him from death and was heard in that he feared It lies upon glorified Saints in one part of it viz. Thanksgiving It is so a Duty for the unholiest that though they sin in their prayers yet they sin worse if they pray not Your prayers are not sin as to the Act but because of other things External adoration is absolutely required to be given to God by all his creatures and if that be not yielded they doubtless sin This the wicked man when he prays gives to God They mistake foul that say Pray not till the Spirit move you Truth saith Pray because Duty requires you and in doing your duty wait for the Spirit 3. It is a Duty that makes out and sanctifies all our duties As 1 Tim. IV. 5. Every creature of God is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer So is every religious duty that we perform What is our hearing reading meditation if we pray not that God would sanctifie it and make it beneficial to holy ends and purposes to us 4. We had need to pray in reference to our Duty lest God turn us out of all and own us not for Tenants because we pay not our Rent You read in XXX Exod. 12. c. That every Israelite was to give half a shekel for the Redemption of his Soul the rich was not to give more nor the poor less This Christ himself paid Matth. XVII 24. c. Prayer is that half shekel to us The rich can give no more and the poor hath this to give viz. To make our humble acknowledgments to God for our lives and our comforts This is the greatest owning of our homage and none is so poor as to be without it The words that signifie Prayer speak this viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judging our selves and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depending upon grace We hold all upon grace The acknowledgment of this is the payment of our Homage to our Creator Would you comfortably enjoy your Houses Lands Studies Comforts pay your Rent Pray Pray Pray See what becomes of them that pay not this Homage Jerem. X. 25. Pour out thy sury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name Secondly We had need pray because of our wants This is the only way for our supply II. This is the bucket to draw our Water Ask and you shall have Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee Yea though God know our wants we must pray for the supply of them That is a strange motive to prayer in Matth. VI. 8. Your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask them What need then is there to tell them If he will give he will give whether we ask or ask not Yes pray for what ye stand in need of though ye are sure of the grant of those things Daniel prayed for the restoration of the Captivity which he knew certain David for the pardon of his sin which he knew God would pardon And that for these reasons First God will have his Homage T is reason Elias should have his cake first that provides meal for the maintenance of the whole family 1 Kings XVII 13. Secondly We pray not to shew God our wants as if he were ignorant of them but to shew that we are sensible of them and to signifie that we know he only is able to supply them Saints are called poor because they know their wants and know they live on Gods Alms. See Rev. III. 17 18. Because thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked I counsil thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire that thou mayest be rich c. God would that this Church of Laodicca should know her wants and buy by prayer the supply of them Thirdly I may add We had need to pray because of our advantage and benefit yea though we receive not particularly what we pray for Though as Psal. XXII 2. We cry in the day time and God heareth not and in the night season we take no rest Though God seem as in Psal. LXXXVIII 14. to cast off our Soul and hide his face from us yet we had need to pray still because we still want and if we never receive particularly what we pray for yet these benefits we shall reap by our prayers 1. We keep up and refresh our communion with God Constant prayer hath this advantage that it suffereth not God to forget us Lord why hast thou forgotten me saith David Prayer permits not God to forget no more than a Mother can forget a crying child He that prays is Gods Remembrancer and gives him no rest 2. The more we pray the better God will know our faces at the day of judgment I know you not shall Christ say to some why They never looked towards him Psal. XIV 2 3. The Lord looked down from Heaven to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside c. And I. Esay 4. There t is said of wicked men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are estranged backward or turned backward To these methinks the great Judge will say another day Ye were always strangers to me such as turned their backs upon me I could never see your face and therefore verily I know you not But on the contrary he that now confesses Christ and makes himself known to him by prayers and humble addresses he will know and confess him at the day of Judgment 3. The more we pray the more the heart is in Heaven and with God So that Prayer it self is a blessed benefit Phil. III. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven This of all other Conversations is the heavenly Conversation As Christ when he prayed was transfigured Luke IX 29. So in prayer the Christians heart is changed the soul is winged and mounts up till it gets hold of God as Jacob had him in his arms when he prayed 4. Time will come that all our prayers and tears shall meet us God puts our tears in his Bottle God reserves our prayers not one of them is left and we shall in time receive the fruit of them In 1 Kings VIII 59. There Solomon prays Let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night that he maintain the cause of his Servant c. Prayers are nigh unto God And thus I have finished the first Observation viz. That we had need to pray I come to the second II. That we had need to be taught to pray There is no doing spiritual work but according to the Patern in the Mount God prescribed Forms As at the offering of the first-fruits of the Land of Canaan XXVI Deut. 3 4. c. Thou shalt go unto the Priest that shall be in those days and
the matter in their heart and put it not to question it is far more probable that John came to know this their thought by some outward expression of their own For among so great a multitude when they were all in the same doubt and hesitation it was impossible but there would break out some whisperings questions arguings or other token of the general conceit that even a slow and dull apprehension might in short time have found it out §. I indeed baptize you c. All the Evangelists have this answer of the Baptist in regard of the substance but in some circumstances there is difference among them As first whereas Luke saith that these words were occasioned from him by the thoughts of the people Matthew that hitherto hath joyned with him in this story even to the very words that hath no such thing as about the questions aforementioned nor about this supposal but joyneth this as a continued speech to the Pharisees and Sadduces but this needeth to breed no scruple seeing that it is not only usual but also necessary among the four one to relate what another hath omitted and one to declare at large what another hath done in brief Secondly Whereas both Luke and Matthew have set this testimony of the Baptist after other speeches of his made before Mark as was mentioned before hath set it the first of all his Preaching and indeed hath mentioned no speech else But this he hath done partly because he would hasten to the Baptism Preaching and Miracles of Christ partly because Matthew had set out the matter at large before but chiefly to give us to know that this witness went along with John in all his Sermons and to all companies that came to be baptized Thirdly Whereas Luke hath alledged this speech as an answer to the peoples thoughts John hath brought it as an answer to an open question Joh. 1. 25 26 27. And here it may be questioned indeed whether these two speak of one and the same thing and of the same time But the resolution is easie that they do not For as it is plain by Luke that these words mentioned by him proceeded from John before the Baptism of Christ so is it as plain by John that those in him came from him after for in ver 26. he intimateth that Christ himself had already stood among them but they knew him not No nor he himself but by the Holy Ghost which he saw descend upon him ver 33. By which is confimed what was said even now that John made sure to bear this witness to Christ at all times and before all companies Now because the eyes of the people upon himself looked at the strangeness of his Baptism and the sanctity of his person therefore doth he apply this his testimony accordingly by comparing Christ and himself and his baptism and his together and proclaiming his own inferiority in both as far as baptism with water only is below baptizing with the Holy Ghost and further then the servant that unties his Masters shoos below him that wears them §. I baptize you Mark hath it in another tense I have baptized which either may import the continuedness of Johns baptizing this being compared with Matthew and Luke as Jansenius hath conjoyned them I have baptized and do baptize you Or rather doth it intimate that he still baptized the companies that came unto him and then gave this testimony to them concerning Christ. For his preaching was first of repentance and then having won the people to be baptized he brought them to the water and baptized them in the name of him that was to come after him Act. 19. 4. So that these seem to have been the words that he used in sprinkling or applying the water I baptize thee with water but a mightier then I cometh who shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire §. With water In the Greek it is indifferently with or in answerable to the significancy of Beth the Hebrew preposition either local or instrumental And according to both senses it may be taken here For as it is undoubted that John brought those that were to be baptized into the River Matth. 3. 6. 16. So is it almost as little to be doubted that when they were there he threw and sprinkled the water upon them both to answer the types of sprinkling that had preceded in the Law and the predictions thereof that were given by the Prophets Ezek. 36. 25. understood by Hierome of baptism Epist. 83. So Act. 8. 38. The Eunuch first goeth into the water and then Philip baptizeth him §. Water As the form of the Church was changed at the coming of Christ from Jewish to Christian and from Legal to Evangelical so is it no wonder if the Sacraments were changed therewithal For if Christ were to give a new law as Moses did the old which the Jews themselves confess that he must and the Prophets had foretold that he should do it was also necessary that he should give these new as well as other things But it is some wonder that seeing he instituted the Sacrament that should succeed the Passover so near to the nature of the Passover as that it was a supper as well as it that there should such a main distance and difference be between Baptism and Circumcision the one of which should succeed the other for what affinity betwixt washing with water and cutting off of the foreskin For the better viewing of the reason of which difference it will be necessary to consider the main particulars of either Sacrament apart and then may the Reader compare them together in their variety First then Circumcision to Abraham was a seal of the promise thou shalt be the father of many Nations but to his seed of the promise of the Land of Canaan I will give to thee and to thy seed all the Land of Canaan therefore thou and thy seed after thee shall keep my Covenant Gen. 17. 8 9. And such a different end may be observed in the administration of baptism to Christ himself and the administring of it unto Christians The Text alledged sealeth the lease of the Land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham with the seal of Circumcision and confineth that Ceremony only to that Land and only to their continuance there And upon this inference I will give thy seed the Land of Canaan therefore shall they keep my Covenant it was that Joshua as soon as ever they had set foot upon that Land was commanded to circumcise them Josh. 5. And from hence it will follow first that that Land must be considered dilated as far as Circumcision went with the seed of Abraham in Ishmaelites Midianites Edomites and others Secondly Hence they will be found to erect circumcision again in the Church of Christ that hold the called Jews shall have a temporal Kingdom again in the Land of Canaan And thirdly hence it may be resolved why that Sacrament was deferred
so long and not given to the World before Adam Enoch Noah Eber c. were not circumcised because to them a fixed and setled place for the Church to reside together was not designed but when such a one is designed to Abraham then circumcision is given also The Land of Canaan was bequeathed to Sem by his father Noah the occasion was because Cham and his Son Canaan derided Noahs nakedness as he lay asleep in the midst of his Tent when therefore that Land is to be setled upon the right heirs of Sem to which God in the Prophetick spirit of Noah intended it a seal and an assurance thereof is given in that member which had been derided by Canaan to his loss of that Land and to his perpetual slavery This was a main reason why Males alone were circumcised and why in that member because a male alone and that member in him was so derided Other reasons of the institution of the Ceremony and only for masculines and in that part might concur for instruction such as are given by Lumbard Aquinas Biel Lyra and others but that they were not of the nature or essence of the Sacrament and that this forementioned was the vigor and spirit of it may be concluded by these two things First That Circumcision concerned not the children of Israel only but the whole seed of Abraham For those children of his by his Concubines that lived in Arabia as Ismaelites Dedanites Medianites Midianites Shuhites Amalekites and the rest were circumcised as well as Israel in Palestina Those Countries whither Abraham had sent them to inhabite were once in the possession of Canaanites till he obtained them by conquest of the four Kings Gen. 14. and thither he sendeth them with the seal of Circumcision upon them which gave them interest in the Land there as well as Isaac had elswhere Abraham taught his children and his houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18. 19. which though this off-spring of his in Arabia did not long in other things yet in circumcision it did So that from hence may result the observation of another end and reason of the institution of this Ceremony namely for distinction not of Israel from other Nations as Lyranus would have it but of the seed of Abraham from all other people Secondly Howsoever all the Israelites dwelling before the coming of our Saviour out of the Land of Canaan as both of the Babylonian and Grecian dispersion used Cicumcision in Heathens Lands and used it lawfully yet it was because their claim and interest to the Land of Canaan did still continue nay this was one reason why it held up some store of years after Christ his coming and ascension but when Jerusalem was destroyed and their lease of that Land of promise either expired or forfeited or both then did this seal of it fall and come to ruine also and might not lawfully be used ever after and when they must for ever relinquish the Land they must for ever also relinquish this seal or Ceremony that had assured it This well considered will cause us also to observe First That the interest of Israel in the holy Land began to shake when baptism came to shoulder out Circumcision Secondly That John most properly preached much of the Kingdom of Heaven for their earthly one began to cease when baptism began to extinguish Circumcision As Circumcision it self had relation to the inheritance of the Land of the Canaanites so the fixed time for the administration of it namely the eighth day seemeth also to have some aim and respect to the same thing For seven nations were in that Land which the Children of Abraham were to subdue and dwell in their stead Canaanites Hittites Hivites Perizzites Girgashites Amorites and Jebusites Deut. 7. 1. Josh. 3. 10. In correspondency to this number of seven Nations that were to be subdued Jericho the first field fought in that Land is compassed seven days and seven times the seventh day And in like answerableness every child of Abraham for seven days was like the children of those seven Nations but on the eighth day he was to receive circumcision the pledge of that interest and claim that he had in that Land which those seven Nations had usurped This then was the ground-work and Original of that Sacrament that every Son of Abraham might bear in his body the seal of the inheritance of the Land of promise and the badge of distinction from all other people and that this visible sign might make him strive after the invisible grace which it sealed the inheritance of Heaven and walking as the peculiar of the Lord. From which appropriated and restrictive ends of the Rite the necessity of the changing of it at the coming of Christ doth plainly appear for when there was to be no more distinction betwixt the children of Abraham and other people and no one land more peculiarized then another but of every Land and Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him that badge of appropriation and seal of singularity must either clean come to nothing or become unnecessary Now that baptism did succeed in the stead thereof some reasons may be given As first because the Sacraments of the New Testament were to be gentle and easie in stead of the smart and burdensom ones of the Law Secondly Because God would comply with men even in their own common custom of washing children when they are newly born Ezek. 16. 4. 9. and turn the common to a sacred use thereby to catch and win them the more But thirdly this one main reason may serve for all namely the near correspondency that is between the Sacrament and the thing signified and the full significancy that the element beareth of the grace that it signeth forth To which fourthly might be added that baptism took place in the Christian Church to fulfil the types and predictions that had gone before of it under Moses Law and before As in the flood and Ark 1 Pet. 3. 21. in the passage through the red Sea and Jordan 1 Cor. 10. 2. in the purifications and sprinklings at the Sanctuary But especially in four remarkable particulars was this fore-signified and typed out in a special manner First In Jacobs admission of the preserved Sichemites to his family and communion Gen. 35. 2. And Jacob said to his houshold and to all that were with him Put away the strange Gods that are among you and be clean and change your garments Wherein he injoyneth them three things for their admission to his Church 1. To relinquish their idolatry 2. To wash or baptize their bodies for so must the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make your selves clean be understood and so it is well rendred by Aben Ezra Especially 3. Since he giveth order for the changing of their garments All three containing the cleansing of their minds bodies and cloaths And there observe first that when Circumcision in the
Jacob to Joseph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shechem echad above thy brethren that is one portion as the Chaldee Paraphrast and other Jews render it and that portion the place or portion of Sichem as the Septuagint translate it of that City there is mention in Gen. 34. and in divers other places of the Scripture and whether it took that name from Sichem the son of Hamor that ravished Dinah it is not much useful or material to look after certainly it keepeth that name all along the Scripture but only in this place for that Sychar here is the same place with Sichem the circumstance added that it was near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave his son Joseph makes the matter past denial It is a very general censure upon this word both by expositors that write upon this Chapter and others that mention the word occasionally that it is written wrong and corruptly for it should be written and read Sychem But 1. their very so saying doth shew and argue that it is generally read Sychar in all copies and are all corrupt 2. It is hard to imagin how any Scribe should so miswrite or misread as to write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing there is so little affinity between the letters in the Greek And 3. any scribe that was a Scripture man could not easily so mistake seeing there is so frequent mention of Sichem in the Bible but of Sichar never Therefore to me it is past all doubting that the word is written and read in our copies exactly and to a letter as it was written by the Evangelist himself And it may be conceived that he wrote it as it was sometimes and it may be commonly called among the Jews The hatred and dissention between the Jews and Samaritans was exceeding bitter as shall be shewed anon and it is no strange thing if the Jews used this as a nickname for the Samaritans chief City to call it Sychar instead of Sichem The people of the Kingdom of Samaria are called the Drunkards of Ephraim Esay 28. 1. Wo to the Crown of pride the drunkards of Ephraim c. Now the word Sychar importeth and signifieth Drunkenness and it may very well be conceived that seeing the Jews abhorred the Samaritans so much as they did that they framed the name Sychem into the drunken name Sychar and in scorn called the metropolis of the Samaritans so in the disdain and scorn that they had against them So they called Beelzebub Beelzebul or the God of a dunghil for the greater detestation and so the Holy Ghost calleth Achan Acha◠1 Chron. 2. 7. to hit him home for his troubling of Israel Josh. 7. compare the changing of Sychem unto Sychar with the changing of Achan into Achar and why may we not apprehend this to be done purposely and without mistakes of transcribers as well as that Now as for the difference between the two Texts of Moses that spake of this portion of Jacobs ground the one saying that it was bought of the Hivite with mony or lambs and the other that it was won from the Amorite with his sword and bow it is best reconciled by taking both places literally and in their proper sense but to understand them of several times At Jacobs first coming unto Sichem out of Padan Aram he bought this piece of ground of the Hivite as it is storied Gen. 33. 19. whether for money or for lambs we shall not need to dispute in this place But after the slaughter of the Sichemites he was long and far distant from that place and made no use of it it not being safe for him to reside there his sons having caused him to stink to the Inhabitants of the lands and God calling him away unto other places Now what became of his land and of the City Sichem which had been emptied of its Inhabitants all this while of Jacobs absence Certainly it is more proper and probable to hold that the Inhabitants of the land would some of them usurpe and seize upon those places and that Jacob was put to recover them again by force of arms than either to think that Jacob owneth the slaughter of Sichem by his sons as his own act or to understand this portion of ground and Jacobs sword and bow allegorically as many do Vid. Targ. Onkel Jerusalami c. Vers. 6. Now Iacobs well was there c. There is mention of this well in Gen. 49. 22. where Jacob foretels that Joseph should grow exceeding fruitful by this well or at this place of Sichem As it came to pass Josh. 24. 1. 1 King 12. 1. c. Joseph is a fruitful bough or a son of fruitfulness beside the well which words are not only to be taken figuratively as resembling Joseph for fruitfulness to a tree planted besides a well which was near moisture and watering but they are to be understood even properly and literally for the very place of this well where Joseph should be chiefly seated and grow even to the dignity of a Kingdom It was not only the tradition of the Samaritans that this well was extant in Jacobs time and that his family drank of it but it was a real truth as is asserted by the Evangelist and both affirm it upon the warrant of that Text Compare this story of Christ with the woman of Samaria at the well of Sichar with the story of Abrahams servant at the well of Haran Gen. 24. Jacob at the same well Gen. 29. and Moses at a well in Midian Exod. 2. §. For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans This is the speech of the Evangelist not of the woman of Samaria for it was needless for her to tell our Saviour of the distance that the Jews and Samaritans kept one from another which both the Nations knew well enough but it was necessary that the Evangelist should relate so much to us both that the womans question How is it that thou being a Jew askest water of me might be the better understood and also that the great work done by our Saviour in the conversion of so many Samaritans might be set out the more glorious by how much the hatred between the two Nations was the greater This dissention and fewd betwixt them did proceed from several causes and occasions 1. There had been a continual enmity between the Inhabitants of the two Countries Judea and Samaria even while they were both of the seed of Israel from the time of the ten Tribes revolt under Jeroboam to their captivity by Shalmanezer as is copiously set out in the book of Kings and Chronicles 2. When the ten Tribes were captived out of their land the King of Assyria planted Samaria with men of divers Nations and divers Idolatries 1 King 17. 24. c. And sent among them some of the Priests of the ten Tribes to instruct them in Religion 1 King 17. 28. Jos. Ant. lib. 9. cap. 14. And so the Country fell
the same story and so continue it as a three twisted coard not easily broken of which thing the Readers own eyes may be his Judge Harmony and Explanation Vers. 14. Iesus returned in the power of the Spirit IT had been at the least fourteen months since the Holy Ghost came down upon Christ when he was baptized and yet doth Luke purposely mention the power of the Spirit upon him after so long a space 1. To shew he had the Spirit in a measure above other men for they were not always acted by the Spirit after his first coming on them 2 Kings 4. 27. but Christ was always 2. The Evangelist in the story that he had mentioned next before had shewed that Christ was led by the power of the Spirit into the wilderness and by it had overcome the temptations of Satan and now would he shew that he cometh in the same power to deal with men and to overcome their affections But 3. and chiefly Luke useth this expression because he is now to relate how Christ began to shew himself powerful in his miracles so that the fame of him went all about the Country and that his Ministery was glorified of all and now it was seasonable to mention and to take notice of the Spirit of the Lord upon him when he is more fully and intirely to fall upon the Ministery of the Gospel Ver. 15. And he taught in their Synagogues We have here occasion to look a little presly after these two things 1. The nature and constitution of their Synagogues And 2. upon what ground and permission Christ who hitherto had lived as a private mechanick man was suffered to preach in them The former of these deserveth our consideration because of the frequent mention that we have of Synagogues all along the Gospels and other books of the New Testament And the latter because of the question so much afoot of preaching without a publick call and ordination Sect. I. The Antiquity and divine institution of Synagogues Although the word Synagogues be rarely found in the Old Testament spelled syllabically with so many letters in our English Bibles yet both reason and equivalent expressions used there do more than probally perswade us that such conventions and meeting places were no strangers to Israel in those ancient times For 1. It is said expresly according as our English utters it Psal. 74. 4. that the enemie had burnt all the Synagogues of God in the land Which although the Chaldee render it of the Temple only and Rabbi Solomon of Shiloh and the first and second Temple only yet both the plural number used and the context it self inforceth it to be interpreted of more conventions than only in one place And Aquila doth render it expresly Synagogues as our English doth And Jonathan the Caldee Paraphrast of the Prophets whosoever was of the Psalms speaketh the very sense of that clause of the Psalm even as our English utters it when he interprets that passage in Esay 7. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Assyrian Bee shall come upon all the Houses of Praise 2. What can we make of these High places that are so often mentioned in Scripture in a commendable sense as 1 Sam. 9. 19. 10. 5. 1 Kings 3. 4. c. other than that they were Synagogues or places of publick worship for particular congregations For howsoever High places do often hear ill in the Scripture as places of Idolatry and false worship as 1 Kings 11. 7. 12. 31. Jer. 7. 31. 19. 5. c. yet do we find also that some High places escape that brand and are mentioned with an honourable memorial And although those also are frequently taxed for Sacrificing there which service should only have been exercised at Jerusalem yet do we never find them taxed for mens worshipping there In 2 King 12. 2. 14. 4. 15. 4. c. it is said that Joash Amaziah and Uzziah did uprightly in the sight of the Lord But the high places were not taken away nor that they should have been destroyed for being places of worship or of publick Assemblies but the text expresseth still what was their abuse and what should have been removed namely that the people should not have sacrificed and burnt incense there which part of worship was only confined to Jerusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the destruction of Shiloh to the building of the Temple high places were lawful as it is the Jews general and common saying but they understand it as generally of lawfulness to sacrifice which when the people would not leave to use after the Temple was built they are often taxed with it but with no other part of worship in High places if it were not Idolatrous 3. How was it possible that the Jews should keep the Sabbath according to the injunction laid upon them of having every seventh day a holy meeting or convocation Lev. 23. 3 4. if they had not in all times their Synagogue meetings or particular Congregations which the plural number used of Assemblies or Congregations doth more than seem to intimate in Psal. 26. 12. 68. 26. 4. Let us cast how the Jews could possibly celebrate those solemnities to which they were obliged besides the three Festivals which required their appearance at Jerusalem if they had not Sygnagogues or meetings of particular Assemblies when they were in the Wilderness what could they do on the Sabbath day when the Tabernacle Court would not hold the thousand part of them and when Family duties only would not reach the rule that was set before them And when they were come into the land when distance of place from Jerusalem made going thither every Sabbath impossible and when every Family were not able to read the Law much less to expound it nay when many and many Families were neither able to carry on a Sabbath days work nor hire or get one that was learned and able to carry it on what could they then do without Synagogues but lose the Law Sabbath Religion and the knowledge of God and themselves and all 5 When Synagogues were now come into use and frequented how was this use and frequency and frequenting of them first taken up We read of them under the second Temple especially in the Times of our Saviour and of his Apostles when the people were now lost in hypocrysie and traditions And can we think that those corrupt times outwent the purer and holyer times of David Joshuah Samuel c. in finding out so absolutely needful a means for maintaining of Knowledge and Religion as their Synagogue meetings were Can we conceive that Pharisees should set up these so useful conventions how useful may be judged by Christs and his Apostles constant frequenting them to omit all other evidences and that the Elders and Prophets and holy men under the Old Testament wanted them Take but the Chaldee Paraphrasts opinion again upon this point who upon those words of Deborah in Judg. 5. 9.
order of the next following Section Harmony and Explanation Luke 5. vers 17. As he was teaching there were Pharisees and Doctors of the Law sitting c. OUR Saviour having walked and preached through Galilee for a good space doth now near Passover time betake himself to Capernaum to his own home again that he might provide there for his journey to Jerusalem to the Feast To Capernaum there had followed him besides others that fell to him in his Galilean perambulation Pharisees Scribes and Doctors of the Law for all the three are mentioned by the three Evangelists in the relation of this story and it will not be amiss nor much besides our business to look a little distinctly what kind of men the Scribes and Pharisees and Doctors of the Law were seeing there is so frequent mention of them in the Gospel §. 1. The distinction and division of the Jewish Nation For the proceeding in which inquiry it may not be impertinent in the first place to look upon the division of the whole Nation of the Jews as it is held out very ordinarily and commonly in their own writers And that was into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scholars or Disciples of the wise and The people of the land or the learned sort of people and unlearned or those that were men of breeding and that were not Examples of this dichotomy might be produced by hundreds out of the Jewish Authors I shall only offer these few Massecheth derech arets Zuta per. 4. The Scholars of the wise are comely in a society but the people of the land are not comely in a society Juchasin fol. 22. Rabbi Akiba said when I was of the people of the land I said Oh for a Scholar of the wise how would I kiss him c. Maym. in Talm. Torah per. 4. Is there a matter of controversie between a Scholar of the wise and one of the People of the land They adhere to the Scholar Idem The Scholars of the wise might not eat in an Inn nor in the streets nor with the people of the land Idem in Tephil per. 12. A Priest of the people of the land readeth in the Synagogue before a great wise man an Israelite Id. in Talm. torah per. 3. A bastard if a Scholar of the Wise is of more value than an High Priest of the People of the land Where by a Priest and High Priest of the People of the land he meaneth such as indeed was a true Priest or High Priest but such a one as was unlearned For They called every one that knew not the doctrine of the Law The folk of the land Elias Lev. in Tishb §. 2. The division and distinction of the learned of the Nation Thus was the first and general division of the Nation into learned and unlearned men bred up in the study of Law and men that were not and to this division doth that speech of the Pharisees themselves refer Joh. 7. 48 49. Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believe in him But this people which know not the Law c. Now the learned of the Nation which were called The wise and The Scholars or Disciples of the wise were parted and even crumbled into many sub-divisions Scribes Pharisees Sadduces Herodians mentioned in Scripture and Esseans Chasidim Jechidim Zelotae Therapeutae in Jewish writers Now the reason of this their division was in regard of some of them holding to and others of them warping from the National and State Religion some more some less some one way some another For if their own Authors did not tell reason it self and common sense would do it that that Nation which only of all others had Religion among them had some common and set Rule for their Religion by which they were to go and to be guided in the practise of it The Rule was Moses and the Prophets the setting of this rule for practise that is giving it its fixed and determinate sense for that purpose was by the Sanhedrin or great Council and according as any one kept exactly to the rule so determined or swarved from it by excess or defect he came under one or other of these titles and recognisances §. 3. The National and State Religion of the Jews in the times of Christ. Their Religion in these times howsoever they pretended to the Scriptures for their rule yet lay in a manner all in traditions which they not only valued above the Scriptures but by them they made the Scriptures of none effect at all Mark 7. 7 8 9. They held That the Lord made his Covenant with them according to the Traditional Law Baal Turim on Gen. 1. 3. They held The written Law scant and narrow in comparison of the Traditional Tanc. fol. 4. And that the written Law might be taught for hire but the Traditional might not Maym. in Talm. torah per. 1. Now their Traditions were twofold either those that they called and accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unwritten Law given to Moses at Sinai and handed by Tradition from generation to generation or the practical Glosses and Canons which were made upon that unwritten and traditional Law in the several generations as they passed Both these were called The Traditions of the Fathers and of the Elders Matth. 15. 2. Gal. 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18. The deliverers of the Cabbalah or unwritten Law which they say came successively from Moses they will name you as directly from generation to generation as the Papists will name you Popes successively from Peter Moses say they received this Traditional Law from Sinai and delivered it to Joshua Joshua to the Elders the Elders to the Prophets and the Prophets to Ezras great Synagogue Talm. in Avoth per. 1. The particular hands through which it passed thither we observed at Matth. 3. v. 7. After the return of the Captivity they derive its pedegree thus Simeon the Just received it from Ezra Antigonus of Soco from Simeon Joses the son of Joezer of Zeredah and Joseph the son of Johanan of Jerusalem received it from Antigonus Joshua the son of Perakiah and Nittai the Arbelite received it from them Judah the son of Tabbai and Simeon the son of Shetah received it from Joshua and Nittai Shemaiah and Abtalion received it from Judah and Simeon Hillel and Shammai from them Rabban Simeon the son of Hillel and Rabban Jochanon ben Zaccai received it from Hillel and Shammai Rabban Gamaliel called the old Pauls master received it from Rabban Simeon his father Rabban Simeon the son of Gamaliel received it from Gamaliel he was slain at the destruction of the Temple After him was his son Rabban Gamaliel of Jabneh who received it from his father and after him was Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai who had received it from Hillel and Shammai c. Avoth ubi supr Maym. in praef ad Madda Juchasin fol. 13 14. c. Thus is the Tradition concerning the descent and conveyance of the traditional
JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. A PROSPECT OF THE TEMPLE ESPECIALLY As it stood in the days of our SAVIOUR CHAP. I. Of the Situation of Mount MORIAH 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MORIAH * * * 2 Chron. 3. â— â—s 2. 2. the Mountain of the Lords House from whencesoever it had its denomination about which there are various conjectures it is certain it had its designation for that use and honour to which it was imployed ‖ ‖ ‖ 1 Chron. 21. 26. 22. 1. by fire from Heaven and of old time * * * Gen. 22. 2 c. by Abraham's offering up his Soâ— Isaac there in a figure a a a R. Sol. in Gen. 22. Some are of opinion that it was called Moriah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Instruction because from thence there went forth a Law and Doctrine for all Israel b b b Onkel Ibid. others conceive the name to have been derived from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mor which betokeneth Myrrh and spicery because it was to be the only place of offering Incense c c c â—â—llâ—r â—â—â—sâ—â—â— â—â—â— 2. cap. 1â— others from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morech jah The Lord will be visible because the Son of God was to appear there in humane flesh And so they all repute that it carried a notation predictive 〈◊〉 referring to something that was to occur there in time to come But if we will apply the Etymology of it to that time present when it and the Country about it and first take that name of the Land of Moriah we may construe it The Land of a teacher of God as John III. 2. or the Land of the Lord my teacher as being the Territory of Sem or Melchisedeck the great Teacher of the ways of the Lord while the Canaanites round about did walk in blindness and were led by Teachers only of delusion and the Land which the Lord his teacher had designed to him in the prediction of his Father Noah d d d Joseph Antiâ—â— l. 15. c. 14. This Mount was so seated in the midst of Jerusalem that the City lay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in form of a Theatre round about it e e e â—â—d Ezek. 40. 2. Kimch ibid. Tosaph ad Kelim On the South lay Jerusalem it self built upon Mount Acra and Acra naturally higher than Moriah f f f â—â—s de Bell lib. 5. cap. 13. but much levelled by the Asmonean Family in the time of their reign and the valley betwixt well raised and filled up with Earth that both the Temple might over-top the buildings on Acra and that the coming up from the City to the Temple might be the more plain and easie compare Luke III. 5. g g g Psal. 4â— 2. Aben Ezra â—b On the North side lay Mount Sion furnished with the gallant buildings of the Palace Court and City of David These two Mountains Acra and Sion and the Cities built upon them the London and Westminster City and Court of the Land of Canaan did so decline and descend upon their South-East and North-East points that on the East and West of the Temple they met and saluted each other in a valley having also a deep valley betwixt them and the Temple on every side but only on the South where it was the less deep because of the levelling mentioned immediately before Although this Mount Moriah were not so high of it self as the two Hills on either side it yet was it of a great pitcâ— and steepness h h h Id. de Bell. lib. 5. cap. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A strong heap â—â—â—ep and deep â—â— every side And it was a discerning note of a young male châ—â—d i i i Hagigah per. 1. That he was bound to appear before the Lord at the three Festivals if he were once come to be able to go up the Mountain of the Temple holding his Father by the hand This Mount fell so in the division of the Land that part of it was in the lot of one Tribe and part of it in another k k k Avoth R. Nathan per. 34. Zevachin per. 5. in Gemara For most part of the Courts was in the portion of Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Altar Porch Temple â—â—d most holy place were in the portion of Benjamin And that part that lay in the portion of Judah was made hollow under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ith arches built upon arches underneath saith Maimony l l l Beth abbekirah per. 5. because of the Tent of defileâ—â—nt Now this that he calleth the Tent of defilement might very well be supposed to be a Sink or common Shore made under ground and arched over for the conveyance of all the filth and wash of the Courts away and that there was such a thing we shall see hereafter but he explaineth himself in another place and saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m m m Maym. Parah per. 2. All the Mountain of the house that is the outmost space and all the other Courts were hollow under because of an abyss or deep grave Now the Talmudicks do use to call a Sunk unseen or unsuspected grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n n n Talm. Bab. Parah per. 3. Gloss. ibid. an abyss grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Gospel language Luke IX 44. And so they call an unseen or unknown uncleaness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o o o Nazir per. 1. Maym. in Biath Mikdash per. 4. An abyss of uncleannesses and they oppose to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An uncleanne known of Wherefore that they might be sure that there should be no graves secretly made in any of the Courts of the Temple by which they might be defiled they arched all the Courts under ground so as that there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arches upon arches as my Author expresseth it which he explaineth in another p p p Id. in Parah per. 3. place in another story of the like nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One arch set upon two arches so that the feet of an arch stood upon two arches that were under it And so it was either impossible to bury above the Arch for want of soil or if it were possible to bury below the arches it was deep and far enough from defiling CHAP. II. The measure of the floor of the Mountain of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE compass of the â—â—oor of Moriah a a a Jos. de Bell. lib. 5. cap. 14. did increase by time and industry somewhat though not much above what it was when Solomon first began the Temple there For b b b 1 Chron. 21. 18. 22. 1. whereas David by divine direction had built an Altar and God by divine Fire upon it had fixed that very place for the place of the Altar of the Temple the Mountain possibly in some part of it might want
g g g g g g Idem De bell lib. 2. cap. 42. In nether Galilee those among others were fortified by Josephus Jotopata Beersabee Salamis Pareccho Japha Sigo Mount Itaburion Tarichee Tiberias In upper Galilee The rock Acharabon Seph Jamnith Mero More will occur to us as the go on CHAP. LX. Scythopolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth-shan the beginning of Galilee THE bounds of Galilee were a a a a a a Joseph de bell lib. 3. cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the South Samaris and Scythopolis unto the stood of Jordan Scythopolis is the same with Beth-shan of which is no seldom mention in the Holy Scriptures Jos. XVII 11. Judg. I. 27. 1 Sam. XXXI 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b b b b Id. Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 12. See also lib. 13. cap. 10. Bethsane saith Josephus called by the Greeks Scythopolis It was distant but a little way from Jordan seated in the entrance to a great Valley for so the same Author writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Having passed Jordan they came to a great plain where lies before you the City Bethsane c. c c c c c c Nat. Hist. lib. 5. cap. 18. Before time it was called Nysa Pliny being our Author by Father Bacchus his nurse being there buried It was a part of the land of Israel when it was first subdued but scarcely when it was subdued the second time as d d d d d d R. Sol. in Demai cap. 1. R. Solomon speaks not amiss Hence it passed into a Greek denomination and was inhabited by Gentiles Among whom nevertheless not a few Jews dwelt who also had sometime their Schools there and their Doctors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e e e e e e Hieros Megill fol. 73. 4. The men of Bethshean asked R. Immi What if a man take away stones from one Synagogue and build another Synagogue with them He answered It is not lawful And mention is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f Avod Zarah cap. 4. hal 2. of something done in Beth-shean by the Doctors about the wine of the Heathen g g g g g g Bab. Erubbin fol. 19. 1. Resh Lachish saith if Paradice be in the land of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth-shean is the gate of it if it be in Arabia Beth-Geram is the gate of it if among the Rivers Damascus The Gloss is The fruits of Beth-shean were the sweetest of all in the land of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. h h h h h h Hieros Kidcush fol. 62. 3. Fine linnin garments were made in Beth-shean CHAP. LXI Caphar Hananiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The middle of Galilee IT seems also to be called Caphar Hanan hence a a a a a a Hieros Avod Zâ—r fol. 43. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Jacob of Caphar Hanan Mention is made of this place once and again b b b b b b Bab. Berac fol. 55. 1. If any one have five sheep in Caphar Hananiah and five more in Caphar Uthni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are not joyned together that is they are not numbred to be tithed until he hath one in Zippor The Gloss is From Caphar Uthni to Caphar Hananiah are two and thirty miles and Zippor is in the middle c c c c c c Bab. Erubh. fol. 51. 1. The men of the family of Mamal and the men of the family of Gorion in the years of death distributed to the poor figs and raisins in Aruma And the poor of Caphar Shichin and the poor of Caphar Hananiah came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when it now grew dark they contained themselves within the bounds of the Sabbath and in the morning went forward The Gloss is Arumah is the name of a place The poor of Caphar Shichin were neighbours to those of Arumah being distant only four thousand cubits Which distance exceeding a Sabbath days journy the poor before the coming in of the Sabbath contained themselves within the bounds of Arumah that the morning following they might betake themselves to the houses of these that distributed their charity and not break the Sabbath He that turns over the Talmudical Writers will meet with very frequent mention of this City You observe before in Pliny that Sycaminum was seated between Dor and Carmel and in the Talmudic Writers that the plenty of Sycamines began at Caphar Hananiah CHAP. LXII The Disposition of the Tribes in Galilee THE Country of Samaria contained only two Tribes and those of the brethren Ephraim and Manasses Galilee four Isachar Zebulon Nephthalim and Asher and a part also of the Danites The Maps agree indeed about the order in which these Tribes were seated but about the proper place of their situation Oh! how great a disagreement is there among them The Tribe of Isachar held the South Country of Galilee some Maps place it on the South of the Sea of Genesaret not illy but t is ill done of them to stretch it unto the Sea it self And others worst of all who set it on the West of that Sea Of this land Josephus writes thus a a a a a a Antiq. lib. 5. cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And after these the Manassites Isachar maketh Mount Carmel and the River her bounds in length and Mount Itaburion in bredth The Country of Zabulon touched upon that of Isachar on the North. Some Maps spread it out unto the Sea of Genesaret some place it a long way above that Sea Northwardly the former not well the latter exceedingly ill Of it thus writes the same Josephus b b b b b b Idem ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Zabulonites had for their portion the land unto Genesaret extending unto Carmel and the Sea Observing that clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto Genesaret we perswaded also by the Talmudical Writers and led by reason do suppose the land of Zabulon to lie on the South shore and coast of the Sea of Genesaret and that whole Sea to be comprised within the land of Nephthali With what arguments we are led we shew afterwards when we treat of that Sea Which assertion we know is exposed and lies open to this objection Object Josephus saith in the place but now quoted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper parts of Galilee unto Mount Libanus and the springs of Jordan belonged to the portion of Nephthali But now if you stretch the portion of Nephthali from the springs of Jordan to the utmost Southern coast of the Sea of Genesaret which our opinion does alas how much doth this exceed the proportion of the other Tribes For from Scythopolis the utmost South border of Galilee to the South coast of the Sea of Genesaret was not above fifteen miles within which space the whole bredth of the two Tribes of Isachar and Zabulon is contained But
b Succah cap. 3. hal 1. The Palms of the Mountain of Iron are fit to make a bunch to hold in the hand in the feast of Tabernacles Where the Gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are smaller Palms It seems therefore to be some mountanous tract very near to the borders of the Land of Israel famous for Palms of a lower size and Iron mines called from its Palm-trees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsin and from that name giving a denomination to the adjacent Country which was desert Cadesh in the Eastern Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rekam was a bound of the Land yet Cadesh it self was in effect without the Land Hence those words c c c c c c Gittin cap. 1. hal 1. He that brings a bill from a heathen place c. Yea that brings it from Rekam And d d d d d d Ievam. fol. 16. 1. All the spots that come from Rekam are clean The Gloss is Some spots in the garments namely of a profluvious woman which came from Rekam were clean because they determined not of the spots of strangers Another Gloss thus In Rekam were Israelites and yet spots coming from Rekam are clean because they belong to Israelites and the Israelites hide their spots c. Cades as Bridenbachius relates is called Cawatha by the Arabians for thus he At length we came into a certain Country which in the Arabian Tongue is called Cawatha but in the Latine Cades Which while we read those things come into my mind which the eminent Edward Pocock S. T. D. a man of admirable Learning discourseth concerning the word Kawa in his very Learned Miscellaneous Notes e e e e e e Pag. 48 49 c. that it should signifie Crying aloud an outcry c. To which whether the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gohe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby Rekam is also called that denotes Bellowing may any way answer it is more fit for that great Oracle of Tongues to judge than for so mean a man as I am SECT III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ONO ONO f f f f f f Iuchas fol. 39. 2. was distant three miles from Lydda R. g g g g g g Bab. Chetub fol. 3. 2. Jacob ben 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dositheus said From Lydda to Ono are three miles and I on a certain time went thither before day break up to the anckles in hony of figs. h h h h h h Cholin f. 56. 2. Hieros Megill fol. 70. 5. R. Simai and R. Zadok went to intercalate the year in Lydda and kept the Sabbath in Ono. The Talmudists suppose this City was walled down from the days of Josua but fired in the war of Gibeah because it is said All the Cities also to which they came they set on fire Judg. XX. 48. but that it was rebuilt by Elpaal a Benjamite 1 Chron. VIII 12. R. Lazar ben R. Josah saith It was destroyed in the days of the Concubine in Gibeah but Elpael stood forth and repaired it With Lod and Ono is also joyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Vally of Crafts-men Nehem. XI 35. which some of the Jews suppose to be a particular City and that it was walled from the days of Josua But saith R. Chananiah in the name of R. Phineas Lod and Ono 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves are The Vally of Crafts-men That i i i i i i Iuchas In the place above R. Chananiah was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Citizen of the City of Ono eminent among the Rabbins one of the five Learned who judged before the wise Men. These were Ben Azzai Ben Zuma Chanan and Chananiah and Ben Nanas Why the Maps placed Lod and Ono near Jordan not far from Jericho I can meet with no other reason than that in Josephus is found the Town Adida not far from thence and Hadid is reckoned with Lod and Ono in Ezr. II. 33. and Lod and Hadid are framed into one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lodadi Ezr. II. 33. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lodadid Nehem. VII 37. by the Seventy Interpreters But there were more places called by the name of Adida so that that reason fails if that were the reason For there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adida in Sephel Adida in the Vally l l l l l l 1 ' Macc. XII 30. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City Adida in the Mountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Under which lay the plains of Judea m m m m m m Ios. Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 13. And Adida in Galilee before the great Plain n n n n n n 1 Macc. XIII 13. if it were not the same with Adida 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sephel Of Lydda which we are now near when we are speaking of Ono let that be considered for the sake of young Students which the Gloss o o o o o o In Taanith adviseth That Lydda is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lodicea and frequent mention is made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Martyrs in Lydda which is sometimes also pronounced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Martyrs in Lodicea as in that story among other places p p p p p p Taanith fol. 18. 2. When the Tyrant or Trajan endeavoured to kill Lolienus perhaps Julianus and Papus his brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Lodicea c. the Gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lodicea that is Lydda he said to them If you are of the people of Ananias Michael and Azarius let your God come and deliver you out of my hand The Martyrdom of these brethren is much celebrated which they underwent for the Kings daughter who was found slain and the enemies of the Jews said that the Jews had slain her and these brethren to deliver Israel said We slew her therefore those alone the King slew So the Gloss. In the Tract Kelim q q q q q q Cap. 26. hal there is mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which whether it refers to the same place and be to be rendred The Sandal of Lydda doth not appear With it is mentioned also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emkean sandal so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphar Imki the mention of which place is in the Tract Taanith where it is said r r r r r r Taanith fol. 21. 2. The City out of which are five hundred footmen as Caphar Imki c. So the Aruch and R. Solomon cite the place and pronounce the name of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphar Imki but in the Talmudick Text it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caphar Imiki About which we shall not contend CHAP. X. Of the various Inhabitants of the Land I. It was the Land of the Hebrews before it was the Canaanites II. Whence it came to pass that Canaan was only a part of Canaan Judg. IV. 1. III. Who the
Perizzites were IV. The Kenites V. Rephaim SECT I. It was the Land of the Hebrews before it was the Canaanites ABRAHAM is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew then only when the difference between him and the Elamites was to be decided by war And the reason of the surname is to be fetched from the thing it self which then was transacted I. The hereditary right of the Holy Land which by Divine disposal was Sems Land Elem the first born of Sem did deservedly claim nor was there any of the sons of Sem upon whom in humane judgment it was more equally and justly devolved But the Divine Counsil and Judgment had designed it another way namely that it should come to the family of Arphaxad and Heber of which family Abraham was Him therefore God strengtheneth against the Army of Elam and declares him heir by a stupendious victory which Sem himself likewise does blessing him although he had overthrown in battel his sons the Elamites born of his first born Elam For that most holy Man and a very great and noble Prophet withal acknowledged the Counsel of God whom he is so far from opposing him for the slaughter of his sons that on the contrary he blesseth the Conqueror and yields him the choisest fruits of his Land Bread and Wine not only for refreshment to him and his Soldiers but also perhaps for a sign rather of resignation and investing him with the hereditary right of it whom God by so signal a mark had shewn to be the heir Upon very good reason therefore Abraham is called Hebrew to point as it were with the finger that God would derive the inheritance of that Land from the family of Elam to the family of Heber from the first born to him that was born after which was also done afterwards with Ruben and Joseph II. It neither ought nor indeed can be passed over without observation that the Country of Pentepolis and the Countries adjacent were subjects and tributaries to Chedorlaomer King of Elam What Was there any part of the Land of Canaan subject to the King of the Persians when so many Kings and Countries lay between it and Persia No idle scruple and difficulty I assure you nor as far as I can see any otherwise to be resolved than that Elam the first born of Sem or Melchisedek by his birthright was heir of that Land which his father Sem possessed by divine right and Patent and the sons of Elam also held after him and his grandsons unto Chedorlaomer For when it is said that those Cities and Countries had served Chedorlaomer twelve years the times of his reign seem rather to be reckoned than the years of the reign of the Elamites Not that those Nations were subject to the Scepter of the Elamites twelve years only but that that year was only the twelfth of Chedorlaomer But now God translates the inheritance to the family of Heber called Hebrew before but now more particularly and more honorably since of all the families of Sem that was now most eminent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heber denotes Hebrews as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Assur denotes Assyrians in those words of Balaam Numb XXIV 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And shall afflict Assur and shall afflict Heber It is a dream of some body among the Rabbins That * * * * * * Shem tobh in Psal. XLVIII when the whole Land was divided among the seventy Nations at the confusion of Tongues the Land of Canaan came to none therefore the Canaanites betook themselves thither and being found not only empty but conferred by lot upon none they usurped it for their own But what then shall we say of Melchizedek whom now all acknowledge for Sem Which is more probable that he intruded among the Canaanites now inhabiting the Land or that they intruded upon him Was not that Land hereditary to him and his rather than usurped by wrong and intrusion And did not he by the direction of the Spirit of God betake himself thither rather than either that he wandring about uncertainly lighted upon that Land by chance or acted by a Spirit of ambition or usurpation violently possessed himself of it For my part I scarcely believe either that the Canaanites went thither before the confusion of Tongues or that Sem at that time was not there but that he had long and fully inhabited the Land of Canaan as it was afterwards called before the entrance of the Canaanites into it and that by the privilege of a Divine Grant which had destin'd him and his posterity hither and that afterwards the Canaanites crept in here and were first subjects to the family of Sem whose first born was Elam but at length shook off the yoke When therefore all those original Nations from the Confusion of Tongues pertook of their names immediately from the fathers of their stock as the Assyrians from Assur the Elamites from Elam c. the same we must hold of the Hebrew Nation namely that it from that time was called Hebrew from Heber and that it was called the Land of the Hebrews before it was called the Land of the Canaanites For I can neither think that the stock of the Hebrews had no name for almost three hundred years after the Confusion of Tongues until the passing of Abraham out of Chaldea found a name for it which some would have nor methinks is it agreeable that Abraham was therefore called Hebrew because travailing out of Chaldea into the Land of Canaan he passed Euphrates when upon the same reason both Canaan himself and the Fathers of all the Western Nations almost should be called Hebrews for they passed over Euphrates travailing out of Chaldea And when the Patriarch Joseph himself is called by his Mistress a Hebrew servant Gen. XXXIX 17. and so called by the servants of Pharaoh Chap. XLI 12. and when he saith of himself that he was stollen away out of the Land of the Hebrews Gen. XL. 15. it is scarcely probable that that whole Land was known to other Countries under that name only for one family now dwelling there and that family a stranger a travailer and living in danger from the Inhabitants but rather that it was known by that name from antient ages even before it was called The Land of the Canaanites Nor if we should raise a contest against that opinion which asserts that the Language of the Canaanites and the Hebrews was one and the same would that argument any whit move us that the Towns and Cities of the Canaanites bore names which were also Hebrew for those their Hebrew names they might receive from Sem Heber and their children before they were places of the Canaanites Heber lived when the Tongues were confounded and the Nations scattered and when none denied that the sons of Heber were Hebrews yea who would deny that that Land was the Land of Heber By what reason should not they and that Nation take their name from him
q q q Fol. 98. 2. there is a certain beggar called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diglus Patragus or Petargus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poor infirm naked and famished But there could hardly be invented a more convenient name for a poor beggar than Lazar which signifies the help of God when he stands in so much need of the help of men But perhaps there may be something more aimed at in the name when the discourse is concerning Abraham and Lazarus who would not call to mind Abraham and Eleazar his servant r r r r r r Gen. XV. one born at Damascus a gentile by birth and sometime in posse the heir of Abraham but shut out of the inheritance by the birth of Isaac yet restored here into Abraham's bosom Which I leave to the judgment of the Reader whether it might not hint the calling of the Gentiles into the faith of Abraham The Gemarists make Eleazar to accompany his Master even in the Cave of Macpelah s s s s s s Bava bathra fol. 58. 1. R. Baanah painted the sepulchres when he came to Abraham's cave he found Eleazar standing at the mouth of it He saith unto him what is Abraham doing To whom he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he lieth in the embraces of Sarah Then said Baanah go and tell him that Baanah is at the door c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Full of sores In the Hebrew language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stricken with Ulcers Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His body full of Ulcers as in that Story t t t t t t Taanith fol. 21. 1. They tell of Nahum Gamzu that he was blind lame of both hands and of both feet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in all his body full of sores He was thrown into a ruinous house the feet of his bed being put into basins full of water that the Ants might not creep upon him His Disciples ask him how hath this mischief befallen thee when as thou art a just man He gives the reason himself viz. Because he deferr'd to give something to a poor man that begged of him We have the same story in Hieros Peah u u u u u u Fol. 21. 2. where it were worth the while to take notice how they vary in the telling it VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was carried by Angels THE Rabbins have an invention that there are three bands of Angels attend the death of wicked men proclaiming there is no peace saith the Lord unto the wicked x x x x x x â—emidb rabb fol. 245. 4. But what conceptions they have of Angels being present at the death of good men let us judge from this following passage y y y y y y Hieros Kilaim fol. 32. 3. The men of Tsippor said whoever tells us that Rabbi Judah is dead we will kill him Bar-kaphra looking upon them with his head veiled with an hood said unto them Holy men and Angels took hold of the tables of the Covenant and the hand of the Angels prevailed so that they took away the tables They said unto him is Rabbi dead then The meaning of this parabolizer was this Holy men would fain have detained R. Judah still in the land of the living but the Angels took him away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into Abraham's bosom So vers 23. in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not alter the sense but strengthens it The Jewish Schools dispose of the Souls of Jews under a threefold phrase I can hardly say under a threefold state I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the garden of Eden or Paradise Amongst those many instances that might be alledged even to nauseousness let us take one wherein this very Abraham is named z z z z z z Midras Tillin fol. 3. 1. He shall be as a tree planted by the Rivers of waters This is Abraham whom God took and planted in the land of Israel or whom God took and planted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Paradise Take one instance more of one of equal fame and piety and that was Moses a a a a a a Tâ—murah fol 11â— 1. When our Master Moses departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Paradise he said unto Joshua if thou hast any doubt upon thee about any thing enquire now of me concerning it II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Under the throne of glory We have a long story in Avoth R. Nathan b b b b b b Cap. 10. of the Angel of death being sent by God to take away the soul of Moses which when he could not do God taketh hold of him himself and treasureth him up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the throne of glory And a little after Nor is Moses his soul only placed under the throne of glory but the souls of other just persons also are reposited under the throne of glory Moses in the words quoted before is in Paradise in these words he is under the throne of glory In another place c c c c c c Pesikta fol 93. 1. he is in Heaven ministring before God So that under different phrases is the same thing exprest and this however made evident that there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the garden of Eden was not to be understood of an earthly but an heavenly Paradise That in Revel VI. 9. of souls crying under the Altar comes pretty near this phrase of being placed under the throne of glory For the Jews conceived of the Altar as the throne of the Divine Majesty and for that reason the Court of the Sanhedrin was placed so near the Altar that they might be filled with the reverence of the Divine Majesty so near them while they were giving judgment Only whereas there is mention of the Souls of the Martyrs that had poured out their blood for God it is in allusion to the blood of the Sacrifices that were wont to be poured out at the foot of the Altar III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Abraham's bosom Which if you would know what it is you need seek no further than the Rhemists our County-men with grief be it spoken if you will believe them For they upon this place have this passage The bosom of Abraham is the resting place of all them that died in perfect state of grace before Christ's time heaven before being shut from men It is called Zachary a Lake without water and sometimes a prison but must commonly of the Divines Limbus patrum for that it is thought to have been the higher part or brim of hell c. If our Saviour had been the first author of this phrase than might it have been tolerable to have lookt for the meaning of it amongst Christian Expositors but seeing it is a scheme of speech so familiar amongst the Jews and our Saviour spoke no other than in the known and vulgar dialect of that Nation the meaning
the son of Zerviah when he urged him for revenge upon Shimei but puts him back with what have I to do with you ye sons of Zerviah vers 22. Certainly he would not be so harsh and inexorable to Mephibosheths fair and just Apology and vindication of himself Upon these reasons that I have mentioned to spare more I must crave leave to refuse the common and very generally received exposition and interpretation of these words of David that tends not a little to his crimination and reproach And let me crave your patience and pardon if I take the humble boldness to construe his words to a clear contrary sense and a construction that tends to his honour and vindication When David takes Mephibosheth first to his notice friendship and Table 2 Sam. IX He hath these words first to Mephibosheth at vers 7. Fear not Mephibosheth for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy fathers sake And this at vers 3. he Phraseth shewing the kindness of God But surely it was neither kindness of God nor kindness of man if he should so unkindly at last take his land from him and be so kind as give it to his servant At vers 10. he hath these words to Ziba I have given to thy masters son all that partained to Saul and all his house Thou therefore and thy sons and thy servants shall till the land for him and thou shalt bring in the fruits that thy masters son may have food to eat but Mephibosheth thy masters son shall eat bread alway at my table A piece of a riddle and who can unriddle it Thy masters son shall always have food at my table and yet thou must till the land that thy masters son may have his food to eat We must plow with Samsons heifer to find out the riddle and the twelfth verse is that that will help us And Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth And now upon this Text and this case let me ask these two questions First Who was it that Ziba must till the land for that he might have food It was for Micha for Mephibosheth himself had food at the Kings Table But Secondly Whence must Mephibosheth have to maintain himself in clothes and to maintain his port and retinue at the Court according to his place and rank and quality Did David find him these as he did find him meat and drink Certainly when he took him to his Table upon the restoring of Sauls land to him we can little think that he did it because he would have him to live of mear alms but he did it out of pure respect to him for his fathers sake Not so much as if Mephibosheth had need to be at the Kings finding when he had now all his grandfathers land but that the King would honour him with the participation of his own table and friendship and because he would injoy his company So in this Chapter out of which the Text is taken the King invites Barzillai to go and live with him at Jerusalem and he would feed him at his own table vers 33. What Would he have Barzillai to live purely upon his alms No that he knew he needed not for the verse before tells that Barzillai was a very great man and that he had provided the King sustenance whilst he lay at Mahanaim And because he had done so the King invites him to his own table not out of mear alms but out of kindness and gratitude and because he would injoy his good society Do you not by this time see how Mephibosheths land is divided twixt him and Ziba Not to make Ziba a Proprietor but a Tenant or rather a Bailiff or Steward He to till the land and to bring in the profits and the one part to go to find Micha food and maintenance and Zibas house and the other part to go for Mephibosheths maintenance and the maintaining his retinue at the Court. And thus he and Ziba divide the land from the very first and it was Davids own project from the very first that it should be thus divided Ziba to injoy half for the maintenance of Micha and to pay rent for the other half for the maintenance of Mephibosheth And to this purpose is observable that it is said That all that dwelt in Ziba's house were servants to Mephibosheth And how could they be so when Mephibosheth and they lived so far a sunder as he at the Court in Jerusalem and Zibas house in the land of Benjamin's but that they were all servants to him in this sense that they were all under him as chief Landlord that they were Bailiffs for him upon his land and demesnes for the maintenances of his son who was with them in the house and Mephibosheth himself who was at the Kings table When David was surprized with Ziba's lie then he said Behold thine is all that partaineth to Mephibosheth Chap. XVI 4. But did he mean withal behold thine is all that partaineth to Micha That had been yet a more unjust act than giving away Mephibosheths land for he had no accusation against Micha though he had against Mephibosheth So that then it was at this point Ziba and Micha divide the land for poor Mephibosheth was clean shut out But when David was come again to Jerusalem and come again to himself then it is at this Now Mephibosheth and Ziba divide the land as it was in the first contrival and disposal Ziba to have one part for Micha's maintenance and Mephibosheth the other for his And to this sense may his saying I have said be very well applied to Davids first determination about the land though I know it may also be applicable to his present saying why speakest thou any more of thy matters I said fom the very first when I gave thee thy fathers land and took thee to mine own table that the land should be so divided twixt thee and Ziba for the use of thy self and thy son Micha and I hold to the same determination and I say so still Thus have I laid before you with all humble submission to better Judgments my thoughts and conceptions upon these words And now what can I say more upon this Text To take up from it any observation or doctrine either dogmatical or practical I know not how For I must either frame it according to the common sense given upon the words which I refuse and then I should lay the foundation of my building upon ground I like not Or I must frame it according to mine own sense that I have given and then I shall lay the foundation of my building upon a ground which it may be you like not Therefore I shall to avoid these rocks on either hand steer a middle course and speak to that which the very ambiguity of the Text and the dislocation of the story out of which it is taken may justly call
to fiction and fabulous stories p. 1142. Four causes from whence these fictions proceed p. 1142 1143. Pious fraud is one cause of the falsities of this sort of History 1143 Holiness of a place computed to the foundation when the superstructure was gone 540 Holy Ghost how he went away from the Jews and when he returned p. 561. The Holy Ghost in his extraordinary Gifts and Tongues could only be communicated by the Apostles 680 Honey Wild Honey God gave the people of Israel a Land flowing with Milk and Honey Honey not from Bees but from Palm and Figtrees vast quantities p. 297 298. Honey from Figs fallen on the ground so thick as to be up to the ankles 297 325 Hosannah what p. 223 224. It was sung by the Children in the Temple 225 Houses among the Jews the lower Rooms entred by the Door the upper Rooms on the outside 334 Humane Inventions less dangerous to be brought into Divine Worship under the Jewish Law than under the Gospel and why 1038 Humane Learning is exceeding useful nay exceeding needful to the expounding of Scripture p. 1033. Two objections of those that deny this proposition answered 1034 Hyperbolus used for a litigious Fellow 459 Hypocrisie is hiding iniquity with its punishment 236 Hyssop several sorts of it and one with stalks like Canes or Reeds 617 I. JABNEH and Jamnia the same famous for an University and the Sanhedrim sitting there Page 15 16 Jacob why God wrestled with him and sought to kill him 1066 Jambres and Jannes who and whence the Names 1185 1186 Idolatry set up by the Jews only before their Captivity into Babilon p. 1113. It is an abominable and senseless wickedness p. 1312 1313. How God is jealous against Idolatry p. 1314 1315. Baal changed in the Names of Men into Bosheth which signifies shame in detestation of Idolatry Page 1315 Idols among the Jews it was held Religion to reproach Idols p. 188. The most ignominious Name given Idols was Zebul i. e. Dung or Dung-hill p. 188 189. The worst Idol or Devil was the Prime p. 189. Idols how rendred by the Lexicographers They are figments of humane mistake p. 763. Some Jews held that Idols might be bowed unto or worshiped 763 Idumea Jewish Idumea what 4 Idumea or the Land of Edom is not the same in the New Testament with that in the Old being swallowed up under the Name of Arabia but under the New Testament it was got into Judea 290 292 to 297 Jealous God what it signifies and why God is so called 1313 1314 Jealous Jealousie Zeal and Zealous are comprehended under the same word in the Hebrew what they are 1314 Jechonias who and what is said concerning him 98 99 Jeptha Gedeon and Sampson their failings p. 1215. Jephtha's vow how to be understood whether he did or did not sacrifice his Daughter 1215 to 1218 Jeremy put for Zachary in the Gospel is no fault but a thing known and received by the Jews 265 Jericho the Country of it and the situation of the City with its distance from Jerusalem p. 43 44. It was after rebuilt the next City to Jerusalem for grandure rare Schools and a Royal Palace The Men of Jericho famed for six things p. 44 45. Some Miscellanious matters belonging to the Country about Jericho 46 Jerusalem once called Salem being compounded of Jireh and Salem and why Under what Latitude It was holy above other Cities there were no Gardens in it c. p. 20 to 22. The parts of Jerusalem p. 22 to 24. It had in it Acra Bezetha and Millo p. 24. It had many Hills in it p. 22. Memorable places in it were the several Streets the ascent to the Temple some Courts Pools Stones c. p. 34 35. The Streets of Jerusalem were swept every day and Money found there in the time of Feasts were called Tenths or Tithes so also what was found at any time p. 303. The reason of the destruction of Jerusalem gathered out of the Jewish Writers and out of the Scriptures p. 468 c. The destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish State is described as if the whole frame of the World was to be dissolved p. 626 1073 1074 c. The destruction and conflagration of Jerusalem was an assurance of the judgment to come p. 1104 1119. It was set forth in Scripture in terms seeming to mean the last Judgment p. 1104. The last days of Jerusalem are characterized in one regard for the best in another for the worst of times p. 1179. New Jerusalem what it is not and what it is and where to be found 1197 1198 Jeshana a City just by Zippor 75 Jesus Christ Christ is added to Jesus in numberless places of the New Testament to shew that Christ was the true Saviour and that Jesus was the true Messias p. 96. Jesus Christ is called the Son of David a common term in the New Testament and Talmudick Writings for the true Messias p. 96 97. Jesus of Nazareth mentioned in the Talmud p. 476. Why Jesus was more opposed than John the Baptist with the reason of it p. 653. The Testimony concerning Jesus found in Josephus not proved to be the writing of Josephus yet proved from Scripture to be true concerning Jesus p. 653 654. Jesus the true Messias some testimonies of his being so p. 740. The false Logick of those who are for no Rulers or Magistrates over them but King Jesus refuted 1060 Jew a Jew was not to have an inward Conversation or Friendship with a Gentile Page 751 Jewish Nation whether as to the more general part of it it was not rejected and blinded before Christ came into the World p. 709. The Jewish State the destruction of it is described as if the whole frame of the World was to be dissolved 626 Jews how far lawful or unlawful for them to eat of the victuals of the Samaritans p. 538. Their Mother Tongue was the Chaldee Language from their return out of Babilon p. 545. Their cruelty p. 663. It was very great destroying two hundred and twenty thousand Greeks and Romans at one time feeding on their flesh eating their bowels besmearing themselves with their blood and covering themselves with their skins c. p. 686 c. They also in Egypt and Cyprus destroyed two hundred and forty thousand Men in a most Barbarous manner p. 686 687. The Jews fasted on the second and fifth days in the week whether imitated by Christians p. 685. They were not to be beholden to the Heathen p. 764. Jews and Hellenists distinguished with the reason of the distinction p. 798. The Jews themselves expected that the Messias should raign amongst them a thousand years p. 1057. They thought the Law was to restrain and bind the outward Action only not regarding the inward thought p. 1097. Jews and Romanists how they may be said to be yoak-fellows p. 1110. They were permitted by the Romans their Governors to live by their own Laws and Religion p. 752 1111. How they