where he made an entrance into his Hebrew studies he resolves to come up to London to take the opportunity of the Divinity Library there thereby to furnish himself with a good stock of Reading and Learning proper to the holy Employment he had undertaken before he engaged himself further in it Here he lay for some years close and private and read over the Fathers and many other Books tending to the furthering his Divinity studies He preached then indeed but seldom or not at all his business now being something else But when some who had a mind to have themselves eased by his labour charged this upon him as a crime of idleness to clear himself of that imputation he published his first Book to let the World see he was not idle though he preached not He never cared to be accused of idleness and his own conscience cleared him of that as he tells us before that Book though he confessed that he was not so hasty as many be to intrude himself where there is no necessity But when he had taken the charge of Souls upon him in all the parts of the Ministerial Function he was very diligent A constant Preacher resorting to his Parish Church which stood a mile distant every Sunday Winter and Summer wet and dry unless abroad or hindred by sickness He failed not to visit the sick whensoever sent for compassionating their condition and administring wholsom counsils and comforts to them He was a great enemy to Schism and Faction and uncharitable separation from the Church and did use to press Communion both in his Sermons and ordinary discourses And it may not be amiss to mention the notable argument he used to manage in the behalf of holding Communion with the National Church which was our Lords Example This he often and convincingly urged in this case and particularly but some few months before his death in one of his ordinary Sermons he had these words Let me ask them meaning the neglecters of the Publick Worship do they think that our Saviour ever let Sabbath day pass in all his time while here but he was present at the Publick Service either in the Temple or in the Synagogue Look the Gospel through and see by the current of the story there whether ever he absented himself from the Publick Congregation on the Sabbath day Read that Luke IV. 16. To spare more He came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his custom was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read It was his custom to go to the Synagogue to the Publick Service and Congregation on the Sabbath day and he never failed of it And he stood up for to read in his own Town-Synagogue as owning himself a member of that Congregation For it is not recorded that he read in any Synagogue beside It was his Custom to go to the Publick Congregation on the Sabbath day it is these Mens custom not to come there He never absented himself from the Publick Meeting these Men account it Religion to absent themselves ever Is our Publick Service more corrupt than theirs was then If it be let them shew it If it be not let them give a reason why they go so directly contrary to our Saviours own practice Generally his Sermons were very plain as preached to a Country Auditory and practical recommending above all things piety and a good life and if he chanced to fall upon controversial points in the course of his Sermons he would strive in few words to pass over the controversie and while he was upon it to render it as useful and serviceable to pious ends as he could His Sermons always carried a sweet and easie strain with them a Rhetorick peculiar to himself notably raising attention and making a quick impression upon the Affections Insomuch as he seldom failed of a great Auditory having scarce one in his Parish that absented from his Ministery And another qualification he had of a good Clergy-man and that was his Charity which was free and large His House was a continual Hospital none went away thence unrelieved which was so well known that he had a more than common charge at his Door For such was his compassionate Spirit that all sorts of comers pretending need partook of his liberality and he would frequently bring poor people within Doors to his fire to warm them as well as feed and cloth them Besides he used in the Winter seasons to find work for the poor of his Parish as spinning c. Whereby at once industry and labour might be encouraged and poverty succored And his secret charities are supposed considerable For he had 300 l. per annum and no charge nor visible expence and yet spent all Take him in his more private Capacity he was a truly pious and devout Christian towards God This was his friend Dr. Castels character of him I know no Man under Heaven whose Voicinity would make my life more patiently tolerated than to be near one who hath in him so much of Heaven as you have On the Lords days abroad as well as at home he always forbore eating or drinking till the Evening Service were over that he might be the more intent upon his Devotions and Meditations in private and the freer from dulness and drowsiness in publick a thing so unbecoming the Worship of God Whensoever he returned home from a journy it was his manner to pass through his House to his retirements without saluting or speaking to any body unless they came in his way till he had performed his private Devotions For his food whatsoever it was he was always very thankful to God never complaining of any thing at his Table but ever expressing a thankfulness for what ever was set before him besides his usual blessing before and after meals He was indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an universal Good Man which reconciled him a reverence wheresoever he came but for some particular Virtues he deserved Monstrari dicier Hic est To be taken notice of and admired I will instance only in his profound meekness and humility a Man so learned of such great abilities beyond most Men and yet so void of all conceit of himself so mean so little so nothing at all in his own Eyes that one would wonder to hear the expressions that he useth of himself In his Epistle to Christs College you have him in this strain Cum repeto quantum sine numero c. When I recollect what a number almost without number of learned eminent Men Christs College hath fostered and brought up I call my self Dunce and Blockhead to come from so learned a bosom and from among so learned a Society so unlearned so mean and obscure and still so to remain Oh! dull creature that I have been and am in and after so many and so great advantages and examples of Learning I rejoyce and triumph Dearest Nurse in the multitude of thy
at the mountain where he had appointed them The two times that he had appeared to them before this this Evangelist giveth account of before namely one time when Thomas was not present and another time when he was After dinner he putteth Peter to a threefold confession answerable to his threefold denial and foretelleth his Martyrdom but telleth that John should live till he should come meaning in that sense as his coming and coming in glory is oft used in the Gospel namely his coming to take vengeance of the unbelieving Jewish Nation Peter should be Martyred by them but John should live to see them receive their deserts SECTION XCII MATTH Chap. XXVIII from Ver. 16. to the end MARK Chap. XVI Ver. 15 16 17 18. LUKE Chap. XXIV Ver. 49. A sixth appearing at the mountain in Galilee to all the eleven and 500 more HIs appointing them into Galilee to such a mount it is like to that mount near Capernaum where he had chosen the Apostles and made his Sermon Matth. 5. was not barely to appear to the eleven for that had he done before and that could he have done at Jerusalem but it was an intended meeting not only with the eleven but with the whole multitude of his Galilean and other Disciples and therefore he published this appointment so oft before and after his Resurrection and we cannot so properly understand his being seen of above five hundred brethren at once of which the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 15. 6. of any other time and place as of this He had appointed the place and the concourse argueth that he had appointed the time too or at least this concourse waited at the place till his time should come And here may we conceive that he kept the Lords day or the first day of the week for the Christian Sabbath with this multitude of his Disciples revealing himself clearly to them and preaching to them of the things that concerned the Kingdom of God Particularly he gives command and commission to go and Disciple all Nations For whereas hitherto he had confined them to preach only to Israel now must they preach to every creature Mark 16. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Colos. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Jews ordinary language that is to all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon in his Proverbs makes known Theory and Practice to the creatures Kafvenaki in Prov. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He causeth the Holy Ghost to dwell upon the Creatures Midr. Til. in Psal. 135. Nimrod made Idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and caused the creatures to erre Tanch fol. 8. 4. The Lord requires that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the creatures should pray before him Id. fol. 16. 4. In which and an hundred other instances that might be given the word Creatures signifieth only Men and their charge and commission to preach the Gospel to every creature means to all men the Gentiles as well as the Jews Warrant then and charge is given for the fetching of them in the great Mystery Ephes. 3. 4 6. who had lain subject to vanity of Idolatry and under the bondage of all manner of corruption ever since their casting off at Babel 2203 years ago They had been taught of the devil his oracles and delusions c. but now they must all be taught of God Isa. 54. 13. by the preaching of the Gospel They had in some few numbers in this space been taught by Israel to know the Lord and proselyted into their Religion but now such proselyting should not need for all must come to the knowledge of God Heb. 8. 11. the Gospel carrying the knowledge of him and it being carried through all Nations Those of them that had come into the Church of Israel and the true Religion had been inducted and sealed into it by being baptized Talm. in Jebam per. 4. c. And so that proselyte Sacrament as I may so call it must be carried and continued among all Nations as a badge of homage and subjection to Christ to whom all power is given in Heaven and earth and of the profession of the true God The Father Son and Holy Ghost against all false Gods and false worship Infants born of Christian Parents are to bear this badge though when they undertake it they understand not what they do because none in Christian Families should continue without the note of homage to Christs soveraignty and this distinctive mark against Hethenism that worshippeth false Gods as no male among Israel after eight daies old must be without the badge of Circumcision Discipling was not of persons already taught but to that end that they should be taught and if the Disciples understood this word in Christs command after any other sense it was different from the sense of the word which the Nation had ever used and only used For in their Schools a person was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scholar or Disciple when he gave in himself to such a Master to be taught and trained up by him and in the Discipling of Proselytes to the Jews Religion it was of the very like tenour That sense therefore that many put upon these words viz. that none are to be baptized but those that are throughly taught is such a one as the Apostles and all the Jewish Nation had never known or heard of before That wretched and horrid opinion that denieth the Godhead of Christ and the Godhead of the Holy Ghost little observeth or at least will not see why the administration of Baptism among the Gentiles must be in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost whereas among the Jews it was only in the Name of Jesus Act. 2. 38. namely for this reason that as by that among the Jews Jesus was to be professed for the true Messias against all other so by this among the Gentiles who had worshipped false Gods The Father Son and holy Ghost should be professed the only true God And it would be but a wild as well as an irreligious Paraphrase that that opinion would make of this passage Go preach the Gospel to every Creature and Baptize them in the Name of the Son a Creature and the holy Ghost a Creature He promiseth the miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost to them that should believe not to all but to some for the confirmation of the Doctrine and chargeth the Disciples to return to Jerusalem and there to stay till he should pour down the holy Ghost upon them to inable them for this Ministry among all Nations to which he had designed them Mark and Luke do briefly add the story of his ascension because they will dispatch his whole story but that is related more amply Act. 1. A seventh appearing To Iames. After the appearing to above five hundred Brethren at once which we suppose and not without ground to have been that last mentioned the Apostle relateth that he was seen of James 1 Cor. 15. 7. and then of all
burnt down upon the Lords day or on the Christian Sabbath Fire put to it upon their Sabbath and it burnt all ours And so the City fell upon their Sabbath as was mentioned out of Dion even now SECTION II. The face and state of the Country after the Cities ruine WE will first begin at Jerusalem it self It was laid so desolate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That travellers by could see no sign that it had been ever inhabited they are the words of Josephus De Bell. lib. 7. cap. 1. The Friars there and the Maps here with us that point out places so punctually as to tell you Here was Pilates Palace here the Highpriests here the dolorous way c. must receive more curtesie from your belief then they can give proof to their assertion It appears by the constant and copious testimony of the Jews that the City and Temple were not only laid flat by fire ruine and demolishment but that Turnus Rufus brought a plow over them to make good that Prophesie Zion shall be plowed as a field The plowman would find but rugged work They allot it as observed before to have been on the same day of the year and so a twelvemonth at the least must intercede What the beauty of the place had been needs no Rhetorick to set it forth nor what the populousness the Temple if there had been no other goodly structures was enough to speak the one and the multitude of their Synagogues the other their own records sum them up to four hundred and threescore R. Phinehas in the name of R. Hoshaiah saith there were 460 Synagogues in Jerusalem and every one had a house for the Book of the Law for the publickreading of that and a house for the publick teaching and explaining the traditions Jerus Chetub fol. 35. col 3. which in Megillah fol. 73. col 4. and in R. Solomon upon the first of Isaiah are reckoned up to four hundred and fourscore But now not one relick left of Temple Synagogue Midrash House oâ— any thing else but rubbish and desolation Her people used this custom while she stood that on all other days of the year the unclean walked in the middle of the street and the clean by the house sides and the unclean said unto them Keep off But on the days of the Festivals the clean walked in the middle of the street and the unclean by the house sides and then the clean bid Keep off Jerus Shekalin fol. 51. col 1. But now where is that company that niceness nay where are the streets Titus himself some time after the desolation coming that way could not but bemoan the fall of so brave a City and cursed the Rebels that had occasioned so fatal a destruction Joseph De Bell. lib. 7. cap. 15. How the Country near about was wasted with so long and terrible a siege and indeed the whole Country with so dreadful a War it is easier conceived then expressed Josephus tells particularly much of it and this thing for one That all the timber twelve miles about the City was cut down and brought in to make forts and engines for the siege lib. 6. cap. 40. We may take a view of the whole Country as to the surface and situation of it in this prospective of their own The Land say they that Israel possessed that came out of Babylon was these three Countries Judea Galilee and Beyond Jordan and these were severally tripartite again There was Galilee the upper and Galilee the neather and the Vale. From Caphar Hananiah upward all that bears not Sycamores is Galilee the upper and from Caphar Hananiah downward all that doth bear Sycamores is Galilee the lower and the border of Tiberias is the Vale. And in Judea there is the Mountanous and the Plain and the Vale. And the plain of Lydda is as the plain of the South and the mountanous thereof as the mountain royal From Bethoron to the Sea is one Region Shiviith per. 9. halac 2. The Jerusalem Gemarists do adâ— thus What is the vale in Galilee The vale of Genezareth and the adjoyning What is the mountanous in Judea This is the mountain royal and the plain thereof is the plain of the South and the vale is from Engedi to Jericho And what is the mountanous beyond Jordan R. Simeon ben Eleazar saith The hills of Maâ—var and Gedor And the plain thereof Heshbon and all her Cities Dibon Bamoth Baal and Beth Baal Meon And the vale is Beth Haran and Beth Nimrah Sheviith fol. 38. col 4. It were endless to trace the footsteps of the War particularly in all these places let Josephus be consulted for that we may say in short that hardly any considerable place escaped but such as were peaceable or such as were unaccessible Of the later sort the mountanous of Judah was the chiefest place Joshua 21. 1. Luke 1. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mountain royal as the Hebrew Writers do commonly call it a place incredibly populous as they testifie Jerus Taanith fol. 69. col 1. Hither Christ gives his Disciples warning before hand to flee when these evils should come Matth. 24. 16. Which warning we cannot judge but they took and so planted here as in a place of safety by his warrant Though therefore the Country were extreamly wasted with so long and so furious a War yet was it not utterly waste nor the Nation destroyed from being a people though it were destroyed from being what it had been Those places and persons that had quietly submitted to the Roman power if they had escaped the fury of their own seditious ones were permitted to live in quiet yea to injoy their own Religion and Laws they in the mean while demeaning themselves as peaceable subjects to that power that had brought them under And for one acknowledgment of that subjection they were injoyned to pay that Didrachma or half shekel that they usually paid to the Temple for their lives to Jupiter Capitolinus Xiphil apud Dionem pag. 748. Their Sanhedrin continued in the same lustre and state as it had done for many years before the City fell and their Synagogues in the same posture and their Religion in the same condition save only those parts of it which were confined to Jerusalem which was now in the dust And generally the places and people that had escaped the War if they would live quiet did injoy their quietness as well as men could do in a Land in such a condition as into which it was now brought SECTION III. The Sanhedrin sitting at Iabneh Rabban Iochanan ben Zaccai President ALthough Rabban Simeon the President of the Council was caught in Jerusalem as in a trap and so lost his life yet Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai his Vice-President and who was also then in the City with him made a shift to escape He spake and acted for Caesar as much and as long as he durst and when he saw he could no longer be in safety
it recorded the delivering of the Law at Mount Sinai which was given at the very same time And thus the giving of the Law at Sinai for the bringing of the Jews into a Church and the gift of the Holy Ghost at Sion for the like of the Gentiles did so nearly agree in the manner of their giving both in fire and in the time both at Pentecost Only as the Christian Sabbath was one day in the week beyond the Jewish Sabbath so this Pentecost when the Holy Ghost was given was one in the month beyond the Pentecost at the giving of the Law that being on the sixth day of the month Sivan and this on the seventh §. 2. The Pentecost on which the Holy Ghost was given was the first day of the week namely Sunday or the Lords day As our Saviour by rising on the first day of the week had honoured and sealed that day for the Christian Sabbath instead of the Jewish which was the day before and as is said by the Psalmist that was the day which the Lord had made when the stone refused was become the head of the corner so did he again augment the honour and set home the authority and dignity of that day in pouring out the Holy Ghost upon the Disciples and performing the great promise of the Father on it Which that it may be the more clearly seen it will not be amiss to lay down the time from our Saviours passion to this time in manner of a Calendar that the readers eye may be his Judge in this matter And let it not be tedious to take in the account of five or six days before his passion which though it may be a little Parergon or besides this purpose yet may it not be useless or unprofitable nay in some respect it is almost necessary since we cannot in reason but begin our Kalendar from the beginning of the month Nisan though our Saviour suffered not till the fifteenth day of it  I.  Nisan or Abib the first month of the year stilo novo Exod. 12. 2.  II.    III.    IV.    V.    VI.    VII    VIII   Saturday or Jews Sabbath IX  This night our Saviour suppeth at Bethany where Mary anointeth his feet and Judas repineth at the expence of the ointment Joh. 12. 1.  X.  The next day he rideth into Jerusalem c Joh. 12. 12. Matth. 21. 1. to vers 17. Mark 11. 1. to vers 11. Luke 19. 29. to vers 45. Sunday   At night he goeth again into Bethany Matth. 21. 17. Mark 11. 11. Munday XI  The next day he goeth to Jerusalem again and curseth the Fig-tree Matth. 21. 18 19. Mark 11. 12 13 14. and coming to the Temple casteth out buyers and sellers Mark 11. 15 16 17 18. Luke 19. 45 46 47. c.    At Even he goeth to Bethany again Mark 11. 19. Tuesday XII  He goeth to Jerusalem again Mark 11. 20. Peter and the rest of the Disciples note the withred Fig-tree Mark 11. 20 21. c. Matth. 21. 20. c. They come to the Temple and the Scribes and Pharisees question his authority Mark 11. 27. c. Matth. 21. 23. Luke 20. 1. which he answereth with a question about the Baptist Matth. 21. 24. c. Mar. 11. 29. c. Luke 20. 3. Propounded the Parable of the Vineyard Matth. 21. 28. to the end Mark 12. 1. c. Luke 20. 9. c. And he speaketh all contained in Matthew 22 23 Chapters and Mark 12. from verse 13 to the end and Luke 20. from verse 20. to verse 5. of Chap. 21.    At night he goeth towards Bethany again and on Mount Olivet looketh on the Temple and uttereth all contained in Matth. 24 25. and Mark 13. and Luke 21. from verse 5. to the end    This night he suppeth in Bethany with Simon the Leper Matth. 26. The sop given to Judas not at the Passover nor at Jerusalem but two days before the one and two miles from the other 1 2 6. Mark 14. 1 2 3. and hath ointment poured on his head after Supper he riseth from the Table and washeth his Disciples feet and giveth Judas the sop Joh. 13. 2 26. c. With the sop the Devil entreth into him and he goeth in the dark from Bethany to Jerusalem and bargaineth for the betraying of Jesus Wednesday XIII  Christ is still at Bethany Judas having done his hellish work with the Chief Priests is returned to Bethany again Thursday XIV  The Passover Christ eateth it this day as well as the Jews Mark 14. 12. Luke 22. 7. After the Passover he ordaineth the Sacrament Mark 14. 22. Judas received the Sacrament Luke 22. 14 21. Upon our Saviours hinting of his treacherousness a question ariseth among the Disciples about it and that breedeth another question among them which of them should be the greatest Vers. 23 24.    That debate Christ appeaseth telleth Peter again of his denyal maketh that divine speech contained in the fifteenth sixteenth seventeenth Chapters of John singeth the 113 or the 114 Psalm goeth into the Mount of Olives is apprehended brought to Annas the head or chief Judge in the Sanhedrin by him bound and sent to Caiaphas Joh. 18. 13 14. c. and there is in examination and derision all the night Friday XV.  The forenoon of this day was the preparation of the Passover Bullock Joh. 19. 14. the afternoon is the preparation of the Sabbath Luke 23. 54. Mark 15. 42. Early in the morning Christ is brought to Pilate the Roman Deputy Mark 15. 1.    At nine a clock he is delivered to the Souldiers and common Rabble Mark 14. 25. and brought out to the Jews Joh. 19. 1. to 13.    At twelve a clock or high noon he is condemned and presently nailed to his Cross Joh. 19. 13 14. the time of the day that our first Parents eat and fell    Now began the darkness Luke 23. 44. and lasted three hours the very space that Adam was under the darkness of sin without the Promise    At three a clock in the afternoon Christ yieldeth up the Ghost Mark 15. 34. the very time when Adam had received the promise of this his passion for his redemption    At Even he is buried Matth. 27. 57.    This day being the first in the Passover week was called a Sabbath Lev. 23. 11. and a very solemn day it should have been and no work done in it but observe how far and how vilely the Jews did violate it and that law at this time Saturday the Jews Sabbath XVI  Christ resteth in the grave this day being the Sabbath But the Jews rest not from their villany For on this day they
For so was he indeed distinguished from all mortals and Sons of men And God saith he had then begotten him when he had given a token that he was not a meer man by his divine power whereby he had raised him from the dead And according to the tenor of the whole Psalm God is said to have begotten him then when he was ordained King in Sion and all Nations subdued under him Upon which words that passage of our Saviour uttered immediately after he had arisen from the dead is a good Commentary All power is given unto me c. Matth. XXVIII What do those words mean Matth. XXVI 29. I will not henceforth drink of this fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom They seem to look this way viz. I will drink no more of it before my Resurrection For in truth his Resurrection was the beginning of his Kingdom when he had overcome those enemies of his Satan Hell and Death from that time was he begotten and established King in Zion I am mistaken if that of Psal. CX v. 3. doth not in some measure fall in here also which give me leave to render by way of paraphrase into such a sense as this Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power it shall be a willing people in the beauties of holiness it shall be a willing people from the Womb of the morning thine is the dew of thy youth Now the dew of Christ is that quickning power of his by which he can bring the dead to life again Isai. XXVI 19. And the dew of thy youth O Christ is thine That is it is thine own power and vertue that raiseth thee again I would therefore apply those words from the womb of the morning to his Resurrection because the Resurrection of Jesus was the dawn of the new world the morning of the new Creation VERS XXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sure mercies of David IT hath been generally observed that this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken from the Greek Version in Isai. LV. 3. But it is not so generally remarked that by David was understood the Messiah which yet the Rabbins themselves Kimchi and Ab. Ezra have well observed the following Verse expressly confirming it The Resurrection of our Saviour therefore by the interpretation of the Apostle is said to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sure mercies of Christ. And God by his Prophet from whence this clause is taken doth promise the raising again of the Messiah and all the benefits of that Resurrection He had fortold and promised his death Chap. LIII But what mercies could have been hoped for by a dead Messiah had he been always to have continued dead They had been weak and instable kindnesses had they terminated in death He promises mercies therefore firm and stable that were never to have end because they should be always flowing and issuing out of his resurrection Whereas these things are quoted out of the Prophet in the words of the LXX varying a little from the Prophets words and those much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold ye despisers and wonder c. vers 41. it might be enquired in what language the Apostle preached as also in what language Moses and the Prophets were read in that Synagogue vers 15. If we say in the Greek it is a question whether the Pisidians could understand it If we say in the Pisidian language it is hardly to be believed the Bible was then rendred into that language It is remarkable what was quoted above out of Strabo where he mentions four tongues amongst them the Greek and the Pisidian distinct from one another But this I have already discusst in the Notes upon Verse 15. of this Chapter VERS XLI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Behold ye despisers c. DR Pocock a a a a a a Poc. Miscell 3. here as always very learnedly and accurately examines what the Greek Interpreters Hab. I. read saving in the mean time the reading which the Hebrew Bibles exhibit for it is one thing how the Greek read it and another thing how it should be truly read VERS XLII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Gentiles besought c. IT is all one as to the force of the words as far as I see whether you render them they besought the Gentiles or the Gentiles besought them the later Version hath chiefly obtained but what absurdity is it if we should admit the former And doth not the very order of the words seem to favour it If it had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one might have inclined to the later without controversie but being it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is place for doubting And if it were so that the Jews resented the Apostles doctrine so ill that they went out of the Synagogue disturbed and offended as some conjecture and that not improbably we may the easilier imagine that the Apostles besought the Gentiles that tarried behind that they would patiently hear these things again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the next Sabbath I. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lexicons tell us amongst other things denotes hence forward or hereafter Now this must be noted that this discourse was held in the fore noon for it was that time of the day only that they assembled in the Synagogue in the afternoon they met in Beth Midras Let us consider therefore whether this phrase will not bear this sense They besought that afterwards upon that Sabbath viz. in the afternoon they would hear again such a Sermon And then whether the Gentiles besought the Apostles or the Apostles the Gentiles it dot not alter the case II. Let us inquire whether the Apostles and the Christian Church did not now observe and celebrate the Lord's day It can hardly be denyed and if so then judge whether the Apostles might not invite the Gentiles that they would assemble again the next day that is upon the Christian Sabbath and hear these things again If we yield that the Lord's day is to be called the Sabbath then we shall easily yield that it might be rightly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sabbath after And indeed when the speech was amongst the Jews or Judaizing Proselytes it is no wonder if it were called the Sabbath As if the Apostles had said to morrow we celebrate our Sabbath and will you on that day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have these words preached to you III. Or let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the week betwixt the two Sabbaths as that expression must be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I fast twice in the week then as the sense is easie that they besought them the same things might be repeated on the following week so the respect might have more particularly been had to the second and fifth day in the week when they usually meet together in the Synagogue
Lords day They celebrated it and made no manner of scruple as appears concerning it but they would have their old festival days retained too and they disputed not at all whether the Lords day were to be celebrated but whether the Jewish Sabbath were not to be celebrated also So they admitted Baptism but it went against them not to admit Circumcision also And so also in some other Articles of Judaism not rejecting the Gospel but superinducing something of Judaism As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia saith the Apostle so do ye also On every first day of the Week c. And yet the same Apostle saith of the same Galatians Ye observe days and months Not that they refused the Christian Sabbath but that they retained the Jewish Sabbaths II. The Lords day sufficiently commended it self by its own authority nor could the institution of it at all be doubted by the converted Gentiles as never knowing or at least owning any other Sabbath nor by the converted Jews if they acknowledged Jesus for the true Messias because they had learnt in their Schools that Messiah should make a new Law as Moses had made the old And that also which they had drunk in from their cradles that Messiah should not abolish the Institutions of Moses but raise them higher and make them more splendid although it might be more a scruple among them of the abolishing the Jewish Sabbath yet it could make none of superinducing the Christian Sabbath III. In that controversie of the change of the Sabbath from the Jewish to the Christian which some prosecute too much without any cause they reckon the Scriptures silence concerning the Institution of the Lords day for a denial of the thing as if it were by no means to be believed because it is not expressed in plain words Among many things said in that case let us put in these few I. The Holy Text indeed is silent of this matter while the scene of Christian affairs is laying in Judea mention being only made by the Evangelists of the appearances of Christ the first day of the week namely on that day wherein he arose from the dead and the first day of the week following Joh. XX. 26. But when the scene is transferred to the Gentiles then there is very open mention of it namely in this place and Act. XX. 7. and Revel I. 10. II. For the chief care concerning mentioning the Sabbath was this that mention might be made of that Sabbath which was to be among the Gentile Churches and was to endure for ever And of that mention is most evidently made in the history of those Churches III. Therefore the former silence does by no means argue that the Apostles and Disciples in Judea converted to the faith did not celebrate the Lords Day or that they observed it not by Divine Institution but by good right and reason the mention of it is reserved to its most proper place that is in the story of the Gentile Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laying up For these saith Beza are true riches laid up in Heaven c. By occasion of whose words let us add these few passages of the same subject A b b b b b b Bab. Cheâ—ubâ— fol. 66. 2. certain woman came to Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai and said Sir vouchsafe me sustinence To whom he answered And who art thou my daughter I saith she am the daughter of Nicodemus ben Gorion And replied he O daughter what is become of the riches of the family of thy Father She answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Rabbi Do not they use this Proverb at Jerusalem The salt of riches is the want of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But those that stood by said to her But mercy or alms is their salt Where the Gloss is Whosoever will season his riches that is make them not to putrifie let him bestow them in alms and the want of riches arising from such a cause is the seasoning of them VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For I do pass through Macedonia THERE is a division about the sense and translation of these words and here indeed the whole hinge of the controversie turns upon the place whence this Epistle was writ There are some that render it to this sense I am now passing through Macedonia which without doubt he did whosoever he were who first joyned those words to the end of the Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi and they must do the same who think it sent from thence But the Vulgar and Interlineary Interpreter For I shall pass through Macedonia in the future tense is more true and best of all For that this Epistle was sent from Ephesus these and other things make plain I. That the Apostle salutes the Corinthians in the name of the Churches of Asia which it is probable he would not at all have done if he now were in Macedonia But be it granted that he very lately coming out of Asia carried the salutations of those Churches along with him it is as improbable that he would not also salute them in the name of the Churches of Macedonia II. It appears that he wrote this Epistle before he came into Macedonia from what he saith in the second Epistle Chap. II. 12 13. and Chap. VII 5 6 7. For when he met not Titus at Troas whom together with Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus he had sent to Corinth with this Epistle nor as yet could know what fruit it had gained among the Corinthians he hastned a journey into Macedonia And when he came thither and found not Titus there he stayed for some time with an unquiet mind until Titus the messenger of good news at last came III. He saith vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall tarry in Ephesus as if he would say Here at Ephesus where now I am I shall remain until Pentecost VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I will tarry in Ephesus WHETHER he tarried at Ephesus until the time determined by him that is Pentecost or the uproar of Demetrius drove him away thence sooner is uncertain Being driven thence Macedonia received him as is related Act. XX. Where although among his travails there is no mention of his journy to Corinth yet thither he travailed while his companions went before to Troas and expected him there VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For a door is opened to me c. See Act. XIX 17 18 19 20. VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if Timothy come THIS place deceived him again who added the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Underwriting to this Epistle in whose fancy Timothy was sent with Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus to bring the Epistle to the Corinthians by no light mistake for Timothy indeed was sent but from Ephesus into Macedonia with Erastus Act. XIX 22. to see the Corinthians in his return but not at all sent
all to pieces and the noblest Creature to whom God put all other Creatures in subjection was himself become like the beasts that perish the beasts that were put in subjection to him and when Satan the enemy of God as well as man had thus broke all to pieces the chief work-manship of God here the world was mar'd as soon as made And as God in six days made Heaven and Earth and all things therein so before the sixth day went out Satan had mar'd and destroyed him for whom all these things were created God therefore coming in with the promise of Christ who should destroy Satan that had destroyed all and having now created a new world of grace and brought in a second Adam the root of all were to be saved and having restored Adam that not only from his lost condition but into a better condition than he was in before as having ingrafted him and all believers into Christ a surer foundation than natural perfection which he had by Creation but had now lost then he rested as having wrought a greater work than the Creation of nature But then you will say that the first Sabbath was of Evangelical institution not of moral that then the law for keeping of it was not written in Adams heart but was of Evangelical revelation I may answer truly that it was both For though Adam had not sinned yet must he have kept the Sabbath And to this purpose it is observable that the institution of the Sabbath is mentioned Gen. II. before the fall of Adam is mentioned Gen. III. partly because the Holy Ghost would mention all the seven days of the first week together and partly to intimate to us that even in innocency there must have been a Sabbath kept a Sabbath kept if Adam had continued in innocency and in that regard the Law of it to him was Moral and written in his heart as all the Laws of piety towards God were It is said Gen. II. 15. The Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress and keep it Now if Adam had continued in innocency do you think he must have been at work dressing and keeping the Garden on the Sabbath day as on the other six He had Gods own copy so laid before him of working six days and resting the seventh that he could not but see that it was laid before him for his Example But you will say All the Moral Law was written in Adams heart as soon as he was created now the Law to keep the Sabbath could not be because the Sabbath was not yet created nor come And by then the Sabbath came the Law in his heart was blurred by sin and his fall I answer The Law writ in Adams heart was not particularly every Command of the two Tables written as they were in two Tables line by line but this Law in general of piety and love toward God and of justice and love towards our neighbour And in these lay couched a Law to all particulars that concerned either to branch forth as occasion for the practice of them should arise As in our natural corruption brought in by sin there is couched every sin whatsoever too ready to bud forth when occasion is offered So in the Law in his heart of piety towards God was comprehended the practice of every thing that concerned love and piety towards God as occasion for the practice was offered Under this Law was couched a tie and Law to obey God in every thing he should command And so though the command Eat not of the forbidden fruit was a Positive and not a Moral Command yet was Adam bound to the obedience of it by virtue of the Moral Law written in his heart which tyed him to love God and to obey him in every thing he should command And so the Sabbath when it came although you look upon it as a positive command in its institution yet was it writ also in Adams heart to obey God in that Command especially when God had set him such a Copy by his own resting II. A second thing observable in that first Sabbath and which was transmitted to posterity as a Law to keep is that now it had several ends As in man there is something of the perfection of every Creature a Spirit as Angels Life as Beasts Growth as Trees a Body as Stones so the Sabbath hath something of the excellency and of the end of every Law that was or could be given There are four sorts of Laws which God hath given to men Moral Commentorative Evangelical and Typical Moral Laws are given in the Ten Commandments Commemorative Laws as the Law of the Passover to commemorate the delivery out of Egypt Pentecost to commemorate the giving of the Law Typical as Sacrifices Priesthood Purifications sprinkling of blood to signifie good things to come as the Apostle speaks and to have their accomplishing in Christ Evangelical such as repentance self-denial believing c. Now the Sabbath is partaker of all these Ends together and hath the several excellencies of all these ends included in its self And so had that first Sabbath appointed to Adam First The Moral end is to rest from labours So in this fourth Commandment six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work c. So Jer. XVII 21. Thus saith the Lord Take heed to your selves to bear no burthen on the Sabbath day nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem Neither bring forth a burthen out of your houses neither do you any work but hallow the Sabbath day as I commanded your fathers Oh! then I celebrate the Sabbath saith the Sabbath-breaker for I do no work but play and recreate and drink and sit still and do no work at all Friend dost thou think God ever established idleness and folly by a Law That he hallowed the Sabbath day to be a playing fooling sporting day But Christian how readest thou as a Christian The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God not a Sabbath for thy lust and laziness And in it thou shalt do no manner of work of thine own but the work of the Lord thy God And the rest that he hath commanded is not for idleness but for piety towards God for which end he gave all the Laws of the first Table viz. to leave communion with the world and worldly things that day and to have it with God as in Esai LVIII 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy will on my holy days and call the Sabbath a delight As Moses to betake our selves to the mount of God and there to have communion with him To get into the Mount above the world and there to meet God and converse with him To be in the Spirit on the Lords day and not to recreate the Body but the Soul To gather Spiritual strength for that which it may be hath been scattered in our wordly employment Secondly There is a commemorative end of the Sabbath to
time and story come in the three first Verses of the second Chapter and the story lyeth thus Dayes of the Creation VII GOD having thus created all things * * * Read ver 2. For on the seventh day God had ended his work otherwise there may be a doubt upon it whether God created not something on the seventh day This the lxx Saw and therefore they translate it different from the Original word And God ended his works on the sixth day in six days and man having thus fallen and heard of Christ and of death and eternal life and other like things on the sixth day the Lord ordaineth the seventh day for a Sabbath or holy rest and Adam spendeth it in holy duties and in meditation of holy things The mention of the institution of the Sabbath is laid in the beginning of the second Chapter though the very time and place of that story be not till after the end of the third 1. Because the holy Ghost would dispatch the whole story of the first week or seven days of the world together without interposition of any other particular story 2. Because he would shew that Adam should have kept the Sabbath though he had never sinned And therefore the mention of the Sabbath is before the mention of his sin CHAP. IV. THE exact times of the stories of the fourth Chapter are not to be determined and therefore they must be left to be taken up by conjecture in the times of the fifth as they are cast into the following table and so conjecturally also must we measure out the parallel and collateral times of the generations of Cain and Seth that are either named here or hereafter to the floud Cain and Abel born twins yet the one the seed of the Serpent and the other of the Woman In Cain was legible the poyson that Satan had breathed into fallen man and in Abel the breathing of grace into the elect and a figure of the death of Christ. God fireth Abels sacrifice from heaven but despiseth Cains yet readeth to him the first doctrine of repentance That if he did well he should certainly be accepted and though he did not well yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sin-offering lieth at the door if he repented there was hope of pardon Thus as God had read the first lecture of faith to Adam in the promise of Christ Chap. 3. 15. so doth he the first lecture of repentance to Cain under the doctrine of * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very commonly taken for a sin offering and the sacrifices were constantly brought to the Tabernacle door a sin-offering But Cain despiseth his own mercy is unmerciful to his brother and is denied mercy from the Lord. He beggeth for death that he might be shut out of that sad condition to which God hath doomed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now therefore let it be that any one that findeth me may kill me but this God denieth him and reserve th him to a longlife that he might reserve him to long misery Lamech a branch of this root bringeth into the world the abomination of Polygamie or of having more wives at once than one for which God smiteth him with horrour of conscience that he himself might be a witness against that sin that he had introduced and he censureth himself for a more deplorate and desperate wretch than Cain For that Cain had slain but one man and had only destroyed his body but he himself had destroyed both young and old by his cursed example which was now so currently followed and entertained in the world that ere long it was a special forwarder of its destruction that if Cain was to be avenged seven-fold Lamech deserved seventy and seven-fold In this stock of Cain also began Idolatry and worshipping the creature instead of the Creator blessed for ever and in a mournfull feeling of this dishonour done to God by it Seth calls his Son that was born to him in those times Enosh or sorrowfull because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then began profaness in calling upon the name of the Lord. Noah in 2 Pet. 2. 5. seemeth to be called the eighth in reference to these times namely the eighth in succession from Enosh in whose times the world began to be profane CHAP. V. THis fifth Chapter measureth the time and age of the world between the Creation and the Flood which was 1655. years compleat Being cast into a Table it will not only shew the currency but the concurrency of those times or how those Patriarchs whose times it measureth lived one with another The Reader will not need any rules for the explaining of the Table his own Arithmetick will soon shew him what use to make of it The first Age of the World From the Creation to the Flood This space is called Early in the morning Mat. 2. Hilar. in loc Ten Fathers before the Flood  Adam hath Cain and Abel and loseth them both Gen. 4. unhappy in his children the greatest earthly happiness that he may think of Heaven the more 130 130 Seth born in original sin Gen. 5. 2 3. a holy man and father of all men after the Flood Numb 24. 17. to shew all men born in that estate 235 235 105 Enosh born corruption in Religion by Idolatry begun Gen. 4. 25. Enosh therefore so named Sorrowful 325 325 195 90 Kainan born A mourner for the corruption of the times 395 395 265 160 70 Mahalaleel born A praiser of the Lord. 460 460 330 225 135 65 Jared born when there is still a descending from evil to worse 622 622 492 387 297 227 162 Enoch born and Dedicated to God the seventh from Adam Jude 14. 687 687 557 452 362 292 227 65 Methushelah born his very name foretold the Flood The lease of the world is only for his life 874 874 744 639 549 479 414 252 187 Lamech born A man smitten with grief for the present corruption and future punishment 930 930 800 695 605 535 470 308 243 56 Adam dieth having lived 1000. years within 70. Now 70 years a whole age Psal. 90. 10. 987  857 752 662 592 527 365 300 113 57 Enoch translated next after Adams death mortality taught in that immortality in this 1042 Enoch the seventh from Adam in the holy line of Seth prophecâ—ed against the wickedness that Lamech the seventh from Adam in the cursed line of Cain had brought in 912 807 717 647 582 Enoch lived as many years as there be days in a year via 365. and finished his course like a Sun on earth 355 168 112 55 Seth dieth 1056   821 731 661 596  369 182 126 69 14 Noah born a comforter 1140   905 815 745 680  453 266 210 153 98 84 Enosh dieth 1235    910 840 775  548 361 305 248 193 179 95 Kainan dieth 1290     895 830  603 416 360 303 248 234 150 55
Ephraims dignity Gen. 48. 10 He is called Jesus by the LXX and by the New Testament Acts 7. 45. Heb. 4. 8. a type of him that bringeth his people into eternal rest He is installed into the authority of Moses both to command the people and to work miracles and the Book of the Law put into his hand by Eleazer as the manner was at Coronations 2 Chron. 23. 11. He foreseeth the dividing of Jordan and gives charge to provide to march through it CHAP. II. RAhab an hostess of Jericho hath more faith then 600000 men of Israel that had seen the wonders in Egypt and the wilderness Two Spies that were sent out the sixth day of Nisan come out of Jericho again that night the seventh day they lie in the mountains and the eighth day they return to the Camp here are the three days just so counted as the three days of our Saviours burial CHAP. III. IV. ON the ninth day the people march along upon Jordans banks till they come over against Jericho The Ark leads the van for the Cloud of Glory which had been their conductor hitherto was taken away at Moses his death On the tenth day the Ark divided Jordan there are 4000 cubits dry land in the midst of Jordan between the two bodies of the armies that marched on either side of the Ark as it stood in the middest of the river the Ark pitcheth besides Adam Chap. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 78. 60. CHAP. V. THERE is a general circumcision now of the people as there had been at their coming out of Egypt and as God then closed the Egyptians in three days darkness that they could not stir so now he striketh the Canaanites with terrour that they dare not stir to hurt the people while they were fore Circumcision sealed the lease of the land of Canaan and therefore as soon as they set foot on it they must be circumcised the eleventh twelfth thirteenth days of Abib or Nisan are spent about this business and on the fourteenth day they kept the Passover and so are sensible of both their Sacraments at once It is now forty years to a day since they came out of Egypt Christ appeareth weaponed and is Lord General in the wars of Canaan CHAP. VI. JEricho strangely besieged incompassed seven days according to the seven generations since the land was promised counting from Abraham by Levi and Moses Israel marcheth on the Sabbath day by a special dispensation The walls of Jericho brought down by trumpets and a shout in figure of the subduing of the strong holds of Satan among the heathens by the power of the Gospel the spoil of the Town dedicated to the Lord as the first fruits of Canaan Rahab received as the first fruits of the Heathen she afterward marrieth Salmon a Prince of Judah Matth. 1. 5. Joshua adjureth Rahabs kindred for ever building Jericho again CHAP. VII World 2554 Ioshua 1 AChan by one fact maketh all Israel abominable the like thing not to be paralleld again The valley of Achor is now the dore of discomfiture and discontent in time to come it must be the dore of hope Hos. 2. 15. fulfilled to the very letter Joh. 4. CHAP. VIII AI taken and the spoil given to the souldiers and here they have the first seisure and possession of the Land for in the spoil of Jericho they had no part And then Joshua builded an Altar vers 30. and writeth the Law upon it and the blessings and the curses are pronounced and now it was full time for now had the Lord by the sweet of the spoil of Ai given the people a taste of his performance of his promise to give them that land and now it was seasonable on their part to engage themselves to him and to the keeping of the Law CHAP. IX X. XI XII XIII XIV Ioshua 2 A Great delusion of the Church by the colour of Antiquity the Gibeonites Ioshua 3 made Nechenims for the inferiour offices about the Sanctuary the Ioshua 4 Sun and Moon do obeisance to a son of Joseph as Gen. 37. 9. thereupon there Ioshua 5 is a miraculous day of three days long In seven years is the land conquered Ioshua 6 as Jericho had been seven days besieged that this was the date of Joshua's Ioshua 7 battles appeareth from the words of Caleb Chap. 14. 7 10. he was sent one of the Spies of the land in the second year of their coming out of Egypt and had lived five and forty years since viz. eight and thirty years in the wilderness and seven in Canaan CHAP. XV. XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX. XXI XXII XXIII XXIV Ioshua 8 JUdah the royal Tribe first seated the taking of Hebron and Kiriath Sepher Ioshua 9 are mentioned here by anticipation for these occurrences came Ioshua 10 not to pass till after Joshua's death because the Holy Ghost in describing of Ioshua 11 the inheritance of Judah would take special notice of the portion of Caleb Ioshua 12 who had adhered to the Lord. Then Ephraim and Manasseh seated the Ioshua 13 birth-right of Joseph is served next after the royalty of Judah The Tabernacle Ioshua 14 set up in a Town of the lot of Ephraim and the Town named Shiloh Ioshua 15 because of the peaceableness of the land at this time The Temple Ioshua 16 was afterward built at Salem which signifieth Peaceable also that in the lot of Benjamin this in the lot of Joseph both the sons of beloved Rachel The rest of the land divided Simeon though he were of the same standard with Reuben and Gad yet consenteth not with them to reside beyond Jordan but is mixed in his inheritance with the Tribe of Judah as Gen. 49. 7. The rest of the Tribes seated agreeable to the prediction of Jacob and Moses The taking of Laish or Leshem by the Danites is related here by anticipation for it was not done till after Joshua's death Judg. 18. 29. because the Text would give account of their whole inheritance together now it is speaking of it From this mention of an occurrence that befel after Joshua's death and the like about Hebron and Kiriath Sepher it may be concluded that Joshua wrote not this Book but Phineas rather Joshua himself is inheritanced last Three Cities of refuge appointed within Jordan one in Judea another in Samaria and the third in Galilee and three without Jordan in the three Tribes there Eight and forty Cities appointed for the Priests and Levites as so many Universities wherein they studied the Law It is not worth the labour to examine because it is past the ability to determine whether the two Tribes and an half returned to their own homes assoon as ever the land had rest from the wars which was in the seventh year or whether they stayed till the land was divided and the people settled which took up a long time more howsoever it was the two and twentieth Chapter that containeth that story is laid
At this Passover a man is healed at Bethesda who had been diseased from seven years before Christ was born This was a pool first laid up by Solomon as may be conjectured from Josephus de Bel. lib. 5. cap. 13. compared with Nehem. 3. and at first called Solomons Pool but now Bethesda or the place of mercy from its beneficial virtue It was supplied with water from the fountain Siloam which represented Davids and Christs Kingdom Isa. 8. 6. The five porches about it and the man when healed carrying his bed out of one of them calls to mind the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mevuoth or Entries that are so much spoken of in the Treatise Erubbin the carrying of any thing out of which into the street on the Sabbath day was to carry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of a private place into a publick and was prohibited He is hereupon convented before the Sanhedrin and there he doth most openly confess and prove himself to be the Messias And he asserteth that all Power and Judgment is put into his hand and that he hath the same authority for the dispensing of the affairs of the New Testament that the Father had for the old And this he doth so plainly that he leaveth their unbelief henceforward without excuse The Jews speak of divers ominous things that occurred fourty years before the destruction of the City As It is a tradition that fourty years before the Sanctuary was destroyed the Western Lamp went out and the scarlet list kept its redness and the Lords lot came up on the left hand And they locked up the Temple doors at even yet when they rose in the morning they found them open Jerus in Joma fol. 43. col 3. And Sanhedr fol. 18. col 1. Fourty years before the Temple was destroyed power of judging in capital matters was taken away from Israel Now there are some that reckon but thirty eight years between the death of Christ and the destruction of the City and if that be so then these ominous presages occurred this year that we are upon It being just fourty years by that account from this Passover at which Christ healeth the diseased man at Bethesda to the time of Titus his pitching his Camp and siege about Jerusalem which was at a Passover But of this let the Reader judge SECTION XXV LUKE Chap. IV. from the beginning to Ver. 12. MARK Chap. II. from Ver. 23 to the end and Chap. III. from the beginning to Ver. 7. MARK Chap. XII from the beginning to Ver. 15. The Disciples plucking ears of Corn A withered hand healed on the Sabbath THE words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Luke hath used ver 1. being rightly understood will help to clear the order of this Section and to confirm the order of the preceding The Law enjoyned that the next morrow after the eating of the Passover should be kept holy like a Sabbath Exod. 12. 16. and accordingly it is called a Sabbath Lev. 23. 7 11. And there the Law also enjoyns that the next day after that Sabbatical day they shall offer the sheaf of first fruits to the Lord and from that day they should count seven Sabbaths to Pentecost which was their solemn festival and thanksgiving for that half harvest viz. Barley harvest which they had then inned Lev. 23. 15 16 17. That day therefore that they offered their first Barley sheaf and from which they were to count the seven Sabbaths or weeks forward being the second day in the Passover week the Sabbaths that followed did carry a memorial of that day in their name till the seven were run out as the first was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first second-day Sabbath The next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second second-day Sabbath the next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third second-day Sabbath and so the rest of all the seven through Now let it be observed 1. That no Corn no not ears of Corn might be eaten till the first-fruits sheaf was offered and waved before the Lord Lev. 23. 14. 2. That it was waved the second day of the Passover week 3. That this was the first Sabbath after that second day when the Disciples pluckt the ears of Corn and it will plainly evince that we must look for a Passover before this story and so it will shew the warranty and justness of taking in the â—ifth of John next before it But the order of Matthew may breed some scruple and that the rather because that though he hath placed this story after divers occurrences that are yet to come yet he hath prefaced it with this circumstance At that time Now this expression doth not always center stories in the same point of time but sometimes it hath made a transition betwixt two stories whose times were at a good distance asunder as Gen. 38. 1. Deut. 10. 8. and so likewise the phrase In these days Matth. 3. 1. The latter story about healing the man with the withered hand is so unanimously ordered by all the three after the other that there is no doubt of the method of it It was a special part of religion which the Jews used on the Sabbath to eat good meat and better then they did on the week days yea they thought themselves bound to eat three meals on that day as was said before and for this they alledge Isa. 58. 13. Vid. Kimch ibid. Tanch fol. 1. Talm. Maym. in Shab c. compare Phil. 3. 19. Observe how far the Disciples are from such an observance and from such provision when a few ears of Barley for that was the Corn plucked must make a dinner The plucking of ears of Corn on the Sabbath was forbidden by their Canons verbatim Talm. in Shab per. 7. Maymon Shab per. 7 8. He that reapeth Corn on the Sabbath to the quantity of a fig is guilty And plucking Corn is as reaping And whosoever plucketh up any thing from it growing is guilty under the notion of reaping Christ before his healing the withered hand is questioned by them Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day Their decretals allowed it in some cases Tanch fol. 9. col 2. our Doctors teach the danger of life dispenseth with the Sabbath And so doth Circumcision and the healing of that But this is a rule saith Rabbi Akibah that that which may be done on the eve of the Sabbath dispenseth not with the Sabbath Talm. in Shabb. per. 19. Such was this case Compare Luke 13. 14. They accounted that this might have been done any other day SECTION XXVI MARK Chap. III. from Ver. 7 to Ver. 13. MATTH Chap. XII from Ver. 15 to Ver. 22. Great multitudes follow Christ who healeth all that come to him THe connexion that both these Evangelists have at this story doth abundantly assert the order The Pharisees took counsel to destroy him but when Jesus knew it he departed c. The Herodians joyn with them in their plotting which seem to have been
look to the times before the Decree of Claudius or those since Claudius death when all the scattered were returned again and many of those that had come out unbelieving Jews had returned Christians thither as I believe the case was of Aquila and Priscilla and some converted in other places had now taken up their residence there as Epenetus Andronicus and Junia c. Those whose salutations he sendeth thither may be the better judged of who they were by observing who were of his retinue at this time which are named Act. 20. 4. as 1. Timothy 2. Lucius who seemeth to be Luke called now by a Latine name in an Epistle to the Latines He was with Paul at Corinth at the sending away of the Epistle for having mentioned the others that were gone to Troas these saith he staied for us joyning himself in Pauls company now going to Corinth 3. Jason seemeth to be he that is called Secundus Acts 20. 4. the one his Hebrew name and the other the same in Latine for Secundus is said to be a Thessalonian and so was Jason Acts 17. 7. 4. Sosipater here in all probability he that is called Sopater of Berea there 5. Tertius that wrote out the Epistle it may be was Silas an Hebrician will see a fair likelihood of the one name in the other it being written in Hebrew letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Hebrew names to the Romans are rendred in the Roman Idiome 6. Gaius the same in Greek with the ordinary Latine name Caius it appears that he was a Corinthian 1 Cor. 1. 13. and in that Paul here calls him Mine host and the Host of the whole Church to the understanding of which the observing of a custom of the Jews may give some illustration Maymony in his Treatise concerning the Sabbath speaking about that rite that they used of hallowing the Sabbath with a set form of words at his coming in per. 30. hath this saying This hallowing of the Sabbath may not be used but only in the place where they eat as for example he may not use the hallowing words in one house and eat in another Why then do they use the hallowing word in the Synagogue Because of travellers that do eat and drink there Where the Gloss upon the place comments thus It is evident that they did not eat in their Synagogues at all as it is apparent in the eleventh Chapter of Maymonies Treatise of Prayer but in a house near the Synagogue â—nd there they sat at the hearing of the hallowing of the Sabbath c. It may be observed from hence that strangers and travellers were intertained in a place near the Synagogue compare Acts 18. 7. which was a publick Xenodochion or receptacle of strangers at the charge of the Congregation which laudable custom is almost apparent was transplanted into the Christian Churches in those times as compare such passages as those Heb. 13. 2. Acts 15. 4. And possibly those Agapae or feasts of Charity spoken of in the Epistles of the Apostles are to be understood of these loving and charitable entertainment of strangers Jude ver 12. These are spots in your feasts of Charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear False teachers travelling abroad undiscovered and being intertained in these publick receptacles for strangers and at the publick charge would find there a fit opportunity for themselves to vent their errors and deceptions In this sense may Gaius very properly be understood the Host of the whole Church as being the officer or chief overseer imployed by the Corinthian Church for these intertainments In which also it was almost inevitable but some Women should have their imployment according to which custom we may best understand such places as these Phaebe a servant of the Church at Cenchrea she hath been a succourer of many Ver. 6. Mary bestowed much labour on us And see 1 Tim. 5. 9 10 c. He speaketh also of other Women of whom he giveth this testimony that they laboured much in the Lord as Tryphena and Tryphosa and Persis ver 12. which may either be understood in the like sense or if not so of their great pains some other way for the honour and promotion of the Gospel and benefit of the Saints and themselves as by visiting and relieving the poor and sick taking pains in following the Ministers of the Gospel and venturing themselves with them hiding and cherishing them in times of danger and so venturing themselves for them and so he saith Priscilla and Aquila for his life laid down their own necks c. He salutes three of his own kinsmen Andronicus and Junia and Herodion the two first were converted before him and were of note among the Apostles either being of the number of the 70 Disciples or eminent converts and close followers of Christ or of the Apostles in those firsttimes He calls them his fellow prisoners but if he had called them his prisoners it had been easier to have told when and how For they were in Christ whilst he was a persecutor but when they were imprisoned with him after his conversion is hard to find out Among all that he salutes so kindly where is Peter If he were now at Rome how was he forgotten ACTS Chap. XX. Ver. 6. And we came to them to Troas in five daies Where we abode seven daies And so to Ver. 17. of Chap. XXI FRom Philippi after Easter he setteth away for Corinth where he staied so little that he came to Troas within five daies after the company was come thither which had gone before for so are the five daies to be understood not that Paul in five daies went from Philippi to Corinth and Troas but that his company which was set out with him but set directly for Troas had staied but five daies at Troas before he came up to them There he celebrates the Lords day and the Lords Supper and preacheth and discourseth all night a thing not altogether strange in the Jewish customs Jerus Sota fol. 16. 4. R. Mair was teaching profoundly all the night of the Sabbath in the Synagogue of Chamath So that Eutychus sleeps and falls and is taken up dead but recovered by miracle The change and beginning and end of the Christian Sabbath may be observed here When he goes now from thence it is most likely it was the time when he left his Cloak Books and Parchments with Carpus 2 Tim. 4. 13. His Cloak for he was now going among his own Nation in Judea and there he was to wear his Jewish habit and he left his Roman garb here till he should come into those Roman quarters again It may be the Parchments were the Originals of those Epistles that he had already written for that he sent transcripts and reserved the Original copies may be collected from these passages I Tertius who wrote out this Epistle Rom. 16. 22. The salutation of me Paul with my own hand 1 Cor. 16. 21. Col.
glorifie his divine power and authority in shewing his command and disposal that he had over the Sabbath Therefore whereas his pleading My Father worketh hitherto and I work does answer most directly but to one objection that lay against him namely for healing on the Sabbath yet doth it satisfie the other sufficiently which was his command to the man to carry his bed for he that wrought in other things with the same authority that the Father worketh he also hath the same authority over the Sabbath that the Father hath who as he ordained it so can he dispense with it as pleaseth him Now Christ in this command cannot be conceived to have intended to vilifie the Sabbath as it was a day of rest or to lay that Ordinance of keeping such a day of rest unto the Lord in the dirt but he that was to alter the Sabbath to a new day and in that equality of working which he had with the Father he was to set a new Sabbath day upon the finishing of the work of Redemption as the Father had done the old upon the Creation and therefore as in preface to such a thing he both giveth such a command and pleadeth for what he had done from his divine authority as beginning to shake the day which within two years was to be changed to another The proof of the divine institution of the day of the Christian Sabbath may be begun here Vers. 19. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do 1. By the Son in this place and in the discourse following we are to understand not the second person in the Trinity simply and solely considered in his God-head which while some have done they have intricated these words with endless and needless scruples but the Son as he stood there before them when he speaketh these words namely as the Messias God and Man and so he himself doth teach us to understand it at vers 27. The Father hath given authority to the Son to execute Judgement because he is the Son of man 2. The terms of Father and Son do not only speak that relation of the Father and the Son in the God-head which doth peculiarly regard the eternal generation of the Son begotten of the Father and the mutual and natural notion of Fatherhood and Sonship that is betwixt them by that generation but it more singularly referreth to the several or distinct managings of the Father as to the affairs of the old Testament and the Son as to those of the new For though it is most true and undeniable that the Father in times of the old Testament did work by the Son in his dispensations to the Church and World as by him he made the World and him he made Lord of all things yet was his acting by the Son in the times of the new Testament infinitely more apparent and discernable because the Son appeared in humane and visible shape the Messias sent of God God blessed for ever and did great and powerful things parallel to any done by the Father in the administration of the old Testament And this construction of the Relative terms Father and Son the very scope of Christs discourse doth call upon us to make and the particulars of it as we come to take them up will help to clear unto us and confirm For 1. the matter that Christ was pleading now about which was concerning his present demeanour towards the Sabbath needeth not so much a discourse to tell the Jews how far the second person in the Trinity simply considered as God could act of himself or how far he received his activity from the first Person or how far the first person shewed his Counsels to the Second as to shew how far the Lord gave power and imparted himself unto the Messias and how far he in his Kingdom and Administrations did come neer to the Lord in his For 2. the Jews were not so well acquainted with the distinction of the Persons in the Trinity the first and the second as they were with the distinction of the Father or the Lord that had ruled in the world hitherto and the Massias that in his time should be the King and Ruler by the Lords appointment and it was proper for Christ to speak to them so as they might best understand him and so he doth according to their own distinction which indeed was most true and proper And 3. Observe the whole speech of Christ throughout this Chapter and you find it divided into these two parts 1. To shew what was the power and acting of the Messias to vers 31 32. and 2. to prove and evidence that he was he Not so much to shew what is the power and acting of the second Person in the Trinity simply considered in his Godhead and compared with the first nor so much to prove that he was the second Person in the Trinity as to shew and to prove himself to be the Messias 3. When he saith therefore The Son can do nothing of himself he meaneth that the Messias cometh not in his own power though the second person in Trinity be Omnipotent but he is sent and hath his Commission from God the Father as he doth continually both in this speech and in other places inculcate that the Father sent him As he is the Son of God he is all powerfull in his nature and as he is the Messias he hath all power put into his hand by the Father and yet he saith He can do nothing of himself because he owns the appointment by which he was sent as Messias by the Father He could do all things of himself as he was God but he could do nothing of himself as he was Messias because he was a servant and bare that Office upon the designment And therefore the Arrians were miserably wide and wilfully blind when they produced these words of the Son himself to infringe the glory of the Son and to prove him not equal to God the Father not distinguishing what a Child might have done betwixt his divine Nature which could do all things and his Mediatorial Office which could not do but what he that sent him had appointed In the former they might have owned infinite power and in the latter infinite obedience for it was not imperfection in him that he could do nothing of himself as Messias but it was perfection of obedience and compliance to the will of him that sent him and this does not only argue the readiness of his will but the impeccableness of his nature for he could do nothing of himself but his actings were wholly and necessarily wrapped up in the Will of God 4. Now to apply this part of his speech to the occasion of his present plea He had done a great miracle and he had as they thought violated the Sabbath and he was especially to speak unto the latter for thereupon lay his accusation and he argueth that he had not done
critical we might observe the various qualifications of a Pastor and Teacher from these two surnames the one a son of wisdom and the other of exhortation but our intention only is to shew that the two Josephs in mention differed in person for they differed in name §. And Matthias Who or whence this man was we cannot determine certain it is the sense of his name is the same with Nathaneel though not the sound and I should as soon fix upon him for the man as any other and some probabilities might be tendred for such a surmisal but we will not spend time upon such conjectures CHAP. II. Vers. 1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all together with one accord in one place §. 1. The time and nature of the Feast of Pentecost THE expression of the Evangelist hath bred some scruple how it can be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day to be compleated or fulfilled when it was now but newly begun and the sight of this scruple it is like hath moved the Syrian Translater and the Vulgar Latine to read it in the plural number When the days of Pentecost were fulfilled Calvin saith compleri is taken for advenire to be fulfilled for to be now come Beza accounts the fulness of it to be for that the night which is to be reckoned for some part of it was now past and some part of the day also In which exposition he saith something toward the explanation of the scruple but not enough Luke therefore in relating a story of the feast of Pentecost useth an expression agreeable to that of Moses in relating the institution of it Lev. 23. 13. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering seven Sabbaths shall be compleat Even unto the morrow after the seven Sabbath shall ye number fifty days It will not be amiss to open these words a little for the better understanding and fixing the time of Pentecost First The Sabbath that is first mentioned in the Text in these words Ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath is to be understood of the first day of the Passover week or the fifteenth day of the month Nisan the Passover having been slain on the day before And so it is well interpreted by the Chaldee Paraphrast that goeth under the name of Jonathan and by Rabbi Solomon upon this Chapter at the 11 verse And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord after the holy day the first day of the Passover And it was called a Sabbath be it on what day of the week it would as it was on the Friday at our Saviours death because no servile work was to be done in it but an holy convocation to be held unto the Lord vers 7. and the Passover Bullock Deut. 16. 2 7. 2 Chron. 30. 24. 35. 8. to be eaten on it Joh. 18. 28. as the Lamb had been eaten the night before and this Bullock was also called a Passover and the day the preparation of the Passover Joh. 19. 14. as well as the Lamb and the day before had been This helpeth to understand that difficult phrase Matth. 28. 1. about which there is such difference and difficulty of expounding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the evening of the Sabbath saith the Syriack and the Vulgar And o utinam for then would the Lords day be clearly called the Sabbath the Sabbath of the Jews being ended before the evening or night of which he speaketh did begin In the end of the Sabbath saith Beza and our English but the Sabbath was ended at Sun-setting before It is therefore to be rendred after the Sabbaths for so signifieth * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch post regls tempora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post tempora Trojana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post noctem c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after in Greek Writers as well as the Evening and the plural number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to have its due interpretation Sabbaths Now there were two Sabbaths that fell together in that Passover week in which our Saviour suffered this Convocational or Festival Sabbath the first day of the Passover week and the ordinary weekly Sabbath which was the very next day after the former was a Friday and on that our Saviour suffered the latter a Saturday or the Jewish Sabbath and on that he rested in the grave and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after these Sabbaths early in the morning on the first day of the week he rose again Secondly The morrow after this Sabbath of which we have spoken or the sixteenth day of the month Nisan was the solemn day of waving the sheaf of the first fruits before the Lord and the day from which they began to count their seven weeks to Pentecost Lev. 23. 11. Deut. 16. 9. This day then being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or second day in the Passover week and being the date from whence they counted to Pentecost all the Sabbaths from hence thither were named in relation to this day as the first Sabbath after it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 6. 1. Not as it is rendred the second Sabbath after the first but the first Sabbath after this second day the next Sabbath after was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the rest accordingly Thirdly Now in their counting from this morrow after the Sabbath or this day of their first-fruit sheaf to Pentecost seven Sabbaths or Weeks were to be compleat whereupon R. Solomon doth very well observe that the count must then begin at an evening and so this day after the Sabbath was none of the fifty but they were begun to be counted at Even when that day was done so that from the time of waving the first-fruit sheaf Pentecost was indeed the one and fiftieth day but counting seven weeks compleat when an evening must begin the account it is but the fiftieth Fourthly To this therefore it is that the phrase of the Evangelist speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English hath very well uttered the day of Pentecost was fully come thereby giving an exact notice how to fix the day that is now spoken of from our Saviours death and to observe that he speaketh of the time of the day indeed and not of the night which was now over and the day fully come The dependence of Pentecost upon this day of waving the first-fruit sheaf was upon this reason because on this second day of the Passover barley harvest began and from thence forward they might eat parched corn or corn in the ear but by Pentecost their corn was inned and seasoned and ready to make bread and now they offered the first of their bread This relation had this Festival in the common practise but something more did it bear in it as a memorial for
compact with Pilate to make sure the Sepulchre Matth. 27. 62. And observe that Matthew doth not there call it the Sabbath but the day that followeth the day of the preparation by the very Periphrasis deriding their hipocrisie who would be so observant of the Sabbath as to have a day of preparation for it before it came and yet to be thus villainous on it when it was come    This was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the famous second day in the Passover week in which the first-fruit sheaf was waved before the Lord Lev. 23. 11. and from this day they began to count their seven weeks to Pentecost Deut. 16. 9. Sunday the Lords day XVII  1. Christ riseth from the dead and he becometh the first fruit of those that slept 1 Cor. 15. 20. He appeareth first to Mary Magdalen Joh. 20. 15. then to Peter and Cleopas or Alpheus as they go to Emmaus Luke 24. 13 18 34. 1 Cor. 15. 5. and at night to all the Disciples Luke 24. 33 36. this is the first of the fifty to Pentecost Munday XVIII 2  Tuesday XIX 3  Wednesday XX. 4  Thursday XXI 5  Friday XXII 6  Saturday XXIII 7 The Jews Sabbath this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ appeareth again Thomas is present Joh. 20. 26. Lords day XXIV 8  Munday XXV 9  Tuesday XXVI 10  Wednesday XXVII 11  Thursday XXVIII 12  Friday XXIX 13  Saturday XXX 14 The Jews Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IIAR Lords day I. 15 The Lords day Munday II. 16  Tuesday III. 17  Wednesday IV. 18  Thursday V. 19  Friday VI. 20  Saturday VII 21 The Jews Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords day VIII 22 The Lords day Munday IX 23  Tuesday X. 24  Wednesday XI 25  Thursday XII 26  Friday XIII 27  Saturday XIV 28 Jews Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords day XV. 29 The Lords day Munday XVI 30  Tuesday XVII 31  Wednesday XVIII 32  Thursday XIX 33  Friday XX. 34  Saturday XXI 35 Jews Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords day XXII 36 The Lords day Munday XXIII 37  Tuesday XXIV 38  Wednesday XXV 39  Thursday XXVI 40 Ascension day Friday XXVII 41  Saturday XXVIII 42 Jews Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords day XXIX 43 The Lords day SIVAN Munday I. 44  Tuesday II. 45  Wednesday III. 46  Thursday IV. 47  Friday V. 48  Saturday VI. 49 Jews Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  VII 50 The Lords day Pentecost day The Holy Ghost given §. 3. That many if not all of the 120 received the Holy Ghost and the gift of Tongues on Pentecost day and not the twelve only For first divers if not all of them were appointed by Christ to be Ministers of the Gospel as well as the Apostles Luke 10. and for this purpose had received the power of miracles as well as they vers 17. they had received the Holy Ghost on the resurrection day as well as they Joh. 20. 22. compared with Luke 24. 33 36. had conversed with Christ both before and after his resurrection as well as they had received the promise of the Father as well as they Nay they were to preach to people of strange languages as well as they and then what possible reason can be given that they should be denied this qualification of the gift of Tongues sitting them for that purpose any more than the twelve That divers of them were Ministers if not all there can be no scruple what else was become of the seventy Disciples And that if they must preach they must preach to some of strange Tongues there can be as little since experience sheweth Jerusalem it self so full of this variety and since a few years will let all the Preachers loose to preach to the Gentiles as they met with occasion Nay we shall find this justified by the practise of certain of them as we go along Secondly It is true indeed which is objected by some that these words They were all together do come so near to the last verse of the former Chapter which mentioneth only the twelve that it may seem to speak of them only together at this time yet doth both that verse and this as fully refer to the 120 in the 15 verse For 1. The Evangelist doth lay that number from the very first as the subject of his History though his aim be more especially at the twelve Apostles as in his history of the twelve Apostles his History fixeth chiefly on Peter and John 2. What should keep and separate the 108 from the company of the Apostles at this time above all others The Text tells us they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abiding and continuing together in one place and in one Society Chap. 1. 13 14. and so the progress of the story giveth us assurance they were till persecution parted them Chap. 8. and it is very strange that on this day above all days the high day of Pentecost the holy day of the Christian Sabbath the likeliest day of expecting the promise of the Father that on this day they should be parted from their Society Thirdly Look but upon the qualifications of the seven Deacons how they were full of the Holy Ghost Acts 6. 3. how Stephen was full of power and miracles and wisdom and an irresistible spirit vers 8 10. and how Philip was of the like qualifications Acts 8. 6. and when and where and how can it be supposed that these men came by these gifts if not upon Pentecost day and jointly with the twelve Apostles If it shall be answered that it may be they received them from Christ when he sent them to preach before his passion as Luke 10. 17. then let it be shewed how Barnabas came by his variety of Languages to be able to preach intelligibly wheresoever he came if not on this day It being therefore not to be denied that there were divers others besides the twelve if not the whole hundred and twenty which I rather think that received the Holy Ghost in the gift of Tongues at this time and that they were Ministers as well as the Apostles it argueth first that there were divers Congregations in Jerusalem from hence forward or else how should so many Ministers there have employment in their calling And secondly that those that went up and down preaching upon the dispersion by persecution Acts 8. 4. 11. 19. were not ordinary members of the Church or as we have used to call them meer lay-men but these men of the Ministerial function and of Christs own designation for that calling §. 4. The reason of the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so often in this Story The intent of this word is the rather to be looked after by how much the less it is used in all
Sanctuary and it was made of brass and the sound of it was sweet It became crackt and the wisemen sent and fetcht workmen from Alexandria who mended it but then the sound was not so sweet as before They took off the mending and the sound was as sweet as it used to be * * * Maym. in Kele Mlkd. per. 3. There might not be above one Cymbal in the Quire at once and this seemeth to have born the Base as being deepest and loudest to this the Apostle alludes in his expression 1 Cor. 13. 1. We shall not be further curious nor inquisitive about this matter concerning the form or nature of the musick-instruments since our inquiry is after the song it self I shall only add this w w w Erach per. 2 in Mishu. that of the Nebhels or Harps there might not be less than two in the Quire nor above six x x x Tosaph in Erach per. 2. and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kinnor or Viols not under nine but as many above as possible and so the least Quire that could be was nine Viols two Harps and one Cymbal And now let us hear the Musick it self 1. The Trumpets sounded their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taratantara for so for company will we call it y y y Succ. per. 5. in Mish Maym. in every morning at the opening at the Court Gates particularly at the opening of the East gate or the gate of Nicanor z z z Gloss. ibid. Now though this practice had not any express and literal Command yet was it grounded upon this necessity and reason because that the Levites and Stationary men might have notice to come to attend their Desks and Service and that the People of Jerusalem might hear and take notice and those that would come to the Temple so that this sounding was as it were the Bells to ring them into the Service And after this the Trumpets sounded not till the very time of the morning Sacrifice 2. The Song and Musick began not to sound till the pouring out of the Drink-offering This is a Traditionary Maxime exceeding common and received among the Rabbins and they descant upon it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 1 1 Erachin in Gemara ubi sup sol 11. They utter not the song but over the Wine of the Drink-offering 2 2 2 Gloss. ibid. for a man singeth not but for gladness of heart 3 3 3 Gloss. in Pesachen cap. 5. sol 64. Therefore they utter not the song at the very time of the Offering but over the Wine which cheareth God and Man as Jud. 9. 13. And so the Treatise Tamid describing the manner of the daily service relateth that when the High-priest was minded to offer the Sacrifice 4 4 4 Tam. per. 7. He went up the rise or bridge of the Altar and the Sagan on his right hand when he came to the midst of the rise the Sagan took him by the right hand and lift him up then the first man that was to bring up the pieces of the sacrifice reached him up the head and the feet and the second reached him the two shoulders and so the rest reached him the rest of the parts and he disposed of them c. And when he was to go about the Altar to sprinkle the blood upon the horns of it he began at the South-east corner and from thence to the North-east and so to the North-west and concluded at the South-west They give him the wine of the drink-offering to pour it out the Sagn stood by the horn of the Altar and a napkin in his hand and two Priests stood by the Table of the fat and two silver Trumpets in their hand to sound They came and stood by Ben Arza the one on his right hand and the other on his left He the High-priest stooped down to pour out the drink-offering and the Sagan waved with his napkin and Ben Arza struck up his Cymbal and the Levites began the song And so may we understand that passage 2 Chron. 29. 27. And when the burnt-offering began the song of the Lord began with the Trumpets and with the Instruments namely when the drink-offering was poured out for till then the Offering was not perfect because every burnt offering was bound to have a meat offering and a drink offering or else it was not right Num. 15. 5. And this may be the proper cause whatsoever the Jews descant why the Musick began not till the drink-offering namely they stayed till the offering was compleat and then began 3. The constant and ordinary Psalms that they sang were these 5 5 5 Tamid ubi sup Rosk hash sol â—1 Maym. in Tamid per. 6. On the first day of the week the four and twentieth Psalm The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof c. On the second day of the week the forty eight Psalm Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of God c. On the third day the eighty second Psal. God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty and judgeth among the Gods c. On the fourth day the ninety fourth Psal. O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth c. On the fifth day the eighty first Psal. Sing aloud unto God our strength make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob c. On the sixth day of the week the ninety third Psal. The Lord reigneth he is cloathed with Majesty c. On the sabbath day they sang the ninety second Psal. which bears the Title of A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath day These were the known and constant and fixed Psalms that the singers sang and the musick plaid to on the several days of the week And the reason of the choice of these several Psalms for the several days 6 6 6 Rosh hash ubi sup Gloss. in Tamid c. 7. the Gemara on the Treatise Rosh hashanah and the Gloss upon the Treatise Tamid do give to this purpose On the first day of the week they sang the Psalm The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof c. Because on the first day of the week of the Creation God possessed the world and gave it in possession and ruled in it On the second day of the Week they sang the Psalm Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised c. For on that day the Lord divided his works the waters and reigned over them On the third day they sang the Psalm God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty c. Because on that day the earth appeared on which is Judging and Judges and by his Wisdom he discovered the Earth and established the World by his Understanding On the fourth day they sang the Psalm O Lord God to whom Vengeance belongeth c. Because on the fourth day he made the Sun Moon and Stars and will be avenged on them that worship them On the fifth
day the Psalm Sing aloud unto God our strength c. Because of the variety of Creatures that were made that day to praise his name On the Sixth day the Psalm The Lord reigneth he is cloathed with Majesty c. Because on the sixth day God finished his works made man who understands the glory of the Creator and the Lord ruled over all his works Thus they descant 4. 7 7 7 Ibid. Now the singers in singing of these Psalms divided every one of them into three parts making three large pauses or rests in them and ceased their Musick and Singing for a while these parts and pauses the Talmudicks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say thus of them that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pausings or intermissions in the vocal musick and when the voices ceased the instruments ceased also and so in every Psalm the musick made three intermissions 5. At these intermissions the Trumpets sounded and the People worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For at every pause saith the Talmud there was a souning with the Trumpets and at every sounding there was a worshipping their sounding with the Trumpets was as hath been spoken before a Taratantara as we have chosen to call it and they never sounded otherwise than so when they sounded namely three strains a plain a quavering and a plain again and thus did the Trumpets sound one and twenty blasts every day three at the opening of the Court gate nine at the morning sacrifice and nine at the evening sacrifice namely three soundings at the three pausings of the Musick and the three strains named at every sounding and so we see that the Trumpets were never joyned with the Quire in Consort but sounded only when the Quire was silent Thus was the Song and these were the Psalms sung ordinarily throughout all the year but at some certain days there were other Psalms and Songs used and the Trumpets also sounded extraordinary soundings besides that number now mentioned As 1. 8 8 8 Succ. per. 5. On the Eve of the Sabbath the Trumpets sounded two soundings more than they used to do at other days namely one which consisted of the three strains to cause the People to cease from work and another to distinguish between the common day and the holy day that was now come in 2. On the Sabbaths themselves there was an additional sacrifice besides the daily sacrifice according to the appointment Num. 28. 9 10. 9 9 9 Maym. in Tamid per. 6. And at the time of this additional sacrifice the Levites sang Moses his Song in Deut. 32. Hear O Heavens and I will speak c. but they sang it not all at one time but divided into six parts and sang one part of it every Sabbath and so in six Sabbath days they finished it and then began again Thus did they at the additional morning sacrifice and at the evening sacrifice they sang Moses song in Exod. 15. And the consideration of this that on the Sabbaths they sang both the songs of Moses helpeth to illustrate that passage in Rev. 15. 3. where the Saints are said to sing the Song of Moses the servant of God because they were now come to their everlasting Sabbath having gotten the Victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name and having the Harps of God in their hands 10 10 10 Succah uot jup. Now at the additional sacrifice and song of the Sabbath the Priests sounded their Trumpets three times more as they did at the ordinary songs the singers making their pauses and stops in those songs as well as in the other 3. 11 11 11 Rosh hash ubi sup Maym. ubi sup At the Additional sacrifices which were appointed for the first day of the year Num. 29. 1 2 c. which was called the feast of Trumpets because the Trumpets then sounded to give notice of the years beginning the Levites sang the eighty first Psalm Sing aloud unto the God our strength c. And if the first day of the year fell upon the fifth day of the week for which day this Psalm was appointed in the ordinary course then they said it twice over once at the daily sacrifice and once at the additional sacrifice but beginning at one of the times at the sixth verse I removed his shoulder from the burthen c. 4. At the evening Sacrifice of the first day of the year they sang the nine and twentieth Psalm The voice of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness c. And if the first day of the year chanced to light upon the Sabbath the Psalms of the first day of the year were sung and took place of the Psalms for the Sabbath 5. At the Passeover and at some other times as hath been related they sang the Hallel which to describe we will refer till we come to take up the Celebration of the Passeover in its due place SECT III. Of the Stationary men or Israelites of the Station AS there were four and twenty Courses of the Priests and as many of the Porters and Singers so also were there four and twenty Courses of Israelites for the station This indeed is a title that is a stranger to the Scripture and not mentioned there and yet the thing it self seemeth not to want its ground nor the men themselves their warrant from thence There were two Maximes in reference to their Sacrifices which were as premises out of which was necessarily deduced the conclusion for Stationary men and those were these 1. A mans Sacrifice could not be offered up unless he himself were present at it and standing by it and so is the undoubted Tenet in both Talmuds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a Vid. Talm. utrumque in Taanith per. 4. Maym. in Kele Mikd. per. 6. A mans Sacrifice may not possibly be offered up if he himself be not present at it And hence it was that although Women were at all other times forbidden coming into the Court of Israel yet when any Woman had a Sacrifice to be offered up for her she had admission into the Court and there was a kind of necessity that she should be there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b Tosaph in Erach per. 2. A Woman might not be seen in the Court but only at the time of her Offering and then she might be nay then she must be present there And the reason of this was because of that command that whosoever had a burnt Sacrifice to offer up c c c Ab. Ezr. in Lev. 1. he must bring it to the Sanctuary himself and if Bullock or Lamb he must put his hand upon the head of it Levit. 1. 3. and 3. 2. 8. 2. There were some Sacrifices that were the Sacrifices of all Israel or of the whole Congregation and particularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d d d Tal. Ieru in Pesachin per. 3. the continual
to a sin offering and in reference to those precepts whose violation deserved cutting off but it being doubtful whether the offence was committed this doubtful and suspensive offering was to be offered to keep off the cutting off the danger of which it is possible he lay under See Lev. 5. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The certain or apparent trespass offering is so called because the Law doth punctually and determinatively appoint as what is to be offered so by what persons and upon what occasions it was to be offered and those are five 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h Tosapht ubi supr Tal. in Zevachin per. 5. Maym. in Shegag per. 9. The trespass offering for a thing stolen or unjustly gotten or detained of which is mention Levitious 6. 2 3 6. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The trespass offering for sacriledge of which there is mention Levit. 5. 16. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The trespass offering concerning a bond maid about which the Law is given Lev. 19. 20 21. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The trespass offering of the Nazarite Numbers 6. 12. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The trespass offering of the Leper Levit. 14. 12. i i i Maym. in Corban per. 9. Now the manner of disposing of these Sacrifices when they came to be offered was according to the disposal of the sin offering They were killed flead the inwards taken out washed salted and burnt like that and the flesh eaten by the Males of the Priests in the Court Only about the sprinkling of their bloud there was some difference k k k Zevach. ubi â—pr for whereas the bloud of the sin offering was put upon the horns of the Altar the bloud of these was sprinkled with that sprinkling which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the two sprinklings which were sour that is at two corners of the Altar forementioned and into the fashion of the Letter Gamma those were sprinkled above the red line that went about the middle of the Altar and these below as was the bloud of the burnt offering And among all the rest the Nazarites Ram of trespass offering was accounted one of the lesser Sacrifices or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas all the rest went in the rank of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most holy offerings and whereas those were slain on the North side of the Court this was on the South and those were eaten only by the Males of the Priests and in the Court but this might be eaten by others and in the City The eating of the most holy offerings in the Court is very commonly called by the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eating within the Curtains in which expression they allude to the Court of the Tabernacle incompassed with Curtains round about For as within those Curtains there was that space which was called the Camp of the Lord the Camp of Levi being pitcht without so from the Gate of Nicanor inward only was reputed the Lords Camp the Camp of the Levites being that without to the Gate of the Mountain of the Temple Now it was an express Command that every oblation meat offering sin offering trespass offering should be holy for the Priests and for their sons and should be eaten in the most holy place that is in the Court Numb 18. 10. Ezek. 42. 13. David Kimchi upon the latter place cited hath these words l l l Kimchi iâ— Ezek 42. The most holy offerings were eaten within the Court of Israel more innerly and that was called Emphatically the Court and that was the holy place for the eating of the most holy things if they were so minded But in the Court of the Priests which was within the Court of Israel there were Chambers of the Priests and there they eat their holy things In which passage he both reduceth the eating of the most holy offerings into a narrower compass than either was needful or than the rest of his Nation do and also he findeth Buildings and Chambers for the Priests within the Court of the Priests which unless they were those Chambers joyning to the body of the Temple are not imaginable nor have been discovered by any hitherto As the Command confined the Priests within the Compass of the Court whilst they were eating these things so it may well be supposed that the place of their eating of them was according to the season and the best conveniency in warm Weather under the Cloysters in open Air and in colder seasons in some of the Chambers that stood within the Court as Gazith Mokadh Nitsots or what if in some of the Rooms joyning to the Temple It appeareth by the Tradition concerning their eating of these things that they fell not aboard with them till towards the Evening and made them not their dinner at any time but their supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence is the common saying of the Talmudists They might eat of them till midnight but after that it was unlawful And in the Treatise Beracoth this is set as it were the Clock to fix the time for the evening rehearsal of their Phylacteries m m m Beracheth per. 1. Sect. 1. From what time say they do they say over their Phylacteries at even and it is answered from the time that the Priests go in to eat their Offerings c. Whether the Priests fasted all day till this time or no and whether the Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did any whit follow this Copy of their Temple Feasts and whether this their feasting before the Lord were not a resemblance of the blessed society of the glorified in the Presence of God we shall not argue but refer it to the Reader Among these Offerings that we have mentioned of Bullocks Goats Rams and Lambs we must not forget that there were the like Offerings of Birds and of all Birds there were only two kinds allowed and these were Turtles and young Pigeons and they were ever offered by Couples In the Talmud Language they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or nests of which Title and upon which subject there is a Treatise in that Code and they were ordinarily sold in the Temple Joh. 2. 14. and Women especially though not only dealt in this kind of Offering of all other For the cases concerning their uncleanness issues births abortions besides their vows and free gifts were so many that they multiplied these Offerings to an incredible number Let one Example give evidence concerning the rest A woman n n n Kerithuth per. 1. saith the Treatise Kerithuth that hath the doubtfulness of five births together and five fluxes she is to bring one offering and she may eat of the Sacrifices and there is no further offering due from her Hath she five Births certain and five fluxes certain she is to bring one Offering and she may eat of the Sacrifice but there is a due from her for the rest There was this passage
in hand namely the second day of the Passover week whatsoever else of extraordinary offering was on it there never failed to be the offering and waving of the first fruit sheaf before the Lord The Law for this is given in Lev. 23. 10 11. When ye be come into the Land which I give unto you you shall reap the Harvest thereof then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your Harvest unto the Priest and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you the morrow after the Sabbath the Priest shall wave it Where by the word Sabbath is to be understood not the Sabbath day in the proper sense but the first day in the Passover Week of which we have spoken which was so solemn an holy day And so the Chaldee Paraphrast and several other Jews do well interpret it The Rites about gathering and offering this first fruits sheaf are largely described by Tosaphta ad Menachoth to be after this manner a a a Tosaphta ad Menachoth per. 10. Rabbi Ismael saith The Omer or first fruits sheaf if it came on the Sabbath day properly so called as it did that very day that our Saviour rested in the grave it came in three Seahs but if on another day it came in five but the wisemen say whether Sabbath or other day all was one it came in three Seahs Abba Saul said On the Sabbath it was reaped by one man and with one sickle and in one Basket but on another day it was reaped by three men and in three baskets and with three sickles But the wise men said Sabbath or other day it was all one it was by three men and in three baskets and with three sickles The first fruits sheaf came out of the vale of the ashes by the brook Kidron c. The day of waving it lighting on the Sabbath the Sabbath was dispensed with for the reaping of it And how was it done Those that the Sanhedrin sent about it went out at the Evening of the holy day the first day of the Passover Week they took baskets and sickles c. They went out on the holy day when it began to be dark and a great company went out with them when it was now dark one said to them On this Sabbath on this Sabbath on this Sabbath In this Basket in this Basket in this Basket R. Eliezer the son of Zadock saith With this Sickle with this Sickle with this Sickle every particular three times over And they answer him well well well I will reap and he bids them reap And why do they thus Because of the Baithusaeans the Sadduces who said that the reaping of the first fruit sheaf is not on the end of the holy day They reap it and put it into the basket and bring it into the Court and pass it through the fire that they might answer the command about parched corn The words of Rabbi Meir But the wise men say That is not to be meant so but there was a hollow vessel full of holes so that the fire might go quite through it in the Court and the wind blew on it in which they put the Corn suddenly to dry it that it might grind and they put it on a Mill to get out a tenth deal c. One takes the tenth deal and puts its oil and frankincense on it and mingles them and waves it and takes out a handful and puts it on the Altar and the rest is for the Priest to eat As soon as the Omer is offered they go out and find Jerusalem streets full of Meal and parched Corn which was not according to the mind of the wise men The words of R. Meir But the wise men say that it was according to the mind of the wise men for as soon as the Omer was offered new Corn was permitted SECT IV. The Feast of Pentecost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FRom this day and occasion namely from the offering of the first fruits Omer they began to count the Weeks to Pentecost even seven Weeks forward This day was the first of the number and the next day after the expiring of seven Weeks being the fiftiethday from hence was Pentecost day as is imported in the very word It was dated from the offering of the first Corn because that Solemnity and this Festival had some relation one to another The presenting of the first sheaf was an introduction to Harvest and the Feast of Pentecost was a return or offering of their Harvest by that they had liberty to begin to put the sickle into the Corn and to reap and at this they offered an offering of their Corn now reaped and inned Therefore this Solemnity is sometimes called in Scripture the Feast of Harvest Exod. 23. 16. and sometimes the Feast of weeks Deut. 16. 10. because of the reckoning of the seven Weeks from that day to it and sometimes Pentecost Act. 2. 1. because it was the fiftieth day from that and so the Jews themselves call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a Maym. in Talmud per. 8. R. Sol. in Lev. 23. the fiftieth day or Pentecost But the Jews in their Writings do most commonly call this Feast by the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atsereth and so do the Chaldee Paraephrasts use it in Numb 28. 26. although b b b Abarb. in Liv. 3. Abarbonel doth observe that this Feast alone of all the three is not called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atsereth in the Scripture The word doth properly signifie a resraining or a shutting up and from that signification it is taken to signifie a solemn holy day or assembling as being interdicted and restrained from work 2 King 10. 20. Joel 1. 4. Amos 5. 21 c. But whether this Feast were so called by them in so singular a manner because that was the time of the restraining of rains it being the very middle of Harvest or because the offering of their first fruits was restrained till this time or because the festival joy of Harvest was yet restrained and not as yet full or for what cause else I shall not be much sollicitous to determine but certainly some of the Rabbins give such intimation as might seem to give some strength to the supposal upon one of the two latter For Maymony relateth c c c Maym. in Biccurim per. 2. that they brought not any first fruits before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pentecost because it is said the Feast of Harvest the first fruits of thy labours And if they brought any they received them not from them but laid them by till Pentecost And Baal Hatturim hath this saying d d d Baal Turim in Deut. 16. There is no rejoycing spoken of at the Passover because the fruits were yet in the field But at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pentecost when Corn is now reaped and Wine is now in the Grapes there is one rejoycing spoken of Deut. 16. 11.
out of the Hebrew Text. The Duty of this Interpreter and the Rules of his duty you may read at large in the k k k k k k Megill cap. 4. Maimon in Tephillah cap. 12. c. Massecheth Sopherim cap. 10. c. and elsewhere Talmud The use of such an Interpreter they think was drawn down to them from the times of Ezra and not without good reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Hieros Megill fol. 74. 4. And they read in the book of the Law That was the Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Explaining That was the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And added the meaning They are the accents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they understood the Text. That was the Masoreth See Nehem. VIII 8. see also Buxtorph's Tiberias Chap. VIII 5. We do not readily know who to name for the ninth and tenth of this last Three Let us suppose them to be the Master of the Divinity School and his Interpreter of whom we shall have a fuller occasion of enquiry And thus much concerning the heads of the Synagogue that learned Decemvirate which was also the representative body of the Synagogue III. The days wherein they met together in the Synagogue were the Sabbath and the second day and the fift of every week Of the Sabbath there is no question They refer the appointment of the second and fift days to Ezra m m m m m m Hieros Megill fol. 75. 1. Bab. Bava kama fol. 82. 1. Ezra say they decreed ten decrees He appointed the publick reading of the Law in the second and fift days of the week Also on the Sabbath at the time of the sacrifice He appointed washing to those that had the Gonorrhea He appointed the Session of the Judges in Cities on the second and fift days of the week c. Hence perhaps it will appear in what sense that is to be understood Act. XIII 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath or the Sabbath between that is on the days of that intervening week wherein they met together in the Synagogue IV. Synagogues were antiently builded in fields n n n n n n Bab. Beracoth fol. 2. 1. To the evening recital of the Phylacteries are to be added two Prayers going before and two following after Where the Gloss thus The Rabbins instituted that prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they might retain their collegues in the Synagogue And this certainly respected their Synagogues at that time because they were situated in the fields where they might be in danger And so o o o o o o Fol. 69. 3. Rabbenu Asher upon the same Tract Antiently their Synagogues were in fields therefore they were affraid to tarry there until the Evening prayers were ended It was therefore appointed that they should recite some verses in which a short sum of all the eighteen prayers had been compacted after which that prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to be recited But the following times brought back their Synagogues for the most part into the Cities and provision was made by sharp Canons that a Synagogue should be built in the highest place of the City and that no house should be built higher than it V. The like Provision was made that every one at the stated times of prayer should frequent the Synagogue p p p p p p Maim in Tephill cap. 8. God does not refuse the prayers although sinners are mingled there Therefore it is necessary that a man associate himself with the Congregation and that he pray not alone when an opportunity is given of praying with the Congregation Let every one therefore come Morning and Evening to the Synagogue And q q q q q q Chap. 6. It is forbidden to pass by the Synagogue in the time of prayer unless a man carry some burden upon his back or unless there be more Synagogues in the same City for then it may be judged that he goes to another or unless there be two doors in the Synagogue for it may be judged that he passed by one to go in at another But if he carry his Phylacteries upon his head then it is allowed him to pass by because they bear him witness that he is not unmindful of the Law These things are taken out of the u Babylonian Talmud Where these are also added The Holy Blessed r Beracoth fol. 8. 1. One saith whosoever employeth himself in the study of the Law and in the returning of mercy and whosoever prays with the Synagogue I account concerning him as if he redeemed me and my sons from the Nations of the World And whosoever prays not with the Synagogue is called an ill Neighbour as it is said Thus saith the Lord of all my evil neighbours c. Jer. XII 14. VI. When they were met together in the Synagogue on the Sabbath day for this being observed there is no need to speak any thing of the other days the service being begun the Minister of the Church calls out seven whomsoever he pleases to call out to read the Law in their order First A Priest then a Levite if they were present and after these five Israelites Hence it is O young student in Hebrew learning that in some editions of the Hebrew Bible you see marked in the margin of the Pentateuch 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priest 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Levite 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The third 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fourth 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fifth 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sixth 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The seventh Denoting by these words the order of the Readers and measuring out hereby the portion read by each one Thus I suppose Christ was called out by the Angel of the Church of Nazareth IV. Luke 16. and reading according to the custom as a member of that Synagogue There is no need to mention that prayers were made publickly by the Angel of the Church for the whole Congregation and that the Congregation answered Amen â—o every prayer and it would be too much particularly to enumerate what those prayers were and to recite them It is known enough to all that Prayers and reading of the Law and the Prophets was the chief business in the Synagogue and that both were under the care of the Angel of the Synagogue But did not he or some body else make Sermons in the Synagogue I. There seemed to have been Catechizing of boys in the Synagogue Consider what that means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s s s s s s Bab. Bâ—rac fol. 17. 1. What is the privilege of Women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This that their sons read in the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That their husbands recite in the School of the Doctors Where the Gloss thus The boys that were Scholars were
not what it means let him lay it up until Elias shall come 5. That we be not tedious it shall be enough to produce a few passages out of d d d d d d Fol. 43. 2. Bab. Erubhin Where upon this subject If any say Behold I am a Nazarite on the day wherein the Son of David comes it is permitted to drink wine on the Sabbaths and feast days it is disputed what day of the week Messias shall come and on what day Elias where among other things these words occur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elias came not yesterday that is the same day wherein he comes he shall appear in publick and shall not lie hid to day coming yesterday The Gloss thus If thou say'st perhaps he shall come on the Eve of the Sabbath and shall preach the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Sabbath you may answer with that Text Behold I send you Elias the Prophet before the day of the Lord come you may argue that he shall preach on that very day in which he shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Israelites are certain that Elias shall come neither on the Sabbath Eves nor on the Eves of the feast days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By reason of labour And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elias cometh not on the Sabbath day Thus speak the Scholars of Hillel e e e e e e Hieros Pesach fol. 30. 2. We are sure Elias will not come on the Sabbath nor on a feast day The Glossers give the Reason Not on the Sabbath Eves or the Eves of the feast days by reason of labour that is by reason of the preparation for the Sabbath namely lest they should leave the necessaries for the Sabbath unfinished to go to meet him nor on the Sabbaths by reason of labour in the Banquets that they omit not those feastings and eatings which were esteemed so necessary to the Sabbath whilst they went out to meet Elias Let these three Observations out of the Glossers upon the page cited serve for a conclusion 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before the coming of the Son of David Elias shall come to preach of him 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messias cometh not on the first day of the Sabbath because Elias shall not come on the Sabbath Whence it appears that Elias is expected the day before the Messias appeared 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is not Messias ben Ioseph to come first II. We meet with numberless Stories in the Talmudists concerning the apparitions of Elias according to that which was said before by Aben Ezra It is without controversie that Elias was sâ—… in the days of our wise men There is no need of Examples when it may not be so much doubted who of these wise men saw Elias as who saw him not For my part I cannot esteem all those stories for mere Fables but in very many of them I cannot but suspect Witchcrafts and the appearances of Ghosts which we also said before concerning the Bath Kol For thus the Devil craftily deluded this Nation willing to be deceived and even the capacity of observing that the coming of the Messias was now past was obliterated when here and there in this age and in the t'other his Forerunner Elias appeared as if he intended hence to let them know that he was yet to come VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he shall restore all things THE Jews feign many things which Elias shall restore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f Bab. Kiddâ—shin fol. 71. 1. Kimchi in Zach. Chap. IX He shall purifie the Bastards and restore them to the Congregation He shall render to Israel the pot of Manâ—a the Viol of Holy oyl the Viol of water and there are some who say the Rod of Aaron g g g g g g Tanchum in Exod. I. c. Which things alas how far distant are they from those which are spoken concerning the Office of Elias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall restore or make up not into the former state but into a better There were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Times of restitution of all things determined by God Acts III. 21. wherein all things were to be framed into a Gospel state and a state worthy of the Messias A Church was to be founded and the Doctrine of the Gospel dispersed the hearts of the Fathers the Jews to be united to the Sons the Gentiles and the hearts of the Sons the Gentiles to the Fathers the Jews which work was begun by the Baptist and finished by Christ and the Apostles Which term of the Restitution of all these expiring the Common-wealth of the Jews expired also and the gifts of Revelation and Miracles granted for this purpose and so necessary to it failed However therefore ye have crucified Christ saith Peter in that place of the Acts now cited yet God shall still send you Jesus Christ in the preaching of the Gospel to fulfil these things Him indeed as to his person the Heavens do contain and shall contain until all these things be perfected Expect not therefore with the erring Nation his personal presence always on Earth but he shall make up and constitute all things by us his Ministers until the Terms determined and prefixed for the perfecting of this Restitution shall come VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is Lunatick LUke IX 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A spirit taketh him Mark IX 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath a dumb spirit I. He that is skilled in the Talmudick Writings will here remember what things are said concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A deaf and mad man concerning whom there is so much mention in their Writings h h h h h h Truma cap. 1. Hal. 1. There are five who do not pay the Trumah but if they do their Trumah is no Trumah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The deaf and dumb the lunatick c. i i i i i i Cholin cap. 1. Hal. 1. Any one is fit to sacrifice a Beast except 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A dumb and deaf a lunatick and a child and very many passages of this nature c. I have rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deaf and dumb according to the sense of the Masters who in the place first cited do thus interpret the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning which the wise men speak is he who neither heareth nor speaketh See there the Jerusalem Gemara where among other things this occurs not unworthy our noting That all the sons of R. Jochanan ben Gudgoda were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deaf and dumb II. It was very usual to the Jews to attribute some of the more grievous diseases to evil spirits specially those wherein either the body was distorted or the mind disturbed and tossed with a phrensie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k k k k k k Maimon in Gerushâ—n cap. â— If any one vexed with an evil Spirit
of the Feast Let us take an instance of this in the last Passover our Saviour kept The Paschal Lamb was eaten on the fifth day of the week our Thursday The first day of the Feast was the sixth day of the week our Friday the day on which our Lord was Crucified The day declining towards night about the time that our Lord was buried they went out that were deputed by the Sanhedrin to reap the sheaf and on the morrow that is their Sabbath whiles our Saviour slept in the grave they offered that sheaf That day therefore was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the second day and from thence they counted the weeks to Pentecost The Sabbaths that came between taking their name from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that second day The first Sabbath after that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Sabbath after the second day and the next Sabbath after that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second Sabbath after the second day and so of the rest c c c c c c Rambam in Adaioth fol. 22. 1. The first day of the Passover is called the Sabbath and they counted after that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven Sabbaths that had relation to that Note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That had relation or alliance VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Prayer to God Or In the Prayer of God COmpare this kind of phrase with what is said d d d d d d Beracoth fol. 〈…〉 1. R. Johanan in the name of R. Jose saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How doth it appear that the Holy blessed God doth pray From thence that it is said I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them joyful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the house of my prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not said of their prayer but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of my prayer Whence it follows that the Holy blessed God doth pray But how doth he pray Saith Rabh Zutra bar Tobijah Rabh saith Let it be my good pleasure that my mercy overcome my wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e e e e e e Beresh rabb fol. 63. 3. The Holy Blessed God made him a Tabernacle and prayed in it as it is said his Tabernacle is in Salem and his dwelling place in Zion Now what doth he say when he prayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it be my good pleasure that I may see my dwelling place built I cannot but laugh at their triflings and yet withal observe the opinion that Nation had and compare it with this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prayer of God They will have it that God prays not by way of supplication but authority So let it be Thus our Blessed Lord sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father I will Joh. XVII 24. Whether the phrase in this place should be thus interpreted I do not determine VERS XXXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Good measure pressed down c. I. COncerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f See Menacoth fol. 87. measures heaped up and stricken off R. Meir saith it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A tenth A tenth to every Lamb Whence is hinted that there were two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decimaries or tithing measures in the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One heapt up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other stricken off The heaped up was that by which they measured all their bread corn for holy uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which was stricken off was that whereby they measured the cakes or the High-Priests loaves g g g g g g Ibid. fol. 90. 1. All the measures in the Temple were heaped up besides that of the High-Priests Now the Gloss giving the reason why this was not heaped up as well as the other tells us It was because he was to divide the flower into two tenths if therefore the measure was heaped up some of the fine flower would spill upon the ground as he moved it this way and that way in dividing it h h h h h h Joma fol. 48. 1. Rabh Papa askt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The filling of the Priests hand whereof we have mention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Was it by the measure stricken off or heaped up R. Aba saith to Rabh Ishai the filling of the Priests hand of which we have mention was neither by the measures stricken off nor heaped up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by measures floating over II. Every one may observe our Evangelist in his repetition of this Sermon upon the Mount doth omit many things that are set down in St. Matthew those especially that have relation to the dictates and glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees about Man-slaughter Oaths Divorces c. or their customs in their Prayers Fasts and Alms c. Writing for the Service of the Gentiles he passeth over what respected the Jews CHAP. VII VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who was dear unto him SO was Tabi to his Master Rabban Gamaliel of whom we meet with several things up and down particularly that in Beracoth fol. 16. 2. When his servant Tabi was dead he received consolations for him His disciples say unto him Master thou hast taught us that they do not use to receive consolations for their servants He answered them saying my servant Tabi was not as other servants he was most upright VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He he hath built us a Synagogue I. IT was no unusual thing for one single man to build a Synagogue at his own charge a a a a a a Kitsur Piske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Megillah Artic. 4â— If any man build an House and afterward consecrate it to a Synagogue it is of the nature of a Synagogue Gloss. b b b b b b In Râ—bbenâ— Asher ibid. fol. 37. 2. Any one that builds a Synagogue and gives it to his sellow-Citizens c. And the Doctors in that Treatise c c c c c c Megillah cap. 4. dispute much upon this question whether it be lawful to sell a Synagogue or to alienate it to any civil use and amongst the rest they suppose some one building a Synagogue but would at last reserve it to his own proper use II. They had no scruple as to a Gentile building it since the holiness of the place consisted not so much in the building as in its being set apart and dedicated to holy use of which we have some instance in Herod's building the Temple Such an one had this Centurion approved himself toward the Jewish Nation that concerning his liberty and devotion in being at the charges of building they found no reason to move any scruple VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A dead man was carried out A Mongst the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A dead corps going out is commonly a phrase which is first understood of carrying the
had any ill design when they thus mangled this famous clause but surely there is at least some ground of suspition that they hardly referr the words to the right object R. Solomon assuredly doth not For so it ought to be said saith he to those that bring their first-fruits and go up to the Feasts 1. To come is oftentimes the same with them as to teach g g g g g g Joh. V. â—â— If any one shall come in his own name him ye will receive i. e. If any one shall teach And so it is frequently in the Jerusalem Talmud concerning this or the other Rabbin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he came and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he cometh Which if it be not to be understood of such an one teaching I confess I am am at a loss what it should mean else 2. Those Doctors did not come and teach in the name of the Lord but either in their own name or in the name of the traditions of some Father Hence nothing more familiar with them than R. N. in the name of R. N. saith as every leaf I may say almost every line of their writings witness If therefore by cutting short this clause they would be appropriating to themselves the blessing of the people whom they had taught to say Blessed be he that cometh letting that slip or omitting what follows in the name of the Lord they do indeed like themselves cunningly lying at catch and hunting after â—ame and vain-glory Let the Reader judge whether Christ might not look this way in these words However I shall not scruple to determine that they shall never see the Messiah as to any advantage to themselves till they have renounced the Doctrines of coming in their own name or in the name of the Traditions of their Fathers embracing his Doctrine who is come in the name of the Lord. Which whether they shall ever do or no let him determine who can determine whether that Nation shall ever be converted CHAP. XIV VERS 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To eat bread on the Sabbath day THE Jews tables were generally better spread on that day than on any others and that as they themselves reckoned upon the account of Religion and Piety I have spoken to this elsewhere take here a demonstration a a a a a a Schabb. fol. 119. 1. Rabba bar Rabh Honna went to the house of Rabba bar Rabh Nachman He set before him three measures of rich cake to whom he how did you know of my coming the other answered is there any thing more valuable to us than the Sabbath The Gloss is we do by no means preferr thee before the Sabbath We got these things ready in honour of the Sabbath not knowing any thing of thy coming Rabh Abba bought flesh of thirteen Butchers for thirteen staters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and paid them at the very hinge of the door The Gloss tells us That he bought of thirteen Butchers that he might be sure to taste the best and before they could come that should bring the flesh he had gotten his money ready for them and paid them at the very gate that he might hasten dinner and all this in honour of the Sabbath day R. Abhu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sate upon an Ivory throne and yet blew the fire That was toward the cooking of his dinner in honour of the Sabbath It ought not to be passed by without observation that Christ was at such a dinner and that in the house of a Pharisee who doubtless was observant enough of all Ceremonies of this kind VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is lawful to heal on the Sabbath day A Jew will be ready to cavil against the truth of the Evangelists upon the occasion of this and such like questions they report from our Saviour What need had he will such an one say to ask this question when he could not but know that in danger of life it was permitted them to do any thing toward the preservation of it Nay where there was no imminent danger they were allowed to apply Medicines Plasters c. especially which I must not omit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to apply leven even in the time of Passover to a Gumretha b b b b b b Hieros Schabb. fol. 14. 4. Avodah Zarab fol. 40. 4. some very burning distemper This is all true indeed and this no doubt our Saviour understood well enough but withal he could not but observe with how ill an eye they lookt at him and would not allow that in him which was lawful in another man He was always accused for healing on the Sabbath day which whiles he did it with a word speaking he could not violate so much as even their own Canons permitted him And wherefore then should they accuse him In mere hatred to his person and actions There are two little stories we meet with in places quoted before which perhaps may serve in some measure to illustrate this matter The Grandchild of R. Joshua ben Levi had some disease in his throat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There came one and mumbled to him in the name of Jesus the Son of Pandira and he was restored Here we see the vertue and operation of Jesus not so utterly exploded but they did allow of it When R. Eliezer ben Damah had been bitten with a Serpent and Jacobus Capharsamensis came in the name of Jesus the Son of Pandirah to heal him R. Ismael forbad it And so the sick man died VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which of you shall have an Ass or an Ox fallen into a pit c. IT being an undoubted maxim That they must deal mercifully with an Israelite's goods The Doctors in many things dispensed with the Sabbath for the preservation of a Beast c c c c c c Schab cap. 18. hal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do not play the midwives with a Beast that is bringing forth its young on a Feast-day but they help it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How do they help it They bear up the young one that it doth not fall upon the ground They bring wine and spirit it into the nostrils they rub the paunch of the damme so that it will suckle its young d d d d d d Bezah fol. 46. 1. A firstling if it fall into a ditch on a Feast-day or the Sabbath let the Mumcheh look into it and if there be any blemish in it let him take it out and kill it if not let him not kill it He draws it out however that it might not be lost And so they deal with other Beasts only the Mumcheh or he that is to try them for their blemishes is not made use of VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sit thou not down in the highest room THEY were ambitious of the highest room in honour of their wisdom e e
find it Herbanus the Jew s s s s s s Oregent Dial. at the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a man excellently well instructed in the Law and holy Books of the Prophets and the Octateuch and all the other Writings What this Octateuch should be distinct from the Law and the Prophets and indeed what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the other writings besides should be is not easily guessed This Octateuch perhaps may seem to have some reference to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hagiographa or Holy Writings for it is probable enough that speaking of a Jew well skilled in the Holy Scriptures he might design the partition of the Bible according to the manner of the Jews dividing it but who then can pick out books that should make it up Let the Reader pick out the eight and then I would say that the other four are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the other Writings But we will not much disquiet our selves about this matter It may be asked why these Books should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scriptures when the whole Bible goes under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Scriptures Nor can any thingbe more readily answered to this than that by this title they would keep up their dignity and just esteem for them They did not indeed read them in their Synagogues but that they might acknowledge them of most Holy and Divine Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of them they confirm their Traditions and they expound them mystically t t t t t t Schabb. fol. 116. 2. Yea and give them the same title with the rest of the Holy Scriptures u u u u u u Bathra ubi supr This is the order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Hagiographa Ruth the Book of Psalms Job the Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Canticles the Lamentations Daniel the Book of Esther Ezra and the Chronicles It is here disputed that if Job was in the days of Moses why then is not his Book put in the first place the answer is they do not begin with vengeance or affliction and such is that Book of Job They reply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruth also begins with affliction viz. with the story of a Famine and the death of Elimelech's Sons But that was say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an affliction that had a joyful ending So they might have said of the Book and affliction of Job too We see it is disputed there why the Book of Ruth should be placed the first in that rank and not the Book of Job But we might enquire whether the Book of Psalms ought not have been placed the first rather than the Book of Ruth IV. In this passage at present before us who would think otherwise but that our Saviour alludes to the common and most known partition of the Bible and although he name the Psalms only yet that under the title he includes that whole volume For we must of necessity say that either he excluded all the Books of that third division excepting the Book of Psalms which is not probable or that he included them under the title of the Prophets which was not customary or else that under the title of the Psalms he comprehended all the rest That he did not exclude them reason will tell us for in several Books of that division is he himself spoken of as well as in the Psalms and that he did not include them in the title of the Prophets reason also will dictate because we would not suppose him speaking differently from the common and received opinion of that Nation There is very little question therefore but the Apostles might understand him speaking with the vulgar and by the Psalms to have meant all the Books of that Volume those especially wherein any thing was written concerning himself For let it be granted that Ruth as to the time of the History and the time of its writing might challenge to its self the first place in order and it is that kind of priority the Gemarists are arguing yet certainly amongst all those Books that mention any thing of Christ the Book of Psalms deservedly obtains the first place so far that in the naming of this the rest may be understood So St. Matthew Chap. XXVII 9. under the name of Jeremiah comprehends that whole Volume of the Prophets because he was placed the first in that rank which observation we have made in Notes upon that place VERS XLV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then opened he their understanding WHere it is said that by the imposition of the hands of the Apostles the gift of Tongues and of Prophesie was conferred they spake with tongues and they prophesied Acts XIX 6. by Prophesie nothing may be better understood than this very thing that the minds of such were opened that they might understand the Scriptures and perhaps their speaking with tongues might look this way in the first notion of it viz. that they could understand the original wherein the Scriptures were writ VERS L. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As far as Bethany HOW many difficulties arise here I. This very Evangelist Acts I. 12. tells us that when the Disciples came back from the place where our Lord ascended they returned from Mount Olivet distant from Jerusalem a Sabbath days journey But now the Town of Bethany was about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem Joh. XI 18. and that is double a Sabbath days journey II. Josephus tells us that the Mount of Olives was but five furlongs from the City and a Sabbath days journey was seven furlongs and an half q q q q q q Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 6. About that time there came to Jerusalem a certain Egyptian pretending himself a Prophet and perswading the people that they would go out with him to the Mount of Olives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being situated on the front of the City is distant five furlongs These things are all true 1. That the Mount of Olives lay but five furlongs distance from Jerusalem 2. That the Town of Bethany was fifteen furlongs 3. That the Disciples were brought by Christ as far as Bethany 4. That when they returned from the Mount of Olives that they travelled more than five furlongs And 5. Returning from Bethany they travelled but a Sabbath days journey All which may be easily reconciled if we would observe That the first space from the City toward this Mount was called Bethphage which I have cleared elsewhere from Talmudick Authors the Evangelists themselves also confirming it That part of that Mount was known by that name to the length of about a Sabbath days journey till it come to that part which was called Bethany For there was Bethany a tract of the Mount and the Town of Bethany The Town was distant from the City about fifteen furlongs i. e. two miles or a double Sabbath days journey but the first border of this
office there At the due time the Sacrifices appointed for the Chagigah were slain those parts of them that pertain'd to the Altar or to the Priest were given to them the rest of the beast was shar'd amongst the owners that had offer'd it and from thence proceeded their Feastings together and their great mirth and rejoycings according to the manner of that Festival This was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 14. The preparation of the Passover and that was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Passover to which the Elders of the Council reserving themselves would by no means enter into the Judgment-hall Chap. XVIII 28. II. That day drawing toward night those that were deputed by the Sanhedrin to reap the sheaf of the first-fruits went out f f f f f f Menacoth fol. 65. 1. Those that were deputed by the Sanhedrin to reap went forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the evening of the Feast-day the first day of the Feast and bound their corn in sheafs pretty near the ground that the reaping might be the easier All the neighbouring Towns about gather'd together that it might be done with the greater pomp When it grew duskish he that was about to reap said The Sun is set and they answer'd Well The Sun is set and they answer'd Well With this Sickle Well With this Sickle Well In this Basket Well In this Basket Well And if it happen'd to be on the Sabbath-day he said On this Sabbath and they answer'd Well On this Sabbath Well I will reap and they said reap I will reap reap And so as he said these things thrice over they answer'd thrice to every one of them Well well well And all this upon the account of the Baithusians who said the sheaf of the first-fruits ought not to be reaped on the close of the Feast-day About that hour of the day wherein our Saviour was buried they went forth to this reaping and when the Sabbath was now come they began the work for the Sabbath it self did not hinder this work g g g g g g Ibid. fol. 63. 2. R. Ananias the Sagan of the Priests saith on the Sabbath-day they reap'd the sheaf only to the measure of one Seah with one Sickle in one Basket but upon a common day they reapt three Seahs with three Sickles in three Baskets But the wise men say The Sabbath-days and other days as to this matter are alike III. This night they were to lodg in Jerusalem or in Booths about so near the City that they might not exceed the bounds of a Sabbath-days journey In the morning again they met very early in the Court as the day before the Sacrifices are brought for the peoples appearing before the Lord the sheaf of first-fruits is offer'd in its turn the rites and usages of which offering are described in the place above quoted So that upon this high day there happen'd to be three great Solemnities in one viz. the Sabbath the sheaf-offering and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the appearing of the people in the Court before the Lord according to the command Exod. XXIII 17. VERS XXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With a Spear pierced his side THE Arab. Vers. of the Erpenian Edition adds the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he pierced his right side afraid as it should seem lest the miracle should not be great enough if the blood and water should have been suppos'd to have issued from his left-side because of the water that is said to be contain'd in the Pericardium which being pierced it is conceived blood and water could not but upon natural reasons flow out of it But this issue of blood and water had something of mystery in it beyond nature if nothing preternatural had been in it I hardly imagin the Evangelist would have used that threefold asseveration concerning the truth of the thing as we see he doth And he that saw it bare record c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There came out blood and water It is commonly said that the two Sacraments of the New Testament Water and Blood flow'd out of this wound but I would rather say that the Antitype of the Old Testament might be here seen I. The Apostle teacheth us that the ratification of the old Covenant was by Blood and Water Heb. IX 19. Moses took the blood of calves and of goats with water c. I confess indeed that Moses makes no mention of water Exod. XXIV but the Apostle writing to the Hebrews does not write without such authority as they could not tell how to gainsay And if my memory do not fail me I think I have read some where among some of the Jewish Authors but the place its self is unhappily slipt from me that when there was some pause to be made betwixt the slaying of the Sacrifice and the sprinkling of the blood upon the Altar such a kind of pause as Moses made when he read to the people the articles of their Covenant they mingled water with the blood lest it should congeal and coagulate However the authority is sufficient that the Apostle tells us that the first Testament was dedicated by Blood and Water The Antitype of which is clearly exhibited in this ratification of the New Testament and hence is it that the Evangelist by so vehement asseverations confirms the truth of this passage because it so plainly answers the Type and gives such assurance of the fulfilling of it II. I must not by any means let pass that in Shemoth rabba h h h h h h Fol. 122. 1 He smote the rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the waters gushed out Psal. LXXVIII 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies nothing else but blood as it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman that hath an issue of blood upon her Levit. XV. 20. Moses therefore smote the rock twice and first it gusht out blood then water The rock was Christ 1 Cor. X. 4. Compare these two together Moses smote the rock and blood and water saith the Jew flow'd out thence The Souldier pierced our Saviour's side with a Spear and water and blood saith the Evangelist flow'd thence St. John concludes this asseveration of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye might believe It is not without moment what is commonly said viz. that by this flowing out of water and blood it is evident his Pericardium was pierced and so there was an undoubted assurance given of his death but I hardly believe the Evangelist in this clause had any direct eye toward it would he be so vehement in asserting he that saw bare record and he knoweth that he saith true that ye may believe that Jesus was indeed dead surely there was no need of such mighty asseverations for that questionless therefore he would intimate something else viz. that you may believe that this is the true blood of the New Covenant which so
17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they might seek c. And so in this place repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the times of refreshing may come and God may send Jesus Christ to you These last words may send Jesus Christ I suppose have begot the difficulty in this place and occasioned the variety of Versions we meet with And how the Chiliasts apply these things is well known But if our Interpretation be admitted what could be more fully and plainly said to answer the conceptions of the Auditors who might be ready to object against what St. Peter had said Is it so indeed Was that Jesus whom we have Cruciâ—ied the true Christ then is all our hope of refreshment by the Messiah vanished because he himself is vanished and gone Then our expectation as to the consolation of Israel is at an end because he who should be our consolation is perished Not so saith St. Peter but the Messiah and the refreshing by him shall be restored to you if you will repent yet so that he himself shall continue still in Heaven He shall be sent to you in his refreshing and consolatory word and in his benefits if you repent c. We have something parallel to this in Acts XIII 47. We turn unto the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles Set thee Whom What Paul and Barnabas No but thee Christ sent and shinning forth by the ministry of those two Apostles And hence it is that I the less doubt of the reading of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preached before unto you whereas some would rather have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made ready for St. Peter's design and discourse is about preaching He shall send Christ to to you by way of Preaching as he was before preached of We may observe That the Apostle in this discourse of his instances in a threefold time 1. The time before his coming wherein he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preached before by Moses and all the Prophets from Samuel and so on 2. This time when he came and God exhibited him to the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having raised him up vers 26. raising him up for a Saviour he sent him to the first that by his Doctrine he might turn every one of you from his iniquities And 3. Now that he is gone up into Heaven and is there to abide yet God will send him to you that repent in the preaching of his word as he was before preached VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And all the Prophets from Samuel c. WE have Moses and Samuel mentioned together in this place as also Psal. XCIX 6. because there were few or no Prophets between these two 1 Sam. III. 1. and the Apparitions of Angels having been more frequent And after the decease of Phineas it is a question whether there was any Oracle by Urim and Thummim through the defect of Prophesie in the High Priests till the times of Samuel but then it revived in Abimelech Abiathar c. n n n n n n Hieros Câ—agigah f. 77. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samuel was the Master of the Prophets CHAP. IV. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Captain of the Temple WE have spoken already of this Captain of the Temple in Notes upon Luke XXII 4. and told you that he was the Captain of all those Priestly and Levitical Guards and Watches that were kept in the Temple He is termed in the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Man of the mountain of the House or the Ruler of the mountain of the Temple VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their Rulers and Elders and Scribes were gathered together in Ierusalem IN Jerusalem admits of a double construction Either as the City may be set in opposition to the Country or the Town it self to the Temple I. If we admit the former and that these had gathered themselves from the adjacent Towns to meet in Jerusalem then we may suppose them assembled rather upon the account of some Solemnity of the day than meerly to take cagnizance of the cause of Peter and John It is a question whether they all knew of their Imprisonment which was done the Evening before and probably while they were absent their commitment was made and that act done by some chief of the Priests the Captain of the Watches and by the Sadducees not by a just Sanhedrin If we will grant therefore that the lame Man was healed that day in the Afternoon on which the Holy Ghost had been poured out upon the Disciples in the Fore-noon then on this very day it behoved every male to appear before the Lord in the Temple with some oblation or other For whereas the day of Pentecost fell then on the Jewish Sabbath and this day that being supposed was the second day after that it was the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of appearing in the Temple which probably might occasion these Rulers and Elders meeting together in the City at this time II. But if we take Jerusalem in this place in opposition to the Temple it remembers us of the Tradition concerning the Sanhedrin's removal from the Temple to the City which Jewish Authors tell us of o o o o o o Roâ—h bashanaâ— fol. 31. 1. The Sanhedrin removed from the Room Gazith to the Taberne and from the Taberne into Jerusalem c. Where we may observe the same contradistinction between the City and the Temple For in the Temple was both Gazith and the Taberne or Shops This removal happened forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem p p p p p p Avodaâ— Zaraâ— fol. 8. 2. Forty years before the destruction of the City the Sanhedrin removed For when they observed the strange encrease of Murderers amongst them that they grew too many to be called in question they suid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is best for us to remove from place to place Upon which very words it is best for us to remove I cannot but remember that passage in Josephus q q q q q q De Excid lib. 6. cap. 31. On the Feast which is called Pentecost the Priests according to custom entring into the inner Temple by night to perform the Service perceived first as they said a certain motion and crack and then a sudden voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us remove from hence Which words whether they agree amongst themselves and fall in with the time now before us let the Reader himself consider and judge That passage in Chap. V. 25. gives some hint that the Sanhedrin at this time sate in the City and not in the Temple which the Reader may alâ—â— consider III. I hardly believe any one will doubt but that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers Elders
43. And he saith unto Iesus Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom And Iesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Acts XXIII 8. For the Sadducees say That there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit But the Pharisees confess both John XI 51. This spake he not of himself but being High Priest that year he prophesied That Iesus should dye for that people Rom. IX 3. For I could wish that I my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh Gen. III. 20. And Adam called his wifes name Eve because she was the Mother of all living 1 John III. 12. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother and wherefore slew he him Because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous Gen. IV. 15. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill him Exod. XX. 5. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me Exod. XX. 11. For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exod. XX. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee A Discourse upon the fourth Article of the Apostles Creed He descended into Hell A SERMON PREACHED AT St. Michaels Cornhil Novemb. 25. 1658. Before the NATIVES of STAFFORDSHIRE JOHN X. 22 23. And it was at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication and it was Winter And Iesus walked in the Temple in Solomons porch THE Text is suitable to the occasion Here is a Feast as well as yours a Feast in Winter as well as yours and as I shall shew you anon a Feast on the five and twentieth day of November as well as yours If Christ will vouchsafe his presence at yours as he did at this in the Text the parallel will not be so pregnant as it will be happy Of all the four Evangelists John is most punctual nay he only is punctual to give account of the Festivals that intercurred between Christs entrance into his Publick Ministry at his Baptism and the time of his Death that renowned and signal space of time of half a week of years as they be called Dan. 9. 27. or three years and an half in which Christ performed his Ministery and wrought Redemption And this he doth partly that he might the more remarkably count out the time and partly that he might shew how careful our Saviour was to observe those Festivals He names you the four Passovers that intervened The first Passover after his Baptism in Chap. II. when he whipped Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple The second in Chap. V. when he healed the long diseased Man at Bethesda The third in Chap. VI. 4. a little before which he fed five thousand Men miraculously The fourth and last in Chap. XVIII at which he suffered He gives you also account of his being at the Feast of Tabernacles Chap. VII and of his being at the Feast of Dedication in the words that I have read To the expounding of which the very way that I must go cannot but mind me to Observe this to you That Humane Learning is exceeding useful nay exceeding needful to the Expounding of Scripture The Text gives the rise of this Observation and it gives the proof of it Here is the mention of the Feast of Dedication and not one tittle else in all the Scripture concerning it And so there is the bare mention of Solomons porch and indeed it is mentioned once again in Act. III. 11. but neither here nor there any more than the bare name Certainly the Holy Ghost would never have mentioned these things if he would not have had us to have sought to know what they meant But how should we know them The Scripture gives not one spark of light to find them out but Humane Learning holds out a clear light of Discovery Would you know what this Feast of Dedication was Upon what occasion instituted How celebrated At what time of Winter it occurred The Scripture speaks not one word of all these but Humane Authors the Talmud Maimony Josephus the first book of Maccabes tell you all fully And would you know what Solomons porch was and where it was and in what part of the Temple it was in Scripture you can never find it but consult Humane Learning and Writers and they will tell you it was a Cloister-walk on the East bound of the utmost Court of the Temple and they will tell you the very space and fashion of it Here is a Text fallen into our Hands occasionally a Thousand others of the like nature might be produced let any of those that deny Humane Learning to be needful in handling of Divinity but expound me this Text without the help of Humane Learning and I shall then think there is something in their Opinion Two things lead them into this mistake 1. Because they conceive the New Testament which part of the Bible Christians have most to deal withal is so easie of it self that it needs no pains or study to the Expounding of it 2. And the less because say they the Spirit reveals it to the Saints of God and so they are taught of God and can teach others Give me leave partly for our settlement in the Truth about this Point and partly for the stopping the mouths of such gainsayers out of many things that might be spoken to commend these four to you I. That in the time when Prophecy flourished the standing Ministery that was to teach the people were not Prophets but Priests and Levites that became Learned by Study And for that end God disposed them into forty eight Cities which were as Universities where they were to Study the Law together that they might be inabled to teach the people And you may see the very Prophets themselves sending the people to them to be Instructed Hag. II. 2. Mal. II. 7. It is but a wild thing now when Prophesie is ceased so many hundred years ago to refuse Learning and a Learned Ministery and to seek instruction we know not of whom II. There is no ground in Scripture to believe nor promise to expect that God doth or ever will teach men the Grammatical or Logical construction of the Scripture Text. T is true indeed that he gives to a gratious Saint the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ as it is Ephes. I. 17. But how Revealing to him by experimental feeling that which he knew indeed before in Scripture but only by bare Theory As for example A man before his conversion knows by reading and hearing what Faith and Repentance are in their definitions but when he comes to
insist That our Saviour held in Communion with the Church of the Iews in which he lived in the publick exercise of Religion And I might add in conformity to the common custom of the Nation in Civil Converse An Observation that the Text plainly affordeth those considerations laid to it that I have mentioned For look upon this Feast as a thing of Religion and Religious Observation he is present at it as holding Communion with the Church in the publick exercise of Religion or look upon it only as a civil Commemoration and of a civil Institution he is present at it because he kept in conformity with the common customs of the Nation in civil Converse I begin with the former And we are upon a Subject very seasonable in these times of our great Divisions and Separations and not unseasonable for your Meeting and Feast of Love and Unity And I know no point that may more usefully and profitably be studied and looked into toward the reconciling our great Separations than this if so be the example of our Saviour be of Authority and value with us For clearing the way of our discourse let me first Observe these things to you I. That when I say he held Communion in the publick exercise of Religion I mean their National Religion by which indeed they were a National Church A National Religion and a National Church are phrases that will not now be allowed of by many among Christians though they will allow them for current among the Jews Though indeed there can be no clear reason given of the difference T is true indeed that no Nation can now be said to be a National Church in that restriction that the Jews were who were so a National Church that no people were of the Church besides yet is there the very same cause that made them a National Church that may make other Nations so now Their being a peculiar people did not make them a National Church for that made them only an only Church Nor did their Ceremonial Rites in Religion make them a National Church for that made them only a distinct Nation But that that did properly make and denominate them a National Church was the Worship of God and the exercise of Religion went through the whole Nation And I see not why Christian Nations where there is the very same reason may not also cary the very same name In the Apostles times indeed there was no National Church of the Gospel and that is most true that they plead that hold the contrary to what I assert namely that it is not said the Church of Achaia the Church of Galatia Indaea Macedonia c. but the Churches And there is very good reason why it is so said For those whole Nations had not yet received the Gospel but as there was a Christian Church in one place so there was a Heathen Temple in another and a Jewish Synagogue in another nay it may be three for one ten for one But when the whole Nation came to profess the Gospel and there were no Church but Christian then whole Achaia whole Macedonia c. were National Churches Observe that in Esay XIX 24 25. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Earth When the Lord of Hosts shall bless saying Blessed be Egypt my people c. Assyria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance Israel was a National Church because the whole Nation professed Religion and Worshipped God Egypt and Assyria could not be called so when Heathen Temples and Idolatrous Worship and Jews Synagogues and Judaismes were intermixed but when all Egypt and all Assyria came to own the same Religion and Worship of God in the way of the Gospel why might they not hear the same name of National Churches as well as Israel We mean then that Christ held Communion with the Church of the Jews in the publick exercise of that Religion which was the seated and fixed Religion of the Nation and which went through the Nation II. The Religion of the Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans was not the National Religion but Sects and excrescences from it therefore it no whit denies Christ Communicating with the Religion of the Nation though he did not Communicate with the Religion of these Sects You may take up in your thoughts the whole Nation of the Jews when Christ came among them in two parts and you may very well so take them up under the representation of an overflowing flood Let Jordan their own River be the instance It is said in Jos. III. 15. That Jordan overflowed his banks all barley harvest Then a great part of the water ran in the channel and another part flowed over the banks and wasted what was in the way So the greatest part of the Nation kept in the channel of their National Religion and a great part namely these Sects overflowed the bounds went beyond the proper current especially the first and the last and spoiled all with overdoing Now out of whether of these two parts did Christ gather those thousands nay those several ten thousands as Act. XXI 20. that came into the profession of the Gospel Some indeed from among those Sects but the far greatest part from among them that kept in the channel of the National Religion For observe what sad doom the Scripture passes upon those Sects severally and jointly The Pharisees single Christ curseth and denounceth wo against Matth. XXIII over and over again The Pharisees and Sadducees together John proclaimeth a generation of Vipers Matth. III. The Pharisees and Sadducees and Esseans altogether the three evil Shepherds that mislead the people Christ professeth that he hated them as they did him Zech. XI 8. Now it is no wonder if Christ Communicated not with the Religion of them that were so abominable in themselves and to him and their Religion so wild and it had been a wonder if he should not have Communicated with them to whom he came more especially to be a Minister and from among whom he was to gather so great an harvest And now having premised these things to come to prove and clear the assertion before us we shall first consider the obligations that lay upon Christ and bound him to hold Communion with the Church wherein he lived and the examples and instances that shew he did so The former will evince de jure the latter de facto I. Need I to prove that Christ was a member of the Church of the Jews And if that be granted it can hardly be denied that he was bound to keep Communion with the Church of which he was a member The Apostle in Rom. IX 5. tells us that Christ was of the blood of the Jews and was he of their Nation only and not of their Church He was Minister of the Circumcision and was he not of the Church of which he was Minister II. I need as little to
sins of their fathers unto the third and fourth generation This leaves a lesson to Parents That they would pity their children and when they sin think of them and of the misery they entail upon them A SERMON PREACHED upon EXODUS XX. 11. For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it THE greatest obscurity we have to speak about is in the last clause He hallowed it and yet at first sight that seems least obscure of all The two former clauses may rather one would think set us at a stand and yet the great dispute is about the last viz. in regard of that Sabbath we now celebrate When we look upon the world it may set us at a wonder that this vast bulk of all things should be made in six days Heaven and Earth and Seas in six days How many houses in the world have cost the work of six years Solomon was building the Temple seven years and his own house twenty years and this great Universe and all things in it to be built in six days And yet if we look at the power of him that made it we have as much cause to wonder that he should be six days about it He that made all things by his word could have done it in one moment as well as six days and with one word as well as six And he that made all things of nothing could also have made all things in no length of time but in an instant in a moment of time in the twinkling of an eye as he will change all things 1 Cor. XV. 52. And so concerning his resting If he were weary with working that he needed resting why did he work till he was weary And if he were not weary why had he need to rest Such frivolous impious and Atheistical Disputes may flesh and blood and carnal reason move about the actings of God that hath not learned to resolve all his wonderful actings into these two great principles his Power and Will That he created all things with the word of his mouth of nothing is no scruple if we resolve it into his Power And that he took six days to do it who could have done it in a moment is as little if we resolve it into his Will That he was not weary with doing so great a work it is no scruple if we resolve it into his Power And that he rested though he were not weary is as little if we resolve it into his Will And therefore how can we better begin our discourse about the matter we are upon viz. his creating all things by his word and yet taking six days to do it and his not being weary with so great a work and yet resting though he were not weary than by adoration of his Power and Will And therefore as David for all his hast of fleeing from Absalom yet when he came to the top of the Mount Olivet he worshipped God 2 Sam. XV. 32. So let us make so much a stop in the current of our discourse as to give the Lord his due of his power and pleasure before we go further And that let us do in the words and Oh! that we might ever do it in the devotion of the four and twenty Elders Revel IV. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created All Israel hears more Divinity and Philosophy in these few words In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day c. than all the great wisdom and philosophy of the Heathen was able to spell out in a thousand years Some of them were so wide from knowing that the world was made by God that they thought it was never made at all but was Eternal and never had beginning Others that it was a God it self and made it self Others that it grew together at hap hazzard of Atomes or motes flying up and down which at last met and conjoyned in this fabric of the world which we behold So blind is sinful man to the knowledge of his Creator if he have no better eys and light to look after him by than his own Israel hath a Divine light here held out before them whereby they see and learn in these few words That the World was not Eternal but had a beginning and that it was made and that it made not it self but was made by God that it was not jumbled together by hap hazzard of I know not What and I know not How but that God made it in six days That which God speaks so short here Moses afterward when he set pen to paper to write his books enlarges upon and tells you in the beginning of Genesis in what manner God proceeded in this great work and what he created every day With that you see the Bible begins the story of the Creation the proper foundation that every Scholar should say of his learning there namely to know his Creator and to know of whom and through whom are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen as the Apostle devoutly Rom. XI 36. Let us consider the two things severally That God made Heaven and Earth and secondly That he made them in six days When I look up to Heaven the work of thy fingers the Moon and Stars which thou hast I. ordained I say saith David What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitest him We may also say upon such a prospect Oh! what is God what a divine and infinite power and wisdom and glory that made so great so beautiful so stately a fabrick Our God made the Heavens is the Israelites plea against the Gods of the Heathen pittiful pieces of wood and stone that could neither see nor hear nor smel nor stir but Our God made the Heavens There is a passage very remarkable Jer. X. 11. Thus shall ye say to them the Gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth even they shall perish from the earth and from under these Heavens That verse is in the Chaldee Tongue whereas every clause of his book besides is Hebrew and not a Syllable of Chaldee in it And what is the reason The people were ere long to be captived into Chaldea and when they came there the Chaldees would be ready to be perswading them to worship their Gods Poor Israel new come thither could not speake their Language nor dispute the case with them in their own Tongue Therefore the Lord by the Prophet puts so much Chaldee into their mouths as to make a profession of their own God and to deride and curse the others Your Gods made not Heaven and Earth and therefore shall perish from the Earth and be confounded but Our God made the Heavens O! what an excellent
and Earth and in the same instant created the Angels with the Heavens Now these Angels that fell were not fallen doubtless before man was made For upon creating of Man who was the last of the Creation it is said Gen. I. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good and there was yet nothing bad or evil in the world no Angels fallen no sin at all But when those that fell saw the dignity and honour and happiness that God had placed man in a piece of clay a lump of earth dust of the ground and that he put all Creatures under his feet as it is Psal. VIII 5 6. yea and gave Angels charge to attend him as it is Psal. XCI 11 They maliced this happiness and honour and scorned this service and attendance and damned themselves meerly upon this spite at Man Would they therefore think you delay any time of tempting man to try whether they could shake him out of his happiness and honour and bring him into the same condemnation with themselves No the Devil never since slacked time and put off any opportunities of doing mischief much less would he then when he had mischieved himself with such a spleen Secondly I might speak of divers things As that if Adam had kept the Sabbath in innocency he had kept the Law that if he had continued any time without sin he had begot Cain without sin if Eve had been a little practised in obedience she had not so soon been shaken when she came to be tried that their speech sheweth that no fruit had been eaten before But that which is especially considerable is that the Redemption was to be shewed instantly upon the Creation Since Christ was to be set up Lord of all the Saviour of all that are saved and the second Adam repairer of the ruines of the first it was not only fit but indeed needful that he should be proclaimed King and Saviour even the first day of man I do not say it was needful that Adam should fall on his first day that Christ might be proclaimed on his first day and yet I say it was needful that Christ should be proclaimed that day viz. that he might be set up Lord of all men from the first day of man But especially that what stability or firmness there is in obedience and holiness it might be founded in Christ alone I could almost say it was needful that Adam should fall on the day of his Creation not in regard of any necessity God put upon him but in regard of the â—ickleness of created nature being left to it self When I say it was almost needful I mean almost inevitable but that he left intirely to himself and to his own strength should stand the temptation of an Angel a Creature so far above him by nature and so far wiser than he though he were full of wisdom And you see Satan did not so much tempt his strength as his wisdom and there he overturns him by a trick of subtility out-witting his wisdom However it was fit the Redeemer should be held forth even the first day of man as the heir of all things Heb. I. 2. as the root of all to be saved and the sure foundation of all holiness grace and eternal life And III. Do but observe what correspondence there is twixt the Fall and Redemption and the later will speak the former to have been on Adams first day Redemption was wrought on the sixth day as the Fall had been on the sixth day And when Christ had wrought that great work he rested the seventh day in his grave as God rested on the seventh day when he had wrought the great work of Creation To this purpose I might also apply the particular times of the one and the other About the third hour the hour afterwards of sacrifice and prayer it is very probable Adam was created And Mark tells you Chap. XV. 25. And it was the third hour when they crucified him that is when they delivered him up to Pilate to be crucified About the sixth hour or high noon Adam most probably fell as that being the time of eating And John tells you Chap. XIX 14. that about the sixth hour he was condemned and led away to be crucified And about the ninth hour or three a clock afternoon Christ was promised which Moses calls the cool of the day and about the ninth hour Christ cried out with a loud voice and gave up the Ghost Such Harmony may be found betwixt the day and hours of the one and of the other the later helping to prove and clear that Adam fell on the sixth day the day on which he was created and continued not in honour all night Ah! what a glassy brittle thing is poor humane nature when it is so shaken all to pieces from so great perfection that it holds not whole above three hours or thereabouts And that it held whole so long was because it had not yet met with a temptation And that Satan offered not a temptation all that while was because he would hold off till they came to their time of eating and their first meal proves their poyson But Ah! the glorious and divine power of the grace of the Lord Jesus that inables a poor sinful Soul to hold out against the shocks of all the temptation of Hell and to break through all and to get to glory Compare Adam shaken with the first temptation the Devil offers with Job not shaken with all that the Devil could do and to the praise of the glory of his grace as it is said Ephes. I. 6. we have cause to cry out all our lives and so do Saints in glory to eternity Great is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now read the words carrying this that hath been spoken in your minds In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore God blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it And on the sixth day Adam fell and Christ was promised and on the Seventh day God rested and blessed the Sabbath day c. And so the Chaldee Translater of the Psalms considers of the thing For upon Psalm XCII which is intituled for the Sabbath day he saith thus A Psalm or Song which Adam the first man sung concerning the Sabbath day And the same Chaldee Translater on Cant. I. yet more plainly When Adam saw that his sin was forgiven when the Sabbath came he sung a Psalm as it is said A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath day And now looking on this first week of the world in this prospect viz. as sin come into the world and Christ promised before the seventh day came it will give us a clearer prospect of the Sabbath and of Gods resting viz. I. That God had created a new creation before he rested on the Sabbath For when Adam and mankind by his fall was shattered
remember Gods creating the world Which Adam might very well nay must have been employed about though he had never fallen When he had been all the week upon his employment dressing the Garden and keeping it then on the Sabbath to set himself to meditate upon Gods creating of the world and to study his power and wisdom and goodness shewed in that glorious workmanship and to spend the day in prayers to him Observe the work of that day to us and the same it should have been to him in Psal. XCII which is intituled a Psalm for the Sabbath day It tells you what the work of the day is vers 1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name O most High And upon what reason ver 4. For thou hast made me glad through thy works I will triumph in the works of thy hands This is a Sabbath days work after our sixs days work to make it our employment to think of Gods to meditate of his wondrous works of Creation and Preservation and there will come in the thoughts of our Creator and Preserver and may mind us of our engagement to praise him to whet our thankfulness and faith with these thoughts 1. When we have laboured all the week to think of our Creator that hath sustained us fed cloathed brought us hitherto And here is a right Sabbath employment to let our thoughts stream from our wordly employment to God and to the remembrance of him in whom we live and move and have our being 2. To trust God with our support though we labour not on the Sabbath but spend it wholly to him and not to our selves He that created all things and that hath fed and preserved us hitherto can support us without our working on his day nay and will do it for do his work and undoubtedly thou shalt not want thy wages What a lecture did God read in his raining of Manna that on the Sabbath day he rained none thereby to shew his own owning of his Sabbath and checking and chiding those that for greediness and distrust would go out and think to gather some on that day And when he provided them Manna on the sixth day for the Sabbath also what a lecture did he read that he that observes the Sabbath and does Gods Will ceasing from his own labour and doing his shall never be unprovided for Thirdly There is an Evangelical end of the Sabbath referring to Christ and that in Adams Sabbath as well as ours Let us begin with his I have shewed that on the sixth day Adam sinned and Christ was promised So that the last work of God in the days of Creation was the setting up Christ and restoring fallen man by him And here God rested viz. He had brought in his Son in whom his Soul delighted and made him heir of all things and thus he rested in Christ finished his work in Christ rested refreshed delighted himself in Christ. Now the next day when the Sabbath came in what had Adam to do in it but to remember the Creation to remember his new creating when he was broke all to pieces and spoiled To remember his Creator and Redeemer It is said Gen. III. 21. Unto Adam and his wife did the Lork God make coats of skins and cloathed them The Lord and Lady of all the world clad in Leather Which our silks and sattens now would scorn to think of but from so mean a garb comes all our gallantry though now we scorn it But whence came those Skins Most probably they were the skins of beasts that were sacrificed For That sacrifice was from the beginning may be observed from that that Christ is called The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world and that not only in prediction or that it was determined and foretold by God that he should be slain but in figure that sacrifice was offered from the beginning of the world which did presignifie his killing and offering up And this further appears from the sacrifices of Cain and Abel which rite and piece of Religion they had learned of their Father Adam Here then was work for Adam on the Sabbath to sacrifice in memory of Christ to be offered up for redemption and to praise God for creating the world but especially for vouchsafing Christ whereby a better world and Estate is created And would not Adam when he had a family preach to his family of these things upon the Sabbath day My Children learn to know and remember the Creator the blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Spirit who in six days made Heaven and Earth and on the sixth day made me and your Mother both of us in his own image perfectly holy and righteous and endued with power of perfect obedience and to resist all temptations But that day we were deceived by the Devil and fell and undid our selves and our posterity and came into a state of death and damnation But God suffered us to lye so but a few hours but promised his own Son to take our flesh and to dye to deliver us from death and damnation and taught us this duty of sacrifice in comemoration of Christs death and appoynted this day to commemorate these things and to be employed in such service and meditations Oh! my Children learn to know your Creator to believe in Christ your Redeemer and to observe his Sabbath Such employment as this had Adam with his family on the Sabbath day that it was even a Christian Sabbath to him as ours is to us and the very same work is ours and was his on the Sabbath day but only that he also sacrificed Fourthly There is a Typical end of the Sabbath to signify Eternal Rest. Heb. IV. 3. For we which have belived do enter into rest As he said I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my Rest although the works were finished from the foundation of the world Where the Apostle signifies that the Sabbath hinted another rest to wit Gods Eternal Rest different from that rest when God ceased from the works of Creation The Sabbath typifies the end viz. Eternal Rest and the means viz. to rest in Christ. One end was to Adam in innocency both to us This is a lecture that may be read in the Sabbath in something that is visible to see something invisible as in the water to see the Sun This is a way to rest and resembles that great and last Rest as pleasant walks lead at length to the stately House at the end of them This is a fit thought for the Sabbath-day morning Now I rest from the world how shall I rest from it eternally Now I deal with God invisibly but one day visibly They who love Eternal Rest will certainly love the Sabbath To all these ends God
added another end as the Sabbath was given to his peculiar people given at Sinai with all these ends and this more viz. To distinguish the Jews from all others for Gods own people See Deut. V. 15. And remember that thou wast a Servant in the land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day And so in Exod. XXIII 12. And the Sabbath is reckoned with the Jewish Festivals Col. II. 16. Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath days They were distinguished by Times from all other people But how is this Sabbath distinctive I answer 1. None in the world kept the like resting day Therefore the Jews were scoffed at by other Nations as Idle and taken advantage of on that day 2. They kept this Rest as a redeemed people Deut. V. How had they toyled in Egypt and had not the liberty of a Sabbath Now on the contrary when they were delivered out of Egypt they kept the Sabbath as a signification of their rest from their labours there And now look on the Sabbath in its Moral Commemorative Evangelical Typical and Ceremonial End Look on it in its Royal Dress with what possible it can put on as Queen Esther was drest and then view its beauty First in its Antiquity It was from the beginning as it is said of the word of God 1 Joh. I. 1. Ask after the antient paths and the Sabbath will be found to be one of them This is not of the Law but of the Fathers It is the first born of Ordinances and hath a double portion of honour due to it It was the first day of comfort in the world after Adam was adjudged to toyl and misery The Jews say of it that it is a Mediator The Consideration of these Ends of the Sabbath may serve to assoyl that controversie about the Antiquity of its Institution viz. Whether its institution was not before the giving of the Law In the Dispute about the Sabbath afoot in England some years ago there were some went so high shall I say or so low as to maintain that our Sabbath was not of Divine Institution but Ecclesiastical only not ordained by God but the Church And to make good this assertion they would perswade you that there was no Sabbath instituted before the giving of the Law None from the beginning but that the world was two thousand five hundred and thirteen years without a Sabbath for so long it was from the Creation to Israels going out of Egypt and that then and not before was the Law for the Sabbath given Then I pray why should Moses speak of Gods sanctifying the Sabbath when he is speaking of the first week of the world if he meant not that the seventh day of that week was sanctified And what sense were it to read the Command thus For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. and rested the seventh day therefore two thousand five hundred and thirteen years after he blessed the seventh day and hallowed it But read it as it lies before you He rested the seventh day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it and must it not needs mean he blessed that seventh day that he rested and sanctified it and so the seventh successively in following generations But you may observe in Moses that the Sabbath is given upon two reasons or accounts here because God rested but in Deut. V. 15. because God delivered them out of Egypt Thou O Israel thou must keep the Sabbath day in remembrance of thy deliverance out of Egypt but withall he bids them Remember to keep the Sabbath in memory of Gods resting Therefore certainly the Sabbath was kept in remembrance of that before it was given to Israel to keep in memory of the deliverance out of Egypt I said Adam should have kept the Sabbath had he continued in innocency then certainly he had more need of a Sabbath for the benefit of his Soul when he was become a sinner And those four Ends of the Sabbath already mentioned were also ends of the Sabbath to him as well as to us The beauty then of the Sabbath consists First in its Antiquity Secondly In the Universality of its reception throughout of all ages One generation left it to another from Father to Son And it is known to all Churches Thirdly The Bravery of its institution It had Gods example God hallowed blessed drest it nobly but his example is an addition without parallel Fourthly The nobleness of its nature 1. In it there was some of every part of the Law It was Moral Typical Ceremonial As there is something of man in all the Creatures so there is something in the Sabbath of all the Law 2. By it is the propagation of Religion See Es. LXVI 23. And it shall come to pass that from one new Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord. As Psal. XIX 2. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge So from Sabbath to Sabbath God is spoken of and knowledge of divine things revealed This was the market-Market-day that still furnished the Jews with what was needful for their spiritual food and sustenance All marketing was forbidden on it Neh. XIII 15 c. because a greater market was to be minded So Manna was not rained on that day because better things were rained 3. By it came benefit to man and beast It gave them rest from labour and renewed their strength Fifthly Its Durableness Exod. XXXI 16 17. The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant It is a sign between me and the Children of Israel for ever It reacheth as the Cherubins wings from one end of the World unto the other Hence also we may see what little difference there is twixt our Sabbath and the first Sabbath of the world Both commemorate the Creation both the Redemption but only that ours is removed one day forward the Sabbath of old on the seventh day of the week ours on the first Much dispute hath been about this change into which I will not ravel only observe these things in reference to this that it is changed to the day of Christs Resurrection I. As great a Change as this do we not read in the Old Testament viz. the change of the beginning of the year from September to March Exod. XII The year had a natural interest to begin in September because then the world the year and time began and yet when God wrought for Israel an extraordinary work in redeeming them from Egypt a figure of our redemption by Christ he thought good to change the year from that time that naturally
it did begin So though the Passover be appointed to be in that first month that began the new year and be called an Everlasting Ordinance Exod. XII 16. Yet upon occasion the Lord ordained it to be kept in the second month Numb IX To this we may add Gods changing the very end and memorial of the Sabbath to Israel themselves Changing said I or rather adding a new memorial which it had not before In Exod. XX. the memorial is to remember Gods creating and resting in Deut. V. where the Ten Commandments are repeated it is in memorial of their redemption out of Egypt Not unclothed of its first end and memorial but clothed upon So if Adam had continued innocent he must have kept the Sabbath and then it had been to him but the memorial of Gods creating and resting But when Christ and redemption by him was set up and come in before the Sabbath came in then it was clothed with another memorial viz. the remembrance of the redemption II. Christ had power and authority to change the Sabbath Mark II. 28. The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath He had power over all Divine Ordinances Hebr. III. 5 6. Now Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant c. But Christ as a Son over his own house He is not a Servant in the house but a Son to dispose of the affairs of the house as he sees good He is greater than the Temple and so may order the affairs of the Temple as he saw good If a Jew question why he laid by the Ceremonies of Moses The answer is ready because he was greater than Moses Lord of the house in which Moses was but a Servant Nay it was he that appointed Moses those Ceremonies and he might unappoint them at his pleasure That is observable Act. VII 38. This is that Moses that was in the Church in the wilderness with the Angel which spake to him at Mount Sinai and with our Fathers who received the lively Oracles to give us With the Angel who was that It was Christ the great Angel of the Covenant as he is called Mal. III. 1. The Angel of Gods presence as he is called Esai LXIII 9. Then who spake with Moses at Mount Sinai It was Christ. Who gave him the Lively Oracles Laws Testimonies Statutes It was Christ. And then might Christ that gave them dispose of them as seemed him good So that if a Jew question why Christ changed Circumcision into Baptism the Paschal Lamb into Bread and Wine the Jewish Sabbath into the Christian Sabbath The answer is ready he was Lord of them and might dispose of them Het set up Circumcision the Passover the Jewish Sabbath and might take them down and alter them as he pleased III. Ye read once and again in Scripture of Gods creating a new world Esai LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. III. 13. We according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth Rev. XXI 1. And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth Now when was this done The Apostle tells us when viz. in his own time 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature The meaning of it is Gods creating a new Estate of things under the Gospel a new Church the Jews cast off and the Gentiles taken in new ordinances in his Church Ceremonious worship taken down and Spiritual set up new Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper instead of the Circumcision and Passover a new Command of love to one another a new Covenant a new and living way into the most holy a new Creature and in a word all things become new Then certainly a new Sabbath was fit for a new Creation Lay these two places together Gen. I. 1. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and Esai LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth In fulness of time God created new Heavens and a new Earth and as the first Creation had the old Sabbath so was it not fit the new Creation should have a new Sabbath As our Saviour speaks Mat. IX 17. New cloth must not be put into an old garment nor new wine into old bottles but new wine must be put into new vessels and both are preserved So in this case a new manner of worship new Ordinances new Sacraments to be committed to the old Sabbath This is improper but a new Sabbath must be for these as well as they themselves are new How pied would Christianity have looked if it had worn a Coat all new in other respects but had had on the shirt or piecing of the old Sabbath And how unfit was it to have tyed Christians to the observation of the old Sabbath of the Jews IV. The Resurrection of Christ was the day of his birth and beginning of his Kingdom Observe the quotation Acts XIII 33. The promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled to us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee When was the day wherein Christ was begotten In the day that God raised him from the dead That is strange for as he was God was he not begotten from Eternity and as he was man was he not conceived by the Holy Ghost and born three and thirty years and an half before his Resurrection Yes both most true and yet that true too that he was begotten from the day of his Resurrection And the Apostle tells you how to understand it viz. He was the first begotten and first born from the dead begotten that day to the Gentiles and all the world from thenceforward a Saviour to them and by his Resurrection as the Apostle saith Rom. I. 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the dead So likewise his Resurrection was the beginning of his Reign and Kingdom Consider upon that Mat. XXVI 29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom That is when I am risen from the dead And see Mat. XXVIII 18. Now I begin to reign All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth For now he had conquered all his Enemies Devil Death and Hell Now was not the first day of the week the day on which Christ rose fitter to be made the Sabbath to commemorate his Birth-day from the dead and his entrance into his Kingdom than the last day of the week the old Sabbath on which day he lay in the grave and under death Kings and Potentates use to celebrate their Birth-day and the day of entrance into their Kingdom and this King of Kings was it not fit that such a memorial should be of his Birth-day and entrance into his Dominion And compare the Creation and Christs Resurrection whether of
of Snow Antilibanus and Bala 517 Libertines were Servants that had received their Freedom these were Jews how they came to be Servants and how again to be free 663 Life Eve called Chava that is Life upon the account of the promise of Christ. p. 791. Why Life is called precious p. 1209. How tender God is of the Life of Man p. 1209 1210. Why such an equal tribute is to be paid to God for the Life of Man p. 1210 1211. Long Life is a Promise affixed to very many Commands and why p. 1335 1336. How to reconcile the shortness of Mans Life with that Promise p. 1335 1336. Why God shortned Mans Life at the Flood at Babel and at Sinai even where he promised long Life p. 1336. The length of the Lives of the first Inhabitants of the World considered and the reason given p. 1336 1337. Long Life to many proves a curse p. 1338. Long Life in it self is a blessing p. 1337 1338. How it is a blessing when so full of sorrow and upon that account Men are made so weary of it 1339 1340 Light put for evening of the Sabbath 479 Light within what and of what power to lead to Heaven 1286 Likeness and Image of God upon Man distinguished p. 1302. Likeness of God upon Man lost by sin but not the Image 1302 Lineage or Descent of Christ was most of younger Brothers 1089 1090 Linnin Cloth or a Sindon was a Cloak made of Linnin hung with Fringe 354 355 Lives why Satan taketh not away our lives when he pleaseth Page 1209 Locusts many kinds of them 333 Lod where and what 325 c. Long sufferings of God to wicked Men is sometimes not the goodness of God to them 1311 Loosing or Binding a very usual Phrase in the Jewish Schools spoken of Things not of Persons 205 206 207. See Binding and Loosing Lords Day the Jews say it was the first day in the week why Christ changed the Day from the Seventh to the First p. 271 272 1329 1330. The Lords Day was not controverted but every where celebrated in the Primitive Times only some Jews converted to the Gospel also kept the Jewish Sabbath 792 793 Lords Prayer illustrated out of the Jewish Writings p. 159 to 161. The Lords Prayer was given twice by Christ first in the Mount Matth. 6 and then at the Feast of Tabernacles a year and an half after p. 1138. The agreeableness of it to the Jewish Forms p. 1139. The reason why the Doxology is added to it by Saint Matthew and omitted by Saint Luke 1139 Loretto the Legend of the Virgin Mary's House carried thither 494 495 Lots how cast where and when 380 Love it is our duty to love all Men the reason p. 1204. We are to love our Neighbour as our selves 1301 Love Feasts they were Appendages to the Lords Supper also they were when strangers were entertained in each Church at the cost of the Church c. 774 to 776 Loving put for embracing kissing or being well pleased with and pitying 347 348 Lunatick Deaf and Dumb. 210 Luz a little bone in a Mans back which the Jews speak of as the Seed and Principle of a future Resurrection 583 1238 Lydda a Village not inferior to a City the same with Lod notwithstanding the errors of some Maps making them differing Places it had eminent Schools in it much History belongs to it p. 16 17. Lydda is called Lodicea 326 Lye the Jews used and loved to lye at their Feasts in what order they used that Gesture 256 257 M. MACHERUS is derived from Macvar p. 81. Macherus a Castle where situate Page 501 Macpelah supposed to be Adams burying place 47 Magdala was near Tiberias and Chammath 70 308 Magdalen Mary Magdalen whence the Name 415 416 Magistracy instituted as an ordinance of Christ and a Gospel mercy p. 1059 1060 c. The usefulness of it to the Church p. 1060 1061 c. So overawed by a wicked people as not to dare to execute justice 1111 Magistrates are to be obeyed in all lawful things p. 230 231. The false Logick of those who are for no Magistrates over them but King Jesus refuted 1060 Magog and Gog what is meant by them 1173 1174 Mahumetism and Popery coming the Devil was let loose 1172 Maids the day of the week on which they were married and the ceremonies of their marriage 534 Malefactors at their death were used cruelly by the Jews as an act of friendship p. 478. Malefactors say the Jews going to execution and making confession of their sins that and their death did expiate for their sins 1275 Mammon of unrighteousness what 451 452 Man is a wonder p. 1225. How much devilishness the Devil can infuse into Man's nature with the reasons of it 1308 1309 Manacles for the hands used among the Jews 683 Manaâ—en i. e. the Comforter taken for Christ. Page 108 Maphtir he that read in the Synagogues was called Maphtir and was to read one and twenty Verses 406 Maps of the Gospel Tapography are too officious 310 311 Mar or Mari a Title the Jews sometimes gave their Rabbins 465 Maran-ath this say very many Commentators is the highest and heaviest Form of Excommunication but it rather intimates the curse coming upon the Jews 796 797 Mark why he departed from Paul and Barnabas 741 Maronitâ— a Maronite what 515 Marriage not to be till a woman was espoused p. 100. Marriage of Men the time and reason of it p. 757 758. The Marriage Bond both among Jews and Gentiles especially the Jews was looked upon as a loose thing p. 759. When to marry or not to marry 762 Marriages were performed on differing days for Maids and Widows with the reason and Ceremonies thereof 534 Married a hundred and sixty Priests married in Gophna all in one night p. 52. When a Man was new married where he dwelt p. 309. What a reproach it is for a Woman not to be married 1216 1217 Martyrdom dying called Martyrdom for others to save their Country 326 Mary Magdalen the same with Mary the Sister of Lazarus why called Magdalen p. 270 587. Baronius also proves her to be the Sister of Lazarus 588 Mary the Mother of Jesus vilified by the Talmudists 400 Masada a Castle near Asphaltites fortified even to a miracle 296 Matthew writ his Gospel in Greek so did Paul his Epistle to the Hebrews and not in Hebrew as some have affirmed because the Hebrew was altogether unknown to the Common Jews for it was not the Jews Mother Tongue in the time of the Apostles but the Syriack 101 to 104 Measurings of the Jews how or what they were p. 318 c. A Parsa was four miles a Talmudick mile consisted of seven furlongs and an half a Diet was thirty miles 319 Meats forbidden and unclean what 199 200 Mediation of Christ the matter of it what 1261 Melchisedeck all now acknowledge him for Sem. 327 Men their Affairs and Times how God knows and dates them 1250 c.
314 other lived longest of all the twelve The children of Israel after the Years of the Promise 315 Years of the Promise 316 death of the twelve Patriarchs do by degrees fall into all manner of Years of the Promise 317 abomination They commit Idolatry Josh. 24. 14. Ezek. 20. 8. They forget Years of the Promise 318 and forgo Circumcision the Covenant of their God and this was Years of the Promise 319 Years of the Promise 320 the reproach of Egypt Josh. 5. 9. c. They joyned in marriage with the Years of the Promise 321 Egyptians Lev. 24. 10. Exod. 12. 38. and walked according to such Years of the Promise 322 wretched principles as these therefore the Lord casteth them into a furnace Years of the Promise 323 Years of the Promise 324 of affliction and now as in Abrahams vision Gen. 15. 12. when Years of the Promise 325 the Sun of Religion is gone down among them an horrid darkness of Years of the Promise 326 Years of the Promise 327 impiety and misery comes upon them Yet doth the strength of the Years of the Promise 328 Promise shew it self wonderful in both the sexes in the men that they Years of the Promise 329 Years of the Promise 330 are strong to beget children though overpressed with intolerable labour Years of the Promise 331 and in the women that they bare their children with less pain and tediousness Years of the Promise 332 Years of the Promise 333 of travel then other women did being lively and quick in their Years of the Promise 334 delivery and were delivered before the midwives came at them Pharaoh Years of the Promise 335 when over-labouring of the men will not prevent their increasing Years of the Promise 336 in children giveth charge to the midwives for the destroying of the children when they should be born but Shiphrah and Puah two of the midwives observing Gods wonderful hand in the womens delivery disobeyed the Kings command and by a glorious confession of Gods hand which they saw will rather venture the Kings displeasure then fight against God for Years of the Promise 337 Years of the Promise 338 which their piety God marrieth them to Israelites for they were Egyptian Years of the Promise 339 women and builded up Israelitish families by them ver 25. Because the Years of the Promise 340 midwives feared God he made them houses PSAL. LXXXVIII LXXIX IN these times of bitterness and misery lived the two sons of Zerah or the Ezrahites Heman and Ethan 1 Chron. 2. 6. who had the spirit of the Lord upon them in the midst of all this affliction and they penned the eighty eight and eighty ninth Psalms the former sadly mourning for the present distress and the latter cheerfully singing the mercies of God in the midst of this distress and prophecying of deliverance And here is the proper place and order of these Psalms The Book of JOB IN these times when it went thus sadly with Israel in Egypt there shone forth the glorious piety and patience of Job in the land of Uz and here in order of time doth his book and story come in It is not possible to fix the time of his great trial and affliction to its proper date but there are two or three considerations which do argue that it was about these bitter times of Israels sinfulness and misery As 1. to consider how suitable it is to the providence of God and agreeable to his dispensation at other times as in the matter of Elias and the widow of Sarepta for one instance that when Religion was utterly lost and gone in the Church of Israel where it should have been to find it in the family of Job in a place where it might have been little supposed to have been found 2. How Job is preferred for his piety before any man alive and that before his patience had given it such a lustre 3. If Eliphaz be called a Temanite as being the immediate son of Teman it helpeth to scantling the time exceeding much for then was he the fourth from Esau as Amram was from Jacob and so their times might very well be coincident The Book of Job seemeth to have been penned by Elihu one of the speakers in it as may appear by these two things 1. Because in Chap. 2. when Jobs friends that came to lament with him and to comfort him are reckoned and mentioned by name Elihu is not named in the number arguing as it may well be conceived these two things 1. That he came not to Job from a place far distant as the other three did but neighboured upon him And 2. that he himself was the Historian and Pen-man that made the relation and therefore he named not himself when he named others 2. Because in Chap. 32. he speaketh of himself as of the Historian ver 15 16 17. They were amazed they answer no more they left off speaking When I had waited for they spake not but stood still and answered no more I said I will answer also I also will shew my opinion Job was a son of Nahor Abrahams brother descended from him by his son Uz Gen. 22. 21. and so Elihu and he came to live so near together the one being of Uz the eldest son of Nahor and the other of Bus the second The order of the Book is facile and direct the Penman in the two first Chapters sheweth how Job fell into his misery who before was one of the richest and most prosperous men in those parts On a Sabbath day when the sons of God presented themselves before the Lord that is when the professors of the true Religion were met together in the publike assembly Satan was invisibly there among them but the Lord seeth him and upon some conference about Job the Lord letteth Satan loose upon him in reference to his estate and another Sabbath upon the like occasion and conference he letteth him loose upon him in reference to his body so Satan destroyeth all that he hath and all his children Read ver 5. of Chap. 1. not when the days of their feasting were gone about but as the days of their feasting went about â— and smiteth him with an intolerable itch that his nails will not serve his turn to scratch but he is glad to get a potsheard to scrub himself Then come his three friends to him from a far distance and Elihu his cousen that lived near to him and these in several speeches to him do but aggravate his misery and prove miserable comforters The dialogues or disputation between him and his three friends do hold this course that he answereth and they reply upon him in the course of their age and seniority Their greatest drift is to prove him extraordinary sinful because he was extraordinarily punished which incharitable errour when he cannot convince them of because of their prejudice he stoppeth all their mouths by a confident imprecation or execration upon himself if he be so faulty
with it see the notes at Numb 12. 5. The Priests could not make any man clean but only pronounce him clean 6. He that was Leprous all over and no place free was to be pronounced clean for it appeared that all the poyson was come forth and the danger of infecting others was past but he that had any part that was not scabby over he was unclean he that appears before God in any of his own righteousness like the proud Pharisee he hath his answer in that Parable but that humble confession of a poor sinner that shews him Leprous all over like that of the Publican obtains the best answer 7. The Leper that was cleansed had not his disease healed but the danger of the infection being over he was restored to the society of men again so that he was not so much clean unto himself as unto the Congregation CHAP. XVI THE solemn and mysterious Feast of Reconciliation instituted to be on the tenth day of the month Tisri the day that Moses had come down from the Mount with tydings of reconciliation betwixt God and the People as was said be-before And as the solemnity and carriage of the work of this day was a figure of good things to come in Christ so the very time it self had some respect that way for if Christ were not born and came into the World a Reconciler on that very day yet was he born and baptized nine and twenty years after in that very month CHAP. XVII XVIII XIX XX. XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV DIvers Laws are given concerning Offerings Marriages Festivals the Priests and other things and the main end of them all Piety Sanctity Charity and in them a distinction of Israel from other people CHAP. XXVI XXVII SAD denunciation of judgment upon disobedience and the valuation of persons in reference to redemption of vows Hosea speaketh in allusion to the rates and values mentioned here when he saith I bought her to me for fifteen shekels of silver and for an homer of barly and half an homer of barly Hos. 3. 2. The fifteen shekels was the value of a man above sixty years old Lev. 27. 7. The homer of barly which valued fifty shekels ver 16. was the value of a man from twenty years old to sixty ver 3. And half an homer which valued five and twenty shekels was for one from five years old to twenty twenty shekels ver 5. And from a month old to five years five shekels ver 6. World 2515 Moses 82 Redemption from Egypt 2 The Book of NUMBERS CHAP. I. ON the first day of the second month the Lord provided for the pitching of their camp as on the first day of the first month they had begun to erect the Tabernacle First the people are numbred from twenty years old and upwards and their sum amounteth to 603550. men of all which number only two men enter the land The Levites are not reckoned in this sum nor with this reckoning and accordingly they fall not under the same curse with the others of not entring into his rest Not a man impotent through old age in Israel CHAP. II. THeir Camp is pitched and the Sanctuary set just in the middle of it for Religion is the heart of a State The Levites pitch next unto it in a quadrangular body round about it at a certain distance The whole body of the army pitcheth at an other distance about them in the same form and 2000 cubits distance from the Tabernacle every side of the square carried its several colours Judah a Lion Ephraim a Bullock Reuben a Man Dan an Eagle Compare the description of Christ dwelling in the middest of the Christian Church Rev. 4. 4. The Ark the strength of the Lord Pitcheth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh Psal. 80. 2. CHAP. III. IV. THE Levites taken for the first-born of Israel and so interessed in every family among them The first-born had been Priests till the consecration of the Levites now that function must be confined to that Tribe The Levites ingaged to their service from nine and twenty years old compleat or thirty currant till fifty Our Saviours age at his entrance into his Ministry Luke 3. 23. answereth to this type CHAP. V. VI. A Law concerning uncleanness and offences that the Camp might continue in purity and unity chastity and unchastity tried miraculously The Law concerning Nazarites the only votaries of the people The Congregation to be blessed by the Priests in the name of the Trinity CHAP. VII VIII THE Princes offer to the Sanctuary and more ordinances are given about it That they offered not till they were ordered into their standards is plain by the order and method of their offering The Levites to be five years probationers at the Sanctuary before they take their office Chap. 8. 24. compared with Chap. 4. 23. CHAP. IX from Ver. 15. to the end And CHAP. X. to Ver. 11. BEfore the reading of the fifteenth Verse the Reader is to suppose a Passover to be kept the fourteenth day of this second month although the keeping of it be not expresly mentioned but only hinted for on the fourteenth day of the first month which was the proper day for the Passover some men because they were unclean could not observe it and upon their acquainting Moses with their case he presently gives them a warrant to keep it the fourteenth day of the next month which they did no doubt accordingly although it be not in plain terms related For the occurrences mentioned in the Book hitherto came to pass in the first thirteen days of the month save only the offering of the Princes which indeed began before the fourteenth day but continued World 2515 Moses 82 Redemption from Egypt 2 beyond it notwithstanding the Holy Ghost would conclude the story of their offering all together and on the fourteenth day those that had been unclean at the proper time of the Passover kept the Passover by a new ordinance so that the order of the story of this new Passover is most genuine and proper here but Moses could not relate the thing but he must relate the occasion namely because some could not keep it at the right time therefore he giveth the story of the right time here which as we shewed before lieth properly between the tenth and eleventh Chapters of Leviticus From the fifteenth Verse of this Chapter to the eleventh Verse of the tenth Chapter there is mention of two special things namely the dwelling of the cloud upon the Tabernacle and the making of the silver Trumpets which however they were indeed somewhat afore this time for the Cloud descended and the Trumpets were made before the fourteenth day of this month yet are they brought in here as relating to the removal of the Army which is mentioned in Chap. 10. vers 11. for then the Cloud was taken up and the Trumpets were sounded EXODUS XVIII BEtween the tenth and eleventh Verses of the tenth of Numbers as
education parts and hopes and some remarkable Prophesies and predictions had been given concerning him what an instrument he should prove in the Gospel which made Paul to fix upon him as one designed for him from Heaven They set forth an◠travel Phrygia and Galatia and when they would have gone into Asia and Bithynia the Spirit forbad them because the Lord would hasten them into Macedonia unto a new work and such a one as they had not medled withal till now and that was to preach to a Roman plantation for so the Text doth intimate that Philippi was ver 12. and ver 21. and so saith Pliny lib. 4. cap. 11. He had indeed been always in the Roman dominions but still among other Nations as Jews Greeks Syrians and the like but we read not that he was in any City of Romans till here And his going to preach to that people is so remarkable that the Text seemeth to have set two or three notable badges upon it For that Nation lieth under so many sad brands in Scripture and lay under so great an abominating by the Jews that the Gospels entring among them hath these three singular circumstances to advertise of it 1. That the Spirit diverted Paul from Asia and Bithynia to hasten him thither 2. That he was called thither by a special vision the like invitation to which he had not in all his travels to any other place 3. The Penman doth not joyn himself in the story till this very time For hitherto having spoken in the third person he and they as He came to Derbe ver 1. They went through the Cities vers 4. c. he cometh now to joyn himself and to use the word We and Us. After he had seen the vision immediately we indeavoured to go into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us vers 10. Yet was this City mixed also of abundance of Jews living among them as that people was now dispersed and sowed in the most places of the Empire from Rome it self Eastward however it was on this side On the Sabbath by a river side where the women it seemed used their bathings for purification and where was a Synagogue they preach and convert Lydia a proselytess and she is instantly baptized and her houshold before she go home for ought can be found otherwise in the Text from whence we may observe what believing gave admission to Baptism to whole housholds In this Roman Colony it is observable that the Synagogue is called proseucha and that it is out of the Town Paul casteth out a spirit of divination and is thereupon beaten and imprisoned he and Silas but inlarged by an earthquake and the Jaylour is converted and he and his family instantly baptized After a little while Paul and Silas depart having laid the foundation of a very eminent Church as it proved afterward from which Paul in his Epistle thither acknowledgeth as many tokens of love received as from any Church that he had planted and to which he made as many visits afterward When he departeth he had ordained no Ministers there for ought can be gathered from the Text and it may be he did not till his return thither again which was the course he had used in other Churches Acts 14 23. He speaketh of divers fellow-labourers that he had there in the Gospel both men and women Phillip 4. 3. which cannot be understood of preaching but that these being converted they used their best indeavour to perswade others to imbrace the same Religion c. ACTS CHAP. XVII PAUL and Silvanus and Timothy come to Thessalonica where they make many converts but withal find very much opposition In three weeks space or very little more they convert some Jews many Proselytes and not a few of the chief Gentiles women of the City which number considered with the shortness of the time in which so many were brought in and the bitterness they indured from the unbelieving made their piety to be exceedingly renowned all abroad 1 Thess. 1. 6 7 8. Persecution driveth the Apostles to Beraea another Town of Macedonia Plin. l. 4. c. 10. there they found persons better bred and better learned then that rabble mentioned ver 5. that they had met withal at Thessalonica The Jews called their learned men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filii nobilium it may be Lukes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 11. translates that The rabble from Thessalonica brings the persecution hither also so that Paul is glad to depart to Athens but Silas and Timothy abide at Berea still At Athens there was a Synagogue of Jews and Proselytes ver 17. so that it is undoubted the Scholars of the University had heard from them the report of the true God therefore Paul is not so much cried out upon for telling them of the true God in opposition to the false as for preaching of Jesus crucified risen and glorified which neither they nor even the Jews Synagogue there had ever heard of before for this he is convented before their great Court of Areopagus where his discourse converts one that Bench Dionysius ACTS CHAP. XVIII FROM Athens Paul cometh to Corinth Urbs olim clara opibus post clade notior nunc Romana colonia saith Pomp. Mela. lib. 2. cap. 3. A little view of the City may not be useless It stood in the Isthmus or that neck of Land that lay and gave passage betwixt Peloponesus and Attica upon which Isthmus the Sea pointing in on either hand made Corinth a famous and a wealthy Mart Town by two Havens that it had at a reasonable distance from it on either side it the one Jochaeum at which they took shipping for Italy and those Western parts and the other Cenchraea at which they took shipping for Asia Merchandise arriving at these Ports from those several parts of the World were brought to Corinth which lay much in the middle between them and so this City became the great Exchange for those parts It lay at the foot of a high promont called Acrocorinthus or the Pike of Corinth The compass of the City was some forty furlongs or five miles about being strongly walled In it was a Temple of Venus so ample a foundation that it had above a thousand Nuns such Nuns as Venus had to attend upon it The City was sacked by L. Mummius the Roman General as for some other offence that it had given to that state so more especially for some abuse shewed to the Roman Embassadors there But it was repaired again by the Romans and made a Colony Vid. Strabo lib. 8. Plin. lib. 4. cap. 4. Paul coming hither findeth Priscilla and Aquila lately come from Italy because of Claudius his Decree which had expelled all the Jews from Rome Of this Decree Suetonius speaketh as he is generally understood In Claudio cap. 25. Judaeos impulsore chresto assidue tumultuantes Roma expulit Claudius expelled the Jews out of Rome who continually tumultuated because of Christ.
little that so we may the better skan and try whether our Architriclinus here and their Symposiarchus there were the same yea or no. He was one chosen among the guests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was most festivous of all the company and that would not be drunk and yet that would drink freely He was to rule the company and to prohibit their being disorderly yet not prohibiting their being merry He was to observe the temper of the guests and how the wine wrought upon them and how every one could bear his wine and accordingly to apply himself to them to keep them all in a harmony and an equilibrial composure that there might be no disquiet nor disorder For the effecting of this he used these two ways first to proclaim liberty to every one to drink what he thought good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am Symposiarchus said he and I license every one to drink at this time as they will And secondly upon observing who among the guests was most ready to be touch'd and distempered with wine to mingle the more water with his wine thereby to keep him in an equal pace of sobriety with the other And so the work and office of this Symposiarchus or governour of the Feast was especially double to take care that none should be forced to drink and to take care that none should be drunk though unforced Of such another office might the Architriclinus be conceived here namely someone that was specially appointed to give entertainment and that had special employment about the distributing and disposing of the wine And this might seem to appear the rather because our Saviour directeth the Servitors to bring the miraculous wine to be tasted first by him But I should understand rather by Architriclinus here the chief guest at the feast than such a Symposiarchus which it may be some question whether he were in use among the Jews or no For not to go about to give account of their manner of sitting at their Feasts in this place it will be more proper elsewhere though from thence might be shewed something toward the proof of this my supposal let it but be considered that the Architriclinus in mention was a meer stranger to the business of the wine and knew not how it went Had Pluâ—archs Symposiarchus been here he would readily have known what quantity of wine and what variety there was in the house he would have well known that all the wine was gone and that they were at a loss for more for the Yeomanry of the wine was his office at that time above all other things and above all other men but this Architriclinus knew none of these things but thought the Bridegroom had used a friendly deceit to reserve the best wine to make up their mouths whereas others used to reserve the worst And he speaks as a guest and not as a Yeoman of the Feast And our Saviour sends the wine to him as to the chiefest man at the Table and as the fittest from whom the taste of the wine and the tast of the miracle wrought might be distributed and dispersed throughout all the company of the Feast Vers. 12. After this he went down to Capernaum and continued not there many days Capernaum was his own City as was said before and his return is still thither as Samuel after his circuit his return was still to Ramah for that was his own City 1 Sam. 7. 17. see Matth. 4. 14. 8. 5. Matth. 9. 1. compared with Mark 2. 1. Matth. 17. 24. John 6. 17. c. Now his stay was but a little there because the Passeover calls him up to Jerusalem And thus when the Passeover comes there is half a year passed since he was baptized forty days of which he spent in the Wilderness in his fast before the Tempter came to him beside what time was spent in the threefold temptation and in his going to and coming from the Wilderness Three days you have account of him at Jorclan and going into Galilee John 1. ver 29 35 43. and the next day after he is at Cana at a Feast this was the fourth day from his first appearing from the Wilderness but the third from his saving and entertaining any Disciples So that we have but the account of six weeks or thereabouts upon record of all the time he spent betwixt his Baptism and his first Passeover The rest is concealed and much of it was spent in his peragration and preaching through Galilee to which he addresseth himself John 1. 43. Vers. 14. And the Iews Passover was at hand and Iesus went up to Ierusalem There are none other of the Evangelists that mention any Passover at all after Christs Baptism but that at which he suffered but John reckoneth not only that but three before and so still amongst all the four Evangelists the story is made up and compleated that there is nothing wanting Three of his Passovers John nameth plainly and expresly by name viz. this here and another Chap. 6. 4. and his last Chap. 18. 39. but a fourth he hath not so openly named but meaneth it in Chap. 5. 1. as shall be cleared by Gods permission when we come there And now hath Christ three years to his death and he hath had half a year since his Baptism and so is his time from his anointing by the Spirit for the work of the Gospel till his offering up upon his Cross three years and an half see the notes on Luke 3. 21. Now whereas the Evangelist calleth the Passover the Passover of the Jews Jansenius is of opinion that he doth it for distinction of it from the Easter of the Christians which saith he was observed by them throughout all Asia when John wrote his Gospel And Baronius yet goes further and would prove it from John's calling the Christian Sabbath the Lords day Rev. 1. Annal. ad annum 159. It is not worth the labour at least not in this place to look after the antiquity and originall of the celebration of Easter amongst the Christians in the Primitive times the quarrel about the day between the Eastern and Western Churches is famous in Ecclesiastical Stories but that this is not the intention of the Evangelist in this place we need to go no further to prove than to his own expression of the same thing in another where he calleth it The Passover a Feast of the Jews Chap. 6. 4. and so sheweth that in this short Phrase The Jews Passover he meaneth not so much to distinguish it from any festival of the Christians as to shew what it was to Jews and to distinguish it from other festivals of theirs § And Jesus went up to Jerusalem 1. In obedience to the Law of the males appearing before the Lord Exod. 23. 17. from which none were excepted but for some infirmity or incapacity All are bound to appear but only the deaf fools little ones the man that is bruised in his genitals Hermophrodites
a healer and which is the cause of all other diseases and sorrows whatsoever and so he includes that which was the chiefest but excludes not these And as our Saviour pronouncing forgiveness of sins to a Palsick man whose story is ere long to follow doth thereby heal also the sickness of the body so the Apostle under term of bearing our sins comprehended also the bearing our sicknesses and his emphatical expression is worth observing when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who himself bare them that is himself of his own willingness would take them upon him and himself of his own power was able to undergo them Mark Chap. 1. Vers. 35. And in the morning rising up a great while before day c. Although the Jews did precisely begin their natural day from Sunsetting as hath been even now observed yet did they also make the midnight a distinctive period to part between day and day so as to determine rem diei in diem suum Talmud in Beracoth per. 1. From what time do they say over their Phylacteries at even From the time that the Priests go in to eat their portion of the Sacrifices till the end of the first watch R. Eliezer saith But the wise men said untill Midnight Ibid. in Pesachin per. 10. The Passover after midnight defiles the hands Joma per. 1. Maym. in Tamid in per. 2. The cleansing of the Burnt-offering Altar on the day of expiation began from midnight Talm. in Zevachin per. 5. Trespas offerings might be eaten till midnight Ibid. Lesser holy Offerings may be eaten till midnight Ibid. The Passover is not eaten but in the night and it is not eaten but till midnight The meaning of which Passages is that whereas these things were to be done to day and might not be put off till to morrow if they were done any time before midnight it was reputed and current as done to day as their Phylacteries were to be said over every day at Even if they were said over before midnight it served turn for the day before And the parts of the Offerings that were to be eaten on the same day that the offering was offered and might not be kept till the morrow if they were eaten any time before midnight of that day it did serve the turn The burnt Offering Altar was to be cleansed every day now on the day of expiation it began to be cleansed from the midnight before and that was taken as on the expiation day These things have I produced the rather because of the passage in the Text before us which calls it in the Morning and yet saith it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much of the night yet remaining for as they reckoned up till midnight for the day that was past so they reckoned from midnight for the morning to the day following Were I to discuss the question about the beginning and ending of our Christian Sabbath I should think this matter worth consideration to that purpose And something parallel to this are those Texts Exod. 12. 22. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning Yet Vers. 29 At midnight the Lord smote the first-born c. Vers. 33. And the Aegyptians were urgent upon the People that they might send them out Deut. 16. 1. God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night Now this Morning on which the Text before us tells us that Christ rose so very early and went out to pray was on the morrow after the Sabbath the day on which the Christian Sabbath was fixed ere long which may not be unobserved since so special a matter is mentioned of that day The reason why he went into a solitary place to pray was because the company so increased upon him because of the miracles that he wrought that in the Town he could not be retired When day light came both his Disciples and the people are abroad inquiring after him and when they had found him they would have detained him in those parts among them but he will not be confined there but perambulates Galilee SECTION XXI S. MATTHEW CHAP. IV. Vers. 23. AND Iesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people 24. And his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments and those which were possessed with Devils and those which were Lunatick and those which had the Palsie and he healed them 25. And there followed him great multitudes of People from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Hierusalem and from Iudea and from beyond Iordan Reason of the Order THE first verse of this Section laid to the last verse of the preceding makes the connection and order undeniable and evident There Christ being urged by the men of Capernaum to abide with them will not be confined in his Ministery to that place for he was sent to preach the Gospel in other Cities also and so he went about all Galilee teaching and preaching and healing all diseases of which and of the fruit of which this Section giveth account as that his fame went throughout all Syria and they brought him all sick people and great multitudes followed him Harmony and Explanation Vers. 23. And Iesus went about all Galilee c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph in vita sua Apud me pag. 642. There were two hundred and four Cities and Towns in Galilee Into all and every one of which we cannot so properly hold that Jesus entred and preached as that he chose to go into the most eminent and most convenient for his work namely where he might preach unto the most people And this is a second perambulation of Galilee that he made and a far fuller than the first mentioned Luke 4. 15. Then he had walked more alonely and without the company of his Disciples but they are now constantly and ever with him Then did he few or no miracles but only preached but now he doth exceeding many and healeth all diseased that come unto him The diseases he healed are reduced to three kinds 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diseases as Blindness Witheredness Lameness Fevers Dropsies c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Languishings as Consumptions Wastes Fluxes and such other as carried not so much pain with them as certain decaying of the body and wasting away 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tortures or Wrackings as Aches Gouts Convulsions and such other maladies as were attended with grievous pain and tortures And particularly three grievous maladies are named Palsies Lunacy and possessedness by the Devil the first of which expresseth the greatest debility of body the second of mind and the third the greatest misery of both that can be named and they were all maladies naturally as incurable as any whatsoever His Doctrine is comprised under these two heads Teaching and Preaching
9. I believe that he shall overcome death This Israel saw by necessary conclusion that if Christ should fall under death he did no more than men had done before His Resurrection they saw in Aarons Rod Manna Scapegoate Sparrow c. 10. I believe to be saved by laying hold upon his merits Laying their right hand upon the head of every beast that they brought to be offered up taught them that their sins were to be imputed to another and the laying hold on the horns of the Altar being sanctuary or refuge from vengeance taught them that anothers merits were to be imputed to them yet that all offenders were not saved by the Altar Exod. 21. 12. 1 King 2. 29. the fault not being in the Altar but in the offender it is easie to see what that signified unto them Thus far each holy Israelite was a Christian in this point of doctrine by earnest study finding these points under the vail of Moses The ignorant were taught this by the learned every Sabbath day having the Scriptures read and expounded unto them From these ground works of Moses and the Prophets Commentaries thereupon concerning the Messias came the schools of the Jews to be so well versed in that point that their Scholars do mention his very name Jesus the time of his birth in Tisri the space of his preaching three years and an half the year of his death the year of Jubile and divers such particulars to be found in their Authors though they knew him not when he came amongst them SECTION XXVIII The Covenant made with Israel They not sworn by it to the ten Commandments Exod. 24. WHEN Israel cannot indure to hear the ten Commandments given it was ready to conclude that they could much less keep them Therefore God giveth Moses privately fifty seven precepts besides namely Ceremonial and Judicial to all which the people are the next morning after the giving of the ten Commandments sworn and entred into Covenant and these made them a Ceremonial and singular people About which these things are observable 1. That they entred into Covenant to a written Law Chap. 24. 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord c. Against traditions 2. That here was a book written forty days before the writing of the two Tables Against them that hold that the first letters that were seen in the world were the writing of God in those Tables And we have seen before also two pieces of writing before this of Moses viz. the eighty eighth and eighty ninth Psalms And of equal Antiquity with them or not much less was the penning of the book of Job most probably written by Eliâ—u one of the Speakers in it as may be conjectured from Chap. 32. 15 16 17. and some other probability 3. That this first Covenant was made with water and blood and figurative language For the twelve pillars that represented the people are called the people Exod. 24. 4. 8. As the words in the second Covenant this my Body are to be understood in such another sense 4. That the ten Commandments were not written in the book of that Covenant but only those 57. precepts mentioned before For 1. The Lord giveth the other precepts because the people could not receive the ten for could they have received and observed those as they ought they must never have had any parcel of a Law more as if Adam had kept the Moral Law he had never needed to have heard of the promise and so if we could but receive the same Law as we should we had never needed the Gospel Now it is most unlike that since God gave them those other commands because they could not receive the ten that he would mingle the ten and them together in the Covenant 2. It is not imaginable that God would ever cause a people to swear to the performance of a Law which they could not indure so much as to hear 3. The ten Commandments needed not to be read by Moses to the people seeing they had all heard them from the mouth of the Lord but the day before 4. Had they been written and laid up in this book what necessity had there been of their writing and laying up in the Tables of stone 5. Had Moses read the ten Commandments in the beginning of his book why should he repeat some of them again at the latter end as Exod. 23. 12. Let such ruminate upon this which hold and maintain that the Sabbath as it standeth in the fourth Commandment is only the Jewish Sabbath and consequently Ceremonial And let those good men that have stood for the day of the Lord against the other consider whether they have not lost ground in granting that the fourth Commandment instituted the Jewish Sabbath For First The Jews were not sworn to the Decalogue at all and so not the Sabbath as it standeth there but only to the fifty seven precepts written in Moses his book and to the Sabbath as it was there Exod. 23. 12. Secondly The end of the Ceremonial Sabbath of the Jews was in remembrance of their delivery out of Aegypt Deut. 5. 15. but the moral Sabbath of the two Tables is in commemoration of Gods resting from the works of Creation Exod. 20. 10 11. SECTION XXIX The punishment of Israel for the golden Galf. Exod. 32. ISRAEL cannot be so long without Moses as Moses can be without meat The fire still burneth on the top of mount Sinai out of which they had so lately received the Law and yet so suddainly do they break the greatest Commandment of that Law to extreamity of Aegyptian Jewels they make an Aegyptian Idol because thinking Moses had been lost they intended to return for Aegypt Griveous was the sin for which they must look for grievous punishment which lighted upon them in divers kinds First the Cloud of Glory their Divine conductor departeth from the Camp which was now become prophane and unclean Secondly the Tables Moses breaketh before their face as shewing them most unworthy of the Covenant Thirdly the Building of the Tabernacle the evidence that God would dwell among them is adjourned and put off for now they had made themselves unworthy Fourthly for this sin God gave them to worship all the host of Heaven Acts 7. 42. Fiftly Moses bruised the Calf to Powder and straweth it upon the waters and maketh the People drink Here spiritual fornication cometh under the same tryal that carnal did Numb 5. 24. These that were guilty of this Idolatry the water thus drunk made their belly to swell and to give a visible sign and token of their guilt then setteth Moses the Levites to slay every one whose bellies they found thus swelled which thing they did with that zeal and sincerity that they spared neither Father nor Brother of their own if they found him guilty In this slaughter there fell about three thousand these were ring-leaders and chief agents in this abomination and therefore made thus exemplary
meditation of so great a Prince When Agrippa cometh to Claudius he is now more urgent than before that he stand to his challenge because he had now groped the mind and strength of the Senate and he prevaileth with him so far that the Souldiers go to the Senate house and there demand a confirmation of their choice It was now come to it in the Councel that they were resolved to choose one Monarch for they saw the Souldiers would so have it but now the question was who that must be some were for one some for another but the conspirators against Caius were against Claudius howsoever This division had like to have caused another tumult but the end of all was that the power and fear of the Souldiers prevailed and the Senate was glad to accept him for their Prince whom they durst not refuse §. 8. His demeanor at his beginning Agrippae had perswaded him to deal gently with the Senate but he either perswaded not or prevailed not with him for the like towards the conspirators of his nephews death Chereas and Sabinus the slayers of Caius and Lupus the Executioner of Caesonia and her child were not like the Senate either perswaded by reasons or affrighted by forces to accept of Claudius or to owe him homage but they boldly and resolutely gainsay his election even to the death Claudius therefore causeth Chereas to be slain and Lupus with him which doom they underwent with different demeanours Chereas stoutly but Lupus weeping Chereas at one blow for he met death half the way but Lupus at many for he shrunk it all he could But Sabinus fool-hardy as he was when Claudius had granted him his pardon and not only so but also restored him to his former honors he disdaining to be singled from his fellow conspirators in their end any more than in their design fell upon his own sword and died Such a beginning did the new made Emperor make into his Empire mingling severity and clemency together in the censure of offendors of the same knot that he might also mingle fear and love in the hearts of the people This Claudius was the son of Drusus the son of Livia a man dull and diseased even from his childhood and for that brought up most in the converse with women or nurses hence his effeminacy and luxuriousness at all times and his readiness to be led away by the counsel of women at some He was now about fifty years of age when he began to reign at the very ripeness of all the discretion he had but that it was often blasted with fearfulness drunkenness and wicked counsel When he was set quietly in the Throne the first thing he did was to get the two days in which the agitation was about the change of the Government quite out of memory and for that end he made an Act of Oblivion of all things that had passed either in Words or Actions of all that time yet had he not wrought his own security so far but that he caused all that came near him to be searched for weapons and while he sat at any meal he had a strong guard about him For the motion that had been so lately and so strongly carried for the abolition of Monarchy and the other which proposed others thereto when Monarchy was agreed upon and would have excluded him had taken such an impression upon him that he reputed no safety in his holding of the Royalty but by that strong hand and power by which he had gotten it Yet tried he fair and gentle dealing though he durst not trust it Those from whom he had received any affront in the days of Tiberius and Caligula for sometimes in those days to abuse Claudius was to curry favor he freely pardoned if he found them guilty of no other crime but if he did he paid them then for all together The unjust fines of Caius he remitted his illegal decrees he revoked his innocents imprisoned he released and his causless banished he called home The poisons which he had prepared for the Nobles and a list of their names for whom they were prepared being found in the Palace though Caius had pretended to have burnt them he shewed publickly to the Senate and then burnt them indeed He forbad any one to adore him or to sacrifice to him he restrained the great and loud acclamations that were used to be made to the Emperor and carried himself with such sweetness and moderation that happy had the Republique been in the continuance of the Monarchy had he been so happy as to have continued in this his first demeanor But his wicked Empress Messallina and her wicked consorts first provoked him to mischief and his too much delight in the bloody sports did by degrees habituate him unto cruelty He had recalled Julia and Agrippina the two sisters of Caius out of banishment whither they had been sent by their own Brother after he had defloured them and he restored them to their Estates and Revenues again But Messallina stomacking that Julia did her not honour and homage enough and envying her beauty and being jealous of her privacy with Claudius she caused her to be banished again and in a short time she compassed her death These were but ominous beginnings when Caesars love to his own neece was cause enough to work her ruine but was not strong enough to stand between her and the fury of his own wife And it did but fatally presage what mischief her wretched counsels would work the cowardize and indiscretion of her husband to when their first effect was upon one so near allied Nor did cruelty and bloodiness enter thus only in at his ears by the suggestion of his cursed wife but the like it did also at his eyes by his frequent and delightsom beholding of the bloody sports that growing by degrees to be his delight to act which had grown by degrees also to be his delight to see Sometimes beasts with beasts as twelve Camels and Horses at one time and 300 Bears and 300 African wild beasts at the same sometimes beasts with men and sometimes men with men and at all times hideous bloodshed that he that can look upon such barbarousness and slaughter with content it may be suspected that he in time will grow to act the like with the same delight PART II. ACTS XI Vers. 26. And the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch §. 1. The name of Christian. THE Jews and Gentiles being now since the calling of Cornelius knit up together into one Church they are this year tied up into the rosie and glorious knot of the same name and Epithet the name of Christian A new name which the Lord himself did give them as we may well understand that prophesie Esa. 65. 15. that the two distinguishing names of Jews and Heathen might no more continue the ancient distance that was betwixt them but that that and all differences arising therefrom might be buried
theirs in Jerusalem an accursed imitation of these peace Offerings and eating of them in the Temple was taken up among the Heathens 1 Cor. 8. 10. 3. There was a third peace offering of a particular person and that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is commonly called The Nazarites Ram of which the Law and Story is set down Num. 6. 17. and the manner of its disposal was thus He was killed and his bloud sprinkled then were the inwards taken out and the right shoulder and breast separated and the rest of the flesh the Nazarite boyled in the corner of the Court of the Women in the place called the room of the Nazarites Then took the Priest the sodden shoulder of the Ram and a tenth part of the bread that was brought with him and the heave shoulder and wave breast and the inwards and put them in the hands of the Nazarite and put his own hand under his and waved them as before and all that was waved was the Priests Portion but only the inwards that were to be burnt upon the Altar and the Nazarite had the rest SECT V. Meat Offerings and Drink Offerings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THere a a a Maym. in Corbanoth per. 2. Talm. in Menachoth per. 6. were Twelve sorts of Meat Offerings Three of the whole Congregation and Nine of particular persons The three of the whole Congregation were these 1. The twelve Loaves of Shew-bread which were set before the Lord every Sabbath Exod. 25. 3. Lev. 24. 5 6 7. and when they were taken away they were eaten by the Priests 2. The Sheaf or Omer of the first fruits of their Harvest Lev. 23. 9. This was of Barley the Corn that was first ripe and there was but one Meat Offering more of Barley of all the twelve all the rest were of Wheat This Sheaf was waved before the Lord this way and that way and up and down and then it was part offered and part eaten Rabbi Solomon giveth this reason of the waving of it if it may be taken b b b R. Sol. in Levit. 23. Every waving saith he is bringing it this way and that way up and down and the waving it this way and that way was for the restraining of evil winds and the waving it up and down was for the restraining of evil dews 3. The two wave Loaves offered at Pentecost Lev. 23. 17. The nine Meat Offerings of particular persons were these 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The daily meat Offering of the High-priest 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meat offering of initiation which every Priest brought in his hand at his first entrance into the Office 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sinners meat offering This was the offering of a poor man that should have brought a sin offering and was not able I here cannot but observe a passage in the Mishnah and in Tosaphta that speak of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinners meat offering of the poor Priest that was so poor as that he was not able to bring a sin offering intimating in what poor condition some of them lived though some again of them were as rich and stately 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jealousie meat offering of the suspected Wife Num. 5. 15. this was of Barley meal 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meat offering of fine flower unbaked 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meat offering baked in a pan 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meat offering baked in a frying-pan 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meat offering baked in the Oven 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wafers Now besides these names we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meat offering of the Heathen and of Women and The meat offering with a drink offering which are but names different from some of these that are named for the things themselves did not differ when a Heathen Man would present a meat Offering under the limitations forementioned it was some of these mentioned and also a meat offering that was offered with a drink offering was some of these that are mentioned but they are called by these distinctive names only in regard of these circumstances and not in regard of the difference of Materials As for the making and managing of these meat offerings these were the main and general rules by which they went 1. That no meat offering should consist of less than the tenth part of an Ephah of c Maym. ubi sup per. 13. Corn which was but very little differing from the tenth part of our bushel and of a log of oil which was somewhat above thirteen ounces Now as many tenth parts might be offered as the offerer could find in his heart to offer so that there were not above 60 in one Vessel and to every tenth part he must joyn a log of oil but under one tenth part and under one log there must be no meat offering This tenth part of an Ephah was called an Omer Exod. 16. 36. 2. d d d Id. ibid. That when the meat offering was any of the four sorts baked they commonly made ten cakes or pieces of the tenth deal and accordingly if more tenth deals were offered than one they made ten cakes of every tenth deal that was offered only the High-priests meat offering was made into twelve cakes and when these cakes were baked every one of them was broken in two and twelve halfs were offered in the morning and twelve at even 3. e e e Talm. in Menac per. 5. Some meat offerings required both oil and frankincense some required oil but not frankincense some frankincense but not oil and some neither frankincense nor oil Those that required both frankincense and oil were these The meat offering of fine flower unbaked those four that were baked the meat offering of the High-priest that of the Priests initiation the Omer of first fruits and the meat offerings of Heathens and of Women The meat offering joyned with a drink offering required oil but not frankincense The Shew-bread required frankincense but not oil and the sinners meat offering and the meat offering of the suspected wife had neither oil nor frankincense 4. f f f Ibid. per. 6. sect 3. All the meat offerings that were made in a vessel had three pourings of oil about it as the unbaked meat offering of fine flower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first oil was put into the vessel and the flower after it then oil was poured upon the flower and they mingled together then was it put into the vessel of the service in which it was to be brought to the Altar and oil poured on it again and frankincense put aloft on all and so those meat offerings that were baked in the pan or frying pan oil was put into a vessel flower upon it and oil upon the flower again these being blended together it was baked and being baked it was broken into its pieces and more oil put upon the pieces and
a man use irreverence before this Gate of Nicanor or the East Gate And so in the first Chapter of Sotah In the Gate of Nicanor they make the suspected wife drink the bitter water and they purifie women after Childbirth and Lepers And in the end of the Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the seventh Chapter of the Treatise Pesachin It is said that the Gate of Nicanor was not holy as the Court because Lepers stood there and put in their thumbs and great toes into the Court And so in the third Chapter of Joma and the second Chapter of Tosaphta there it is said there were wonders wrought with the doors of Nicanor and they mention it renownedly And if so then had it been fit to have recorded him The story is thus This Nicanor was one of the Chasiddim and he went to Alexandria in Egypt and made there two brazen doors with much curiosity intending to set them up in the Court of the Temple and he brought them away by sea Now a great storm happening the mariners cast one of the doors over board to lighten the ship and intended also to throw over the other also Which when Nicanor perceived he bound himself to the door with cords and told them that if they threw that in they should throw him in too And so the Sea ceased from her rage And when he was landed at Ptolemais and bemoaned the loss of his other door and prayed to God about it the Sea cast up the door in that place where the holy man had landed But some say a great fish cast it up And this was the miracle that was done about his doors and they set them up on the East side of the Court before the Temple But in the books of Joseph ben Gorion he saith That the Gate of Nicanor was so called because a wonder was done there for there they slew Nicanor a Prince of the Grecians in the time of the Asmoneans and so it seemeth in the later end of the second Chapter of the Treatise Taanith Thus Jucasin I shall not insist upon it to dispute it out whether of these things alledged were the cause of the name of this Gate or whether something else Some other conjectures might be added as whether Nicanor that sent the doors from Alexandria were not he that was the Kings Chief Master of the Ceremonies there of whom Josephus maketh mention q q q Ios. Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 2. and relateth how he provided Chambers and Diet for the Septuagint Translaters or whether this Gate were not so called in honour of Seleucus Nicanor the first King of Syria who was a great favourer of the Jewish Nation r r r Ibid. cap. 3. as the same Josephus also relateth But I shall leave the searching after the Etymology and original of the name to those that have mind and leasure thereunto it sufficeth to know the Gate by its name which was so renowned and famous in all Jewish Writers only as to the story about Nicanor a Grecian Prince being slain here compare 1 Maccab. VII 33 34. c. Joseph Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 17. Before we part from this Gate we must remember to say something about the Gate Sur and the Gate of the Foundation of which there is mention 2 King XI 6. 2 Chron. XXIII 5. because that these are held by some as was shewed before to have been but names of this East-Gate of the Court that we are about The Texts where these names are mentioned do speak to this purpose in our English Translation 2 King XI 2 Chron. XXIII Vers. 5. A third part of you that enter in on the Sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the Kings house Vers. 4. A third part of you entring in on the Sabbath of the Priests and of the Levites shall be porters of the doors 6. And a third part shall be at the Gate Sur and a third part at the Gate behind the guard c. 5. And a third part shall be at the Kings house and a third part at the Gate of the foundation c. 7. And two parts of you that go forth on the Sabbath even they shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord about the King c.  The two Courses of the Priests and Levites now present namely that course that came in on the Sabbath and the other that had served their week and were now going out Johoiada divides either of them into three parts into six in all They that came in on the Sabbath were to be 1. A third part of them for the Altar and service the Priests for the Sacrifices and the Levites for Singers and Porters as in the constant duty and attendance For it was now the Sabbath day and had it been any other day it is not to be imagined that Jehoiada would neglect the affairs of God though he went about the affairs of the King But he provides for both so that the Temple Service may have its due attendance as well as the Kings coronation And therefore vers 5. of 2 King XI is necessarily to be rendred thus A third part of you shall be those that come in on the Sabbath that is a third part of you shall be as those that come in on the Sabbath to attend the Service as at other times And is so 2 Chron. XXIII 4. to be translated A third part of you shall be those that come in on the Sabbath for Priests and Levites and Porters that is to attend the Altar Song and Gates as in the constant service 2. Another third part for Keepers of the Watch at the Kings House 3. And another third part at the Gate Sur which is also called the Gate of the Foundation Thus the Text in the two Books laid together do plainly distribute the course that was to come in on the Sabbath as he will see that will carefully compare them together in the original The course that was going out on the Sabbath was disposed 1. One third part of them to the Gate behind the Guard 2. Two third parts to keep the watch of the House of the Lord for the safety of the King Now the very disposal of these Guards will help us to judge concerning the Gates that we have in mention and will resolve us that they were not any Gates of the Temple at all but that they stood in some place else For the Gates of the Temple were guarded by the Porters of the course that came in as in the ordinary manner and there was an extraordinary Guard added besides throughout all the Mountain of the House and in the Court of that course that was going out 2 King XI 7 8. 11. Therefore the Gate Sur or the Gate of the Foundation which was guarded by a third part of those that come in on the Sabbath cannot be supposed for any Gate of the Temple since the Temple was guarded by two
for the Priests standing The Court of Israel parted from the Levites Desks by Pillars and Rails The Levites standing parted from the Priests by a Wainscot Desk or some such thing The Court of the Priests open to the Altar but only that the Pillars that supported the Cloister stood in a row before it And so we have the dimensions and platform of the Court and of the Buildings and the Cloisters that stood about it But before we proceed to observe the particulars that were within it I cannot but think of a piece of structure that in its story looks something like to some of the Cloisters that we have described either in the Mountain of the House or in one of the Courts though I believe it was none of them and that is The Covert of the Sabbath of which there is speech and mention 2 King XVI 18. where it is said of Ahaz The Covert of the Sabbath that they had built in the House and the Kings entry without c. How to frame the Verb to this sentence is somewhat doubtful whether to say he turned it from the House of the Lord and so doth our English or he turned it to the House of the Lord and so doth the Chaldee Paraphrast and some others with him for the word in the Original doth not determine it Were that the question before us I should adhere to the sense of our English for the Kings entry without was turned to the House of the Lord from its first making but our question is what this Covert of the Sabbath was The Seventy have rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The foundation of the chair or seat upon what mistake in their unprickt Bible a mean Hebrician will easily discover namely that they read Musadh for Musach Daleph and Caph â—inal being like and for Shabbath they read Shebeth Vid. Kimc Lev. Gerson in loâ— Nobil in LXX Ibid. The most received opinion about this matter is that this was some special piece of building that was purposely made for the course of Priests that went out every Sabbath to repose themselves in till the Sabbath was out or till they might go home And the reason of this conception is because of the word Sabbath which they suppose to refer rather to the change of the Priests courses who came in and went out on the Sabbath than to the Service or the Peoples attending whose concourse was greater at the Festivals than on the Sabbath I should rather take it to mean some Court of Guard that was made on the top of the Causey Shallecheth up towards the Gate Coponius where the Kings Guard stood on the Sabbaths having attended the King into the Temple till he came out again there to receive him again and to Guard him home and I should understand and construe the word The Kings in conjunction with both particulars named namely that it meaneth the Kings covert of the Sabbath as well as the Kings Entry without and my reason for this opinion I should fetch partly from the mention of these Gates that we had in speech before namely The Gate of the Foundation and the Gate behind the Guard 2 King XI 6. And partly from the passage in Jerem. XXXVIII 14. where it is said that King Zedekiah sent and took Jeremy the Prophet unto him into the third entry that was in the House of the Lord where Solomon Jarchi doth ingenuously confess that he knows not what this third Entry in the House of the Lord was but perhaps saith he it meaneth the Court of Israel the Court of the Women and the Chel being the two other Kimchi doth well conceive that this Entry was as they came from the Kings House into the Temple but more of it he hath not determined I should say it meaneth the Gate Coponius and conceive the King coming to the Temple through these entrances or passages First At the bottom of the Stairs or descent of Zâ—on much about his turning to come upon the Causey there was the Gate of the Foundation then being come up the Causey towards the Temple he passed through the Gate behind the Guard and walked through the Court of Guard which I suppose was called the Kings covert for the Sabbath and so through the Gate Coponius which was his third entrance or Gate he passed through These Gates we said before were Gates of Sion meaning that they were in the way from the Temple thither and not Gates of the Temple it self According therefore to this supposal I apprehend that Ahaz becoming a Renegado to Religion did deface and defile the Temple within and did clean cut off the way of the Kings access thither without as if he and his should never have more to do there And according to this supposal also I apprehend that Zedekiah having garisoned himself in the Temple while the Chaldeans were now lying in Siege about the City he sends for Jeremy from his prison in Zion and he comes up to the Gate Coponius or Shallecheth and there the King and he confer together And now let us turn our Eyes and Observation upon what is to be found in the Court from which we have thus far digressed and first we will begin with the Altar which is not only the most remarkable thing to be observed there but which must also serve us as a standing mark from whence to measure the place and sight of other things CHAP. XXXIV Of the Altar of Burnt-offering THE Altar that Moses made in the Wilderness because it was to be carried up and down was of light materials and of small dimensions for a a a Ex. XXVII 1. it was of Shittim wood and but five cubits square and three cubits high with a Grate of Brass hanging within it for the Fire and Sacrifice to lye upon And therefore when it is called the brazen Altar 2 Chon I. 5. it is because it was plated over with brass Exod. XXXVIII 1. But when Solomon came to build the Temple and there was to be no more removing of the Tabernacle of the Congregation as there had been before b b b 2 Chron. IV. 1. he made the Altar far larger and weightier than that of Moses namely of Brass and of twenty cubits square and ten cubits high I shall not be curious to inquire whether Solomon's Altar were of brass indeed or no or whether it is said to be of brass though it were of stone because it succeeded instead of Moses his brazen one as c c c Vid. Kimch in 1 King VIII 64. some Jews conceive d d d Vid. Lev. Gers. ibid. or as others because though it were of stone yet it was over-laid with brass I see no reason why it should not be properly and literally understood that it was of massie brass indeed for why may we not well conclude by the plating of Moses his Altar over with brass that it was made of wood only for lightness and
any thing from the springing of his own fruit is guilty under the name of a Reaper But under what guilt were they held he had said this before at the beginning of Chap. VII in these words The works whereby a man is guilty of stoning and cutting off if he do them presumptuously but if ignorantly he is bound to bring a sacrifice for sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are either primitive or derivative Of primitive or of the general kinds of works are nine and thirty reckoned To i i i i i i Talm. Schabb. cap. VII plow to sow to reap to gather the Sheaves to thresh to sift to grind to bake c. to shear sheep to dy wool c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The derivative works or the particulars of those generals are such as are of the same rank and likeness with them For example digging is of the same kind with plowing chopping of herbs is of the same rank with grinding and plucking the ears of corn is of the same nature with reaping Our Saviour therefore pleaded the Cause of the Disciples so much the more eagerly because now their lives were in danger for the Canons of the Scribes adjudged them to stoning for what they had done if so be it could be proved that they had done it presumptously From hence therefore he begins their defence that this was done by the Disciples out of necessity hunger compelling them not out of any contempt of the Laws VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 David and those that were with him FOR those words of Ahimelech are to be understood comparatively Wherefore art thou alone and no man with thee that is comparatively to that noble train wherewith thou wast wont to go attended and which becomes the Captain General of Israel David came to Nob not as one that fled but as one that come to enquire at the Oracle concerning the event of War unto which he pretended to come by the Kings command Dissembling therefore that he hastned to the war or to expedite some warlike design he dissembles likewise that he sent his Army to a certain place and that he had turned aside thither to worship God and to enquire of the event that he had brought but a very few of his most trusty servants along with him for whom being an hungred he asketh a few loaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When they were an hungred Here hearken to Kimchi producing the opinion of the Antients concerning this story in these words Our Rabbins of blessed memory say that he gave him the Shew bread c. The interpretation also of the clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea though it were sanctified this day in the vessel is this It is a small thing to say that it is lawful for us to eat these loaves taken from before the Lord when we are hungry for it would be lawful to eat this very loaf which is now set on which is also sanctified in the vessel for the Table sanctifieth it would be lawful to eat even this when another loaf is not present with you to give us and we are so hunger bitten And a little after There is nothing which may hinder taking care of Life beside Idolatry Adultery and Murder These words do excellently agree with the force of our Saviours Argument but with the genuine sense of that Clause methinks they do not well agree I should under correction render it otherwise only prefacing this before hand That it is no improbable conjecture that David came to Nob either on the Sabbath it self or when the Sabbath was but newly gone k k k k k k R. Esaias in 1 Sam. XXI For the shewbread was not to be eaten unless for one day and one night that is on the Sabbath and the going out of the Sabbath David therefore came thither in the going out of the Sabbath And now I render Davids words thus Women have been kept from us these three days so that there is no uncleaness with us from the touch of a menstruous woman and the vessels of the young men were holy even in the common way that is while we travelled in the common manner and journey therefore much more are they holy as to their vessels this Sabbath day And to this sense perhaps does that come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But there was there one of the Servants of Saul detained that day before the Lord. The reverence of the Sabbath had brought him to worship and as yet had detained him there VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priests in the Temple prophane the Sabbath and are guiltless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Hierâ—s Schab fol. 17. 1. The servile work which is done in the Holy things is not servile The same works which were done in the temple on other days were done also on the Sabbath And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no Sabbatism at all in the Temple m m m m m m Maimon in Pâ—sach cap. 1. VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath I. HE opposed this very Argument against their cavils before the Sanhedrin Joh. V. When he was summoned into the Court concerning his healing the paralytic man on this very Sabbath or on the Sabbath next before he shews his dominion over the Sabbath from this very thing that he the Son was invested and honoured with the same Authority Power and Dignity in respect of the Administration of the New Testament as the Father was in regard of the Old II. The care of the Sabbath lay upon the first Adam under a double Law according to his double condition 1. Before his fall under the law of Nature written in his heart under which he had kept the Sabbath if he had remained innocent And here it is not unworthy to be observed that although the seventh day was not come before his fall yet the institution of the Sabbath is mentioned before the history of his fall 2. After his fall under a positive law For when he had sinn'd on the sixth day and the seventh came he was not now bound under the bare Law of Nature to celebrate it but according as the condition of Adam was changed and as the condition of the Sabbath was not a little changed also a new and positive Law concerning the keeping the Sabbath was superinduced upon him It will not be unpleasant to produce a few passages from the Jewish Masters of that first Sabbath n n n n n n Mid. Tillin fol. 15. 3. Circumcision saith R. Judah and the Sabbath were before the Law But how much backward before the Law Hear Baâ—l Turim o o o o o o In Exod. I. The Israelites were redeemed saith he out of Egypt because they observed Circumcision and the Sabbath day Yea and further backwards still p p p p p p R. Sol. in Esai LVIII 14. The
was no Sepulchre which they digged not up and having got great plenty of such things they Sold them at a great price and filled Rome Necrocorinthiis with the spoils of the Corinthian dead for so they called those works which were taken from the Sepulchres especially such as were made of Earth And when Mummius laid the City waste there were pictures found of admirable workmanship which were brought to Rome For the Arts of Painting and Counterfeiting and other Arts of that kind were very much improved in Corinth and Sicyone The situation of the City now rebuilt was of this nature There was an high Mountain whose perpendicular was three furlongs and an half the Ascent thirty furlongs and it ended in a sharp top The Mountains name was Acrocorinthus At the very foot of Acrocorinthus stood the City The compass of the City made full forty furlongs It was strengthned with a Wall as much of it as the Mountain had laid bare Acrocorinthus also was walled as far as it could be fortified with walling And as we went up they are the words of Strabo the ruins of the old City appeared so that the whole compass was eighty five furlongs The Mountain on the top of it had the Temple of Venus a Temple so wealthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it had more than a thousand Whore-Priests whom Men and Women had dedicated to the Goddess n n n n n n Heredot lib. ◠cap. 92. In the old City heretofore stood the Temple of Juno where all the Corinthian women being gathered together Periander the Tyrant by his Officers stripped stark naked without any difference and having carried their cloths into a certain pit he burnt them to Melissa his deceased wife with whom he laid after she was dead The History of the first founding a Gospel Church in this City Act. XVIII makes it plain that there were very many Jews there and one Synagogue of them at least if not more HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae OR HEBREW AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS upon the First Epistle of St. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS CHAP. I. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul WHO was also called Saul He had a double name according to his double relation the Hebrew name Saul as he was an Hebrew The Roman name Paul as a Roman It was common in the Jewish nation that among the Jews they went by a Jewish name but among Heathens by another That is either by the same name turned into the Heathen Language as Tabitha to the Jews was Dorcas to them that spake Greek and Thomas to the Hebrews was Didymus to the Greeks and perhaps Silas to the Jews was Tertius to the Romans Rom. XVI 21. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shalosh Three and Jason was Secundus compare Rom. XVI 21. with Acts XIX 4. Or they went by some different name As Herod in Luke Act. XII 1 2. is Agrippa in Josephus and John is also Mark Act. XII 12. Hence the Gloss upon Maimonides a Perhaps he hath two names viz. a a a a a a In Cerushin cap. 3. Jewish and that whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are not Jews do call him And that passage The b b b b b b Hieros Gitti◠fol. 43. 2. Israelites without the Land of Israel have names like the names of the Gentiles Yea hearken to what they say in the same Tract c c c c c c Fol. 45. 3. concerning Jews dwelling even in the Land of Israel Perhaps he hath two wives one in Judea another in Galilee And perhaps he hath two names one in Judea another in Galilee If he subscribes his name whereby he goes in Judea to put away her who is in Galilee or the name whereby he goes in Galilee to put away her who is in Judea it is not a divorce It is no wonder therefore if Saul who was born out of the Land of Israel and free of the City of Rome had a Roman name joyned with his Jewish And it deserves observation that he being now made the Apostle of the Gentiles always calls himself by his Gentile name by his Jewish never and that Luke prosecuting his acts calleth his name Saul while the scene of the story is among the Jews but Paul while it is among the Heathen VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctified in Christ Iesus IT seems to be opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are sanctified in the Law or to respect that Law Deut. XXIII 1 2 c. concerning the excluding very many out of the Church of God which is not so done under Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Called Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A holy Convocation is so rendred in the Language of the LXX Interpreters Leuit. XXIII 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Feasts of the Lord which ye shall call called Holy Vers. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sabboth a Rest called holy to the Lord See also vers 4 7 8 c. Sanctified in Christ is a general word which is subdivided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truly Saints and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that call on the name of the Lord Saints by profession VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all utterance and in all knowledge THAT is in the Gift of Tongues and Prophesying These he calls in the verse following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The testimony of Christ that is The testimony whereby Jesus is proved to be the true Messias seeing he bestowed such gifts So Revel XIX 10. The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie not only the doctrine which the Prophet uttered but the very gift of Prophesying And 1 Joh. V. 8. The Spirit and the Water and the Blood yield a testimony of Christ on Earth The Spirit or the gift of Prophesy The Water or Baptism and the Blood or Martyrdome For seeing the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit did so abound and such infinite multitudes flocked to Baptism in the name of Jesus and very many for that name endured martyrdom it was an undoubted testimony that he was the true Messias VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I am of Paul c. TO trace the original of this Schism we may have recourse to the twofold division of this Church into converted Jews and Gentiles which appears from their story Act. XVIII The Gentile part perhaps boasted the name of Paul and Apollo the Jewish that of Cephas and Christ. But of them again were divided into two Some of the Gentile partly reverenced Paul either alone or certainly above all others as their Father their Apostle and the first that brought in the Gospel among them however he preached plainly in a low style and not according to humane wisdom and art But some preferred Apollo before him as more profound more elegant and more quaint Doctor See Act. XVIII 24. Hence that large discourse of the Apostle of this very manner of preaching from Chap. I. 17.
There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bench of Three in every Synagogue 4. There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authorized or Authentic Bench. 5. There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bench not Authorized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not authentic III. We distinguish first between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bench of Three appointed in every Synagogue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authorized Bench however consisting also of three men For the Bench of Three in every Synagogue consisted of three Elders riâ—ely and by imposition of hands preferred to Eldership But that Bench which we stile Authorized consisted not always of men promoted by ordination to Eldership but often of men receiving authority to judge in such or such matters by some special Patent granted them by the Sanhedrin It consisted for the most part of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fellows of the Wise men men learned indeed and Scholars but such as were not yet elected into the Order and rank of Elders And the duties of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mumchin the Authorized Bench was different from the Duties and offices of the Triumviral Bench. This Bench was to judge of mony matters of wrongs c. That namely the Mumchin was to judge of the first-born of Cattle to be offered to the Lord whether they were without spot or no g g g g g g See Beracoth fol. 48. 1. of Womens charms to be worn or not on the Sabbath h h h h h h Schaâ— fol. 57 c. of the knives of the Butcher-Priests whether lawful or not and of divers things of that nature IV. When we rendred those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bench not authentic we meant it so called not that the judgments and determinations of that Bench were of no value but that that Bench received not its authority from the Sanhedrin but was chosen by them between whom the controversy depended i i i i i i Bava Mezia fol. 32. 1. Rabh Nachman saith A widdow if she would sell somewhat of her dowry hath no need 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Bench of the Authorized but hath need 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Bench of Idiots or private men Maimonides l l l l l l In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 17. citing these words writes thus A widdow whether she became a widdow after marriage or after Espousal is bound by Oath and sells a piece of Land of her Husbands for her maintenance either in the Court of the Mumchin the Authorized or in the Court of those that are not Authorized Now that Court or Bench is when three men are present that are honest and skilful in valuing apiece of Land To this very ordinary Bench among the Jews the Apostle seems to have respect in this place and to prescribe the Corinthians for a means of ending their differences which was easie common and void of cost and charges The Bench of the Mumchin one may not unfitly call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as were deputed by Authority this Bench consisting of those that were not Mumchin he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not vile or contemptible but such as were not Authorized He exhorteth therefore that if at any time suits arise among them concerning pecuniary or other matters they by no means run to Heathen Courts but rather chuse some private men among themselves as Judges and Arbitrators in such matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m m m m m m Sanhedr fol. 3. 1. Pecuniary judgments may be by three private men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgments of things taken away and dammages by the three Authorized n n n n n n Jevamoth fol. 101. 1. The precept of pulling off the shoe of the Husbands brother requires three Judges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although those three be private men And Rambam upon the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Private men that is not they that are the Wise men And Rabbi Solomon such who were not of the Bench of the Elders in their City and yet in that case they might be Judges They who were to judge in that affair were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders by God Deut. XXV 9 The wife of his brother shall come to him in the sight of the Elders c. And by the Talmudists they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges and yet might be private men The same Fathers of the Traditions speak many things of the Plaintiff and Defendant chusing themselves Judges or Umpires to decide their differences and that both parties be bound to submit themselves to their sentence although it be a form of judging not altogether according to the form of the Statute For example sake Three Judges were required to determine concerning pecuniary suits and they by Canon and Statute such as were made Elders or Presbyters by lawful ordination But the contending parties might if they would chuse themselves only one such Arbitrator or Judge or three private men and not Elders o o o o o o Sanhedr fol. 5. 1. The Rabbins deliver Pecuniary judgments are by Three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if he be authorized he may judge alone Rabh Nachman saith As I judge alone of pecuniary matters And so saith R. Chaija As I judge alone of Pecuniary matters Yea if he be chosen by the contending persons he may judge alone for this hath obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they take upom themselves or undertook to submit themselves to the judgment of that one Elder or those three private persons they must submit and the judgment was good Of this matter both Talmuds treat largely enough in the Tract Sanhedrin p p p p p p Cap. 1. Out of the Babylonian take these passages in the place now alledged Rabh Nachman judged and erred in his judgment He came therefore to Rabh Joseph of whom he heard these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they have taken upon them or undertaken to stand to thy judgment thou art not obliged to the payment of the damage c. And a little after Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgment is by three and Arbitration or Reconciliation by two And better is the force of Reconciliation than the force of Judgment For when two Judge the parties contending may depart from their sentence But when two Arbitrators compose the difference the Contenders cannot depart from their sentence The reason of each is because two Judges were not a just Bench if therefore they would judge according to their Office their judgment was of no avail but if they were particularly chosen by the contending parties for Arbitrators it stood For as the Gloss The Contending parties cannot depart from the sentence of two who compose the difference for they choose them Out of the Jerusalem Talmud this passage q q q q q q Fol. 18. 1. R.
use of this Sacrament might shew that they renounced their Judaism and professed the Faith and Oeconomy of the Gospel III. Our Communion therefore in this Sacrament is not so much Spiritual as External and declarative of our common and joynt profession of the Christian Faith We are far from denying that the Saints have a Spiritual Communion with God and among themselves in the use of the Eucharist yea we assert there is a most close Communion between true believers and God But what is that Spiritual Communion of Saints among themselves Mutual love one heart prayers for one another c. But they may exercise the same Communion and do exercise it when they meet together to any other part of Divine Worship They may and do act the same thing when they are distant from one another Therefore their Communion in this Sacrament which is distinctly called the Communion of the Eucharist is that they meet together and by this outward sign openly and with joynt minds profess that they are united in one sacred knot and bond of Christian Religion renouncing all other Religions IV. When therefore we approach to the Eucharist in any Church we do not only communicate with that congregation with which we associate at that time but with the whole Catholic Church in the profession of the true Evangelic Religion VERS XXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye do shew the Lords death IT is known what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Passover Supper was namely a Declaration of the great works of God in the deliverance of the people out of Egypt The same as it seems would these Judaizing Corinthians retain in the Lords Supper as if the Eucharist were instituted and superadded only for that commemoration The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does very well answer to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Declaration and while the Apostle admonisheth them that the death of Christ is that which is to be declared it may be gathered that they erred in this very thing and looked some other way VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unworthily THE Apostle explains himself vers 29. Where we also will speak of this verse VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let a man examine himself c. HE had said before verse 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they which are approved may be made manifest And in the same sense he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let a man approve himself in this place not so much Let him try or examine himself as Let him approve himself that is Let him shew himself approved by the Christian Faith and Doctrine So Chap. XVI 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whomsoever ye shall approve We meet with the word in the same sense very often VERS XXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the Lords body THIS is to be meant of the proper act of the understanding viz. Of the true judgment concerning the nature and signification of the Sacrament If it were said indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the Lord it might be rendred in the same sense as He knew not the Lord that is he loves him not he fears him not he worships him not But when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the body it plainly speaks of the act of the understanding He does not rightly distinguish of the body of the Lord. And this was a grievous error of these Judaizing Corinthians who would see nothing of the body of Christ in the Eucharist or of his death their eyes being too intent upon the commemoration of the Passover They retained the old Leaven of Judaism in this new Passover of the Eucharist And this was their partaking of the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthily as assigning it a scope and end much too unworthy much too mean Ther are alas among Christians some who come to this Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthily but whether this unworthily of the Corinthians be fitly applied to them I much doubt How mean soever I am let me speak this freely with the leave of good and pious men that I fear that this discourse of the Apostle which especially chastized Judaizers be too severely applyed to Christians that Judaize not at all at least that it be not by very many Interpreters applied to the proper and intended scope of it Of these Corinthians receiving the Eucharist unworthily in the sense of which we spake the Apostle speaks two dreadful things I. That they became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guilty of the body and blood of the Lord vers 27. With this I compare that of the Apostle Heb. X. 29. He hath trampled under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant by which he the Son of God was sanctified a common thing And Heb. VI. 6. They crucify again to themselves the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put him to an open shame Of whom is the discourse Not of all Christians that walked not exactly according to the Gospel rule although they indeed esteem and treat Christ too ignominously but of those that relapse and Apostatize from the Gospel to Judaism whether these Corinthians too much inclined and are admonished seasonably to take care of the same guilt for when any professing the Gospel so declined to Judaism that he put the blood of Christ in subordination to the Passover and acknowledged nothing more in it than was acknowledged in the blood of a Lamb and other Sacrifices namely that they were a mere commemoration and nothing else oh how did he vilify that blood of the eternal Covenant He is guilty of the blood of the Lord who assents to the shedding of his blood and gives his vote to his death as inflicted for a mere shaddow and nothing else which they did II. That they ate and drank 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgment to themselves But what that judgment is is declared vers 30. Many are sick c. It is too sharp when some turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Damnation when the Apostle saith most evidently vers 32. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When we are judged we are chastened that we should not be condemned Thus as in the beginning of the Mosaical Dispensation God vindicated the honour of the Sabbath by the death of him that gathered sticks and the honour of the worship in the Tabernacle by the death of Nadab and Abihu and the honour of his Name by the stoning of the Blasphemer so he set up like monuments of his vengeance in the beginning of the Gospel Dispensation in the dreadful destruction of Ananias and Sapphira for the wrong and reproach offered to the Holy Ghost in the delivery of some into the hands of Satan for contempt of and enmity against the Gospel in this judgment for the abuse of the Eucharist in the destruction of some by the Plague for Nicolaitism Revel II. 23 c. VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the publick charge but I shall fix particularly upon the publick Minister All the Titles that are given to Ministers of the Gospel are the very same that were given to the publick Minister in the Synagogue A Gospel Minister is called Angelus Ecclesiae so was the Minister in the Synagogue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel or Messenger of the Congregation The Ministers of the Gospel are called Episcopi Bishops or Overseers so was the Minister in every Synagogue called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chazan Hacconeseth the overseer of the Congregation They are called Rulers Elders and those that are set over the people so were the Ministers of the Synagogue called in every title Now doth not all this speak Christs owning conformity to the Plat-form Discipline and Worship in the Synagogues when he thus translated all into the Christian Church And this doth plainly shew what we hinted before that Christs resorting constantly to the Synagogue was to joyn with them in the Worship there as well as to preach or to heal what diseased he met with there IV. His institution of the Lords Prayer tells that he held Conformity with the Church in the publick exercise of Religion They that are of opinion that the Lords Prayer was not given for a form to be used toâ—idem verbis that it is not fit to be joyned with our Prayers that it is not fit to be said by all because all may not call God Our Father did they but clearly see in what conformity to the practise in the Jewish Church both the Prayer was given and every petition and phrase in it doth go they would be of another opinion if they be not espoused to their own The surest and safest construction of phrases and passages in the New Testament is not by framing a sence of our own which we think fair and probable but by observing how such phrases and passages wereunderstood by them to whom they were then uttered according to the common use and signification of such phrases and passages in the vulgar sence and use of the Nation It is not what conceits or constructions we can mint out of our invention to maintain the opinions about this Prayer that I mentioned before but it is best to cast how the Disciples to whom it was given did or could conceive of it upon such observations on it as these They knew that such short forms of Prayer were usual in the Nation That such forms were given by Masters to their Scholars to be used verbatim That such were to be subjoyned to their other Prayers That the most common title whereby the whole Nation called God was Our Father which art in Heaven That every petition in this Prayer was such as was also usual in the Nation So that they saw that Christ had given this Prayer directly according to the custom stile and form of the Nation and that he had given no exception to them about it Therefore how could they understand or conceive of it according to the common custom of the Nation in such cases but that it was to be used in terminis and to be joyned to their Prayers By these few examples indeed of multitudes that might be produced you see an evident proof of his holding communion all along his practise Thus have I done with the former part of the Doctrine viz. That our Saviour held in communion with the Church of the Jews in the publick exercise of Religion I should now take up the latter That he conformed to the common customs of the Nation in civil converse And here we are come into as large a field as the other if not larger a subject of abundant proof and clearness and which if I should go about to evidence by all examples that might be produced the day would fail me I shall say no more upon it but this That besides that what is said already doth abundantly prove it one that hath perused the Jews Writings and observed both the common dialect and the customs of the Nation in those times may observe Christs conformity almost to their customs in every one of his actions and his conformity to their Phrase Language and Manner of speech almost in every one of his Speeches And as here is Wisdom so here is Learning from knowledge of their Customs and Languages to unlock the phrases and passages of the New Testament to which it alludes all along It is not what we can guess upon these and the other speeches of Christ where he is obscure but the best way to find out the sence is to observe how such words which are their own Language would be taken according to the common acceptation of them in the Nation and how they understood them to whom they were spoken I might be large in Application And indeed in our divided times one can never speak too much upon this subject But what need I do more among Christians than to leave so plain a copy of Christ before them I shall leave only this request with you concerning what hath been spoken Deal as the Bereans Search the Scriptures diligently Let this hint your poor Countryman hath given you go along with you as you read the New Testament See there whether ever you find Christ but going on in that communion I have spoken And till you find him dividing I hope there is none here but will account his Example a rule inviolable And let me give you caution against that Opinion that by mistake of a Text or two sticks not to say that the Gospel doth naturally produce division Matth. X. 34 35. Think not that I am come to send peace on Earth I come not to send peace but a sword For I am come to set a man at variance against his father c. And Luke XII 51 52. Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on Earth I tell you nay but rather Division c. It were strange if these should be natural effects of the Gospel of peace and how doth such production agree with that of Esa. II. 4. They shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation c. And Chap. XI 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain And it were strange that Christ and his Gospel should be of so different tempers he to keep so close to communion himself and to give a Gospel that should break it But mistake not the Texts They speak not that Christ would send those divisions by the Gospel but by his vengeance He was most fearfully to destroy the cursed unbelievers the Nation of the Jews and one dreadful way of the execution of that vengeance was by sending a Spirit of division among the Nation whereby they even destroyed themselves The stories of their horrid Civil Wars Burnings Plunderings Assassinations one of another the like example is in no stories is a most plain exposition of those Texts and a
oppressed to pull the unjust gotten prey from the jaws of the cruel to punish the evil to incourage the good and to cause Righteousness to run down like a stream and Judgment like a running brook If any desire further proof I must remit him to such Prophetick prediction as these Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers c. And I will give them Judges of themselves and Rulers of their own people And let them but compare the difference of the Jews condition when they were under the Government of Heathens in their own Land Persians Grecians Romans and when they were under the Government of those of their own Blood and Nation And it deserves more observation than most men bestow upon it that Paul appealed from the Bench of his own Nation to a Heathen tribunal a thing I believe hardly ever paralleld in that Nation but it shews what a wretched condition they were then come unto Now I call that a Gospel Mercy 1. That is for the benefit of those that profess the Gospel And that Christian Magistracy is so he knows not the meaning of Christianity and Christiâ—â— Magistracy that can deny it 2. That is a Gospel Mercy that is dispensed by Christ in a Gospel way of dispensation and that Christian Magistracy is so I shall evidence to you by this demonstration There is a Magistracy in Turkey China and Tartary as well as in England and there were a Senate at Rome as well as a Parliament in England and all disposed by Christ who is made Lord of all but there is as much difference betwixt the way of dispensation as there is betwixt Christs ruling over all the World as he was Creator and dispensing common bounty and his ruling in his Church as Mediator and dispensing peculiar mercy As much as betwixt his ruling in all Nations as the Conqueror of all Gods enemies and his ruling in his Church as the Saviour and Mediator of his people God hath made him Lord and Christ Act. II. 36. There is more distinction in the words than many are aware of He is Lord over all He is Christ to his own chosen 3. That is a Gospel Mercy that doth promote and advance the efficacy of the Gospel And that a Christian Magistracy doth so if it need any proof I shall shew it by this one instance There are great promises in the Prophets of mercy to be exhibited under the Gospel which seem incredible and which some look for still to be accomplished according to the letter and hence their expectation of such glorious times to come whereas they are accomplished long ago and accomplishing daily but never were nor ever shall be according to the letter Such are That in Esa. II. 4. They shall beat their swords into plough-shares And that in Esa. XI 6. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb And that in Esa. LXV 20. There shall be no more thence an Infant of days c. What shall we say to these things Were they ever fulfilled according to the letter No nor ever shall be And yet God is faithful and hath performed his promise he hath done his part of what was promised and his own people partake of the promise and why should we look for any further There will be warrings in the World whilst there are lusts in the World for warrings come from lusts Jam. IV. 1. And there will be lusts in the World while there are men in the World for every imagination of the thoughts of mens hearts are evil only evil and evil continually Gen. VI. 5. But God hath done his part he brought the Gospel of peace into the World that might have taught men and wrought men to better but it is their own faults and wretchedness that they are not better And though Saints of God have this promise accomplished in themselves and they are knit together in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of Peace and what accomplishment more can be expected And so there will be Woolvish and Serpentine affections and actions of men in the World where there is sin in the World and there will be ignorance in the World and men will be infants in understanding whilst there is Fleshliness and Worldliness in the World yet God hath done his part he hath brought the Gospel into the World that might tame mens brutish affections and curb their actions and the Saints of God have this effect wrought upon them but some men will be Wolves and Lions still He hath brought the light and knowledge of the Gospel into the World that men need not to be infants in understanding and the Saints of God that imbrace the Gospel come to be aged men in knowledge but men will be ignorant still Hath not God therefore performed his promise As Esa. V. 4. What could God have done more to this purpose than he hath done in affording the means for the effecting of this as much as could be afforded And here comes in the work and imployment of the Magistracy God is so fully a performer of his promise that he hath left the issue not only to the bare preaching of the Word but he hath ordained also the Sword and Authority of the Magistracy to restrain men from their fightings and brutishness and to force them out of their wilful ignorance when the only preaching of the Word will not perswade them As when the Priests with the sounding of their Trumpets will not serve the turn to subdue Jericho an host of men of arms must be ready to assist the work and to do it It is in mercy to mens Souls that God hath ordained Magistracy as well as it in mercy to their Estates and for the securing of their Persons It is a bond of love whereby he would draw men from their own ruine and the ruining of others a holy tender and loving violence whereby when the Ministry of the Gospel cannot perswade them to be good he would restrain them from being evil and would constrain them to be better than they are A holy violence that would make men good whether they will or no. Such a mercy is a Christian Magistracy An Ordinance stamped with Christs own Kingly picture and sent for a token to his Church of special love and mercy As Aaron in his brest-plate of Judgment carried Urim and Thummim Light and Perfection So Magistrates in the Brest-plate of Judgment they always carry about with them have written there as it were with Christs own finger Power and Mercy Power derived from Christ to them and mercy derived from Christ by them to the Church The Pagans and Infidels Magistracy that is among them it is true is an ordinance of Christ Rom. XIII 2. The powers that be are ordained of God But these are but crums that fall from his Table of common providence as he is the great Ruler of all the World But Christian Magistracy is a full furnisht Table of mercy from him as the Father and cherisher of his
of the Nation it self It is observable concerning that unhappy Nation that before their Captivity into Babylon they were all for Idolatry but after their return out of Captivity they abhorred Idolatry but were all for Traditions they changed naught for naught or rather naught for worse For indeed their Traditions one may justly say were more destructive than their Idolatry Their Traditions wrought them and brought them to murder the Lord of life and glory which their Idolatry would hardly ever have brought them to And the very principles of their Traditions were such that they had not been right Scholars in that School they had not been faithful to their principles if they had not destroied him So directly contrary to the tenor of the Gospel and to the quality and appearance of Christ were those cursed Traditions that if they sought not withal might and main to destroy them and root them out the beast did not work according to the nature of the beast but clean contrary to it It is very generally conceived that God rejected that Nation for the murther of the Lord of life And that was a very just cause and reason why they were rejected But if I should say God rejected the bulk and mass of that Nation long before the death of Christ for those cursed Traditions I believe I should not speak it without good proof and warrant And it is observable that John Baptist calls them a generation of Vipers which in plain English is The seed of the Serpent at his first preaching among them And it is observable that which we are upon that wickedness and villanies were grown so abounding and so predominant that they were past the Magistrates correcting before ever our Saviour comes to be arraigned And it is no wonder they were grown so abounding and predominant when their very Principles led them to make crimes of those that were but trifles and no crimes of those that were crimes indeed to omit the great things of the Law whereby they might have beaten down cruelty dishonesty and debauchery and to make all their business only about toys only for the promoting of formality and hypocrisie and seeming goodness And thus you see wickedness uncorrected till it grow incorrigible an unhappy Magistracy asleep till it wake like Sampson with the locks of his strength cut and overpowred by the Philistins and a miserable Nation bleeding to death and weltering in its own blood because the Physitian would not let blood when he should have done in due time and in the right vein And now do I need to say any thing by way of Application As the Apostle concerning Abel He being dead yet speaketh so I of Judea she is here dying and do you not hear her speak nay as he of old Loquere ut te videam Do you not see her speak The very looking on her may read a Lecture As the Lacedaemonians read a silent Lecture against drunkenness to their children only by shewing them their slaves Swine-drunk So t is a silent Lecture against neglecting of the execution of Justice and Judgment and against partiality in executing of Judgment and Justice only to look upon her and her undone condition It is well known to you all that pass by behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow that is done unto me And who wrought it to thee O unhappy Nation Oh! I was wounded in this house of my friends Folly and fondness partiality and foolish tenderness sloth and sleepiness have been my undoing Discite justitiam moniti Take warning by my fate all Nations and Countries and set your selves to execute Judgment and do Justice lest wickedness grow that there be no curbing and so vengeance follow that there be no healing The Grandees of that Nation though so careless as to practise this will tell you that all the six hundred and thirteen precepts contained in the Law of Moses are couched and included within those two in Esay LVI 1. Keep judgment and do justice And indeed how much and how great things are included in those two keeping or observing Judgment in causes Controversal and doing just in causes Criminal The Greek Poet will tell you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That in Justice is comprehended all Vertues and the Scripture will tell you that under the name of righteousness is comprehended all piety by the use of the name a righteous man for one after Gods own heart I might speak how much piety is comprehended in doing Justice and how much charity how much service to God how much benefit to the Country But need I to illustrate these things that are so plain It is something strange and not to be passed by without observation that in the New Testament in several places the second Table is cited and taken for the whole Law without mention of the first Table at all In Matth. XIX 16. when a man comes and asks what he should do to have eternal life Christ bids him keep the Commandments When he demands which He refers him only to the second Table Thou shalt do no murder Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Honour thy Father and thy Mother And Thou shall love thy neighbour as thy self You have the like reference to the second Table Rom. XIII 8. Ow nothing to any man but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law And there going to reckon up the Commandments of the Law he mentions only those of the second Table And you may observe the Apostle S. James using the same style Jam 11. 8. If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye do well What then is the younger sister fairer than the Elder the second Table more lovely than the fiâ—â—â— that Jacob mâ—â—t serve his â—pprenticeship for Rachel the younger rather than for Iâ—â—ah the eldeâ— As Micah VI 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requires of thee to do justly and love mercy For these two are the Urim and Thummim of the second Table the very life of true Christian piety and of a true Christians acting And the Lord thus directs men to the duties of the second Table as the touchstone of Piety whereby to try whether we love God by our love to our neighbour whether he will do God right by doing right to his neighbour If time would permit I mâ—ght speak I. How great a duty Justice is of the second Table II. How great a charity to a place or Country III. How great a tye upon all not Judges and Magistrates only but Juries Witnesses all in their places to promote it IV. How great a misery and undoing of a Nation to have the current of it stopped A SERMON PREACHED AT ELY ASSISE Septemb. 12. 1671. JAMES V. 9. Behold the Iudge standeth before the door THE great Court of Judicature
most dearly beloved Truth thus to be abused and spurned against His most divine Truth sealed with the blood of his dear Son thus to be persecuted afflicted tormented The name of Rome in Rev. XVII is Mystery Babylon And that indeed not only because it is Babylon in a Mystery but that it is a great Mystery that God permits such a Babylon so cruel bloody inhumane a persecutor of his Truth so continual a disturber and vexation and firebrand to the World Such a Deceiver Seducer and Destroyer of Souls We may take up that Jerem. XII 1. Righteous art thou O Lord if I plead with thee yet may we plead with thee concerning thy judgments why doth the way of the wicked prosper And why is it so well with those that work iniquity Why is it so successful with Popery Heresie Error and Ignorance That that is aloft and prevaileth domineers and tyrannizes while Truth is troden down and the poor Gospel trampled under foot I might speak at large how God permits things to go thus upon very Divine reasons As First For the trial of his own people that profess his Truth how they will stick to his Truth under opposition how they will cleave to a poor persecuted despised Gospel how they will own a Truth that brings in no Mony no Worldly profit nor Honour nor Preferment but Loss of all things to gain Eternity The Gospel is the fan of Christ whereby he purgeth his floor and separates wheat and chaff asunder Secondly He permits wicked men to resist â—is Truth that they may make up the measure of their iniquities They think they avenge themselves of the Truth whereas God avengeth himself on them in giving them up to so reprobate a mind To refuse the Truth is bad enough to disobey the Truth this is worse to deny it and apostatize from it this is bad of bads but resisting and persecuting it this is worst of all Some count this the sin against the Holy Ghost In these men it might be for they had seen his miracles But however it was a sin unto death in them Thirdly God permits this because he knows Truth at last will conquer As God turned Christ loose to combate Satan and withdrew his Divine acting because he knew Christ would at last come off a conqueror As it was said of Gad Gad a troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last XLIX Gen. 17. So it is with Truth it may be opposed oppressed trodden under yet it will overcome at last Truth is a heavy stone whosoever falls upon it will be broken but whomsoever it falls upon it will grind him to powder If Truth triumph not in the conversion of men it will triumph in their condemnation When there were persecuting Emperors how doth Truth triumph over them And so the time of Rome is coming when the Truth and Gospel which she hath so bitterly resisted and persecuted shall triumph and clap their hands at her confusion and ruine when Babylon shall sink as a milstone in the midst of the Sea and rise no more And all those divine Truths in the Gospel that she hath opposed resisted persecuted shall everlastingly rise up in judgment against her and load her with torments and condemnation So let Babylon come in remembrance before the Lord and he plead the cause of his Truth Gospel People Interest and reward her as she hath done to all these and as she would have done to poor England on the fifth of November And let all the people say Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge Novemb. V. MDCLXXIV ACT. XIII 9 10. Then Saul who also is called Paul filled with the Holy Ghost set his Eyes on him And said O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord A Dreadful and dismal character to be given to a man by an Apostle and an Apostle now filled with the Holy Ghost to give it Take out but that little great clause Thou child of the Devil and there needs not much more to the picturing of the Devil himself in his proper colours and full proportion Full of all subtilty full of all mischief enemy of all righteousness and the uncessant perverter of the right ways of the Lord. How little needs there more to the limning out the Prince of darkness himself in his blackest complexion What is it for these titles to be given to any man But our Apostle could very well discern between a Brother and a Sorcerer between a true Christian and a false Prophet between a Professor of the Gospel and a professed perverter of the ways of the Lord. The Text tells us he set his Eyes upon him and sees him through he discovers what he is to the very bottom and accordingly is warranted by the Holy Ghost with whom he is filled to give him these brands O thou full of all subtilty and of all mischief thou child of the Devil and enemy of all righteousness The two Parties in mention were as different and contrary as light and darkness as Hell and Heaven the one an Apostle the other a Sorcerer the one a most near servant of God the other as near a servant of the Devil the one full of the Holy Ghost the other full of all subtilty and mischief and all the agreement that was between them if that be any was that either of them had a double name for Saul he was also called Paul and Bar Jesus he was also called Elymas The reason of the Apostles double name I should look no further for than to his double relation as he was a Jew born and as he was a freeborn Roman His Hebrew name Saul relates to his Hebrew original and his Roman name Paul to his Roman privilege And whereas he had been called by his Jewish name Saul all along the story hitherto while he had been conversing among the Jewish Nation he being now appointed Apostle of the Gentiles and now set out upon that employment he is called by his Gentile name all along hence forward Paul and Saul no more But the resolution about the Conjurers double name is not so easie and we shall not find Esau in this matter so smooth as Jacob. First As concerning his name Bar Jesus I believe it was almost as far from the signification of that Blessed Name that we adore as he himself was from adoring him and I believe it was a very great way from the letters of that Blessed Name In the Arabick translation indeed that we have in our Polyglot Bible it is written with the very same letters But in the translation in that Language published by Erpâ—â—â—us it is written otherwise and better I doubt not and yet I question whether with the letters proper for it or no I should devine his name Jesus from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ain inchoante which signifies
the virtue of his blood i. e. of his obedience and righteousness so see what the same Apostle saith of his Exaltation Phil. II. 8 c. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow c. And think here Christian what a stock of obedience and righteousness here is for thee to answer and satisfie for thy disobedience and unrighteousness if thou become a child of the Covenant as this blood was the blood of the Covenant It is said in Dan. IX 26. That Messiah should be cut off but not for himself This blood of the New Testament was not shed for himself but for many And here is enough for every soul that comes to him be they never so many Like the Widdows oyl in the Book of the Kings there is enough and enough again as long as any Vessel is brought to receive it And this may direct us toward the forming of the reliance of our Faith upon the blood of Christ the great work that a Christian hath to do for his Justification and Salvation Which will be the more cleared to us by considering how his blood is the blood of the Covenant Which is the next thing we should speak to had we time to do it A SERMON PREACHED UPON HEBREWS XIII 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle THERE is one that asks our Saviour Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life Mat. XIX 16. And another that asks his great Apostle What must I do to be saved Act. XVI 30. The questions mean one and the same thing but only proposed in different expressions And the answers tend to one and the same purpose though proposed in terms very different Our Saviour answers If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments The Apostle answers If thou wilt be saved believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The one proposeth Faith the other proposeth Good works not in such contrariety as the Apostle James speaks of Faith and Works Chap. III. but in such consonancy as that the one is subservient unto the other keeping of the Commandments towards the bringing on of Faith and Faith to the breeding and forwarding the keeping of the Commandments and both to obtain eternal life I will speak at present of the absolute necessity of Faith for the obtaining eternal life and therefore have I chosen these words which I have read to you which seem at first sight to be meer strangers to such a subject but when explained and rightly understood are very pertinent to such a matter I say rightly understood for there are many the Popish Expositors especially that understand them exceedingly wrong and as far from the Apostles meaning as likely can be By we have a Altar they understand the Altar in their Churches viz. the Table where they administer the Sacrament and thence they call the Sacrament The Sacrament of the Altar A title that hath been too common in England and which hath cost many a good man very dear The Lord grant the title be never known here any more But the title of the Altar is commonly known among us still and ask many why they call it an Altar they will be ready to produce this place of the Apostle We have an Altar As if the Apostle who had been crying down the service and sacrifices of the Altar all along this Epistle and shewed that they were but shadows and to vanish when the substance appeared should set them up again and build up anew what he had so earnestly set himself to destroy As if Gedeon that destroyed the Altar of Baal in the night should fall awork in the morning and build it up again But the Altar in the Apostles meaning here is Christ himself And as he had called him an High Priest and a Sacrifice along in the Epistle before so he calls him also the Altar here shewing that all those things did but represent him and that he was the substance and reality of those shadows He shews how he was the Great High Priest in the later end of the fourth and along the fifth Chapter He shews how he was the great Sacrifice in the ninth and tenth Chapters and how he was the great Altar he shews at this place We have an Altar And that he means Christ by the Altar is apparent by two things that follow to omit more that might be collected by the context The first is in the words immediately following For those beasts whose blood was brought by the High Priest into the holy place for sin their bodies were burnt without the Camp Therefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate His argumentation is this The great solemn Sacrifice for sin on the day of attonement was not burnt upon the Altar in the Temple but was burnt without the City so Christ was sacrificed without the gate so that whosoever will partake of that true Sacrifice for sin must go to the Altar there and not to the Altar within the Temple And in the next verse but one he shews yet more plainly that he means Christ by our Altar ver 13. Therefore by him let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God As on the Altar in the Temple they offered their Sacrifices and Thank-offerings so by him as on our Altar Let us offer our sacrifice of praise to God So that in the words you have an Affirmative assertion and a Negative The Affirmative That we have Christ for our Altar The Negative That they that serve the Tabernacle have no right to eat of this Altar The Affirmative comfortable to every true Christian the later seems comfortless for every true Jew The reason of the Negative assertion we may inquire more particularly into afterwards To the former to speak at present we take up this Observation from it That he that will offer any sacrifice acceptable to God must go to Christ as the true Altar on which to offer it No sacrifice among the Israelites could be accepted if it were not offered on the Temple-altar And it was Gods special command Thou shalt not offer thy sacrifice in any of thy Cities but shalt go to the Altar of the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse Nor can any sacrifice be acceptable to God of any Christian but what is offered to him upon the Altar of his appointment the Lord Christ where alone is attonement for sinners As Priesthood and Sacrifice were typical and signified to this purpose so also was the Altar of the same signification And whereas there were two Altars at the Temple one for Sacrifice the other for Incense they did both but represent Christ and his acting
of the Gadarens reconciled with Matth. 8. 28. 70 7. 26. A Greek a Syrophenician by Nation reconciled with Matth. 15. 22. 202 8. 10. Parts of Dalmanutha reconciled with Matth. 15. 29. 307 10. 21. Iesus looked upon him and loved him 596 11. 13. The time of Figs not yet why then was the Figtree cursed for having no Figs upon it 225 to 228  25. Love to stand praying 156 12. 7. This is the heir come let us kill him 583  4. The Treasury 299 13. 32. But of that day and hour knoweth no Man not the Angels neither the Son but the Father 1407 15. 23. Wine mingled with Myrrhe reconciled with Matth. 27. 34. 267 617  25. It was the third hour reconciled with Iohn 19. 14. 356 357 16. 15. Go ye and preach the Gospel to every creature 1149 LUKE Ch. vers  Page 1. 80. JOhn was in the deserts 113 4. 16. He went to the Synagogue and stood up for to read 1040 9. 51. When the time was come that he should be received up 556 12. 47 48. He that knew his Masters will and did it not shall be beaten with many stripes 1230  51 52. Suppose ye that I come to give peace on Earth I tell you nay but rather division reconciled with Isa. 2. 4. 11. 9. 1042 1061 17. 11. He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee 362  21. The Kingdom of God is within you 116 18. 11. To stand praying 156  12. The Pharisee fasted twice a week 167  32 33. The Son of Man shall be delivered to the Gentiles c. 1167 20. 38. Not the God of the dead but of the living for all live to him 1118 21. 18. Not an hair of your head perish 1251 22. 30. That ye may sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel 1058  53. This is your hour and the power of darkness 1255 24 44. In the Psalms 265 26. 29. Until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom 691 JOHN Ch. vers  Page 1. 4. IN him was life and that life was the light of Men. 1090 4. 35. Say ye not there are four months and then cometh harvest c. 1147 1148 5. 25. The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live 1057 1105 1123 7. 27. When Christ cometh no Man knoweth whence he is 112  37 38. Jesus stood and cryed if any Man thirst let him come unto me and drink He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water 1039  39. The Holy Ghost was not yet 1283 8. 6. Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground as though he heard them not 1080 1081  44. He was a murderer from the beginning 1323 10. 17 18. I lay down my life no Man taketh it from me that I may take it up again 1354 11. 47 48. This Man doth many miracles if we let him alone c. 654  51. But being High Priest that year he prophesied 1068  54. A City called Ephtaim 50 13. 1 2. And Matth. 26. 6. The Suppers here mentioned were the same however otherwise interpreted 252 to 254 260 261  38. The Cock shall not crow c. 261 14. 30. The Prince of the World cometh and hath nothing in me 1256 16. 7. It is expedient that I go away from you for if I go not away the Comforter c. 1129  13. When he the Spirit of truth cometh he will guide you into all truth 1034 17. 24. Father I will 413 18. 31. It is not lawful for us to put any Man to death 248 1080 1108 1109 c.  39. Release one at the Passover 356 19. 14. About the sixth hour reconciled with Mark 25. 25. 356 357 29. Put it upon Hyssop reconciled with Matth. 27. 48. 617 20. 23. Whose sins ye remit 207 21. 22. Tarry till I come viz. in vengeance 1074 28. 29. All that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth 1233 The ACTS Ch. vers  Page 2. 17. IT shall come to pass in the last days Understood of the end of Ierusalem not the World 1048  20. Before the great and notable day of the Lord come 626 3. 21. Times of restitution of all things 210 4. 6. Iohn Suspected for Rabban Iocanan 16  16 17. That indeed a notable miracle is done by these Men But that it spread no further c. 1275 5. 37. â—udas of Galilee 362 6. 9. Synagogue of the Alexandrians and of the Libertines 35 36 7. 14. Threescore and fifteen Souls compared and reconciled with Gen. 46. 27. 667  16. The bones of the Patriarchs where buried 408  30. When forty years were expired concerning the age c. of Moses ibid. 9. 2. We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost 1283  36. Tabitha much mentioned amongst the Talmudists 18 10. 34 35. God is no respecter of persons 1210 1211 13. 33. As it is written thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee 1104 19. 13. Calling over them in the Name of Jesus 162 23. 5. I wist not that it was the High Priest 1289 1290 ROMANS Ch. vers  Page 1. 17. RIghteousness of God revealed from faith to faith 1051 1052 1064 1075 1077 1078 2. 11. God is no respecter of Persons 1210 1211 3. 19. Whatsoever the Law saith it saith to them which are under the Law 535 4. 11. Sign of circumcision the seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being yet uncircumcised 273 274 1076 1126 1133 1134 7. 5. The motions of sin which were by the Law did work 1098 8. 15. Abba Father what 354  19 20 21 22 23. For the earnest expectation of the Creature waited for the manifestation of the Sons of God c. 359 360 1089 1147 to 1149 11. 5. The Elect and the remnant according to the election of grace explained of the Elect of the Jews 574 1146 13. 1. Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers 230 marg 1 CORINTHIANS Ch. vers  Page 6. 2. DO ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World explained of Christian Magistracy 1158 1159 1119 7. 12. But to the rest speak I not the Lord. 1124  36. If a Man thinketh he behaveth himself unseemly towards his Virgin c. 1219 10. 11. Upon whom the ends of the World are come explained of the destruction of Ierusalem c. and the end of the Jewish State 1074 1117 11. 19. There must be Heresies among you 1279  21. Every one taketh before other his own Supper 658  32. When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we may not be condemned of the World 1226 2 CORINTHIANS Ch. vers  Page 1. 8 9. WE were pressed out of measure above strength in so much that we despaired even of life c. 790 4.
Christ did abolish the Worship used at the Temple which was Ceremonial but not that at the Synagogue which was moral 1041 Wrath Christ suffered as much as God could put him to suffer short of his own Wrath. p. 1255. Christ did not undergo the Wrath and Anger of God but the Justice of God in his sufferings p. 1348 1349 1350. With the Wrath of the Devil he had indeed to deal 1349 Y. YEAR the beginning of it was in September till Israel's coming out of Egypt then it was changed into March Page 1322 c. 1329 Years three years and an half often made use of to express things afflictive and sorrowful 513 Z. ZACHARIAS son of Barachias that was Zacharias the son of Jehoiada made to appear by several Arguments and Objections answered p. 237 to 239. The Story of his Blood shed between the Temple and the Altar what out of the Talmud Page 1120 Zalmon a Mountain or part of one near Sychem supposed to be Dalinon or Dalmonutba 310 Zarephath and Sarepta whether the same and where situate 368 Zaretan sometimes called Zarthanah a City twelve miles distant from Adam which twelve miles the waters of Jordan dried up when Israel passed through 82 Zeal or Zealous and Jealousie or Jealous are comprehended under the same word in the Hebrew what they are 1314 Zealots such Men when Persecutors did the most mischief 604 Ziddim the same with Caphar Chittai 71 Zin where and whence so called 325 Zippor or Sippor a City encompassed with a Land flowing with Milk and Honey noted for Warlike affairs an University many Synagogues and many Famous Doctors 74 75 Zophim the same with Scopo and Scopus 41 Zuz and Denarius a Peny were of the same value among the Rabbins p. 343 c. 349. It was the fourth part of a Shekel of Silver ibid. Zuzims what 363 FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Richard Chiswell FOLIO SPeed's Maps and Geography of Great Britain and Ireland and of Foreign Parts Dr. Cave's Lives of the Primitive Fathers in two Volums Dr. Cary's Chronological account of Ancient Time Wilson's Compleat Christian Dictionary B. Wilkin's real Character or Philosophical Language Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity Guillim's Display of Heraldry with large additions Dr. Burnet's History of the Reformation of the Church of England in two Vol. Account of the Confessions and Prayers of the Murtherers of Esquire Thynn Burlace's History of the Irish Rebellion Rushworth's Historical Collections the second Part in 2. 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the New Testament beside and by how the more frequently in this Story It is used in reference to the twelve Apostles alone Chap. 1. 15. it is used here in reference to the whole hundred and twenty and to the whole number of believers Chap. 2. 46. Now the reason why the Evangelist doth so often harp upon this string and circumstance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of their conversing together with one accord may be either in respect of the twelve and one hundred and twenty or in respect of all the believers First The Apostles had been exceedingly subject in the lifetime of Christ to quarelsomness and contention about priority and who should be the chiefest as Mark 9. 34. Mark 20. 24. Yea even at the very Table of the Lords last Passover and Supper Luke 22. 24. And therefore it hath its singular weight and significancy and sheweth a peculiar fruit of Christs breathing the Holy Ghost upon them Joh. 20. 22. when it is related that they now so sweetly and unanimously converse together without emulation discord or comparisons Secondly The 108 Disciples were in a subordinate or lower form in regard of some particulars to the twelve Apostles and yet was there no heart-burning scorning or envying no disdaining defying or controlling of any one towards another but all their demeanor carried in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of Peace Thirdly If those two places in Chap. 2. 46. 5. 12. be to be applied to the whole multitude of believers of the latter there may be some scruple the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there doth singularly set out the sweet union that the Gospel had made among them though they were of several Countries several conditions and several Sects yet in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in singleness of heart as they did convenire in the tertio of the Gospel so did they convenire affectionately inter se. And this began to be the accomplishment of those prophesies that had foretold the peacemaking of the Gospel as Esa. 11. 6. 60. 18. 65. 25. 66. 42. Zeph. 3. 9. c. and it was an eminent fruit of Christs doctrine Joh. 15. 12. of his prayer Joh. 12. 17. and of his legacy Joh. 14. 27. Vers. 2. Cloven Tongues like as of fire Vers. 3. They began to speak with other Tongues §. Of the gift of Tongues The confusion of Tongues was the casting off of the Heathen Gen. 11. For when they had lost that language in which alone God was spoken of and preached they lost the knowledge of God and Religion utterly and fell to worship the Creature in stead of the Creator Rom. 1. Two thousand two hundred and three years had now passed since that sad and fatal curse upon the world the confusion of Languages and millions of souls had it plunged in Error Idolatry and Confusion And now the Lord in the fulness of time is providing by the gifts of Tongues at Sion to repair the knowledge of himself among those Nations that had lost that Jewel by the confusion of Tongues at Babel The manner of exhibiting this gift was in Tongues of fire that the giving of the Holy Ghost at the initiating of the Christian Church might answer and parallel the giving of the Law at the initiating of the Jewish and so it did both in time and manner that being given at Pentecost and in appearing of fire and so likewise this as was said before Vers. 5. And there were dwelling at Ierusalem Iews c. It was indeed the Feast of Pentecost at this time at Jerusalem but it was not the Feast of Pentecost that drew those Jews from all Nations thither First It was not required by the Law that these Jews that dwelt dispersed in other Nations should appear at Jerusalem at these Feasts Secondly It was not possible they should so do for then must they have done nothing else but go up thither and get home again Thirdly These Jews are said to dwell at Jerusalem and they had taken up their residence and habitation there but those that came up to the Festivals stayed there but a few days and so departed to their own homes The occasion therefore of these mens flocking so unanimously from all the Nations of the world was not the Feast of Pentecost but the general knowledge and expectation of the whole Nation of the Jews that this was the time of Messias his appearing and coming among them This they had learned so fully from the Scriptures of the Old Testament especially from Dan. 9. that both the Gospel and their own writers witness that this was the expectation of the whole Nation that the Messias was now ready to appear In the Scripture these passages assert this matter Luke 2. 26. 38. 3. 15. 19. 11. and Joh. 1. 20 21. In the Hebrews own writings we may find divers that speak to the same matter as that The Son of David shall come about the time when the Romans have reigned over Israel nine months from Mic. 5. 3. that his appearing shall be under the second Temple that it shall be not very long before Jerusalem should be destroyed and many such passages fixing the time of the Messias his coming to the very time that Jesus of Nazaret did appear and approve himself to be the Christ as may be seen in Sanhedrin cap. Helek Galat. lib. 4. Jeronym a Sancta Fide Mornaeus de Veritat Christ. rel And this so clearly and undeniably that when the wretched and blasphemous Jews cannot tell what to say to their own Doctors that assert the time so punctually agreeable to the time of Christs appearing they have found out this damnable and cursed way to suppress that truth as to curse all those that shall be industrious to compute these times for they have this common execration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let their spirit burst or expire that compute the times And to these assertions of the Jews own Authors concerning this opinion of their Nation we may add also the testimony of Suetonius affirming the very same thing Percrebuerat Oriente toto saith he vetus constans opinio esse in fatis ut eo tempore Judea profecti rerum potirentur In Vespas And so likewise Tacitus Pluribus persuasio inerat antiquis sacerdotum literis contineri eo ipso tempore fore ut valesceret Oriens profectique Judea rerum potirentur Histor. lib. 5. That is An old and constant opinion had grown through the whole East that it was foretold that at that time some coming out of Judea should obtain the rule of things And many were perswaded that it was contained in the old records of the Priests that at that very time the East should prevail and some coming out of Judea should obtain the rule which though the blind Authors apply to Uespasian and Titus their obtaining of the Empire yet there can be no Christian eye but will observe that this opinion that was so prevalent
regarded matters of an higher nature namely the coming of Christ and the conquest of the world by the Gospel which came forth from Judea and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And to these might be added that Eclogue of Virgil which is titled Pollio in which he doth clearly speak of a new world then beginning of a child to come from Heaven of a wondrous repair of the world in point of happiness and the like that it cannot be doubted but this same opinion was got into the West also as well as in the East very many of the Jews being there also and raising this expectation as well as in the other place So that this expectation and thought being so general among all the Nations of the Jews yea among other Nations also that this was the time that the Kingdom of God in the coming of Christ should appear this was it that brought such multitudes to Jerusalem about this time out of all Nations under Heaven to see the accomplishing of those things that they so earnestly and eagerly longed and looked after and this made them to take up their dwellings and residence in Jerusalem and to resolve to settle there for that though they were acquainted with the time of Christs coming yet were they not acquainted with the manner of his Kingdom but expected that it should be earthly and pompous and his Royal seat in Jerusalem as the Disciples themselves opinionated yea even after long converse with Christ himself Matth. 20. 20. Acts 1. 6. And therefore these men make sure to get into Canaan out of other Countries and to get houses in Jerusalem that they might share in this pomp and prosperity which they expected It was not therefore Pentecost that brought them thither nor were they flitting Guests there to be gone home as soon as Pentecost was over but they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwellers and resident there and when they were converted to the Christian Faith by thousands they had their Congregations Vers. 9. Parthians and Medes and Elamites c. The Text speaketh of Jews of all Nations under Heaven now dwelling at Jerusalem and yet it reckoneth but fifteen here which were not all the Nations in the World no nor all that were in the Roman Empire by very many but to omit the Hyperboles that the Scripture useth very commonly as Cities walled up to Heaven shooting at an haire and not miss c. The languages here spoken of took up all the Nations where it is imaginable any Jews were scattered at this time through the world If so be they were not also all the languages that were spoken at Babel as to take example of one or two the Parthian Median Persian and Mesopotamian were the Tongues that served all the Eastern dispersion and all the Jews that had been Captivated by the two first Monarchies Babylonian and Persian wheresoever they were in East or North spake some of these Languages throughout the vast space of that their scattering For to instance in the Mesopotamian only how many large and mighty Countries spake that one Tongue Assyria Chaldea Mesopotamia Syria Caelosyria to inquire no further all these spake that Chaldee Language so certainly that there needeth not the least pains to prove it And Judea was faln into the same Tongue now also but with so much difference from the Mesopotamian Syriack or Chaldee that here it is nominated as a Language distinct And this sheweth the reason of the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might distinguish the Syriack of Judea and of Chaldea asunder that those that dwelt in Mesopotamia heard their Syriack and those that dwelt in Judea heard theirs Or if we should instance in the Cretan Tongue that is here intended the Island of Crete was but of a small compass but the Language of Crete reacht all over Greece not to search how far it reacht further And the like might be observed of other of the Tongues that are here mentioned So that it is hard to find if not impossible any Jews at this time under Heaven where one or other of these Languages here mentioned were not spoken vulgarly in that Country where they were and so may we very properly understand that phrase there were Jews of all Nations under Heaven now gathered to Jerusalem Now as it was impossible for these to understand one another in the Languages of the Countries where they were born for it was impossible an Arabian should understand a Cretan or a Cretan an Arabian a Parthian a Roman or a Roman a Parthian and so in the most of the rest so was it impossible they should all of them understand any one Tongue either Hebrew or Syriack which are the likeliest to suppose or whatsoever else may be supposed For first how easie is it to shew how the Hebrew Tongue was utterly lost among them from common use and how the Syriack which was in common use in Judea yet was unknown to them in other Countries as appeareth by the necessity of the Chaldee Targum by the most familiar use of the Septuagint by the writings of Philo and Josephus and others of the Jews themselves Secondly If they could have understood any one Language which was as the common Language of the Nation then was the gift of Tongues most utterly needless for why should the Apostles speak divers Languages to them that could have all of them understood one Tongue Tongues indeed were given for a sign 1 Cor. 14. 22. but this was not the proper end for which they were given but for instruction and edification and as was said before for acquainting those Nations with the knowledge of God which had lost it and him by the loss of the Hebrew Tongue And if the Jews had understood all of them one Tongue this gift had been needless to have been given till the Apostles were to go to preach to the Heathens This then being past all denial that these Jews of several Nations could neither understand one another in the Tongue of the Country where they were born nor understand any one Language as common to them all it is past all denial also that when they were converted to Christianity they were severed into divers Congregations for else it was impossible for them to joyn together in Publick Worship Vers. 13. Others mocking said these men are full of new Wine Malice is often sensless and reasonless in her accusations especially when it is bent against Religion Yet can I not hold these men so stupid and sensless or so shameless and impudent as either to think that drunkenness could make men speak Languages which they never understood before or if they thought not so yet to go about to perswade the people so But their words proceed from this occasion as I should suppose these Folks that mocked were Natives of Jerusalem or Judea and not understanding the Languages of the Nations there present they could not tell that the Disciples spake those