had seen the figure and pattern of a glorious Tabernacle so now in this second forty days fast he desireth to have a sight of the glory of God On the thirtieth day of the month A◠he goeth up again with the two Tables and beginneth another forty days fast and seeth the Lord and heareth him proclaim himself by most glorious attributes and receiveth some commands from him On the tenth day of the month Tisri he cometh down with the glad tydings that all is well betwixt God and Israel with the renewed Tables in his hand and with commission to set about making the Tabernacle CHAP. XXXV XXXVI XXXVII XXXVIII XXXIX XL. World 2515 Moses 82 Redemption from Egypt 2 AND so do Israel fall about that work which by the first day of the month Abib the first month of the next year is finished and it begun to be erected when it is set up the cloud of glory filleth it and God taketh up his seat upon the Ark in figure of his dwelling amongst men in Christ. The Book of LEVITICUS OUT of the Tabernacle newly erected God giveth ordinances for it and first concerning Sacrifice to represent Christs death as the Tabernacle it self did represent his body The whole time of the story of Leviticus is but one moneth namely the first month of the second year of their deliverance and not altogether so much neither for the very first beginning of the month was taken up in the erecting of the Tabernacle of which the story is in Exod. 40. CHAP. I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII RUles given for all manner of sacrifices This is the first Oracle given from off the Mercy-seat There is the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first word of the Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written less then all his fellows and it seemeth by such a writing to hint and intimate that though this were a glorious Oracle yet was it small in comparison of what was to come when God would speak to his people by his own Son whom the Ark Mercy-seat and Oracle did represent CHAP. VIII IX THE seven days of the consecration of Aaron and his sons follow after the time of the setting up of the Tabernacle and were not coincident or concurrent with that time as the Jews very generally but very groundlesly do apprehend as Seder Olam Tanchum ex R. Joseph Baal Turim Ab Ezra R. Sol and others For 1. this command for their consecration is given out of the Tabernacle now erected as well as the rules for sacrifice were And 2. they abide the seven days in the Tabernacle Chap. 8. 33. and the very first day of the seven the congregation were gathered to the door vers 3 4. which undeniably shew that it was finished and set up when these seven days of consecration began CHAP. X. THE death of Nadab and Abihu was on the very first day that the service of the Altar began namely on that eighth day after the seven of the consecration when Aaron and his sons offered sacrifices for themselves and the people This appeareth plainly by comparing the third and fifteenth Verses of the ninth Chapter with the sixteenth Verse of this tenth Chapter and thus the service of the Sanctuary by an accident began with Death and Judgment NUMBERS IX to Ver. 15. AFter the end of the tenth Chapter of Leviticus in the proper order of story are the first fourteen Verses of the ninth Chapter of Numbers to be taken in which treat concerning the Passover For the Tabernacle being reared on the very first day of the second year of their coming out of Egypt namely on the first day of Nisan these orders and rules concerning Sacrifices and the Priests consecration were given and the eight days of Priests consecration and Sacrifices were accomplished before the fourteenth day of that month came when the Passover was to be kept by an old command given the last year in Egypt and by a second command now given in the wilderness so that this order and method is clear Now the reason why this story of this second Passover is not only not laid in its proper place in this Book of Leviticus but also out of its proper place in the Book of Numbers for the Book beginneth its story with the beginning of the second month but this story of the Passover belongeth to the first month The reason I say of this dislocation is because Moses his chief aim in that place is to shew and relate the new dispensation or command for a Passover in the second month which was a matter of very great moment For the translation of that feast a month beyond its proper time did the rather inforce the significancy of things future then of things past as rather recording the death of Christ to come then their delivery from Egypt when it hit not on that very night This story therefore of the Passover transferred to the second month upon some occasions being the matter that Moses chiefly aimed at and respected in that relation and history he hath set it in his proper place for so is that where it lies in the Book of Numbers and intending and aiming at the mention of that he hath also brought in the mention of the right Passover or that of the first month as it was necessary he should to shew the occasion of the other LEVITICUS XI XII XIII XIV XV. AFter the rules for things clean and fit for sacrifice the Lord cometh to give rules for things clean and fit to eat and clean and fit to touch for this was the tripartite distinction of clean or unclean in the Law Every thing that was unclean to touch was unclean to eat but every thing that was unclean to eat was not unclean to touch every thing that was unclean to eat was unclean to sacrifice but every thing that was unclean to sacrifice was not unclean to eat for many things might be eaten which might not be sacrificed and many things might be touched which might not be eaten And under the Law about clean and unclean there is exceeding much of the doctrine of sin and renovation touched considerable in very many particulars 1. By the Law of Moses nothing was unclean to be touched while it was alive but only man A man in Leprosie unclean to be touched Lev. 13. and a woman in her separation Lev. 12. but Dogs Swine Worms c. not unclean to be touched till they be dead Lev. 11. 31. 2. By the Law of Moses uncleanness had several degrees and Leprosie was the greatest There was uncleanness for a day as by touching a dead beast for a week as by touching a dead man for a month as a woman after Child-birth and for a year or more as Leprosie 3. Every Priest had equal priviledge and calling to judge of the Leprosie as well as the the high Priest 4. The Priests that were judges of Leprosie could not be tainted
Heads born up as it were with the points of their Wings which they held upright over their Heads covering their Faces with them Above that Sky a Throne on which sat the resemblance of a Man all fiery from his Loins upward like fire glowing and from his Loins downward like fire flaming and a brightness in the form of a Rain-bow round about him Compare Rev. IV. 2 3. And now to take up the moral or signification of this Emblem we will first begin with the consideration of the general Intention of it and then descend to the Application of particulars That it intends in general to signifie and character out unto us the Lords Glory and Presence dwelling at his Temple and among his People these Observations will make it past doubting or peradventure 1. The Temple is very commonly in Scripture stiled by the Name of Gods Throne as Jer. XVII 12. A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary Ezek. XLIII 7. The place of my Throne and the place of the soles of my Feet where I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel c. Which the Lord proclaimeth when his Glory was returned to the renewed Temple as is apparent in the verses immediately preceding And so the Prophet Esay saith I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his Train filled the Temple c. And the House was filled with smoak c. Esay VI. 1 4. Where he charactereth the Lords sitting parallel to his dwelling in the Cloud of Glory upon the Ark and from thence filling the whole House with the train of his Glory And so in the Book of the Revelation where the Lord is inthroned with such living Creatures attending him as are described here there are so plain intimations that it meaneth his Glory at his Temple that nothing can be plainer for when there is mention of a Sea of Glass before the Throne and of seven Lamps Rev. IV. vers 5 6. and of a golden Altar of Incense Chap. VIII 3. and of a voice from that Altar Chap. IX 13. c. the allusion is so clear to the Molten Sea seven Lamps of the golden Candlestick the Altar of Incense and the Oracle given from beyond it which all were before the Ark where the Lords Glory dwelt in the Cloud that the matter needeth no more proof than only to observe this And that the Throne and Glory of God throughout all that description meaneth in this sense there is evidence enough in that one clause in Chap. XVI vers 17. a voice came out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne 2. Ezekiel himself sheweth that this glory referred to the Temple because he hath shewed it pitched there flitting thence and returning thither again 1. He saith That the Glory of the God of Israel was at the Temple namely that that he had seâ—n and described in the first Chapter Chap. VIII 4. though he be there in numbring up the abominations that were committed in the Temple which were great and many yet doth he relate that this Glory was there still because the Lord had not yet withdrawn his Presence thence But 2. At the last the provocations in that place do cause it to depart and that departure he describeth in Chap. X. and there he setteth forth the very same Glory and almost in the very same terms that he doth in Chap. I. He telleth that this Glory of the Lord departed from off the Cherub that is from off the Mercy seat where it had always dwelt between the Cherubins and went out first to the threshold vers 4. then to the East-gate vers 19. then to the City and to the Mount Olivet and so departs Chap. IX 23. But 3. When he speaketh of and describeth a new Temple then he sheweth his Glory returned thither again Chap. XLIII 2 3 4. And upon these three particulars of its pitching at the Temple flitting thence and returning thither again we may take up these observations for the further clearing of this signification 1. That the Prophet maketh some distinction betwixt the Glory of the Lord dwelling upon the Cherub that is on the Mercy Seat over the Ark and the Glory of the Lord upon these Cherubins for he saith The Glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood over the threshold of the House these Cherubins then standing on the right side of the House Chap. X. 3 4. and then that the Glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the House and stood over the Cherubins vers 18. The Glory of the Lord in the representation that the Prophet describeth in the first Chapter was upon the Cherubins already for he saith The Glory of the God of Israel was there according to the vision that I saw in the plain Chap. VIII 4. and yet he mentioneth another Glory now added to it namely the Cloud of Glory that dwelt upon the Mercy seat for he saith that upon the flitting of that Glory from off the Cherub to the threshold the House was filled with the Cloud the meaning of this we shall look at afterward 2. As to the flitting of this Glory from the Temple the Prophet saith He saw it when he came to destroy the City Chap. XLIII 3. that is when he came to foretel that the City should be destroyed And he dated the time of his first seeing of this Glory in the fifth year of the Captivity of Jehoiakim Chap. I. 2. which was the fifth year of the reign of Zedekiah 2 Kings XXIV 8 17 18. in which very year Zedekiah did rebel against the King of Babel which action was the very beginning of Jerusalems ruine 3. As to the returning of this flitted Glory again to the new built Temple Chap. XLIII it is observable that the Cloud of Glory which had descended and filled the Tabernacle and had done the like at Solomons Temple did never so at the second Temple or that built after the Captivity as the Jews themselves confess and that not without good reason Yet doth the Prophet as clearly bring that Glory into his new Temple as ever it had come into them but only that this was in a vision and so it shewed visionarily the Lords dwelling in his Ordinances and presence among his People under the second Temple unto which the People returned out of Babel and in the Spiritual Temple or Church under the Gospel for Ezekiels new Temple promised a bodily Temple to the returned and promised and typified a Spiritual Temple under the Gospel even as he had done visibly in his Cloud of Glory in the Tabernacle and first Temple And secondly he addeth further that when that Glory was entred the East-gate at which it came in was shut and never opened after Chap. XLIV 2. to denote the Everlasting dwelling of the Lord in the Church of the Gospel among his People and never departing as he had done from Hierusalem Temple This then
Months 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 19. which the Rabbins interpret And one Officer which was in the Land for the Leap-year or for the thirteenth Month which befel every third year Solomon had four thousand Stables of Horses and Chariots 2 Chron. 9. 25. that is forty thousand Stalls of Horses for his Chariots 1 King 4. 2. one Horse in every Stall and ten Horses to a Chariot and in a Stable So seven hundred Chariots 2 Sam. 10. 18. is rendred seven thousand 1 Chron. 19. 18. that is seven thousand men with seven hundred Chariots ten to a Chariot Solomon is said to be wiser then Heman and Ethan and Chalcol and Darda that is in humane learning for these men lived in Egypt in the time of Israels affliction there and it seemeth were singularly skilled in all the wisdom of the Egyptians Yet Solomon went beyond them in Philosophy CHAP. II. from vers 39. to the end And CHAP. III. vers 1 2. ABout the latter end of Solomons third year or beginning of his fourth Shimei compasseth his own death by breaking the bonds and bounds of his consinement And as the Jews held Solomon after that marrieth Pharaohs daughter The time is uncertain and the determination of it not much material Solomon preferreth her before the rest of his wives for they were of Nations that were his Subjects but she the daughter of an intire King and by this match he allieth that potent King to him and secureth himself the better abroad especially from Hadad his Enemy who had married a Lady from the same Court 1 King 11. 19. CHAP. VI. all And VII from vers 13. to the end 2 CHRON. III IV. World 2993 Solomon 4 THE foundation of the Temple laid on Mount Moriah where Isaac had Solomon 5 been offered It is said That the foundation of the house of the Lord was Solomon 6 laid in Solomons fourth year in the month Zif or the second month and in the eleventh year in the month Bul which is the eighth month it was finished and Solomon 7 Solomon 8 so was he seven years in building it It was exactly seven years and six months Solomon 9 in building but the odd six months are omitted for roundness of the sum as Solomon 10 the six odd months are of Davids reigning in Hebron Compare 1 King 2. 11 with 2 Sam. 5. 5. Now the beginning of the seventh Chapter of 1 Kings relateth the Story of Solomons building his own house before it come to mention the furniture of the Temple because the Holy Ghost would mention all Solomons fabricks together or the piles of his buildings before it come to speak of the furniture of any CHAP. VIII all 2 CHRON. V. VI. VII to ver 11. World 3000 Solomon 11 THE Temple finished in the three thousand year of the world and dedicated by Solomon with Sacrifice and Prayer and by the Lord with fire from Heaven and the cloud of glory This dedication of the Temple was in the month Tisri or Ethanim the seventh month answering to part of our September at which time of the year our Saviour whom this Temple typified Joh. 2. 19. was born and 29 years after Baptized And thus have we an account of three thousand years of the world beginning with the Creation and ending with the finishing of Solomons Temple CHAP. VII From vers 1. to vers 13. World 3001 Solomon 12 SOLOMON after the building of the house of the Lord buildeth his Solomon 13 own house in Jerusalem and buildeth a summer house in Lebanon and an Solomon 14 house for Pharaohs Daughter and his own Throne so sumptuous as there was Solomon 15 not the like And thus doth he take up twenty years in this kind of work in Solomon 16 building the house of the Lord and his own houses His wisdom power Solomon 17 Solomon 18 peace and magnificence exceeding all Kings upon earth did make him not only Solomon 19 renowned among all people but also in these he became a type of Christ. Solomon 20 Thus high in all eminencies and perfections that earth could afford did the Solomon 21 Lord exalt him and yet afterward suffered him so fouly to fall that he like Solomon 22 Adam in happiness might exemplifie that no earthly felicity can be durable and Solomon 23 that here is nothing to be trusted to but all things vanity but the Kingdom Solomon 24 that is not of this world CHAP. IX From beginning to Vers. 10. 2 CHRON. VII From Vers. 11. to the end SOLOMON hath an answer to his prayer made in the Temple thirteen years ago Then the Lord made a return to it by fire and a cloud and here he doth the like again by an apparition this is the second time that the Lord appeareth to him The first was when he was even entring and beginning upon his Kingdom and this is now he is come to the height of settlement and prosperity in it CHAP. IX From Vers. 10. to the end 2 CHRON. VIII all Solomon 25 SOLOMON buildeth Cities up and down the Country conquereth Solomon 26 Hamath Zobah setleth Pharaohs Daughter in the house he had built for her Solomon 27 setteth out a Fleet at Ezion-Geber for Ophir is growing still more and Solomon 28 more potent rich and magnificent Is constant still and forward in Religion Solomon 29 and offereth a constant rate of Sacrifices every day and extraordinary ones at Solomon 30 the solemn festivities The Book of the PROVERBS AMong the Stories of Solomons renown in other things may be inserted also and conceived his uttering of his Proverbs three thousand in number as is related 1 King 4. 32. and the making of his Songs one thousand and five as is storied in the same place Now it is no doubt but the most of these are lost as also are his Books of Philosophy But these that are now extant in the Book of the Proverbs and the Song of Songs we may very properly conceive to have been penned by him in some of those times that have been mentioned The very exact time is uncertain and therefore not curiously to be enquired after but the time at large betwixt his Sons growing to capacity whom he instructeth and his own fall by the inticement of his Idolatrous Wives The Book of the Proverbs falleth under several divisions As 1. From the beginning of the first Chapter to the end of the ninth which whole piece seemeth to have been compiled by him more especially for the instruction of his Son 2. From the beginning of the tenth Chapter to the latter end of the four and twentieth wherein are lessons framed for the instruction of others 3. From the beginning of the five and twentieth Chapter to the end of the twenty ninth are Proverbs of Solomon found in some Copy of his in the time of Ezechiah as Moses his Copy of the Law was found in the days of Josiah 4. The thirtieth Chapter is a script of Agur the Son of Jakeh
by the plague the vengeance upon the fornicators with Baal Peor REVEL CHAP. IV V. NOW cometh a second vision That before was of things then being see Chap. 1. 19. but this and forward of things to come Chap. 4. 1. A door open in Heaven and the voice of a trumpet talking with John out of it The scene of Johns visions said to be in Heaven is according to the scheme of the Temple and the Divine glory there And hence you have mention of the Altar Candlesticks Sea of Glass the brazen laver made of the Womens looking Glasses the Ark of the Covenant and the like And as at the opening of the Temple doors a Trumpet sounded so is the allusion here The door in Heaven opened and a Trumpet calls John to come in and see what there And immediately he was in the Spirit ver 2. Why Was he not in the Spirit before Chap. 1. 10. and was he not in the Spirit in seeing the door in Heaven opened c. But we may observe a double degree in rapture as inspired men may be considered under a double notion viz. Those that were inspired with Prophesie or to be Prophets and to preach and those that were inspired to be Penmen of Divine Writ which was higher John hath both inspirations or revelations to both ends both in the Vision before and this then he was in the Spirit and saw the vision and was in the Spirit and inspired to pen what he saw and what to be sent to the Churches And in the first verse of this Chapter he is in the Spirit or hath a revelation and in ver 2. he is in the Spirit he is inspired so as to take impression and remembrance of these things to write them also He seeth Christ inthroned in the middle of his Church in the same Prophetick and visionary Embleme that Ezekiel had seen Ezek. 1. 10. and this is a commentary and fulfilling of that scene that Daniel speaketh of Dan. 7. 9 10 22. In Ezekiel the Lord when Jerusalem was now to be destroyed and the glory of the Lord that used to be there and the people were to flit into another Land appeareth so inthroned as sitting in Judgment and flitting away by degrees to another place as compare Ezek. 1. 10. well together So Christ here when the destruction of Jerusalem was now near at hand and his glory and presence to remove from that Nation now given up to unbelief and obduration to reside among the Gentiles he is seated upon his throne as Judge and King with glorious attendance to judge that Nation for their sins and unbelief and stating the affairs of his Church whither his glory was now removing The scheme is platformed according to the model of Israels Camp 1. The Tabernacle was in the middle there so is the throne here 2. There the four squadrons of the Camp of Levi next the Tabernacle so here the four living creatures 3. Then the whole Camp of Israel so here twenty four Elders Representatives of the whole Church built from twelve Tribes and twelve Apostles In the hand of him that sate on the Throne was a Book sealed which no creature could open This justly calls us back to Dan. 12. ver 4. Where words are shut up and a Book sealed unto the time of the end and now that that is near drawing on the Book is here opened REVEL CHAP. VI. THE opening of the six Seals in this Chapter speaks the ruine and rejection of the Jewish Nation and the desolation of their City which is now very near at hand The first Seal opened ver 2. shews Christ setting forth in Battel array and avengement against them as Psal. 45. 4 5. And this the New Testament speaketh very much and very highly of one while calling it his coming in clouds another while his coming in his Kingdom and sometime his coming in Power and great Glory and the like Because his plagueing and destroying of the Nation that crucisied him that so much opposed and wrought mischief against the Gospel was the first evidence that he gave in sight of all the world of his being Christ for till then he and his Gospel had been in humility as I may say as to the eyes of men he persecuted whilest he was on Earth and they persecuted after him and no course taken with them that so used both but now he awakes shews himself and makes himself known by the Judgement that he executeth The three next Seals opening shew the means by which he did destroy namely those three sad plagues that had been threatned so oft and so sore by the Prophets Sword Famine and Pestilence For The second Seal opened sends out one upon a red Horse to take Peace from the Earth and that men should destroy one another he carried a great Sword ver 4. The third Seals opening speaks of Famine when Corn for scarcity should be weighed like spicery in a pair of ballances ver 5 6. The fourth Seal sends out one on a pale Horse whose name was Death the Chaldee very often expresseth the Plague or Pestilence by that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is to be taken Revel 2. 22. and Hell or Hades comes after him ver 8. The opening of the fifth Seal reveals a main cause of the vengeance namely the blood of the Saints which had been shed crying and which was to be required of that generation Matth. 23. 35 36. These souls are said to cry from under the Altar either in allusion to the blood of creatures sacrificed poured at the foot of the Altar or according to the Jews tenet That all just souls departed are under the Throne of Glory Answer to their cry is given that the number of their Brethren that were to be slain was not yet fulfilled and they must rest till that should be and then avengement in their behalf should come This speaks sutable to that which we observed lately that now times were begun of bitter persecution an hour of temptation Rev. 2. 10. 3. 10. the Jews and Devil raging till the Lord should something cool that fury by the ruine of that people The opening of the sixth Seal ver 12 13. shews the destruction it self in those borrowed terms that the Scripture useth to express it by namely as if it were the destruction of the whole world as Matth. 24. 29 30. The Sun darkned the Stars falling the Heaven departing and the Earth dissolved and that conclusion ver 16. They shall say to the rocks fall on us c. doth not only warrant but even inforce us to understand and construe these things in the sense that we do for Christ applies these very words to the very same thing Luke 23. 30. And here is another and to me a very satisfactory reason why to place the shewing of these visions to John and his writing of this Book before the desolation of Jerusalem REVEL CHAP. VII IN the end of the
9. I believe that he shall overcome death This Israel saw by necessary conclusion that if Christ should fall under death he did no more than men had done before His Resurrection they saw in Aarons Rod Manna Scapegoate Sparrow c. 10. I believe to be saved by laying hold upon his merits Laying their right hand upon the head of every beast that they brought to be offered up taught them that their sins were to be imputed to another and the laying hold on the horns of the Altar being sanctuary or refuge from vengeance taught them that anothers merits were to be imputed to them yet that all offenders were not saved by the Altar Exod. 21. 12. 1 King 2. 29. the fault not being in the Altar but in the offender it is easie to see what that signified unto them Thus far each holy Israelite was a Christian in this point of doctrine by earnest study finding these points under the vail of Moses The ignorant were taught this by the learned every Sabbath day having the Scriptures read and expounded unto them From these ground works of Moses and the Prophets Commentaries thereupon concerning the Messias came the schools of the Jews to be so well versed in that point that their Scholars do mention his very name Jesus the time of his birth in Tisri the space of his preaching three years and an half the year of his death the year of Jubile and divers such particulars to be found in their Authors though they knew him not when he came amongst them SECTION XXVIII The Covenant made with Israel They not sworn by it to the ten Commandments Exod. 24. WHEN Israel cannot indure to hear the ten Commandments given it was ready to conclude that they could much less keep them Therefore God giveth Moses privately fifty seven precepts besides namely Ceremonial and Judicial to all which the people are the next morning after the giving of the ten Commandments sworn and entred into Covenant and these made them a Ceremonial and singular people About which these things are observable 1. That they entred into Covenant to a written Law Chap. 24. 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord c. Against traditions 2. That here was a book written forty days before the writing of the two Tables Against them that hold that the first letters that were seen in the world were the writing of God in those Tables And we have seen before also two pieces of writing before this of Moses viz. the eighty eighth and eighty ninth Psalms And of equal Antiquity with them or not much less was the penning of the book of Job most probably written by Eliâ—u one of the Speakers in it as may be conjectured from Chap. 32. 15 16 17. and some other probability 3. That this first Covenant was made with water and blood and figurative language For the twelve pillars that represented the people are called the people Exod. 24. 4. 8. As the words in the second Covenant this my Body are to be understood in such another sense 4. That the ten Commandments were not written in the book of that Covenant but only those 57. precepts mentioned before For 1. The Lord giveth the other precepts because the people could not receive the ten for could they have received and observed those as they ought they must never have had any parcel of a Law more as if Adam had kept the Moral Law he had never needed to have heard of the promise and so if we could but receive the same Law as we should we had never needed the Gospel Now it is most unlike that since God gave them those other commands because they could not receive the ten that he would mingle the ten and them together in the Covenant 2. It is not imaginable that God would ever cause a people to swear to the performance of a Law which they could not indure so much as to hear 3. The ten Commandments needed not to be read by Moses to the people seeing they had all heard them from the mouth of the Lord but the day before 4. Had they been written and laid up in this book what necessity had there been of their writing and laying up in the Tables of stone 5. Had Moses read the ten Commandments in the beginning of his book why should he repeat some of them again at the latter end as Exod. 23. 12. Let such ruminate upon this which hold and maintain that the Sabbath as it standeth in the fourth Commandment is only the Jewish Sabbath and consequently Ceremonial And let those good men that have stood for the day of the Lord against the other consider whether they have not lost ground in granting that the fourth Commandment instituted the Jewish Sabbath For First The Jews were not sworn to the Decalogue at all and so not the Sabbath as it standeth there but only to the fifty seven precepts written in Moses his book and to the Sabbath as it was there Exod. 23. 12. Secondly The end of the Ceremonial Sabbath of the Jews was in remembrance of their delivery out of Aegypt Deut. 5. 15. but the moral Sabbath of the two Tables is in commemoration of Gods resting from the works of Creation Exod. 20. 10 11. SECTION XXIX The punishment of Israel for the golden Galf. Exod. 32. ISRAEL cannot be so long without Moses as Moses can be without meat The fire still burneth on the top of mount Sinai out of which they had so lately received the Law and yet so suddainly do they break the greatest Commandment of that Law to extreamity of Aegyptian Jewels they make an Aegyptian Idol because thinking Moses had been lost they intended to return for Aegypt Griveous was the sin for which they must look for grievous punishment which lighted upon them in divers kinds First the Cloud of Glory their Divine conductor departeth from the Camp which was now become prophane and unclean Secondly the Tables Moses breaketh before their face as shewing them most unworthy of the Covenant Thirdly the Building of the Tabernacle the evidence that God would dwell among them is adjourned and put off for now they had made themselves unworthy Fourthly for this sin God gave them to worship all the host of Heaven Acts 7. 42. Fiftly Moses bruised the Calf to Powder and straweth it upon the waters and maketh the People drink Here spiritual fornication cometh under the same tryal that carnal did Numb 5. 24. These that were guilty of this Idolatry the water thus drunk made their belly to swell and to give a visible sign and token of their guilt then setteth Moses the Levites to slay every one whose bellies they found thus swelled which thing they did with that zeal and sincerity that they spared neither Father nor Brother of their own if they found him guilty In this slaughter there fell about three thousand these were ring-leaders and chief agents in this abomination and therefore made thus exemplary
what to ask put on the Ephod and Brest-plate which hung unseparably at it This do Davids wordsmean when he saith to Abiathar the Priest Bring hither the Ephod 1 Sam. 23. 9. And for this it was that Abiathar made sure of the Ephod when he fled from bleeding Nob 1 Sam. 23. 6. Without the stones on his breast the Priest enquired not for the stones represented Israel and when the Priest brought them before the Lord he brought as it were Israel and their matters before him To go without these was to go without his errand If Sauls conscience could have told him off no other cause why God would not answer him as it might many yet he might see this to be one reason undoubted viz. Because though he had the Ark near him yet had he neither High Priest nor Ephod and seeing his cross in this that he could not be answered his conscience might tell him what he did when he slew the Priests of the Lord. When the Priest knew what to enquire about and had put on these habiliments he went and stood before the Ark of the Lord and enquired about the matter and the Lord answered him from off the Propitiatory from between the Cherubims and so the Priest answered the People Now there was some difference in the Priests manner of inquiring according to the situation of the Ark when the Tabernacle was up the Priest went into the holy Place and stood close by the vail which parted the holy from the most holy and there inquired and God from between the Cherubims which were within the vail gave him an answer But when the Tabernacle was down or the Ark distant from the Tabernacle travelling up and down then did the Priest in his Robes stand before the Ark as it stood covered with the curtains and enquired and the answer was given him in behalf of Israel whom God saw on his breast For this reason the stones for whose sakes the perfect light of resolution was given are called the perfect light or Urim and Thummim and the answer given from the Priests mouth is called the answer by Urim and Thummim David once enquired of the Priest having the Ephod but wanting the Ark and God answered him and shewed that God was not bound to means On the contrary Saul once enquired of the Ark wanting the Ephod and God answered him not shewing him how God honoured his Priests whom Saul had dishonoured even to the Sword Thus have we seen the Breast-plates form richness and glory Form four square a span every way the richness it was set with twelve precious stones the glory that for the sake of these stones that is for their sakes whose names these stones bare God revealed secrets to his people See this breast-plate fastened to the Ephod and you see Aaron the High Priest arrayed in his glorious garments At each corner of the breast-plate was a golden ring fastned On the upper side of the piece just upon the edge was laid a little golden chain which ran like an edging lace upon the edge and was brought through the two rings which were at either corner one and the ends of the chains were made fast to bosses or loops of gold which were on the shoulder pieces of the Ephod by the Onyx stones At the lower edg of the breast-plate was an edging chain carried just in the same manner that the other was through two gold rings and the chains tyed to the embroidered girdle of the Ephod as the other were to the shoulder pieces Breast-plate and Ephod might not be parted no more than might the Staves and Ark. SECTION L. The erection of the Tabernacle IN the year of the World two thousand five hundred and fourteen which was the second year current of Israels departure out of Aegypt in the month Abib or the first month Stilo novo in the first day of the month Moses set up the Sanctuary under mount Sinai and this was the manner of his setting it up He laid the silver foundations in their ranks and in them he set up the planks and strengthened them with the five bars linking them also together at the top with a golden hasp He set up the four Pillars in the house whereon to hang the vail and the five pillars at the East end whereon to hang that vail also He set the Ark in the most holy place hanging up the vail before it In the holy place he set the Table and Shew-bread on the North side and the Candlestick on the South and the Altar of perfume just in the middle betwixt them And at the East end he hung up the vail to keep these things from vulgar eyes The Altar and Laver he set up before the entrance and incompassed them and the Tabernacle it self with a pale of hangings round about Thus was the Sanctuary erected and was lovely to them that beheld it being the glory and the strength of Israel Then did the cloud of glory flit from off the Tent of Moses and lighted upon the Sanctuary and dwelt there more gloriously than on the other And thus endeth Exodus in a cloud under which we are to look for a more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands nor of this building in which the God-head should dwell bodily FINIS THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY THE JEWISH AND THE ROMAN OF The Year of CHRIST XXXIII And of TIBERIUS XVIII Being the Year of the WORLD 3960. And of the City of ROME 785. Consuls Cn. Domitius Aenobarbus Furius Camillus Scribonianus By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. LONDON Printed by W. R. for Robert Scott Thomas Basset John Wright and Richard Chiswell MDCLXXXII A COMMENTARY UPON THE Acts of the Apostles CHRONICAL CRITICAL The Difficulties of the Text Explained And the times of the Story cast into ANNALS The First Part. From the beginning of the BOOK to the end of the Twelfth CHAPTER With a brief Survey of the Contemporary Story of the JEWS and ROMANS By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. LONDON Printed by W. R. for Robert Scott Thomas Basset John Wright and Richard Chiswell MDCLXXXII A CHRONICAL TABLE of the chief Stories Contained in this BOOK Occurrences of the year of Christ XXXIII Tiberius XVIII In the Church CHRIST riseth from the dead appearth forty days and ascendeth Pag. 734 c. Act. 1. A Presbytery of 120 Apostles and Elders 742 c. This chooseth Matthias c. 745. The gift of Tongues on the Lords day 747 c. Act. 2. Peter and the eleven preach and convert 753 c. Peter and John heal a Creeple 756. Act. 3. Preach and convert 5000 ibid c. Are imprisoned and convented before the Council 759. Act. 4. Are threatned and dismissed c. 760. Community of Goods 762. Ananias and Saphira struck dead ibid. Act. 5. Peters shadow 764. The rest of the Story of the 5 Chapter ibid. c. In the Empire Tiberius now Emperour and in the eighteenth year of his Reign 768. He
and the Thundrings and Lightnings and Voices do so clearly relate to the giving of the Word at Sinai that so to Allegorize it is without any straining at all especially considering how commonly the Word of God is compared to fire in the Scripture as Deut. XXXIII 2. Jer. V. 14. XXIII 29. XX. 9. 1 Coâ— III. 13. Thus were these living Creatures which did resemble and emblem the Lords Ministers the emblem of the People or the Congregation was two-fold in Ezekiel Wheels in the Revelation four and twenty Elders and these later help to understand the meaning of the former As the Ark and Cherubins upon it and by it are called the Charet of the Cherubins 1 Chron. XXVIII 18. the Lord there riding as it were in his Glory and Presence in the Cloud that dwelt upon it even such another composture doth Ezekiel describe here the Divine Charet of the Lord of his Glorious and Triumphant riding and sitting among his People in his Word and Ordinances and his Presence in them And it is remarkable what is spoken by Ezekiel in Chap. X. 4 18. of which mention was made before when he saith That the Glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood over the Cherubins which meaneth but this that that Glory which had dwelt upon the Ark in the most Holy place did now depart and came to dwell upon this other Charet which he had described of living Creatures and Wheels denoting this that though the visible Presence of the Lord which had appeared in the Cloud of Glory upon the Ark were now departed yet was his Presence still among his People in that manner which he emblemed in that Scheme namely his Ministers and People attending him in his Word and Ordinances and acting and moving according thereunto And in the description of this Divine Charet you may observe that the living Creatures or Ministers are charactered out as both the Body of the Charet and they also that acted the Wheels for the Lord rideth upon their Ministry as it were and his Name is thereby carried where he pleaseth and they are those whom he useth by that Ministry to draw and move the People to Obedience and Conforming to his Word and there the Lord doth ride triumphantly among a People as Psal. XLV 4. where Ministers and People in joint and sweet harmony and consent do agree and concur to carry up the Word Name and Glory of the Lord and both do act in the Power of the Word and Ordinances the Ministers ministring and the People moving or standing according to the direction and influence of that Word What the Apocalyptick meaneth by the four and twenty Elders he himself giveth some explanation of in Chap. XXI 12 14. where he speaketh of the Gates and Foundations of the New Jerusalem parallel to the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And as these Twelve and Twelve were the beginnings as we may call them the one number of the Church under the Law and the other number of the Church under the Gospel so under the sum and number of both these united together or under the notion of these four and twenty Elders he intendeth the whole Church or Congregation both of Jews and Gentiles Both Wheels and living Creatures are described full of Eyes in Ezek. I. 18. Rev. IV. 8. because of the great measure of Knowledge the Lord vouchsafed to his People and to denote the heedfulness of the Saints in their walking before him The Lord himself is described dwelling upon them and among them in Bright Glorious and Majestick representations but withal incircled with the likeness of the Bow that is in the Cloud in the day of Rain Ezek. I. 28. Rev. IV. 3. which was the Emblem of the Lords Covenant with his People as Gen. IX 13 14 15. CHAP. XXXIX The motions and stations of the Ark and Tabernacle THE Tabernacle which in its time was as a moving Temple being brought into the Land of Canaan by Joshua a a a Maym. in Beth babbech per. 1. Ral. â—ag in Josh. IV. was first pitched and set up at Gilgal the famous place of their first Incamping Josh. IV. 19. but the Ark and it were parted asunder immediately after the pitching of it For that was carried into the field and marched with them in the Wars of Canaan Josh. VI. 12. VIII 33 c. while the Tabernacle stood without it at Gilgal and there the Sanhedrin sat near unto it with a strong Camp as a Guard for defence of both Josh. IX 6 15. XX. 43. The time of the Tabernacles standing there was till the Land was conquered and Judah and the Sons of Joseph were seated Josh. XVIII 1. which was seven years though b b b Maym. ubi sup Seder Olam some of the Jews do allot it fourteen in which time as they also assert high places were lawful and it was permitted to offer Sacrifices elsewhere than at the Tabernacle because in that time they were abroad in the Wâ—… and their condition was unsetled Before the Tabernacle was first set up c c c Talm. in Zevachin per. 14. say they high places were permitted and the Service was done by the first born But after the Tabernacle was erected high places were prohibited and the Service was performed by the Priest-hood The most Holy things were eaten within the curtains and the less holy in any part of the Camp of Israel When they came to Gilgal high places were permitted again and the most Holy things were eaten within the curtains and the less holy in any place The memorable monuments that had been at Gilgal did leave it as a place of honour and renown and did prove occasion in after times of exceeding much superstition will-worship and Idolatry there for there they sacrificed Bullocks Hos. XII 11. and all their wickedness was there and there the Lord hated them Hos. IX 15. d d d Kimch in Hos. IX either because they renewed the Kingdom in Gilgal 1 Sam. XI 12. and refused the Lord to reign over them or because the Tabernacle had been first set up at Gilgal and that was a choice place thereupon the Prophets of Baal perswaded them there to worship Baal When the Land was conquered and now at peace they removed the Tabernacle from Gilgal to a Town of Ephraim for his birth-right sake and set it up there and called the place Shiloh or Peaceable because the Lord had given them rest from their Wars and from their Enemies round about Here was built a House of Stone for the Tabernacle e e e Talm Maym. ubi supr as the Jews suppose but only it was not roofed over with any thing save with the curtains with which it had been covered from its first making and this they ground from 1 Sam. I. 9. because it is called a Temple and 1 Sam. III. 15. because it is said to have
doors The time of the abode of the Tabernacle at Shiloh Ephrata or in the Tribe of Ephraim Psal. CXXXII 6. was from the seventh year of the rule of Joshua to the death of Eli three hundred forty and nine years in which time occurred all the Story of the Book of Judges and the translation of the High Priest-hood from the line of Eleazar to the line of Ithamar which is not there mentioned and the cause of which alteration is not recorded f f f Zevachin ubi supr In this time high places were prohibited and at Shiloh there was no roof but a House of Stone below and curtains above and it was a place of rest the most Holy things were eaten within the curtains and the less Holy and second Tithe without c. In these times there is mention of a Sanctuary at Shechem Josh. XXIV 1 25 26. which meaneth only the House where the Ark was lodged for that present time for all the Tribes meeting at Shechem and being to make a Covenant with the Lord they fetch the Ark of the Covenant thither that the presence and dread of the Lord might be more visible among them and the place where the Ark was set for that time was called the Sanctuary as Moses Tent was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation because the Glory of the Lord rested upon it before the Tabernacle of the Congregation it self was built Exod. XXXIII 7. From Shiloh upon that fatal blow that Israel received by the Philistins 1 Sam. IV. the Ark was captived into the Land of these uncircumcised and the Tabernacle removed into another Tribe and they so parted that they never met again till they met together at Solomons Temple The Tabernacle was removed to Nob a City of Priests 1 Sam. XXII 19. in the Tribe of Benjamin Nehem. XI 31 32. and by the Jews Chorography within the sight or prospect of Jerusalem The Chaldee Paraphrast Glosseth Esay X. 32. where there is mention of this Town thus g g g Chald. par in Esa. X. He came and stood in Nob a City of Priests before the Wall of Jerusalem He answered and said unto his Army Is not this the City of Jerusalem for which I have mustered all my Army and for which have I levied all my Province Behold it is less and weaker than any of the Cities that I have subdued He stood and nodded his Head and waved his Hand against the Mountain of the House of the Sanctuary For saith Kimchi from Nob he might see Jerusalem and when he saw it from thence he shook his Hand at it as one despising it I shall not be curious to inquire whether Nob were any of the four Cities that were allotted at the first division to the Priests out of the Tribe of Benjamin Josh. XXI 17 18. or whether it were of a later possession as Ramah was to the Levites of the Stock of Samuel 1 Sam. I. 1. or if Nob were one of those four Cities and the same with Almon for the other three are clearly distinguished from it Esa. X. 29 30. 2 Chron. I. 30. whether it were Bahurim which the Chaldee Paraphrast constantly rendreth Alemeth the same with Almon 1 Chron. VI. 60. I shall only observe this that when the Tabernacle had left the Tribe of Joseph one of the Sons of Rachel it betakes it to Benjamin another Son of the same Mother The warrant of its conveyance hither I doubt not was Divine by some prophetical direction though it be not expressed I dare aver that the removal of it from hence to Gibeon was so though that be not expressed neither and I judge of the one by the other and my reason is this because when David brings up the Ark to his own City and there settles the Priests and Levites in their attendance upon it he also settles Priests and Levites in their attendance on the Tabernacle at Gibeon 2 Chron. XVI 39 40 41 c. Now what reason can be given why David should not rather have fetched up the Tabernacle to his own City as he did the Ark than thus divide the Service of the Priests and Levites but because he knew the Tabernacle was placed in Gibeon by Divine warrant and direction and he would not alter it If the Tabernacle removed to Nob presently upon the captiving of the Ark from Shiloh it resided there about thirty seven years all which time Samuel is alive and seeth both the fall of Shiloh and the fall of Nob and it may very well be he was the director of the Tabernacle from Shiloh to Nob and from Nob to Gibeon In the time of its residence in both these places high places were permitted as the Talmud conceiveth in the place cited even now and the most holy things were eaten within the curtains and the less Holy things in any City of Israel At Gibeon another place of the Tribe of Benjamin did the Tabernacle stay from its first pitching there till Solomon brought it up to the Temple when it was built and whilest it stood here a memorable piece of Divine Justice against Saul cannot but be observed to omit all other particulars for as he had slain the Priests of the Lord and had ruined the Tabernacle at Nob so his Sons are hanged up before the Tabernacle in Gibeon 2 Sam. XXI 9. And now let us trace the Ark as we have done the Tabernacle till we bring them together The Ark being captived by the Philistins in the battel at Aphek was detained in their Land seven months rather because they knew not what to do with it than for any comfort or happiness they found in it for it was a Plague to their Gods People and Country At last it was restored and first to Bethshemesh a City of Priests Josh. XXI 16. but there it proved also the destruction of the People The Hebrew Commentators do scruple both at the cause of the slaughter and at the number slain The cause is not so very abstruse for the Text saith it was because they looked into the Ark though their various construction of the words hath bred their doubting but it is something strange that Bethshemesh a Town of no great note should lose fifty thousand and seventy inhabitants at one time beside what escaped a number of People answerable to the greatest Cities The Commentators spoken of having observed this improbability will heal the matter with as improbable a Gloss Seventy men say they which were valuable every one to fifty thousand and others retaining the scruple still do raise it higher by their Interpretation for the fifty thousand men say they were every one of them valuable to the seventy men in the Sanhedrin The Text doth plainly distinguish of the persons for it saith That he smote of the men of Bethshemesh because they looked into the Ark and he smote of the People For the return of the Ark had occasioned no doubt the concourse of the People all about
to his promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth The Heavens and the Earth of the Jewish Church and Commonwealth must be all on fire and the Mosaick Elements burnt up but we according to the promise made to us by Isaiah the Prophet when all these are consumed look for the New Creation of the Evangelical state IV. The day the time and the manner of the execution of this vengeance upon this people are called the day of the Lord the day of Christ his coming in the Clouds in his Glory in his Kingdom Nor is this without reason for from hence doth this form and mode of speaking take its rise Christ had not as yet appeared but in a state of Humility contemned blasphemed and at length murdered by the Jews His Gospel rejected laught at and trampled under foot His followers pursued with extream hatred persecution and death it self At length therefore he displays himself in his Glory his Kindom and Power and calls for those cruel enemies of his that they may be slain before him Acts II. 20. Before that great and notable day of the Lord come Let us take notice how St. Peter applies that prophesie of Joel to those very times and it will be clear enough without any commentary what that Day of the Lord is 2 Thess. II. 2. As if the day of Christ was at hand c. To this also do those passages belong Heb. X. 37. Yet a little while and he that shall come will come James V. 9. Behold the judge is at the door Revel I. 7. He cometh in the Clouds and XXII 12. Behold I come quickly With many other passages of that nature all which must be understood of Christ's coming in judgment and vengeance against that wicked Nation and in this very sense must the words now before us be taken and no otherwise I will that he tarry till I come For thy part Peter thou shalt suffer death by thy Country-men the Jews but as for him I will that he shall tarry till I come and avenge my self upon this generation and if I will so what is that to thee The story that is told of both these Apostles confirms this Exposition for it is taken for granted by all that St. Peter had his Crown of Martyrdom before Jerusalem fell and St. John survived the ruins of it VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we know that his testimony is true THE Evangelist had said before Chap. XIX 35. He knoweth that he saith true and here in this place he changeth the person saying We know that his testimony is true I. One would believe that this was an Idiotism in the Chaldee and Syriack Tongue to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know the same thing which is not unusual in other Languages also Joshua II. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know The Targumist hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you would believe to be We knew 1 Sam. XVII 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I knew Targumist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We knew So amongst the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seems to be We know we say And indeed sometimes nay most frequently they so signifie But sometimes the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I is included So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so of the rest which appears very clearly in that Expression * * * * * * Beracoth fol. 56. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell me what I am to see in my dream For that so it must be rendred I am to see the Gloss and Context directs us where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We will not therefore in this place take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know although the sense might not be very disagreeable if we did so But II. We suppose the Evangelist both here and Chap. XIX 35. referreth to an eye witness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in all judicial causes the ocular testimony prevailed If any person should testifie that he himself saw the thing done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his witness must be received For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 True when it is said of any testimony does not signifie barely that which is true but that which was to believed and entertained for a sure and irrefragrable evidence So that the meaning of these words is this This is the Disciple who testifies of these things and wrote them And we all know that such a testimony obtains in all judgments whatever for he was an eye witness and saw that which he testifies Soli Deo Gloria HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae HEBREW AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS UPON THE ACTS of the Apostles And upon some CHAPTERS of the Epistle of Saint PAUL TO THE ROMANS By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. late Master of Katharine-Hall in the University of CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIV HEBREW AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS upon the ACTS of the Apostles CHAP. I. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The former treatise have I made c. WE may reduce to this place for even thus far it may be extended what our Historian had said in the very entrance of his Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It seemed good to me also to write to thee in order where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In order seems to promise not only an orderly series of the History of the actions of our Saviour but successively even of the Apostles too For what passages we have related to us in this Book may very well be reckoned amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things which were most surely believed amongst them Indeed by the very stile in this place he shews that he had a design of writing these stories joyntly that is to say first to give us a narration of the Actions and Doctrine of Christ and then in their due place and order to commit to writing the Acts and sayings of the Apostles As to most of the things contained in this Book St. Luke was both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eye-witness yea and a part also but how far he was spectator of those acts of our Saviour which he relates in his other book none can say What he speaks in the Preface of that work is ambiguous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and leaves the Reader to enquire whether he means he had a perfect understanding of things from the first by the same way only which those had that undertook to compile the Evangelical Histories from the Mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those that were Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word Or whether he came to this understanding of things from the first he himself having been from the beginning an Eye-witness and a Minister Or lastly Whether he does not by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
cursed that Adam and all the Saints of God might not look for blessedness upon the Earth but in Christ nor for Christ nor his Kingdom upon this cursed Earth but in Heaven O Jew the Earth is cursed where canst thou find a place upon it for Messias blessed Kingdom All is but as Meshek and the Tents of Kedar to him he finds not a place here to lay his head I may say the title over Christs head was and is a stumbling block under the Jews feet where it was written Jesus of Nazareth and they looked for Messias of Bethlehem King of the Jews and they saw nothing in him but poverty and contempt In Joh. XVII 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am Where I am where is that Not here wherein is poverty contempt and dishonor as he experienced when he was here but to see my glory there where he is glorified Alas What treatment can he provide for them here Can he spread a table for their full satisfaction in this Wilderness where he found none for himself The dish he sets before them is In this world you shall have tribulation but be of good chear there is better chear provided for you in my Fathers house This is but a Wilderness you are passing through Canaan is the land provided for the flowing with milk and hony In my Fathers house there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many abiding places here you are flitting from place to place and no abiding but I have prepared a Rest for the people of God An unfit place here where there is nothing but changes and vicissitudes and where in a moment Amnons mirth and feasting may be turned into mourning and misery All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change cometh saith Job Why he met with changes enough but he means his great change when he should be changed no more than that that he looks for and trusts in An unfit place this when the house may be blown down whilst we are feasting in it as it happened to Jobs children This World then is no fit place for Christ to entertain his people in Secondly A believer in this World is not yet capable of the Entertainment that Christ has to give him therfore that is reserved for him in his Fathers house As Christ tells his Disciples I have many things to speak to you but you cannot bear them So I say in our present case Christ hath many excellent treatments to entertain them withal but here they are not fit for them while we are in this corruptible flesh we want the wedding garment Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God So corruptible bodies are not garments fit for these divine entertainments 1. The Soul in these bodies does not act to the utmost extent its nature is capable of It is like a bird that let out injoys a whole World of liberty but not before There is a kind of immensity in the Soul and this is one part of Gods image Any one Soul among us could hold as much wisdom goodness c. as God in its degree and capacity but it is straitned in these bodies that it cannot act to such an extensiveness As the River is straitned within its banks till it fall into the Ocean so the Soul here is straitned by ignorance infirmities pressures but at death it slips into the Ocean of Eternity where there is no more straitness 2. How impossible is it in these mortal bodies to see God as he is How hard through the fogs of flesh to see the things of God How impossible to behold God in his essence In the mount will the Lord be seen and not in the low vallies of mortality and corruption Oh! I cannot but with rapture consider of the strange and blessed change that blessed Souls find as soon as ever departed Here we are groping after him and much ado we have to discern a little of him here one cloud or other is interposing twixt our contemplation and that Sun But as soon as we are got out of the body we behold that incomprehensible light as he is Oh! what rapture of Soul will it be to see all clouds dispelled and to look with open full eye upon the Sun Oh! this is our God we have groped we have waited for him What the Apostle saith II Cor. III. ult But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory This is of transcendent comfort for believers it being their happiness here to behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord and to be changed into the same image What ravishment of Joy will it be to find it effected to the utmost in Eternity 3. How impossible is it to keep the heart fixed on God here While flesh hangs on it that will be making it to flag aside A SERMON PREACHED AT HERTFORD Assise April 6. 1666. I JOHN V. 16. There is a sin unto death I do not say that he should pray for it AND it is a deadly sin indeed that outvies and excludes the charity of this Apostle A man as his Writings evidence of him and as Ecclesiastical History testifies concerning him composed altogether of Charity His Epistles evidence to you how urgent he is for love one to another and Ecclesiastical History will tell you that his common salutation to all he met was Let us love one another But here he hath met with a wretch to whom he cannot find in his heart to say God speed A deadly sin and a deadly sinner to whom he cannot allow the Christian the Common the needful Charity of his own or other mens prayers O no It is a sin unto death The uttering of the first clause There is a sin unto death may not undeservedly nor impertinently move such another inquiry in the Congregation as the uttering of those words of our Saviour One of you shall betray me did move at his Table every one then to say Is it I and every one here to say is the sin mine As it was time for every one of Israel to look about him lest the thing should fall to his share when Joshua proclaimed among them There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel Josh VII 13. So when the Holy Ghost proclaimeth in the words of the Text There is a sin unto death is it not time is it not pertinent for every one that is within hearing to look about and take heed lest this dead Concubine do lie at the threshold of his door as she did in Gibeah Judg. XIX And what hath any notorious sinner to say for himself why the Law of the Text should not proceed against him and condemn his profaneness uncleanness wickedness unconscionableness under the name and title of a sin unto death seeing it seemeth a great deal more currant that
Earth with the everlastingness of God makes them as of no lastingness at all Psal. CII 26 27. They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end 2. The longest life compared with the Saints in Glory is as nothing 2 Cor. V. 1. This Tabernacle always dissolving what is it to an Eternal building in the Heaven Here we have none abiding City saith the Apostle but he saith again 1 Thess. IV. 17. that we shall be ever with the Lord. Here our life is but a vapour Jam. IV. as a Sleep Psal. XC as nothing but there we shall live as long as the Lord himself shall live 3. The longest life compared with the long lives that some have lived to wit the Patriarchs before the flood is but of very few days and but as an inch to an ell And so Jacob compares his life Gen. XLVII 9. Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been That is few and full of misery have they been Jacob was of a very fair age an hundred and thirty years old and so old a Man as it is likely Pharaoh had never seen so aged and venerable a head and therefore you find him asking him but that one question How old art thou And yet in Jacob's computation his age was but short in comparison of his Fathers that had gone before him his hundred and thirty compared with Adam's nine hundred and thirty or Methuselah's nine hundred sixty nine So that we are not to judge of long life so comparatively but simply and to measure it by the common stint of Nature that God hath set Which Moses holds out to us Psal. XC 10. The days of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years c. And so length of life is to be understood that that reacheth up to that stint and limit of nature So that though seventy or eighty years be but a short time in comparison of the Eternity of God and of Heaven and in comparison of the ages heretofore yet it is a long life because it reacheth up to the utmost on Natures allowance And it is a long time if we consider humane frailty that a poor piece of clay a Man as brittle as glass as unstable as water as fading and fleeting as a blast or shaddow a poor thing that carries death in its principle and walks in danger of death every moment should come up to seventy or eighty years and the pitcher and glass not broken It is a long time for that which is frailty it self to hold so from breaking So that though comparatively to come up to the full stint of Nature be but a short life yet simply considered it is a long time for so brittle a thing to hold out A long time for an ungodly Man to be provoking of God all along and a long time for a godly man to be from home in this sinful world and not got to Heaven But if long life be so frequent in the mouth of God as a promise of a blessing How was it that God shortned mens lives when they were at a fair length I have formerly observed to you that lives were shortned at the Flood and brought from a thousand years almost to about five hundred or not so much Shortned again at the building of Babel and cut from about five hundred to two hundred or little more And when God gives the Ten Commandments at Sinai and this promise in this Commandment he was to shorten lives again which he did within a year and an half or thereabout after he had given this promise at Sinai Now if long life were such a promise such a blessing why did he not suffer lives to stand at their first stint or at that length that those lived before the flood Let us a little consider the length of those first lives and then the shortning of them Some ascribe the length of them to natural causes as that then their bodies were more big strong and vigourous than men are now and that the Elements were then more pure and uncorrupted than they became after and that their diet was more moderate wholesome and nourishing Which if it were so though some question may be made of it yet certainly there was something more concurrent to the prolongation of their lives to that long extent than merely natural causes Their Diet indeed was changed after the flood from eating herbs and fruits of the ground to a liberty to eat flesh and to that referr the words of Lamech upon the naming of his Son Noah Gen. V. 29. And he called his Name Noah saying this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed That is he shall be a comfort to the world in that liberty to eat flesh that shall be granted to him which will be a great ease from the toil and tugging used before to get all the provision they used by toyling in the ground But were the Elements changed after the flood as well as their Diet was changed First We might ascribe the length of their lives something to the promise of life through Christ that was given to Adam And the nearer they were to the giving of the promise the more might we conceive they received bodily vigor from the promise for temporal life as well as spiritual life and vigor of soul to life eternal What was that that made Israel to multiply and to be so fruitful in Egypt even when they were overtoiled and worn out with labour St. Stephen tells you Act. VII 17. that is was the strength of the promise When the time of the promise drew nigh which God had sworn to Abraham the people grew and multiplied in Egypt This it was and not the strength of nature that made the men though over spent with hard toil and labour yet to be vigorous for generation And this was it that made the Hebrew Woman so lively and quick in time of travail and delivery incomparably beyond the Woman of Egypt as the Midwives do relate of them to Pharaoh Exod. I. 19. For that was not a lye of the Midwives as divers Expositors will tell you it was but it was a true relation of them observing the wonderful hand of God in such a strange matter But Secondly We are to consider that in that minority of the world God spared men to very long lives for propagation sake and the peopling of the world And this methinks is hinted in that constant expression Gen. V. and XI and begat Sons and Daughters It might be some Question whether the holy and prophane before the flood and after had their lives lengthned alike Seth the Son of Adam a holy Man lived nine hundred and twelve
the very first day of the month as is more probable The reason therefore why the story of the institution of it is laid after this plague is because the Holy Ghost would handle that matter of the Passover all at once and though the command for it and the observation of it fell at some days distance yet hath he brought both together and handled the story of its institution at that time when fell out the story of its observation namely on the fourteenth day CHAP. X. from Vers. 21. to the end And XI all And XII from Vers. 21. to the end THE plague of Darkness for three days In it the Egyptians saw the apparition of Devils and evil Spirits and in the time of this Darkness the Israelites are circumcised Moses on the Passover day morning giveth warning to Pharaoh of the death of the first-born on the fourteenth day in the morning he giveth charge for preparation of the Passover against even which is accordingly done and the Passover kept At midnight all the first-born of Egypt are slain and Israel even driven out by the Egyptians CHAP. XIII XIV XV. XVI XVII World 2514 Moses 81 Redemption from Egypt 1 THE command for observing the Passover renewed and a command for dedicating the first-born given The cloud of glory is their conductor their march was measured by these times On the fifteenth day of Nisan even while it was yet night they began their march and go out in the sight of all Egypt while they are burying their dead this day they go from Rameses to Succoth The sixteenth day they come to the edge of the wilderness of Etham the Red-sea pointeth so into this wilderness that before they pass through the Red-sea they are in the wilderness of Etham and when they are passed through they are in it again The wilderness of Etham and Shur are one and the same see Numb 33. 7 8. and compare Exod. 15. 22. On the seventeenth day they come to Hiroth On the eighteenth day it is told Pharaoh that the people fled for till their third days march they went right for Horeb according as they had desired to go three days journey to sacrifice but when they turned out of that way toward the Red-sea then Pharaoh hath intelligence that they intended to go some whither else then whither they asked to go thereupon he and Egypt prepair to pursue them for their Jewels and their Servants On the nineteenth day they pursue On the twentieth day towards even they overtake them and Israel entereth the Sea and by break of day are all marched through and the Egyptians drowned On the one and twentieth day of the moneth in the morning betime they came out of the Sea this was the last holy day of the Passover week they sung for their delivery and after three days march they come to Marah and from thence to Elim and there they pitch divers days On the fifteenth day of the month Ijar they come to the wilderness of Zin murmur for bread as they had done at Marah for water and they have Quails sent them and Manna The Sabbath now first mentioned but not now first commanded in Egypt they had neglected the Sabbath since their coming thence they had marched on it now a rule is given for its constant observation The people murmur a fourth time and it is for water which they obtain out of the rock but are scourged by Amalek for their repining Amalek conquered by Moses his prayer CHAP. XIX THE eighteenth Chapter that containeth the story of Jethro is anticipated and is to be taken in at the tenth of Numbers betwixt the tenth and eleventh Verses and the reason of this dislocation and proof of the order shall be shewed there On the first day of Sivan Israel cometh to Sinai On the second day Moses called by the Lord goeth up into the Mount talketh with God and when he cometh down relateth the words of the Lord unto the people On the third day he goeth up and relateth the peoples answer unto God On the fourth and fifth day he sanctifieth the people and boundeth the mountain CHAP. XX. XXI XXII XXIII XXIV World 2514 Moses 81 Redemption from Egypt 1 ON the sixth day of the moneth Sivan in the morning the Ten Commandments are given by Christ with such terror that the people are not able to abide it but desire Moses to be a Mediator he drawing near to God in the thick darkness receiveth seven and fifty Precepts Ceremonial and Judicial which when he cometh down from the Mount he telleth the people of and writeth in a book On the next day which was the seventh day of the month Sivan in the morning he buildeth an altar to represent Christ and setteth up twelve pillars to represent the twelve Tribes and with blood besprinkled upon both he bringeth the people into covenant with God after the making of which covenant the elders of Israel that before might not come near the Lord now see him and eat and drink before him and he layeth not his avenging hand on them And from among them he calleth Moses up into the Mount to himself and he goeth up and from hence he beginneth his forty days fast which upon occasions he doubleth yea trebleth and concludeth his third or last fast on that day which was from thence forward ordained the day of expiation CHAP. XXV XXVI XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX XXXI WHile Moses is in the Mount with God he sheweth him a Tabernacle pitched with all the utensils of it and a Priest arrayed in all his habiliments and giveth him charge and instructions to make another according to that pattern and appointeth Bezaleel and Aholiah for chief work-men CHAP. XXXII XXXIII XXXIV MOses on the seventeenth day of the month Tammuz cometh down from the Mount and findeth a golden Calf breaketh it and breaketh the two Tables for whereas God had given him the two Tables written at the end of his first forty days fast Moses brake those Tables at the sight of the golden Calf to shew that Israel had made themselves unworthy of so great a Jewel and whereas the Lord had given him a pattern and a command for the making and setting up of a Tabernacle and the service of it that benefit is also forfeited by their calvish Idolatry and neither Tables restored nor Tabernacle to be made till Moses by long and earnest prayer had made Israels peace Moses having destroyed the golden calf and slain the Idolaters returns the next day to God by prayer but is returned back the same day with a sad message whereupon Israel is humbled the tent of Moses which hitherto had been in stead of a Tabernacle is removed out of the unclean camp and then the cloud of glory which had been taken away because of Idolatry is restored The next day Moses goeth up to the Mount again and falleth into a second forty days fast and as in his first forty days fast he
in its proper place and order cometh in the story of Jethro contained in the eighteenth of Exodus as may be evidenced by these observations First That that story lieth not in its proper place in the Book of Exodus may be concluded upon these two or three reasons first because there it is said Jethro took burnt-offerings and sacrifices for God ver 12. Now as the story lieth there the Law for burnt-offerings and sacrifices was not yet given 2. It is said that Moses sate to judge the people and made them know the Statutes of God and his Laws vers 13 16. Now as the story lieth there the Statutes and Laws are not as yet given to Moses and he himself knoweth them not 3. The chusing of Judges and Elders which was upon Jethro's counsel was not till their departing from Sinai Deut. 1. 7 8. And now as the story of Jethro lieth in the book of Exodus they are not as yet come to Sinai therefore that that story is misplaced as it lieth there there is evidence sufficient There remaineth only to see why it is laid there out of its proper place and where is the proper place to lay it the former may be resolved upon by looking back upon the curse that God denounceth upon Amalek in the 17 Chapter I will put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven And the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation ver 14 16. Now that the Holy Ghost might shew that Jethro who dwelt among the Amalekites 1 Sam. 15. 16. did not fall under this curse he bringeth in the story of his coming into Israel in the very next place after that curse is related not thereby to conclude strictly that his coming was at that very time assoon as the curse was denounced but to shew that he once came and so avoideth and escapeth that curse Now that the proper place of that story is this that we have mentioned may be evidenced by these particulars First that Moses himself telleth Deut. 1. 7. that their choice of Judges which was by Jethro's counsel instantly upon his coming was so near their departure from Sinai which is metioned Num. 10. ver 11. that the warning of their departure was given him before 2. That the murmuring of Aaron and Miriam against Zipporah Moses wife which in all probability was upon her first coming among them and their converse with her or instantly after is set after their departure from Sinai 3. That the departure of Hobab or Jethro from them at Sinai is joyned so near to the place where we suppose this story of his coming is to be laid as that but a few Verses come between and compair that story with the latter end of Exodus 18. and it will help to confirm this place to be the proper place of its order CHAP. X. from Vers. 11. to the end World 2515 Moses 82 Redemption from Egypt 2 THE Cloud is taken up on the twentieth day of the second month and the Camp removeth from Sinai to the wilderness of Paran three days journy In the 35 Verse of this Chapter the letter Nun is written the wrong way in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Ark set forward and so is it also in the first Verse of the next Chapter in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they became as murtherers In the former is hinted as the Jews observe Gods gracious turning back towards the people in the latter the peoples ungracious turning away from God CHAP. XI AT their first incamping after Jethro's departure Moses findeth an occasion to chuse Judges and Elders to help to bear the burden with him and therefore the 24 25 26. Verses of Exodus 18. are to be reputed coincident with this time The Sanhedrin chosen by Moses and indued with the Spirit by God six of a Tribe made up the number and two over and these two were Eldad and Mâ—dad who were written for Elders but the lot cast them out that there might be but seventy yet did the Lord honour them with the Spirit of Prophecy CHAP. XII ZIpporah Moses wife called a Cushite for Arabia was the land of Cush for her sake Aaron and Miriam begin to rebel against Moses authority for which Miriam is struck with Leprosie but Aaron is not because he was the Judge of Leprosie and could not be tainted with it Their sin causeth the Cloud of glory to depart as the sin of the golden Calf had done before there Aaron had a hand in the sin also Moses vindicated by God himself It is said They removed from Hazeroth and pitched in the wilderness of Paran ver 16. that is they marched and pitched in that wilderness see Chap. 10. 12. CHAP. XIII THEY are now come not very far from the South-point of the land of Canaan compare Ver. 26. and Deut. 1. 2 19. and Moses at the desire of the people Deut. 1. 22. sendeth twelve men to spy the land Sethur the man for the Tribe of Asher ver 13. his name is in number 666. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 666. and in signification hidden or mystical it is toward the end of the year Stilo veteri when they search the land for grapes and figs are then ripe vers 20. CHAP. XIV THE decree and oath in Gods anger that they should not enter into his rest cometh forth and beginneth to seize upon some of them for the ten men that caused the people to murmur died by the plague as they were forty days in searching the land so the people must wander forty years ere they came to enjoy it that is eight and thirty years and an half to make up the year and half that had passed since their coming out of Egypt to be forty and in that time must all the men that were numbred at Sinai the Levites excepted be consumed in the wilderness and here is mans age cut short again as it had been at the Flood and building of Babel PSAL. XC UPON this sad decree of God against the people and upon his cutting short mans age Moses maketh the nintieth Psalm whose proper order is coincident with this story and there sadly sheweth how they were consumed by Gods anger for their impieties that now mans age is come to seventy or eighty years from those hundreds that men lived before c. CHAP. XV. XVI XVII XVIII XIX World 2516 Moses 83 Redemption from Egypt 3 THE place where the people murmured upon the return of the spies was Kadesh Barnea Numb 13. 26. 32. 8. Deut. 1. 19. This place was called Rithmah before Numb 33. 18. compared with Numb 12. 16. 13. 26. and it may be it was so called from the Juniper-trees that grew there as 1 Kings 19. 4. but now named Kadesh because the Lord was there sanctified upon the people as Chap. 20. 13. and Barnea or the wandering son because here was the decree made of their long
wandering in the wilderness Here at Kadesh they continued a good space before they removed for so Moses saith Ye abode in Kadesh many days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the days that ye had made abode namely at Sinai as ver 6. and so they spent one whole year there for so they had done at Sinai and whereas God bids them upon their murmuring to turn back to the Red-sea Deut. 1. 40. his meaning was that at their next march whensoever it was they should not go forward towards Canaan but clean back again towards the Red-sea from whence they came Moses 84 Redemption from Egypt 4 And so they do and so they wander by many stations and marches Moses 85 Redemption from Egypt 5 from Kadesh Barnea now till they come to Kadesh Barnea again some seven Moses 86 Redemption from Egypt 6 or eight and thirty years hence Their marches mentioned in Numb 33. Moses 87 Redemption from Egypt 7 were these from Kadesh or Rithmah to Rimmon Parez to Libnah to Moses 88 Redemption from Egypt 8 Rissah to Kehelathah to Mount Shapher to Haradah to Makheloth to Moses 89 Redemption from Egypt 9 Tahath to Tarah to Mâ—â—hcah to Hashmonah to Moseroth to Horhagidgad Moses 90 Redemption from Egypt 10 to Jotbathah to Ebronah to Ezion Gaber to Kadesh again in the Moses 91 Redemption from Egypt 11 fortieth year And thus whereas it was but eleven days journey from Horeb Moses 92 Redemption from Egypt 12 by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea Deut. 1. 2. they have now Moses 93 Redemption from Egypt 13 made it above three times eleven years journy The occurrences of all Moses 94 Redemption from Egypt 14 this time were but few and those undated either to time or place some Moses 95 Redemption from Egypt 15 Laws are given Chap. 15. Korah Dathan and Abiram rebel Chap. 16. Moses 96 Redemption from Egypt 16 Korah for the Priest-hood from Aaron as being one of the Tribe of Levi Moses 97 Redemption from Egypt 17 and Dathan and Abiram for the principality from Moses as being of Moses 98 Redemption from Egypt 18 Reuben the first-born An earth-quake devoureth them and all theirs Moses 99 Redemption from Egypt 19 and a fire devoured the 250 men that conspired with them only Korahs Moses 100 Redemption from Egypt 20 sons escape Chap. 26. 11. and of them came Samuel and divers famous Moses 101 Redemption from Egypt 21 Moses 102 Redemption from Egypt 22 singers in the Temple 1 Chron. 6. 22. c. Aarons Priest-hood that was Moses 103 Redemption from Egypt 23 so opposed is confirmed by the budding of his withered rod and upon Moses 104 Redemption from Egypt 24 Moses 105 Redemption from Egypt 25 this approval divers services for the Priests are appointed Chap. 17. 18. Moses 106 Redemption from Egypt 26 19. and so we have no more occurrences mentioned till the first day of Moses 107 Redemption from Egypt 27 Moses 108 Redemption from Egypt 28 their fortieth year They went under four or five continual miracles Moses 109 Redemption from Egypt 29 as the appearing of the Cloud of glory the raining of Manna the following Moses 110 Redemption from Egypt 30 Moses 111 Redemption from Egypt 31 of the Rock or the waters of Horeb the continual newness of Moses 112 Redemption from Egypt 32 their cloaths and the untiredness of their feet yet did they forget and Moses 113 Redemption from Egypt 33 were continually repining against him that did all these wonders for them Moses 114 Redemption from Egypt 34 Moses 115 Redemption from Egypt 35 They repined when they came out of Egypt that they must come out of Moses 116 Redemption from Egypt 36 Egypt Exod. 14. 12. They repined when they came near Canaan that Moses 117 Redemption from Egypt 37 Moses 118 Redemption from Egypt 38 they must go into Canaan Numb 14. and so they repined all the way between Moses 119 Redemption from Egypt 39 Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee c. Deut. 32. 6. CHAP. XX. World 2553 Moses 120 Redemption from Egypt 40 ISRAEL is now come to Kadesh Barnea again an unhappy place for there they had been eight and thirty years ago and received the doom of not entring into the land and the same doom falleth upon Moses and Aaron there now It is said They came into the desert of Zin to Kadesh in the first moneth but nameth not the year for it referreth to the decree made in that very place of forty years wandering and this is the first month of the fortieth year and so Numb 33. 8. and Deut. 2. 7 14. make it undoubted Miriam dieth at Kadesh and is buried there being a great deal above 120 years old The people murmur here now for water as they had done here before about the land and the Holy Ghost by a most strange word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most sweetly sheweth their confusedness They had lain here a whole twelve-month at their being here before but then no want of water for the rock or the waters of Horeb had followed them hither but how World 2553 Moses 120 Redemption from Egypt 40 that was now departed is not expressed Moses and Aaron are excluded Canaan for not believing the Lord and not sanctifying him before the people their particular fault is diversly guessed at it seemeth to me that it was this What say they ye rebels must we bring water out of this rock as we did out of Horeb Is all our hopes and expectation of getting out of the wilderness come to this We never fetched you water out of a rock but once and that was because ye were to stay a long time in the wilderness and that was to serve you all the while as we have seen it did by experience Now that water is gone and must we now fetch you water out of another rock O ye rebels have you brought it to this by your murmuring that we must have a new stay in the wilderness and a new rock opened to yield you water for your long stay as Horeb did Are we to begin our abode in the wilderness anew now when we hoped that our travel had been ended and so we shall never get out And so he smote the rock twice in a fume and anger And thus they believed not the promise of entring the land after forty years and thus they sanctified not the Lord in the sight of the people to incourage them in the Promise but damped them in it and thus they spake unadvisedly in their lips and so they were excluded Canaan It was a sign that the Promise aimed at better things then the earthly Canaan when the holiest persons in all Israel are debarred from coming thither from Kadesh Barnea they turn back toward the Red-sea again as they had done before Deut. 1. 40. because Edom would not now give them passage Aaron dieth in
Ephraims dignity Gen. 48. 10 He is called Jesus by the LXX and by the New Testament Acts 7. 45. Heb. 4. 8. a type of him that bringeth his people into eternal rest He is installed into the authority of Moses both to command the people and to work miracles and the Book of the Law put into his hand by Eleazer as the manner was at Coronations 2 Chron. 23. 11. He foreseeth the dividing of Jordan and gives charge to provide to march through it CHAP. II. RAhab an hostess of Jericho hath more faith then 600000 men of Israel that had seen the wonders in Egypt and the wilderness Two Spies that were sent out the sixth day of Nisan come out of Jericho again that night the seventh day they lie in the mountains and the eighth day they return to the Camp here are the three days just so counted as the three days of our Saviours burial CHAP. III. IV. ON the ninth day the people march along upon Jordans banks till they come over against Jericho The Ark leads the van for the Cloud of Glory which had been their conductor hitherto was taken away at Moses his death On the tenth day the Ark divided Jordan there are 4000 cubits dry land in the midst of Jordan between the two bodies of the armies that marched on either side of the Ark as it stood in the middest of the river the Ark pitcheth besides Adam Chap. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 78. 60. CHAP. V. THERE is a general circumcision now of the people as there had been at their coming out of Egypt and as God then closed the Egyptians in three days darkness that they could not stir so now he striketh the Canaanites with terrour that they dare not stir to hurt the people while they were fore Circumcision sealed the lease of the land of Canaan and therefore as soon as they set foot on it they must be circumcised the eleventh twelfth thirteenth days of Abib or Nisan are spent about this business and on the fourteenth day they kept the Passover and so are sensible of both their Sacraments at once It is now forty years to a day since they came out of Egypt Christ appeareth weaponed and is Lord General in the wars of Canaan CHAP. VI. JEricho strangely besieged incompassed seven days according to the seven generations since the land was promised counting from Abraham by Levi and Moses Israel marcheth on the Sabbath day by a special dispensation The walls of Jericho brought down by trumpets and a shout in figure of the subduing of the strong holds of Satan among the heathens by the power of the Gospel the spoil of the Town dedicated to the Lord as the first fruits of Canaan Rahab received as the first fruits of the Heathen she afterward marrieth Salmon a Prince of Judah Matth. 1. 5. Joshua adjureth Rahabs kindred for ever building Jericho again CHAP. VII World 2554 Ioshua 1 AChan by one fact maketh all Israel abominable the like thing not to be paralleld again The valley of Achor is now the dore of discomfiture and discontent in time to come it must be the dore of hope Hos. 2. 15. fulfilled to the very letter Joh. 4. CHAP. VIII AI taken and the spoil given to the souldiers and here they have the first seisure and possession of the Land for in the spoil of Jericho they had no part And then Joshua builded an Altar vers 30. and writeth the Law upon it and the blessings and the curses are pronounced and now it was full time for now had the Lord by the sweet of the spoil of Ai given the people a taste of his performance of his promise to give them that land and now it was seasonable on their part to engage themselves to him and to the keeping of the Law CHAP. IX X. XI XII XIII XIV Ioshua 2 A Great delusion of the Church by the colour of Antiquity the Gibeonites Ioshua 3 made Nechenims for the inferiour offices about the Sanctuary the Ioshua 4 Sun and Moon do obeisance to a son of Joseph as Gen. 37. 9. thereupon there Ioshua 5 is a miraculous day of three days long In seven years is the land conquered Ioshua 6 as Jericho had been seven days besieged that this was the date of Joshua's Ioshua 7 battles appeareth from the words of Caleb Chap. 14. 7 10. he was sent one of the Spies of the land in the second year of their coming out of Egypt and had lived five and forty years since viz. eight and thirty years in the wilderness and seven in Canaan CHAP. XV. XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX. XXI XXII XXIII XXIV Ioshua 8 JUdah the royal Tribe first seated the taking of Hebron and Kiriath Sepher Ioshua 9 are mentioned here by anticipation for these occurrences came Ioshua 10 not to pass till after Joshua's death because the Holy Ghost in describing of Ioshua 11 the inheritance of Judah would take special notice of the portion of Caleb Ioshua 12 who had adhered to the Lord. Then Ephraim and Manasseh seated the Ioshua 13 birth-right of Joseph is served next after the royalty of Judah The Tabernacle Ioshua 14 set up in a Town of the lot of Ephraim and the Town named Shiloh Ioshua 15 because of the peaceableness of the land at this time The Temple Ioshua 16 was afterward built at Salem which signifieth Peaceable also that in the lot of Benjamin this in the lot of Joseph both the sons of beloved Rachel The rest of the land divided Simeon though he were of the same standard with Reuben and Gad yet consenteth not with them to reside beyond Jordan but is mixed in his inheritance with the Tribe of Judah as Gen. 49. 7. The rest of the Tribes seated agreeable to the prediction of Jacob and Moses The taking of Laish or Leshem by the Danites is related here by anticipation for it was not done till after Joshua's death Judg. 18. 29. because the Text would give account of their whole inheritance together now it is speaking of it From this mention of an occurrence that befel after Joshua's death and the like about Hebron and Kiriath Sepher it may be concluded that Joshua wrote not this Book but Phineas rather Joshua himself is inheritanced last Three Cities of refuge appointed within Jordan one in Judea another in Samaria and the third in Galilee and three without Jordan in the three Tribes there Eight and forty Cities appointed for the Priests and Levites as so many Universities wherein they studied the Law It is not worth the labour to examine because it is past the ability to determine whether the two Tribes and an half returned to their own homes assoon as ever the land had rest from the wars which was in the seventh year or whether they stayed till the land was divided and the people settled which took up a long time more howsoever it was the two and twentieth Chapter that containeth that story is laid
this seed of the woman was to destroy the power of Satan by the word of truth as Satan had destroyed men by words of falshood Luke doth properly draw up his Line to Adam now when he is to begin to preach the Word The Line on this side the Captivity for which there is no record elsewhere in Scripture Matthew and Luke took from some known Records then extant among the Nation R. Levi saith There was found a Book of Genealogies at Jerusalem in which it was written Hillel was of the Family of David Ben Jatsaph of the Family of Asap c. Tal. Jerus in Taanith fol 68. col 1. They kept the Records of Pedigrees and of all other they would be sure to keep those of the Family of David because of the expectation of the Messiah from it SECTION XI MATTH Chap. 4. from the beginning to Ver. 12. MARK Chap. 1. Ver. 12 13. LUKE Chap. IV from the beginning to Ver. 14. The Seed of the Woman and the Serpent combating MARK and LUKE by these words immediately the Spirit driveth him and Jesus returned from Jordan do make the order necessary so that as for the subsequence of this to what preceded there can be no scruple Only there is some difference 'twixt Matthew and Luke in relating the order of the temptations which Matthew having laid down in their proper rank as appeareth by these particles then ver 15. and again ver 8. Luke in the rehearsing of them is not so much observant of the order that being fixed by Matthew before as he is careful to give the full story and so to give it as might redound to the fullest information As our Mother Eve was tempted by Satan to the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life as 1 Joh. 2. 16. for she saw it was good for food that it was pleasant to the eyes and to be desired to make one wise Gen. 3. 6. so by these had it been possible would the same tempter have overthrown the seed of the woman For he tempted him to turn stones into bread as to satisfie the longing of the flesh to fall down and worship him upon the sight of a bewitching object to his eyes and to fly in the air in pride and to get glory among men Luke for our better observing of this parallel hath laid the order of these temptations answerable to the order of those Jesus being baptized about the Feast of Tabernacles toward the latter end of our September is presently carried into the Wilderness of Judea by the acting of the Holy Spirit to enter that combate with the Serpent which was designed Gen. 3. 15. Forty days and forty nights He being all the while in watching fasting and solitude and among the wild beasts but sate as Adam among them in innocency the Devil tempteth him invisibly as he doth other men namely striving to inject sinful suggestions into him but he could find nothing in him to work upon as Joh. 14. 30. therefore at forty days end he taketh another course and appeareth to him visibly in the shape of an Angel of Light and so had Eve been deceived by him mistaking him for a good Angel and trieth him by perswasion by Scripture and by power but in all is foiled mastered and banished by a word SECTION XII JOHN Chap. I. from Ver. 15. to the end of the Chapter CHRIST is pointed out by John and followed by some Disciples COnceive the continuance of the Story thus Christ newly baptized goeth immediately into the Wilderness and leaveth John at Jordan on Judea side In the time of the forty days temptation John having now gathered his Harvest of Disciples on that side the River goeth over into the Country beyond Jordan and baptizeth in Bethabara Thither came some Pharisees by commission of the Sanhedrin to question him about the Authority whereby he baptized making no strangeness at baptizing which had been so long in use among them but questioning his Authority to baptize in that tenor that he did The next day after their questioning of him Christ cometh into sight is pointed out by John and followed by some of his Disciples For half a year John had baptized in the Name of Christ and knew him not ver 31 33. Only as all the Nation expected the Messias to come in time and John had it revealed to him that he was now ready to appear so John baptized and the People came to him upon this account He professed to all that came to him to be baptized and so he did to the Jews Commissioners now that he baptized only in the Name of him that was to come after him whose shoos latchet he was not worthy to unloose ver 27. Let a passage in Tosaphtoth comment upon these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is the token of a Servant He ties his Masters shoos or looses his shoos and bears his things after him to the bath In Kiddushin cap. 1. And the like saith Maymony in Mekerah cap. 2. A Canaanite Servant is like Land as to buying and he is bought by Money or by Script or by service in way of earnest And what is the earnest in buying Servants Namely that a man use them as they use Servants before a Master As to loose his shooe or to tie his shooe or to carry his things after him to the bath c. So that those that were baptized in this time of whom there was a very great number knew not of Jesus of Nazareth his being the Christ nor knew they more of Christ than they had known before but only that he was ready to come only they were baptized into faith in him and to repentance But when Christ himself came to be baptized John had discovery of him and so is able now upon the sight of him to point him out to his Disciples whereupon Peter and probably John and Andrew and Philip and Nathanael follow him SECTION XIII JOHN Chap. II. All the Chapter Water turned into Wine CHRISTS first Passeover after his Baptism THe words The third day in ver 1. mean either the third day from Christs coming into Galilee Joh. 1. 43. or the third day from his conference with Nathanael or the third day from the Disciples first following him they give demonstration enough of the series and connexion of this Chapter to the former It was about the middle of our November when Christ came out of the Wilderness to John at Bethabara and then there were about four months to the Passeover which time he spent in going up and down Galilee and at last comes to his own home at Capernaum Those two passages being laid together The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee Joh. 1. 43. And After this he went down to Capernaum and continued there not many days and the Jews Passeover was at hand Joh. 2. 12. do make it evident that Jesus had now a perambulation of Galilee which took up
send not letters by the hand of a Gentile on the eve of the Sabbath nor on the fifth day of the week Nay on the fourth day of the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The School of Schammai bound it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the School of Hillel loosed it Ibid. fol. 7. col 4. Women may not look in a Looking glass on the Sabbath but if it were fastned upon a wall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi loosed the looking into it but the wise men bound it Id. in Jom tobh fol. 60. col 1. R. Jochanan went from Tsipporis to Tiberias he saith Why brought ye to me this Elder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For what I loose he bindeth and what I bind he looseth Maym. in Hhamets umatsah per. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scribes have bound leaven that is they have prohibited it Tanchum fol. 1. col 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have upon necessity loosed salutation on the Sabbath that is they have permitted it or taught that it was lawful Thousands of instances of this nature might be produced by all which it is clear that the Jews use of the phrase was of their Doctors or learned mens teaching what was lawful and permitted and what unlawful and prohibited Hence is that definition of such mens office and work in Tosaphta ad Jebamoth per. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A wise man that Judgeth Judgment maketh unclean and maketh clean bindeth and looseth that is teacheth what is clean and unclean what is permitted and prohibited And Maymony in Sanhedr per. 4. giving the relation of their ordaining of Elders and to what several imployments they were ordained saith thus A wise man that is fit to teach all the Law the Consistory had power to ordain him To Judge but not to teach Bound and loos or power to teach Bound and loos but not a Judge in pecuniary matters or power to both these but not to Judge in matters of mulct c. So that the Ordination of one to that Function which was more properly Ministerial or to teach the people their duty as what was lawful what not what they were to do and what not to do was to such a purpose or in such a tenour as this Take thou power to bind and loose or to teach what is bound and loose for they use both the expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this vulgar and only sense of this phrase in the nation the meaning of Christ using it thus to his Disciples is easily understood namely that he first doth instate them in a Ministerial capacity to teach what bound and loose what to be done and what not and this as Ministers and thus all ministers successively to the end of the world But as they were Apostles of that singular and unparelled order as the like never in the Church again he gives them power to bind and loose in a degree above all Ministers that were to follow namely that whereas some part of Moses Law was now to stand in practice and some to be laid aside some things under the Law prohibited were now to be permitted and some things then permitted to be now prohibited he promiseth the Apostles such assistance of his Spirit and giveth them such power that what they allowed to stand in practice should stand and what to fall should fall what they bound in Earth should be bound in Heaven c. SECTION LIII MATTH Chap. XVII from the beginning to Ver. 24. MARK Chap. IX from Ver. 2. to Ver. 33. LUKE IX from V. 28. to Ver. 46. CHRIST Transfigured A Devil cast out of a Child MATTHEW and Mark link this story to the preceding with this link After six days c. which Luke hath uttered About an eight days after which is but the same in sense Six days compleat came between the day that Christ had spoken the words before and the day of his transfiguration So that the day of his Transfiguration was the eight day from the day when Christ said There are some standing here that shall not taste of death till they have seen the Kingdom of God come with power This story of Christs Transfiguration relateth to that prediction concerning the great Prophet Deut 18. 18. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee c. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken to my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him A Prophet that is a succession of Prophets till the great Prophet should come who should seal Vision and Prophesie Christ had been sealed for the great Priest at his Baptisme when entring into his Ministry at the same age that the Priests entred into their Office he is attested from Heaven This is my wellbeloved Son in whom I am well pleased He is sealed for the great Prophet here by the like attestation from Heaven with the same words This is my wellbeloved Son in whom I am well pleased but withal it is added Hear him answerable to those words Whosoever will not hearken c. Deut 18. 19. Moses the first Prophet had all his Oracles out of a Cloud and a Cloud of Glory that lead Israel in the Wilderness departed at his death think of that when you see a cloud here overshadowing and a Divine Oracle given out of it at the sealing of the Prophet greater then he Moses was the first Prophet of the Jews and Elias the first Prophet of the Gentiles and they both now appear to attend their Master Christ and the three Disciples were in this mount of his Transfiguration all night for Luke saith It came to pass the next day when they were come down c. ver 37. Compare Christ transfigured and his face shining with the shining of Moses his face and so compare that first Prophet and this great Prophet again together The Disciples that had authority and power given them over all Devils Luke 9. 1. are not able here to cast one out and their Master sheweth a double reason why namely because of their unbelief and because that kind went not out but by Fasting and Prayer Now that their unbelief should be any more then it had been before for they had cast out Devils before this Matth. 6. 13. it might seem strange but that here were some concurrents towards that more then they had met with before now and that we may observe especially in these two things 1. There were divers diseases which in their own nature were but natural diseases which yet the Jews did commonly repute as seizure and possessing by the Devil especially those that distempered the mind or did in more special manner convulse the body and according to this common language and conception of the Nation the language of the Gospel doth speak exceeding frequently Examples of this kind of Dialect among the Jews we might produce divers as that in Maym. in Gerushin
The Levites that served under the Priests Thirdly The men of the Station as the Rabins call them that is certain men that were to represent the whole Congregation in putting their hands upon the heads of the Sacrifices Fourthly Those whom devotion moved to leave their other imployments for that time and to be present at the service of God All these might amount to a great number indeed but the Text in naming the whole multitude of people seemeth to have some further meaning as if it would intimate that this was not upon an ordinary day of the week but upon the Sabbath day when the Congregation was full Not only of the Priests of the seventh course that went that day out of their service but also of all the multitude of the City which were tied that day in a more special manner to the publick worship Upon this day if we might conclude it to be a Sabbath the portions of the Law and the Prophets which were read in the Synagogues were excellently agreeable to the thing that was now in hand namely the Law of the Nazarites Numb 6. and the conception of Sampson like this of the Baptist Judg. 13. §. Were praying without When the burnt Offering began in the Temple the Trumpeters and Singers began to sound and sing and the whole Congregation to pray and worship and all this continued untill the burnt Offering was finished 2 Chron. 29. 27 28. Then the Priest took a Censer full of coals from off the Altar Lev. 16. 12. for by the custom of that day may be guessed the custom of the rest in this ordinary circumstance and went into the Holy place and burnt it upon the Altar Exod. 30. 7. In the mean time the people in the outer Court were imployed in prayer 2 Chron. 29. 29. And on the day of expiation they were in fear while the High Priest was within till he came out in peace and then there was great joy among them because they were accepted R. Tanchum on Ex. 33. Ver. 11. And there appeared an Angel c. As there were two great mysteries to be shewed in the birth of Christ First That God should become a man And secondly That a Virgin should become a Mother So the Lord to make way for the belief of these two when they should be exhibited did use two Harbingers or preparatives as if it were of old and of long time before First Apparition of Angels in humane shape Secondly Womens bearing children that were old and barren For it would be the easier believed that the invisible God might converse visibly among men in humane flesh when it was so ordinarily seen that the invisible Angels did so in humane shapes And it would not be so very incredible that a Virgin might bear a child though she were not come to it by the course of nature and though she had not known a man when it had been so often known that old women had done the same though they were past child-bearing by nature and even past the knowledge of man And this was the main reason why want of children is always in Scripture imputed to the defect of the women that the miracle appearing the more visible in them it might prepare belief the better for this As these two types and fore-runners of those two great mysteries were exhibited so often in the Old Testament that they might prepare credit and entertainment for the other when they should be exhibited in the birth of Christ so was it most fit that they should be declared in the birth of him that was to be Christs forerunner indeed and when the mysteries they aimed at were so near to be revealed On the right side of the Altar of Incense On the North side of it On Zacharies right hand and on the right side of the house as Ezek. 10. 3. compare Zach. 3. 1. Psal. 109. 6. 31. 142. 4. The appearing of an Angel in the Sanctuary with a message from God was a thing ever hardly seen or heard of before and it sheweth how Urim and Thummim the ordinary way of Gods revealing his mind in that place was now ceased For God used to reveal his will to the Priest by a soft voice from off the Ark but now both Ark and Oracle were quite gone and the loss the lesser when the true Ark of the Covenant and the Oracle of the will of God our Saviour Christ was so near at hand The second Temple wanted five things which were in the first as the Jews observe upon the want of the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hag. 1. 8. namely First The Ark. Secondly Urim and Thummim Thirdly The fire from Heaven Fourthly The divine presence or cloud of glory And fifthly The Holy Ghost or the spirit of Prophesie and power of miracles Massec Jom Yet was the glory of that house to be greater then the glory of the first because of the presence of Christ in it Vers. 13. Thy prayer is heard c. Not that he was now praying for a child for his age made him incredulous of having a child when the Angel told him of one and then it is not like he would pray for one and in this place and at this time he was a person representative of the whole people and therefore was not to make a private prayer for himself but either the prayers which he had before made to that purpose were now come into remembrance or rather he was now praying for the delivery of Israel the remission of their sins and the coming of Christ in which they without were joyning with him and this his prayer the Angel tells him is so ready to be answered that his wife should presently conceive a Son that should preach remission convert the people and go before the face of Christ. And now O ye Priests beseech God that he will be gracious unto you Mal. 1. 9. And so was Zacharias the Priest at this time doing And the Angel said unto him Thy prayer is heard and thy wife shall bear a Son and thou shalt call his name John this Name being interpreted importeth gracious as Esa. 30. 18 19. Vers. 16. And many of the Children of Israel shall he turn Many of Israel shall return when they shall see signs of redemption Whereupon it is said He saw that there was no man c. Esa. 59. 16. D. Kimch in loc Vers. 17. In the power and spirit of Elias John the Baptist did so nearly represent Elias that he beareth his very name Mal. 4. Matth. 11. 14. First They both came when Religion was even perished and decaying Secondly They both restored it in an excellent measure Thirdly They were both persecuted for it Elias by Ahab and Jezabel John by Herod and Herodias Fourthly They both conversed much in the Wilderness Fifthly They agreed in austerity of life Sixthly In the wearing of a hairy garment and a leathern girdle 2 King 1.
Text of Daniel from whence the phrase is taken and by divers places in the Gospel where it is used but the full clearing of this I have chosen to refer to that difficult place which will call for it to be cleared when the Lord shall bring us thither Matth. 16. 19. To thee will I give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven where I conceive Christ to have foretold to Peter that he should be the first that should Preach the Gospel and open the door of Faith unto the Gentiles as Acts 15. 7. and 10. Now The Kingdom of Heaven signifying thus not barely and simply the Preaching of the Gospel but the Preaching of it to the Gentiles and their conversion it sheweth how proper and pregnant an argument this was to inforce the doctrine and practice of Repentance upon the Jews because the calling of the Gentiles was near at hand which would prove their rejection and casting off if they did not repent as Deut. 32. 21. Before the coming of Christ these four Earthly Kingdoms that are mentioned by Daniel in the Chapters cited bare all the sway and domineered over all the world with cruelty and tyranny but when they were destroyed at his coming he set up a Kingdom of his own and swayed the Scepter of Righteousness over all Nations and ruled them with his word and Spirit And whereas before his coming also the Church consisted but of one Nation and Kingdom and was couched upon a small parcel of Earth the Land of Canaan â—nd had earthly promises and earthly rites when he came and published the Gospel he gathered a Church of all Kingdoms and Nations and Languages under Heaven and built it up with Heavenly and Spiritual promises and instructions and thus The Kingdom of Heaven may fitly be understood in opposition to these two earthly ones Luke 3. ver 5. Every valley shall be filled c. These borowed phrases intend the removing of obstacles and stumbling blocks out of the way and plaining and clearing the way for men to come to Christ and to the obedience of the Gospel The Jews conceive that the cloud of glory that led the people of Israel in the wilderness did really and according to the letter do what is here spoken of for facilitating of their march and journey as that it levelled Mountains raised vallies and laid all of a flat that it burnt up bushes and smoothed rocks and made all plain that they might travail without trouble or offence And some of them also say that when Jeroboam set up his goden calves and Idolatry in Bethel and Dan that he and his wicked agents laid ambushments and scouts in the ways to Jerusalem to catch up every one that should go thither to worship and to this purpose they apply that saying of the Prophet Hos. 5. 1. O ye Priests and O ye house of the King ye have been a snare on Mizpah and a net upon Tabor And the revolters are profound to make slaughter c. If either of these things were undoubtedly so as they suppose how properly might this passage of the Prophet Esay and of the Evangelist from him be thought to refer thereunto but since they be but surmisals it is safest to take the words for a borrowed speech to express what was said before the removing of obstacles in the way to Christ. Mat. 3. ver 6. Confessing their sins Not to John but to God For neither was it possible for John to hear their confessions nor was it necessary Not possible because of the vast multitudes that came to be baptized nor necessary for to tell him they had comitted such and such sins what conduced it either to their baptism or forgiveness Nor was this their confession of their sins before there being baptized but after For first if we should strictly take the Grammatical construction of the word that importeth their confessing it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which would have denoted that they had confessed before they were baptized but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both the Evangelists that speak of that matter Secondly It was far more agreeable to the end and doctrine of Baptism that their confession of sin should be after their baptizing then before in that they were baptized to repentance ver 11. and not e contra the Sacrament was more intentionally to enter them into repentance then repentance to enter them into the Sacrament For as was said before it obliged them more properly to repentance after the receiving of it then before Thirdly the gesture of our Saviour after his Baptism seemeth to have been according to the common custom and gesture of the people and as he coming out of the water fell to prayer so they when they came out used to do to make their penitent confession to the Lord. Mat. 3. ver 7. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Saduces coming to his baptism The Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans the three Sects of the Jews Josephus Antiq. lib. 13. c. 9. are those three Sheepherds spoken of Zech. 11. 8. whom our Saviour at his coming was to cut off The two former whom we have now in hand are very frequent in mention in the Gospel men of enmity one against another yet both joynt enemies to Christ and to his Apostles The original of the Pharisees is not so easie to go back unto as that of the Sadduces nor is the significancy of their name so readily determined and fixed upon as the other The Sadduces it is well known were so called from Sadoc the first Author of their Sect and he the Scholar of Antigonus Rabbi Nathan in his Aboth Perek 5. hath thus clearly given us their original Antigonus of Socoh saith he received his learning from Simeon the just This was his saying Be not as servants that serve their Master because of receiving Vid. Talm. Bab. Basileae tom 6. in fine * * * * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a portion a reward but be as servants that serve their Master not for the receiving of a reward but let the fear of God be upon you This Antigonus had two Scholars which changed his words they changed them to their Scholars and their Scholars to theirs They stood up and taught after them and said what saw our Fathers to say thus is it possible that a work-man may do his work all the day and not receive his wages at even But if our Fathers had known that there is a world to come and that there shall be a resurrection of the dead they would never have said thus They stood up and separated from the Law and from them broke out the two Sects the Sadduces and Baithusaeans the Sadduces after the name of Sadoc and the Baithusaeans after the name of Baithus So he Now this Antigonus whose good doctrine had this bad construction was Scholar to Simeon the just whom we shall have occasion to look after by and by But the time and
from death to life in a spiritual sense which argues that he intends the same sense here 3. In that he ascribeth reviving to his Voice here as he did there to his Word 4. Because he distinguisheth upon hearing his voice The dead shall hear it and as many as hear it shall live which is applicable a great deal more fairly to the bare and to the effectual hearing of the Gospel than to dead in corporal sense And 5. lastly Because there are so great things spoken of the calling of the Gentiles in the Scripture and of Christs work about that matter and their Heathenish condition so expresly called death and their imbracing the Gospel a resurrection that when Christ is speaking of his actings in the New Testament and useth such words as these before us we may not unproperly apply them in that sense It would have prevented many controversies and not a few errors if the Phrases the last days and the day of the Lord and the end and new Heavens and new Earth and the dead raised c. had been cautelously understood and as the Scripture means them in several places But as for the raising of the dead in the verse in hand it needeth not very much curiosity to fix it to either of those as a determinate sense since taken either way that hath been mentioned it carries a fair construction most agreeable to the truth and not very disagreeable to the scope and context Vers. 26. For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself It is needless to dispute here how far the second person in the Trinity may be said to have or not to have his being of himself for the words do not consider him simply as the second person but as the Messias God and Man as is the tenour of speech all along And in this acceptation we may give the words this construction 1. That they are a Paraphrase upon the name Jehovah which betokeneth Gods eternal being in himself and his giving of being to the Creature and that they mean that as the Father is Jehovah so also hath he given to the Son the Messias that name above all names as Philip. 2. 9. to be owned and worshipped for Jehovah having life in himself as being the eternal and living God and having the disposal of life in his power as being the God of all living 2. That as the Father is the eternal and immortal God so also is the Messias and though he stand there before the Sanhedrin in humane appearance yet should he never see corruption as Psalm 16. 10. but declare himself mightily to be the Son of God and to have life in himself by his raising himself from the dead Rom. 1. 4. Being the first and last He that liveth though he died and is alive for evermore Amen and hath the Keys of Hell and death at his disposal Rev. 1. 17 18. 3. As the words before may be applied to Christs raising from the dead those that were either bodily or spiritually deceased so these are a reason and proof of that assertion because as the Father hath the absolute disposal of life in his own power so hath he given to the Messias the same disposal Vers. 27. And hath given him authority to execute Iudgment also because he is the Son of Man By this passage it is apparent in what sense our Saviour useth the term The Son and The Son of God all along this discourse namely for the Son of God as he was also the Son of Man or the Messias There hath been some scruple made as was mentioned before upon the reason given of Christs authority of Judging namely because he was the Son of Man which will be removed by rightly stating the sense of the Son of Man which we may take up in these three particulars 1. The Phrase the Son of Man may be taken to signifie simply A Man and then the words are to be understood in this sense He hath given him authority of judging because he is a man and then is the reason current and apparent under this construction First Because the Son of God humbled himself and became man for the redemption of man therefore the Lord hath given him authority to be judge of man as Phil. 2. 8 9. And secondly He hath given the Messias authority of judging because he is man that man might be judged by one in his own nature as Act. 17. 31. He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead 2. The title The Son of Man which our Saviour so oft applieth to himself in the Gospel doth not speak him barely A Man but it owns him as that singular and peculiar seed of the woman or Son of Man that was promised to Adam to be a repairer of ruined mankind and the destroyer of the works of Satan as the term hath been cleared before And in this construction the reason of Christs authority of judging because he was the Son of Man is yet cleared further namely because he was the Son of that promise the Heir of the world and Redeemer of mankind and Destroyer of Devils therefore the Lord did give authority to him to be Lord of the World and Judge of Men and Devils to destroy the Serpent and his seed that were his enemies and to perfect and save the holy seed that should believe in him and obey him and to do and order all things here in this world that were in tendency either to the one or the other end 3. The Messias is thus charactered in Dan. 7. 13 14. Behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the antient of days and they brought him near before him And there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him Upon which words R. Saadias glosseth thus This is Messias our righteousness But is it not written concerning the Messias lowly and riding upon an Ass Because he shall come in humility and not in pomp riding upon Horses And with the Clouds of Heavens meaneth the Angels the Host of Heaven this is the abundance of greatness which the Creator shall give unto the Messias c. Our Saviour in the words that we are upon seemeth to point at those words of Daniel and whereas it was confessed by the Nation that the Son of Man there spoken of to whom all Dominion was given was the Messias he doth here plainly aver that it was himself and that all Authority and Judicature was given him because he was the Son of Man Observe how purposely he changeth expressions In ver 25. He speaketh of raising the dead by the voice of the Son of God and here of executing judgment because he is the Son
Bullock whereof mention is made Deut. 16. 2. 2 Chron. 35. 7 8 9. Now these Bullocks were indeed slain at Passover time but not for the Passover beast properly taken for that must be of a Lamb or Kid unalterably but these Bullocks were slain as attendants upon the Paschal from the nature of which Sacrifice they differed in these particulars First the Paschal Lamb was always and all of him rosted these were sodden 2 Chron. 35. 13. Secondly the Paschal Lamb was rosted whole and eaten without breaking the bones these were broken piecemeal and so parted among the people The Paschal Lamb was a necessary service to which they were bound by command these were arbitary according to their stay in Jerusalem in the Passover week for if they would they might return home the next morning after the Paschal Lamb was eaten Deut. 16. 7. and then they needed no Bullock to be killed for their dyet the rest of the Feast but if they stayed any more days of the Feast at Jerusalem than the first then was not their dyet arbitary to eat any thing what they would but they must eat of these Bullocks because their dyet must be holy at time Hence resulteth another difference betwixt the Paschal Lamb and these which is this that these were not of the first institution of the Passover nor had they any Bullocks slain at the Passover in Aegypt but Lambs only SECTION XIX That the supper in Ioh. 13. was not the Passover Supper FIRST It is very commonly held that the Supper in John 13. was the Passover Supper and that Judas stayed not the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for that our Saviour having dipped a sop into the bitter or sowre sawce which they used to the Paschal Lamb and given it to him Satan with it entring into him he packed him away with What thou doest do quickly An opinion mistaken in the ground-work that it builds upon and consequently in the structure built upon it For that that was no passover at all the Evangelist makes it most plain in ver 1. when he saith it was before the Feast of the Passover and Matthew in Chap. 26. 2. telleth it was two days before and indeed two miles from Jerusalem namely in Bethany The serious Harmonizing of the four Evangelists together at this place will make this most clear Secondly if then it were not the Passover Supper there can be no Paschal Lamb looked for at it nor no Haroseth or sawce of bitter herbs to eat it with but the meat that they were then eating and the sawce in which our Saviour dipped the sop was ordinary meat and ordinary sawce Thirdly Judas when he was packed away with his Quod facis fac cito went not from Jerusalem to Gethsemanai where Christ was apprehended by him on the Passover night but he went from Bethany to Jerusalem to bargain with the chief Priest for his betraying which when he had done he returned to Bethany again SECTION XX. Borrowing Egyptian Iewels Exod. 12. 35 36. IT may be equally questionable whether Israel shewed less honesty in borrowing what they meant not to restore or Aegypt less wisdom in lending what they knew would not be restored For the first it is easily aswered that they had the express warrant of God who cannot command unrighteousness and whom to obey in all things is piety The second is as easily resolved thus that Idolaters in the worship of their Idols used to deck themselves with Jewels and Ear-rings and fine things thereby to make them as they thought the more acceptable to their fine decked Diety So do the Aegyptians now conceive of Israel that seeing they desired these their fine knacks being now going to sacrifice they intended to sacrifice to the Aegyptian gods as they had done heretofore and they thought sure there can be no danger of departing the Land because they still adhere to our Religion For Moses had but still spoken of going three days journey into the Wilderness to worship SECTION XXI Rameses and Succoth vers 37. THE most famous of the Dieties of Aegypt was their Goddess Isis mentioned in all Heathen Authors of her doth the last Syllable in Raam-ses and Rame-ses seem to sound as being Towns that bare the name of this Goddess and importing the Town or Temple or some such thing of Isis. For that which the Aegyptians called Ses or Sis other Languages in pronouncing would augment with a vowel before for so was it ordinary Aegypt at home was called Cophti but forreigners did call it Ecopti and so it came to be Egypti So the Sea that lay among the Gentiles of Greece was in Hebrew Mare Goiim the Sea of the Gentils but other Nations would put E before and so it came to be called Egoiim or Egaeum The Syrian and Arabick Testaments and the writing of Jewish Authors are full of examples of this nature Succoth is held to have been so called because Israel here lodged and pitched their tents in their March out of Aegypt but they marched too much in suspition of Pharaohs pursuit to settle a Camp and to pitch tents so near him But it rather seemeth to have taken denomination from the cloud of glory coming upon them in this place which was as a covering to them Psalm 135. 39. This their Divine conducter stayed with them till Moses death save that it was taken up for a while because of the golden Calf as Moses death it departed from them for when they are to march through Jordan the Ark is to lead the way which while the cloud was with them it never did but went in the body and very heart of the Army As the cloud departed at the death of Moses the first Prophet so is it restored and seen apparently at the sealing of the great Prophet Luke 9. 30. SECTION XXII The decree at Marah Exod. 15. 25. SHAM Sam lo hhok umishpat There he set a decree and a judgment for them God is beginning now to compose and platform the people into a setled policy which while they were under the fear and danger of Pharaoh could not be done And here he passeth a decree and judgment upon them what they must look for in the wilderness according to their dealing with him If they will diligently hearken to his words c. he will heal and keep them free from diseases as he healed those brackish waters and of bitter had made them sweet but if otherwise they must expect accordingly Those that have obscured this place by questioning whether this Ordinance at Marah were for the Sabbath or for the red Cow or for the trial of the suspected Wife or for the dimensum of their diet in the Wilderness have made obscurity where there is none at all and have supposed this to have been an Ordinance whereafter Israel was to walk whereas it was rather a decree whereafter God would deal with them according to their walking And answerably seem the latter words Vesham Nissahu to
had joyned to them and came out with them On the second day of the month and of their arrival there Moses goeth up into the mountain being called up by the Lord vers 3. and when he cometh down telleth the people the words of the Lord vers 5. If ye will hear my voyce indeed and keep my Covenant ye shall be my peculiar people To which the people even before they know what the Commandments of the Lord would be do promise to obey and hearken not by rash undertaking to perform they knew not what as some have been bold to tax them nor yet presuming upon their own ability to keep the Law as others have concluded upon them but having been trained up from their infancy and instructed in the doctrine of Faith they piously conclude when God cometh to give them a Law and to make a covenant with them that God would not cross himself in the Doctrine of salvation but that the Law that he would now give them should be a Law conducing and leading to Faith still a Schoolmaster to Christ and not an extinguisher of the doctrine of Salvation by him On the third day of the month Moses goeth up into the mountain again vers 9. and is charged to sanctifie the people which accordingly is done on that day and on the fourth and fifth and on the sixth day in the morning the ten Commandements are given SECTION XXVI The Iews Tenet concerning the Law Talm. in Maccoth Rab. Abhuhahh Ner. 1. THE whole Law say they was given to Moses in six hundred and thirteen precepts David in the fifteenth Psalm bringeth them all within the compass of eleven 1. To walk uprightly 2. To work righteousness 3. To speak truth in the heart 4. Not to slander 5. Not to wrong a Neighbour 6. Not to entertain or raise an ill report 7. To vilisie a reprobate 8. To honour them that fear the Lord. 9. That altereth not his oath 10. Not to lend to usury 11. Not to take bribes against the Innocent The Prophet Isaiah brings these to six in Chap. 33. 15. 1. To walk justly 2. To speak righteously 3. To refuse gain of oppression 4. To shake hands from taking bribes 5. To stop the ears from hearing of blood 6. To shut the eyes from seeing of evil Micha reduceth all to three Chap. 6. 8. 1. To do justly 2. To love mercy 3. To walk humbly with God Isaiah again to two Chap. 56. 1. 1. Keep judgment 2. Do justice Amos to one Chap. 5. 4. Seek me Habakkuk also brings all to one Chap. 2. 4. The just by his Faith shall live Thus the Jews witness against themselves while they conclude that Faith is the sum of the Law and yet they stand altogether upon works A Testimony from Jews exceedingly remarkable SECTION XXVII Articles of a believing Iews Creed collected out of Moses Law 1. I believe that salvation is by Faith not by Works WHEN the Talmudick Jews make such a confession as is mentioned instantly before wherein they reduce all the tenor and marrow of the Law under this one doctrine of living by Faith Hab. 2. 4. The just by his Faith shall live it is no woader if the more ancient and more holy Jews under the Law looked for salvation not by their own merits and works but only by Faith This fundamental point of Religion they might readily learn by these two things 1. From the impossibility of their keeping the Law which their consciences could not but convince them of by their disability to hear it and by their daily carriage 2. In that they saw the holiest of their men and the holiest of their services to receive sanctitie not from themselves but from another So they saw that the Priest who was or should be at least the holiest man among them was sanctified by his garments and that the sacrifices were sanctified by the Altar From these premises they could not but conclude that no man nor his best service could be accepted as holy in it self but must be sanctified by another 2. I beleive that there is no salvation without reconciliation with God and no reconciliation without satisfaction The first part of this Article is so plain that nature might teach it and so might it the latter also and laying hereto Moses his lex talionis eye for eye tooth for tooth it made it doubtless 3. I believe that satisfaction shall once be made This they might see by their daily sacrifice aiming at a time when there should full satisfaction be made which these poor things could not do No less did their Jubilec year intimate when men in debt and bondage were quitted The very time of the year when the Jubilee year began calling all Israel to think of a Jubilee from sin and Satans bondage into which mankind fell at the same time of the year 4. I believe that satisfaction for sin shall be made by a man This is answerable to reason that as a man sinned so a man should satifie but Moses's Law about redemption of Land by a kinsman taught Israel to expect that one that should be akin in the flesh to mankind should redeem for him morgaged heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew is both a kinsman and a Redeemer 5. I believe that he shall be more than a man This they learned from the common service about the Tabernacle wherein the high Priest a man as fully hallowed and sanctified as man could be for his outward function yet did he offer and offer again for the people and himself and yet they were unclean still This read a Lecture to every ones apprehension that a meer man could not do the deed of satisfaction but he must be more 6. I believe the redeemer must also be God as well as man The disability of beasts to make satisfaction they saw by their dying in sacrifice one after another and yet mans conscience cleansed never the better The unability of man we saw before The next then that is likely to do this work are Angels But them Israel saw in the Tabernacle curtains spectators only and not actors in the time and work of reconciliation From hence they might gather that it must be God dwelling with man in one person as the cloud the glory of God never parted from the Ark. 7. I believe that mans Redeemer shall die to make satisfaction This they saw from their continued bloody sacrifices and from the covenants made and all things purged by blood This the heedless man-slayer might take heed of and see that as by the death of the high Priest he was restored to liberty so should mankind be by the death of the highest Priest to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Their delivery from Egypt by the death of a Lamb taught them no less 8. I believe that he shall not die for his own sins but for mans Every Sacrifice read this Lecture when the most harmless of beasts and birds were offered
story was a cubit wider than the middle and the middle a cubit wider than the lowest and yet the outmost wall of them was even and straight and jutted not over at one story or other any whit at all But the reason of this different breadth of the Stories was this the wall of the Temple for five cubits from the ground upward was thicker by a cubit than it was from thence above At the height therefore of those five cubits there was a bench of the wall of a cubit breadth left outerly round about the House on which they laid one end of the beams and timber which was the roof of the lowest rooms or the floor of the second Story And then again for five cubits above that the wall was thicker by a cubit than it was above and at the height of those five cubits there was such another bench left again and on that they laid the beams for the roof of the second story which was the floor of the third And so likewise for five cubits above that the wall was yet thicker by a cubit than it was above and there the like bench was left again and there were laid the beams of the roof of the third Story and of the whole building And this is the meaning of that verse 1 King VI. 6. The neathermost Chamber was five cubits broad the middlemost six cubits broad and the third was seven cubits broad for he made abating to the House on the outside round about that the beams should not have hold of the very walls of the House And thus did these Chambers take up half the height of the House being as the lower Leads of our Churches to the higher the use of the Chambers we shall observe hereafter Now above these Chambers in the wall of the Temple and in the outer wall of these Chambers themselves there were Windows to let in light which the Text saith were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 open and shut or broad and narrow which f f f Chald. par in 1 Kings VI. 4. the Chaldee Paraphrast and g g g Vid. Nobil in LXX in loc Theodoret have well interpreted wide within and narrow without namely narrow without to receive the light and wide within to disperse and dilate it Though there h h h Vid. R. Sol. Kimch in loc be some Jews that construe it the clean contrary way viz. broad without and narrow within different from all other Windows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for God say they had no need of such light The people that returned out of Captivity were i i i Joh. II. 20. forty and six years in building their Temple before they could compleat it and bring it to perfection and yet when all was done it proved so far inferiour in beauty and stateliness to that of Solomons as that to those that had seen both k k k Hag. II. 3. it was as nothing the dimensions made not the difference for it was two ways as large again as his even as his was every way as large again as Moses Tabernacle but this wanted that sumptuousness and bravery of building that his had And it wanted those five things which were the glory and excellency of the former namely l l l R. Sol. in Hag. I. 18. The Ark Urim and Thummim Fire from Heaven The Cloud of glory upon the Mercy seat and The Spirit of Prophesie The m m m Ezr. III. 10. weeping therefore of those persons that had seen the former House at the laying of the foundation of this was not as if they saw any lessening of the House in comparison of the former in compass and measure for the foundations promised a larger but it was upon remembring the glory of the former both in its magnificence and in these five excellencies and to think of the burning of that and it was also in comparing their present servile and poor condition with the liberty state and gallantry of the Nation when the other stood Their measures were prescribed by Cyrus not because he would curb the building but inlarge it for whereas Solomons Temple was but thirty cubits broad Chambers and all he gave liberty of sixty cubits bredth and whereas Solomons was but thirty cubts high all the body of the House he doubled the measure to sixty And therefore those words of Josephus are cautelously to be understood when he saith That n n n Ioseph Antiq. lib. 8. c. 2. they brought up the roof of Solomons Fabrick of white stone the height sixty cubits the length as much and the breadth twenty In which account of the height of it he differs both from Scripture and from all other of his own Nation and by what measures or counters he reckons it is hard to understand And so it is also to construe that which follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I English thus And by this there was another piece raised of equal measures so that the whole height of the Temple was an hundred and twenty cubits By which piece I conceive he means the Porch and his own words clear it but how to apprehend that it was of equal measure with what he had spoken of before I acknowledge I do not understand And whereas he saith That the whole height of the Temple was an hundred and twenty cubits his own context shews that he cannot mean that it was so high throughout but it is to be construed of the Porch of which he is speaking namely that the Temple in some part of it rose to an hundred and twenty cubits high And so are those words of Herod to be understood in the Oration that he made to the people when he tells them of his resolution to build the Temple o o o Id. ib. lib. 15 cap. 14. Our Fathers saith he built the Temple to the great God after their coming up again from Babylon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it wanted as to the greatness of it sixty cubits in height for so much did the former Temple which Solomon had built exceed it Which is not to be understood of the whole house but of the Porch only for the Children of the Captivity either built no Porch at all and then their Temple was a perfect Cube length and height and breadth exactly equal or if they did yet did not the height of it exceed the rest of the house as Solomons did but only equal it the whole being sixty cubits high all alike according to the dimensions that Cyrus had prescribed Now in his Patent for the building of the Temple there are these words which are of no small difficulty to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezr. VI. 4. Josephus renders this passage thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p p p Ioseph Antiq. lib. 11. c. 1. 4. Three houses of hewen stone and one house of wood within By the three houses seeming to mean the three parts of the Temple
Vid. Lev. Gers. ibid. If this be spoken concerning the Lamps in the Candlestick this was somewhat before day for the Lamps burnt from Even till Morning yet did they sometimes some of them go out in the Night They put Oil into them by such a measure as should keep them burning from Even till Morning and many times they did burn till Morning and they always found the Western Lamp burning Now it is said that this Prophesie came to Samuel before the Lamps went out while it was yet Night about the time of Cocks crowing for it is said afterward that Samuel lay till Morning Or allegorically it speaks of the Candle of Prophesie as they say the Sun ariseth and the Sun sets Before the holy blessed God cause the Sun of one righteous Man to set he causeth the Sun of another righteous Man to rise Before Moses his Sun set Joshua's Sun arose before Elie's Sun set Samuel's Sun arose And this is that which is said Before the Candle of God went out The Lord needed no light of Candles no more than he needed Bread which was set upon the Shew-bread Table nor the Priests needed no Candles in this room neither for the Windows though they were high yet did they give light into the Room abundantly but God by these Candles did as it were enlighten the People to teach them Spiritual things by these Corporal and to acquaint them with the necessity of the light of his Word and the Bread of Salvation which came down from Heaven And therefore when Solomon did make d d d 2 Chron. IV. ten Candlesticks and ten Tables and set them intermixedly by five and five on either side the House he added nothing to God but he added only more splendor to the service and more lustre to the Doctrine of the necessity of the light of the Word and of the Bread of Life e e e Baal Hatturim in Lev. XXIV Our wise Men say saith Baal Hatturim that the Western Lamp which never went out was a testimony that the Divine glory dwelt amongst Israel SECT V. The Shew-bread Table ON the North-side of the House which was on the right Hand stood the Shew-bread Table of two cubits long and a cubit and a half broad a a a Exod XXV 23. in the Tabernacle of Moses b b b Maym. ubi sup but wanting that half cubit in breadth in the second Temple the reason of the falling short not given by them that give the relation It stood length ways in its place that is East and West and had a Crown of Gold round about it toward the upmost edge of it which c c c Vid. Baal hatturim in Exod. XXV the Jews resemble to the Crown of the Kingdom Upon this Table there stood continually twelve Loaves which because they stood before the Lord they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d Mark XII 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The bread of setting before for which our English hath found a very sit word calling it the Shew-bread The manner of making and placing of which Loaves was thus e e e Maym. in Tamidâ—n per. 5. Out of four and twenty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sata three of which went to an Ephah that is out of eight bushel of Wheat being ground they sifted out f f f Lev. XXIV 5. four and twenty tenth Deals g g g Exod. XVI 36 or Omers of the purest Flower and that they made into twelve Cakes two Omers in a Cake or the fifth part of an Ephah of Corn in every Cake They made the Cakes square namely ten Hand breadth long and five broad and seven Fingers thick They were made and baked in a room that was in the great building Beth mokadh on the North-side of the Court as we shall shew anon and they were baked on the day before the Sabbath On the Sabbath they set them on the Table in this manner Four Priests went first in to fetch away the Loaves that had stood all the week and other four went in after them to bring in new ones in their stead Two of the four last carried the two rows of the Cakes namely six a piece and the other two carried either of them a golden dish in which the Frankincense was to be put to be set upon the Loaves and so those four that went to fetch out the old Bread two of them were to carry the cakes and the other two the dishes these four that came to fetch the old Bread out stood before the Table with their Faces towards the North and the other four that brought in the new stood betwixt the Table and the Wall with their Faces toward the South those drew off the old cakes and these as the other went off slipt on the new so that the Table was never without Bread upon it because it is said that they should stand before the Lord continually They set the cakes in two rows six and six one upon another and they set them the length of the cakes cross over the breadth of the Table by which it appears that the Crown of Gold about the Table rose not above the surface of it but was a border below edging even with the plain of it b b b R. Sol. in Exod. XXV as is well held by Rabbi Solomon and so the cakes lay two hand breadths over the Table on either side for the Table was but six hand breadth broad and the cakes were ten hand breadth long Now as for the preventing that that which so lay over should not break off if they had no other way to prevent it which yet they had but I confess that the description of it in their Authors I do not understand yet their manner of laying the cakes one upon another was such as that the weight rested upon the Table and not upon the points that hung over The lowest cake of either row they laid upon the plain Table and upon that cake they laid three golden Canes at distance one from another and upon those they laid the next cake and then three golden Canes again and upon them another cake and so of the rest save only that they laid but two such Canes upon the fifth cake because there was but one cake more to be laid upon Now these which I call golden Canes and the Hebrews call them so also were not like Reeds or Canes perfectly round and hallow thorow but they were like Canes or Kexes slit up the middle and the reason of laying them thus betwixt cake and cake was that by their hollowness Air might come to every cake and all might thereby be kept the better from moldiness and corrupting and thus did the cake lie hollow and one not touching another and all the golden Canes being laid so as that they lay within the compass of the breadth of the Table the ends of the cakes that lay over the Table on
the Jews not without good ground assert that Solomon's Altar was hallowed likewise but this necessitated place for so let me call it which Solomon was constrained to set apart for that service was not so served but his very sacrificing there did hallow the place namely for such a present imployment but not for future And so the current of the Text may be interpreted he hallowed the middle of the Court for there he offered Burnt-offerings so that whereas the other Altar being anointed sanctified the gift this extraordinary Altar did not so much sanctifie the offering at the first as was sanctified by it And so the Temple after the return out of the Babylonian Captivity and all the Utensils belonging to it were sanctified by the very service for there was neither divine fire nor any cloud of glory nor any anointing Oyl to sanctifie them The middle of the Court which Solomon hallowed I suppose is to be expounded in the largest acceptation of either of the words both the middle and the Court for the word the middle of a thing in the Scripture language is not always taken for the very Center of the thing mentioned but for any part within that thing be it in whatsoever it will as in the middle of the Land and in the middle of the Congregation meaneth but within the Land and in the Congregation So is the phrase to be understood here that Solomon hallowed the Court in any part of it for the burning of the Sacrifices though the precise compass of the Altar was fixedly pointed out as the only place for such a purpose by fire from Heaven And as for the word the Court the present occasion doth seem to extend the sense of it to the whole compass of the holy ground for it we look upon the vast and infinite number of Sacrifices that were to be slain and offered we can do no less and all little enough too than allow the whole compass of the holy ground for it And the word the Court standeth not in opposition to the Mountain of the House but both the Mountain of the House and the Court it self are both called by that general name the Court in contradiction to the very body of the Temple Ezekiel's Altar is said to be twelve cubits long and twelve cubits broad square in the four squares thereof Ezek. XLIII 16. which g g g Levâ—chin pâ—r 5. R. Sol. in Ezek Xâ—III Mid per. 3. the Talmudicks do reckon up to four and twenty cubits upon every side of the square for they suppose that the account is not as measuring from corner to corner on every side but measuring from the very midst or center of the Altar to any of the sides and thither was twelve cubits And the reason of this their construction is because it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Towards the four squares of it It might seem say they that the whole Altar was but twelve cubits square in all but when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Towards the four squares thereof it sheweth that he measureth from the middle twelve cubits every way And of this square namely of four and twenty cubits on every side they hold the Altar to have been after the Captivity and so they describe it R. Jose saith At the first the Altar was but twenty eight cubits on every side And according to this measure it narrowed in its rising till the fire place was but twenty cubits square But when the Children of the Captivity came up they added thereunto four cubits on the North and four cubits on the West like the fashion of the letter γ Gamma As Solomon's Altar was ten cubits high 2 Chr. IV. 1. so also was the Altar at the second Temple and so the Jerusalem Talmud doth witness saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h Talm. Ierus in Erubin per. 7. The height of the Altar was ten cubits And of that height is Ezekiel's Altar whose copy the Children of the Captivity did very much follow Now as it was impossible for the Priests when the Altar was so high to stand on the ground and to serve upon it so had they an express prohibition against going up to the Altar by steps lest their nakedness under their loose Coats should be discovered Exod. XX. 26. Therefore as a temper between these two exigents there was a gentle rising made from the ground to the top of the Altar whereon the Priests might go up to the Altar to serve upon it and this rising was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kebesh which may well be Englished The rise of the Altar The Gloss upon the Mishneh in the Treatise Zabim and R. Nathan from thence hath taught us to understand the manner of this rising by that instance and description that they give of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i i Zabi per. 3. Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it is a great Plank that Mariners have that when they will come down out of the Ship they descend or come down upon it to save their feet from touching of the water and this Plank is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kebesh And so in the Treatise of the Sabbath they have a case about a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kebesh or such a Plank k k k Shabbath per. 16. Sect. 8. Doth an Idolater make a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Descent for himself to go down by an Israelite may go down after him But doth he make it for the Israelite it is not lawful for him to go upon it There is an example of Rabban Gamaliel and the Elders they were to come out of a Ship and an Idolater had made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a descent for himself Rabban Gamaliel and the Elders came down upon it So that by this parallel we may observe the manner and nature of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kebesh or rise to the Altar that it was a sloping gentle rising but made of stone whereby the Priests might go up to the Altar without danger of discovering their nakedness we might call it a rising Cawsey to the top of the Altar for so doth l l l Maym. in Shekalim per. Maymony call the Arched Cawsey over the Valley of Kidron to Mount Olivet by which the Red Cow was brought to her burning by this very name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kebesh Now as for the manner and form of the Altar and of this rising up to it and for the right understanding of all which is not very facil divers things are to be observed As 1. There are reckoned these several parts of the Altar First The Foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also in Ezekiel is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The bosom or bottom upon the ground Ezek. XLIII 13 14. This was one cubit high from the ground and one cubit broad and the length of this Foundation upon every side of the square was two
and being so found he had his white Garments put upon him all which Garments were found at the publick charge The Man clothed with linnen with a writers Inkhorn by his side Ezek. IX 3. Walking with Christ in white Rev. III. 4. Araying in white Robes Rev. VII 9 c. do seem to refer to this holy Garb and Colour of the Priests 3. Upon their Feet they wore nothing at all whilst they served but stood in the Court barefooted were it never so cold nay though they were barefooted yet might they not stand upon any thing to keep their Feet from the cold pavement but must stand barely upon that were the Service never so long and the season never so sharp The reason of their barefootedness was because of the holiness of the ground as Exod. III. 5. Josh. V. 15. and the reason of their standing only on the bare stones was to shew their fervour and zeal to the Service 4. Upon their Thighs and Loins they wore linnen breeches to prevent the discovery of their nakedness Exod. XXVIII 42. either when they stood upright aloft upon the Altar or when they stooped down to any work of the Service either there or in any other place And here I cannot but think of that ridiculous passage in c c c Martial lib. 3 Epig. 24. Martial in lib. 3. Epig. 24. which such a provision as this might have prevented And of that passage in the Treatise Tamid d d d Tamid per. 5. where some of the Priests are said to be delivered to the Chazanim or Overseers and they stripped them of their Garments and left nothing upon them but their breeches 5. Upon their Bodies they wore a linnen Coat or Surplice which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. XXVIII 4. by the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon which Nobilius maketh this comment e e e Nobil in LXX in Ex. XXVIII Graecam dictionem retinet S. Hieronymus ad Marcellam S. August q. 114. habet cum cornibus c. Hierome retaineth the Greek word Cosymbotam Austin in quest 114. Translates it with horns and addeth that the Latine Interpreters thought it better to call it the Coat with horns than if they had said with tufts But others Interpret it strait and girt which Interpretation seemeth not impertinent seeing that afterward in this same Chapter Cosymbi and Cosymboti do signifie knots But others Translate it out of the Hebrew Ocellatam or checkered And so it might be shewed from the Original of the Hebrew word used that it so signifieth and this linnen was wrought Diaper-like with checker or diced work or some such kind of Workmanship which set it out with neatness as well as it was white 6. This Coat was girt to them with a long scarf which went divers times about them like a swaddle which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which both helped to keep them warm in their thin clothing and to strengthen their Backs in their hard Service which sometime they met withal tugging with the Beasts that they were to slay and lifting at them when they were killed 7. Upon their Heads they had a Bonnet or a Mitre which was a linnen scarf often wrapped and wrapped about their Heads after the manner of the Turkish Tullibants as is more fully described in the Temple Service Chap. 4. In these four parcels of Vesture the High Priests and the other Priests were alike for the High Priest wore these as well as they but he had four other parcels over and above which they might not wear and by which he was singularly distinguished from them and these were 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Coat of the Ephod this the Seventy call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ephod it self which he put upon that Coat and clasped it together over his Paps with a curious girdle This helpeth to understand that in Rev. I. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Brest-plate in which were put the Urim and Thummim Exod. XXVIII 30. which in the Apostles application seem to signifie Faith and Love 1 Thes. V. 8. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Golden Plate upon his Forehead in which was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy One of the Lord compare Luke IV. 34. which have been particularly spoken to in the Tract and Place cited a little above As the Priests Garments were provided at the Publick charge so when they were over-worn they returned to the Publick again for their Coats and Breeches c. were ravelled to make yarn for the Lamps and for the lights at the solemn nightly Festivity in the Feast of Tabernacles and it is like for the Priests Candles in their Chambers SECT VI. The anointing Oil. THE appointment and composition of anointing Oil is laid down in Exod. XXX 23 c. where the Lord commanded thus Thou shalt take unto thee principal Spices of pure Myrrhe five hundred shekels and of sweet Cinnamon half so much even two hundred and fity shekels and of sweet Calamus two hundred and fifty shekels and of Cassia five hundred shekels after the shekel of the Sanctuary and of Oil Olive an hin And thou shalt make it a holy anointing Oil c. The Simples need not to be disputed of only I cannot but observe and wonder at the conception of Rambam about one of them who holdeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mor which our English hath very properly Translated Myrrhe to be a a a Maim in Kelt Mikdash per. 1. the congealed Blood of an Indian Beast whereupon one of his Glossaries takes him up thus b b b Gloss. ibid. It cannot enter into my Head that they would put the Blood of a Beast into any holy composition much less of a Beast unclean But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mor is that that is spoken of in the Canticles I am come into my Garden my Sister my Spouse I have gathered my Myrrhe For the making up of these Simples into the compound of the anointing Oil the way and manner is recorded to have been thus c c c Ibid. They were bruised every one apart and by themselves and then were they mingled and boiled in clean Water till all their strength was come out into that Decoction which Decoction strained and having Oil put to it was again boiled to the height of an Ointment and so reserved This anointing Oil was only in use in the times of the Tabernacle and first Temple and with it were their Vessels sanctified according as was appointed in the place of Exodus even now cited and described Levit. VIII but there was no such Ointment under the second Temple for there the Vessels were sanctified by their very use and serving in them and so indeed was the Temple it self For there was neither cloud of Glory to sanctifie the House nor divine Fire to sanctifie the Altar nor holy Oil to sanctifie the
on the East and South-sides 1104 CHAP. XXII The Chamber or room Gazith the seat of the great Sanhedrin 2005 Sect. 1. The Presidents of the Sanhedrin from the Captivity till its dissolution 2007 CHAP. XXIII The Draw-well-room 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2009 CHAP. XXIV The Water-gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the room of Abhtines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2011 CHAP. XXV The Wood-room 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the room Parhedrin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2013 CHAP. XXVI The Gate of the firstlings 2014 CHAP. XXVII The Gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hadlak or of kindling or of the burning fire 2016 CHAP. XXVIII The Gates and buildings in the Court-wall on the North-side 2017 CHAP. XXIX Beth Mokadh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2019 CHAP. XXX Of the Gate Beth Mokadh called the Gate of Corban And of the other Gate of Corban called also the Gate of the Women Page 2020 CHAP. XXXI The room of Salt of Parvah and of the washing 2023 CHAP. XXXII The Gate and House Nitsots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the House of stone Vessels 2024 CHAP. XXXIII The Court of Israel and of the Priests and the Levites Desks where they sung 2025 CHAP. XXXIV Of the Altar of Burnt-offering 2029 CHAP. XXXV The Contents of the Court betwixt the Altar and the North-side of it and betwixt the Altar and the South-side 2037 CHAP. XXXVI The space between the Altar and the Porch 2040 CHAP. XXXVII Concerning the vessels and utensils of the Temple Sect. 1. The laver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2042 Sect. 2. Solomons ten Lavers 2044 Sect. 3. The molten Sea 2046 Sect. 4. Basins Chargers Dishes c. King Ptolemies and Queen Helens Tables 2048 Sect. 5. The Priests garments 2049 Sect. 6. The anointing oil 2051 CHAP. XXXVIII The Embleme of the Divine Glory at the Temple Ezek. 1. Esay 6. Rev. 4. c. Explained 2052 CHAP. XXXIX The motions and stations of the Ark and Tabernacle 2060 CHAP. XL. Sect. 1. The state and fate of the first Temple 2062 Sect. 2. The state of the second Temple under the Persian Monarchy 2063 Sect. 3. The occurrences of the Temple under Alexander 2065 Sect. 4. A brief of the state of the Temple in the times of these Kings 2067 Sect. 5. The state of the Temple under the Romans 2070 THE INDEXES or Alphabetical TABLES belonging to the FIRST VOLUME To the READER READER THE use and advantage of Indexes or Alphabetical Tables to large and Elaborate Volumes is great even in the Judgment of the most Learned and Industrious among which number One that speaks the meanest says That an Index is the Bag and Baggage of a Book of more use than honour even to such as seemingly slight it secretly using it if not for need yet for speed of what they desire to find The following Indexes besides the common advantage and use of other Indexes 1. Shew where to find such Texts of Scripture Hebrew and Greek words as also such principal Matters or Things as are not to be found by the Authors Titles Chapters Verses c. For as to Scriptures explained It may be there is neither Chapter nor Verse or but one of them or not the words so explained all which are supplied and made perfect in the Scriptural Index 2. They put together such Scriptures Words and principal Matters or Things as are explained or discoursed on in differing and far distant Places so that at once all that 's said to any one Place Word or Subject may be seen This also every where presents the Reader with a Scheme or Body of Matter Notions or Explications upon the same Topick put together as in Antichrist Apostles Baptism Christ History Kingdom of Heaven Passover Pentecost Priest Sabbath Sanhedrim Synagogue Temple c. 3. These are much sooner read than the two Great Volumes where the Reader may meet as is in part intimated with all the JEWISH Customs Rites Affairs or History c. also with all the Chief Matters concerning Christ the Gospel the Apostles and the first Gospel Age and Church And how great a help is this to them that have but little time and cannot read the whole much less put things of the same kind which lie remote altogether Which was peremtorily necessary in order to knowledge there being no Works or Writings in the World of the same kind beyond these for illustrating the Scriptures by Jewish Learning Thus much for the Indexes Reader I must further tell thee That though this Learned Author seems several times to have the same Things over again yet I think it is almost always with some improvement by adding new Matter I must also desire thee to correct the Errors of the Press especially those that refer to the right Numbring of the Pages which will be of high advantage and use referring both to the Book and the Indexes Remembring that wherever a Star or Asterisk follows any Quotation or Head in these Indexes it shews it is to be sought for in the Postscript of the Temple at the later end of the First Volume ERRATA IN the Harmony Chronicle and Order of the New Testament at the second B. in the first Alphabet for Page 1. read 201. and so on to 205. at the first C. in the first Alphabet for p. 7. r. 207. and so on to 231. between p. 260. and 262. r. 261. at the second O. in the second Alphabet for p. 296. r. 297. and so on to 302. for five pages At the second S. in the second Alphabet for p. 339. r. 329. and so on for the three following pages In the Harmony of the Four Evangelists at the first P. in the third Alphabet for p. 455. r. 487. at the second P. in the third Alphabet for p. 490. r. 489. at the second I. in the fifth Alphabet for p. 809. r. 811. In the Temple Service at the second F. in the sixth Alphabet for p. 961. r. 971. and so 972 973 974. for three following pages Page Line Read 21 48 horses 22 17 fifteen 23 5 vers 21. 41 11 Lord. 43 43 upon 44 26 swarmed  38 Daughter 49  running Title Judges 63 7 Psal. 66. 6. 97 34 Isa. 7. 8. 103 18 Pileser 117 40 Prolegom 128 21 1 Kings  2â— 1 Kings 222 2 Luke Cap. VI. 229 6 Tenet 234 30 Mark for Mary 253 â—8 hungring 258 51 thought 262 17 There 289 44 Trajan 293 64 James 319 3 conflux 386 46 1 Kings 15. 28. 387 24 1 Kings 22. 51. 393 31 2 Sam. 7. 21.  54 Pymandro 397 30 two 400 40 of 418 45 received  49 in Jehoiakim 419 12 at liberty 452 56 Urbes 455 38 performance 462 44 violence  49 Prophets 474 22 translated 475 25 purpose 477 29 before 479 50 seisure 488 26 continuance 496 49 Jephthah 499 42 should 521 3 foregoing 541 7 Sidonians 572 36 dele under 592 52 Text. Judea 640 30 word 795 42 was 796 15 disposal  22 profit 819 4 Tiberias 850 7
denomination from the last Letter of Arphaxad's Name 13 Chaldean and curious Arts what 820 Chambers The Chambers in Solomon's Temple their height breadth and evenness of them without notwithstanding they were not of the same dimensions within p. 1065. * overlaid with Gold 2 Chron. 3. 9. over the Holy Place what or whether any such thing p. 1085 1086. * The Treasury Chambers what 1097. * Changers of Mony or Mony Changers what 213 550 Chapiters belonging to the Pillars what 1074. * Chargers what and of what use in the Temple 2048. * Charming was much used among the Jews 371 Chazan that is Episcopus or Overseer 375 Chel what and how put for the Temple 1089 Cherubiâ—s what number of what resemblance and where placed 1086 * Chests in the Treasury where placed and for what use p. 1095 1096. * The Chest set in the Gate of the House of the Lord what 2022 * Chief Priests put for the Sanhedrim many of them being Priests p. 282. They were the Heads of the Families of the Priests or the chief of the 24 Courses c. p. 438 439 Children How an Holy Seed p. 203. The Infants of Believers were brought to Christ to be received as Disciples which he did declaring them to be such and blessed them 248 Children came under the Title of Believers when all things were in common or else they must have farnished p. 277. When a Master of a Family was baptised his Children though never so young were baptised with him as had been the Custom among the Jews and was in the times of the Apostles unaltered p. 277. What Children are to be taught by their Fathers p. 295. They were sometimes named by the Mother as soon as born sometimes by the Standers-by but the Fathers at the Circumcision had the casting voice Whether the Name should be so or no. 421 Children for Scholars or Disciples 759 Children begot by or on Angels or Devils a nonsensical story 995 Chochebas and Barchochebas the same with Ben Coziba coyned Mony with his own Stump tortured the Christians to make them deny Christ was at the head of a most desperate Rebellion p. 366 367. He reigned two years and an half 366 367 Christ how Abraham saw his day p. 13. How Isaac typified him p. 13 14. He gave the Ten Commandments p. 28. He appeared weaponed and was Lord General in the Wars of Canaan p. 40. When he ceased to be Israels Captain and Conductor p. 45. Glorious things are spoken of him p. 102. His Divinity shewed and his fitness to be Incarnate p. 201 202. He was born in Tizri about the Feast of the Tabernacles that is about the close of September at which time 30 years after he was baptised p. 204 210 c. We have no History of him for nine or ten years p. 206. When he was twelve years of Age and all the time of his Ministry he disputed with and proved his Doctrine against the most learned Sanhedrim p. 207. He came in a double seasonableness When Learning was at the highest And Traditions had made the Word of God of none effect p. 207 440. His Life from Twelve to Twenty nine is passed over by all the Evangelists in silence they having a special eye at his Ministry only so has the Angel Gabriel Dan. 9 24 25 c. p. 208. Those years in which we hear nothing of him he spent at Nazareth in his Fathers Trade of Carpentry which made the Jews stumble at him looking for a pompous Messiah p. 208. He appeared not till fully looked for what were the things did intimate his coming p. 209. The time when he was born and when he died were both eminent p. 210 211. He was circumcised into the Jewish Church and baptised into the Church of the Gospel p. 211. He was unknown to John the Baptist and those whom John had baptised into faith in Christ until Christ himself came to be baptised of John p. 212. He was admitted at Nazareth as a Member of the Synagogue to be a Maphteir or Publick Reader of the second Lesson in the Prophets for that day p. 215. His reading and interpreting the Original Hebrew shewed him to have a Prophetical Spirit he not being educated in that Language 215. At his second Passover he declares his Authority and Power before the Sanhedrim that being a time of Wonders p. 221. He was a great Priest and a great Prophet when and how p. 239. He did not so fully and openly reveal himself to be the Messias till he sent forth the Seventy Disciples p. 242. He could not be apprehended without his own leave p. 263. The Jews transgressed two of their own Canons in arraigning and judging Christ on an Holiday and by Night p. 263. He was had before the Sanhedrim in Caiphas his house p. 263. The Wine offered him at his Crucifixion was to intoxicate him p. 268. How bewailed when he went to Execution p. 268. The manner even of his friends burying him shewed the small expectation they had of his Resurrection p. 269. His Disciples and Mary Magdalen notwithstanding their saving faith in him neither of them believed his Death nor his Resurrection p. 270. His coming in Clouds in his Kingdom and in power and great glory all signify his Plaguing the Nation that crucified him p. 342 343. His birth was called The fulness of time p. 383. He was born in the year of the World 3928. about the close of September p. 390. He was not born at the later end of December but September a Month famous indeed p. 427. Why he would be baptized that needed no cleansing being purity it self eight Reasons p. 472. Why John refused to admit him to baptism p. 472. His Ministry was just Three years and an half p. 476. Why he was tempted p. 499. What were his Temptations and where and how tempted p. 503 to 511. In his Temptations his being hurryed about by the Devil does afford some material and profitable Considerations p. 506. He is shewed to be the Son of God p. 504. That he was the Messias he easily convinced the Mind by telling of secret things p. 535. He was the seed of the Woman illustrated from Lukes Genealogy and Christs calling himself the Son of Man p. 471 491 537. His Union of two Natures in one Person is plainly shewn with what refers thereunto p. 577 578. How he could be said to be in Heaven whilst speaking with Nichodemus on earth p. 578. The several Properties of the two Natures in Christ are sometimes indifferently applied to the whole Person p. 578. Believing in Christ for salvation excellently illustrated by being healed by looking on the Brazen Serpent p. 579. He is said to do what his Servants do p. 581. His anointing was his setting apart for Mediator and Minister of the Gospel c. also his apparent Installments into that Office by the Spirit p. 616 617. His Ministry had six parts in it p. 617 to 619. Why it was
so long as four thousand years before Christ came to save Sinners p. 627. Why did Christ appear at that time of the World rather than any other p. 628. The Jews had dreadful Opinions about his coming p. 640 641. He healed all Diseases by his Touch but cast out Devils by his Word p. 642. The Diseases he cured were of three kinds p. 645. His Doctrines were comprised under Two Heads p. 645. He cured the Leprosie when the Priests could not yet Christ was tender of their reputation p. 648. He as God could do all things but as Messias nothing but as delegated and assisted by the Father As Son of God he hath all power in himself as Messias he hath all power put into his Hands by the Father p. 672 c. He was set up by his Father as King and Lord over all things affirmed in many places in Scripture He as God-man is Head of all Principality and Power five Reasons given for it p. 674. Further evidence of his being the Messias and how opposed therein by the Jews p. 680 681 682. His Life Doctrine and Miracles shewed him to be the Messias so did the Testimony of his Father John the Baptist and the Scriptures c. p. 682 683 684. His Resurrection and the History of it as also his eight several Apparitions after it p. 734 735. The year of his Ascention p. 738. The Age of the World at his Resurrection Death and Ascention p. 739. He was nailed to the Cross at the same time of the day that our first Parents fell viz. at twelve a Clock p. 748. At three a Clock he yielded up the Ghost then Adam received the promise p. 748. There was a general expectation of his appearance even when he did appear with the multitudes that then came to Jerusalem upon that account both Jews and Heathens then expecting him as is seen by their own Writers p. 751 752. Some things out of the Jewish Writers concerning the Judging Condemning and Executing of him p. 968. He paid his Church Duties p. 240. He was so poor as to be put to work a Miracle to get money p. 240. The Signs of his coming predicting his near approach what p. 462 463. Christ about the time of his death the scarlet List on the Scape Goats head turned not white as usually what against the Jews p. 1101. * Christians called by Suetonius Men of a new and evil Superstition or Religion so Tacitus calls their way a dangerous Superstition shewing how Nero persecuted them after Rome was fired as if they had been guilty to deliver himself from the just accusation of it p. 327 There was yet Christians in Nero's houshold p. 328. They were under Nero very bloodily and bâ—rbarously persecuted so as to move the pity of their Enemies saith Tacitus the Jews heightening that persecution against them p. 333 334. They were destroyed by Nero for a plot layed by himself against them the Heathens for real plotting against him now grown endlesly cruel p. 334. The Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch Page 871 Chronology was very exact from the Creation to Christs death but less cared for after the New Testament History was finished and why p. 777. The Heathen Chronology mistaken in numbring the Persian Kings 2066. * Church Church Duties were paid by Christ. p. 240. The Church a Title given the first Professors of the Gospel 871 Circumcision when and where instituted p. 13. It was renewed at Israels entring into Canaan as a Seal of the lease of the Land p. 40. It was not to be used under Christianity because the Jews looked upon it as an admission into the Covenant of Works p. 319. It enervated Justification by faith p. 319. It obliged to the observance of the whole Law p. 319. The reason of its Institution why it was not in the old World nor for some considerable time after the Flood that is why the Church injoyed it not of so long a time p. 464 465. When it was to cease 465. It was instituted in Hebron about the time of Easter p. 695. Circumcision and Meats made the difference between Jew and Gentile these being removed let the Gentiles into the Church p. 842. The Ends of its use and how used among others besides the Israelites p. 1007 1008 Citation or Quotation of Scripture one place of Scripture citing another doth sometimes change the words to fit the occasion 498 Cittim The name of a Man and of Italy and of part of Greece 996 City The City and Temple of Jerusalem were destroyed Anno Mundi exactly 4000. p. 487. Holy City the common and ordinary name for Jerusalem when even full of abomination and corruption Separatists may think of this p. 497. City what 647 Clean and Unclean Legal the Doctrine of them p. 30. The Priests could only pronounce not make Leapers clean 219 c. Cleopas was the same person with Alpheus p. 27. He had four Sons all Apostles 660 Clerks of the Sanhedrim what their Number and what their business 2006. * Cloak Paul's Cloak denoted his Jewish habit 3â—6 Cloister walks called Porches p. 661 668. Cloister Royal what 1061. * Closets for the Butchering Instruments and for the Priests Vestments described 1077. * Cloud the Cloud of Glory was taken away at Moses his death p. 40. And appeared again at the Sealing of the Great Prophet Christ. 710 Coat of the first Born what p. 905. And Coat of the High Priest and of the Ephod what 905 Coming of the Lord and the end coming denote the near approach of Vengeance on Jerusalem 332 333 335 338 342 343 Common or unclean what before the Flood and since 845 Community of Goods was not to level Estates but to provide for the Poor p. 278. How practised and of what extent 762 Communicating with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Communion with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Companying with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Confession of sins at Johns Baptism was after not before Baptism Page 456 457 Confirmation Imposition of Hands by the Apostles in all likelyhood was never used for Confirmation 788 Confusion of Tongues into what number of Languages it was divided 1009 to 1011 Consistory of Priests was called Beth-Din which transacted business in the Temple 914 Consolation of Israel Christs coming is often signified by that term 430 Conversion Repentance or Reformation was once general and wonderful 54 758 c. Conversion of Niniveh a very wonderful thing 1007 Cor what sort of Measure 545 Corus what sort of Measure 545 Corban what p. 237. The Gate Corban where and why so called 2020 2021. * Corinth something described 295 Cornelius a Roman Captain one that arived at an admirable height of Piety though not so much as a Proselite p. 285 286. Some things remarkable about his calling into the Gospel 832 c.
not hearken to my words which I shall put into his mouth c. 3. How the Heavenly voice went out of the Cloud that overshadowed them when at his Baptism no such Cloud appeared Here that is worthy observing which some Jews note and reason dictates namely That the Cloud of Glory the Conductor of Israel departed at the death of Moses for while he lived that Cloud was the peoples guide in the Wilderness but when he was dead the Ark of the Covenant led them Therefore as that Cloud departed at the death of Moses that Great Prophet so such a Cloud was now present at the Sealing of the Greatest Prophet 4. Christ here shines with such a brightness nay with a greater than Moses and Elias now glorified and this both for the honour of his Person and for the honour of his Doctrine both which surpassed by infinite degrees the Persons and the Doctrines of both of them When you recollect the face of Christ transfigured shining with so great luster when he talked with Moses and Elias acknowledg the Brightness of the Gospel above the cloudy obscurity of the Law and of the Prophets VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let us make here three Tabernacles c. THE Transfiguration of Christ was by night Compare Luk. IX 37. The form of his face and garments is changed while he prays and Moses and Elias came and discourse with him concerning his death it is uncertain how long while as yet the Disciples that were present were over-charged with sleep When they awaked O what a Spectacle had they being afraid they observe and contemplate they discover the Prophets whom now departing Peter would detain and being loth that so noble a Scene should be dispersed made this Proposition Let us make here three Tabernacles c. Whence he should know them to be Prophets it is in vain to seek because it is no where to be found but being known he was loth they should depart thence being ravished with the sweetness of such society however astonished at the terrour of the Glory and hence those words which when he spake he is said by Luke Not to know what he said and by Mark Not to know what he should say which are rather to be understood of the misapplication of his words than of the sense of the words He knew well enough that he said these words and he knew as well for what reason he said them but yet he knew not what he said that is he was much mistaken when he spake these words while he believed that Christ Moses and Elias would abide and dwell there together in Earthly Tabernacles VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. While he yet spake behold a cloud c. MOses and Elias now turning their backs and going out of the Scene Peter speaks his words and as he speaks them when the Prophets were now gone Behold a Cloud c. they had foretold Christ of his death such is the cry of the Law and of the Prophets that Christ should suffer Luk. XXIV 44. He Preaches his Deity to his Disciples and the Heavenly voice seals him for the true Messias See 2 Pet. I. 16 17. VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why therefore say the Scribes that Elias must first come I. IT would be an infinite task to produce all the passages out of the Jewish Writings which one might concerning the expected coming of Elias We will mention a few things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in passing which sufficiently speak out that vain expectation and the ends also of his expected coming 1. Let David Kimchi first be heard upon those words of Malachi Behold I send you Elias the Prophet God saith he shall restore the soul of Elias which ascended of old into Heaven into a created body like to his former body for his first body returned to Earth when he went up to Heaven each Element to its own Element But when God shall bring him to life in the body he shall send him to Israel before the day of Judgment which is the Great and Terrible day of the Lord and he shall admonish both the fathers and the children together to turn to God and they that turn shall be delivered from the day of Judgment c. Consider whether the Eye of the Disciples looks in the Question under our hands Christ had commanded in the verse before Tell the Vision of the Transfiguration to no man until the Son of man be risen from the dead But now although they understood not what the Resurrection from the dead meant which Mark intimates yet they roundly retort Why therefore say the Scribes that Elias shall first come That is before there be a Resurrection and a day of Judgment for as yet they were altogether ignorant that Christ should rise They believed with the whole Nation that there should be a Resurrection at the coming of the Messias 2. Let Aben Ezra be heard in the second place We find saith he that Elias lived in the days of Ahaziah the son of Ahab we find also that Joram the son of Ahab and Jehoshaphat enquired of Elisha the Prophet and there it is written This is Elisha the son of Shaphat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who poured water upon the hands of Elijah And this is a sign that Elias was first gone up into Heaven in a whirlwind because it is not said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who poureth water but Who poured Moreover Elisha departed not from Elijah from the time that he first waited upon him until Elias went up And yet we find that after the death of Jehoshaphat in the days of Ahasiah his son It was written And a letter came to him from Elijah the Prophet And this proves that he then writ and sent it for if it had been written before his Ascension it would be said A letter was found or brought to him which Elias had left behind him And it is without controversie that he was seen in the days of our Holy Wise Men. God of his Mercy hasten his Prophesie and the times of his coming So he upon Mal. IV. 3. The Talmudists do suppose Elias keeping the Sabbath in Mount Carmel a a a a a a Hieros Pesach fol. 30. 2. Let not the Truma saith one of which it is doubted whither it be clean or unclean be burnt lest Elias keeping the Sabbath in Mount Carmel come and testifie of it on the Sabbath that it is clean 4. The Talmudical books abound with these and the like trifles b b b b b b Maimon in Gizelah c. 13. If a man finds any thing that is lost he is bound to declare it by a publick outcry but if the owners come not to ask for it let him lay it up by him until Elias shall come And c c c c c c Bava Mezia cap. 1. Hal. ult c. If any find a Bill of Contract between his Country men and knows
the Fable or shall we suspect some truth in the story For my part when I recollect with my self how addicted to and skilful that Nation was in Art Magic which is abundantly asserted not only by the Talmudists but by the holy Scriptures I am ready to give some credit to this story and many others of the same nature namely that thing was really acted by the art and help of the Devil by those Ensign-bearers and Captains of errors the more to establish their Honour and Tradition Therefore from the story be it true or false we observe these two things I. How tenacious the Jews were of their Traditions and how unmoveable in them even beyond the evidence of miracles That Eleazar was of great same among them but he was a follower of Shammai Hence he is called once and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Shammean b b b b b b Hieros Trumah fol. 43. 3. Iâ—m Tobh fol. 60. 3 c. When therefore he taught something against the School of Hillel although he did miracles as they themselves relate they gave no credit to him nay they derided him The same was their practise the same was their mind against the miracles of Christ. And to this may these words of our Saviour tend Why does this generation seek a sign A generation which is not only altogether unworthy of miracles but also which is sworn to retain their Traditions and doctrines although infinite miracles be done to the contrary II. You see how the last testimony of the miracles of this conjurer is fetched from Heaven For the Bath Kol went forth c. Which the followers of Hillel nevertheless received not and therein not justly indeed when they feign such a voice to have come to themselves from Heaven as a definitive Oracle for the authority of the School of Hillel not to be gainsaid concerning which the Talmudists speak very frequently and very boastingly After the same manner they require a sign from Heaven of our Saviour not content with those infinite miracles that he had done the healing of diseases the casting out Devils the multiplying of loaves c. They would also have somewhat from Heaven either after the example of Moses fetching Manna from thence or of Elias fetching down fire or of Joshua staying the Sun or of Esaias bringing it backwards CHAP. IX VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kingdom of God coming in power IN Matthew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Son of man coming in his Kingdom The coming of Christ in his Vengeance and power to destroy the unbelieving and most wicked Nation of the Jews is expressed under these forms of Speech Hence the day of Judgment and Vengeance I. It is called the great and terrible day of the Lord Act. II. 20. 2 Thes. II. 2 3. II. It is described as the end of the world Jer. XXIV 24. Mat. XXIV 29. c. III. In that phrase In the last times Esa. II. 1. Act. II. 17. 1 Tim. IV. 1. 2 Pet. III. 3. That is in the last times of that City and Dispensation IV. Thence the beginning of the new World Es. LXV 17. 2 Pet. III. 13. V. The Vengance of Christ upon that Nation is described as his coming Joh. XXII 21. Heb. X. 37. His coming in the clouds Rev. I. 7. In glory with the Angels Mat. XXIV 30. c. VI. It is described as the inthroning of Christ and his twelve Apostles judging the twelve tribes of Israel Mat. XIX 28. Luke XXII 30. Hence this is the sense of the present place Our Saviour had said in the last verse of the former Chapter Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his father with his holy Angels to take punishment of that adulterous and sinful generation And he suggests with good reason that that his coming in Glory should be in the life time of some that stood there VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into an high mountain NOW your pardon Reader I know it will be laughed at if I should doubt Whether Christ were transfigured upon Mount Tabor for whoever doubted of this thing But let me before I give faith to the thing reveal my doubts concerning it and the Reader laying before his eyes some Geographical Map of Galilee perhaps when he shall have heard me will judge more favourably of my doubting I. Let him consider that Christ in the story next going before was in the Coasts of Cesarea Philippi Mat. XVI 13. Mark VIII 27. Luke IX 18. and for any thing that can be gathered out of the Evangelists changed not his place before this story Who will deny those words There are some that stand here who shall not tast of death c. were uttered in those coasts of Cesarea Philippi And presently the story of the Transfiguration followed II. Six days indeed came between in which you will say Christ might travail from Cesarea Philippi to Tabor He might indeed But 1. The Evangelists intimate no change from place to place saying only this that he led up into the Mountain three of his Disciples 2. It seems indeed a wonder that our Saviour would tyre himself with so long a journey to choose Tabor whereon to be transfigured when as far as we read he had never before been in that Mountain and there were Mountains elsewhere where he conversed frequently 3. Follow the footsteps of the History and of Christ in his travail from his transfiguration onwards When he came down from the Mountain he healed a child possessed with a Devil and when he betook himself into the house they said Why could not we cast out the Devil c. And they departed thence and passed through Galilee And came to Capernaum Mark IX 30. 33. III. And now Reader look upon the Chorographical Map and how incongruous will this travailing seem 1. From Cesarea Philippi to Mount Tabor through the whole length almost of Galilee 2. From thence from Mount Tabor by a course back again to Capernaum a great part of Galilee especially as the Maps place Capernaum being again passed over When Capernaum was in the way from Cesarea Philippi to Tabor and there was a Mountain there well known to Christ and very much frequented by him IV. So that it seems far more consonant to the History of the Gospel that Christ was transfigured in some Mountain neare Cesarea Philippi perhaps that which Josephus being witness was the highest and hung over the very fountains of Jordan and at the foot whereof Cesarea was placed In that place formerly called Dan was the first Idolatry set up and now in the same place the Eternal Son of God is shewn both in the confession of Peter and in the unspeakably clear and illustrious demonstration of the Messias VERS XXXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We saw one in thy name
East c. If therefore the Temple was not finished till that time then much less was it so when Christ was in it Whence we may properly enough render those words of the Jews into such a kind of sense as this It is forty and six years since the repairing of the Temple was first undertook and indeed to this day is not quite perfected and will thou pretend to build a new one in three days VERS XXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he spake of the Temple of his body IF we consider how much the second Temple came behind that of the first it will the easilier appear why our blessed Saviour should call his body the Temple a a a a a a Hierosol Taanith fol. 6. 1. Bab. Joma fol. 21. 2. In the second Temple there wanted the fire from Heaven the Ark with the Propitiatory Cherubims Urim and Thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Glory the Holy Ghost and the Anointing Oyl These things were all in Solomon's Temple which therefore was accounted a full and plenary type of the Messiah But so long as the second Temple had them not it wanted what more particularly shadowed and represented him I. There was indeed in the second Temple a certain Ark in the Holy of Holies but this was neither Moses's Ark nor the Ark of the Covenant b b b b b b Joma fol. 52. 2. which may not unfitly come to mind when we read that passage Revel XI 19. The Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his testament It was not seen nor indeed was it at all in the second Temple The Jews have a Tradition that Josias hid the Ark before the Babylonish Captivity lest it should fall into the hands of the Enemy as once it did amongst the Philistines c c c c c c Joma ubi supra Cherithuth fol. 77. 2. But there is no mention that it was ever found and restored again II. In Moses his Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple the Divine presence sate visibly over the Ark in the propitiatory in a Cloud of Glory But when the destruction of that Temple drew near it went up from the Propitiatory Ezek. X. 4. and never returned into the second Temple where neither the Ark nor the Propitiatory was ever restored III. The High-Priest indeed ministred in the second Temple as in the first in eight several Garments d d d d d d Joma fol. 71. 2. Amongst these was the Pectoral or Breast-plate wherein the precious stones were put out of which the Jasper chanced to fall and was lost e e e e e e Hieros Peah fol. 15. 3. Bab. Kiddush fol. 60. 2. but the Oracle by Urim and Thummim was never restored See Ezra II. 63. and Nehem. VII 63. if not restored in the days of Ezra or Nehemiah much less certainly in the ages following when the Spirit of Prophecy had forsaken and taken leave of that people For that is a great truth amongst the Talmudists f f f f f f Joma fol. 73. 2. Things are not askt or enquired after now by Urim and Thummim by the High-Priest because he doth not speak by the Holy Ghost nor does there any divine Afflatus breath on him This to omit other things was the state of Zorobabel's Temple with respect to those things which were the peculiar glory of it And these things being wanting how much inferior must this needs be to that of Solomon's But there was one thing more that degraded Herod's Temple still lower and that was the person of Herod himself to whom it is ascribed It was not without scruple even amongst the Jews themselves that it was built and repaired by such an one and who knew not what Herod was They dispute whether by right such a person ought to have meddled with it and are fain to pump for arguments for their own satisfaction as to the lawfulness of the thing They object first g g g g g g Bava bathra fol. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is not permitted to any one to demolish one Synagogue till he hath built another Much less to demolish the Temple But Herod demolished the Temple before he had built another Ergo They answer Baba ben Buta gave Herod that counsel that he should pull it down Now this Baba was reckoned amongst the great wise men and he did not rashly move Herod to such a work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saw such clefts and breaches in the Temple that threatned its ruine They object secondly concerning the person of Herod that he was a Servant to the Asmonean Family that he rose up against his Masters and killed them and had killed the Sanhedrin They answer We were under his power and could not resist it And if those hands stained with blood would be building it was not in their power to hinder it These and other things they apologize for their Temple adding this invention for the greater honour of the thing that all that space of time wherein it was a building it never once rained by day that the work might not be interrupted h h h h h h Taanith fol. 23. 1. Joseph Antiqu. lib. 15. cap. 14. The Rabbins take a great deal of pains but to no purpose upon those words Hagg. II. 9. The glory of this latter House shall be greater than the former i i i i i i Bava bathra fol. 3. 1. R. Jochanan and R. Eliezer say one that it was greater for the Fabrick the other that it was greater for the duration As if the glory of the Temple consisted in any Mathematical reasons of space dimension or duration as if it lay in walls gilding or ornament The glory of the first Temple was the Ark the divine cloud over the Ark the Urim and the Thummim c. Now where or in what can consist the greater glory of the second Temple when these are gone Herein it is indeed that the Lord of the Temple was himself present in his Temple he himself was present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Coloss. II. 9. as the divine glory of old was over the Ark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typically or by way of shadow only This is the glory when he himself is present who is the great High-Priest and the Prophet who answerably to the Urim and Thummim of old reveals the counsels and will of God He who is the true and living Temple whom that Temple shadowed out This Temple of yours O ye Jews does not answer its first pattern and exemplar There are wanting in that what were the chief glory of the former which very defect intimates that there is another Temple to be expected that in all things may fall in with its first type as it is necessary the Antitype should
Israel The Lord thy God is one Lord. And so being blind as to the mystery of the Trinity are the more hardened to deny that Our Saviour strenuously asserts here the God-head of the Son or Messiah namely that he hath the same power with the Father the same honour due to him as to the Father that he hath all things in common with the Father and hence he makes this reply upon them about healing on the Sabbath my Father worketh on the Sabbath day so do I also VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Son can do nothing of himself THAT is The Messiah can do nothing of himself For he is a Servant and sent by his Father so that he must work not of his own will and pleasure but his Father's Isai. XLII 1. Behold my servant Targ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold my Servant the Messiah So Kemch in loc and St. Paul Philip. II. 7. The Jew himself however he may endeavour to elude the sense of that phrase The Son of God yet cannot deny the truth of this Maxim That the Messiah can do nothing but according to the will and prescription of his Father that sent him Which he also will expound not of the weakness and impotency but the perfection and obedience of the Son that he so doth VERS XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The hour cometh and now is when the dead shall hear c. THE Jews as we have said before looked for the Resurrection of the dead at the coming of Messiah and that truly and with great reason though it was not to be in their sense The Vision of Ezekiel about the dry bones living Chap. XXXVII and those words of Isaiah thy dead men shall live c. Chap. XXVI 20. suggesting to them some such thing although they grope exceedingly in the dark as to the true interpretation of this matter That of R. Eliczer is well enough n n n n n n Chetub â—ol 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people of the Earth the Gentiles do not live which somewhat agrees with that of the Apostle Ephes. II 2. Ye were dead in trespasses and sins Nor does that of Jeremiah Bar Abba sound much differently o o o o o o Sanhedr fol. 92. 2. The dry bones Ezek. XXXVII are the Sons of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom is not the moisture of the Law It is true many bodies of the Saints arose when Christ himself arose Matth. XXVII 52. But as to those places in Scripture which hint the Resurrection of the dead at his coming I would not understand them so much of these as the raising the Gentiles from their spiritual death of sin when they lay in ignorance and Idolatry to the light and life of the Gospel Nor need we wholly expound Ezekiel's dry bones recovered to life of the return of the Tribes of Israel from their Captivity though that may be included in it but rather or together with that the resuscitation of the Israel of God that is those Gentiles that were to believe in the Messiah from their spiritual death The words in the Revel XX. 5. This is the first Resurrection do seem to confirm this Now what and at what time is this Resurrection When the great Angel of the Covenant Christ had bound the old Dragon with the Chains of the Gospel and shut him up that he should no more seduce the Nations p p p p p p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by lying Wonders Oracles and Divinations and his False-gods as formerly he had done that is when the Gospel being published amongst the Heathen Nations had laid open all the devices and delusions of Satan and had restored them from the death of sin and ignorance to a true state of life indeed This was the first Resurrection That our Saviour in this place speaks of this Resurrection I so much the less doubt because that Resurrction he here intends he plainly distinguishes it from the last and general Resurrection of the dead vers 28 29. this first Resurrection from that last which he points therefore to as it were with his finger the hour is coming and now is c. VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To execute judgment also because he is the Son of man DAN VII 13. Behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds and came to the Antient of days and there was given him dominion and glory c. To this our blessed Saviour seems to have respect in these words as the thing it self plainly shews R. Solomon upon the place One like the Son of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the King the Messiah R. Saadias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Messiah our righteousness When our Saviour declared before the Sanhedrin Ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the Clouds they all said art thou Christ the Son of the blessed God by which they imply that the Son of God and Christ are convertible terms as also are Christ and the Son of Man And it plainly shews that their eyes were intent up-this place Art thou that Son of Man spoken of in Daniel who is the Son of God the Messiah So did Christ in these words look that way VERS XXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As I hear I judge HE seems to allude to a custom amongst them q q q q q q Sanhedr cap. ult hal â— The Judge of an inferior Court if he doubts in any matter goes up to Jerusalem and takes the determination of the Sanhedrin and according to that he judgeth VERS XXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A burning and shining light HE speaks according to the vulgar dialect of that Nation who were wont to call any person famous for life or knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Candle r r r r r r Beresh rabba fol. 95. 4. Shuah the Father-in-law of Judah Gen. XXXVIII was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Candle or light of the place where he lived The Gloss is One of the most famous men in the City inlightning their eyes hence the title given to the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Candle of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lamp of light VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Search the Scriptures THIS seems not to be of the imperative but indicative mood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye search the Scriptures and in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they that testifie of me yet ye will not come to me that ye might have life What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 means is not unknown to any that have but dipt into Jewish Authors It denotes a something more narrow search into the Scriptures something between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an enquiry into the literal and Cabbalistical sense of the words as R. Bechai in every leaf shews by several
of the Scribes So we often meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is out of the Law or Scripture to which is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is out of the Rabbins That Christ abideth for ever How then came the Rabbins to determine his time and years some to the space of Forty years some to Seventy and others to three Generations q q q q q q Sanbedr fol. 99. 1. After the days of Messiah they expected that Eternity should follow VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Therefore they could not believe c. THEY were not constrained in their infidelity because Isaiah had said Their heart is waxen gross c. But because those things were true which that Prophet had foretold concerning them Which Prophesie if I understand them aright they throw off from themselves and pervert the sense of it altogether r r r r r r Rosh hashanah fol. 17. 2. R. Johanan saith repentance is a great thing for it rescinds the decree of judgment determined against man as it is written The heart of this people is made fat their ears heavy and their eyes are closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they shall be converted and healed For to that sense do they render these last words diametrically contrary to the mind of the Prophet They have a conceipt that Isaiah was cut in two either by the Saw or the Ax by Manasses the King principally for this very Vision and Prophesie s s s s s s Jevamoth fol. 49. ◠It is a Tradition Simeon Ben Azzai saith I found a Book at Jerusalem in which was written how Manasses slew Isaiah Rabba saith He condemned and put him to death upon this occasion He saith to him Thy Master Moses saith no man can see God and live But thou sayest I have seen the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up Thy Master Moses saith Who is like our God in all things that we call upon him for Deut. IV. 7. But thou saiest seek ye the Lord while he may be found Isai. LV. 6. Moses thy Master saith the number of thy days I will fulfil Exod. XIII 26. But thou saiest I will add unto thy days fifteen years Isai. XXXVIII 5. Isaiah answered and said I know he will not hearken to me in any thing I can say to him If I should say any thing to the reconciling of the Scriptures I know he will deal contemptuously in it He said therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will shut my self up in this Cedar They brought the Cedar and sawed it asunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when the Saw touched his mouth he gave up the Ghost This happened to him because he said I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Manasses slew Isaiah and as it should seem the Gemarists do not dislike the fact because he had accused Israel of the uncleanness of their lips No touching upon Israel by any means VERS XLI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When he saw his Glory ISAI VI 1. I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne Where the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I saw the Lords Glory c. So Exod. XXIV 10. They saw the God of Israel Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saw the glory of the God of Israel and vers 11. and they saw God Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they saw the glory of God So the Targumists elsewhere very often commended therefore by their followers for so rendring it because no man cold see God It might be therefore thought that our Evangelist speaks with the Targumist and the Nation when he saith that Isaiah saw his glory whereas the Prophet himself saith he saw the Lord. But there is a deeper meaning in it nor do I doubt but this glory of our Saviour which Isaiah saw was that kind of Glory by which he is described when he was to come to avenge himself and punish the Jewish Nation As when he is said to come in his Kingdom and in his Glory and in the Clouds c. viz. in his Vindictive Glory For observe 1. The Prophet saw the posts of the door shaken and removed as hastening to ruine 2. The Temple it self filled with smoke not with the cloud as formerly the token of the Divine Presence but with smoke The forerunner and prognostick of that fire that should burn and consume it 3. He saw the Seraphims Angels of fire because of the predetermined Burning 4. He heard the decree about blinding and hardening the people till the Cities be wasted and the Land desolate CHAP. XIII VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now before the Feast of the Passover THE Vulgar Beza and the Interlinear read Now before the Feast-day of the Passover But by what authority they add day it concerns them to make out For I. In the common language of the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do never signifie less than the whole Festivity and time of Passover Pentecost and of Tabernacles no part of that time being excepted nor does the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feast occur any where throughout the whole Bible in another signification II. It is something harsh to exclude the Paschal Supper out of the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Feast of the Passover because the name of the whole Feast takes its original from it This they do who imagine this Supper mentioned in this place to have been the Paschal Supper and yet it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Feast of the Passover We have therefore shewn by many Arguments in our Notes upon Matth. XXVI 2 6. That the Supper here mentioned was with that at Bethany in the House of Simon the Leper two days before the Passover VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Supper being ended I Acknowledge the Aorist and yet do not believe the Supper was now ended We have the very same word in the story of the same Supper Matth. XXVI 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Jesus being in Bethany Which in St. Mark is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And being in Bethany Chap. XIV 3. So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being Supper Let us joyn the full story together whiles Jesus was at Supper in the House of Simon the Leper two days before the Passover a Woman comes and pours very precious Oyntment upon his head when some murmured at the profuseness of the expense he defends the Woman and the action by an Apology and having finished his Apology he rises immediately from the Table as it were in the very midst of Supper and girds himself to wash his Disciples feet so that while they are grumbling at the anointing of his head he does not disdain to wash their
called the Just nor could we suppose any a more likely Candidate for the Apostleship than he who was brother to so many of the Apostles and had been so oftentimes nam'd with James What the word Barsabas might signifie it is not so easie to determine because Sabas may agree with so many Hebrew words the Nomenclators render it The Son of Conversion Son of quiet Son of an Oath But by the way who can tell what Etymology the Arabick Interpreter in Bib. Polygl referr'd to when he render'd it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barzaphan I would write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bar Saba which also the Erpenian Arab. does i. e. a wise Son unless you had rather Son of an old man There is also another Barsabas Chap. XV. 22. Judas sirnamed Barsabas by whom if Judas the Apostle be to be understood let Joses and he both Barsabas be brothers both of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sons of old Alpheus CHAP. II. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come I. THIS word Pentecost seems to be taken into use by the Hellenist Jews to signifie this Feast which also almost all the Versions retain the Western especially and amongst the Eastern the Syriack and Aethiopick The Hebraizing Jews commonly call this Feast by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which one of the Arabicks differs very little when it renders it in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is only interserted the other omits the word wholly and only hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the fifty II. It is well enough known that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Holy Scriptures was an Holy-day Levit. XXIII 36. Deut. XVI 8. and the reason why the Jews so peculiarly appropriate it to the Feast of Pentecost seems to be this because this Feast consisted in one solemn day whereas the Feast of Passover and of Tabernacles had more days f f f f f f Beresh rabba fol. 114. 3. As the days of the Feast are seven R. Chaija saith because the Pentecost is but for one day is the mourning so too They say unto him thou arguest from a far fetcht tradition Where the Gloss hath it That this Feast is but for one day we learn from the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Beracoth fol. 17. 2. The men of the Town Mahaesia are strong of heart for they see the glory of the Law twice in the year The Gloss is Thither all Israel is gather'd together in the Month Adar that they may hear the Traditions concerning that Passover in the School of Rabh Asai and in the Month Elul that they may hear the Traditions concerning the Feast of Tabernacles But they were not so gather'd together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Feast of Pentecost because that is not above one day Hence that Baithusean may be the better believ'd in his dispute with Rabban Johanan h h h h h h Menacoth fol. fol. 65. 1. Moses our Master saith he will love Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he knows that the Feast of Pentecost is but for one day III. And yet there is mention of a second Holy-day in Pentecost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabh Papa hath shammatiz'd those bearers that bury the dead on the first Feast-day of Pentecost c. where the mention of the first Feast-day hints to us that there is a second which we find elsewhere asserted in express terms i i i i i i Erachin fol. 10. 1. R. Simeon ben Jozedek saith in eighteen days any single person repeats the Hallel over that is to say in the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles in the eight days of the Feast of Dedication the first day of the Passover and the first day of Pentecost But in the captivity they did it in one and twenty days In the nine days of the Feast of Tabernacles in the eight days of the Feast of Dedication in the two Feast-days of the Passover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the two Feast-days of Pentecost Whereas it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the captivity the difficulty is answer'd for although in the land of Israel there was but one solemn day in the Feast of Pentecost yet amongst the Jews in foreign Countries there were two which also happen'd in other Solemnities For instance within Palestine they kept but one day holy in the beginning of the year viz. the first day of the Month Tisri but in Babylon and other foreign Countries they observ'd both the first and the second day And the reason was because at so great a distance from the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem they could not be exactly certain of the precise day as it had been stated by the Sanhedrin they observ'd therefore two days that by the one or the other they might be sure to hit upon the right IV. God himself did indeed institute but one Holy-day in the Feast of Pentecost Levit. XXIII and therefore is it more peculiarly call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a solemn day because it had but one Feast-day And yet that Feast hath the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same titles that the Feast of Tabernacles and the Passover had Exod. XXIII 14 c. and all the males appear'd in this Feast as well as in the others nor was this Feast without its Chagigah any more than the rest So that however the first day of Pentecost only was the Holy and solemn day yet the Feast it self was continu'd for seven days So the Doctors in Rosh hashanah k k k k k k Fol. 4. 2. R. Oshaiah saith whence comes it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pentecost hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compensations for all the seven days because the Scripture saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Feast of unleaven'd bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Feast of Weeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Feast of Tabernacles He compares the Feast of Weeks i. e. Pentecost with the Feast of unleaven'd bread That hath compensations for all the seven days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Feast of Weeks i. e. Pentecost hath compensations for all the seven days They call'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compensations when any one had not made his just offerings in the beginning of the Feast he repair'd and compensated this negligence or defect of his by offering in any other of the seven days And thus much may suffice as to this whole Feast in general Now as to the very day of Pentecost it self it may not be amiss to add something I. It is well known that the account of weeks and days from the Passover to Pentecost took its beginning from and depended upon the day of offering the sheaf of the first-fruits Levit. XXIII 15. But through the ambiguity
the Seventy thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Anathema or devoted of men shall not be redeemed but shall dye the death But what is the Anathema of men The Author of Tosaphtoth answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is condemned to death by the Sanhedrin R. Solomon saith When an Israelite devoted his man servant or his maid servant that were Canaanites to death R. Menahen saith When the Israelites in war devoted their enemies to destruction if they overcame them as was done by them Numb XXI i i i i i i Bab. Chetubb fol. 37. 2. Whence is it that when any condemned to dye by the Sanhedrin is led forth to suffer death another goes forth interceding and saying I will pay for his Redemption Whence is it I say that he saith this to no purpose Namely Thence because it is said Every Anathema of men shall not be redeemed but shall be punished with death If therefore we enquire into the original and proper nature of this Anathema it was certainly the destining of some Malefactor to most certain death and destruction Hence is that in the Chaldee paraphrast in Esa. XLIII ult Where for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will deliver Jacob to Anathema he renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will deliver him to be slain And now in reference to the words Maran-atha very many Commentators agree that this Phrase is a certain form of Excommunication and that it is the highest and heaviest Thus say they is the extremest kind of Anathema marked as though he would say Cursed be he to the coming and in the coming of the Lord. They assert this to be the third kind of Excommunication among the Jews and think that it sounds the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schammatha and interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God cometh to the same sense But let me with the leave of so great men speak freely what I think in this business I. I have not found in my reading in any places although I have sought diligently in any Jewish Writers that I have perused where Maran-atha occurs once for a form of Excommunication Nor have I found in any Christian Writer the least sign whereby might be shewn in what place or in what Hebrew Author that Phrase is found in such a sense Yea to speak out plainer as the thing is I do not remember that I have found this Phrase Maran-atha in any sense at all in any Rabbinical or Talmudic Writer at any time in any place II. But those Commentators mentioned do silently confess that Maran-atha indeed in so many syllables does not occur in the Hebrew Writers but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schammatha which speaks the same thing occurs very frequently and so they interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God cometh But passing over this that this interpretation seems to betray an ignorance of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from thence Schammatha is derived the Talmudists to whom that word is sufficiently common and well known produce another Etymology of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schammatha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Bab. Motd Katâ—n fol. 16. What signifies Shammatha Rabba answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sham metha There is Death Samuel answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Death be there or come thither as it is written The curse shall come into the house of the Thief and shall lay it waste Zach. V. They have these and the like sayings but no mention in them of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God cometh What the Apostle means by Maran-atha we shall more easily trace when we shall have observed this first That the Apostle chiefly directs the dint and stroke of this Anathema and Curse against the unbelieving Jews who were most bitter enemies against the Lord Jesus and his Gospel which I cannot but think being induced thereunto by these four reasons I. Because the Jews above all other of humane race loved not the Lord Jesus neither yet do love him The Holy Scripture teaches this abundantly unhappy experience teaches it The Pagans indeed love not Christ because they knew him not but because they know him not neither do they hate him The Turks indeed love not Jesus in that manner as the Christians do but they do not hate him in that manner as do the Jews II. Because he speaks here in the Language and Dialect of the Jews namely in that Syriack phrase Maran-atha He had spoke Greek through the whole Epistle he speaks Greek in all his Epistles but when he speaks here in the Jewish Language the thing it self speaks it without all controversie that he speaks concerning the Jews III. The Jews only of all mortals called Jesus accursed see Chap. XII 1. therefore the Apostle deservedly strikes them above all other Mortals with a curse rendring like for like IV. Hither I or rather doth the Apostle bring those words of Esaiah Chap. LXV 15. Ye shall leave your name for a curse to my chosen Hither also may be brought that of Malachi Chap. IV. wherewith the Old Testament is concluded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest I come and smite the land with Anathema a Curse Lest I come this is the same with that which the Apostle saith Maran-atha The Lord cometh And I will smite with Anathema the same with that in this verse let him be Anathema Against whom is the threatning in the Prophet Against the unbelieving Jews Against the same is both his threatning and curse of the Apostle taken methinks out of the very words of the Prophet And now you may easily fetch out the sense of the word Maran-atha The Holy Scripture speaks great and terrible things concerning the coming of Christ to punish the Nation of the Jews for their not loving yea hating Christ and treading the Gospel under foot It is called his coming in his Kingdom in the Clouds in Glory which we observe elsewhere So that I should much more readily interpret this expression Maran-atha that is our Lord cometh in this sense from this common manner of speech and which is so very usual to the Scripture than to run to I know not what Jewish form which yet is not at all to be met with among the Jews To be added to Chap. XIV THAT some light may be added to what we spake at Chap. XIV about the use of an unknown Tongue we thought it not amiss to make a brief discourse for the discussing that Question What Bibles were commonly used in the Religious Meetings of the Iews Which discourse we have laid here that the continuation of the Commentary might not be broken CHAP. I. Concerning the Hebrews and Hellenists WHEN the Hellenists and Hebrews are distinguished Act. VI. 1. it seems to be less obscure than when distinction is made between the Hellenists and the Jews Act. XI 20. For that the Hellenists were Jews almost all agree The reason of the distinction may be fetched either from their Dispersion or
whom the ends of the World are come Not the very best times of the World for the World hath lasted sixteen hundred years since Paul spake that and how long yet it may last who knoweth but the end of that old World of the Jewish State which then hasted on very fast In the same sense are the words of our Apostle in his first Epistle Chap. IV. 7. The end of all things is at hand Not the end the World but of that City Nation and oeconomy the like is that James V. 9. Behold the Judge standeth before the door and divers other of the like nature III. The vengance of Christ upon that people in that final destruction is set out and called his coming his coming in his Kingdom and in clouds and with power and great glory His coming Joh. XXI 22. In his Kingdom Matth. XVI ult In power and glory Matth. XXIV 30. Nor is this any figure for observe vers 34. This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled Accordingly the day of that vengeance is called The day of the Lord. IV. The state of the Church and Gospel after that dissolution of that old World is called sometimes the World to come Heb. II. 5. sometimes new Heavens and new Earth as in the Text sometimes all things new as II Cor. V. 17. Old things are past away behold all things are become new So that by this time you see plainly the meaning of our Apostle at this place In the verses before he speaks of the dissolution of the Jewish Church and State in such terms as the Scripture useth to express it by as if it were the dissolution of the whole World And in the words of the Text of the new face and state of the Church and World upon the dissolution when a new people and new oeconomy took place We according to his promise The promise is in Esa. LXV 17. For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth Where if you look into the context before you shall find the sense justified that I put upon the words and these new Heavens and new Earth created after the Jews casting off and destruction It is a strange opinion that would perswade you that the most glorious things that are foretold by the Prophets should come to pass when the Jews are called which calling is yet expected whereas those glorious things are plainly enough intimated to come to pass at the Jews casting off I might name many places I shall not expatiate upon that subject here this very Chapter speaks enough to justifie what I say In the second verse God complains I have spred out my hands all the day long to a rebellious people This the Apostle in the tenth of the Romans and the last applies unto that people But to Israel he saith All the day long have I stretched forth my hand to a disobedient and gainsaying people The Prophet along the Chapter telleth what shall become of that people At vers 6. I will not keep silence but will recompence even recompence into their basom Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together saith the Lord which have burnt incense upon the mountains and blasphemed me upon the hills therefore c. At vers 12. I will number you to the sword and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter At vers 13. Behold my servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry c. At vers 15. You shall leave your name for a curse to my chosen And then follows the promise that is related to in the Text For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth Though you are gone yet all the World shall not be gone with you For though I destroy my old people the old Heavens and Earth of the old oeconomy yet I shall provide my self a new people of the Gentiles when the Jews shall be a people no more and when that old World is destroyed I will create new Heavens and a new Earth Such another passage is that of our Saviour Matth. XXIV 31. where when he had described the ruine of the Jewish Nation in the terms we have spoken of before and it might be questioned what then shall become of a Church and where shall it be The Son of man saith he shall send his Angels or Ministers with the sound of the trumpet of the Gospel and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of the Heaven to the other among all Nations Thus had Peter read this great promise in Esay the Evangelical Prophet thus had he heard it from the mouth of the great Prophet his sacred Master and therefore it is no wonder if when it is confirmed by the mouth of two such witnesses he undoubtedly look for new Heavens and a new Earth according to such a promise But what is meant by righteousness in this place 1. Not Gods primitive or distributive righteousness or justice for that was ever Gen. XVIII The Judge of all the World did right ever since the World was In the old World in all the World and the same for this yesterday and to day and for ever 2. Not that men were more righteous toward the latter end of the World than before as some dream of such glorious things yet to come for there is no such promise in all the Scripture True indeed that promise of such glorious things was in the last days of Jerusalem but where is any promise of any such things in the last days of the World 3. Nor doth it mean the glorified estate for where do you find righteousness applied to that estate It is commonly applied to the state of believers here 4. Therefore it means justification of sinners or that righteousness by which they are justified The righteousness of God which is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe as the Apostle most divinely doth expound it This is the righteousness that is so gloriously spoken of throughout all the Scriptures Dan. IX 24. To bring in everlasting righteousness Esa. LVI 1. My righteousness is near to be revealed to which that is agreeable Rom. I. 17. In the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith Why Was not the righteousness of God revealed in all times before Was not his justice revealed in the Law Yea his condemning justice but his justifying justice in the Gospel This the meaning of the Apostle here That as God had promised to Create new Heavens and a new Earth a new Church and People and oeconomy among the Gentiles when the old Judaick one should be destroyed so in this new created World justifying righteousness should dwell most evidently and appear most glorious when such abominable ones as the Gentiles had been should be justified Justifying righteousness had shewed it self in the World in all generations from Adam and righteous Abel
Will so to do And that it is his Will so to do he hath given assurance in that he hath appointed a day wherein to judge the world in righteousness by the man that he hath ordained And of that appointment and ordaining he hath given assurance in that he raised him from the dead And so we are come to the second part of our task or the second thing that I named to be spoken viz. the assurance that God hath given of the Judgment to come and more particularly of that whereby he hath assured that Christ shall be Judge viz. in that he raised from dead The assurance God hath given of the Judgment to come we may distinguish into verbal and real Assurance that he hath given in his Word and in his Providential dispensation I need not to insist upon his verbal assurances of the certainness that he hath given of such a thing in Word for he that runs may read them Such as these Eccles. XI 9. XII ult II Cor. V. 10. and multitudes of passages to the same purpose So that the Apostle reckons Eternal Judgment for one of the fundamental Articles of our Christian Faith and that it is so clearly asserted that he finds he needs not to insist much upon the proving of it Heb. VI. 2. And as the verbal assurances that God hath given of this in Scripture are so very many so the real ones that he hath given in his dispensations are not few I shall but mention some and pitch only upon this mentioned in the Text Christs Resurrection I. Was not the Judgment of all the World by Water in the days of Noah a prognostication and assurance of the Judgment to come at the end of the World Certainly they must need conclude so that thinks that Peter speaks of the last Judgment in II Epistle III. 6 7. where he hath these words The World that then was being overflowed with water perished But the Heaven and Earth that now are are kept in store reserved unto fire II. Was not the Judgment and sad conflagration of Jerusalem and destruction of the Jewish Church and Nation an assurance of the Judgment to come when the expressions whereby it is described are such as you think they meant nothing else but that final Judgment As Christs coming coming in clouds in his glory in his Kingdom The day of the Lord the great and terrible day of the Lord The end of the World the end of all things The Sun darkned the Moon not giving light The Stars falling from Heaven and the powers of Heaven shaken The sign of the Son of man appearing in Heaven Heaven departing as a scroll rolled together and every mountain and hill removed out of its place c. You would think they meant nothing but the last and universal Judgment whereas their meaning indeed is Christs coming in Judgment and vengeance against the Jewish City and Nation but a fore signification also of the last Judgment III. I might speak of particular fearful judgments upon persons and places Are not they assurances of the Judgment to come I am sure the Apostle Peter raiseth them to such a signification in his second Epistle and second Chapter where when he had mentioned the Judgment of the Angels that fell of the Judgment of the old World by water and of Sodom by fire he makes this conclusion vers 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the ungodly to the day of Judgment to be punished IV. Are not the Tribunals and Judicatures that God hath set up on Earth assurances that he hath given of a final Judgment to come Upon which we may take up the stile of the Psalmist in Psal. XCIV 9. He that planted the car shall he not hear So he that hath erected Judicatures shall not he Judge V. Is not the Judicature that he hath set up in every mans soul an undoubted assurance of the Judgment coming Where the Conscience as one very well defines it is Praejudicum judicii A foretaste a Preface to the Judgment to come VI. And lastly The very prospering of the wicked in this World and the affliction of the righteous is an undoubted assurance that the day is coming when both the one and other is to be judged according to their works and receives a reward according to their works And with this very Argument Will. Tyrius in his bello sacro relates that he satisfied Amalrich King of Jerusalem when he desired him to give him some proof of this very point So that that very prosperity in this World that deâ—â—ives Atheistical men to think there shall be no Judgment is continually a growing argument that there shall Upon all these things I might have spoken very largely but I hasten to that assurance that is in the Text viz. The Resurrection of Christ may give assurance to all the World of his coming to Judgment It is worth your observing these two things about the Jews asking a sign from our Saviour 1. That he ever denies to give them a sign Matth. XII 39. He wrought signs and wonders among them above number but he would never work that that should be a mere sign His healing diseases c. were not mere signs but were benefits by miracle wrought for the People as the Plagues on Egypt were not mere signs but punishments wrought by miracle 2. That he still when they asked a sign referred them to his Resurrection Joh. II. when he whips the buyers and sellers out of the Temple and they ask him what sign shewest thou seeing thou doest these things He refers them thither vers 19. Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up speaking of the Temple of my body So Matth. XII 39. when the Scribes and Pharisees are at it Master we would see a sign from thee he still refers to his Resurrection No sign shall be given but the sign of the Prophet Jonas As Jonah was three days and three night buried in the Whales belly but rose again and was cast alive on shore so shall the Son of man be buried and rise again And why thus refer them still to his Resurrection Because that was the great sign and demonstration that he was the Missias the Son of God Rom. I. 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power by his Resurrection from the dead And Observe that allegation of the Apostle Act. XIII 33. God hath raised up Jesus as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Was this Resurrection day the day of the Lords begetting him was that the first day that he was the Son of God It was the day that he was first declared in full power and that it was manifest that he was the Son of God It was the day of his Victory and putting on his Kindom the day of his Trophea and Triumph and the sign that he was the Son of
Apostles and Disciples and should pick out a man that we all know was no Apostle that no one knows whether he were a Disciple or no. But II. It is agreeable to all reason to conceive that as the man to whom God vouchsafed the revelation and discovery of the times and occurrences that were to intervene betwixt his own times and the fall of Jerusalem was Daniel a man greatly beloved so that the John to whom Christ would vouchsafe the revelation and discovery of the times and occurrences that were to intervene betwixt the Fall of Jerusalem and the end of the World was John the Disciple greatly beloved III. Of that Disciple Christ had intimated that he would that he should tarry till â—e came Joh. XXI 22. that is till he should come in vengeance against the Jewish Nation and their City to destroy them for that his coming both in that place and in divers other places in the New Testament doth mean in that sense it were very easie to make evident should we take that subject to insist upon Now as our Saviour vouchsafed to preserve him alive to see the Fall and destruction of that City so also did he vouchsafe to him the sight of a new Jerusalem instead of the old when that was ruined laid in ashes and come to nothing He saw it in Vision we see it in the Text and upon that let us six our Eyes and Discourse for we need not speak more of him that saw it In the verse before he sees a new Heaven and a new Earth and in this verse a new Jerusalem I. Something parallel to which is that in Esa. LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth And in the verse next following Behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing The expressions intimate the great change of affairs that should be in the World under the Gospel from what had been before A new Heaven or a change of Church and Religion from a Jewish to a Gentile Church and from Mosaick to Evangelical Religion A new Earth or a change in the World as to the management or rule of it from Heathenism to Christianity and from the rule of the four Heathen Monarchies Dan. VII to the Saints or Christians to iudge the World 1 Cor. VI. 2. or being Rulers or Magistrates in it And the new Jerusalem is the emblem and Epitome of all these things under this change as the old Jerusalem had been before the change came There is none but knoweth that Jerusalem in Scripture language is very commonly taken for the whole Church then being as well as it is taken particularly and literally for the City it self then standing That City was the Church in little because there were eminently in it all those things that do make and constitute a true Church viz. the administration of the Word and divine Ordinances the Assemblies of the Saints the Worship of the true God by his own appointment and the presence of God himself in the midst of all And can any doubt but that the new Jerusalem meaneth in the like sense and upon the like reason The Church of God under the Gospel this inriched with all those excellencis and privileges that that was yea and much more There was the Doctrine of Salvation but wrapped up in Types and Figures and dark Prophesies but here unfolded to the view of every Eye and Moses vail taken off his face There Ordinances of divine Worship but mingled with multitudes of carnal rites here pure adoration in Spirit and Truth There an assembly only of one People and Nation here a general assembly compacted of all Nations There God present in a cloud upon the Ark here God present in the communication of his Spirit Therefore it is the less wonder that it is called the holy City because of these things II. which is the second circumstance considerable in the words I saw the new Jerusalem The holy City It is observable that the second old Jerusalem for so let me call the Jerusalem that was built and inhabited after the return out of Captivity was called the holy City when goodness and holiness were clean banished out of the City and become a stranger there When the Temple had lost its choisest ornaments and endowments that contributed so much to the holiness of the place and City The Ark the cloud of Glory upon it the Oracle by Urim and Thummim the fire from Heaven upon the Altar these were all gone and Prophesie was utterly ceased from the City and Nation yet even then it is called the holy City in this her nakedness Nay when the Temple was become a Den of Thieves and Jerusalem no better if not worse when she had persecuted the Prophets and stoned those that were sent unto her when she had turned all Religion upside down and out of doors and worshiped God only according to inventions of men yet even then and when she is in that case she is termed the holy City Matth. IV. 5. Then the Devil taketh him up into the Holy City and setteth him on a pinacle of the Temple Nay when that holy Evangelist had given the story of her crucifying the Holy of Holies the Lord of life and glory even then he calls her the holy City Chap. XXVII 53. The bodies of many Saints which slept arose and came out of their graves after his Resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared to many Call me not Naomi but call me Marah might she very well have said then and so might others say of her for it might seem very incongruous to call the holy City when she was a City so very unholy She was indeed simply and absolutely in her self most unholy and yet comparatively The holy City because there was not a place under Heaven besides which God had chosen to place his Name there and there he had and that was it that gave her that name and title And while she kept the peculiarity of the thing she kept the name but at last forfeited both and then God finds out another City where to place his Name A new Jerusalem A holy City a holier City her younger sister fairer than she Holy under the same notion with the other because God hath placed his Name only III. there Holier than she because he hath placed it there in a more heavenly and spiritual manner than in her as was touched before And Holier still because she shall never lose her holiness as the other did as we shall touch hereafter And she cannot but be holy as I said before when she comes down from Heaven and is sent thence by God And this is the third thing remarkable in the Text I saw the new Jerusalem coming down from Heaven The Apostle S. Paul calls her Jerusalem which is above Gal. IV. 26. Our Apostle sees her coming down from above and the Prophet Ezekiel in his fortieth Chapter and forward seeth her pitched here below when she is
Yea he was under the obligation of the Ceremonial Law and that in three respects p. 1037. Christs lineage or discent was most of younger Brothers p. 1089 1090. Why Christ was Baptised p. 1125. Christ conformed to many things received and practised in the Jewish Church and civil converse in several instances p. 1137 1139. Christ sets himself against them that set themselves against Religion p. 1164. Christ sending his Gospel bound the Devil from his former abominable cheating p. 1171. He delivered the Law on Mount Sinai and is called the Angel by Stephen the Proto-Martyr upon that account this proves him to be God against the Arian and Socinian p. 1229. He was sanctified by his own blood p. 1254. Christs blood called the blood of the Covenant and why p. 1254. He suffered as much as God could put him to suffer short of his own wrath p. 1255. The wrath of God not inflicted upon Christ in his sufferings p. 1255. His victory over Sin and Satan in his sufferings was by his holiness not by his God-head p. 1255 1256. The obedience of Christ made his blood justifying and saving p. 1255. His obedience conquered Satan and satisfied God p. 1256. He died meerly out of obedience p. 1257. He was sanctified by his own blood to the Office of Mediator p. 1254 1257. Acceptance with God and coming to him is only through Christ. p. 1261 1262. Christs obedience does not dissolve the obedience of a Christian. p. 1263. What it is to be separate from Christ. p. 1297. The Church of the Jews was only a Child under age till Christ came p. 1334. His descent into Hell the improper meaning as to what the Church of Rome understands by it p. 1341 to 1347. Where was the Soul of Christ when separate from the body p. 1344. His victory and triumph over Devils what p. 1345 1346. His Kingdom began at his Resurrection p. 1345 1346. His descent into Hell is supposed by some to be the Torments he suffered on the Cross. p. 1347. He did not undergo the anger or wrath of God but the Justice of God in his sufferings p. 1348 1349 1350. It was impossible Christ should suffer the Torments of Hell or be in the case of the damned p. 1350. His expiring upon the Cross considered both in it self and in the manner of it Page 1354 Christian Churches were modelled by our Saviour very near the Platform of the Jewish Synagogue worship 1041 1139 Church of the Jews Christ had a peculiar care of the Jewish Church though but too much corrupted while it was to continue a Church and therefore sends the Leper to shew himself to the Priests p. 165 166. How it may be said to have been a National Church p. 1036. It was only a Child under age till Christ came p. 1334. Wherein its Childhood did consist 1334 Churches in Houses what 794 795 Churches Christian Churches under the Gospel were by Christ himself and his Apostles modelled very like to the Platform of the Synagogues and Synagogue worship under the Law proved in several instances p. 1041 1139. The several Ages and Conditions of God's Church from the beginning of the World p. 1088 Churches in the Apostles days had many Ministers belonging to each and the reason of this 1156 1157 Circumcision at it Children received their Names p. 387. Circumcision as given by Moses gives a right understanding of the Nature of the Sabbath p. 557. Peter was a Minister of the Circumcision among the Hebrews p. 741. An Israelite may be a true Israelite or a Priest a true Priest without Circumcision 760 761 Cities of Refuge their Number and Names p. 47 48. Cities of the Levites the Lands about them large called their Suburbs these Cities were Cities of Refuge and Universities p. 86. A great City was such an one as had a Synagogue in it p. 87. Not any thing troublesom or stinking were to be near a City p. 87. Cities Towns and Villages how distinguished p. 333. 334. What number of Officers in Cities and what their Places and Employments 638 Cleansing what the Leper was to do for his cleansing 165 Climax of the Tyrians what place 61 Cock-crowing at what time p. 262. Whether there were Cocks at Jerusalem being sorbid by their Canons p. 262 The Jewish Doctors distinguish Cock-crowing into first second and third 597 Collections were made by the Jews in forrain Nations for the poor Rabbins dwelling in Judea 792 Comforter was one of the Titles of the Messiah 600 Coming of Christ in the Clouds in his Glory and in his Kingdom are used for the Day of his Vengeance on the Jews 626 Coming to Christ and believing in him how distinguished 1261 1262 Commandments or Commands Commands of the second Table chiefly injoyned in the Gospel and why p. 1064 1114 1115. God will not have his Commands dallied and trifled withal p. 1227. Why we are to keep the Commands of God p. 1130. The Commandments of the Law were given for Gospel ends 1231 Communion of the Jews what and how made p. 768. Christ had Communion with the National Church of the Jews in the publick Exercise of their Religion proved by many instances 1036 1037 1039 1040 1041 Confession of sins at the execution and death of Mulefactors say the Jews did expiate for their sins 1275 Confusion of Languages was the casting off of the Gentiles and the confusion of Religion 644 Conjuring so skilful were the Jews in Conjuring Enchantments and Sorceries that they wrought great Signs and Wonders and many villanies thereby 244 Conscience how to clear the state and nature of it when it is doubting some heads for such an undertaking hinted p. 1054 The great power of conviction of Conscience p. 1082 1803 1804. Conscience is an assurance given by God of the last Judgment 1104 1119 Consistories that were of more note out of the Talmud 85 Consolation of Israel It was an usual Oath among the Jews Let me see the Consolation or Let me see the Consolation of Israel 393 Conviction of Conscience the great power of it p. 1082 1083 1084 Corban signifies a thing devoted and dedicated to sacred use p. 201. Corban was the Treasury there was a Corban of Vessels or Instruments and a Corban of Mony p. 299. The Corban Chests how these were imployed to buy the dayly Sacrifice and Offerings p. 300 301. The Corban Chamber p. 300 301. The Corban Chests and the Treasury were in the Court of the Women p. 301. Corban a Gift what 345 Corinth where seated 737 Covenant the blood of it put for the blood of Christ. 1254 Covenant of Grace Souls raised in the first and second Resurrection by the vertue of this but not alike p. 1235. The Tenor and vertue of this Covenant distinguished 1236 Covetousness called an evil Eye 162. What it caused Balaam to do what he got by it and how many Israelites were destroyed by it p. 1181. The sad fruits of Covetousness and Apostasle 1181 1182 Councellors Chamber