is Recorded to have lived in the time of King Jannai called also Alexander the Son of Hyrcanus This Hyrcanus was likewise called Jannai he affected the Kingdom and thereupon the wise men or great ones of that time would have put him from the High Priesthood but he maintained his station by the sword for he slew divers of the wise men which caused Joshua the Son of Perahiah to flee to Alexandria but he was recalled upon the mediation of Simeon ben Shetah 6. Judah the Son of Tabbai President Simeon ben Shetah Vice-President A gallant pair for integrity and justice Were their lives to be written most eminent actions of theirs might be related which are recorded of them as that they hanged fourscore Witches in one day Judged King Jannai the one of them wept daily for an error of Judgment that he had committed and the other preferred the execution of justice before the safety of his own Son This Simeon ben Shetah is he whom we suppose the builder of this Room Gazith that we are surveying 7. Shemaiah President and Abtalion Vice-President These were Kinsmen and of the posterity of Sennacharib but their Mother was an Israelite 8. Hillel President and Shammai Vice-President At first it was Hillel and Menahem but Menahem departed to the service of Herod Hillel was one of the eminentest that ever was among the Jewish Doctors both for birth learning rule and children He was of the seed of David by his Mothers side being of the posterity of Shephatiah the Son of Abital David's Wife He was brought up in Babel from whence he came up to Jerusalem at forty years old and there studied the Law forty years more under Shemaiah and Abtalion and after them he was President of the Sanhedrin forty years more The beginning of his Presidency is generally concluded upon to have been just an hundred years before the Temple was destroyed by which account he began eight and twenty years before our Saviour was born and died when he was about twelve years old He is renowned for his fourscore Scholars one among which was Jonathan ben Uzziel the Chaldee paraphrast c. 9. Rabban Simeon Hillel's Son This man was first dignified with the title Rabban he is supposed to be the Simeon mentioned Luk. II. that took Christ in his Arms and for that it is conceived that he is not of so frequent and honourable mention among the Jewish Writers as others of the same rank with him are they not well relishing his confession of Christ whom they deny He began his Presidentship about the thirtenth year of our Saviours age if the date and account of Hillel's rule mentioned before be current and how long he sate President no one mentions but some assert that his rule was not long The Author of Juchasin relateth that he is never mentioned in the Mishneh or in the Code of the Jews Traditions it may be his embracing Christianity made him cool towards their Traditions so that there is none to Father on him as there are on the other Doctors It is like he was a secret professor of Christ as Nicodemus was and kept both his place and profession 10. Rabban Gamaliel Simeons Son This was he under whom Paul was brought up Act. XXII 3. and see Act. V. 34. He was President of the Council when Christ was arraigned and lived two and twenty years after Onkelos the Targumist of the Law did solemnly celebrate his Funerals He is commonly styled Rabban Gamaliel the old either because he was the first of that name or because he was of a long life Of him they have this saying in the last Chapter of the Treatise Sotah From the time that Rabban Gamaliel the old died the honour of the Law failed and purity and Pharisaism died 11. Rabban Simeon Gamaliel's Son He was slain at the destruction of the Temple and so should his Son also have been had not Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai being in favour with Caesar begged his life And thus have we followed the succession of the Presidents of the Sanhedrin till the Temple and City fell but the Sanhedrin fell not as yet but continued in a flitting and languishing condition for a good space still and had its Presidents till it fell also which were these 12. Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai He was not of the blood of Hillel but he was his Scholar He came to be President upon the death of Rabban Simeon last mentioned his Sanhedrin sate at Jabneh 13. Rabban Gamaliel of Jabneh This was Rabban Simeon's Son whom Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai begged from death of the hands of Caesar at the slaughter of his Father his minority made him unfit for the Presidency when his Father was slain therefore Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai bare that place and after his death this Rabban Gamaliel succeeded 14. Rabban Simeon the Son of Gamaliel of Jabneh 15. Rabbi Judah the Son of this Rabban Simeon He is eminently called Rabbi and Rabenu haccadosh He collected and compiled the Mishnaioth 16. Rabban Gamaliel the Son of Rabbi Judah Here the title Rabban expired and the Sanhedrin was gone CHAP. XXIII The Draw-Well Room 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AT the West end of this famous Room Gazith there was the House which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the House or Room of the Draw-Well and the reason of the name was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a Mid. per. â— Because there was a Well sunk there with a wheel over it and from thence they fetched up water to serve all the Court. It was not a little water that was used and spent at the Temple for the filling of the Lavers boiling the Offerings washing the Sacrifices nay for washing of the Court and filling Cisterns for the Priests to bath in It was not a small quantity of water that did serve these turns and yet the Temple never wanted but had it always in great abundance The place it self was dry rocky and without water b b b Maym. in Bâ—â—â—h Mikdaâ—h per. 5. but they conveyed their water in pipes thither from a place at some distance where there was a spring head that lay convenient for such a purpose which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fountain Etam Of this the Babylon Talmud discourseth in the place alledged in the Margin and to this purpose c c c Zâ—vachin per. 5. fol. 54. fac 2. The House of the Sanctuary was higher than the Land of Israel and the Land of Israel was higher than other Lands They knew not the like as they produce in the Book of Joshua It is written throughout The border went down and the border went up and the border reached c. But of the Tribe of Benjamin it is written the border went up but it is not written the border went down Learn from hence that this was a place thought â—it to build the Sanctuary in by the Fountain Etam because it was high But they said let
what he did on the Sabbath of his own mind but that it was comprehended within his Commission as Messias and as he had in that his Office received authority from the Father to do wonders to raise the dead and to judge the world so had he also no have command and disposal over the Sabbath peculiarly 5. His words But what he seeth the Father do are to be pointed and referred to the same sense and limitation to which the preceding part of the verse hath been referred To understand the words properly and in their first apparent signification is something difficult To say strictly that Christ could do nothing but those individual and singular things which he had seen God the Father actually to do before him would be very rugged and such a saying as would not be proved For fecit mundum tamen non vidit Patrem ante facientem it is the objection of some of the Fathes He made the world and yet he saw not the Father make another world before him He took upon him humane nature yet he saw not the Father do so before him and so of other particulars But his meaning is according to the thing that he was speaking of namely that in his administrations under the Gospel he could do nothing but according as the Father had done under the administration of the Old Testament not as to every singular and particular administration as if Christ in the administration of the New Testament was to do no particular thing the like to which the Father had not done before but it is to be understood in reference to the general of power authority and disposal according to which the Messias acted in the Gospel even as the Father had done before And so the words immediately following do expound it Whatsoever he doth the same doth the Son likewise Vers. 20. For the Father loveth the Son This God proclaimed twice in a voyce from Heaven Matth. 3. 17. 17. 5. which very words do teach how to understand the term Son all along this discourse namely for the Messias God and man Esay 42. 1. Eph. 1. 6. whom as David represented in other things so did he even in his name which signifieth Beloved and Solomon in his name Jedidiah 1 Sam. 12. 24. The Father besides the infinite and eternal love he beareth to the Son as God the second person in the Trinity Prov. 8. 30. is said to love the Son as Messias because of his undertaking mans redemption and promoting Judgment righteousness knowledge mercy c. the glory of the Father c. Esay 42. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 1. 8 9. John 10. 17. § And sheweth him all things that himself doth By shewing is not meant barely discovering or revealing but imparting and communicating As Psal. 4. 6. Who will shew us any good that is who will bestow any good on us Psal. 85. 7. Shew us thy mercy 1 Kings 2. 7. Shew kindness c. that is grant and vouchsafe it And such is the meaning of Christs words here that the Father doth grant and communicate to him as the Administrator of the New Testament the same power and activity that he himself exercised under the Old To do and act in the same divine Authority and in the same miraculous power that he himsel used and acted in doing whatsover pleased him § And he will shew him greater works than these c. It was a great work that Christ had done in healing a man of so long diseasedness and it was a great matter that he had assumed when he granted such a dispensation with the Sabbath and yet he must do greater things than these before he had done namely raise the dead and change the Sabbath day It is said in verse 16. The Jews did persecute Jesus because he had done these things on the Sabbath day These things that is healed the man and commanded him to bear his bed In answer to those two particulars our Saviour speaketh in this expression greater works than these and in the two next verses he sheweth what greater works those are namely raising the dead and power of all Judgment If any will take the clause in comparison with the works that the Father had done in the Old Testament as that he would vouchsafe the Son to do the like nay greater than these there may be an innocent construction made of it for we read of greater miracles done by Christ than done before but in that he instanceth in the two particulars vers 21 22. it argueth that he speaketh not of doing greater works than the Father had done for the Father had done those two works that he instanceth in but of doing greater works than those that he had done already for which he was now upon his answer He had healed a long continued disease but as the Father raised the dead so would he raise dead as he thought good and he had only granted a dispensation for a particular action on the Sabbath but the Father had committed all Judgment about the affairs of men into his hand and he might alter the Sabbath if he pleased and he would do it Now whereas he referreth these his great works to no higher end in this his speech but only this That ye may marvail he proposeth not this as their ultimate end for that end you have in verse 23. but he proposeth this only as a fruit of those works that he should work that they should be to the astonishment and conviction of these that now accuse him though not to their intertaining of him and believing Parallel to that Acts 13. 41. Vers. 21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead c. This relateth to what is spoken of God in the Old Testament Deut. 32. 39. and to what he did in the Old Testament by the Ministery of his Prophets He proclaims himself God alone in the place cited because he killeth and maketh alive and he raised some dead by the means of Elias and Elisha c. Now saith Christ as the Father or God whom ye acknowledge this great Agent in the Old Testament sheweth this power and so thereby shewed himself to be God alone even so the Messias in the New Testament is invested with the very same power to raise and quicken whom he will that all men should honour the Messias the Administrator of the New Testament as they honour the honour the Father the Administrator of the Old For to this tenour that I may say it again doth he speak all along this Chapter parallelling the Father and the Son not in regard of their equal Diety and Divine power as God but in regard of their dispensations to the sons of men under the two Testaments As how is it possible to understand this passage in hand As the Father raiseth the dead under any other notion than as is mentioned when vers 17 18 19. do clearly ascribe the general Resurrection to the Son Vers. 22. For the
the last meaning The Psalmes Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Job Ruth Esther c. Then do they tell that the Books were particularly thus ranked The five Books of Moses Joshua Judges Samuel Kings and then the Prophets among whom Jeremy was set first and then Ezekiel and after him Esay and then the twelve But they object was not Esay long before Jeremy and Ezekiel in time Why should he then be set after them in order And they give this answer The last Book of Kings ends with destruction and Jeremy is all destruction Ezekiel begins with destruction and ends with comfort and Esay is all comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore they joyned destruction and destruction together and comfort and comfort together And thus in their Bibles of old Jeremy came next after the Book of Kings and stood first in the volume of the Prophets So that Matthews alleadging of a Text of Zachary under the name of Jeremy doth but alleadge a Text out of the volume of the Prophets under his name that stood first in that volume And such a manner of speech is that of Christ Luke 24. 44. All things must be fulfilled which are written of me in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalmes in which he follows the general division that we have mentioned only he calleth the whole third part or Hagiographa by the title the Psalms because the Book of Psalms stood first of all the Books of that part In that saying Matth. 16. 14. Others say Jeremy or one of the Prophets there is the same reason why Jeremy alone is named by name viz. because his name stood first in the volume of the Prophets and so came first in their way when they were speaking of the Prophets CHRISTS Arraignment before Pilate The chiest Priests and Elders bring Jesus to Pilate but would not go into his House the House of a Heathen lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover John 18. 28. Why They had eaten the Passover over night at the same time that Jesus ate his and well they had spent the night after it But this day that was now come in was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their day of presenting themselves in the Temple and offering their Sacrifices and peace offerings of which they were to keep a solemn feasting and this John calls the Passover In which sense Passover Bullocks are spoken of Deut. 16. 2. 2 Chron. 30. 24. and 35. 8 9. The School of Shammai saith their appearing was with two pieces of silver and their chagigah with a Meah of silver But the School of Hillel saith their appearing was with a Meah of silver and their chagigah with two pieces of silver Their burnt offerings at this solemnity were taken from among common cattel but their peace offerings from their tithes He that keepeth not the chagigah on the first day of the feast must keep it all the feast c. Chagigah per. 1. Pilate conceives him brought to him as a common malefactor and therefore he bids them take him back and Judge him by their own Bench and Law and in these words he meant really and according as the truth was that it was in their power to judge and execute him and needed not to trouble him with him And when they answer We may not put any man to death Joh. 18. 31. They speak truly also and as the thing was indeed but the words of Pilate and theirs were not ad idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a tradition that fourty years before the Temple was destroyed capital Judgments were taken away from them Jerus in Sanhedr fol. 18. col 1. But how Not by the Romans for they permitted them the use of their Religion Laws Magistracy capital and penal executions and judgments in almost all cases as freely as ever they had and that both in their Sanhedrins within the Land and in their Synagogues without as far as the power of the Synagogues could reach at any time as might be proved abundantly if it were to be insisted on here The words then of these men to Pilate are true indeed That they could put no man to death but this was not as if the Romans had deprived the Sanhedrin of its power but because theeves murderers and malefactors of their own Nation were grown so numerous strong and heady that they had overpowred the Sanhedrins power that it could not it durst not execute capital penalties upon offenders as it should have done And this their own Writings witness Juchasin fol. 21. The Sanhedrin flitted fourty years before the destruction of the Temple namely from that time that the Temple doors opened of their own accord and Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai rebuked them and said O Temple Temple Zechary of old prâ—phecied of thee saying Open thy doors O Lebanon that the fire may enter c. And also becausâ— that murderers increased and they were unwilling to judge Capital matters they flitted from place to place even to Jabneh c. which also is asserted in Schabb. fol. 51. Avodah Zarah fol. 8. When they perceive that Pilate no more received the impression of their accusation of him as a malefactor like others they then accuse him of Treason as forbidding to pay Tribute to Cesar and as saying that he himself was a King and this they thought would do the business Pilate hereupon takes him into his Judgment Hall for hitherto the Jews conference and his had been at his gate and questions him upon this point and Jesus plainly confesseth that he was a King but his Kingdom not of this world and therefore he needed not from him to fear any prejudice from the Romane power and so well satisfies Pilate that he brings him out to the gate again where the Jews stood and professeth that he found no fault in him at all Then the Jews lay in fresh accusations against him to which he answereth not a word Brought before Herod Pilate by a word that dropt from them understanding that he was of Galilee Herods Jurisdiction sent him to Herod who was now at Jerusalem partly because he would be content to have shut his hands of him and partly because he would court Herod towards the reconciling of old heart-burnings between them And now Jesus sees the monster that had murthered his forerunner Herod was glad to see him and had desired it a long time and now hoped to have got some miracles from him but he got not so much as one word though he questioned him much and the Jews who followed him thither did vehemently accuse him The old Fox had sought and threatned his death before Luke 13. 31 32. and yet now hath him in his hands and lets him go only abused and mocked and gorgeously arraied and so sends him back to Pilate that so he might court him again more then for any content he had that he should escape his hands See Acts 4. 27. Before Pilate again Pilate at his gate again talks
indeed that women might and did receive some of these extraordinary gifts but it was by immediate influence from Heaven and not by any imposition of hands So that now if we look upon this Story and upon others of the like nature through these spectacles it will appear that this Imposition of the Apostles hands was not upon all the Samaritans but upon some selected number nor upon those selected ones for their confirmation in grace but for their ordination to the Ministery and with the imposition of hands they received the Holy Ghost to inable them for that work Vers. 26. Which is desart This is to be applyed to the way to Gaza and not to Gaza it self and so the Syriack and Arabick apply it expresly and warrantably seeing the way was through the wilderness of Judah and there was but one Gaza Vers. 27. A man of Aethiopia There is mention of a double Cush or Aethiopia in Scripture for so is it rendred the one in Arabia and the other in Africk and Homer even in his time speaketh of a twofold Aethiopia Odys 1. but it is questionable whether he mean the same with the Scripture or no since he calleth them Eastern and Western whereas these were East and South Now this man is held and that upon good ground to be of Aethiopia in Africk where the name of Candace is renowned even in Heathen Authors Vers. 33. Who shall declare his generation This Prophecy of Esay which the Eunuch was reading is exceedingly much mistaken by the Jews and this clause of the Prophecy is exceedingly controverted among Christians The Jews understand it some of them concerning Josiah others concerning the whole people of Israel but the Holy Ghost hath in this place put us out of all doubt of whom it speaketh But as for the sense of this clause some Christians understand it concerning the ineffablity of Christs Eternal generation others concerning the ineffability of his incarnation or the generation of his humane Nature united to the Godhead others concerning the wondrous generation of the Church and faithful for it followeth For he was cut off from the Land of the Living and yet the generation of his faithful ones increased But it seemeth to me that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood of the age and generation in which Christ lived rather than of his own generation or descent and so is it used by the Holy Ghost in other places as Gen. 6. 9. Acts 13. 36. c. and so is it intepreted here by the Chaldee and other Jewish glossaries Now the meaning of the verse and of this clause is to this purpose He was taken away and hurryed from Prison and from Judgment to Execution and as the LXX hath enlarged the sense by change of Phrase In his poor and dejected estate his Judgment was utterly taken away and no right done him and who can sufficiently speak of the looseness and wickedness of that generation called in the Gospel the viperous adulterous wicked untoward generation which dealt so unjustly and wretchedly with him as to take and cut him off from the Land of the Living Vers. 39. And the Eunuch went on his way rejoycing Dorotheus in Synopsi if he might be believed will tell you what became of this Eunuch afterward as that he preached the Gospel in Arabia in the Isle of Taprobane and all about the red Sea and that he is reported to have suffered matyrdom gloriously and to have been buried there Biblioth patr tom 7. But believe it that list for this I observe to be the constant and common officiousness of Superstition to make any man that is mentioned in the New Testament with a good report to become a Preacher and commonly a Bishop and constantly a Matyr Acts IX § 1. Paul converted IN this year must be placed the conversion of Paul and the reasons to prove time shall be given anon A man a wonder for so will * * * Hiâ—â—on some have his name to signifie in whom was shewed as much as can be seen in man both for want of grace and for abundance Inferior to none in wickedness but only in this that it was not final and inferiour to none in holiness no not to the greatest Apostles A scene on which at one time corrupt Nature shewed her cursed vigor and at another time sanctifying Grace her sacred power and both to such an extent as not many parallels He was born in Tarsus of Cilicia a free City of the Romans and himself a Freeman of that City His Parents were both Jews and therefore he calleth himself an Hebrew of 2 Cor. 11. 21. Phil. 3. 5. Rom. 11. 1. the Hebrews or an Hebrew both by Father and Mother His discent was of Benjamin which from the general division under Jeroboam the first had adhered constant to the Tribe of Juda and so kept Registers of their Genealogies as that Tribe did According to his double Nation he also bare a double name Saul as he was an Hebrew by birth and Paul as he was a Roman by freedom His education was in the Schools of Tarsus where as Strabo recordeth were Scholars no whit inferiour to the Students in Athens Here he attained the Greek Language and Learning and grew expert in Tit. 1. 12. Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 1â— 33. Act. 22. 3. Gal. 1. 14. Acts 18. 3. their Philosophy and Poems his skill wherein he sheweth in alledging Epimenides Aratus and Menander From thence he was sent to the University at Jerusalem for the study of Divinity and of the Jewish Law His Tutor was Gamaliel a Pharisee a man of special note and reverence among the people His proficiency was above many of his equals of his own Nation he being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of the Fathers From his youth he also learned a handy trade of making Tents and joyned the working in that by some vicissitudes with his studies which thing was common with the Scholars of the Jews partly for the earning of their maintenance and partly for the avoiding of idleness and sin So Rabbi Juda the great Cabalist bare the name and trade of Hhajat a Shoomaker or Taylor Yet was the learning of this great Scholar but gorgeous ignorance and his forward zeal but the more excellent impiety When he thought he followed holiness he persecuted it and when his studies should have overtaken the truth then had he lost both them and it and himself and all As for Saul saith Luke he made havock of the Church entring into every house and Acts 8. 3. and 22. 4. Acts 26. 11. haling men and women committed them to prison He began now to write his positions in blood and it must be no less than death or abjuration not to be of his opinion Neither was this his fury confined within the walls of Jerusalem or the compass of Judea but overflowed also unto forreign Cities where the Jewish Synagogues acknowledging subjection to the
inheritance of Jacob is promised to those that sanctifie the Sabbath because he sanctified the Sabbath himself Yea and more backwards yet even to the beginning of the world q q q q q q Targ. Id Cant. â— The first Psalm in the world was when Adams sin was forgiven and when the Sabbath entred he opened his mouth and uttered the Psalm of the Sabbath So also the Targum upon the title of Psalm XCII The Psalm or Song which Adam composed concerning the Sabbath day Upon which Psalm among other things thus Midras Tillin What did God create the first day Heaven and Earth What the second The Firmament c. What the seventh The Sabbath And since God had not created the Sabbath for servile works for which he had created the other days of the week therefore it is not said of that as of the other days And the evening was and the morning was the seventh day And a little after Adam was created on the Eve of the Sabbath the Sabbath entred when he had now sinned and was his Advocate with God c. r r r r r r â—ab Sanhedr fol. 38. 1. Adam was created on the Sabbath Eve that he might immediately be put under the Command c. III. Since therefore the Sabbath was so instituted after the fall and that by a Law and Condition which had a regard to Christ now promised and to the fall of man the Sabbath could not but come under the power and dominion of the son of Man that is of the promised seed to be ordered and disposed by him as he thought good and as he should make provision for his own honour and the benefit of Man VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days THESE are not so much the words of Enquirers as Denyers For these were their dicisions in that Case s s s s s s Maimon in Schabb. c. XXI Let not those that are in health use physic on the Sabbath day Let not him that labours under a pain in his loyns anoynt the place affected with oyl and vineger but with oyl he may so it be not oyl of Roses c. He that hath the tooth ach let him not swallow vineger to spit it out again but he may swallow it so he swallow it down He that hath a soar throat let him not gargle it with oyl but he may swallow down the oyl whence if he receive a cure it is well Let no man chew Mastich or rub his teeth with spice for a cure but if he do this to make his mouth sweet it is allowed They do not put wine into a sore eye They do not apply fomentations or oyls to the place affected c. All which things however they were not applicable to the cure wrought by Christ with a word only yet they afforded them an occasion of cavilling who indeed were sworn together thus to quarrel him that Canon affording them a further pretence t t t t t t Talm. Schabb. cap. XIX This certainly obtains that what soever was possible to be done on the Sabbath Eve driveth not away the Sabbath To which sense he speaks Luke XIII 14. u u u u u u â—n Hieros Avodah Zaraâ— fol. 40. 4. Let the Reader see if he be at leisure what diseases they judge dangerous and what physic is to be used on the Sabbath VERS XI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If a sheep fall into a ditch on the Sabbath days c. IT was a Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x x x x x x Hieros Jom Tobâ— fol. 62. 1. We must take a tender care of the goods of an Israelite Hence y y y y y y Maimon in Schabb. â— 25. If a beast fall into a ditch or into a pool of waters let the owner bring him food in that place if he can but if he can not let him bring clothes and litter and bear up the beast whence if he can come up let him come up c. If a beast or his foal fall into a ditch on a holy day z z z z z z Hieros in the place above â—â— R. Lazar saith Let him lift up the formes to kill him and let him kill him but let him give fodder to the other lest he die in that place R. Joshuah saith Let him lift up the former with the intention of killing him although he kill him not let him lift up the other also although it be not in his mind to kill him VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they should not make him known BUT this not that he refused to heal the sick nor only to shun popular applause but because he would keep himself hid from those who would not acknowledge him This prohibition tends the same way as his preaching by Parables did Mat. XIII 13. I speak to them by parables because seeing they see not He would not be known by them who would not know him VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A bruised reed shall he not break THESE words are to be applied as appears by those that went before to our Saviours silent transaction of his own affairs without hunting after applause the noise of boasting or the loud reports of fame He shall not make so great a noise as is made from the breaking of a reed now already bruised and half broken or from the hissing of smoking flax only when water is thrown upon it How far different is the Messias thus described from the Messias of the expectation of the Jews And yet it appears sufficiently that Esaiah from whom these words are taken spake of the Messias and the Jews confess it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Till he send forth judgment unto victory The Hebrew and LXX in Esaiah read it thus He shall bring forth judgment unto truth The words in both places mean thus much That Christ should make no sound in the world or noise of pomp or applause or state but should manage his affairs in humility silence poverty and patience both while he himself was on earth and by his Apostles after his Ascension labouring under contempt poverty and persecution but at last he should bring forth judgment to victory that is that he should break forth and shew himself a judg avenger and conqueror against that most wicked Nation of the Jews from whom both he and his suffered such things and then also he sent forth judgment unto truth and asserted himself the true Messias and the Son of God before the eyes of all and confirmed the truth of the Gospel by avenging his cause upon his enemies in a manner so conspicuous and so dreadful And hence it is that that sending forth and execution of judgment against that Nation is almost always called in the New Testament his coming in Glory When Christ and his Kingdom had so long lain hid under the vail of humility and
Preparation of Pentecost and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The preparation of the Feast of Tabernacles That is the Day and manner of preparing food for the following mirth of the Feast In the same sense was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Preparation of the Sabbath namely The preparation of food and things necessary to the Sabbath Of which we shall speak at Vers. 42. Having thus dispatched these things let us now come to the hour it self It was the Preparation of the Passover saith John and about the sixth hour when Pilate delivered Christ to be crucified And it was the third hour saith Mark and they crucified him It is disputed by the Gemarists l l l l l l In Bab. Pesach fol. 11. 2. how far the evidences of two men may agree and consent whereof one saith This I saw done in that hour and the other saith I saw it done another hour One saith the second hour another the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their Testimony consist together One saith The third hour another the fifth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their Testimony is vain as R. Meir saith But saith R. Judah Their Testimony consists together But if one saith The fifth hour another the seventh hour their testimony is vain because in the fifth hour the Sun is in the East part of Heaven in the seventh in the West part They dispute largely concerning this matter in the place alledged and concerning evidences differing in words nevertheless as to the thing it self they conclude that both may be true because witnesses may be deceived in the computation of hours Which to conclude concerning the Evangelists were impious and blasphemous But there is one supposes the Copiers were deceived in their transcription and would have the computation of John corrected into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it was about the third hour Too bodly and indeed without any reason For it is neither credible nor possible indeed that those things which went before our Saviours crucifixion should be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use the words of the Talmudists m m m m m m Sanhedr fol. 105. 2. in the three first hours of the day The Harmony therefore of the Evangelists is to be fetched elsewhere I. Let us repeat that out of Maimonides The great Sanhedrin sat from the morning dayly Sacrifice until the afternoon daily Sacrifice But now when the morning dayly Sacrifice was at the third hour the Sanhedrin sat not before that hour Take heed therefore Thou that wouldst have the words of John And it was about the sixth hour to be changed into And it was about the third hour lest thou becomest guilty of a great Solecism For Pilate could not deliver Christ to be crucified about the third hour when the Sanhedrin sat not before the Third hour and Christ was not yet delivered to Pilate But you will say The words of Mark do obscure these things much more For if the Sanhedrin that delivered up Christ met not together before the third hour one can no way say that they crucified him the third hour We do here propound two things for the explanation of this matter Let the first be taken from the day it self and from the hour it self That day was the Preparation of the Passover a day of high solemnity and when it behoved the Priests and the other Fathers of the Sanhedrin to be present at the third hour in the Temple and to offer their Chagigahs that were preparative to the whole seven days festivity but they employed themselves in another thing namely this You may observe that he saith not It was the third hour when but It was the third hour And they crucified him That is When the third hour now was and was passed yet they omitted not to prosecute his crucifixion when indeed according to the manner of the Feast and the obligation of Religion they ought to have been employed otherwise I indeed should rather sit down satisfied with this interpretation than to accuse the holy Text as depraved or to deprave it more with my amendment But Secondly There is another sense also not to be despised if our judgment is any thing which we fetch from a custom usual in the Sanhedrin but from which they now swerved n n n n n n Sanhedr fol. 46. 2. They are treating concerning a guilty person condemned to hanging with whom they deal in this process 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They tarry until Sunset approach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then they finish his judgment and put him to death Note that They finish not his judgment until Sunset draw near If you ask the reason a more general one may be given which respected all persons condemned to dye and a more special one which respected him which was to be hanged I. There was that which is called by the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The affliction of judgment by which Phrase they understand not judgment that is not just but when he that is condemned after judgment past is not presently put to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o o o o o o Sanhedr fol. 35. 1. If you finish his judgment on the Sabbath mark that and put him to death on the first day of the week 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You afflict his judgment Where the Gloss is As long as his judgment is not finished it is not the affliction of judgment because he expects every hour to be absolved But when judgment is ended he expects death c. Therefore they delayed but little between the finishing of judgment and execution II. As to those that were to be hanged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They delayed the finishing his judgment and they hanged him not in the morning lest they might grow slack about his burial and might fall into forgetfulness and might sin against the Law Deut. XXI 23. but near Sunset that they might presently bury him So the Gloss. They put him to death not sooner for this reason they finished not his judgment sooner for the reason above said And now let us resume the words of Mark And it was the third hour and they crucified him The Sanhedrin used not to finish the judgment of hanging until they were now ready to rise up and depart from the Council and Bench after the Mincha the day now inclining toward Sunset but these men finished the Judgment of Jesus and hastened him to the Cross when they first came into the Court at the third hour at the time of the dayly sacrifice which was very unusual and different from the custom VERS XXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eloi Eloi IN Matthew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eli Eli in the very same Syllables of Psal. XXII 1. Mark according to the present dialect namely the Chaldee useth the pronunciation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or at least according to the pronunciation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eloi
2. Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World i. e. know ye not that there shall be a Christian Magistracy that Christians shall be Kings and Magistrates to rule and judge the World And the very same sense speaketh Dan. VII 18. 26 27. from whence both my Text and that passage of Paul are taken know ye not saith he that the Saints shall judge the World How should they know it Why Plainly enough out of that place in Daniel where in vers 18. it is foretold That the Saints of the most High should take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever and ever And in vers 26 27. The Judgment shall sit as in the Text and the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven should be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Two considerations will put the matter out of all question I. That the word Saints means not strictly nor really Sanctified in opposition to men not really sanctified but it means Christians in general in opposition to Heathens And so the Apostle himself clears it in the verse before that I cited Dare any of you go to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints What is meant by the unjust there Heathens or Infidels as he calls them vers 6. And then what is meant by Saints But Christians in opposition to Heathens II. Observe the tenor of the contents in Daniel and that will illustrate the sense of these verses that I produced He speaks before of the four Heathen Monarchies the Babylonian Mede-Persian Grecian and Syrogrecian that had had the Kingdom and Dominion and Rule in the World and had tyrannized in the World especially against the Church that was then being but at last they should be destroyed and upon their being destroyed Christ should come and set up his Kingdom through the World and then the Kingdom and Rule and Dominion in the World should be put into the hands of Saints or Christians and they should Rule and Judge in the World as those Heathen Monarchies had done all the time before And thus you have the words unfolded to you and I hope according to the meaning of the Holy Ghost And now my Lords and Gentlemen you may see your own picture in the glass of the Text for you are of the number of those of whom it speaketh In it you may see your selves Imbenched Commissioned and your work put into your hands In the first clause The institution of the Function the ordaining of Magistracy and Judicature I saw Thrones set In the second The Commissionating of Christians unto that Office and Function They sat upon them In the last The end of this Office and the employment they are set upon in it Judgment was given unto them Thrones set by whom By him that had been the great agent in the verse before Christ that had bound the Devil and chained him up They sat upon them Who They that are the persons mentioned in the verse before Men of the Nations undeceived from the delusions of Satan and brought into the truth of the Gospel Judgment was given them for what end For Judgment sake that they might execute judgment and righteousness among the Nations And so I have my words fairly cut out before me and the matter and the method of the Text calls upon me to speak unto these three things I. Of the institution of Magistrates as an ordinance of Christ. II. Of Christian Magistracy as a Gospel mercy III. The great work the all in all of Magistracy The execution of Judgment I. Of all the offices of Christ he executed only one of them peculiarly and reservedly himself without the communicating of any acting in it to any other but as to the execution of the other two he partly acteth himself and partly importeth some acting therein by deputation to others His Priestly office that that most concerned and had the greatest stroke in mans redemption he executed intirely himself and no other had share no other could have share in the executing of that with him None could be capable of offering any of his all-sufficient Sacrifice with him none could be capable of offering the incense of mediation with him But in his Kingly and Prophetick offices he acteth himself and he deputeth others to act for him As the great Prophet he teacheth his Church himself by giving of the Scriptures and instructing his holy ones by his Spirit yet withal hath he deputed Ministers to be her Teachers And as the great King of the Church and of all the World he ruleth in both himself in the hearts of his people by his Word and Spirit and amongst his enemies with a rod of Iron yet withal hath he deputed Kings Judges and Magistrates to be Rulers for him These two great Ordinances you have couched in this very place In the verse before the Text Christ chaineth up the Devil that he should no more deceive poor men as he had done before And how did he this By the Ministry of the Word and Preaching of the Gospel And in the words of the Text he setteth up Thrones and sets men upon them for what To execute Magistracy and to administer Judgment And so likewise are they closely hinted in that place of the Apostle that I cited I Cor. VI. Know ye not that the Saints shall iudge the World or Christians be Magistrates and in the next verse following know ye not that we shall judge Angels or we Apostles and Ministers judge Devils and overthrow their Idols Oracles Miracles and Delusions by the Ministry of the Gospel And so if I should take Pastors and Teachers Ephes. IV. 11. for Magistrates and Ministers I believe there were no soloecisme in the thing and I am sure the Jews called their chiefest Magistrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastores in their common speech And if the Apostle may be shewed there to speak in their vulgar dialect as he doth indeed all along his Epistles it would save a controversie and question that is raised upon that place These two Functions are the two standing Pillars and Ordinances the Jachin and Boaz that our great Solomon hath set up in his Temple to stand with the Temple while it standeth These are two choice strainings and distillings of the precious ointment that was poured on the head of our great Aaron that runs down upon the skirts of his clothing Yours my Lords and Gentlemen is a beam of that lustre that shineth in the Royal Crown of Christs Kingly office It is a coin stamped with the Image and superscription of the great Cesar of Heaven and Earth sitting in his Empire and Dominion over all I remember a Phrase of Pliny in his Epistles speaking of a vertuous and gallant daughter that imitated to the life the vertues and gallantry of a noble Father Filia patreni exscripserat the daughter had copied out her father to the life Magistracy is a daughter of
Church Mercy to our Estates for their preservation mercy to our Lives for their security mercy to the Nation for its peace mercy to Widows for their incouragement mercy to the Gospel for its maintaining mercy to Souls for their reducing Such a mercy is a Christian Magistracy and so is the end and such the fruit of the execution of their Office the execution of Judgment which is the third thing I have to speak to from the third clause in the Text and Judgment was given unto them III. He saith not Power for that would not have included Judgment but he saith Judgment which includeth also lawful power yea and something else Righteousness and Justice I am assured there is none that hear me this day is so little acquainted with the stile of Scripture but he knoweth that when it speaketh of Judgment as the work of the Magistrate it meaneth the execution of Justice or of right Judgment Shall not the Judge of all the World do right Gen. XVIII 25. The very title of Judge speaketh doing right as it was with the Judge of all the World so with the Judges of any part of it This my Lords and Gentlemen is your work and imployment to judge righteous Judgment to plead the cause of the oppressed to relieve the fatherless and widow and him that hath no helper to reward every one according to the Justice of his cause before you As you carry the stamp of Christs own image in your Power so it is no whit to the life if Justice be not stamped there also And your being a mercy to the people is by doing Justice to the people I shall not here go about to teach you what you have to do in your Imployment and Function I am far from supposing that either you know not your duty or that I know it better than your selves Only give me leave to be your remembrancer a little of what is the charge that lies upon you and that not by setting any rules before you but by setting some Divine copies before you most fairly written upon which to look with a single eye may be enough to stir you up to your duty and that the more because we are commonly more wrought upon men by example than by precept I shall only propose three two copied out by God in his own example and the third a singular copy set out in his Word The first I shall be bold to offer to you of the Magistracy The second to all that have to do with you at the present occasion Counsel Jurors and Witnesses and the third before all that hear me The first is this You know Gods Attributes Power Mercy and Justice Now God acteth not any of his Attributes according to the utmost extent of the infiniteness of it but according to the most wise and most holy counsel and disposal of his own Will God never acted his Power according to the utmost infinity of his Power for else whereas he made one World he might have made a Thousand He never acted his Mercy according to the utmost infinity of his Mercy for then whereas he saveth but a little flock he might have saved all Men and Devils Nor did he ever act his Justice according to the utmost infinity of his Justice for then all flesh would fail before him and the Spirits that he hath Created But his Will as I may speak it acts as Queen Regent in the midst of his Attributes and limits and confines their acting according to the sacred disposal of that So that he sheweth his Power not when and where he can but when and where and how he will shew his Power He sheweth his Justice not when and where he can but when and where he will shew his Justice And he will shew Mercy not on whom he can but on whom he will shew Mercy Rom. IX 18. Look upon this copy and then reflect upon your selves and your Function You have your Attributes let me so call them of Power Mercy Interest in the people and the like now how are these to be acted by you An unjust Magistrate like him Luke XVIII would be ready to miswrite after the copy and say I will act these after mine own will as God acteth his after his own will No he is mistaken let him look better on his Commission The Judgment that is put into his hand is the Will of God put into his hand As the Apostle saith This is the Will of God even your Sanctification so This is the Will of God even the Judgment that is given him his Commission carries it not sic velis sic jubeas do not thou with thy Power what thou wilt but sic volo sic jubeo Do in thine Office as it is my Will and as I Command The Sun in Heaven sends down his shine upon the Earth and we are to set all our dials by that light and not by any candle of our own The Will of God as it is the rule of all his own actions so he sends down the beams of it in his Word to men to be the rule of theirs By the Ministry God puts his Will revealed in his Word into the hands of men to do according to that rule and not by any rule of their own Will So the Commission that he puts into the hands of the Magistracy is the Will of God to act by as he hath revealed in his Word not to act according to their own mind Not to shew Mercy Justice Power and Favour as they please but as Gods Will appears in their Commission It was the custom in Israel that when the King was Crowned the book of the Law was put into his hand the Will of God to be his rule and not his own So when Joshua is made chief Magistrate God instates him in his Power and with all put the Law into his hand Josh. I. 8. This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth c. And so at the Crowning of young Joash I King XI 12. They put the Crown upon him and gave him the Testimony Look then upon the Copy that is before you and look upon the Commission he hath given you His Will in Heaven acts all his glorious Attributes and as I may speak it with reverence his Will rules them He hath transcribed his Will in little in your Commission to act all yours Now his Will be done by you upon Earth as it is done by himself in Heaven A second Copy that I would present before you and before all that have any thing to do with you at present about Judicature Counsel Witnesses and Jurors is Gods own righteousness and that especially in one particular example It is needless to tell you from Scripture that the righteous God loves righteousness delights in righteousness practises righteousness commands righteousness That one acting of his does demonstrate all these to admiration and that is his Justice in justifying a sinner Much is
or when or whereupon did they lose this power If the Romans had taken it away from them how then did they afterwards arraign and condemn and execute S. Stephen and would have done no less without all doubt to S. Paul if they might have had their own way And their own stories tell us of their judging and condemning to the fire after this a Priests daughter for playing the whore in her fathers house and execution was done accordingly And yet they say they cannot judicially put any man to death which power indeed if they had lost they lost it more like fools than like slaves and it was not at all taken from them by the Romans but they let it drop from them by their own folly Their own Writers and Records do tell us at what pass it was with them at this time in this manner Forty years say they before the destruction of the Temple did the great Sanhedrin or chief Court or Councel rise and depart out of the room Gazith and then the power of judging in Capital matters was taken away from Israel Gazith the room where this great Court sat was in the Court of the Temple near unto the altar or as themselves express it near to the divine presence which they supposed dwelt upon the altar and looked on them how they acted in judgment They thought therefore that by the very reverence and venerableness of the place and presence they were bound to judge malefactors and to execute them unfailingly which at the last they saw they could not do and therefore they resolve to rise and depart from that place The case was now with them much like to that gloss of some of the Hebrew writers upon the first words of the book of Ruth The words properly are thus It came to pass in the days when the Judges judged But they invert it thus It came to pass in the days when they judged the Judges And a shrewd inversion indeed when the people judge their Judges and malefactors aw and over-power the Magistracy And just such was their case now Their Country did so swarm with all manner of wickedness and villanies that they were grown beyond the correction of the Magistracy that they out dared the Magistracy As Jezebel The Sanhedrin could not durst not judge them Nay these go further than defie and daâ—e they even conquer and master So that not any but is glad to yield and resolve that they will not go about to punish such villanies and wickedness any more for they saw that it was but in vain to go about it and that they could not do it without their own danger And so their own Records tell us That adulteries were grown so common and open that the Sanhedrin determined there should be no more trial of the suspected or adulterous wise by the bitter waters which God had prescribed Numb V. That murders were so common and ordinary that the Sanhedrin determined there should be no more the beheading of a Heifer which God had prescribed for the expiation of an uncertain murder Deut. XXI And Murtherers so numerous and potent and impudent that the Magistrate could not durst not judge them for fear of being themselves murdered And therefore the great Sanhedrin resolves Come let us rise and sit here no longer for it is better for us to rise and depart hence than by sitting here to contract guilt to our selves when the very place challengeth from us that we do judgment and execution and we cannot do it And so they rose and went thence and then ceased and failed the judging of Capital offenders through out all the Courts of Israel And this account do their Writers and Records give how it came to pass that they lost that power that they could not might not put any malefactor to death And so you have a Commentary of their own Nation and Historians upon their words here in the Text. I might yet add further from them 1. That sometimes they returned to the Hall or room Gazith to sit upon Capital offendors as blasphemers false Prophets notoriously incestuous c. when they thought good but never returned thither to sit upon murther 2. That when they did sit there and Judged and Sentenced yet they hardly ever executed but referred the offendors to the punishment of God And they will tell you That God at one time or other did bring them to some kind of death in some sort sutable to that the Sanhedrin should have put them to Sometimes indeed malice and spite made them venture an execution doing when they saw they might do it without their own danger when they executed S. Stephen for a Heretick and Bensatda for a Seducer if by him they meant not our Saviour himself But that that we have the most reason to consider of is how the Nation came to this pass of Vice and Villany that Vice and Villany were not only incorrigible but were grown terrible to those that should correct them Wickedness strong and Magistracy feeble Murthers Plunderings Assassinations all manner of Abominations swarming and no power in them that were in power to punish them Not to speak of the secret disposal of God for the executing of his vengeance upon that sinful Nation in giving them up to themselves and to confusion but to look only at those things that are apparent I. The growth of Villany was from the not punishing of villanies in time and the Magistrates want of executing Judgment made them lose the power of executing Judgment And they could not punish malefactors when they should because they would not do it when they might The sword of Justice rusted in the scabbard that they could not draw it because they let it rest in the scabbard when they should have drawn it As that generation was the wickedest that the Earth had carried in our Saviours character A wicked and adulterous generation a faithless and perverse generation a Serpent and Viper generation a generation wicked above expression as appears by that expression of the Prophet Esay LIII 8. Who shall declare his generation i. e. the generation wherein he lived so the same Prophet speaking of the very same time and generation shews from whence the above wickedness of the generation grew Esay LIX 14. Judgment is turned away backward and justice standeth afar off truth is fallen in the streets and equity cannot enter And it displeased the Lord that there was no judgment Which very Scripture the Jews themselves do produce to prove that the Messias should come in the worst of times and generations Now II. There were two things that hindred and spoiled the execution of Justice and Judgment like two worms lying at the root of Judicature that like the worm that smote Jonas gourd kild execution of Judgment at the very root that that tree was clean blasted dried up and withered The first let me Emblem by this homely Emblem The Ape loving and hugging her young so dearly that
be dissolved Any one may be ready to say upon it as Ahab doth to Benhadad That which my Lord sent to me for at the first I will do but this second thing I cannot do The first thing proposed To look for the day of God I shall willingly agree to but to hasten the day of God this is a hard saying For who as the Judge standeth before the door dare invite him in Who dares say as Laban to Abrahams servant Come in thou blessed of the Lord come in why standest thou without The generality of men thinketh the day of God hasteneth fast enough of it self and that there is little need to hasten it And yet that very consideration is a great perswasive so to do I am sure it is so argued Matth. XXV Behold the Bridegroom cometh go forth to meet him Not sit still till he come up to you for he is coming but because he is coming go forth to meet him It was a noble confidence and valour in David that when Goliath came out against him he ran and made hast to meet him And he had but coursely incountred that great giant had he not had that confidence and valour That man or woman will but coldly incounter death and judgment that sit still till death and judgment come upon them and never make out to meet them that when the Judge stands at the door have no mind of his entring and coming in It were worth disputing how far a good man may be willing to die or how far unwilling but I shall not enter upon that at this time It is past all dispute that every one should be preparing to die and to meet the Judge when he cometh He standeth at the door it is happy to be prepared against he cometh in Let us all leave our thank-offerings at the Judges altar for his great patience and long-suffering towards us that he is still standing at the door and hath not broken in upon us that his Patience is not outwearied by us after our so great exercising of it And let us ever carry the words of the Text sounding in our ears and hearts That the Judge standeth at the door beholding all our actions beholding all our hearts noting and observing all we do to demand an account of us at his day of Judgment A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge Octob. 7. 1655. MATTH XXVIII 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost SEven things may be taken notice of from these words at first sight I. A permission and commission to bring the Gospel among the Gentiles The Apostles had been tied up before Matth. X. 5. Jesus sent forth the twelve and commanded them saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles But now he inlargeth them II. The end of this inlargement to bring the Gentiles in to be Disciples So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as we shall see anon III. The way to initiate them for Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them Disciples by baptizing them IV. The form of the administration of Baptism In nomine Patris c. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost V. This is the fourth establishment of Baptism The first was in the hand of John Secondly Christ himself was baptized Thirdly The Disciples baptized in his Name Joh. III. 22. Joh. IV. 2. Fourthly Here in the Text is the full establishment of it VI. The Doctrine of the Trinity is in the Text and professed in every Baptism VII The Office of Ministers To teach and administer the Sacraments Two Heresies especially misconstrue this Text Anabaptism and Socinianism For I must call that Heresie that unchurches all Churches and ungods God I shall not intangle my self in these disputes only consider the sense and propriety of the Text as before us and that in these parts named First I shall consider the Apostles commission to fetch in the Gentiles This is called a Mystery Ephes. III. 4 5 6 c. Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the Mystery of Christ. Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel c. This is the great business in the Prophets To bring thy sons from far All the Ends of the Earth shall see the Salvation of God c. In a word this is a great monument of the Riches of grace that when the Gentiles had lain rejected so long as two and twenty hundred years so deep as to commit all sin and not know of sin so inslaved as to adore Devils so far from the means of grace as that they never heard of it yet not length of time depth of sin power of Satan nor vastness of distance could hinder the light of the Gospel breaking in upon them O! the heighth depth bredth and length of the grace of God! Here is a large field to consider this Grace As first how the Gospel was slighted by the Jews yet this Grace was not worn out of patience but God sends it also to the Gentiles And secondly how it was brought to them that cared not to come to it I might speak here of our share of this grace who were Heathen It was good tidings to all people as to the Romans Chap. I. 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ But I shall keep close to the words of the Text. I shall observe two things concerning this Commission I. The time when this Commission was given II. The work which the Apostles were to do by vertue of this Commission First The time Christ being now risen And the reasons why Christ took this time to deliver this Commission to his Apostles were these 1. One reason of it appears in the word Therefore In the 18 vers All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore All power as Mediator He dispenced things before after his own Will by vertue of his Soverainty Rom. IX 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy But add to this that now he had paid a price for the Heathens he had earned his wife as Jacob had conquered Satan that had them captive had exhibited a Righteousness to save the wickedest where they would apply it had broken down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile In Ephes. II. 13 14. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our Peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us And in vers 15. he shews you how Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Law of commandments contained in Ordinances c.
I have said Thou and Ziba divide the land AND I think it is said very nobly and as became a David A Prince of prudence and clemency A Prince of faithfulness and justice though I cannot tell who thinks so of these words but my self I believe there are but few that have either commented upon these words or that do read them but they have some hard thoughts of David as if he dealt but somewhat hardly with poor Mephibosheth I am sensible what disadvantage I go upon if I go about to plead for him though I speak for the King for it is much that a firstborn gloss or exposition upon a difficult place of Scripture doth gain by being firstborn And the commonly and old received opinion upon these words hath so got prepossession in the hearts of most by privilege of its birthright that a younger interpretation will hardly find entertainment because it is a younger brother The Jews do commonly speak their minds upon these words in this manner I have said Thou and Ziba divide the land At the same instant divine providence said Then let Rehoboam and Jeroboam divide the Kingdom Accounting this action of David so horrid unjust a thing as that it deserved and brought that â—ore judgment of renting ten Tribes from Davids Kingdom Christian expositors are no more favourable to him in their construction but lay the very same accusation to his charge of harshness rashness and injustice in this case for giving away half Mephibosheths innocent Mephibosheths land to his lying servant Come let us reason together with him and with our selves a little I. And is thy kindness O David to thy old dear friend Jonathan the man of thy love and the man of thy Covenant to use his son so very hardly yea though he had given thee some just offence Thou once professedst with tears Thy love to me O Jonathan was wonderful passing the love of women And now this unkindness of thine O David were as wonderful passing the unkindness of an enemy II. Is David become so weak in Wisdom and Judgment as to be so baffled and befoold by a cheating fellow and never to discover him or is he become so easie and soft as to sit down with such a gull put upon him and he never go about to ungul himself T is true indeed he was surprized with the lie when he was fleeing for his life chafed with anxiety and vexation but can we think David of so sleepy a conscience as so rashly to undo a poor man by giving away all his land upon a bare information and never to take second thoughts whether he had done the man wrong or no And how easie was it for him before he here met with Mephibosheth to have informed himself of Mephibosheths behaviour and of his innocency It is said in vers 17. that a thousand men of Benjamin met him at Jordan when he was returning and is it likely that he would not inquire of them about him or that they could not or would not inform him of his demeanor who was now the chief man of their Tribe Had they so lost the love and remembrance of their old Master Saul and his good son Jonathan as to see his son so undone by a cheat and none of them to testifie his integrity III. His very beard and cloaths might bear witness for him if no body else would and these might give Ziba the lie and satisfie David that the poor man was falsely accused for he had neither trimmed his heard nor washed his cloaths since the Kings going away until his return again but had utterly neglected and been careless of himself as shewing really that he was really afflicted for the Kings affliction And would not David think you believe such clear and evident testimonies as these IV. It is said 1 King XV. 5. That David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded all the days of his life but only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite Truly it might very well have been added And in the matter of the wronged Mephibosheth if he did so condemn him to the forfeiture of his land upon a false accusation V. And lastly Can David be so ready as he was to pardon Shimei who cursed him to his face and be so hard to be reconciled to Mephibosheth who was only accused behind his back And the Holy Ghost hath seemeth to hint this very thing and observation to us For who observeth not the dislocation of this story we are upon That it is laid out of its proper place and that it is placed before its proper time In the story immediately next before this you have David at Jordan there speaking with Shimei at vers 23. And in the story immediately next after this you have David still at Jordan there taking his leave of Barzillai vers 31. And yet in this story between you have David met with Mephibosheth at Jerusalem vers 25. This is not done at random and by any oversight as if the Holy Ghost had forgot himself as we poor fumbling creatures are many time lost in our tale but the sacred Spirit hath purposely thus methodized the story with such a dislocation for our more narrow observation and clearer instruction In the story before you have Shimei and Ziba meeting David at Jordan a very proper couple and fitly yoked together like to like The one of them had cursed the King to his face and the other had cosened him to his face the one had abused him with rough railing and the other had abused him with a smooth lie What past between David and Shimei the story tells you but not a word of what passed twixt David and Ziba That is comprehended in this story of what passed twixt David and Mephibosheth because Ziba's business was Mephibosheths concernment The story tells that Shimei fell down before David and confest his fault and begged pardon and if Ziba did not so too he was a fool as well as he had been a knave before for he might well conclude that his knavery either was already or else would be discovered Well whether he did or No The Holy Ghost as soon as he hath related how Shimei had obtained his pardon comes and relates this conference twixt David and Mephibosheth as prompting us to think that if David were so readily reconciled to Shimei who had been guilty of so great a crime he would not be unreconcilable to Mephibosheth who indeed was guilty of none And if he had not given this hint by this strange placing of this story our own reason might suggest such an argument to us That certainly if he so easily was friends with Shimei whose villany he himself was an eye and ear witness of he cannot be so unexorable to Mephibosheth his dear Jonathans son against whom he had only the accusation of a false tale That if he would not hearken to Abishai
p. 1077 1078. Why we are justified by perfect Justification and not sanctified by perfect Sanctification or holiness answered 1153 K. KARAITS the difference between them and those that are said to be without Page 339 Kedron what 37 c. Kenite Salamean or Salmean the same and what 499 Kenites who 329 Keri and Cethib or the differing reading of the Hebrew Text what 139 140 Ketsarah a little City without Zippor 75 Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven what 205 c. Kidron the Brook was a sort of Sinck or common Sewer to Jerusalem 607 Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew is called the Kingdom of God in the other Evangelists p. 114. The Kingdom of Heaven implies four things p. 115. The Phrase very frequently occurs in the Jewish Writers p. 115. By it they mean the inward love and fear of God as also the Exhibition and Revelation of the Messiah p. 116. To be of the seed of Abraham or the stock of Israel the Jews supposed was sufficient to fit them for the Kingdom of Heaven 533 Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew is called the Kingdom of God in the Evangelists p. 114. The Kingdom of God coming in power is used for Christ's coming in his vengeance and power to destroy the unbelieving and wicked Nation of the Jews p. 346. Kingdom of God or of Heaven what in the Gospel And what among the Jews 461 462 Kiriath-Jearim in former time was called Baal or Baalath 42 Knee in what use in Adoration 347 Know in Scripture is used for own and acknowledge 699 Kubi where situate 51 L. LAbourers a Jewish Parable concerning them Page 221 Lake of Genesaret in the Old Testament called the Sea of Cinnereth in the New also the Sea of Galilee and Sea of Tiberias 65 Lake of Samochonitis in Scripture is the waters of Merom c. 64 Land of Israel how divided by the Jews p. 1 2. The Land possessed by those that came up out of Babilon was divided into three parts p. 2. Several great Mysteries and Offices confined to the Land of Israel p. 2. The Talmudick Girdle of the Land under the second Temple what p. 3. A great part of the Land viz. South-Judea was cut off under the second Temple p. 4. Jewish Idumea what part of the Land p. 4. The seven Seas according to the Talmudists and the four Rivers compassing the Land what p. 5. A description of the Sea Coasts thereof out of Pliny and Strabo p. 10 11. Land of Israel was the Land of the Hebrews before it was the Canaanites the original Title of it from the confusion of Tongues p. 326 327. It s breadth and length 319 to 323 Language of Ashdod what 505 Language Hebrew Language put for the Chaldee Language 545 Languages the Confusion of Languages was the casting off of the Gentiles and confusion of Religion p. 648. The Fathers of the Sanhedrim were to be skilled in many Languages 782 Lasha is Callirrhoe 296 Last Days and Times put for the times immediately preceding the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the Jewish State p. 626 1074. Last Days what they generally signifie in Scripture 1074 1097 1104 1117 Last Days of Jerusalem are characterized in one regard for the best in another for the worst of times p. 1179. Last Days of Jerusalem and the Jewish State are named as the last days of the World 1186 1200 Lavatory of Bethany what 305 Laver described 33 34 Law Christ was to bring in a New Law but not to abolish the old p. 137. The Text of the Law was writ in the Hebrew and not in the Assyrian Letter p. 138 139. Law written and Oral what And how explained by the Scribes and Doctors p. 422 423. What the difference between coming to God in the Law and coming to God by the Law p. 599. Law used for the Scripture i. e. Moses and the Prophets â—oo both the former and the later p. 787. Women not allowed to read the Law in the Jews Synagogues though a Child or a Servant might p. 788. The Jews say there are six hundred and thirteen Precepts in the Law of Moses p. 1114. Christ was a member of the Church of the Jews proved and under the obligation of the Law p. 1037. The Law was thought by the Jews to restrain and bind the outward Action only not regarding the inward Thought p. 1098. The Jews read the Books of the Law and Prophets only in their Synagogues the rest they read not p. 1102. The manner of giving the Law is an assurance of the last Judgment p. 1119. Judaick and Mosaick Law how distinguished by the Jews p. 1199. Whether God shewed more mercy in giving the Law or in giving the Gospel p. 1230. The commandments of the Law were given for Gospel ends p. 1231. The performing of the Law in one sense is impossible yet the keeping of it in another is possible 1231 Law Ceremonial Christ was under the obligation of the Ceremonial Law and that in three respects p. 1037. Ceremonial Law why instituted p. 1069. It was not the Covenant of Works but the Mode or Manner of the administration of the Covenant of Grace Page 1069 Law Moral obligeth under the Covenant of Grace 1069 1070 Law writ in Adams heart upon Creation what 1325 Lawyers were Doctors of the Law they were of several sorts p. 421 to 423. Lawyers and Teachers of the Law what 433 434 Laying hands upon the sacrifice what and for what end 531 Lazar used for Eleazer 454 Lazarus his Soul was in Heaven those four days he was dead 1352 Learners or Disciples after the days of Rabban Gamaliel did use to sit while they were instructed p. 395 396. They had power to ask the Doctors any questions as they went along in their Expositions and Lectures 396 Learning humane Learning is exceeding useful nay exceeding needful to the expounding of the Scriptures p. 1033. Two objections of those that deny this Proposition answered 1034 Leaven put for Doctrin and a naughty Heart and Affections 204 Lectures at them the Gesture was the Teachers sat and the Learners stood 193 Legion includes an unclean company and of exceeding power 340 341 Legends two or three of them Papal and Judaical 494 495 Lepers how they were to dwell alone 460 461 Leprosie and the Doctrin of it under the Law points out very well the Guilt and Doctrin of Sin p. 164 165. The custom of putting the blood upon the Ear of him that was cleansed of a Leprosie according to that command Lev. 14 14. what 1038 Levites The Cities of the Levites and the Land about them was large called their Suburbs being Cities of Refuge and Universities They and the Priests were the setled Ministry of the Church of Israel they always lived upon Tithes when they studied in the Universities or preached in the Synagogues and attended on the Temple Service p. 86. Priests and Levites what was lawful and unlawful in them 382 Libanus called the Mountain
with the Jews and motions the release of the Prisoner and whether him or Barabbas and leaves it to their thoughts and goeth to his Judgment seat again By this time is his Lady stirring and understanding what business was in hand she sends to him about her dream He goes to the gate again inquires what is their vote about the Prisoners release they are all for Barabbas He puts it to the vote again and they are the same still he urgeth a third time and pleadeth the innocency of Jesus but they still urge for his crucifying Then calls he for water and washeth his hands but instantly imbrues them in his blood By this time it was the third hour of the day or about nine a clock the time of the beginning of the morning Sacrifice Hence Mark begins to count Mark 15. 25. namely from the time that Pilate delivered him up He is whipped by Pilate led into the Praetorium by the souldiers Crowned with thorns remember the Earths first curse Gen. 3. 18. arraied in scarlet and a reed put into his hand for a Scepter and in this garbe Pilate brings him forth to the gate to them again and publisheth again that he found no fault in him They urge that he ought to die because he said he was the Son of God This startles Pilate and in he takes him again and re-examines him but he would give him no answer but only Thou couldst have no power over me unless it was given thee from above c. Hereupon he goes out to the gate again and urgeth for his release more then ever They answer Then he is no friend of Cesar and this knocks the business dead In therefore he goes again and brings out Jesus and sits down upon another Tribunal in publick and Jesus standing before him in his scarlet Robes and thorny Crown he tells the Jews Here is your King Our King say they A way with him crucifie him What saith he Shall I crucifie your King They answer We have no King but Cesar. Compare Zech. 11. 6. where their destruction is threatned to be by their King Cesar as it was by Vespatian Then he delivers him up to be crucified and it was the preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour Joh. 19. 14. John seemeth the rather to have added this circumstance not only to state the time which indeed was of weighty concernment but also to brand these Jews impiety and neglect of their Religion for the satisfying of their malice This day was a very high day of their appearance in Temple and their Chagigah as we touched before and in the morning they durst not to go into Pilates Palace for fear of defiling and lest they should be prevented of these great devotions and yet the day is thus far spent and nothing done but only they have purchased the shedding of so innocent blood But John in this passage laies two visible scruples before us Quest. 1. How is it possible to reconcile him and Mark together when Mark saith It was the third hour and they crucified him Mark 15. 25. whereas he tells us It was the sixth hour when Pilate delivered him up Answ. 1. If we cast up in our thoughts how many things were done this day before his nailing to his Cross it cannot be imaginable that they were all done before the third hour of the day The Sanhedrin meet sit in Counsel examine the prisoner and vote him guilty Bring him to Pilates Palace there have manifold canvases with Pilate pro and contra about him Bring him to Herod where he is questioned about many things his garments changed and gorgeous Robes put upon him and sent back to Pilate again Then a fresh canvass about him or Barabbas to be released and Pilate puts them to a three-times deliberation upon it Then overcome with their importunity washeth his hands scourgeth him and delivers him up to them to be abused The Souldiers lead him into the Hall make a Crown of Thorns divest and vest him anew and make sport with him at pleasure Pilate again brings him forth and anew seeks and labours his release brings him in again and enters a new serious examination of him hearing mention of his being the Son of God Goes out again and labours all he can for his deliverance but being taxed that then he could not be Cesars friend he goes to the bench and formally passeth sentence upon him writes the title of his Cross the Jews in the mean while abusing him Then he is lead forth out of the City bearing his Cross and brought to the place of execution which was a good way off stript hath wine mingled with myrrh given him to drink which he refuseth is nailed to the Cross his garments parted and then Mark brings this in And it was the third hour and they crucified him Now this great multitude of various passages can hardly be conceived possible to have been gone through by the third hour of the day or nine of the clock in the morning no not though the Jews had bent themselves to dispatch before that time which was far from their thoughts 2. Mark therefore in that calculation of the time takes his date from the first time that Pilate gave him up to their abusings and his Phrase may be taken of so comprehensive an intimation as to speak both the time of his first giving up at the third hour of the day and the time of his nailing to his Cross the third hour from that And much after the same manner of account that our Saviours six hours sufferings from Pilates first giving him up to his dying are reckoned So the 430 years of sojournying of the Children of Israel in Egypt Exod. 12. are computed namely the one half before they came into Egypt and the other half after Quest. 2. But it may justly move a second quaere How Christ could be on his Cross and darkness begun from the sixth hour as the other Evangelists record it when John saith that it was but about the sixth hour when Pilate delivered him up Which words of John as they raise the scruple so they may give the answer For it might very properly be said and that according to the usual speech of the Nation that it was about the sixth hour when the sixth hour was but now beginning and by the time that it was compleated all that might be dispatched that passed betwixt his sentencing and his being raised upon the Cross. Crucified Sentence of death was passed upon him as he stood in his scarlet Robes and thorny Crown and when the Jews have now their desire they mock him suddenly strip him and put on his own clothes Then taking him away to the place of Execution they lay his Cross upon him such engines of death doubtless lay alwaies ready about the Judgment Hall and so as Isaac in the figure he first bare the wood that afterward must bear him Gen. 22. 6 9. The place of
execution was without the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Talmudists do determine in Talm. Bab. Sanhedr fol. 42. 2. See how the Apostle applies this to his suffering for the Gentiles Heb. 13. 12. By the time he was come out of the City gates they observe that he is overburdened with his Cross and thereupon they force Simon a Cyrenian some noted Disciple belike to bear the end of it after him They come to the place of Execution commonly called Golgatha not the place of graves but the place of sculs where though indeed there were some burial of the executed yet was it in such a manner that the place deserved this name rather then the other for they buried not an executed person in the grave of his Fathers but there were two places of burial for such one for them that were slain with the sword and strangled and the other for them that were burnt and stoned and when the flesh was wasted the bones were gathered and buried in the graves of their Fathers Talm. ubi sup fol. 46. 1. The proper writing and pronunciation of the word had been Golgolta but use had now brought it to be uttered Golgotha which very pronunciation the Samaritan Version useth in Num. 1. They first strip him and then offer him intoxicating wine which when he tasted he refused to drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When any person was brought forth to be put to death they gave him to drink some frankincence in a Cup of Wine that it might stupifie him as it is said Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to those that be of heavy hearts And there is a tradition that the Gentlewomen of Jerusalem afforded this of their good will c. Tal. Bab. ibid. fol. 43. 1. And let it not be impertinent to add that which immediately follows in the same page A crier went before him that was to be executed which proclaimed N. the Son of N. is going to execution because he hath committed such a fact and N. and N. are witnesses against him if there be any that can clear him let them speak And instantly after There is a tradition that they hanged Jesus on the eve of the Passover and a Crier went before him fourty days Such a one goes to be put to death because he hath bewitched deceived and perverted Israel if any one can say any thing for his clearing let him come and speak but they found no clearing of him therefore they hanged him upon the eve of the Passover c. He is nailed to his Cross hands and feet and so the Jews themselves confess Abel his figure to have been wounded by Cain Tanch fol. 3. col 4 and Isaac to have been bound on the Altar Idem fol. 12. col 2. And with him are crucified two malefactors compare Joseph betwixt two offenders Gen. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Josephus his construction will help us to understand the sense of the word here Four souldiers part his garments and cast lots for his coat and sit down to watch him Over his head was his cause written in the expression of which the variety of the Evangelists shews their stile and how where one speaks short another inlargeth and what need of taking all together to make up the full story Mark hath it The King of the Jews Luke This is the King of the Jews Matthew This is Jesus the King of the Jews John Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews Where the main thing regarded is that he was condemned for taking on him to be King of the Jews as they pretended which was also pretended to be Treason against Cesar and to this point all the Evangelists speak alike and their variety is only in wording this for the readers understanding and he that spake shortest spake enough to express the matter of his accusation and the rest that speak larger are but a comment upon the same thing The three tongues in which this was written Hebrew Greek and Latine are thus spoken of in Midras Tillin fol. 25. col 4. R. Jochanan saith There are three tongues The Latine tongue for war The Greek tongue for speech and the Hebrew for prayer All sorts of people had followed him to the execution Some openly wept for him and bewailed him which was not a thing usual in such cases In the Talmudick Tract last cited fol. 46. 2. there is this strange doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They bewailed not him that went to be executed but only mourned inwardly for him And what think you was the reason The Gloss tells you thus They bewailed him not because his disgrace might be his expiation meaning that whereas they accounted that the more shame and punishment a condemned person suffered the more these tended to his expiation they therefore would not openly bewail him for that would have been some honour to him and so would have abated of his expiation but none lamenting for him it was the greater disgrace and the greater the disgrace the better was his sin as they thought expiated and atoned for This strange custom and opinion doth set forth this publick bewailing of Christ the more remarkably Others when he was now raised upon his Cross reviled him among whom were the chief Priests Scribes and Elders who had so little to do or rather their malice so much as to attend the execution They were at first in some hesitancy whether he would not deliver himself by miracle but when they saw he did not then they triumph and insult at no measure Nay the theeves that were crucified with him spared him not for so Matthew and Mark tell us but at last one of them becomes a convert and receives assurance of being that day with him in Paradise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a phrase very usual with them Compare the case of Josephs fellow prisoners Gen. 40. the one desiring him to remember him and escaping and the other not It may be the darkness now begun in an extraordinary and dreadful manner was some means of working upon this thief for his conviction that Jesus was the Messias For instantly upon his raising upon his Cross it was now the sixth hour or high Noon compleat and the darkness began and continued till three a clock afternoon the very space of time of the day that Adam lay in darkness without the promise from the time of his fall till God came and revealed Christ to him By the Cross stood the Mother of Jesus now a Widdow and as it seemeth destitute of maintenance therefore he commendeth her to the care and charge of his beloved Disciple John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A widdow was to be maintained out of the estate of her husbands heirs untill she received her dowry Maym. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per. 18. But the poverty of Joseph and Mary afforded neither heritage nor dower nor had they any Children but Jesus who was now dying If those that