the end of all his miseries and therefore is properly called mans day Iob 18.20 The day of a mans death is better then the day of his birth Luc. 2.29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 1 Sam. 28.15 Why hast thou troubled me Iob 3.13 For now should I have lien still and beene quiet I should have slept then should I have beene at rest The Councell of Toledo marketh that Christ wept not at Lazarus death but at his resurrection and this should teach us to moderate our griefe when our friends dye and those whom we love best If ye love me saith Christ yee will rejoyce because I goe to my father Ioh. 14.28 So we should rejoyce when wee see our friends goe to our Father and count the day of their death better then the day of their birth The day of death is worse to the wicked The day of a mans death is better than the day of his birth to the children of God it is better but to the wicked it is much worse the child of God saith in his death as Christ said consummatum est then all teares are wipt from their eyes but to the wicked it is their worst day as the child of God saith consummatum est so they say inchoatum est Luc. 16.25 Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus his evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Death is worse to the wicked man therefore his death is called the death of the uncircumcised Ezek. 28.12 and he dyeth as a foole 2 Sam. 3.33 but the children of God die in the Lord and their death is their rest It may seeme that to be borne is better than death Ob. Ioh 16.20 A woman when she is in travell hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the world She rejoyceth that she hath brought forth a Sonne but we rejoyce not when one dyeth therefore it may seeme that the day of ones birth is better then the day of his death It is better for the woman that she hath a child borne for the continuation of her posterity Answ and therfore she rejoyceth but the day of the childs death is better for himselfe than the day of his birth because then there is an end put to all his miseries In what case may a man choose death rather then life Quest We may chiefely choose death rather then life onely to be rid of sinne as Paul desired Answ to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 but this was onely to be delivered from the body of sinne to prevent sinne it is better not to be than to be Eccles 4.3 for he hath not seene the evill worke which is done under the Sunne Againe it is better for reprobates that they had never beene because of their damnation as it is said of Iudas It had beene better for him that he had never beene borne Matth. 26.21 and it is better to be dead then living that a man may be freed of sinne There is esse Physicum esse morale it is better for a wicked man to be than not to be ratione Physica because he commeth nearer to God who hath his being of himselfe but it is worse to him quoad esse morale magis optandum non esse cum carentia poena quam esse cum poena that is it is better for him not to be without punishment than to be and be punished eternally There is in man instinct reason and faith instinct teacheth him onely to seeke the preservation of his body reason goeth somewhat higher and hath some respect to vertue and honor but yet it is not a right guide to man here when hee wisheth to be dead for feare of shame and such worldly inconvenients Stoici ne foedetur virtus Romani ob inanem gloriam mortem optarunt but faith seeth farther and wisheth this dissolution because it knoweth that the body and the soule shall be joyned together againe after they are separated and purified from sinne A man must not wish death or the grave although he be bitter in soule Iob. 3.20 and afflictions be upon him but onely for sinne If it be said death destroyeth the substance of man but sinne destroyeth onely an accident in man Ob. therefore death should not be desired for the eschewing of sinne Answ Death is not a totall destruction of a man neither is a man turned into nothing when he dyeth neither wisheth he death that he may not be but that this Tabernacle may be dissolved that he may have A building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Observe that men looke diversly upon death First as it is an enemy to nature and so all men abhorre it And the naturall man in this respect calleth it a bitter death 1 Sam. 15.3 Hagag said Surely the bitternesse of death is past Secondly some looke upon it as the wages of sinne Rom. 6.32 then it is a more bitter death and thirdly some looke upon it as a passage to life and then it is to be wished but not for it selfe but for another end as when a sicke man desireth a bitter potion for his healths sake for no evill of punishment is to be desired for it selfe There are two periods set downe here our birth and our death and not our life It is the manner of the spirit of God in the Scriptures to set downe the two extremes and to leave out the midst as Psal 21.8 the Lord shall keepe thy going in and going out that is all thy wayes so Exod. 8.11.5 And all the first borne of the land of Egypt shall dye from the first borne of Pharaoh that fitteth upon the throne unto the first borne of the Maidservant that sitteth behind the Mill here the rest of the people are left out for shortnesse and the two extremes are expressed so Num. 6.4 from the kernell to the huske here the wine which is the midst is left out so Iob. 24.20 The wombe shall forget him and the wormes shall feede sweetly upon him here the birth and the grave include the whole life So here are set downe our birth and our death our two graves the grave out of which we come and the grave unto which we goe Iob joyneth these two together Naked came I out of my Mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither Iob. 1.21 he was not to returne backe to his Mothers wombe againe but he was to returne backe to the grave againe the second wombe and Christ joyneth the belly and the grave Matth. 1â— 4 For as Ionas was three dayes and three night in the Whales belly So shall the some of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth hence it is that the inferior parts of the earth
Lacky or footboy divided in two parts Those fringes which they were commanded to put upon the borders of their Garments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 institae and the wings of them are called Gedilim threeds woven together that is threeds which remaine hanging downe like small haires after the coate was woâ—â—n Num. 13.38 And then they had their Tephilim their Phylacteries and the Phylacteries were put upon their heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peniculatus filorum textus Why the Iewes wore Phylacterius and upon their armes and those which were called TZitzith were put upon their cloathes and the posts of their doores he commanded them to weare those fringes and Phylacteries to put them in remembrance to keepe the law of the Lord and to distinguish the Iew from the heathen and they say three things distinguished the Iew from the heathen their Sabbath their circumcision and their Phylacteries The Iewes abused their Phylacteries They abused those fringes and Phylacteries first inlarging them and making them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ blamed them not for wearing Phylacteries but for making them too broad Againe they abused them making them helpes onely for their prayers and they derived Tephilim a Phylacterie a Palal orare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derivatur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apponere et non a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orare ut quidam volunt whereas it should be derived from Taphal apponere Taphal signifieth adhaesionem vel conjunctionem and the seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immobilia they were not then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 helpes to prayer as the Iewes superstitiously imagined but helpes to put them in remembrance to keepe the Law and from this superstition it came that Elisha delighted still to were Talijoth his upper GarmeÌ„t with the wings therefore they called him Elisha with the wings and his superstitious prayers they called them his golden wings and R Eleazer the son of Ioseph said whosoever had Phylacteries upon his head and upon his arme and fringes upon his Garment and a marke upon his doore all these would keepe him from sinning as it is written a threefold cord is not quickly broken Eccles 4.12 After this they became more impious in abusing them making them remedies against Witchcraft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra fascinationes those Phylacteries Varro called Prebia or Brebia hence commeth the word briefe which is Satan signe to save men from danger EXERCITAT XXXIII A ceremoniall appendix for the breach of all the Commandements Deut. 21.23 Cursed be he that hangeth upon a tree THere are two parts in this punishment a judiciall part and a ceremoniall The judiciall is this A judiciall and ceremoniall part in the Law to put the malefactor to death the ceremoniall part is this to hang him upon a tree but not to suffer him to hang all night for then he defileth the Land When the adulterer is commanded to be put to death the judiciall part of the Law had but respect to the breach of one Commandement to wit the seventh The malefactor that was â—anged under the Law was accu sed for breach of all the Commandements but when the Law commanded to hang up the malefactor upon a tree then the malefactor is accounted accursed because he hath broken the whole Commandements Therefore the Apostle addeth Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written and Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to doe them that is who hath not continued in them to doe them Heb. 8.9 Iere. 31 33. This transgression of the law is called the quarrell of his covenant that bringeth on the vengeance of God Levit. 26.25 And I bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my covenant so Iere. 50.28 We are naturally accursed for breaking of all the CoÌ„mandmeÌ„ts Christ by imputatioÌ„ was really accursed for the breach of all the Commandements so was the malefactor typically accursed being a type of Christ No malefactor was a type of Christ but he that was hanged Secondly none hanged out of Iudea The malefactor typically accursed the forme of their death made them accursed but onely the sinne it selfe No Malefactor was a type of Christ but he who was hanged in Canaan as when Haman's sonnes were hanged upon a gallowes thirdly whatsoever forme of hanging upon a tree they used in Iudea it made them accursed whether they were hanged upon one tree as Sauls sonnes were or upon a crosse tree which forme the Romanes brought in amongst them No death made a man accursed but hanging on a tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crux patihulam a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erigere crucifigere Why the theefe was not to hang all night the Iewes called Zekephah and the Greekes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lignum geminum Fourthly they might not suffer them to hang all night upon the tree because it defiled the land the Chaldee Paraphrast giveth this to be the reason why they should not be suffred to hang all night upon the tree because man was made to the Image of God and as it is a dishonor for a Prince to see his Image misregarded so the Lord would not have man to hang all night upon a tree because he was made to his Image but the text giveth this reason that he should not hang all night lest he defile the Land Deut. 21.22 And Iosh 10.26 it was not for the honor of the party hanged that hee was cut downe before night but that the Land might not be defiled and in detestation of this death The tree buried with the Malefactor they tooke the tree upon which the malefactor was hanged and buried it with him and the Iewes adde that they did not hang him upon a growing tree lest they should have spared the growing tree and not cut it downe and buried it with the malefactor Quest It may be asked how David caused the young men to kill Rechab and Benah who killed Ishboseth and to hang up their armes and legges over the poole in Hebron 2 Sam. 4.12 seeing the malefactor was to be cut downe before the sunne set Ans Why David set up the legs and armes of Benah and Rechab The bodies of the malefactors might not hang all night but they were to be taken downe and buried before the Sunne set but the legges and hands of those malefactors were set up there to teach others to abstaine from cruell murther Fiftly they were accursed who hung upon a tree rather than upon any other thing because Adam sinned eating the fruit of the forbidden tree Lastly observe that no forme of mans death All sorts of deaths now are alike now maketh him accursed for all sorts of death now are alike providing that he die penitently it is the dying in sinne onely that maketh a man accursed now it is not the forme of the death that maketh
and as we looke not to every particular colour in the picture but to the whole picture so wee should not looke in a Parable to every particular circumstance in it but to the generall scope example the rich Glutton lift up his eyes and saw Lazarus in heaven therefore the damned in hell doe see the glorified in heaven False Collections from this Parable a false collection and it is besides the intention of the Parable so the rich Glutton prayed to Abraham therefore we may pray to the Saints departed or that there is water in heaven to quench the thirst of the damned or that the soules departed haue fingers or eyes or tongues or that the damned desire that their brethren come not to those torments all false collections but if they should gather that the children of God are in great joy and the damned in great paine that were pertinent Secondly What may be gathered from this Parable that there is no redemption out of hell thirdly that there is no refreshment to the wicked in hell fourthly that the desires of the wicked shall not be granted to them fiftly that those who will not be instructed by the Word here will not beleeue although one should come from the dead to them and lastly that the Word of God Moses and the Prophets are the onely meanes to beget faith in us here Thus farre we may stretch the Parable and then wee shall bring a good sense out of it but if we stretch it farther then we shall bring a wrong sense out of it the wringing of the nose bringeth forth bloud Prov. 30.33 How the wicked may be inlightned by the Preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated MAT. 12.43 When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and findeth none then he saith I will returne unto mine house c. CHRIST having taught long amongst the Iewes and illuminated their minds by working sundry miracles amongst them and casting out Devils The scope of the Parable but having wrought no sanctification amongst them he bringeth this Parable of a man dispossessed of a Devill and being cast out finding the house emptie and trimmed returneth with seven spirits worse than himselfe The parts of it There is the Parable here and the application of the Parable the Parable is set downe at large and the application in few words even so shall it also be with this wicked generation The Parable it selfe hath three parts first possession secondly dispossession and thirdly repossession Possession in these words when the evill spirit is gone out of a man which implieth that he must first haue possession before he be cast out secondly dispossession and when he is dispossessed he wandreth in dry places and findeth no rest untill he returne and thirdly repossession he goeth and taketh with himselfe seven other spirits more wicked than himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first When the uncleane spirit is cast out He is an uncleane spirit first in the manner of his apparition secondly in the manner of his revelation and thirdly in the manner of his operation First in the manner of his apparition Satan uncleane in the manner of his apparition he appeareth in the likenesse of a Goat a stinking and a vile creature therefore the Lord saith They shall no more offer their sacrifices to Devils Deut. 17.7 In the Originall it is Leshegnirim to the hayrie ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are called the hayrie ones because they haue appeared in the likenesse of Satyres or wilde Goates Secondly In his revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devill is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his revelation thou shalt not suffer Obh a Witch to line Exod. 22.18 Obh is called a Bottle or a Bladder the Witches are so called because Satan gaue his answers out of their bellies and out of the secret passages of nature and for this they were called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly In his operation he is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his operation where ever he lodgeth he defileth that soule and that bodie therefore the Scriptures call such somtimes dogges and swine Revel 22.15 and the filthiest beasts that are but the holy Spirit is most comely in the manner of his apparition in his revelation and operation First in the manner of his apparition when he appeared it was either in the likenesse of a man or a Doue How the Holy Ghost appeared or in the likenesse of fiery tongues but he never appeared in the likenesse of any filthy beast Againe in the manner of his revelation he revealed himselfe to his Prophets in a most comly manner when he spake in them he spake not out of the secret parts of nature they did not foame at the mouth as those who were blasted by the Devill but the holy Ghost sanctified their tongues and in great modestie and comelinesse they spake the truth Thirdly in the manner of his operation he is most holy for where ever he lodgeth he sanctifieth and purifieth that soule and bodie therefore he is compared in the Scriptures to water and to fire and to the Fullers sope Psal 51.7 Wash me and I shall be whiter than the snow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall it is Tecabbeseni play the Fuller upon me We may know then whether we be possessed by Satan or not if we delight in filthinesse or uncleannesse for uncleannesse is the unseparable effect of the uncleane spirit a man may be overtaken by Satan somtimes and Satan may in part pollute him but he delighteth not in it The godly delight not in sinne but if he delight to wallow in that sinne and make no resistance to Satan then he is certainly the habitation of Satan when one offered violence to a woman under the Law Deut. 22.27 if shee cryed out she was not to die the death but if she held her peace and consented to that villany she was to die the death So when Satan commeth to pollute the soule and defile the bodie if he cry out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death Rom. 7.24 then we are not to die but if wee hold our peace delight in Satans temptations which pollute the soule and the bodie then wee are to die Is cast out of a man There is no creature in which Satan delighteth to lodge Satans delight is to lodge onely in man but onely in man when he entred into other creatures it was but onely to deceiue man as when he entred into the Serpent it was for this end to deceiue Eva he cared not for the Serpent it selfe so when he entred into the Gergesites swine it was not for the swine that he cared but onely that he might draw
the Schoolemen speake their Synagogues and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses of prayer were but Loci ut loci therefore they might not sacrifice in them but when they worshiped in them they turned alwayes their faces towards the Temple The Tabernacle which was the first place commanded for the worship of God was a type of heaven Psal 15.1 Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and when they could not have accesse to the Tabernacle they thought themselves but like the wandring Arabians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protraxit we reade not that Daevid ever dwelt in the tents of Keâ—ar therefore it should be translated as in Kedar that knew not God nor his worship Psal 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourne so long dwelling as in the Tents of Kedar This Tabernacle was divided in three parts the holiest of all the holy place and the court of the people The holiest of all signified heaven the second place signified the state of the old Law where the Priests entered in daily and offered for themselves and the people and the court of the people signified the Church here below The people might not come into the court of the Priests The people might not come into the holiest of all but Esay 56.7 My house shall be called the house of prayer he applyeth this both to the Iewes and Gentiles which Christ applyeth to the Iewes onely in the Temple of Ierusalem and the Prophet speaketh in prototype as Christ in type the Proselytes might not come into the court of the Israelites they stood but in Atrio Gentium in the court of the people but Esay foretelleth that the Gentiles shall have as free accesse to the house of God as the Iewes because his house is the house of prayer and this Salomon foretold 1 King 8.41 If a stranger come from a farre country to call upon thy name then heare thou in heaven that is grant that they may have as great accesse to thee as the Iewes have When Herod built the Temple he wrote an inscription upon the gate of the court of Israel that no stranger should enter in there under the paine of death but now this inscription is changed that whatsoever stranger he be that doth not enter into the house of the Lord shall dye the death before The Levites might not goe into the holy place the people might not enter into the court of the Priest but now wee are all Kings and priests to God 1 Pet. 2.9 before the Levites might enter where the people might not goe they might goe into the court of the Priests but not into the holy place but now all the people are the Lords Levites Mal. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur quia habet ×” praefixum Yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hostes Levi here is put for the whole people and therefore they have as great accesse now as the Priests had Before none might enter into the holiest of all but the High priest once in the yeere Heb. 9.7 but now all have accesse to the throne of grace Heb 4.16 Rom. 5.2 The Tabernacle and the Temple were alike in many things first in the forme A comparisen betwixt the Tabernacle and Temple for the Tabernacle was a paterne to the Temple Againe there was no light in the holiest of all in the Tabernacle In what things they were alike So neyther in the holiest of all in the Temple and the signification was this Rev. 21.23 and the City had no neede of the Sunne neyther of the Moone How the Lord is sayd to dwell in a cloud to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof In the holiest of all there was no light and the High priest when he entred into it kindled smoke and he saw nothing because the Lord dwelleth in a cloud Psal 18.11 he was not able to behold the shecina or glory that dwelt in the holiest there was no externall light that came there but the Lambe was the light and when we shall be glorified wee shall not see that inaccessible light in which hee dwelleth So in the holyest both in the Tabernacle and temple there was no light but the light of the Candlestick no light in the Temple but that which the lampe gave for there were no windows in the Temple to give light to it and it was compassed round about with Chambers that it could have no light Ob. 1 Sam. 3.3 And ere the lampe of God went out in the Temple of the Lord where the Arke of God was and Samuel was layd downe to sleepe Then it may seeme that they had other light than the light of the candlestick Answ Before the lampe of God went out that is before the lampes were changed by the Priests and new lights added and the signification of this was the Church should be directed by no light but by the light of the Word 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe well that yee take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts The Court of the Priests was not covered There was a court for the Priests both in the Tabernacle and Temple and it was not covered above to signifie that the Church here hath more of the light of nature than of the light of grace Againe the Tabernacle and Temple had the like implements both in the Holiest and Holiest of all And last the Tabernacle and the Temple served for the same use for Gods worship In what things the Tabernacle and Temple differed Now let us see wherein they differed First the Tabernacle was moveable and the other was fixed the moveable Tabernacle signified our estate and condition here and the Temple which was unmoveable signified our estate in future glory The Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles Secondly the Temple was much more large than the Tabernacle the Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles as the temple had there was but one golden candlesticke in the Tabernacle and ten in the Temple 1 King 7.49 So in the Tabernacle was but one brasen Laver in the Temple there were ten so there were but two Cherubims in the Tabernacle but foure in the Temple Lastly the Tabernacle indured not so long as the Temple did and when the Tabernacle had no use it was layd up in the Temple The Conclusion of this is Conclusion the Tabernacle gave place to the Temple So both the Temple and the Tabernacle gave way to Iesus Christ who was both the true Tabernacle and Temple and of whom they were but types EXERCITAT IIII. Of the Arke A Ceremoniall Appendix of Command 2. Exod. 25.17 And thou shalt make a Mercie seate of pure Gold c.
a man accursed There were three things which did accompany him who was hanged upon a tree first shame secondly paine and thirdly a curse First The death of the Crosse an ignominious death it was a most ignominious and a shamefull death Num. 25.4 Take the Princes and hang them up before the Sun that is publickly the Seventy translate it paradigmatize them and make open spectacles of shame and Suidas saith when any dyed an infortunate death they put a crosse upon his grave and Plinie reporteth that the Romans set up certaine Crosses where upon they did hang those dogges which gave no warning when the Gaules did scale the capitoll they counted this sort of death a dogges death therefore Seneca called it stipem infamem and others called it lignum infoelix and because it was such an infamous kind of death therefore the Christian Emperous changed Crucem in furcam in honor of Christ because he was hanged upon the Crosse they would have it no more used and Cicero said it was an hainous thing to bind a Citizen of Rome a villanie to scourge him and in a manner parricide to kill him what shall it be then to hang him upon a crosse This death of the crosse was a most painefull death Psal 22.14 All my bones are out of joint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disparant s omnia ossa mea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separavit disiunxit in the Hebrew it is Hithpardu are sundred this was but the outside of the paine but if we shall consider what was the paine and griefe upon his soule then we may say was there ever griefe like unto his griefe Lament 1.12 Lastly the death of the Crosse was a most cursed death When the Iewes object to us as the greatest opprobry that we worship Christ crucified who dyed such a cursed death we should rejoyce in this and count it our greatest happinesse that he was made a curse for us hanging upon a tree for his lifting up upon the Crosse draweth many to him Ioh. 3.14 And Bernard said well Non pigeat videre serpentem pendentem in lign◠si vis videre regem in solio residentem let us observe how the theefe beleived in Christ when hee was hanging upon the Crosse if Esay beleived he saw the Lord sitting upon a throne Esay 6.1 If Moses beleived he saw the Lord in a flame Exod. 3.2 If the three Disciples beleived they saw him betwixt Moses and Elias and his face shined Matth. 17. but the theefe saw him hanging upon a tree and betwixt two theeves and not betwixt two Prophets he saw him not sitting upon his throne but hanging upon the Crosse and yet he beleived in him The conclusion of this is blessed is he that heareth the Word of God and doth it Luc. 11 20. EXERCITAT XXXIIII Of the Jewes Logicall helpes for the understanding of the ceremoniall Law FRom the excellency of the cause they gathered the excellency of the effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bezaleel and Aholiab were extraordinarily gifted to worke all manner of worke in the Tabernacle Exod. 31.2 and the women who spunne the Curtaines of the Tabernacle were wise hearted women Exod. 35.25 Therefore the Tabernacle was a most excellent worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causa prima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causa causarum The materiall cause of the Temple So the curious Artificers of Tyrus wrought in the Temple therefore it was an excellent worke God himselfe was Hael hisibba harishona or Sibboth hasibboth causa causarum The materiall cause of the holiest of all was gold the Holy place the Vessels of it Gold and Silver and in the outer Court the instruments serving for it were of Brasse there were none of the instruments which served in the Tabernacle made of iron the materiall cause of the most of the Temple was of the Cedar of Libanus and therefore the Temple is called Lebanon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causa materiali◠Zach. 11.1 And this they called Sibbah Homerith The formall cause of the Tabernacle was that which the Lord shewed to Moses in the mount 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causa formalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Causa finalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab effectis so that of the Temple which was shewne to David and this they called Sibbah Tzurith The finall cause was that the Lord might be worshiped there and this they called Sibbah Tachlith From the effects this they called Mesubbabh nothing that fermented might be in a sacrifice therefore honey is forbidden in a sacrifice because it fermenteth Exam. 2. that which was uncleane defiled so that which came of an uncleane thing defiled therefore they gathered that there could bee no silke in the Tabernacle because it came of an uncleane worme Byssus was that fine linnen of Egypt and not that which wee call silke and Xylinum was the wooll of the tree which we call Cotten and not silke So they say the Elephants tooth or Ivory none of it was in the Tabernacle because the Elephant was an uncleane beast yet Solomons throne was made of it Subjectum Nosheh they say that Canaan was more holy than other lands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subjectum therefore they who dyed out of Canaan dyed in a polluted land Amos 7.17 Againe in Canaan townes were more holy than the rest of the land for they put the Lepers out of their Cities and they buried not their dead in them Then Ierusalem was more holy than the walled townes for they eate the light holy things there and the second tithe within the wals of it then the chel or rampire was holier than that for no Heathen or he that was defiled by the dead might enter within that Then the womens Court holier than that for none that was washed from their uncleannesse might come there before the Sunne set Levit. 15.6 The Court of men holier than that for none that brought his offering for attonement though otherwise he was not cleane might come there Levit. 12.6 7. and 14.9 10. The Priests Court was holier than that for no Israelite might come there save in the time of their necessities for imposing of hands or for attonement betwixt the Porch and the Altar was holier than that for none that were blemished or bare-headed might come there The Temple holier than betwixt the Porch and the Altar none came there but he that had his hands and his feet washen And the Holiest of all was more holy than that for none might enter in there except the High Priest once in the yeare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adiunctum Adjunctum Nashu Example Levit. 13. verse 55. the leprosie amongst the Iewes was knowne by the colour of the scab if it was blacke then it was dry and he was whole if it was alba-subrufa white reddish he was to be shut up for seven dayes If it was adamdam subrufa more tending to red than he was shut up other seven dayes
translated from the family of Phinehas to Ithamars posterity Ob. for Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar and not of Phinehas and from Eli it came to his sonne Phimehas and then to Achitub and then to Achiaz the brother of Ahimelech and then it was restored to Zadoc see 1 Chron. 24.3 for foure generations the posteritie of Phinehas wanted the Priesthood Elies posterity had it de facto et non de jure Ans therefore it is to be marked what bad successe most of them had in the Priesthood Eli brake his necke his sonne Phinehas was killed in the battell Abiathar was put from the Priesthood and his soone Ahimelech was slaine by Doeg and all this time when they wanted the Priesthood the posterity of Elcazer farre surpassed the posterity of Ithamar 1 Chron. 24.4 Againe it was promised to Phinehas posterity conditionally if they should walke in their fathers wayes This promise of the Priesthood was not made so absolutely to Phinehas but that Phinehas posterity for their sinnes might be deprived of it for a time even as the promise made to David that the Kingdome should continue with his posterity for ever did not exclude the captivity of Babylon and the overthrow of the kingdome for a time yet by vertue of this promise made to Phinehas his posterity could not want it for ever And thirdly it is so promised to his posterity that it should not be taken for ever from him as it was from the posterity of Eli. This rod brought forth Almonds without a roote the fathers reason out of this place against the Iewes who will not beleeve that the Virgin could beare a sonne why will ye beleeve this say they that Aarons rod brought forth Almonds without a roote and cannot beleeve that a Virgin can beare a sonne ye beleeve that Eva was created out of the side of Adam and that Adam was created out of the dust why may yee not beleeve this likewise that God can create a child in the Wombe of the Virgin Yee beleeve that Sara an old withered stocke conceived by the power of God and why ye will not beleeve this that God by his power created the Child in the Wombe of the Virgin The tree blossomed although it was withered Hence we may gather that the withered tree the Church of the Iewes shall flourish againe a man looking with a naturall eye upon that heape of dry bones Ezek. 37. would never thinke that they should rise againe but the Lord by the mighty wind of his Spirit gathered these bones together and made them to live so the Lord by his mighty power shall make the withered tree of the Iewes to flourish againe Obj. But ye will say that Christ cursed the figtree which represented the Church of the Iewes and said Never fruit grow upon thee henceforth Mat. 21.19 Then it may seeme that this tree shall never flourish againe Answ That figtree that was accursed by Christ never to beare fruit againe represented the Iewes who lived then and those who shall live till the conversion of the Iewes but when the wrath of God is come upon them to the full as the Apostle speakes then the Lord shall call them and their rod shall flourish againe Quest Whether kept this rod still the buds blossomes and Almonds when it was laid up before the Lord or not No question it did Answ for the Lord commandeth to lay it up as a testimony against the rebels now when it kept the buds blossomes and Almonds it testified the more vively against them and as the Manna lasted so many hundreth yeares in the golden pot so did this rod keepe the blossomes and Almonds When Aarons rod budded it was a token to him that he was called of the Lord he that runneth and is not sent by the Lord shall never doe good in that holy Calling these Agrippa who were borne with their feet formost it was a bad token of their evill government to follow as it fell out in Herod Agrippa who was a very bad Governour so when a Preacher is not sent by God to his people and the Lord doth not make his rod to bud he shall never be a profitable Minister in his Calling Of the priviledges of the first borne under the Law and what he was bound to doe to his brethren and kinsmen Matth. 22.24 If a man die having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto him AFter that the Pharisees had tempted Christ the same day the Sadduces came to tempt him who denyed the Resurrection and they reason with Christ ab absurdo if there were a Resurrection then this absurdity would follow that seven men should have one wife at the Resurrection but this is absurd therefore c. and thus they goe about to ground upon Moses Law For Moses commanded in the Law that if a man dye without seed then his brother should raise up his seed unto him Deut. 35.5 Now there fell out a case among us that a man married a wife and dyed without children his brother married his wife and he dyed without children also and seven brethren had her to wife Whose wife then shall she be in the Resurrection Our Lord answereth that they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God The Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection put this question to Christ He that denyeth the immortality of the soule cannot hold one sound point in Religion the Sadduces denyed the immortality of the soule they held the soule to be like Quickesilver which made the body to stirre or like Salt that kept the body from corruption as Epicurus held and the best that they made of it they said it was an exact temperature of the humours of the body and then for the Angels they said they were but good thoughts but not subsisting spirits Now if the soule be not an immortall substance the body cannot be joyned to it againe for the weale of the body dependeth upon the soules immortality they held the soule to be mortall and therefore of necessity they behoved to deny the resurrection Tertullian called the Marcionites and Valentinians qui credebant reditum animae non corporis partiarios Saducaeos We who professe our selves to be Christians say the Creed and repeate this Article often I beleeve the resurruction of the body but yet if we will looke to the lives of most part of men we shall heare than say no other thing but that which the Sadduces and Epicures said 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eate let us drinke for to morrow we shall dye that is be quite extinguished in soule and body as if there were no more of us after our death thā beasts when they are knockt on the head when the Pharises reasoned with the Sadduces they said unto thē Why study ye to keep the Law seeing ye beleeve not the immortality
a care for so small an inheritance a little plat of ground in Anathoth that cost but seventeene shekles that he would have the evidence subscribed and sealed before faithfull witnesses and to have them safely laid up till the peoples returne out of the captivity shall not we then be carefull of that great inheritance which is not purchased with gold nor silver 1 Pet. 1. to have the evidence of it sealed subscribed and laid up safely in our hearts Esau was a profane man and a fornicator Heb. 12.16 He sold his birth right for a messe of pottage if Preachers be profane and vile men like Esau they will set their inheritance at a light reckoning but if they be the children of grace they will esteeme much of it as Naboth did of his Vineyard it is the inheritance that our father hath prepared and his sonne dearely purchast for us and therfore we should esteeme highly of it and beware to lose this inheritance that was bought with such a price left if we lose it the shooe be pulled off our feete and we be called discalceati in Israele Now come to Christs answer to the Sadduces objection Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God They erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God that is the power of God manifested and set forth in the Scriptures the Scriptures teach us that God by his power shall raise these mortall bodies to immortality and that then we shall be like to the Angels in glory and all these naturall bonds and societies amongst men and women shall cease as to mary and give in marriage c. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures All error proceedeth from ignorance of the Scriptures therefore Christ biddeth the Iewes search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 and the holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 We shall never under stand the truth but out of the Scriptures the Church of Rome are most injurious to the Laickes forbidding them to read the Scriptures what mervaill is it that they be led into all errors when they want this light of the Scriptures to direct them The Church of Rome like a Pyrat she may be justly compared to a Pirate a Pirate when he takes a poore Barke what doeth he First he taketh the compasse from her Secondly the sayles and thirdly the Anchor what becomes of the poore Barke then she is cast away upon the Rockes so the Church of Rome first taketh from the people the compasse that is the Word of God Secondly shee taketh from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from a full sayle forbidding the people assurance of faith they teach them that they should have a morall perswasion of the remission of their sinnes to hope well that they shall be saved but they say it is presumption to be certainely perswaded of the remission of their sinnes and thus they take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the full sayle from the people now when assurance of faith The miserable estate of those who live in Popery the full saile is gone then hope the Anchor as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 6.19 must be lost also yee see then the necessity of searching the Scriptures and if we would bee free of error we must study to know them and lamentable is their estate who live in popery exposed to all danger because they have not the use of the holy Scriptures Nor the power of God Twofold power in God There is a twofold power in God first his absolute power Secondly his limited power his absolute power is this when he can doe any that implyeth not a contradiction for that were impotency in God his limitate power is this when his will limitateth his power and his other attributes God by his absolute power could have destroyed Sodom before Lot came out of it but by his limited power he could not Gen. 19.22 God may doe many things by his absolute power which he cannot doe by his limitted power because it made more for the glory of God that Lot should be saved then destroyed with the Sodomites so God by his absolute power might cast away Peter but by his limited power he cannot because it makes more for his mercy to save Peter then to destroy him Christ by his absolute power could have wrought miracles in Nazareth but by his limited power he could not because it made more for his glory not to worke any amongst that unbeleeving people Marke 6 5. So Christ by his absolute power could have prayed for so many millions of Angels to have delivered him but by his limited power he could not because it made more for the glory of his Father that he should die for the redeeming of his Church then that he should escape the cursed death of the Crosse here Christ speaks of that limited power of God and not of his absolute power Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God We should know Gods power out of the Scriptures We must learne to know the power of God onely out of the Scriptures that power which is attributed to God and not found in the Scriptures is not to be counted Gods power there is a question betwixt us and the Church of Rome whether the body of Christ can be both in Heaven and in the Sacrament at once they alledge the power of God for them because God by his power can make this body to be really in the Sacrament but we reply unto them that they erre not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God if they could demonstrate to us out of the Scriptures this power then we would beleeve them but the Scripture saith that Iesus Christs body is in the heavens and must bee contained there till he come to judgement Acts 3.21 Whom the heavens must receive untill the times of the restitution of all things And therefore this power is but an imaginary power contrary to the Scriptures of God We shall be like the Angels of God who neither marry nor give in marriage There is a good axiome in the Schooles that relata extra usum non sunt relata relations out of their use are no relations a Land-marke so long as it stands in the field distinguishing one mans land from another it is in the relation but taken out of that place that relation ceaseth the bread in the Sacrament is holy bread so long as it is in the use but out of this holy use it becommeth common bread againe those things that were eaten in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Idols chappell were idolatrous in state there and might not be eaten but when they were sold in the Shambles they were extra usum and Paul allowed then to eate of them so here the woman is the wife to the husband in this life but in the
are both called the Mothers wombe and the grave Psal 139.15 My substance was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth that is in my Mothers wombe and as no man hateth the belly that conceived and bred him so no man should hate the grave which is his second mother He marketh the two extremes here the birth and the death and passeth by our life to teach us the shortnesse of our life the Scripture describeth the shortnesse of mans life sundry wayes First he calleth our dayes anni numeri that is which may bee easily numbered Iob. 16.22 when a few yeeres are come yeeres of number than I shall go the way whence I shal not returne so dies numeri signifie a few dayes Num. 19.20 so homines numeri a few men Deut. 4.27 So Ezek. 12.16 and Esay 10.19 The rest of the trees of his forrest shall be number that a child may write them that is they shall be few and here Iob saith When yeeres of number are come that is a few yeeres that may be easily numbered to note the shortnesse of his dayes Secondly our life is called saeculum Psal 17.14 Thirdly our yeeres are reduced to three score and tenne and if by reason of strength they be fourescore yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we flye away if a man out live threescore and ten he payeth interest for those yeeres much sorrow and griefe Then our yeeres are compared to the dayes of an hireling Iob. 7.1 which was a short time the yeres of an hirling were but three yeeres and the Lord to shew the suddaine destruction that should come upon Moah he saith Esay 16.14 Within three yeeres as the yeeres of an hirling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned that is it shall shortly be contemned so Iob saith his dayes are like the dayes of an hireling that is they are very short They are compared to monthes Iob. 14.5 the number of his monthes are with thee Then they are compared to dayes and to an artificiall day from the sunnerising to the setting of the Sunne they are like grasse which groweth up in the evening it is cut down and whitereth Ps 90.6 and to a watch in the night which was but three or foure houres vers 4. then they are compared to an houre then to a moment and last to nothing Psal 39.5 So our yeeres for the shortnesse of them are compared to a post Iob. 25. Now my dayes are swifter than a post they flyaway see no good they are passed away as the swift ships as the Eagle that hasteneth to her pray Marke the gradation here First Iob compareth his dayes to a post a post goeth on in his journey very swiftly when one horse wearieth he will take another and so goeth on but yet he must rest sometimes Therefore hee goeth further and compareth them to the swiftest ships that are called ships of desire the ship will not weary day nor night yet there may come a contrary winde and make her stay therefore he goeth higher and he compareth his dayes to the Eagle which of all fowles is the swiftest to catch pray and nothing can stay her untill she have obtained it So mans dayes wearies not nothing can stay them in their course but they flye away and hasten to their end So mans life is compared to the weavers shitle Iob. 7.6 this comparison would be marked for the shuttle carieth the threed within it and the weaver tosseth the shuttle too and fro untill the threed be spent and then he cuteth it off So time is the weaver that tosseth the shuttle and our dayes are as the threed within the shuttle which peece and peece are spent and then death cutteth them off So they are compared to a smoke and to a dreame or to a vapour Psal 49. or to the breath of ones mouth and to this the Apostle hath reference when he saith what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Iam. 4.4 Now that our death may be comfortable unto us first we must remember that we are mortall Gen. 2.17 In that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Symachus translateth it Mortalis eris the consideration of mortalitie in Abraham made him to say that he was but dust and ashes Gen. 78.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye but after this the judgement Heb. 9.17 If men dyed not they could not obtaine life eternall for flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption therefore we must either die or be changed And this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality and then we need not to be afraid of death for it shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.50 as the Wise man saith Ecclus 14.12 Remember that death is not long in comming and that the covenant of the Grave is not shewed unto thee The Lord sheweth unto us that we are all mortall and that we must dye but he sheweth not in particular the time when we shall dye and therefore we should be ready at all times Secondly remember the advertisements of death when thou art faint and weary those are Gentlemen Vshers to death when yee feele those messengers remember that the sound of their Masters feet is behind them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cincinni sic dicti quod facile mutantur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutabit 2 King 6.32 We are called in the Scriptures bene hhaloph Prov 31.8 Children of change and the lockes of our haire are called mahhaliphoth mutationes Iudg 16.13 because they are soone changed when our haire beginneth to change once that is an advertisement to death as the wise man saith but many men take no notice of those advertisements when a Sergeant commeth to arrest a man the man absenteth himselfe and will not seeme to be at home yet notwithstanding the arrestment is valide and holdeth good in the Law so those advertisements of death although thou neglect them and seemest not to be at home yet the arrestment shall hold good and thou shalt be enforced to answer at the day appointed Thirdly looke upō the death of others for that he looketh seriously upon the death of others he cannot chuse but that he must remember his mortality 2 Sam. 20.12 When Amasa was wallowing in his blood all the people stood still and lookt upon him when people behold the death of others then it should put them in minde of their owne death Fourthly acquaint thy selfe often with death that it seeme not a stranger to thee when it commeth Hierome set the skull of a dead man before him daily and the Anchorites of old scraped with their nailes some part of their owne grave every day Put not the evill day farre from thee Esay 22.12 When the Lord called the Iewes to mourning yet they put the evill
day farre from them and they said Let us eate let us drinke for tomorrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Many men live now as though they should never dye they make a covenant with death as the Prophet saith Esay 28.16 We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement But they are deceived death is unmercifull it will mak a league with no man this league is made only in the imagination of their owne hearts Fiftly consider the comforts which we have against the grave it is very terrible in it selfe it is called a pit Esa 38.18 darknesse and the Land of oblivion Psal 88.13 The shadow of death Iob 10.21 corruption and destruction and for the power of it it is said to have gates and doores Iob 38.13 and a soule Esay 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatat sepulchrum animam suam Hirhhibbah sheol naphshah the grave hath enlarged her soule so to have hands Psal 49.16 and 89.49 so to have a mouth Ps 141.7 so a sting 1 Cor. 15.55 all those Epithites are to shew how terrible and fearefull it is to a wicked impenitent sinner who lyeth down in it with his sins upon him but to the godly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleeping place it is a place that all men yea even the best must come into Iacob made account to go thither Gen. 37.35 and Iob desired to be there O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave Iob 14.13 Because he knew that it was his house Iob. 17.13 Yea Christ himselfe was there and sanctified it first he bought the grave the price of him that was valued after that Iudas had cast it backe againe was given for a potters field for the buriall of strangers this is the first right which gentiles have to the grave because Christ purchased it unto them Againe Christ was buried in Golgotha where his blood ranne downe upon the graves of the dead that were buried there Thirdly he hath lyen downe in it and whereas it was loathsome before now he hath persumed it so that we may safely lye downe in that bed in which his blessed body lay and lastly he hath the key of the grave to open it when hee pleaseth so that it hath no power to keepe us Revela 1.18 I have the keyes of hell and of death this is a singular comfort to us then who are the Children of God so that we may say better is the day of our death than the day of our birth Sixtly wee should remember that our dead bodies are within the covenant and the Lord forgetteth them not When Iacob went downe to Egypt the Lord promised to bring him backe againe Gen. 46.4 but how did the Lord bring him backe againe seeing he dyed in Egypt The Lord was with him when his bones were brought out of Egypt so the Lord preserveth all the bodies of his Saints and he keepeth all their bones Psal 34.20 yea even when they are in the grave because they are within the Covenant therefore it is called domus viventium the house of the living Lastly that our death may be comfortable unto us let us remember that it doth not onely put an end to our miseries in this life but it is the entrance to glory and everlasting happinesse where we shall see the Lord and his Angels and abide with them eternally Moses is renowned unto the worlds end because hee saw the Lords backe parts onely but we shall not onely see his backeparts but we shall see him as he is even face to face 1 Iohn 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 The Queene of Sheba heard many things of Salomon and yet the halfe was not told her but when shee saw him face to face then shee said Happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee 1 King 10.8 So in this life wee heare many things of Christ the true Salomon and his kingdome but yet the halfe are not told us for the eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 But at the day of our death when our soule shall be separated from our bodies then wee shall see these things and shall say with the Queene of Sheba happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Revel 14.13 If wee consider these things seriously wee shal be inforced to conclude with Salomon here better is the day of death thā the day that one is borne Errata Pag. 32. line 6 for Ezek. r. Esa pag. 43. l. 15. for eate of this r. eate not of this bread but other lesse holy things pag. 68. l. 30. were essentially r. as the cause and the effect pag. 73. l. 8. r. first fruits pag. 82. l. 20. dele done upon pag. 95. l. 1. Pentecost r. Passeover pag. 101. l. 11. dele therefore p. 114. l. 25. r. they blew not at all in the fifty yeere as Masius holdeth but in the forty nine yeere pag. 156. l. 22. for neither r. and his sonnes but not his daughter pag. 168. l. 27. for thee r. his FINIS AN EXPLICATION OF THE IVDICIALL LAWES OF MOSES Plainely discovering divers of their ancient Rites and Customes As in their Governours Government Synedrion Punishments Civill Accompts Contracts Marriages Warres and Burialls Also their Oeconomicks Vizt their dwellings Feasting Clothing and Husbandrie Together with two Treatises the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life and in the life to come The other declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult Texts of Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venia danda primum aliquid experienti By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE COLENE EARLE OF SEAFORT Lord Mackenzee and Kintaill one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Privie Councell in the Kingdome of Scotland Honorable and my very good Lord GOD who is the God of order and not of confusion from whom all good things descend hath placed here below sundry sorts of people Prov. 30.25.26.27.28 the Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the Summer the Conies are but a feeble folke yet make they their houses in the Rocks the Locusts haue no King yet goe they forth all of them by bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings palaces this sort of people differ very much for some of them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which provide onely
returned were marked 150. when they went to the warres 156. their Generall 162 their marching 163. who were discharged from the warres 164. 165. how they comforted the Souldiers before they joyned battaile 167. their Colours 162. their Ensignes and Motto's ibid. what they did when they were at the shock of the battell 167. Whipping a punishment amongst the Iewes 138. the manner of their whipping 139. not whipt thrice for one fault ibid. it was not a disgrace amongst the Iewes 140. the spirituall use of it ibid Widow why called emptie and dumbe 81. of the Prophets widow ibid. Oppression of the widow a grievous sinne 83. Witnesses the chiefe part in Iudgement depended on them 75. not to proceede without witnesses 76. a faithfull witnesse what ibid. Wiues not to be multiplied 26. the Iewes restraint in multiplying wiues ibid Y Yere divided into foure seasons 89. Leap-yeare what 101. AN EXPLICATION OF THE IVDICIALL LAWES OF MOSES As they are annexed to the Morall and Ceremoniall Lawes Of the Iudiciall Lawes in generall SALOMON the Preacher Eccles 4.12 saith that a threefold Cord is not quickly broken The LORD gaue his people three sorts of Lawes as three Cords to binde them and to keepe them in obedience God gaue his Morall Iudiciall and Ceremoniall Law to his people as a threefold Cord. The first was his morall Law which was properly called his Law Deut. 6.1 Secondly he gaue them his Ceremoniall Lawes which are called his Statutes and Decrees Exod. 12.24 And thirdly his Iudgements which were the Iudiciall Lawes Mal. 4.4 Deut. 24.17 These Iudiciall Lawes were Determinations of the Morall Law The Iudiciall Law what A Determination is either Iuris divini or Humani these Determinations in Moses judiciall Lawes are divini juris Determinatio Iuris divini Iuris humani therefore they had greater force to binde the Iewes than any municipall Law hath to binde the Subjects now in respect they were given by God himselfe and these Lawes of men which draw nearest to them in equitie are most perfect although particularly they cannot be fitted to every Nation no more than a shooe of one measure can serue for every foote The second sort of Determination is Iuris humani when men determinate where there is no expresse commandement of God as concerning circumstances time places persons and such God commandeth in his law that they should pay their first fruits but he determineth not how much they should pay of their first fruits then the Priests come in with their humane determination that the most shall giue no more than one of fiftie and the least shall giue no lesse than one of sixtie Simile When the Israelites were travelling in the Wildernesse they had the Cloud to direct them by day and the pillar of fire to direct them by night yet they desired Iethro to be eyes to them Num. 10.31 What neede had they of Iethro to be eyes to them seeing they had the Cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night Iethro was a guide to them to shew them the particular places and wayes in the Wildernesse as the Cloud and the pillar were their guide to direct them to Canaan So humane Determinations and Lawes are but guides in particular circumstances A comparison betwixt Humane Lawes and Moses Iudiciall Lawes Humane Lawes they command they forbid and sometimes they permit and lastly they punish so yee shall see all these foure in Moses Iudiciall Law First his Iudiciall Lawes doe command but they command the outward man onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iguca lex and here Moses speaketh to them but as a Iudge and they differ from that fierie Law the morall Law that searcheth and peirceth into the heart Deut. 33.2 Secondly Humane Lawes doe prohibite and forbid so doe these Iudiciall Lawes and there are moe of them which are Negatiues than Affirmatiues to shew us the perverse nature of man Thirdly Why Moses Iudiciall Lawes permit many things Humane Lawes giue way and permit something for the eschewing of greater evill so doth Moses Iudiciall Law Levit. 27.10 When a man offered a Beast vnto the Lord which he had vowed he might not change a good for a bad or a bad for a good this was commanded onely for eschewing of greater evill for if it had beene lawfull to change once a good in place of a bad one then they would haue come quickly to this to haue changed a bad for a good So this Law permitted divorcement for the hardnesse of the peoples hearts and for the eschewing of greater inconvenience least hard-hearted men should haue killed their wiues Fourthly The punishments of the Iudiciall Law alterable the punishments inflicted by humane lawes are alterable so were the punishments in Moses Iudiciall Law therefore the Iewes say of them ascendunt descendunt which they vnderstand not of the greatest and highest transgressions but of the middle sort of transgressions which praecepta media their middle Precepts did forbid Example Ex. 22. If a man kept a pushing Oxe knowing that he were wont to push if he kill a man then the Law ordaineth that the man shall die or else to redeeme himselfe with a summe of money here the Law ascended or descended but if a man had wilfully killed a man that was praeceptum grave the punishment neither ascended nor descended but he was to die the death The Scripture compareth the morall Law to a prison Gal. 3.22 the Ceremoniall Law to a second Ward and these Iudiciall Lawes to a Iailor to keepe the transgressors in close prison that none of them breake out CHAPTER I. That Kingly Government is the best Government IVDG 17.6 In those dayes there was no King in Israel but every man did that which was good in his owne eyes IN government there are fiue things to be considered first potestas secondly ordo thirdly modus fourthly titulus and fiftly vsus Fiue things in Government First there must be a power to exercise government secondly order that some command and some obey some to be superiors and some to be inferiors thirdly the manner whether the governement be Monarchicall by one or Aristocraticall by moe fourthly the title whether it be by Succession or Election and last the vse how they exercise this Authoritie What things essentiall and what accidentall in Government That there should be a power and order in Government these two are essentiall in all Governments no Government can stand without these two but the manner whether it be by one or by moe and the title whether it be by Succession or Election and the vse whether they governe well or not these three are but accidentall in Government Monarchicall the best Government Of these two sorts of Government Monarchicall is the best Their reasons who hold Aristocraticall Government to be the best Levi ben Gerson vpon the 1 Sam. 8. holdeth that Aristocraticall Government is best and to be
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Iewes held that the woman was beaten and not the man because the word Tihich is in the feminine gender and they reade it she shall be beaten and not the man he committed not adultery he polluted not another mans wife nor a free-woman but a stranger and a slaue therefore he was not to be beaten but to offer a sacrifice but this word Tihieh may agree as well with Bikkoreth which is in the feminine gender and not to reade it ipsa erit vapulatio she shall be beaten but there shall be a beating that is they shall be both beaten and the man so much the rather because he lay with her who was betrothed to another and the words following seeme to imply so much they shall not be put to death this whipping shall be a sufficient punishment for them the Seventie translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Ionathan in his Paraphrase following the rest of the Hebrewes paraphraseth it thus Scrutatio erit in judicio ejus ut vapulet ipsa rea non ipse Object But the man is bound to bring a Ram for his trespasse offering if he had beene whipt why is he commanded to bring an offering Answ Because his sinne was greater than the womans therefore he was both whipt and brought his offering The punishment of the man the woman was alike for every uncleannesse in cunctis nuditatibus pares sunt vir faemina if a free man had lien with a free-woman in Israel then he was bound to marry her or else to pay her dowrie secondly if a free man lay with a bond-maide that was betrothed and not redeemed then they were both whipt but neither of them put to death he died not although the woman was betrothed because she was not a free-woman thirdly if a free man had lien with a freewoman betrothed then they were both to die fourthly if a free man had lien with a married woman then they were both to die Deut. 25. Fiftly if a married man had lien with an unmarried woman they were both to die lastly if both the persons had beene married they were both to die here in cunctis nuditatibus sunt pares vir faemina Conclusion 1 Those who are equall in sinne shall be equall in punishment Conclusion 2 The punishment did not expiate the sinne but the sacrifice Conclusion 3 The whore and the harlot are one flesh therefore but one sacrifice for both CHAPTER XXXVII De Lege Talionis Of the Law of Retaliation EXOD. 21.24 Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote THe Lawyers when they interpret this Law they say that there is talio analogica talio jdentitatis Talio Analogica Identitatis and they say that talio identitatis should be observed if the cause be alike and the persons and the manner of doing Example a private man beateth out his neighbours eye in spite and malice therefore his eye should be pulled out againe but talio similitudinis is then to be observed when the fact varieth in many circumstances as who did it to whom he did it c. then talio analogica should be observed but not identitatis example if a sonne should beat his father he should not be beaten againe but he should die the death here they obserue not medium rei but medium personae Medium Rei Personae Example the second in that Parable of Nathan to David when the rich man came and tooke the poore mans sheepe 1 Sam. 12.3 Here medium rei was not to be observed but medium personae because he was a rich man So in commutatiue Iustice we obserue medium rei but in distributiue Iustice we obserue medium personae Againe they distinguish betwixt Radamantheum jus The strict sense of the Law of Retaliation the strict sense of the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reciproca paena The strict sense of the Law is when literally they will haue eye for eye and tooth for tooth the milder sense of the Law is when they will haue some other satisfaction for the wrong done the Iewes generally follow this sense of the Law if a man did beat out his neighbours eye or his tooth they followed not this Rhadamantheum ius The milder sense of the Law of Retaliation or the strict sense of the Law that he should pay one of his owne eyes or one of his owne teeth for it but that he should satisfie the man whom he had wronged by paying so much money to him for in these cases that were not deadly they held that they might make recompence and satisfaction by money and they giue this instance out of the Law if an Oxe were wont to push with his horne and it hath beene testified to his owner and he hath not kept him in but that he hath killed a man or a woman then the Oxe shall be stoned to death and his owner shall be put to death or if there be a summe of money laid upon him then he shall giue for the ransome of his life whatsoever is laid upon him Exod. 21.30.31 Here he might redeeme his life with a ransome because he was not the direct killer if he satisfied the parties by giving a sum of money So they held that they might satisfie for such transgressions which were not capitall by paying of money And the law of the twelue Tables amongst the Romans saith The Roman Law of Retaliation Si unum perfoderit unius jactura multari si utrumque unius tantùm ut sceleris sui notam gestare possit quoniam funesta impia manus amputari ei debet pro manu ablata bessis patrimonij sui irrogatur idque in solatium vitae ejus cui oculi sunt effossi auferto If he had put out both the mans eyes they would take but one of his eyes and cut the hand from him for the other eye and then they mitigated that part of the punishment and they made him pay the fourth part of his substance to relieue the man whose eyes he had put out The Heathen say that Ceres the goddesse of Corne Simile cut off the shoulder of Pelops Ceres could not set in a shoulder of flesh and bone againe therefore the gods tooke the next best course and they ordained her to put in a shoulder of Ivorie to Pelops so he that had beaten out an eye or a tooth of a man he could not put it in againe therefore they thought it good that he should put in a shoulder of Ivorie that is with his goods to maintaine him whom he had hurt CHAPTER XXXVIII That theft amongst the Iewes was not capitall EXOD 22.1 If a man shall steale an Oxe or a Sheepe and kill it or sell it he shall restore fiue Oxen for an Oxe and foure Sheepe for a Sheepe THeft by the Law of Moses was punished by restitution paying sometimes
two for one Three sorts of Precepts amongst the Hebrewes or foure for one or at the most fiue for one not aboue The Hebrewes had three sorts of Commandements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graviae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Media 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praecepta first they had Mitzboth Hhamuroth Praecepta gravia and Mitzboth Kalloth Praecepta levia those which they call Praecepta gravia here they say the punishment is alwayes indispensable as the murtherer is alwayes to die the death Secondly they had Praecepta levia as not to kill the dam sitting upon the egges this was one of the judiciall Lawes of the lightest sort for there was no punishment in Israel for transgression of this Law so if an Oxe had killed a man his flesh was not to be eaten this was one of their judiciall Lawes but if a man had eaten the flesh of such an Oxe he was not to die for it Thirdly they say they had Praecepta media where the punishment might be enlarged or diminished but not unto death as in theft How affirmatiue and negatiue Precepts bind Affirmatiue commandements binde not so strictly as Negatiues doe this is a Negatiue yee shall not suffer a Witch to liue but this is an Affirmatiue that the theefe shall pay fourefold or fiue this Law had sundry exceptions and mitigations it might be extended or mitigated he was bound to pay fourefold but yet the Magistrate might haue mitigated this and taken but twofold from him and they might haue extended it further as Salomon extendeth it to sevenfold Proverb 6.31 Ieshallem Shibhgnathaijm he shall pay sevenfold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhat the doubling of the duall nūber among the Hebrewes signifieth the Hebrewes double the duall number ten in the duall number is twentie three is thirtie and foure is fortie but when they come to seaven here they double not The light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold then he addeth for explanation as the light of seven dayes Esa 30.26 Here Shibhgnathaijm doubleth not in the duall number as in the former numbers but onely standeth for seven he shall pay Shibhgnathaijm VVhat the number seven signifieth that is seven for one some interpret it a definite number for an indefinite or he shall pay sevenfold that is as much as two for foure but it is not the manner of the Scriptures to take the number under seven for seven or he shall pay seven-fold that is much more then he tooke and the words following seeme to approue this interpretation he shall pay all the substance of his house And sometimes this punishment was extended to death as Davids sentence was that he should die the death because he tooke the poore mans onely sheepe Some answere that it was not for his theft that David gaue out sentence of death upon him but for his oppression and violent theft as if a man had come by night and had broken into a mans house and had stollen any thing then he might haue safely killed him by the Law and he was not to die for it but if he had come after the Sunne rose and had stolen any thing and the owner of the goods had killed him then he was to die for it But out of Davids answere we may obserue this The person against whom the theft is committed aggravateth the sinne that the person against whom the sinne is committed aggravateth the sinne as for a rich man to steale a poore mans sheepe so the time aggravateth the sinne if the theefe came in the night to steale then the owner of the goods might safely kill him because of his violent theft But it may be asked what is violent theft If a man steale to satisfie his hunger that is not violent theft but if a man steale who may get his living other wayes and liue upon the sweat of other mens browes or if he steale from one that hath small means to liue on or if he haue meanes to liue upon who stealeth this is judged violent theft Tom. 1.2 Municipall Lawes bind onely in the Countrey where they are made and the Magistrate for this may put him to death Thomas observeth well that the Magistrate may adde to the judiciall Law of Moses according to the necessitie of the time and greatnesse of the offence and as the Municipall Lawes of other Countries oblige not men but in the Countrey where they are made so doth not Moses judiciall Law A Magistrate in Israel was bound when a malefactor was whipt not to giue him aboue fortie stripes this Law bindeth not the Magistrate now sed crescentibus delictis exasperantur paenae but the equitie of Moses judiciall Lawes bindeth all people this is the equitie of Moses Law that for violent theft a man should alwaies die and the Law judged that violent theft which is not for a mans necessitie to satisfie his life Quest What if a poore man had but a little to saue his life and another were in as great extremitie whether were this violent theft for him to take from the poore man in such a case Answ How Christs words are to be understood in workes of charitie No doubt it were therefore Christ sayth hee that hath two coats let him giue his neigbour one to wit in his necessitie but not he that hath one coat for then he was not bound to giue it Object It is alledged Prov. 6.30 that the theife should pay seven-fold and not be put to death but the jealous husband will kill the adulterer Answ This place proveth nothing it sheweth onely what the jealous husband doth it sheweth not what he may doe And secondly for the theife it sheweth onely what was the usuall punishment amongst the Iewes by their judiciall Lawes to take seven fold but it sheweth not what may bee done by the positiue lawes of other Countries The conclusion of this is Now under the Gospell theft is a greater sinne then under the Law A difference betwixt that which is done and that which should bee done and the necessitie is greater amongst us generally then it was amongst them And thirdly that selling of men to make restitution for things taken by theft is not in use amongst us and therefore theeues may bee put to death CHAPTER XXXIX Of their proceeding in judgement before they executed the malefactor EzEK 9.10 Goe through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the forehead of those that sigh c. Those that were to bee saved the Lord caused to marke them THose who were appointed to be saved amongst the people of God he used to set a marke upon them Exod. 12. When the Egyptians were to be destroyed the Lord commanded his people to sprinkle the bloud of the Paschall Lambe upon the lintels of their doores and from this as Epiphanius marketh Lib. 1.
cont haer 18. the Egyptians used at the Equinoxe in the Spring to take vermilion and to rubbe over all their trees and houses with it saying that at that time of the yeere the fire had almost burnt up all Egypt and therefore they use this as a signe in remembrance of their deliverance So the Lord commanded Ezekiel to set a marke upon those of Ierusalem that mourned whom he was minded to saue Ezek. 9.4 Quest But what was the reason that he set not a marke of destruction upon them that were to be destroyed as he set upon these who were to be saved Answ The reason was God did not marke those who were to be destroyed because of their great number because of the great number that was to be destroyed in respect of the handfull that was to be saved for where there was one to be saved there was a hundred to be destroyed there were but seven thousand who bowed not their knee to Baall and of the great multitude that came out of Egypt onely two entred into the land of Canaan And Revel 7.4 of all the Tribes of Israel there were but one hundred and fortie foure thousand sealed in the fore-head And in Ieremies time it was very hard to find one that executed judgement in all the streetes of Ierusalem Ier. 5.1 There were a few good men at that time as Ieremie himselfe Ebedmelech the Blackmoore Vriah the Prophet and the Rechabites But the most of the rest were naught and if Ierusalem had beene searched few had been found in it And this was a griefe to the Prophet Micah which made him to complaine that hee could not get a cluster to eate Mica 7.1 meaning that the good men were perished out of the earth The Heathen learned this of the people of God to marke those who were to be saved with the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these that were condemned with the letter θ theta The heathen marked the condemned with theta and them that were absolved in judgement with tau Ascon pad It was the custome of the ancient warriors when they returned from battaile he who kept the register of their names marked the names of those who returned safe with the letter tau and the names of those who were wanting with the letter theta the Latines learned this from the Grecians the Grecians from the Egyptians and the Egyptians from the people of God Persius Si potis es vitio nigrum praefigere theta The Iewes put not two to death in one day but for the same crime They put not two to death in one day except they were guiltie of one crime and they giue this example If a man had lien with the Priests daughter he and she were not put to death both in one day because she was guiltie of a greater sinne then he therefore she was to be burnt quicke but he was not to be put to death that day neither was he burnt quicke as she was Quest How came it to passe then that they put Christ and the two theeves to death in one day seing Christ was condemned for affecting the Kingdome and the theeves for theft Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seditiosi Mark 15.7 á 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seditio factio Christ and the two theeves were condemned for one fault because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 troublers of the peace of the Kingdome and therefore the theife said thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same condemnation Luke 23.40 Barrabas was a murtherer and so should haue dyed by the sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effractores but because he made insurrection and troubled the common peace therefore he was to be crucified And the Hebrewes call these perizim effractores and the Rabbins called them listin from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they tooke armes to trouble the peace of the Common-wealth and they used to crucifie all these who troubled the Kingdome and made insurrection CHAPTER XL. Of their Capitall punishments IOSH. 7.25 And all Israel stoned him with stones and burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones THere were sundry sorts of punishments inflicted upon malefactors by the house of judgement among the Iewes Some of them were burnt some of them were strangled some of them were stoned and some of them were beheaded and some of them were drowned He that lay with his mother or daughter in law the wife of his sonne or with a maide that was betrothed Who were stoned Deut. 22.24 Or if a woman bowed downe to a beast Levit. 20.16 so the blasphemer Levit. 24.14 and Idolater Deut. 17.5 So he who offered his seed to Molech Levit. 20.2 He that had the spirit of divination or was a wizard Levit. 20.27 He that profaned the Sabbath he that cursed his father or his mother Levit. 20.9 so the disobedient sonne was stoned to death Deut. 21.21 He that perswaded or enticed others to Idolatry Deut. 13.1 all these were stoned to death First the Priests daughter if she committed adulterie Secondly he who lay with his owne daughter Who were burne Thirdly he who lay with his sonnes wife Fourthly he who lay with his daughters daughter or with the daughter of his wiues daughter Fifthly he who lay with his mother in law or with the mother of his mother in law or hee who lay with the mother of his father in law his wife being yet aliue even all these were burnt Iosh 7 15. He that is taken with a cursed thing shall be burnt with fire and vers 25. all Israel stoned him with stones first he was stoned and then burnt Who were beheaded Those who killed were beheaded and those who fell away to Idolatry Who were strangled The fourth sort of punishment was strangling which was the lightest sort of punishment capital among the Iewes First he who did strike his father or his mother Secōdly he who stole a man in Israel Deut. 24.7 Thirdly any old man who hearkened not to the voice of the Synedrion Fourthly a false Prophet and he who lay with another mans wife Fiftly he who defiled the Priests daughter all these were strangled And the Iewes say wheresoever this punishment is set down let his bloud be upon his owne head it is to be understood of stoning but where the phrase is found let him die the death and the punishment not set downe in particular then it is to be understood of strangling But this holdeth not it is said Exod. 21.12 he that smiteth a man that he die shall surely bee put to death so it is said that the adulterer shall die the death yet he was not strangled but stoned Ezek. 16.40 Ioh. 8.45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crucifigere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arbor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This strangling the Romanes changed into crucifying which was called Zacaph crucifigere and the crosse was
called Zeceph crux and gnetz arbor and the Greekes called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lignum geminum Lastly drowning Mat. 18.6 It were better that a milstone were hanged about his necke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dimersio in pelagus submersio and that he were drowned in the midst of the Sea and the Greekes had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were put in a chest of lead and sunke in the Sea as Casaubon sheweth out of Athenaeus Quest. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excisio What sort of punishment is meant Gen. 17.14 he that is not circumcised that soule shall bee cut off from his people Answ The Hebrewes expound this sort of punishment diversly Kimchi saith he shall be punished by the Lord but he addeth that he is much mistaken who thinketh that the child not being circumcised is secluded from the life to come Moses Cotzensis thinketh that these who were not circumcised the eight day should dye without children alluding to that place Levit. 20.20 But all of them agree in this that the punishment is inflicted by the Lord. Exod. 31.14 Object Whosoever doth any worke on the Sabbath day he shall be cut off from his people and bee surely put to death by cutting off here is meant cutting off by the Magistrate why should it not then be so understood in that place Gen. 17.14 so Levit. 20.6 If any goe after wizards I will set my face against him and cut him off by cutting off here is meant to be cut off by the Magistrate why is it not so then to be understood in that place of Genesis before mentioned Maymone answereth to these places Answ distinguishing betwixt the manifest transgression and the hidden transgression of the Law if one did violate the Sabbath with a hie hand and if there were witnesses and he were admonished before not to doe so then he was cut off by the hand of the Magistrate but if he was not admonished secretly before and did transgresse then hee was cut off by the hand of the Lord. But wee must distinguish betwixt these phrases Levit. 17.10 and 21.6 Difference betwixt these two phrases I shall cut off c. and thou shalt cut off c. I shall cut off that soule and thou shalt cut off that soule Exod. 22.18 thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue but when hee sayth I will set my selfe against that soule which eateth blood and will cut him off from my people then it is meant that by his owne hand immediately hee will cut him off But what sort of cutting off by the hand of God is meant here Quest It is not meant of any bodily punishment inflicted Answ upon their bodies or upon their posteritie as the Iewes interpret it but of excommunication and secluding them from the Church So Calvin Iunius Deodati expound it CHAPTER XLII Why they gaue wine to those who were going to be executed PROV 31.6 Giue wine unto those that be of an heavie heart THey used to doe three things to them who were condemned First they gaue them wine to drinke to comfort them Amos 2.8 They drunke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God that is they dranke the most excellent wine for such wine they gaue to the condemned Secondly they used to apply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soft wooll which the Chirurgians apply to wounds to mitigate their paine because their death was a lingering death Thirdly they used to hold odoriferous canes or reedes to their nose to refresh their braines But see what miserable comforters the Iewes were to Christ Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they derided him Luk. 23.35 for in stead of wine they gaue him vinegar and gall to drinke which was a most bitter sort of drinke and the Lord saith Ier. 9.15 I will feed this people even with wormwood and giue them water of gall to drinke And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they gaue him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hysope tyed about a read and dipped in vineger and they gaue it him not to quench his thirst but to smell it in derision They gaue him wine to drinke mingled with myrrhe but he received it not Mark 15.23 Christ would not drinke this cup mingled with myrrhe for it intoxicated the braine that he might be sensible of the paine which he was to suffer for us It is a great judgement to be beaten and not to feele it Prov. 23.35 The Lord who went willingly to death did willingly drinke the cuppe of Gods wrath for us and therefore he was unwilling to drinke this cuppe which would haue made him senselesse of the paine They gaue him hyssope in stead of wooll which should haue mitigated his paine the tender mercies of the wicked are cruell Prov. 12.10 Christ suffered in all his senses in his tast they gaue him veneger mixed with gall in his feeling whereas they should haue applied soft wooll and bound up his wounds mitigated his paine they applied but hysope so in his hearing he heard their bitter mockes and scoffing And as he felt the grievous paine of the crosse in all his senses so the wicked shall suffer the paines and torments of hell in all their senses The conclusion of this is sin is sweet in the beginning but bitter in the end Adam did eate asweet fruit Conclusion but here is vineger and gall a bitter potion offered to Christ for it the lippes of a strange woman drop as an hony combe and her mouth is smoother then oyle but her end is bitter as wormwood sharpe as a two-edged sword Pro. 5.3 They giue him hysope hysope was the last purgation and sprinkling when the leper was brought into the Campe againe and David alludeth to this Psal 51. wash mee with hysope So Christs death must purge us from all our sinnes and bring us into the societie of the Saints of God that there we may dwell for ever CHAPTER XLIII Of their VVarres DEVT. 20.10 When thou commest neare to a Citie to fight against it then proclaime peace vnto it c. FIrst let us consider in their warres the time when they went to battell secondly the manner how they pitched about the Tabernacle thirdly the manner how they marched when the Camp removed fourthly the Proclamation made to them at their removing fiftly the conditions of peace offered to the enemie sixtly what they did before they joyned battell and lastly the song which they had after the victorie The time that they entred to be Souldiers First what time they entred to be Souldiers the Levites entred to their Ministery when they were thirtie yeares Num. 4.42 But the Souldiers entred when they were twentie yeares and they left off when they were fiftie none went to the warres but they who payed the halfe shekell the Levites were exempted because they served the Lord in the Tabernacle they neither payed this halfe shekell nor yet went to the warres Women likewise were exempted She that tarrieth at
women Iere. 9.17 and when these women did sing the dolefull song she that was the chiefe mourner sung over carmen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at every rest the like wee see in Psal 136. for his mercie endureth for ever so Iere. 9.18 the chiefe mourner repeated these words in the Lamentation that our eyes may run downe with teares and our eye-lids gush out with waters so Ezek. 26.7 how art thou destroyed that wast inhabited of Sea-faring men They lamented not for their wicked Kings when they died Herod fearing that he should not haue this honour done to him when he died commanded when he was about to giue up the Ghost that a number of his wisest Counsellours should be gathered together Iosephus The stratageme that Herod used that men might lament for his death and that his Guard should inviron him about and put them all to the sword that there might be a lamentatioÌ„ at his death which they were purposed to haue done unlesse that Salome the sister of Herod had prevented it and discovered to them the plot and then they kept a feast of joy in remembrance of that deliverance as they did at Hamans death Thirdly they used to wash the bodies of the dead this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so they washed the body of Dorcas and laid it in an upper chamber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclus 31.25 that is a washing of themselues for touching of the dead and the third was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptized for the dead that is counted as dead men 1 Cor. 15.29 for when they were baptized they went downe into the water and were baptized all over the body They embalmed the dead They embalmed the bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to prepare all those things which serue for the embalming of the body and this was called a burying among the Iewes they used much this embâ—lming of the bodies before they buried them but now because the doctrine of the Resurrection is so cleare this ceremony of embalming should not be used They burned sweet Odours for them When they embalmed the bodies of their Kings they burnt sweet odours for them as for Asa and for Zedekiah Iere. 34.5 Thou shalt die in peace and with the burnings of thy fathers the former Kings so shall they burne Odours for thee Although Zedekiahs eyes were pulled out of his head and carried captiue to Babylon yet he is said to die in peace because he had all these solemnities performed to him in his funerals Those of Iabesh Gilead tooke the bodies of Saul his sonnes and burnt them and buried their bones under a tree 1 Sam. 31.13 To burne their bodies here is not meant that they burnt them to ashes and then buried their bones but they burnt odours upon their bodies untill they were buried for these speeches are all one comburent te How these phrases are to be understood Comburent te comburent tibi as the Latines say comburent tibi as the Hebrewes say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greekes say et aromatizare as the Evangelists say for every one of these phrases signifie the great pompe which was used at their burials And where it is said they buried their bones it is to be understood by the figure Synecdoche their bodies 2 Sam. 1. Are we not all of his bone so Gen. 2. She is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone and this last part here is but an explanation of the first Iechonias wanted this honorable buriall and therefore is said to be buried with the buriall of an Asse Iere. 22. which was insepulta sepultura The heathen burnt the bodies to ashes before they buried them because that they thought The Heathen burned them to ashes that the fire purged the bodie but the greatest abuse of all in burning of the dead was when the King of Moab tooke the King of Ammons sonne and burnt him to Lyme and then as the Iewes say with that incrustârunt muros they plaisterd their wals By this we may understand why the Scripture bringeth in Og the King of Bashans bed saying is it not in Rabbath of Ammon unto this day Deut. 3.11 this was not his sleeping bed but his funerall bed for when they were dead they laid them upon a rich bed and burnt odours over them untill their friends carried them to the graue and then they came home and burnt the bed and things belonging unto it Now the reason why this bed of Og burnt not was because it was made of yron so say Rabbi Isaac Abrabaneel and Arrias Montanus Of the feasts at their Burials They had funerall feasts called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore Ezek. 24.17 when his wife died he was forbidden to eat of that bread eat not the bread of men Enoshim that is the bread of mourning men these feasts they called afterwards feralia silicernia and they used to set the meat upon the graues of the dead Iob. 4.17 poure out thy bread upon the buriall of the just so Eccles 30.18 as messes of meat set upon the graue The third thing to be considered in their burials is the forme of their Tombes the Kings were buried in stately Tombes together in the Citie of David and those Kings who were not buried there were thought to be basely buried if they were not buried in the buriall of David or in the buriall of the Kings in Mount Sion Their burials were hewed out of a rocke The nobler sort some of them had Caues hewed out of a rocke which had severall burials within them and Christ was buried in such a buriall Esa 53.9 He made his graue with the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excelsa eius and with the rich Bamathau in excelsis that is although he was crucified with the wicked yet he was buried in the Tombe of Ioseph not in a base buriall but an honourable buriall which was Iosephs owne buriall who was an honorable man The Prophets were also buried in stately burials The Prophets were usually buried in stately Tombes Iere. 26.23 And Iehojakim sent for Vrias the Prophet out of Egypt and caused to slay him with the sword and cast his dead bodie in the graues of the common people the Prophets were not usually buried in the burials of the common people so Mat. 23.29 Woe be to you because yee build the Tombes of the Prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous For the common people they were but laid in the ground without any Tombe Luk. 11.4 Yee are like graues which appeare not and the men that walke over them are not aware of them They had some markes of distinction to discerne the Tombes of the better sort example we haue of this in Ioshua 24.30 it
stood foaming and roaring before them but hurt them not and therfore they were glad to put the skinnes of wild beasts upon them to make the Lyons runne upon them and teare them Thou that art a wicked man and hast no part of this Image of God to defend thee no marvaile if thy dogge bite thee thy horse braine thee or thy oxe gore thee Let us studie then for to haue this Image repaired in us if we would be in league with the beasts of the field Beasts surpasse man in many duties The dogges came and licked his sores The beasts many times out-strip man in many duties The Kine of Bethshemesh went streight forward with the Arke and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left but man many times declineth either to the right hand or to the left and he keepeth not this midst The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Esay 1.3 and Ier. 8.7 Yea the storke in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. And the Lord sendeth man to the Ant to learne wisedome Prov. 6.6 Goe to the ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Balaams Asse saw the Angell sooner then Balaam himselfe and therefore is it that the Scripture calleth men beasts and sendeth them to be taught by beasts which sheweth how farre man is degenerated from his first estate and what a low forme hee is in when the beasts are set to teach him Why God gaue his children a small portion in this life It may seeme strange why the Lord distributeth things so that he giveth such plentie and abundance to the rich glutton and so little to Lazarus seeing the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 God who doth all things in wisdome doth not this without good reason The Lord dealeth with his children in this life Simile as he did with the Israelites when he brought them to Canaan Numb 13.17 When he brought them to Canaan South a barren Countrey he made them to goe Southward into the Mountaines the South was a dry and barren part Iudg. 1.15 Thou hast given me a South-land giue me also springs of water so Psal 126.4 Turne againe our captivitie O Lord as the streames in the South hee prayeth that the Lord would refresh them now in the midst of bondage as the waters refreshed the dry and barren South And Iarchi noteth that the Lord did with his people here as Merchants doe who shew the worst cloath first Simile so dealeth the Lord with his children hee sheweth them the worst first and as at the wedding in Cana of Galilie the last wine was the best so is it here the Lord sheweth his children great afflictions and troubles the South part as it were at first but afterwards he bringeth them to the Land that floweth with milke and honey Secondly he bestoweth these outward and temporarie things but sparingly upon his children that hee may draw their hearts to the consideration of better things he giveth the wicked their portion in this life Psal 17.14 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 but he reserveth the good things for his owne children that is the holy Ghost the graces of the Spirit Luk. 11.9 It is a matter of great consequence to discerne what are the gifts of Gods favour Great skill required in discerning the gifts of Gods right hand many men thinke because they haue wealth and prosperitie they are the gifts of Gods favour and they seeme to stand under the Lords right hand but they are deceived Simile When Ephraim and Manasseh were brought before Iacob Ephraim was set at Iacobs left hand and Manasseh at his right hand but Iacob crossed his hands and laid his right hand upon Ephraims head and his left upon the head of Manasseh Gen. 48. So many men who seeme to stand at the Lords right hand shall be set at his left hand and many who seeme to stand at his left hand shall be set at his right hand Lazarus seemeth to stand now at his left hand but stay till you see him die and the Angels carry him to glory and then yee shall see him stand at the Lords right hand It is a point of great wisedome to know the Lords dispensing hand David prayeth Psal 17.7 separa benignitates tuas as if he should say giue us something O Lord that we may be discerned to be thy children from the wicked for by these outward favours wee shall never be knowne to be thy children The Lord careth not to throw a portion of this world to a wicked man as if one should throw a bone to a dogge but he will know well to whom hee giveth this rich gift of eternall life Death separateth the godly from the wicked And it came to passe that the beggar dyed and the rich man also dyed Death maketh a full separation betwixt the children of God and the wicked the sheepe and the goates may feed together for a while but the shepheard separateth them the wheat and the chaffe may lie in one floore together but the fanne separateth them and the good and the bad fish may be both in one net untill they be drawne to the land and the tares and the wheat may grow in one field for a while until the time of harvest so may the godly and the wicked liue together here for a while Simile but death maketh a totall and full separation Moses said to the Israelites stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene to day yee shall see them no more for ever Exod. 14.13 the red Sea made a separation betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians for ever So death separateth the children of God from the wicked that they shall never meete againe Betwixt us and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us Gods children should haue little medling with the world that would come from thence Luk. 16.26 This should teach the children of God to haue little medling with the wicked why because one day there shall be a totall and finall separation and this is a great comfort to his children oftentimes now they are afraid of the incursions of the wicked and of their bloodie hands but then they shall never be afraid of them The gates of the new Ierusalem were not shut at all Revel 21.25 to signifie that there shall be no feare of the enemie there And he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Here consider three things first how it commeth that the Angels are ministring spirits to man secondly what
they minister to man thirdly the comfort that we haue by their ministerie First the ground of their ministery is because we are reconciled to God in Christ when man fell from God the Angels stood with a flaming sword to hold him out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 When Christ reconciled us to God he reconciled us also to the Angels Why the Angels minister to us Iacob saw in a vision a Ladder reaching from the earth to the heaven and the Angels ascending up and downe upon it Gen. 28.12 Christ is this Ladder upon which the Angels come downe to minister unto us Ioh. 1.51 Verily verily I say unto you hereafter yee shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the sonne of man Quest Whether doe the Angels minister to wicked men or not Answ For outward things they may helpe them Whether the Angels doe minister to the wicked even as the Lord makes his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good Mat. 5.45 We haue examples of this in the Scriptures when the Israelites were in the Wildernesse the Angels brought downe Manna to them therefore David saith He fed them with the bread of Angels Psal 74.25 It is called the bread of Angels because it was brought downe by their ministery there were many wicked men amongst the Israelites who did eat Manna yet the Angels by their ministery brought it downe to them another example wee haue the Angels came downe at certaine times and stirred the Poole Ioh. 5.4 and whosoever stepped in first after that the Poole was stirred was healed whether he were bad or good the Angels then may minister to wicked men in outward things but they doe not defend them from spirituall temptations as they doe the children of God in resisting Satan Secondly when they minister to man they minister to him in his life time in his death in the graue and at the resurrection First they minister to him in his life and they keepe him that he dash not his foote against a stone Secondly in his death they waite about his bed to repell Satan and when the soule is out of the bodie they carry it into Abrahams bosome and they attend the bodies of Gods children in the graue because they are the Temples of the holy Ghost and so at the resurrection they shall gather them from the foure corners of the earth and shall attend them to glorie Thirdly we haue great comfort by their ministery first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vigilantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustissimi they are Gnirim vigilantes the watchfull ones Dan. 4.13 Secondly they are Habhirim strong ones Psal 78.25 When Salomon went to bed he had threescore valiant men about it of the valiant of Israel to defend him Cant 3.7 But what comfort is it to the children of God then to haue so many watchfull and strong Angels attending them He was carried by the Angels What strange change was this that he who was now lying amongst the dogs is carried by Angels lying amongst dogs the most base and uncleane creatures therefore they are called Impuri canes obscaeni canes that he should now be carried by Angels the most excellent creatures that GOD made and not carried by one Angell but by many Angels as if they were striving every one to carry him when a great man dieth all men striue to be about the Coffin Simile one to carrie a legge and another to carry an arme so doe the Angels striue here to carrie Lazarus soule never man in this world rode in such triumph as Lazarus soule did The pompe of the Romans in their Chariots the Romans after their Victories in their triumphs they had their Chariots drawn sometimes with Elephants sometimes with nimble footed lennets sometimes with pyde horses and we reade of Amasis King of Egypt who had his Chariot drawn with foure Kings whom he had conquered but what is this to Lazarus Chariot who is carried here by the Angels of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he rode here Bemirkebbath hashecinah in curru majestatis What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour Esther 6.9 he shall not ride upon the Kings best horse but in the Kings best Chariot Into Abrahams bosome This is a speech borrowed from the custome of the Iewes for they that lay in ones bosome were most deare and familiar with him as Iohn leaned in Christs bosome therefore it is said that Christ came out of the bosome of the Father Ioh. 1.18 The fathers were partakers of the same salvation that we are partakers of The fathers partakers of the same salvation that we are of therefore Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome they shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Mat. 8.11 Our Sacraments haue the same name with the Iewes Sacraments And they eat the same spirituall manna with us 1 Cor. 10.3 And our Sacraments haue the names of their Sacramēts we are circumcised with circumcision not made with hands Colos 2.11 And Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 Those then who thinke that the fathers were but fatted up like hogges with the temporary promises of this life are foully deceived Paradise is called Abrahams bosome because the faithfull as Abrahams children are received into that same fellowship with him what is then become of this Limbus Patrum The rich man also died and was buried Many were the solemnities which were in this funerall but nothing of the Angels that carried his soule to heaven he carried nothing of all that he had with him but onely the prickles of an evill conscience now he leaveth all his pomp behinde him R. Salomon observeth that David sometimes is called David the King and David King of Israel but when the Scripture speaketh of his death he is called but David the dayes of David drew nere that he should die 1 King 2.1 so vers 10. David slept with his fathers and was buried All externall glory and worldly pompe leaveth a man in his death How to make use of Parables Arguments drawn from the lesse to the more To make use of Parables we are to consider how the spirit of God in a Parable draweth an argument from the lesse to the more as if the unjust Iudge because of the importunitie of the widow granted her request how much more will God grant the earnest petitions of his children so the man instantly seeking bread from his neighbour the end of these Parables is to teach us perseverance onely and no other thing to be gathered out of them Secondly the unjust Steward is commended for providing for himselfe here we are to follow him in the Parable for his foresight and not for his deceit so we commend the Serpent for his craft but not for his poison Nothing to be gathered besides the scope of the Parable Thirdly nothing is to be gathered in a Parable besides the scope
translated out of the Greeke The first translation of the New Testament was into the Syriacke tongue The first translation of the new Testament was the Syriack Marcke is holden to be the Author of this translation hut he was martyred in the eight yeare of Nero and the Fathers who lived in Egypt and Palestina make no mention of this Syriack translation as Origen Clemens Alexandrinus and Athanasius and therefore it seemeth to be latter and not so soone after the Apostles The Syriack translation which was heretofore in our Churches was defective The Syriack translation which was here to fore wanted many things and wanted many things which were in the originall as it wanted the last verse of the seventh Chapter of Iohn and the history of the adulterous woman Ioh. 8. So the second Epistle of Peter the second and third Epistle of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the booke of the Revelation all these were wanting in it But that Copie which is brought lately from Syria wanteth none of these as Ludovicus de Deiu testifieth in his Syriack translation which hee hath now published and the Arabicke translation which Erpeneus had by him hath all these places which the former translation wanted Wee will subjoyne here the postscripts which are found in the Syriack and Arabick translations after the Evangelists The postscript of the Evangelist St. Matthew in the Syriack is this Scriptum est in terra palestinae Hebraice The Postscript of Matthew in the Syriack and Arabick translations this Gospel was written in the Hebrew tongue in Palestina The Postscript in the Arabick is this Absolutum est Evangelium Matthaei Apostoli quod scripsit in terra Palestinae Hebraice auxilio spiritus sancti octo annis postquam dominus noster Iesus Christus carne in caelos ascendit primo anno regni Claudij Caesaris Regis Romani That is the Gospel of the Apostle Matthew which he wrote in Hebrew by the assistance of the holy Spirit in the land of Palestina was perfected eight yeares after Iesus Christ ascended to the Heavens in the first yeare of the reigne of Claudius Caesar the King of the Romans The error of this Syrack and Arabiack postscript Here observe two things first that the Syriack and Arabick say that this Gospel was written in Hebrew first whereas it was written originally in Greeke Secondly that the Arabick calleth Matthew an Apostle whereas he was an Evangelist The postscript of Marke in the Syriack and Arabiack Translationes The Postscript of the Evangelist Marke in the Syriack is this Absolutum est Evangelium Sancti Marci qui loquutus est Evangelizavit Romae That is here endeth the Gospel of S. Marke which he spake and preached at Rome The Arabick hath it thus Finitum est exemplar Marci quod scripsit in ditione romana occidentali in vrbe Romana anno duodecimo postquaÌ„ dominus noster Iesus Christus carne in Caelos ascendit quarto anno Claudij Caesaris That is here endeth the exemplar of Marke which hee wrote in the province of westerne Rome in the City of Rome it selfe twelve yeares after our Lord Iesus Christ ascended into heaven in the flesh in the fourth yeere of Claudius Caesar The errour of these two postscripts But this Postscript is not probable for Marke lived in the Church of Alexandria in Egypt therefore it is more probable that he wrote his Gospel there than at Rome The postscript of Luâ—â— In the Arabiack and Syriack Translation The Postscript of Luke in the Syriack is this Scriptum est Alexandriae magnae quindecem annis a Christi ascensione It was written in the great City of Alexandria fifty yeares after Christs ascention The Arabick is Scriptum est grace in civitate Macedonia vigesimo secundo anno post ascensionem Domini in caelum vigesimo quarto anno Claudij Caesaris This Gospell was written in Greeke in the City of Macedonia twenty two yeares after the Lords ascension into the heavens the twenty fourth yeare of Claudius Caesar Here we may see the difference betwixt these two Postscripts the Syriack saith The error of these two postscripts it was written in Alexandria in Egypt and the Arabick saith it was written in Macedonia in Greece what credite then should wee give to these Postscripts The Postscript of Iohn the Syriack is The postscript of Iohn in the Arabiack and Syriak Translation Iohannes Evangelista hoc Evangelium edidit Grace Ephesi That is the Evangelist set forth this Gospel in Greeke at Ephesus the Arabick is Iohannes filius Zebedaei vnus ex duodecem Apostolis scripsit id graece Incolis Ephesi anno post ascensionem domini in Calos tricesimo imperante Nero. Iohn the son of Zebedaeus one of the twelve Apostles wrote this in Greeke to the inhabitants of Ephesus thirty yeares after Christs ascension in the reigne of Nero. The Syriack translation is read in Syria Mesopotamea Chaldea and Egypt and it was sent first in to Europe by Ignatius Patriarch of Antioche These who translated the Bible in latter times The latter Translaters of the Bible Popish or Orthodoxe were eyther Popish or Orthodoxe Popish the Latine translation established by the councill of Trent Vatablus Arias Montanus Pagninus and Isiodorus Clarius By the reformed as by Munster Ecolampadius by Leo Iuda who dying before the worke was finished Bibliander and Conradus Pellicanus finished it and then they are called Biblia Tigurina And lastly by Iunius and Tremellius Of the Vulgar Latine translation WHen light arose to them who sate in darkenesse and in the shadow of death to the Protestants who lived before in Popery they began to search the originall Text and to looke into the fountaines the Hebrew and Greeke and they charged the adversaries to bring their proofes out of the originall Text in their disputations with them The Church of Rome decreed that the Vulgar Latin translation should be the originall The Church of Rome to obviat this made a decree in the Councill of Trent Anno. 1546. that the vulgar Latine should be holden for the originall which was as base a change as when Rehoboam changed the golden Sheilds in the Temple into Sheilds of brasse 1 King 14.27 So have they changed the originall into the Vulgar Latine translation and made it authenticke which in many places is corrupted After that they had inacted that the Vulgar Latine should be onely the touchstone to try all controversies and that they should use it in their readings and disputations then Sixtus Quintus the Pope tooke great paines about the correcting of this Vulgar Latine Pius the fourth and Pius Quintus had done something before in the correcting of this Vulgar translation but it was Sixtus Quintus that finished it Forty foure yeeres betwixt the act of the Councill and the finishing of the Latin translation Anno 1590. So that there were forty foure yeares betwixt the Act made in the Councill
and so they will have the Councill to be understood but they of old sayd plainely that in every thing this translation was Authenticke Lastly when wee demand of them whether the Church may make a new Version yet or not or mend that which is alreadie done Gretserus who taketh the defence of Bellarmine Lib. 2. cap. 10. pag. 540. against Whittaker denyeth that there can be any thing added to this translation In Prolegom bible or be made more perfect But Serrarius holdeth that this Version may be yet helped and that it is not come yet to such a perfection but that it may grow to a greater if the Church would condescend The translation of the Seventy although the Apostles themselves followed it in many things yet it was never holden to be Originall and Divine by the Church neyther were the Churches commanded to receive it under the paine of a curse Hierome marketh in his Preface upon the first of the Chronicles that the Churches of Alexandria in Egypt followed the Translation of Hesychius which was a translation set forth after the Seventies translation rather then the translation of the Seventy but froÌ„ Constantinople to Antioche they followed the translation of Lucian the Martyr but the Churches of Palestina which lay betwixt these two followed Origens Hexapla And so he saith the whole world was divided into thâ—se three then what great presumption is it in the Chuâ—ch of Rome to make the Vulgar Latine Authenticke and Originall and to injoyne it to be read in all the Churches Franciscus Ximenius Cardinal of Toledo in his Preface before the Bible set out at Complutum in Spaine saith that he set the Vulgar Latine betwixt the Hebrew and the Greeke as Christ was set betwixt two Theeves is not this a fine comparison to preferre the Vulgar Latine to the Hebrew and Greeke The Syriack translation was first translated into Latine by Guido Fabricius and afterwards by Tremellius Genebrard and Serarius taking occasion upon this translation charged Tremellius with great forgerie First that he tooke away all the Titles from the Epistles but this was no forgerie for neyther the Superscriptions nor the Subscriptions are any part of the Canonicall Scripture as may be seene before in the postscripts added to the Syriacke translation Secondly they charge him that he tooke away the Calender for the reading of the Gospel upon holy dayes but neyther the Hebrew Calender nor the Syriacke Calender are Divine Scripture and that use for which they say this Calender served for reading of the Gospel upon holy dayes was onely used in the westerne Romish Churches but not in the Easterne Churches Thirdly they say that he committed Plagium in stealing his translation from Guido Fabricius and setting it out under his owne name but what diligence he used in translation of the Syriack he who wrote his life testifieth And will any man thinke that he who was a native Iew borne and trained up in these tongues was so ignorant that he had no skill but that which he did steall from another and Gretserus addeth that first he was a Iew and then he became a Monke thirdly a Calvanist or Hugonite and lastly that hee returned to his vomite againe and dyed a Iew. But that yee may perceive what a Railer this was who spared neyther the living nor the dead I will set downe a memorable proofe of his death he who wrote Apophthegmata morientium the notable sayings which sundry uttered at the last houre of their death relateth this of him When they demanded of him what confession hee would make of his faith he sayd Vivat Christus pereat Barabbas Whereas the rest of the Iewes cryed Vivat Barabbas pereat Christus this he sayd to signifie that he renounced Iudaisme and tooke him onely to the merites of Christ Was this to dye like a Iew the Name of this worthy man should smell to us as the Wine of Lebanon Hos 14.7 Of a Paraphrase THe second way how God maketh the Scripture plaine unto us is by paraphrasing it which goeth in a larger circuit of words than a translation doth and this is called tirgam a Paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Ecphrasis is an exposition of this Paraphrase The first Paraphrase was the Paraphrase of Ionathan the sonne of Vzziel who paraphrased the great Prophets thirty yeeres before Christ both plainely and without Allegories but upon the small Prophets hee runneth out more upon Allegories The second Paraphrase was the Paraphrase of Onketos otherwise called Rabbi Aquila adding Nun and changing a into o as Aquila Onkelos as Bonarges Banuarges It was hee who translated the Old Testament into Greeke also he paraphrased the five bookes of Moyses ninety yeeres after Christ not long after the destruction of the Temple The third Paraphrase was Targum Hierosolymitanum upon the five bookes of Moyses most fabulous and most impure but because Targum Ionathan was in great request among the Iewes and not so fabulous as this Targum the Printers amongst the Iewes put these two letters Tan Iod before that Paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the Reader beleeve that it was Targum Ionathan Ionathans Paraphase for these two letters stand both for Targum Ionathan and for Targum Hierosolymitanum Lastly Rabbi Ioseph Caecus paraphrased Cetubhim or the written bookes All these Paraphrases if yee will respect the langu ge were eyther in the Babylonian or Hierosolymitan tongue three in the Babylonian and Targum Hierosolymitanum in the Hierosolymitan tongue These Paraphrases Paraphrases when they are blasphemous are to rejected where they paraphrase against Christ are to be detested Exam. 1. Gen. 4. Incaeptum est nomen domini profanari but Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it blaspemously In diâ—bus illis coeperunt Idola colere fecerunt fibi Deos erroneos quos cognominabant de nomine Sermonis domini And here he implyeth Christ who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sermo dei This paraphrase is blasphemous against the Sonne of God and therefore to be detested Example 2 Can. 4.5 Thy two breasts are like two young Roes Targum paraphraseth these two Roes to be two Messiases the one the sonne of Ioseph the other the sonne of David the one Poore and the other mighty that is a blasphemous Paraphrase and therefore to bee detested Example 2. Iob. 23.9 He paraphraseth it this wayes Michael is upon his right hand and Gabriel upon his left hand Michael is upon his right hand and he is fire and Gabriel is upon his left hand and he is water and the holy creatures are partly fire and partly water This Paraphrase is blasphemous because it maketh the Sonne of God but a Creature and matcheth Gabriel with Michael Paraphrases when they are ridiculous are to be rejected Secondly where these Paraphrases are fabulous they are to be rejected Example 1 Gen. 3.21 The Lord made coates of skin for Adam and Eve Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it this wayes