were commanded to absteine from the dead and not to come neare their fathers brethren or sisters if they were dead if a man dyed suddenly by them they were defiled and if they touched but one who touched the dead they were defiled the same holinesse was required of them that was required of the highpriest to absteine from the dead Maimone in his treatise of mourning cap. 3. The Iewes say if the Highpriest had lighted upon a dead bodie in the way hee might defile himselfe and bury the dead being alone and none to helpe him So they say if an inferiour Priest and a Nazarite were walking together if he had beene but Nazaraeus dierum he was to burie the dead because his holinesse was not perpetuall but if he had beene a perpetuall Nazarite then the inferior Priest was to bury the dead and not he because as great purity was required in the perpetuall Nazarite as in the Priest concerning the dead Quest Did not Sampson sinne being a Nazarite by touching of the dead bodies and taking off their cloathes Answ He did this by the singular direction of the spirit of the Lord so he dranke of the water which flowed out of the law bone of the Asse and eate of the honey which was in the dead Lion which were al unclean by the law The heathen Priests learned of them not to touch the dead Seneca consolatione ad Marcian cap 15. the Flaminian Priests might not put shoes upon their feete of the leather of that beast which dyed of it selfe and if a Priest happened to have a funerall oration before the dead corpes he used to stretch a vaile betwixt him and the corpes that he might not see it Non licebat Flamini Diali tibias funebres-audire nec locum in quo bustum erat ingredi A Flaminian Priest might not heare the sound of the pipes which were at burialls neither might he come into that place where there was a grave The third thing was this that no Rasor came upon their head they suffered their haire to grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intonsi therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel intonsi and if they were voluntary Nazarits no Razor might come upon their heads untill the vow was expired and then their haire was cut and cast under the Altar burnt but if they were perpetuall Nazarits there came never a razor upon their head but their haire was onely cut about and this was cincta caesaries Dalila cut off Sampsons haire yet he ceased not to be a Nazarit for the Angell said that he should be a NaZarit unto his death The haire was a signe of strength and as long as Sampson kept his haire hee kept his strength and God threatning to weaken the estate of his people useth this similitude that he will shaue the haire with a razor Esay 7.20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor When the voluntary Nazaret vowed a vow for thirty dayes and in the meane time defiled himselfe by touching of the dead if the whole time had beene spent to one day and then if he had touched any uncleane thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these former dayes were reckoned nothing to him Iob. 3.6 Naphal fugient aut dilabentur Onkelos inutiles erunt Perire diem ad embolismum pertinet or let let them be reckoned amongst the intercalar dayes which were not numbered amongst the dayes of the yeere and he was to begin his vow anew againe so it is in the course of our sanctification when we haue gone on a while in it and then fall into some great sinne in that case we are to begin our sanctification anew againe Act. 7.42 O yee house of Israel have ye offered to me slaine beasts and sacrificed by the space of forty yeeres in the Wildernesse They offered to the Lord sundry times in the Wildernes according to his ordinance but because now they fell to worship Idols therefore the Lord reckoned the former sacrifices as though they had not beene offered to him When the Israelites had travelled to the confines of Moab to Kadesh-Barnea they fell a murmuring there against the Lord therefore the Lord brought them backe againe after that they had passed sixteene stationes Num. 33.20.35 To the red Sea in which they were baptized 1 Cor. 10.2 So when we fall from the Lord we are to returne backe againe to our Baptisme and first vow And he came and dwelt in Nazaret that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Matth. 2.23 And he shall be a Nasarit to the Lord. Quest How were these two accomplished in Christ he was called both a Nasarit and a Nazarit Answ Christ was a Nazaret the true branch of the roote of lesse Nazaraus vot◠Nazarenus habitatione and he was a Nasarit truly separate to the Lord and Satan acknowledged him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 4. As Sampsō was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctified to the Lord in type 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctus and he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oriundus ex Nazaret and in the title of Christs Crosse there was an allusion to that plate of gold which was upon the forehead of the high Priest and therefore Aaron was called the Saint of the Lord because he had holinesse to the Lord written in his forehead that plate of gold was called Nezer it had written upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 30.39 It was written that is ingraven in the plate Christ was that true Nazarit holy blamelesse and undefiled we are to marke that the Seventy to facilitate words and to make them the more easie to be pronounced write the words different from the Hebrew as they say Samaria for Shemron so Solomon for Shelomoh so Nasareus for Nazareus the devil being well acquainted with all languages could cal Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting S for Z so in the inscription upon the Crosse they call him that Nasarit or Nazarit Ob. But Christ did drinke wine therfore he cannot be called Nasarit but Nazarit onely Answ He was not a legall Nasarit for he fulfilled that in his forerunner Iohn the Baptist but he was the true Nasarit separated from sinners the Iewes in contempt called Christ a Nazarit and so Iulian the apostate called Christ a Galilean because Nazarit stood in Galilee and it was for this that the Christians were called at the first Nazaraei but afterward their name was changed at Antioch and they were called Mesichijm Christiani From the cutting of the Nazarits haire they brought in shaving of the heads in the Christian Church and they said that long haire signified superfluity in manners hence came this speech afterwards Tonso capite fieri monachus
day farre from them and they said Let us eate let us drinke for tomorrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Many men live now as though they should never dye they make a covenant with death as the Prophet saith Esay 28.16 We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement But they are deceived death is unmercifull it will mak a league with no man this league is made only in the imagination of their owne hearts Fiftly consider the comforts which we have against the grave it is very terrible in it selfe it is called a pit Esa 38.18 darknesse and the Land of oblivion Psal 88.13 The shadow of death Iob 10.21 corruption and destruction and for the power of it it is said to have gates and doores Iob 38.13 and a soule Esay 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatat sepulchrum animam suam Hirhhibbah sheol naphshah the grave hath enlarged her soule so to have hands Psal 49.16 and 89.49 so to have a mouth Ps 141.7 so a sting 1 Cor. 15.55 all those Epithites are to shew how terrible and fearefull it is to a wicked impenitent sinner who lyeth down in it with his sins upon him but to the godly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleeping place it is a place that all men yea even the best must come into Iacob made account to go thither Gen. 37.35 and Iob desired to be there O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave Iob 14.13 Because he knew that it was his house Iob. 17.13 Yea Christ himselfe was there and sanctified it first he bought the grave the price of him that was valued after that Iudas had cast it backe againe was given for a potters field for the buriall of strangers this is the first right which gentiles have to the grave because Christ purchased it unto them Againe Christ was buried in Golgotha where his blood ranne downe upon the graves of the dead that were buried there Thirdly he hath lyen downe in it and whereas it was loathsome before now he hath persumed it so that we may safely lye downe in that bed in which his blessed body lay and lastly he hath the key of the grave to open it when hee pleaseth so that it hath no power to keepe us Revela 1.18 I have the keyes of hell and of death this is a singular comfort to us then who are the Children of God so that we may say better is the day of our death than the day of our birth Sixtly wee should remember that our dead bodies are within the covenant and the Lord forgetteth them not When Iacob went downe to Egypt the Lord promised to bring him backe againe Gen. 46.4 but how did the Lord bring him backe againe seeing he dyed in Egypt The Lord was with him when his bones were brought out of Egypt so the Lord preserveth all the bodies of his Saints and he keepeth all their bones Psal 34.20 yea even when they are in the grave because they are within the Covenant therefore it is called domus viventium the house of the living Lastly that our death may be comfortable unto us let us remember that it doth not onely put an end to our miseries in this life but it is the entrance to glory and everlasting happinesse where we shall see the Lord and his Angels and abide with them eternally Moses is renowned unto the worlds end because hee saw the Lords backe parts onely but we shall not onely see his backeparts but we shall see him as he is even face to face 1 Iohn 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 The Queene of Sheba heard many things of Salomon and yet the halfe was not told her but when shee saw him face to face then shee said Happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee 1 King 10.8 So in this life wee heare many things of Christ the true Salomon and his kingdome but yet the halfe are not told us for the eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 But at the day of our death when our soule shall be separated from our bodies then wee shall see these things and shall say with the Queene of Sheba happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Revel 14.13 If wee consider these things seriously wee shal be inforced to conclude with Salomon here better is the day of death thā the day that one is borne Errata Pag. 32. line 6 for Ezek. r. Esa pag. 43. l. 15. for eate of this r. eate not of this bread but other lesse holy things pag. 68. l. 30. were essentially r. as the cause and the effect pag. 73. l. 8. r. first fruits pag. 82. l. 20. dele done upon pag. 95. l. 1. Pentecost r. Passeover pag. 101. l. 11. dele therefore p. 114. l. 25. r. they blew not at all in the fifty yeere as Masius holdeth but in the forty nine yeere pag. 156. l. 22. for neither r. and his sonnes but not his daughter pag. 168. l. 27. for thee r. his FINIS AN EXPLICATION OF THE IVDICIALL LAWES OF MOSES Plainely discovering divers of their ancient Rites and Customes As in their Governours Government Synedrion Punishments Civill Accompts Contracts Marriages Warres and Burialls Also their Oeconomicks Vizt their dwellings Feasting Clothing and Husbandrie Together with two Treatises the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life and in the life to come The other declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult Texts of Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venia danda primum aliquid experienti By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE COLENE EARLE OF SEAFORT Lord Mackenzee and Kintaill one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Privie Councell in the Kingdome of Scotland Honorable and my very good Lord GOD who is the God of order and not of confusion from whom all good things descend hath placed here below sundry sorts of people Prov. 30.25.26.27.28 the Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the Summer the Conies are but a feeble folke yet make they their houses in the Rocks the Locusts haue no King yet goe they forth all of them by bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings palaces this sort of people differ very much for some of them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which provide onely
sitting at the head of the Table The Heathen sayd of old that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sine patre that the feast when it wanted the father it wanted the head A bad division of the peace offering The peace offering was divided betwixt God and the Priest and the people but the whore sayd Prov. 7. that she had her peace offerings by her and shee invited her lover to them was not this a strange sharing or division for God to get a part the Priest to get a part and the whore and the whoremonger to get a share but the Lord will not share with such This feast which was adjoyned to the Sacrifices was a feast of joy The feast joyned to the peace offering was a feast of mirth Deut. 16.15 Iud. 21.19 wherein they danced and it figured our spirituall mirth and joy for our redemption by Christ The Idolaters kept this feast to the golden Calfe which they should have kept to the Lord. When they offered their spirituall Sacrifices with their externall Sacrifices then the Lord was much delighted with them and he saith I have eaten my honey and my honeycombe I have drunken my wine and my milke Cant. 5.1 and he tooke such pleasure in these feasts that he invited the Church his spouse to come and eate O friends drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloved But when their Sacrifices wanted the inward Sacrifice then the Lord sayd that they offered but flesh unto him Hose 8.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putridi facti sunt then hee loathed them but as rotten flesh Nehelahhu putridi facti sunt Psal 14.3 they are become rotten and stinking and he continueth in the metaphor they are like wine that hath lost the tast which is called vinum fugiens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnis recessit vinum sugiens when these outward Sacrifices wanted the inward see how unpleasant they were to the Lord Esay 1. I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams and the fat of the fed beasts I delight not in nor in the blood of Lambs of Bullocks or of Goates then he commeth to his smell Outward Sacrifices without the inward are offensive to all Gods senses vers 13 Incense is abomination to me then to his touch vers 14. your new moones and your appointed feasts I am wearie to beare them then to his hearing when yee make many prayers I will not heare them then to his sight ver 15. I will hide mine eyes from them Their Sacrifices were offensive to all Gods senses Of the sin-offering THe burnt offering was for all sinnes in generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iosephus Lib. 3. Antiq. Cap. 10. the peace offering was a thanksgiving for sinnes remitted and the sin-offering was for sinnes committed for which they craved pardon the sin-offering was either hhataah or asham the first the Seventy translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sacrifice which was for the sinnes of ignorance or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might ascend or descend that is it was more or lesse according to the worth of the offerer Levit. 5.7 the poore might offer a pottle of flower and the rich were to offer according to their ability but in the offering which was for a willing sinne the Sacrifice did neither ascend nor descend it was alike in all So in the punishment of sinne in some sinnes the punishment ascended and descended Exod. 21.28 if a man had kept a pushing Oxe and he had killed a man he was to dye for it or the punishment might descend Sacrificium ascensionis descensionis if a summe of money was layd upon him then he might redeeme his life here the punishment was ascending and descending but if a man had killed a man willingly then the punishment non ascendebat aut descendebat but he was to die for it In the sin-offering there was no oyle or incense neyther in the Sacrifice of Iealousie No Incense in the sin-offering or in the offering of Iealousie because there was nothing acceptable to the Lord in these Sacrifices Observe that there was a Sacrifice for originall sinne Leviti 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in errore there was a Sacrifice for sinne of error bishgagah in errore and there was a Sacrifice for sinnes of ignorance but there was no Sacrifice for wilfull sinnes There was a Sacrifice for all sinnes except for wilfull sinnes Heb. 10.36 for if we sinne wilfully after that wee have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sinnes Christ prayeth for sinnes of ignorance Lord forgive them for they know not what they doe Luk. 23.34 Let us pray then with David to keepe us from presumptouus sinnes that they have not dominion over us Psal 19.13 There are severall sorts of Sacrifices prescribed for severall sorts of sinners as for the Priest Sacrifices according to the persons for the Prince and for the whole people and for a private man For the Priest was a young Bullocke without blemish The Sacrifice for the Priest which he offered for himselfe and here we are taught if the Highpriest under the Law might erre then the Pope may erre as Pope what priviledge hath hee to bee exempted from error more than the Highpriest had The Highpriest might erre and if they say because hee is the Highpriest under the Gospell therefore he cannot erre but now there is no Highpriest under the Gospel but Iesus Christ Who by his owne blood entred once into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 If the Highpriests sinne made the people to sinne he was to offer a Bullocke Levit. 4.3 observe the phrase Lehashmath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in reatam populi that is if he make the people sinne by his evill example so Ioab sayd to David when he caused him to number the people why wilt thou be lehashamah a cause of trespasse to Israel 1 Chro. 21.3 Secondly for the whole people The visible Church may erre and they were to offer a young Bullocke Levit. 4.13 which was the same with the Priests Sacrifice and here observe The sinoffering of the whole people that the whole visible Church may erre otherwayes the Lord would not have appointed a Sacrifice for the error of the whole people The Sacrifice of the Priest and the Sacrifice of the whole people was one to teach us how great the sinne of the Highpriest was Quest Seeing the sinne of the Highpriest was as great as the sinne of the whole people what is the reason that the people were more severely punished than Aaron who made the golden Calfe Answ Aaron did it through infirmitie Why the people more severely punished than Aaron for making the golden Calfe but the people did it willingly and wittingly
called Zeceph crux and gnetz arbor and the Greekes called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lignum geminum Lastly drowning Mat. 18.6 It were better that a milstone were hanged about his necke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dimersio in pelagus submersio and that he were drowned in the midst of the Sea and the Greekes had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were put in a chest of lead and sunke in the Sea as Casaubon sheweth out of Athenaeus Quest. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excisio What sort of punishment is meant Gen. 17.14 he that is not circumcised that soule shall bee cut off from his people Answ The Hebrewes expound this sort of punishment diversly Kimchi saith he shall be punished by the Lord but he addeth that he is much mistaken who thinketh that the child not being circumcised is secluded from the life to come Moses Cotzensis thinketh that these who were not circumcised the eight day should dye without children alluding to that place Levit. 20.20 But all of them agree in this that the punishment is inflicted by the Lord. Exod. 31.14 Object Whosoever doth any worke on the Sabbath day he shall be cut off from his people and bee surely put to death by cutting off here is meant cutting off by the Magistrate why should it not then be so understood in that place Gen. 17.14 so Levit. 20.6 If any goe after wizards I will set my face against him and cut him off by cutting off here is meant to be cut off by the Magistrate why is it not so then to be understood in that place of Genesis before mentioned Maymone answereth to these places Answ distinguishing betwixt the manifest transgression and the hidden transgression of the Law if one did violate the Sabbath with a hie hand and if there were witnesses and he were admonished before not to doe so then he was cut off by the hand of the Magistrate but if he was not admonished secretly before and did transgresse then hee was cut off by the hand of the Lord. But wee must distinguish betwixt these phrases Levit. 17.10 and 21.6 Difference betwixt these two phrases I shall cut off c. and thou shalt cut off c. I shall cut off that soule and thou shalt cut off that soule Exod. 22.18 thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue but when hee sayth I will set my selfe against that soule which eateth blood and will cut him off from my people then it is meant that by his owne hand immediately hee will cut him off But what sort of cutting off by the hand of God is meant here Quest It is not meant of any bodily punishment inflicted Answ upon their bodies or upon their posteritie as the Iewes interpret it but of excommunication and secluding them from the Church So Calvin Iunius Deodati expound it CHAPTER XLII Why they gaue wine to those who were going to be executed PROV 31.6 Giue wine unto those that be of an heavie heart THey used to doe three things to them who were condemned First they gaue them wine to drinke to comfort them Amos 2.8 They drunke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God that is they dranke the most excellent wine for such wine they gaue to the condemned Secondly they used to apply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soft wooll which the Chirurgians apply to wounds to mitigate their paine because their death was a lingering death Thirdly they used to hold odoriferous canes or reedes to their nose to refresh their braines But see what miserable comforters the Iewes were to Christ Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they derided him Luk. 23.35 for in stead of wine they gaue him vinegar and gall to drinke which was a most bitter sort of drinke and the Lord saith Ier. 9.15 I will feed this people even with wormwood and giue them water of gall to drinke And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they gaue him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hysope tyed about a read and dipped in vineger and they gaue it him not to quench his thirst but to smell it in derision They gaue him wine to drinke mingled with myrrhe but he received it not Mark 15.23 Christ would not drinke this cup mingled with myrrhe for it intoxicated the braine that he might be sensible of the paine which he was to suffer for us It is a great judgement to be beaten and not to feele it Prov. 23.35 The Lord who went willingly to death did willingly drinke the cuppe of Gods wrath for us and therefore he was unwilling to drinke this cuppe which would haue made him senselesse of the paine They gaue him hyssope in stead of wooll which should haue mitigated his paine the tender mercies of the wicked are cruell Prov. 12.10 Christ suffered in all his senses in his tast they gaue him veneger mixed with gall in his feeling whereas they should haue applied soft wooll and bound up his wounds mitigated his paine they applied but hysope so in his hearing he heard their bitter mockes and scoffing And as he felt the grievous paine of the crosse in all his senses so the wicked shall suffer the paines and torments of hell in all their senses The conclusion of this is sin is sweet in the beginning but bitter in the end Adam did eate asweet fruit Conclusion but here is vineger and gall a bitter potion offered to Christ for it the lippes of a strange woman drop as an hony combe and her mouth is smoother then oyle but her end is bitter as wormwood sharpe as a two-edged sword Pro. 5.3 They giue him hysope hysope was the last purgation and sprinkling when the leper was brought into the Campe againe and David alludeth to this Psal 51. wash mee with hysope So Christs death must purge us from all our sinnes and bring us into the societie of the Saints of God that there we may dwell for ever CHAPTER XLIII Of their VVarres DEVT. 20.10 When thou commest neare to a Citie to fight against it then proclaime peace vnto it c. FIrst let us consider in their warres the time when they went to battell secondly the manner how they pitched about the Tabernacle thirdly the manner how they marched when the Camp removed fourthly the Proclamation made to them at their removing fiftly the conditions of peace offered to the enemie sixtly what they did before they joyned battell and lastly the song which they had after the victorie The time that they entred to be Souldiers First what time they entred to be Souldiers the Levites entred to their Ministery when they were thirtie yeares Num. 4.42 But the Souldiers entred when they were twentie yeares and they left off when they were fiftie none went to the warres but they who payed the halfe shekell the Levites were exempted because they served the Lord in the Tabernacle they neither payed this halfe shekell nor yet went to the warres Women likewise were exempted She that tarrieth at
it this was called Hesperismus the ancient Greekes called this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the time when a mans shadow was ten foot in length for they measured the houres by their shadow when the shadow was of such a length then it was such an houre when their shadow was six foot long then they used to wash themselues and when it was ten foote long then they went to Supper The meat upon which they fed at Dinner and Supper was called Sagnadah their sustentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fulcrum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fulcire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rapere and Tereph victus their foode which commeth from the roote Taraph to take by rapine or hunt for the prey because of old they hunted for their meat Gen. 27.3 Take thy weapons thy Quiver and thy Bow and goe out to the field and take hunt me some Venison Things set before them upon the Table were Esculenta poculenta condimenta the first for meat What things were set upon the Table the second for drinke and the third for sauce to relish their meat Meat and drinke the Scriptures oftentimes expresse by bread and water 2 King 6.22 set bread and water before them that they may eat and drinke then it is added in the next verse he prepared great provision for them Their bread was of Wheat Barley Lentils Beanes Of their bread Wheat was the most excellent bread Deut. 32.14 I fed thee with fat of the kidnies of Wheate this bread when it was not fermented was called the poores bread Deut. 16 3. because the poore had not leasure to ferment it The second sort of bread was of Barley Barley a base bread which was abaser sort of bread used onely in time of scarcitie Revel 6.6 And for the basenesse of it Gideon is compared to a Barley Cake Iudg. 7.13 those were called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eaters of Barley this Barley-bread is a bread which nourisheth little therefore it was a great blessing of Christ when he fed fiue thousand with fiue barley loaues Ioh. 6.9 They had a more baser sort of bread made of Lentils Millet and Fitches Ezek. 4.9 Daniel and his companions eat of the Lentils Dan. 1.12 Why Daniel eat Lentiles And the reason seemeth to be this why they eat Lentils and refused the Kings meat because they used not these Lentils in their Sacrifices to their Idols The Romans of old tooke their name from those and they were called Lenticuli Fabij They used also to eat herbes Prov. 15.17 Better is a dinner of herbes where loue is than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith and Rom. 14.2 another who is weake eateth herbes and the reason why they would eat herbes seemeth to be this because men before the Flood eat herbes onely Their other meats were called Opsonia and their coursest sort of meat was Locusts and wilde honey Mat. 3.4 there were sundry sorts of Locusts of which foure sorts were cleane Levit. 11. the rest they might not eat of them Of their drinke Their drinke was water Sicera a composed strong drinke and wine mixed or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not mixed if they mixed it with water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vinum mixtum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miscuit then they were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when it was mixed with spices it was called Mimsach Libamen mustum Their Condimenta the sauces which made their meats to relish were Salt and Vineger onely Ruth 2.14 Dip thy morsell in the Vineger The spare dyet of Gods people By this which hath beene said we may perceiue what was the sober dyet of the people of God in old times they used but a spare dyet this was called by the Latines Mensa necessaria Seneca hanc mensam produxit ad aquam panem Three sorts of dyet There are three sorts of dyets set downe in the Scripture Iohn Baptists dyet Christs dyet and the Epicures dyet Iohn the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking Mat. 11.18 That is he eat wilde honey and the coursest things Our Lord dranke Wine but yet very moderately the Epicures dyet is Let us eat let us drinke for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Iohn the Baptists dyet and Christs dyet are not the two extreames but they are both vertues the two extreames are the Epicures dyet Let us eat let us drinke and the dyet of the scrupulous man who eateth onely herbes Rom. 14.2 the Epicure taketh God to be an indulgent father to him in giving him the creatures to eat of them at his pleasure and the other taketh God to be a niggard who granteth not the liberall use of the creatures to his children Of the manner how they sat at Table AT the first in the daies of the Patriarches they sat streight up as we doe now and afterwards they sat in beds and some hold that they learned this custome from the Persians but this custome was more ancient than the Persians for it was in the dayes of Samuel 1 Sam. 9.22 And he brought them into the Parlor and made them sit in the chiefest place Ezek. 23 41. 2 Sam. 4.5 Sometimes they had triclinia when three sat in a bed or biclinia when two sat in a bed and they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they did Luxuriare Christ and his Disciples when they eat the Sacrament they sat in beds therefore when the Church of Corinth received the Sacrament together we must not thinke that they sat in beds as Christ and his Apostles did for then they should haue had too many beds which had beene excessiue and contrary to the more modest custome of the Greekes This kinde of sitting was halfe sitting and halfe leaning which the Evangelist calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet because it was usuall Table-gesture they call it sitting Ezek. 23.41 and the Hebrewes call their Chambers Mesubboth and their sitters Mesubhim If three sat in a bed then the midst was the chiefest place and he that lay in his bosome erat secundus a primo he was in the second place and he that sat next unto him was in the third place he that was best beloved leaned in the bosome of the Master of the feast To leane in the bosome a token of loue from this custome is that speech borrowed to be in Abrahams bosome to signifie that familiaritie and societie which the Saints of God shall haue with the Father of the faithfull in the Heaven and also to signifie the unitie of essence in the Father and the Sonne he is said to come out of the bosome of the Father Ioh. 1.18 Of their Feasts OF their sundry sorts of feasts of those who were invited to their feasts of the number of those who sat at their feasts the end wherefore they made feasts and more particularly of their excesse and pompe in their feasting compared with the Greekes They
the Schoolemen speake their Synagogues and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses of prayer were but Loci ut loci therefore they might not sacrifice in them but when they worshiped in them they turned alwayes their faces towards the Temple The Tabernacle which was the first place commanded for the worship of God was a type of heaven Psal 15.1 Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and when they could not have accesse to the Tabernacle they thought themselves but like the wandring Arabians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protraxit we reade not that Daevid ever dwelt in the tents of Keâ—ar therefore it should be translated as in Kedar that knew not God nor his worship Psal 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourne so long dwelling as in the Tents of Kedar This Tabernacle was divided in three parts the holiest of all the holy place and the court of the people The holiest of all signified heaven the second place signified the state of the old Law where the Priests entered in daily and offered for themselves and the people and the court of the people signified the Church here below The people might not come into the court of the Priests The people might not come into the holiest of all but Esay 56.7 My house shall be called the house of prayer he applyeth this both to the Iewes and Gentiles which Christ applyeth to the Iewes onely in the Temple of Ierusalem and the Prophet speaketh in prototype as Christ in type the Proselytes might not come into the court of the Israelites they stood but in Atrio Gentium in the court of the people but Esay foretelleth that the Gentiles shall have as free accesse to the house of God as the Iewes because his house is the house of prayer and this Salomon foretold 1 King 8.41 If a stranger come from a farre country to call upon thy name then heare thou in heaven that is grant that they may have as great accesse to thee as the Iewes have When Herod built the Temple he wrote an inscription upon the gate of the court of Israel that no stranger should enter in there under the paine of death but now this inscription is changed that whatsoever stranger he be that doth not enter into the house of the Lord shall dye the death before The Levites might not goe into the holy place the people might not enter into the court of the Priest but now wee are all Kings and priests to God 1 Pet. 2.9 before the Levites might enter where the people might not goe they might goe into the court of the Priests but not into the holy place but now all the people are the Lords Levites Mal. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur quia habet ×” praefixum Yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hostes Levi here is put for the whole people and therefore they have as great accesse now as the Priests had Before none might enter into the holiest of all but the High priest once in the yeere Heb. 9.7 but now all have accesse to the throne of grace Heb 4.16 Rom. 5.2 The Tabernacle and the Temple were alike in many things first in the forme A comparisen betwixt the Tabernacle and Temple for the Tabernacle was a paterne to the Temple Againe there was no light in the holiest of all in the Tabernacle In what things they were alike So neyther in the holiest of all in the Temple and the signification was this Rev. 21.23 and the City had no neede of the Sunne neyther of the Moone How the Lord is sayd to dwell in a cloud to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof In the holiest of all there was no light and the High priest when he entred into it kindled smoke and he saw nothing because the Lord dwelleth in a cloud Psal 18.11 he was not able to behold the shecina or glory that dwelt in the holiest there was no externall light that came there but the Lambe was the light and when we shall be glorified wee shall not see that inaccessible light in which hee dwelleth So in the holyest both in the Tabernacle and temple there was no light but the light of the Candlestick no light in the Temple but that which the lampe gave for there were no windows in the Temple to give light to it and it was compassed round about with Chambers that it could have no light Ob. 1 Sam. 3.3 And ere the lampe of God went out in the Temple of the Lord where the Arke of God was and Samuel was layd downe to sleepe Then it may seeme that they had other light than the light of the candlestick Answ Before the lampe of God went out that is before the lampes were changed by the Priests and new lights added and the signification of this was the Church should be directed by no light but by the light of the Word 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe well that yee take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts The Court of the Priests was not covered There was a court for the Priests both in the Tabernacle and Temple and it was not covered above to signifie that the Church here hath more of the light of nature than of the light of grace Againe the Tabernacle and Temple had the like implements both in the Holiest and Holiest of all And last the Tabernacle and the Temple served for the same use for Gods worship In what things the Tabernacle and Temple differed Now let us see wherein they differed First the Tabernacle was moveable and the other was fixed the moveable Tabernacle signified our estate and condition here and the Temple which was unmoveable signified our estate in future glory The Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles Secondly the Temple was much more large than the Tabernacle the Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles as the temple had there was but one golden candlesticke in the Tabernacle and ten in the Temple 1 King 7.49 So in the Tabernacle was but one brasen Laver in the Temple there were ten so there were but two Cherubims in the Tabernacle but foure in the Temple Lastly the Tabernacle indured not so long as the Temple did and when the Tabernacle had no use it was layd up in the Temple The Conclusion of this is Conclusion the Tabernacle gave place to the Temple So both the Temple and the Tabernacle gave way to Iesus Christ who was both the true Tabernacle and Temple and of whom they were but types EXERCITAT IIII. Of the Arke A Ceremoniall Appendix of Command 2. Exod. 25.17 And thou shalt make a Mercie seate of pure Gold c.
and his men might eate of this shewbread although they were not Priests and it had not beene lawfull for them to have eaten of this bread if they had had any other bread but if they had beene uncleane this way they might not have eaten this bread at all so that there were some sorts of legall uncleannesse greater than others The Church of Rome erre in drawing arguments from the Leviticall ceremonies The Church of Rome from this place goes about to prove that ministers because they handle holy things should abstaine from mariage as the Priests were to abstaine from their wives when they were to eate this holy bread and so they ground many other of their ordinances upon the Leviticall Law as none might be a Priest that had any irregularitie or defect in him as defectus natalium a defect in his birth as if he had beene a bastard or defectus persona a defect in his person and a number such which are legall ceremonies and bind not the Church now Castitas abjuga conjuga There is duplex castitas abjuga conjuga abjuga is that sort of chastitie when a man liveth chastly out of mariage conjuga when hee liveth chastly in mariage Heb. 13.4 mariage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled and if they would conclude any thing out of this place it would but inferre thus much the Priests abstained from this holy bread but twise in the yeere because there were foure and twenty courses of them and they served but weekely and so long as they served they abstained from their wives this will not inferre their conclusion therefore those who serve under the Gospel should live altogether unmaried What argument may be drawne from the Priests mariage This argument might be rather inverted against them this wayes the Priests under the law were maried therefore the Priests under the Gospel may marry And lastly theologia symbolica non est argumentativa those conclusions hold not which are deduced after this manner from types which are not destinate types Conclusion 1 The Conclusion of this is the Lord looketh upon his Church continually therefore the Church should looke backe againe to him continually and as the Angels behold the face of God continually in glory Mat. 18.10 So should the Church behold the face of the Lord in his word as in a glasse 1 Cor. 13.12 and as Zedekiahs Courtiers had this credit to see the Kings face alwayes 2 King 25.19 So the Church should studie to see the face of the Lord continually Conclusion 2 Secondly if such legall cleannesse was required of the Priests when they came to eate the shewbread much more is morall holinesse required in us when we come to eate the holy bread in the Sacrament EXERCITAT XII Of the Altar A ceremoniall appendix of Command 2. Exod. 27.1 And thou shalt make an Altar of Shittim wood five cubits long and five cubites broad c. THere were typicall Altars under the Law and the mysticall Altar Iesus Christ signified by them under the Gospel Two Altars The typicall Altars under the Law were the Altar of burnt offering and the Altar of incense the Altar of burnt offering under the Law in the Wildernesse was built of earth The matter of the Altars in the Temple it was made of wood overlayd with brasse and the Altar of incense was made of wood overlaid with gold Why the Altar in the Wildernesse was made of earth and not of hewen stone The Altar of burnt offering in the Wildernesse was made of earth and the Lord would have it made of earth onely because he would not have it permanent to remaine after they were gone out of the wildernesse and he would not have it made of hewen stone to signifie that mens inventions doe but pollute the worship of God Exod. 20.25 Moyses Altar and Salomons in what they agree The Altars of Moyses Tabernacle and Salomons Temple were the same in matter and forme Moyses made his of Shittim wood and Salomon made his of Cedar wood and the substance was all one although different in colour and name onely They differed in their bases height breadth and length They differed in their bases the proportion was double there were two bases of the Altar in the Tabernacle and foure in the Temple Secondly they differed in height there was a triple proportion three and ten Moyses Altar was three cubits high and Salomons Altar was ten cubits high Thirdly in length breadth there was a fourefold proportion the Altar of Moses was five cubits long and five cubits broad and the Altar of Salomon was twenty cubits long and twentie cubits broad Salomon made all the vessels of the Temple except the Arke Salomon made all the vessels that pertained to the house of the Lord the Altar of gold the Table of gold whereupon the shewbread was and the Candlesticke 1 King 7.48 but he made not a new Arke because Christ who was represented by the Arke is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 Quest Why doth not Ezekiel when he describeth the new Temple make mention of the Arke and the Candlesticke as he doth of the Altar and the Temple it selfe at large Answ Because there was not an Arke to be in the second Temple Why Ezekiel maketh no mention of the Arke and Candlesticke in the second Temple and the light of that Candlesticke was not lighted with fire from the heaven as in the Tabernacle and first Temple and thus the Scriptures in wisedome doe passe many things and out of the silence of the Scriptures we may learne sometimes as when the Scripture passeth by Melchizedecks father and his mother So when the Scripture setteth downe the curses at large upon mount Ebal Why the curses in the Law are expressed and the blessings concealed and the blessings are concealed to teach us that the Law curseth us for the breach of it and that the blessings are reserved for the Gospel Matth. 5. The golden Altar had a crowne round about it as the Arke of the Testimonie had and the Table of shew-bread There arose foure hornes from the crowne of the Altar The hornes of the golden Altar what they signified every one in the forme of a broach small in the top which signified the strength which was in Christ who was able to overthrow that lord with two hornes Dan. 6.8 and all the hornes of the wicked Psal 75.11 It had a hole like a window in the east side The place where they emptyed the Altar of the ashes was not towards the holiest of all to take out the ashes which fell through the grate as the brasen Altar and this was upon the east side of the Altar and not towards the holiest to signifie that impurity should be farre from the holiest of all This golden Altar was called the Table of the Lord Mala. 1.7 The Apostle Heb. 9.4 why
leaven figured sinne of all sorts both in doctrine and manners Luk. 12.1 Matth. 16.6 1 Cor. 5.8 purge out the old leaven that is corruption in manners A Table of the Sacrifices In the burnt offering the fat and the blood the Lords the flesh all burnt and the skin the Priests The Priest got no part of that sin-offering whose blood was sprinkled upon the golden Altar In other sinne offerings where the blood was sprinkled but upon the brasen Altar the fat and the blood were the Lords and the flesh belonged to the Priest The sin offering had no meat offering or drinke offering In the peace offering the fat and the blood the Lords the breast and the right shoulder the Priests and the rest belonged to the offerer In the meatoffering a hanâ—full of the flower a little of the salt oyle incense and wine offered and the Priest got the rest Sacrifices of praise soâ—e were to bâ—eaten before the Lord some in Ierusalem and some at home The offering of Iealousie had no incense in it No Sacrifice without Salt Sacrifices are eyther of reconciliation burnt offering the daily sacrifice for the whole people particular for The Priest The Prince The People Sin offering for Ignorance Error thanksgiving peace offering of Vowes Voluntarie purification Iealousie Leprosie Nazarets Consecration praises for things past deliverance present dedication to come preservation Meat offering Drinke offering Eares of Corne. Fine flower Baked in the Oven Frying pan Fornace First fruites First borne Tythes Wine Added to the Sacrifices Salt Oyle Incense EXERCITAT XIIII Of the Sacrifices in particular and first of the burnt offering A ceremoniall appendix of Command 2. Levit. 1.2 If his offering be a burnt offering c. THere were some sacrifices which were commanded by the Lord and some which were voluntarie sacrifices as free will offerings and such The sacrifices which were commanded ordinarie and instituted by God were five First the burnt offering commanded here in Levit. 1. Secondly the meat-offerings in Levit. 2. Thirdly the peace offerings Fourthly sinne offerings in Levit. 4. And lastly trespasse offering in Levit. 5.15 Of the daily Sacrifice Their daily burnt offering was a Lambe offered morning and evening Why it was called continuall and this was furnished at the charges of the common treasurie of the Temple and not by any particular man It was called Sacrificium juge the continuall Sacrifice because it was offered twise every day without intermission and although other things have this word tamid continuall joyned with them as the continuall bread Num. 4.7 the continuall incense Exod. 30.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for the daily Sacrifice the continuall meat offering Num. 8.16 yet commonly the daily burnt offering is meant here as Dan. 8.11 and by him hattamid the daily was taken away that is the daily sacrifice The burnt offering was a sacrifice which was all burnt to ashes except the skin and intrals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holocaustum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascendere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrificium totum igne consumendum interdum iungitur cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Psal 51.12 et significat perfectum sacrificium a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfecit absolvit it was called gnolah from gnalah ascendere and it was called ignitum Iehovae quia igni consumendum because it was all to bee burnt with fire Levit. 1. and it had calil joyned with it Psal 51. which commeth from calal to consume calil is nor the adjective joyned to gnola for they disagree in gender but calil here signifieth mincha or the meat offering which was joyned to the burnt offering In this burnt offering they were to offer a Bullocke What was offered in the burnt offering a Ram a Lambe amongst the beasts or a turtle Dove or young pigeon of the fowles and it behoved to be a male and not a female and likewise it behoved to be without blemish to signifie that puritie and perfection which was in Christ and our perfection in him Heb. 9.13 How much more shall the blood of Christ What the burnt offering signified who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God It behoved to be of the best things and the choise of the flocke to teach us to honour God with our substance Prover 3.9 and to serve him with a perfect heart 1 Chro. 28.9 When they offered their sacrifices they kept this order First The order which they keepe in brning their sacrifices after the beast was killed and layd upon the Altar to be burnt the offerer brought fine flower mixed with salt and oyle for they might not mixe the flower with water and this part of the Sacrifice was properly called Immolatio Immolare then he gave this to the Priest who layd it upon the head of the Sacrifice this was called mactatio by the Latines that is Mactare magis aucta victima macta Thirdly the Priests powred wine upon the Sacrifice which was to be burnt and this was called Libatio and the Apostle alludeth to this Libare when hee saith 2 Tim 4.6 I am libor now I am ready to be offered up Fourthly Incense was superadded to these Suffire and this was called Suffitus Allusion and the Apostle alludeth to this Ephe. 5.2 Christ hath given himselfe for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweete smelling savour Lastly when the Sacrifice was burning they offered their spirituall Sacrifice with it Litare and this was called Litare precibus à Deo aliquid impetrare they prayed unto the Lord that he would accept of their Sacrifice therefore their Sacrifices were called Sacrificia vociferationis Sacrifices of shouting Psal 27.6 Of the meat Offering What was offered in the meat offering THe meat offering consisted of things without life as of fine flower oyle and incense Levit. 2.2 things which were necessarie for the use of man were offered here to the Lord as bread to eate wine to drinke salt to season oyle to cure and incense to delight the smell So Christ our meat offering is all these to us Mincha accessorium perse They had two sorts of meat offering Mincha aceessorium mincha per se Mincha accessorium was that which was alwayes joyned with another Sacrifice and a handfull of it was burnt and the rest was the Priests but that which was Mincha per se which was offered for the Priests was wholly burnt and not eaten Levit. 6.23 The flower in the meat offering was the best flower The floure which was offered in the meat offering behooved to be simila pura fine flower without any branne which signified the pure estate of Christ and all Christians in him Allusion There was oyle powred upon it and the Apostle alludeth to this 2 Cor 1.21 He that established us with you
in Christ and hath anoynted us is God So 1 Ioh. 2.27 the annointing which yee have received of him abideth in you Allusion It had incense joyned with it and the Apostle alludeth to this Ephes 5.2 Christ hath given himselfe for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Sometimes it was baked and sometimes fryed in a pan Allusion and David alludeth to this Psal 45.2 My heart hath fryed or boyled a good matter Every Sacrifice had this Mincha joyned with it The meat offering oftentimes put for all the Sacrifices except the sinne offering and therefore oftentimes it is put for any Sacrifice as Psal 20. The Lord remember all thy mincha meat offerings that is all thy Sacrifices Of the peace offering THe peace offering was a Sacrifice of thanksgiving for the saftie of the offerer A part of the peace offering due to God a part to the Pri sts and a part to the offerer one part of it was due to God one to the Priest one to the offerer Amos 5.5 I will not accept of the fat of your offerings that is of your peace offerings David called this fat the burnt offerings of fatlings That which was the most excellent in every thing the Hebrewes called it the fat as adeps frumenti the fat of the corne medulla tritici the marrow of the wheate Ecclus 47.2 as the fat was taken away from the peace offering so was David chosen out amongst the children of Israel Allusion here he maketh a comparison betwixt David and the fat of the peace offering all the peace offering was the Lords yet all was not offered to him but a part was given to the Priests and a part to the people but the fat was fully burnt up to the Lord. So the zeale of Gods house burnt up David as the fat of the Sacrifice The fat was due onely to God The fat was the Lords the peoples part was but a leane part but under the Gâ—spel Esay 25.6 I will make the people a feast of fat things and full of marrow the people might eate none of the marrow under the Law Quest Whether might the people eate of the fat of the beasts which were not sacrificed as of those which they killed at home Answ The Lord forbiddeth them to eate the fat of whatsoever beast Lâ—vit 3.17 It shall be a statute for ever throughout your dwellings The fat of the Sacrifice might not be eaten or used to any other use that yee eate no fat nor blood The fat of the beasts which were not sacrificed might be taken to any other use but they might not eate any of it Levit. 7.24 the fat of the beast that dieth of it selfe or that which is torne may be used in any other use but ye shall in no wise eate of it The feast of the peace offering The rest of the peace offering was divided betwixt the Priest and the people and they made a feast of it 1 Sam. 9.24 Allusion and Salomon alludeth to it Prov. 17.1 better is a drye morsell and quietnesse therewith than a house full of Sacrifices with strife The Sacrifice put for the feast afetr the Sacrifice Antecedens pro eonsequente The Sacrifice here is put for the banquet which was after the Sacrifice and it was this which David meant of when he sayd there is a yeerely sacrifice there for all the familie 1 Sam. 20 6. that is a feast after the Sacrifice The breast and the shoulder due to the Priest The breast and the right shoulder of the peace offering was due to the Priest and the rest was due to the offerers it is sayd of the sonnes of Eli that they sent their boyes and pulled the flesh out of the Caldron 1 Sam. 2. that is they would not be content with that which was due to them the breast and the shoulders but they would have the peoples part also and they would not stay untill the fat was offered to the Lord 1 Sam 2.15 Quest How did the cooke set the shoulder before Saul to eate of it seeing it was the Priests part 1 Sam. 9.24 Ans The right shoulder was the Priests onely Why the Priest got the shoulder The Priest got the breast and the shoulder hee got the shoulder to signifie that he caried the burden of the people Why he got the breast can I carry all this people upon my shoulders saith Moyses Num. 11.11 Wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight that thou layest all the burden of this people upon me and he got the breast to signifie his compassion and love to the people Num. 11.12 Have I begotten them that they should say unto me carie them in thy bosome Esay 40.11 He shall feede his flocke like a sheepherd and hee shall gather his lambs with his arme and carie them in his bosome and leade these that are with young The Highpriest carried the names of the twelve Tribes upon his breast to signifie his compassion Why the Highpriest carried the names of the Tribes upon his breast and shoulder and he carried their names ingraven in Onyx stones upon his shoulders to signifie that he carried the burden of the people Eli when he looked upon Hanna and saw her lips moving he sayd she was drunke 1 Sam. 1.13 here there was no pittie in the Priests breast to the poore woman but 2 King 4.26 Elisha a man of pittie Elisha had more pittie in his breast when he sayd to Gehazi run now I pray thee and say is it well with thee and when shee came to the man of God she caught him by the feete but Gehazi thrust her away but the man of God sayd let her alone for her soule is vexed within her Churlish Gehazi had no pittie upon the poore woman but there was much pittie and compassion in the heart of Elisha the man of God The peace offering was divided betwixt God Why God the Priests and the people had a part in the offering the Priests and the people God got the chiefe part because he it is who pardoneth the sinne The Priest got his part because he is the instrument to make intimation of this pardon and the people got their part to teach them to bee thankefull for the remission of sinne God got his part and the people got theirs what a comely thing was this to see the Lord sitting at his Table Mala. 1.7 therefore the fat of the Sacrifice is called his bread Levit. 3.11 and Num. 28.2 and to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inviting his children to dine with him hee will not eate his morsels alone Iob. 31.17 what a comely thing was this to see his children standing like Olive plants round about his Table Psal 128.3 and how pleasant was it to see brethren dwell together in unitie God sate as it were the Master of the feast in the peace offering Psal 132.1 and their father
the other let goe So by the Angels ascending and descending upon the Ladder the Angels ascending signifying his Godhead whom they all ascend to honour and descending to minister unto him as man To his birth In his birth Mary offered for herselfe and for her Sonne to signifie that he became legally uncleane for us to purge our uncleannesse His offices King Priest and Prophet To his offices typed by the Highpriests garments and ornaments His death by the Sacrifices To his death and his lifting up upon the Crosse by the brasen Serpent his buriall by Ionas living in the Whales belly three dayes his resurrection by the firsts and therefore he is called the first fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 and the fifty dayes betwixt the first harvest and the gathering of the full harvest signified the fifty dayes betwixt Christs resurrection and the comming downe of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles EXERCITAT XVI The Lord would not have his Priests use the customes of the Heathen Priests A ceremoniall appendix of Commande 2. Exod. 20.26 Thou shalt not goe up by steps upon mine Altar THe Israelits learned Idolatry in Egypt and their Pappes were brused Ezek 23.3 and the Prophet Ieremiah calleth Egypt a very faire Heifer Cap. 46.20 who was lascivious and wanton following Idolatry and therefore was called great in flesh Ezek. 16.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aestro exagitor aestro velut immisso concito ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 asilus aestrus metaphorice stimulus And Israel followed Egypt who was like a backesliding heifer Hos 11.6 the Seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Heifer stung with Hornets who runneth here and there so did they after their Idols therefore he threatneth that he will feede them as a lambe in a large place that is he would send the ten Tribes to captiviâ—ie where they should have libertie enough to run as they pleased The Lord would not have them to imitate the beastly Priests of the Moabites When the Israelites were comming out of Egypt travelling towards Canaan the Lord forbiddeth them to follow the beastly Idolatry of the Moabites to discover their nakednesse as their Priests did and for this cause that they should not goe up by steps or degrees upon the Altar for their cloathes were short when they travelled through the Wildernesse with the ambulatory Tabernacle and if they had ascended by steps upon the Altar their nakednesse might have beene seene Priapus what This filthy Idolatry of the Moabites was the worshipping of Baal-peor who was also called Priapus This Priapus was a young man in Hellespont who was expelled out of the countrie as a corrupter of the youth He went into Greece where afterwards beastly filthy persons made a god of him Priapus the God of the Moabites The Moabites made choise of him also for their god and he was called Baal-peor because he was made with his nakednesse discovered this Idoll was also called miphlezeth 1 King 15.13 Horrenda statua and Idolum pudoris Hos 11.9 and 9.10 and like unto this worship was that worship of Tammuz Ezek. 8. with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Moabites choose a filthy God like unto themselves Was not this strange that they could imagine that their gods and their goddesses were such but we are not to admire this for even as the Atheist that hee may sinne the more securely fained to himselfe that there is not a God so the uncleane and filthie man imagineth a god like unto himselfe Psal 50.21 because I kept silence thou thoughtest that altogether I was such a one as thy selfe they who write of the Ethiopians say that they paint the Angels blacke and the Divels white they paint the Angels blacke because they are blacke themselves they thinke the blacke colour the most comely colour and the white the most uncomely colour So these filthie Moabites made choise of a god like unto themselves and as their god Baal-peor was a filthie god so were his Priests filthie Priests in shewing their nakednesse The more modest amongst the heathen thought it a filthie thing to shew their nakednesse and therefore they sayd Caro pro pudendis honestatis causa in scaenam sine subligaculo nemo prodeat and as they had a filthy god and filthy Priests so they had a filthy Sacrifice they offered an Asse to Priapus which was a beast of great flesh Ezek. 23.20 Afterwards this filthy Idoll was called by the Latines Deus hortorum Priapus called Deus hortorum and why because they used to commit such filthinesse in gardens and therefore they used this word hortum in re amorum when they spake of filthy and unchast lust Quod meus hortus habet sumas impune licebit Si dederis nobis quod tuus hortus habet And when they would insinuate their filthy lusts they say laegere olera legere nuces legere poma Propertius Cum quibus Idaeo legisti poma sub antro and so Virgilius Malo me Galataea petit lasciva puella The Lord commanded his Priests to weare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 side garments reaching to their feete and also breeches under them The Moabites are called the people of Chamos Num. 21.30 and Ier. 48. hence commeth the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Apostle alludeth to this Rom. 13.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in rioting and drunkennesse Conclusion The Conclusion of this is Spirituall adultery is punished with bodily whoredome because they changed the glory of the uncorruptible god into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and fourefooted beasts and creeping things wherefore God gave them also to uncleannesse and to vile affections Rom. 1.23 EXERCITAT XVII That a woman might not weare a mans apparell A ceremoniall appendix of Command 2. Deut. 22.5 The woman shall not weare that which pertaineth to the man THe Lord knowing how prone his people were to Idolatry made a partition wall betwixt them and the Gentiles and he would have them opposite to the Gentiles in their ceremoniall worship Vide Analyses Iunij in Levit. First the Egyptians eate onely swines flesh therefore ye shall be opposite to them ye shall not eate the flesh of the Hogge they worshipped the Oxe and the Sheepe therefore yee shall eate them and sacrifice them Secondly in their apparell the Priests of Isis did weare linnen and wooll therefore yee shall weare linnen onely or wooll onely and not linsey wolsey The Iewes opposite to the Gentiles in the manner of their worship Thirdly the Egyptians had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save them from evils therefore the Lord commanded his people to weare phylacteries Fourthly in the manner of their worship they when they worshipped they looked towards the sunne rising but ye shall be contrary to them and turne your faces towards
judaizing in this point Commandement IIII. EXERCITAT XIX Of the Passeover Levit. 23.5 In the fourteenth day of the first moneth is the Lords passover How the Passeover pertaineth to the fourth Commandement THe passeover as it was a sacrifice and a sacrament it is an appendix of the second Commandement but the time of it set downe here is an appendix of the fourth Commandement The word Passeover taken diversly This word Passeover is taken sundry wayes in the Scripture First for passing over because the Angell passed over the houses of the Israelites and destroyed them not Exod. 12.11 It is the Lords passeover Secondly Passeover is taken for those actions which were done about the passeover as killing the lambe sprinkling of the blood eating of it and such Matth. 26.17 Thirdly for the feast which was annexed to the Passeover 2 Chro. 35.11 They killed the Passeover and the Priests sprinkled the blood c. This was for the feast of the Passeover Fourthly for the Lambe killed at the Passeover Matth. 26.19 And they made ready the Passeover That is the Lambe which was killed at the Passeover so Marc. 14.12 They killed the Passeover Lastly for the time of the Passeover as Luc. 22.1 They had in this Passeover unleavened bread a Lamb bitter herbes and a cup in which they did drinke First they had unleavened bread The unleavened bread called the poores bread this unleavened bread was panis pauperum the poores bread Deut. 13.6 Yet the Lord taketh this unleavned bread for the Sacrament it was a great change Why they had unleavened bread in the Passeover when Moses rod which was the shepheards rod was made the rod of the Lord so this was a great change when he tooke the poores bread and made it this bread of his Sacrament they were commanded to eate the bread in remembrance of their hastening out of Egypt when they had no leisure to ferment it but Christ changed it to another sort of remembrance to be a memorall of his death in the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11 24. Doe this in remembrance of me It must be unleavened bread for leavened bread signified either Hypocrisie or malice David calleth a wicked man A leavened person Psal 71.4 So a leavened heart Psal 73.21 So Matt. 16.6 Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and 1 Cor. 5.7 Purge out the old leaven Then they eate it with bitter herbes Why eaten with sowre herbes to put them in remembrance of their affliction in Egypt and Ieremiah seemeth to allude to this Lament 3.15 Allusion He hath filled me with bitternesse he hath made me drunken with worme wood Quest Whether was the cup in the paschall supper a Sacramentall Cup or not Answ Not Whether the Cup in the Passeover was a Sacramentall Cup or not for there is no mention made of it in the institution the Lord commandeth to take a Lambe unleavened bread and bitter herbes but not a word of the Cup wherefore this cup was but their common Cup in which they used to drinke It may be said Obj. that the Master of the familie blessed this Cup. Answ This was not constitutiva sanctificatio but invocativa Sanctificatio Constitutio Invocatio it is constitutiva invocatio that maketh it a Sacrament accedat verbum ad elementum et fiet Sacramentum saith Augustine and when it wanteth the word of institution then it cannot be a Sacrament it is true that Christ transferred this cup Many things that are common changed to a holy use and made it Sacramentall under the Gospell but it was not sacramentall under the Law it was onely a common cup the water which they dranke out of the Rocke was a Sacrament to them 1 Cor. 10.4 and it was also common water for their beasts drunke of it So this was but a common Cup to them but Christ made it Sacramentall somethings againe which were Sacramentall to them were common at Christs Supper as the eating of bitter herbes Last it was not a Sacramentall Cup for the blood of the Paschall Lamb signified the blood of Christ there are not two things appointed in the Sacrament to signifie one thing What things were proper to the Passeover in Egypt and what proper to it in Canaan Things proper to the Passeover in Egypt were first they eate the Passeover in their severall houses when they were in Egypt but afterwards they were bound to eate it in Ierusalem onely Deut. 16.5.6 2 Chro. 35. Secondly in Egypt the blood was sprinkled upon the Lintels of the doores but afterwards it was sprinkled upon the Altar 2 Chro. 35. and then the Master of the house caused to bring backe the Lamb to his house and eate it with his family Luc. 22.7.8 Thirdly in Egypt they stood when they eat the Paschall Lambe with their loines girt and their staves in their hands to signifie that they were to make haste away Allusion and Esay alludeth to this Esay 52.12 For yee shall not goe out with haste nor goe by flight but when they came to Canaan they sate when they eate the Passeover Quest Their sitting at the Passeover was not a significative Ceremony Whether was their sitting a significative ceremony or not when they eate the Passeover in Canaan Answ Seven memorable Passeovers Not it was onely after the custome of men when they sit to eate meat There were sundry memorable Passeovers The first in Egypt the second in the Wildernesse the third in the dayes of Ioshua Cap. 5.10 the forth in the dayes of Hezekiah 2 Chro. 30. the fift in the dayes of Iosiah where there was not such a Passeover holden from the dayes of the Iudges that judged Israel nor in all the dayes of the Kings of Israel 2 King 23.22 The Sixt after they returned from the captivity Ezra 6.9 The last Passeover was that which Iesus kept with his Disciples Luc. 22. where he put an end to the Passeover and instituted his owne Supper in the place of it Quest Whether was the Lambe which was killed at the Passeover a Sacrament or a sacrifice Answ The most hold that it was not a sacrifice and their reasons are these Reas 1 First it might be killed by others than by the Priest therefore it was not a Sacrament Reas 2 Secondly Exod. 8.26 It was abhomination for the Israelites to sacrifice in Egypt but the paschall Lambe was eaten in Egypt therefore the paschall Lambe was not a sacrifice Reas 3 Thirdly a Sacrament differeth from a sacrifice for in a sacrifice we offer to God and in a Sacrament wee receive from God the Paschall Lambe was a Sacrament therefore it could not be a sacrifice Reas 4 Fourthly that which was eaten of the sacrifice was eaten onely in the Temple but the Paschall lambe was eaten out of the Temple therefore it was not a sacrifice Answ Now for answer to the first after that they came out of Egypt and the priesthood was setled the
Priests onely killed the sacrifice and sprinkled the blood and the Lambe was then caried home Secondly It was abhomination to sacrifice in Egypt Maimone in Corban Peshang cap. 1. ◠it was an abhomination to the Egyptians to see beasts killed there because they worshiped beasts as their Gods but it was not abhomination before the Lord for feare of the Egyptians they would not sacrifice there they might have sacrificed there as well as they killed the Paschall Lambe there it was a thing lawfull in it selfe We must distinguish two things in the paschal Lamb it was both a Sacrament and a sacrifice the sprinkling of the blood in the Temple was a sacrifice the eating of the Lambe at home in their severall houses was a Sacrament and so as it was a sacrifice they offered and as it was a Sacrament they received Reasons proving that the Paschall Lambe was a sacrifice Reasons proving that it was a sacrifice are these Reas 1 First 2 Chro. 30.1 Hezekiah gave Commandement that all the people should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem to keepe the Passeover Wherefore should he have commanded them to come to the house of the Lord to eat it if it had not been a sacrifice if it had been onely a Sacrament it had beene enough to have bidden come to Ierusalem to eate it Reas 2 Secondly 2 Chro. 35.11 And they killed the Passeover and they sprinkled the blood it was the blood of the sacrifice that the Priest sprinkled Reas 3 Iosephus de bello Iudaico lib. 6. cap. 45. Iosephus writeth that Cestus Florus when he would shew to the Emperor the multitude of the Iewes that were in Ierusalem at the Passeover he desired the Priests that they might get the number of the people and how did the Priests find out the number of the people he saith by the number of the Lambes which they killed at the Passeover and then they reckoned how many were in every familie at the eating of a Lamb and so they found out the number of the people it was the Priest then that killed those Lambes and none else The Paschall Lambe a figure of Christ The Paschall Lambe was a figure of Iesus Christ the Paschall Lambe was taken the tenth day and separated untill the fourteenth at the evening of the fourteenth it was killed Iesus Christ the true Paschall Lambe Came sixe dayes before the Passeover to Bethania Ioh. 12.1 and the morrow after he went to Ierusalem where they met him with branches of palme trees and this was five dayes before the Passeover then he stayed foure dayes in Ierusalem and was killed in the day of the Passeover at night and thus he accomplished the ceremonies of the Law Quest Whether did the Iewes and Christ eate the Passeover upon the same day or not Answ Christ observed the true day Whether Christ kept the Passeover that same day which the Iewes kept in the end of the fourteenth day and the beginning of the fifteenth he eate it betwixt two evenings but the Iewes transferred the day and eate it in the end of the fifteenth day and beginning of the sixteenth and therefore when Christ eate the Passeover it was the day of the Preparation to the Iewish Passeover although indeed it was the true Passeover Iohn 17.62 When the Passeover preceded the Sabbath they used to transferre the holy actions of that day to the Sabbath that two feasts may not fall together and they did their common worke upon that day which should have been done upon the Passeover and reserved the holy actions to the Sabbath following and it was upon this day that they crucified Christ They kept this translation of feasts Why they transferred their feasts to the Sabbath lest the feast of Lots should have fallen 2 4 7. Lest the feast of the Passeover should have fallen 2 4 6. Lest the feast of the Pentecost should have fallen 3 5 7. Lest the beginning of the new yeare should have fallen 1 4 6. Lest the day of expiation should have fallen 1 3 6. They observed this translation of the feasts because they had certaine feasts which fell upon these dayes that two feasts should not fall together as the three feasts of Dedication the foure fasts mentioned in Zachariah and the feast of Lots When the divers keeping of the Passeover began This diversity was not kept so long as the first Temple stood whence arose it then it seemeth to have taken the beginning from the divers beginning of the moneth for when they reckoned their moneth from the apparition which was doubtfull and uncertaine hence it came to passe that the beginning of the moneth was not alwayes at the selfe-same period for the last day of Adar might fall out so that it should be the beginning of Nisan and therefore the Sanhedrin appointed that the full Moone should be the thirteenth day which according to the verity was the fourteenth this diversitie arose of this because of the divers apparitions of the Moone so they kept the preparation to the Pascha diversly Great dissention betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches for keeping of the Passeover When the Apostles have so clearely determined that matter that no man should bee condemned or judged for not keeping these dayes yet Satan came and did sow his Cockle and his Darnell and raised dissentions in the Churches betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches about the keeping of the Passeover the Easterne Churches alledged that Iohn and Philip celebrated the Passeover in memory of Christs Supper for they kept diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fourteenth day of the Moneth but the Westerne Churches alledged that Peter and Paul kept the Passeover upon the first Lords day after the fourteenth day of the moneth upon which day they kept diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pius Bishop of Rome ordained the Passeover to be kept on the Lords day Pius Bishop of Rome in the yeere of God 147. gave out an Edict that the Pascha should be celebrated by all upon the Lords day yet those in Asia cared not much for this Edict and there arose hot contentions on both the sides Polycarpus Iohns Disciple came into Rome to settle this contention and he appointed that every one should celebrate the Pascha as they were wont yet this contention was not buried for the Easterne and Westerne Churches left not off one to write against another Victor the Bishop of Rome in a Synode holden there Victor his Statute concerning the Passeover ordayned that the Pascha should be celebrated there upon the Lords day from the fourteenth day of March untill the twenty one of that moneth Those of Caesarea Palestina Pontus and Achaia embraced this Edict yet others stood out against it and said they would keepe it according to Iohns tradition wherefore Victor excommunicated all the Bishops in Asia Yet Irenaeus Bishop of Lions Polycarpus Schollar setled the
out of the Sanctuary Ezek. 44.17 and so by their meates putting a distinction betwixt clean and uncleane and so by their houses when he commanded the Law to be written upon the posts of their doores and by the Battlements to be put about their new houses and so by their husbandry when he commanded them not to plow with an Oxe and an Asse and not to sow their fields ' with divers sorts of seede So by their flocks to offer their first borne of them to him and here when they were walking in the fields if a birds nest were before them in the way either in a tree or upon the ground they were commanded to spare the damme to teach them reverence to their Parents wheresoever they lookt they had some instruction before them He forbiddeth them to kill the Damme and the yong ones together Why God would not have the Iewes to kill the Damme with the yong ones he commanded them to eate flesh after the flood but here he would restraine their appetite that they should not kill both the Damme and the yong ones and which is more the Lord forbiddeth when they are about to sacrifice that they kill not the Cow or the Ewe and their young ones both in one day Levit. 22.27 So the Iewes say that they might not kill the damme upon the young ones although it were for cleansed of the Leprosie Lev. 14.4 And if he will not have this done for his owne worship farre lesse will he have men do it for their own private use God will have mercy and not sacrifice Matth. 9.13 he forbiddeth them to kil the Dam but they might take the young ones he will not have them like the Pythagoreans who thought it unlawfull to kill any beast or fowle neither will he have them like Barbarians who kill all without respect but he will have them kill the young ones and spare the old to teach them reverence towards their parents No creature but man may make use of it there is no creature but man may make some use of it either to make it the object of his pity or else to imitate it as the Storke the Crane and Swallowes Who know their times Iere. 8.7 yea the Lord sendeth the sluggard to the pismire to learne Prov 6.6 Honour thy father and thy mother is the greatest Commandement in the second table and it hath this promise annexed unto it that they who honour their parents shall live a long life and here the Lord joyneth it to the meanest of all the Commandements which the Iewes call Praeceptum leve the Lord set the ceremonies Sejag Latorah as a hedge about the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as the hedge is a fence to keepe out beasts so were these ceremonies set as a hedge to keepe the Iewes that they should not breake in to violate the morall This law to spare the Damme upon the yong ones binds us not now If a man should find a bird fitting in this land upon her yong ones he is not bound by this Law to spare her more then he is bound when he reapeth his field to leave the gleanings ungathered yet he is bound by the Morall Law to shew pity to his beast and so upon the foule neither could he promise to himselfe longer life if he should doe so but onely he must looke to the morall precept which obligeth man still when these ceremonies are abolished Object It may be said where the reason or the promise annexed to the Law is perpetuall there the law is perpetuall but this promise is perpetuall long life to the obedient child therefore it might seeme that this law is perpetuall How the promise is annexed to this ceremoniall precept and to the morall precept Simile Answ The promise is properly annexed to the morall Law and but accidentally to the ceremoniall Law a father hath a child whom he mindeth to make his heire he biddeth his child doe such and such things which are but trifles and then he promiseth unto him the inheritance there are more weighty conditions included in this promise but for the childs nonage and because as yet he is not capable of the greater conditions therefore his father setteth downe those meaner conditions unto him the inheritance is promised unto him especially if he observe the maine conditions but the meaner are set downe for the present to him so dealleth the Lord with the Iewes here The keeping of the whole Commandements hath this promise of long life annexed unto it Prov. 3.1.2 my sonne forget not my law but let thine heart keepe my Commandements for length of dayes and long life and peace shall they adde unto thee so Deut. 8.1 and 30.16 But it is more particulary annexed to this Commandement and it is called the first Commandement with promise Ephes 6.2 Commandement VI. EXERCITAT XXVI That the Jewes might eat no blood A ceremoniall appendix of Command 6. Deut. 12.24 Thou shalt not eate it thou shalt powre it upon the earth as water The blood is not the forme to the body THe Lord forbiddeth the Iewes his people to eate blood because the life is in the blood the blood is not the forme to the living body because one body cannot be the forme to another neither is it a part of the body for it nourisheth the rest of the body and one part nourisheth not another and it is more excellent than milke melancholly or marrow for they have their residence in some particular parts of the body but the blood is dispersed through the whole body and none of those are profitable to the body unlesse they be mixed with blood Why the life is said to be in the blood The life is said to be in the blood because the naturall heat is preserved in the body by blood the blood it selfe is a thing naturally cold and it is the heat of the spirits which commeth from the heart that heateth the body and the blood but keepeth in the heat as a mans cloathes doe quae non calefaciunt sed recalefaciunt it but keepeth in the spirits which are in the heart but when the blood is let out then the spirits faile and the blood is congealed Although the soule be said to be in the blood The blood is not the seat of the soule yet we must not thinke that the blood is the seat of the soule because the seat of the soule is some principall member of the bodie but the blood is not a member of the body the seat of the soule is a firme and a permament thing and it hath sense especially the Touch but the blood in it selfe hath no sense wherefore it is not the seat of the soule but the common instrument and Vehiculum which carieth the spirits The life is in the blood The passions shew themselves in the blood all the passions of man shew themselves in the blood as the blood is hote with
anger it flyeth for feare it groweth slow for griefe and spreadeth it selfe abroad for joy and in shame it maketh the face to blush The life is in the blood therefore David saith Psal 30.10 What profit is in my blood that is in my life and Virgil calleth it the purpure soule God taught his people to abstaine from blood for two reasons First Why God would have his people abstaine from blood in reverence of the blood of Christ which was to expiate their sinnes wherefore the blood was called the atonement of the soule Levit. chap. 17.11 that is the soule or the life of the beast is made the ransome for the soule or life of man and therefore it should not be eaten and for this cause they were commanded to cover it in the earth with dust contrary to this is that Iob 16.18 They were to cover the blood Let not the earth cover my blood and Ezek. 24.7 8. Their blood is in the midst of her she set it upon the top of a Rocke she powered it not upon the ground to cover it with dust that it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance I have set her blood upon the top of a Rocke that it should not be covered But in this respect it is not an appendix of the sixt Commandement but in another respect the Lord commanded them to abstaine from blood and not to eate it to teach them to abstaine from cruelty and then it is a ceremoniall appendix of the sixt Commandement How the Romans by degrees became cruell The corruption of man is such when he beholdeth cruell things then he beginneth to be more cruell the Romanes used at the first to set wild beasts upon the stage to kill one another and after this they came to be delighted to see Gladiators and Fensers kill one another and thirdly they delighted to see men cast unto the wild beasts so that from the sight of killing of beasts they delighted to see men killed and so from eating of blood they might have beene drawne to cruelty and shedding of the blood of men for those who are but acquainted with the shedding of the blood of Beasts doe care little for the shedding of the blood of men Nimrod was a mighty hunter Gen. 10.9 and then he became a cruell murtherer of men Pythagoras that he might teach men to abstaine from blood taught men alwayes to abstaine from the shedding of the blood of Beasts Obj. It may be said where the reason of the law is perpetuall the law is perpetuall ye shall eat no blood because the life is in the blood this reason is perpetuall therefore this law may seeme to be perpetuall Answ What part of this Law is morall Thus much of the law is perpetuall that they should not eat membrum de vivo or while it is palpitans sanguis that is the morall precept Ezek. 33.25 Yee eat with the blood which must be understood ye eate while the life is in the blood this is a breach of the morall precept and it is joyned here by the Prophet with other morall transgressions Yee lift up your eyes to your Idols yee shed blood and yee eate blood But this is the Ceremoniall part simply to eat blood the Lord commandeth to give that which dyed of it selfe to the stranger Deut. 14.21 But if this were a morall precept simply to abstaine from Blood then no stranger might eat Blood or eate that which dyed of it selfe To eat blood simply was not a morall Law and the Apostles Act. 15.20 renued this precept of abstinence from blood Why the Apostles renued this precept and they give this to be the reason vers 21. For Moses of old time had in every citie those that preach him being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day that is seeing Moses ceremoniall law is yet professed by the Iewes ye must beare with the weake Iewes untill ye and they be fully united and this occasion being taken away the law ceaseth He commanded the Iewes to abstaine from blood Why he commanded the Iewes to abstaine from blood because the Church was in her infancy yet therefore to command the Iewes still to abstaine from blood it is even all one as if one should command that a man should be continually nursed with milke because he suckt milke when he was a child Quest Why did not the Apostles forbid them to abstaine from fat as well as from blood Seeing to eate the fat was forbidden in Moses Law as well as to eate the blood Answ This precept of abstinence from blood was given to Noah and it was one of the seven precepts Why the Apostle commanded abstinence from blood but abstinence from fat was not commanded untill the ceremoniall law was given Levit. 3.16.17 and because the Iewes esteemed more of this interdiction of eating of blood therefore the Apostles commanded them abstinence from it Tertulian in his Apology for the Christians showeth that they would not eate blood or strangled Tertullian in Apolog. c. 9. and that the heathen used to come to them with bottles of blood and to force them to drinke of it by this it appeared that the Christians in his time abstained from blood but Beatus Renanus commenting upon that place of Tertullian noteth well that the Christians were too superstitious in that Nam citraâ—scandalum Iudaeorum fuit inscitia servare they were bound onely to abstaine from blood that they might not offend the Iewes Ob. But Blandina the Martyer abstained from blood Answ The reason of this was the danger of future scandall which might follow for the Christians were charged by the Pagans that they spilt the blood of Infants did drinke it now if she had not abstained from blood how could she have contested with the Pagans How the Pagans charged the Christians with drinking of blood It is not likely that we drinke the blood of Infants who abstaine from the blood of beasts the Councell of Orleance is justly censured for renuing this abstinence from blood as Iudaizing in this point Conclusion The conclusion of this is the Lord by degrees trained up his people to be mercifull as he forbad them to kill the damme sitting upon the young ones so he would not have the flesh of the beast eaten that killed a man and hee forbiddeth to eate that which is torne of beasts Exod. 22.21 And here he forbiddeth them to eate blood EXERCITAT XXVII That the Jewes might not seethe a Kid in the mothers milke to teach them not to be cruell A ceremoniall appendix of Command 6. Exod. 23.19 Thou shalt not seeth a Kid in the mothers milke A Philosopher in Egypt asked a Iew upon a time why the Iewes abstained from Swines flesh and would eate none of that which was holden to be most wholsome the Iew answered him by another question What was the reason why the Egyptians had so many Hieroglyphickes and the Pythagoreans
their enigmaticall speeches were not those Symbolicall and taught them some other thing as ignem gladio ne fodias Pythagoras meaning was that they should not provoke an angry man so the precepts of Moses commanding them to abstaine from such and such beasts as uncleane were Symbolicall and implied some other thing This Commandement forbiddeth not mixtures in Religion How this precept is an appendix of the sixt Commandement as an appendix of the second Commandement but as an appendix of the sixt Commandement to abstaine from cruelty as not to take the damme sitting upon the young ones and not to muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne. Yee shall not seeth a kid in the mothes milke The divers interpretation of this precept this is not the meaning of the command content your selves to eate the kid The true meaning of this precept but take head that yee eate not the damme also neither is this the meaning of it ye shall not eate flesh with milke as the Chaldee Paraphrast Paraphraseth it neither is this the meaning of it take heed that ye seeth not the kid in the mothers milke as the superstitious Iewes expound it at this day they will not seeth flesh and milke in one pot neither will they cut both flesh and cheese with one knife and amongst the precepts which they have written of things lawfull to be eaten they forbid the eating of flesh and milke together but the meaning of the place seemeth to be this ye shall not eate of a kid or of a Lambe for so the Seventy translate it so long as it sucketh the damme for all this time it is as it were but milke they might sacrifice it when it was but eight dayes old but not to eate of it so long as it was sucking 1 Sam 7.9 Samuel tooke a sucking Lambe and offered The Lord forbiddeth also Exod. 22.31 To eate that which was torne by beasts the former Commandement that they should not seeth a kid in the mothers milke was a ceremoniall law belonging to the sixt Commandement Not to eate that which was torne is a ceremoniall appendix both of the sixt and eight Commandement but this Commandement that they should not eat of that which was torne by beasts was an appendix both of the eight and sixt Commandement whereby he taught them both to abstaine from blood and from theft Quest Whether should those words Levit. 15.17 Be read copulativè the soule which eateth that which dyeth of it selfe and is torne by beasts or disiunctivè that which dyeth of it selfe or is torne of beasts Answ Some of the Iewes read the words copulativè thus if it dye of it selfe and be torne of beasts they might not eate of it but the true reading is disiunctive if it dye of it selfe or bee torne as Iunius readeth it for the law saith expressely that that which is torne is uncleane although it dye not first and then be torne and some of the Iewes make that more uncleane which is torne then that which dyeth of it selfe one demanded the question of R Ioseph Gersaeus Whether the beast that dyed of it selfe or that which was torne was the more uncleane why hee writ the Law rather upon the skinne of a beast that dyed of it selfe than upon the skinne of a beast that was torne he answered them by this comparison I tell you whereunto I liken the beast that dyeth of it selfe and that which is torne to two malefactors who are adjudged to dye the one malefactor the judge himselfe killeth and the other the hangman killeth so they hold that that which dyed of it selfe was not so uncleane as that which was torne by wild beasts Conclusion The conclusion of this is here we may see the infancy of the Iewish Church when the Lord forbiddeth them to taste touch or handle and restraineth their baser senses tasting touching and handling Coloss 2.21 Even as parents forbid their little children to touch this or handle that whereas they forbid them when they come to understanding to looke upon evill God dealeth with the Iewes as fathers doe with little children or to heare evill So under the Gospell the prohibition is given chiefely to the nobler senses hearing and seeing and not so much to the base senses touching and tasting Commandement VII EXERCITAT XXVIII When a Bastard might enter into the Congregation under the Law A ceremoniall appendix of Command 7. Deut. 23.2 A Bastard shall not enter into the Congregation unto the tenth generation THe Lord forbiddeth here that a Bastard should enter into the congregation of the Lord unto the tenth generation there are foure things to be considered here First who is called Mamzer a Bastard here Secondly What is meant by entering into the congregation Thirdly That this is but a ceremoniall Law What is meant by Bastard here and Lastly That it is not meant of every sort of Bastard First he is not called Mamzer here if his father were an Hebrew and his mother a Gentile as the Chaldee Paraphrast taketh it for then Obed the sonne of Ruth the Moabitesse should have beene a Bastard Secondly He is not called Mamzer or Spurius who is borne of a Widdow as the Hebrewes hold as if an Hebrew had maried a captive woman and had lyen with her and she fel with child and it was in doubt whether hee was the child of the first husband or of the last And so they hold that David begot Chiliab upon Abigail and that his mother called him Daniel and his father Chiliab 2 Sam. 2.2 and 1 Chro. 3.1 Because hee was incerto patre but this is one of their dreames neither is he called a Bastard qui ex secundis nuptijs natus est as when a man marieth a Widdow and begeteth a child upon her her The Iewes are most mistaken in this Ben Syra in his Proverbes saith Oculos tuos absconde a muliere vidua et ne concupiscas pulchritudinem ejus in corde tuo nam filij ejus fiij scortationū sunt hide thine eyes from a Widdow Woman and be not taken with her beauty for her children are the children of fornicatiō And the same Ben Sira at the letter Samech saith Ben syra inter proverbia alphabeto 2. Scriba ducat virginem et ne ducat eam quae maritū habuit nam aquae virginis tibi soli erunt aquā vero eius qua maritū habuit ante te alius praeter te hausit that is let a scribe mary a Virgin and let him not mary her who hath had an husband before and content himselfe with the waters of his owne cisterne and not to drinke of that water where another hath drawne before him where he alludeth to the phrase of the Scripture which calleth adultery stollen waters Prov. 9.17 Water put for seed And they put water for seed Num. 24.7 So Moab is his fathers water But the Iewes were much mistaken in
Corne and Wine within their owne gates Deu. 12 17. So if they did worke with their first borne bullocke or sheare their first borne sheepe Deut. 15.29 All these were devourers of holy things and the Prophet alludeth to this Allusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ditescere cum puncto in dextro et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decimare cum puncto in sinistro cornu Iere. 2.3 Israel was holinesse to the Lord and the first fruits of his increase all that devour him shal offend evill shall come upon them saith the Lord. The Hebrewes say that tithes are the hedge of a mans riches and they say gnashar with the point in cornu dextro signifieth ditescere to grow rich and in sinistro decimas pendere to pay the tithes haec duo vno puncto dirimuntur To devour holy things avaritious and greedy men are like the horse leech who hath two Daughters which cry continually give give but most of all they are desirous to devour holy things and to eat of the forbidden tree the Iewes say that every Child in Israel knew his owne portion there were somethings whereof both the Priest his sonnes and daughters might eate as the wave breast and heave shoulder Levit. 10.14 There were other things which the Priest and his sons might eate of but not his daughters As the sinne offering whereof none of the blood came within the Tabernacle of the Congregation to reconcile with all Levit. 6.28 and there were other things which the Priest might eate but neither his sonne nor his daughter might eate of them as the meat offering that remained of the offering of the Lord made by fire Levit. 10.12 for it was eaten beside the Altar When men become vnsatiable and lust as the Israelites did at the graves of concupiscence then nothing will content them untill they have Gods portion also when the father and the mother came before the Iudges in Israel Simile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vrbis and complained that their son was Zolel a vile person a drunkard and a glutton Dut. 21.20 Then the Iudges ordained that he should be stoned to death but when God the Father and the Church their Mother doe complaine of those devourers of holy things what fearefull Iudgements must they undergoe And after Vowes to make inquiry that is after that thou hast vowed a Vow to seeke how thou mayest illude or disanull it the Iewes said of old that vowes were the hedge of the first fruites and tithes the hedge of their riches they said that vowes were the hedge of the first fruites because when a man had vowed his vow would bind him to performe it but these thought not that their vow was such a hedge when they sought to disannull it When they vowed of old they said after this maner The forme of the Iewes vow of old my estimation be upon me fifty Shekels or the estimation of this man be upon ine fifty shekels this was the forme of their vow according to this David saith My Vowes are upon me Psal 56.12 then they were bound to pay their vowes and if they refused to pay then they might take a pawne or pledge of them and force them to pay them as just debt They might force them to pay their vowes and this was called the money of the soules estimation 2 King 12.4 When they said the estimation of this man be upon me they meant I am willing to pay that which such a man may be valued at therefore when they made such a vow they might not enquire after it Thus God would not suffer his name to be abused Better not to vow than to vow and not performe Eccles 5.2 4 5 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words be few When thou vowest a vow unto God deserre not to pay it for hee hath no pleasure in fooles pay that which thou owest better it is that thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay And if so bee that the Lord will have a man that hath but given his word for his neighbour not to give sleepe to his eyes nor slumber to his eye Lids untill he have delivered himselfe As the Roe from the hand of the hunter and as a bird from the hand of the fowler Prov. 6 1 2 3.4 Much more when he hath bound his soule with a bond Num. 30.4.5 will he have him to performe his vowes and not to enquire after them EXERCITAT XXXII Of the Jewes Phylacteries A ceremoniall appendix for keeping of all the Commandements Num. 15.38 Speake unto the Children of Israel and bid them that they make fringes upon the borders of their garments c. THe Lord sitting himselfe to the nonage and infancy of the Iewes Church he gave them helpes first for their judgement secondly for their affections and thirdly for their memory God gave the Iewes helpes for their Iudgements memories and affections First he gave them helpes for their judgement for as we when we have a dull Scholler borrow comparisons from sensible things to teach him so the Lord set sensible figures and types before the Iewes to teach them Secondly he helped their affections by Musicke and thirdly he helped their memories by those Phylacteries or fringes which he commanded them to put upon the borders of their garments Deut. 22.12 Exod. 13.9 And it shall be for a signe unto thee upon thine hand and for a memoriall betweene thine eyes that is the Phylactery shall be a signe unto thee upon thy hand and a memoriall betweene thine eyes and a signet upon thine heart those things which we account of we carry them as they were written in our hands Esay 49.16 Behold I have graven thee vpon the palmes of myne hands Prov. 7.3 Bind them upon thy fingers write them upon the Table of thine heart say unto wisdome thou art my sister and call understanding thykinswoman As they carried of old the names of those whom they loved in rings and bracelets so he willeth him to cary the Law of God graven as it were his dearest Sister or like a Phylactery upon his hand The garment which the Iewes wore was a side coate like the garments which the eastern people do weare at this day and it was called Cesuth Deut. 22.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tegumentum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pallium Besides this they had another garment which they called Megnil a long Cloake without sleeves Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vestis villosa Pallium Iudaeis peculiare they had a Garment called Talith which was vestis superior an upper Garment used by the most of them when they travelled Their first Garment called Cesuth was parted below which made the foure wings of it two before and two behind so their upper Garment called Talith was made like the coate of a
to Ieremiah as being cozen german to Hanameel We have morgaged the Inheritance of heaven but Iesus Christ who is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones hath redeemed it to us againe The third thing which the Goel did to his kinsman The Goel redeemed his kinsman out of prison he redeemed him out of prison so we being condemned to everlasting prison Zach. 9.11 our Goel hath redeemed us It may be asked why our Goel should give any price for our redemption Quest seeing we were sold freely without any money Esay 50.1 for according to the Law of Redemption the Redeemer should pay no more than was paid The divell death Answ How we are said to bee redeemed freely and sinne our enemies to whom we were slaves gave nothing for us they held us as tyrants and unjust possessors wherefore when we were redeemed without money we were redeemed freely both in respect of our selves who paid nothing and also in respect of the Divell Sinne and Death we are redeemed freely for nothing was paid to them because they gave nothing for us but because we are sold from the Lord who was our right owner the price behoved to be paid to him and so 1 Pet. 1.18 We are not redeemed with corruptible gold or silver but with his precious blood He that is our Redeemer then first he is our neere kinsman and hath priviledge to redeeme us next hee hath taken the prey from the unjust possessor thirdly he payed no ransome to him Lastly the ransome that our Goel paid for our Redemption was his owne blood Sanguis est redemptionis jus redemptionis pretium It is both the right of redemption and the price of redemption Ephes 1.7 In whom wee have redemption through his blood Thou that art redeemed rejoyce in thy liberty secondly take not that yoake of servitude againe upon thee thirdly shew thy selfe a servant of obedience to righteousnesse The priviledges which the first borne had done to him were three first he had the double poâ—tion of his fathers goods and secondly all the inheritance and thirdly his brother was bound to raise up seed to him So Iesus Christ our eldest brother hath gifts above his brethren and anoynted above his fellowes therefore the whole inheritance belongeth unto him but this is the difference betwixt our eldest brother and other elder brethren The difference betwixt Christ and other elder brothers here the eldest brother getteth all the inheritance and the rest are excluded but our eldest brother Iesus Christ secludes not us from the inheritance but makes us coheires with himselfe Rom. 8. We use to say of our friends that we can see them need but wee will not see them bleed but Iesus Christ our neerest kinsman he will neither see us need nor bleed but revenges our blood and prepareth a kingdome for us The second thing which was done to the eldest brother was this if he dyed without children then his brother was bound to raise up seed to him and the children which his brother begot were not called his children but his eldest brothers Ruth 4. and if he refused to doe this duty to his eldest brother then they spat in his face and pulled off his shooe and he was called discalceatus in Israele that is lost his possession in Israel Now let us come to the application of this ceremony who is the eldest brother here Christ who are the second brothers that are bound to raise up seede unto him the Preachers Christ shall never want a seede in his Church till the Worlds end Psal 72.5 Christ shall never want a seed in the Church They shall feare thee as long as the sunne and the moone endureth throughout all generations Secondly CHRIST promiseth to be with his Church to the end of the world then this seede shall endure to the end of the world Thirdly the covenant made with this seede shall endure for ever Hos 2.19 Therefore this seede must endure for ever Fourthly the seales of the covenant and the people within the covenant must endure for ever 1 Cor. 11.26 Yee shew the Lords death till he come againe Fiftly see what an expresse promise our eldest brother hath that hee shall never want a seede Psal 72.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filiabitur nomen eius vel sobole scet nomen eius ijnnon filiabitur nomen ejus the Seventy transleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permanebit he shall not want a posterity to continue his name for ever when Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel came against Ierusalem to besiege it Esay 7 Achaz trembled and feared exceedingly that the two Kings should sacke the City and waste all but what doeth the Lord to confirme Achaz he causeth Esay the Prophet to bring forth his young sonne in his hand Shear-jashub which signified the rest shall returne and that there shall bee a remnant seede left still in Iuda Esay 1.9 Who shall be saved in the midst of all their desolations 2 Chro. 28. so when we see the Church like to be made havocke of let us looke up to God the Father bringing out his Sonne Iesus Christ Shear-jashub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reliquum revertetur to confirme us against the strength and power of the great Kings of the world Pekah and Rezin that there shall alwayes be a seed and a remnant left for the Lord and that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against his Church when Er was dead Onan was bound to raise up seed unto him and when Onan refused then Shelah was bound to performe this duty so there shall bee some still to performe this duty to their elder Brother Christ The second brother raised up seed to the eldest brother but the children were called the eldest brothers children A Minister should not seeke his owne praise Hence wee learne that a faithfull pastor should not seeke his owne praise but the honor of his eldest Brother Christ if he seeke his owne praise then he begetteth but children to himselfe when Ioab besieged Rabba and was ready to take it hee sent unto David saying come thou and take it lest the victory be attributed to me so should all faithfull Preachers be exceeding carefull that whatsoever they doe the praise may belong to their elder brother Preachers are but the Bridegroomes friends they should not sue for themselves but for the Bridegroome when Sampson sent one to be spokesman for a wife to him Iudg. 14. â—0 this spokesman tooke the woman to himselfe he is not a faithfull spokesman that sues for himselfe the Preachers are but the children of the wedding or the Bridgroomes freinds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that should be our highest credit 2 Cor. 4.5 I doe not preach my selfe but the Lord Iesus and my selfe your servant for his sake and let us be content with Iohn the Baptist to decrease that Christ may encrease and labour to exalt
and the fooles in his left side How the wise mans heart is said to be in his right side the reason why the fooles heart is said to be in his left side is because the blood for the most part falleth to the left side and so the heart that is dull is said to be in the left side but the spirits againe ascend from the left side to the right and so the wise mans heart is said to be in his right side because he hath more understanding So in pleading before the judges the accused stood at the left hand of the accuser as Satan stood at the right hand of Ioshua but if the accused prevailed in judgement and the accuser succumbed then he was shifted from the right hand to the left hand then he was said to lose his cause But when the Scripture speakes of protection The left hand put first for protection it putteth the left hand first Psal 16.8 Because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Then David stood at his left hand So Psal 129.5 The Lord is thy defence at thy right hand So when Iob prayeth Iob 17.3 Pone me juxta te set me by thee that is at thy left hand that thou mayest defend me with thy right hand Lastly when the heart and the hand are compared together then the left hand is the chiefe hand therefore the Iewes wore their Phylacteries upon their left arme because it was nearest their heart and so the Latines say of him that went at the left hand Ambulare introrsum vel extrorsum quid ambulare introrsum because that hand was nearest the heart and of him that goeth at the right hand they say of him ambulare extrorsum and we use to say when we give a man the left hand we give him the hand that is nearest the heart Standing at his right hand To stand in the Scriptures is either to pray Stand taken diversly Stare pro orare as Abraham is said to stand before the Lord that is to pray and the Publican stood a farre off that is prayed So Iere. 18.20 Remember that I stood before thee to speake for them and to turne away thy wrath from them and the Hebrewes say Sine stationibus non subsisteret mundus that is without prayers the world could not endure because they stood when they prayed Secondly to stand signifies to serve Pr. 22.29 Seest thou a servant diligent in his businesse Stare pro servire this man shall stand before Kings that is serve Psal 135.2 Yee who stand in the Courts of the Lord that is who serve Thirdly to stand in the Scripture is to stand to be judged before a Iudge Stare pro judicare as Exod. 17.14 Why doth the people stand all the day long So amongst the Latines Stare in judicio cadere causa Psal 1.5 Impij non stabunt in judicio that is they shall lose their cause now Ioshua stood here praying Ioshua stood here ready to serve and Ioshua stood as accused He shewed me Satan standing at the right hand of Ioshua Foure chiefe combats betwixt God and the Divell We may marke foure singular strifes betwixt God and the Divell about foure singular of the Lords valiant ones The first was betweene God and Satan about Iob cap. 1 The second was betwixt Michael the Archangell and the Divell about the body of Moses Iude 9. The third was betwixt Christ and the Divell about the High-priest Ioshua here The fourth was betwixt Christ and the Divell about the faith of Peter Luc. 22.31 In the first strife betwixt God and the Divell about Iob it might seeme strange that God gave such a way to Satan in this conflict but if we will consider Gods end in it Why God suffered Satan to afflict Iob. we shall see both his wisedome and goodnesse in it for God did not expose Iob to these trials that the Divell might swallow him up but both that he might get the greater glory by this his Champion Iob and that the Church might learne patience by this example yee have heard the patience of Iob Iam. 5.11 The Lord delighted here to see his champion Iob wrestle and to returne victorious God taketh delight to see his children fight with Satan and to put Satan to the foyle the Romane Emperours used to keepe Lyons in cages and they used to cast in condemned persons to them to fight to the death with them wee read in Tertullian how conclamatum est Christiani ad Leones so the Lord keepeth the Divels in Cages and brings not out slaves and condemned wretches to fight with them but his most notable champions whom he knowes will report the Victory and therefore hee delights to behold this conflict The second reason why the Lord put Iob to these hard tryals was for the good of his Church for even as the Physitians keepe the bodies of the condemned to make anatomies of them for the good of others so the Lord kept Iob for this tryall for the good of the Church that they might remember the patience of Iob. The second great strife was betwixt Michael the Archangell and the Divell about the body of Moses A second strife betwixt Christ and Satan about the body of Moses Iude 9. It is strange to see how Satan dealeth with Moses when Moses was living nothing but stone him to death but now when he is dead he would make an Idoll of his body and set it up to be worshipped and that which hee could not effectuate by him when hee was living he goes about to effectuate it now by his dead body It was a great sinne first to kill the Prophets and then to erect Sepulchres to them Matth. 23.29 Woe unto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites because c. but this is a greater sinne first to kill Moses and then afer his death to labour to make an Idoll of him but the Lord had a great respect to Moses who was faithfull in all his house Heb. 3.5 when hee was living so now when he was dead hee preserved this his body and buried it honorably with his owne hands where the devill knoweth not The third strife betwixt CHRIST and the Devill was about Ioshua the Highpriest Satan accuses Ioshua for standing before the LORD in soiled apparrell but the Lord takes his defence putteth Satan to rebuke putteth new apparell upon Ioshua and setteth a crowne upon his head The fourth strife was about Peters faith Satan sought to winnow Peter as wheat but Christ prayed for Peters faith that it should not faile Luc. 22.31 The devill gave his faith a shrewd blow and sifted him strangely when he made him deny his master thrice But Christ saved him by his intercession We are to make use of these conflicts 2 Cor. 10.13 that God will not suffer us to be tempted above that wee are able God will not suffer us to be tempted above our power but
prevaile against it The Lord hath chosen Ierusalem although the Lord made choise of Ierusalem yet this notable vine which he planted degenerated Iere. 2.21 and then he rejected it and brought great desolations upon it Esay 29.1 I will make Ierusalem like Ariel when Ierusalem killed the Prophets then he sprinkled it with blood like Ariel the Altar which was sprinkled with blood Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire As if the Lord would say he is new brought out of the captivity and therefore no mervell though his cloathes be yet soiled There are three sorts of wants in the Church First Three sorts of wants in the Church wants of necessity Secondly occasionall wants Thirdly contracted wants wants of necessity are these when God with-draweth the meanes Wants of necessity what that the Church cannot have them when the people were in the Wildernesse and sacrificed there they had neither wine nor oyle to joyne to their sacrifice yet their sacrifice was accepted because it was a want of necessity The anointed of the Lord. so the Highpriest in the second Temple he wanted Vrim and Thummim and he wanted the holy oyle therefore he was not called in the second Temple Vnctus Iehovae but vir multarum vestium the man with the many cloathes because he had five ornaments belonging to him which none of the rest of the Priests had although he wanted this holy oyle yet he was accepted and his sacrifice because this was a want of necessity Secondly occasionall wants are these when men for the time cannot so conveniently have their defects supplyed as Num. 10. Eleazar and Ithamar when they should have eaten the sinne offering in the holy place they forgot to eate it and suffered it to burne because they were in such griefe for Nadab and Abihu Aaron taketh the defence of them in this case and sayeth such things have befallen me this day and no mervaile that both I and my sonnes should have forgotten to eate the sinne offering in the holy place Num. 10. Occasionall wants what if wee being in our sinne should have taken upon us to purge the sinnes of the people should it have beene accepted in the sight of the Lord Moses accepteth of this occasionall want because they were in great griefe it was no mervaile that they forgot to eate it So they now lately comming out of the captivity no mervaile that Ioshua was not so handsomely dressed as hee should have beene for in their captivities they contracted much corruption as in Egypt they forgot their Circumcision and that was called opprobrium Egâ—pti Iosh 5. Vnder Antiochus attrahebant praeputium for feare they drew the skin of their prepuce that they might not bee knowne to be Iewes The Israelits learne corruption in the captivity and the Apostle alludes to this Circumcisus es noli attrahere praputium 1 Cor. 7.18 And when they were in Babylon they married strange women and no mervaile that his cloathes were now soiled and foule when he was lately come out of the captivity a man that is newly risen out of the ague no mervaile that his colour be not good and if hee be weake and fall we excuse him Contracted wants what Thirdly there are contracted wants and these are not excusable if a man should drinke untill he were drunke and then stagger and fall no man will excuse him as they doe him who falleth through sicknesse the Lord that excuseth Ioshua here for his occasionall want he will not excuse Vrijah the Highpriest when he brings the paterne of the Altar of Damascus to Ierusalem 2 King 18.11 This is a contracted guilt and not occasionall when our forefathers came out of popery first no mervaile that there were great wants amongst them and that they savoured of the dregges of Rome but now when we have lived so long out of popery and yet desire to be backe againe to Egypt what a shame is that the Lord will not be beholden to idolatrous Egypt to borrow any thing from her Christ stands here for the occasionall wants of the Highpriest but not for the contracted wants our father 's lived in constituenda ecclesia and we live in constituta ecclesia and that which was tolerable in them may be abhomination in us God accepted of their little knowledge but he craves a greater measure of knowledge of us because we live in the sunne shine of the day And he answered and spake to them that stood before him saying take away these filthy Garments And he answered that is To answer is to begin to speake he began to speake according to the manner of the Hebrewes for no speach passed betwixt him and the Angels before Thomas marketh well that Christ speaketh after one manner to the Angels and the Angels speake another way to Christ for when Christ speakes to them he is sicut agens illuminans revelans but when the Angel speakes to Christ he is Velut passum admirans consulens accipiens revelationem ab eo And he spake to those that stood before him That is ministred unto him The Angels serve Christs but attend us The Angels are ministering spirits to serve Christ but they are ministering spirits to attend vs as a Nurse doth her young infant they attend not Christ to defend and protect him in danger for he is their head they onely Minister to him therefore when the devill cited the Psalme to Christ Cast thy selfe downe for he hath given his Angels charge to keepe thee this place was falsely cited two wayes by Satan First he leaveth out in all thy wayes Secondly he applyed it falsely to Christ they shall keepe thee this part onely belonged to Christus mysticus to Christs members they keepe Christs members in all their wayes but they keepe not Christ himselfe Christ hath procured this their ministery to us and he is that Ladder up which they goe up and downe to serve us Gen 28.12 Take away the filthy garments from him It may be asked here Quest how the Angels could take away Ioshua's filthy garments seeing they have no hand in our justification or sanctification Christ the mediator justifieth us and the holy spirit sanctifieth us Answ God speakes oftentimes after the manner of men This is but spoken humanitus after the manner of men for as men cause their servants to take away the foule cloathes off the person which is to be brought before them and put new apparell upon him as Ioseph was brought before Pharao so doth the Lord speake heare after the manner of men Some parts of Prophesies and visions are not to be expounded literally Those parts of visions and Prophecies which seeme contrary to other parts of Scripture we are not to expound them literally but we are to hold that they were onely done in vision Example Ieremiah is commanded to carry his girdle to Babel and there to hide it beside Euphrates Iere. 13.4 these words
Law putteth no difference in the worship of God betwixt the sonne the daughter the man-servant nor the maid-servant nor the stranger Exod. 22.10 but the ceremoniall Law alloweth the Priest to eate his sonne to eate his daughter to eate his servant bought with his money to eate and his servant borne in the house to eate but not the stranger Levit. 22.10 11 12. Why the servant borne within the house and bought with the money might eat the holy things Againe the servant that was bought with his mony and he that was borne in the house might eate to signifie unto us that they who are borne within the covenant they who are bought with the price of Christs blood although strangers before are partakers of Christs sacrifice but these who are strangers still are not partakers of his holy body The Priests daughter when she returned home to her father againe might eate of these lesse holy things so we being married to the law and it having dominion over us Rom. 7 1. we were out of our fathers house and might not eate of this holy bread but being dead to the law Rom. 7.4 and divorced from our sinnes as Widdowes we may come home to our fathers house and be partakers of the holy things Secondly What things the Priest and his sons might eat what things the Priest and his sonnes might eate that which was ignitum Iehovae the sacrifice which was burnt to the Lord by fire as the sinne offering and the Trespasse offering the Priest and his sonnes might eate of them but not his daughters so the Shewbread Levit. 24.9 and it the Shewbread shall be Aarons and his sonnes and they shall eate it in the holy place for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire The Priest and his sonnes might onely eate of the Shewbread but not his daughters but in necessity others might eate of it as well as the Priest and his sonnes as David and his men in necessity eate of it 1 Sam. 21.6 if they might eate of it in necessity much more might the Priests wife and his daughter in their necessity eate of it When the Priest asked David whether his men were cleane or not that they might eate of the Shewbread Quest whether might he have given them that bread in the time of their uncleannesse to eate of it in their necessity or not If it had beene in extreame necessity Ans he might have given them of this bread to eate to save their lives although they had beene in their uncleannesse but he could not have given them it in their lesse necessity when they were uncleane The Iewes have a rule A rule of the Iewes where thou findest a command to doe a thing and a prohibition to forbid a thing and they both cannot be kept then thou must leave the negative and fellow the affirmative Example a Nazarite is forbidden to shave his haire and the Leper is commanded to shave his haire Now when a Nazarite becomes a Leper which of these two shall he follow hee shall leave the negative precept which commanded him not to shave his haire and he shall follow the affirmative and shall shave his haire So the Priest is forbidden to give his daughter any of the Shewbread againe he is commanded to provide for his family now his daughter is like to sterve for hunger which of those two shall he follow he is to follow the affirmative here and to leave the negative So in the Sabbath c. The Place where they eate the holy things Thirdly the place where they were to eate the holy things some things they were to eate by the Altar that is in the Chambers of the Priests hard by the Altar some they were to eate in Ierusalem and some they were to eate in any part of Canaan Some things they were to eate in the Chambers nere the Altar Ezek. 42.14 those things in Levit. 10.12 they are said to eate at the Altar When Ezekiel describeth the Temple here he meaneth the Temple under Christ and the maintenance of the ministery under the Gospel as the Priests who served at the Altar under the law eate of the rest of the sacrifice in their Chambers so the ministers under the Gospell should be maintained now 1 Cor. 9.13 Secondly the lesse holy things they eate them in Ierusalem the Paschall Lambe was eaten within Ierusalem and not in the Temple therefore it was of those lesse holy things Quest The Paschall Lambe being the chiefe thing that represented Christ how is it reckoned amongst the lesse holy things Answ Why the Passeover was reckoned a lesse holy thing It was reckoned amongst the lesse holy things because there was little of it burnt but it was eaten by the people Secondly it could not be eaten as a Sacrament in the Temple for the distinction of the families that must eate it severally they all could not eat it in the Temple So the first Tithe was but a common holy thing or lesse holy and it might be eaten any where but the second tithe was the more holy tithe and therefore behoved to be eaten in the Temple before the Lord. Lastly when they might eat it Something 's they were bound to eate the selfe same day that the things were offred When they were to eat the holy things as the flesh of the sacrifice of the peaceoffering Levit. 7.15 some things might be eaten that same day that they were offered or upon the morrow as the sacrifice of the vow or a free-will offering Levit. 7.16 But they might eate none of the flesh of the Sacrifice upon the third day after it was offered but it was to be burnt with fire Levit. 7.17 18. Now time place distinction of persons No meat of it selfe uncleane and distinctions of meats are all taken away and it entereth not in at the mouth which defileth a man but that which commeth out of the mouth defileth him Matth. 15.11 there is no meat now that is uncleane in it selfe but it becommeth uncleane to them that receive it not with pure hearts Tit. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled and every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4 4. Of pollution by the dead Num. 29.11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be uncleane seven dayes THe pollution of man above other creatures Man more uncleane than any other creature sheweth the effects of sinne which causeth death Rom. 6.23 Hee that touched a dead beast was but uncleane untill the even Levit. 11.24 but he that touched a dead man was uncleane for seven dayes So he that touthe grave or the bones of a dead man was uncleane and therfore they were cōmanded to bury the bones of the dead when they found them in the way Ezek.
the end of all his miseries and therefore is properly called mans day Iob 18.20 The day of a mans death is better then the day of his birth Luc. 2.29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 1 Sam. 28.15 Why hast thou troubled me Iob 3.13 For now should I have lien still and beene quiet I should have slept then should I have beene at rest The Councell of Toledo marketh that Christ wept not at Lazarus death but at his resurrection and this should teach us to moderate our griefe when our friends dye and those whom we love best If ye love me saith Christ yee will rejoyce because I goe to my father Ioh. 14.28 So we should rejoyce when wee see our friends goe to our Father and count the day of their death better then the day of their birth The day of death is worse to the wicked The day of a mans death is better than the day of his birth to the children of God it is better but to the wicked it is much worse the child of God saith in his death as Christ said consummatum est then all teares are wipt from their eyes but to the wicked it is their worst day as the child of God saith consummatum est so they say inchoatum est Luc. 16.25 Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus his evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Death is worse to the wicked man therefore his death is called the death of the uncircumcised Ezek. 28.12 and he dyeth as a foole 2 Sam. 3.33 but the children of God die in the Lord and their death is their rest It may seeme that to be borne is better than death Ob. Ioh 16.20 A woman when she is in travell hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the world She rejoyceth that she hath brought forth a Sonne but we rejoyce not when one dyeth therefore it may seeme that the day of ones birth is better then the day of his death It is better for the woman that she hath a child borne for the continuation of her posterity Answ and therfore she rejoyceth but the day of the childs death is better for himselfe than the day of his birth because then there is an end put to all his miseries In what case may a man choose death rather then life Quest We may chiefely choose death rather then life onely to be rid of sinne as Paul desired Answ to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 but this was onely to be delivered from the body of sinne to prevent sinne it is better not to be than to be Eccles 4.3 for he hath not seene the evill worke which is done under the Sunne Againe it is better for reprobates that they had never beene because of their damnation as it is said of Iudas It had beene better for him that he had never beene borne Matth. 26.21 and it is better to be dead then living that a man may be freed of sinne There is esse Physicum esse morale it is better for a wicked man to be than not to be ratione Physica because he commeth nearer to God who hath his being of himselfe but it is worse to him quoad esse morale magis optandum non esse cum carentia poena quam esse cum poena that is it is better for him not to be without punishment than to be and be punished eternally There is in man instinct reason and faith instinct teacheth him onely to seeke the preservation of his body reason goeth somewhat higher and hath some respect to vertue and honor but yet it is not a right guide to man here when hee wisheth to be dead for feare of shame and such worldly inconvenients Stoici ne foedetur virtus Romani ob inanem gloriam mortem optarunt but faith seeth farther and wisheth this dissolution because it knoweth that the body and the soule shall be joyned together againe after they are separated and purified from sinne A man must not wish death or the grave although he be bitter in soule Iob. 3.20 and afflictions be upon him but onely for sinne If it be said death destroyeth the substance of man but sinne destroyeth onely an accident in man Ob. therefore death should not be desired for the eschewing of sinne Answ Death is not a totall destruction of a man neither is a man turned into nothing when he dyeth neither wisheth he death that he may not be but that this Tabernacle may be dissolved that he may have A building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Observe that men looke diversly upon death First as it is an enemy to nature and so all men abhorre it And the naturall man in this respect calleth it a bitter death 1 Sam. 15.3 Hagag said Surely the bitternesse of death is past Secondly some looke upon it as the wages of sinne Rom. 6.32 then it is a more bitter death and thirdly some looke upon it as a passage to life and then it is to be wished but not for it selfe but for another end as when a sicke man desireth a bitter potion for his healths sake for no evill of punishment is to be desired for it selfe There are two periods set downe here our birth and our death and not our life It is the manner of the spirit of God in the Scriptures to set downe the two extremes and to leave out the midst as Psal 21.8 the Lord shall keepe thy going in and going out that is all thy wayes so Exod. 8.11.5 And all the first borne of the land of Egypt shall dye from the first borne of Pharaoh that fitteth upon the throne unto the first borne of the Maidservant that sitteth behind the Mill here the rest of the people are left out for shortnesse and the two extremes are expressed so Num. 6.4 from the kernell to the huske here the wine which is the midst is left out so Iob. 24.20 The wombe shall forget him and the wormes shall feede sweetly upon him here the birth and the grave include the whole life So here are set downe our birth and our death our two graves the grave out of which we come and the grave unto which we goe Iob joyneth these two together Naked came I out of my Mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither Iob. 1.21 he was not to returne backe to his Mothers wombe againe but he was to returne backe to the grave againe the second wombe and Christ joyneth the belly and the grave Matth. 1â— 4 For as Ionas was three dayes and three night in the Whales belly So shall the some of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth hence it is that the inferior parts of the earth
are both called the Mothers wombe and the grave Psal 139.15 My substance was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth that is in my Mothers wombe and as no man hateth the belly that conceived and bred him so no man should hate the grave which is his second mother He marketh the two extremes here the birth and the death and passeth by our life to teach us the shortnesse of our life the Scripture describeth the shortnesse of mans life sundry wayes First he calleth our dayes anni numeri that is which may bee easily numbered Iob. 16.22 when a few yeeres are come yeeres of number than I shall go the way whence I shal not returne so dies numeri signifie a few dayes Num. 19.20 so homines numeri a few men Deut. 4.27 So Ezek. 12.16 and Esay 10.19 The rest of the trees of his forrest shall be number that a child may write them that is they shall be few and here Iob saith When yeeres of number are come that is a few yeeres that may be easily numbered to note the shortnesse of his dayes Secondly our life is called saeculum Psal 17.14 Thirdly our yeeres are reduced to three score and tenne and if by reason of strength they be fourescore yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we flye away if a man out live threescore and ten he payeth interest for those yeeres much sorrow and griefe Then our yeeres are compared to the dayes of an hireling Iob. 7.1 which was a short time the yeres of an hirling were but three yeeres and the Lord to shew the suddaine destruction that should come upon Moah he saith Esay 16.14 Within three yeeres as the yeeres of an hirling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned that is it shall shortly be contemned so Iob saith his dayes are like the dayes of an hireling that is they are very short They are compared to monthes Iob. 14.5 the number of his monthes are with thee Then they are compared to dayes and to an artificiall day from the sunnerising to the setting of the Sunne they are like grasse which groweth up in the evening it is cut down and whitereth Ps 90.6 and to a watch in the night which was but three or foure houres vers 4. then they are compared to an houre then to a moment and last to nothing Psal 39.5 So our yeeres for the shortnesse of them are compared to a post Iob. 25. Now my dayes are swifter than a post they flyaway see no good they are passed away as the swift ships as the Eagle that hasteneth to her pray Marke the gradation here First Iob compareth his dayes to a post a post goeth on in his journey very swiftly when one horse wearieth he will take another and so goeth on but yet he must rest sometimes Therefore hee goeth further and compareth them to the swiftest ships that are called ships of desire the ship will not weary day nor night yet there may come a contrary winde and make her stay therefore he goeth higher and he compareth his dayes to the Eagle which of all fowles is the swiftest to catch pray and nothing can stay her untill she have obtained it So mans dayes wearies not nothing can stay them in their course but they flye away and hasten to their end So mans life is compared to the weavers shitle Iob. 7.6 this comparison would be marked for the shuttle carieth the threed within it and the weaver tosseth the shuttle too and fro untill the threed be spent and then he cuteth it off So time is the weaver that tosseth the shuttle and our dayes are as the threed within the shuttle which peece and peece are spent and then death cutteth them off So they are compared to a smoke and to a dreame or to a vapour Psal 49. or to the breath of ones mouth and to this the Apostle hath reference when he saith what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Iam. 4.4 Now that our death may be comfortable unto us first we must remember that we are mortall Gen. 2.17 In that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Symachus translateth it Mortalis eris the consideration of mortalitie in Abraham made him to say that he was but dust and ashes Gen. 78.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye but after this the judgement Heb. 9.17 If men dyed not they could not obtaine life eternall for flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption therefore we must either die or be changed And this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality and then we need not to be afraid of death for it shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.50 as the Wise man saith Ecclus 14.12 Remember that death is not long in comming and that the covenant of the Grave is not shewed unto thee The Lord sheweth unto us that we are all mortall and that we must dye but he sheweth not in particular the time when we shall dye and therefore we should be ready at all times Secondly remember the advertisements of death when thou art faint and weary those are Gentlemen Vshers to death when yee feele those messengers remember that the sound of their Masters feet is behind them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cincinni sic dicti quod facile mutantur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutabit 2 King 6.32 We are called in the Scriptures bene hhaloph Prov 31.8 Children of change and the lockes of our haire are called mahhaliphoth mutationes Iudg 16.13 because they are soone changed when our haire beginneth to change once that is an advertisement to death as the wise man saith but many men take no notice of those advertisements when a Sergeant commeth to arrest a man the man absenteth himselfe and will not seeme to be at home yet notwithstanding the arrestment is valide and holdeth good in the Law so those advertisements of death although thou neglect them and seemest not to be at home yet the arrestment shall hold good and thou shalt be enforced to answer at the day appointed Thirdly looke upō the death of others for that he looketh seriously upon the death of others he cannot chuse but that he must remember his mortality 2 Sam. 20.12 When Amasa was wallowing in his blood all the people stood still and lookt upon him when people behold the death of others then it should put them in minde of their owne death Fourthly acquaint thy selfe often with death that it seeme not a stranger to thee when it commeth Hierome set the skull of a dead man before him daily and the Anchorites of old scraped with their nailes some part of their owne grave every day Put not the evill day farre from thee Esay 22.12 When the Lord called the Iewes to mourning yet they put the evill
transgressionum mearum And lastly they oppose themselues against his Gospell they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aven gilajon nuntium vanum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly if ye will respect their dealing with us in civill matters they are worthy to be secluded from the societie of Christians They care not to forsweare themselues to us Christians they are most mercilesse usurers in exacting from the Christians and they who professe Physicke amongst them care not to poyson Christians whom they call Goijm Gentiles And if we shall adde further that no false Religion should be tolerated and the Lord commanded heretickes to be put to death how then should they be suffered in a Christian Common-wealth What Iewes may be sufsered in a Common-wealth and who not But we must put a difference betwixt these miscreants who raile against the Lord Iesus Christ and blaspheme his name and those poore wretches who liue in blindnes yet but do not raile blasphemously against Christ those we should pitie The reasons that should moue us to pitie the Iewes First we should pitie them for their fathers cause the Patriarchs Secondly we should pitie them because Christ is come of them who is blessed for ever thirdly the Oracles of God were committed to them Rom. 3.2 and the law was the inheritance of Iacob Deut. 33.4 they were faithfull keepers of the same to others and they were like a lanterne who held out the light to others although they saw not with it themselues Fourthly when we Gentiles were out of the Covenant they prayed for us Cant. 8.8 We haue a little sister what shall we doe for her So when they are out of the Covenant We haue an Elder brother Luk. 16. what shall we doe for him And lastly because of the hope of their conversion that they shall be graffed in againe Rom. 11. Some Christian Common-wealths admit them but with these Caveats Caveat 1 First that they submit themselues to the positiue Lawes of the Countrie wherein they liue Caveat 2 Secondly that they raile not against Christ and be not offensiue to the Christians Caveat 3 Thirdly that they be not suffered to marrie with the Christians to seduce them Caveat 4 Fourthly that they be not permitted to exhaust Christians with their usurie Caveat 5 Fiftly that they be not admitted to any publicke charge and that they be distinguished from the rest of the people by some badge or by their apparell with these Caveats sundry Common-wealths haue admitted them CHAPTER XVI Of the Synedrion of the Iewes MAT. 5.22 But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Iudgement and whosoever shall say to his brother Raca shall be in danger of the Councell THis word Synedrion is a greeke word but changed and made a Syriack word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sitters in judgement and Sanhedrin are the Iudges who sat in the Councell and the place it selfe was called Synedrion In the Syriack Domus judiciorum The difference betwixt Domus judiciorum and Domus Iudicum and Domus Iudicum differunt Domus judiciorum is the house where the Counsellers met and Domus Iudicum according to the Syriack and Chaldy phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domus Iudicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domus judicij signifieth the Iudges themselues So the Chaldees when they expresse the Trinitie they call it Domus Iudicij because there were three that sat in their lesser Iudicatorie and when Beth dina signifieth the Iudges themselues it hath the point aboue judh but when it signifieth the place of Iudgement it hath the point under judh There were two sorts of these Synedria amongst the Iewes the great Councell and the lesser the great Councell was called â—anhedrin Gedolah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the lesser was called Sanhedrin Ketannah The great Synedrion sate at Ierusalem onely the lesser Synedria sat in other places also and they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicia Allusion Vide Guilelâ— Schickardum de jure regio Ludovic de Dieu The great Synedrion sat in Ierusalem onely and Christ alludeth to this Mat. 23.37 A Prophet might not die out of Ierusalem So O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets Mat. 23.37 The great Synedrion judged onely of a Prophet The great Synedrion divided into fiue parts But Gabinius the Proconsul of Syria divided this great Synedrion which sat onely at Ierusalem into fiue parts whereof he placed one at Ierusalem another in Gadara the third in Amathus towards the red Sea the fourth in Iericho and the fift he placed in Sephra in Galilie And Christ meant of these Councels when he sayes they will deliver you up to the Councels Mat. 10.17 At this time the great Synedrion was divided into fiue parts They shall deliver you up to the Councels and they will scourge you in their Synagogues What meant by Synagogues and Councels by their Synagogues he meant their Ecclesiasticall Iudicatories by the Councels their civill The number that sat in this great Iudicatorie were seventie and two six chosen out of every tribe but for making the number round they are called Seventie the Scripture useth sometimes when the number is not full Retundatio numeri quid to expresse the full number as Iudg. 11.5 Abimelech killed his brethren which were threescore and ten persons there were but threescore and nine of them for Iotham fled So Gen. 42.13 Thy servants are twelue brethren the sonnes of one man although Ioseph was thought to be dead yet to make up the number because he had once twelue sonnes they are called the twelue sonnes of Iacob So Num. 14.33 And your children shall wander in the Wildernesse fortie yeares according to the number of the dayes that the Spyes searched the Land this was spoken to them two yeares after they came out of Egypt yet the number is made up here and it is called fortie yeares So 1 Cor. 15.5 He was seene of the twelue there were but eleven of them at this time for Iudas was dead and Matthias was not chosen as yet yet he calleth them twelue because they were once twelue to make up the number Sometimes againe although there be moe for making round the number they take away some as Luke 10.1 the Syriack hath it the seventie two Disciples yet it is translated the seventie Disciples So the Seventie two who translated the Bible are called the Seventie The Lord charged Moses to gather Seventie of the Elders of Israel Moses said how shall I doe this If I shall choose sixe out of every Tribe then there shall be sixty and two The uncertaine conjecture of Sol Iarchi concerning their Election of the Seventie and if I shall choose but fiue out of every Tribe then there will be ten wanting and if I shall choose sixe out of one Tribe and but fiue out of another Tribe that will breed but
strife amongst them What doth he then He made choise of sixe out of every Tribe and he brought forth seventie two blanke papers upon seventie of the papers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Senex he wrote Zaken senex and upon the two that remained hee wrote Hhelek pars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pars. Now when the Tribes drew their Lots out of the Boxe he who drew Zaken senex Moses said unto him Antea sanctificavit te deus benedictus but he who drew Hhelek pars he said unto him Non cupit te deus The Hebrewes say that Eldad and Medad Num. 11.26 were of those who were written but they went not out into the Tabernacle because they drew Hhelek pars but not Zaken senex they were inter conscriptos say they but not inter electos and so the number seventie is made up without them There were two Presidents in this Councell Two Presidents in the Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princeps the first chosen in respect of his power dignitie and wisedome and he was called Nashi princeps and Rosh hajeshibhah Pater consessus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater Consessus and he it was as the Iewes say that succeeded Moses The order how they sat in Iudgement who was the principall and the chiefe in the Councell and upon his right hand sat he who was greatest amongst the seventie and he was called Abh beth din pater consistorij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater Consistorij the rest sat according to their dignitie and age next to the Prince and they sat in a circuit or a halfe Moone that both the Presidents might haue them in their sight The time when they sat in these Iudicatories The time when they sat the great Iudicatorie sat every day except on the Sabbath and festivall dayes and when they sat the little Synedrion sat but from the morning Sacrifice untill the sixt houre that is untill our twelue but the great Synedrion sat from the morning Sacrifice untill the evening Sacrifice that is untill our three of the clocke in the afternoone What matters were judged in the great Synedrion The matters which they judged in this Iudicatorie were matters of greatest weight as to judge of a false Prophet when to make warres appointing Magistrates for inferior Cities so for cutting off of a Tribe and punishing the high Priest and whether an Apostate Citie should be raised and cast downe or not and they say that none might giue the bitter waters to the woman suspected of Adulterie but this Iudicatorie Num. 5.29 So they say when a man was killed and the killer not knowne none might measure from the place where the man was killed to the next Citie Deut. 21.7 but the Elders of the great Synedrion this case was onely tryed by them So the raising up seed to his brother and pulling off his shoe if he refused these were tryed by the great Synedrion Obiect Bellarmines argument to proue the Pope to be aboue secular Iudges Bellarmine the Iesuite to proue the Pope to be aboue secular Iudges alledgeth Deut. 17.12 The man that doth presumptuously and will not hearken unto the Priest and to the Iudge even that man shall die Here he saith the Magistrate doth onely execute the sentence of the Priest But first ex decreto judicis is not in the originall Answ but according to the sentence of the Law Deut. 17.11 and the word should be read disjunctivè He that hearkeneth not unto the Priest or unto the Iudge c. And by the Priest here is understood not onely the high Priest but other Priests Vers 9. When the high Priest and the Iudges sat together then he that hearkened not to the sentence given by the Iudge and interpreted by the Priest was to die so he who hearkened not unto the Iudge although the Priest was not there was to die for these Iudicatories which are conjoyned are sometimes distinguished Deut. 17.12 2 Chro. 19.8 and they must be interpreted respectiuely as the Lawyers speake In the lesser Iudicatorie When they might judge of capitall crimes in the lesser Iudicatorie they might not judge of a capitall crime unlesse they were twentie three a full number so they judged of a beast that had killed a man or lien with a woman to be put to death Levit. 20.16 The seventie whom Moses chose now at the commandement of the Lord Num. 11.25 The difference betwixt the seventie which Moses chose and the seventie which were chosen at the direction of Iethro differed from the seventie whom he chose at the commandement of Iethro Exod. 18. they excelled the former seventie far in gifts for they had the spirit of Moses upon them and as the Mantle of Elijah when it was put about Elisha then the spirit came upon him The spirit of Moses was not diminished when it was put upon the seventie so came the spirit of Moses upon the seventie and the spirit of Moses was not diminished when it came upon the seventie but the spirit of Moses in that houre was like the middle lamp of the Candlestick from the middle Lamp the rest were lighted but the light of this Lamp was not diminished so the spirit of Moses was not diminished when it came upon the seventie Moses spirit of judgement was upon them all but not his other gifts as Moses was mightie in words and deed but not they Moses was the meekest man in the world but not they One Moses ruling in a Councell will make it famous but to haue seventie like Moses sitting in a Councell for they had the same spirit of ruling which Moses had that made it to excell all the Councels in the world even Areopagus in Athens and the Senate in Rome and if we shall marke the unitie that was in this Councell then we shall more admire it Object Whether had the Seventie this gift of Prophesie continually or not Answ They prophesied for a day but no more therefore the Text said Prophetarunt non addiderunt i.e. prophetare The seventy which Moses chose had not this gift of Prophesie continually and so the phrase is used by the Hebrewes Gen. 8.12 Non addidit redire She returned not againe so 1 Sam. 15. Non addidit Samuel redire ad Saulem that is he saw him no more so Prophetarunt et non addiderunt that is they prophesied that day and no more Conclusion The conclusion of this is the Lord did sit here in the midst of this great judicatorie and he was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was the President of their Councell and therefore they that hearkened not to this Councell were worthy to die CHAPTER XVII Whether a Iudge is bound to giue sentence according to things prooved and alledged or according to his owne private knowledge EXOD. 23 1. Thou shalt not receiue a report put not thine hand
a Iudgâ— doubt in his conscience in such a case what is he to doe Answ Here he is not to giue out sentence for that which is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 That is whatsoever he doth against his conscience Conclusion The conclusion of this is seeing the sentence of judgement dependeth upon the witnesses there is great fidelitie required in them that the Iudge may proceed orderly in judgement and that he make not a false sentence proceed as it were out of the mouth of God CHAPTER XVIII An partus sequitur ventrem GEN. 21.10 Cast out the handmaid and her sonne for the sonne of the bond-woman shall not be heire with my sonne Isaac GOD who is the God of order and not of confusion hath debarred the children from sundry priviledges for their fathers sinnes The children of Heathen Parents were not admitted to the Covenant untill they became Proselytes First if both the Parents were Heathen the Lord secluded the children from the Covenant and they were not circumcised untill they became Proselytes they were not circumcised nomine Parentum in the name of their fathers but when they imbraced the faith were converted Secondly If both the Parents were Iewes and did not beget their children in wedlocke then the children were secluded from the inheritance Iudg. 11.2 Thou shalt not inherite with us because thou art the sonne of a strange woman Thirdly If an Israelite had married a bond-woman then the children were secluded from the inheritance although their fathers were free those who were borne of Handmaids were alwayes reputed servants and God applyed this to Christ himselfe as he was man Esay 49.5 I haue called my servant from the wombe so Esay 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my soule is well pleased Christ as man was a servant Marie called her selfe the Lords handmaide Luk. 1.28 therefore Christ as man borne of Marie the hand-maide was a servant But yee will say Object that things take their denomination from the best part as Water and Wine mixed together is called Wine so Chaffe Wheat mingled together yet it is called Wheat Why then should not the childe be reckoned to be free after his father and not reckoned bond after his mother who is a bond-woman In Physicall mixtures it is so Answ but it is not so in marriage In Physicall mixtures things take their denomination from the better part this is rather like that which is spoken in the Schooles Conclusio sequitur deteriorem partem if any of the premisses be particular so is the conclusion The Doctors of the Iewes propound this case if a Heathenish captiue woman were taken in the Warres she is converted and becommeth a Proselyte whether should her childe be judged to be a free man or not in Israel And they answere that this childe borne of this stranger is not to be counted a free man Verum Senatus suo decreto Lustrari eum tantum curat H. Melahh 8.9 they cause onely to wash him but they will not circumcise him untill he be able to make confession of his faith and become a Proselyte and here they say Partus sequitur ventrem if the mother had beene a free woman either before or after the birth amongst the Romans the childe was reputed to be free but not so amongst the people of the Iewes Wherefore the Iudges in Israell willed all true Israelites not to match themselues unequally in degrees for the disgrace which it brought upon their children making them uncapable of freedome and unfit to be heires Conclusion Difference betwixt the Iudiciall Law and the Covenant of grace The conclusion of this is Here we may see the excellency of the Covenant of grace aboue the Iudiciall Law for if any of the Parents be faithfull then the childe is holy 1 Cor. 7.14 that is he may be admitted to the Covenant CHAPTER XIX An error personae irritat contractum IOSH. 8.18 And the children of Israel smote them not because the Princes of the Congregation had sworne unto them by the Lord God of Israel IT may seeme that Error personae irritat contractum as if a man married one woman in stead of another the marriage is nullified Object If the error of the person make the contract null what shall we thinke of Isaacs blessing who blessed Iacob in stead of Esau and yet the blessing was effectuall and what shall we thinke of Ioshua's Covenant made with the Gibeonites whom he tooke to be strangers and yet the Covenant stood firme and sure and what shall we say of Iacobs marriage with Leah in stead of Rachel Here the marriage was not irritat and made voide although there was an errour in the person First Answ for Iacobs marriage with Leah in stead of Rachel if Iacob had not afterwards approved this mariage Of Iacobs marriage with Leah and gone in unto her and begotten children upon her the marriage had beene voyde but because he went in unto her and begot children upon her this error was taken away Secondly it may be answered for Isaacs blessing Of Isaacs blessing Iacob in stead of Esau in blessing Iacob in stead of Esau Ioshua's Covenant made with the Gibeonites There were three who concurred here First God secondly the persons who craftily concurred here to deceiue and thirdly the persons who were deceived In Isaacs blessing we haue to consider first God who cannot deceiue nor be deceived In blessing of Iacob three persons concurred then Rebecca and Iacob who craftily deceived and thirdly Isaac who was deceived Now because it was Gods intention to giue the blessing to Iacob therefore neither Iacobs craft nor Isaacs error could hinder the blessing Isaac giveth the blessing ignorantly but because it was according to Gods intention and revealed will who was the principall giver of the blessing therefore the blessing was effectuall Ioshua's Covenant with the Gibeonites So in the Covenant with the Gibeonites the Lord commanded to offer peace to the seven Nations if they would seek it now in commeth the deceit of the Gibeonites and errour of Ioshua who is deceived yet because it was Gods chiefe intention that those of the seven Nations who sought peace should be saved therefore the oath stood firme and the errour in the person did not make it voyde and the matter may be cleared thus Simile the Lord forbiddeth a brother to eate with a railer a drunkard or an extortioner 1 Cor. 5.11 but if a drunkard or a railer or an exâ—ortioner should come to the Table of the Lord I am not to refuse to eate at that Table although the drunkard be there The reason is because this is not my private Table but the Lords banquet and I expect the blessing onely from him in it and the sinnes of the drunkard cannot hinder me but if I should bid such a one to my house to eate with me then I should be guiltie
twelue moneths fiue dayes and sixe houres which sixe houres every fourth yeare maketh up a day and this yeare we call leape yeare these eleven odde dayes are not cast away they are insititij dies or ingrafted daies as a graft is grafted in a tree and they are called the Epact because they are cast to to the end of the year for to reduce the Moones course to the course of the Sunne neither are they left as dies desultorij to runne at randome through all the moneths of the yeare This time of the Epact with them is counted as no time and they illustrate the matter thus The embolimie epact counted as no time A man had thirty sonnes and thirty daughters and three which were neither his sonnes nor his daughters but abortives borne out of time these thirty sonnes and thirty daughters were the dayes the nights of the moneths and the three odde dayes after the third embolimie were reserved as insititij dies untill the next embolimie and were no part of the moneths of the yeare untill the seventh embolimie The spirituall use which the Scripture maketh of the Moone is first to shew us the instabilitie of the world therefore Revel 12.1 the Church is the woman cloathed with the Sunne having the moone under her feet to signifie that the Church shall tread under foote the changeable world Secondly as the Moone changeth so doth the life of man Iob 14. while my change come so Prov. 31.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filii mutationis aperi ostuum in causa filiorum mutationis that is for him that is going to be put to death and as we pray when the Moone changeth Lord send us a good change so should we pray especially when we are ready to die that the Lord would giue us a happie change CHAPTER XXVIII Of their Yeare 2 CHRO 24.23 And it came to passe at the end of the yeare or in the revolution of the yeare that the Host of Assyria came up THe Iewes had a twofold beginning of the reckoning of their yeare the first was from Tishri the second was from Nisan They began their first reckoning from Tishri in the moneth Elul their yeare ended and in this moneth their new yeare began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revolutio this was called Tekuphah revolutio anni 1 King 20.26 it was in this moneth that the Kings went forth to battaile 2 Sam. 11.1 And it came to passe when the yeare was expired at the time when Kings went out to battaile They went out to battaile at this time of the yeare because then the heat of the yeare was declining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mensis Antiquorum and the Chaldees called this moneth Mensis Ethanim id est veterum 1 King 8.2 In this moneth they began to reckon before they came out of Egypt because the Iewes held that the world was created in this moneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chaldaicè Pueritia et Hyems this moneth is called Hhoreph pueritia for as Tishri is the beginning of the yeare Gen. 8.22 so the beginning of our age is our childhood Iob 29.4 Their Ecclesiasticall reckoning began in Nisan Their Ecclesiasticall reckoning began in Nisan Exod 12.1 Chron. 12.15 These are they who went over Iordan in the first moneth when Iordan had overstowed all the bankes this was in the moneth Nisan for then the snow melteth upon the mountaines of Libanus and the waters overflow the banks of Iordan Ioh. 4.35 Say ye not there are yet foure moneths and then commeth the harvest that is the Pascha and the Pentecost the first was the beginning of the harvest and the last was the end of the harvest the beginning of the harvest fell in the first moneth of the yeare in Nisan for on the fourteenth day was the Pascha on the fifteenth day they brought in handfuls of new Corne and Zach. 7.1 The word of the Lord came unto Zachariah in the fourth day of the ninth moneth even in Chisleu that is in the ninth from Nisan So the feast of the Tabernacles was kept in the seventh moneth Tishri which is the seventh from Nisan From Nisan they reckoned their feasts What they reckoned from every moneth the reigne of their Kings their contracts bonds and Obligations From Elul answering to our August they reckoned the age of their young beasts which they were to offer to the Lord none of their beasts were offered before Elul Thirdly from Tishri answering to our September they reckoned the seventh yeare of the resting of their land and their Iubilees Vide Buxtor Synag and from this time they reckoned how long their trees were circumcised or uncircumcised Fourthly from Shebat answering to our Ianuary they reckoned all their trees which payed fruit they payed tithe onely of these trees which began to flourish at that time The conclusion of this is Conclusion As the Lord changed the reckoning of the Iewes from Tishri to Nisan because the Iewes then were delivered out of Egypt so the Lord hath changed our reckoning now from the old Sabbath of the Iewes to the new reckoning of our Sabbath because this day our delivery and redemption was finished 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are passed away behold all things are become new CHAPTER XXIX Of their numbring and manner of counting PRO. 3.6 Wisedome commeth with length of dayes in her right hand THey numbered of old three manner of wayes first by their fingers secondly by letters and thirdly by Ciphers First by their fingers for as their first measure was their hand Esay 40.12 Who hath measured the waters with the hollow of his hand and met out the heavens with his span So their first numbering was by their fingers and Salomon alludeth to this forme Pro. 3.6 Wisedome cōmeth with length of dayes in her right hand The Greeks called this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they numbered upon their fiue fingers Lib. 2. Fast so Ovidius Seu quia tot digitis per quos numerare Solemus So Invenal writing of Nestor Sua dextra computat annos They numbered upon their ten fingers because no simple number can go beyond nine and the tenth number is the complement of all simple numbers They numbered first with their right hand upon the left because the right was the most fit hand for action for the spirits lie in the right side of the heart and so make the right hand more fit to doe any thing and the bloud lieth more to the left side and therefore the left hand is not so fit for action Salomon saith that the wise mans heart is at his right hand Eccles 10.2 the spirits enableth his hand more to doe and the fooles is at his left hand because there are not so many spirits in the left side of the heart to quicken the hand but when the spirits encline equally to both the sides then he is Itter jad ambidexter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
two for one Three sorts of Precepts amongst the Hebrewes or foure for one or at the most fiue for one not aboue The Hebrewes had three sorts of Commandements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graviae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Media 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praecepta first they had Mitzboth Hhamuroth Praecepta gravia and Mitzboth Kalloth Praecepta levia those which they call Praecepta gravia here they say the punishment is alwayes indispensable as the murtherer is alwayes to die the death Secondly they had Praecepta levia as not to kill the dam sitting upon the egges this was one of the judiciall Lawes of the lightest sort for there was no punishment in Israel for transgression of this Law so if an Oxe had killed a man his flesh was not to be eaten this was one of their judiciall Lawes but if a man had eaten the flesh of such an Oxe he was not to die for it Thirdly they say they had Praecepta media where the punishment might be enlarged or diminished but not unto death as in theft How affirmatiue and negatiue Precepts bind Affirmatiue commandements binde not so strictly as Negatiues doe this is a Negatiue yee shall not suffer a Witch to liue but this is an Affirmatiue that the theefe shall pay fourefold or fiue this Law had sundry exceptions and mitigations it might be extended or mitigated he was bound to pay fourefold but yet the Magistrate might haue mitigated this and taken but twofold from him and they might haue extended it further as Salomon extendeth it to sevenfold Proverb 6.31 Ieshallem Shibhgnathaijm he shall pay sevenfold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhat the doubling of the duall nūber among the Hebrewes signifieth the Hebrewes double the duall number ten in the duall number is twentie three is thirtie and foure is fortie but when they come to seaven here they double not The light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold then he addeth for explanation as the light of seven dayes Esa 30.26 Here Shibhgnathaijm doubleth not in the duall number as in the former numbers but onely standeth for seven he shall pay Shibhgnathaijm VVhat the number seven signifieth that is seven for one some interpret it a definite number for an indefinite or he shall pay sevenfold that is as much as two for foure but it is not the manner of the Scriptures to take the number under seven for seven or he shall pay seven-fold that is much more then he tooke and the words following seeme to approue this interpretation he shall pay all the substance of his house And sometimes this punishment was extended to death as Davids sentence was that he should die the death because he tooke the poore mans onely sheepe Some answere that it was not for his theft that David gaue out sentence of death upon him but for his oppression and violent theft as if a man had come by night and had broken into a mans house and had stollen any thing then he might haue safely killed him by the Law and he was not to die for it but if he had come after the Sunne rose and had stolen any thing and the owner of the goods had killed him then he was to die for it But out of Davids answere we may obserue this The person against whom the theft is committed aggravateth the sinne that the person against whom the sinne is committed aggravateth the sinne as for a rich man to steale a poore mans sheepe so the time aggravateth the sinne if the theefe came in the night to steale then the owner of the goods might safely kill him because of his violent theft But it may be asked what is violent theft If a man steale to satisfie his hunger that is not violent theft but if a man steale who may get his living other wayes and liue upon the sweat of other mens browes or if he steale from one that hath small means to liue on or if he haue meanes to liue upon who stealeth this is judged violent theft Tom. 1.2 Municipall Lawes bind onely in the Countrey where they are made and the Magistrate for this may put him to death Thomas observeth well that the Magistrate may adde to the judiciall Law of Moses according to the necessitie of the time and greatnesse of the offence and as the Municipall Lawes of other Countries oblige not men but in the Countrey where they are made so doth not Moses judiciall Law A Magistrate in Israel was bound when a malefactor was whipt not to giue him aboue fortie stripes this Law bindeth not the Magistrate now sed crescentibus delictis exasperantur paenae but the equitie of Moses judiciall Lawes bindeth all people this is the equitie of Moses Law that for violent theft a man should alwaies die and the Law judged that violent theft which is not for a mans necessitie to satisfie his life Quest What if a poore man had but a little to saue his life and another were in as great extremitie whether were this violent theft for him to take from the poore man in such a case Answ How Christs words are to be understood in workes of charitie No doubt it were therefore Christ sayth hee that hath two coats let him giue his neigbour one to wit in his necessitie but not he that hath one coat for then he was not bound to giue it Object It is alledged Prov. 6.30 that the theife should pay seven-fold and not be put to death but the jealous husband will kill the adulterer Answ This place proveth nothing it sheweth onely what the jealous husband doth it sheweth not what he may doe And secondly for the theife it sheweth onely what was the usuall punishment amongst the Iewes by their judiciall Lawes to take seven fold but it sheweth not what may bee done by the positiue lawes of other Countries The conclusion of this is Now under the Gospell theft is a greater sinne then under the Law A difference betwixt that which is done and that which should bee done and the necessitie is greater amongst us generally then it was amongst them And thirdly that selling of men to make restitution for things taken by theft is not in use amongst us and therefore theeues may bee put to death CHAPTER XXXIX Of their proceeding in judgement before they executed the malefactor EzEK 9.10 Goe through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the forehead of those that sigh c. Those that were to bee saved the Lord caused to marke them THose who were appointed to be saved amongst the people of God he used to set a marke upon them Exod. 12. When the Egyptians were to be destroyed the Lord commanded his people to sprinkle the bloud of the Paschall Lambe upon the lintels of their doores and from this as Epiphanius marketh Lib. 1.
home divideth the spoyle Psal 63.12 So were the weake sicke and infirme the yong and the old under twentie and aboue fiftie so the captiues and Idolaters all these were exempted none of them payed the halfe shekell or went to the warres Secondly when they pitched about the Tabernacle they pitched their Tents with their faces towards it Num. 2.2 because of the respect that they carried to it They pitched round about the Tabernacle when they rested in their Tents and David alludeth to this Psal 76.11 Let all that be about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared there were three Tribes vpon every quarter Iuda Issachar and Zabulon upon the East Ruben Simeon and Gad upon the South Ephraim Manasse and Benjamin upon the West Dan Asher and Nephthali upon the North Num. 23.10 Who can number the fourth part of Israel Here is an allusion to the Campe as it was divided in foure quarters There were three Tribes on every quarter and a space betwixt them and the Tabernacle and Moses and Aaron and the Priests upon the East the Coathites upon the South the Gersonites upon the West and the Merarites upon the North these lay betwixt the Tribes and the Tabernacle to watch the holy place So betwixt Gods throne and the foure and twentie Elders compassing it were foure living creatures full of eyes Rev. 6.10 In the first place Iudah pitched and removed first The priviledges of Iudah Iudah got the first place of him the Kings were to come he marched first he sacrificed first Numb 7.12 Iudah gaue a Lyon in his Colours Themistocles said it was better to haue a Lyon to be a Captaine to a company of Harts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catulus leonis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo juvenis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo cordatus than to haue a company of Lyons and a Hart to be their Captaine The Lyon is first Gur Catulus Leonis then he is Cephir cum incipit praedari when he beginneth to catch the prey and then he is Labhi when he groweth old First When Iudah was the Lyons whelpe the Lyon and the fierce Lyon Iudah was the Lyons whelpe in Ioshuah's time Iosh 1. when they went out first to Conquer the Land then he was Cephir in Davids time and thirdly he was Labhi Cordatus Leo in Salomons time And in placing of these Tribes ye shall obserue that alwayes with the feebler Tribes there is a warre-like and a couragious Tribe placed as with Issachar and Zabulon two feeble Tribes A warrelike Tribe placed with the more feeble Iudah is placed Issachar was dull like the Asse and loved to coutch betweene two burdens Gen. 49.14 So Iudg. 15.16 Why abodest thou amongst the sheep-folds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sibilare to heare the bleating of the flookes or delighting to whistle by the flockes having no minde to helpe thy brethren in the warres Zabulon had no skill in the warres he dwelt by the Sea-side and gaue himselfe onely to shipping therefore Iudah was joyned to helpe these two weake Tribes so in that vision Esa 21.7 The Asse and the Camell are joyned together the Camell signifying the Medes the more generous people and the Asse the Persians the more dull people In the second companie was Ruben Simeon and Gad Ruben unstable as water Gen. 49.4 So Simeon a weake Tribe divided in Iacob and scattered in Israel Gen. 49.7 now to helpe these they had the warre-like Tribe of Gad joyned with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elegans paranomasia Gen. 49.19 Gad jedud jegudennu vehu jagud gnakabh Gad a troupe shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last the men of Gad were mightie men of warre and had faces like Lyons 1 Chron. 12.8 In the third companie were Ephraim Manasse and Benjamin and Ephraim the most warrelike of the three Ephraim had skill to handle the Bow Psal 78.9 but Benjamin was Ittor jad he could sling with both the hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambidexter 1 Chron. 12.2 In the fourth companie were Dan Asser and Nephthali and of these three Dan was the most valiant Zabulon and Nephthali were a people that jeoparded their liues unto the death Iudg. 5.18 but Dan was their Captaine he came in to saue the taile of the hoast and he was called the gathering hoast and the Lord alludeth to this forme Esa 51.11 I will goe before you and gather you in they left none of the weake behinde them Num. 12.15 and Miriam was shut out of the Campe seven dayes for Leprosie and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in againe David alludeth to this Psal 27.10 Though my father and my mother should forsake me yet thou wilt gather me up Amalek cut off the taile of the Host Deut. 25.17 these are called the hindmost of the Host Iosh 10.19 Every one of these quarters had their Captaine Every one of the Quarters had their Captaine and he was the wisest and most couragious for strength and counsell are for the warres Prov. 10.5 2 Sam. 23.8 the Tachmonite for his wisedome is Ioshebeang he sat in the Councell and for his valour and courage he is called Hadino the Eznite that is who delighted to lift up the speare young and rash youths are not fit to be Captaines such as was Alexander the Great Quando animali additur genitivus famininus pluralis tunc significatur animal illud tenerumesse Gen. 38.7 who ran violently rather thorow the world than by skill or wisedome therefore Dan. 8.21 he is called Hircus caprarum that is a young Goat There were foure memorable things to be observed in this Campe first their order secondly their cleanlinesse thirdly Salus castrametantium and lastly how the Lord provided meat and cloath for them First the order that was in this Campe The order of this Campe. this was Acies benè ordinata and God who is the God of order and not of confusion set them in this order Balaam saw this when he said Num. 24.5 How goodly are thy Tents O Iacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As the vallies are they spread forth as Gardens by the River side as the trees of Lign-aloes which the Lord hath planted and as Cedar trees beside the waters Secondly Mundities the cleanenesse and neatnesse of this Campe for the Lord commanded them when they were to ease nature to goe without the Campe and to take a padle with them and dig in the ground to cover their excrements Deut. 23.12 Thirdly Salus castrametantium there was none feeble in their Tribes Psal 105.37 and pes tuus non fuit fermentatus thy foote did not swell these fortie yeares Deut. 8.4 The Lord provided meat and cloths for this Campe. Fourthly the Lord provided well for this Campe both meat and cloths meat He rained downe Manna from the heavens and fed them with the bread of Angels and for their clothes they waxed not old Deut. 8.4
stood foaming and roaring before them but hurt them not and therfore they were glad to put the skinnes of wild beasts upon them to make the Lyons runne upon them and teare them Thou that art a wicked man and hast no part of this Image of God to defend thee no marvaile if thy dogge bite thee thy horse braine thee or thy oxe gore thee Let us studie then for to haue this Image repaired in us if we would be in league with the beasts of the field Beasts surpasse man in many duties The dogges came and licked his sores The beasts many times out-strip man in many duties The Kine of Bethshemesh went streight forward with the Arke and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left but man many times declineth either to the right hand or to the left and he keepeth not this midst The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Esay 1.3 and Ier. 8.7 Yea the storke in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. And the Lord sendeth man to the Ant to learne wisedome Prov. 6.6 Goe to the ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Balaams Asse saw the Angell sooner then Balaam himselfe and therefore is it that the Scripture calleth men beasts and sendeth them to be taught by beasts which sheweth how farre man is degenerated from his first estate and what a low forme hee is in when the beasts are set to teach him Why God gaue his children a small portion in this life It may seeme strange why the Lord distributeth things so that he giveth such plentie and abundance to the rich glutton and so little to Lazarus seeing the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 God who doth all things in wisdome doth not this without good reason The Lord dealeth with his children in this life Simile as he did with the Israelites when he brought them to Canaan Numb 13.17 When he brought them to Canaan South a barren Countrey he made them to goe Southward into the Mountaines the South was a dry and barren part Iudg. 1.15 Thou hast given me a South-land giue me also springs of water so Psal 126.4 Turne againe our captivitie O Lord as the streames in the South hee prayeth that the Lord would refresh them now in the midst of bondage as the waters refreshed the dry and barren South And Iarchi noteth that the Lord did with his people here as Merchants doe who shew the worst cloath first Simile so dealeth the Lord with his children hee sheweth them the worst first and as at the wedding in Cana of Galilie the last wine was the best so is it here the Lord sheweth his children great afflictions and troubles the South part as it were at first but afterwards he bringeth them to the Land that floweth with milke and honey Secondly he bestoweth these outward and temporarie things but sparingly upon his children that hee may draw their hearts to the consideration of better things he giveth the wicked their portion in this life Psal 17.14 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 but he reserveth the good things for his owne children that is the holy Ghost the graces of the Spirit Luk. 11.9 It is a matter of great consequence to discerne what are the gifts of Gods favour Great skill required in discerning the gifts of Gods right hand many men thinke because they haue wealth and prosperitie they are the gifts of Gods favour and they seeme to stand under the Lords right hand but they are deceived Simile When Ephraim and Manasseh were brought before Iacob Ephraim was set at Iacobs left hand and Manasseh at his right hand but Iacob crossed his hands and laid his right hand upon Ephraims head and his left upon the head of Manasseh Gen. 48. So many men who seeme to stand at the Lords right hand shall be set at his left hand and many who seeme to stand at his left hand shall be set at his right hand Lazarus seemeth to stand now at his left hand but stay till you see him die and the Angels carry him to glory and then yee shall see him stand at the Lords right hand It is a point of great wisedome to know the Lords dispensing hand David prayeth Psal 17.7 separa benignitates tuas as if he should say giue us something O Lord that we may be discerned to be thy children from the wicked for by these outward favours wee shall never be knowne to be thy children The Lord careth not to throw a portion of this world to a wicked man as if one should throw a bone to a dogge but he will know well to whom hee giveth this rich gift of eternall life Death separateth the godly from the wicked And it came to passe that the beggar dyed and the rich man also dyed Death maketh a full separation betwixt the children of God and the wicked the sheepe and the goates may feed together for a while but the shepheard separateth them the wheat and the chaffe may lie in one floore together but the fanne separateth them and the good and the bad fish may be both in one net untill they be drawne to the land and the tares and the wheat may grow in one field for a while until the time of harvest so may the godly and the wicked liue together here for a while Simile but death maketh a totall and full separation Moses said to the Israelites stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene to day yee shall see them no more for ever Exod. 14.13 the red Sea made a separation betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians for ever So death separateth the children of God from the wicked that they shall never meete againe Betwixt us and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us Gods children should haue little medling with the world that would come from thence Luk. 16.26 This should teach the children of God to haue little medling with the wicked why because one day there shall be a totall and finall separation and this is a great comfort to his children oftentimes now they are afraid of the incursions of the wicked and of their bloodie hands but then they shall never be afraid of them The gates of the new Ierusalem were not shut at all Revel 21.25 to signifie that there shall be no feare of the enemie there And he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Here consider three things first how it commeth that the Angels are ministring spirits to man secondly what
Prophets understood these things which they phophecied that in all these sorts of visions and apparitions they understood that which they prophesied and therefore the Prophets were called videntes Seers Iob. 13.1 mine eyes hath seene all these things mine eares hath heard them and I understand them all Pharoah did not understand these things which he saw therefore he was not a Prophet So Belthasser when he saw fingers writing upon the wall he under not that which he saw and therefore he was not a Prophet and so Caiphas understood not what he prophesied Ioh. 11. They were like unto men who are purblind and see not a thing distinctly and therefore desires others to tell them more distinctly what it is The Iewes say of these that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were stirred up by God but they sought not the Lord. And of Balaam they say prophetavit ex voluntate Dei sed non cepit quod prophetavit Daniel at the first understood not the prophesie but the Angel revealed it unto him Dan. 8.17 So the Lord appeared to them in Dreames as he did before to them when they were awake and sometimes these dreames were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dreames in which they saw some shapes and visions as Iacob saw a ladder in his dreame so Abraham in his dreame saw the Carkases and foules lighting upon them Gen. 15.8 Daniel saw the foure monarchies represented be foure visible shapes Dan. 4. and sometimes he revealed himselfe sine symbolo without any visible shape as to Ioseph Matt. 2. and to the wise men Mat. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord was onely author of these dreames therefore Gen. 37.7 when Ioseph is called bagnal chalamoth it is not well translated Lord of dreames for God himselfe is onely Lord of dreames The Seventie translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infomniator and it signifieth not simple a dreamer but him who dreameth often therefore chalamoth is in the plurall number If the Lord revealed himselfe in the forepart of the night as hee did to Abraham then it was called Tardema a dead sleepe 1 Sam. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cecidit sopor domini super eos id est magnus But if in the latter part of the night then it was called chalam a dreame To some hee revealed himselfe in a dreame but he gave then not the interpretation of it as to the Butler and Baker Some had the interpretation of the dreame but not the dreame as Ioseph Nebuchodnezzer had the dreame but Daniel the interpretation of it but the Prophets of God had both the dreame and the interpretation of it as Daniel The heathen sometimes had both the dreame and the interpretation The Prophets had the dreames with the interpretations of them as the Midianites had of the Barly cake Iud. 7. but this was for their destruction but the comfortable dreames and visions with their interpretations were onely revealed to the Prophets for the good of the Church Quest Whether was the revelations by dreames or by visions the more perfect revelation Intensive the revelation by vision was the more excellent Revelatio intensiva Revelatio extensiva but extensive the revelation by dreames was the more excellent and that by vision came nearest to that which was intellectuall for they had no use of their senses in it the visions were presented to their understanding only When we take up a thing by sense Something 's are presented to the sense somethings to the phantasie and some things to the understanding first the sense transmiteth it to the phantasie and then the phantasie sendeth it to the understanding this is the most imperfect sort of knowledge Secondly when the vision is presented to the phantasie onely and the phantasie sendeth it to the understanding this is more perfect then the former And thirdly when the vision is presented to the understanding onely this is a higher degree In the Knowledge which they got by dreames first they had the dreame and when they were awake they got the understanding of it but in a vision they presently understood the thing presented unto them Because the revelation by vision was the more perfect sort of knowledge therefore Ioel saith your young men shall see visions and then he added your old men shall dreame dreames as the more imperfect sort of revelation Ioel. 2.28 Quest It may be asked why God revealed himselfe this way by dreames Ans Reason 1 The reasons were these The reasons why God revealed himselfe by dreames First these things which we begin to thinke upon when we are awake we begin to try them by reason and if reason approve them not then we reject them but in a dreame the mind receiveththings not examining them by reason In matters Divine the lesse that reason have a hand in admitting of them the better it is and here it was better for the Prophets to be ruled by God and fitter for them to be schollers then judges Reason 2 The second reason why he taught his Prophets by dreames was this to let them see how farre his power exceeded the power of man for masters cannot teach schollers but when they are awake and giving heed but God can teach his Prophets in a deepe sleepe and in a dreame which gave the Prophets to understand what great commandement the Lord had over all the faculties of their mindes Reason 3 Hee revealed himselfe in dreames to them to let them understand that death tooke not away all knowledge from man and that there was another way to get knowledge than by discourse or reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How the Lord revealed himselfe to his Prophets by the holy Spirit The third way how the Lord revealed himselfe to his Prophets was by ruah hakkodesh by the holy spirit then the Prophets had all the use of their senses hearing one speaking to them as we doe every one another and seeing c. and the more use that they have of their senses Drusius in Pentateuchum the more unperfect was their revelation Others distinguish this sort of revelation which was by the holy Spirit from that which was properly called prophecie they say these who spake by the holy spirit were Prophets in that sense they were not called to attend still as Prophets such as was David a King Daniel a Courtiour But Esay and Ieremy were Prophets properly so called because they waited still and attended in the schoole of the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fourth way how God revealed himselfe was by vrim thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they are alwayes joyned together except in two places of the Scripture What sort of revelation was by Vrim and Thummim Exod. 17.21 and 1 Sam. 28.8 This was a different kind of revelation from the former for by
this the Priest did not prophesie neyther made songues to the prayse of God but having put on this breastplate it was a signe to him that God would answer these doubts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he asked of him it is called the Brestplate of judgement mishpat signifieth eyther the administration of publike judgements Esa 41.3 or private affaires Pro. 13.23 est qui absumitur absqe judicio that is because his family is not rightly administrat It is called then the breastplate of judgement because the Lord taught his people in their doubtfull cases what to doe The breastplate and the Vrim and Thumim are distinguished by this vrim and thummim Exod. 28.30 Thou shalt put in the breastplate Vrim and Thummim Some hold that the twelve pretious stones set in the brestplate were called vrim and thummim as Kimchi but the Text maketh against that for the breastplate and the vrim and the thummim are distinguished vers 30. Some of the Iewes againe incline most to this sense that these two words vrim and Thummim were set in the breastplate as holinesse to the Lord was written in great letters upon a plate of Gold What this Vrim and Thummim were and set in the forehead of the highpriest But it seemeth rather that they were two pretious stones given by the Lord himselfe to be set in the brestplate and an Ancient Iew called Rabbi Bechai marketh ה demonstrativum that these two are set downe cum he demonstrativo for their excellencie Neyther saith the Lord thou shalt make vrim and thummim as hee sayd of the rest of the ornaments of the Highpriests thou shalt make this or that The letters did not make up the answer It is commonly holden that the letters did shine out of the breastplate of Aaron when the Lord gave his answers to him that he might read the answer by the letters but this could not be as may appeare by the forme of the brestplate following The forme of the Breast-plate When David asked of the Lord 1 Sam. 23.12 will the men of Keila deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord sayd ysgiru they will deliver thee here the letters in the brestplate would have made up this whole answer Iod from Iehuda Samech from Ioseph Gimel from Gad Iod from Levi Resh from Reuben and Vau from Reuben but Iudges 20.8 when the Israelites asked counsell of the Lord who shall goe up first to battell against Benjaman it was answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehuda Battechilla Iuda shall goe up first now there was not so many letters in the brestplate to expresse this answer for there wanted foure letters of the Alphabet in the brest-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 5.23 There wanted foure letters in the Breast-plate when David enquired of the Lord shall I goe up against the Philistimes the Lord answered Thou shalt not goe up but fetch a compasse behind them and come upon them over against the Mulberry trees The letters in the brestplate could not expresse all this therefore it was not by the letters that the Lord answered the Priest but when hee had on this brestplate How the Lord taught the Priest by Vrim and Thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rationale upon him then the Lord taught him what to answer and this brestplate was but a signe unto him that the Lord would answer him as Sampsons hayre was a signe unto him that the Lord would continue his strength with him as long as hee kept his haire how was the strength in Sampsons haire not as in the cause or in the subject but onely as in the signe so in the Apostles garments and shaddow The Vrim and Thummim were a signe onely that the Lord would answer the Priest they were but a signe of their power which they had in healing miraculously and so was vrim and thummim but a signe of this that the Lord would answer the Priest The vrim and thummim were not alwayes with the Arke The Vrim and Thummim were not ever with the Arke for all the time of Saul they asked not counsell of the Arke 1 Chron. 13.3 Let us bring againe the Arke of our God unto us for we enquired not at it in the dayes of Saul they went usually to aske counsell in the Tabernacle and Sanctuarie of the Lord Iud. 20. they went up to Silo where the Tabernacle was to aske the Lord then the Arke was in the Tabernacle but when the Arke was separated from the Tabernacle they might sacrifice in the Tabernacle So they might aske the Lord here by vrim and thummim although the Arke was not there When the Highpriest asked counsell for David at Nob the Arke was not there nor the Tabernacle but onely vrim and thummim but when the Arke and the vrim and thummim were together they alwayes enquired the Lord before the Arke and when they were separated they turned their faces towards the Arke wheresoever it was when they asked counsell by the judgement of vrim and thummim When David was in Ziglag 1 Sam. 30. he asked counsell of the Lord by the Priest but neyther the Arke nor the Tabernacle was ever in Ziglag a towne of the Philistims They asked counsell of the Lord at the Arke by the High Priest When any are sayd to aske counsell of the Lord who were not Highpriests as the Israelites are sayd thrice to aske the Lord. Iud. 20.18 1 Sam. 14.37 23.2 1 Chron. 14. they are understood to have done this by the Highpriest for Num. 27.21 Ioshua is commanded to aske counsell at the Lord by Eleazer the High-priest How he stood who asked counsell by Vrim and Thummim The manner how he stood who asked counsell of the Lord by the Highpriest He shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall aske counsell for him after the judgment of Vrim before the Lord. Num. 27.21 he stood not directly before the Highpriest for then he should have stood betwixt him and the Arke therefore liphne should be translated juxta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a latere or beside the Priest Hee stood by the Highpriest when he asked counsell and hee heard not what tht Lord sayd to the Priest but the Priest gave him his answer The Lord by Vrim and Thummim answered distinctly to every question When two things are demanded of the Lord he answered in order to them As 1 Sam. 23.9 will they come up The Lord answered they will come up So he answered to the second question will they deliver me They will deliver thee They asked not counsell of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim but in great and weighty matters They asked counsell by Vrim and Thummim onely in matters of weight as David after the death of Saul 1 Sam. 2. So 2 Sam. 5. they asked the Lord for the King for the common wealth or for a
originall Copie what is the reason that Origen setteth it not downe in his Octupla as hee hath done other translations and what is the reason that Hierome never citeth it nor followeth it in his translation if it be the originall Reason 5 Fiftly the manner of the Samaritans writing sheweth that this was not the originall which Moses received from the Lord and delivered to the people of God afterwards as you may perceive in the page following out of Exod. 31. from vers 12. to 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exemplar Samaritanum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraiè sic Et dixit Iehova Mosi dicendo Latinè sic tu al loquere filios Israel dicendo nunc il la Sabbatha mea serua tote quia signum est in terme inter vos per generationes vestras ad cognoscēdū quod ego Iehova sanctificans vos et observate Sabbathum quia sanc tum erit illis profanātes illud morte morietur quia omnis faciens in illa opus utique excinde turanima il la emedio populorum suorum s ex di ebus opera beris opus in die septimo Sabbathū sabbatulū sanctum Ie hovae omnis faciens o-pus in die illo sabbathi morte morietur observanto filij Israel ipsum sabbathum celebrando sabbathum per generationes suas faedere aeter no interme inter filios Israel signum erit in aeternum quia sex diebus fecit Iehoua caelum et terram in die septimo quievit et respiravit Exod. 31.12 In English thus And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 13. Speake thou also unto the Children of Israel saying verily my Sabbaths shall ye keepe for it is a Signe betweene me you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you 14. Ye shall keepe the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any worke therein that Soule shall be cut off from amongst his people 15. Sixe dayes may worke bee done but in the Seventh is the Sabbath of rest holinesse to the Lord whosoever doth any worke in the Sabbath day hee shall surely bee put to death 16. Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetuall Covenant 17. It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever for in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Observe the forme of this writing of the Samaritans and yee shall finde it to be meere Cabbalisticall by which they would finde out the diverse readings in framing the lines words and letters and setting them downe after such a curious forme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Cabbalists doe by their Gematrija notaricon and temura that is by the number of letters the diverse significations of them and the diverse situation and placing of them they make diverse senses in the Scriptures as by elbham and ethbhash sometimes putting the last letters for the first and the first for the last sometimes reading up and downe sometimes crosswayes and sometimes from the left hand to the right this we may see in this example of the Samaritan Copie where they summe up the observation the breach and punishment of the Sabbath in a round circle which curiosity the Spirit of God never used in writing the holy Scriptures Christ speaking of the originall Text and the perpetuity of the Law which we have he saith One jote or one title of the Law shall not passe in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to the Hebrew Iod and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not properly translated A tittle as if it made a difference betwixt some letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the top of Daleth from Resh for the Syriacke calleth it Sharat incisura vel incisio the small lines which are in ones hand The meaning is then that not one part of a letter neyther the least letter nor any part of the least letter shall perish hence we may reason from Christs words In that copie whereof the Lord speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Iod must be the least letter but in the Samaritan copie Iod is not the least but the biggest of all the Letters therefore the Samaritan copie is not that copie which Christ spake of י Hebrae but the Hebrew as we may see by the difference of the Letters in the margent here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samarit hence we may gather that this Samaritan letter was abolished in Christs time and therefore wee ought neyther to imbrace the copie nor the Characters as authenticke or originall The Conclusion of this is Conclusion If the light that is in the body be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse Matth. 6.23 The Scriptures are the light of the Church and if the originall Text were corrupted Instrumenta gratiae conjuncta remota how great were the darkenesse of the body God hath Conjuncta instrumenta remota instrumenta gratiae Remota instrumenta gratiae are the Preachers and their writings and they may be corrupted But Conjuncta instrumenta gratiae are the Prophets and Apostles and their writings these the Lord kept from errour and corruption for the good of his Church EXERCITAT XIII That no Canonicall booke is perished Matth. 5.18 Heaven and earth shall passe one jote or one tittle shall no wayes passe from the Law till all be fulfilled WHen a thing wanteth an essentiall part this is the greatest want Secondly when it wanteth an integrall part this is likewise a great defect Defectus Partis essentialis partis integratis ornamenti accidentalis And thirdly when it wanteth accidentall ornaments When the soule is separated from the body here is a separation of the essentiall parts When a man wanteth a hand or a foote then he wanteth an integrall part And when hee wanteth his cloathes hee wanteth some ornaments No booke in the Scripture wanteth any essentiall part There is no booke in the Scripture that wanteth any essentiall part for the Law and the Gospel which are essentiall parts Vide Iunium in Iudam and Perkins reformed Catholike are found in every booke Secondly the Scripture wanteth no integrall part since the Canon was sealed before the Canon was sealed they had as much as served for their infancie but after that it was sealed the whole Canon was compleate and none of those Bookes perished Gods care in preserving the Scriptures Great was the care which the Lord had to preserve the Scriptures First hee commanded the Levites to take the booke of the Law written by Moyses and to put it in the side of the Arke of the covenant of the Lord Deut. 31.26 Secondly the Lord commanded
Iewes say that this division in Parashoth was most ancient but the division into Haphtaroth was later and they give this to be the reason why they reade these Haphtaroth they say when Antiochus Epiphanes forbad them under paine of death to reade the Law of Moses 1 Macch. 2. then they made choise of some parts of the Prophets answerable to these parts of the Law Example because they durst not reade Petorah beresith They read Esay 42. So saith the Lord Creator of heaven and earth Example 2. the second Parasha is Elle toledoth Noah now because they durst not read this they read Esay besiman that is The reading of Moyses and the Prophets more ancient than Antiochus at the signe 54. for that which we call a Chapter they call a signe Sing yee barren c. But is it likely that Antiochus that great Tyrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbad them onely the reading of the five bookes of Moses wherefore the reading of Moses and the Prophets hath beene much more ancient than the time of Antiochus therefore Act. 15.21 Moses is read of old A Phrase which signifieth a great antiquitie When they read Moses Law They read the whole Law in their Synagogues once in the yeere they divided it in fifty and two Sections and they finished it once in the yeere They had two sorts of yeeres there was Annus impraegnatus or Embolimaeus and Annus Aequabilis Annus Impragnatus was that which wee call Leape yeare and it had fifty three weekes Annus impragnatus embolimaeus in this yeere they divided one Parashah in two parts and so they ended the reading of the Law within the yeare When it was Annus Aequabilis then it had but fifty two weeks then they read one Parashah for every Sabbath and in the last Sabbath of the yeare which was the twentie third of Tishri they read that Parashah called Latitia legis which beginneth Ioshu 1. And the next Sabbath they began beresith againe at the first of Genesis These Parashoth were subdivided into so many parts and there were sundrie who read these parts upon the Sabbath hee that read the first was called Cohen the Preist hee repeated the first part of the Section and then rose up Catzan or Cantor who did sing the same part which the Priests had read then there rose up in the third place a Levite and he read his part Fourthly there rose up an Israelite and hee read his part and at last it came to Maphtir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cessare in hiphil dimittere and hee read the last part of the Haphtorah he was called Maphtir because when that part was read the people were dismissed and so the Latine Church said Ite missa est In the weeke dayes they read upon the second and the fift day of the weeke some part of those Parashoth but not the whole and the Pharisee meant of these two dayes when he said I fast twise in the weeke Luk. 18.12 The Greeke and Latine Fathers never cite Chapters as we doe now Augustine in his booke of retractations Cap. 24. saith not I have written to Genesis 3. but this wayes I have written to the casting out of our parents out of paradise And Gregorie in his Prologue upon the first of the Kings saith I have expounded to you from the beginning of the booke unto the victory of David Who divided the Scriptures first into Chapters it is not certaine they were divided of old two manner of wayes first they divided them into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 titles for so they called the greater parts and then into Chapters as into lesser parts others againe divided them into Chapters as into greater parts It is holden that Musaeus presbiter Ecclesiae Massiliensis divided them first into titles and subdivided them into Chapters Genebrard Chronologia According to this first division Matthew had sixty three titles and three hundreth and fifty five Chapters So Luke according to the ancient division had forty eight titles and three hundreth and forty eight chapters He who began this latter division into Chapters is holden to be Hugo Cardinalis according to this division Matthew hath twenty and eight Chapters and Luke twenty and foure c. Lastly it was divided into verses this division into Pesuchim or verses the Masoreth found out first amongst the Iewes The Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger calleth them Commata and Robertus Stephanus calleth them Sectiunculas and some hold that it was hee that found them out first amongst us EXERCITAT XIX Of the sense of the Scriptures THere is but one literall sense in the Scriptures which is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 To make divers senses in the Scripture is to make it like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Anaxagoras dreamed of making Quidlibet ex quolibet August Epist 48. Augustine writing to Vincentius justly derideth the Donatists who constructing these words Cant. 1.7 Tell me o thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noone They gathered out of them that the Church of Christ was onely in Africa by their allegoricall application Origen was too much given to these allegories and therefore he missed often the true sense of the Scriptures These who gathered divers senses out of the Scripture doe little better with them than Esope did with an inscription written in a pillar of Marble in which were written these seven letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esope first read them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est abscedens gradus quatuor fodiens invenies thesaurum auri But Xanthus his master finding as he had spoken a great treasure of Gold and giving nothing to Esope for his conjecture kept all to himselfe therefore Esope read them another way thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est qui tollitis dum abitis dividite quem invenistis thesaurum auri But when Esope got nothing in a rage he read it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est redde Regi Dionysio quem invenisti thesaurum auri The Iewes hold that there is a literall sense in every Scripture and a mysticall sense the literall sense they call Dabhar keton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rem parvam and the mysticall sense they call it Dabhar gadol rem magnam the literall sense they call it peshath sensum nudum and the mysticall sense they call it darash and most of the Schoolemen hold that there is a double sense in the Scriptures Latomus the Papist saith Theologiam crassam versari circa literalem sensum theologiam subtiliorem versari circa mysticum allegoricum sensum and they call the literall sense panperem grammaticum and the allegoricall Divitem theologicum the rich and theologicall sense But we must strive to finde out the literall sense of the Scriptures