which were commanded to be put into the High Priests Breast-plate that these Sacred Characters which were written at first with Gods own hand it is probable as the Moral Law was represent unto us something that is Spiritual and Mystical First then These relate to the High Priest and the Holy Function of the Ministry Those who are appointed to this Office are the Lights of the World And they must be as it was said of Iohn the Baptist Burning and Shining †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uro luceo Lights They must with Zeal Inform and Instruct the People they must Enlighten and at the same time Warm Mens Minds And the Thummim must be the individual Companion of Vrim i. e. They must be Men of Integrity and Vprightness Faithfulness and Sincerity which are also called Truth and so the Translation of the Seventy is very Agreeable who render Thummim Truth The short is That those who are employ'd in the Sacred Ministry must speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. They must deliver Gods Word Plainly Impartially Faithfully Truly and they must add Integrity of Life and Manners which make them in some measure Perfect Secondly These words relate to the Law of God which is so often called a Light Thy word saith the Psalmist is a Lamp to my feet and a Light unto my path Psal. 119. 105. The Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light saith Solomon Prov. 6. 23. Therefore it is said The Commandment of the Lord enlightens the Eyes Psal. 19. 8. And in Psal. 119. 130. It giveth Light The same Inspired Person tells us That the Law of the Lord is Perfect Psal. 19. 7. And it is This Divine Law which the Psalmist calls the Truth Psal. 119. 142. So that you see the Urim and Thummim may relate to This. Yea as they refer to this Law or Will of God the Revelation of it may be signified by Light and the Effecting and Accomplishing of it may be signified by Perfection Thirdly They have respect to a Higher Matter they represent and set forth Christ Iesus our High Priest He is the True Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World John 1. 9. and therefore he calls himself The Light of the World John 8. 12. When this arose the Shadows fled away Darkness and Night vanished and all became Clear and Bright This Sacred Oracle which was represented by That in Aaron's Pectoral did not speak Ambiguously but Plainly and Distinctly we are by it taught what we must believe and what we must do He is Truth it self as well as Light he is of such Faithfulness and Integrity that he will not deceive us In this Infallible Oracle Doctrin and Truth Light and Integrity Illumination and Perfection meet together The Jewish Vrim and Thummim were lost at the Captivity of Babylon and wanting at the Peoples Return Ezra 2. 63. neither do we find that God answered by them any more But Christ the Word is a Neverâ—failing Oracle and shall indure for ever In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily And we also are compleat in him who is the head Col. 2. 9 10. Thus the Vrim and Thummim were a Type of our Lord Iesus Christ the Great High Priest who is truly our Light and our Perfection You see then how Significant these Two Words are and by consequence how worthy they were to be written by the Finger of God himself and placed on the High Priest's Heart It was impossible to couch more in two single words than you see is here comprehended Whence we may conclude That the Writing or Ingraving of these was all that Moses here meant and consequently that those Writers have mistaken the Text who have imagined that some Precious Stones or Images or some such things were put into the High Priest Pectoral and that they are here called Urim and Thummim Thus I have given you an Account of the Different Opinions of the Learned concerning this Extraordinary way of Revelation stiled Urim and Thummim And I have presented you with my Own Thoughts which as I conceive are the most plain natural and simple account of this Divine Oracle I have likewise indeavoured to inform you what was the Higher and Spiritual Meaning intended by the Holy Ghost The third Text enquired into viz. Judges XI 30 31. And Jephthah vowed a Vow unto the Lord and said If thou shalt without fail deliver the Children of Ammon into my hands Then it shall be that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my House to meet me when I return in Peace from the Children of Ammon shall surely be the Lord's and I will offer it up for a Burnt-offering THis Remarkable Vow of Iephthah and the Manner of the performing of it have frequently employed the Thoughts and Pens of the Learned who according to their different Apprehensions of the Words have decided this Controversie in a different manner Some confidently assert that Iephthah did not Sacrifice his Daughter but others on the contrary maintain that he did And besides this there is another Question on supposal that he did Sacrifice her viz. Whether it was well done of him or no These are the Particulars which will fall under our Enquiry at present but especially I shall entertain the Reader with the latter of them and there endeavour to shew what was the Rise of this Inhumane and Extravagant Action and what Reason may be given why this Generous Commander this Noble Warrior was so eager of shedding the Blood even of his own Daughter yea when it was so absolutely contrary to the Law which this Great Man could scarcely be ignorant of Here I hope to give some light to this Controverted Cause by assigning the True Spring of that Strange Action and by discovering what was the Over-ruling Design of Providence in it which hath not been enquired into by others that I have met with on this Subject But first Let us hear what those say who embrace the Negative viz. That Iephthah did not Sacrifice his Daughter To make this good they hold that there are two distinct parts of the Vow 1. Whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my House to meet me shall surely be the Lords 2. I will offer it up for a Burnt-offering And they put them together thus Whatsoever cometh c. shall surely be the Lords or I will offer it up c. They read Or instead of And for the Copulative Vau they say is sometimes Disjunctive in Scripture and so it is here in this Vow the Hebrew Particle which is here translated and should be rendred or for Iephtha's words are to be taken Disjunctively and his Vow was no other than this Whatever I first meet with coming out of my House shall either be dedicated to the Lord or I will Sacrifice it for a Burnt-offering It was a Conditional Vow i. e. If it were a thing fit to be Sacrificed he would Sacrifice
put and I will write are Synonimous Terms and so in the Greek of the Seventy and the * Heb. 8. 10. 10. 16. New Testament where this place of Ieremiah is quoted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus you see that according to the Idiom of the Holy Language putting or giving is understood and interpreted of Writing To farther this Notion I could add that Giving hath the same Acception in other Tongues as in the Greek besides what hath been said already 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is equivalent to Scribere according to that of Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prefer a Bill or Writing against one And in the Latin 't is well known that dare literas is meant of writing Epistles or Letters And in our own Language dated or given is the same with written However 't is certain that the Hebrew word Nathan is of a very large Extent in Scripture and is no less applicable to Writing than to many other things Thus in the Text Thou shalt give in the Breast-plate the Urim and Thummim may well be rendred Thou shalt write them in the Breast-plate this being one way of giving for in Writing there is something put or given into the Writing-Table Paper or Book or whatever else the Writing is in 3. We read that This very thing was done in the Pontifical Habiliments Certain Words were Written or Put upon some part of the Holy Garments Exod. 28. 36 Thou shalt make a plate of pure Gold and grave upon it HOLINESS TO THE LORD Observe here These words HOLINESS TO THE LORD were writ on a Plate and put on Aaron's Forehead Why then might not these words URIM and THUMMIM be written on something and put in the Breast-plate of Aaron One Writing is a Pattern of the other the words URIM and THUMMIM in the Breast-plate answered to Those HOLINESS TO THE LORD in the Head-plate or Mitre And though they are not said to be Graven yet it is said they were Put upon which is a large term and comprehends the other 4. We have a Parallel place in Zach. 14. 20 In that day shall there be upon the Bells of the Horses HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD The Prophet here speaks of the Glorious days of the Gospel when True Holiness which was shadowed forth by the Mosaick Purifications and Cleansings shall take place in the Church when Men shall universally turn to God and dedicate themselves wholly to Him and his Service True Sanctity shall then be the Ornament and Lustre of their Lives Yea their very secular and inferior Imployments shall be devoted and made Serviceable to Holiness In that day shall there be upon the Bells or the Bridles so the Hebrew word signifies likewise of the very Horse Holiness unto the Lord Instead of their Curious Harness and Trappings there shall as it were be written or Ingraven upon them these words Holiness unto the Lord the very words which were commanded to be written in the Front of the High Priest's Mitre This shall be their Ornament and Bravery I do not think nor doth any Man else I suppose that these words shall be really written on the Horses Bells or Bridles but I alledge this place for this that 't is spoken and expressed as if such words were written because they were so in effect The manner of expressing the thing is that which I observe here as pertinent to our purpose Mark It is not said there shall be written or ingraven but there shall be upon the Bells of the Horses And it is not said there shall be these words but plainly and simply there shall be Holiness to the Lord. So here it is not said thou shalt write but thou shalt put and it is not said thou shalt put these words but thou shalt put the Urim and Thummim Yet as in the former place Writing and Ingraving is understood so it is here These Individual Words Urim and Thummim are to be written or Ingraven on the High Priests Breast-plate as the words Kodesh Laihovah i. e. Holiness to the Lord were to be seen in effect written or ingraven on the Trappings of the Horses 5. There is another place of Scripture to illustrate this and to let us see that it is probable the words Urim and Thummim were to be Written though it is not said so in express terms The King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way to use Divination he consulted with ‖ Teraphim Hebr. Images at his right hand was the Divination for Jerusalem Ezek. 21. 21 22. The Preposition for is not in the Hebrew Text but only Ierusalem for here is described the Pagan way of Diâ—ination and particularly how the King of Babylon undertook by his Heathen Art to predestine the Slaughter and Destruction of Ierusalem namely as Haman cast Lots in his Divining way to know what days were fittest and best for the Slaughter of the Iews He commanded Pur i. e. the Lot to be cast from day to day Esther 3. 7. This sort of Divining Lottery is used here by the King of Babylon who had a Scheme before him as was the Custom in these cases of what he intended to enquire about and accordingly in his right hand was the Divination Ierusalem so it is in the Hebrew i. e. Ierusalem was the Word which was written on that part of the Lots The meaning then is that the Magical Divination or Lottery went clearly against Ierusalem that City was to be destroy'd This is the short way of Scripture Expression At his right hand was the Divination Jerusalem which more largely should have been expressed thus At his right hand was the Divination which respected Jerusalem and to distinguish it from the rest the word Jerusalem was written upon it So here the like Abbreviating stile is used Thou shalt put the Urim and Thummim in the Breast-plate i. e. Thou shalt distinctly write down these two words Urim and Thummim and then place them conveniently in that part of the Ephod 6. Let this be considered That the Inspired Pen-man of the Book of Exodus is very Exact and Particular about all the Habiliments and Ornaments of the High Priest in the 28th Chapter How Punctual is he about the two Great Onyx stones on the Shoulders of the Ephod from the ninth to the thirteenth Verse And the setting of the twelve Precious Stones in the Breast-plate is precisely described from the seventeenth to the thirâ—ieth Verse But when he comes to speak of the Urim and Thummim he uses no Description at all but only mentions the Bare Names Urim and Thummim whence any Observing Man may perceive that these were some Easie and Plain thing which needed no Explaining and Inlarging If it were not so we should have the manner of the putting of the Urim and Thummim into the Rationale particularly set down as you see other things in that Chapter are punctually described He that hath any
fit Epithet of the Messias who is * Rev. 1. 5. the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and ‖ Luke 1. 32 33. shall be great and shall reign for ever and of whose Kingdom there shall be no end This is the King foretold in Ier. 23. 5. that shall reign and prosper that shall be Victorious and Triumphant that shall be both a Saviour and a Conqueror And therefore to this purpose that is very observable which we read concerning our Saviour's ‖ Matt. 21. riding in state into Jerusalem upon an Ass for in Palestine even their * Iudg. 10. 4 Princes and Nobles rid upon Asâ—es It is said the officious People ‖ Mat. 21. 8. spread their Garments in the way which was a Testimony of Subjection to Kings 2 Kings 9. 13. There was the like Custom used among the Gentiles as their * Plutarch in Catone Vtic. Aeschil in Agamemn Writers assure us And some of this transported Multitude †V. 9. cut down branches from the Trees and strowed them in the way And other Branches without doubt they carried in their hands as an Emblem of Victory and Triumph for this was an usual Practice among several Nations The Evangelist St. Iohn relating this passage tells us That they took Branches of Palm-trees and went forth to meet him ch 12. v. 13. For it was the Custom on such an Occasion to make use especially of the Boughs of this particular Tree because it was generally held to be a Symbol of Victory of which †L. 3. c. 6. Aulus Gellius and ‖ Sympos l. 8. c. 5. Plutarch pretended to give the reasons viz. Because this is a firm and durable Tree and had Leaves always green whence you read of * Ps. 92. 12. flourishing like the Palm-tree and from a Vulgar Error that prevail'd about this Tree i. e. That the more weights are laid on it the higher it riseth Whence Palma among the Latins signifies Victory and the Reward of it And 't is certain that the Branches of this Tree were used in Triumphs both among the Greeks and Romans and were the Recompense of Conquerors Accordingly the Iews here who in many things followed the Usages of other Nations to express their Triumphal Joy at the Arrival of the Blessed Iesus took Branches of Palm-trees and went forth to welcome him to Ierusalem Yea 't is no wonder that the Iews in particular who were used to this Solemnity and did yearly carry and hold up Boughs of Trees ‖ Neh. 8. 15 on their Feast of Tabernacles 't is no wonder I say that these Iews when they saw Iesus coming made use of this Ceremony and cried Hosanna to him as you read they did for at that Feast they used to sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for shortness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hosanna And the Talmud informs us that these very Boughs and Branches of Trees which they lifted up were called Hosanna's by them Here then 't is worth our observing that at our Saviour's Triumphal Câ—valcade through the Streets of Ierusalem they received him with this particular Acclamation and Applause and that they bore their Hosanna's in their Hands and brought them to the Son of David and acknowledged him by this Gratulation to be their Messias and Saviour for the English of Hosanna is Save us now And thus this Gratulatory Acclamation exactly agrees to him who is the Iesus the Saviour the Deliverer and who is the Shiloh the Prosperous the Triumphant Therefore I take it to have been by a particular Direction of Heaven that our Blessed Lord at his entrance into Ierusalem in Triumph was received with repeated Hosanna's from the People for Saving and Triumphing go together I find the concurrence of these two in Zechary's Prediction of our Saviour in ch 9. v. 9. a Prophetical Passage which all the antient Jews understood of the Messias but it is needless to produce their words or give you their names this being so amply and satisfactorily performed by a ‖ Bochart de Animal Sacr. l. 2. c. 17. worthy Writer of this last Age Behold thy King cometh unto thee He is just and having Salvation lowly meek in himself but riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass as a King in Joy and Triumph Thus he was a Saviour and a Triumphant King and if he had not been the former it was impossible he should have been the latter It is true he was pleased to submit to Death and the Horrours of the Grave but he soon rescued himself from them and ascended Triumphantly to Heaven ‖ Acts 2. 36. God made that same Iesus who was crucified both Lord and Christ and †Eph. 1. â—0 c. hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church We might here also recount the wonderful Success of the Christian Religion in the World how it was planted and propagated even against the powerful Inclinations and most inveterate Customs of Mankind how it broke all their Measures and made its way through all Difficulties how it thrived and flourished when it was most opposed and persecuted In a word how it miraculously prevailed maugre all the Force and Power all the Wit and Policy of its malicious Adversaries From this one Consideration alone we might demonstrate the Vertue of this Name Shiloh and give undeniable proofs that our Lord most deservedly had this Title i. e. That he was Prosperous and Successful And when at last he shall take to himself his most Absolute Power and Soveraignty and reign in the Christian Church as ‖ Rev. 19. 16. King of Kings and Lord of Lords when in those Halcyon days in that Glorious Jubilee of the World ‖ Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdoms of the Earth shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ then we shall with rejoycing and Exaltation proclaim admire and extol this Name Shiloh we shall then with gladsome Experience acknowledge that He and his Cause alone prosper upon the Earth we shall confess that all his Blessed Enterprizes for his Church are Succesâ—ful Briefly we shall adore him as our Compleat Shiloh our Saviour our Peace-maker our Prosperous Messias Thus I have been large in interpreting and explaining this Antient Name of the Messias and you see what an Illustrious and Glorious Title it is I have this yet farther to observe that in some of the most notable and eminent Prophesies in the Old Testament concerning Christ these three things which are comprehended in the Name Shiloh are particularly and distinctly mentioned and are all found together Thus in Psalm 72. which is a clear Prediction concerning the Messias as the
I leave every one to his liberty It may be some do not apprehend the Singularity and Fitness of this Derivation which I have offered However it is sufficient for my general Purpose in this Discourse that the Tiâ—â—e Shiloh whether we embrace this or the other Derivations is agreeable to the Messias and belongs to Him and none other This is the unanimous Opinion and Suffrage of the most Learned Iews themselves I say of the most Learned for though there be some Iews who by Shiloh understand Neâ—uchadnezzar others Ieroboam others David and some the City Shiloh where Saul was elected King and though there be some other wild and fanciful Opinions of the Rabbies concerning the Interpretation of this word yet all the wise and sober Writers among the Jews all those who are of greatest Learning and Judgment deride these Conjectures and ingenuously profess that Shiloh is the Messias's Name The three Chalaâ—ee Paraphrases interpret the word thus and so R. Solomon and all the ancient Rabbies understand the place In several places of the ‖ Sanhedr c. 11. Nedarim c. 4. Pesachim c. 3. Talmud it is clear that the Hebrew Doctors thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was one of the Names of the Messias and they quote this Text for it The Author of Bereshith Rabba an antient Piece asserts the same in express terms viz. Shiloh is the Messias Aben Ezra Kimchi Bechai later Doctors hold the same Still though there be different Derivations of the word they all agree in this that it is meant of the Mâ—ssias If then all the Antient and some of the Moderâ— Hebrews of the greatest Note and Learning acknowledge Shiloh to be the Name of the Messias or Christ I think no Man of the Christian Perswasion will be averse from acknowledging it but will rather admire and magnifie the Divine Providence in affording such a clear and notable Testimony from the Mouths and Pens of our professed Adversaries It being thus universally agreed who is meant by Shiloh in this famous Prophesie let us now summ up the plain meaning of the whole The Scepter shall not depart c. that is the Government of the â—ewish Nation shall ever reside in the Posterity of Iudah till a greater Governour cometh till He that was the Desire of all Nations He that is the MESSIAS the Deliverer and Saviour the Peaceable the Prosperous blesseth the World with his arrival â—hen and not before the Jewish Government shall depart and so depart that it shall never return again This is the meaning of 〈◊〉 and this we must carefully observ◠〈◊〉 â—he expounding of this Prophâ—â—â—â— For I find that most Authors have stretched this Prophesie too far and have thereby made themselves justly liable to the Objections of the Iews And indeed they can never maintain this Prediction against them upon the grounds on which they proceed viz. That the Scepter is to be taken in these words precisely for the Kingly Power and that the departing of this Scepter from Iudah is meant of any departing though it were but for a little time This cannot be the meaning of the words for then the Scepter may be said to have departed from Iudah when the Jewish Nation was carried Captive into Babylon when the Dignity of the Kingly Majesty was taken away by Nebuchadnezzar about five hundred years before Christ And after it under the Kings of Persia and after the Ruin of that Empire under Alexander's Successors there was a kind of departing of the Scepter But it was not properly a Departing it was rather an Interruption and a Cessation for a time but that is not the thing spoken of in this Prophesie The Text is not meant of a Departing for a Time of an Interregnum or partial Failing but of a full and total Departure which happened not in the foresaid Instances Nay it is certain that all that while the Administration of the Jewish Commonwealth remained in those who were of the Line of Iudah viz. the Seventy Elders who had the Power in their hands These as the Iews tell us failed not to be of the Race of Iudah and David But the Asmonaei who were the last Set of Governours among the Iews were noâ— of the Tribe of Iudah but of Levi they being Priests Wherefore we must freely acknowledge that the Iewish Government was not tied to the Tribe of Iudah and consequently we must not restrain this Prophesie as some do as if the Scepter should not in the least be removed from the Tribe of Iudah before Christ came For 't is certain that the Scepter did not continue in this Tribe all the while and therefore in my opinion Helvicus might have saved all his pains in endeavouring to demonstrate that there was a Continuation of the Scepter in Iudah's Tribe Which thing indeed he hath with great Learning and Skill in History attempted to make good and he hath said as much towards the proof of it as any Man upon Earth could have done but still all of it falls short of what he undertook because the matter it self would not bear it and he went upon a wrong Hypothesis viz. That the word Iudah in this Prophesie is to be restrained to the Particular Tribe of Iudah Whereas it is to be taken in a larger Sense as is most frequent in Scripture i. e. for the Iewish Race or People The Scepter the Supreme Power and Authority continued in the Race and Line of the Jewish People till the Coming of Christ. And even in those times when the Scepter or Royal Dignity failed for a Season yet the Law-giver if we will take it in the strictest Sense never failed at all for the Iews had their own Laws and Customs And neither the Scepter nor Law departed wholly from the Jewish Nation in any of those Times before mentioned It departed not in Zedekiah the last King of the House of David nor in Zorobabel nor in the Failure of the Maccabean Family I say it departed not wholly though 't is granted that for a time and in some part it was taken away Yea when Iehoiakim broke his Oath and Covenant and rebelled against the King of Babylon the Scepter departed from Iudah for a time as Ezekiel observes on that Event so that Judah hath no strong rod to be a Scepter to rule ch 19. l. v. But when Shiloh the Messias came it remained no longer it was wholly cut off and ceased so as not to be any more Now was the Determinate Time come for that is implied in these words till Shiloh come which signifie a Set Period of time It remains then that I shew you that This was the Time of our Saviour's Coming and that it was the Precise Time The Scepter i. e. the Jewish Government was not totally abolished till Christ our Blessed Lord came but at that very time when he came i. e. when he was born the Jewish Polity was utterly destroy'd and null'd so as never to be recovered again Yet
it otherwise not he would Dedicate and Consecrate it to God or something in the lieu of it If a Dog or an Ass had been first met by him he was not ingaged to Sacrifice them Neither if he met with a Man or a Woman was he bound to offer them in Sacrifice but only he was to act according as the Creature was which he met with Now Iephthah they say performed the first part of his Vow and that was sufficient He offered and Consecrated his Daughter to the Lord he devoted her to a Virgin-State all her Life which appears from the Connection of those words He did according to his Vow and she knew not a Man v. 39. One is Exegetical of the other which sheweth that Iephthah kept his Vow in separating his Daughter to a single Life for ever She was not Properly but Metaphorically Offered and Slain i. e. she was to keep her Virginity perpetually This Civil Death passed upon her Which is confirmed by what you read in v. 40. The Daughters of Israel went yearly to ‖ Letannoth ad lament andum à tanan lamentari R. Iarchi Chald. Paraphr lament or as others render it to * Ad confabulandum à tanah narrare confabâ—lâ—ri R. â—imchi Iun. Trem. Buxtoâ—s talk with the Daughter of Jephthah Whence they gather that Iephthah did not Sacrifice his Daughter but only made her a kind of a Nun in some solitary place he secluded her from all Society excepting that the Daughters of Israel were permitted to go and spend three or four days in a Year in Lamenting and Condoling her perpetual Virginity and in Talking and Conferring with her and in Comforting her concerning her Solitary Condition and her being kept from Marriage Thus her Life was spared she fell not a Sacrifice but was Consecrated to God and his Service she was devoted to a single Life and was to remain a Recluse all her days This was the opinion of R. Kimchi and some other Jewish Expositors and they are followed not only by some of the ‖ Arias Montanus Pagnin Vatablâ—s Estius Pontificians who perhaps might think of Celibacy and a Nuns Life but by * Iunius Lud. de Dieu Broughton Perkins Drusius Grotius Heinsius Selden several of the Reformed Churches Secondly Others and with more reason are for the Affirmative viz. That Iephthah really sacrificed his Daughter For what is or can be more plain than that in v. 39. He did with her according to his Vow which he had vowed What was this Vow There is all the Difficulty And yet if you enquire narrowly into it you will find that the Difficulty vanisheth for the Vow is very plain and intelligible Whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my House to meet me shall surely be the Lords and I will offer it up for a Burnt-offering He saith whatsoever which shews that it was no Conditional Vow as those of the other side pretend but an Absolute one He unadvisedly made a Vow to Sacrifice whatsoever he met in his return from the Battle if he proved a Victor When the Vow is thus Large and General it is ridiculous to think or say the contrary viz. That it was a Conditional Vow and it is as irrational to distinguish between a Copulative and a Disjunctive Vau in this place though 't is granted that in some other Texts it is allowable because the very Sense and Meaning of the words direct us yea constrain us to it but here is no occasion for it in the least Wherefore this nice distinguishing between one Vau and the other and between Offering to the Lord and Sacrificing is altogether groundless and you may see it cashiered by what is expresly mentioned in the following Narrative in this History for 't is positively said that Iephthah upon his return home and meeting his Daughter * V. 35. Rent his Cloaths What was the reason of this If his Vow had been Conditional or Disjunctive as some would have it there was no ground at all for this his Behaviour there was no occasion of Sorrow and Distraction if the Sacrificing his Daughter were not included in his Vow if it were in his choice to offer her to the Lord i. e. to dedicate her to him or to Sacrifice her on the Aâ—â—ar yea if he were at liberty by vertue of his Vow to kill a Beast instead of his own Child If the case was thus he had no reason to lament and rend his Cloaths to vex and mortifie himself which we find him doing here But it is plain by this Action of his that things were otherwise with him and that he had some Dreadful and Fatal Tidings to impart to his Daughter which were real matrer of Lamentation and that the Contents of his Vow which so nearly concerned her Life were the cause of his Trouble and Sorrow This appears from what follows * V. 35. Alas my Daughter saith he thou hast brought me very low and thou are one of them that trouble me And then he communicates the direful News to her I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot go back It happeneth indeed to be a very Sad and Deplorable Vow which I made but I am ingaged to keep it and I am fully resolved that I will Whereupon his Submissive Child uttered these words * V. 36. My Father if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth Seeing thou are returned in Safety and with Victory over thy Enemies I am willing to be offered a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving to the God of Heaven who mercifully covered thy Head in the day of Battle and delivered thy Enemies into thy hand But this Obedient Damosel had one thing to request of her Father before she left the World * V. 37. Let this be done for me saith she let me alone tâ—o months that I may go up and down upon the Mountains and bewail my Virginity I and my Fellows As much as if she had said Seeing thou O my Father hast determined that I shall be offered up unto the Lord for a Burnt-offering according to the Tenor of the Vow which thou madest in the day of the Distress I beg but this one thing of thee that thou wouldest vouchsafe to respite me for a little time I desire only that I may be permitted to retire with a few of my Female Acquaintance into some Solitary place that I and they may joyn together in Mourning and lament this unhappy Allotment of mine viz. That I must not live to be acquainted with the Joys of a Conjugal State nor be a Joyful Mother of Children as I have sometimes wished because Barrenness is accounted a Curse but that I must Expire a Virgin and die Ingloriously and leave no Off-spring behind me Iephthah as soon as she made known this her request to him most willingly granted it and wished with all his heart
not inconsistent with Faith which we find him praised for in the Catalogue of the Antient and Famous Worthies by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews And truly there are other Great Offenders besides our Iephthah mentioned in that Panegyrick So it is the Sacred History acquaints us by enumerating sundry Instances that Persons beloved of God and of the greatest Integrity have been guilty of the most heinous Miscarriages Especially it may be observed of those that are very Active and Warm in their Religion that they sometimes are subject to some Unwarrantable Bigotry which unhappily leads or rather drives them to something worse Particularly we see this in the Example before us and let us mind the Design of Heaven in it This Renowned Warrior and Judge was suffered by the most Wise Disposer of all Events to câ—mmit this great Folly that we may be convinced of the Insufficiency of Humane Strength that we may see that the Best Men egregiously offend in some things that they are a Compound of Spirit and Flesh half Angel and half Brute and that it may appear to the World that there is no Perfect and Consummate Vertue in this Life This is the Conception I have of Iephthah's Case but every one is left to his Liberty to frame what other Notions of it he pleaseth The fourth Text enquired into viz. Dan. IX 24 25. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy People and upon thy Holy City to finish the Transgression c. THIS is another Famous Prophesie concerning the Time of our Lords Coming but more especially as I shall shew in the sequel of this Exercitation concerning the Time of his Passion and leaving the World My design in treating on these Words is to offer what I conceive is most Observable in them to assign what is most proper and pertinent towards the leading us into the true Meaning of this Noble Prediction to remove the Difficulties and Obscurities that lie either in the Text or Context to correct the Mistakes of some Writers upon both to render the Words Clear Plain and Intelligible as to which most Expositors have been Deficient to present you with a Particular Computation or Chronological Calculation of the Years contained in the Seventy Weeks and in the whole Attempt to let you see that this Prophesie was spoken of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ the True Messias that it is really fulfilled and that this fulfilling of it is a Demonstration of Christ's being come and consequently of the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Religion In this Chapter you read that the Holy Prophet Daniel foreseeing * V. 1 2. in the first Year of Darius that the Seventy Years Captivity was now coming to an end ‖ V. 16. prayed for the Restauration of Ierusalem And whilst he was directing his Prayers to Heaven * V. 20 21. the Angel Gabriel the same Divine Messenger as you may observe who appeared afterwards to the Virgin Mary and told her that the Time of the Messias's Coming was accomplished came and informed him concerning that Important Matter and told him That as the Israelites had been Captives Seventy Years and were now to be delivered so within Seventy Weeks of Years the Mâ—ssias should come and be a Deliverer and Saviour This I conceive is the reason of this Mystical way of speaking and describing the Time It alludes to the Captivity of Babylon which was to last Seventy Years That was the determinate Space of the Captivity after which they were to be delivered and to return back to their own Land So in like manner the time of the Administration of things until the Redemption from the Captivity of Sin and Satan's Tyranny in the World is circumscribed in a Number that answers to that viz. Seventy Weeks of Years instead of Seventy Years Seventy Weeks are determined upon thy People and upon thy Holy City to finish the Transgression and to make an end of sins and to make Reconciliation for Iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness and to seal up the vision and Prophesie and to anoint the most Holy It hath been intimated already that by Seventy Weeks here are to be understood not Seventy Weeks of days but of Years each day for a Year which Seventy being multiplied by Seven every Week consisting of Seven days make 490. Now that it is usual in Scripture to signifie Years by Days I need not be very laborious in proving Life is measured by Days Years are meant when Days are expressed as in Gen. 5. 5. All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty Years And so of Seth v. 8. and Enos v. II. and Gainan v. 14. and Enoch v. 2â— And that a Day is put for a Year and consequently that a Week is taken for a Sepâ—enary of Years or the space of Seven Years is most evident from Lev. 25. 8. Thou shalt number Seven Sabbaths or Weeks of years unto thee i. e. Forty nine Years So in Gen. 29. 27. a Week is interpreted Seven years in the same Verse But we need not be very Sâ—licitous here because as to this there is no Controversie between us and the Iews who are the Persons we are concerned with in this Prophesie * Seder Olam R. Solomon in cap. 9. Dan. They willingly grant that Weeks not of Days or Months but of Years are here meant and that the Seventy Weeks are seven times Seventy Years that is 490 Years It is said Seventy weeks are determined upon thy People and upon thy Holy City i. e. There is a Certain Determinate Time set viz. Four hundred and ninety Years within which Period the Jewish People and Nation and the City of Ierusalem in a special manner shall experience very Strange Alterations Within that space of time the Mâ—ssias shall come and the Wonderful Effects and Fruits of his Coming shall be such as These 1. There shall be the finisâ—ing of Transgression and the making an end of sins By the Light of the Gospel which shall be preached at his Coming Men shall see the Error of their ways and be convinced of their Sins and shall leave off their former Evil Courses 2. There shall be a making of Reconciliation for Iniquity The Blood of Christ shall make an Atonement for the Sins of the World 3. Everlasting Righteousness shall be brought in The Legal and Mosaical Services shall cease and a more Pure and Spiritual Worship shall take place and continue for ever 4. There shall be the Sealing or the finishing for ' â—is the same Hebrew word which was used before in this Verse and was translated making an end of the Vision and Prophesie i. e. When these things before mentioned shall come to pass there shall be a Fulfilling and Accomplishing of the Prophesies concerning the Messias and his Kingdom Then it shall appear to the World that they are Ratified and Verified The Seal is set upon them 5. There shall be the anointing of the most Holy Then
shall be set up an Eternal Priesthood excelling that of the Law then Christ Jesus shall be the High Priest and he shall be solemnly Appointed and Consecrated to that work and Office The Messiah the Anointed One is meant here and that by the Confession of the Iews themselves Thus far I think we have made all very plain It follows v. 25 26 27. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the Commandment to restore and to build Jeruâ—alem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be Seventy weeks And threescore and two weeks the street shall be built again and the wall even in troublous times And after the threescore and tâ—o weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself And the People of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with a Flood And unto the end of the War Desolations are determined And he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week and in the midst of the week he shall cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease and for the overspreading of Abominations he shall make it desolate even until the Consummation and that determined shall be poured on the desolate Here before I Paraphrase on these words I am to observe to you that the Angel divides the Seventy weeks into three parts viz. Seven weeks and sixty two weeks and one week which he doth to give a more Distinct Account of what was to happen in that Period of time The Seven weeks of Years i. e. 49 Years were fulfilled when the Building of the City of Ierusalem was compleated The Sixty two weeks of Years were fulfilled in the space of time between the finishing of the City and Christ's Manifestation at his Baptism In the one Week viz. The last Week of the Seventy Christ was put to Death Thus the Time is reckoned by Parts as it is usual among the Hebrews to express a Number by parts which might be done altogether in whole Twenty Shekels five and twenty Shekels and fifteen Shekels shall be your Maneh or Mina Ezek. 45. 12. So here in the Weeks of Daniel the Seventy Weeks or former Summ of 490 Years is divided into Seven weeks i. e. 49 Years and into Sixty two Weeks i. e. 434 Years and into one week i. e. Seven Years in all Seventy Weeks or 490 Years Having premised this I will briefly descant on the words From the going forth of the Commandment to restore and to build â—erusalem i. e. From the going forth of the Word of God or of the Edict of the Persian Princes concerning the rebuilding of Ierusalem and the Finishing of it unto the Messias the Prince i. e. To the time when Christ will manifest himself and shew himself to be the Prince Lord and Head of the Church the Saviour and Redeemer of the World by his Dying for it shall be seven weeks i. e. Forty nine Years in which time the Jews rebuilded their City and Temple peaceably For to this must those words in this Verse be referred The street shall be built again and the wall even in troublesome times and threescore and two weeks which make in all 69 Weeks or 483 Years And after the threescore and two Weeks which immediately succeeded the Seven Weeks that is after 69 Weeks viz. in the Seventieth Week being 484 after the Restoring of the Temple shall the Messiah be cut off he shall suffer Death upon the Cross but not for himself which Clause plainly testifies that this is spoken of Christ who suffered and died not on his own account but for us that he might deliver us from Death and Damnation And the People of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the City c. Which is a brief Description of the miserable condition of the Jews when Titus Vespasian the Roman Prince came with his terrible Army and besieged Ierusalem and took it and utterly destroyed it Which was the Fruit of their putting to Death the Lord of Life And he shall confirm the Covenant the new Covenant spoken of by the Prophet Ieremiah with many even with all true Israelites who believe in him And this he shall do for one Week or in one Week viz. in the remaining Week which is the Seventieth in Number Then in a more signal manner the Gospel-Covenant shall be ratified and confirmed And in the midst of the week he shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease i. e. In the last Week and in the fourth Year of that Week which may be called the middle of it all Sacrifices and Oblations shall be abolished and nulled by Christ his once Offering up Himself on the Cross for in the midst of this last Prophetick Week Christ made the Oblation of himself And in the next words For the overspreading of Abominations he shall make it â—â—esolate c. There is set forth as in the former Verse the dismal Consâ—quence of the Jews putting Christ to Death viz. The Besieging and Sacking of Ierusalem by the Roman Armies which were Abominable and Detestable and are called by our Saviour with Allusion to this place without doubt the Abomination of Desolation Matt. 24. 15. This is a brief and plain Exposition of the Text and Context And from the several particulars here mentioned any unprejudiced Man may see that Christ and none else is meant here It is impossible with any shew of reason to apply the words to any other though some Jewish Writers have attempted it but in a very sorry and ridiculous manner as you may briefly see in * Demonstrat Evang Prop. 9. Huetius It is certain that this Prophesie directly points at Christ and his Coming and Manifestation and lets us know that there shall be Four hundred and ninety Years between the going forth of the Commandment to rebuild Ierusalem and his full Manifestation in the World But now Great Disputes arise about the True and Exact Beginning and Ending of these 490 Years which for the Satisfaction of the Curious I will undertake to give some account of The Greatest Dispute is about the Beginning for there were several Orders and Commands about building Ierusalem hence it is Difficult to tell from which of them we must date our Account We know that the Seventy 〈◊〉 begin from the going forth of the Commandment or Word to restore or build Jerusalem But the Word or Commandment concerning that matter was both Divine and Humane from God and from the Persian Kings Which of these is meant here As for the Word of God touching the building of Ierusalem That was at several and very different times You have the Divine Promise about it from the Mouth of Isaiah ch 44. 26. and 45. 13. and of Baruch the second and fourth Chapters and of Ieremiah 25. 12. and 29. 10 c. From this latter Promise especially * Lyranus Vatablus Galatinus and many of the Hebrews some have dated the Seventy Weeks but therein are
well as of the thing which is before us The former of these which is the word in the Teâ—e is alâ—ays taken in a bad Sense but the latâ—â—er is generally understood in a good and 〈◊〉 one and simply and 〈…〉 any thing that is set apart dedicated to a Deity devoted to the Honour of God or of the Gods for this word is used by Prophane as well as Sacred Writers As this is the Acception of the word in the best Classical Authors which none will deny that are acquainted with them so this is the use of it in St. Luke 21. 5. Some spake of the Temple how it was adorned with goodly Stones and Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. with Presents and Oblations brought to that Holy Building and there bestowed toward the Beautifying and Enriching of it not without some Relation certainly of Devotion and Reverence to the Lord of that House And all Gifts and Presents whatsoever that are consecrated to God are called by this name and accordingly the usual rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is donarium or donum a Gift consecrated to God for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is reponere sursum ponere attollere suspendere and thence is very appositely applied to these Sacred Gifts which being * Inde apud Platon Polit 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Herodian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offered to God were laid up and hung up in the Temple for the Service and Honour of the Numen to which they were dedicated And here let me have leave to offer my Conjecture which is this That the Greeks giving that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those Gifts which were thus Consecrated is an Allusion to the Hebrew name which that kind of Holy Presents hath in the Old Testament and which was given to it by God himself as in many things it might be proved that the Pro phane Grecians borrowed from the Sacred Book This sort of Gifts was stiled Terumah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elevatus exaltatus fuit which we translate an * Numb 15. 19. 18. 24. Heave-offering because it was heaved or lifted up before the Lord. And with this is joyned Tenuphah another Holy Oblation which owes its Original to the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to shake and move to and fro as well as to elevate and thence that sort of Present is called a * Lev. 7. 30. 8. 27. Wave-offering it being the particular usage it seems at the tendring of it not only to lift it up which was the main thing but to wave it Now to this lifting up whence Terumah more signally had its name and was properly an Oblation lifted up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Greeks exactly answers and according to the forementioned Theme whence 't is derived may be rightly rendred donum elevatum or suspensum In the Pagan Devotions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were such Presents as were bestowed on the Gods and set up on some high and eminent place as generally upon the Walls and Pillars of their Temples This is well observed by a †Salmas in Solinum Learned Critick who tells us that Not all those Gifts which were dedicated to the Gods were called by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but those only which could be hung up or set upon some high and conspicuous place And this is the true and simple Acception of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is different from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an Epsilon although you 'll find that several Writers observe not this difference But 't is certain that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of a quite contrary signification to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this latter denoting a Holy the former an Unholy thing or Person this signifying some thing or Person Consecrated to God that on the contrary some thing or Person Gursed of God and Man and destined to be destroyed yea sometimes it signifies the very Cursing it self as you shall hear afterwards But here it is objected that the Septuagint use the word in a good sense to signifie that which is Holy to God and dedicated to his Service as in Lev. 27. 28. where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or devoted thing is said to be Holy unto the Lord. So in Ios. 6. 19. we read that all the Silver and Gold and Vessels of Brass and Iron that the Israelites should find in Iericho when they took it were to be consecrated or as 't is in the Original to be Holiness unto the Lord which very things have the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given them in v. 18. whence some infer that the word with an â— as well as with an â— is taken in a good sense and signifies a Sacred Gift offered to God But this is a palpable Mistake for if you consult the place in Leviticus you will find that it speaks of the Cherem properly so called the thing or Person that was devoted to utter Destruction and therefore could not be redeemed as you read there How then could this be a Gift to God how could it be an Offering consecrated to God and separated to Sacred Uses when it was uttâ—rly destroy'd But yet it may be said to be Holy to God in this sense viz. That the Destruction of it which was appointed and commanded by God himself was for his Glory and Honour The cursing of the Canaanites the devoting them to Ruin yea and the actual Destroying of them redounded to the Honour of God whilst thereby he shewed himself the Sovereign and Absolute Disposer of the World and at the same time gave undeniable proof of his irreconcilable Hatred of all Idolatry and Idolaters Thus the Persons and things devoted to Destruction were Holy to the Lord. This is the true and genuine meaning of this place and no Man that looks into it and considers it well can interpret it otherwise And hence perhaps it is that in a remote Sense the Verb Charam and consequently the Noun Cherem may be taken as in Mic. 4. 13. to signifie Consecrating or Holy Dedication Not that the word hath any such genuine signification for it is not Charam but Kadash that is the word constantly used to denote Sanctifying or Consecrating i. e. setting a thing or Person apart to a Pious use to Gods peculiar Honour and Service I say Kadash is the proper word for this every where in the Old Testament yet because even Cursing of things or Persons is to Gods Glory and so may be said to be Holy to the Lord hence Charam and Cherem and accordingly Anathema come to have that Sense sometimes but in a very improper and forced manner The other Text in Ioshua speaks not of things that were to be destroyed but to be preserved and therefore it is added there they shall come into the Treasury of the Lord and consequently they are said to be Holiness unto the Lord. But this is Foreign
to the present Business for we are speaking now of the Primary and Proper Meaning of the world not of any Improper and Secondary one I grant that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is improperly and as it were at a distance applied to the things which are consecrated to God and are reserved for his particular Use and Service But thence to infer that this is the First Genuine and Native Signification of the word is Unreasonable and Illogical The things spoken of in the forenamed place viz. The City Iericho and all that was in it are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Seventy's Translation not because they were to be reserved for the use of the Temple or because they were consecrated to the Lord No this is another Consideration of the things and is nothing at all to the true import of the word for this consecrating to the Lord refers to some particular individual things only and not to the rest spoken of in that place For observe what is there said v. 17. The City shall be Anathema accursed even it and all that are therein all things as well as Persons for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takes in both and the Seventy Interpreters particularly restrain it to things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Now that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or being accursed to the Lord is meant here that they shall be destroyed to the Glory of God is evident from the words immediately ensuing Only Rahab the Harlot shall live she and all that are with her in the House These particularly are excepted from the general Anathema or Curse which was to end in Destruction Therefore it is undeniably true that all other Persons and things were cursed by God and destined to Destruction The whole City and every Person and thing in it were thus an Anathema yet so as God was pleased to spare the Silver and Gold the Brass and Iron for the Service of the Tabernacle But still these are included in the general Notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Accursed things and so are called in v. 18. because they did belong to that accursed City Iericho and should have been involved in the actual Curse and Destruction if God had not in a peculiar manner exempted them and thought good to reserve them for Holy and Religious Uses and thereby to cut off as it were the Curse entailed upon them But if we consider the things in themselves i. e. as they appertain'd to that City which was devoted by God to Perdition they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accursed things and are so stiled as you have heard The words in v. 18. run thus Keep your selves from the accursed thing viz. The Gold and Silver c. mentioned in the next Verse lest you make your selves accursed when ye take of the accursed thing and make the Camp of Israel a Curse Or you may read it according to the Septuagint thus Keep your selves from the Anathema lest you make your selves Anathema when ye take of the Anathema and make the Camp of Israel an Anathema Here is you see nothing contained in the Primitive and Genuine Sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a Curse and a devoting or being devoted to Mischief and Perdition for there is no colour at all of reason to take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in contrary Senses but all Men must acknowledge that the general Sense is the same in every Clause of this Verse or else 't is impossible to make any Sense of it Which shews us what is the true import of the word viz. A being set apart and destined by a Solemn Curse to Destruction and consequently that the word is not to be taken in a good Sense but the contrary viz. for something Execrable and Detestable and as the consequent of this that it is far different from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea is another word which is the thing I was to prove But notwithstanding this we shall find that some Writers are very defective here and mistake one word for another and thence they tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are things dedicated to God Thus * Resp. 21. ad Ortâ—od Iustin Martyr confounds the words and so doth ‖ Homil. 16. in Epist. ad Rom. Chrysostom whatever a late †Suicer Tâ—esaur Eccles. Writer suggests to the contrary Nor do * In cap. 13. Esai in cap. 9. aâ— Româ—n Theodoret or ‖ In 23 cap. Act. Oecumenius distinguish between them as appears from some part of their Writings And Balsamon and Zonaras often confound the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Comments on the Councils The same is done by some Modern Commentators as †In Rev. 22. 3. Cotterius * In Gal. 1. 8. Gomarus and others But you may observe that all the Exact Masters of Grammar and Criticism make a real Discrimination between these two Thus according to Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 maledictus excommunicatus But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 donarium ornamentum templi The like Distinction is made by Suidas and Pollux and other Grammarians †Annotaâ— in Pandeâ—t Budâ—eus a sufficient Judge in this case asserts this difference and by no means suffers them to be confounded * In Rom. 9. 3. Estius that Judicious Commentator tells us that it is most certain the Antient Greeks made a Distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Exercitat Sac. in cap. 4. ad Rom. Heinsius wonders that any have asserted the promiscuous use of these words for they are saith he not only diverse but contrary The Learned †Exercitat in Solin p. 1089. Salmasius agrees with him and makes a real difference between these words So Hofman in his * In Verbo Anathema p. 99. Universal Lexicon carefully fixes the Distinction between them If it be asked what was the reason or occasion rather of the forementioned Mistake about these words whence was it that the forenamed Authors and several others whom I might have produced confound these two I answer I conceive this is the ground of it namely because Offerings and Gifts are sometimes consecrated to God with the addition of a Curse As Darius's Decree for Building and Dedicating the Temple ends with an Execration Ezra 6. 12. Thence perhaps Anathema hath been used to signifie a Gift dedicated to a Temple and an Accursed thing or such a one as hath a Curse laid on it viz. a Curse to him that shall meddle with it to alienate it Thence Anathemata were said to be those Gifts that were consecrated to God and which 't was not lawful to convert to another use because the Consecration was under pain of a Curse to those that alter'd the Property of them And it is indeed generally said by the Iewish Doctors that one sort of their Cherems were so set apart from common use that
word in Ezra 10. 8. though we translaâ—e it to forfeit but the plain Sense and rendring of it is this his Substance shall be destroyed as in the case of Achan wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word used here by the Greek Interpreters because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to Cherem the proper meaning of which word is Destruction And we may farther learn and be ascertained of the true and genuine meaning of this word from the Law of Cherem set down in Lev. 27. 28 29. which there signifies a thing or Person devoted to Destruction and also from the particular Instances of this Cherem as those Idolatrous Cities mention'd in Deut. 13. 15 16. Which were to be utterly destroy'd and all that was in them Neither Inhabitants nor Cattle were to be spared nay all the Spoil of them was to be gathered into the midst of their Streets and both City and Spoil to be burnt to Aâ—hes The Cities shall be a heap for ever they shall never be built again and there shall cleave nought of the accursed thing the Anathema to thy hand v. 17. Iericho was a Cherem Cursed and Destined to Destruction So Aâ—alek was devoted to be a Cherem 1 Sam. 15. 3. Utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not but sâ—ay both Man and Woman c. Charam and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the words here used And hence perhaps were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Devota capita among the Greeks and Romans For as I have said before it was not unusual with the Gentiles to borrow some Practices from the Iews They had a report among them it is likely of this Remarkable Usage viz. The Devoting of certain Cities and the Inhabitants of them to Slaughter and Destruction and that this was executed by the special Command of God Whence it is not improbable that in an Apish and Superstitious manner they took up such a Practice as this and devoted certain Men to Death and Destruction to please their Gods And this is the more probable because the very word * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 homines quorum caâ—ita diâ—s inâ—eris devota â—unt Constantâ—n Lexic Bâ—daeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was used by the Antient Greeks to signifie those Execrable Wretches who were chosen out to be put to Death and to be devoted to the Infernal Demons The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answer to the Iewish Cherem i. e. Things or Persons devoted to utter Destruction for the word Cherem retains the Sense of the Verb Charam which signifies utterly to destroy and that without Mercy Whence the Critical Hebrews tell us that Charam is directly opposite to the Verb Racham misereri From Charam the word Chormah derives its Pedegree and so should be translated Destruction in Numb 14. 45. though you find it otherwise for the Vulgar Latin keeps the Hebrew word it self and our English Translators follow it rendring the place thus The Amalekite discomfited them even unto Hormah whereas I conceive Hormah or Chormah denotes not a place but Death and Destruction and the words should be rendred thus The Amalekite discomfited or * Pâ—rsecutus st Vuâ—g Lat. pursued them even unto utter destruction i. e. Death Those Pagan Victors puâ—h'd on their Conquest even to the utmoâ—t Exâ—remity according to what Moses had foretold v. 43. that the Israelites should fall by the Sword Thus they were destroyed as you expresly read in Deut. 1. 44. where this same passage is related again And from such a Fatal Event as this but upon the contrary Party the Israelites afterwards overthrowing the Canaanites the place where the Execution was done was called Hormah and not before Numb 21. 3. They utterly destroyed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word used by the Septuagint and their Cities and called the name of the place Chormah or according to the Greek Translation Anathema So it is as much as Cherem you see But in the other Text before mentioned Hormah is no Proper Name but an Appellative which is farther evident from this that there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before it whereas there are no Prefixes to Proper Names I am enclined to think that Harmageddon Rev. 16. 16. a word that hath much exercised the Critical Wits is of the same Derivation Charmah denoting Destruction and Gad or Geddon an Army and so it signifies the Destruction and Fatal Overthrow of that Army of Antichrist which was to Rendezvouze in that place It takes its name from the Event which you read in v. 19. This I conceive is preferable to the other Derivations that are usually assigned of the word Harmageddon I will also observe to you that this word Cherem in a Metaphorical way signifies a Net in which Fishes are taken to be killed and eaten i. e. destroyed Ezek. 32. 3. Mic. 7. 2. Hab. 1. 15. All which I alledge to shew you that Cherem if you respect the word from whence it is extracted or the words that are of near Cognation with it denotes killing and destroying This is the proper signification of it for as to the Catechrestick Acception of it I have nothing to do with it here yea this is its * Brixiaâ— Thesaur Linguae S. Avenar lib. Radic First and Original signification By Cherem we are principally to understand Utter Destruction and Perdition Final Extirpation and Excision and withall the Wishing Vowing and Denouncing of these Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament is borrowed from Cherem in the Old and answers exactly to it I know some Authors have taken notice of the Reference of the one to the other but I thought fit to superadd a full and distinct account of the Remarkable Agreement that is between them and this I have done by laying open the Origination of the words and the particular use of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be a Cherem that is to say in the full meaning of it Let him be a Person separated cursed destroyed So that by this I have conducted you to the true and compleat meaning of the Apostle's words Here is a Triple Iudgment denounc'd against those that love not the Lord Iesus Christ those who are so far from loving him that they disown and deny him For 't is certain here is a Meiosis less is expressed than is intended by not loving is meant hating and renouncing of the Lord Iesus Christ. Let him that is guilty of this horrid Sin be Anathema saith the Apostle that is 1. Let him be separated In which these two things are included First That he be separated from Christ's Church that he be excluded from being a Member of that Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answering to Cherem is rightly understood as that was of Excommunication which is a Prohibition of Communion with the Church and a cutting a Person off from the Benefits which accrue from it Thus our Apostle in Holy
Zeal for the Jews his Country-men and Kinsmen professes he could be content to be for their sakes * Rom. 9. 3. an Anathema from Christ i. e. to be separated from Christ's Church and the Communion of Saints He could even wish himself excommuâ—icated from the Assemblies of the Faithful if this might any ways redound to the good of his Brethren So here the least Punishment that can be inflicted on him who loves not the Lord Iesus Christ is that he be depriv'd of the Fellowship of the Church of which he professed himself to be a Member As he renounceth Christ so it is but just he should be cast off by the Church and debar'd of all Society with it So St. Chrysostom understands this place Let him be Anathema that is saith he * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoâ—il 16 in Epâ—st â—d Rom Let him be separated from all let him be estranged from all ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In loc Let him be a stranger to the common Body of the Church saith Theodoret. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iâ— Rom. 9 3. Anathema is Separation or Alienation saith Theophylact And indeed among Christian and Ecclesiastical Writers it hath this peculiar Denotation and is used to signifie Excommunication And as he deserves to be separated from the Church so likewise from Christ Himself Secondly therefore Let him be Anathema i. e. Let him be separated from Christ let him have no part in Iesus So indeed the Apostle's words before mentioned mâ—y be farther meant I could wish that my self were Anathema from Christ i. e. separated from Christ himself If it were pâ—ssible for it is but a Supposition and a strain of passionate Love and Indearment if it might any ways promote my Brethrens Welfare I could willingly be excluded from all Benefit by our Lord â—esus Christ. I could methinks endure any loss part with Gods Favour and my own Bliss for their sakes But what the Apostle here utters only in a high strain of Affection to express his Great Concern for his Kindred for you must look upon it as no oâ—her he most truly and directly wisheth and denounceth against all those that willfully and obstinately renounce Christ that fall from the Faith they once professed and abjure the Holy Jesus Let such a one never in this World enjoy his Favour or share in any Advantage by his Blessed Undertakings for Mankind 2. Let him be a Person Accursed of God and Men for that as I have shewed is contained in the Notion of Cherem and consequently of Anathema and thence among the Writers of the Church to Anathematize is to Curse or to denounce Accursed If any Man love not i. e. hate the Lord Iesus Christ it is a most equal Recompense of that his Hatred that he himself be detested and abhorred and that he be Cursed upon Earth If he calls Christ Anathema 1 Cor. 12. 3 i. e. looks upon him and speaks of him as an Abominable Execrable Person he certainly himself ought to be an Anathema an Execration a Malediction As he is justly banish'd from the Communion of the Church which we spoke of before so moreover he is to be delivered to Satan which in the Apostles times accompanied Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 20. This is a farther Punishment of the Apostate here spoken of He is to be accounted a Devoted Person he is to be consigned over to the Evil Spirit as a most Detestable and Cursed Wretch forsaken of God and destined to Destruction Which is the Third thing contained in this word Let him be Anathema i. e. let him be destroyed for that also is comprehended in the Notion of Cherem yea is the primary import of it as we have fully proved Now this Destruction includes in it both the Temporal and Eternal Punishment which are entailed on these cursed Miscreants the Haters of Christ. First it is probable the Apostle means here those Temporal Inflictions as Sicknesses Diseases and Torments of Body which attended Excommunication and Delivering to Satan in those days and which are called the Destruction of the Flesh 1 Cor. 5. 5. which also may be included in the Apostle's Wish before mentioned That himself were an Anathema from Christ i. e. That besides what hath been said before he might feel all those Corporal Punishments which usually were inflicted on Sinners when they were delivered to Satan I could be content saith he out of his Excess of Affection and Kindness to undergo all those Severities and outward Hardships of Body on condition that I might be really Beneficial to the Souls of my Brethren and reclaim them from their Unbelief and Impenitence This the Learned Dr. Hammond as well as Gâ—otius takes to be the Anathema of the Text which is before us it refers to the Primitive Discipline of Anathematizing or Excommunicating which was followed with most dismal Effects particularly with remarkable Judgments on their outward Man which are call'd by Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Plagues which the Devil inflicted Let these Execrable Sinners who renounce their Lord and Saviour be plagued with all those bodily Maladies being thrown out of the Communion of the Church and debar'd of Spiritual Benefits let them suffer all the Temporal Evils and Calamities of this Life Secondly A future Eternal Punishment in another World is here implied which makes this Denunciation of the Apostle to be most Astonishing and Dreadful If any Man love not the Lord Iesus Christ and persists in this vile Temper and Practice let a Curse pursue him into the next World to his Everlasting Perdition and Confusion This is the highest Sense of this Anathema this Cherem this is a devoting to Death and utter and final Destruction So then in brief the meaning of the words in their full Latitude is this If any Man love not the Lord Iesus Christ so as not to confess him but to renounce and deny him especially in time of Persecution as some at that time the Gnosticks saith our Annotator affirmed it lawful to do if any Man hate and vilifie the Lord Jesus Christ and disown and reject that Faith which he once embraced let his Reward be to be separated and cut off from Christ Jesus the Head and from his Body the Church let him be Accursed in Body and Soul and be given up to the Prince of Darkness and suffer all Evils in this World and in the next let him be destined to Eternal Misery and perish Everlastingly without remedy Thus Spiritual Temporal and Eternal Evils but more especially these last are comprehended in this Apostolical Execration therefore to this Anathema the Apostle adds Maran-atha which is thought by some to answer to the Third kind of Excommunication among the Jews the Severest and Dreadfullest of all which they stiled Shammatha a final Sâ—paration from the Church without hopes of returning And some that embrace this Opinion tell us that Maran atha is a Talmudick word and frequent in the
Rabbies and that the greatest and most fearful Excommunication among the Jews was called by this name from the first words of the Writing or Instrument of Excommunication But our great Christiâ—n Rabbi gainsâ—ys this * Hor. Hebraic That this saâ—th he is a Form of the highest Excommunication and is the same wiâ—h Shammatha which some assert is utterly without the Warrant of any Jewiâ—h Antiquity at all Nay the words Maran-atha are not to be met with in the Jewish Writings I believe we may take it upon the Doctor 's word who knew as well as any Man thaâ— they are not there However this is certain that if we look into both those words Shammatha and Maranatha we shall find that they are of the same signification for Sham or Shem is nomen which in ordinary Speech among the Jews signifies God and atha is venit and so the compound word is to be resolved into this God cometh which is the same with Maran-atha for Maran in the Syriack and other Eastern Tongues signifies Dominus and thence as Grotius observes the Syrian Maronites have their name because they call Christ Marani i. e. our Lord and atha as was said before is rendred venit he cometh and so both Shammata and Maran-atha exactly answer to that direful Menace of Enoch * Jud. v. 14. The Lord cometh which was a Prophesie as well as an Execration that was very Famous in the Church of the Jews and from this it is very probable those Forms of Execration were taken Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Iudgment upon all especially on such wicked and profligate Sinners that deny the Lord who bought them and shamefully renounce the Christian Faith and Profession These are they that love not the Lord Iesus Christ. Here then all that I will remark is this that this Dreadful Execration which the Apostle here useth hath peculiar reference to Gods Final Iudging the World and his executing Eternal Vengeance on the Wicked For though we may grant with the Learned Lightfoot that the Apostle here primarily speaks to the Unbelieving Iews and accordingly expresseth himself in the very Language which they used at that time viz. Syriack whereas in Hebrew it should have been Adonenu ba not Maran-atha which * Hor. Hebr. saith he evidently sheweth that this Speech refers more especially to the Iewish Nation and though we may grant that the words have some reference to our Lords coming to destroy Ierusalem and the Jewish Polity yet as this Worthy Doctor afterwards acknowledgeth they may have a larger Sense as many other passages in Scripture have and be understood more signally and eminently of the Last Doom and Curse which shall be pronounced not only against the Unbelieving Jews but all those that love not the Lord Jesus Christ of what Nation soever This shall be at the General Iudgment of the World which we know is by way of eminence called the Lords coming in the Sacred Stile of the New Testament And we read that in that day Go ye Cursed is the particular Language used towards those miserable Creatures To this therefore I am of opinion that St. Paul's Execration in the Text doth more particularly and especially refer The short is those that love not the Lord Iesus Christ those who willfully hate and oppose him and his Laws are Accuâ—sed Persons in this Life and are devoted to Destruction and likewise when our Lord shall come to judge the World they shall be Cursed more openly and solemnly when they shall stand before that Impartial Judge of the World they shall receive from his infallible Mouth a Final Malediction an Irreversible Execration which shall immediately be succeeded with the Eternal Punishment of Hell The Seventh Text enquired into VIZ. Coloss. II. 8. Beware lest any Man spoil you through Philosophy and vain Deceit after the Tradition of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ. THough this whole Verse requires an Explication which I shall briefly offer yet the main thing which seems difficult in it is this This St. Paul here enters a Caveat against Philosophy and joins it with vain Deceit whereas he that is acquainted with the Apostle's Education and Accomplishments cannot imagine he would speak any thing to the Disparagement of true and sâ—und Philosophy which is the Guide of our Faculties the great Improver of our Reason the main Conduct of all rational and considerate Minds and that which teacheth us the right Knowledg of God as it arises from the Nature of things in the World To Moses's Honour it is recorded by St. Luke and related by the holy Martyr St. Stephen in which he was directed by the Holy Ghost that he was * Act. 7. 22. learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians bred up in their Mystick Hieroglyphicks and acquainted with the natural Magick of their wife Men. And therefore tho it is one of the Documents of a Jewish Rabbi to his Disciples †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Iudah Ben. Behera Suffer not your Children to learn Logick and tho some of the * Tertâ—llian Augustin Greg. Nyssen Nazianzen Basil. Christian Fathers have spoken freely against Logick and Philosophy and particularly St. Ambrose on the 118th Psalm is taken notice of for his nihil nobis cum Philosophiâ because they observ'd that a sophistical way of Reasoning and Logick was made use of by Hereticks and because the Study of Philosophy had introduced innumerable Contentions and Quarrels as also because it sometimes medled with and incroached upon Divinity for which cause a ‖ Greg. Naz. Orat. de modo in disput Learned Father gives no better name to Philosophy than that of Egyptian Plagues and * Augustin de conv decem Praecept c. 2. another calls them the Egyptian Frogs that have crept into the Church tho I say for these Reasons the Fathers sometimes thus inveighed against Logick and Philosophy yet at other times they shew the Usefulness and Necessity of both and that the Sophistries of Hereticks cannot be confuted without them Clemens of Alexandria †Strom. l. 1. proves that Philosophy and Human Arts are from God and are useful in Divinity ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. l 6. It is not absurd he saith to assert that Philosophy is the Gift of Divine Providence and was designed to prepare Men for the perfect Doctrine of the Gospel Accordingly he tells us that Philosophy was given to the Greeks to be the Foundation of Christianity As the Law and the Prophets were to the Jews so saith he was Philosophy to the Greeks viz. to fit and dispose them for the preaching of the Gospel * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. l. 7. to purge and prepare their Souls for the Reception of the Christian Faith A Proof of this we have in that great and learned Platonist Iustin Martyr who in his Apology for the Christians acquaints us that by
or Distracted at certain times and that as it is usual with such Persons they were worse when the Moon increas'd Therefore the Arabick Version of the forenamed Place in St. Matthew is very remarkable He hath a Devil and he is exceedingly vexed in the beginnings of the Full Moon as much as to say the Devil and the Disease met together and the former was the Author of the latter Or we may say the Impure Spirits chose to enter into those crazy and Diseased Bodies when they were most disposed to Illness by the powerful Influence of the Moon This is no Argument that they were not really possessed with the Devil but it is a plain Proof of the contrary and of something else viz. that Satan doubled his Malice vexing and tormenting them at a time when they were least able to bear it As for the Reasons why such vast Numbers of Men were thus visited when our Saviour was on Earth these may justly be assigned it was an Age much given to Magick and Inchantments and the calling up of Spirits was a frequent thing in those Days Besides Divine Providence might so order it at that very juncture of Time for an Occasion of the more Glorious Cures It might happen by the Particular Disposal of the Almighty that thereby it might appear to the World that Christ had Power over the Devils and could when he pleased dislodg those Mischievous Spirits and rescue Mankind from their Tortures The Reality and Greatness of his Soveraignty over those Infernal Powers were to be demonstrated by those Atchievments Moreover it may rationally be thought that the Devils would be most busy then when Christ came into the World and would be more interessed to disturb and torment Mankind because they saw their Kingdom was going down and Christianity was to be exalted in the World Now therefore it was time for the Messias to exert his Miraculous Power and behold as an effect of it the Devils submitted to him and at his Command presently quitted the Bodies which they had taken possession of One Person among the rest was a famous Instance of this sort out of whom a Legion of Devils was ejected by Christ's Holy Exorcism With one Word he vanquish'd whole Regiments of the Kingdom of Darkness he routed Armies of Infernal Daemons I remit you to the Evangelical Records where you have abundant proof of the casting out of these Hellish Spirits not only by our Saviour himself but by his Disciples who as you read came to him with these words in their Mouths * Luk. 10. 17. Lord the Devils are subject to us this being an Effect of that Mighty Power which Christ had invested his Followers with Luke 9. 1. And therefore †Contr. Cels. l. 3. Origen rationally infers that Christ's Power was â—ivine because at his Name the Devils left the Bodies of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this was a thing not unusual in those very Days in which this Father lived as well as before We are ascertain'd that the ordinary Christians merely by their Prayers and Invocations ejected those Spirits and made them confess what they were That they had this Power in Iustin Martyr's Days who flourish'd in the middle of the Second Century appears in his known Dialogue with Trypho where he expresly saith The Devils tremble at the Name of Christ and being adjured by that sacred Name they become subject to us That they did the same in Irenaeus's Time which was some few Years after is cleer â—rom his * Lib. 2. cap. 58. Writings And the same Miraculous Gift continued till Tertullian at the end of the second Century as is evident both from his Apology and his Book to Scapula And St. * De vanit Idolorum Cyâ—rian testifies the like of his Time about the middle of the 3d Century So Minutius Felix and Lactantius relate how the Christians controuled the Evil Spirits and tell us that not only their Words and Commands but their bare Presence shut the Mouths of the Possessed and made the miserable Ghosts quake and tremble Yea Gregory Nazianzen in the next Age gives this Testimony †Orat. Apologeâ— The very Devils at this time tremble when Christ is call'd upon neither is the Power and Virtue of that Name diminish'd and impaired by our Sins And if I designed to expatiate I could derive it lower and also shew you that these and other Christian Writers commonly appeal to the Pagans concerning the Truth of these things and alledg this Ejection of Devils as a great and undeniable Proof of the Authority of the Christian Religion as certainly it was But I add no more having said enough for my purpose which was to make it appear that among other Works of the Devil Christ destroyed This in particular Fouâ—thly Is there not reason to think that St. Iohn refers here to what Christ did when by his Coming he rooted out Magick and Sorcery Dealing with the Devil either by Practising Witchcraft or Consulting with those that did and the like Works of the Black Art which the Cursed Spirit taught the World These were the Devil 's Opera which he shewed of old and got so much by whereby he pleas'd and gratified and at the same time bubled the easily deluded People Not to attend to the perverse Folly of those mere Matter-Men who disown Spirits and consequently deny a God as well as Devils for they will rather profess Atheism than acknowledg any such Rank of Beings Not to gratify these Gross Atheists so far as to take notice in this place of what they are wont to say in Defence of their Mad Opinion I shall take it for granted that Magical Operations properly so call'd are the Works of the Devil and that he was the first Founder of them designing and endeavouring thereby to bring Men under his Dominion and so far as he can effect it in the Minds of Men to exclude God and his Providence out of the World This questionless was his Design and was never doubted by the Ancient Christians as appears not only from * Magi non tantum sciunt daemoâ—es sed etiam quicquid miraculi edunt per daemones faciunt illis aspirantibus infundentibus praestigias edunt c. Adv. Gentes Arnobius but several other Primitive Writers though some of late so extraordinarily civil to him that they will not impute the Practice of Magick to his Assistance Good Men they are afraid to slander the Devil But from the History of several Ages we are certainly informed that there was nothing more usual thâ—n to make a Compact with Satan which the Mâ—gicians and Wizâ—rds effected with maâ—y direful Câ—remonies And when there was not a Foâ—mâ—l League with the Devil yet there was a Communication with him because the Persons gave themselves into his Hands by their immoderate Curiosity by their affecting to know more than was fitting or by an impatient coveting after Wealth and Riches or by a
Madness of Idolatry and Impiety possessed the World and the Knowledg of the True God was banish'd to whom did it belong to instruct the World aright concerning the true worship of the Father but to the Son And in the same place he farther sets forth the vast spreading of Idolatry over the World and Christians more powerful destroying of it And you shall find that this Glorious Atchievement of Christ in crushing Idolatry which was grown so prevalent every where is made the great Proof and Confirmation of the Truth of the Christian Religion and is insisted upon with mighty Force and Reason by all the Antient Apologists for Christianity And that this was one Great Design of our Saviour's manifesting himself in the World is evident from many Promises and Prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Messias and his Kingdom as that of the Evangelical Prophets * Isâ— 2. â—0 They shall cast their Idols of Silver and their Idols of Gold to the Batts and to the Moles to the Moles fit company you will say for them that have Eyes and see not as Idols are described by the Psalmist The meaning of this Prophetick Writer is that the enlightned and converted Gentiles shall renounce their Beloved Idolatry and with indignation throw their Idols and Images into the dark Corners of the Earth Whereas before they placed them in the Light and set them up to be seen now they shall be ashamed of them and being ashamed of them shall hide them and cast them into those obscure Holes where Bats and Moles lie hid under Ground To the same puâ—pose is that of the Prophet * Jer. 16. 19 20. Ieremiah The Gentiles shall come unto thee from the Ends of the Earth and shall say Our Fathers inherited Liâ—s and Vanities which are terms in the * Isa. 28. 15 44. 20. Jer. 13. 25. Hoâ— â— 1. Am. 2. 4. Rom. 1. 25. Scripture-stile to express False Gods but we will reject them for shall a Man make Gods to himself that are no Gods And in several places both Isaiah and this Prophet insist upon this that the Messias should bring the Gentiles out of the Darkness of Idolatry to the Light of the Gospel and the Acknowledgment of the True God In Ezek. 37. 23. there is another Prediction of the like Nature Israel shall not defile themselvâ—â— any â—ore with Idols nor with their Detestable Things which latter Clause is but an Explication of the foâ—meâ— for Shikkuâ—zim and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the words in the Original and the Septuagint are frequently used to signify Idols which are Detestable in the Eyes of God And Zephaniah foretels that * 〈◊〉 2. â—â— the Lord will famish all the Gods of the Earth which is a very remarkable Passage and alludes to the fond Conceit of the Pagans which is mentioned in Deut. 32. 38. that their Gods did eat the Fat of their Sacrifices and drank the Wine of their Drink-offerings To which it is probable God himself was pleas'd to allude in Psal. 50. 13. Will I eat the Flesh of Bulls or drink the Bloud of Goats And in Isa. 43. 24. Neither hast thou filled me with the Fat of thy Sacrifices It was a Notion among the Heathen Worshippers that the God's were nourish'd with the Steam of the Sacrifices and in relation to that the Prophet's Prediction is that those Gods shall be famished they shall not according to the fond Notion of the Gentile World be any longer â—ed from the Altars they shall be starved when Christianity takes place amongst Men for the Pagan Sacrifices shall then be laid aside and Idolatry cashier'd All these Pâ—ophecies were plainly accomplished when our Saviour came and commissioned his Apostles to preach the Gospel to the whole World This threw down the Idolatrous Images and in many places the very Idols themselves â—ell down prostrate on the Ground and as it were worship'd the Holy Jesus But as Christ gave a fatal Blow to Idolâ—trous Worship so I am more particularly to prove under this Head thâ—t he did conâ—ound the Worshipping of Devils which had been a thing very fashionable in the World before Christ came into it I say the Worshipping of Devils the highest Strain of Idolatry was confounded by our Saviour's appearing for it seems the Devil could not be content to cheat the World with his Oracles to enter into Mens Bodies and to make Leagues and Contracts with Persons but as an Effort above all these he affected to be worshipped and adored as a God This is confess'd by Porphyrius in his Book of Abstinence from Animals and Eusebius and St. Augustin and other Fathers make use of what he saith there against the Pagans whom they undertake to confute That the Gods whom the Gentiles sometimes worship'd were Devils is also the acknowledgment of Trismegistus in his Asclepius And it is owned by all the Wise and Understanding Heads among them that the Service paid to many of their Gods was a kind of Adoring the Devil It is well known that these Worshippers could by certain Magick Spells make these Infernal Fiends come to their Images when they pleas'd and when they had brought them thither they worship'd these Wicked Ghosts to appease their Fury and that they might do them no harm Besides the Particulars which I insisted on before do sufficiently evince the present Point for the consulting the Devil when he spake in Oracles and dealing with him by practising Witchcraft and Sorcery were a palpable forsaking of the True God and setting up the Devil for a God These were giving Divine Honour to the Prince of Darkness And which is most convincing do not the infallible Oracles of Scripture expresly tell us that the Idolatrous Jews sacrificed unto Devils not to God Deut. 32. 17. which to confirm the Truth and Certainty of it is repeated in Psal. 106. 37. They sacrificed their Sons and Daughters unto Devils And if I be not mistaken the Psalmist had before refer'd to this abominable Practice ver 28. They ate the Sacrifices of the Dead i. e. as I conceive the Sacrifices that were offer'd to the Manes and to the Stygian Iupiter or Pluto the God of the Dead these are meant here by Zibche methim the Sacrifices of the Dead I know some Writers have lessen'd and minc'd this Idolatry as well as that before spoken of and tell us that the Pagans all along worship'd God though under a false Representation It is partly true that the best of the Heathens did so but others did not and as for those that defend the contrary they are confuted by downright Authority from Scripture which acquaints us that they worship'd even Devils for sacrificing to them is worshipping them If they can evade this let them I could add that the Hebrew Masters were of Opinion that some of the Jews worship'd the Devil in shape of a Goat in Woods and Deserts because the word Sagnir is both Daemon and Hircus Lev. 17.