had seen the figure and pattern of a glorious Tabernacle so now in this second forty days fast he desireth to have a sight of the glory of God On the thirtieth day of the month A◠he goeth up again with the two Tables and beginneth another forty days fast and seeth the Lord and heareth him proclaim himself by most glorious attributes and receiveth some commands from him On the tenth day of the month Tisri he cometh down with the glad tydings that all is well betwixt God and Israel with the renewed Tables in his hand and with commission to set about making the Tabernacle CHAP. XXXV XXXVI XXXVII XXXVIII XXXIX XL. World 2515 Moses 82 Redemption from Egypt 2 AND so do Israel fall about that work which by the first day of the month Abib the first month of the next year is finished and it begun to be erected when it is set up the cloud of glory filleth it and God taketh up his seat upon the Ark in figure of his dwelling amongst men in Christ. The Book of LEVITICUS OUT of the Tabernacle newly erected God giveth ordinances for it and first concerning Sacrifice to represent Christs death as the Tabernacle it self did represent his body The whole time of the story of Leviticus is but one moneth namely the first month of the second year of their deliverance and not altogether so much neither for the very first beginning of the month was taken up in the erecting of the Tabernacle of which the story is in Exod. 40. CHAP. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII RUles given for all manner of sacrifices This is the first Oracle given from off the Mercy-seat There is the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first word of the Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written less then all his fellows and it seemeth by such a writing to hint and intimate that though this were a glorious Oracle yet was it small in comparison of what was to come when God would speak to his people by his own Son whom the Ark Mercy-seat and Oracle did represent CHAP. VIII IX THE seven days of the consecration of Aaron and his sons follow after the time of the setting up of the Tabernacle and were not coincident or concurrent with that time as the Jews very generally but very groundlesly do apprehend as Seder Olam Tanchum ex R. Joseph Baal Turim Ab Ezra R. Sol and others For 1. this command for their consecration is given out of the Tabernacle now erected as well as the rules for sacrifice were And 2. they abide the seven days in the Tabernacle Chap. 8. 33. and the very first day of the seven the congregation were gathered to the door vers 3 4. which undeniably shew that it was finished and set up when these seven days of consecration began CHAP. X. THE death of Nadab and Abihu was on the very first day that the service of the Altar began namely on that eighth day after the seven of the consecration when Aaron and his sons offered sacrifices for themselves and the people This appeareth plainly by comparing the third and fifteenth Verses of the ninth Chapter with the sixteenth Verse of this tenth Chapter and thus the service of the Sanctuary by an accident began with Death and Judgment NUMBERS IX to Ver. 15. AFter the end of the tenth Chapter of Leviticus in the proper order of story are the first fourteen Verses of the ninth Chapter of Numbers to be taken in which treat concerning the Passover For the Tabernacle being reared on the very first day of the second year of their coming out of Egypt namely on the first day of Nisan these orders and rules concerning Sacrifices and the Priests consecration were given and the eight days of Priests consecration and Sacrifices were accomplished before the fourteenth day of that month came when the Passover was to be kept by an old command given the last year in Egypt and by a second command now given in the wilderness so that this order and method is clear Now the reason why this story of this second Passover is not only not laid in its proper place in this Book of Leviticus but also out of its proper place in the Book of Numbers for the Book beginneth its story with the beginning of the second month but this story of the Passover belongeth to the first month The reason I say of this dislocation is because Moses his chief aim in that place is to shew and relate the new dispensation or command for a Passover in the second month which was a matter of very great moment For the translation of that feast a month beyond its proper time did the rather inforce the significancy of things future then of things past as rather recording the death of Christ to come then their delivery from Egypt when it hit not on that very night This story therefore of the Passover transferred to the second month upon some occasions being the matter that Moses chiefly aimed at and respected in that relation and history he hath set it in his proper place for so is that where it lies in the Book of Numbers and intending and aiming at the mention of that he hath also brought in the mention of the right Passover or that of the first month as it was necessary he should to shew the occasion of the other LEVITICUS XI XII XIII XIV XV. AFter the rules for things clean and fit for sacrifice the Lord cometh to give rules for things clean and fit to eat and clean and fit to touch for this was the tripartite distinction of clean or unclean in the Law Every thing that was unclean to touch was unclean to eat but every thing that was unclean to eat was not unclean to touch every thing that was unclean to eat was unclean to sacrifice but every thing that was unclean to sacrifice was not unclean to eat for many things might be eaten which might not be sacrificed and many things might be touched which might not be eaten And under the Law about clean and unclean there is exceeding much of the doctrine of sin and renovation touched considerable in very many particulars 1. By the Law of Moses nothing was unclean to be touched while it was alive but only man A man in Leprosie unclean to be touched Lev. 13. and a woman in her separation Lev. 12. but Dogs Swine Worms c. not unclean to be touched till they be dead Lev. 11. 31. 2. By the Law of Moses uncleanness had several degrees and Leprosie was the greatest There was uncleanness for a day as by touching a dead beast for a week as by touching a dead man for a month as a woman after Child-birth and for a year or more as Leprosie 3. Every Priest had equal priviledge and calling to judge of the Leprosie as well as the the high Priest 4. The Priests that were judges of Leprosie could not be tainted
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
Gath and Ekron which they once Samuel 27 had Josh. 15. 45 46. but lost Judg. 3. 3. Peace made with Amorites for the Samuel 28 third and fourth Generation of those haters of the Lord had had the sins of their Samuel 29 fathers visited upon them Samuels two Sons cause the people to abhor the Samuel 30 Government as Elies two Sons had caused them to abhor Religion Then degeneration Samuel 31 is still coming on CHAP. IX X. XI XII World 2941 Sam. 32 SAUL seeking Asses findeth a Kingdom He is anointed at Ramah which was not far from his own Town of Gibeah Gibeah once so abominable and abominably destroyed Judg. 20. affordeth their first King He prophecieth at Kirjath-jearim among a company of Prophets that attended the Ark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is Saul also among the Prophets And one of the same place answered and said Yes one that is their Father Not Et quis but Et qui pater â—orum Chap. 10. 12. And he becomes one that is their Father or chief Prophet amongst them At Mizpeh where the Sanhedrin sate he is proclaimed King by Lot and by the people He befriendeth Jabesh against Ammon for Jabesh had been a friend to Gibeah and suffered for it Judg. 21. At Gilgal he is annointed again and God in thunder and lightning telleth the people of his displeasure for their asking a King Their occasion of so doing was Nahash the Ammonite his coming against Jabesh at first to besiege it Chap. 12. 12. The siege was long and when it begun to capitulate for surrender Nahash demands every right eye in the Town c. CHAP. XIII XIV XV. Sam. 33 Saul 2 SAUL reigned one year And he reigned two years over Israel That is Sam. 34 Saul 3 he had now been King one year from his first anointing by Samuel at Ramah to his second anointing by him at Gibeah And he reigned after this two years more before the Lord cast him off and anointed David And the time he ruled after that was not a Rule but a Tyranny and Persecution In these two years he beateth the Philistims Syrians Moabites and Ammonites that invade the Land and invadeth Amalek and destroyeth it but undoes himself by sparing Agag Here the Lord casts him off CHAP. XVI World 2944 Sam. 35 DAVID anointed in Bethlehem And from henceforward the Spirit of the Lord resteth upon him by the power of which he killeth a Lion and Bear And by the direction of which he becometh musical and penneth Psalms This is that that makes musick by Davids hand able to hush and master Sauls Devil CHAP. XVII Sam. 36 DAVID killeth Goliah A type of Christs victory over Satan the chief Captain of the uncircumcised He bringeth the Giants head to Saul and Saul questioned Whose Son art thou Not that either Saul or Abner were ignorant who David was for he went but from harping to Saul when Saul went to this War ver 15. but they wonder what kind of man it was that had such Sons as Jesse had now in the Army And his question is not so much Filius cujus as Filius qualis viri or not of Davids Person but of his Parentage The 55 and 56 verses in their proper order should lie after verse 40. but they are put off to the place where they lie that Sauls question which was before the Battel and the resolution of it which was not till after might be laid together and so the Story of verse 54. of Davids laying up the Giants head at Jerusalem is laid before its time as they were laid after for he laid not that there till some space of time after and what time uncertain But the relation of it is mentioned in this place because he would dispatch the Story of Goliah at once PSALM IX UPON this Victory over Goliah David penned the ninth Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the death of the Champion for Goliah is called Ish Benajim 1 Sam. 17. 4. And so the Chaldee Paraphrast interprets it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the death of the man that came out between the two Armies That Psalm is to be taken in at this place CHAP. XVIII UPON Davids discourse with Saul and upon former acquaintance with Davids behaviour Jonathan affects him Saul that day retains him for a Courtier and Jonathan puts him into a Souldiers and Courtiers garbe And so they march from the Camp to Gibeah where Saul dwelt By the way the women came out and sing so as they displease Saul and from thenceforward he spites David casts Spears at him to kill him but seeing him escape he puts him into command in the Army that he may fall there Thus lieth the Story to vers 16. and therefore the fifth verse which speaks of his going in and out before the people is set there as a general head which was to be explained afterward when David is thus set at large from Saul to go in and out at his pleasure then it is like he bringeth Goliahs Armor to Bethlehem and his head to Jerusalem laying up these trophies of his valor victory and success among his own Tribe that when occasion should be and he should need men to stand to him he being already anointed King these very things might have made a good party for him against that time CHAP. XIX Sam. Saul 37 ANother war with the Philistims Another Spear thrown at David His house watched that he might be slain PSAL. LIX HERE cometh in the fifty ninth Psalm made upon this watching of his house as the title telleth and it is to be laid between the 12 and 13 verses of this 19 Chapter Samuel and Saul and David are met altogether Chap. 19. 22. 24. and Saul Prophecying naked for 24 hours whereas it is said in Chap. 15. 35. that Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death It is to be understood as by way of homage for he seeth him now at Ramah by Sauls coming to him but he never after Sauls transgression in sparing Amalek went to him to present himself or service to him for then did the Lord cast him off and he would own him no more as King CHAP. XX. SAuls coming to Ramah putteth David to fly to Gibeah to confer with Jonathan Sauls bloody intention being discovered David is now forced to a perpetual exile It beginneth now CHAP. XXI DAvid cometh to Nob to Ahimelech or Ahijah 1 Sam. 14. 3. In the days of Abiathar Mar. 2. 26. our Saviour nameth him rather then Ahimelech because he was not only one of the Priests there now Chap. 22. 20. but he alone escaped of all Ahimelechs house from Sauls fury and he was of special note afterward From Nob David is forced to flee to Gath the very Town of Goliah and Goliahs sword now about him There is he discovered who he is and hears the very Song repeated that was sung to him when he returned from the slaughter of Goliah
Shepherds and Pastours that had helped Solomons house forward unto ruine 2 KING XXIV from vers 10. to vers 17. 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 10. JEHOIACHIN or Jeconiah or Coniah captived and Jerusalem with him 18000 men of might 10000 from Jerusalem and 8000 out of the Country and all the treasures of the Temand Kings house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the mighty of the land but written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fools Mordecay was carried away in this captivity Esther 2. 6. And so was Ezekiel also and therefore he dateth his times from this date Ezek. 1. 2. and calleth it Our captivity Chap. 40. 1. 2 KING XXIV vers 17 18 19 20. And JEREMY LII ver 1 2 3. 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 11. World 3410 Division 381 Years of Captivity 9 Zedekiah 1 ZEDEKIAH made King by the King of Babel he was Jehoiachins Uncle 1 Kings 24. 17. but called his brother that is his Kinsman 2 Chron. 36. 10. and his son because he succeeded him in the throne 1 Chron. 3. 16. JEREMY XXIV all Division 382 Years of Captivity 10 Zedekiah 2 JEREMY seeth comfortable things concerning those that were Division 383 Years of Captivity 11 Zedekiah 3 captived into Babylon with Jeconiah that they are as good figs that may be eaten and that in time they shall return JEREMY XXVII from vers 12. to the end World 3413 Division 384 Years of Captivity 12 Zedekiah 4 JEREMY had been commanded thirteen years ago to make yokes and bands and to put them upon his own neck in token of Judahs subjection to Nebuchad-nezzar which in the very next year after namely in the third year of Jehoiachin came to pass and he is also then commanded by way of prediction that when such and such Kings Embassadors should come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah he should send the yokes away by those Messengers to their Kings That cometh to pass in this fourth year of Zedekiah as the first verse of Chapter 28. doth plainly date it JEREMY XXVIII all HANANIAH at Jerusalem foretelling falsely the restoring of the captivity within two years is himself struck with death within two months for teaching rebellion against the Lord. JEREMY XXIX XXX XXXI XLIX from vers 34. to end And LI. all THIS fourth year of his reign Zedekiah either went himself or sent Messengers to Babel or both for so is that vers 59. of Chap. 51. diversly read when Seraiah went with Zedekiah or when he went for or in behalf of Zedekiah into Babylon Now by the men that went thither either with him or for him Jeremy sendeth Letters to the children of the captivity one to perswade them to frame their hearts and to compose themselves for seventy years captivity This two Prophets in Babel such others as Hananiah at Jerusalem gain-say and would perswade the people to the contrary And a third writes to Jerusalem to have Jeremy punished therefore he threatneth bitter judgments against all three This in Chap. 29. And being upon a Prophesie of the captivities return in that Chapter vers 10 11 c. he falleth in Chap. 30. 31. largely to foretel the calling home of the two Tribes and of the ten Tribes to Christ. Now though it be doubtful whither he sent the Prophesie of these two Chapters to Babel yet is it doubtless that their order is very proper in this place where he is foretelling of the peoples return He also sendeth another Letter to Babylon concerning the ruine and destruction of Babylon it self in Chap. 50. 51. which Chapters are laid as the period of his Prophesie that then conclusion of them all might be the foretelling of the ruine of Babel And under the same date may we also take the last part of Chap. 49. from vers 34. to end a Prophesie against Elam that joyned with Babel against Judea Isa. 22. 6. and is joyned here with Babel in threatnings The beginning of the reign of Zedekiah in verse 34. may be taken as it is Chap. 28. 1. for his fourth year EZEKIEL I II III IV V VI VII World 3414 Division 385 Years of Captivity 13 Zedekiah 5 IN the fifth year from Jehoiachins captivity the Lord raiseth up Ezekiel for a Prophet to the people in Babylon as Jeremy was in Jerusalem He dateth his Prophesie from the 30 year of the finding of Moses his Copy in the 18 of Josias as is commonly conceived but as it may very well be supposed from the 30 year of his own age he being a Priest and that being the time at which the Priests entred their function Num. 4. 3. at that time the spirit of Prophesie came upon him and by a river in Babylon he seeth the Heavens opened as Christ at the same age had the Heavens opened to him by a river in Judea Luke 3. 21 22 23. Now that the people of Israel the Church are to be planted in another Country for a long time the Lord sheweth a glory in the midst of them as he had done at their first constituting into a Church in the Wilderness and out of a cloud and fire as he had done there he sheweth himself and from between living creatures as from between the Cherubims he giveth his Oracles to the Prophet He causeth him to eat a roll to lay a visionary siege to a pictured Jerusalem to lye on his side three hundred and ninety days suitable to the time of the peoples rebellion from Jeroboams revolt to the Cities destruction and forty days more in answer to the forty years transgression of Judah under the ministry of Jeremy as was said before To eat the bread of affliction and pollution to shew the want of victuals at Jerusalem and the peoples eating of polluted things in Babel To shave off his hair and to part it into several fatal significations c. And now that the destruction of the City is near at hand but five or six years off he foretelleth it in sad expressions and bemoaneth it with doleful lamentations 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 11 12 13 14. 15 16. BEcause the fourth year of Zedekiah is called the beginning of his raign Jer. 28. 1. which sheweth his condition yet unchanged as we observed before And because Ezekiel in the next year speaketh of his revolt from his oath made to the King of Babel Ezek. 17. 15. Therefore may we conclude that he rebelled against Babel in this fifth year of his raign EZEKIEL VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX World 3415 Division 386 Years of Captivity 14 Zedekiah 6 ALL these Chapters fall in in the sixth year after Jeconiahs captivity or in the sixth of Zedekiah as appeareth by the date of the eighth Chapter vers 1. and by the date of the twentieth Chapter vers 1. compared together In Chapter eight the Lord sheweth a just cause why he is about to remove his glory from the Temple viz. because it was defiled with all manner of Idolatry 1. There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An
critical we might observe the various qualifications of a Pastor and Teacher from these two surnames the one a son of wisdom and the other of exhortation but our intention only is to shew that the two Josephs in mention differed in person for they differed in name §. And Matthias Who or whence this man was we cannot determine certain it is the sense of his name is the same with Nathaneel though not the sound and I should as soon fix upon him for the man as any other and some probabilities might be tendred for such a surmisal but we will not spend time upon such conjectures CHAP. II. Vers. 1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all together with one accord in one place §. 1. The time and nature of the Feast of Pentecost THE expression of the Evangelist hath bred some scruple how it can be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day to be compleated or fulfilled when it was now but newly begun and the sight of this scruple it is like hath moved the Syrian Translater and the Vulgar Latine to read it in the plural number When the days of Pentecost were fulfilled Calvin saith compleri is taken for advenire to be fulfilled for to be now come Beza accounts the fulness of it to be for that the night which is to be reckoned for some part of it was now past and some part of the day also In which exposition he saith something toward the explanation of the scruple but not enough Luke therefore in relating a story of the feast of Pentecost useth an expression agreeable to that of Moses in relating the institution of it Lev. 23. 13. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering seven Sabbaths shall be compleat Even unto the morrow after the seven Sabbath shall ye number fifty days It will not be amiss to open these words a little for the better understanding and fixing the time of Pentecost First The Sabbath that is first mentioned in the Text in these words Ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath is to be understood of the first day of the Passover week or the fifteenth day of the month Nisan the Passover having been slain on the day before And so it is well interpreted by the Chaldee Paraphrast that goeth under the name of Jonathan and by Rabbi Solomon upon this Chapter at the 11 verse And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord after the holy day the first day of the Passover And it was called a Sabbath be it on what day of the week it would as it was on the Friday at our Saviours death because no servile work was to be done in it but an holy convocation to be held unto the Lord vers 7. and the Passover Bullock Deut. 16. 2 7. 2 Chron. 30. 24. 35. 8. to be eaten on it Joh. 18. 28. as the Lamb had been eaten the night before and this Bullock was also called a Passover and the day the preparation of the Passover Joh. 19. 14. as well as the Lamb and the day before had been This helpeth to understand that difficult phrase Matth. 28. 1. about which there is such difference and difficulty of expounding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the evening of the Sabbath saith the Syriack and the Vulgar And o utinam for then would the Lords day be clearly called the Sabbath the Sabbath of the Jews being ended before the evening or night of which he speaketh did begin In the end of the Sabbath saith Beza and our English but the Sabbath was ended at Sun-setting before It is therefore to be rendred after the Sabbaths for so signifieth * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch post regls tempora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post tempora Trojana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post noctem c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after in Greek Writers as well as the Evening and the plural number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to have its due interpretation Sabbaths Now there were two Sabbaths that fell together in that Passover week in which our Saviour suffered this Convocational or Festival Sabbath the first day of the Passover week and the ordinary weekly Sabbath which was the very next day after the former was a Friday and on that our Saviour suffered the latter a Saturday or the Jewish Sabbath and on that he rested in the grave and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after these Sabbaths early in the morning on the first day of the week he rose again Secondly The morrow after this Sabbath of which we have spoken or the sixteenth day of the month Nisan was the solemn day of waving the sheaf of the first fruits before the Lord and the day from which they began to count their seven weeks to Pentecost Lev. 23. 11. Deut. 16. 9. This day then being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or second day in the Passover week and being the date from whence they counted to Pentecost all the Sabbaths from hence thither were named in relation to this day as the first Sabbath after it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 6. 1. Not as it is rendred the second Sabbath after the first but the first Sabbath after this second day the next Sabbath after was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the rest accordingly Thirdly Now in their counting from this morrow after the Sabbath or this day of their first-fruit sheaf to Pentecost seven Sabbaths or Weeks were to be compleat whereupon R. Solomon doth very well observe that the count must then begin at an evening and so this day after the Sabbath was none of the fifty but they were begun to be counted at Even when that day was done so that from the time of waving the first-fruit sheaf Pentecost was indeed the one and fiftieth day but counting seven weeks compleat when an evening must begin the account it is but the fiftieth Fourthly To this therefore it is that the phrase of the Evangelist speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English hath very well uttered the day of Pentecost was fully come thereby giving an exact notice how to fix the day that is now spoken of from our Saviours death and to observe that he speaketh of the time of the day indeed and not of the night which was now over and the day fully come The dependence of Pentecost upon this day of waving the first-fruit sheaf was upon this reason because on this second day of the Passover barley harvest began and from thence forward they might eat parched corn or corn in the ear but by Pentecost their corn was inned and seasoned and ready to make bread and now they offered the first of their bread This relation had this Festival in the common practise but something more did it bear in it as a memorial for
Author likewise concerned For I have seen many Letters of Mr. Pools to him full of thanks and acknowledgment and one bearing date Jan. 7. 1673. in which he does acknowledge to have received his second Papers and expresses his great desire of receiving the Remaining How far our Author was concerned in that very useful design of that Diligent and Worthy Man hath not come to my knowledge and therefore I cannot give a particular account of it This only is not to be omitted that a Friend of mine hath seen many short Annotations in Latine written by his own hand upon many Chapters of Exodus Numbers Josua which he communicated to Mr. Pool whether for the use of his Synopsis or somewhat else it is uncertain This Reverend Man was divers years before his Death preferred by the favour of Sir Orlando Bridgeman then Lord Keeper to a Prebend in the Church of Ely But in what year this was hath not come to my knowledge And I must confess there are many other things in which I wanted information I did never think it would be my lot to give any account to the World of this excellent Person had I foreseen that I could some years since have been more plentifully furnished with materials to this purpose having had the honour to be acquainted with him my self and the opportunity which is now passed of informing my self better of His Life than now I have And I do acknowledge that this account that I now give I receive for the most part from the Hands of the Reverend and my worthy Friend Mr. John Strype Minister of Low-Leyton in Essex who hath furnished me with such an account as though it be short of what might have been had yet may be relied upon And I thought it better to give some though imperfect account of this Learned and Pious Man than that he should go without any at all As to his great Learning his Works are a proof beyond all exception I make no doubt but that the Reader will receive great benefit by them Our Author was a very perspicacious Man and very happy in clearing the difficulties of the Holy Scriptures and greatly furnished with that Learning which enabled him that way His great abilities were acknowledged by the Learned of our own Country and those beyond the Seas I shall not need to insist upon the Testimonies to this purpose which I could easily produce However I shall not forbear to mention some Our Author had sent Doctor Castell one of his Books at that time when he was engaged in his Lexicon In a Letter of his bearing date Aug. 16. 1664. he makes this following acknowledgment Sir you have laid an unutterable obligation upon me by the gift of this Learned and much longed for Work you have enriched my poor Library with an addition so excellent and delightful that truly when I first received it I could not contain my self from reading it quite through notwithstanding the importunacy of my publick engagement and the clamor of all the Work-men Corrector Compositors Press-men c. to all whom I turned a deaf Ear till I had satisfied my Eye with the entire perusal of it And afterwards he adds Sir I will never he ashamed to confess by whom I have profited All that would understand that clear light together with the mysterious hidden use and benefit which the most ancient Records of the Jews bring unto Holy Writ must confess themselves above all others deeply indebted to your Elaborate and incomparable Writings who have fetched out more of these profound and rich Mines than any of the best Seers in this or the precedent Ages have been able to discover I might have added much more from that very excellent Persons own hand Take the suffrage of another Learned Man Mr. Herbert Thorndike who in a Letter to our Author bearing date May 18. 1669. expresses his esteem of his Learning in the Jews Writings and desiring his Judgment of the Exercitations of Morinus in words too long to be transcribed And for Foreigners I shall content my self with two only The first is that of Mounsieur Le Moin a most Learned Minister of the Protestant Church of Roan who in a Letter to Dr. Worthington speaking of his Notes and Exercitations upon Josephus he saith In iis utor saepissime Lightfootii Talmudice Doctissimi quem si inter Philebraeorum familiam ducem dixero nihil certe dixero quod assurgat ultra meritum cruditissimi illius viri Quae de Templo dechorographia sacra in Matthaeum in Actus erudite feliciter Conscripsit diu est quod illa possideo iisque praeclaris operibus Bibliotheca mea superbit The other Testimony is that of the most Learned Professor of Basil the late Doctor John Buxtorf This great Man speaking of our Author in a Letter of his to Doctor Castell hath these words Ex horis ejus Talmudicis incepi illius doctrinam diligentiam valde amare Illae salivam mihi moverunt ut propediem ab ipso similia videre desiderem gustare Precor ipsi omnia laeta ac meritis ejus digna Again in a Letter of the same Professor to our Author dated at Basil Dec. 12. 1663. I find he expresses the highest esteem for him whose diligence and accuracy and dexterity in illustrating the Holy Scriptures he tells him he admires Rarae hae dotes hoc nostro saeculo in viris Theologis rari hujusmodi Scriptores c. as he goes on in that Letter too long to transcribe As no man can question the great Learning of our Author so he will appear to be very exemplary for his indefatigable diligence if we duly consider under what disadvantages he arrived to this great degree of knowledge He was young when he left Cambridge and a stranger to those Studies which he was afterward so deservedly famous for He went as an Usher into a Country School remote from the Books and helps which might assist him His hours were taken up with the care of Boys and his Head filled with their noise and importunities After this he entred into Orders but that did not advance him in Learning Besides he entred upon constant Preaching when he was very young After this he married a Wife and soon had the charge and burden of Children and the cares of the World to divert him from his Studies His worldly circumstances were not large and his family encreased and his work in Preaching was constant He was far from the help and the leisure which a life in the University would have given him But this brave Man surmounts all these difficulties and disadvantages He in his great Judgment saw that the Oriental Learning was worth his while that Chronology and other difficult pieces of knowledge would be of use to him and make him serviceable to others he was sensible of his defects and generously does this young Divine resolve to shake off all sloth and to make no excuses He knew very well
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
them to be humbled some for their fathers guilt some for their own and some for both and to acknowledge that their being alive till now and their liberty to enter into the Land was a free and a great mercy for their own and their fathers faults might justly have caused it to have been otherwise with them 2. They had imitated their fathers rebellion to the utmost in their murmuring at Kadesh at their last coming up thither and in the matter of Baal Peor and therefore he might very well personate them by their fathers when their fathers faults were so legible and easie to be seen in them 4. He reckoneth not their second journy to Kadesh by name but slips by it Chap. 2. 1 4. Nor mentions their long wanderings for seven and thirty years together between Kadesh and Kadesh but only under this expression We compassed mount Seir many days Chap. 2. 1. because in that rehearsal he mainly insisteth but upon these two heads Gods decree against them that had first murmured at Kadesh and how that was made good upon them and Gods promise of bringing their children into the land and how that was made good upon them therefore when he hath largely related both the decree and the promise he hastens to shew the accomplishment of both 5. In rehearsing the Ten Commandments he proposeth a reason of the Sabbaths ordaining differing from that in Exodus there it was because God rested on the seventh day here it is because of their delivery out of Egypt and so here it respecteth the Jewish Sabbath more properly there the Sabbath in its pure morality and perpetuity And here is a figure of what is now come to pass in our Sabbath celebrated in memorial of Redemption as well as of Creation In the fifth Commandment in this his rehearsal there is an addition or two more then there is in it in Exod. 20. and the letter Teth is brought in twice which in the twentieth of Exodus was only wanting of all the letters 6. In Chap. 10. ver 6. 7 8. there is a strange and remarkable transposition and a matter that affordeth a double scruple 1. In that after the mention of the golden Calf in Chap. 9. and of the renewing of the Tables Chap. 10. which occurred in the first year after their coming out of Egypt he bringeth in their departing from Beeroth to Mosera where Aaron died which was in the fortieth year after now the reason of this is because he would shew Gods reconciliation to Aaron and his reconciliation to the people to Aaron in that though he had deserved death suddenly with the rest of the people that died for the sin of the golden Calf yet the Lord had mercy on him and spared him and he died not till forty years after and to the people because that for all that transgression yet the Lord brought them through that wilderness to a land of rivers of waters But 2. there is yet a greater doubt lies in these words then this for in Numb 33. the peoples march is set down to be from Moseroth to Bene Jahaan ver 31. and here it is said to be from Beeroth of Bene Jaahan to Moseroth there it is said Aaron died at mount Hor but here it is said He died at Moseroth now there were World 2553 Moses 120 Redemption from Egypt 40 seven several incampings between Moseroth and mount Hor Numb 33. 31 32 c. Now the answer to this must arise from this consideration that in those stations mentioned Numb 33. From Moseroth to Bene Jaahan to Horhagidgad c. they were marching towards Kadesh before their fortieth year and so they went from Moseroth to Bene Jaahan But in these stations Deut. 10. 6. they are marching from Kadish in their fortieth year by some of that way that they came thither and so they must now go from Bene Jaahan to Moseroth And 2. how Moseroth and mount Hor Gudgodah and Horhagidgad were but the * * * As Horeb and Sinai were though they be counted two several incampings of Israel Exod. 17. 1 6. and 19. 1. compared same place and Country and how though Israel were now going back from Kadish yet hit in the very same journies that they went in when they were coming thither as to Gudgodah or Horhagidgad to Jotbathah or Jotbath requires a discourse Geographical by it self which is the next thing that was promised in the Preface to the first part of the Harmony of the Evangelists and with some part of that work by Gods permission and his good hand upon the Work-man shall come forth 7. It cannot pass the Eye of him that readeth the Text in the Original but he must observe it how in Chap. 29. ver 29. the Holy Ghost hath pointed one clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To us and to our Children belong the revealed things after an extraordinary and unparalleld manner to give warning against curiosity in prying into Gods secrets and that we should content our selves with his revealed will 8. Moses in blessing of the Tribes Chap. 33. nameth them not according to their seniority but in another order Reuben is set first though he had lost the birth-right to shew his repentance and that he died not * * * So the Chaldee renders ver 6. Let Reuben live and not die the second death the second death Simeon is omitted because of his cruelty to Sichem and Joseph and therefore he the fittest to be left out when there were twelve Tribes beside Judah is placed before Levi for the Kingdoms dignity above the Priest-hood Christ being promised a King of that Tribe Benjamin is set before Joseph for the dignity of Jerusalem above Samaria c. 9. The last Chapter of the Book was written by some other then Moses for it relateth his death and how he was buried by the Lord that is by Michael Jude 9. or Christ who was to bury Moses Ceremonies The Book of JOSHUA THIS Book containeth a history of the seventeen years of the rule of Joshua which though they be not expresly named by this sum in clear words yet are they to be collected to be so many from that gross sum of four hundred and eighty years from the delivery out of Egypt to the laying of the foundation of solomons Temple mentioned 1 Kings 6. 1. for the Scripture hath parcelled out that sum into these particulars forty years of the people in the wilderness two hundred ninety and nine years of the Judges forty years of Eli forty of Samuel and Saul forty of David and four of Solomon to the Temples founding in all four hundred sixty three and therefore the seventeen years that must make up the sum four hundred and eighty must needs be concluded to have been the time of the rule of Joshua CHAP. I. World 2554 Ioshua 1 JOSHUA of Joseph succeedeth Moses the seventh from Ephraim 1 Chron. 7. 25. and in him first appeared Josephs birth-right 1 Chron. 5. 1. and
grandchilds actions were like Manasses his actions the King of Judah CHAP. XIX Othniel 27 ISrael tolerateth this Idolatry and never stirreth either against Micah or the Danites which toleration breedeth all iniquity so that Gibeah a City of Israel becometh as abominable as Sodom A whorish woman is kill'd with whoredom CHAP. XX. ALL Israel goeth against Gibeah and that by Gods express commission and command and yet 40000 of them are slain by that wicked and wretched Town and by the Tribe that took part with it Thus did God avenge his own cause against Israel because Israel would not avenge Gods cause against Idolatry they were so sensible of an injury done to a whore in Gibeah but were not at all sensible of an injury done to God by Dan's Idolatry when God hath thus used Benjamin to execute his justice against Israel for not punishing Idolatry he then useth Israel to punish Benjamin for not delivering Gibeah up to justice Othniel it is like was chief commander in this service and Phineas was zealous in this case as he had been in one of a not much different nature Numb 25. Benjamin is now Benoni a son of sorrow and Rachel hath cause to weep for her children CHAP. XXI HAdad Rimmon Zech. 12. 11. or the sad shout of Rimmon the Prophet alludeth to the two great and general Lamentations of Israel the one about the rock Rimmon where a whole Tribe was now come to 400 men and whereupon even the very conquerors become mourners The other in the valley of Megiddo for the death of Josiah The one in the beginning of their estate the other in the latter end Jabesh Gilead is destroyed for affection to Benjamin they were both of Joseph and both had pitched under one standard Benjamin raveneth like a wolf for wives Josephs daughters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 49. 22. go to the enemy and repair the decaied Tribe when the daughters of Shiloh in Ephraim and of Jabesh in Manasseh supply Benjamin an hostile Tribe with wives or else it had perished and thus is the story of these Chapters knit to it self Now that the beginning of the Book of Judges is the proper time and place of these stories may be concluded upon these reasons 1. The Danites were unsetled when the stories of the seventeenth and eighteenth Chapters came to pass and therefore this could not be long after Joshua's death 2. Phinehas was alive at the battle at Gibeah Chap. 20. 28. 3. The wickedness of Gibeah is reckoned for their first villany Hos. 10 9. 4. Deborah speaketh of the 40000 of Israel that perished by Benjamin as if neither sword nor spear had been among them Chap. 5. 8. 5. Mahaneh Dan which was so named upon the march of the Danites when they set up their Idolatry Chap. 18. 12. is mentioned in the story of Samson though that story be set before the story of their march Chap. 15. 25. 6. Dan is omitted among the sealed of the Lord Rev. 7. because idolatry first began in his Tribe as is said before 7. Ehud may very well be supposed to have been one of the left-handed Benjamites and one of them that escaped at the rock Rimmon Chap. 20. 16. 21. Now the reason why the Holy Ghost hath laid these stories which came to pass so soon in so late a place may be supposed to be this 1. That the Reader observing how their state-policy failed in the death of Samson which was a Danite might presently be shewed Gods justice in it because their Religion had first failed among the Danites 2. That when he observes that eleven hundred pieces of silver were given by every Philistim Prince for the ruin of Samson Chap. 16. 5. he might presently observe the eleven hundred pieces of silver that were given by Micahs mother for the making of an Idol which ruined Religion in Samsons Tribe 3. That the story of Micah of the hill Country of Ephraim the first destroyer of Religion and the story of Saemuel of the hill Country of Ephraim the first reformer of Religion might be laid together somewhat near CHAP. II. Ver. 11. to the end And CHAP. III. to Ver. 11. Othniel 28 WHEN these stories are read the story returns to Chap. 2. 11. and relateth Othniel 29 the spreading of Idolatry over all the Tribes as it had done over Othniel 30 that of Dan and how mixt marriages with cursed Canaanites undo Israel their Othniel 31 first afflicter is Cushan Rishathaim a Mesopotamian he oppressed them eight Othniel 32 years it is like he broke in upon the Tribes that lay on the other side Jordan Othniel 33 as those that lay nearest to his own Country and there got possession for so Othniel 34 many years together and incroached upon them within Jordan by degrees as Othniel 35 he found strength and opportunity but Othniel of Judah maketh good the Othniel 36 Prophecy of Judahs being a Lions whelp c. and so the tents of Cushan come into Othniel 37 affliction c. Hab. 3. 7. The consideration and observing that the first forain Othniel 38 oppressor of all others that troubled Israel in their own land was a man of Othniel 39 Aram Naharaim or a Mesopotamian it cannot but call to mind the dealing of Laban with Jacob in that place and it is a matter of question and some strangeness how and why a man of that Country of all others should thus oppress theirs CHAP. III. Vers. 11. World 2610 Othniel 40 OThniel dieth CHAP. III. Verse 12. to the end World 2611 Ehud 1 Ehud 2 Ehud 3 EHuds eighty years begin not that he ruled so long without intermission Ehud 4 Ehud 5 or so long in any sense at all for eighty years was even a mans Ehud 6 Ehud 7 whole life but that there were fourscore years from the death of Othniel Ehud 8 and that after Ehud delivered them from Eglon he was Judge and a Ruler Ehud 9 Ehud 10 over them whilest he lived not as a Monarch for the Sanhedrin bare the Ehud 11 sway but as a chief commander and one ready to undertake for them if Ehud 12 Ehud 13 any enemies should arise and one ready to teach and lead them in the ways Ehud 14 of God as was said before of Othniel It is said of Othniels time that the Ehud 15 Ehud 16 land had rest Ehud 17 forty years and Othniel died by which it is apparent that the forty years are reckoned till Othniels death so in Chap. 22. Ibsan judged Ehud 18 Ehud 19 seven years and died Elon judged ten years and died Abdon judged eight Ehud 20 years and died c. Samson judged twenty years and these twenty years Ehud 21 ended in his death and so are we to conceive of these fourscore of Ehud Ehud 22 Ehud 23 that they ended with his death also and therefore it is improper to conceive Ehud 24 that the eight years of Cushans afflicting were the last eight years of Ehud 25 Ehud 26 Othniels
and this is the last victory of Syria before Assyria swallowed it up 2 KINGS XVI ver 7. to 17. World 3271 Ahaz 4 Pekah 20 Division 242 AHAZ hireth Tiglath-Pilefer this rasor that is hired namely Assyria Esa. 7. 20. doth now shave Galilee Gilead and Damascus and ere long it lighteth on him that hired it Tiglath captiveth Damascus to Kir and slayeth Rezin as Amos 1. 5. Ahaz goeth to Damascus to see him and bringeth away with him the pattern of an idolatrous Altar Ahaz 5 Pekah 1 Division 243 Ahaz as he falleth into great Ahaz 6 Pekah 2 Division 244 sins so falleth he into great Ahaz 7 Pekah 3 Division 245 miseries being oppressed by Ahaz 8 Pekah 4 Division 246 enemies on every hand yet Ahaz 9 Pekah 5 Division 247 still groweth he worse and Ahaz 10 Pekah 6 Division 248 worse and is no whit humbled Ahaz 11 Pekah 7 Division 249 by his calamities therefore the Text sets a special mark and brand upon him for such impenitency This is that King Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 22. He setteth up a Dial which yieldeth a miraculous sign to his son Hezekiah though he himself had scorned to ask for a sign 2 KINGS XV. vers 30 31. World 3271 Ahaz 4 Pekah 20 Division 242 PEKAH before he dieth loseth all Gilead and Galilee and at last is slain himself by Hoshea the son of Elah In the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah Now is revenge taken on Pekah for all his cruelty against Judah but it is not for Ahaz his sake therefore it is not dated by his time but by Jothams in the grave Ahaz 5 Pekah 1 Division 243 After the death of Pekah Ahaz 6 Pekah 2 Division 244 there is no mention of any King Ahaz 7 Pekah 3 Division 245 in the Throne of Israel for Ahaz 8 Pekah 4 Division 246 compleat seven years together Ahaz 9 Pekah 5 Division 247 For though Hoshea slew Elah in Ahaz 10 Pekah 6 Division 248 the fourth of Ahaz which is Ahaz 11 Pekah 7 Division 249 called Jothams twentieth yet is not he said to raign till Ahaz his twelfth year 2 King 17. 1. The reason of this will be worth the labour a little to inquire after for the resolving of this matter doth not only clear this place but also gives light to one or two places more which are of obscurity HOSEA V. VI. IN the times of Ahaz after his seeking to Assyria for help do these Chapters seem to have been uttered for Chapter 5. 13. reproveth that in Ephraim and Judah both and threatens them both with judgments And Chapter 6. inviteth and exhorteth to repentance and promiseth good Ephraim is the more specially named in the reproof for relying upon Ashur though Judah were now under the same sin and falleth under the same reproof because Ephraim was first in that fault 2 Kings 15. 19. and was first ruined by Ashur 2 KING XVI ver 17 18. 2 CHRON. XXVIII ver 16. to 26. World 3279 Ahaz 12 Hoshea 1 Division 250 AHAZ is intrapt in his Ahaz 13 Hoshea 2 Division 251 own snare his hired Assyrians now overfloweth himself Such days come upon him and his people as had not been since Ephraim departed away from Judah now that is fulfilled Esay 7. 17. 2 KING XVII ver 1 2. World 3279 Ahaz 12 Hoshea 1 Division 250 HOSHEA reigneth in the Ahaz 13 Hoshea 2 Division 251 twelfth year of Ahaz and reigneth nine years from that time forward Now since the time that Hoshea had slain Pekah Shalmanezer the King of Assyria had come up against him and brought him into Vassalage and now in the twelfth year of Ahaz sets the Crown upon his head and he and the Kingdom of Samaria become subjects and tributaries to the Crown of Assyria for observe in the Text that Hoshea becomes Shalmanezers servant and gave him tribute this was in the twelfth of Ahaz and from thence the nine years of his reign are dated but afterward he is found faulty and caught and imprisoned and then Samaria in three years siege is taken So that those seven years that were between the death of Pekah and Ahaz his twelfth are without the mention of any King in Samaria because Hoshea was not yet established in the Throne but kept under by the Assyrian till the twelfth of Ahaz and then he sets him up King there This observation of the vassalage of Samaria before the final taking of it in the ninth of Hoshea helpeth first to understand that place in Hosh. 10. 14. namely that Shalman or Shalmanezer for Eser was but an additional title to the Assyrian Monarchs as Pil-eser Eser-haddon c. spoiled Beth-arbel in this his first voyage against Samaria and so would he spoil Bethel at his second ESAY X XI XII XIII XIV to ver 28. AND the same observation also helpeth to methodize these Chapters in Esay and to remove that doubt that ariseth by comparing Esay 10. ver 9. 11. with Chap. 14. 28. together for the former place speaketh of the subduing of Samaria by the Assyrian which was not till some years after Ahaz his death and yet the latter speaks but of the the year in which Ahaz died yet is there no dislocation at all in this but that taking of Samaria that Chap. 10. 9. speaketh of was in this first expedition of Shalmaneser against Hoshea before the twelfth of Ahaz when he subdued Samaria and her Idols and brought that Kingdom under tribute In Esay 10. he threatens to do the like to Jerusalem and indeed he doth it He came up to Ajath passed to Migron laid up his Carriages at Micmash lodged at Geba Cities within Ahaz his dominion and came over the passage that had been straitly kept as a Frontier between the Kingdom of Samaria and the Kingdom of Judah c. and indeed came up to Jerusalem and subdued Ahaz These were those strong waters that over flowed Judah and Emanuels land in Ahaz his time Esay 8. 8. and the bitter days that he saw the like not seen since the ten Tribes revolt Esay 7. 17. Of these days it is that Hezekiah speaketh in the very next year or fourteenth of Ahaz Our fathers have fallen â—y the sword and our sons and daughters and wives are in captivity 2 Chron. 29. 9. And be not ye like your fathers and like your brethren which trespassed against the Lord and the Lord gave them up to desolation as you see 2 Chron. 30. 7. This coming up of the Assyrian King against Jerusalem was the occasion of Ahaz his spoiling the things of the Temple his cutting off the borders and bases and removing the laver and sea and the covert for the people to stand under on the Sabbath and his turning away his own entry aside from the house of the Lord 2 King 16. vers 17 18. Because of the King of Assyria as saith the Text either to bestow those things that he thus cut off upon the King or for fear the King
Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 39 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 40 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 41 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 42 Nebuchad-nezzar mad Captivity 43 Captivity 44 Nebuchad-nezzar restored to his wits and Kingdom again Captivity 45 2 KINGS XXV vers 27 28 29 30. JEREMY LII vers 31 32 33 34. World 3446 NEbuchad-nezzar dieth and Evil-merodach reigneth This is the thirty Captivity 46 seventh year of the Captivity of Jechoniah On the five and twentieth Captivity 47 day of the twelfth moneth Evil-merodach bringeth him out of Captivity 48 prison and on the seven and twentieth day he promoted him above all the Captivity 49 Kings of Babel and feedeth him all his life it may be Nebuchad-nezzars seven Captivity 50 years madness and misery had wrought some humility and gentleness upon Captivity 51 this his Son Jechoniah was now fifty five years old and had indured seven Captivity 52 and thirty years imprisonment and now the Lord releaseth him and he nameth Captivity 53 Salathiel as his next heir to Davids Throne and Principality for Jechoniah Captivity 54 had no heir of his own The time of the three Babylonian Kings that Captivity 55 took up the whole space of that Monarchy are easily to be collected by the Captivity 56 Scripture namely Nebuchad-nezzar to have reigned five and forty years current Captivity 57 Evil-merodach three and twenty current and Belshazzar three The Captivity 58 first is plain by this that the seven and thirtieth of Jechoniah is called Evilmerodachs Captivity 59 first The last will be made plain by and by and the apparency of Captivity 60 the second will result from both these Evil-merodach by the Septuagint in Captivity 61 Jer. 52. is called Ulamadachar but he is called far nearer to his own name by Captivity 62 them in 2 King 25. Josephus calleth him Abilamaridochus Antiq. lib. 10. cap. 12. Captivity 63 There is a general silence in Scripture of any thing done in his time besides Captivity 64 his inlarging of Jechoniah whereas there are very wondrous and remarkable Captivity 65 matters mentioned and recorded to have been done in Babylon in the time of Captivity 66 Nebuchad-nezzar his father and of Belshazzar his Son World 3468 Captivity 67 Belshazzar reigneth three years DANIEL VII IN this first of Belshazzar Daniel seeth the Vision of the four Kingdoms that troubled the World but especially the Church from the first rising of Nebuchad-nezzar till the coming of the everlasting Kingdom of Christ in the Gospel viz. Babylonian Mede-Persian Grecian and Syrogrecian All the time of the Kingdoms before the Babylonian is not medled withal because handled before along in the Bible and all the times of the Roman State after the coming of Christ is not medled withal neither but left to be treated of by a beloved Disciple as these are by a beloved Prophet viz. in the Revelation The dislocation of this Chapter will easily be spied by any eye that looketh but upon the two Chapters next before it for the fifth speaks of Belshazzars end of reign and this of his beginning and the sixth speaks of matters done in Darius his time which was after Belshazzars death and this of matters done in the first of Belshazzers reign but the reason of this dislocation is almost as conspicuous as the dislocation it self and that is because the Historical things of this Book are set by themselves first and the visionary or prophetical things afterward Captivity 68 Belshazzar 2 In this second of Belshazzar there is no particular occurrence mentioned DANIEL V. World 3470 Captivity 69 Belshazzar 3 BABYLONS Sins are now come to the full Belshazzar toppeth them up by abuse of the Vessels of the House of God at a drunken and Idolatrous Feast to the despite and scorn of him that owed them and to the grief of those that had concernment in them Hereupon that Divine hand that had written the two Tables for a Law to his people writeth the doom of Babel and Belshazzar upon the wall viz. the ruine of these his enemies This turneth the night of the Kings pleasure into fear unto him as Esay had Prophesied of him long ago Esay 21. 4. and Jeremy Jer. 50. 43. The Wise Men of Babylon are become fools and cannot read this writing though it were in their own Language Daniel readeth and interpreteth it and that both in an Hebrew and a Chaldee construction for the words were both Languages Mene Mene He hath numbred and finished Tekel in Chald. He hath weighed In Heb. Thou art too light Parsin in Heb. The Persians Paresin in Chald. Dividing and Daniel interprets it according to the extent of the words in both Tongues for both Hebrews and Chaldeans were concerned though differently in the issue of the matter Presently the enemy that lay about the Town began to storm and the Centinels and Watch-men in the Watch Towres give the Alarme Arise ye Princes and anoint the Shield see Esay 21. 5. And one Post runs to meet another to shew the King of Babylon that his City is taken at one end Jer. 51. 31. and that night is Belshazzar slain And Darius the Median took the Kingdom being sixty two years old and so it appears he was born in the year of Jehoiaâ—ims and Jehoiachins captivity and thus did the Lord provide that in that very year when the Babylonian was most busie to captive and destroy the captiver and destroyer of Babylon should be born The Reader will here observe in the Chronicle in the Margin that the third of Belshazzar proves but the sixty ninth year of the Captivity and not the seventy But if he do but withal observe that part of Jehoiakims third was properly the beginning of those seventy years he will also see that part of Belshazzars third was in the like reckoning some of the seventieth year and the rest of that year was taken up in Cyrus and Darius setling the Monarchy before the Decree for building Jerusalem come forth Cyrus the Persian was joyned with Darius the Median in the expedition against Babel and so in the rule of the Monarchy when they had obtained it and therefore the Prophet Esay describeth the enemies of Babel by a Chariot with a couple of Horse-men a Chariot of Asses and a Chariot of Camels Esay 21. 7. 9. and Daniel interprets the hand-writing on the wall that the Babylonian Monarchy should be divided betwixt the Median and the Persian But Darius only carrieth the name here because he was far the older man and because indeed he was Cyrus his Grand-father If we may conjecture any thing from the Heathen Writers They speak of Astyages the Median King who had one only Daughter called Mandane and she the Mother of Cyrus by Cambyses the King of Persia vid. Xenoph Herod Justin. Now this being the general consent of all the Writers of the best repute among the Heathen that there was no King of Media at that time but only Astyages Cyrus his Grand-father we may very well conclude that this
this which was more needful for the Disciples present condition were agreeable to the great occasion now at hand and most beneficial for the Church in time to come SECTION LXXXVI MAT. Ch. XXVI from V. 30. to the end Ch. XXVII all MAR. Ch. XIV from Ver. 26. to the end Ch. XV. all LUKE Ch. XXII from V. 39. to the end Ch. XXIII all JOH Ch. XVIII Ch. XIX all the Chapters CHRISTS Apprehension Arraignment Death and Burial THrre is no difficulty in the connexion of the beginning of this Section to the preceding but only this that the rest of the Evangelists make mention of Christs singing of an hymn as the last thing he did before his setting out for the mount of Olives but John maketh his speech and prayer to be last and speaketh not of his singing a hymn at all Which indeed is neither contrariety nor diversity of story but only variety of relation for the holding out of the story more compleat The three former Evangelists have recorded how Christ did celebrate the Passover and ordain the Sacrament at the end of it and therefore they properly speak of his singing an hymn for that was ever an unseperable piece of service at the Passover Supper and constantly used at the conclusion of that meal But John had made no mention of the Passover Supper or Sacrament at all and therefore it was not only not needful but also not proper that he should mention the singing of any hymn at all But he relateth the last speech and prayer of Christ which the other had omitted And whether this speech recorded by him or the hymn mentioned by them were last done by Christ is not much material to the order of the story I suppose the speech was later The hymn that they sung was Ps. 115. 116. 117. 118. which was the later part of the great Hallel as they called it which was constantly sung at the Passover and their other great Solemnities and with this later part was this Solemnity concluded His Prayer in the Garden CHRIST rising from Supper goeth forth of the City over the brook Kidron to the mount of Olives Compare Davids case and journey 2 Sam. 15. 23. Judas when they rose from the Table slips away into the City and there hath his cut-throats laid ready by the chief Priests for the cursed design that they had compacted about As Christ goeth along he telleth the eleven that were with him of their trouble that night by his apprehension and their scattering from him but he would be in Galilee before them and there they should meet again And so he directeth them which way to betake themselves after the Feast and what to do when their Master should be taken from them by death He foretelleth Peter again of his denial of him that night which Peter now armed with a sword cannot hear of but promiseth great matters He cometh to Gethsemany A place of Oyl Presses at the foot of Olivet into a Garden The Talmudists speak of the Gardens here and tell how the Gardiners used to fatten their grounds with the scouring of the sink that carried the blood and filth of the Temple Court into that valley Leaving eight Disciples behind he taketh Peter and James and John with him and imparteth to them the fears and sorrows that now seized upon him and leaving them also about a stones cast behind charging them to watch and pray He prays thrice for the removal of this Cup if possible c. and in an Agony he sweats drops like blood Remember Adams fall in a Garden and the first doom In the sweat of thy brows c. Now was the power of darkness Luke 22. 23. all the power of hell being let loose against Christ as it was never against person upon Earth before or since and that from the pitching of this field of old Gen 3. 15. Thou shalt bruise his heel So that it was not so much for any pangs of Hell that Christ felt within him as for the assaults of Hell that he saw inlarged against him that he was so full of sorrow and anguish His desiring the removal of the Cup was purae humanitatis but his submitting to the will of God purae sanctitatis As when a gangrened member is to be cut off pura natura â—elucts against it but right reason yields to it He prayed thrice and after every time came to his three Disciples and still found them sleeping His apprehension He had scarce awakened them at the third time when the Traytour and his Assasines are upon him to apprehend him At their first approach Judas according to the sign given that his fellow-villains might know Jesus from the rest steppeth to him and kisseth him And thereupon the rest draw up near him Jesus steppeth forward to meet them and asketh Whom seek ye They say Jesus of Nazareth he saith I am he and thereupon they went backward and fell to the ground And his thus confounding them with a word shewed that none could take his life from him unless he laid it down of himself While they lie on the ground and he hath them thus under him he indents for the dismission of his Disciples and having agreed for their safety and discharge he yields himself So up they got and lay hold upon him and Peter to shew some of his promised stoutness cuts off Malchus ear but Christ heals the wound With this wretched crue that apprehended him there were some of their Masters that set them on Luke 22. 52. To all together he telleth that it was plain it was now their hour the and power of darkness for that they had him so oft among them in the Temple that they were never able to lay hands on him till now Upon these words the Disciples think it time to shift for themselves And one flees away naked His appearance before Annas Besides the ill account that these men could give of this nights Passover no sooner eaten but their hands in blood and besides the horrid offence they committed against the Lord and against his Christ in this fact that they were upon they doubly transgressed against their own Canons namely in arraigning and condemning a person upon a holiday for such a day was now come in and arraigning and judging a person by night both which are directly forbidden by their Law Tal. in Jom tobh per. 5. halac 2. They first bring Christ to Annas And why For he was neither chief Magistrate but Gamaliel nor the Highpriest but Caiaphas He was indeed Sagan and Father in Law to Caiaphas but by neither of these relations had he Judicial power as a single man But as the Chief Priests had a special hand in this business and Annas was chief among them by his place and relation to Caiaphas and so had had no doubt a singular stroke in contriving this business that was now transacting so upon his apprehension he is first brought thither
should rise again no not when he was now risen Peter and John run to the Sepulchre and Mary Magdalen follows them They see the body gone and the clothes lying there and John proves the first that believes his resurrection and they return home but Mary staies there weeping still And looking in she sees two Angels the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body had lain like the two Cherubins at either end of the Ark And looking behind her she seeth Jesus and thought it had been the Gardiner but presently knew him and comes away to bring the Disciples word Here Matthew speaks short for he mentioneth but one journey of the Women to the grave and back and saith that as they came back Jesus met them Whereas Mary had two journeys and it was she alone that met him and that in her second return As she returned now the Watchmen are come into the City and bribed to deny that he was risen and so the Chief Priests and Elders give money to hire the Nation into unbelief SECTION LXXXVIII LUKE Chap. XXIV from Ver. 13. to Ver. 36. MARK Chap. XVI Ver. 12 13. His second appearing viz to Peter and Alpheus going to Emmaus THE same day in the afternoon two of them went to Emmaus a Town sixty furlongs or seven miles and a half from Jerusalem Josephus placeth it at the very same distance De Bello lib. 7. cap. 27. calling it there Ammaus and relating how Vespasian after the destruction of Jerusalem gave it for the habitation of some of the Roman souldierry left there But in Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 12. he calls it Emmaus and relates how it was fired by Varus c. It lay in the way towards some part of Galilee and it may be these two men were now returning home thither and intended to lodge at Emmaus the first night but now they stop their journey and return thence the same night to Jerusalem The two were Peter and Alpheus the Father of three Apostles who also was called Cleopas See ver 18. 34. of this appearance to Peter Paul speaks 1 Cor. 15. 5. And that Alpheus and Cleopas were but one and the same person may not only be conjectured from the nearness of the sound and from their being written in Hebrew with the same letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is made plain in John 19. 25. Where she is called Mary the Wife of Cleopas who in the other Evangelists is clearly evidenced to be Mary the Wife of Alpheus the mother of James and Joses c. Mat. 27. 56. Mar. 15. 40. SECTION LXXXIX LUKE Chap. XXIV from Ver. 36. to Ver. 49. JOHN Chap. XX. from Ver. 19. to Ver. 26. MARK Chap. XVI Ver. 14. His third appearing viz to the Eleven THE connexion is plain in John and Luke for the former saith The same day at evening being the first day of the week c. And the other that as they were speaking of his appearing to the two at Emmaus he came in among them The first day of the week is an ordinary Judaick phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so they reckon the daies forward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second day of the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The third day of the week c. They that are now so very punctual to have the days so named and no otherwise mistake that for a phrase purely Evangelical which indeed is a phrase purely Judaical As they sat at Supper Jesus cometh in among them shews them his hands and side eateth with them openeth the Scriptures and their understandings breatheth upon them and saith Receive ye the Holy Ghost c. Whosoever sins ye remit c. This was to interest them in a power and priviledge peculiar and distinct from any they had received yet and distinct from that they were to receive on Pentecost day viz. this invested them in power of life and death to inflict death or corporal plagues miraculously upon the enemies or disgracers of the Gospel or to spare them as they should be directed by the Holy Ghost which they here received The death of Ananias and Saphira was a fruit of this power as is observed at that story Thomas was not present at this time and yet Mark saith He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and so Luke 24. 33. Peter and Cleopas found the eleven gathered together c. Nay 1 Cor. 15. 5. He was seen of the twelve The title of the whole Chorus being used though all were not present SECTION XC JOHN Chap. XX. from Ver. 26. to the end His fourth appearing Thomas now present JOHN saith this was After eight daies which reckoning the daies current was that day sevennight or the first day of the week again a second establishment of that day for the Christian Sabbath Thomas upon seeing believes but blessed are they that have not seen yet have believed See 1 Pet. 1. 8. Tanchum fol. 8. col 1. R. Simeon ben Lachish saith A Proselyte is more lovely in the sight of God then all that company that stood at mount Sinai Why Because they if they had not seen the thunders and lightnings and fire and the mountains trembling and the sound of the Trumpet they would not have received the Law but a proselyte though he see none of these things yet he comes and gives up himself to God and takes upon him the Kingdom of Heaven SECTION XCI JOHN Chap. XXI all the Chapter MATTH Chap. XXVIII Ver. 16. Then the eleven Disciples went away into Galilee A fifth appearing To seven of the Apostles at the sea of Tiberias c. CHRIST before his death had told them of his meeting with them in Galilee after his resurrection and when he was risen he appoints them to a mountain there They are now come up into the Countrey and while they wait the time of his appointment Peter and six other of the Apostles go a fishing not as their trade now for they never had been all of them fishers before but either for a present supply of provision for themselves or for present imployment till their Master should dispose of them He had at first revealed himself to three of these seven nay four if Andrew were here by a miraculous draught of fishes and so he doth to them all now and who can tell whether they had not some thoughts of that and some expectation of the like appearing now which did the rather urge them to this work At sea he helpeth them to a marvelous draught of 153 great fishes so many thousands were the proselytes that wrought for the Temple only 600 over 2 Chron. 2. 17. and at land he had provided them a dinner against they came ashore and dines with them And this saith John was the third time that he shewed himself to his Disciples which asserts the order of this Section and sheweth that this was before his appearing to the whole number
down of Idolatry and Heathenism in the Earth till the World was become Christian and then the Papacy arising doth Heathenize it again The destruction of which is set down vers 9. by fire from Heaven in allusion to Sodom or 2 King 1. 10 12. and it is set close to the end of the World the Devil and the Beast Rome imperial and the false Prophet Rome Papal are cast into fire and brimstone vers 10. where John speaks so as to shew his method which we have spoken of The Devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the Beast and the false Prophet are He had given the story of the beast and false Prophet the Devils agents and what became of them Chap. 19. vers 20. And now the story of the Devil himself for it was not possible to handle these two stories but apart and now he brings the confusion of all the three together and the confusion of all with them that bare their mark and whose names were not written in the Book of life REVEL CHAP. XXI THE Jerusalem from above described The phrase is used by Paul Gal. 4. 26. and it is used often by the Jews Zohar fol. 120. col 478. Rabbi Aba saith Luz is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerusalem which is above which the holy blessed God gives for a possession where blessings are given by his hand in a pure Land but to an impure Land no blessings to be at all Compare Revel 21. 27 22. 15. Midras Till in Psal. 122. Jerusalem is built as a City that is compact together R. Jochanan saith The holy blessed God said I will not go into Jerusalem that is above until I have gone into Jerusalem that is below c. Ezekiels Jerusalem as we observed was of a double signification namely as promising the rebuilding of the City after the Captivity and foretelling of the spiritual Jerusalem the Church under the Gospel and that most especially At that John taketh at here and that is the Jerusalem that he describeth And from Isa. 65. 17 18. joyneth the creating new Heavens and a new Earth and so stateth the time of building this new Jerusalem namely at the coming in of the Gospel when all things are made new 2 Cor. 5. 17. A new People new Ordinances new Oeconomy and the old World of Israel dissolved Though the description of this new City be placed last in the Book yet the building of it was contemporary with the first things mentioned in it about the calling of the Gentiles When God pitched his Tabernacle amongst theâ—â— as he had done in the midst of Israel Levit. 26. 11 12. That Tabernacle is pitched in the fourth and fifth Chapters of this Book And now all tears wiped away and no more sorrow death nor pain vers 4. which if taken litterally could refer to nothing but the happy estate in Heaven of which the glory of this Jerusalem may indeed be a figure but here as the other things are it is to be taken mystically or spiritually to mean the taking away the curse of the Law and the sting of death and sin c. No condemnation to be to those that are in Christ Jesus The passages in describing the City are all in the Prophets phrase Ezekiel and Isaiah as compare these The Bride the Lambs wife vers 9. Sing O barren Heathen that didst not bear c. Thy Maker is thine Husband thy Redeemer c. Isa. 54. 1 5. Vers. 10. He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain Compare Ezek. 40. 2. That great City holy Jerusalem c. This refers to great dimensions of Ezekiels Jerusalem as also to the squareness the three gates of a side c. The glory of it described from thence and from Isa. 58. 8. 60. 2 3. 54. 11 12 c. The wall of it twelve thousand furlongs square or fifteen hundred miles upon every quarter East West North and South three thousand miles about and fifteen hundred miles high Wall of salvation Isa 26. 1. 60. 14. The foundations of the walls garnished with twelve precious stones see Isa. 54. 11. as the stones in the Ephod or holy Breastplate three upon every side as these were three and three in a row The first foundation stone here is the Jaspar the stone of Benjamin for Pauls sake the great agent about this building of the Church of the Gentiles The Jerus Talmud in Peah fol. 15. col 3. saith expresly that the Jaspar was Benjamins stone for it saith Benjamins Jaspar was once lost out of the Ephod and they said Who is there that hath another as good as it Some said Damah the son of Nethina hath one c. And I saw no Temple therein c. vers 22. here this Jerusalem differs from Ezekiels that had a Temple this none and it is observable there that the platform of the Temple is much of the measures and fashion that the second Temple was of but the City of a compass larger then all the Land which helpeth to clear what was said before of the double significancy of those things they promised them an earthly Temple which was built by Zerobabel but foretold a heavenly Jerusalem which is described here REVEL CHAP. XXII FROM Ezekiel Chap. 47. and from several passages of Scripture besides John doth still magnifie the glory happiness and holiness of the new Jerusalem Lively waters of clear Doctrine teaching Christ and life by him flowing through it continually Ezek. 7. 1 9. Cant. 4. 15. The Tree of Life lost to Adam and Paradise shut up against him to keep him from it here restored Then a curse here There shall be curse no more vers 3. See Zech. 14. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anathema non erit amplius c. He concludeth These sayings are faithful and true so he had said before at the marriage of the Lamb Chap. 19. 9. and again at his beginning of the story of the new Jerusalem Chap. 21. 5. referring to the several Prophesies that had been of these things and now all those sayings and Prophesies were come home in truth and faithfulness He is commanded not to seal his Book as Daniel was Dan. 12. 4. because the time of these things was instantly beginning and Christs coming to reveal his glory in avengement upon the Jewish Nation and casting them off and to take in the Gentiles in their stead was now at the door within three and an half or thereabout to come if we have conjectured the writing of this Book to its proper year There are two years more of Nero and one of confusion in the Roman Empire in the Wars of Otho Vitellius and Vespasian and the next year after Jerusalem falls And thus if this Book of the Revelation were written last of the Books of the New Testament as by the consent of all it was then may we say Now was the whole will of God revealed and committed to writing and from
next Chapter before had proved a Sacrament of death to the Sichemites Jacob useth baptism for admission of Proselytes in the stead thereof Secondly That the company to be admitted are females unless there were some Syrian male Idolaters for all the males of Sechem were slain Gen. 34. 25. or at the least the most of them and therefore he useth a Sacrament which women also might come under for under circumcision they did not come Secondly In the admission of the Israelites to the hearing of the Law by sanctification and washing Exod. 19. 10. from which the Jews themselves did ground the baptizing of Proselytes as a special ground Thirdly At the making of the Covenant at Sinai the introduction of Israel to the visible Church was by baptism or the sprinkling of water as well as of blood as saith St. Paul Heb. 9. 19. yea and even the Jews themselves Our Rabbins teach saith Rabbi Solomon that our Fathers entred into the Covenant and baptism and sprinkling of blood for there was no sprinkling of blood without baptism R. Sol. in loc 4. In that in the times of David and Solomon when heathens were converted to the Jews Religion by multitudes their admission to their Church was by baptism and not by circumcision And the groundwork of this their practise was because Israel coming out of Egypt washed their garments and the Priests coming from their common employments to their function washed their bodies Let all be concluded in the words of the Talmud Rabbi Akiba said O Israel you are blessed Before whom are ye justified or cleansed Or who is he that cleanseth you It is your heavenly Father as it is said I will pour clean water upon you In Kippurim Our Masters say That bastards and Gibeonites shall be all iustified in time to come And this is the doctrine of Ezekiel as it is written I will pour clean water upon you In Kiddushin Matth. 3. ver 11. Unto repentance Here the Schools think they find a main difference between the baptism of John and the baptism used in the Christian Church because that was only the baptism of repentance and the other of grace and remission of sins but that there was no essential or substantial difference between them shall be seen anon Luke 3. ver 16. But one mightier then I cometh Though by this mightiness of Christ above the Baptist his omnipotency or all-powerfulness as he is God may well and truly be understood as many Expositors do take it yet since John speaketh of him as he should shew himself among the people when he came and in comparison with himself as concerning preaching and baptizing it cannot be but his words have respect to some particular things wherein Christ shewed this mightiness above John yea even conversing among men in his humane flesh and in what respected his preaching and ministerial Office And these may be reduced unto these four heads First The power of miracles which Christ had but John had not For John wrought no miracle Joh. 10. 41. Nor was it fit he should since he in whom that power rested as in its proper center was so near to come and so ready to shew it Secondly In the different power of the Preaching of John and of our Saviour and their conversion of the people John many but Christ far more as Joh. 3. 26. Thirdly In the seal and confirmation of their Doctrine and Ministry for whereas John sealed it with his death our Saviour did not only so but also with his resurrection Fourthly In continuance and increase of their preaching and Disciples and this difference John sheweth himself Joh. 3. 30. To which may be annexed the excellency of Christs baptism above that of Johns which is the very thing that is in comparison I baptize you with water but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost §. The latchet of whose shoos I am not worthy to unloose The sense is but strained which delighteth so many namely that John confesseth under this simile that he is unable to resolve the great mystery of the incarnation Seeing Matthew giveth this his speech in other words and Mark by adding one word more to these maketh it more necessary to take them in their literal meaning For Matthew hath it thus Whose shoos I am not worthy to bear and Mark. The latchet of whose shoos I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose Both joyntly shewing that the Baptist hath no mystical and figurative meaning in this his speech but doth in plain and down-right terms aver his inferiority to Christ that was to come after him to be infinitely great and more then a servants that ties his Masters shoos or carries them is to his Master For these meanest and basest of offices of servant to Master he instanceth in that he might express the infinite distance betwixt him and Christ the more to the life and to the peoples apprehension §. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost Hence ariseth that opinion so mightily taken up in the Schools and imbraced concerning the great disparity and difference betwixt the Baptism used in the Christian Church and the Baptism of John for this say they could not confer grace but the other doth and Johns was but as a mean betwixt the purifications of the Jews and the baptism of Christians In which first the words of the Baptist are misconstrued and secondly there is a difference pretended where there is none at all For first John compareth not his own baptism with ours but his own with Christs For that he meaneth not the baptism that Christ instituted to be used by others but that he practised and exhibited personally himself is plain in that he mentioneth not water in Christs baptizing which our Saviour himself doth when he speaketh of the baptism that they mean Joh. 3. 5. and in that he saith personally that Christ should baptize which with water he never did Joh. 4. 2. Secondly By the Holy Ghost wherewith Christ should baptize is not meant the grace concomitant to our Christian baptism as they suppose but his sending down the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit as is plain by our Saviours own exposition Act. 1. 5. For John indeed baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence Where using the very same words with these of the Baptist and applying the baptizing with the Holy Ghost plainly and undeniably to his sending down of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost day he hath given a sure plain and undoubted explanation of these words Thirdly Neither if the baptism of John and the baptism used in the Christian Church be well compared together will any such difference or diversity be found betwixt them nay set the form of words aside no difference at all For first They both had the same institution from Christ for he that sent the Apostles to baptize sent also the Baptist John 1. 33. Secondly They both had the same element water Thirdly
and of Christ. p. 630. The Jewish Writers stole some things out of it 1003 Governor of the Feast what 547 Governors both Civil and Sacred were in every Synagogue 302 Grace for Grace largely explained 519 Grecians put for Hellenists 777 c. 815 856 Greek Tongue was the common Language of the Jews in Christs time and the Septuagint their Bible p. 220 230 231. All the World used the Old Testament in Christs time in the Greek Tongue unless such as had the Hebrew Tongue 419 Greek Translation of the fifth of Genesis c. full of false Chronologies 1028 Groaves why consecrated 13 695 Ground holy Ground the circuit of the Wall encompassing it according to our English measure what p. 1051. * Ezekiels holy Ground is bounded and measured Saint Johns in the Revelation is not and why p. 1051. * The length and breadth of the Gates encompassing the holy Ground p. 1052. * All within the Wall which encompassed the holy Ground was called the Temple 1063. * Guards were kept by night within Jerusalem 1062. * Guilt for sin is not to be concluded from sufferings 24 H. H Not used in the Middle and End of Greek words hence it is that we see it wanting in Hebrew words when changed into Greek Page 415. Marg. Habdala Kiddush are words of blessing the Sabbath 218 Hades denotes the State of Souls departed 754 Hallelujah is used among the Jewish Writers and in Scripture 35â— Hallel the Lesser or the Egyptian Hallel was an Hymn gathered out of the Psalms sung eighteen days and one night in the year to commemorate the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt c. p. 957 c. The Greater Hallel sung at the Passover c. what 958 Hand of the Lord for his Assistance or Gift of Prophesie 422 Hand bredth was compounded of four fingers laid close 1051 Hands the imposition of them the use and ends thereof 281 285 289 788 Harel and Ariel what they signifie and how they differ 2034 2035. * Head the Head was not to be uncovered even in the Temple among the Jews at their Prayers 949 Heathenism began at Babel p. 9. It is again advanced by the Papacy 355 Heathens were cast off at the Confusion of Babel 842 Heaven being put for God was of common use among the Jews 568 Heavens new and Earth new denotes a new state of the Church under the Gospel as Isa. 65. 17. p. 338. Heavens opening after Christs Baptism what p. 479 480. And how far seen or not seen by those that stood by p. 481. Heaven opened put for themighty things said and done in Christs Ministry 336 337 Heavenly and Earthly things what were used by Christ. 576 Hebrew Tongue was not the common Language of the Jews in Christs time being then lost and to be Learned or not known p. 215 220. Canaan spoke this Language before Joshua came there p. 1009 to 1011. It was the Tongue of Adam and the Tongue of God it began with the World and the Church The Letters of it The whole Tongue is contained in the Bible Most of the Eastern Tongues use the Hebrew Characters or Letters It s a lofty graceful Language p. 1012 1013. Of the Vowels p. 1013. The Vowels are as ancient as the Letters 1014 Hebrews were Jews inhabiting Judea p. 279. Paul the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews p. 329. What part of the Jewish Nation it was directed to p. 330. It was writ in Greek as was Matthew not in Hebrew as some suppose because Hebrew at this time was only understood by Learned Men the Greek now was their Vulgar Tongue 330 331 Hebron a famous place 60 204 Helenists were Jews inhabiting other Countries dispersed among the Greeks p. 279. They were the greatest enemies to Paul because he had been one of them p. 283. Hellenists Acts 11. 19. means not Jews as it did Acts 6. 1. but Heathens their Language being a mixture of Syrian and Greek p. 286. Called Greatians in our Translation whether they were Greeks that lived among Jews or Jews that lived among Greeks Greeks converted to the Jewish Religion or Jews that used the Greek Tongue The last seems to be the proper meaning 777 Hellena or as some will have it Selene of Tyrus a Sorceress was Simon Magus his Whore supposed to be Jezâ—bel mentioned Rev. 2. 20. p. 787. Hellena the Queen of Adrabeni was famous and a great Benefactor to the Jews 1078 2049. * Heman the Psalmist and Heman the chief Singer were two differing Men. 70 Heresies the most desperate in the first Ages of the Christian Church sprung from the Jewish Talmudical Writers Page 372 Hereticks what p. 371. Simon Cerinthius Menander Ebion Basilides c. Sprung from amongst the Jews 372 373 Herod signifies fear trembling c. p. 397. Marg. His Pedigree Advancement Character and End p. 434 435. His manner of Death and Cruelty before it 444 Herod the Great his Pedigree or Family His numerous and strange marriages and wickednesses p. 588 to 592. He and Herodias lost all and were banished into Lyons in France 852 Herodians what they were 606 Herodias was married to Herod while her former Husband was alive 591 Hezekiah and Er both born when their Fathers were very young p. 105. His sickness when 110 High Places were Synagogues p. 608. They were lawful till the Tabernacle was set up in Shilo 2060. * High Priest disowned by Paul because Christ was the High Priest though he afterwards seems to own him and why p. 320. The High Priest represented Aaron p. 454. His Government what p. 723. His Office descended to the first born he was Installed by the Sanhedrim his Garments Coat Breeches Girdle Ephod Breast-plate p. 905. His Miter and the Golden Plate that was fastened on it he was exceeding Pompous and his Dignity high an eminent Type of Christ his Office was for life p. 906. The Succession of the High Priest till the building of the Temple p. 907. From the Building of the Temple to the Captivity p. 907 908. Under the second Temple p. 908 to 911. High Priest what Garments he had which the other Priests had not p. 2050. * He was consecrated under the Second Temple by putting on the Holy Vestments 2051. * Hillel's and Shammai's Scholars were in constant quarrel p. 514. Hillel President of the Sanhedrim one of the most eminent both for Learning Rule and Children part of his History 2008. * Hin what sort of measure 546 History is put by it self so is Prophesie in the Scriptures in Chapters as well as Books notwithstanding they were not so delivered p. 121 134. History distant in time and place laid together As the mentioning of the Institution of the Sabbath p. 3 220 608. The Death of Noah p. 9. Esaus going to Ismael before Jacob's Vision at Bethel p. 16. Jethros History is Anticipated p. 27. Moses brings in his own Exclusion out of Canaan thirty eight years before it was p. 38. Aaron is said to dye
carries with it a very proper sense if you interpret it To according to its most usual signification Moses to the hardness of your hearts added this that he permitted divorces something that favours of punishment in it self however you esteem it for a priviledge II. But you may interpret it more clearly and aptly of the Inhumanity of husbands towards their wives but this is to be understood also under restriction fo r Moses permitted not divorces because simply and generally men were severe and unkind towards their wives for then why should he restrain divorces to the cause of Adultery but because from their fierceness and cruelty towards their wives they might take hold of and seek occasions from that Law which punished Adultery with death to prosecute their wives with all manner of severity to oppress them to kill them Let us search into the Divine Laws in case of Adultery a little more largely 1. There was a Law made upon the suspicion of Adultery that the wife should undergo a trial by the bitter waters Numb 5. but it is disputed by the Jewish Schools rightly and upon good ground whether the husband was bound in this case by duty to prosecute his wife to extremity or whether it were lawful for him to connive at and pardon her if he would And there are some who say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he was bound by duty and there are others who say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it was left to his pleasure c c c c c c See Hierof Sotah as before 2. There was a Law of death made in case of the discovery of Adultery Deut. XXII 21 22 23. If a man shall be found lying with a married woman both shall die c. not that this Law was not in force unless they were taken in the very act but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be found is opposed to suspicion and means the same as if it were said When it shall be found that a man hath lain c. 3. A Law of Divorce also was given in case of Adultery discovered Deut. XXIV for in that case only and when it is discovered it plainly appears from our Saviours Gloss and from the concession of some Rabbins also that Divorces took place For say they in the place last cited Does a man find something foul in his wife he cannot put her away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he hath not found foul nakedness in her that is Adultery But now how does the Law of death and that of Divorce consist together It is answered They do not so consist together that both retain their force but the former was partly taken off by the latter and partly not The Divine Wisdom knew that inhumane husbands would use that law of death unto all manner of cruelty towards their wives for how ready was it for a wicked and unkind husband to lay snares even for his innocent wife if he were weary of her to oppress her under that law of death And if she were taken under guilt how cruelly and insolently would he triumph over her poor woman both to the disgrace of wedlock and to the scandal of Religion Therefore the most prudent and withal merciful Law-giver made provision that the woman if she were guilty might not go without her punishment and if she were not guilty might go without danger and that the wicked husband that was impatient of wedlock might not satiate his cruelty That vvhich is said by one does not please me That there was no place for divorce where Matrimony was broke off by capital punishment for there vvas place for Divorce for that end that there might not be place for capital punishment That Law indeed of death held the Adulterer in a snare and exacted capital punishment upon him and so the Law made sufficient provision for terrour but it consulted more gently for the woman the weaker vessel lest the cruelty of her husband might unmercifully triumph over her Therefore in the suspicion of Adultery and the thing not discovered the husband might if he would try his wife by the bitter waters or if he would he might connive at her In case of the discovery of Adultery the husband might put away his wife but he scarce might put her to death because the Law of Divorce was given for that very end that provision might be made for the woman against the hard heartedness of her husband Let this story serve for a Conclusion d d d d d d Bab. Berac fol. 19. 1. Shemaiah and Abtalion compelled Carchemith a Libertine woman-servant to drink the Bitter waters The husband of this woman could not put her away by the Law of Moses because she was not found guilty of discovered Adultery He might put her away by the Traditional Law which permitted Divorces without the case of Adultery he might not if he had pleased have brought her to trial by the bitter waters but it argued the hardness of his heart towards his wife or burning jealousie that he brought her I do not remember that I have any where in the Jewish Pandect read any example of a wife punished with death for Adultery e e e e e e Hierof Sanhedr fol. â—4 2. There is mention of the daughter of a certain Priest committing fornication in her fathers house that was burnt alive but she was not married VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eunuchs from their mothers womb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eunuchs which were made Eunuchs of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Talmudists VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then were little children brought unto him NOT for the healing of some disease for if this had been the end propounded why did the Disciples keep them back above all others or chide any for their access Nor can we believe that they were the children of unbelieving Jews when it is scarcely probable that they despising the Doctrine and person of Christ would desire his blessing Some therefore of those that believe brought their Infants to Christ that he might take particular notice of them and admit them into his Discipleship and mark them for his by his blessing Perhaps the Disciples thought this an excess of officious Religion or that they would be too troublesome to their Master and hence they opposed them but Christ countenanceth the thing and favours again that Doctrine which he had laid down Chap. XVIII namely That the Infants of believers were as much Disciples and partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven as their Parents VERS XVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thou shalt not kill c. IT is worthy marking how again and again in the New Testament when mention is made of the whole Law only the second Table is exemplified as in this place so also Rom. XIII 8 9. and Jam. 11. 8. 11 c. Charity towards our neighbour is the top of Religion and a most
amongst them yet were they not exactly Eleven then for Thomas was absent Joh. XX. 24. 2. When the Eleven are mentioned we must not suppose it exactly meant of the number of Apostles then present but the present number of the Apostles VERS XXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They supposed they had seen a Spirit WHereas the Jews distinguished between Angels and Spirits and Daemons Spirits are defined by R. Hoshaiah l l l l l l Beresh rabb◠fol. 34. 2. to be such to whom souls are created but they have not a body made for those souls But it is a question whether they included all spirits or souls under this notion when it is more than probable that apparitions of Ghosts or deceased persons who once had a body were reckoned by them under the same title Nor do I apprehend the Disciples had any other imagination at this time than that this was not Christ indeed in his own person as newly raised from the dead but a Spectrum only in his shape himself being still dead And when the Pharisees speak concerning Paul Acts XXIII 9. That if an Angel or a Spirit hath spoken to him I would easily believe they might mean it of the Apparition of some Prophet or some other departed just person than of any soul that had never yet any body created to it I the rather incline thus to think because it is so evident that it were needless to prove how deeply impressed that Nation was with an opinion of the Apparitions of departed Ghosts VERS XLIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms IT is a known division of the Old Testament into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law the Prophets and the Holy Writings by abbrevation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I. The Books of the Law and their order need not be insisted upon called commonly by us the Pentateuch but by some of the Rabbins the Heptateuch and by some Christians the Octateuch m m m m m m Schabb. fol. 116. 1. R. Samuel bar Nachman saith R. Jonathan saith Wisdom hath hewn out her seven Pillars Prov. IX 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the seven Books of the Law The Book of Numbers compleats the seven Books of the Law But are there not but five Books only Ben Kaphra saith the Book of Numbers is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three Books From the beginning of the Book to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it came to pass when the Ark set forward Chap. X. 35. is a Book by it self That verse and the following is a Book by it self And from thence to the end of the Book is a Book by it self The reason why they accounted this period Chap. X. 35. 36. to be one Book by it self was partly because it does not seem put there in its proper place partly because in the beginning of it it hath the letter Nun inverted thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so after the end of it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in both places is set for a boundary and limit to distinguish that period from the rest of the Book Whatever therefore goes before from the beginning of the Book to that period is reckoned by them for one Book and whatever follows it for another Book and the period it self for a third Eulogius speaking concerning Dosthes or Dositheus a famous seducer of the Samaritans hath this passage n n n n n n Apud Phot. Cod. ccxxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He adulterated the Octateuch of Moses with spurious writings and all kind of corrupt falsifyings There is mention also of a Book with this title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o o o o o o Cod. xxxvi The Christians Book An Exposition upon the Octateuch Whether this was the Octateuch of Moses it is neither certain nor much worth our enquiry for Photius judgeth him a corrupt Author besides that it may be shewn by and by that there was a twofold Octateuch besides that of Moses Now if any man should ask how it come to pass that Eulogius and that probably from the common notion of the thing should divide the Books of Moses into an Octateuch I had rather any one else rather than my self should resolve him in it But if any consent that he owned the Heptateuch we have already mentioned we should be ready to reckon the last Chapter of Deuteronomy for the eighth part Aben Ezra will smile here who in that his obscure and disguised denial of the Books of the Pentateuch as if they were not writ by the pen of Moses he instances in that Chapter in the first place as far as I can guess as a testimony against it You have his words in his Commentary upon the Book of Deuteronomy a little from the beginning p p p p p p Cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if you understand the mystery of the twelve c. i. e. of the twelve Verses of the last Chapter of the Book for so his own Country-men expound him thou wilt know the truth i. e. that Moses did not write the whole Pentateuch an argument neither worth answering nor becoming so great a Philosopher For as it is a ridiculous thing to suppose that Chapter that treats of the death and burial of Moses should be written by himself so would it not be much less ridiculous to affix that Chapter to any other volume than the Pentateuch But these things are not the proper subject for our present handling II. There also was an Octatuech of the Prophets too q q q q q q Bava bathra fol. 14. 2. All the Books of the Prophets are eight Josuah Judges Samuel Kings Jeremy Ezekiel Isaiah and the twelve For the Historical Books also were read in their Synagogues under the notion of the Prophets as well as the Prophets themselves whose names are set down You will see the title prefixt to them in the Hebrew Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former Prophets as well as to the others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter Prophets The Doctors give us the reason why they dispose the Prophets in that order that Jeremiah is named first Ezekiel next and Isaiah last which I have quoted in Notes upon Matth. XXVII 9. and let not the Reader think it irksome to repeat it here r r r r r r Bava bathra ubi supr Whereas the Book of Kings ends in destruction and the whole Book of Jeremy treats about destruction whereas Ezekiel begins with destruction and ends in consolation and whereas Isaiah is all in consolation they joyned destruction with destruction and consolation with consolation III. The third division of the Bible is intitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Writings And here also is found an Octateuch by some body as it seems though I know not where to
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
should be that that is chiefly offered And let our hearts speak to us if they will but learn to speak truth how many of us think we are fit for the hands of Christ to present us at his own Altar and to offer us to his Father Will his pure and most holy hands meddle with any thing that is impure and filthy to bring us to his Altar A man is worldly and covetous filthy and lascivious cruel and envious is such a beast such an unclean beast fit for Christ to hand to his Altar to make him a sacrifice to God Do we believe that ever he will or can say to his Father Father I present this filthy man to thee to be accepted of thee as a well pleasing sacrifice Who of us would be willing that Christ should present us to God to take us as we are and deal with us as we deserve Who of us can think that we are such as that Christ may call us Brother or Sister or Mother and commend us unto Gods acquaintance and favour under such titles Let us compare the case with those the Apostle speaks of here that have no right to eat of our Altar viz. those that serve the Tabernacle of the Levitical Priesthood And why have they no right I. It may be said they had no right to eat of the sin-offering of attonement for that was all to be burnt and nothing to be eaten of it as the Apostle toucheth immediately after Now in this regard the parallel will not hold because Christ was not consumed as that sin-offering was but he was sacrificed that he might be eaten or spiritually fed upon II. What the Priests did eat of the Sacrifices they ate within the verge of the Temple and might not bring those holy things out of the holy ground But as the Apostle tells here Christ was sacrificed without the Gate whether it was not lawful for them to come to eat any sacrifice But this I believe is not the reason why the Apostle saith They had no right to eat of the Altar that we have III. The Jews have a tenet which is considerable and not impertinent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priests eating of the Sacrifices was for expiation of them that offered them It is very true that God allowed the Priests such and such parts of the beast sacrificed for their diet and maintenance But that was not all but there was some religious concern in their eating them viz. for the benefit of the offerer Now if you take the Apostle speaking in reference to this matter the Priests that served the Tabernacle could not eat of the Altar or Sacrifice that we have under any such notion For the offering of Christ as it was not by men but by himself and God so the feeding on him cannot benefit either them or any other but him only that feeds on him IV. Therefore the Apostles reference is to the Priests very serving in the Tabernacle that they themselves that stood upon those Sacrifices and services in the Temple as sufficient enough to attone for sin by that very conceit outed themselves out of benefit by Christ our Altar who is the only attonement and they that can feed upon any other way of attonement have nothing to do with him We cannot but be affected with the expression of Having no right to eat of our Altar as a very doleful accent which speaks having no right at all to Christ. Which very sound may make a heart to tremble No right to Christ No portion in the Son of God The very mention of the thing may justly move us to the examination of our selves whether we think we have any portion in him yea or no. Take heed it be not with too many as it was with the Church Rev. III. that said I am rich and encreased in riches and want nothing whereas she was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Take heed that we think not we have share in Christ and have none at all and that we perish not with such a dead child in our bosoms such a fancy and delusion in our hearts Look upon these men that served the Tabernacle they are men that are careful and attendant upon their service blameless in their lives zealous in their Religion and servently looking after attonement and salvation And yet because they relyed upon their services and thought to be saved by the very works they did they miss of Faith and so miss of Christ and have no right in him and so perish from him for ever and ever How many of us have gone so far in a religious way as we may suppose these men to have gone and sought for justification and salvation so earnestly as they have done have been so constant in devotion and duty as they have been and yet they had no right in Christ. What just fears may this create in us that we also have no right at all in him A SERMON PREACHED upon LUKE XV. 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance THE occasion of these words is at vers 1 2. where the Evangelist tells us that all the Publicans and Sinners came unto our Saviour to hear him Which is something strange to hear For it was much that any such came to him but exceeding much that all should come And not a much unlike expression you have at vers 1. of Chap. XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Tens of thousands of the multitude or common people were gathered to him twenty thousand at least according to the strict propriety of the Greek expression Which was a very vast company But if you observe the beginning of the Tenth Chapter it gives light to these stories A little above half a year before our Saviours death he sends forth Seventy Disciples by two and two to every City and Town and Place whether he himself was to come These were to certifie the people of his Person that he was Messias and to certifie them of his coming to them and to prepare them for the receiving of him against he should come This raises vast multitudes to harken to him hearing of Messias coming and knowing where to meet him And amongst others a very great and general conflux of Publicans and Sinners men of an infamous name and scandalous conversation among the Nation The Scribes and Pharisees quarrel our Saviour for entertaining such and conversing with them An evil business but proves occasion of good and light ariseth out of that darkness For thereupon our Saviour proposeth the three Parables of this Chapter And in them transmits comfort to all posterity that should repent and encouragement to all to repentance The words of the Text are the Application of the first Parable As a man that hath lost one sheep out of a flock of an hundred rejoyceth more for the finding again that one
but he tries whether the door will be opened to give him entertainment And in this regard it is no wonder if men be said to resist and quench the Spirit because he comes only to try whether they will imbrace or resist quench or cherish This work of his differs from the effectual working of grace when he comes resolvedly to overcome and overpower A SERMON PREACHED upon ROMANS IX 3. For I could wish that I my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh A Dreadful passage at the first reading and which may make us even to tremble a man to wish himself to be accursed from Christ accursed from Christ The very words may make us to quake to think of such a thing And can we believe that a Paul should make such a wish that he might be accursed of Christ who knew so well what it was to be blessed of him Can he make such a wish Or rather can any one but such an one as he make such a wish upon such a ground upon such a condition upon such a warrant The Apostle is here beginning his Discourse concerning the casting off of the Jewish Nation and seed of Israel as at the nineteenth verse of the Chapter foregoing he is beginning his Discourse about the Calling of the Gentiles Them there he stiles by the title of the whole Creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an expression usual among the Jews to signifie in that construction These here he calls his Brethren and Kinsmen for so nature had made them he and they coming of the same stock and original He speaks there of some mourning out of desire that the Calling of the Gentiles should be accomplished Here he speaks of himself mourning out of grief for the casting off of his own Nation There the whole Creation of the Gentiles themselves groaning to be delivered from the bondage of their sinful corruption Here himself grieving for the not delivering of his own people from theirs at ver 2. he hath grief and great grief and sorrow and continual sorrow for them and could wish himself to be accursed from Christ on condition it might be better with them And one would think he had very small cause to be thus affected towards them if it be well considered how they had continually demeaned themselves toward him They had continually bred him trouble always persecuted him five times beaten him constantly sought his life and contrived his death And yet the good man grieves for them that grieved not for themselves and that always were grieving him and could wish himself to be accursed for them that could wish him cursed to the pit of Hell A strange wish and a strange charity that he himself might be accursed that they might not be so that he might be separated from Christ that so they might be united to him A passage so strange that it hath but one parallel viz. that of Moses Exod. XXXII 32. where he prays God to blot him out of his Book when God was now ready to cut off the seed of Israel A passage so strange that it seems directly to cross the whole course of his profession and practise He professeth Phil. III. 8. That all things in the world were but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus And yet here he can upon some condition be content to lose him He practiseth 1 Cor. IX ult to bring his body into subjection lest when he had preached to others he himself might be a cast-away And yet he could wish upon some condition to prove a cast-away So strange a passage that some Expositors cannot endure to look upon it in its full proportion but take as it were a diminishing glass to look upon it withal and they make those words of the Apostle to speak less a great deal than ever they meant They will have his meaning to be but this For my Brethrens sake the seed of Israel I could be content to be separate from Christ for a while and to continue upon earth from that glory that is prepared for me in Heaven that I might labour for their salvation Do you think that being Anathema or accursed from Christ means no more than this Others conceive that the Apostle only useth an high expression whereby to signifie how intirely he desireth the good of his own Nation As if he had needed so full and feeling an asseveration as I speak the truth in Christ Jesus my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost ver 1. to intimate that he so intirely desired their salvation But to omit more by this strong asseveration it is plain that he thinks as he speaks and speaks as he thinks For it was so strange a wish that he himself sees reason to use many asseverations to shew that he speaks in good earnest otherwise he would hardly be believed As First His double asseveration affirmatively and negatively ver 1. I speak the truth I lye not Secondly He lays his Conscience for earnest that he did not lye but spoke truth My Conscience bearing me witness Thirdly He doth as it were call Christ and the Holy Ghost to witness I speak the truth in Christ my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost And so under the attestation of three witnesses his Conscience Christ and the Holy Ghost he would have what he says to be confirmed for a truth and that he may be believed Well we believe that he speaks from his very heart and as he thinks that he wishes himself accursed from Christ for his Brethren his Kinsmen according to the flesh Doth he piously in so wishing or prudently St. Austin once wished that he might have heard him Preach but what would he have thought think you at such a wish as this Doth he not curse himself when he wisheth to be accursed And doth he not undervalue Christ when he could wish to be separate from Christ That passage My conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost doth plainly evidence that what he doth is neither rashly done nor impiously nor imprudently but from a good conscience good affection and not without the Warrant of the Holy Spirit Indeed at ver 38. of the Chapter next going before He is perswaded that neither life nor death nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor any creature is able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus And yet at this place he could wish that he were separate from Christ on the condition he proposeth Not that either he undervalueth his uniting to Christ or that he thought he should be separated from him or that he simply desired it but comparatively he could wish it on condition the seed of Israel his Brethren and Kinsmen might be united to him He could wish to be damned on condition they might be saved Which may seem a dreadful wish but so much doth he value the salvation of so
in the graves shall hear his voice 29. And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation 30. I can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judge and my Iudgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me 31. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true 32. There is another that beareth witness of me and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true 33. Ye sent unto Iohn and he bare witness unto the truth 34. But I receive not testimony from man but these things I say that ye might be saved 35. He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light 36. But I have a greater witness than that of Iohn for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me 37. And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape The same Beza in his version of the Greek Text hath rendred it not Because he is the Son of man but As he is the Son of man which caution enough if with as much warrant of the language 38. And ye have not his Word abiding in you for whom he hath sent him ye believe not 39. i i i i i i Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not to be distinguished from the word it self whether Christ speak here by way of command and injunction as requiring them to search the Scripture or whether he speak historically as relating that they did search them and so it lieth questionable whether it is to be translated ye search or search ye It is very generally received in the latter sense namely that he sendeth them to the study of the Scripture and biddeth Search the Scriptures and I suppose a main induction to that sense is the signification of the Greek word which denoteth a narrow or a serious searching and so the Italian of Brucioli doth render it Guardate diligentemente But I rather construe it in the Indicative sense ye search the Scriptures upon these reasons 1. Because of what is said in the verse it self Ye think ye have eternal life in them in which words our Saviour intendeth not so much to shew what they might have in the Scriptures for then it had been proper to have said In them ye may have eternal life as he meaneth to touch upon the erroneous conceit of the Jews who thought they obtained eternal life by the study of the Law ex opere operato 2. Because of the context in the verse following which lieth far fairer in this sense Ye study the Scriptures scrutinously and they are they that testifie of me and yet ye will not come unto me than taken thus Search ye the Scriptures for they testifie of me And ye will not come to me c. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me 40. And ye will not come to me that ye might have life 41. I receive not honour from men 42. But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you 43. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receive me not If another shall come in his own name him ye will receive 44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only 45. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust 46. For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me 47. But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words Reason of the Order FOR the clearing of the Order of this Section the currency and continuance of the story being the hardest here to make out of any place in all the Gospels we must seriously weigh and if we can give an answer to these two questions Quest. 1. Whereas the next Section before concludeth with the calling of Levi unto which story the Evangelists and the progress of the history have fairly led us and whereas all the Evangelists that have spoken of Levies call have also spoken of a Feast that he made for Christ in the very next verse as if it had been on the very next day of his calling if not on the same upon what ground or reason can we part his call and his feast as we have done which all the Texts have laid so close together Matth. 9. 9 10. Mark 2. 14 15. Luke 5. 27 28 29. Ans. As the Reader may find the time of Levies calling to be as it is laid in the preceding Section by the undeniable continuance of the story thither so will he find by one passage afterward that the time of his calling was not the time of his Feast but his Feast was a good while after his Call and that passage is this In Matth. 9. 18. it is related that Jairus came to Christ to beg the healing of his daughter whilest Christ was speaking concerning the children of the Bride-chamber not fasting and of New wine to be put into new bottles which speech as Luke doth inform us was made at Levies Feast Luke 5. 29 30 31 32 33 34. c. Now the coming of Jairus to intreat for his daughter will be found by any that will study the progress of the story a long space after that time which the undeniable continuance of the story hath given for Levies Call in the Section preceding And at the same distance must we lay Levies Feast Quest. 2. But since the story of Levies calling and of his feasting must be parted what reason is there to lay this fifth Chapter of John next to the story of his calling above any other part or story in the Evangelists Answ. The clearing of the reason of this and the confirmation of the proper order of this Chapter here will be made out by observation of these particulars 1. That the Feast that is spoken of in the beginning of the Chapter was the Feast of the Passover which indeed is contradicted by some as Cyrill and Chrysostome c. and held to be the Feast of Pentecost it may be they thought so because a Passover was the Feast last mentioned before Chap. 2. 23. and a Passover is so soon mentioned after Chap. 6. 4. but may be confirmed by these arguments 1. Whereas this Evangelist John of all the rest only undertaketh to give account of the time of Christs publick Ministry reckoning it by Passovers if the Feast spoken of in this Chapter were not a Passover the Ministry of Christ will prove to have been but two years and an half
from his Baptism to his death which the Prophet Daniel did foretell and preceding Types did fore-signifie should be three years and an half as hath been cleared heretofore 2. When Christ was in the field of Samaria it was then but four months to Harvest as was observed on Joh. 4. 35. Now their harvest began at the Passover at which time they offered the first fruits sheaf at the first putting the Sickle into the Corn. It was therefore four months before the Passover when our Saviour uttereth those words or towards the latter end of our November betwixt which time and the Passover there was no Feast unless the Feast of dedication were after those words spoken which had no great solemnity at Jerusalem above what it had in other places nor was there any command of attending it there nor indeed could Christ reach up to it at Jerusalem after his utterance of those words if it were after considering the time he spent in Galilee before This Feast therefore that the Evangelist mentioneth here being the next that Christ went unto or indeed could go unto it must of necessity be the Feast of the Passover And this may be supposed the reason why the Evangelist did not syllabically call it the Feast of the Passover though he meant so because that speech and passage in the fourth Chapter did inforce it to be so understood though not expressed 2. Look back to the end of the last Section about Levies calling and then forward to what must next follow it since his Feast did not as hath been observed and the two Evangelists Mark and Luke will resolve you that the next story in their relation that did follow was the Disciples plucking the ears of Corn They have indeed laid Levies Feast and the Disciples questioning at that time about fasting between because they would conclude all Levies story together but it will sufficiently appear to him that will but studiously search and examine the Order of the story that his Feast was not at his calling but a good while after The plucking of the ears of Corn then being the story that in those two holy Penmen is next to follow we must conclude that a Passover must come between For till the Passover the Corn was not ripe and till they had offered a first fruits sheaf on the second day after the Passover it was not lawful to put the Sickle into the Corn to cut it down to pluck the ears to eat neither till the offering of the first sheaf had sanctified the Corn to their eating as well as it gave them liberty to fall to harvest But a word that Luke hath used hath put the matter out of all doubt He saith the plucking of the earns of Corn was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is on the first Sabbath after the second day in the passover week on which second day they offered their first sheaf and from which second day they counted their weeks and Sabbaths until Pentecost Between Levies calling then and the Disciples plucking of the ears of Corn a Passover must necessarily be understood to have passed and this Feast that is mentioned in the beginning of this Chapter must also needs be that Passover or else you find not that Passover mentioned at all and you find not any place in the series of the Evangelical story where this Feast and the story attending it in the fifth of John can be so fitly and properly laid And for the clearer observation of these things let us trace the time and the progress of Christ from his being in Sychar field at Jacobs well when he saith it was then four months to harvest or to the Passover when their harvest began to this Feast which we doubt not to assert for that next Passover Two days he tarried in Samaria and then he goes for Galilee Joh. 4. 43. There he preacheth up and down in their Synagogues and at last cometh to Nazareth his own City Luke 4. 14 15 16. with Joh. 4. 43 44. Being refused and in danger there he goeth and dwelleth at Capernaum Matth. 4. 13. calleth four Disciples Luke 5. 1. c. continueth in Capernaum some Sabbaths Luke 4. 31. on one casteth out a Devil healeth Peters mothers in law and divers diseased Goeth and preacheth abroad in the Synagogues of Galilee Mark 1. 23. 29. 32. 39. cureth a Leper in one of those Cities Luke 5. 22. returns to Capernaum and recovereth a Palsick man and calleth Levi from the receipt of custom Mark 2. and by this time his four months may well be expired and we mustlook out for a Passover which we find in this Chapter that we have in hand or we know not where to find any Harmony and Explanation Vers. 1. Iesus went up to Ierusalem c. OUR Saviours constant appearing at the festivals at Jerusalem did not only shew his obedience to the Law which injoyned that appearance but his Communion with the Church of Israel for those appearances were Ordinances and Symboles also of Communion At such times he had most pregnant opportunities to reveal himself as far as his Divine Wisdom thought it fitting when all the people of the Country were gathered together and might be spectators and auditors of what was done and spoken by him At the Passover before this mentioned in this Chapter which was at this time 12 month he had done many miracles there so that he could not but be looked upon as a Teacher come from God as Nicodemus professeth of him Chap. 2. At this Passover of which there is mention in the present Section he doth a remarkable miracle in healing a man so long diseased but doing it on the Sabbath day it became offensive to them that strained at a Gnat and swallowed a Camel Chap. 7. 21. 23. For this he is convented before the Sanhedrin to answer for himself and there he doth as clearly and fully not only confess but also prove himself to be the Messias as at any time or in any passage in all the Gospel besides And to this his speech he himself doth refer them once and again when they question him who he was as to an acknowledgment so plain that there had needed no more questioning had they not been wilfully blinded Chap. 8. 25. They said unto him Who art thou And Jesus saith unto them Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning Chap. 10. 25 26. They said to him If thou be the Christ tell us plainly Jesus answered I told you and ye believed not c. He had preached before That the Kingdom of Heaven or the revealing of the Messias was at hand and here in his plea before the Council he confirmeth that doctrine and cleareth it affirming and proving himself most undeniably to be he How he came off upon this his plain speech the Evangelist hath not particularly mentioned or recorded within the compass of a week at the least he was walking in the Corn fields and put to