Odour poured out into all Nations who are all bound to pray heartily for you your health welfare prosperity longevity And again Nemini notus quin te humani generis aestimet delicias nemini ignotus cui non absconditus maximus sub Coelo Thesaurus And if you will once more in another Letter Chaldea whose antient glory and multiplicity of Sciences are by the wheels of Nature in the long decurse of time rolled into Munden Which you Sir a right Trismegistus for Christian Jewish and Ethnic literature will make to after ages more illustrious than either Babylon or Athens were of old Another namely Mr. Samuel Clark speaks thus Your own great worth is sufficient to preserve your memory verdant with me or any other that hath any sense of Learning or Goodness Mr. Bernard does violence to the Doctors modesty in these words I know your self and Doctor Pocok to be the very Pillars of Sacred Learning like the Monuments of Seth in a corrupt and vain age God add I beseech him yet to your years and health so advantageous to his Church And for forainers besides what we have heard from them already take the Value they had for him by the words of one of them named before viz. Johannes Henricus Otto He was a Learned young Man of Bern who it seems had travailed into France and other places for his improvement and at last came into England and being at Oxon sends a Letter to our Doctor wherein apologizing for his address he tells him That the fame of his Piety and singular Learning had so spred it self over the World that there was no Scholar who loved him not in his mind and was not ambitious of his friendship Plurimi sunt qui nondum meruerunt a te cognosci qui tamen inter alias Gentes famam nominis tui exceperunt post praeclarorum scriptorum tuorum lectionem in cultum tui venerabundi iverunt But especially he assures him all studious of Hebrew do applaud him And instanceth in Turretius junior at Geneva Justellus Tormentinus Tenevottus Capellanus Ferrandus at Paris Toignard at Orleans not to speak any thing saith he of mine own Country and Germany also whose Names this Letter would scarcely contain Abundance more I might produce both of our own Country-Men and Strangers but he stands not in need 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Letters of Commendation X. Concerning his love to and endeavours of promoting Oriental Learning THERE was no Man under the Sun our Author more reverenced and honoured than Buxtorph Professor of Divinity and Hebrew in Basil and the reason was because next to his piety he had been so instrumental by his published Labours in furthering the knowledge of Jewish Learning to which from his Youth the Doctor had a strong and almost natural inclination and it continued with him to the end of his Life When Dr. Buxtorph had writ a Letter to him by the Hands of one who had formerly been his Scholar our good Man received both Letter and Bearer with the highest resentments of joy and complacency for the sake of the Reverend Professor And when he had signified in a Letter to our Doctor that by reason of age and infirmities growing upon him and finding himself greatly to decline in strength of body and mind he must lay aside all thought of publishing any thing more this our Doctor took heavily to heart and lamented in a Letter he sent him For by him he acknowleged himself to have arrived to what skill he had in his Rabbinical Learning and from the grateful sense he had of this arose a vast love and reverence for him Placet saith he Honoratissimo Domino de peritia mea in Talmudicis loqui quae siqua est quam scio quam sit exigua tota tibi ipsi referenda est incomparabili Parenti tuo c. It pleaseth you most honoured Sir to speak of my skill in the Talmudists which if it be any and how small it is I well know is wholly owing to you and to your incomparable Father Plowing with your Oxen using your Lexicons I have sowed and if any crop comes of it it is yours And what Christian is there I pray who reads over the Talmudick Writings that ows not the same tribute So much is the whole Christian World endebted to the great name of Buxtorph And then he professes to him he could not read it without tears when he told him that by reason of the weaknesses and indispositions of old age he must promise the World no more of his Writings This was in the later end of the year 1663. And indeed the death of that Learned Professor happened not long after namely in the beginning of September the year after For whom the Magistrates of Basil had such a great esteem that before the Fathers death they chose his very young Son to succeed him in the Hebrew Professorship as in his other of Divinity Dr. Zwinger descended of that famous Man of his name was also elected And one of the last respects Dr. Lightfoot could pay the memory of that great Man he wrote an Epicedium upon him and got Sir Tho. Brograve to write another in some of the Oriental Languages and so also did Dr. Castel which were sent to the Friends of the deceased And when not long after the young Professor came into England he received a most kind and obliging reception from our Doctor as well for his Father as for his own sake It was his love of this Learning and his great desires to see it more Studied that made him so great a friend to Dr. Castel under his ruinating and destructive Undertaking as he himself truly called it and under that which was the bitterest pill of all for him to swallow namely the scornful reproaches of his pains that he met with from some as if they were of little or no use This had quite broke his almost
172 Ismael 86 Isaac 72 Iacob 12 their proper time it is most usual in Scripture thus Abrah 173 Ismael 87 Isaac 73 Iacob 13 to do in reckoning up mens ages as Genesis 5. and Abrah 174 Ismael 88 Isaac 74 Iacob 14 11. c. ABRAHAM dieth here read Gen. 25. vers 7 8 9 10. Isaac is of the very same age when Abraham dieth that Abraham was when the Promise came to him viz. seventy five years old The Promise now is come upon Isaac EBER dieth read Gen. 11. 17. He was the longest liver born since the Flood the father of the Hebrews and denominator of the Hebrew Tongue Religion staid in his family when all the world lost it beside and he liveth to see it gloriously setled in the families of Abraham and Isaac CHAP. XXVI THE time that Esau sold his birth-right and that Isaac went Ismael 98 Isaac 84 Iacob 24 to Gerar are both undated but it seemeth by Ismael 99 Isaac 85 Iacob 25 the Text that they were near together and that the famine Ismael 100 Isaac 86 Iacob 26 that caused Esau to part with his birth-right caused Isaac Ismael 101 Isaac 87 Iacob 27 to depart out of his own residence to go elsewhere to seek Ismael 102 Isaac 88 Iacob 28 for sustenance It appeareth that there was great scarcity of Ismael 103 Isaac 89 Iacob 29 victuals when Jacob is brought to his lentil pottage and Ismael 104 Isaac 90 Iacob 30 when Esau if he got not some of these pottage is like to Ismael 105 Isaac 91 Iacob 31 famish Many precious things were wrapped up in the Ismael 106 Isaac 92 Iacob 32 birth-right as the Priority the Promise the Priest-hood Ismael 107 Isaac 93 Iacob 33 and excellent priviledges and Esau for a mess of pottage Ismael 108 Isaac 94 Iacob 34 despiseth them all Compare this with Adams losing his Ismael 109 Isaac 95 Iacob 35 own and his posterities happiness for a morsel of meat Ismael 110 Isaac 96 Iacob 36 Isaac as his father had done denyeth his wife A Philistim Ismael 111 Isaac 97 Iacob 37 King sheweth here more conscience then he he prospereth Ismael 112 Isaac 98 Iacob 38 exceedingly in the land of the Philistims to the envy of the Ismael 113 Isaac 99 Iacob 39 inhabitants there World 2208 Ismael 114 Isaac 100 Iacob 40 ESAU marrieth Canaanitish wives a vexation to his Ismael 115 Isaac 101 Iacob 41 holy parents for this his impious Polygamy he is called a fornicator Ismael 116 Isaac 102 Iacob 42 Heb. 12. 16. for Polygamy is called fornication Ismael 117 Isaac 103 Iacob 43 or whoredom Hos. 4. 11. and upon this it seemeth that the Holy Ismael 118 Isaac 104 Iacob 44 Ghost giveth one of his wives the name of Adah the wife Ismael 119 Isaac 105 Iacob 45 of the first Polygamist in the world see Gen. 36. 2. and Gen. Ismael 120 Isaac 106 Iacob 46 4. 19. Esau here lay under a double offence namely for Polygamy Ismael 121 Isaac 107 Iacob 47 and for marrying in the stock of cursed Canaan Ismael 122 Isaac 108 Iacob 48 Polygamy in the men of the holy generation as Jacob David Ismael 123 Isaac 109 Iacob 49 and Solomon c. was of a more tolerable nature and Ismael 124 Isaac 110 Iacob 50 of more dispensableness because they sought to multiply Ismael 125 Isaac 111 Iacob 51 the holy seed which Esau was out of capacity to do Ismael 126 Isaac 112 Iacob 52 Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord Yet I loved Ismael 127 Isaac 113 Iacob 53 Jacob and hated Esau Mal. 1. ver 2 3. What shall we say then Ismael 128 Isaac 114 Iacob 54 Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid For he saith Ismael 129 Isaac 115 Iacob 55 to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I Ismael 130 Isaac 116 Iacob 56 will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Rom. 9. Ismael 131 Isaac 117 Iacob 57 14 15. Both the Prophet and the Apostle do rather take Ismael 132 Isaac 118 Iacob 58 their example for election and reprobation in Jacob and Ismael 133 Isaac 119 Iacob 59 Esau then in Cain and Abel at the beginning of the old Ismael 134 Isaac 120 Iacob 60 world or in Sem and Ham in the beginning of the new Ismael 135 Isaac 121 Iacob 61 partly because the free acting and disposing of God is the Ismael 136 Isaac 122 Iacob 62 better shewed in the contrary disposal of these two that were known to be born at one birth and partly because in Jacob there began to be a distinguished people from all the world and the foundation of a distinct visible Church laid and partly since both were born of parents under the Promise that the spiritual and temporal vertue of the Promise might be differenced ISMAEL dieth 137 years old here read Gen. 25. from verse 12. to verse 19. and 1 Chron. 1. verse 28 29 30 31. There may be some argument that he was saved though once he persecuted World 2231 Ismael 137 Isaac 123 Iacob 63 and mocked and was expelled Abrahams house as Abrahams Isaac 124 Iacob 64 prayer for him and Gods promise towards him Gen. 17. 18 20. Isaac 125 Iacob 65 the reckoning of his age and using the very same expression of his Isaac 126 Iacob 66 death as are used of Abrahams Esau going to marry in his stock Isaac 127 Iacob 67 when his Canaanitish matches displeased his parents c. But howsoever Isaac 128 Iacob 68 it was with Ismael himself in matter of piety it is certain his Isaac 129 Iacob 69 posterity grew impious and were constant enemies to Israel they Isaac 130 Iacob 70 and the rest of the seed of Abraham by Keturah lived together in Isaac 131 Iacob 71 Arabiah and were brethren in evil The Turks are held by some to Isaac 132 Iacob 72 be of the seed of Ismael and their using Circumcision is used as an Isaac 133 Iacob 73 argument to confirm it but that may speak them as well if not rather Isaac 134 Iacob 74 the off-spring of the Jews captivated into the Northern parts Isaac 135 Iacob 75 of the world by Assyria and Babylon and now increased into these Isaac 136 Iacob 76 vast multitudes and poured out toward the western parts CHAP. XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX World 2245 Isaac 137 Iacob 77 ISAAC is now come to that age at which his brother Ismael died 14 years ago namely 137 and it is not improbable that the thought of his death at that age puts Isaac in mind of his own end and he accordingly disposeth towards it by conveying of the blessing and setling it upon one of his sons his sending Esau to hunt for venision that he might eat of his savoury meat and his soul might bless him was not because meat or drink would conduce for that spiritual purpose but he puts him to this that he might know whether he should bless him or no for his missing of venison
Christ which they mistook should be a spiritual power which even just now was to begin and of this power he tells they should receive and dilate and carry on his Kingdom §. Certain Articles or Positions tending to the confutation of the Jews in this point and the Millenaries that concur in many things with them 1. That the Book of Daniel speaketh nothing of the state of the Jews beyond the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus 2. That the Revelation intendeth not the stories and times that are written in Daniel but taketh at him and beginneth where Daniel left to discourse the state of the new Jerusalem when the old one was ruined 3. That the fourth Monarchy in Daniel is not Rome nor possibly can be Dan. 7. 11 12. well weighed together 4. That the blasphemous horn in Dan. 7. 8 25. c. is not Antichrist but Antiochus 5. That Antichrist shall not be destroyed before the calling of the Jews but shall persecute them when they are converted as well as he hath done the Church of the Christians And that the slaying of the two Prophets Rev. 11. aimeth at this very thing to shew that Antichrist shall persecute the Church of Jews and Gentiles when towards the end of the world they shall be knit together in profession of the Gospel 6. That the calling of the Jews shall be in the places of their residence among the Christians and their calling shall not cause them to chang place but condition 7. That Ezekiels New Jerusalem is bigger in compass by many hundreds of miles than all the land of Canaan ever was in its utmost extent 8. That the earth was cursed from the beginning Gen. 3. 17. and therefore Christs Kingdom not to be of the cursed earth Joh. 18. 36. 9. That the Kingdom everlasting that began after the destruction of the fourth beast Dan. 2. 44. 7. 14. 27. was the Kingdom of Christ in the Gospel and began with the Gospel preached among the Gentiles 10. That the binding of Satan for a thousand years beginneth from the same date 11. That his binding up is not from persecuting the Church but from deceiving the Nations Rev. 20. 3 8. 12. That multitudes of those places of the Old Testament that are applied by the Jews and Millenaries to the people of the Jews and their earthly prosperity do purposely intend the Church of the Gentiles and their spiritual happiness Vers. 8. But ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you §. 1. How many of the Disciples were spectators of Christs ascension It is apparent by this Evangelist both in this place and in his Gospel that there were divers others that were spectators of this glorious sight beside the twelve For in the 14 verse he hath named both the women and the brethren of Christ which number of men in vers 15. he hath summed to 120 as we shall see there And so likewise in his Gospel Chap. 24. he hath so carried the Story as that it appeareth by him that the beholders of his first appearing after his Resurrection were also the beholders of his Ascension for at vers 33. he speaketh of the eleven and them that were with them and from thence forward he hath applied the story until the ascension indifferently to them all And this thing will be one argument for us hereafter to prove that the whole hundred and twenty mentioned vers 15. of this Chapter received the Gift of Tongues and not the twelve only Vers. 9. While they beheld he was taken up §. The year of Christ at his Ascension The time of Christs conversing upon earth cometh into dispute viz. whether it were 32 years and an half or 33 and an half mainly upon the construction of this clause Luke 3. 23. Jesus began to be about 30 years of age when he was baptized For though it be agreed on that the time of his Ministry or from his Baptism to his suffering was three years and an half yet is it controverted upon that Text whether to begin those from his entring upon his 30 year current or from finishing that year compleat The Text speaketh out for the former and in that it saith He began to be thirty it denieth his being thirty compleat and in that it saith He began to be * * * So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thirty after a certain reckoning or as it were thirty it denieth his drawing upon thirty compleat likewise For if he were full thirty it were improper to say he began to be thirty and if he were drawing on to full thirty then were it proper to have said he began to be thirty indeed and not began to be as it were thirty Therefore the manner of speech doth clearly teach us to reckon that Jesus was now nine and twenty years old compleat and was just entring upon his thirtieth year when he was baptized and so doth it follow without any great scruple that he was crucified rose again and ascended when he was now thirty two years and an half old compleat which we must write his thirty third year current §. 2. The age of the world at our Saviours death resurrection and ascension We have shewed elsewhere that these great things of our Saviours suffering and exaltation came to pass in the year of the world 3960 then half passed or being about the middle It will be needless to spend time to prove and confirm it here The summing up these several sums which were as so many links of that chain will make it apparent From the Creation to the Flood 1656 Gen. 5. 6 7. c. From the Flood to the Promise to Abraham Gen. 12. 427 Gen. 11. 12. From the Promise to the Delivery from Egypt 430 Exod. 12. 40. Gal. 3. 17. From the coming out of Egypt to the founding of Solomons Temple 480 1 Kings 6. 1. From the founding to the finishing of the Temple 7 1 Kings 6. 38. From finishing the Temple to the revolt of the ten Tribes 30 1 Kings 6. 38. 11. 40. compar From the revolt of the ten Tribes to the burning of the Temple 390 Ezek. 4. 5 6. From the burning of the Temple to the return from Babel 50 Jer. 25. 11 12. 2 Chron. 36. 6. 9 10. 2 King 25. 2 3. presly compar From the return from Babel to the death of Christ. 490 Dan. 9. 24 c. Total 3960  And hereupon it doth appear that as the Temple was finished by Solomon just Anno Mundi 3000. So that it was fired by Titus just Anno Mundi 4000. Jerusalem being dostroyed exactly 40 years after Christs death as was shewed even now Vers. 12. Olivet which is from Ierusalem a Sabbaths days journey §. 1. Why the Evangelist doth measure this distance at this time This is the first matter of scruple in these words and it is material to take notice of it the rather because that this same Evangelist
so long as four thousand years before Christ came to save Sinners p. 627. Why did Christ appear at that time of the World rather than any other p. 628. The Jews had dreadful Opinions about his coming p. 640 641. He healed all Diseases by his Touch but cast out Devils by his Word p. 642. The Diseases he cured were of three kinds p. 645. His Doctrines were comprised under Two Heads p. 645. He cured the Leprosie when the Priests could not yet Christ was tender of their reputation p. 648. He as God could do all things but as Messias nothing but as delegated and assisted by the Father As Son of God he hath all power in himself as Messias he hath all power put into his Hands by the Father p. 672 c. He was set up by his Father as King and Lord over all things affirmed in many places in Scripture He as God-man is Head of all Principality and Power five Reasons given for it p. 674. Further evidence of his being the Messias and how opposed therein by the Jews p. 680 681 682. His Life Doctrine and Miracles shewed him to be the Messias so did the Testimony of his Father John the Baptist and the Scriptures c. p. 682 683 684. His Resurrection and the History of it as also his eight several Apparitions after it p. 734 735. The year of his Ascention p. 738. The Age of the World at his Resurrection Death and Ascention p. 739. He was nailed to the Cross at the same time of the day that our first Parents fell viz. at twelve a Clock p. 748. At three a Clock he yielded up the Ghost then Adam received the promise p. 748. There was a general expectation of his appearance even when he did appear with the multitudes that then came to Jerusalem upon that account both Jews and Heathens then expecting him as is seen by their own Writers p. 751 752. Some things out of the Jewish Writers concerning the Judging Condemning and Executing of him p. 968. He paid his Church Duties p. 240. He was so poor as to be put to work a Miracle to get money p. 240. The Signs of his coming predicting his near approach what p. 462 463. Christ about the time of his death the scarlet List on the Scape Goats head turned not white as usually what against the Jews p. 1101. * Christians called by Suetonius Men of a new and evil Superstition or Religion so Tacitus calls their way a dangerous Superstition shewing how Nero persecuted them after Rome was fired as if they had been guilty to deliver himself from the just accusation of it p. 327 There was yet Christians in Nero's houshold p. 328. They were under Nero very bloodily and bâ—rbarously persecuted so as to move the pity of their Enemies saith Tacitus the Jews heightening that persecution against them p. 333 334. They were destroyed by Nero for a plot layed by himself against them the Heathens for real plotting against him now grown endlesly cruel p. 334. The Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch Page 871 Chronology was very exact from the Creation to Christs death but less cared for after the New Testament History was finished and why p. 777. The Heathen Chronology mistaken in numbring the Persian Kings 2066. * Church Church Duties were paid by Christ. p. 240. The Church a Title given the first Professors of the Gospel 871 Circumcision when and where instituted p. 13. It was renewed at Israels entring into Canaan as a Seal of the lease of the Land p. 40. It was not to be used under Christianity because the Jews looked upon it as an admission into the Covenant of Works p. 319. It enervated Justification by faith p. 319. It obliged to the observance of the whole Law p. 319. The reason of its Institution why it was not in the old World nor for some considerable time after the Flood that is why the Church injoyed it not of so long a time p. 464 465. When it was to cease 465. It was instituted in Hebron about the time of Easter p. 695. Circumcision and Meats made the difference between Jew and Gentile these being removed let the Gentiles into the Church p. 842. The Ends of its use and how used among others besides the Israelites p. 1007 1008 Citation or Quotation of Scripture one place of Scripture citing another doth sometimes change the words to fit the occasion 498 Cittim The name of a Man and of Italy and of part of Greece 996 City The City and Temple of Jerusalem were destroyed Anno Mundi exactly 4000. p. 487. Holy City the common and ordinary name for Jerusalem when even full of abomination and corruption Separatists may think of this p. 497. City what 647 Clean and Unclean Legal the Doctrine of them p. 30. The Priests could only pronounce not make Leapers clean 219 c. Cleopas was the same person with Alpheus p. 27. He had four Sons all Apostles 660 Clerks of the Sanhedrim what their Number and what their business 2006. * Cloak Paul's Cloak denoted his Jewish habit 3â—6 Cloister walks called Porches p. 661 668. Cloister Royal what 1061. * Closets for the Butchering Instruments and for the Priests Vestments described 1077. * Cloud the Cloud of Glory was taken away at Moses his death p. 40. And appeared again at the Sealing of the Great Prophet Christ. 710 Coat of the first Born what p. 905. And Coat of the High Priest and of the Ephod what 905 Coming of the Lord and the end coming denote the near approach of Vengeance on Jerusalem 332 333 335 338 342 343 Common or unclean what before the Flood and since 845 Community of Goods was not to level Estates but to provide for the Poor p. 278. How practised and of what extent 762 Communicating with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Communion with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Companying with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Confession of sins at Johns Baptism was after not before Baptism Page 456 457 Confirmation Imposition of Hands by the Apostles in all likelyhood was never used for Confirmation 788 Confusion of Tongues into what number of Languages it was divided 1009 to 1011 Consistory of Priests was called Beth-Din which transacted business in the Temple 914 Consolation of Israel Christs coming is often signified by that term 430 Conversion Repentance or Reformation was once general and wonderful 54 758 c. Conversion of Niniveh a very wonderful thing 1007 Cor what sort of Measure 545 Corus what sort of Measure 545 Corban what p. 237. The Gate Corban where and why so called 2020 2021. * Corinth something described 295 Cornelius a Roman Captain one that arived at an admirable height of Piety though not so much as a Proselite p. 285 286. Some things remarkable about his calling into the Gospel 832 c.
time and story come in the three first Verses of the second Chapter and the story lyeth thus Dayes of the Creation VII GOD having thus created all things * * * Read ver 2. For on the seventh day God had ended his work otherwise there may be a doubt upon it whether God created not something on the seventh day This the lxx Saw and therefore they translate it different from the Original word And God ended his works on the sixth day in six days and man having thus fallen and heard of Christ and of death and eternal life and other like things on the sixth day the Lord ordaineth the seventh day for a Sabbath or holy rest and Adam spendeth it in holy duties and in meditation of holy things The mention of the institution of the Sabbath is laid in the beginning of the second Chapter though the very time and place of that story be not till after the end of the third 1. Because the holy Ghost would dispatch the whole story of the first week or seven days of the world together without interposition of any other particular story 2. Because he would shew that Adam should have kept the Sabbath though he had never sinned And therefore the mention of the Sabbath is before the mention of his sin CHAP. IV. THE exact times of the stories of the fourth Chapter are not to be determined and therefore they must be left to be taken up by conjecture in the times of the fifth as they are cast into the following table and so conjecturally also must we measure out the parallel and collateral times of the generations of Cain and Seth that are either named here or hereafter to the floud Cain and Abel born twins yet the one the seed of the Serpent and the other of the Woman In Cain was legible the poyson that Satan had breathed into fallen man and in Abel the breathing of grace into the elect and a figure of the death of Christ. God fireth Abels sacrifice from heaven but despiseth Cains yet readeth to him the first doctrine of repentance That if he did well he should certainly be accepted and though he did not well yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sin-offering lieth at the door if he repented there was hope of pardon Thus as God had read the first lecture of faith to Adam in the promise of Christ Chap. 3. 15. so doth he the first lecture of repentance to Cain under the doctrine of * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very commonly taken for a sin offering and the sacrifices were constantly brought to the Tabernacle door a sin-offering But Cain despiseth his own mercy is unmerciful to his brother and is denied mercy from the Lord. He beggeth for death that he might be shut out of that sad condition to which God hath doomed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now therefore let it be that any one that findeth me may kill me but this God denieth him and reserve th him to a longlife that he might reserve him to long misery Lamech a branch of this root bringeth into the world the abomination of Polygamie or of having more wives at once than one for which God smiteth him with horrour of conscience that he himself might be a witness against that sin that he had introduced and he censureth himself for a more deplorate and desperate wretch than Cain For that Cain had slain but one man and had only destroyed his body but he himself had destroyed both young and old by his cursed example which was now so currently followed and entertained in the world that ere long it was a special forwarder of its destruction that if Cain was to be avenged seven-fold Lamech deserved seventy and seven-fold In this stock of Cain also began Idolatry and worshipping the creature instead of the Creator blessed for ever and in a mournfull feeling of this dishonour done to God by it Seth calls his Son that was born to him in those times Enosh or sorrowfull because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then began profaness in calling upon the name of the Lord. Noah in 2 Pet. 2. 5. seemeth to be called the eighth in reference to these times namely the eighth in succession from Enosh in whose times the world began to be profane CHAP. V. THis fifth Chapter measureth the time and age of the world between the Creation and the Flood which was 1655. years compleat Being cast into a Table it will not only shew the currency but the concurrency of those times or how those Patriarchs whose times it measureth lived one with another The Reader will not need any rules for the explaining of the Table his own Arithmetick will soon shew him what use to make of it The first Age of the World From the Creation to the Flood This space is called Early in the morning Mat. 2. Hilar. in loc Ten Fathers before the Flood  Adam hath Cain and Abel and loseth them both Gen. 4. unhappy in his children the greatest earthly happiness that he may think of Heaven the more 130 130 Seth born in original sin Gen. 5. 2 3. a holy man and father of all men after the Flood Numb 24. 17. to shew all men born in that estate 235 235 105 Enosh born corruption in Religion by Idolatry begun Gen. 4. 25. Enosh therefore so named Sorrowful 325 325 195 90 Kainan born A mourner for the corruption of the times 395 395 265 160 70 Mahalaleel born A praiser of the Lord. 460 460 330 225 135 65 Jared born when there is still a descending from evil to worse 622 622 492 387 297 227 162 Enoch born and Dedicated to God the seventh from Adam Jude 14. 687 687 557 452 362 292 227 65 Methushelah born his very name foretold the Flood The lease of the world is only for his life 874 874 744 639 549 479 414 252 187 Lamech born A man smitten with grief for the present corruption and future punishment 930 930 800 695 605 535 470 308 243 56 Adam dieth having lived 1000. years within 70. Now 70 years a whole age Psal. 90. 10. 987  857 752 662 592 527 365 300 113 57 Enoch translated next after Adams death mortality taught in that immortality in this 1042 Enoch the seventh from Adam in the holy line of Seth prophecâ—ed against the wickedness that Lamech the seventh from Adam in the cursed line of Cain had brought in 912 807 717 647 582 Enoch lived as many years as there be days in a year via 365. and finished his course like a Sun on earth 355 168 112 55 Seth dieth 1056   821 731 661 596  369 182 126 69 14 Noah born a comforter 1140   905 815 745 680  453 266 210 153 98 84 Enosh dieth 1235    910 840 775  548 361 305 248 193 179 95 Kainan dieth 1290     895 830  603 416 360 303 248 234 150 55
he Noah and his sons at their going forth of the Ark but with this difference in the last That whereas Adam in innocency had rule over the creatures with amity and love sin did now put such a difference that Noah must have it with fear and dread And whereas he had restrained Adam from eating of flesh and consined his diet to the fruit of the ground he inlargeth Noah to feed upon beasts and alloweth them for the sustentation of his life for he had been the preserver of theirs This was that that his father Lamech had foretold by the spirit of prophecy when he was born namely That he should comfort them concerning their labour and toil which they had when they might eat nothing but the fruits of the ground which cost them hard labour in the tillage and culture to get them but Noah should be a comfort in reference to this because to him and in him to all the world God would give liberty to eat flesh But with the flesh God permitteth him not to eat the blood partly for avoiding of cruelty and partly because blood was to be atonement for sin And this prohibition of eating blood to Noah now and afterward renewed to Israel was because of that custom which God foresaw would grow and which in the time of Israel was grown common of eating flesh raw as appeareth 1 Sam. 14. 32. And by the prohibition of eating the Paschal Lamb so Exod. 12. 9. This very law of not eating the flesh with the blood confuteth the Doctrine of Transubstantiation or the eating of the very flesh and blood of Christ to all the world The Rain-bow which naturally is a sign of rain is sacramentally made a sign of no more destruction by it The drunkenness of Noah was at some good space after the flood but the very time uncertain for Canaan who was not born of some years after they came out of the Ark is then active and of capacity and is doomed to slavery and subjection his land bequeathed to Sem and the calling of the Gentiles prophecied of The death of Noah is mentioned in the end of this Chapter because Moses would totally conclude his story but as it may be seen in the insuing Table he died not till within two years of Abrahams birth CHAP. X. SEventy heads of Nations grown from the three sons of Noah by the time of confusion of Tongues These became not seventy several languages then though they were so many Nations for it is undoubted that divers Nations joyned in one language as Ashur Arphaxad and Aram in the Chaldee and the most if not all the sons of Canaan in one Tongue When the most High divided the Nations their inheritance when he separated the sons of Adam he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel Deut. 32. 8. With this 10 of Genesis read 1 Chron. 1. from Vers. 5. to Vers. 24. CHAP. XI HEathenism beginneth at Babel when the Hebrew Tongue is lost to all the world but only to one family in that Tongue alone was God preached and the doctrine of salvation published and when that is lost Religion is lost with it and all the earth become strangers to God and closed up in blindness and superstition and in this estate did it continue for the space of 2203. years till the gift of Tongues at Sion began to recure the confusion of Tongues at Babel and the Heathens thereby were so far brought into the true Religion that even Babel it self was among those that knew the Lord Psal. 87. 4. and a Church there elect as well as the Jews 1 Pet. 5. 13. The second Age of the World From the Flood to the Promise given to Abraham The ten Fathers after the Flood Flood World Noah Sem 2 1658 602 100 Arphaxad born 37 1693 637 135 35 Shelah born 67 1723 667 165 65 30 Eber born 101 1757 701 199 99 64 34 Peleg born Languages confounded about the time of his birth 131 1787 731 229 129 94 64 30 Reu born 163 1819 763 261 161 126 96 62 32 Serug born 193 1849 793 291 191 156 126 92 62 30 Nahor born 222 1878 822 320 220 185 155 121 91 59 29 Terah born 292 1948 892 390 290 255 225 191 161 129 99 70 Haran born 340 1996 940 438 338 303 273 239 209 177 147 118 48 Peleg dieth 341 1997 941 439 339 304 274 Â 210 178 148 119 49 1 Nahor dieth 350 2006 950 448 348 313 283 Â 219 187 Â 138 58 10 9 Noah dieth 352 2008 Â 450 350 315 285 Â 221 189 Â 130 60 12 11 2 Abraham born 370 2026 Â 468 368 333 303 Â 239 207 Â 148 Â 30 29 20 18 Reu dieth 393 2049 Â 491 391 356 326 Â Â 230 Â 171 Â Â 52 43 41 23 Serug dieth 427 2083 Â 525 425 390 360 Â Â Â Â 205 Â Â 86 77 75 57 34 Tera dieth Gen. 11. 32. The Promise given to Abraham Gen. 12. 1. With this latter part of the eleventh of Genesis read 1 Chron. 1. Vers. 24 25 26 27. Sem in the very front of the generations of the new world standeth without mention of father or mother beginning of days or end of life as Heb. 7. 3. The age of man was shortned at the confusion of Babel for Peleg and those born after him live not above half the time of those born before He dieth the first of all this line to shew Gods dislike of that rebellion which befell in the year of his birth Nahor dieth the next year after him having lived a shorter life then he to shew the like displeasure against the Idolatry which was begun in that line also Terah at seventy years old hath his son Haran and Abraham is born to him when he is an hundred and thirty this appeareth by casting Abrams age when he departs out of Haran to go for Canaan after his fathers death Men frame intricacies and doubts to themselves here where the Text is plain if it be not wrested God in Ur of the Caldees calleth Abram out of his Idolatry and out of that Idolatrous Country where he had caught it to leave his Country and kindred and to go for a Land that he would shew him Acts 7. 2. Abram leaveth his Idolatry and imbraceth this call and so also doth his father Terah and therefore the conduct of the journy is ascribed to him for honours sake Gen. 11. 31. and they depart from Ur and go to Haran and there they dwell and there at last Terah dieth After his death God giveth Abram another call to leave his Countrey kindred and fathers house too now and to follow him whither he calls him and so he did and he was seventy and five years old when he departs from Haran Now taking seventy and five out of two hundred and five years of Terah at which age he died it is
Ismael 22 Isaac 8 league c. God had foretold Abraham of the Egyptian Abram 109 Ismael 23 Isaac 9 affliction and his affliction beginneth first by an Egyptian Abram 110 Ismael 24 Isaac 10 namely by Hagar and her son There is mention of Abram 111 Ismael 25 Isaac 11 a double space of his seeds sojourning in a land not Abram 112 Ismael 26 Isaac 12 theirs viz. 400 years Chap. 15. 13. which was from Abram 113 Ismael 27 Isaac 13 Ismaels mocking to their delivery out of Egypt and Abram 114 Ismael 28 Isaac 14 430 years Exod. 12. 40. which was from the promise Abram 115 Ismael 29 Isaac 15 given to Abram Gen. 17. 1. to their delivery Gal. 3. 17. Abram 116 Ismael 30 Isaac 16 Abraham consecrateth a grove at Beersheba that he Abram 117 Ismael 31 Isaac 17 might have hallowed wood for his sacrifices as well as holy fire see Chap. 21. 7. he had had fire from heaven at some time upon his sacrifice and he preserved it World 2126 Sem 568 Salah 433 Eber 403 Abram 118 Ismael 32 Isaac 18 SALAH or Shelah dieth being 433 years old read Gen. 11. 14 15. Abram 119 Ismael 33 Isaac 19 There is a good space of time passed over in silence Abram 120 Ismael 34 Isaac 20 concerning Isaac for from the time of Ismaels mocking Abram 121 Ismael 35 Isaac 21 which was at his fifth year till the time of his offering Abram 122 Ismael 36 Isaac 22 up in a figure which was at his thirty third as Abram 123 Ismael 37 Isaac 23 may be conceived there is no mention of him for as Abram 124 Ismael 38 Isaac 24 yet the story most especially followeth the Acts of Abraham Abram 125 Ismael 39 Isaac 25 Now it is very likely that as the offering up of Abram 126 Ismael 40 Isaac 26 Isaac was so plain and perfect a figure of the offering up Abram 127 Ismael 41 Isaac 27 of Christ in other things so also that these two things the Type and Antitype did agree in the time and that Isaac was offered when he was two and thirty years and an half old or three and thirty current which was the age Abraham 128 Ismael 42 Isaac 28 of our Saviour when he was crucified And the like concurrence Abraham 129 Ismael 43 Isaac 29 and circumstance of the time may be also well Abraham 130 Ismael 44 Isaac 30 conceived of Abel at his death who murdred by his brother Abraham 131 Ismael 45 Isaac 31 typified the same thing that Isaac did sacrificed by Abraham 132 Ismael 46 Isaac 32 his father CHAP. XXII Abraham 133 Ismael 47 Isaac 33 ISAAC probably offered up this year The mount Moriah Abraham 134 Ismael 48 Isaac 34 Ver. 2. the third day Ver. 4. His first bearing the Abraham 135 Ismael 49 Isaac 35 wood and then the wood bearing him Vers. 6 9. His Abraham 136 Ismael 50 Isaac 36 being bound hand and foot Vers. 9. do call us to remember such circumstances in the death of Christ. CHAP. XXIII World 2145 Sem 587 Eber 422 Abraham 137 Ismael 51 Isaac 37 SARAH dieth being 127 years old the only woman Abraham 138 Ismael 52 Isaac 38 whose age is recorded in Scripture A burial place is Abraham 139 Ismael 53 Isaac 39 the first land that Abraham hath in Canaan CHAP. XXIV XXV to Verse 7. and 1 CHRON. 1. Vers. 32 33. World 2148 Sem 590 Eber 425 Abraham 140 Ismael 54 Isaac 40 ISAAC is married to Rebeccah Abraham after Sarahs Abraham 141 Ismael 55 Isaac 41 death marrieth Keturah and hath divers children by Abraham 142 Ismael 56 Isaac 42 her those children when they come to age he sendeth Abraham 143 Ismael 57 Isaac 43 away into those countries beyond Jordan and in Arabia Abraham 144 Ismael 58 Isaac 44 which Kedarlaomer and the Kings with him had conquered Abraham 145 Ismael 59 Isaac 45 and by the conquest of them they descended to Abraham Abraham 146 Ismael 60 Isaac 46 There these sons of his grow into Nations and become continual Abraham 147 Ismael 61 Isaac 47 enemies to the seed of Israel Though Abraham were Abraham 148 Ismael 62 Isaac 48 very old at Sarahs death being 137 years old then yet is Abraham 149 Ismael 63 Isaac 49 he not past the strength of generation through the strength of that promise I will multiply thee c. The greatest wonder of Isaacs birth was that he was born of an old barren woman World 2158 Sem 600 Eber 435 Abraham 150 Ismael 64 Isaac 50 SEM dieth being 600 years old read Gen. 11. 11. the Abraham 151 Ismael 65 Isaac 51 same was Melchisedech the only man in the world greater Abraham 152 Ismael 66 Isaac 52 then Abraham For though Eber and Arphaxad and the Abraham 153 Ismael 67 Isaac 53 other Patriarchs had this dignity above Abraham that they Abraham 154 Ismael 68 Isaac 54 were his fathers yet he was dignified above them all in Abraham 155 Ismael 69 Isaac 55 this that he had the singular and glorious Promise made to Abraham 156 Ismael 70 Isaac 56 him which was not made to any of them but only Sem Abraham 157 Ismael 71 Isaac 57 Sem saw the two great miseries of the world the Flood Abraham 158 Ismael 72 Isaac 58 and the confusion of Tongues but he saw comfort in Abraham Abraham 159 Ismael 73 Isaac 59 and Isaac He lived as many years after Abraham came into the land of Canaan as Abraham was old when he came thither namely 75 years CHAP. XXV Ver. 11. and from Ver. 19. to the end World 2168 Eber 445 Abraham 160 Ismael 74 Isaac 60 JACOB and Esau born first he that was natural Abraham 161 Ismael 75 Isaac 61 Iacob 1 and then he that was spiritual These children Abraham 162 Ismael 75 Isaac 61 Iacob 2 strove in the womb and Rebeccah inquired after the Abraham 163 Ismael 77 Isaac 63 Iacob 3 cause and the Lord by an oracle it is like by Abrahams Abraham 164 Ismael 78 Isaac 64 Iacob 4 oracle at Beersheba resolves her of the difference of the Abraham 165 Ismael 79 Isaac 65 Iacob 5 children and of the Nations that should descend of Abraham 166 Ismael 80 Isaac 66 Iacob 6 them Esau is born all hairy over like a kid a strange Abraham 167 Ismael 81 Isaac 67 Iacob 7 birth and he is therefore named Esau that is Made Abraham 168 Ismael 82 Isaac 68 Iacob 8 for he had his beard and his pubes now even from the Abraham 169 Ismael 83 Isaac 69 Iacob 9 birth as if he had been a mature man The story is Abraham 170 Ismael 84 Isaac 70 Iacob 10 now to fall upon the acts of Isaac and Jacob and therefore in this Chapter it concludes the story of Abraham and Ismael reckoneth up the tearm of their lives and mentioneth their deaths by anticipation the Reader Abrah 171 Ismael 85 Isaac 71 Iacob 11 will readily reduce the Texts that mention these to Abrah
by Othniel 3 Urim and Thummini who should first begin that expedition the success of Othniel 4 which beginning would have much influence to daunt or incourage the enemy Othniel 5 according as it should prove Judah the royal Tribe is chosen for that purpose Othniel 6 and Caleb the son of Jephunneh is general for that Tribe till his age and Othniels Othniel 7 prowess caused the command to devolve upon Othniel Simeon joyneth with Othniel 8 Judah in the expedition who was mingled with him in possession as Josh. 19. 1. Othniel 9 Civil wars among the Canaanites have made the way the easier for Israels victories Othniel 10 for Judah conquereth seventy Kings in the conquest of Adonibesek they bring this Tyrant before Jerusalem for the greater terrour of the Jebusites and there kill him and then they sack and burn that City This story of the taking of Jerusalem lieth in its proper place here for though the King of it had been slain in the field Josh. 10. yet was not the City taken nor it nor any other City fired in Joshua's time but only Jericho Ai and Hazor Josh. 6. 24. 8. 26. 11. 3. and therefore the eight Verse should be read And the children of Judah warred against Jerusalem and took it and smote it c. and not as if it had been done before Now the children of Israel had warred Hebron and Debir taken by Caleb and by Othniel Calebs uncle but younger then he and so are those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be understood And Othniel the son of Kenaz a kinsman of Calebs younger then he took it For Othniel and Jephunneh Calebs father were brethren both sons of Kenaz see Numb 32. 12. and 1 Chron. 4. 13 14. Hebron and Debir had been taken by Joshua in the first or second year of his wars Josh. 10. 36 37 38 39. and about the seventh year of his wars he sweeps those places again of the Canaanites and Anakims that had swarmed thither again in the space between Josh. 11. 20. And when the land begins to be divided he allotteth Hebron unto Caleb as Josh. 14. Now ten or twelve years passed since that allotment and the publick service had been acting all this while for the dividing of the land and bringing every Tribe into its possession so that Caleb hitherto had had little leasure because of the publick or if he had leasure yet left to his own strength and forces which he can make a part and distinct from the publick he is too weak to work his own settlement and the Canaanites are still growing upon him till now that the whole Tribe of Judah and Simeon ingage for him and he their General and then he takes Hebron and Debir and destroyes the Anakims and Canaanites clear out that they grow no more there Othniel marrieth his nephews daughtet or his own great neece and hath an inheritance of land with her though she had three brethren 1 Chron. 4. 15. Jethro's family called Kenites because they dwelt in the Country called Kain Numb 24. 22. had come up with Joshua and Israel into the land of Canaan and resided about Jericho the City of Palm-trees among the Tribe of Judah till now and now that Judah hath cleared his portion and begins to spread into plantations they go along and plant with them in the South upon the coasts of the Amalekites and so in Sauls time are mingled among them 1 Sam. 15. 6. These Kenites were the root of the Rechabites Jerem. 35. 1 Chron. 3. 55. Judah conquereth Horma for Simeon and Azza Askelon Ekron for himself but the Philistims soon recover these three last Towns again Chap. 3. 1 2. The several Tribes are working themselves into settlement in their several possessions but are not careful to root out the Canaanites but suffer them to live amongst them and so hazzard themselves to be corrupted by them and forget the command of God which had ingaged them utterly to destroy and not to spare them CHAP. II. to Ver. 11. Othniel 11 FOR this Christ himself cometh up from Judahs camp at Gilgal to the people Othniel 12 assembled at some solemnity at Shiloh or Bethel and telleth them Othniel 13 plainly that he will no more conquer for them he had offered himself to Othniel 14 Joshua to lead the field in all the wars and so had done Josh. 5. 14. He had Othniel 15 been with Judah and made him victorious till he also spares the Canaanites and Othniel 16 either for fear or neglect le ts the inhabitants of the vale inhabite there still Othniel 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 19. it is left to construe indifferently either he would not or Othniel 18 could not or durst not drive them out And then the Captain of the Lords Othniel 19 hoast the Angel of the Covenant that had brought them from Egypt thitherto Othniel 20 departs from them for which all the people have good cause to weep and Othniel 21 they call the place Bochim the dimission of the people by Joshua and his age Othniel 22 and death and the death of that generation are mentioned here that the Othniel 23 foundation of the future story may be the better laid and the time of the peoples Othniel 24 beginning to degenerate may be marked out CHAP. XVII XVIII XIX XX. XXI Othniel 25 AFter the tenth Verse of the second Chapter is the proper place and order of these Chapters for though they be laid at the end of the Book yet were the things mentioned in them acted even in the beginning of their wickedness after Joshua's and the Elders death for the better evidencing of which it will be pertinent to consider first the connexion of the passages there mentioned one to another and then the reason of the dislocation of them all CHAP. XVII IDolatry is begun in Israel by a woman and in Ephraim where afterwards Jeroboam established it by Law Micahs mother devoteth eleven hundred shekels to the making of an Idol and nine hundred of them go for materials and two hundred for workmanship Micah setteth it up in his own house for his own use and the use of the neighbour-hood round about him The Text in the Original calleth him Micaiahu with a part of the name Jehovah affixed to his name till he have set up his image and from thence forward viz. from ver 5. it calleth him Micah CHAP. XVIII Othniel 26 THE Danites take Micah's Idol from him and set it up publickly in their own Tribe there Jeroboam setteth up one of his calves afterward also For this first publick Idolatry begun in the Tribe of Dan that Tribe is not named among the sealed of the Lord Rev. 7. A great grandchild of Moses is the first Idolatrous Priest but Moses his name is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manasseh with the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above the word partly for the honour of Moses in the dust and partly because this his
his Son two years Chap. 15. 25. yet that Nadab began to reign in the second year of Asa which was in the one and twentieth year of Jeroboam and so Nadabs two years fall within the sum of his fathers two and twenty Now the reason of this accounting is this It is said in 2 Chron. 13. 20. that the Lord stroke Jeroboam and he died that is with some ill and languishing disease that he could not administer nor rule the Kingdom therefore was he forced to substitute his son Nadab in his life time and in one and the same year both Father and Son died Secondly It is said that Baasha began to reign in the third year of Asa 1 King 13. 28. and reigned four and twenty years ver 33. then it followeth that he died in the six and twentieth year of Asa as the Text reckoneth the years current 1 Kings 16. 8. And yet in the six and thirtieth year of Asa Baasha came up and made war against Judah 2 Chron. 16. 1. So that this war will seem to be made by him nine or ten years after he is dead But the resolution of this from the original is easie For that Text in the Chronicles meaneth not that Baasha made war against Judah in the six and thirtieth year of Asaes reign but in the six and thirtieth year of Asaes kingdom that is six and thirty years from the division of the Tribes under Rehoboam For Rehoboam reigned seventeen years Abijam his son three years and in the sixteenth year of Asa was this war made thirty six years in all from the first division The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore should there be rendred the Kingdom and not the Reign and the thing were clear Now the Text dateth this war not from the time of Asaes reign but from the time of the division of the Tribes because that though they were divided hitherto in regard of their Kings yet not totally in regard of their converse and affection for some of the revolted ones affected still the house of David but Baasha to make the division sure buildeth Ramah that none might go in or out to Asa King of Judah and this was as a second division and therefore the Text reckoneth from the first Thirdly It is said 1 King 16. 23. that in the one and thirtieth year of Asa King of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel twelve years six years reigned he in Tirzah And yet in vers 29. it is said that In the eight and thirtieth year of Asa began Ahab the son of Omri to reign Now how can there possibly be twelve years reign betwixt Asaes thirty first and thirty eight Answer Omri began to reign as soon as ever he had slain Zimri which was in the twenty seventh of Asa but he was not sole and entire King till his thirty first For Tibni his competitor and corrival for the Crown held him in agitation and wars till Asaes thirty first And then was he overcome and Omri acknowledged absolute King by Tibnies souldiers and so from thence forward he reigned sole King in Tirzah But yet the doubt remaineth how Omri beginning his monarchy in the thirty first of Asa and ending it in his thirty eight can be said to have reigned but six years whereas it was eight current Answer The six compleat years only are reckoned for the thirty first of Asa was even ending when Tibni was conquered and the thirty eight but newly begun when Omri died Such another kind of reckoning may be observed in casting up the age of Abraham and Ismael at their Circumcision compared with the age of Abraham at Ismaels death Fourthly The beginning of the reign of Joram the son of Jehoshaphat hath three dates The first in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat his father compare 2 Kings 22. 51. and 2 King 1. 17. and 2 King 3. 1. The second in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab 2 King 8. 16. This was in the two and twentieth year of his father Jehoshaphat And the third at his father Jehoshaphats death 2 Chron. 21. 1. Now the resolution of this Ambiguity is thus The first time he was made Viceroy when his father went out of the Land for the recovery of Ramoth Gilead and because Ahab the King of Israel went with him Ahaziah his son is made Viceroy in that Kingdom also The second time he was Viceroy again in his Father Jehoshaphats absence upon his voyage into Moab with Jehoram 2 King 3. and from this time doth the Text date the fixed beginning of his reign as is plain 2 King 8. 17. 2 Chron. 21. 20. For Jehoshaphat after this time was little at home but abroad either in his own Land perambulating it to reduce the people to true Religion or in Moab to reduce that to subjection 2 Chron. 19. 20. Fifthly But a greater doubt meeteth you by far when you come to cast up the times of his son Ahaziah For whereas Joram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign and reigned eight years in Jerusalem 2 King 6. 17. 2 Chron. 21. 20. and so died when he was forty years old and instantly the inhabitants of Jerusalem set Ahaziah upon his throne who was his youngest son yet was this Ahaziah forty two years old when he began to reign 2 Chron. 22. 1. and so will prove to be two years older then his father Answer The book of Chronicles in this place meaneth not that Ahaziah was so old when he began to reign for the book of Kings telleth plainly that he was but two and twenty 2 King 8. 26. but these two and forty years have relation to another thing namely to the kingdom of the house of Omri and not to the age of Ahaziah For count from the beginning of the reign of Omri and you find Ahaziah to enter his reign in the two and fortieth year from thence as he will readily see that shall make such a Chronical Table as is mentioned The Original words therefore Ben arbaguim ushethajim shanah are not to be translated as they be Ahaziah was two and forty years old but Ahaziah was the son of the two and forty years as Seder Olam hath acutely observed long ago Now the reason why his reign is thus dated differently from all others the Kings of Judah is because he in a kind was an impe of the house of Omri for Athaliah his mother was Ahabs daughter 2 King 8. 18. And she both perverted her husband Joram and brought up this her son Ahaziah in the Idolatry of the house of Ahab therefore is not Ahaziah fit to be reckoned by the line of the Kings of Judah but by the house of Omri and Ahab see the Evangelist Matthew setting a special mark upon the house of Joram at the notes on Matth. 1. 8. Sixthly There is yet one scruple more arising concerning the beginning of the reign of this Ahaziah For the same book of Kings saith that he began to
reign in the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab 2 King 8. 25. and in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab 2 Kings 9. 29. Answer The resolution of this doubt will be easie to him that hath such a Chronical Table as we have spoken of before his eyes For there will he see that Jehoram reigned one year before his Father Ahabs death For in the twentieth year of Ahab which was the seventeenth of Jehoshaphat did Ahaziah the son of Ahab begin to reign 1 King 22. 51. being made Viceroy when his Father went to Ramoth Gilead He reigning but that year Jehoram his son was Viceroy or began to rule in his stead the next year namely in Ahabs one and twentieth Ahab in his two and twentieth died and so Jehoram became absolute and intire King and reigned so eleven years so that his reign hath a double reckoning he reigned as Viceroy twelve years but as intire King but eleven 7. Amaziah began to reign in the second year of Joash King of Israel 2 King 14. 1. this was the eight and thirtieth year of his father Joash King of Judah three years current before his death And the reason was because his father had cast himself into so much misery and mischief through his Apostasie and murder of Zacharias 2 King 12. 17 18. 2 Chron. 24. 23 24 25. that he was become unfit and unable to manage the Kingdom 8. Uzziah or Azariah the son of this Amaziah being but sixteen years of age in the seven and twentieth year of the reign of Jeroboam the second 2 King 15. 1 2. it appeareth that he was but four years old at his fathers death Therefore was the Throne empty for eleven years and the rule managed by some as Protectors in the Kings minority 9. There is also an interregnum or vacancy of twenty two years in the Kingdom of Israel between Jeroboam the second and Zachariah whereof what the reason should be is not easie to determine whether through wars from abroad which Jeroboam might have provoked against his house by the conquest of Hamath and Damascus 2 King 14. 28. or through war at home as appeareth by the end of Zachariah 2 King 15. 10. or through what else it was it is uncertain but most sure it was that the Throne was so long without a King since Jeroboam beginning to reign in the fifteenth year of Amaziah and reigning forty one years 1 King 14. 23. died in the fifteenth of Uzziah and Zechariah began not to Reign till the eight and thirtieth 2 Kings 15. 8. 10. Hoshea is said to slay Pekah in the twentieth year of Jotham the Son of Uzziah 2 King 15. 30. whereas Jotham reigned but sixteen years in all 2 King 15. 33. But the reason of this accounting is because of the wickedness of Ahaz in whose reign this occurrence was and the Holy Ghost chuseth rather to reckon by holy Jotham in the dust then by wicked Ahaz alive For in the slaughter of Pekah the Lord avenged upon Pekah the blood-shed and misery he had caused in Judah for he had slain of the men thereof 120000 in one day 2 Chron. 28. 6. Now Ahaz had caused this wrath upon the people in withdrawing them from the ways of the Lord therefore when the Lord avengeth this injury of his people upon Pekah the time of it is computed from Jotham who was holy and upright and not from Ahaz who had caused the mischief 11. There is a scruple of no small difficulty about the reckoning of this twentieth year of Jotham if it once be spied out And that is this If Pekah began to reign in the two and fiftieth or last year of Uzziah and reigned twenty years as 2 King 15. 27. and if Jotham began to reign in the second year of Pekah 2 King 15. 33. then certainly the twentieth year of Pekah the year when Hoshea slew him was but the nineteenth year of Jotham and not the twentieth Answer In this very difficulty hath the Text fixed the time of Uzziahs becoming Leprous which else-where is not determined and it sheweth that it was in the last year of his reign when he assayed to offer incense in the Temple and was struck with the Leprosie a disease with which the Priests who were to be the Judges of it could not be touched nor infected and his son Jotham was over the house judging the land 2 King 15. 5. till the day of his death Now that last year of Uzziah is counted for the first of Jotham in this reckoning that we have in hand and although he began to reign as absolute and sole King in the second year of the Reign of Pekah yet began he to reign as Viceroy in the diseasedness of his father the year before 12. It is said Hoshea the son of Elab began to reign in the twelfth year of Ahaz 2 King 17. 1. whereas he had slain Pekah in the fourth of Ahaz or the twentieth of Jotham which sheweth that he obtained not the Crown immediately upon Pekahs death but was seven or eight years before he could settle it quietly upon his head It is like that Ahaz in this time did disquiet Israel when his potent enemy Pekah was dead in revenge of that slaughter that he had made in Judah and that he kept Hoshea out of the Throne and for this is called the King of Israel 2 Chron. 28. 19. as well as for walking in the ways of those Kings 13. It is said that Hezekiah began to reign in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elab 2 King 18. 1. Now Hoshea beginning in the twelfth of Ahaz 2 King 17. 1. it is apparent that Hezekiah began in the fourteenth and so reigned two or three years with his father Ahaz who reigned sixteen years 2 King 16. 2. The reason of this was because of the wickedness of Ahaz and because of the miseries and intanglements that his wickedness had brought him into as a Chron. 28. 16 17 18 and Chap. 29. 7 8 9. And this sheweth the zeal of Hezekiah in the work of Reformation the more in that he assayed and perfected it so much in the very time of his wicked Father 14. But yet there ariseth another doubt in the computation of the times of Hezekiah parallel with the times of Hoshea For whereas he began to reign in the third year of Hoshea as is clear before then the seventh year of Hoshea should be counted his fifth year and yet it is called but his fourth 2 King 18 9. Answer The beginning of Hezekiahs reign is of a double date He began indeed to be Viceroy and to bear the rule in the third of Hoshea which was the 14th year of his father Ahaz but the time of that year was but short that he was in the royalty and he did but little or nothing of note that year but the next year which was the fifteenth of Ahaz and the fourth of Hoshea on the very first day of
some machination against himself he had now shut up in prison and intended him presently for the execution but that his sickness whereof he died seizing on him gave some more space to the imprisoned and some hopes and possibilities of escaping His disease was all these mixed together an inward burning and exulceration an insatiable greediness and devouring the Chollick the Gout and Dropsie his loins and secrets crawling with lice and a stink about him not to be indured These wringings and tortures of his body meeting with the peevishness of old age for he was now seventy and with the natural cruelty which always had been in him made him murderously minded above all measure insomuch that he put to death divers that had taken down a golden Eagle which he had set up about the Temple And when he grew near to his end and saw himself ready to die he slew his Son Antipater and caused great multitudes of the Nobility and People to be closed up in a sure place giving command to slay them as soon as he was dead for by that means he said he should have the Jews truly and really to sorrow at his death Vid. Joseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 8 9 10. and de Bel. lib. 1. cap. 21. Vers. 20. For they are dead that sought the young childs life The like saying is to Moses Exod. 4. 19. where the word they may be understood of Pharaoh and his servants which jointly sought his life for the Egyptians sake whom he had slain and were now all dead and worn out in the fourty years of his being in Midian But here it is true indeed that the seeking of the childs life may well be applied to Herods Servants as well as himself but that all they died with him or about the time of his death who in flattery or favour or obedience to him had promoted the slaughter at Bethlehem and had sought the childs life I know not upon what ground it should be conceived I should therefore by the they in this place understand Herod and his Son Antipater jointly together For if it be well considered how mischievous this Antipater was against his own Brethren and how he wrought their ruine and misery for fear they should get betwixt him and the throne yea how he sought the destruction of his own Father because he thought he kept him out of the Throne too long it may very well be believed that he would bloodily stir against this new King of the Jews that the wisemen spake of for fear of interception of the Crown as well as his Father He died but five days before his fathers death as it was touched before out of Josephus and thus God brought this bloodliness of the Father and the Son and the rest of their cruelties to an end and upon their own heads at once and in a manner together and thus may the words of the Angel be very fairly understood Take the child and return to the Land of Israel for Herod and Antipater are dead that sought his life Ver. 22. Archelaus did reign in Iudea in the room of his Father Herod Herod had first named Antipater for his Successor in the Throne of Judea but upon detection of his conspiracy against him he altered his mind and his will and nominated Antipas and changing his mind yet again he named Archelaus and he succeeded him a man not likely to prosper in a Throne that was so bebloodied His conclusion was that in the tenth year of his reign he was accused by the Nobles of Judea and Samaria to Augustus banished to Vienna and his estate confiscate Jos. Ant. lib. 17. cap. 15. Ver. 23. He shall be called a Nazarene From Isa. 11. 1. where the Messias is called by the title Nezer which indifferently signifieth A branch and the City Nazaret one and the same word denoting Christ and the place where he should be born SECTION VIII S. LUKE CHAP. II. Christ sheweth his wisdom at twelve years old Ver. 40. AND a a a a a a Compare Exod. 2. 10. 1 Sam. 2. 26. Jud. 16. 24. the Child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him 41. Now his Parents went to Ierusalem b b b b b b Exod. 23. 15. 17. every year at the Feast of the Passover 42. And when he was twelve years old they went up to Ierusalem after the custom of the Feast 43. And when they had fulfilled the days as they returned the Child Iesus tarried behind in Ierusalem and Ioseph and his mother knew not of it 44. But they supposing him to have been in the company went a days journey and they sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance 45. And when they found him not they turned back again to Ierusalem seeking him 46. And it came to pass that after three days they found him in the Temple sitting in the middest of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions 47. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers 48. And when they saw him they were amazed and his mother said unto him Son why hast thou thus dealt with us Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing 49. And he said unto them How is it that ye sought me Wist ye not that I must * * * * * * Or In my Fathers house be about my Fathers business 50. And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them 51. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject unto them but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart 52. And Iesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and men Reason of the Order THE Order of this Section dependeth so clearly upon the proper Order of that preceding that that being made good to lie where it doth as in the proper place the subsequence of this to it can nothing at all be doubted of For whereas all the Evangelists have unanimously passed over in silence all those years of Christs minority which intervened or passed between his return out of Egypt and this passage of his at twelve years old there is nothing possible to be found in the Gospels that can come between to interpose this order and connexion The carriage and demeanour of our Saviour in the time between is only briefly comprised in the first verse of this portion And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him Harmony and Explanation Ver. 40. And the child grew c. TWO years Old he was when he went into Egypt and there he aboad in his Exile a very small time it may be some two or three months about such a space as Moses had been hid in Egypt in his Fathers house from the fury of Pharaoh When he returned to Nazareth his Mothers City being now about two years and a quarter old he
by any of Sems sons was now past because of the late conquest but only of Aram the youngest who had no chalengers or children in the war of him was Eliezer descended who was Abrahams chief servant and whereas the title by Sems resignation was to descend to Abram and his heirs Eleazer was like to be next if Abram had no child of his own When this jealousie somewhat troubleth Abram God removeth it by the promise of a Son of his own Loyns and by a Covenant with sacrifice even of all manner of creatures that were to be sacrificed CHAP. XVI Abram assured of a son of his own body but not whether by Sarah or not taketh Hagar to compass the promise she wearied out by Sarai's strictness is travailing to her own Country Aegypt and by the way hath a vision of the Angel of the Covenant which was strange to her to have visions out of Abrams house therefore she called the Name of the Lord that spake unto her Thou art the God of vision for she said Did I here also look after a vision in a place so far distant from Abrams family And the well also where he spake unto her was called The well of the lively one of vision CHAP. XVII Circumcision instituted in Hebron and about the time of Easter the place and time of the year where and when the Baptist was born who was to bring in Baptism instead of Circumcision Abram and Sarah upon Circumcision saith Rabbi Menahem were as new creatures and therefore also must they have new names CHAP. XVIII The three Persons in the Trinity in the shape of three men appear to Abraham and dine with him and eat the First flesh that is mentioned eaten in all the Scripture Abraham beggeth for Sodom till he thought he had been gotten within the compass of righteous ones in Lots family and then he ceaseth CHAP. XIX The Son and the Holy Ghost come into Sodome to destroy it and now they are called Angels because they were sent by the Father Lots wife is struck dead with lightning and stiffened and fixed in the place where she stood and of a salt and brackish smell and therefore called a pillar of salt Sodom destroyed by a strange fire and the memorial of so great a Judgment preserved to this day by as strange a water Jordan before that time had an issue further but from that time it pleased God to stop it and to lay that valley up on a fatal pool Lot had two Daughters at the least that perished in the fire and brimstone as well as he had two that escaped It is observable how soon after the institution of Circumcision those Cities came to destruction which so hideously abused that member wherein the Covenant for the land was sealed CHAP. XX. XXI Abraham flitteth into the Land of the Philistims that Isaac might be born out of the Land of Canaan properly so called for the greater mystery to his birth God himself cometh in visible form as chap. 18. Sarah hath once a greater measure of the Spirit of Prophesie than Abraham namely in the matter of casting out the bond woman and her son There is good probability of Ismaels salvation Abraham consecrateth a grove at Beersheba that he might have hallowed wood for his sacrificing fires as well as holy fire for his sacrifices CHAP. XXII Abraham passed through ten temptations and the sacrificing of his son the last and greatest CHAP. XXIII When Rebeceahs son is risen in the last Chapter Sarah sets in this The first foot of Land and all the Land that Abraham hath in Canaan in possession is only a place of burial God by this very thing drawing him and his to look after the spiritual part of the promise CHAP. XXV At what time Abraham married Keturah is uncertain the Text hath laid it after Isaacs marriage because it was fit that all the actions of Abraham which any whit concerned the promise should be handled first and together before the other which either did not at all or did it the less But that Abraham was married to this woman long before Isaacs marriage or Sarahs death is probable upon these conjectures 1. He that held it strange to have a son at an hundred years old it is not like he would marry at an hundred and forty 2. In chap. 24. 36. when the servant is to make the match for Isaac he saith that Abraham had given all his estate to Isaac which had been unnecessary to mention had he had no more children but Ismael who was gone from his house long before Abrahams disposing of his sons into the East Countries or Arabia was not upon usurpation but upon just claim by conquest chap. 14. All these Countries were of the Land of Canaan and of the promise and therefore are circumcised ones seated in them instead of Canaanites When the Text hath recited these sons of Abraham and their settlement it bringeth him and Ismael to their graves Not that they died before the birth of Jacob and Esau as the Text hath laid it for Abraham lived till they were fifteen years old and Ismael till they were at their climacterical year of sixty three but now hath Moses no more to say of them and therefore he concludeth their story at once Esau born all hairy over like a Kid but of a reddish colour and therefore they called him Esau Factus made and perfected already as having both his beard and pubes as soon as he was born In a sore year of famine in the Land Esau selleth his birth-right for want of meat CHAP. XXVI The famine that had caused him to part with his birth-right causeth Isaac his father to part out of the Land of Canaan The Philistims Africans by descent Gen. 10. 14. and tawny like them do soon espy the beauty of Rebeccah a white woman CHAP. XXVII Isaac being arrived at the age of one hundred and thirty seven years at what age Ismael his brother had died by his example beginneth to think of his own death and to dispose himself for that He sendeth Esau to hunt for venison for a trial whether he should bless him or no for missing of venison before he had lost his birth-right and if he miss to day as he did then it would be a sure sign that he must lose the blessing And so though Isaac had passed away the main blessing at unawars yet when Esau cometh home sped of a prey he seeth that it was the will of God he should have some blessing and so blessed him also Esaus garments in which Jacob obtained the blessing were the garments of the Priesthood which belonged to the first born CHAP. XXIX XXX Jacob stronger than three men and rolleth away the stone from the wells mouth alone which they could not do with all their strength united he is deceived by Laban by a suborned person and imbraced Leah thinking he had imbraced Rahel as he deceived his father by a suborned person
which was Aretas daughter and having taken Herodias the wife of his own brother Philip and he yet living in her stead it is no wonder if Aretas dogged him for revenge for this indignity to his Daughter and himself Wherefore he beginneth to quarrel with him and to seek occasion of war by challenge of a territory controvertible and they come to a pitched battel in which Herods Army is utterly overthrown by means of some treachery wrought by some fugitives from his brother Philips Tetrarchy which had taken up Arms to fight under his colours And here as Josephus hath observed It was the observation of divers that this his Army utterly perished through Gods just punishment upon him for the murder of John the Baptist. And it is worth the marking that this overthrow took beginning from men of that Country whence Herodias the causer of that murder and of the present disquietness had come Herod upon this defeat doubtful of better success at another time for it may be his conscience told him this was but deserved betaketh himself by letters to Tiberius certifying him of the accident and it is likely not without much aggravation The Emperor either displeased at the fortune of Aretas in his victory or at his audaciousness in stirring so within the Empire or at both together sendeth angry letters to Vitellius the Governor of Syria charging him to undertake the war and either to bring the rebellious King prisoner alive or to send his head to Rome But before the design came to maturity Tiberius that had thus threatned another mans life had lost his own as will appear hereafter when this first battel was that was so fatal to Herod it shall not be insisted on to question but that this brewing towards a new war befel in this year is apparent sufficiently by the sequel THE ROMAN AND JEWISH Story For the Year of CHRIST XXXVIII And of TIBERIUS XXIII The first Year also of CAIUS CALIGULA Being the Year of the WORLD 3965. And of the City of ROME 790. Consuls Cn. Proculus Acerronius C. Pontius Nigrinus PART I. The ROMAN Story §. 1. Macro all base THIS man had been mischievous ever since he had power to be so but now was he so most of all that he might keep that power of his afoot or might raise it more and more He was used by Tiberius as an instrument to bring down Sejanus the one bad and the other worse and after he had done that none must stand by his good will that was likely to stand in his way He was made Master of the Praetorian Souldiers in Sejanus his stead and as he possessed his place so did he his favour with the Emperor and the crookedness of his conditions as if all the honours fortune and wickedness of Sejanus had been intailed upon Macro An agent as fit for Tiberius as could be required and a successor as fit for Sejanus A man as bloody as the Tyrant could desire him and sometimes more than he set him on work He was the continual Alguazil and Inquisitor for the friends and complices of the late ruined Favorite and under colour of that pursuit he took out of the way whosoever would not friend and comply with him Of that number were Cn. Domitius and Vibius Marsus accused with Albucilla the wife of Satrius secundus for Adultery but all three together for conspiracy against the Emperor yet was there no hand of the Emperors shewed for the prosecution of the matter which shewed the only spleen and machination of the Blood-hound Macro Albucilla whether guilty indeed or knowing that his malice and power would make her so stabbed her self thinking to have died by her own hand but the wound not being deadly she was taken away to prison Grasidius and Fregellanus the pretended Pandars of her adulteries were punished the one with banishment and the other with degradation and the same penalty was inflicted upon Laelius Balbus A man but justly paid in his own coin to the rejoycing and content of divers for he had been a strong and violent accuser of many innocents Domitius and Marsus it may be as guilty as the woman but more discreet traversed the indictment and saved their own lives partly by the shortness of the Emperors life and partly by the feigned prediction of Thrasyllus that promised that it should be long But too sullen was the indignation of L. Arruntius against Macro and too desperate his ill conceit of Caius who was to succeed in the Empire for when he was inwrapt in the same accusation with the two last named and might have escaped the same escape that they did yet despised he so to outlive the cruelty of Tiberius and Macro as to come under the greater cruelty of Macro and Caius No saith he I have lived long enough and to my sorrow too long Nor doth any thing repent me more than that thus I have endured an old age under the scorns dangers and hate first of Sejanus now of Macro and always of one great one or another and that for no other fault than for detesting their flagitiousness It is true indeed that I may survive the old age and weakness of Tiberius but what hopes to do so by the youth of Caius and wickedness of Macro Can Caius a youth do well being led by Macro who so corrupted Tiberius in his age No I see more tyranny like to come than hath been yet And therefore will I deliver my self from the present misery and that to come And with these words and resolution he cut his own veins and so bled to death and spent a blood and a spirit what pity it was that they should have been so lost As Macro thus divided his pains in cruelty betwixt the satisfying of Tiberius his mind and his own malice so also did he his affections shall I say or flattery rather and own-end observances betwixt Tiberius and Caius For as he sought to please the one that now ruled for his own present security so did he to indear the other that was to succeed for his future safety Hereupon he omitted not any opportunity nor occasion that he might skrew Caius further and further into Tiberius his favour and to keep him there that he might do as much for himself into the favour of Caius One rarity and non-parallel of obsequiousness he shewed to the young Prince worth recording to his shame for he caused his own wife Ennia Thrasylla to intangle the youthfulness of Caius into her love and adultery and then parted he with her and gave her to him in marriage The old Emperor could not but observe this monster of pretended friendship nor were his old eyes so blind but he perceived his flattery plain in other carriages in so much that he brake out to him in these plain words Well thou forsakest the setting Sun and only lookest upon the rising §. 2. A wicked woman With the wife of Macro that made her own prostitution to become
of his Knowledge as in the Sacrifices fire and salt were ever joyned 5. The fifth days work was of fishes to play in the Seas and the souls to flie toward Heaven So the fifth step in a new creature is to live and rejoyce in a Sea of troubles and to flie by prayer and contemplation to Heaven 6. On the sixth day God makes man and all these things performed man is a new creature To reckon them altogether then as S. Peter does his golden chain of vertues 2 Pet. 1. Add to your light of Knowledge the firmament of Faith to your Faith Seas of repentant Tears to your Tears the fruitful Trees of good Works to your good Works the hot Sunshine of Zeal to your Zeal the winged souls of Prayer and Contemplation Et ecce omnia facta sunt nova Behold you are become a new Creature As the Bible begins so it ends with a new Creation of a new Heaven and a new Earth and a new Paradise and a new Tree of Life Apoc. 21. unto all which O thou whom my soul loveth say come CHAP. XLVII Of the fall of Adam THE fall of Adam was the death of himself the death of us and the death of Cypriano di valter Christ. At his fall were three offenders three offences and persons offended Three offenders Satan Adam Eve three offences Ignorance weakness and malice three persons offended Father Son and Holy Ghost Eve sinned of Ignorance and so sinned against the Son the God of knowledge and she was forgiven and so S. Paul sinned and was forgiven 1 Tim. 1. 13. Adam sinned of weakness and so sinned against the Father the God of power and he was pardoned and so S. Peter sinned and he was pardoned Matth. 26. But Satan sinned of set malice and so sinned against the Holy Ghost the God of love and he was not forgiven For he that speaketh against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven Mark 3. 29. And in Gods censuring of these three Gen. 3. He questioneth Adam and Evah before he sentenceth because he had mercy for them nay more he promiseth Christ before he inflict punishment but for the Serpent he never questioned because he would shew him no mercy God left Adam to his own free-will and suffered him to fall quia sciebat se c. because he knew how to turn that fall of his to his salvation When Lazarus died Christ was not there that the raising of Lazarus by Christ might be the more glorious So when Adam fell as I may say so God would not be there for he left Adam to his own free-will that the repairing of Adam through Christ might be the more glorious Hereupon one sings O foelix lapsus Unhappy was the fall of Adam since by his fall we all fell but yet happy was that unhappy fall since it must be recured by Christ. Joseph suffered his brother Simeon to go into prison for a while that at last he might bring him out with greater comfort So God suffered Adam to go into Satans Newgate for a while that at last he might bring him out with greater comfort The day thou eatest hereof thou shalt dye there is the prison And the man took and eat there Adam goes into prison The seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent there Joseph delivers Simeon out of prison God brings man out of Hell through Christ. Whereupon a Doctor in admiration questions utrum mirabilius homines justos creare an injustos justificare whether is more admirable that God created man righteous or that he justified man when he had made himself unrighteous Whether was more miraculous for God to make man of nothing or to repair him from worse than nothing Wonderful he was in both in his first and his second creation for Justificatio est secunda hominis creatio mans Justification is his new creation CHAP. XLVIII Ophitae Evia SOme Hereticks in Epiphanius think themselves beholden to the Devil for his pains that he took to overthrow Adam for they used to worship a Serpent because say they he brought knowledge into the world Clemens Alexandrinus doth partly think this conceit was got among the Heathens who at their Feasts of Bacchus used to carry a Serpent as it were in procession and to cry Evia Evia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Evia saith Clemens if it be asperated Hevia it signifies in the Hebrew Tongue a female Serpent Where the good man calls the Chaldec Tongue the Hebrew For in the Hebrew I do not find such a word for a Serpent But all the Chaldee translations of the Bible in the third of Genesis and diverse other places do use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hivia for a Serpent which I take to be the word he means CHAP. XLIX Of the Greek Translation of the fifth of Genesis HOW the Septuagint does add hundreds of years to mens ages before and after the Flood few Scholars but they know This bred the difference of computation of the times while some followed the Hebrew some the Greek Hence came two notorious doubts About Methuselah living after the Flood who died a month or two before And of Sem his death before Abrahams birth who lived as long after Abraham came to Canaan as Abraham was old when he came thither viz. seventy five years And so might well be Melchizedek The Greeks had a great deal of stir where to put Methushelah all the Flood-time for fear of drowning At last some laid him on the top of Noahs Ark and there he was all that watry year The Jews lay Og the Giant there also as the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the fourteenth of Genesis ridiculously observeth Whose words for your fuller sport I will not spare to set down The thirteenth verse be renders thus in Chaldee And Og came who was left of those that died in the Flood for he rode upon the Ark and was as a covering upon it and was nourished with Noahs victuals but he was not preserved for his own sake or merit but that the inhabitants of the world might see the power of the Lord and say Did not the Gyants in old time rebel against the Lord of the world and he destroyed them from the earth yet assoon as these Kings make war behold Og is with them Og saith with himself I will go and shew Abraham Lots case that he is taken prisoner that so he may come to rescue him and may himself fall into their hands He goes and comes to him about the Passover day and finds him making unleavened cakes then he told Abraham the Hebrew c. Thus far the Chaldee of whose conceits here and in one thousand of places more and so of his Nation the Jews I know not whether to say Risum or fletum teneatis amici But to return to my purpose The Greek The Chaldee Paraphrase of Jonathan does also mistake in the age of Mathuselah but I think it only false Printing
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 History Family c. Page 415. Marg. Δ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what the coine when the time it was collected Page 240 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Justifications but Ordinances 406 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mighty One c. 399 Ε. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken either as Adverb or Verb what it denotes Page 640 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the same with ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 239 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely on the second and fifth days of the week following 291 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth often carry the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 513 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament doth constantly refer to place and not to time 518 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put casually 495 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence derived Page 662 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is beside himself he is faint he is in a rapture c. 229 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priviledge dignity or Licence p. 396. Marg. Further opened 509 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it constantly signifies 258 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a look of pity and compassion 414 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used for lawful undertaking 391 Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 variously used 755 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of the Minister in the Synagogue 611 612 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 5. 29. ye search not imparatively 664 684 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of an high activity and motion 399. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence derived and for what intent 423 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1. 26. must be rendred in its Preterperfect signification 481 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it expresseth Pharaoh and his Servants trouble upon their dreams 398. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Seventy translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 401 Marg. Θ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fighting with wild Beasts in the Theatre Page 299 Ι 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 private Men of inferior Rank and unskilful Page 761 Κ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in order referring to foregoing writers or to following matter Page 391. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in two differing senses 424. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bed because they used to eat sitting on Beds 539. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 money-changers what they were 550 551 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 213 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers to Men of Rank or Degree 392. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deaf and Dumb. 410 Λ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Josephus will open the use of the word in the Gospel Page 268 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes a price paid 422 Îœ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is always in Scripture taken in the worst sense for such as use Magical and unlawful Arts. Page 205 431. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie both Bearing of Witness and being Martyred for the Truth 517 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what kind of Measure at large 544 to 547 Î. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silver Temples what Page 305 Ο. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Does not always point out a particular Thing or Person Page 525 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversing together with one accord why so often used in one place 750 Î . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Page 733 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traditions of the highest Form yet nothing worth in comparison of Scripture 391. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to be ever used in an ill sense 418 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to all men 272 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Scripture style the certainty of things done and of the belief that they were so 391. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyond and not besides 527 528 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Ghost wind 562 563. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wicked one for the Romans 424 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Matth. 4. 5. what p. 1070. * Wing of the Temple 1073. * Σ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Page 222 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often used in both Numbers whence derived 606. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often used in both Numbers whence derived 606. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wine or any thing that makes one drunk 398. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Porch cloyster walks c. p. 661. Rather a Cloyster than a Porch 1060 1061. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at first a creditable term but afterward a term of disgrace 449. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvation or deliverance 420. Marg. Τ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The state of a low and poor condition Page 414 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 1084. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Setting a part to holy use Baptism and Martyrdom 399. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dining Room and why so called 539. Marg. Φ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shoshebin any singular Friend whatsoever but peculiarly the special Friend and Attendant of a Bridegroom Page 585 586 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be musseled spoke of Satan 636. Marg. Χ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace how used Page 519 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 improperly rendred 291 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the upper Garment 449. Marg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for no more delay 245 Ω. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As properly requireth a so to follow it Page 314 THE Fourth TABLE or Alphabetical Index is of Things or Principal Matters contained in the First Volume A. AARON his Birth and Character Page 24 His fault for which he was debarred the Entrance into Canaan Page 36 Abbreviatures used by the Jews and others some Examples p. 1017 Abel and Cain were Twins born at the same time p. 693 Abilene Whence its Name and what Country p. 451 Abimelech the common Title of the Kings of the Philistines as Pharaoh of the Egyptians p. 423 Abraham his Birth Travels and Conquests p. 11 12. The Three Persons in the Trinity in the shape of Men dine with him p. 13. And ate the first flesh that is mentioned to have been eaten in Scripture p. 695. How he saw Christs day p. 13. He had a double Title to Canaan by Promise and by Victory p. 694 Abstinence of the Baptist and Christ was for the honour and advancement of the Gospel which they were to preach 502 503 Acceptable year of the Lord put for the Gospel Day or Age beginning with the Ministry and Baptism of John 450 Accusation wicked and foolish 797 Acra the Mount was within Jerusalem 1049. * Adam's fall its Nature Comparison Consequence and Reparation 1022 Adultress was to be put to death but yet her Husband had a power to connive at her if he took her not in the fact 419 Adultery how punished 243 244 248 Aeneas a Name found in the Jewish Writers 284 Aenon what place and where situate 583 Aethiopia one in Arabia another in
the Jews daily to be said at that time when Christ prescribed this form to his Disciples were eighteen in number or in a quantity equalling it Of this number of their prayers the Gemarists of both Talmuds treat at large p p p p p p Hieros Taanith fol. 65. 3. Bab. Beracoth fol. 28. 2. Whom consult Whether they were reduced to the precise number of eighteen in the order that they afterwards appeared in while Christ was upon earth some scruple ariseth from some things which are said by the Babylonian Talmudists in the place alledged but it might be plainly proved if there were need that little or indeed nothing at all wanted of the quantity and bulk of such a number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rabbins have a tradition say they that Simeon Pekoli reduced into order the eighteen prayers according to their course before Rabban Gamaliel in Jafne Rabban Gamaliel said to the wise men Is there any that knows to compose a prayer against the Sadducees Samuel the little stood forth and constituted one c. That Rabban Gamaliel which is here spoke of was Paul's Master For although Rabban Gamaliel who was commonly stiled Jafnensis of Jafne was the Nephew of Paul's Master Gamaliel and this thing is mentioned to be done in Jafne yet Paul's Master also lived in Jafne and that this was he of whom is the story before us sufficiently appears hence because his business is with Samuel the Little who certainly died before the destruction of the City Under Gamaliel the Elder therefore were those daily prayers reduced first into that order wherein they were received by the following ages Which however it was done after the death of our Saviour in regard of their reducing into order yet so many there were in daily use at that time when he conversed on earth Now he condemned not those prayers altogether nor esteemed them of no account yea on the contrary he joined himself to the publick Liturgy in the Synagogues and in the Temple and when he delivereth this form to his Disciples he extinguisheth not other forms II. When all could not readily repeat by heart those numerous prayers they were reduced into a brief Summary in which the marrow of them all was comprized and that provision was made for the memory that they should have a short Epitome of those prayers whom the weakness of their memory or sometime the unavoidable necessity of business permitted not to repeat a longer prayer or to be at leisure to do it This Summary they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fountain Rabban Gamaliel saith Let every one pray the eighteen prayers every day R. Joshua saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him pray the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Summary of those eighteen But R. Akibah saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Prayer be free in his mouth let him pray the eighteen but if not let him pray the Summary of those eighteen q q q q q q Bab. Beracoth in the place above That our Saviour comprized the sum of all prayers in this form is known to all Christians and it is confessed that such is the perfection of this form that it is the Epitome of all things to be prayed for as the Decalogue is the Epitome of all things to be practiced III. It was very usual with the Doctors of the Jews 1. To compose forms of short prayers and to deliver them to their Scholars which is asserted also of John Luk. XI 1. whereof you will find some examples and they not a few in the Babylonian Gemara in the Tract Beracoth and elsewhere Not that by those forms they banished or destroyed the set and accustomed prayers of the Nation but to superadd their own to them and to suit them to proper and special occasions 2. To the stated prayers and others framed by themselves it was very usual to add some short prayer over and above which one may not amiss call the concluding prayer Take these Examples of these prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Eliezar when he had finished his prayers was wont to say thus Let it be thy good pleasure O Lord that love and brotherhood dwell in our portion c. R. Jochanan when he had finished his prayers was wont to say thus Let it be thy good pleasure O Lord to take notice of our reproach and to look upon our miseries c. In like manner 1. Our Saviour while he delivers this form to his Disciples he does not weaken the set forms of the Church nor does he forbid his Disciples not to use private prayers but he delivers this most exact Summary of all Prayers to be added over and above to our prayers his most perfect to our most imperfect 2. The Apostles sufficiently accustomed to the manners of the Nation could not judg otherwise of this form In interpreting very many phrases and histories of the New Testament it is not so much worth what we think of them from notions of our own feigned upon I know not what grounds as in what sense these things were understood by the hearers and lookers on according to the usual custom and vulgar dialect of the Nation Some enquire by what authority we do subjoyn or superadd the Lords prayer to ours and fain arguments to the contrary out of their own brain But I ask whether it was possible that the Apostles and Disciples who from their very Cradles had known and seen such forms instituted for common use and added moreover to the set-prayers and others should judg otherwise of this form given by our Lord which bore so great conformity with those and with the most received rite and custom of the Nation IV. That Church held it for a just Canon and that indeed no discommendable one neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r r r r r r Bâ—b â—eâ—â—â—â—th fol. 30. 1. He that prays ought always when he prays to joyn with the Church Which is not strictly to be understood only of his presence in the Synagogue that is elsewhere and otherwise commanded many times over but wheresoever in the world he be placed yea when he is most alone that he say his prayers in the plural number for thus the Gloss explains it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let none pray the short prayer that is one different from the set prayers in the singular number but in the plural In which number our Saviour teacheth us also to pray in this form and that upon very good reason when in whatsoever solitude or distance we are yet we ought to acknowledg our selves joyned with the Church and to pray for her happiness as well as for our own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father which art in Heaven I. This Epithete of God was very well known among the Jews and very usual with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s s s s s s Maimon in Tephilloth Our Father which art in Heaven deal so with us as
enough VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred I Would not confound this passage with that in Gen. XII 1. For Stephen and indeed the thing it self assures us that this was spoken to Abraham in Chaldea but that in Charran Here is no mention of his going from his Fathers house as there is there Nor did he indeed depart from his Fathers house when he removed from Ur of the Chaldeans for he took his father and whole family along with him But he departed when he removed from Charran leaving his father buried behind him and Nahor his brother with his family VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. When his Father was dead c. HERE ariseth a difficulty and upon that a controversie which we may take in in the words of R. Salomon upon Gen. XI And Terah died in Charran that is more than threescore years after Abraham had left Charran and had setled in the Land of Canaan For it is written Abraham was seventy five years of age when he went out of Charran and Terah was seventy years old when Abraham was born Behold Terah was one hundred and forty five years of age when Abraham left Charran and he had a great many years yet behind There remained indeed according to this calculation sixty years I. In that whole Chapter there is no mention of the death of any person there named before or beside that of Terah Where by the way we may take notice of the boldness of the Greek Interpreters who to every one of those persons have annext 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he died directly against the purpose of Moses and the mind of the Apostle Heb. VII 3. Now therefore why when Moses had past over the death of all the rest that had been reckoned up before in that Catalogue should it be put in concerning Terah only that he died in Charran were it not to shew that Abraham did not remove from thence till after his Fathers decease there This R. Solomon even while he is defending the contrary seems something apprehensive of For thus he expresseth himself Why doth the Scripture tell of the death of Terah before it mentions Abrahams removal viz. lest the matter should be made public and men should say Abraham did not give that honour to his Father that he ought to have done relinquishing him now in his old age and going away from him the Scripture therefore speaks of him as now dead because the wicked even while they are alive are accounted for dead How is this Rabbin mistaken For Terah now is no wicked man nor an Idolater but converted and therefore Moses makes him chief in that removal out of Chaldea that his conversion might be known although the command concerning the departure from that Country came first to Abraham And if it was not lawful for Abraham to have forsaken his Father being yet an Idolater much less was it so when he was now become a worshipper of the true God II. It is indeed said that Terah lived seventy years and begat Abraham Nahor and Haran but as it is against reason to suppose they were all begot in one year so there is no necessity to think they were begot in the order they are placed in in the story Here that common maxim of the Rabbins takes place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no first and last in the Holy Scripture i. e. the order of the story does not necessarily determine the time of it And the Gemarists themselves however they suppose that Abraham might be older than Nahor one year and Nahor than Haran one year yet do they at length conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps Abraham was the youngest of his Brethren m m m m m m Sanhâ—dr fol. 69. 2. which they also confirm out of the order observed in numbring the sons of Noah where Sem is first in the Catalogue though he was younger than Japhet It is commonly received amongst the Jews that Sarah Abrahams wife was the daughter of his brother Haran and that not without reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jecah say they is the same with Sarah and Josephus speaks it out as a thing of antient tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haran leaving one Son Lot and Sarah and Milcha two daughters dyed in Chaldea n n n n n n Aâ—… lib. 1. cap. â— If therefore Sarah who was but ten years younger than Abraham was Harans daughter which seems to be in some measure confirmed Gen. XX. 12. we can by no means suppose Abraham to have been the first born amongst the sons of Terah but Haran rather unless we will trifle with some of the Rabbins and say that Haran begat Milcha when he was but six or eight years old But they conclude at length a little more rationally if I understand what they mean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they reckon them up according to their wisdom Conceive Abraham therefore born not in the seventieth but in the hundred and thirthieth year of Terah and that these words here recited by Stephen were spoken to him in Ur of the Chaldeans but those mentioned Gen. XII 1. spoken in Charran and thus joyn the story Terah dyed in Charran Then said God unto Abraham c. VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Threescore and fifteen Souls THE Hebrew Copies have it every where but threescore and ten So also Josephus o o o o o o Antiqu. lib. 2. cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He came to Egypt with his Sons and all their Sons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were in all threescore and ten Again elswhere p p p p p p Ibid. cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wherewith threescore and ten all that were with him going down into Egypt c. So Ezekiel Tragad in Euseb. de praepar Evangel * * * * * * Lib. 9. ca. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the time that Jacob having left the Land of Canaan came down into Egypt having seven times ten Souls with him So the very Greek Version it self in Deut. X. 22. ' Ev 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thy Fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons which is strange when they have it in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 threescore and fifteen †Vid. Gen. 46. 27. Exod. 1. 9 We may easily discern that Saint Luke here follows that Version that adds five Grand-children to Joseph Gen. XLVI 20. Machir and Gilead because of those words Gen. L. 22. The Sons of Machir the Son of Manasseh brought up upon Josephs knees And Sutelah and Tahan and Eden because it is said Joseph saw Ephraims Children unto the third generaâ—â—on Where by the way I cannot but think it strange why the Greek Interpreters should select these their additional persons out of the Sons of Joseph rather than any
For so was he indeed distinguished from all mortals and Sons of men And God saith he had then begotten him when he had given a token that he was not a meer man by his divine power whereby he had raised him from the dead And according to the tenor of the whole Psalm God is said to have begotten him then when he was ordained King in Sion and all Nations subdued under him Upon which words that passage of our Saviour uttered immediately after he had arisen from the dead is a good Commentary All power is given unto me c. Matth. XXVIII What do those words mean Matth. XXVI 29. I will not henceforth drink of this fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom They seem to look this way viz. I will drink no more of it before my Resurrection For in truth his Resurrection was the beginning of his Kingdom when he had overcome those enemies of his Satan Hell and Death from that time was he begotten and established King in Zion I am mistaken if that of Psal. CX v. 3. doth not in some measure fall in here also which give me leave to render by way of paraphrase into such a sense as this Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power it shall be a willing people in the beauties of holiness it shall be a willing people from the Womb of the morning thine is the dew of thy youth Now the dew of Christ is that quickning power of his by which he can bring the dead to life again Isai. XXVI 19. And the dew of thy youth O Christ is thine That is it is thine own power and vertue that raiseth thee again I would therefore apply those words from the womb of the morning to his Resurrection because the Resurrection of Jesus was the dawn of the new world the morning of the new Creation VERS XXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sure mercies of David IT hath been generally observed that this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken from the Greek Version in Isai. LV. 3. But it is not so generally remarked that by David was understood the Messiah which yet the Rabbins themselves Kimchi and Ab. Ezra have well observed the following Verse expressly confirming it The Resurrection of our Saviour therefore by the interpretation of the Apostle is said to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sure mercies of Christ. And God by his Prophet from whence this clause is taken doth promise the raising again of the Messiah and all the benefits of that Resurrection He had fortold and promised his death Chap. LIII But what mercies could have been hoped for by a dead Messiah had he been always to have continued dead They had been weak and instable kindnesses had they terminated in death He promises mercies therefore firm and stable that were never to have end because they should be always flowing and issuing out of his resurrection Whereas these things are quoted out of the Prophet in the words of the LXX varying a little from the Prophets words and those much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold ye despisers and wonder c. vers 41. it might be enquired in what language the Apostle preached as also in what language Moses and the Prophets were read in that Synagogue vers 15. If we say in the Greek it is a question whether the Pisidians could understand it If we say in the Pisidian language it is hardly to be believed the Bible was then rendred into that language It is remarkable what was quoted above out of Strabo where he mentions four tongues amongst them the Greek and the Pisidian distinct from one another But this I have already discusst in the Notes upon Verse 15. of this Chapter VERS XLI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Behold ye despisers c. DR Pocock a a a a a a Poc. Miscell 3. here as always very learnedly and accurately examines what the Greek Interpreters Hab. I. read saving in the mean time the reading which the Hebrew Bibles exhibit for it is one thing how the Greek read it and another thing how it should be truly read VERS XLII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Gentiles besought c. IT is all one as to the force of the words as far as I see whether you render them they besought the Gentiles or the Gentiles besought them the later Version hath chiefly obtained but what absurdity is it if we should admit the former And doth not the very order of the words seem to favour it If it had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one might have inclined to the later without controversie but being it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is place for doubting And if it were so that the Jews resented the Apostles doctrine so ill that they went out of the Synagogue disturbed and offended as some conjecture and that not improbably we may the easilier imagine that the Apostles besought the Gentiles that tarried behind that they would patiently hear these things again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the next Sabbath I. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lexicons tell us amongst other things denotes hence forward or hereafter Now this must be noted that this discourse was held in the fore noon for it was that time of the day only that they assembled in the Synagogue in the afternoon they met in Beth Midras Let us consider therefore whether this phrase will not bear this sense They besought that afterwards upon that Sabbath viz. in the afternoon they would hear again such a Sermon And then whether the Gentiles besought the Apostles or the Apostles the Gentiles it dot not alter the case II. Let us inquire whether the Apostles and the Christian Church did not now observe and celebrate the Lord's day It can hardly be denyed and if so then judge whether the Apostles might not invite the Gentiles that they would assemble again the next day that is upon the Christian Sabbath and hear these things again If we yield that the Lord's day is to be called the Sabbath then we shall easily yield that it might be rightly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sabbath after And indeed when the speech was amongst the Jews or Judaizing Proselytes it is no wonder if it were called the Sabbath As if the Apostles had said to morrow we celebrate our Sabbath and will you on that day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have these words preached to you III. Or let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the week betwixt the two Sabbaths as that expression must be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I fast twice in the week then as the sense is easie that they besought them the same things might be repeated on the following week so the respect might have more particularly been had to the second and fifth day in the week when they usually meet together in the Synagogue
conquer Hell then If he did what was it with What did his Soul there to conquer Hell How he conquered Hell and Death by dying and rising we can tell but how his Soul conquered with bare going thither who can tell you Or did he augment the torments of the Devils and damned That needed not nor indeed could it be done as I shall shew afterwards What then did Christs Soul there in its Triumph unless as He Veni vidi vici I came I saw I overcame it conquered Hell by looking into it Natura nihil facit frustra Nature does nothing in vain much less the God of nature And Christ in his life time never did spoke thought any thing in vain And it is unhansom to think that his Soul after death should go out of the bosom of his Father into Hell to do no body can imagine what For who can tell what it did in Triumphing there II. Was not Christ under his Humiliation till his Resurrection Was he not under it whilst he lay in the grave He himself accounts it so Psal. XVI 10. Thou wilt not suffer my Soul being in the state of separation my Body to see corruption to be trampled on by death to be triumphed over by Satan that yet had it there If you imagine his Soul triumphing or vapouring in Hell for I cannot imagine what it should do there unless to vapour how might Satan vapour again Thou Soul of Jesus dost thou come to triumph here Of what I pray thee Have I not cause to triumph over thee Have I not procured his death Banished thee out of his body and got it into the grave And dost thou come to triumph here Let us first see whether he can get out from among the dead before we talk of his triumph over him that had the power of death So that if we should yield to so needless a point as Christs going to triumph in Hell yet certainly it would be but very unseasonable to have gone thither when he had not yet conquered but his body was still under death and as yet under the conquest of Satan This had been to triumph before Victory as Benhadads vapour was to Ahab when he received that answer Let not him that girdeth on his sword boast himself as he that putteth it off The beginning of Christs Kingdom was his Resurrection for then had he conquered death and him that had the power of death the Devil And so the Scripture generally states it I need cite no proof but two of his own speeches Matth. XXVI 29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom that is after my Resurrection when I have conquered the Enemies of God and set up his Kingdom And Matth. XXVIII 18. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth And this was after his Resurrection But is it not improper to dream of a Triumph before a Conquest That Christ should Triumph as King before he had put on his Kingdom As Esth. V. 3. On the third day she put on the Kingdom For so it is in the Hebrew The days before she had been under fasting mourning humiliation and that was not a time of Royalty and Triumph So on the third day Christ rose and put on his Kingdom the days before he had been under death had abased himself a very unfit and unseasonable time for his Soul to go and triumph III. As concerning Christs triumphing over Devils His Victory over Satan was of another kind of nature than to go amongst them to shew terribly or speak terribly for what else can we imagine his Soul did in that Triumph in Hell It is said Heb. II. 14. That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil Destroy him How We may say of him as he of the Traitor Vivit etiam in Senatum venit He lives yea he comes into the Council-house So Is the Devil destroyed He is alive walketh rageth ruleth He walked about the Earth before Christs death Job I. So hath he done ever since 1 Pet. V. 8. Your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour He was a murtherer from the beginning to Christs death Joh. VIII 44. So hath he been ever since he goes about seeking to devour and he doth devour He wrought in the children of disobedience before and he now worketh Eph. II. 2. And how hath Christ conquered destroyed him You must look for the Conquest and Triumph of Christ over him not so much in destroying his Person as destroying his Works 1 Joh. III. 8. For this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil I might here speak of many things I shall only mention two or three particulars wherein the Victory of Christ over the Devil by his death doth consist 1. By his death he hath conquered the very clamors of Satan paying a ransom for all his people Rom. VIII 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Satan is ready to say I lay a charge and claim to them for they have been disobedient But Christ hath paid a satisfaction for all their disobedience Satan thou art cast in thy suit the debt is paid How is the Devil confounded at the loss of such a prize as he expected And how does the Death and Merits of Christ here Triumph Now Goliah David defies thee touch one in the Camp of Israel if you can or dare they are all redeemed and ransomed thou hast nothing to do with them And the ransomed of the Lord shall go to Sion with everlasting joy Rejoyce O Heathens for the false accuser is cast out Here is a glorious Triumph by the righteousness and holiness of Christ delivering all his people 2. By his death he brake the partition wall and brings in the Heathen Oh! how did Satan hold them in slavery Pharaoh let my people go No. I know not the Lord nor will I let them go But thou shalt be brought to it and by the death of a Paschal Lamb they shall go whether thou wilt or no. Two thousand years had they been in his slavery sure thought he this shall be for ever But by the death of poor despised Jesus at Jerusalem the prison doors are open and all these captives are gone free Rejoyce ye prisoners of hope as they are called Zech. IX 11 12. I cannot but think of the case of Paul and Silas Act. XVI in an inner prison their feet in the stocks the doors fast and a strong guard and there comes one shake and all fly open and all the prisoners are loosed Jaylor what sayest thou now Thou mayst even draw thy sword and end thy self all thy prisoners are gone 3. Nay yet further Jaylor thou must to prison thy self Ponder on those words Rev. XX. 1