Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	command_v	day_n	sabbath_n	10,415	5	9.9260	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91415	The Jewes synagogue: or, A treatise concerning the ancient orders and manner of worship used by the Jewes in their synagogue-assemblies. Gathered out of the sacred scriptures, the Jewish Rabines, and such modern authors, which have been most conversant in the study of Jewish customes. Wherein, by comparing the scriptures in the Old and New Testament together, many truths are fully opened, and sundry controversies about church-government truly and plainly stated. By William Pinchion of Springfeild [sic] in N. England.	Pynchon, William, 1590-1662.	1652 (1652)	Wing P4309; Thomason E802_4; ESTC R207368	80,705	99

preserve the truth of Religion among them But their Synagogue worship was sufficient without National worship both when they lived in the Wildernes and when they lived in heathen countries in the land of Canaan three times a yeer Religion would have perished among them if it had not been for this command of Christ to observe those particular Church-Assemblies in all their dwellings And this is evident by considering the defects that were in their National Church-worship 1. In regard of Persons 2. Of Place 3. Of time First Consider the Persons that were enjoyned to be present at their National Church-Assemblies and they were but some part of those persons that were to be instructed in Faith and Holiness For neither bond-men nor women nor children were bound to be present at any of their National Church-meetings onely men that were free were commanded to meet three times a year vid. Ainsw on Exod. 23. 17. Therefore their National Church-Assemblies were never intended by Christ as the chief means to train up all sorts of Persons in faith and holines 2. Consider the place that the Son of God appointed for their National Church meetings and that was set but in one of their Tribes which the Lord would chuse therefore all sorts of persons could not come thither every sabbath day in regard of the length of the way for the place was a great way off from most of their dwellings Therefore the most men could not come thither every sabbath especially if any infirmity were upon them and if it had been possible for all sorts of persons to assemble every sabbath unto the Lords Temple yet so great a multitude could neither hear the voice of the Priests nor yet see the publike sacrifices with their eyes and in that regard every one that resorted to the National Church-Assembly were commanded by Christ to bring their own private sacrifice over and above the publike and not to come before the Lord emptie Deut. 12. Therefore the place of their National Church meetings was never intended by Christ as the onely Church meeting of the Israelites for the training up of all sorts of persons every seventh day in faith and holines 3. Consider the time of this National Church-worship and that was commanded to be done not every sabbath or seventh day but onely three times a yeer Exod. 23. 14. 17. Lev. 23. Therefore it must needs follow by necessary consequence that this National Church-Assembly was never intended by Christ as the onely Church-meeting for Israel and therefore Christ must needs establish some other particular Church-meetings for holy convocations in all their dwellings to be observed every seventh day as the most constant and familiar way and means for the education of all sorts of Gods people in faith and holines and what other particular convocations could Israel have in all their dwellings but their synagogue-assemblies whither all sorts of people might easily resort every sabbath Bondmen as well as Freemen Children as well as the most Ancient Women as well as Men Proselites as well as Israelites yea Heathens might come thither to be instructed though they might not come into the holy Temple And these holy convocations in all their dwelings were commanded to be observed in the Wildernes while they were in their travels as well as in the land of Canaan when they came thither Yea they observed these particular Church-Assemblies in all Heathen Countries when they were in dispersion Christ did not leave them in any place of their captivity free from the observation of the holy sabbath in the best manner they could attain but he did fully free them from all their National Church-worship when they were in captivity in heathen countries but he commanded them to observe his National Church-worship but only in that particular place which he had chosen in the land of Canaan and not in heathen Countries nor in the Wildernes From the due consideration of these three circumstances the Angel from whom Moses received lively Oracles doth plainly shew unto us that there was an absolute necessity why he must distribute the National Church of the Jews into particular Church-Assemblies in a convenient distance among all their dwellings for the better instruction of all sorts of people every sabbath or seventh day in faith and holines Scholar I confess you have given me good satisfaction in this point I do conceive that Christ did distribute the National Church of the Iews into sundry particular Churches in a convenient distance among all their dwellings for the better instructing of all sorts of people every sabbath in faith and holines not onely in Canaan but in the Wildernes and in all places of their dispersion by means whereof they did preserve the truth of Religion till the coming of Christ better then the Iews did in Canaan where they did for the most part enjoy the free use of their National Church-Worship And Christ did much honour these dispersed Synagogues with the conversion of many ten thousand souls both of Iews and Heathens by sending abroad his Apostles and Disciples to preach the glad tydings of the Gospel among them Teacher I am glad that you are now satisfied that the Iews synagogues were established by Christ as his particular Churches now seeing you grant their synagogues to be true Churches you must allow their Discipline to be according to the mind of Christ and indeed Christ did highly honour this point of Discipline among them in that their Officers did so freely give way to the Apostles and Disciples to preach in their synagogues This freedom and liberty was a commendable custom among them and it was well rewarded with plentiful preaching and conversion of souls all the world over Scholar In what parts of the world had the Iews liberty to have or build Synagogues Teacher The Iews were scattered abroad into the four winds of heaven by the just anger of Christ for their Apostasie but in the midst of wrath he remembred mercy for at last he gave them favour in the sight of all Nations to have and build synagogues for the free ex●rcise of their Religion As for example in the daies of Ahasuerus the Persian Emperour The antiquity of Synagogues in heathen Countries Haman did inform the King that there was a people which were dispersed in all his Dominions which was an hundred twenty and seven Provinces that had laws differing from all Nations and differing from the Kings laws and he perswaded the King it was not fit for him to suffer them to live Est 3. 8. Now if Haman had been asked what laws had the Iews differing from all Nations and differing from the Kings laws I believe he could have found no other laws peculiar to them and differing from other Nations but the laws and Ordinances of Iesus Christ which they publikely preached and taught in their synagogues every sabbath in all the said hundred twenty and seven Provinces From this accusation of Haman it may be

in one hundred twenty and seven Provinces Ester 3. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 1. Iam. 1. 1. Acts 2. 5. and 21. 20. And Christ did honour these dispersed Iews by sending his Apostles to preach in their Synagogues and by dedicating a great part of the New Testament to the faithfull that lived among them for Peter wrote two Epistles to them and Iames wrote an Epistle to the twelve Tribes that were in dispersion and Iohn wrote severall Epistles to them and Paul wrote an Epistle to the Hebrews in generall Scholar You have spoken much of the free liberty the Apostles had to preach in their Synagogues but they did often finde strong opposition also by the malignant part of the Synagogue What course then did the Apostles take to train up their young Converts in faith and holinesse Teacher In this case the Apostles were forced to separate the beleeving Christians from the malignant of the Synagogue and Those Christians that were first converted by the Apostles in the Iews synagogue did not presently separate themselves from the Iewes synagogue to make particular Churches by themselves until the synagogues did first persecute them for their faith in Christ crucified they app●inted them to meet together in some convenient place as a Christians Church upon every Lords day As for example when the malignant Synagogue of Corinth did persecute the beleeving Christians that were converted among them then the Apostles did separate them from the malignant Synagogue and then they kept Church-meetings in the house of one Iustus Act. 18. 7. But the greatest part of these Converts were the Proselites of that synagogue 1 Cor. 12. 2. Act. 18. 4. and many of them were Iews also for the incestuous person was a Iew 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. The beleeving Christians of Ephesus did separate themselves from the malignant synagogue and they kept their Church-meetings in the Schole of one Tyrannus Act. 19. 9. 10. and these Converts were part Iews and part Gentiles 3. The beleeving Christians in Thessalonica did separate themselves from the persecuting synagogue and joyned themselves in company with Paul Act. 17. 4. 5. they kept their Church-meeting in the house of Iason and part of this Church were Iews but the greatest part were heathens 1 Thess 2. 14. and I think all the Iews synagogues in all the parts of their dispersion had many Gentiles that were joyned to their synagogues as Proselites Act. 17. 4. and 14. 1. and 13. 42. 43. But when the Apostles and Disciples did evidently evince by the Scriptures that Christ must die and rise again then it stirred up many Iews to envy which caused persecution and persecution caused the believing part of the synagogue to separate from the unbelieving and malignant part This separation was not made because the beleeving part held the unbeleeving part no true Church but because they could not be suffered to preach and teach those sundamental truths but must endure great opposition and persecution if they did still abide with them Scholar You said ere-while that the Lord Christ commanded them to order it so that the place of holy Convocations every sabbath must be placed in a convenient distance for their dwellings for the more easie and familiar accesse of all sorts of people every sabbath but how far off or how nigh this place of worship must be from every ones dwelling is not expressed in the Text Therefore how can this distance be determined Teacher The command of Christ in this and such like cases is contained or included within certain general rules As for example Christ saith thus every seventh day ye shall observe a convocation of holinesse in all your dwellings Levit. 23. 3. Hence Iesus Christ did ordain that the place of his particular Church-worship should bee conveniently seated for their dwellings it is evident that the place of their holy convocations must be so conveniently disposed that they might come to them without bodily toyl for the Text saith that no work must be done upon that day 2. There is another general rule which Christ gave them for the conveniencie of place in Exod. 16. 29. Let no man goe out of his place upon the seventh day by this limitation Christ doth not prohibit men to go out of their private dwellings upon the sabbath for the Text doth command holy convocations upon the sabbath Levit. 23. which cannot be done except men go out of their private houses to make a convocation But by this prohibition Let no man go out of his place upon the sabbath The Hebrew Doctors understand it as a general prohibition that no man should go far from his private dwelling to the publick place of Gods worship upon the sabbath But still the distance is not expressed therefore it is left to the wisdom of Godly superiours to set down some convenient order therein Therefore these commands of Christ doe contain as much in them as is contained in those other general commands in the New Testament Let all things be done to edification 1 Cor. 14. 26. And Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14. 40. Hence it is evident that there are many particular circumstances about the manner of Gods worship which are not expressed but are left only to the Godly wisdom of superiours to order and determine And in this respect the Hebrew Doctors took care to settle an order touching the distance of place how far off the synagogue must be set from every ones dwelling and by their order they did not allow men to go above two thousand cubits upon the sabbath Kimchi in his Annotations upon Ezekiel 48. 7. saith that two thousand cubits are a mile meaning an Italian or English mile and from this ancient Hebrew decree the speech of a sabbath dayes journey was common among the Jews and in this sense Luke doth Thalmudize saying that mount Olivet was a sabbath dayes journey from Jerusalem Act. 1. 12. vid. Ains on Exod. 16. 29. And by this Godly Hebrew decree we may see that the vast distance of some meeting-houses in England are so far off from some mens dwellings that they cannot come thither on the Lords day unlesse they travel and toil for it three or four miles together by means of which travel they are more fit to sleep at Gods worship then to attend it as they ought to do But in case no good preaching be to be had neer to every ones dwelling or in case there be far more excellent means to be had further off What then is to be done Then I conceive the point of conveniencie must give way to the point of necessity as in the dayes of Christ they flocked to his Ministery from their own synagogues and yet he did not rebuke them for it as a sin Scholar What would you have those men to do whose habitations are three or four miles distant from the place of Gods publique worship would you have them to forsake the place of their

habitation where their inheritance lies or where the means of their livelihood lies to dwell in a neer distance to the meeting-house Teacher Either they ought to remove neerer to the place of publike worship or else they ought to provide a place for publike worship neere unto their habitations The Hebrew Doctors If ten men of Israel did live remote from any synagogue they must prepare a New Synagogue nigh to their dwellings did wisely labour to stoppe this objection and therefore they decreed that where ever Ten men of Israel did live but above a mile from any synagogue they should prepare them another house for prayer wherein they might assemble at all times of prayer And in Cities they compelled the Citizens to build them a synagogue and to buy them a book of the Law Prophets and Scriptures And it is evident that the Jews built synagogues in every small place And it is recorded by the Hebrew Doctors that the Jews had of old four hundred Scholes and Synagogues within the City Jerusalem besides what they had in other Cities and Towns through all the Tribes in Canaan and through all heathen Countries whither-so-ever they were carried captive in all places they did exceedingly multiply synagogues and scholes of learning as the chiefest Nurseries of Religion See Ains in Levit. 26. 31. Scholar What kinde of worship did the Lord ordain to be used in their synagogues on the sabbath Teacher The Apostle Iames doth tell us that Moses had of old time in every City them that preached him being read in the synagogue every sabbath Act. 15. 31. and Paul doth tell us that That kind of worship which Christ ordained to bee used in their synagogue-Assemblies was Prayer and Preaching without any Levitical ceremonie the Gospel was preached to the Iews as it is unto us Heb. 4. 2. Gal. 3. 8. Maymony doth testifie that Moses did appoint a certain portion of scripture to be read in their synagogue every sabbath throughout the year and he doth tell us also that Ezra did renew this custom after their return from captivitie of Babel and that Lections of the Prophets were by him chosen out in number and matter agreeable to the Sections of Moses And the Rabbies do commonly make Ezra the Author of the Petaroths Distinctions not agreeing with Elias Levita which must needs be a long time before Antiochus Ephiphanes They began to read their Sections and Lections in the feast of Tabernacles and in a year they finished all And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets they that would having leave of the Ruler of the synagogue spake upon those scriptures And this custom was retained among them untill the dayes of the Apostles as Luke doth witnesse in Act. 13. 14 15 16. vid. H. Broughton in his lesser Concent before the Petaroth and Mr Ainsw in Gen. 6. 8. The place of their publique worship they called Beth Hacktensen The House of Doctrine and sometime they named it The Place of Prayer Act. 16. 13. by the terme Prayer they meant it was the place of Gods publike worship They comprehended Preaching under the term Prayer as we may see by Paul's action because he preached in this place of Prayer by whose preaching Lydia and her houshold were converted and afterwards as Paul and Sylas were going to this place of Prayer a certain maid having a spirit of Divination cryed out saying These are the servants of the most high God which shew unto you the way of salvation This Maid doth bear witnesse that Paul and Sylas did something else in this place more then bare Prayer for she doth affirme that they did shew unto the people the way of salvation by preaching Iesus Christ in that place Therefore this place was not only a place of bare Prayer only but it was a place of Preaching also and it is called The place where the women did meet but it appears by vers 40. that men also did meet in this place for they are called the brethren It is called the place where the women did meet in honour of Lydiaes conversion but it was not a place for women only for it appears by Neh. 8. 2. that men women and children and all that could understand did assemble themselves to the preaching of the word of God all sorts of people might and must resort to worship God in their synagogues even unclean persons as well as clean and therefore the very lepers which were the most contagious of all unclean persons had a place by themselves in their synagogues vid. Ainsw in Lev. 13. 46. but no unclean person might come to the publique worship of God into the holy Temple So then their Synagogues were called the place of Prayer by the figure Synocdoche because Prayer was a principal part of that worship which was used there Prayer was the beginning and ending of every duty When they read the Law and the Prophets they began and end with Prayer But now the Jews have sophisticated the ancient gravitie of this duty for the Jew that now reads in the synagogue begins with Praising God who chose Moses and the Prophets and delighteth in their most true words likewise endeth with praising of God who speaketh and performeth saith and establisheth so that no one word faileth then he prayes for the coming of Elias and for the restoring of the pompous Kingdom of David by the Messiah vid. H. Broughton after the Petaroth in the Concent But in the days of Ezra this manner was more pure for then they begun with solemne Prayer before they read the holy Scriptures Neh. 8. 5. 6. and the King himself when he read the Law publikely in the seventh year in the feast of Tabernacles he began with solemne Prayer Deut. 31. 10 to 14. And the Hebrew Doctors say that when the King was to read the Law publikely they blew Trumpets through all Jerusalem to assemble the people and they set up a Pulpit of wood and set it in the midst of the Court yard and the King went up and sate thereon that they might hear him read and all Israel that went up to the feast gathered round about him and the Minister of the synagogue took the book of the Law and gave it to the Ruler of the Synagogue and the Ruler of the synagogue gave it to the Sagan of the Temple and the Sagan of the Temple gave it to the high Priest and the high Priest gave it to the King to honour him before the multitude And the King took it standing and if he would he sate down and opened it and blessed God and after he had blessed God he read untill he had made an end then he folded it up and blessed God again after it as the manner was to blesse God in the synagogues Both the reading and the blessing was in the Holy tongue vid. Ains in Deut. 31. 11. This Hebrew record I bring for this purpose to shew their ancient practice in blessing God

particular censure of excommunication Neither do I finde that excommunication is expressed by the term cutting off neither in the New Testament nor yet in the Hebrew Doctors but it is expressed by casting out Ioh. 9. 34. or puting out Ioh. 12. 42. or separating or puting away 1 Cor. 5. 13. Scholar It seems the Iews used two sorts of Excommunication the lesse called the Niddui and the greater Excommunication called the Anathema maranatha what kinde of Censure is the Anathema maranatha Teach The Talmudists did frame this word from two Chaldy words in likelyhood from Daniels Chaldy Visions Mar is What kinde of Excommunication is the Anathema maranatha one of the names of God by the confession of Nebuchad-nezzar Dan. 2. 47. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Dan. 7. where Christ the Son of man is described comming into his Kingdom to judge the four persecuting Beasts or Kingdoms because they took away the Kingdom of the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 18. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of great force because it sets out the Kingly justice of Christ against wicked persecutors Paul delivers this Anathema as a command and therefore it must be regarded and obeyed as all the other commands of God ought to be The command is thus uttered If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha that is to say Let him be separated to the Lords wrath which is a river of fire from the fiery throne who cometh in the clouds of heaven that is to say With thousands of Angels to judge such wicked persecuters Iude verse 14. The not loving of Christ by it self simply considered is no just ground of inflicting this curse for then the poor ignorant Heathen which know nothing of Christ should be cursed with this Anathema but no man I think will say so therefore I expound this curse to belong to such as are so far from loving the Lord Jesus Christ that they hate him his Kingdom and servants Neither do I think that the Apostle doth command the Church of Corinth to execute this bitter Anathema as a Church act upon any like unto the lesser Excommunication but either a whole Church or any one Godly particular man may denounce this bitter Curse upon incorrigible persecutors But no man can give this curse to any that God hath not cursed Num. 23. 8. Now Christ declared unto Abraham what kind of persons he would have cursed Gen. 12. 3. him that speaketh thee evil I will curse From this commanded promise Paul doth infer his command If any love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema maranatha Tremellius in his Translation of the Syriac Testament hath a Note to this effect upon 1 Cor. 16. 22. The reason of this terme saith he may be applyed to the Thalnudists they mention such a kinde of Anathema in their Thalmud which is made up of two words which signifieth as much as Come Lord yet saith he I am not ignorant that it is otherways expounded three several ways by the Thalmud Expositors which I leave to be scanned by the Learned But this I say I do not apprehend that this Anathema doth bind men over to the eternal curse as most Expositors thinke but to some exemplary judgement of God in this world as those four beasts had Daniel 7. such as are open and incorrigible enemies to Christ and his Kingdom may and ought to be cursed by such as love the Lord Jesus Christ either they may threaten the vengeance of Christ upon them from such positive curses as are in Gods Book delivered against such with a positive command or else such may be cursed by imprecating the wrath of Christ upon such wilfull and implacable enemies And in this sense Christ bade Moses to command all Israel to pronounce both the blessings and the curses as soon as they came into the land of Canaan Then the Priests and the Levites stood between the twelve Tribes and pronounce both the blessings and the curses with a loud voyce and all the people said Amen Now the last of those curses was denounced against self-Justiciaries Cursed is he that continues not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut. 27. This last curse must be understood of the eternal curse but all the rest must be understood of temporal curses chiefly By this Law Christ taught his people how and when and whom to curse The Ruler may not be cursed Exod. 22. 28. And yet such Rulers as mislead the people and cause them to go astray in their practice Are cursed in Deut. 27. 13. And by this Law Paul cursed Ananias Acts 23. 3. And by this Law Our Saviour cursed the ruling Scribes and Pharises eight times over Matth. 23. 13. to 39. And David cursed obstinate Saul Psal 59. And Ezekiel cursed Zedekiah Ezek. 21. 25. And by this rule Ieremiah cursed the Priests of Anathoth and Ierusalem Ier. 11. 20. 18. 21. 17. 18. 10. 25. Lam. 3. 64. This last curse Paul translates according to the 70. and laid it upon Alexander the copper-Smith 2 Tim. 4. 14. And Nehemiah is bold to curse such as had married wives of Ashdod c. Nehe. 13. 25. and in this sense the godly Martyrs and Confessors and Professors do curse the Cesars and the King of Locusts Apoc. 6. 10. 8. 4. 5 11. 16. Iames 5. 7. 8. And in this sence Paul must be understood Let him be Anathema maranatha that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ The Apostle speaks this to all godly Christians they are bound to execute the curse that is written either by a positive denunciation or else by way of imprecation as the occasion is offered Curse ye Meroz said the Angel of the Lord curse ye the Inhabitants thereof because they came not to help the Lord to help the Lord against the mighty Iudges 5. 23. They that curse others for private injuries ought to be severely punished by the Magistrate Levit. 19. 14. But they that curse the enemies of Christ may do it in Faith because they have a word of command to warrant their Act. And thus Paul delivered Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan 1 Tim. 1. 20. He delivered them to Satan by denouncing the Anathema 2 Tim. 4. 14. A little before this Alexander was a defender of the Truth at Ephesus Acts 19. 33. He was a Member of that Church but Paul doth not appoint the Church of Ephesus to give him the Anathema but he did it by himself without them The Talmud gives a rule of caution to such as denounce the Anathema to take good heed they do it upon right grounds or else they say the curse given shall return to the giver And so Salomon saith That the curse which is causelesse shall not come The seven cups of Gods wrath in Apoc. 15. 16. are nothing else but the pouring out curses and imprecations against the Antichristian

Scholar WHat means hath Christ ordained for the raysing up of continual succession of Pastors and Teachers Elders and Iudges for the well governing of his Church to the end of the world Teacher The Sonne of God the Eternal Wisdom hath ordained Christ hath ordained Schools of learning for the continual raising up of Pastors Teachers Elders c. For the good government of Church and Common-weal to the end of the world schools of Learning to be erected every where for the education of youths in all good literature until they might attain to gifts and parts of learning and godliness by which they may be made fit for any place of government either in Church or Common-Weal I say it is evident that Christ ordained schools of learning to be erected every where for Seminaries and Seed-plots of able men fit to bear Office in particular visible Churches and Common-Weal Because from time to time Jesus Christ did stir up divers Prophets and other excellent persons to rule and order Schools of learning First Jesus Christ stirred up Samuel the Prophet to erect schools of learning when he was King over all the twelve Tribes he kept a school at Naioth in Ramah wherein he trained up divers scholars in such a way of learning as might sit them for Prophesie and therefore when Saul came thither to seek David The blessing of the Prophets School fell upon him and he did prophesie whiles he was there and thereupon grew a Proverb by way of Admiration Is Saul among the Prophets 1 Sam. 19. Seconly there was another Prophets school erected at Bethel in a high piece of ground which was called The Hill of God 1 Sam. 10. 3. 5. And we may see the care of Godly Samuel to train up young men in learning that so there might be a succession of Prophets and of other able men fit to bear Office in Church and Common-weal when he was dead and gone and though Saul came not to this last school with any intent to be a scholar there yet he obtained a Prophetical gift from their society and this Prophetical gift did signifie to him what great need he had of the best gifts of learning from the Prophetical School to execute the Kingly Office that was now laid upon him And by this Prophetical gift which fell upon him after he was anointed he was confirmed and strengthned in his Office So likewise the seventy Elders as soon as they were chosen to bear Office in the high Sanhedrin Court they were confirmed in that Office by the immediate gift of Prophesie Numb 11. 20. to 30. And those gifts of Prophesie which fell upon them in that day did point unto them what manner of men they ought to be that should enter into such a weighty Office and Calling Sometimes our glorious Mediator did extraordinarily fit men for places of publick imployment But ordinarily he did fit men to such eminent places by training them up in the Prophets schools Thirdly The Hebrew Doctors do often make mention of these Prophetical Schools from ancient times They say That Sem or Melchisedech was a Teacher of Schools when he was the King of Salem Abraham was a Prophet and had a house of Doctrine and did exercise his gifts in Teaching his Houshold the way and charge of Christ in his Commandments Statutes and Laws and withall commanded them to walk in the way that is the Faith and Religion of the Son of God and to do Iustice and Iudgement The Rabbins say also in the Ierusalem-paraphrase that Isaac went from the School-house of Sem the great to the Well where the Majestie of the Lord had been revealed vide Ainsworth Genesis 24. 62. This Hebrew Record is probably true because It is certain that Sem was still living in the dayes of Isaac as it is evident by comparing the years of his life in Genesis 11. 11. with the Story of Isaac in Genesis 24. But however you may take this Hebrew Record as a Prosopopeia to set forth the dignitie and the antiquitie of School learning And out of question it might as well become Sem Sacrificer to the most high God and King of Salem to keep a Propheticall school after the confusion of tongues that most lamentable curse and plague as King Samuel and he might well train up his Nephew Isaac in learning seeing he knew that he should be heir of the promise after he was dead and gone And doubtlesse Sem was the great Doctor of that age and so the Hebrew Doctors do often stile him SEM the Great vid. Ains Gen. 14. 18. Fourthly The Hebrew Doctors say That Jacob was a Master of learning and that he dwelt in Tents and studied the Law all his dayes But Esau the wicked walked in the way of death to kill Jacob. vide Ainsworth Genesis 25. 27. The Caldy saith that Iacob was a Master of a House of Doctrine as giving himself to religious study and Scholarship And Iacob departing to the Heavenly Citie and Countrie left the Faith of the Sonne of God in his glorious Family and in special prophesieth That Judahs Tribe should have Teachers of Judahs Shiloh The great Mystery of Godlimess God manifested in the flesh and Expounders of the Law that to him all the Nations should be gathered Esa 11. and 66. John 11. 5. After that great Apostasie of Israel in Egypt The Sonne of God stirred up Moses a faithfull servant in his house to be a restorer of the Church and a Teacher to all Israel fourty years And to all the Israel of God ever after Moses from Christ directed that Levites from twentie five to thirty yeers of age should be as Graduates before they entred into the work of the Tabernacle And they were fourty yeers studying the Law in the Wilderness And Moses Aaron and the seventy Elders c. were famous Rectors and Directors to them And in Davids dayes The Levites had a lower degree to begin to study and prepare themselves from twentieyeers old Numbers 8. 24. 1 Chron. 23. 24. 6. Schools of learning were of great esteem even in the dayes of Apostasie when the ten Tribes worshipped the Calves of Dan and Bethel And though Iezabel destroyed many Prophetical Schools yet they had some godly friends in those persecuting times that preserved many of them Good Obadiah hid one hundred of the Prophets by fiftie in each Cave 1 King 18. 4. with 1 King 19. 10. 14. A while after the Prophet Elisha erected many Prophetical Schools in sundery parts of the tenne Tribes First He kept a Prophets School at Gilgal 2 Kings 2. 1. with Chap. 4. 38. And in this one School there were one hundred Scholars for whose sake Elisha healed the bitter pottage This Miracle Christ did among them for the countenancing and encouraging of Schools Secondly There was another School of the Prophets at Ierico 2 Kings 2. 4 5. and for their comfort and encouragement Elisha healed the barren waters of that place verse 18. 3.