of the Council and persons in and of Authority I have been the more full in this point because Grotius in loc thinks that these Elders here mentioned though they were learned and wise men and so possibly might be Members of the Sanhedrim upon that account yet that the mention made of 'em here does not relate to any such capacity they were in but only as celebrated Teachers who were not only famous in their Generations but were had in great veneration and esteem in after-times and their judgements and dogmes were of great authority And so Beza takes 'em too only for the ancient Doctors and not for persons in authority But even Grotius himself elsewhere viz. in Acts 4. 5. gives this account of 'em Seniores idem quod Senatores consules vrbium Elders are the same with the Senate or Court of Aldermen or at least Common-council-men and ' Burgesses of Cities And the places forementioned do most evidently and undeniably evince that they were persons in authority and members of the Sankedrim as I said before or great Council of the Nation And therefore Sect. 9. 2 They were the proper Judges of Ecclesiastical affairs to whose cognisance matters of Religion did appertain Hi doctrina religionis toâ—…ius obtinebant arcem inquisitionem proinde censuramque doctrinarum sibi arrogabant Commoti igitur samâ crebrescente de Jesu emiserunt è suis quosdam sicut etiam Marc. 3. 22. qui observarent quid doceret quidque faceret in Galileà Jesus novus ille Doctor ab iosis nec missus nec probatus saith Brugensis And particularly It was the peculiar priviledge of those Doctors who were Members of the great Council to frame such Decrees Constitutions or Traditions This I gather from that passage of the Targum on Eccles. 12. 12. where it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Translation in our Polyglot Bible renders Magistri Sanhedrim scil ductores viarum as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were to be taken according to the proper signification of the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ambulavit whereas it is most usually taken in the Metaphorical sense for Consuctudo ratio mos ritus judicium and among the Rabbins and Talmudists it signisies saith Buxtorf Constitutio juris sententia decisio traditio decisa usu ac consuetudine recepta approbata secundum quod incedendum vivendum Lex Talm. in voc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accordingly it is to be rendred here Doctores synedrii qui sunt Domini consuetudinum sive constitutionum juridicarum The Doctors of the Council who are the grand Masters of Traditions And hence 3 We may easily imagine the reason why the Scribes and Pharisees here were so much conçern'd at this neglect of the Disciples viz. because their own Copy-hold was toucht and their own authority lay at stake inasmuch as they were the Successors of these Elders so that the slight that was put upon the one redounded to the disparagement of the other Non mirum Scribas violatione traditionum seniorum cito offensos fuisse quod co ipsorum authoritas elevari videretur qui jam Seniorum locum tenerent illorum successores institutorum propagatorcs saith Brugensis Hence Christ calls 'em your Traditions So then The Elders here meant were such as lived in former times who were persons of great Dignity and Authority to whose cognisance matters of Religion did appertain and to whom it belonged to belonged to form and frame these Constitutions or Traditions Where by the way you may take notice and that you may take the more and better notice of it know That it is the Observation of the prodigiously learned Dr. Stillingfleet That the word Elder or Presbyter according to the common use of it has a higher Character and is of more excellent import than the word Bishop the former noting Dignity and Authority as has been show'd the latter only matter of Duty Charge Trouble and Business His words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name importing Duty more than Honour and not a Title above Presbyter but rather used by way of diminution and qualification of the power implied in the name Presbyter Iren. p. 286. But this by the by Thus you see Who these Elders were 2 The next thing to be spoken unto is to show What the Traditions of these Elders were And here I shall consider 1 their Nature 2 Original 3 Validity or what stress they laid upon 'em Sect. 10. First What a Tradition is A Tradition in general is something delivered from one to another and it is twofold Di-vine and Humane 1 Divine which is either matters of Doctrine delivered either by God himself or some immediately inspired by him and so both the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used concerning the points of Christianity Thus the Apostle Paul received from God and delivered to the Church the Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11. 23. and of Christ's Death and Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 3. yea the wholâ—… Doctrine of the Gospel in general is a Tradition delivered or conveyed to us Rom. 6. 17. 2 Thes. 2. 15. Jude 3. Again Divine Traditions respect matters of Practice also and these are Constitutions or Ordinances appointed by God or some immediately inspired by him for the use of the Church as the word seems to be taken 1 Cor. 11. 2. Now I praise you Brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances Margin Traditions as I have delivered them to you And more plainly 2 Thes. 3. 6. 2 Humane called here Traditions of the Elders your Traditions v. 3 6. your own Traditions Mark 7. 9. the Traditions of men Mark 7. 8. Col. 2 8. and of the Fathers Gal. 1. 14. And these likewise are either Doctrinal concerning some points of Doctrine as Matth. 5. 21 c. and therefore are called expresly the Doctrine of the Pkarisees and of the Sadducees Matth. 16. 12. Concerning which Grotius observes That that which the Greek Philosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine Instruction Article or point of Faith or else they are Practical being customs and external observances invented by men and delivered from hand to hand from Father to Son and such Traditions were these here of the Elders and those Col. 2. 20 21. And these are the Traditions under Consideration Now such a Tradition is an Ordinance Institution Canon Constitution Resolution Decision or Determination of their Forefathers the Governours of the Church delivered down from one to another enjoyning the observation of such and such Rites Ceremonies or Practices The former of these sorts viz. Divine Traditions are the Rule and Ground of our Faith Worship and Obedience The latter Humane do naturally produce Superstition and Will-worship and of this sort there were multitudes upon all occasions so that the whole Talmud is little
AN EXERCITATION ON THAT Historical Relation Matth. 15. 1 9. Mark 7. 1 13. CONCERNING Eating with unwashen hands By way of APPENDIX or SUPPLEMENT To the Discourse concerning INDIFFERENCIES AND More particularly to Argument or Reason the Fourth to prove That Indifferencies enjoyn'd by Authority do not thereby become necessary or That the Command of Authority does not render indifferent things necessary LONDON Printed for Benj. Alsop at the Angel over against the Stocks-Market 1680. Matth. XV. Mark VII 1. THen came to Jesus Scribes and Pharises which were of Jerusalem saying 1. THen came together to him the Pharisees and certain of the Scribes which came from Jerusalem 2. Why do thy Disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread 2. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled that is to say with unwashen hands they sound fault 3. But he answered and said unto them Why do you also transgress the Commandment of God by your tradition 3. For the Pharisees and all the Jews except they wash their hands ost eat not holding the tradition of the Elders 4. For God commanded saying Honour thy Father and thy Mother and he that curseth Father or Mother let him dye the death 4. And when they come from the market except they wash they eat not And many other things there be which they have received to hold as the washing of cups and pots brazen vessels and of tables 5. But ye say Whosoever shall say to his Father or his Mother It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be prosited by me 5. Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him Why walk not thy Disciples according to the tradition of the Elders but eat bread with unwashen hands 6. And honour not his father or his mother he shall be free Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none effect by your tradition 6. He answered and said unto them Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honours me with their lips but their heart is far from me 7. Ye hypocrites well did Esaias prophesie of you saying 7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrins the coÌ„mandments of men 8. This people draws nigh unto me with their mouth and honours me with their lips but their heart is far from me 8. For laying aside the Commandment of God ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do 9. But in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the Commandments of men 9. And he said unto them Full well ye reject the Commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition  10. For Moses said Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. AN EXERCITATION ON Mat. 15. 1 9. Mark 7. 1 13. Sect. 1. THe imposed use of Indifferencics has been like the Canaanites to the Israelites pricks in the eyes and thorns or goads in the sides of i. e. matter of much mischief and vexation to the Church of God almost in all ages Especially in the Jewish Church when it drew towards the dregs much of this sediment appeared How far the Papal Antichristian Church is over-run with this ill humour is notorious And it 's one great evil which our English Church now labours and groans under at this day 'T is this which has been the apple of contention and bone of division the stone of stumbling and rock of offence among us ever since the beginning of the Reformation in the time of our Josiah King Edward the 6th And after many years freedom from this itch it brake out again some years since to our great disturbance and scratching of one another Now for the better fixing our judgements concerning either our Liberty or Restraint in such cases I shall euter upon a strict examination and narrow consideration of this portion of Scripture which furnishes us with one of the most pregnant and pertinent instances or Historical passages to this purpose in the whole New Testament which I shall examine from top to toe that thereby we may discover how far forth it will help us either one way or other i. e. either for Conformity or Non-conformity in such like cases Sect. 2. The whole passage contains a discourse between Christ and the Scribes and Pharisees concerning the observation of the Traditions of the Elders oâ—…casion'd by the Disciples neglect thereof for which the Scribes and Pharisees implead them to their Master and quarrel him about it In which he vindicates 'em at large and blows up the very foundation of their complaint by showing the invalidity yea impiety of these Traditions This is the general prospect of the whole In handling of which I shall first distinctly consider the several particulars and then make such Reflections upon 'em and draw such Inferences from 'em as they naturally afford and may be conducible to my present design The Particulars contain'd in the foregoing General take as follows Here are 1 the Accusers 2 The Accused 3 The Accusation 4 The Defence Sect. 3. First The Accusers Scribes and Pharisees which were of Jerusalem or which came from Jerusalcm These may be considered both in reference to their Condition Scribes and Pharisees and in reference to their Habitation or the place from whence they came Jerusalem 1 Scribes this is a Title of Function or Imployment they might be either Priests or Levites for we find Scribes of both sorts Priests as Neb. 8. 9. Ezra the Priest the Scribe So Ezra 7. 11. Levites as 2 Chron. 34. 13. Of the Levites there were Scribes c. 1 Chron. 24. 6. Shemajah the son of Nethaneel the Scribe one of the Levites But which soever they were they were as to their Office and Employment Teachers and Expounders of the Law in their Schools and Synagogues as Ezra 7. 6. a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses v. 10. He had prepared his heart to teach in Israel statutes and judgements Neh. 8. 1 9 13. Matth. 7. 29. He taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes and so elsewhere And hence They were commonly the most learned and conversant in the Law as is implied by that question Matth. 17. 10. Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come and therefore saith Gerard Doctissimi quique 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocabantur and Brugensis Scribae scientiae authoritatem sibi vendicabant Upon this account Herod consulted them about the place of Christ's Nativity Matth. 2. 4. 2 Sect. 4. Pharisees they are generally spoken of as Teachers too Matth. 16. 6 12. leaven i. e. the Doctrine of the Pharisees These were such as did separate themselves as the word signifies from other men Yet Negatively 1 Not in regard of refraining their society and converse either publick or private for they sate in the great Council with the Sadducees Acts 23. 6. and Herodians Mark 3. 6. went into other mens
else than a Collection of ' em I 'le give you a taste and but a taste of ' em It was a Tradition that on a Festival-day it was not lawful to blow the fire with a pair of bellows because that had some resemblance of a Mechanick work but they might blow it through a hollow Cane Again On a Festival-day it was not lawful to lay wood on the fire in an artificial manner so as to resemble a building But enough of these Sect. 11. Secondly What was the ground they went upon or the occasion of their first broaching these Traditions In general it was as they express it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To make a hedg to the Law that men should not break in upon it to transgress it and this was a specious colour for all their Traditions for they pretending to make Constitutions to fence the Law from violation and to raise the observance of it the higher they multiplied inventions and fancies of their own brains and set 'em up for Laws and so made the Law indeed nothing worth I shall give you an instance but in one of ' em The written Law forbad Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his Mothers milk Exod. 23. 19. Now to make sure as they pretended that this Law should not be violated they fenced it with this Tradition Thou shalt not seethe any flesh whatsoever in any milk whatsoever Thus we see how very apt men are to set their posts by God's Pillars to light up their Candles to his Sun to put their varnish upon his Gold and like Botchers to patch their inventions upon his Institutions The Jewish Rabbies under a specious pretence of Piety brought in whole loads of this kind of trash which they called Sepimenta legis but were indeed but impedimenta because God's Commands were thereby frustrated as our Saviour Christ shows here in the sequel of this discourse This is the general reason But As for the particular grounds of particular Traditions I shall have occasion to mention some afterwards Sect. 12. Thirdly What was their Validity Of what account they were among the Jews and what value they put upon 'em appears by many passages in their Authors It is a saying of the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verba Cabalae aequiparantur verbis Legis Here they set them cheek by jole as we say with the Commands of God but this is not all they set 'em even above the Law of God it self and make that to lacquey behind for this is another saying in the Talmud as Grotius quotes it Plus est in verbis Scribarum quam in verbis Legis There 's more weight in the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Law And Dr. Lightfoot quotes another to the same purpose The words of the Elders are more lovely than the words of the Law and more weighty than the words of the Prophets Hence they say of this Tradition in particular That be that eats his bread with unwashen hands sins as grievously as if he lay with a Whore So saith R. Fose in Talm. Sota c. 1. yea saith R. Akiba he deserves to dye for it and accordingly water being once brought to him both for drinking and washing and the greatest part of it being casually spilt the remainder he used for washing saying That it 's better to dye than to transgress the tradition of the Elders And this is a saying too among them Whosoever dwells in the land of Israel and eats his ordinary food after a cleanly manner and speaks in the holy language and saith over his Phylacteries morning and evening may be confident that he shall obtain happiness in the world to come But lest any should take these Traditions for matters of Counsel only or bare opinion which laid no manner of obligation upon them and because a passage of Grotius formerly quoted and animadverted upon may seem to look that way though what has been said already under this last head does abundantly prove what an high opinion they had of them in point of their obligatoriness Yet further as I show'd before that the word Elder denotes persons of a publick Character and such as were in places of power and authority and not only persons in a private capacity so I shall further prove by several Arguments that the Traditions of these Elders were not points of opinion only but matters of injunction and command Sect. 13. 1 This Tradition is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Precept of the wise men both by Maimonides in Hilchos Brachos c. 6. sect 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Washing the hands is a precept of the wise men to which we are absolutely bound to yield obedience according to what is written Deut. 17. 11. According to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee thou shalt do And also by the Talmud Washing of hands is by reason of the command of the wise men And accordingly 2 These Traditions are called Commandments of men here by Christ Mark 7. 7. and opposed to the Commandments of God v. 8. and what is called in one verse a Tradition is called in the other Commandments of men so that they seem to be convertible terms Mark 7. 7 8. In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men For laying aside the Commandment of God ye hold the tradition of men c. 3 The word transgress Why do thy Disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders implies that they held them obligatory and that these Traditions laid an obligation upon them for why else do they tax the Disciples for the transgression thereof if they did not take 'em to have the nature of a law For Transgression properly belongs to a law or something that has a binding power in it 1 John 3. 4. 4 The drift and design of our Saviour's Answer and Vindication is to show that the people were not obliged thereby and that these Traditions were of no force or validity at all which shows that they look't upon 'em as obligatory 5 These Elders who were the Authors of these Traditions were members of the Senate and Rulers as was proved afore and consequently a Tradition or Decision of their's had the nature of a law and was of a binding power being the act of the whole body as we find it was in this particular case for the whole body of the Council espoused the quarrel of this Rite for they Excommunicated R. Eliezer because he slighted this Ceremony of washing of hands and then when he was dead they commanded a great stone to be laid on his Coffin in token of their detestation of him or to note That his Coffin was to be stoned saith the Talmud in Edajoth cap. 5. 6 The Hebrew Edition of Matthew by Munster renders traditions of the Elders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by Buxtorf Pactum decretum statutum constitutio sententia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
other whether it were done or not And this too is more than can be said on the behalf of our Ceremonies for there is no such either Decency or Conveniency in the use of them But yet for all this Christ here opposes and conjemns this Tradition which brings me to the last Point to be spoken unto viz. 4. And lastly Sect. 17. The Defence Plea or Vindication that Christ makes in the behalf of his Disciples in this particular which is 1 by way of Retortion or Rccrimination Why do you also transgress the conmand of God by your tradition Matth. 15. 3. 2 By way of Reprehension or taxing them for their hypocrisie Mark 7. 6. He answered and said unto them VVell has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites c. 3 By way of Instruction to the people Matth. 15. 10. And he called the multitude and said unto them Hear and understand c. 1. By way of Retortion or Recrimination VVhy do you also transgress the Command of God by your Tradition For God commanded saying c. They accuse the Disciples for transgressing the Tradition of the Elders and Christ accuses them for transgressing the Command of God by their observing these Traditions which was certainly much more blame-worthy than the other And here I observe 1 That in those words v. 3. he undermines the very foundation upon which all this tottering building of Traditions stood For it was a prinâ—…iple among them That the Traditions of the Elders were to be observed most religiously without any exception contradiction or dispute but now Christ here proves That some of their Traditions did palpably and evidâ—…ntly contradict and enterfere with the Law of God and therefore they were not all of 'em so strictly and inviolably to be observed as they held And then 2 As to this particular instance he gives v. 4 6. I observe He does not so much reply to their particular question nor argue against this Tradition in particular which the Pharisees here stood up for but chuses rather to instance in one which did more evidently and by plain consequence overthrow one of the Commands of God so that hereby He seems to me plainly to intimate and insinuate That all fuch Traditions i. e. Ecclesiastical Canons Constitutions Insunctions and obligatory Determinations concerning unnecessary things whereby men endeavour to render that prâ—…ctice necessary which God has left free are contrary to the Law of God and consâ—…quently invalid and non obligatory Understand it of what is not necessary neither in its own Nature nor by any Circumstance according to what has been delivered in the foregoing Discourse Now that this is the drift of Christ in these words I prove thus Either He does here by this one instance argue against and condemn all Traditions in general as well as this one or he does not If he does not then his arguing is inconsequent and unconcluding as to the point in hâ—…nd For the Pharisees might reply Well! suppose you can pick out one Tradition which you say does plainly derogate from a Command of God yet what 's that to the case before us This that we implead your Disciples for is none of those but founded upon a particular law and therefore that stands firm and ought to be observed as not liable to this exception and so they are guilty for not observing it But now that Christ should argue thus loosely and incoherently is by no means to be admitted Shall He who gave to man the faculty of Reason be defective in any point of Reason himself As the Psalmist argues concerning God's Knowledge and Providence Psal. 94. 9 10. He that planted the ear shall not he hear He that formed the eye shall be not see He that teaches man knowledge shall not he know So may we say in this case True the Reason of Christ's discourses sometimes lies very deep that it 's hard for us to fathom it with our short understandings and to attain to a clear apprehension of it but however we cannot without blasphemy admit of any flaw in it or deny it to be firm valid and concluding But then if He did here argue against all such Traditions in general my Observation stands good and I have gained my Point And hence it will follow 3 That to observe such Traditions and Institutions is so far from being a Duty that it is a sin because thereby the Law of God is transgressed Sect. 18. 2. Christ's Reply is by way of Reprehension and taxing their hypocrisie Matth. 15. 7 9. â—…e hypocrites c. The people indeed had a great veneration for them and lookt upon them as great Devoto's and Religionists but Christ puts off their vizor uncovers their nakedness and lays open their hypocrisie and that by applying to them that prophecie of Isaiah This people draws nigh c. i. e. they pretend a great deal of Religion in their outward carriage and seem to be very diligent in all external duties but all is but from the teeth outward their Religion is but a meer carkass without any life or soul or spirit in it the heart is wanting Here he opens the fountain of this evil which was The placing all Religion in outward ceremonies and superstitious observances V. 9. But in vain do they worship me i. e. They shall not only not get any good by such worship but shall bring upon themselves the wrath of God and consequently a great deal of evil and mischief by their thus teaching for Doctrines i e. instead of Doctrines the commandments of men The word Doctrine is usually taken for those points either of Faith or Duty which are delivered in Preaching and here it must relate particularly to matters of worship as is evident both because that is the business in hâ—…nd which Christ is here speaking of and also by comparing these words with those of Isaiah whence they are taken viz. Isa. 29. 13. where the words run thus and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men Their fear towards me i. e. their worship of me as fear is taken 2 King 17. 32 33. And then by the commandments of men is meant those Traditions of the Elders before mentioned what he calls your traditions and your own traditions before here he calls the commandments of men i. e. All such humane inventions and institutions in God's worship which have no good ground nor warrant from the Word of God though they may pretend some Ea quae fundamentum habent in persuasione mere humanâ non divinitus tradita saith Grotius So that the sense of the whole clause is this Teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men i. e. By their thus preaching up and pressing the observation of their Traditions and humane Inventions in the worship of God instead of those things which are of divine Institution and Appointment they render their worship vain 'T is the property of Scripture alone to be prositable for Doctrine 2 Tim. 3. 16. Hence