thereof which is the blood thereof shall you not eat The later also is forbidden Thou shalt not eat blood let out by the cutting of a vein or any other way from any beast saith R. Chaninah in the place above quoted See also Pesikta and R. Solomon o o o o o o 〈◊〉 in â—â—â—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IX and instead oâ— more that passage p p p p p p 〈◊〉 fol. 76. 2. Wherefore is blood forbidden five times in Scripture Gen. IX 4. Levit. III. 17. VII 26. XVII 10. Deut. XII 16. That the blood of Animals that are holy might be included and the blood of Animals not Holy and the blood that was to be covered in the dust and the blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the member of a living Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the blood that is let out by the cutting of a vein or otherwise God himself adjudgeth him that eats blood to be cut off Levit. VII 27 c. But as to this matter there are wondrous nice and subtile questions and distinctions laid down in Maimonides I will only transcribe this one q q q q q q Maimon Maacaloth Asuroth cap. 6. As to the blood that is let out and the blood of the members viz. of the Spleen the Kidneys the Testicles and the blood gathered about the heart in the time of slaying and the blood found about the Liver they are not guilty of cutting off but whoever eateth of any of that blood let him be scourged because it is said Thou shall eat no blood But concerning being guilty to cutting off it is said because the life of the flesh is in the blood A man therefore is not guilty of cutting off unless he eats of that blood with which the life goes out IV. I know what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangled flesh in Atheneus * * * * * * Lib. 9. mean but that hath no place here nor is there any reason why such Meats as he there sets on the Table should be forbidden even to the Jew Nor would I by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangled understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the member of a living Beast partly because I suppose that included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blood and partly because it is thus determined by the Rabbins concerning it r r r r r r Maim Maacaloth Asuroth cap. 5. They learn by tradition that that which is said in the Law Thou shalt not eat the life with the flesh forbids the eating of a member torn from a living Animal and concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the member cut off from a living Beast God saith to Noah But flesh with the life which is the blood thereof shalt thou not eat So that to eat a member so cut off is to eat blood and under that clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from blood is contained the prohibition of eating both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blood of a living Beast and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the member of a living Beast And under that clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of things strangled is the prohibition of eating flesh of a Beast not well killed so as the blood issueth not one as it ought to do Concerning which there is a large discourse in the Tract Cholin obscure and tedious enough however I cannot but note one passage out of it s s s s s s Cholin fol. 33. 1. If any one desire to eat of a Beast before the life of it be gone let him cut off a piece of flesh from the killing place to the quantity of an Olive and salt it very well and wash it very well and stay till the life of the Beast be gone out of him and then he may eat it this is equally lawful both to the stranger and to the Israelite When we speak of not eating of flesh which the blood is not duly got out of it is not necessary we should include within this rank 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which dyes of it self and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is torn of wild Beasts CHAP. XXIII VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ananias the High Priest IT is a question among some Expositors whether this Ananias be the same Ananias that Josephus mentions that was High Priest And I ask again whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place be to be necessarily rendred High Priest I. That Ananias the High Priest whom Josephus mentions t t t t t t Antiqu. lib. 20. cap. 5. De Excid lib. 2. cap. 21. was sent bound to Rome by Quadratus the Governour of Syria to render an account of his actions to Claudius Cesar and that before Felix entred upon the procuratorship of Judea but whether he ever returned to Jerusalem again is uncertain still more uncertain whether ever restored to his place of High Priest and most uncertain of all whether he filled the Chair at that time when Paul pleaded his cause which was some years after Felix had been settled in the Government Acts XXIV 10. II. About this time there was one Ananias a man very much celebrated indeed but not the High Priest only the Sagan of the Priests concerning whom the Talmudic Writers record these passages u u u u u u Shekalim cap. 6. hal 1. There were thirteen Corban Chests thirteen Tables thirteen Adorations in the Temple But to them that were of the House of Rabban Gamaliel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to those that were of the House of R. Ananias Sagan of the Priests there were fourteen c. w w w w w w Pesachin c. 1. hal 6. Misn. Hieros R. Ananias Sagan of the Priests saith c. Ananias Sagan of the Priests was slain in the time of the destruction of Jerusalem with Rabban Simeon the Son of Gamaliel x x x x x x Tsemach David R. Ananias the Sagan is said to be slain on the five and twentieth day of the month Sivan together with Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel and R. Ismael y y y y y y Juchasin fol. 57. 1. If we cannot reconcile the Ananias in Josephus with this in St. Luke let Ananias the Sagan be the Ananias mentioned in this place who may very well be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or High Priest as may be evident from those titles given to Annas and Caiaphas Luk. III. 2. Nor doth any thing hinder but that we may easily suppose that Ananias the Sagan was in the possession of his Saganship at this very time VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wist not Brethren that he was the High Priest I. SUppose he might not know that man to have been the High Priest or the Sagan which is hardly probable yet he could not be ignorant from the rank he held and the seat he possessed that he must be at least one of the
Bible makes Methushelah live fourteen years after the Flood their reason of this their addition of years many render which I omit But S. Austen saith some fall short of this mans age In three Greek books saith he and one Latine and one Syrian book all agreeing one with another Methusalem is found to die six years before the flood So Austen in Civ Dei lib. 15. cap. 13. Such differences may incite men to apply themselves to the Hebrew Text where is no falsifying nor error CHAP. L. Upon the words The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head THE New Testament affords a rich Commentary upon these words in the Gospel of Saint Luke who in his third Chapter shews how through seventy five generations Christ is this seed of the woman and in the fourth Chapter how through Jerus and Babilon targums do both apply these words to the Messias three temptations this seed began to bruise the head of the Serpent where the Reader may observe how the Devil tempts Christ in the very same manner that he had tempted Eve though not with the same success All the sins of the world are brought by Saint John to these three heads Lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 John 2. 15. By these three Eve falls in the garden She sees the tree is good for meat and the lust of the flesh inticeth her she sees it fair to look on and the lust of the eye provokes her and she perceives it will make her wife and the pride of life perswades her to take it By these three the Devil tempts Christ when he is hungry he would have him turn stones into bread and so tries him by the lusts of the flesh He shews and promiseth him all the pomp of the World and so tries him by the lust of the eyes and he will have him to flie in the air and so tempts him to pride of life But as by these three the Serpent had broken the head of the woman so against these three the seed of the woman breaks the head of the Serpent David Prophecied of this conquest Psal. 91. 13. The Dragon thou shalt tread under thy feet The very next verse before this the Devil useth to tempt Christ withal but to this he dare not come for it is to his sorrow CHAP. LI. Iewish hypocritical prayers reproved by our Saviour Matth. 6. 5. Because they love to stand praying in the Synagogues and corners of the streets THIS Sermon upon the Mount is much in reproof of the Jews Talmudical traditions by which they made the Word of God of none effect This verse reproveth one of their tenets for their high-way Oraisons for which they have this tradition in their * * * In Sepher Beracoth Talmud Rabbi Josi saith On a time I was walking by the way and I went into one of the deserts of Jerusalem to pray then came Eliah ‖ ‖ ‖ Heb. Zacâ—r lâ—ttobh Remembred for good Heb. Morâ— which in the Chaldee and Syrian signifieth a Lord or Master hence is Maran atha our Lord cometh the great excommunication of blessed memory and watched me at the gate and stayed for me till I had ended my prayer after that I had ended my prayer he saith unto me Peace be unto thee Rabbi I said unto him peace be upon thee Rabbi and Master Then said he to me my son wherefore wentest thou into this desert I said unto him To pray He said to me Thou mightest have prayed in the way Then said I I was afraid lest passengers would interrupt me He said unto me Thou shouldest have prayed a short prayer At that time I learned of him three things I learned that we should not go into the desert and I learned that we should pray by the way and learned that he that prayed by the way must pray a short prayer Thus far their Talmud maketh them these Letters Patents for Hypocrisie fathering this bastard upon blessed Elias who was not a high-way prayer 1 Cor. 16. 12. or one that practised his own devotions in publick for he was John Baptists type for retiredness CHAP. LII Israels affliction in Egypt OF Israels being in Egypt many Heathen Authors do touch though every one a several way and all of them the wrong Josephus against Appion is angry at their fables about it Of the famine that brought them thither if we take the want of Nilus flowing to be the natural cause as most like it was there Nilus the wonder of Affrick the river of Egypt flows every year once over his banks and if it flow not at all or not to his right height it causeth famine for Egypt hath no rain From this river under God comes their plenty or famine and it is remarkable that the fat and lean kine in Pharoah his dream which betokened the plenty or scarsity of the Country came out of the River Of the reason of the flowing of this River Pigaffetra especially is large And I wonder that Jordan was not as much wondred at for it did so also Josh. 1. seems then to be some remembrance of those seven years in Seneca in his natural questions where he saith Per novem annos Nilum non ascendisse superioribus saeculis Callimachus est Author that is Callimachus writes that in old time Nilus flowed not of nine years together where he outstrips but two of the number But of Israels affliction in Egypt I find the Heathens silent God had told Abraham of this their hardship long before and shewed him a token of it by the fowls lighting upon his carcasses Gen. 15. A type of Israels being in Egypt and of Pharoahs being plagued for their sakes was when Pharoah suffered for taking Sarah from her husband and keeping her in his house as it is Gen. 12. How long they were in that land few there be but know but how long their affliction lasted is uncertain Probable it is that it was about an hundred and twenty years the time of the old Worlds repentance and Moses his age This is to be searched by Levi his age which within a little one may find certain All the generation of Josephs time die before they are afflicted as all the generation of Joshuahs time die before they fall to Idolatry Judges 2. 10. The reasons why God should thus suffer them to suffer whether it were to fit them for the receiving of him and his Law or whether it were to whip them for their Idolatry or for some other cause I dare not enter too near to search this I see that when the foundation as it were of the visible Church is laid thus in affliction the Church cannot but look for affliction whilest it lives in the Egypt of this World But as Israel increased under persecution so does the Church for even when sparsum est semen sanguinis Martyrum surrexit seges Ecclesiae Nec frustra oravit Ecclesia pro
wonderful Messes rich Feasts c. he will give them himself to eat Bread beyond all other Provisions whatever food from Heaven and such as bringeth Salvation As to this whole passage of eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of Christ it will be necessary to premise that of Mark IV. 11 12. I speak by Parables and all these things are done in Parables that seeing they might see and not perceive c. Vers. 34. Without a Parable spake he not unto them and when they were alone he expounded these things unto them And what can we suppose in this place but Parable wholly I. There was nothing more common in the Schools of the Jews than the phrases of eating and drinking in a metaphorical sense And surely it would found very harsh if not to be understood here metaphorically but litterally What to drink Blood a thing so severely interdicted the Jews once and again What to eat mans flesh a thing abhorrent to humane nature but above all abhorrent to the Jews to whom it was not lawful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to eat a member of a living Beast nor touch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the member of a dead man t t t t t t Midras Coheleth fol. 88. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every eating and drinking of which we find mention in the Book of Ecclesiastes is to be understood of the Law and good works i. e. by way of Parable and Metaphor By the Capernaite's leave therefore and the Romanist's too we will understand the eating and drinking in this place figuratively and parabolically II. Bread is very frequently used in the Jewish Writers for Doctrine So that when Christ talks of eating his flesh he might perhaps hint to them that he would feed his followers not only with his Doctrines but with himself too u u u u u u Chagigah fol. 14. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole stay of Bread Isai. III. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the masters of Doctrine as it is written come eat of my Bread Prov. IX 5. x x x x x x Gloss. in Succah fol. 52. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feed him with Bread that is make him take pains in the warfare of the Law as it is written come eat of my Bread Moses sed you with Doctrine and Manna but I feed you with Doctrine and my Flesh. III. There is mention even amongst the Talmudists themselves of eating the Messiah y Sanhedr fol. 98. 2. Rabh saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israel shall eat the years of Messiah The Gloss is The plenty and satiety that shall be in the days of the Messiah shall belong to the Israelites Rabb Joseph saith True indeed but who shall eat thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall Chillek and Billek two Judges in Sodom eat of it We must except against that of R. Hillel who saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah is not likely to come to Israel for they have already devoured him in the days of Hezekiah Those words of Hillel are repeated fol. 99. 1. Behold here is mention of eating the Messiah and none quarrel the phraseology They excepted against Hillel indeed that he should say that the Messiah was so eaten in the days of Hezekiah that he was not like to appear again in Israel but they made no scruple of the scheme and manner of speech at all For they plainly enough understood what was meant by eating the Messiah that is that in the days of Hezekiah they so much partook of the Messiah they received him so greedily embraced him so gladly and in a manner devoured him that they must look for him no more in the ages to come Gloss upon the place Messiah will come no more to Israel for Hezekiah was the Messiah IV. But the expression seems very harsh when he speaks of eating his flesh and drinking his blood He tells us therefore that these things must be taken in a spiritual sense Do these things offend you What and if you shall see the Son of man ascending up where he was before That is when you shall have seen me ascending into Heaven you will then find how impossible a thing it is to eat my flesh and drink my blood bodily for how can you eat the flesh of one that is in Heaven You may know therefore that I mean eating me spiritually For the words that I speak to you they are spirit and they are life V. But what sense did they take it in that did understand it Not in a Sacramental sense surely unless they were then instructed in the Death and Passion of our Saviour for the Sacrament hath a relation to his death but this sufficiently appears elsewhere that they knew or expected nothing of that Much less did they take it in a Jewish sense For the Jewish conceipts were about the mighty advantages that should accrue to them from the Messiah and those meerly earthly and sensual But to partake of the Messiah truly is to partake of himself his pure nature his righteousness his spirit and to live and grow and receive nourishment from that participation of him Things which the Jewish Schools heard little of did not believe did not think but things which our Blessed Saviour expresseth lively and comprehensively enough by that of eating his flesh and drinking his blood CHAP. VII VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Iews Feast of Tabernacles Tisri LET us draw down this Month from its beginning to this Feast of Tabernacles I. The first day of the Month Tisri was the beginning of the year for stating the years the intermissions of the seventh year and the Jubilees a a a a a a Rosh hashanah fol. 2. 1. Upon this day was the blowing of Trumphets Levit. XXIII 24. and persons were sent out to give notice of the beginning of the year On this day began the year of the world 3960. in the middle of which year Christ was Crucified II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second day observed also as holy by the Jews that were in Babylon that they might be sure not to miss the beginning of the year III. A Fast for the murder of Gedaliah for so they expound those words Zechar. VIII 19. The Fast of the seventh month b b b b b b Vid. Rasi Kimch in loc Maimon in Taanith cap. 7. IV. This day was the High-Priest in the apartment called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which he then betook himself from his own House that he might inure himself by exercise to the rites of the day of attonement approaching and be ready and fitted for the service of that day c c c c c c Joma cap. 1. hal 1. Seven days before the day of expiation they sequestered the Chief Priest from his own House and shut him up into the apartment called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substituting to him another Priest lest accidentally there should some
drink water because the drink offering is ceased c. And a little after Since the Kingdom of iniquity the Roman Empire hath decreed sharp things against us it is but just that we should ordain amongst our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to marry Wifes nor beget Children c. and so it would come to pass that the seed of Abraham would decay and fail of it self But let Israel rather be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mistaken than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presumptuous How great a difference is there between these men and the Nicolaitans And yet these as foolishly and superstitiously erred in one extreme as those did impiously and filthily in the other As to the Nicolaitans we may wonder at their ignorance if they knew nothing of this decree of the Apostles and their impudence in so bold a contradiction if they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From pollutions of Idols In the Epistle of the Council it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From meats offered to Idols The Rabbins distinguish the matter when they discourse of what is forbidden concerning Idolatry into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things prohibited to eat and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things prohibited to use The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or things offered to Idols were prohibited to eat And all the Utensils about any Idolatrous Sacrifice were prohibited to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtless comprehended all things offered to Idols and perhaps all the Utensils too and it is no impertinent question whether that in the Epistle commanding them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abstain from things offered to Idols did not restrain them from the use of all such Utensils as well as from the eating of things offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And from Fornication Any one may discern how obvious this twofold enquiry is Namely of what Fornication the discourse here is and for what reason Fornication whatsoever it is should be reckoned here amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or indifferent things I. When I recollect what we frequently meet with amongst the Rabbins that some things are permitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for peace sake and some things forbidden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of the customs of the Amorites or the Gentiles I am apt to suspect in these decrees of the Apostles there is some relation to both that it was permitted to the converted Gentiles to Judaize in some things for peace sake but to abstain in other not that they might not Judaize but that they might not do as the Heathen II. Particularly in this prohibition of Fornication we must consider that it is not so proper to think there needed any peculiar command or prescript of the Apostles to those that had embraced Christianity against Fornication in the common notion and acceptation of the word whenas the whole tenor of the Gospel prescribed against it And for that very reason I cannot perswade my self that by blood forbidden in this place we are to understand murder III. There was a certain Fornication amongst the Jews that seemed to them lawful and had some colour of Legitimation this was Polygamy Hos. IV. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They commit whoredom and shall not encrease So the Chaldee and Syriac and our own Translation render it well But now Fornication as it denotes Whoredom doth not wish or expect any off-spring but the contrary rather But the words relate to Bigamy or Polygamy For in case of the Wife's barrenness it was a common thing for them to take to them another Woman or more for propagation sake and this it is that God brands with the reproachful name of Fornication They commit Fornication but do not multiply Whatever else is understood by this word I would certainly understand this namely That the Apostles prescribed against Polygamy a thing esteemed indifferent amongst the Jews as fornication was amongst the Gentiles and therefore not unfitly mentioned here amongst things indifferent Tell me in what place in the New Testament Bigamy or Polygamy is forbidden if not in this perhaps you will say in that of our Saviour Matth. XIX 4 5. Where indeed provision is made against putting away of a Man's Wife but hardly against Polygamy especially comparing the Apostles words 1 Cor. VI. 16. Provision is made that Bishops and Deacons shall not have two Wifes 1 Tim. III. and I should not believe but that the same provision is made against the Bigamy of the Laity But where is that done if not in this place IV. There was another Fornication ordinarily so reckoned also in the opinion of the Jews themselves for they did not account the having many Wives to be Fornication and that was besides what they call simple Fornication their marrying within the prohibited degrees that which they commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nakedness These Marriages they were so averse to that to some of them they alotted Death to all of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or cutting off Concerning which Maimonides speaks largely l l l l l l Maimon Isâ—â—r beah cap. 1. per â—or tract In the mean time they allowed the Gentile that became a proselyte to the Jewesh Religion to marry with his Kindred though never so near in blood with his Sister if he pleased or with his Mother c. m m m m m m Idem ibid. cap. 14. Hence perhaps arose that incestuous Marriage mentioned 1 Cor. V. They did well therefore to provide by this Apostolical decree against such kind of Marriages as these being so odious to the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And from things strangled and from blood These I suppose were forbidden the Gentile converts for the sake of the Jews and by way of condescension that they might not take offence By blood therefore â—â—â— by no means understand murther by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangled shall be considered by and by 1. For wherefore should any mention of murder come into this present controvesâ—â—â— Were the Gentile converts to be brought over to Moses when the Moral precepts of Moses scarcely came in their minds as being the precepts even of Nature it self But the question is about ceremonials and what hath murder to do in that and as I have already said what need could there be of such peculiar caution against Murder to those who had embraced the Gospel of love and peace II. By the prohibition of blood therefore I make no question but that caution is given against eating of blood which is more than once prohibited in the Law Gen. IX 4. Deut. XII 16 c. and there could hardly any thing except an Idol be named that the Jew had a greater abhorrence for than the eating of blood III. The Jews distinguish between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the member of a living beast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blood of a living Beast n n n n n n Sanhedr fol. â—9 1. The former is forbidden by that Flesh with the life
he shewed what was meant by that Levit. XVIII 5. viz. That by keeping the Commandments not only life here but Eternal life hereafter is obtained And so it is further cleared by his words in Luk. X. 28. This do and thou shalt life So that this here was not barely a temporal promise but had wrapped up in it a further promise of Life Eternal And so had the other temporal promises that were given them And so some of the Jews interpret that Levit. XXVI 11 12. And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my Soul shall not abhor you And I will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people not only of God being among his people here but of his being in the midst of them and they about him in Heaven And so you find the word Heaven in Scripture sometimes to signifie the Church here as well as it signifies the state and place of glory hereafter Now if you ask why God since he meant spiritual things and eternal under these temporal promises did not speak out but used such promises as might prove occasions of missing of those promises through misimprovement And so we find that this very thing proved the ruine of the Jewish Nation they being moved hereby to look at temporal things and to neglect eternal They looked and still look for a temporal Kingdom of Christ pompous and resplendent with worldly Iustre And this stands as it were a Wood or a Fog betwixt them and the discerning of his spiritual Kingdom that they cannot will not see it This makes them look for their Canaan again and to be planted and â—ettled there anew With which opinion too many Christians do concurr and look for some such glorious thing among the Jews even this year sixty six Why I say did not God speak out spiritual and eternal things but only obscurely hinted them in such temporal promises as these I Answer Because God would use the most feeling perswasions to them Men are not so sensible of things spiritual as they be of bodily have not the feeling of things that concern Life Eternal as they have of this Life To have said Honour thy Father and Mother that thou mayst inherit eternal life had been a fair argument but it is not so feeling to flesh and blood No Man but is very desirous of long life here and it is but one of a City and two of a Tribe that more desires Life Eternal The Gadarens are more sensible of their Swine than Christ and not one in many but a promise of earthly prosperity or bodily welfare comes nearer his heart than a promise of everlasting and heavenly glory health of body than of soul showers of rain than of grace bags of mony than all the treasures of Christ. Therefore God gave such promises as might be most feeling and perswasive those that were most like to take As the Apostle I being crafty caught you with guile as the Jews describe it As one that gives his Child Nuts and Plums to bring him on to learn so God gave to them those things that he was sure would most please them The Church of the Jews was a Child under age Gal. IV. 1 2 3. and God deals with them as with Children giving Ordinances and promises according to its childhood feeds them with milk and not with strong meat because they were not so able to bear it It is commonly said they were not able to bear spiritual dispensations in their abstract simplicity and therefore God gave them such carnal Ordinances according as they were able to bear them It is true they were carnal enough about the worship of God but was it not because they had such carnal Ordinances from the first The use of these made them dote on them Are there not thousands among Christians as carnal about Gods service as they That dote as much upon Ceremony and outward formality in Gods worship as ever they did And that because they have been brought up in such Ceremonious way or cannot come up to worship in spirit And might not the Jews have been as capable of the same spiritual manner of Religion as the Gentiles were if God had set it up among them when he first took them for the Church Wherein then did the Childhood of the Church consist First That it was yet but small of stature in comparison of that full body and growth the Church of God was to come to See that Eph. IV. 12 13. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. What is the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ It is the mystical body of Christ in its full proportion viz. Jew and Gentile joyned together How small a Babe was the Church of the Jews in comparison with what the Church was when the Gentiles of all Nations were become the Church Secondly That Church was a Child in knowledge in comparison of the Church under the Gospel Hence that promise Esai LXV 20. There shall be no more thence an Infant of days The Gospel should bring in such light and means of knowledge that none should be a Child or infant in knowledge if they had a mind to learn 'T is true they were so childish because God afforded no clearer means of knowledge And it is as true that in some sort it was needful the means of knowledge should be but as it was viz. that God by those means might make way to the knowledge and embracing of spiritual things under the Gospel when it came Consider their carnal ordinances and temporal promises God in the Gospel was to bring in a spiritual Worship and Religion A better way to make way for the embracing of that could not be used than by shewing before the unprofitableness the uneffectualness of their carnal worship This the Apostle speaks to at large in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. IX 9. That gifts and offerings could not make him that did the service perfect That sprinkling the blood of Goats and Bulls could not purge the Conscience The experience of this was the way to make men harken after the Sacrifice of Christ that would do the work that blood of Christ that could purge to the utmost And the like might be instanced in other parts of that carnal service So God gave them especially promises of temporal things that he might teach them that they should not be losers by his service Their service was chargeable in gifts and offerings and in going up to Jerusalem c. Therefore it was needful that God should ply them with promises of temporal good that they should lose nothing by his service if they were faithful to it Observe that Exod. XXXIV 23. Thrice in the
judgment 2. They allotted only that murder to be judged by the Council or Sanhedrin that was committed by a man in propria persona Let them speak their own sense A murderer is he that kills his neighbour with a Stone or with Iron or that thrusts him into water or fire out of which it is not possible to get out again if the man die he is guilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if he thrust him into fire or water out of which it is possible to get out again though he die yet he is quit He sets on him a Dog or a Serpent he is quit He intended to kill a stranger and kills an Israelite To kill a little one and kills one of stature To hit him on the loins and such a blow on the loins could not kill him but it misses the loins and hits him on the heart and kills him he is quit He intended to hit him on the heart and such a blow on the heart was enough to kill him but it lights on the loins and such a blow on the loins was not enough to kill him yet he dies he is quit He intended to strike one of stature and the blow was not enough to have killed one of stature but it lites on a little one and there was enough in the blow to have killed a little one and he dies yet he is quit He intended to hit a little one and there was enough in the blow to kill a little one but it lights on one of stature and there was not enough in the blow to kill one of stature yet he dies he is quit R. Simeon saith Though he intended to kill one and kills another he is quit c. Talm. in Sanhedr per. 9. Any one that kills his neighbour with his hand as if he strike him with a sword or with a stone that kills him or strangles him till he die or burns him in the fire seeing that he kills him any how in his own person lo such a one must be put to death by the Sanhedrin But he that hires another to kill his neighbour or that sends his servants and they kill him or that violently thrusts him before a Lion or the like and the beast kills him Any one of these is a shedder of blood and the guilt of shedding of blood is upon him and he is liable to death by the hand of Heaven but he is not to be put to death by the Sanhedrin And whence is the proof that it must be thus Because it is said He that sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed This is he that slays a man himself and not by the hand of another Your blood of your lives will I require This is he that slays himself At the hand of every beast will I require it This is he that delivers up his neighbour before a beast to be rent in pieces At the hand of man even at the hand of every mans brother will I require the life of man This is he that hires others to kill his neighbour In this interpretation requiring is spoken of all the three behold their judgment is delivered over to Heaven or God And all these manslayers and the like who are not liable to death by the Sanhedrin if the King of Israel will slay them by the Judgment of the Kingdom and the Law of Nations he may c. Maym. ubi supr per. 2. You may observe in these wretched traditions a twofold killing and a twofold judgment a mans killing another in his own person and with his own hand and such a one liable to the judgment of the Sanhedrin to be put to death by them as a murderer And a man that killed another by proxy not with his own hand but hiring another to kill him or turning a beast or serpent upon him to kill him This man not to be judged and executed by the Sanhedrin but referred and reserved only to the judgment of God So that from hence we see plainly in what sense the word Judgment is used in the latter end of the preceding verse and the first clause of this namely not for the Iudgment of any of the Sanhedrins as it is commonly understood but for the Judgment of God In the former verse Christ speaks their sense and in the first clause of this his own in application to it Ye have heard it said that any man that kills is liable to the Iudgment of God But I say to you that he that is but angry with his brother without a cause is liable to the Iudgment of God You have heard it said That he only that commits murder with his own hand is to be judged by the Council or Sanhedrin as a murderer But I say to you that he that but calls his brother Racha as common a word as ye make it and a thing of nothing he is liable to be judged by the Sanhedrin Lastly He that saith to his brother Thou fool wicked one or cast-away shall be in danger of Hell fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two observable things in the words The first is the change of case from what was before there it was said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hereupon S. Petit in his variae Lectiones lib. 1. cap. 1. professeth that he cannot wonder enough that Expositors should not observe this variation and what he himself maketh of the observation of it I shall not insist upon but refer the Reader to his own words Surely he little minds the Greek Text that sees not this in it and there needs not any far fetched Exposition to satisfie about it It is but an Emphatical raising of the sense to make it the more feeling and to speak home He that saith to his brother Raka shall be in danger of the Council but he that says Thou fool he shall be in danger of a penalty even to Hell fire And thus our Saviour doth equal the sin and penalty in a very just parallel Injust anger with Gods just anger and judgment Publick reproach with publick correction by the Council And censuring for a child of Hell to the fire of Hell 2. It is not said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the fire of Hell but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To a Hell of fire in which expression he doth still set the Emphasis higher And besides the reference to the valley of Hinnom he seemeth to refer to that penalty used by the Sanhedrin of burning the most bitter death that they used to put men unto the manner of which was thus They set the malefactor in a dunghil up to the knees and they put a towel about his neck and one pul'd one way and another another till by thus strangling him they forced him to open his mouth Then did they pour scalding lead into his mouth which went down into his belly and so burnt his
of his enemies and otherwise may be as fit parallels to harmonize with this temptation as Israels being in that desart see 1 Sam. 17. 34 23. 14 19 24. 24. 1. Psalm 61. in title c. Mark 1. ver 13. And was there forty days tempted For these forty days together Satan was tempting him invisibly and did not yet assume any visible or conspicuous shape which at the end of forty days he did and so is Matthew to be understood when he saith The tempter came to him that is in an apparent and visible form Now if we look upon the time and place and Christs present posture we may see what materials or occasions the Devil had to frame these his invisible temptations of all this while 1. The time of the year was from about the middle of the month Tisri six weeks forward that is from the beginning of our October till about the tenth of our November and then was the cold increasing the nights growing long and the winter driving on apace but very comfortless subsisting in the open plan of a desert wilderness 2. The place of our Saviours residence all this while be it where it will in the wilderness of Judea whether two miles from Jericho at Quarantania as it is pointed out by some or further southward along the banks of the dead Sea as the more desert place or wheresoever else it was in the company and danger of wild beasts and no humane company near him to comfort him nor house to shelter him 3. His posture in this time and place was not only in a fasting but in an impossibility of getting sustenance unless by miracle in solitude in want of company in want of necessaries and in a condition that made a life as comfortless as likely might be Upon these outward occasions as fit opportunities for such a matter Satan would be busie with his suggestions to inject them into Christ if it had been possible either to have moved him from that resolved work upon which he was or to have moved him to the acting or entertaining of something which should not have been And herein did these forty days and nights fasting of our Saviour exceedingly out-goe the like dated fastings of Moses and Elias For he did not only fast but he was in continual watching and constant combat with Satan and did not so much as enjoy the repose of his body or of his thoughts in rest and contemplation as Moses and Elias had sweetly done in their fasts without such disturbance Compare the combate in 1 Sam. 17. 16. Luke 4. ver 2. And in those days he did eat nothing Matthew mentioneth the nights of his fasting as well as the days that it might be distinguished from the ordinary fastings of other men who though they ate nothing of all day yet at night they did 1 Sam. 14. 24. 2 Sam. 1. 12. c. But the fast in Susan was for three days and nights Esth. 4. 16. Now this long and miraculous fast of Christ was not for imitation no more than were the like of Elias and Moses but as theirs was so was this for another end For as Moses fasted three times forty days and forty nights at his giving of the Law and setling of religion that the authority of the one and the honor of the other might be the more advanced and as Elias fasted forty days and forty nights at his restoring of decaying prophecie and beginning of a reformation that the one and the other might be the more dignified in the hearts of the people upon this very consideration that the agents in these things did as it were for a preface to the acting of them lead so Angelical and miraculous a life for so long a time So was this like action of our Saviour for the greater honour and authority of the Gospel which he was now to preach when he that preached it had led so the long life of an Adgel without meat and drink had foiled the Devil upon the greatest advantages imaginable and had dwelt among the den of wild beasts and was hurt by them compare Esay 11. 6. Thus did John the Baptist begin the Gospel with wonderous abstemiousness and Christ with miraculous abstinence both of them thereby not only honouring the Gospel which they preached but also thereby instructing them to whom they preached it 1. That the kingdom of heaven is not of meats and drinks 2. That man is not to live by bread only but by the Word of God And 3. That the liberty of the Gospel is not licentiousness but liberty of another nature § And when they were ended he afterward hungred It is not so said either of Moses or Elias though the same thing were true likewise of them but it is expressed thus of Christ 1. To evidence his humanity 2. And chiefly to give light unto the story following namely to shew that Satan took occasion for his first proposal to turn stones into bread from Christs hungring And 3. that this and the first temptation might be parallelled where Satan assaulted Eve when she now began to hunger and it was eating time Matth. 4. ver 3. And when the tempter came to him Now is the seed of the Woman and the Serpent met visibly together and the enmity which was set betwixt them from the first day of Adam is now breaking into an open combate And the Evangelist in the Epithet the Tempter doth plainly call us to take notice of the first temptation that occasioned the fixing of that enmity The Devil now appeareth to Christ in a visible shape as he had done to Eve but in what appearance the text is silent It is most likely like an Angel of light and as she was deceived by him in taking him for a good Angel in the trunk of the Serpent so that he goeth now about to deceive Christ also in the representation of a glorious Angel For in that he requireth Christ to worship him and promiseth him all the kingdomes of the world it is very unlikely that he carryed the image of a meer plain simple man or of any brute beast for either of them it was most improper to make any such overture but that he carryed indeed a humane shape but with that lustre majesty and gloriousness that the holy Angels used to appear in Judg. 13. 6. For that the Devil can transform himself into such a fashion and garb the Apostle doth tell us § He said if thou be the Son of God He tempteth Christ under the notion of his two natures twice in reference to his Godhead To turn stones into bread and to fly in the air works of divine power and once in reference to his manhood to fall down and worship him for wordly preferment an act of humane sinfulness and weakness When the Devil doth twice use this expression If thou be the Son of God it argueth not that he was ignorant who Christ was as some conceive for the
daughter he suffered no man to follow him but Peter and James and John Mark 5. 37. when he went to his transfiguration he taketh only Peter and James and John Matth. 17. 1. and when he went to his agony he taketh only with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee Matth. 26. 37. And thus to these three only a part from all the rest did he shew himself in his greatest power glory and combat the reason of which may be supposed to have been twofold 1. Because he had designed these three in a more singular manner for the ministry of the Circumcision James in Judea Peter to the dispersion in the East and John in the West The Apostle in Gal. 2. 9. nameth James and Cephas and John together as pillars and agents in such a ministration where the James indeed that he mentioneth was not the same that we have in hand for he was James the less but he was one that came into that place and ministration in stead of James the great when he was dead For why should Herod in Act. 12. lay hands upon James the brother of John and destroy him first rather and sooner than any other of the Apostles but because there was appearance of singular and peculiar activity of James in that place in the ministration among the circumcised 2. Because Christ had designed these three for martyrdom and for the eminentest witnesses of him of all the rest He readeth Peters doom to that purpose Joh. 21. 18 19. and so he doth to James and John Matth. 20. 23. The martyrdom of James is recorded Act. 12. 2. and when he was thus taken a way James the less came in his stead as special Minister and Apostle to the Jews or Circumcision within their own Land And hence it is that he is named first of the three Gal. 2. 9. and that he is named with such peculiarity Act. 15. 13. 12. 17. 21. 18. c. Peter after a long stay at Hierusalem and thereabout was gotten at the last to the Eastern Babylon the old place of Idolatry and persecution but now a Church 1 Pet. 5. 13. Although there were many thousands of Jews that returned again out of the Captivity of Babylon under the Proclamation of Cyrus yet were there exceeding many also that staid behind and returned not insomuch that they came to have their Universities in Babylonia and their publick Schools and teachers there as well as in Judea and were in a kind of a Common-wealth there as well as in their own Country Among these Peter is sent as a Minister and among these it is like he sealed his Ministry with his blood see 2 Pet. 1. 13 14. We read of Johns being in the Isle Patmos but further Westward we find him not in all the Scripture where he ended his life and sealed the Gospel with his blood it is hard to determine Histories have brought him to Rome in which it may be they have not missed the mark very much had not some of them told wild stories of him there It may be as both James's the Ministers of the Circumcision in Judea were martyred at Jerusalem so Peter the Minister of the Eastern dispersion was martyred in the Eastern Babylon and John the Minister of the Western in Babylon in the West What became of Zebedee the father of these two eminent Apostles when his sons were called away from him the Scripture is silent It saith his sons left him in the Ship with the hired servants and followed the call that Christ had given them It is not to be thought that they sleighted their father when they left him but only they complied with that imployment that he that called them would put them upon which their father possibly by reason of his age was unable to do Nor can we think that they left their father in his Judaism and unbelief or that he so continued certain it is their mother Salome was a constant and zealous follower of Christ Matth. 26. 56. and we have no reason to think of any less faith or piety in Zebedee himself only whether he followed Christ as his sons and wife did or followed still his lawful calling and imployment it is not revealed in Scripture nor is it much material to enquire after The name Zabdi or Zebedee is a name that is exceeding frequent in mention among the Talmudicks SECTION XX. St. MATTH Chap. VIII Vers. 14. AND when Iesus was come into Peters house he saw his wives mother laid and sick of a Fever 15. And he touched her hand and the Fever lâ—ft her And she arose and minstred unto them 16. When the Even was come they brought unto him many that were possessed with Devils and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick 17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses St. MARK Chap. 1. Vers. 21. AND they went into Capernaum and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the Synagogue and taught 22. And they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes 23. And there was in their Synagogue a man with an unclean Spirit and he cryeed out 24. Saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know who thou art The holy one of God 25. And Iesus rebuked him saying Hold thy peace and come out of him 26. And when the unclean Spirit had torn him and cried with a loud voice he came out of him 27. And they were all amazed insomuch that they questioned among themselves saying What thing is this What new doctrine is this For with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits and they obey him 28. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee 29. And forthwith when they were come out of the Synagogue they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew with Iames and Iohn 30. But Simons wives mother lay sick of a fever and anon they tell him of her 31. And he came and took her by the hand and lift her up and immediately the Fever left her and she ministred unto them 32. And at Even when the Sun did set they brought unto him all that were diseased and them that were possessed with Devils 33. And all the City was gathered together at the door 34. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases and cast out many Devils and suffered not the Devils to speak because they knew him 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed 36. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him 37. And when they had found him they said unto him All men seek thee 38. And he said unto them Let us go into the next towns
Thirdly To the Holy Ghost compare Esay 6. 8 9 10. with Act. 28. 25 26. For he is the Spirit of Truth and giver of being to the promise The name Jehovah and the significancy of it to the utmost did the holy Fathers know before Moses But they saw not experience of the last signification named namely the faithfulness of God in his promise made to Abraham concerning his delivery of his seed from bondage and bringing them into a Land flowing with milk and honey God gave them the promise by the name of El Shaddai God Omnipotent and they relied upon his omnipotency because he that promised was able to perform but they beheld it afar of and tasted not of my performance of it but now will I shew my self Jehovah faithful to bring to pass and accomplish what I promised SECTION XI Putiel Exod. 6. 25. MANY and the most of them far fetcht notations are given upon this name and when all is said of it that can be said the last resolution lieth but in a conjecture and then may we guess as well as others Eliezer married his wife in Egypt and of the Egyptian Idiom doth this name of her Father seem as probably to sound as of any other Now among the Egyptian names or titles these two things may be observed First That among them Gentry Nobility and Royalty seem to have been denoted and distinguished by these increasing Syllables Phar Phara and Phara-oh The Gentry by Phar as Poti-phar a Captain Gen. 41. 45. The Nobility by Phara as Poti-phara a Prince Gen. 41. 45. And Majesty by Phara-oh the common name of all their Kings There was another title of dignity given to the Governour of the Jews in Alexandria in that Land in after times namely Alabarcha as is to be seen in Josephus which though he and others would derive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salt yet since we are yet to seâ—k for the latter part of the word it may as probably be conceived to be compounded of the Article All so common in the Arabick tongue and Abrech which hath relation to dignity and honour Exod. 41. 43. Secondly The Egyptians delighted to affix or joyn to their names and titles the word Poti or Puti whether in memorial of their Uncle Put Gen. 10. 6. or in reverence of some Diety of that name or for what else is not so easily resolved as it may be conceived they did the thing by the names forecited Potiphar and Potiphara and of the same nature seemeth to be Putiel the word that is now in hand This Putiel therefore may seem to have been some convert Egyptian imagine him to have been of the posterity of Puti-phera among whom Joseph had sowed the seeds of true Religion who changing his Idolatry and irreligiousness for the worship of the true God did also change the latter part of his name Phera into the name of that God which he now professed and instead of Puti-phera to be called Puti-el The best resolution as was said before that can be given in this point can be but conjectures and in a matter of this nature it is as excusable if we err as difficult to hit a right SECTION XII Of Moses words Glory over me Exod. 8. 9. THE Plagues of Egypt began answerable to their sins the waters wherein the childrens blood had been shed and they poor souls sprawled for life are now turned into blood and sprawle with Frogs The former Plague of blood was not so smart as the other of Frogs for by digging they found fresh water and so had that remedy against that Plague But they had none against the Frogs for they came into every place and seised upon all the victuals that lay in their way and devoured them nay they spared not to raven upon men themselves Therefore the Psalmist saith Frogs destroyed them Yet for all this doth Pharaoh make but a mock at Jehovah in all this his doing and scornfully and in derision bids Moses and Aaron try what Jehovah could do for the removing of them To whom Moses answers Glory over me mock me hardly with my Jehovah yet appoint when I shall pray and I will pray that thou mayest know that there is none like my Jehovah And Pharaoh appoints him the next day for his prayer which he would never have put off so long had he in earnest thought that Jehovah could have removed them upon Moses prayer SECTION XIII The Plague of Lice The speech of the Sorcerers This is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. not a confession of the Lord but an hideous and horrid blasphemy AT the Plague of Lice the Sorcerers are put to a non-plus and in the least creature can do nothing for besides that it was the will of God to bring their devices to nought and to shew himself maximum in minimis if they should have imitated this miracle they must have done two things first they must have produced dust and then of the dust Lice for the Text saith That all the dust of the Land became Lice throughout all the Land of Egypt vers 17. Neither of which they can do and therefore say This is the finger of God For the understanding of these their words observe these things First That in the two foregoing Plagues of blood and Frogs Moses gave warning of them before they came but of this he did not Secondly That the Lice were also in the land where Israel dwelt as well as in other parts of Egypt for there is no severing betwixt Goshen and Egypt mentioned till the next Plagues of Flies In that day I will sever the Land of Goshen in which my people dwell And I will put a division between my people and thy people vers 22 23. whereas none had been put before For when Moses turned the waters of Egypt into blood the Sorcerers did so also with their inchantments and turned the waters of Goshen into blood likewise Here Pharaoh thinketh his Sorcerers have matched the Jehovah that Moses so talked of and that they could do as much against his people as he could do against theirs And so when Moses from Jehovah brought Frogs upon Egypt the Magitians also by their inchantments bring Frogs likewise upon Goshen and still they think their God is hard enough for Israels Jehovah Thus is blood and Frogs through all the Land of Goshen but neither were these real Blood or Frogs nor was this any punishment at all upon Israel for it was not from the Lord but only vain delusions permitted by the Lord that at last he might catch the crafty in their own net But when the Plague of Lice cometh it cometh also upon Goshen from the Lord himself and this is a Plague indeed upon his own people laid upon them by him as well as upon Egypt For Israel that had partaken in so many of Egypts sins must also think to partake in some of her punishments For this it is why the man of God in
danger themselves Here was a prize for the greedy appetite of Tiberius when so many of the best rank and purses were fallen into his lurch and their moneys lent fallen into forfeiture because of their unlawfull lending The guilty Senate obtain the Emperours pardon and eighteen moneths are allowed for bringing in of all mens accompts In which time the scarcity of mony did pinch the more when every ones debts did come to rifling and in the nick of that there followed a great disturbance about buying Lands which before was invented for a remedy against the former complaints But the Emperour was glad to salve up the matter by lending great sums of mony to the people gratis for three years § 3. Tiberius still cruel With this one dram of humanity he mingled many ounces of cruelty and blood-shed For Considius Proculus as he was celebrating his birth day without fear and with Festivity is haled out of his own house brought to the bar and condemned and his Sister Sancia interdicted fire and water Pompeia Maâ—rina banished and her Father and Brother condemned and slew themselves But this year there is no reckoning of the slaughtered by name for now their number grew numberless All that were imprisoned and accused for conspiracy with Sejanus he causeth to be slain every mothers son Now saith mine Author there lay an infinite massacre of all sexes ages conditions noble and ignoble either dispersed or together on heaps Nor was it permitted to friends or kindred to comfort bewail or behold them any more but a Guard fet which for the greater grief abused the putrified bodies till they were haled into Tiber and there left to sink or swim for none was suffered to touch or bury them So far was common humanity banished and pity denyed even after death revenge being unsatisfied when it had revenged and cruelty extended beyond it self Nor did the accusers speed better than the accused for he also caused them to be put to death as well as the other under that colour of justice and retaliation satisfying his cruelty both ways to the greater extent It were to be admired and with admiration never to be satisfied were it not that the avenging hand of God upon the bloody City is to be acknowledged in it that ever a people should be so universally bent one against another seeking the ruine and destruction one of another and furthering their own misery when they were most miserable already in him that sought the ruin of them all A fitter instrument could not the Tyrant have desired for such a purpose than themselves nor when he had them so pliable to their own mischief did he neglect the opportunity or let them be idle For as he saw accusations encrease so did he encrease his Laws to breed more insomuch that at the last it grew to be capital for a servant to have fallen before or near the image of Augustus or for any man to carry either coin or ring into the Stews or house of Office if it bare upon it the image of Tiberius §. 3. A wicked accusation Who can resolve whether it were more vexation to suffer upon such foolish accusations or upon others more solid but as false as these were foolish That was the fortune of Sextus Marius an intimate friend of the Emperours but as it proved not the Emperour so of his This was a man of great riches and honour and in this one action of a strange vain-glory and revenge Having taken a displeasure at one of his Neighbours he inviteth him to his house and there detained him feasting two days together And on the first day he pulleth his house down to the ground and on the next he buildeth it up far fairer and larger than before The honest man when he returned home found what was done admired at the speed of the work rejoyced at the change of his house but could not learn who had done the deed At the last Marius confessed that he was the agent and that he had done it with this intent to shew him that he had power to do him a displeasure or a pleasure as he should deserve it Ah blinded Marius and too indulgent to thine own humours seest thou not the same power of Tiberius over thee and thy fortunes pinned upon his pleasure as thy neighbours upon thine And so it came to pass that fortune read him the same lecture that his fancy had done another For having a young beautiful Daughter and such a one as on whom the Emperour had cast an eye and so plainly that the Father spyed it he removed her to another place and kept her there close and at distance lest she should have been violated by him who must have no denyal Tiberius imagined as the thing was indeed and when he seeth that he cannot enjoy his love and satisfie his lust he turneth it to hate and revenge And causeth Marius to be accused of incest with his daughter whom he kept so close and both Father and Daughter are condemned and suffer for it both together § 5. A miserable life and death In these so feareful and horrid times when nothing was safe nothing secure when silence and innocency were no protection nor to accuse no more safeguard than to be accused but when all things went at the Emperours will and that will always cruel what course could any man take not to be intangled and what way being intangled to extricate himself The Emperours frowns were death and his favours little better to be accused was condemnation and to accuse was often as much that now very many found no way to escape death but by dying nor to avoid the cruelty of others but by being cruel to themselves For though self-murder was always held for a Roman valour yet now was it become a meer necessity men choosing that miserable exigent to avoid a worse as they supposed and a present end to escape future evils So did Asinius Gallus at this time for the one and Nerva the other This Gallus about three years ago coming to Tiberius upon an Ambassy was fairly entertained and royally feasted by him but in the very interim he writeth letters to the Senate in his accusation Such was the Tyrants friendship and so sour sawce had poor Asinius to his dainty fare A thing both inhumane and unusual that a man the same day should eat drink and be merry with the Emperour and the same day be condemned in the Senate upon the Emperours accusation An Officer is sent to fetch him away a Prisoner from whence he had but lately gone Ambassadour The poor man being thus betrayed thought it vain to beg for life for that he was sure would be denyed him but he begged that he might presently be put to death and that was denyed also For the bloody Emperour delighted not in blood and death only but in any thing that would cause other mens misery though it were their life So having once committed one of
might have had the rule alone and yet he was unwilling that Caius should go without it seeming to divide his affections betwixt the two whereas his chief thoughts and respects were to his own self But Caius whom the Gods had cast upon it as his foolish auspicium perswaded him must be the man though he read in his nature the very bane of the Empire and yet for affection sake too must young Tiberius be joynt heir with him though he foresaw and foretold that Caius should murder him A monstrous policy to lay his own grandchild for a bait for those jaws that he knew would devour him and this was that by that present cruelty of Caius his own cruelties that were past might be forgotten and the talk of that might not give room to talk of old Tiberius This was that pretended care that he had of the Commonwealth to be sure to leave one behind him that should be worse than himself that by his greater wickedness his own might be lessened and that himself might seem to be less vitious by the others vitiousness above him Yet giveth he counsel to Caius inciting him to goodness which he himself could never follow and exhorting him to tenderness towards young Tiberius which in his heart he was reasonably indifferent whether he followed or no. §. 3. His death Charicles the Doctor gave notice of his death approaching to Caius and Macro though he stole this judgment and conjecture but by a sleight For sitting with the Emperor at a Banquet and taking on him some earnest and speedy occasion to be gone to some other place he rose from the Table and pretending to take the Emperors hand to kiss he closely and stealingly tried his Pulse which Tiberius perceiving but not expressing so much caused him to take his place again and the Banquet to be renewed and him to set out the meal But when the Doctor was got loose from the Table and was come to Caius and Macro and the rest of the adorers of that imperial Sun that was now waiting when he should rise he resolved them that his end drew on apace and was not many days off And then was all preparation for the new Emperor when the last gaspe should remove the old But he that had used so much dissimulation all his life dissembled even in his dying For fainting and swooning so very sore that all conceived he was departed and Caius and all his favorites were gone forth to take possession of his new Empire suddenly the tune is turned and news comes forth that Tiberius is revived and calleth for meat Macro that had often been his instrument of cruelty upon others turns the faculty now upon himself and in stead of meat stopt his mouth with a pillow or with heaping cloaths upon his face and so he died There are indeed diversities of opinion about the manner of his death some saying it was thus as is mentioned others that it was by poyson others that it was by being denied meat in the intermission of his â—its others that he rose out of his bed and fell on the floor no body being near him all which are mentioned by Suetonius It is not much material what his end was that that is first named is most intertained and certainly it suiteth very well with his deservings and it is some wonder that he came to such an end no sooner He died the seventeenth of the Calends of April or the sixteenth of March or if Dion may have his will the seventh and so the rest of that year is accounted the first of Caius SECT 4. CAIUS AN evil Emperor is gone but a worse is to succeed him Caius the son of Germanicus a bad child of a good father inheriting the love and favour of the people for his fathers sake till he forfeited it by his reserving the qualities of Tiberius He was surnamed Caligula from a garb that he wore in the Camp in which he was bred and educated from whence he had the love of the Souldiers till his barbarous nature lost it It may seem incredible that a worse disposition should ever be found than that of Tiberius but the old Politician saw that this was so much beyond it that it would do him credit some impute the fault to his bloody Nurse one Pressilla a Campanian the custom of which Country it was that the women when they were to give their children suck they first anointed the Nipple with the blood of an Hedg-hog to the end their children might be the more fierce and cruel This woman was as savage above the rest of the Nation as they were above other women for her breasts were all hairy over like the beards of men and her activity and strength in martial exercises inferiour to few of the Infantry of Rome One day as she was giving Caligula the Pap being angry at a young child that stood by her she took it and tore it in pieces and with the blood thereof anointed her breasts and so set her nursling Caius to suck both blood and milk But had not his infancy been educated in such a Butchery the school of his youth had been enough to have habituated him to mischief For being brought up in the sight and at the elbow of Tiberius it would have served to have corrupted the best nature that could be but this of his was either never good or at least was spoiled long before Yet had he reasonably well learned his Tutors art of dissimulation so that he hid those Serpentine conditions not only before Tiberius his death but also a while after he had obtained the Empire Only he that had taught him to weave this mantle of dissembling could spie through it insomuch that he would profess That Caius lived for the destruction of him and all others And that he hatched up a snake for the Roman Empire and a Phaeton for all the world And it proved so both to him and them For when Tiberius lay a gasping stifled with a pillow prest upon him he also throtled him with his hand and crucified one of his servants that cried out upon the hideousness of the fact And as for his demeanor toward the State a little time will give too lamentable witness §. 5. Tiberius in a manner cruel being dead How welcom news the tydings of Tiberius death were at Rome may be easily conjectured by any that hath observed his cruelties before Some cried out Tiberius into Tiber some to the hurdle and Tyburne some to one thing some to another using the more liberty of their Tongues against the Tyrant now by how much they had been tied up the straiter whilst he lived Nor did the remembrance of his former cruelties only cause them to rejoyce for his death but a present cruelty as if he were bloody being dead made him the more odious to them than alive For certain men that were but lately condemned and their execution day falling upon the very day when
being mixed with men of different conditions which thing they know is unprofitable and hurtful This kind of people are in many parts of the world but it abounds in Egypt through every one of those places that are called Nomi especially about Alexandria Now out of all places the chief or best of the Therapeutae are sent into a Colony as it were into their Country into a most convenient region besides the lake Maria upon a low gentle rising bank very fit both for safety and the wholesom air The houses of the company are very mean affording shelter in two most necessary respects against the heat of the Sun and the coldness of the air Nor are they near together like houses in a City for such vicinity is trouble and displeasing to such as love and affect solitude Nor yet far asunder because of that communion which they imbrace and that they may help one another if there be any incursion of thieves Every one of them hath a holy house which is called a * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chappel and Monastery in which they * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being solitary do perform the mysteries of a Religious life bringing in thither neither drink nor meat nor any other necessaries for the use of the body but the Law and the Oracles given by the Prophets and hymns and other things whereby knowledge and religion are increased and perfected Therefore they have God perpetually in their mind insomuch that in their dreams they see nothing but the beauty of the Divine powers and there some of them who by dreaming do vent excellent matters of Philosophy They use to pray twice every day morning and evening at Sun rising and Sun setting and all the time between they meditate and study the Scripture allegorizing them because they believe that mystical things are hid under the plain letter they have also many commentaries of their predecessors of this Sect to this purpose They also made Psalms and Hymns to the praise of God Thus spend they the six days of the week every one in his Cell not so much as looking out of it But on the seventh day they meet together and sit down according to their age demurely with their hands within their coats the right hand betwixt their breast and their skin and the left on their side Then steps forth one of the gravest and skilfullest in their profession and preacheth to them and the rest hearken with all silence only nodding their heads or moving their eyes their place of worship is parted into two rooms one for the men and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other for the women All the week long they never taste meat nor drink any day before Sun setting because they think the studdy of wisdom to be fit for the light and the taking ease of their bodies for the dark some hardly eat above once in three days some in six on the seventh day after they have taken care of the soul they refresh the body Their diet is only bread and salt and some add a little hyssop Their drink spring-water Their cloths mean and only fit to keep out heat and cold At the end of every seven weeks they feast together honouring much the number seven Old women are present at their feasts but they are such as are Virgins upon devotion When they first meet together they first stand and pray that the feast may be blessed to them then sit they down the men on one side and the women on the other some of their young Scholers wait on them their diet is but as at other times bread and salt for their meat hyssop for sauce and water for drink there is general silence all the meal save that one or other asketh or resolveth questions the rest holding their peace and they shew by their several gestures that they understand or approve or doubt Their interpretations of Scripture are all allegories when the president hath satisfied the things proposed they give a general applause and then he singeth a Psalm either of his own making or of some of the ancients And thus do the rest in their course when all have done the young men take away the table and then they rise and fall to a daunce the men apart and the women apart for a while but at last they joyn and dance all together and this is in representation of the dance upon the shore of the red Sea Thus spend they the night when Sun riseth they all turn their faces that way and pray for a happy day and for truth and understanding and so they depart every one to their Cells To this purpose doth Philo describe these Therapeutae of his times which howsoever they are taken for Christians by divers as was said before yet it is so plain by divers passages in Philo's Charactering of them that they were no Christians but Jewish sectaries that it is even needless to determinate it let the reader but consider that it is a Jew that commends their devotion that he himself imitates their manner of expounding the Scriptures by allegories that he saith they had many commentaries of their predecessors to that tenour that they were superstitious about the number seven as he himself is not a little and if there were no other arguments to prove that they were only a Sect of the Jews these were enow §. 2. The affairs of the Jews in Alexandria and Babylonia The death of Caius was an allay to the troubles of the Jews both in Judea and Alexandria and the proclamation of Claudius which we shall hear of the next year was their utter cessation for the present but so it was not in Babylonia The terror and trouble that had seized Judea about the statue of Caesar was removed and extinct with the removal and extinction of Caesar himself so were the pressures of them in Alexandria mitigated much from what they were before though their commotions and troubling continued still in an equal measure For whereas before the displeasure of the Emperor lay so heavy upon them that they neither could nor durst stand out in their own defence when that burden is now removed they gather heart and metal and now though the Greeks and they be continually at daggers drawn yet now it is upon equal terms and they dare strike as well as the other But in Babylonia and thereabout their miseries is but now a brewing and an equal strait is preparing for them as had been to either of the other though it began with some smiling of a seeming happiness and the sunshine of present prosperity The bloodhound of vengeance was to hunt this Nation and not to be taken off till it was destroyed and therefore when it giveth off the quest in one place it takes it in another and leaveth not their footing till it had left them no footing at all Those Jews whose Tragedy we have seen acted already found their own misery though
sacrificed so long before I refer it to the belief of a Jew who by the Poet seems to be of a large faith Credat Judaeus apella Decency and order was observed of the Fathers before the Law for this holy piece of worship God makes Moses in his Leviticus to bring it into writing While the Jews Temple stood or while they might stand in the Temple they had their dayly sacrifice till the great Sacrificer offering himself caused sacrifice and oblation to cease Now are the Jews content and as it appears in their Common Prayer book they beseech God to be so too with prayers without sacrifice because they have not now access to their sacrificing place Their distress as they think it for this very thing might teach them that Messias Nagidh or Christ the Prince hath done what Daniel to them and an Angel to Daniel had prophecied of him Whether the Heathens borrowed their custom of sacrificing from the Jews or from nature it is not material Sure I am that the Jews borrowed some of their abominable sacrifices from the Heathen Sacrificing of men is Heathenish in Moses his language yet was this too frequent among the Jews used also in old time by the Athenians and Carthaginians as witness Plutarch Lactantius and others and in these times by the Indians as in Cortes c. Of this bad use that the Heathen had got I cannot tell what should be the reason unless they thought that cruelty was the best offering or that their gods were more cruel than merciful Or this reason may be given They had learned either from the Jews or from their Oracles or from the Devil himself who cares not to give men some light thereby to lead them to the more darkness that a man should once be offered who should appease the wrath of God as Christ was and therefore they in remembrance of this man did sacrifice men either to see whether they could light on this man or else in remembrance of him till he should come Some condemn Jeptha of this cruelty of sacrificing his own daughter who yet in Heb. 11. is commended for his faith Austen doubts whether it is to be counted Gods Commandment that he slew his own child But I think no such doubt is necessary since there is no such strictness of the words in the Text. A Heathen man in Plutarch when he was told that he must either sacrifice his own child to such a Goddess or else his affairs and enterprises would not prosper could answer that he would offer with all his heart such sacrifice as the Goddess would accept but that she would desire or would be pleased with the blood and murder of his child he could not be perswaded I am sure Jephta had reason to be far better instructed in such things as these than any Heathen in the world Varro holds that it was not fit that any sacrifice at all should be offered His reason in Arnobius is Quia Dii veri neque desiderant ea neque deposcunt ex aere autem facti testa gypso vel marmore multo minus haec curant For saith he The true Gods desire not nor exact any such matter and those false gods that are made of brass mortar marble c. care less for them The Heathen man in his own sense saith only for his meaning doubtless is that the Gods that are true Gods are not delighted with this cruelty of slaying beasts nor do they for their own sustentation or provision desire men to be at this charge And so the true God which is truth it self though he commanded sacrifice yet was it not meerly in respect of himself that he did it any further than this that men should by this manner of worship acknowledge their submission and humility and obedience to him For what cares he for beast or bullock since the World is his and all that is in it Psal. 50. 12. And Lyranus does set down the special ends wherefore God doth command Israel so many sacrifices As first to wean them from Idolatry for their service of the true God required so much that they could have hardly any time to think of Idols And the very beasts they sacrificed might teach them the vanity of the Idols of Egypt which they once served Slaying of a bullock a ram a goat might tell them that the Egyptians Apis and Hammon which they worshipped in these forms were but vanity Secondly By their sacrifices they acknowledged that they had nothing but what they had received from God and therefore of their beasts corn wine c. they offered him in thankfulness some of his own Thirdly These sacrifices were to bear Christ in their minds till he should come and make a ful attonement for them And so says Lyra The very beasts sacrificed represent Christ an Ox for Patience a Sheep for Innocence and an ill smelling Goat for his likeness to sinful Flesh. A fourth reason might be given That the people standing and seeing these beasts â—â—â—in and flred might remember their own deservings and call to mind their sins for which this beast was thus used Their putting of their hands the right hand saith the Chaldee upon the head of the beast seems to import some such a matter as their acknowledgment of their deserving of that which the beast was ready to suffer death and sire Whosoever desires to be taken up with Allegories about this piece of Gods service Flaviacensis will furnish him and if he will not do the Fathers are copious enough and it may be too much this way The Heathen Mariners in ship with Jonah are said to sacrifice and vow vows which the Chaldee helps out as thinking the ship and a tempest unfit time and place for sacrifice thus they promised they would sacrifice viz. when they should come ashore and vowed vows to become Proselytes saith Jarchi or to give Alms to the poor saith Kimchi Endless it were to trace the Heathens and to see how near or how far they be to or from the sacrifices of the Jews CHAP. XVII A just Iudgment CRantzius the Denmark Historian as he hath many delightsom passages of story so this especially I could not but copy out at my reading of it wherein I see God just and murder heavy One was hired for a sum of money to murder an innocent Dane He does the bloody fact and presently receives in a purse his wages of iniquity A heavy purse of gold for a while makes a light heart but where the guiltiness grones heavy too the gold is worth nothing At last the murderers conscience accuseth and condemns him like both witness and Judge for his bloody fact His heart and eyes are both cast down the one as far as Hell whither the fact had sunk and the other to the Earth whither the blood He is now weary of his own life as erewhile he was of anothers He ties his purse of gold which had hired him to kill the other about
p p Lebachin ubi sâ—pr Sect. 3. The Sin-offering of the Congregation or of a private person and the Goats offered at the beginnings of the months or at the solemn times their slaughter was on the North side of the Altar and the taking of their blood in some of the Vessels of the service was on the North side and it required a fourfold putting on the four horns How was this done He went up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rise of the Altar and turned off to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circuit of it He went to the South-East horn and then to the North-East so to the North-West and lastly to the South-West and the blood that was left he poured upon the Foundation on the South side Either of these ledges the Rabbins sometimes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q q q Vid. R. Sol. in Eztk. XLIII Malben either because they were as sloors whereon the Priests trod for so the word is sometimes taken or because they r Vid. Aruch in voce were often rub'd to keep them white since there was so much blood sprinkled on them s s s Mid. per. 3. For the whole Altar was whited over twice a year namely at the Passover and at the Feast of Tabernacles Rabbi saith that it was rubbed with a Map on the eve of every Sabbath 3. A cubit height above this upper ledge which was called the Circuit there was a narrowing again a cubit bredth and there began the horns of the Altar and now the square was but six and twenty cubits upon every side The horns were at every corner a cubit square being hollow and rising a cubit upward for it is a usual saying among the Jews that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t t t Maym. in Beth habbechir per. 2. The height of every horn was five hands bredth or a common cubit which is to be taken so as that the horns rose but one cubit straight up from their Foundation or first beginning abating by degrees from a cubit square in the bottom into a Pyramidical sharp but so as that for one cubit height it rose straight and then pointed outward like the tip of a horn The lowest part of these horns was seven cubits from the ground and therefore these words bind the Sacrifice with cords to the horns of the Altar Psal. CXVIII can hardly be taken in propriety as if the Sacrifice stood tied to the Altar till it was offered but as the Chaldee paraphraseth it it meaneth Tie the Lamb that is to be offered with cords till ye come to offer him and sprinkle his blood upon the horns of the Altar Joah in fear of his life is said to have fled to the Altar and to lay hold upon the horns of it 1 King II. 29. in which passage the Hebrew Doctors say he was doubly deceived First in that he thought to have refuge and escaping for wilful murder and Secondly in that he looked for safety by taking hold of it whereas the refuge of the Altar was on the top of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u u u Kimch in 1 King II. Our Rabbins say saith David Kimchi the Altar was no refuge but for Manslaughter committed unawares and but on the top of it But whether Joab or they were the likelier to be deceived in this thing I leave to them to discuss between them But this certainly cannot go unobserved that God in giving of the pattern of the Altar was so punctual for the making of horns to it in the corners of it as that that is a special charge both about the Altar of Burnt-Offering Exod. XXVII 2. Thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof And also about the Altar of Incense Exod. XXX 2. The horns thereof shall be of the same Now what the Lord intended to signifie by this so exact a prescription it is not good to be too bold to go about to determine yet we may not unprofitably look upon them as a lesson for instruction reading to us that as the Altar signifieth Christ who offered himself upon himself the manhood upon the Altar of the God-head and as the double Altar of Sacrifice and Incense typified the offering up of Christ at his death and the continual Inscense of his mediation so the horns of both Altars may well be conceived to signifie the dignity vigor and merit of his death and mediation upon which whosoever layeth hold by assured Faith shall escape condemnation and unto which as the Priests to these horns atevery Sacrifice mentioned a sinner in every service is to make his address and application It is not an improper conception of Rabbi Solomon about the Law concerning the Cities of refuge Exod. XXI 13. w w w R. Sol. in Exod. XXI that as God enjoyned them when they should come into the Land of Canaan to appoint a place for the Man-slayer that had killed a Man at unawares to flee unto so that while they were in the Wilderness God appointed them a place for refuge upon such occasion and that was the Camp of the Levites Now the addition that follows in the next Verse that they should take a wilful murderer from his Altar to put to death doth not only confirm that his supposal but it doth give some intimation that even in the Land of Canaan and when their refuge Cities were set out yet the Altar was then a Sanctuary for those that fled to it in such or such cases A very eminent figure of deliverance from condemnation by laying hold upon Christs merits The x x x Vid. Kimchi ibid. Jews dispute why Joab whom they hold to have been President of the Sanhedrin and knew the Law well enough that a wilful murderer should not escape by the Altar why he should flee thither And they Answer That it was either to save his Estate which had he been slain elsewhere had been forfeit or to obtain his burial which had he been Judged and Condemned judicially he had lost and been cast away unburied But it seemeth rather that the occurrence which is mentioned immediately before and which occurred immediately before namely about Abiathar did give him occasion to do what he did For though Abiathar were in the same fault with Joab in the matter of Adonijah yet had he escaped death being only put from his Office upon these two reasons because he had born the Ark and was High-Priest and because he had been afflicted and partner with David in his afflictions under this later predicament Joab fell as well as he and might hope for favour in that respect equally with him And as for the former Joab indeed was not nor could not be a Priest yet thought he I will do as much towards that as I can that is lay hold on the horns of the Altar and there devote my self to God and his service by that solemn Ceremony and it may be for these two considerations
some upon the horns of it some below some above to make sure that either of these should keep its right place and not transgress they set this line to be a bound between them The materials and manner of working up this renowned pile let the Reader take in the Talmuds and in Maymonides his own words and expressions p p p Maym. ubi supr Talm in Zevach. sol 54. When they built the Altar say they they built it solid like a Pillar and they made no hollow in it but one brought whole great stones and little for an iron tool might not be used upon them and he brought Mortar and Pitch and Lead and mixt all and poured all into the great base that he had laid according to his measure and so he built on upwards and he put in the midst of the buliding a piece of Wood or of Stone at the South-East horn according to the measure of the Foundation and so he put in the midst of every one of the horns till he had finished the building then he took away those pieces that were in the midst of the building and so the South-East horn was left without a Foundation and the rest of the horns were left hollow These q q q Midd. per. 3. stones that made the Altar and the rise to it are recorded to have been gotten in the Valley of Bethbaccerem a place mentioned in Neh. III. 14. and Jer. VI. 1. and the same Record tells us That twice a year the Altar was whited namely at the Passover and at the Feast of Tabernacles and the Temple whited once a year namely at the Passover Rabbi saith on the Eve of every Sabbath they rubbed the Altar with a Map because of the blood they might not Plaster it with an iron Trowel lest that touching should defile it for iron was made to shorten Mans days and the Altar was made for the prolonging Mans life and it is not fit that that which would shorten should be lifted up upon that that would lengthen Thus was the fashion and proportion of the Altar the Lords Table Mal. I. 7. the holiness of it was such that it sanctified the gift Matth. XXIII 19. that is whatsoever came upon it being fit to be offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Altar sanctified whatsoever was fit for it It is a Talmudick Maxim in the Treatise Zevachin the very beginning of the ninth Chapter And at the seventh Halacah of the same Chapter they say That as the Altar sanctified what was fit for it so also did the rise of the Altar and there they discourse at large with what things if they were once brought to the top of the Altar might come down and what might not which we shall not insist upon Before we part from the Altar we have yet one thing more to take into observation about it and that is the base and wretched affront that ungodly Ahaz put upon it in not only setting up another Altar by it but also in removing the Lords Altar out of its place and out of its honourable imployment to give place to his The story is 2 King XVI He sends the pattern of an Idolatrous Altar from Damascus and Uriah the Priest maketh one according to that pattern and when the King came home and saw the Altar he offered upon it his Burnt-offering Meat-offering Drink-offering c. And he brought also the brazen Altar which was before the Lord from the fore-front of the House from between the Altar and the House of the Lord and put it on the North side of the Altar vers 14. Rabbi Solomon expounding this place conceiveth that by the Altar of the Lord is not meant the Altar properly and indeed but some appurtenances that related and belonged to the Service of the Altar and this conclusion he produceth from two or three traditional Premises his words are these This Altar that he removed cannot be the brazen Altar that Moses made for that was laid up and it cannot be the Altar of stone which Solomon made which indeed is called the brazen Altar in the Book of Chronicles for that could not be removed from place to place but by pulling down and behold we have a Tradition that the fire that came down from Heaven in the days of Solomon went not off the Altar till Manasseh came and caused it to go off for he pulled the Altar down So that I cannot interpret the Altar here but of the Lavers and Bases of brass which served for the Altar and stood beside it them Ahaz removed c. You need not marvail if he go alone in his opinion when you look upon it and how it is strained and especially from this pinch because though the Altar of Solomon is called brazen yet he holds it to have been of Stone and overlaid were it of Brass or were it of Stone Ahaz his modesty was not so much but that he would pull it down to serve his turn as well as remove it It appeareth by the Text alledged that Uriahs modesty was a little more than Ahaz had for he had set his Altar behind the Altar of the Lord betwixt it and the East-gate so that the Lords Altar was betwixt that new-found one and the Temple it seemeth the space at the entring in from the East-gate was more open in the times of the first Temple than it was in the second But when Ahaz comes he removes Solomons Altar towards the North and brings up his own and sets it in the place of it and so does as it were supplant the Lord of his possession and usurp upon it putting the Lords Altar out of use as well as out of its place and giving his own the greatness because it was the greater in the imployment for all the Sacrifices that were to be offered both ordinary and extraordinary both of the King and People while the Altar of the Lord must stand by as a cypher only with this dignity which was less than none at all The brazen Altar shall be for me to seek to when I think good As for the departure of the Divine fire from off the Altar which had come down in the days of Solomon of which our Rabbin speaketh it is not unworthy some of the Readers thoughts For the Temple was so oft prophaned yea and sometimes shut up before the Captivity into Babel as 2 Chron. XXIV 7. XXVIII 24. c. that it is hardly to be imagined but that the fire which had been continued from the descent of that Divine fire was at some of these times or other extinguished And then Quaere how Hezekiah and Josiah in their Reformation did for fire again upon the Altar CHAP. XXXV The Contents of the Court betwixt the Altar and the North-side of it and betwixt the Altar and the South-side THE most ordinary and universal slaughter of the Sacrifices was on the North-side of the Altar and so is it declared at large
the Talmudists namely When they eat their fill o o o o o o In Bab. Berac fol. 44. 1. Rabh saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All eating where salt is not is not eating The Aruch citing these words for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salt reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something seasoned and adds It is no eating because they are not filled VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And immediately he compelled his disciples c. THE reason of this compulsion is given by p p p p p p Chap. VI. 15. St. John namely because the people seeing the miracle were ambitious to make him a King perhaps that the Disciples might not conspire to do the same who as yet dreamed too much of the Temporal and Earthly Kingdom of the Messias VERS XXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the evening was come SO ver 15. but in another sense for that denotes the lateness of the day this the lateness of the night So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evening in the Talmudists signifies not only the declining part of the day but the night also q q q q q q Berac Cap. 1. Hal. 1. From what time do they recite the Phylacteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the evening From the time when the Priests go in to eat their * * * * * * Truma Truma even to the end of the first watch as R. Eliezer saith but as the wise men say unto midnight yea as Rabban Gamaliel saith even to the rising of the pillar of the morning Where the Gloss is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the evening that is in the night VERS XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the fourth watch of the night THAT is after Cock-crowing The Jews acknowledg only three Watches of the night for this with them was the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Watch is the third part of the night Thus the Gloss upon the place now cited See also the Hebrew Commentators upon Judg. VII 19. Not that they divided not the night into four parts but that they esteemed the fourth part or the Watch not so much for the night as for the morning So Mark XIII 35. that space after Cock-crowing is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Morning See also Exod. XIV 24. There were therefore in truth four Watches of the night but only three of deep night When therefore it is said That Gideon set upon the Midianites in the middle watch of the night Judg. VII 19. It is to be understood of that Watch which was indeed the second of the whole night but the middle Watch of the deep night namely from the ending of the first watch to midnight CHAP. XV. VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why do they transgress the Tradition of the Elders HOW great a value they set upon their Traditions even above the Word of God appears sufficiently from this very place ver 6. out of infinite examples which we meet with in their Writings we will produce one place only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a a a a Hieros Berac fol. 3. 2. The words of the Scribes are lovely above the words of the Law for the words of the Law are weighty and light but the words of the Scribes are all weighty He that shall say There are no Phylacteries transgressing the words of the Law is not guilty but he that shall say there are five Totaphoth adding to the words of the Scribes he is guilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Elders are weightier than the words of the Prophets A Prophet and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder to what are they likened To a King sending two of his servants into a Province of one he writes thus Unless he shew you my Seal believe him not Of the other thus Although he shews you not my Seal yet believe him Thus it is written of the Prophet He shall shew thee a sign or a miracle but of the Elders thus According to the Law which they shall teach thee c. But enough of Blasphemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For they wash not their hands c. b b b b b b In Bab Berac fol. 46. 2. The undervaluing of the washing of hands is said to be among those things for which the Sanhedrin Excommunicates and therefore that R. Eliazar ben Hazar was Excommunicated by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because he undervalued the washing of hands and that when he was dead by the command of the Sanhedrin a great stone was laid upon his Bier Whence you may learn say they that the Sanhedrin stones the very Coffin of every Excommunicate person that dies in his Excommunication It would require a just volume and not a short Commentary or a running Pen to lay open this mystery of Pharisaism concerning washing of hands and to discover it in all its niceties let us gather these few passages out of infinite numbers I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c c c c c c Maimon in Mikvaoth cap. 11. The washing of hands and the plunging of them is appointed by the words of the Scribes But by whom and when it is doubted Some ascribe the institution of this Rite to Hillel and Shammai others carry it back to Ages before them d d d d d d Heros Schab fol. 1. 4. Hillel and Shammai decreed concerning the washing of hands R. Iâ—siâ—hen Rabb Bon in the name of R. Levi saith That Tradition was given before but they had forgotten it these second stand forth and appoint according to the mind of the former II. e e e e e e Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although it was permitted to eat unclean meats and to drink unclean drinks yet the ancient Religious eat their common food in cleanness and took care to avoid uncleanness all their days and they were called Pharisees And this is a matter of the highest sanctity and the way of the highest Religion namely that a man separate himself and go aside from the vulgar and that he neither touch them nor eat nor drink with them for such separation conduceth to the purity of the body from evil works c. Hence that definition of a Pharisee which we have produced before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pharisees eat their common food in cleanness and the Pharisaical Ladder of Heaven f f f f f f Hieros in the place above Whosoever hath his seat in the land of Israel and eateth his common food in cleanness and speaks the holy language and recites his Phylacteries morning and evening let him be confident that he shall obtain the life of the world to come III. Here that distinction is to be observed between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbidden meats and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unclean meats Of both Maimonides writ a proper Tract Forbidden meats such as Fat Blood Creatures unlawful to be eaten
revolted from that and expects to be saved by his actings and puts a scorn and reproach upon the Spirit of grace A sad wretch Look on him look on his villany and of how sore punishment do you think him worthy The Apostle reads his doom I. That there is no more sacrifice for his sin to keep off vengeance when he hath trod under foot the great sacrifice and counts the blood of attonement but a common thing II. That that could not but follow when there was no sacrifice for attonemenr viz. A fearful expectation of judgment and firy indignation III. That that at last was to seize as sure and sorer than the punishment of him that despised Moses Law who yet died without mercy In the words that I have chosen to insist upon which speaks the second part of this wretches villany He accounted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing A great question is who is the He that is here said to be sanctified Doth it mean this wretch himself He ever sanctified Ever sanctified by the blood of the Covenant that he now so undervalues I am not ignorant what is disputed upon this case which dispute I shall not take upon me to determine but the sense of the place it self I suppose may be otherwise determined without any great difficulty or dispute viz. that the He here mentioned to be sanctified is the Son of God mentioned in the clause next preceding And I should read the two clauses together to this sense He hath trod underfoot the Son and hath accounted the blood of the Covenant wherewith He the Son of God himself was sanctified an unholy thing And I am induced to believe that this is the Apostles meaning in this place upon these two or three reasons First Because the same Apostle hath much like such an expression in this very Epistle Chap. XIII 20. Where he saith that God brought Christ again from the dead by the blood of the everlasting Covenant Now if it be proper to say Christ was raised by the blood of the Covenant it is not improper to say Christ was sanctified by the blood of the Covenant For Secondly As the words both in the Original and your English do as fairly carry that sense that I put upon them in Grammatical construction so do they in that sense carry a most undeniable truth in Theological Doctrine That Christ was sanctified by his own blood Not indeed as a Saint of God is sanctified by the blood of Christ who was once unholy but by it now is made holy But as the word signifies to separate set apart and capacitate to a holy use or office As Aaron is said to be sanctified by his cloths and unction i. e. set apart fitted accomplished for his office and Priesthood So Christ sanctified by the blood of the Covenant i. e. fitted capacitated to be perfect Mediator And so Thirdly The Apostle that he may aggravate the sin of this wretch that he is speaking of doth enhance the blood of the Covenant by the highest dignity and excellency that is possible to intitle it to This wretch accounts it an unholy common trivial thing Whereas the Son of God himself was sanctified by it by it capacitated and fitted to be a perfect Redeemer An High Priest who by his own blood entred into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us I shall not be urgent with any to entertain and espouse this construction that I make of the words If the fairness and probability of the sense I propose will not speak and plead for it let it alone and remember that of the Apostle Prove all things hold fast that that is good But that that I shall insist upon shall be to consider of the meaning of the blood of the Covenant And in our consideration of that we shall see the infinite preciousness and value of that blood which yet the wretch in the Text doth so undervalue that he accounts it but unholy and common And there are but too few too few that value it at its proper rate I need not tell among Christians that the blood of the Covenant means the blood of Christ of which such glorious things are spoken in Scripture viz. that we are washed redeemed justified saved by his blood the blood of the everlasting Covenant And this very intimation parts our discourse into two branches viz. to consider it as the blood of Christ and to consider the blood of Christ as the blood of the Covenant It is observed by a pious pen how Malice cankers things where it comes For those words Sanguis ejus super nos c. His blood be upon us and our children spoken in a right Christian pious sense speaks a thing that a more excellent happy and desirable cannot be prayed for viz. The blood of Christ to be upon us and upon ours as it is upon all true believers to wash clense justifie save But in their cursed cankered sense the Nation finds it to this day their direful and doleful infelicity that the blood of Christ is upon them as they wished So there is much spoken and much of comfort spoken concerning the sprinkling of Christs blood and the sprinkling of his blood in that Scripture sense brings all happiness with it But take it according to the bare letter there is no such thing nay there is the contrary in some respect Take his blood barely to mean that substance of his blood that issued from his wounds as he hung upon the Cross and some of it was sprinkled upon the Cross and some of it ran upon the ground and what happiness either to the Cross or ground from such sprinkling Nay some of it was sprinkled and dashed upon his murtherers and proved so little happiness to them that it made them the more unhappy nay the most unhappy men under Heaven Therefore as the Scripture saith The life is in the blood so are we to look for something besides the bare substance of his blood that flowed from him and besides the bare flowing of his blood from him something that was as the life of that blood that gave it the vigor virtue and efficacy of justifying and saving And what was that You will say His infinite sufferings let me add His infinite obedience In both which is concluded the supposal of the Dignity of his person and the whole is spoken I shall not much insist upon his sufferings because his obedience to those sufferings was the life of those sufferings the very life of his death as I may so phrase it and that the Dignity of his Person computed in that gave virtue vigor efficacy to his sufferings death and blood Of his sufferings I shall only say thus much That he suffered as much as God could put him to suffer short of his own wrath and that he suffered as much as the Devil could put him to with all his wrath You will say I speak too
high when I say He suffered as much as God could put him to suffer and that I speak too low when I say short of his own wrath I dare not say He suffered the wrath of God as many do but the Prophets and Apostles teach me that he suffered the tryings of God And more he could not be put to suffer than what he did It pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief Esa. LIII 10. And more could not be laid upon him than what was laid Have you seriously weighed the meaning of those words of our Saviour himself Luke XXII 53. This is your hour and power of darkness The plain English of it is This is your hour that God hath let you loose upon me to do with me what you will without restraint And so hath he let loose upon me the Kingdom of darkness in its utmost power at the full length of the chain to do against me the utmost it can do I was daily with you in the Temple and ye stretched out no hands against me For then Providence restrained them because the Hour was not yet come But this is your hour and now Hell and all its power and all its Agents are let loose against him and Providence does not check them with any restraint I might insist to shew you that whereas God from the day of Adams fall had pitched a combate and field to be fought twixt the Serpent and the seed of the Woman in which the Serpent should bruise his heel and he break the Serpents head the hour of that incounter being now come the Godhead of Christ suspends its acting the providence of God suspends its restraining and lets Satan loose to do the utmost of his power and malice and leaves Christ to stand upon the strength of his own unconquerable holiness The Providence of God hath the Devil in a chain yea as to wicked and ungodly men Else why are they not carried bodily to Hell by him Why are they not hurried to their own place by him body and soul together But here God let the chain quite loose Satan do thy worst against him use all thy power rage and malice but all would not do for God very well knew what a Champion he had brought into the field to incounter him And therefore I may very well say it again That God put him to suffer as much as he could put him to suffer on this side his own wrath and the Devil put him to suffer as much as he could do with all his rage and power But his sufferings were not all that gave his blood and death that virtue that most justly is ascribed to it of justifying and saving The torments that he suffered were not the Godfather that named his blood by that precious Name of justifying and saving but it was that infinite Obedience that he shewed in bowing so low as to undergo those sufferings And there especially does the Scripture lay and lodge the stress of it Rom. V. 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Phil. II. 8. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Heb. V. 8. Though he were a son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered Our Saviour in his sufferings and death for to that I will consine my discourse concerning his Obedience as the Text confines us to treat only of his blood and as the Scripture more peculiarly lodges his Obedience there For though he performed Obedience to God all his life yet the Obedience that he shewed to and in the shedding of his blood was the very apex and top-stone of his obedience And for this it is that I scruple to say that he suffered the wrath of God in his sufferings because it is hard to think that he lay under the depth of Gods displeasure when he was now in the highest pitch of obeying and pleasing God I say That Our Saviour in his sufferings and death had to deal with God and Satan upon different accounts with God to satisfie him with Satan to destroy him And with one and the same instrument as I may call it his Obedience he effected these contrary effects As the pillar of â—ire Exod. XIV was darknes to the Egyptians but light to Israel So his Obedience was destruction to the Devil and satisfaction to God I. Christ was to break the head of the Serpent as the Serpent had broke the head of Adam and all mankind He was to conquer the Devil who had conquered Man And what was that by which he conquered him By his divine power as he was God That had been no great Mastery for the great God by his omnipotent power to conquer a creature When he did but exert a little of his divine power at his apprehension he made Judas and all his band of Ruffians to go backward and fall to the ground Joh. XVIII 6. But he was to conquer Satan by righteousness holiness and obedience to God He had not needed to have been incarnate to conquer the Devil by his omnipotent divine power but he was to conquer him and he did conquer him by obedience and holiness Joh. XIV 30. The Prince of this World cometh saith he and hath nothing in me And he came with all his forces all his fury all his power and do all he could he could find nothing in him that could serve his turn All that he did or could do could not move him one hairs bredth from obeying God and persisting in his holiness The Apostle in the ninth of this Epistle vers 14. saith He offered himself without spot to God One spot had spoiled all the offering but the Devil could not fix one spot upon him though he flung against him all the sink of Hell but still he keeps to his obedience and holiness Vicisti Galilaee Julian a child of the Devil once said O Galilaean thou hast overcome me The Devil himself hath cause to say so now The Devil let loose upon him to do the utmost against him that he could without any restraint to bring him from his obeying of God and so to foil him and all will not do All the temptations and tricks and assaults that the anvil of Hell could forge and sharpen were bent and used against him and all return blunted and avail nothing All that Satan can do cannot bring from him one repining word for all his tortures not one desponding thought for all his pangs not one unbecoming passage for all his passion But still he will oby God come what will he will still retain his holiness and integrity let Devils and Men do what they will Satan art thou not conquered O Devil where is thy power now O Hell where is thy victory Thanks be given to God that hath given us such victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Satan thou hast not the first Adam now in handling who was foiled by one Devil and in one
2 3. The great Angel is Christ the old Serpent is the Devil there Christ binds and imprisoneth him and that with the great chain of the Gospel Observe the passage He shut him up in the bottomless pit What In Hell for ever That he should never go abroad again Yea you have him loose again vers 7. and he hath been always going about as in 1 Pet. V. but he tyes him up that he should not deceive the Nations vers 3. and when he is loosed again vers 8. it is his being loose to deceive the Nations Observe by the way the phrase He shuts him up that is restrains him from deceiving and seducing people It is Hell and Prison to the Devil not to be doing mischief So the Psalmist speaks of the wicked children of the Devil They sleep not rest not if they do not evil It is a torment to them if they may not be sinning Well how doth Christ bind Satan that he do not deceive By sending the Gospel to undeceive them So that this is the Victory of Christ against the Devil The very telling of his Death and Merits is that that overcomes the Devil the very Word of his Death and Resurrection is that that overthrows the Devil and his power So is 1 Cor. VI. 3. to be taken Know ye not that we shall judge Angels Now needed Christs soul to go to Hell to tell the Devil these tidings and to triumph there He felt the building of his Kingdom fall about his ears every moment He needed no such message to go and tell him he had conquered him This is the Triumph of Christ over the Devil by the virtue and power of his death and not by any Vocal or actual Declaration of it by his Soul now separate from his Body IV. As to Christs Soul triumphing over the damned needed there any such thing Or could his Soul do any such thing Think you Christs Soul doth or could rejoyce in the damnation of the damned There is joy in Heaven when a sinner is saved Is there joy too when he is damned That tender expression of God As I live I delight not in the death of a sinner doth it give us any room to think that he can rejovce in their damnation That tender Soul of Christ that but six or eight days before wept for the destruction of Jerusalem with O! that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Can we think that that Soul could go to Hell to triumph and insult over poor damned Souls He had cause to triumph and rejoyce over the conquered Devils but had he the like cause or heart to triumph over damned Souls What was the reason of his triumphing over the Devils Because he had subdued themselves only He mastered them while alive in casting them out and commanding them at his pleasure He cast them into Hell by his Divine Power as soon as they had sinned but his triumph over them by his Death and Resurrection was for his peoples sake We cannot say Christ hath any pleasure in the damnation of the very Devils but he had pleasure in the Conquest of Devils because he had delivered his people from them Ah! most Divine Soul of Christ so infinitely full of charity that gave it self a Sacrifice for sin that men might not be damned can that rejoyce and insult over poor Souls damnation Look but upon Christs tenderness and earnestness for Souls here that they come not to damnation and then guess how little delight he taketh in it when they are damned Let us apply these two passages to this Ezek. XVIII 23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should dye And vers 31. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth In the Hebrew it is in the strictest propriety In the death of him that is dead I have not pleasure that he dye and no pleasure in his death when he is dead What is there more plain in Scripture and in all Gods actings than this That God would not have men damned if they would embrace Salvation What speak these expressions 1 Tim. II. 4. Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Pet. III. 9. Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Certainly whatsoever else this is plain enough that God had rather men should be saved than damned How is this written in Scripture as in letters of gold that he that runs may read it How was it written in letters of Christs own blood that was shed that men might not be damned but that whosoever believeth might have eternal life And how is this written in Gods patience beseechings in his affording means of Salvation I need not to instance in particulars Well men will not be saved but choose death before life Doth Christ delight rejoyce to damn them when they must come to it Think ye he pronounceth Go ye cursed with as much delight as Come ye blessed That he insults triumphs over poor damned wretches in their damnation Read his heart in such passages as these Gen. VI. 6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth and it grieved him at his heart What Because he had made them No but because he having made them must now destroy them Lam. III. 33. He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men So he doth not damn willingly nor destroy the children of men And once for all Esa. XLII 14. I have long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self now will I cry like a travailing woman I will destroy and devour at once I will cry and destroy but it is grievous to God as pangs of a travailing woman Thus much as hath been spoken may shew how unlikely and indeed how unchristian a thing it is to conceive that Christs Soul went purposely into Hell to triumph and insult over the miserable and damned And so you see that this Article cannot mean his Souls descending into the place of torment to triumph over the Devils and damned so that we must yet look for another sense of it III. A third interpretation then is this That it means the Torments he suffered in Soul III. upon his Cross. Some word it That he suffered the extream wrath of God some the very torments of Hell some that he was for the time in the state of the damned I reluct to speak these things but this Gloss some make upon this Article and while they go about to magnifie the Love of Christ in suffering such things for men they so much abase and vilifie his Person in making it lyable to such a condition The sense of the Article we must refuse unless we should speak and think of Christ that which doth not befit him The dearly beloved of the Soul of God to lye under the heaviest wrath of God The Lord of Heaven and Earth to
18. We look at things that are not seen 1284 5. 21. He hath made him sin for us 1243 GALATHIANS Ch. vers  Page 4. 6. ABBA Father what 354 EPHESIANS Ch. vers  Page 1 17. THE Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ. 1034 1047 2. 1. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins 1057 1105 4. 9 Now that he ascended what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the Earth 1342  24. The new Man is created in righteousness and true holiness 1152  32. Be renewed in the Spirit of your mind 1286 5. 18 19. Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs 1160 PHILIPPIANS Ch. vers  Page 3. 19. WHOSE God is their belly 184 COLOSSIANS Ch. vers  Page 2. 13. YOU being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh 1057 1 THESSALONIANS Ch. vers  Page 4. 13 14. I Would not have you ignorant concerning them that sleep that ye sorrow not as others without hope c. 1087 2 THESSALONIANS Ch. vers  Page 2. 2. AS that the day of Christ is at hand 626  3. The day of Christ shall not come except there come a falling away first 626  4. Concerning obedience to Magistrates 230 Text and Marg. 1 TIMOTHY Ch. vers  Page 3. 13. OFFICE of a Deacon 133 4. 1. In the later time interpreted of the end of the Jewish State 1074 1117  3. Forbidding to marry 695  8. Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come reconciled with Heb. 11. 36 37. 1053 2 TIMOTHY Ch. vers  Page 3. 1. IN the later days not for the end of the World but of Ierusalem 1074 1117  9. Jannes and Jambres 404 HEBREWS Ch. vers  Page 2. 2. IF the word spoken by Angels 1129  12. I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren c. 1037  13. And again I will put my trust in him ibid. 8. 6. He is the Mediator of a better Covenant established upon better promises 1332  11. They shall teach no more every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me 1071 9. 19. Moses took blood with water 619 10. 26. If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin 1095 1096 1146 11. 32. Gedeon Sampson Japhtha 1215  36 37. Concerning the sufferings of Gods people in this life reconciled with the 1 Tim. 4. 8. 1053  40. That they without us should not be made perfect 1089 12. 11. Chastening yeildeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness 1226 13. 20. Christ was raised from the dead by the blood of the Covenant 1257 JAMES Ch. vers  Page 5. 9. BEhold the Iudge standeth before the door 626  14. Let the Elders of the Church pray for him that is sick anointing him with Oyl 162 343  17. Elias for the space of three years and six months 408 409 1 PETER Ch. vers  Page 1. 2. ELect according to the foreknowledge of God for the elect of the Jews 1146 2. 10. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God ibid.  13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of God for the Lords sake c. 230 Text Marg. 3. 19. He went and preached unto the Spirits in prison 478 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand For the end of Ierusalem and the Jewish State 626 1074 1117  17. The time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God 241. Text Marg. 2 PETER Ch. vers  Page 2. 10. DEspise government speak evil of Dignities 230. Text Marg.  15. The way of Balaam the son of Boâ—â—r 1144 3. 3. There shall come in the last days For the days immediately foregoing the destruction of Ierusalem c. 1074 1117  10. The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 626  13. We look for new Heavens and a new Earth 626 16. In Pauls Epistles there are some things hard to be understood 1243 1246 1 JOHN Ch. vers  Page 2. 16. THE lust of the eyes 162  18. It is the last time For the end of the Jewish State 626 1047  27. The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you 1071 5. 16. There is a sin unto death I do not say that he shall pray for it 1093 1904 JUDE  Vers.  Page  8. DEspise dominion speak evil of dignities 230. Text Marg.   Filthy dreamers 1297  12. Feasts of Charity 774 c. REVELATION Ch. vers  Page 1. 7. HE cometh with clouds c. 626 3. 17 18. Because thou saiest I am rich c. and knowest not that thou art wretched c. 1136 6. 12 14. The Sun became black as sackeloth of hair c. And the Heavens departed as a scroll c. 626 7. 14. They have washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 1076 11. 8. The Streets of the great City which Spiritually is called Sodom 1109 13. 2. The Dragon gave his Power and Seat and great authority unto the Beast 1108 1165  4. The Dragon which gave his Power unto the Beast 614 20. 3. Satan should deceive the Nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled 1056 1057 1233  5. This is the first Resurrection spoken of the calling of the Gentiles 1057 1105  7 8. When the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go about to deceive the Nations Interpreted as fulfilled in the depth of Popery 1057   Gog an Enemy to true Religion 1247 22. 20. Behold I come quickly 626 An Appendix of some Places of Scripture differently Read from the ordinary Translation GENESIS Ch. vers  Page 1. 2. THE Spirit of God was carried upon the face of the waters 643  14. Let there be Light-fats or Light-vessels in the Firmament 1285 4. 1. Eve conceived and brought forth Cain and said I have possessed or obtained a Man the Lord. 792 DEUTERONOMY Ch. vers  Page 27. 4. IN Mount Gerizzim so read by the Samaritan Version 540 33. 2. From his right hand went the fire of a Law for them 1227 JOSHUA Ch. vers  Page 15. 61 62. DIfferently read by the Greek Interpreters 499 JUDGES Ch. vers  Page 4. 5. The Chaldee reads Deborah had white dust in the Kings Mountains 12 16. 3. He carried them to the top of a Mountainous place which is before Hebron 12 21. 19 c. The Daughters go over to the enemy 537 2 KINGS Ch. vers  Page 17. 18. THAT when my Master went c. 409 JOB Ch. vers  Page 19. 25. I Know that my Redeemer liveth and he
the Synagogue were done p. 185. Sabbath from the second first what p. 184. Sabbath to the Jews was a day of junkets and delicious Feasting p. 184. What worldly things were not to be done on it p. 184 187 547. And what worldly things might be done on it p. 186 187 547 The care of the Sabbath lay upon Adam under a double Law p. 186 187. Sabbath days journy what p. 304. The Preparion of the Sabbath what p. 358. Second Sabbath after the first what p. 409. The Jews used to get much and excellent Victuals on that Day for the honour of the Day p. 445 446. The Jews allowed all necessary things to be done on that day as to heal the sick c. p. 446. To save Beasts in danger p. 446. The night before the Sabbath candles were lighted up in honour of it and the Evening of the Sabbath was called Light p. 479. The length of the Sabbath days journey at first was twelve Miles with the reason afterward it was confined to two thousand cubits or one mile p. 485 486 636 637. Circumcision as given by Moses gives a right understanding of the nature of the Sabbath p. 557. The institution of the Sabbath and how God rested on it p. 1325. Resting on it hath four ends Moral to rest from Labours Commemorative to remember God's creating the World Evangelical referring to Christ and Typical to signifie eternal Rest. p. 1327. It was given to the Jews at Sinai to distinguish them from all other people p. 1327 1328. It s antiquity c. Page 1328 Sabbath Christian the Jews say that the Christian Sabbath was the first day of the week why Christ changed it from the seventh to the first p. 271 272 1329 1330. It was not controverted but every where celebrated in the Primitive Times only some Jews converted to the Gospel kept also the Jewish Sabbath 792 793 Sabbatick River said to rest on the Sabbath day suspected 313 Sacrament of the Supper receiving unworthily two dreadful things against it 779 Sacramental Blood as it may be called of the Old and New Testament and the very Blood of Christ harmonized 777 778 Sacraments are visible marks of distinction proved p. 1125. They have several Ends. p. 1125. They are perpetual p. 1126. They are Seals of the life of Faith p. 1126. How they answer Circumcision and the Passover 1126 Sacrifices Spiritual every Christian hath three Spiritual Sacrifices to offer to God p. 1260. The Altar on which these Sacrifices are to be offered 1260 Sadducees their Original whence they came to deny the Râ—â—urrection p. 124 to 126. They did not utterly deny all the Old Testament except the Five Books of Moses but the Five Books were only what they would stand by for the confirmation of matters of Faith p. 542 1101. They denyed the Resurrection what therefore was their Religion and to what end p. 699. They take their Heterodoxy and Denomination say some from Sadoc p. 699 700. At first they denyed the Immortality of the Soul and so by consequence the Resurrection p. 701. The Religion of the Sadducees was not the National Religion of the Jews but a Sect and Excrescence from it p. 1036. They held nothing for a Fundamental Article of Faith but what might be grounded on the Five Books of Moses p. 1102. The Resurrection of the last day demonstrated against the Sadducees and Atheists p. 1235. The difference between the Sadducees and Pharisees in matters of Religion was very great p. 1278. Though the Sadducees and Pharisees greatly differed betwixt themselves yet they easily harmonized to oppose Christianity p. 1278 1279. The Sadducees held several Heretical Opinions about some main Articles of Faith p. 1279 1280. The Sadducees considered in their Persons or Original and Opinions 1280 to 1284 Sadduceism the Foundation of it laid in the days of Ezra 124 Sadoc said to be the first Founder of Sadduceism whether he denied the Resurrection or all the Scripture except Moses 699 700 Sagan was not so much the Vice-High-Priest as one set over the Priest therefore called the Sagan of the Priests he was the same with the Ruler of the Temple p. 397. Because his dignity was higher and independent therefore he was sometimes called High-Priest p. 397. Sagan was the same with the Prefect or Ruler he was to be a Learned Man Page 608 Saints judging the World expounded against the Fifth Monarchists p. 753. Not referred to the Last Judgment but to Christian Magistrates and Judges in the World p. 753 754. Saints in Glory have not the Spirit p. 1150. Saints in Heaven what they do referring to Saints or Sinuers on Earth 1268 Salamean or Salmean or Kenite the same and what 499 Salem the first Name for Jerusalem which was compounded of Jireh and Salem and why under what latitude how holy above other Cities 20 to 22 Salim what and where situate 498 499 Salting with fire and with salt the custom and the meaning of the phrase 346 347 Salvation and Pardon what the sure ground of hope of them is 1277 Salutares some Companies and Wings of the Roman Army being so called in likelihood gave the Title of Healthful to some Countries 294 Salutations were not performed by the Jews at some times 420 Saluting of Women was rarely used among the Jews 385 Samaria under the first Temple was a City under the second a Country called Sebaste the Religion thereof was Heathenism and Samaritanism p. 52 53. Samaria was planted with Colonies two several times 503 504 Samaritanism what 53 Samaritans rejected the Temple at Jerusalem and why p. 540 541. How they rejected all the Old Testament but the Five Books of Moses whether they were not acquainted with the rest and owned them in some cases 541 542 Samaritan Text follows the Greek Version 701 Samaritan Version or Pentateuch three things in it containing matter of notice and a fourth of suspition 504 505 Samochonitis the Lake of Samochonitis is in Scripture called the Waters of Merom c 64 Sampson what were his failings 1215 Sanctification Adam had not the Spirit of Sanctification nor of Prophesie p. 1150. Why we are justified by perfect Justification and yet not sanctified by perfect Sanctification and holiness answered 1153 Sandals and Shoos not the same against Beza and Erasmus 178 Sanhedrim the Jewish Sanhedrim consisted of Priests Levites and Israelites p. 109. Sanhedrim the Lesser and Greater their time of sitting the number that made a Council p. 355. It was against the Sanhedrims own Rule to seek for Witnesses against Christ. p. 355. The whole Sanhedrim was sometimes comprehended under the Name of Pharisees p. 571. The Sanhedrim lost the power of judging in capital Causes by their own neglect being so remiss to the Israelites with the Reasons of it p. 611 to 614. The Sanhedrim removed from the Room Gazith to the Tabernae and from the Tabernae into Jerusalem forty years before the destruction of that City with the Reason of it p.