the end of all his miseries and therefore is properly called mans day Iob 18.20 The day of a mans death is better then the day of his birth Luc. 2.29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 1 Sam. 28.15 Why hast thou troubled me Iob 3.13 For now should I have lien still and beene quiet I should have slept then should I have beene at rest The Councell of Toledo marketh that Christ wept not at Lazarus death but at his resurrection and this should teach us to moderate our griefe when our friends dye and those whom we love best If ye love me saith Christ yee will rejoyce because I goe to my father Ioh. 14.28 So we should rejoyce when wee see our friends goe to our Father and count the day of their death better then the day of their birth The day of death is worse to the wicked The day of a mans death is better than the day of his birth to the children of God it is better but to the wicked it is much worse the child of God saith in his death as Christ said consummatum est then all teares are wipt from their eyes but to the wicked it is their worst day as the child of God saith consummatum est so they say inchoatum est Luc. 16.25 Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus his evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Death is worse to the wicked man therefore his death is called the death of the uncircumcised Ezek. 28.12 and he dyeth as a foole 2 Sam. 3.33 but the children of God die in the Lord and their death is their rest It may seeme that to be borne is better than death Ob. Ioh 16.20 A woman when she is in travell hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the world She rejoyceth that she hath brought forth a Sonne but we rejoyce not when one dyeth therefore it may seeme that the day of ones birth is better then the day of his death It is better for the woman that she hath a child borne for the continuation of her posterity Answ and therfore she rejoyceth but the day of the childs death is better for himselfe than the day of his birth because then there is an end put to all his miseries In what case may a man choose death rather then life Quest We may chiefely choose death rather then life onely to be rid of sinne as Paul desired Answ to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 but this was onely to be delivered from the body of sinne to prevent sinne it is better not to be than to be Eccles 4.3 for he hath not seene the evill worke which is done under the Sunne Againe it is better for reprobates that they had never beene because of their damnation as it is said of Iudas It had beene better for him that he had never beene borne Matth. 26.21 and it is better to be dead then living that a man may be freed of sinne There is esse Physicum esse morale it is better for a wicked man to be than not to be ratione Physica because he commeth nearer to God who hath his being of himselfe but it is worse to him quoad esse morale magis optandum non esse cum carentia poena quam esse cum poena that is it is better for him not to be without punishment than to be and be punished eternally There is in man instinct reason and faith instinct teacheth him onely to seeke the preservation of his body reason goeth somewhat higher and hath some respect to vertue and honor but yet it is not a right guide to man here when hee wisheth to be dead for feare of shame and such worldly inconvenients Stoici ne foedetur virtus Romani ob inanem gloriam mortem optarunt but faith seeth farther and wisheth this dissolution because it knoweth that the body and the soule shall be joyned together againe after they are separated and purified from sinne A man must not wish death or the grave although he be bitter in soule Iob. 3.20 and afflictions be upon him but onely for sinne If it be said death destroyeth the substance of man but sinne destroyeth onely an accident in man Ob. therefore death should not be desired for the eschewing of sinne Answ Death is not a totall destruction of a man neither is a man turned into nothing when he dyeth neither wisheth he death that he may not be but that this Tabernacle may be dissolved that he may have A building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Observe that men looke diversly upon death First as it is an enemy to nature and so all men abhorre it And the naturall man in this respect calleth it a bitter death 1 Sam. 15.3 Hagag said Surely the bitternesse of death is past Secondly some looke upon it as the wages of sinne Rom. 6.32 then it is a more bitter death and thirdly some looke upon it as a passage to life and then it is to be wished but not for it selfe but for another end as when a sicke man desireth a bitter potion for his healths sake for no evill of punishment is to be desired for it selfe There are two periods set downe here our birth and our death and not our life It is the manner of the spirit of God in the Scriptures to set downe the two extremes and to leave out the midst as Psal 21.8 the Lord shall keepe thy going in and going out that is all thy wayes so Exod. 8.11.5 And all the first borne of the land of Egypt shall dye from the first borne of Pharaoh that fitteth upon the throne unto the first borne of the Maidservant that sitteth behind the Mill here the rest of the people are left out for shortnesse and the two extremes are expressed so Num. 6.4 from the kernell to the huske here the wine which is the midst is left out so Iob. 24.20 The wombe shall forget him and the wormes shall feede sweetly upon him here the birth and the grave include the whole life So here are set downe our birth and our death our two graves the grave out of which we come and the grave unto which we goe Iob joyneth these two together Naked came I out of my Mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither Iob. 1.21 he was not to returne backe to his Mothers wombe againe but he was to returne backe to the grave againe the second wombe and Christ joyneth the belly and the grave Matth. 1â— 4 For as Ionas was three dayes and three night in the Whales belly So shall the some of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth hence it is that the inferior parts of the earth
are both called the Mothers wombe and the grave Psal 139.15 My substance was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth that is in my Mothers wombe and as no man hateth the belly that conceived and bred him so no man should hate the grave which is his second mother He marketh the two extremes here the birth and the death and passeth by our life to teach us the shortnesse of our life the Scripture describeth the shortnesse of mans life sundry wayes First he calleth our dayes anni numeri that is which may bee easily numbered Iob. 16.22 when a few yeeres are come yeeres of number than I shall go the way whence I shal not returne so dies numeri signifie a few dayes Num. 19.20 so homines numeri a few men Deut. 4.27 So Ezek. 12.16 and Esay 10.19 The rest of the trees of his forrest shall be number that a child may write them that is they shall be few and here Iob saith When yeeres of number are come that is a few yeeres that may be easily numbered to note the shortnesse of his dayes Secondly our life is called saeculum Psal 17.14 Thirdly our yeeres are reduced to three score and tenne and if by reason of strength they be fourescore yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we flye away if a man out live threescore and ten he payeth interest for those yeeres much sorrow and griefe Then our yeeres are compared to the dayes of an hireling Iob. 7.1 which was a short time the yeres of an hirling were but three yeeres and the Lord to shew the suddaine destruction that should come upon Moah he saith Esay 16.14 Within three yeeres as the yeeres of an hirling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned that is it shall shortly be contemned so Iob saith his dayes are like the dayes of an hireling that is they are very short They are compared to monthes Iob. 14.5 the number of his monthes are with thee Then they are compared to dayes and to an artificiall day from the sunnerising to the setting of the Sunne they are like grasse which groweth up in the evening it is cut down and whitereth Ps 90.6 and to a watch in the night which was but three or foure houres vers 4. then they are compared to an houre then to a moment and last to nothing Psal 39.5 So our yeeres for the shortnesse of them are compared to a post Iob. 25. Now my dayes are swifter than a post they flyaway see no good they are passed away as the swift ships as the Eagle that hasteneth to her pray Marke the gradation here First Iob compareth his dayes to a post a post goeth on in his journey very swiftly when one horse wearieth he will take another and so goeth on but yet he must rest sometimes Therefore hee goeth further and compareth them to the swiftest ships that are called ships of desire the ship will not weary day nor night yet there may come a contrary winde and make her stay therefore he goeth higher and he compareth his dayes to the Eagle which of all fowles is the swiftest to catch pray and nothing can stay her untill she have obtained it So mans dayes wearies not nothing can stay them in their course but they flye away and hasten to their end So mans life is compared to the weavers shitle Iob. 7.6 this comparison would be marked for the shuttle carieth the threed within it and the weaver tosseth the shuttle too and fro untill the threed be spent and then he cuteth it off So time is the weaver that tosseth the shuttle and our dayes are as the threed within the shuttle which peece and peece are spent and then death cutteth them off So they are compared to a smoke and to a dreame or to a vapour Psal 49. or to the breath of ones mouth and to this the Apostle hath reference when he saith what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Iam. 4.4 Now that our death may be comfortable unto us first we must remember that we are mortall Gen. 2.17 In that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Symachus translateth it Mortalis eris the consideration of mortalitie in Abraham made him to say that he was but dust and ashes Gen. 78.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye but after this the judgement Heb. 9.17 If men dyed not they could not obtaine life eternall for flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption therefore we must either die or be changed And this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality and then we need not to be afraid of death for it shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.50 as the Wise man saith Ecclus 14.12 Remember that death is not long in comming and that the covenant of the Grave is not shewed unto thee The Lord sheweth unto us that we are all mortall and that we must dye but he sheweth not in particular the time when we shall dye and therefore we should be ready at all times Secondly remember the advertisements of death when thou art faint and weary those are Gentlemen Vshers to death when yee feele those messengers remember that the sound of their Masters feet is behind them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cincinni sic dicti quod facile mutantur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutabit 2 King 6.32 We are called in the Scriptures bene hhaloph Prov 31.8 Children of change and the lockes of our haire are called mahhaliphoth mutationes Iudg 16.13 because they are soone changed when our haire beginneth to change once that is an advertisement to death as the wise man saith but many men take no notice of those advertisements when a Sergeant commeth to arrest a man the man absenteth himselfe and will not seeme to be at home yet notwithstanding the arrestment is valide and holdeth good in the Law so those advertisements of death although thou neglect them and seemest not to be at home yet the arrestment shall hold good and thou shalt be enforced to answer at the day appointed Thirdly looke upō the death of others for that he looketh seriously upon the death of others he cannot chuse but that he must remember his mortality 2 Sam. 20.12 When Amasa was wallowing in his blood all the people stood still and lookt upon him when people behold the death of others then it should put them in minde of their owne death Fourthly acquaint thy selfe often with death that it seeme not a stranger to thee when it commeth Hierome set the skull of a dead man before him daily and the Anchorites of old scraped with their nailes some part of their owne grave every day Put not the evill day farre from thee Esay 22.12 When the Lord called the Iewes to mourning yet they put the evill day farre from them and they said Let us eate let us drinke for tomorrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Many men live now as though they should never dye they make a covenant with death as
the Prophet saith Esay 28.16 We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement But they are deceived death is unmercifull it will mak a league with no man this league is made only in the imagination of their owne hearts Fiftly consider the comforts which we have against the grave it is very terrible in it selfe it is called a pit Esa 38.18 darknesse and the Land of oblivion Psal 88.13 The shadow of death Iob 10.21 corruption and destruction and for the power of it it is said to have gates and doores Iob 38.13 and a soule Esay 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatat sepulchrum animam suam Hirhhibbah sheol naphshah the grave hath enlarged her soule so to have hands Psal 49.16 and 89.49 so to have a mouth Ps 141.7 so a sting 1 Cor. 15.55 all those Epithites are to shew how terrible and fearefull it is to a wicked impenitent sinner who lyeth down in it with his sins upon him but to the godly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleeping place it is a place that all men yea even the best must come into Iacob made account to go thither Gen. 37.35 and Iob desired to be there O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave Iob 14.13 Because he knew that it was his house Iob. 17.13 Yea Christ himselfe was there and sanctified it first he bought the grave the price of him that was valued after that Iudas had cast it backe againe was given for a potters field for the buriall of strangers this is the first right which gentiles have to the grave because Christ purchased it unto them Againe Christ was buried in Golgotha where his blood ranne downe upon the graves of the dead that were buried there Thirdly he hath lyen downe in it and whereas it was loathsome before now he hath persumed it so that we may safely lye downe in that bed in which his blessed body lay and lastly he hath the key of the grave to open it when hee pleaseth so that it hath no power to keepe us Revela 1.18 I have the keyes of hell and of death this is a singular comfort to us then who are the Children of God so that we may say better is the day of our death than the day of our birth Sixtly wee should remember that our dead bodies are within the covenant and the Lord forgetteth them not When Iacob went downe to Egypt the Lord promised to bring him backe againe Gen. 46.4 but how did the Lord bring him backe againe seeing he dyed in Egypt The Lord was with him when his bones were brought out of Egypt so the Lord preserveth all the bodies of his Saints and he keepeth all their bones Psal 34.20 yea even when they are in the grave because they are within the Covenant therefore it is called domus viventium the house of the living Lastly that our death may be comfortable unto us let us remember that it doth not onely put an end to our miseries in this life but it is the entrance to glory and everlasting happinesse where we shall see the Lord and his Angels and abide with them eternally Moses is renowned unto the worlds end because hee saw the Lords backe parts onely but we shall not onely see his backeparts but we shall see him as he is even face to face 1 Iohn 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 The Queene of Sheba heard many things of Salomon and yet the halfe was not told her but when shee saw him face to face then shee said Happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee 1 King 10.8 So in this life wee heare many things of Christ the true Salomon and his kingdome but yet the halfe are not told us for the eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 But at the day of our death when our soule shall be separated from our bodies then wee shall see these things and shall say with the Queene of Sheba happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Revel 14.13 If wee consider these things seriously wee shal be inforced to conclude with Salomon here better is the day of death thā the day that one is borne Errata Pag. 32. line 6 for Ezek. r. Esa pag. 43. l. 15. for eate of this r. eate not of this bread but other lesse holy things pag. 68. l. 30. were essentially r. as the cause and the effect pag. 73. l. 8. r. first fruits pag. 82. l. 20. dele done upon pag. 95. l. 1. Pentecost r. Passeover pag. 101. l. 11. dele therefore p. 114. l. 25. r. they blew not at all in the fifty yeere as Masius holdeth but in the forty nine yeere pag. 156. l. 22. for neither r. and his sonnes but not his daughter pag. 168. l. 27. for thee r. his FINIS AN EXPLICATION OF THE IVDICIALL LAWES OF MOSES Plainely discovering divers of their ancient Rites and Customes As in their Governours Government Synedrion Punishments Civill Accompts Contracts Marriages Warres and Burialls Also their Oeconomicks Vizt their dwellings Feasting Clothing and Husbandrie Together with two Treatises the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life and in the life to come The other declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult Texts of Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venia danda primum aliquid experienti By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE COLENE EARLE OF SEAFORT Lord Mackenzee and Kintaill one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Privie Councell in the Kingdome of Scotland Honorable and my very good Lord GOD who is the God of order and not of confusion from whom all good things descend hath placed here below sundry sorts of people Prov. 30.25.26.27.28 the Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the Summer the Conies are but a feeble folke yet make they their houses in the Rocks the Locusts haue no King yet goe they forth all of them by bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings palaces this sort of people differ very much for some of them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which provide onely
transgressionum mearum And lastly they oppose themselues against his Gospell they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aven gilajon nuntium vanum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly if ye will respect their dealing with us in civill matters they are worthy to be secluded from the societie of Christians They care not to forsweare themselues to us Christians they are most mercilesse usurers in exacting from the Christians and they who professe Physicke amongst them care not to poyson Christians whom they call Goijm Gentiles And if we shall adde further that no false Religion should be tolerated and the Lord commanded heretickes to be put to death how then should they be suffered in a Christian Common-wealth What Iewes may be sufsered in a Common-wealth and who not But we must put a difference betwixt these miscreants who raile against the Lord Iesus Christ and blaspheme his name and those poore wretches who liue in blindnes yet but do not raile blasphemously against Christ those we should pitie The reasons that should moue us to pitie the Iewes First we should pitie them for their fathers cause the Patriarchs Secondly we should pitie them because Christ is come of them who is blessed for ever thirdly the Oracles of God were committed to them Rom. 3.2 and the law was the inheritance of Iacob Deut. 33.4 they were faithfull keepers of the same to others and they were like a lanterne who held out the light to others although they saw not with it themselues Fourthly when we Gentiles were out of the Covenant they prayed for us Cant. 8.8 We haue a little sister what shall we doe for her So when they are out of the Covenant We haue an Elder brother Luk. 16. what shall we doe for him And lastly because of the hope of their conversion that they shall be graffed in againe Rom. 11. Some Christian Common-wealths admit them but with these Caveats Caveat 1 First that they submit themselues to the positiue Lawes of the Countrie wherein they liue Caveat 2 Secondly that they raile not against Christ and be not offensiue to the Christians Caveat 3 Thirdly that they be not suffered to marrie with the Christians to seduce them Caveat 4 Fourthly that they be not permitted to exhaust Christians with their usurie Caveat 5 Fiftly that they be not admitted to any publicke charge and that they be distinguished from the rest of the people by some badge or by their apparell with these Caveats sundry Common-wealths haue admitted them CHAPTER XVI Of the Synedrion of the Iewes MAT. 5.22 But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Iudgement and whosoever shall say to his brother Raca shall be in danger of the Councell THis word Synedrion is a greeke word but changed and made a Syriack word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sitters in judgement and Sanhedrin are the Iudges who sat in the Councell and the place it selfe was called Synedrion In the Syriack Domus judiciorum The difference betwixt Domus judiciorum and Domus Iudicum and Domus Iudicum differunt Domus judiciorum is the house where the Counsellers met and Domus Iudicum according to the Syriack and Chaldy phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domus Iudicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domus judicij signifieth the Iudges themselues So the Chaldees when they expresse the Trinitie they call it Domus Iudicij because there were three that sat in their lesser Iudicatorie and when Beth dina signifieth the Iudges themselues it hath the point aboue judh but when it signifieth the place of Iudgement it hath the point under judh There were two sorts of these Synedria amongst the Iewes the great Councell and the lesser the great Councell was called â—anhedrin Gedolah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the lesser was called Sanhedrin Ketannah The great Synedrion sate at Ierusalem onely the lesser Synedria sat in other places also and they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicia Allusion Vide Guilelâ— Schickardum de jure regio Ludovic de Dieu The great Synedrion sat in Ierusalem onely and Christ alludeth to this Mat. 23.37 A Prophet might not die out of Ierusalem So O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets Mat. 23.37 The great Synedrion judged onely of a Prophet The great Synedrion divided into fiue parts But Gabinius the Proconsul of Syria divided this great Synedrion which sat onely at Ierusalem into fiue parts whereof he placed one at Ierusalem another in Gadara the third in Amathus towards the red Sea the fourth in Iericho and the fift he placed in Sephra in Galilie And Christ meant of these Councels when he sayes they will deliver you up to the Councels Mat. 10.17 At this time the great Synedrion was divided into fiue parts They shall deliver you up to the Councels and they will scourge you in their Synagogues What meant by Synagogues and Councels by their Synagogues he meant their Ecclesiasticall Iudicatories by the Councels their civill The number that sat in this great Iudicatorie were seventie and two six chosen out of every tribe but for making the number round they are called Seventie the Scripture useth sometimes when the number is not full Retundatio numeri quid to expresse the full number as Iudg. 11.5 Abimelech killed his brethren which were threescore and ten persons there were but threescore and nine of them for Iotham fled So Gen. 42.13 Thy servants are twelue brethren the sonnes of one man although Ioseph was thought to be dead yet to make up the number because he had once twelue sonnes they are called the twelue sonnes of Iacob So Num. 14.33 And your children shall wander in the Wildernesse fortie yeares according to the number of the dayes that the Spyes searched the Land this was spoken to them two yeares after they came out of Egypt yet the number is made up here and it is called fortie yeares So 1 Cor. 15.5 He was seene of the twelue there were but eleven of them at this time for Iudas was dead and Matthias was not chosen as yet yet he calleth them twelue because they were once twelue to make up the number Sometimes againe although there be moe for making round the number they take away some as Luke 10.1 the Syriack hath it the seventie two Disciples yet it is translated the seventie Disciples So the Seventie two who translated the Bible are called the Seventie The Lord charged Moses to gather Seventie of the Elders of Israel Moses said how shall I doe this If I shall choose sixe out of every Tribe then there shall be sixty and two The uncertaine conjecture of Sol Iarchi concerning their Election of the Seventie and if I shall choose but fiue out of every Tribe then there will be ten wanting and if I shall choose sixe out of one Tribe and but fiue out of another Tribe that will breed but
the Sabbath 89 feast of Tabernacles why instituted 97. the feast of Trumpets 104 feast of collection 110. Female circumcised in the males 77. Flaminian Priests and their rites 81. G Garments of foure sorts 237 to take off the garment what it signified 71. Gentiles why the Court of the Gentiles left out in the second Temple 30. Gifts necessary for the Church of two sorts 231. God compared to a Prince 28. his table dinner and supper 29 hee beareth with man in many things 15 he workes not contrary to nature 152 his power twofold 209. Grave terrible in it selfe 259 the comforts against it 260. H Haire put for strength 81 Hand the right more excellent 220 of the situation at the right hand ibid. the left hand put for protection 221. Hanging a cursed death 162 Holy thing 155 what to devour holy things 156 holiest of all had diverse names 29 the censer left in it 48. Horne of prophesie what 114 with Rammes hornes they proclaimed the Iubile ibid I Ierusalem compassed with hils 19 called Sion and Moriah 21 called the midst of the earth 22 other Countryes take their denomination from the situation of it ibid it is taken for the City and people 232. Iesus whether any man may be called Iesus 219. Iewes opposite to the Gentils in their worship 76 taught many wayes 129 the forme of their vow 157 helpes for their judgements memories and affections 158. they adde to the Law of God 159 Ioshua called Hoshea 238 Iubile when proclamed 107 by whom 114 when it fell with the seventh yeere of rest 115 why it was appointed 119 when the first Iubile began ibid K Keyes foure sorts of keyes 152. Kid not to seeth a kid in the mothers milke 130. Kingdome Salomons Kingdome compared to the Moone 102. L Lampes how the Priest trimmed the Lampes 41. Land how it rested three yeeres together 117. Law ceremoniall abolished 171. a threefold use of it 174 Lawes morall positive divin◠positive 194. Levites payed tith to the Priest 122 their liberall maintenance 123 124 125 Life long life annexed to al the commandements 131 how the life is in the blood 132 the shortnesse of it described 255 256 c. M Malefactor accursed 161 Man more unclean than any creature 250. Mary offered for herselfe and for her sonne 5. Meate offering see offering Ministers not to enter too soone 185 youthes not fit to be Ministers 186 not to seeke their owne praise 200. their greatest credit 201 their travels not alwayes lost 204 how they may bee guilty of the sinnes of the people 226. Miracles beget not faith 180 who desired miracles ibid. men not confirmed by by miracles 181 threesorts of miracles ibid. Moabites a filthy people in their worship 74 75. Moone the names of it 100. when the New Moone was kept ibid. it had no Sacrifice ibid. Why they kept the New Moone 101 diverse changes and courses of the moone 102 a threefold motion of it 103. N Name to impose a name a signe of Authority 219. Nazarites according to their age of three sorts 78 according to the time of two sorts ibid. not to drinke wine 79. not to touch the dead 80. whether the Nazarite or Priest more holy 80. not to shave their haire 81. Number plurall for singular 6 the Hebrew speake of themselves in the plurall number 226 number put for a few in number 255. O Offerings of diverse sorts 55 what offered in the meat offering 58 two sorts of meat offring 16 the meat offering put for all the Sacrifices 59 of the peace offering ibid the Priests part in it 60. the feast of it 62 a bad division of it ibid. the offering of Ielousie 64 sinne offring of twosorts 66 what sinne offering the Priests might eate 66 the trespasse offering 68. Olive trees in Zacharies vision what 40. Oyle in the Tabernacle pure oyle 40 it is called gold ibid P Passeover taken diversly 84 how it pertaineth to the fourth Commandement ibid. why eaten with unleavened bread 85 why with soure herbes ibid. Whether the Cup in it a Sacramentall Cup or not ibid. what things proper to the Passeover in Egypt and what proper to it in Canaan 86 seven memorable Passeovers ibid. Whether the Passeover a Sacrament or a Sacrifice 87 whether Christ kept it upon the Iewes day 89 why reckoned a lesse holy thing 248. Pentecost called the feast of weekes 93 it had but one holy day 95. Pharisees of two sorts 122. Phylacteries why the Iewes wore them 159 how they abused them 160. Pillars what they signified 29. Places twofold 7 some places for worship commanded some allowed 16 high-places taken in an evill sense 17 sinne to offer in the high-places after the Temple was builded 18. Preachers of three sorts 201 Priapus the god of the Moabites 74. Priest his portion in the Sacrifices 55 why hee got the shoulder 60 the breast 61 he might erre 64 the priests might weare no wooll in the Sanctuary 69 they were their girdle about their pappes 70 what Garments the Highpriest wore when he went into the holiest 75 Priests called Levites 122. Priesthood entailed to Levi 188 how long it continued in Aarons posterity ibid. how Eli had it 189 how it was promised to Phinehas ibid Prophesies when not to be taken literally 236. Purification of women 5 three sorts of purification 108. R Reckoning amongst the Iewes of three sorts 116. Remission under the Gospell farre above the remission under the Law 120. Rest of the seventh yeere 113 at what yeere it began ibid. at what time of the yeere ibid. see yeere Rod Aarons rod 178 rods were carried before the Tribes 179 S Sacrifice whether they might Sacrifice in other places than at the Arke or Tabernacle 16 three sorts of sacrificers before the Temple was builded 17. Sacrifice without blemish 52 it was changed when it was offered 53 salt joyned with it ibid the division of Sacrifices 55 the dayly Sacrifice 56 why called continuall ibid. the order in burning their Sacrifices 57 sacrifices according to the persons 64 no sacrifice for wilfull sins ibid. why but one sort of Sacrifice for all sinnes done wittingly 65 Gideons Sacrifice 16. Sacriledge compared to a snare 154 Gods judgements upon Sacrilegious men 154. Salomon his offering in Gibeon 17 his sacrificing in the middle of the Court 50 his throne 28 he made the Vessels of the Temple except the Arke 59 Sampson ceased not to be a Nazarite 81. Sanctificatiō twofold 85. Satan the order of his temptations 224 the manner of them 225 how hee dealeth with his owne Children and how with Gods Children 225. Seed the brother to raise up seed to the eldest brother 192 the woman raised up seed to her parents 195. Shewbread see bread Shoe the pulling off it twofold 206. Sinne offring see offring Sinnes done of ignorance and ignorantly 68 whether all sinnes remitted Simul Semel 239. Son foure sorts of sons 146 Stand to stand taken diversly 221. T
a man accursed There were three things which did accompany him who was hanged upon a tree first shame secondly paine and thirdly a curse First The death of the Crosse an ignominious death it was a most ignominious and a shamefull death Num. 25.4 Take the Princes and hang them up before the Sun that is publickly the Seventy translate it paradigmatize them and make open spectacles of shame and Suidas saith when any dyed an infortunate death they put a crosse upon his grave and Plinie reporteth that the Romans set up certaine Crosses where upon they did hang those dogges which gave no warning when the Gaules did scale the capitoll they counted this sort of death a dogges death therefore Seneca called it stipem infamem and others called it lignum infoelix and because it was such an infamous kind of death therefore the Christian Emperous changed Crucem in furcam in honor of Christ because he was hanged upon the Crosse they would have it no more used and Cicero said it was an hainous thing to bind a Citizen of Rome a villanie to scourge him and in a manner parricide to kill him what shall it be then to hang him upon a crosse This death of the crosse was a most painefull death Psal 22.14 All my bones are out of joint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disparant s omnia ossa mea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separavit disiunxit in the Hebrew it is Hithpardu are sundred this was but the outside of the paine but if we shall consider what was the paine and griefe upon his soule then we may say was there ever griefe like unto his griefe Lament 1.12 Lastly the death of the Crosse was a most cursed death When the Iewes object to us as the greatest opprobry that we worship Christ crucified who dyed such a cursed death we should rejoyce in this and count it our greatest happinesse that he was made a curse for us hanging upon a tree for his lifting up upon the Crosse draweth many to him Ioh. 3.14 And Bernard said well Non pigeat videre serpentem pendentem in lign◠si vis videre regem in solio residentem let us observe how the theefe beleived in Christ when hee was hanging upon the Crosse if Esay beleived he saw the Lord sitting upon a throne Esay 6.1 If Moses beleived he saw the Lord in a flame Exod. 3.2 If the three Disciples beleived they saw him betwixt Moses and Elias and his face shined Matth. 17. but the theefe saw him hanging upon a tree and betwixt two theeves and not betwixt two Prophets he saw him not sitting upon his throne but hanging upon the Crosse and yet he beleived in him The conclusion of this is blessed is he that heareth the Word of God and doth it Luc. 11 20. EXERCITAT XXXIIII Of the Jewes Logicall helpes for the understanding of the ceremoniall Law FRom the excellency of the cause they gathered the excellency of the effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bezaleel and Aholiab were extraordinarily gifted to worke all manner of worke in the Tabernacle Exod. 31.2 and the women who spunne the Curtaines of the Tabernacle were wise hearted women Exod. 35.25 Therefore the Tabernacle was a most excellent worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causa prima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causa causarum The materiall cause of the Temple So the curious Artificers of Tyrus wrought in the Temple therefore it was an excellent worke God himselfe was Hael hisibba harishona or Sibboth hasibboth causa causarum The materiall cause of the holiest of all was gold the Holy place the Vessels of it Gold and Silver and in the outer Court the instruments serving for it were of Brasse there were none of the instruments which served in the Tabernacle made of iron the materiall cause of the most of the Temple was of the Cedar of Libanus and therefore the Temple is called Lebanon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causa materiali◠Zach. 11.1 And this they called Sibbah Homerith The formall cause of the Tabernacle was that which the Lord shewed to Moses in the mount 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causa formalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causa finalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab effectis so that of the Temple which was shewne to David and this they called Sibbah Tzurith The finall cause was that the Lord might be worshiped there and this they called Sibbah Tachlith From the effects this they called Mesubbabh nothing that fermented might be in a sacrifice therefore honey is forbidden in a sacrifice because it fermenteth Exam. 2. that which was uncleane defiled so that which came of an uncleane thing defiled therefore they gathered that there could bee no silke in the Tabernacle because it came of an uncleane worme Byssus was that fine linnen of Egypt and not that which wee call silke and Xylinum was the wooll of the tree which we call Cotten and not silke So they say the Elephants tooth or Ivory none of it was in the Tabernacle because the Elephant was an uncleane beast yet Solomons throne was made of it Subjectum Nosheh they say that Canaan was more holy than other lands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subjectum therefore they who dyed out of Canaan dyed in a polluted land Amos 7.17 Againe in Canaan townes were more holy than the rest of the land for they put the Lepers out of their Cities and they buried not their dead in them Then Ierusalem was more holy than the walled townes for they eate the light holy things there and the second tithe within the wals of it then the chel or rampire was holier than that for no Heathen or he that was defiled by the dead might enter within that Then the womens Court holier than that for none that was washed from their uncleannesse might come there before the Sunne set Levit. 15.6 The Court of men holier than that for none that brought his offering for attonement though otherwise he was not cleane might come there Levit. 12.6 7. and 14.9 10. The Priests Court was holier than that for no Israelite might come there save in the time of their necessities for imposing of hands or for attonement betwixt the Porch and the Altar was holier than that for none that were blemished or bare-headed might come there The Temple holier than betwixt the Porch and the Altar none came there but he that had his hands and his feet washen And the Holiest of all was more holy than that for none might enter in there except the High Priest once in the yeare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adiunctum Adjunctum Nashu Example Levit. 13. verse 55. the leprosie amongst the Iewes was knowne by the colour of the scab if it was blacke then it was dry and he was whole if it was alba-subrufa white reddish he was to be shut up for seven dayes If it was adamdam subrufa more tending to red than he was shut up other seven dayes
Fiftly he is called the Tempter Mat. 2.3 but Iesus Christ is called the Comforter and the consolation of Israel Luc. 21.25 primogenitus mortis Iob. 18.13 The first borne of death as many of the Fathers expound it but Christ is principium primogenitus ex mortuis the beginning and the first borne from the dead Coloss 1.18 Revel 1.5 by whom we shall live and rise againe Seventhly the Diuell is that roaring Lyon that seeketh to devour us 1. Pet. 5.8 but Christ is that Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the roote of David who hath prevailed mightily Revel 5.5 Lastly the Divell is that Old Serpent who stingeth us to death but Christ is that Serpent lift up in the Wildernesse that whosoever looketh upon him and beleeves in him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.15 The Prophet Zachariah saw in a vision foure hornes rising up to molest and trouble the Church but he saw foure Carpenters come to beat downe these hornes Zach. 1.18 This is the comfort of the Church that there is no tentation that ariseth from Satan to trouble her but the Lord hath a hammer to beat it downe si venenum in Diabolo antidotum in Christo and if there bee poyson in the Divell there is a remedy for it in Christ The Lord rebuke thee O Satan The Apostle Iude verse 8. A great sinne to curse the Magistrate gathereth out of this place and out of the fight betwixt Michael the Archangell and the Divell about the body of Moses that men should not revile those who are in authority Michael is God blessed for eâ—â— Satan is a condemned spirit yet Michael will not raile against him The Devill is a condemned spirit and we are bound to pray against him but we are bound to pray for Magistrates of whose salvation we hope well therefore we are not to curse them the Lord commanded his people to pray for Nebuchadnezzer and for Babylon Iere. 20 7. and the Apostle willeth them to pray for all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2.2 yea although they be infidels Davids heart smot him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment 1 Sam. 24.5 and should not their hearts smite them who raile against Princes much more for killing of them the Lord will make the fowles of the heaven to discover this wickednesse although it be secretly spoken in their chambers Eccles 10.20 The Lord rebuke thee O Satan Quest What if a man should be tempted by Satan appearing in a visible forme what should he doe whether should he use arguments out of the Scripture to repell him or not Answ He should doe nothing but turne his face to God and weepe upon him and desire that the Lord would rebuke Satan Christ the Mediator could hold argumâ—nt with him because he was God blessed for ever but never one else could hold stitch with him Eva by reasoning and keeping purpose with him got the foile Ob. But ye will say that in spirituall temptations we may reply to him out of the Word why then may we not reply to him out of the Word if he should visibly appeare to us Answ The case is not alike for when the devill tempteth us by inward tentations and suggestions they are but the messengers of Satan and they are not so subtile tentations for they are mixed with our thoughts and therefore may be the â—ore easily answered but when he comes in proper persoâ— then his wickednesse is more spirituall Galath 6.12 therefore wee should turne to God and desire the Lord to rebuke him What are we to thinke of those Exorcists who take upon them to cast out the devill Quest That gift was an extraordinary gift bestowed onely upon the Church in her infancy Answ and it served not simply for edifying of the body of the Church Gifts simply necessary for the Church the gifts which served simply for the Church were Ephes 4.10.11 Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers The Apostle 1 Cor. 12. Gifts necessary for the Church in her infancy reckoneth up other gifts which were not simply necessary for the Church but onely for her infancy as the gift of healing the gift of tongues and this gift of casting out devills if the Highpriest after the captivity should have put in two counterfeit stones in the breastplate and called them Vrim and Thummim would not this have beene a falsehood in him when the gift ceased to use the signe so now when there is no such gift in the Church to use the name this is but a deceit Gifts necessary for the building of the Church were of two sorts Gifts necessary for the Church of two sorts First extraordinary as Apostles and Evangelists Secondly ordinary as Pastors and teachers other gifts were onely for the infancy of the Church the matter may bee cleared by this example A Prince when he is a child he hath need of a regent Simile of counsellers and boyes to play with him but when the Prince commeth to maturity of age the Regent ceaseth and his Play fellowes but not his Counsellors so the Church in her minority had Apostles and Evangelists as her regents and shee had these gifts of ngues healing and casting out of Divels as her play-fellowes these cease now but Pastors and Teachers as her counsellers remaine still with her when Satan is cast out now by Exorcists this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by force to cast him out but onely by collusion he goeth out but he returneth againe Even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee as if he should say I have decreed that Ierusalem shall be built although thou hast set thy selfe against this yet thou canst not hinder it Ierusalem taken for the City and for the people in the City Ierusalem is taken here first for the City Ierusalem and then for the people gathered to that City out of the captivity No counsell can stand against the counsell of the Lord see what Gamaleel said Act. 5.38 if this Counsell be of God we cannot hinder it yee may see what strange impediments were cast in to hinder the building of the Temple although it was Gods purpose to have it built againe there was an hundreth and thirteene yeeres before it was finished after the foundation was laid First it was hindered by craft We will build with you Ezr. 3. then by bribes They hired counsellers to weaken the hands of the people and troubled them in building Ezr. 4.5 Thirdly by false accusationes by letters Ezr. 4.6 Fourthly by force Ezr. 4.23 Fiftly by the Kings edict Ezr. 4.21 Lastly when they could doe no more they hindred them by taunts and mocking if a foxe goe up with his taile he will destroy this worke Nehem. 4.3 yet because the Lord had determined to build it it must be builded the Counsell of the Lord stands sure for ever therefore in Zachary it is compared to Mountaines of Brasse and the gates of hell shall not
two for one Three sorts of Precepts amongst the Hebrewes or foure for one or at the most fiue for one not aboue The Hebrewes had three sorts of Commandements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graviae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Media 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praecepta first they had Mitzboth Hhamuroth Praecepta gravia and Mitzboth Kalloth Praecepta levia those which they call Praecepta gravia here they say the punishment is alwayes indispensable as the murtherer is alwayes to die the death Secondly they had Praecepta levia as not to kill the dam sitting upon the egges this was one of the judiciall Lawes of the lightest sort for there was no punishment in Israel for transgression of this Law so if an Oxe had killed a man his flesh was not to be eaten this was one of their judiciall Lawes but if a man had eaten the flesh of such an Oxe he was not to die for it Thirdly they say they had Praecepta media where the punishment might be enlarged or diminished but not unto death as in theft How affirmatiue and negatiue Precepts bind Affirmatiue commandements binde not so strictly as Negatiues doe this is a Negatiue yee shall not suffer a Witch to liue but this is an Affirmatiue that the theefe shall pay fourefold or fiue this Law had sundry exceptions and mitigations it might be extended or mitigated he was bound to pay fourefold but yet the Magistrate might haue mitigated this and taken but twofold from him and they might haue extended it further as Salomon extendeth it to sevenfold Proverb 6.31 Ieshallem Shibhgnathaijm he shall pay sevenfold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhat the doubling of the duall nūber among the Hebrewes signifieth the Hebrewes double the duall number ten in the duall number is twentie three is thirtie and foure is fortie but when they come to seaven here they double not The light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold then he addeth for explanation as the light of seven dayes Esa 30.26 Here Shibhgnathaijm doubleth not in the duall number as in the former numbers but onely standeth for seven he shall pay Shibhgnathaijm VVhat the number seven signifieth that is seven for one some interpret it a definite number for an indefinite or he shall pay sevenfold that is as much as two for foure but it is not the manner of the Scriptures to take the number under seven for seven or he shall pay seven-fold that is much more then he tooke and the words following seeme to approue this interpretation he shall pay all the substance of his house And sometimes this punishment was extended to death as Davids sentence was that he should die the death because he tooke the poore mans onely sheepe Some answere that it was not for his theft that David gaue out sentence of death upon him but for his oppression and violent theft as if a man had come by night and had broken into a mans house and had stollen any thing then he might haue safely killed him by the Law and he was not to die for it but if he had come after the Sunne rose and had stolen any thing and the owner of the goods had killed him then he was to die for it But out of Davids answere we may obserue this The person against whom the theft is committed aggravateth the sinne that the person against whom the sinne is committed aggravateth the sinne as for a rich man to steale a poore mans sheepe so the time aggravateth the sinne if the theefe came in the night to steale then the owner of the goods might safely kill him because of his violent theft But it may be asked what is violent theft If a man steale to satisfie his hunger that is not violent theft but if a man steale who may get his living other wayes and liue upon the sweat of other mens browes or if he steale from one that hath small means to liue on or if he haue meanes to liue upon who stealeth this is judged violent theft Tom. 1.2 Municipall Lawes bind onely in the Countrey where they are made and the Magistrate for this may put him to death Thomas observeth well that the Magistrate may adde to the judiciall Law of Moses according to the necessitie of the time and greatnesse of the offence and as the Municipall Lawes of other Countries oblige not men but in the Countrey where they are made so doth not Moses judiciall Law A Magistrate in Israel was bound when a malefactor was whipt not to giue him aboue fortie stripes this Law bindeth not the Magistrate now sed crescentibus delictis exasperantur paenae but the equitie of Moses judiciall Lawes bindeth all people this is the equitie of Moses Law that for violent theft a man should alwaies die and the Law judged that violent theft which is not for a mans necessitie to satisfie his life Quest What if a poore man had but a little to saue his life and another were in as great extremitie whether were this violent theft for him to take from the poore man in such a case Answ How Christs words are to be understood in workes of charitie No doubt it were therefore Christ sayth hee that hath two coats let him giue his neigbour one to wit in his necessitie but not he that hath one coat for then he was not bound to giue it Object It is alledged Prov. 6.30 that the theife should pay seven-fold and not be put to death but the jealous husband will kill the adulterer Answ This place proveth nothing it sheweth onely what the jealous husband doth it sheweth not what he may doe And secondly for the theife it sheweth onely what was the usuall punishment amongst the Iewes by their judiciall Lawes to take seven fold but it sheweth not what may bee done by the positiue lawes of other Countries The conclusion of this is Now under the Gospell theft is a greater sinne then under the Law A difference betwixt that which is done and that which should bee done and the necessitie is greater amongst us generally then it was amongst them And thirdly that selling of men to make restitution for things taken by theft is not in use amongst us and therefore theeues may bee put to death CHAPTER XXXIX Of their proceeding in judgement before they executed the malefactor EzEK 9.10 Goe through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the forehead of those that sigh c. Those that were to bee saved the Lord caused to marke them THose who were appointed to be saved amongst the people of God he used to set a marke upon them Exod. 12. When the Egyptians were to be destroyed the Lord commanded his people to sprinkle the bloud of the Paschall Lambe upon the lintels of their doores and from this as Epiphanius marketh Lib. 1.
had feasts at their marriage First they had feasts before their marriages in their marriages and after their marriages before their marriage and these feasts were called Kedushim sponsalia and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly they had a feast at the day of their marriage Gen. 29.22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast and Ioh. 2. Christ was present at a marriage feast in Cana of Galile and Christ alludeth to this forme Luk. 14.8 When thou art bidden to a wedding that is to the feast at the wedding so Rev. 19.9 And so they had a feast after the marriage and the Greekes called these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the gifts which were brought to the bride after she was married were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the vaile was taken off her face then and these things which were offered to her after she was unvailed were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly Feasts at the weaning of their children the Iewes had feasts at the weaning of their children and not at the day of their birth Gen. 21.8 but the Heathen had feasts at the day of their birth as Pharaoh Gen. 40.20 and Herod Mat. 14.16 and this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly they had feasts at the day of their death Feasts at their death and buriall Iere. 16.7 Neither shall men teare themselues for them in mourning to comfort them for the dead neither shall men giue them the cup of consolation to drinke for their father or for their mother thou shalt not also goe into the house of feasting to sit with them to eat and to drinke the Greekes called these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was Epulum sepulchrale afterwards this feasting degenerated much for they used to set meat upon the graues of the dead and Syracides alludeth to these delicates poured upon a mouth shut up are as messes of meat set upon a graue Ecclus 30.18 So afterwards in the primitiue Church they had Caenam novendinalem for the soules departed they feasted the poore for the space of nine dayes and they prayed that the soules might haue a refreshment in that time and this was discharged in the Councell of Carthage So they had a feast when they made a Covenant Feasts at their Covenants as Iacob and Laban Gen. 31.54 so Ioshua and the Gibeonites Iosh 9.14 And the Greekes called these feasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libo The Scythians in their Covenants and feasts did drinke others bloud these the Greekes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanguinipotas drinkers of bloud So they made feasts when they departed from others at their farewell Gen. 31.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificia ante expeditionem and these the Greekes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So they made feasts at the returning of their friends to welcome them home as the father of the forlorne sonne killed the fed Calfe when his sonne came home and these feasts the Greekes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Ioseph made a feast when his brethren returned to him Gen. 49.16 Who were invited and who not Those who were invited to their feasts were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they who were not invited were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adscititij and they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 umbrae et muscae advolantes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui lingua sua se nutriunt and they were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a metaphor borrowed from the dogges who fanne with their tailes when men feede them The number at their feast The number which they invited were not many in that feast of Iobs children were his seven sonnes and three daughters and Christ and his twelue Disciples and therefore that is false septem convivium novem convitium the Greekes said incipere debet a Gratiarum numero progredi ad Musarum that is they would haue no fewer than three at a feast and no more than nine What persons were to be invited The persons invited should be the poore especially when thou makest a feast bid not the rich but the poore that is the poore rather than the rich men should not invite to be invited againe Luk. 6.12 men should not invite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose God is their bellie Heliogabalus invited to his feast eight black eight blind eight lame eight hoarse he made no choise of his guests but he made a mocke of it The end of their feasts The end wherefore they made feasts was the glorie of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore yee eat or drinke or whatsoever yee doe doe all to the glorie of God Asshuerus feast was onely to shew his magnificence and pride but Esthers feast was for the glorie of God and for the safetie of the Church Breaking of bread a token of loue The second end of their feasts was to expresse their heartie loue and friendship for to eat and drinke together was the greatest token of loue and friendship 2 Sam. 12.3 He had an Ewe-lambe c. which did eat of his owne meat and dranke of his owne cup lay in his owne bosome so Psal 41.9 Yea mine owne familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread and so the communion in the life to come is expressed by eating of bread Luk. 14.15 Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdome of God and Obadiah 7. these three are joyned together viri faederis pacis panis that is that makes a Covenant together that hath peace and that eat together but Absolon killed Amnon at the feast so Gedaliah was killed by Ismael at the feast Iere. 40. and Iohn the Baptist by Herod Mat. 14. Of the place where the Romans used to make their Feast THe place where the Romans sat at their meat was called Caenaculum and where they lay it was called Cubiculum and by the Greekes Triclinium The ancients at the first sat in the Kirchin The place where they feasted or a place neere to the Kitchin where they did dine or suppe and this was called Atrium from the blacknes of the smoke and the Courts afterward kept this name they were called Atria then they changed from this place and removed to an upper chamber and there they used to dine and suppe the Iewes following the Roman custome who had subdued them sat also in an upper chamber Christ and his Disciples eat the Passeover in an upper chamber according to the custome of the Romans these Chambers were called Conclavia closets or secret places and Christ saith when thou prayest enter into thy Closet Mat. 6.6 The beds which they had were called Discubitorij Lecti or Toralia and they were covered with herbes straw before they found out Quilts or sowed Coverings
they minister to man thirdly the comfort that we haue by their ministerie First the ground of their ministery is because we are reconciled to God in Christ when man fell from God the Angels stood with a flaming sword to hold him out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 When Christ reconciled us to God he reconciled us also to the Angels Why the Angels minister to us Iacob saw in a vision a Ladder reaching from the earth to the heaven and the Angels ascending up and downe upon it Gen. 28.12 Christ is this Ladder upon which the Angels come downe to minister unto us Ioh. 1.51 Verily verily I say unto you hereafter yee shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the sonne of man Quest Whether doe the Angels minister to wicked men or not Answ For outward things they may helpe them Whether the Angels doe minister to the wicked even as the Lord makes his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good Mat. 5.45 We haue examples of this in the Scriptures when the Israelites were in the Wildernesse the Angels brought downe Manna to them therefore David saith He fed them with the bread of Angels Psal 74.25 It is called the bread of Angels because it was brought downe by their ministery there were many wicked men amongst the Israelites who did eat Manna yet the Angels by their ministery brought it downe to them another example wee haue the Angels came downe at certaine times and stirred the Poole Ioh. 5.4 and whosoever stepped in first after that the Poole was stirred was healed whether he were bad or good the Angels then may minister to wicked men in outward things but they doe not defend them from spirituall temptations as they doe the children of God in resisting Satan Secondly when they minister to man they minister to him in his life time in his death in the graue and at the resurrection First they minister to him in his life and they keepe him that he dash not his foote against a stone Secondly in his death they waite about his bed to repell Satan and when the soule is out of the bodie they carry it into Abrahams bosome and they attend the bodies of Gods children in the graue because they are the Temples of the holy Ghost and so at the resurrection they shall gather them from the foure corners of the earth and shall attend them to glorie Thirdly we haue great comfort by their ministery first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vigilantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustissimi they are Gnirim vigilantes the watchfull ones Dan. 4.13 Secondly they are Habhirim strong ones Psal 78.25 When Salomon went to bed he had threescore valiant men about it of the valiant of Israel to defend him Cant 3.7 But what comfort is it to the children of God then to haue so many watchfull and strong Angels attending them He was carried by the Angels What strange change was this that he who was now lying amongst the dogs is carried by Angels lying amongst dogs the most base and uncleane creatures therefore they are called Impuri canes obscaeni canes that he should now be carried by Angels the most excellent creatures that GOD made and not carried by one Angell but by many Angels as if they were striving every one to carry him when a great man dieth all men striue to be about the Coffin Simile one to carrie a legge and another to carry an arme so doe the Angels striue here to carrie Lazarus soule never man in this world rode in such triumph as Lazarus soule did The pompe of the Romans in their Chariots the Romans after their Victories in their triumphs they had their Chariots drawn sometimes with Elephants sometimes with nimble footed lennets sometimes with pyde horses and we reade of Amasis King of Egypt who had his Chariot drawn with foure Kings whom he had conquered but what is this to Lazarus Chariot who is carried here by the Angels of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he rode here Bemirkebbath hashecinah in curru majestatis What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour Esther 6.9 he shall not ride upon the Kings best horse but in the Kings best Chariot Into Abrahams bosome This is a speech borrowed from the custome of the Iewes for they that lay in ones bosome were most deare and familiar with him as Iohn leaned in Christs bosome therefore it is said that Christ came out of the bosome of the Father Ioh. 1.18 The fathers were partakers of the same salvation that we are partakers of The fathers partakers of the same salvation that we are of therefore Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome they shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Mat. 8.11 Our Sacraments haue the same name with the Iewes Sacraments And they eat the same spirituall manna with us 1 Cor. 10.3 And our Sacraments haue the names of their Sacramēts we are circumcised with circumcision not made with hands Colos 2.11 And Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 Those then who thinke that the fathers were but fatted up like hogges with the temporary promises of this life are foully deceived Paradise is called Abrahams bosome because the faithfull as Abrahams children are received into that same fellowship with him what is then become of this Limbus Patrum The rich man also died and was buried Many were the solemnities which were in this funerall but nothing of the Angels that carried his soule to heaven he carried nothing of all that he had with him but onely the prickles of an evill conscience now he leaveth all his pomp behinde him R. Salomon observeth that David sometimes is called David the King and David King of Israel but when the Scripture speaketh of his death he is called but David the dayes of David drew nere that he should die 1 King 2.1 so vers 10. David slept with his fathers and was buried All externall glory and worldly pompe leaveth a man in his death How to make use of Parables Arguments drawn from the lesse to the more To make use of Parables we are to consider how the spirit of God in a Parable draweth an argument from the lesse to the more as if the unjust Iudge because of the importunitie of the widow granted her request how much more will God grant the earnest petitions of his children so the man instantly seeking bread from his neighbour the end of these Parables is to teach us perseverance onely and no other thing to be gathered out of them Secondly the unjust Steward is commended for providing for himselfe here we are to follow him in the Parable for his foresight and not for his deceit so we commend the Serpent for his craft but not for his poison Nothing to be gathered besides the scope of the Parable Thirdly nothing is to be gathered in a Parable besides the scope
the vulgar Latine is sound and free from corruption which was translated by Saint Hierome under Pope Damasus and so continued in the Church of Rome The Iewes kept faithfull the booke of God without corruption The Iewes to whom The Oracles of God were committed Rom. 3.2 therefore it was called Their Law Ioh. 8.17 would they have corrupted their owne Evidents Augustine calleth the Iewes Capsarios nostros who faithfully kept the booke of God and reserved it unto us without corruption he saith Dispersos esse Iudaeos infidelesut testarentur Scripturas esse veras The unbeleeving Iewes were scattered through the world that they might testifie the Scriptures to be true The Iewes numbred the Verses Words and Letters of the Bible and shall wee thinke that the Iewes would have corrupted the Text who have numbred the words letters and verses of the Bible and R. Zaddias hath numbred the letters words and verses and summed up all the verses at the end of every booke and they have observed that all the letters are found in one verse Zeph. 3.8 as also foure of the finall letters they carry such respect to the Law that if it but fall to the ground they institute a fast for it They would write no language but in Hebrew letters The superstitious Iewes at this day are so carefull to keepe the letters and words of the Law that they will have neither Chaldee Syriacke nor Hebrew words wrirten but in Hebrew letters and it greeved them when they saw in Origens Hexupla Vide Guiliel Schiekardum de jure regio Hebrew words written in Greeke Characters when they saw the copie which was presented to Alexander the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having the name Iehova still written in Golden letters they were much greeved at it and when they see any thing changed in our copies now in disdaine they call it Hhomesh pesul she l gelahhim that is Pentateuchus rasorum Monachorum the Pentateuch of the shaven Monkes The Iewes after the death of Christ were dispersed among many Nations and they never met together againe and albeit they would have corrupted the Scripture how could they have falsified all the Copies Bellarmin maketh this objection to himselfe Bellarm. lib. 2. Cap. 2. De verbo dei Some men will say that the Hebrew Text was corrupted after the dayes of Saint Hierome and Augustine Hee answereth that Augustins reasons serve for all times against the corruption of the Hebrew Text Serrarius in prolegom Bibliacâ—s And Serrarius acknowledgeth that there is but small or no corruption in the Hebrew Text Corruptio Physica Mathematica Moralis he maketh a threefold corruption The first Physicall the second Mathematicall and the third Morall Physicall corruption he maketh to be this when it wanteth any member which it should have Mathematicall corruption hee maketh to bee this when there are some faults in the print which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a morall corruption he maketh to be this when one of purpose goeth about to corrupt the Text and in effect he commeth to this that the errours which are found in the Text are but errours in the print and not in the matter But now lately there is one risen up called Morinus who hath set himselfe to improve the originall Hebrew Text and to preferre the Samaritan to it as the originall Difference betwixt hebraeo-samaritana and hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana in their Copies We must put a difference betwixt Hebraeo-Samaritana and Hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana Hebraeo-samaritana is that which Moyses wrote from the Lord and delivered to the Iewes it is called Hebraeo-samaritana because the Hebrew was written in the Samaritan Character at the first and so kept still till after the captivity and this wee grant to be the first and originall writing by which the Church should be ruled But that this Hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana should be the first originall that in no way must we grant and the reasons are these Reason 1 Reasons to prove that the Samaritan copy is not the originall First the Samaritans were Idolaters they were brought out of Assyria by Salmanasses and they erected a false worship in Iudea for the which they were hated by the people of God Ioh. 4. They branded them alwayes with these two letters Gnaijn Zain that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cultus alienus strange worship The Lord concredited his oracles to his owne people Deut. 33.4 The Law is the inheritance of the congregation of Iacob Therefore the Law was not committed to their custodie who were not Gods people they had no right to his inheritance Reason 2 Secondly if the Samaritan copie were the originall then it should follow that the Church hath wanted the true originall Text untill the yeare of God 1626. when Petrus de Valle brought it from Damascus Reason 3 The Samaritan Copie differed as much from the originall The Samaritan differeth as much from the originall as the Seventy doe as the Seventy doe but none of them hold that the translation of the Seventy is the originall by which all others should be tryed why then should they give this prerogative to the Samaritan Copie to be the originall this Samaritan Copie addeth to the originall Text which was The inheritance of the Iewes Deut. 33.4 and diminisheth also from it It addeth to the originall Text Iosh 21. two Verses 36.37 Verses So Gen. 4. it addeth a long speech or conference betwixt Cain and Abel which is not in the originall Text. So Targum Hierosolymitanum supplyeth the same 28. verses here which are not in the originall Hebrew Text a conference betwixt Cain and Abel whether there be any providence of God or not or whether there be any reward for the just or punishment for the wicked Abel holdeth the affirmative and Cain the negative part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this note of the Masoreth in the margent should not be read this wayes Pesu pesuki bimtzegno pesuk Viginti octo versus desiderantur in medio hujus versus There are twenty eight Verses wanting in the midst of this verse But it should be read this wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pesukim pasekin bimtzeghnoth pasuk that is There are twenty eight verses whose sense endeth in the midst of the verse therefore when the Scripture saith that Cain talked with his brother it was to perswade him to goe out to the field and not that he had a long conference with him Both the Samaritan Copie then and the Targum of Ierusalem wrong the Text as defective putting in these 28. verses which the Spirit of God never indited As it addeth to the originall Hebrew Text so it diminisheth somethings from it Hos 4.11 I have called my Sonne out of Egypt These words are not in the Samaritan Copie So these words Zach. 12.10 They shall behold him whom they pierced Reason 4 If this Samaritan Copie were the
which was added by the Translators These things which were found in the translations and not in the Hebrew Text hee markes them Obelo thus ⸓ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸓ These things againe which were in the Hebrew Text and not found in the translations hee marked them Asterisco with a starre this wayes Ü ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ü Thirdly the divers readings confirmed by sundry Copies he marked them lemnisco this wayes ÷ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ÷ And lastly these things which were found but in few copies he marked them Hypolemnisco this wayes Ü‹ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ü‹ This Edition of Origen was so generally followed afterwards that Augustine complained that in all the Libraries they could scarcely finde one Copie of the Seventy The edition of Origen corrected by Lucian wanting these markes of Origen and when sundry faults had crept into this his Edition Lucian an Elder at Antioch and afterwards a Martyr tooke all these Editions and conferred them together and hee set out a more axact and correct Edition then Origens was Of the Translation of the Seventy Ptolomaeus Philadelpbus procured not this translation as some hold IT is commonly holden that Ptolomaeus Philadelphus the sonne of Ptolomeus Lagi King of Egypt gathered a Library two hundred sixty and seven yeares before the birth of Christ in the City of Alexandria in Egypt and having gathered together divers Greeke writers he gathered also Hebrew Persian Syriack and Romane writers and caused to translate them into Greeke and put them in his Library and when he understood of Demetrius Phalaraus who had the charge of his Library that there were bookes in Ierusalem written by the Prophets amongst the Iewes which intreated of God and of the creation of the world and much hid wisedome was contained in them King Ptolomie wrote unto Ierusalem that they might send these bookes unto him and when they had read his Letters they sent these bookes written in Golden letters which Hebrew bookes when they were delivered unto the King he understood them not therefore he wrote to Eleazar the Highpriest the second time that he would send men unto him who would translate these Hebrew bookes into Greeke And Eleazar sent Seventy two sixe out of each Tribe who were very skillfull and expert both in the Hebrew and in the Greeke These men translated the Scripture in the I le Pharos They were called seventy propter Rotundationem numori being put in severall Cels yet all of them so agreed that there was not any difference among them and they were called the Seventy commonly although there were seventy and two of them Iosephus writing against Appion borroweth this history or fable rather out of Aristoeas and afterwards the Christian writers in whose time this translation of the Seventy was in most request gave eare willingly to this for they used most the translation of the Seventy and they tooke occasion to spread abroad any thing which might serve for their credit Iustin Martyr a famous old writer with tooth and nayle standeth for the authority of this Translation he telleth how they were put into severall Cels and how they were directed by the holy Spirit so that they agreed not onely in the sense but also in the words But yet neyther Aristaeas nor Iosephus who borrowed this from him make mention of these Cels. But Scaliger in his animadversions upon Eusebius at the yeare M.CCXXXIV judgeth that this booke of Aristaeâ—s out of which this narration was borrowed was but fained by some grecizing Iewes caliger proveth by many reasons that Ptolemeus Philadelphus did not procure this translation that they might conciliat the greater authority to this their translation which they had procured and he hath sundry reasons to improve this narration Reason 1 The first reason we know saith he out of the history of Hermippus an antient writer of whom Diogenes Laertius maketh mention that Dimetrius phalerius whom Aristaeas bringeth in as the procurer of this whole businesse at the hands of Ptolomeus Philadelphus was in no favour with him for Ptolomeus so disliked this Dimetrius altogether that in the beginning of his reigne hee banished him and through greefe he tooke himselfe to live in the Wildernesse and one day being heavy with sleepe layd himselfe downe upon the ground to sleepe where a Serpent did sting him to the death The cause why Dimetrius was hated by Ptolomeus The reason wherefore Philadelphus so hated him was this because when Ptolomeus Lagi his father had maried a second wife called Eurice as he had Bernice the mother of Ptolemeus Philadelphus for his first wife this Dimetrius perswaded Ptolomeus Lagi to disinherit the sonne of Bernice and to give the crowne to the sonne of the second wife Eurice which when Ptolomeus Philadelphus understood after his fathers death he presently banished him Now seeing Dimetrius was hated so of Ptolomeus Philadelphus Aristophanes was keeper of the Library of Ptolomeus and dyed in the beginning of his raigne is there any probability that he had the charge of this Library and Vitruvius saith that Aristophanes that noble Grammarian had the keeping of this Library and not Dimetrius Phalerius Reason 2 Secondly Aristaeas and these who follow him say that there were sixe chosen out of every Tribe and sent to Egypt to translate the Bible but at that time there dwelt no other Iewes in Iudea but onely of the Tribe of Iuda and Benjamin although perhaps some of the other Tribes were scattered amongst them yet it is certaine that these had no place amongst them because the most part of them were caried away captive by the Assyrians This handfull which were yet left in Iudea had no authority amongst them and how came it to passe that they sent the whole Synedrion or the great Councill to Egypt besides the Synedrion consisted not of the twelve Tribes after the captivity but onely of the Tribe of Iuda and is it probable that they would send these Seventy to Egypt and if it bee true which they say of these severall Cels in which they were placed when they translated the Bible then it behooved every one of them to have such a sufficient measure of knowledge both in Hebrew and Greeke that they might have finished the whole Worke alone which no man will beleeve Reason 3 Thirdly Aristaeas reporteth that Ptolomeus sayd if any man should adde or take from this booke then hee should be accursed but this was the curse which God himselfe set downe in the Law Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22. 18. This Ptolomeus understood not and whereas Aristaeas goeth about to prove that these curses were usuall amongst the Greekes and Romans we must understand that they never used these curses but in extreme necessity but what necessity was there here for Ptolomeus to adde this curse who was but desyrous that these bookes might onely be put amongst the rest of the bookes in the Library Reason 4 Fourthly if
translated out of the Greeke The first translation of the New Testament was into the Syriacke tongue The first translation of the new Testament was the Syriack Marcke is holden to be the Author of this translation hut he was martyred in the eight yeare of Nero and the Fathers who lived in Egypt and Palestina make no mention of this Syriack translation as Origen Clemens Alexandrinus and Athanasius and therefore it seemeth to be latter and not so soone after the Apostles The Syriack translation which was heretofore in our Churches was defective The Syriack translation which was here to fore wanted many things and wanted many things which were in the originall as it wanted the last verse of the seventh Chapter of Iohn and the history of the adulterous woman Ioh. 8. So the second Epistle of Peter the second and third Epistle of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the booke of the Revelation all these were wanting in it But that Copie which is brought lately from Syria wanteth none of these as Ludovicus de Deiu testifieth in his Syriack translation which hee hath now published and the Arabicke translation which Erpeneus had by him hath all these places which the former translation wanted Wee will subjoyne here the postscripts which are found in the Syriack and Arabick translations after the Evangelists The postscript of the Evangelist St. Matthew in the Syriack is this Scriptum est in terra palestinae Hebraice The Postscript of Matthew in the Syriack and Arabick translations this Gospel was written in the Hebrew tongue in Palestina The Postscript in the Arabick is this Absolutum est Evangelium Matthaei Apostoli quod scripsit in terra Palestinae Hebraice auxilio spiritus sancti octo annis postquam dominus noster Iesus Christus carne in caelos ascendit primo anno regni Claudij Caesaris Regis Romani That is the Gospel of the Apostle Matthew which he wrote in Hebrew by the assistance of the holy Spirit in the land of Palestina was perfected eight yeares after Iesus Christ ascended to the Heavens in the first yeare of the reigne of Claudius Caesar the King of the Romans The error of this Syrack and Arabiack postscript Here observe two things first that the Syriack and Arabick say that this Gospel was written in Hebrew first whereas it was written originally in Greeke Secondly that the Arabick calleth Matthew an Apostle whereas he was an Evangelist The postscript of Marke in the Syriack and Arabiack Translationes The Postscript of the Evangelist Marke in the Syriack is this Absolutum est Evangelium Sancti Marci qui loquutus est Evangelizavit Romae That is here endeth the Gospel of S. Marke which he spake and preached at Rome The Arabick hath it thus Finitum est exemplar Marci quod scripsit in ditione romana occidentali in vrbe Romana anno duodecimo postquaÌ„ dominus noster Iesus Christus carne in Caelos ascendit quarto anno Claudij Caesaris That is here endeth the exemplar of Marke which hee wrote in the province of westerne Rome in the City of Rome it selfe twelve yeares after our Lord Iesus Christ ascended into heaven in the flesh in the fourth yeere of Claudius Caesar The errour of these two postscripts But this Postscript is not probable for Marke lived in the Church of Alexandria in Egypt therefore it is more probable that he wrote his Gospel there than at Rome The postscript of Luâ—â— In the Arabiack and Syriack Translation The Postscript of Luke in the Syriack is this Scriptum est Alexandriae magnae quindecem annis a Christi ascensione It was written in the great City of Alexandria fifty yeares after Christs ascention The Arabick is Scriptum est grace in civitate Macedonia vigesimo secundo anno post ascensionem Domini in caelum vigesimo quarto anno Claudij Caesaris This Gospell was written in Greeke in the City of Macedonia twenty two yeares after the Lords ascension into the heavens the twenty fourth yeare of Claudius Caesar Here we may see the difference betwixt these two Postscripts the Syriack saith The error of these two postscripts it was written in Alexandria in Egypt and the Arabick saith it was written in Macedonia in Greece what credite then should wee give to these Postscripts The Postscript of Iohn the Syriack is The postscript of Iohn in the Arabiack and Syriak Translation Iohannes Evangelista hoc Evangelium edidit Grace Ephesi That is the Evangelist set forth this Gospel in Greeke at Ephesus the Arabick is Iohannes filius Zebedaei vnus ex duodecem Apostolis scripsit id graece Incolis Ephesi anno post ascensionem domini in Calos tricesimo imperante Nero. Iohn the son of Zebedaeus one of the twelve Apostles wrote this in Greeke to the inhabitants of Ephesus thirty yeares after Christs ascension in the reigne of Nero. The Syriack translation is read in Syria Mesopotamea Chaldea and Egypt and it was sent first in to Europe by Ignatius Patriarch of Antioche These who translated the Bible in latter times The latter Translaters of the Bible Popish or Orthodoxe were eyther Popish or Orthodoxe Popish the Latine translation established by the councill of Trent Vatablus Arias Montanus Pagninus and Isiodorus Clarius By the reformed as by Munster Ecolampadius by Leo Iuda who dying before the worke was finished Bibliander and Conradus Pellicanus finished it and then they are called Biblia Tigurina And lastly by Iunius and Tremellius Of the Vulgar Latine translation WHen light arose to them who sate in darkenesse and in the shadow of death to the Protestants who lived before in Popery they began to search the originall Text and to looke into the fountaines the Hebrew and Greeke and they charged the adversaries to bring their proofes out of the originall Text in their disputations with them The Church of Rome decreed that the Vulgar Latin translation should be the originall The Church of Rome to obviat this made a decree in the Councill of Trent Anno. 1546. that the vulgar Latine should be holden for the originall which was as base a change as when Rehoboam changed the golden Sheilds in the Temple into Sheilds of brasse 1 King 14.27 So have they changed the originall into the Vulgar Latine translation and made it authenticke which in many places is corrupted After that they had inacted that the Vulgar Latine should be onely the touchstone to try all controversies and that they should use it in their readings and disputations then Sixtus Quintus the Pope tooke great paines about the correcting of this Vulgar Latine Pius the fourth and Pius Quintus had done something before in the correcting of this Vulgar translation but it was Sixtus Quintus that finished it Forty foure yeeres betwixt the act of the Councill and the finishing of the Latin translation Anno 1590. So that there were forty foure yeares betwixt the Act made in the Councill