upon a sodain cannot doe this and when it is done upon a sodaine it is a miracle in the third degree they give the example of this in Peters mother in law when Christ upon a sodaine cured her of a Feaver nature in time might have cured her of this Feaver but because she was cured of this Feaver upon a sodaine it was a miracle in the third degree Now what sort of miracle was this when this Almond rod budded and brought forth upon a sodaine it was a miracle in the second degree for an Almond tree will bring foorth Almonds by nature but being once cut up it cannot bring forth Almonds againe then it was a miracle in the second degree for nature could never have made this rod to bring forth Almonds Why Corah and Dathan contended for the Priesthood Dathan and Abiram contended for the Priesthood because they were of the posterity of Ruben the eldest brother and Corah thought that it belonged to him because he was the eldest sonne of Levi as Adonijah contended with Salomon for the kingdome because he was the eldest sonne of David Dathan and Abiram contended for the Priesthood because they came of Reuben Lineall succession not alwayes the Lawfull successinn Learne then that lineall succession is not alwayes the lawfull succession these were lineally descended of Ruben yet this lineall succession failed for Ruben lost his dignity by incest the Church of Rome now hath a lineall succession from the ancient Roman Church but by their spirituall whoredomes and adulteries Simile they have lost their succession Scarabeus or the dunghill flye bragg'd upō a time that he was more excellent than the Bee because he was descended of the horse but how was he descended of the horse he was onely bred of the dung of the horse so the Church of Rome that now is is but come of the excrements of the old Roman Church optimi vint pessimum acetum when the contention was betwixt Salomon and Adonijah about the kingdome of Israel Adonijah had standing for him Abiathar the Priest and Salomon had standing for him Zadok the Priest both of them were Priests and both of them had the holy oyle but who had the right whether he that was anointed by Zadok or he that was anoynted by Abiathar he that was anoynted by Zadok had the right because he had Nathan the Prophet upon his side No succession is the right succession although they have both Priest and the holy oyle if they have not Nathan upon their side Salomon had the right succession because he had it by Nathan And so Aaron here had the Lord upon his side and therefore the Priesthood belonged to him He chused the Almond rod because it flourished first Ministers should be trained up frnm their youth The Lord liketh these to be his Ministers who begin to blossome from their youth this was excellently typed in Ieremiah cap. 1. What seest thou Ieremiah I see an Almond rod This figured Ieremiahs calling as the Almond rod blossomed first so Ieremiah was called from his infancy and as the Almond tree flourished first so the Lord was to bring his judgements quickely upon that people which he pronounced by Ieremiah So he chose Samuel from his infancy and Iohn the Baptist from a childe and so Timothy and Athanasius he likes not these autumnales arbores as Iude calleth them vers 12. which begunne not to blossome till the latter end of Harvest and then to enter to the Ministery happy are they who can say with the Church omnes fructus servavi tibi Cant. 7.13 I have reserved all my fruits to thee of my infancy and middle age and old age and have dedicated my selfe still for this calling it is a pitty to see those that have bin deboshed and dissolute men to be thrust into this holy calling a casheerd souldier a bankrupt Merchant or a fallen Courtier When the Lord caused the uncleane spirit to passe out of the land Zach. 13. then those who had no calling to be Prophets were ashamed of their vision and of their rough gowne which they wore to deceive the people because the Prophets of God wore a hairy Gowne they confesse then that they were not Prophets The false Prophets were ashamed of their vision but they were husbandmen and taught to keepe Cattell from their youth it were to be wished that those who have not a calling to this holy function would renounce it and say I was not taught from my youth and trained up to this holy calling but to be a souldier a Merchant c. and therefore I will renounce it The Almond rod brought forth buds blossomes and ripe Almonds The blossoming of Aarons rod was to confirme Aaron as the Vine branches which budded and brought forth blossomes was to confirme the Butler in his office Gen. 40.10 and this was declared to Ieremiah a Priests sonne Ier. 1.11 12. and the continuance of the Priesthood with those who should sprout and grow out of him Ezeck 17.44 children are called buds Iob 30.12 The Church is in a happy estate when she hath qualified labourers in the Lords Vineyard The estate of the Church is happy when they have good men to succeed in the Ministry and expectants to succeed them when she hath her ripe fruits her blossomes and her buds the buds are the yong ones who give themselves to those holy studies the blossomes are the yong men who have made good progresse in Divinity the ripe Almonds are those who are actually serving in the Church The Iewes alluding to Aarons rod call the children of the Priests flores sacerdotoles it was a comfortable thing to Eli when he had yong Samuel to succeed him and to Elijah when he had Elisha to succeed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reliquium revertetu◠Esay 7.3 and to Esay that had his sonne Shear-jashub to succeed as a pledge to confirme his prophesie that the remnant of the people of God should be saved and brought backe from the captivity againe It was a great comfort to Paul when he had yong Timothy to succeed him and to Augustine when he had Alippius a father dieth the more willingly when he hath a good sonne to succeed him the blossomes may rejoyce when they have the buds to succeed them and the Almonds may rejoyce when they have the blossomes to succeed them Iohn saith 1 Iohn 2.14 I write vnto you babes I write unto you young men and I write unto you old men Babes are the buds the young men are the blossomes and the old men are the Almonds Let us pray to God for the Schooles and Vniversities when the old men are wearing away that good young men may succeed them and babes in their places the Church is much to be pittied now although there bee many youthes to succeed who have knowledge yet there is little sanctification amongst them and therefore lesse hope that their ministery shall bee
translated from the family of Phinehas to Ithamars posterity Ob. for Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar and not of Phinehas and from Eli it came to his sonne Phimehas and then to Achitub and then to Achiaz the brother of Ahimelech and then it was restored to Zadoc see 1 Chron. 24.3 for foure generations the posteritie of Phinehas wanted the Priesthood Elies posterity had it de facto et non de jure Ans therefore it is to be marked what bad successe most of them had in the Priesthood Eli brake his necke his sonne Phinehas was killed in the battell Abiathar was put from the Priesthood and his soone Ahimelech was slaine by Doeg and all this time when they wanted the Priesthood the posterity of Elcazer farre surpassed the posterity of Ithamar 1 Chron. 24.4 Againe it was promised to Phinehas posterity conditionally if they should walke in their fathers wayes This promise of the Priesthood was not made so absolutely to Phinehas but that Phinehas posterity for their sinnes might be deprived of it for a time even as the promise made to David that the Kingdome should continue with his posterity for ever did not exclude the captivity of Babylon and the overthrow of the kingdome for a time yet by vertue of this promise made to Phinehas his posterity could not want it for ever And thirdly it is so promised to his posterity that it should not be taken for ever from him as it was from the posterity of Eli. This rod brought forth Almonds without a roote the fathers reason out of this place against the Iewes who will not beleeve that the Virgin could beare a sonne why will ye beleeve this say they that Aarons rod brought forth Almonds without a roote and cannot beleeve that a Virgin can beare a sonne ye beleeve that Eva was created out of the side of Adam and that Adam was created out of the dust why may yee not beleeve this likewise that God can create a child in the Wombe of the Virgin Yee beleeve that Sara an old withered stocke conceived by the power of God and why ye will not beleeve this that God by his power created the Child in the Wombe of the Virgin The tree blossomed although it was withered Hence we may gather that the withered tree the Church of the Iewes shall flourish againe a man looking with a naturall eye upon that heape of dry bones Ezek. 37. would never thinke that they should rise againe but the Lord by the mighty wind of his Spirit gathered these bones together and made them to live so the Lord by his mighty power shall make the withered tree of the Iewes to flourish againe Obj. But ye will say that Christ cursed the figtree which represented the Church of the Iewes and said Never fruit grow upon thee henceforth Mat. 21.19 Then it may seeme that this tree shall never flourish againe Answ That figtree that was accursed by Christ never to beare fruit againe represented the Iewes who lived then and those who shall live till the conversion of the Iewes but when the wrath of God is come upon them to the full as the Apostle speakes then the Lord shall call them and their rod shall flourish againe Quest Whether kept this rod still the buds blossomes and Almonds when it was laid up before the Lord or not No question it did Answ for the Lord commandeth to lay it up as a testimony against the rebels now when it kept the buds blossomes and Almonds it testified the more vively against them and as the Manna lasted so many hundreth yeares in the golden pot so did this rod keepe the blossomes and Almonds When Aarons rod budded it was a token to him that he was called of the Lord he that runneth and is not sent by the Lord shall never doe good in that holy Calling these Agrippa who were borne with their feet formost it was a bad token of their evill government to follow as it fell out in Herod Agrippa who was a very bad Governour so when a Preacher is not sent by God to his people and the Lord doth not make his rod to bud he shall never be a profitable Minister in his Calling Of the priviledges of the first borne under the Law and what he was bound to doe to his brethren and kinsmen Matth. 22.24 If a man die having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto him AFter that the Pharisees had tempted Christ the same day the Sadduces came to tempt him who denyed the Resurrection and they reason with Christ ab absurdo if there were a Resurrection then this absurdity would follow that seven men should have one wife at the Resurrection but this is absurd therefore c. and thus they goe about to ground upon Moses Law For Moses commanded in the Law that if a man dye without seed then his brother should raise up his seed unto him Deut. 35.5 Now there fell out a case among us that a man married a wife and dyed without children his brother married his wife and he dyed without children also and seven brethren had her to wife Whose wife then shall she be in the Resurrection Our Lord answereth that they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God The Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection put this question to Christ He that denyeth the immortality of the soule cannot hold one sound point in Religion the Sadduces denyed the immortality of the soule they held the soule to be like Quickesilver which made the body to stirre or like Salt that kept the body from corruption as Epicurus held and the best that they made of it they said it was an exact temperature of the humours of the body and then for the Angels they said they were but good thoughts but not subsisting spirits Now if the soule be not an immortall substance the body cannot be joyned to it againe for the weale of the body dependeth upon the soules immortality they held the soule to be mortall and therefore of necessity they behoved to deny the resurrection Tertullian called the Marcionites and Valentinians qui credebant reditum animae non corporis partiarios Saducaeos We who professe our selves to be Christians say the Creed and repeate this Article often I beleeve the resurruction of the body but yet if we will looke to the lives of most part of men we shall heare than say no other thing but that which the Sadduces and Epicures said 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eate let us drinke for to morrow we shall dye that is be quite extinguished in soule and body as if there were no more of us after our death thā beasts when they are knockt on the head when the Pharises reasoned with the Sadduces they said unto thē Why study ye to keep the Law seeing ye beleeve not the immortality
and glistering like gold So Iob. 37.22 Gold commeth out of the north that is faire and cleare weather It was beaten oyle to signifie with what paine and travell the word is prepared and with patience preached and made to shine in his Church No Waxe might be burnt in these lampes because Honey was uncleane therefore Waxe was uncleane Honey might be in no Sacrifice because it fermenteth Levit. 2.11 So no Waxe might serue for light So there was no silke in the Tabernacle because the Worme which maketh silke was an uncleane thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baccae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spicae The Prophet Zacharie in a vision saw two Olive branches empyting themselves thorow the two golden pipes into the Candlesticke and they are compared to two eares of corne What the two Olive trees were in the vision of Zacharie because they were full of Olive berries as the eares were of graines These Olive trees were the cause of the preservation of the Church and the cause of the maintenance in the Candlesticke The two annointed ones which stand before the Lord of the whole earth vers 14. Targum paraphraseth them to be Zerubbabel and Ioshua who represented the Church and commonwealth The Lord commanded to make snuffers of pure gold for the snuffing of the lampes The snuffers of gold what they signified and snuffe-dishes to receive the snufle he would have the snuffe taken from the light to signifie that he would have the word kept in sinceritie and puritie and hee would have the snuffers of gold to teach them to be blamelesse and holy who are censurers and correctors of others and he would have the snuffe-dishes of gold to teach them that the covering of the offences of their brethren was a most excellent thing Lastly in what manner the Priests dressed the lamps The manner how the Priests trimmed the lampes when the lampe was out he lighted it and when it was not out he dressed it when the middlemost lampe was out he lighted it from the Altar but the rest of the lampes every one he lighted from the lampe that was next and he lighted one after another to signifie that one Scripture giveth light to another they say in the Talmud that the cleansing of the innermost Altar was before the trimming of the five lamps and the trimming of the five lamps before the blood of the daily sacrifice and the blood of the daily sacrifice before the trimming of the two lamps and the trimming of the two lamps before the burning of incense That the Priests should order and trimme the lamps The signification of the trimming of the lamps signifieth how Christ and his Ministers should continually looke unto the purity of doctrine and preaching of the light of the Gospel from evening to morning in the darke place of this world untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in our hearts Reve. 1.13 2 Pet. 1.19 EXERCITAT XI Of the Table of the shewbread A ceremoniall appendix of Commande 2. Exod. 25.23 Thou shalt also make a Table of Shittim wood c. vers 30. And thou shalt set upon the Table shewbread before me alway THe Lord commanded to make a Table and to set twelve loaves upon it The loaves represent the Church First the Church is represented by loaves here as many graines make up one loafe so many beleevers make up one Church 1 Cor. 10.17 for we being many are one bread The loaves made of fine flower Secondly these loaves were made of fine flower and not of barley which was a base graine and therefore used in no other sacrifice but in the offering for jealousie Num. 5.15 So Gideon represented by a barley cake Iudg. 7.13 and I bought her for so many Homers of Barley Hos 3.2 but the Wheate was most excellent graine and the flower of the Wheat was most excellent bread Deut. 32.14 he made them eate the fat of the kidneys of Wheate The twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes Thirdly there stood twelve loaves upon this Table to represent the twelve Tribes who came of the twelve Patriarchs The Tribes were represented by many things these twelve Tribes were represented by many things by the twelve stones set up in Iordan and so by the twelve stones set up in the land of Canaan So by the twelve stones set upon the breastplate of Aaron and upon his shoulders in onyx stones So by Canaan divided into twelve parts and from them the twelve Apostles in the New Testament and the new Ierusalem built upon twelve foundations Revel 21.14 These twelve loaves stood before the Lord Why called shewbread therefore they were called panis facierum or propositionis and they signifie that the Church is alwayes the object of the eye of God and therefore he saith set up no Idoll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gnal panai in my presence Why the bread was removed every Sabbath They were removed every Sabbath and new loaves put in their places to signifie the renuing of the graces of God to his Church None might eate of these loaves Who might eate of the shewbread but the Priests who served in their course that weeke and their children the Priests daughter did eate of this bread when she was a widdow and returned home to her father againe Levit. 22.18 So we being maried to the Law and it having dominion over us Rom. 7.1 we were out of our fathers house and might not eate of his holy bread but being dead to the Law Rom. 7.4 and divorced from our sinnes as widowes we may come home to our fathers house and be partakers of the holy things The Priests so long as they were in this holy service The legall sanctification of the Priests and eate this holy bread they were not to keepe company with their wives for this was a part of their ceremoniall uncleannesse Exod. 19.14 Moyses commanded them to wash their cloathes and not to come at their wives This abstinence 1 Sam. 21. How David asked the shewbread is called via munda a cleane way and to eate in this uncleannesse is called via polluta When David in necessity came to Ahimelech the Priest to aske bread for him and his men the Priests had no common bread to give them but this holy bread this bread the Priests sayd they might not eate of it if they were in via polluta and their vessels not sanctified by via polluta is meant here to keep company with their wives and by the sanctification of the vessels is meant the sanctification of our bodies Our bodies called our vessels for our bodies are called our vessels 1 Thessalon 4.4 That euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification honour And that this is the meaning it is cleare by Davids answer when he saith they have abstained from women this three dayes 1 Sam. 21. In their necessity David
were commanded to absteine from the dead and not to come neare their fathers brethren or sisters if they were dead if a man dyed suddenly by them they were defiled and if they touched but one who touched the dead they were defiled the same holinesse was required of them that was required of the highpriest to absteine from the dead Maimone in his treatise of mourning cap. 3. The Iewes say if the Highpriest had lighted upon a dead bodie in the way hee might defile himselfe and bury the dead being alone and none to helpe him So they say if an inferiour Priest and a Nazarite were walking together if he had beene but Nazaraeus dierum he was to burie the dead because his holinesse was not perpetuall but if he had beene a perpetuall Nazarite then the inferior Priest was to bury the dead and not he because as great purity was required in the perpetuall Nazarite as in the Priest concerning the dead Quest Did not Sampson sinne being a Nazarite by touching of the dead bodies and taking off their cloathes Answ He did this by the singular direction of the spirit of the Lord so he dranke of the water which flowed out of the law bone of the Asse and eate of the honey which was in the dead Lion which were al unclean by the law The heathen Priests learned of them not to touch the dead Seneca consolatione ad Marcian cap 15. the Flaminian Priests might not put shoes upon their feete of the leather of that beast which dyed of it selfe and if a Priest happened to have a funerall oration before the dead corpes he used to stretch a vaile betwixt him and the corpes that he might not see it Non licebat Flamini Diali tibias funebres-audire nec locum in quo bustum erat ingredi A Flaminian Priest might not heare the sound of the pipes which were at burialls neither might he come into that place where there was a grave The third thing was this that no Rasor came upon their head they suffered their haire to grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intonsi therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel intonsi and if they were voluntary Nazarits no Razor might come upon their heads untill the vow was expired and then their haire was cut and cast under the Altar burnt but if they were perpetuall Nazarits there came never a razor upon their head but their haire was onely cut about and this was cincta caesaries Dalila cut off Sampsons haire yet he ceased not to be a Nazarit for the Angell said that he should be a NaZarit unto his death The haire was a signe of strength and as long as Sampson kept his haire hee kept his strength and God threatning to weaken the estate of his people useth this similitude that he will shaue the haire with a razor Esay 7.20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor When the voluntary Nazaret vowed a vow for thirty dayes and in the meane time defiled himselfe by touching of the dead if the whole time had beene spent to one day and then if he had touched any uncleane thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these former dayes were reckoned nothing to him Iob. 3.6 Naphal fugient aut dilabentur Onkelos inutiles erunt Perire diem ad embolismum pertinet or let let them be reckoned amongst the intercalar dayes which were not numbered amongst the dayes of the yeere and he was to begin his vow anew againe so it is in the course of our sanctification when we haue gone on a while in it and then fall into some great sinne in that case we are to begin our sanctification anew againe Act. 7.42 O yee house of Israel have ye offered to me slaine beasts and sacrificed by the space of forty yeeres in the Wildernesse They offered to the Lord sundry times in the Wildernes according to his ordinance but because now they fell to worship Idols therefore the Lord reckoned the former sacrifices as though they had not beene offered to him When the Israelites had travelled to the confines of Moab to Kadesh-Barnea they fell a murmuring there against the Lord therefore the Lord brought them backe againe after that they had passed sixteene stationes Num. 33.20.35 To the red Sea in which they were baptized 1 Cor. 10.2 So when we fall from the Lord we are to returne backe againe to our Baptisme and first vow And he came and dwelt in Nazaret that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Matth. 2.23 And he shall be a Nasarit to the Lord. Quest How were these two accomplished in Christ he was called both a Nasarit and a Nazarit Answ Christ was a Nazaret the true branch of the roote of lesse Nazaraus vot◠Nazarenus habitatione and he was a Nasarit truly separate to the Lord and Satan acknowledged him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 4. As Sampsō was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctified to the Lord in type 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctus and he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oriundus ex Nazaret and in the title of Christs Crosse there was an allusion to that plate of gold which was upon the forehead of the high Priest and therefore Aaron was called the Saint of the Lord because he had holinesse to the Lord written in his forehead that plate of gold was called Nezer it had written upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 30.39 It was written that is ingraven in the plate Christ was that true Nazarit holy blamelesse and undefiled we are to marke that the Seventy to facilitate words and to make them the more easie to be pronounced write the words different from the Hebrew as they say Samaria for Shemron so Solomon for Shelomoh so Nasareus for Nazareus the devil being well acquainted with all languages could cal Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting S for Z so in the inscription upon the Crosse they call him that Nasarit or Nazarit Ob. But Christ did drinke wine therfore he cannot be called Nasarit but Nazarit onely Answ He was not a legall Nasarit for he fulfilled that in his forerunner Iohn the Baptist but he was the true Nasarit separated from sinners the Iewes in contempt called Christ a Nazarit and so Iulian the apostate called Christ a Galilean because Nazarit stood in Galilee and it was for this that the Christians were called at the first Nazaraei but afterward their name was changed at Antioch and they were called Mesichijm Christiani From the cutting of the Nazarits haire they brought in shaving of the heads in the Christian Church and they said that long haire signified superfluity in manners hence came this speech afterwards Tonso capite fieri monachus
of the children of Israel and ye shall give thereof the Lords heave offring to Aaron the Priest out of all your gifts yee shall offer c. Thirdly to what end they were payed the tithes were given as a signe of homage and thankfullnesse to God Prov. 3.9 Honour the Lord with th y substan Why the tithes were payed and with the first fruits of all thine increase and as Kings have their tributes payed unto them for the maintenance of their attendance Rom. 13.6.7 So the Lord will have his tribute payed to him for the maintenance of his servants the Priests therefore the tithe is called his heave offering Levit. 27.30 and before the Law was given Iacob payed them to the Lord Gen. 28.22 Aâ—raham and Iacob payed tithes before the law and Abraham the tenth generation from Sem payed them to Melchizedecke the Priest and the Lord appointed them for the Priests Num. 18.28 Now that we may understand what great plenty and a boundance the Levites had who had the Lord for their portion Num. 18.20 Deut. 18.2 Ezek. 44.28 The great plenty which the Levite had for their service Let us consider what they had in particular First they had a part of the meatoffering called Mincha Secondly they had a part of the peace offering the breast and the shoulder and skin of the burnt offering Num. 18.18 Levit. 7.13 Thirdly they had the first fruits of the Corne of the wine and of the oyle Reshith prestantissimum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primitie primitiâ—â—um 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primitiae the best of them and the fat of the oyle Num. 18.12 Deut. 18.4 and they had Biccurim the first fruits The difference Betwixt Biccurim and Reshith was this Reshith were the first fruits which the Levites tooke from the people but Biccurim were the first fruits which the people presented to the Lord and the Lord gave them to the Priests Num. 18.13 What so ever is first ripe in the Land shall bee thine Reshith was the first of the first fruits and Biccurim were the first fruits themselves It was not determined by the Law how much they should offer here What every one was to offer of their first â—ruits but the Doctors of the Iewes determined afterwards that none should offer lesse than one of sixty and none should offer more than one of forty and the middle sort one of fifty and they called him who offered one of sixty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oculus malus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oculus bonus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oculus inter utrumque the man with the evill eye or the covetous eye or the covetous man Prov. 23.6 eat not the bread of him who hath an evill eye that is of a covetous man and he who payed one of forty they called him the man with the good eye Ecclus. 35.8 Give the Lord his honor with a good eye and diminish not the first fruits of thine hand and he who payed one of fifty they called him the man with the middle eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oblâ—to magna This was called Tereumah Gedolah the great heave offering by way of excellency and they payed this not onely of things commanded in the Law but also of their oates Lentiles and fitches although these served not for the sustentation of man but onely in time of famine mine to satisfie their hunger yet they payed them and they payed also tithe of Anise and Mint which did grow in their gardens which our Lord doth not blame Matth. 23. for he addeth these things yee should have done all these because they were not determinated by the law they gave at least to the Priests the sixty part so they gave the sixty part of their wool in their Tereumah Gedolah to the Priest The Priests and Levites had the fâ—eeâ—ill offerings and the estimation of male and female and according to their abilitie and sexe Besides these first fruits which they were bound to pay they payed likewise free will offerings Levit. 7.16 So when they made a singular vow they were valued according to their age and according to their sexe Levit. 27.3.4 The estimation of the male from twenty yeare old even unto sixty was fifty Shekels of Silver after the Shekell of the sanctuary and the estimation of the female was thirty Againe from five yeare old to twenty the estimation of the male was twenty Shekels and of the female ten Thirdly from a moneth old to five yeares old the estimation of the male was five and the female was three Shekels of silver Fourthly if they were past sixty yeares and above the estimation of the male was fifteene shekels and of the female ten shekels Fiftly the poorer were valued after the valuation of the Priests according to their ability and all these came for the maintenance of the Priests So they had a part of things consecrated Levit. 7.35 Num. 18.13 The Levites had the tenth part of all the fruits which did grow in Israel then the Priests got Decimas Decimaâ—um the tithe of the tithes from the Levites the husband man payed to the Levites the tenth of his whole encrease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decima prima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decima ex Decima and this was called Magnasar rishon the first tithe and the Levites payed out of this the tenth to the Priests which was the hundreth part of the husband mans increase Magnasar min Hamagnasar decima ex decima The third tithe was given to the poore and it was the ninth part of the whole increase Tobit 1.7.8 It was called Magnasar shani the second tithe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decima secunda vel secundi anni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decima tertia vel tertij anni and in the first and second yeare this tithe was reserved by the husband man and either taken up to Ierusalem or else sold and put in mony that the Levite the widdow and the poore might eat of it there at the three great feasts and it differed nothing from the tithe of the third yeare but onely in the use as Maimony sheweth and every third yeare it was given to the poore but every first and second yeare it was given to the Priest and to the Levite and to the widdow and they did eate it before the Lord in Ierusalem by this we may perceive how the husband-man payed the ninth part of his whole increase every yeare Let us put this case The husbandman paid the most part of his increase a husband-man hath an hundreth and two logs of oyle of this he was to pay two to the Lord which was his Tereumah Gedolah and this was one of fifty and then ten to the Levites and nine of the hundreth to the poore for the second tithe so that of an hundreth and two logs he payed twenty and one which was the fift part of the hundreth and some more They had
this ceremoniall Law but where the ground of the Law is Iudiciall and the ceremony but an appendix of it then the Iudiciall law may be observed at least the equitie of it Example Cities of refuge were appointed as a Iudiciall Law to save the mankiller from the revenger of the blood there was a ceremony annexed to this Law that they should stay within the City of refuge untill the death of the High-priest this was but an appendix of the judiciall Law therefore the Law may stand that Cities of refuge bee kept or at least the equity of it that those who casually kill be not slaine Quest What if a Christian now should keepe any of the ceremonies commanded in the Law Answ There is a three fold use of the ceremonies Materialis formalis mixtus vsus a materiall a formall and a mixed use A threefold use of the ceremoniall Law Materialis as if a man should abstaine from eating of swines flesh onely because it were unwholsome he Iudaizeth not in this case but if hee should abstaine from swines flesh as a meat uncleane and forbidden in the Law then he should formally keepe the ceremony and truely Iudaize the mixt use is this when a Christian borroweth Iewish ceremonies to any use in the Christian Church Marke how the Apostles in their practise renounced the ceremonies of the Law first the Apostles kept the Christian Sabbath after Christs Resurrection and not the Iewish Sabbath therefore they renounced the ceremonies and the Apostle willeth the Corinthians to keepe the Passeover all the dayes of their life in holinesse and restrained it not to some few dayes as the Iewes Passeover was Object But when the dayes of the Pentecost were fulfilled Act. 2.1.2 Cor. 16. Here Paul reckoneth according to the Iewish Pentecost Answ When he speaketh of their Pentecost here and when he sayes the dayes of their fast were expired Act. 27.9 the Iewes at the day of expiation had a great fast Paul doth not Iudaize here but onely marketh these for a civill use to know the time of the yeare which was most knowne to the Iewes when Paul Act. 17.19 calleth Areopagus Mars street none will thinke that Paul worshipped Mars here but he useth onely this name as a name of distinctiō to know this street frō other streets so when he sayes that he sayled in a ship that had the badge of Castor and Pollux Act. 28.11 we must not thinke he worshipped Castor and Pollux but hee useth them onely as names of distinction to put a difference betwixt this ship and other ships Paul used the names of the Iewes feasts for distinction so when Paul useth the name of the Pentecost and the name of the fast Act. 2. and 27.9 he used them onely as names for distinctions sake and not for any Iewish observation and when Paul practised any of these ceremonies he practised them not for the ceremonies themselves but for the weake Iewes sake Example When he did shave his head in Cenchrea the Port towne in Corinth Act. 18.18 this was not according to the Law altogether Paul did not shave his head according to the law for if he had done it according to the Law he should have gone to Ierusalem and there have cast the haire of his Nazarits vow under the Altar and burnt it after the death of Christ none of the Apostles ever went to the brasen Altar againe to sacrifice but onely they practised some of the meaner ceremonies bearing with the weake Iewes Quest How could these ceremonies be hinderances from Christ seeing they were types of him to come Answ Christ saith Ioh. 16.7 If I goe not away the Comforter shall not come Christs bodily presence amongst the Apostles hindered his spirituall presence amongst them if the bodily presence of Christ hindered the comming of the Spirit unto them how much more did these ceremonies under the Law hinder the sight of his Incarnation and obscure his glory amongst them The ceremonies in the third estate are against Christ In the third estate these ceremonies were against Christ in this estate the Apostle calleth it concision and not circumcision Phil. 3.2 In the third estate the Iewes preferred the shadow to the body The errour of the Iewes in preferring the Ceremonies to Christ the bones to the marrow and the letter to the spirit they preferre the shadow to the body the ceremonies to Christ the bones to the marrow because they content themselves onely with the outward figures and types and seeke not for the thing signified and so they have the killing letter but not the quickning spirit and therefore Saint Hierome compareth them well now to dogges who get onely the bones to gnaw but they get none of the marrow or that hidden Manna Iesus Christ to their saluation Conclusion The conclusion of this is it was a great benefit to learning when the obscure Hieroglyphicks in Egypt were changed into letters and the darke and mysticall writings of Plato were changed by Aristotle into a cleare and plaine forme of writing It is a farre greater benefit when the Lord hath changed these darke figures and shadowes into the cleare light of the Gospel Hovv to make use of the Ceremonies of the Law in opening of a Text and reducing them to practise Of the Notes whereby Aaron and his posterity were discerned to be called to the Priesthood Num. 17.2 And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speake unto the Children of Israel and take every one of them a rod c. WHen Corah and his complices murmured against Aaron and contended with him for the Priesthood as we may see in the Chapter preceding the Lord commanded every one of the first borne of the tribes to bring a rod to him that by this new miracle causing Aarons rod to blossome he might end this controversie and confirme Aaron the more in the Priesthood The Prince of the tribe represented the whole tribe Secondly hee commanded that the names of the Princes of the tribes should be written upon the rods and the reason was because the Prince represented the whole tribe so the Prince being repelled from the Priesthood the whole tribe was repelled Write thou every mans name upon his rod. Aaron had not written upon his rod the Tribe of Levi but the name of Aaron and so the rest of the Princes Another reason wherfore the names were written upon the rods of the Princes was because the Princes of the tribes were their first borne and therefore they might seeme to claime right to the Priesthood every mans name was written upon his rod and Aarons name was written upon his rod because he was the first borne of Levi for the first borne of Levi was Cohath and he begot Amram and Amram begot Aaron who was elder than his brother Moses Quest How were the Tribes reckoned in the Scriptures Answ How the tribes are reckoned in the Scripture Whē a matter is in hand which
cōcerneth the whole people then Levi is reckoned amongst the rest as in the matter of blessing and cursing Deut. 27. So in setting up the twelve stones at Iordan and upon Aarons breastplate so here when the question is to which of the Tribes the Priesthood belonged but when the matter is concerning civill things then Levi is excluded as in the division of the land and then the tribe of Ioseph is divided into two Ephraim and Manasses and so there are twelve Tribes Every Tribe must lay their rod before the Lord and have their name written upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tribus and from hence it came afterwards that the Tribes were called Shebhte because they carried rods before them and their names written in them and therefore Baculus is put for Tribus Num. 1.4.16.26 Iosh 20.10 Aaron tooke not his brother Moses rod which was the rod of God Why Aaron tooke not his brothers rod. by which he wrought so many miracles for the rest of the Tribes would have excepted against that rod because it was the rod of God but it was a common rod like the rest of the rods that they might take no exception against it The rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded God thinkes not every man fit for this holy calling he maketh choise here of Aarons rod amongst all the rest and maketh it to bud God thinketh not every man fit for the Calling of the Ministery No man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 First no man taketh this honor that is ought to take it What it is to take this calling Secondly take it that is usurpeth it at his owne hand as he that taketh the sword shall dye with the sword Matth. 26.55 That is he that takes it having no calling So thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine Exod. 20.7 that is usurpe it having no calling to take it up Thirdly this honor the Priesthood was an honorable calling and therefore every base fellow should not usurpe it any was fit enough yea the basest of the people if he could but conserate a ram to bee a Priest sufficient for Ieroboam 1 King 12.31 but the Lord would have none to take upon him this honorable calling but those whom he separated for it and were called as was Aaron if any man might challenge this prerogative might not the King but see what Vzzia got for attempting this 2 Chro. 26.19 Saul for sacrificing before Samuel came thou that canst not shew that the Lord hath made thy rod to bud meddle not with this calling for then some marke of Gods wrath may light upon thee The rod of Aaron was budded This miracle was not so much to confirme Aaron as to convince his gainstanders the Lord sayes The chiefe end of this miracle was to convince the enemies of Aaron Bring Aarons Rod backe againe to bee kept for a token against the Rebels As the Rodde was kept for a testimony against the rebels so it budded for a testimony against them the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.22 saith of tongues that they are for signes not to them that beleeve but to them that beleeve not so are miracles for the most part ordained for those that are unbeleevers Miracles doe not beget faith but confirme it or for those who had a small measure of faith in the beginning of the Gospell see what sort have beene most desirous of miracles those who had no faith first the Devill he cryed for a miracle that stones might be turned into bread Matth. 4.3 Secondly the rich glutton in hell he would have one sent from the dead to tell his brethren Luc. 16.30 Moses and the Prophets would not serve the turne so the misbeleeving Nazarits would have had a signe from Christ What sort of people desired miracles and the Iewes would have seene miracles Mat. 12.39 And Herod hoped to have seene some miracle of Christ Luc. 23.8 All these because they had not faith cryed for miracles When Paul healed the father of Publius the Consull of a fever he healed him by a miracle and made him presently to arise Act. 28.8 but he healed not Timothy that way but seemed rather to play the Physitian to him bidding him drinke no longer water but wine 1 Tim. 5.23 What was the reason of this Timothy beleeved therefore he needed not a miracle but the father of Publius beleeved not he was an infidell as yet therefore a miracle was more necessary for him many men cry for miracles but that argues infidelity in them but if thou didst beleeve thou neededst none of these they serve but for infidels but they serve nothing to beget faith the theefe said if thou wilt come downe from the Crosse and save thy selfe and us then I wil beleeve in thee Luc. 23.39 But if the death of Christ will not worke faith in the if thou shouldst see miracles both in heaven and earth they will never convert thee Quest What is the reason that God confirmes not now mens callings by miracles Answ Because now religion hath taken roote Why God confirmeth not mens calling by miracles Simile at the first when the Law and the Gospell were planted they were confirmed by miracles but when they once tooke roote he withdrew these miracles A gardner when he transplāteth a tree out of one ground to another before the tree take roote he setteth stayes to it he poureth water at the roote of it dayly but when it once taketh roote he ceaseth to water it and pulleth away the stayes that he set to uphold it and suffereth it to grow with the ordinary influence of the heavens so a Chirurgian when a legge is broken he bindeth it up but after the bones be fastened he taketh away these helps from it so the Lord in planting of Religon he put to these helpes of miracles as stayes to uphold it but when it is once confirmed and fastened he taketh away these helpes Quest What sort of miracle was this when Aarons rod did bud Ans The Schoolemen marke that there are three sorts of miracles First miracles in the highest degree Thom. contra gentiles Secondly miracles in the second degree and thirdly miracles in the lowest degree Miracles in the highest degree they make to be these Three sorts of miracles wherein nature never had a hand as for the sunne to goe backe and stand stil Miracles in the second degree they make to be these when nature had once an hand in them but when they are once decayed nature can never restore them againe nature bringeth forth a man seeing but when he is once blind nature can never make him to see againe but when he is restored to his sight againe this is a miracle in the second degree A miracle in the third degree they make to bee this when nature in time could doe such a thing but nature
Law putteth no difference in the worship of God betwixt the sonne the daughter the man-servant nor the maid-servant nor the stranger Exod. 22.10 but the ceremoniall Law alloweth the Priest to eate his sonne to eate his daughter to eate his servant bought with his money to eate and his servant borne in the house to eate but not the stranger Levit. 22.10 11 12. Why the servant borne within the house and bought with the money might eat the holy things Againe the servant that was bought with his mony and he that was borne in the house might eate to signifie unto us that they who are borne within the covenant they who are bought with the price of Christs blood although strangers before are partakers of Christs sacrifice but these who are strangers still are not partakers of his holy body The Priests daughter when she returned home to her father againe might eate of these lesse holy things so we being married to the law and it having dominion over us Rom. 7 1. we were out of our fathers house and might not eate of this holy bread but being dead to the law Rom. 7.4 and divorced from our sinnes as Widdowes we may come home to our fathers house and be partakers of the holy things Secondly What things the Priest and his sons might eat what things the Priest and his sonnes might eate that which was ignitum Iehovae the sacrifice which was burnt to the Lord by fire as the sinne offering and the Trespasse offering the Priest and his sonnes might eate of them but not his daughters so the Shewbread Levit. 24.9 and it the Shewbread shall be Aarons and his sonnes and they shall eate it in the holy place for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire The Priest and his sonnes might onely eate of the Shewbread but not his daughters but in necessity others might eate of it as well as the Priest and his sonnes as David and his men in necessity eate of it 1 Sam. 21.6 if they might eate of it in necessity much more might the Priests wife and his daughter in their necessity eate of it When the Priest asked David whether his men were cleane or not that they might eate of the Shewbread Quest whether might he have given them that bread in the time of their uncleannesse to eate of it in their necessity or not If it had beene in extreame necessity Ans he might have given them of this bread to eate to save their lives although they had beene in their uncleannesse but he could not have given them it in their lesse necessity when they were uncleane The Iewes have a rule A rule of the Iewes where thou findest a command to doe a thing and a prohibition to forbid a thing and they both cannot be kept then thou must leave the negative and fellow the affirmative Example a Nazarite is forbidden to shave his haire and the Leper is commanded to shave his haire Now when a Nazarite becomes a Leper which of these two shall he follow hee shall leave the negative precept which commanded him not to shave his haire and he shall follow the affirmative and shall shave his haire So the Priest is forbidden to give his daughter any of the Shewbread againe he is commanded to provide for his family now his daughter is like to sterve for hunger which of those two shall he follow he is to follow the affirmative here and to leave the negative So in the Sabbath c. The Place where they eate the holy things Thirdly the place where they were to eate the holy things some things they were to eate by the Altar that is in the Chambers of the Priests hard by the Altar some they were to eate in Ierusalem and some they were to eate in any part of Canaan Some things they were to eate in the Chambers nere the Altar Ezek. 42.14 those things in Levit. 10.12 they are said to eate at the Altar When Ezekiel describeth the Temple here he meaneth the Temple under Christ and the maintenance of the ministery under the Gospel as the Priests who served at the Altar under the law eate of the rest of the sacrifice in their Chambers so the ministers under the Gospell should be maintained now 1 Cor. 9.13 Secondly the lesse holy things they eate them in Ierusalem the Paschall Lambe was eaten within Ierusalem and not in the Temple therefore it was of those lesse holy things Quest The Paschall Lambe being the chiefe thing that represented Christ how is it reckoned amongst the lesse holy things Answ Why the Passeover was reckoned a lesse holy thing It was reckoned amongst the lesse holy things because there was little of it burnt but it was eaten by the people Secondly it could not be eaten as a Sacrament in the Temple for the distinction of the families that must eate it severally they all could not eat it in the Temple So the first Tithe was but a common holy thing or lesse holy and it might be eaten any where but the second tithe was the more holy tithe and therefore behoved to be eaten in the Temple before the Lord. Lastly when they might eat it Something 's they were bound to eate the selfe same day that the things were offred When they were to eat the holy things as the flesh of the sacrifice of the peaceoffering Levit. 7.15 some things might be eaten that same day that they were offered or upon the morrow as the sacrifice of the vow or a free-will offering Levit. 7.16 But they might eate none of the flesh of the Sacrifice upon the third day after it was offered but it was to be burnt with fire Levit. 7.17 18. Now time place distinction of persons No meat of it selfe uncleane and distinctions of meats are all taken away and it entereth not in at the mouth which defileth a man but that which commeth out of the mouth defileth him Matth. 15.11 there is no meat now that is uncleane in it selfe but it becommeth uncleane to them that receive it not with pure hearts Tit. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled and every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4 4. Of pollution by the dead Num. 29.11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be uncleane seven dayes THe pollution of man above other creatures Man more uncleane than any other creature sheweth the effects of sinne which causeth death Rom. 6.23 Hee that touched a dead beast was but uncleane untill the even Levit. 11.24 but he that touched a dead man was uncleane for seven dayes So he that touthe grave or the bones of a dead man was uncleane and therfore they were cōmanded to bury the bones of the dead when they found them in the way Ezek.
for the present day but lay up nothing against the morrow the Grashopper provideth not against the winter as the Ant doth there are others of them who liue by rapine as the Caterpillers who devour all and then flie away Nahum 3.16 and Nahum compareth the Merchants of Ninive to these that carry all the wealth away with them and there are some of those people which are insatiable as the Horsleach that hath two daughters who cry continually Prov. 30.15 Giue giue This sort of people are governed by instinct onely the Locusts haue no King yet they goe out in bands the Ant hath no guide Prov. 6.7 overseer or ruler yet shee provideth her meat in the Summer and gathereth her foode in the harvest although they haue no King or ruler to command them and oversee them neither a guide to direct them yet they are ruled by instinct There are a second sort of people that God hath placed here below and they are men and there is a greater difference amongst this people than amongst the former for looke upon some of them and yee shall hardly discerne whether they be men or not and as the Philosophers say there are some sorts of creatures that we cannot tell whether they liue the sensitiue or the vegetatiue life onely there is so little life in them as in the Shel-fish so it is hard to discerne whether those liue the reasonable life or the brutish onely they haue no lawes they lodge in the caues of the earth goe naked eat raw flesh and although they haue the shape of men yet they haue but the heart of beasts in them as Nebuchadnezzar had There are other men who are ruled by reason and politicke government for their God hath taught them he may be called their God in this respect Esay 28.26 as the Prophet Esay calleth him the husband-mans God because he teacheth him how to manure the ground and so God commeth neerer to them they are a people here but yet they are not Gods people and it is better to be a dorekeeper in the house of God Psal 84.10 than in highest advancement amongst such There is a third sort who liue in his Church and this is the highest societie in this life and here we shall see policie justice frugalitie and all vertues because Gods worship is here and as the inferior faculties of the soule are eminenter by way of excellencie contained in the superior so are all those comprehended in Religion and as the shadow followeth the bodie so doth policie and order follow Religion if a man would learne frugalitie let him looke to Ioseph Psal 104.22 who taught the Senatours of Egypt if he would learne policie let him looke to the government of Salomons Court and his house 2 King 4. if he would learne to be a good warriour let him see what order the Lord hath placed in the Campe of the Iewes Numb 80.10 and if he would learne justice he shall see it exactly described in the Law of God My Honourable Lord I haue made choise of your Lop. to recōmend this Treatise to your Patrocinie because yee know what it is to be amongst Gods people many great men if they get their portion in this life amongst the people of this world Psal 17. they care not to be Denisons in the societie of Gods people and they content themselues with the portion of this world and say Benum est hic esse but this is a freedome which is bought at a higher rate it cost the chiefe Captaine a great summe of money to be made a freeman in Rome Act. 22 28. but to be made a freeman in the Church of GOD it cost the price of Christs bloud Great men desire to be out of this first societie they desire not to liue like beasts but if they come to the second societie to liue like civill men that doth content them they giue GOD thankes perhaps for this that they are men and not beasts and that they haue beene bred civilly but few giue God thankes for this that they liue under the Gospell where they may learne Christ not many Noble are called 1 Cor. 2. Sometimes they may tremble and feare Act. 24.25 as Felix did Act 26.28 and put off their conversion to another time and some of them are like Agrippa who almost are perswaded to be Christians but few like Sergius Paulus Act. 13.7 who was converted at Pauls preaching My Lord you haue had still the practise of Religion in your house and one of the best helpes to further you your worthy and religious Lady whose name smelleth now like the wine of Lebanon when shee is gone Hosea 14.7 and now she enjoyeth the fruit of that when neither her Nobilitie birth or worldly honour profited nothing and this I write unto your Lop. beseeching you to goe on in that Christian course that both by your place and example you may draw others unto the truth The Lord promised that he would giue the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession to his Sonne Psal 2.8 this is the Motto of this Iland and the farther North it is the nearer to the ends of the earth studie therefore my good Lord that Iesus Christ may haue his possession enlarged in the North and this shall be your crowne in the latter day when all your possessions shall faile you Your Honours in all dutifull submission IOHN VVEEMSE THE CONTENTS Of the Iudiciall Law in generall Page 1 CHAPTER I. That Kingly Government is best Page 4. CAP. II. An explication of Iothams Parable Page 7 CAP. III. Why God was angry with them for chusing a King Page 12 CAP. IIII. What Samuel meant by mishpat hammelech Page 14 CAP. V. A difference betwixt the election of Saul and the election of David Page 16 CAP. VI. Of the annointing of their Kings and whether the Kings and Priests were annointed with the same oyle or not Page 18 CAP. VII How the Kings of Iudah and Israel brake the commandement in multiplying wiues Page 22 CAP. VIII A comparison betwixt Salomons Kingdome and Christs Page 27 CAP. IX Whether Rahab was a betrayer of the Citie of Iericho Page 34 CAP. X. Whether the Kingdome of Iudah or Israel were the best Government Page 38 CAP. XI Whether the Iewes might chuse Herod for their King Page 44 CAP. XII Whether Ishboseth was a rebell in affecting the Kingdome or not Page 47 CAP. XIII Whether it was lawfull for the Iewes to pay tribute to Caesar or not Page 49 CAP. XIIII Whether Naboth might haue justly denied to sell his vineyard to Ahab or not Page 52 CAP. XV. Whether the Iewes should be tollerated in a Christian Common-wealth Page 57 CAP. XVI Of the Synedrion of the Iewes Page 61 CAP. XVII Whether a Iudge is bound to giue sentence according to things proved and alleadged or according to his owne private knowledge Page 66 CAP.
stood foaming and roaring before them but hurt them not and therfore they were glad to put the skinnes of wild beasts upon them to make the Lyons runne upon them and teare them Thou that art a wicked man and hast no part of this Image of God to defend thee no marvaile if thy dogge bite thee thy horse braine thee or thy oxe gore thee Let us studie then for to haue this Image repaired in us if we would be in league with the beasts of the field Beasts surpasse man in many duties The dogges came and licked his sores The beasts many times out-strip man in many duties The Kine of Bethshemesh went streight forward with the Arke and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left but man many times declineth either to the right hand or to the left and he keepeth not this midst The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Esay 1.3 and Ier. 8.7 Yea the storke in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. And the Lord sendeth man to the Ant to learne wisedome Prov. 6.6 Goe to the ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Balaams Asse saw the Angell sooner then Balaam himselfe and therefore is it that the Scripture calleth men beasts and sendeth them to be taught by beasts which sheweth how farre man is degenerated from his first estate and what a low forme hee is in when the beasts are set to teach him Why God gaue his children a small portion in this life It may seeme strange why the Lord distributeth things so that he giveth such plentie and abundance to the rich glutton and so little to Lazarus seeing the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 God who doth all things in wisdome doth not this without good reason The Lord dealeth with his children in this life Simile as he did with the Israelites when he brought them to Canaan Numb 13.17 When he brought them to Canaan South a barren Countrey he made them to goe Southward into the Mountaines the South was a dry and barren part Iudg. 1.15 Thou hast given me a South-land giue me also springs of water so Psal 126.4 Turne againe our captivitie O Lord as the streames in the South hee prayeth that the Lord would refresh them now in the midst of bondage as the waters refreshed the dry and barren South And Iarchi noteth that the Lord did with his people here as Merchants doe who shew the worst cloath first Simile so dealeth the Lord with his children hee sheweth them the worst first and as at the wedding in Cana of Galilie the last wine was the best so is it here the Lord sheweth his children great afflictions and troubles the South part as it were at first but afterwards he bringeth them to the Land that floweth with milke and honey Secondly he bestoweth these outward and temporarie things but sparingly upon his children that hee may draw their hearts to the consideration of better things he giveth the wicked their portion in this life Psal 17.14 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 but he reserveth the good things for his owne children that is the holy Ghost the graces of the Spirit Luk. 11.9 It is a matter of great consequence to discerne what are the gifts of Gods favour Great skill required in discerning the gifts of Gods right hand many men thinke because they haue wealth and prosperitie they are the gifts of Gods favour and they seeme to stand under the Lords right hand but they are deceived Simile When Ephraim and Manasseh were brought before Iacob Ephraim was set at Iacobs left hand and Manasseh at his right hand but Iacob crossed his hands and laid his right hand upon Ephraims head and his left upon the head of Manasseh Gen. 48. So many men who seeme to stand at the Lords right hand shall be set at his left hand and many who seeme to stand at his left hand shall be set at his right hand Lazarus seemeth to stand now at his left hand but stay till you see him die and the Angels carry him to glory and then yee shall see him stand at the Lords right hand It is a point of great wisedome to know the Lords dispensing hand David prayeth Psal 17.7 separa benignitates tuas as if he should say giue us something O Lord that we may be discerned to be thy children from the wicked for by these outward favours wee shall never be knowne to be thy children The Lord careth not to throw a portion of this world to a wicked man as if one should throw a bone to a dogge but he will know well to whom hee giveth this rich gift of eternall life Death separateth the godly from the wicked And it came to passe that the beggar dyed and the rich man also dyed Death maketh a full separation betwixt the children of God and the wicked the sheepe and the goates may feed together for a while but the shepheard separateth them the wheat and the chaffe may lie in one floore together but the fanne separateth them and the good and the bad fish may be both in one net untill they be drawne to the land and the tares and the wheat may grow in one field for a while until the time of harvest so may the godly and the wicked liue together here for a while Simile but death maketh a totall and full separation Moses said to the Israelites stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene to day yee shall see them no more for ever Exod. 14.13 the red Sea made a separation betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians for ever So death separateth the children of God from the wicked that they shall never meete againe Betwixt us and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us Gods children should haue little medling with the world that would come from thence Luk. 16.26 This should teach the children of God to haue little medling with the wicked why because one day there shall be a totall and finall separation and this is a great comfort to his children oftentimes now they are afraid of the incursions of the wicked and of their bloodie hands but then they shall never be afraid of them The gates of the new Ierusalem were not shut at all Revel 21.25 to signifie that there shall be no feare of the enemie there And he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Here consider three things first how it commeth that the Angels are ministring spirits to man secondly what
this the Priest did not prophesie neyther made songues to the prayse of God but having put on this breastplate it was a signe to him that God would answer these doubts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he asked of him it is called the Brestplate of judgement mishpat signifieth eyther the administration of publike judgements Esa 41.3 or private affaires Pro. 13.23 est qui absumitur absqe judicio that is because his family is not rightly administrat It is called then the breastplate of judgement because the Lord taught his people in their doubtfull cases what to doe The breastplate and the Vrim and Thumim are distinguished by this vrim and thummim Exod. 28.30 Thou shalt put in the breastplate Vrim and Thummim Some hold that the twelve pretious stones set in the brestplate were called vrim and thummim as Kimchi but the Text maketh against that for the breastplate and the vrim and the thummim are distinguished vers 30. Some of the Iewes againe incline most to this sense that these two words vrim and Thummim were set in the breastplate as holinesse to the Lord was written in great letters upon a plate of Gold What this Vrim and Thummim were and set in the forehead of the highpriest But it seemeth rather that they were two pretious stones given by the Lord himselfe to be set in the brestplate and an Ancient Iew called Rabbi Bechai marketh ה demonstrativum that these two are set downe cum he demonstrativo for their excellencie Neyther saith the Lord thou shalt make vrim and thummim as hee sayd of the rest of the ornaments of the Highpriests thou shalt make this or that The letters did not make up the answer It is commonly holden that the letters did shine out of the breastplate of Aaron when the Lord gave his answers to him that he might read the answer by the letters but this could not be as may appeare by the forme of the brestplate following The forme of the Breast-plate When David asked of the Lord 1 Sam. 23.12 will the men of Keila deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord sayd ysgiru they will deliver thee here the letters in the brestplate would have made up this whole answer Iod from Iehuda Samech from Ioseph Gimel from Gad Iod from Levi Resh from Reuben and Vau from Reuben but Iudges 20.8 when the Israelites asked counsell of the Lord who shall goe up first to battell against Benjaman it was answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehuda Battechilla Iuda shall goe up first now there was not so many letters in the brestplate to expresse this answer for there wanted foure letters of the Alphabet in the brest-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 5.23 There wanted foure letters in the Breast-plate when David enquired of the Lord shall I goe up against the Philistimes the Lord answered Thou shalt not goe up but fetch a compasse behind them and come upon them over against the Mulberry trees The letters in the brestplate could not expresse all this therefore it was not by the letters that the Lord answered the Priest but when hee had on this brestplate How the Lord taught the Priest by Vrim and Thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rationale upon him then the Lord taught him what to answer and this brestplate was but a signe unto him that the Lord would answer him as Sampsons hayre was a signe unto him that the Lord would continue his strength with him as long as hee kept his haire how was the strength in Sampsons haire not as in the cause or in the subject but onely as in the signe so in the Apostles garments and shaddow The Vrim and Thummim were a signe onely that the Lord would answer the Priest they were but a signe of their power which they had in healing miraculously and so was vrim and thummim but a signe of this that the Lord would answer the Priest The vrim and thummim were not alwayes with the Arke The Vrim and Thummim were not ever with the Arke for all the time of Saul they asked not counsell of the Arke 1 Chron. 13.3 Let us bring againe the Arke of our God unto us for we enquired not at it in the dayes of Saul they went usually to aske counsell in the Tabernacle and Sanctuarie of the Lord Iud. 20. they went up to Silo where the Tabernacle was to aske the Lord then the Arke was in the Tabernacle but when the Arke was separated from the Tabernacle they might sacrifice in the Tabernacle So they might aske the Lord here by vrim and thummim although the Arke was not there When the Highpriest asked counsell for David at Nob the Arke was not there nor the Tabernacle but onely vrim and thummim but when the Arke and the vrim and thummim were together they alwayes enquired the Lord before the Arke and when they were separated they turned their faces towards the Arke wheresoever it was when they asked counsell by the judgement of vrim and thummim When David was in Ziglag 1 Sam. 30. he asked counsell of the Lord by the Priest but neyther the Arke nor the Tabernacle was ever in Ziglag a towne of the Philistims They asked counsell of the Lord at the Arke by the High Priest When any are sayd to aske counsell of the Lord who were not Highpriests as the Israelites are sayd thrice to aske the Lord. Iud. 20.18 1 Sam. 14.37 23.2 1 Chron. 14. they are understood to have done this by the Highpriest for Num. 27.21 Ioshua is commanded to aske counsell at the Lord by Eleazer the High-priest How he stood who asked counsell by Vrim and Thummim The manner how he stood who asked counsell of the Lord by the Highpriest He shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall aske counsell for him after the judgment of Vrim before the Lord. Num. 27.21 he stood not directly before the Highpriest for then he should have stood betwixt him and the Arke therefore liphne should be translated juxta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a latere or beside the Priest Hee stood by the Highpriest when he asked counsell and hee heard not what tht Lord sayd to the Priest but the Priest gave him his answer The Lord by Vrim and Thummim answered distinctly to every question When two things are demanded of the Lord he answered in order to them As 1 Sam. 23.9 will they come up The Lord answered they will come up So he answered to the second question will they deliver me They will deliver thee They asked not counsell of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim but in great and weighty matters They asked counsell by Vrim and Thummim onely in matters of weight as David after the death of Saul 1 Sam. 2. So 2 Sam. 5. they asked the Lord for the King for the common wealth or for a