the whole business to them to do in it as they thought fit So of the Sons of Hemor c. is not to be construed with bought but with are laid which Opinion I confess is prevalent with me for Josephus's Authority 2 Antiq. 4. Hemor the Son of Sichem An Hebraism that is Hemor of Sichem or the Sichemite In the Greek it is an Elliptick speech Emmor of Sichem which may be variously supplyed according to the various acception of the word Sichem by which sometimes a person sometimes a place is designed in the Scriptures If it be taken for a place it is plain that Inhabitant is understood if it be referred to Emmor alone or if it be referred to the Sons of Emmor which I rather think Inhabitants is to be supply'd So that the meaning is from the Sons of Emmor the Sichemites that is from the Emmorrean Inhabitants of Sichem But if Sichem here be taken for a Person the word Father is to be supplied and it must be rendred with the learned Beza from the Sons of Hemor the Father of Sichem For Emmor or Hemor was Sichems Father not his Son as appears from Gen. 33.19 Jos 24.32 Nor is there any reason why the Greek words cannot bear that seeing the like occurs in approved Greek Writers Herodotus in Clio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adrastus the Nephew of Gordius who was Father to Midas Thalia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrus Cambyses's Father Aelianus 13. Var. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olympias Alexander's Mother Steph. de Vrb on the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daedala a City of Lycia built or as the learned Tho. de Pinedo has rendred it was so called by Daedalus Icarus's Father Also Luke 24.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mary the Mother of James is rightly rendred by the Syrian and both the Arabicks out of Mark 15.4 where it is expresly 17. The time of the Promise That was to be performed Which God had sworn to Abraham The famous Manuscript of England and the Vulgar Latin read had confessed That is Which God had made to Abraham and confirmed by an Oath Maimonides saith that every earnest affirmation of God is called an Oath Such is knowing know Gen. 15.13 that is know assuredly The people grew and multiplied in Egypt As if he had said There was an incredible multiplication of the Israelites from the time that Jacob went down to Egypt so that in the space of about 216 years of seventy Men 603550 Males were descended and those above the age of twenty years besides 22000 Levites and the Infants that were drowned and destroyed by Pharaoh Exod. 38.26 Numb 1.46 47.3.39 the devices of the Egyptians being set at nought by God There are not wanting other instances of a speedy encrease Mankind did so increase in 250 years after the Flood that in the Army of Ninus against the Bactrians there were 700000 Foot and 200000 Horse according to the relation of Diodorus Siculus out of Ctesia 18. Till another King arose c. B. Vsher in his Annals on the year of the World 2427 saith Ramesses Miamun is that New King who knew not Joseph born after his death willingly casting off the remembrance of his benefits And by his advice the Egyptians who were afraid of mischief from the Israelites kept them under with hard bondage besides their Domestick and Rural Service they had also the building of the Kings Store-houses imposed upon them to wit the Cities Pithom and Raamsis or Ramessis Exod. 1.8 -14. Acts. 7.18 19. one of which Mercator thinks was so named from the King the Builder thereof the other possibly from the Queen 19. The same dealt subtilly with our Kindred That is Craftily of Free Men making them vile slaves And evil entreated our Fathers To wit very severely So that they cast out their young Children As if he had said So that they were forced to expose their young Children that were Males to the raging Waters The wicked King saith Usher after he had in vain commanded Shiphra and Pua the Hebrew Midwives to make away the Male Infants privately published an inhumane Decree to drown them in the River Exod. 1.15 22. in the time that intervened betwixt the Birth of Aaron and Moses To the end that they might not be quickned That is That they might not be preserved alive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring to life as with the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syrians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Arabicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not so much to give life anew as to preserve that is already in being See Exod. 1.17 18 22. Ezechiel a most ancient Jewish Poet whom Clemens Alexand. strom 1. and Euseb lib. 9. â—repar Evang. have made mention of in his Tragedy of Moses published in Greek and Latin by Frid. Morellus at Paris 1609. hath excellently expressed the import of this Verse in these words But cruel Pharoah ' gainst us wholly bent Did many cunning stratageâ—â— invent Vs to enthral our Lives a burden were In making Bricks our Bodies daily wear While he did many Fenced Cities rear Next must the tender Parent his dear Son In Seven-stream'd Nilus rapid Waters drown 20. In which time To wit when the Israelites by the Kings command were compelled to drown their Children immediately when born Moses was born Vsher on the year of the World 2433 saith Jocebeda 40 years after the Death of her Father Levi brought forth Moses to Amram his Nephew her Husband For Moses was 80 years of age when he spoke to Pharoah to let the Israelites go out of Egypt Exod. 7.7 and 40 years after their outgoing when he died in the 12th month he was 120 years of age Deut. 31.2 34.7 And he was exceeding fair This Terence would have expressed And he was of so beautiful a Countetenance that none exceeded him The Latin word Gratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Grotius is from the Greek in Exod. 2.2 where it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beautiful To God which is added here in the original is an Hebraism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God that is very beautiful See our Annotations on Jonah 1.2 on these words The Great City Justin out of Trogus l. 36. c. 2. makes mention of the Comliness and Beauty of Moses Of which Josephus thus 2. Ant. 5. None was so indifferent a spectator of Beauty who would not admire the Beuaty of Moses and many that met him when he was carried in the Streets were so taken with his Beauty that they not only looked on the Countenance of the Child but also forgetting other business made it their work to satiate themselves with beholding him For such was the Childs Beauty that it as it were captivated and detained the Beholders And nourished up As if he had said The great affection of Moses's Parents overcame all their Fears and so contrary to the wicked Edict of the King they hid him three Months at home Exod.
Antient Idols together with their New Calf it is said 2 Kings 17.25 33 41. They feared the Lord and they feared not the Lord there being a a small difference between adoring many Gods and no God at all They had a Temple built them at length by Saballnat upon Mount Gerizim Deut. 11.29 where the Bleâ—ssigs were pronounc'd in imitation of the Temple of Jerusalem which Temple Hircan the High Priest of the Jews afterwards destroyed 200 years after it had been built Antiq. l. 13. c. 17. as Josephus reports However though the Temple were destroyed the Samaritans continued their Divine Worship upon the same Mountain still John 4.20 having not by any Scripture Rule as the Jews had for worshipping upon Mount Sion Gen. 12.6 7. Gen. 33.18 20. but by the Example of the Patriarchs design'd that place for the Publick Worship of God Thus Abraham and Jacob are said to have built an Altar near to Sichem threescore furlongs distant from the City of Samaria Judges 9.7 Joseph Antiq. l. 11. c. 8. But seeing that the Mount Gerizim overlook'd Sichem and that the Patriarchs made choice of Mountains for the building of Altars Gen. 22.2 2 Sam. 24.18 2 Chron. 1.3 it is probably conjectur'd that the Patriarchs Abraham and Jacob did rear an Altar to God upon Mount Gerizim Now says Thomas de Pinedo the Portuguez The Samaritans only believed the Pentateuch of the Omniscient Moses and thence arose the hatred between them and the Hebrews For as sin entred the World by the Law so hatred invades particular Societies through diversity of Religion with which distemper men of obscure birth and illiterate labour the Noble and Learned hate the vices not the men because they follow this or that Religion Whence it was that the Samaritans traduc'd the High Priest Eli as a Magician for that he translated the Sacrifices and the Worship of God out of a Schismatical boldness to Shilo contrary to the command of God They also condemned Samuel the Prophet for a Magician as appears by the Samaritan Chronicâ—es c. 41. the â—pitome of which is set forth by Hottinger in his Antimorinian Exercitations upon the Samaritan Pentateuch Nor were the Jews behind hand with the Samaritans For Aben Ezra the most Learned of the Hebrews upon the Book of Esther The Cuthaeans saith he instead of those words of Genesis In the beginning God created have put In the Beginning Asima created which Asima was an Idol in the shape of a Goat Benjamin Tudelensis in his Itinerary reports that the Samaritans wanted the three Hebrew Guttural Letters He Cheth and Ain both which are false for that neither are those Guttural Letters wanting in any of the Samaritan Pentateuchs Neither was Asima 2 King 17.30 but Nergal the Idol of the Cuthaeans of whom consisted the greatest number of the Samaritans Many other such stories the Jews invented in hatred of the Samaritans as how they worshiped a Dove and were circumcised in veneration of that creature and that they worshiped the Images that were brought by Jacob out of Assyria and lay buried behind Shechem under a Turpentine Tree To this the Learned Pinedo I make no doubt saith he but that they worshiped the Image of a Dove in regard they were subject to the Empire of the Assyrians For that the Kings of Assyria always bare in their Ensigns the figure of a Dove ever since the Reign of Semiramis To which Jeremy alludes where c. 25. v. 38. from the face of the anger of the Dove is no more than from the face of the anger of the Kings of Assyria in regard the Kings of Assyria carry the figure of a Dove in their Standards as now the Kings of Spain and the Emperour bear the Lion and the Eagle But the Samarites abolished all worship of Idols from the time that Sanballat built them a Temple upon Mount Gerizim after leave obtain'd from Alexander the Great and made Manasseh his Son-in-law and Brother of Jaddi the first High-Priest to officiate therein And whereas Epiphanius affirms that the Samarites celebrated the Feast of Pentecost and the Paschal Feast in Autumn so Scaliger asserts it to be untrue But this is certain that when the Jews liv'd in prosperity the Samaritans affirm'd themselves to be Jews descended from the Grand-children of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh but when the Jews were in adversity then they would neither acknowledg themselves to be Jews nor to be ally'd to them by any tye of Blood or Relation whatsoever And unto the uttermost part of the Earth To the intent that the Doctrine of Salvation might be published to all the Corners of the World Thus was fulfilled that Prophecy of Isaiah c. 49. v. 6. with others of the same nature That Christ was given as a Light to the Gentiles and to be the Salvation of God unto the ends of the Earth 9 And when he had spoken these things Supply out of L. 24.50 51. He led out his Apostles as far as Bethany a Village belonging to Mary and Martha the Sisters of Lazarus John 11.18 about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem and stretching forth his supplicating hands he blessed them Upon Luke 24.50 The Ceremony of Benediction saith Grotius was wont to be solemniz'd with the Imposition of hands Gen. 27.4 7 12 19 21 22. Gen. 48 9 14 15 c. as we find by the story of Isaac and Jacob. But when the Blessing was to be given to many then for the more quicker dispatch only the stretching forth or lifting up of the hands was us'd toward them that were to be blessed Thus Aaron lifted up his hand towards the the people Levit. 9.22 and blessed them that is prayed for their prosperity and success While they beheld He did not disappear nor became invisible privately or remote from company as Luke 24.31 but by degrees while the Disciples beheld the action he was by the Divine Power rais'd or drawn up to a Cloud which soon receiv'd him and convey'd him out of their sight But as Christ after his Resurrection would not be promiscuously seen by all so did he not admit every one to be Witnesses of his Ascension as designing that Mystery of Faith to be rather known by the Preaching of the Gospel than by ocular Testimony This shews the vigor of great Minds saith Leo this the true Light of faithful Souls Serm. 2. de Asceâ—s undoubtedly to believe what they do not behold with the corporeal Eye and there to six their desire where they cannot reach with their most piercing sight Which Piety how should it breed in our hearts should our Salvation consist only in those things which are obvious to the sense Tract 68. in Johan Thus St. Austin The Faith of those who will see God while they are in their Pilgrimage and cleaning their hearts believes what it sees not The Merit accrews by Believing the Reward is seeing afterwards Let the Lord
to ascend into Heaven that is in the same form and substance of the Flesh to which he gave immortality but took away nothing of its nature Yet he is not to be thought to be every where diffus'd according to that form For we must be careful that we do not so uphold the Divinity of this man as to take away the reality of his Body For it is not consequential that what is in God should be every where as God For the most true Scripture speaks also of us that we live move and have our being in God yet are we not every where as he is But that man is after another manner in God and that God is after another manner in man after a manner both singular and proper For God and Man is one Person and one Christ Jesus is both Every where as he is God but only in Heaven as he is Man Again as Leo well observes The Ascension of Christ is our Advancement Serm. 1. de Ascens and whither the glory of the Head is gone before thither also is the hope of the body call'd 12. Then That is to say when the Majesty of Christ was apparently known the Apostles ador'd him as the King of Glory and Judge of the world and he being ador'd as appears out of Luke 24.52 they return to Jerusalem rejoycing in their hearts as now having attain'd to understand that wonderful mean by which the Redemption of Mankind was procur'd and full of expectation of the descent of the Holy Ghost from Heaven upon them now approaching and at hand From the Mount called Olivet That is from the farther side of Mount Olivet to which the Village of Bethany adjoyn'd distant from Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs John 11.18 Antiq. l. 20. c. 6. Whereas the beginning or foot of the Mount was distant not above a Sabbath days Journey or five furlongs as we find in Josephus Moreover lest we should extend the length or latitude of Mount Olivet too far the most famous Ludovicus de Dieu gives us this caution that St. John may be understood of the Jewish furlongs whereas Josephus is to be understood of the Grecian furlongs And so saith he Bethany situated in the farther side of this Mountain will be no farther distant from the foot of the Mountain then the foot of the same Mountain from Jerusalem For since five Grecian furlongs make seven Jewish furlongs and a half that number doubled will make fifteen Jewish or ten Grecian furlongs which make exactly two Jewish miles or a double Sabbath-days Journey In which sense may be taken that of St. Jerome De loc Heb. Bethany a Town two miles from Aelia upon the side of Mount Olivet Now if Bethany did not joyn close to Mount Olivet but were seated beyond it as Adrichomius will have it or some furlongs distant from it as it is in the Jewish Map set forth by the Jews at Amsterdam then the words were to be translated and they return'd by Mount Olivet and from the Mount seems to denote that the Mountain Oliveâ— lay between the Fields of Bethany whither Christ carry d his Disciples being to ascend into Heaven and the City of Jerusalem which they were of necessity to pass over before they could come to Jerusalem As Bethany saies de Dieu is said in the Greek Text to have been near to Jerusalem from almost fifteen furlongs Jo. 11.18 the from signifies the fifteen furlongs lying between which are of necessity to be pass'd over from Bethany to Jerusalem Thus Rev. 14.20 And the blood came out of the Wine-Press unto the Horse-bridles from the space of a thousand six hundred furlongs The vulgar Translation rendring the Adverb from per or by a thousand six hundred furlongs and that rightly for from signifies the adjoyning space lying between Thus Acts 14.24 They coming from Perga the vulgar version translates they coming by Perga Whence it would follow that Christ did not ascend into Heaven from Mount Olivet which nevertheless St. Jerome frequently affirms and which has always hitherto been believ'd as conjectur'd from Acts 1.12 Luc. 24.50 51. where however Luke does not aver it but from the Fields of Bethany which the Gospel sufficiently declares from which Fields of Bethany the Apostles went to Mount Olivet and took the shortest way over that Hill to Jerusalem Which is a Sabbath-days Journey That is the space between the City and the foot of the Hill was a Sabbath-days Journey See our literal Explication upon Mat. 24.20 Saies the lately commended de Dieu The learned easily reconcile this difference with Josephus asserting the Mountain to be five furlongs distant from the City For a Sabbath-days Journey consisted of two thousand Cubits which extent of ground the Hebrews call'd a mile as is manifest out of their writings But a furlong among the Greeks contain'd a hundred paces a pace six foot or four Cubits as appears from the words of Herodotus a hundred just paces are one furlong of six Acres l. 2. but a Pace is the measure of six foot or four Cubits One Foot contains the breadth of four hands and a Cubit six hands breadth Thus far Herodotus You see he measures the Cubit to be a foot and a half Therefore six hundred foot which made a furlong amount to four hundred Cubits and consequently five furlongs two thousand Cubits But how this agrees with the Syrian Interpreter who will have a Sabbath-days Journey to be about seven furlongs the Learned do not so easily resolve For our parts we affirm that the Syrian spake not of the Grecian but the Hebrew furlongs of which seven and a half make a mile or Sabbath-days journey See Baal Aruch upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rus. See the Jewish Mapp set forth at Amsterdam where seven furlongs and a half make an Hebrew short mile and four short miles a long one called Parsa 13. And when they were come in That is into the City of Jerusalem They went up into an upper Room The Greek has it into the upper part of the House But whose House this was is a thing very much controverted among the learned l. 1. Hist c. 28. A. D. 34. n. 236. Nicephorus out of one Euodius affirms it to have been the House of St. John the Evangelist the Son of Zebedeus Baroâ—ius and Beda assert it to have been the House of that Mary who was the Mother of John Sirnam'd Mark of whom Luke makes mention in some Chapters lower Theophylactus believes it to have been the House of Simon the Leper in Mat. 26. Others will have it to have been the House of Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea For my part I am apt to believe that this House was the Temple of Jerusalem it self according to the testimony of Luke himself in his Gospel And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy c. 24. v. 52 53. and were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God Observe
this place The Disciples saith he besought as well the sending of the Holy Ghost as to be freed from all the present Evils with which they were encompassed With the Women Meaning those Women of which mention is made Mat. 27.55 and with them the Wives of the Apostles For saith the famous Beza as it is well observed by others it was requisite that the Wives of the Apostles should be confirm'd whom it behoved either to be the Companions of their Travels or patiently at home to endure their absence An ancient Book of mine adds also And with their Children And Mary the Mother of Jesus Mary is exempted from the common sort of Women as the most excellent of Women According to this Phrase David in the Title of the 18th Psalm is said to be delivered out of the hand of his Enemies and out of the hand of Saul as being the most potent of his Adversaries And in the Hebrew Bibles Reches a most excellent sort of Horses is particularly distinguish'd from all other Horses in general 1 Kings 4.28 And they brought forth Barley and Straw for the Horses and the Reches 15. In those days That is when the Apostles and the rest of the Disciples abode together expecting the coming of the Holy Ghost Peter standing up To whom the Priority of degree was given in regard of his Seniority according to St. Jerom Cassian and several others of the Fathers The number of Men. Some ancient Latin Exemplars together with the Greek read Names as it is in the English version But by Names is to be understood Men. Infrà c. 4. v. 12. Thus the name of Christ is taken for Christ himself The name of God is us'd for God himself Psal 5.12 and in other places Thus in Ciceropro Archia Thou demandest of us why we are so delighted with this Name i. e. this man Tibullus Nor is Woman a faithful Name Near a hundred and twenty So that there were present at this most Noble and Holy Colledge besides the Eleven Apostles and Seventy Disciples Thirty seven others who together with them made up the number of a hundred and twenty 16. The Scripture must needs have been fulfill'd That is according to the Interpretation of Christ from whose lips all the Disciples who were then present had a little before understood the mystical sense intended by the Holy Ghost from the mouth of David Luc. 24.44 45. when he interpreted the Scriptures after his Resurrection Concerning Judas The Rival in wickedness with the Impious Enemies of David Who. In the malice of his Heart Was guide to them Those bloody Murderers of whom John 18.3 17. Who c. In the Gr. because instead of the adversative particle although As if he had said Who seduced by the Devil soar'd to that height of Impiety that he most shamefully betrayed the Lord Christ although among many other benefits he also attain'd this to be enroll'd into our number and Apostolick Colledge Lott That is Ministry or Function That Lott is taken for Office or Employment is apparent out of Livy and the Lexicon Writers Kleros in Greek and sors in Latin Lott is said in the first place to be any thing cast into a little Vessel and then drawn forth again infrà v. 26. Prov. 16.33 In the next place the same words are taken for that portion or property Deut. 3.6 which is gain'd by the Lott cast Lastly they are taken in a diffusive sense for that proportion of any thing which falls to any man by the allottment or appointment of any one or by any other accident and it is said not only of hereditary goods whether they be obtain'd by gift or labour but also of Offices or Functions as here says Brenius Moreover the word Kleros is by long use made proper to those who are in the Ecclesiastical Ministry However in Scripture the Pastors of the Church are never the Flocks but once character'd under this Title 1 Pet. 5.3 where Peter the Apostle joyning himself to the Presbyters as a fellow Presbyter admonishes them not to domineer over the Lotts By Lotts saith the forementioned Daniel Brenius upon this place of St. Peter he understands the assemblies of the faithful congregated out of the Jews and Gentiles to whom through Christ their Lott is fallen among the People of God who being his peculiar and not the property of the Bishops they are therefore to act not according to their will and pleasure but according as they are prescrib'd Allusion being made to the allottments of the Tribes who had their Divisions in the Land of Canaan by Lotts but chiefly for this reason that Israel is said to be the Portion and Inheritance of God Of this Ministry In the Greek of this Deaconry Deaconry signifies the exercise of any Office or Function but below where the word Apostleship is added v. 25. there it is restrained only to the Apostolick Function 18. And this man possessed a field Not as his own possession but as an Eternal Monument of Infamy For still the people cryed as they passed by This is the Field bought with the thirty pieces of silver which Judas took as the price and hire of his detestable Treason And it may probably be conjectur'd that Judas himself was buried in that field appointed for the Interment of strangers for so the sense of the words And this man possessed a field with the hire of iniquity will be the same as if we should say And this man out of his covetousness of shameful gain delivered the Author of Salvation into the hands of the Jews and suddenly snatched away by a severe death got nothing by such a detestable and inhumane Crime but a small pittance of Earth for the burial of his Body in that field which the Priests joyntly bought with the restored hire which they had given to Judas For Luke as Heinsius notes did not say He possessed the little field in reference to the whole field but a little field that is he possessed a little part of the field For when he comes to speak of the whole field or the field it self he does not only say the little field but that little field What then says Heinsius means that word a little field A part of the Earth or place sufficient to contain the body of the dead And being hanged In the Greek and being headlong For the Greek word saith Leigh in his Sacred Criticks does not properly signifie hang'd but prone headlong and with the head downward and signifies the posture of a person suffocated with a halter with the face hanging toward the Earth as Erasmus observes Others render the Greek and being cast down headlong or as the common English Translation hath And falling headlong But that this Version may be reconcil'd with that of Matthew saying c. 27.5 And departing he went and hanged himself as the Antient Latine Interpreter renders the Greek words some turn it thus And departing he was
consum'd with anguish of mind For the Greek word us'd there if we may credit Heinsius Grotius and Brenius is to be tormented with grief and sadness and stoppage of the breath whether the person die of those torments or no. So that Matthew does not speak of the death of Judas which happen'd after the same manner here by St. Luke related but of the unsupportable torment of an exulcerated Conscience Hom. 22. ad Antiochen Which Chrysostom calls to be strangled with Conscience that is to be oppress'd with the guilt of his Crimes Lightfoot renders the Greek word in St. Matthew he was strangl'd And so he believes the death of Judas happen'd For now says he after he had thrown back the price of his Treason when Judas was departed with an intention to return to his own Family the Devil who dwelt in him snatching him up into the Air strangl'd him and threw him down headlong so that dashing against the Earth he burst in two in the middle his guts tumbling forth after which horrible Exit the Devil left him But whereas the most Antient Author of the Epistle to the Philippians under the name of Ignatius the Martyr ascertains hanging to be the death of Judas De locis Sanctis and Juvencus affirms that he hanged himself upon a Fig-tree and Beda testifies that the same was to be seen in his time near Jerusalen The Vulgar Latine Version of St. Matthew seems to be preferred before the rest which though it seems to vary something from the Relation of Peter concerning his casting down headlong yet does it carry no contradiction to it Matthew gives an account of the beginning of the Action Peter of the End supplying by divine Inspiration what was wanting in the Relation of Matthew Judas fits the Halter to his neck and springs downward with the greater violence to the end he might the sooner choak himself But that the Vengeance of God might more eminently appear in the horrid and immature death of the infamous Traitor by an unexpected accident the Rope broke so that Judas fell headlong upon some craggy stone or sharp pointed stump of a Tree so that his bursten belly let forth all his bowels Thus Casaubon Concerning the ten thousand Idumeans thrown headlong by the Jews from a Rock who all of them burst their guts 2 Chron. 25.12 the story still is exstant Papias who as Eusebius declares was a Writer of little worth and one that feigned trifles from false Interpretation confounding the Greek word signifying headlong with another Greek word signifying swollen up and thence erecting his own dreams relates that the body of Judas was swell'd to that immensity that so much ground as was sufficient to drive a Cart thorow could not contain it and that thereupon the Cart went over him and squeez d out his guts In like manner the Authors of another Fable when they read that Judas possess'd or purchas'd a field with the hire of iniquity affirm'd that that same field in regard that Judas died in it by reason of the horrid stench which he left behind remain d barren and untill'd 19. And it was known to all the Dwellers at Jerusalem That is to say that horrid sort of death which ended the ignominious life of the Sacrilegious betrayer of Christ Insomuch as that field is called That is to say that field which was purchas'd with the hire of Treachery and infamous for the burial and perhaps the death of the Traitor For many are persuaded that Judas deservedly perished in that field and that by this Event the Priests were the rather instigated to desire the purchase of that field In their proper Tongue The Greek has it in their proper Dialect that is to say which was us'd by the Inhabitants of Jerusalem This Peter speaks as a Galilean and speaking to the Disciples of Christ who were for the most part Galileans Now the Galileans had a distinct Dialect from those of Jerusalem As appears from the History of Christs Passion where Peters Tongue betrayed him Hakeldama The field of Blood Saith the most Learned Lightfoot as well because it was purchas'd with the price of blood as waterâ—d with the blood of the Traitor 20. For it is written Now Peter alledges the Scripture which before v. 16. he had said was to be fulfilled that is to say according to the Mystical sense intended by the Holy Ghost as the Disciples had learnt it from the lips of Christ explaining the Scripture Luke 24.44 In the Book of Psalms That work which the Hebrews are wont to call the Book of Hymns because the chief part of it celebrates the praises of God the Greeks and Latines call it the Psalter from the name of the Instrument to which those Hymns were sung They are in all a hundred and fifty in the Hebrew Copies For the hundred fifty first which is added in the Greek is fictitious rejected not only by the Hebrews but by the Council of Laodicea Theodoret and many others as well Antient as Modern affirm David to be the only Author of all the Psalms Hâ—â— 126. Philastrius also accompts them to be Hereticks who think otherwise l. 17. de Civ Dei c. 14. But St. Austin wavers sometimes ascribing the whole work to David alone sometimes allowing him to have compos'd no more than only nine affirming the rest to have been made by the four Singers of whom he made choice for that purpose In 〈◊〉 aâ— In. pâ—â—i Psâ—â—i But it is apparent from the Arguments of the Psalms wherein their Authors are discover'd or from the express words and subjects of the Psalms by which the time of their composure may be conjectur'd that all the Psalms were not the work of David only but of several Authors Deservedly therefore Hilarius in his Preface to the Psalmâ— concludes the whole composure to be called not the Psalms of David but the Book of Psalms as here it is called by Peter and by Christ himself Luke 20.42 The Author of the Synopsis attributed to Athanasius and Hilarius say that the Psalms were reduced into one Volume by Esdras and digested into that order as now they are extant Prâ—â— in Psâ—l Esâ—i ad Sâ—pâ—â—â— Câ—p. As for that division of the Psalms into five parts which Hilarius and Jerom affirm to have been us'd by the Hebrews and is at this day observ'd in their Book I believe to be no antienter than the Times of the Maccabees saith a person among the Eloquent most highly Learned and among the Learned surpassingly Eloquent Peter Daniel Huetius Dâ—â—â—â—â— Evarg Prâ—p 4. Let his habitation What David out of his Zeal to Justice and the Honour of God imprecating upon his Enemies had prophesied that the Holy Ghost also speaking by the mouth of David would have foretold concerning the persecutors of Christ typifi'd by David And thus Peter being taught the sense of the holy Scriptures by Christ deservedly applys to Judas the Leader of
their Fathers But the Apostle Paul who was not a Proselyte but a Jew by Nation useth the same compellation to the Jews below * c. 22. v. 1. It is more reasonable therefore to say that both Stephen a Proselyte and Paul a Jew by birth call the Younger among them Brethren and the Older Fathers The God of Glory Heb. The King of Glory * Psal 24.7 That is the Omnipotent and Glorious God King of Kings Appeared unto our Father Abraham Stephen might use this expression not only as a Christian but also as a Jew or a Proselyte of the Jewish Religion The God of the Jews who calls himself the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and of Jacob is also the God of the Proselytes for the Proselytes worshipped one and the same God and bound themselves to observe the same Law with that which he gave to the Jews If they could call the God of the Jews their God as well as the Jews who can deny that they could call Abraham their Father But seeing Abraham by the Promise made by God to him was called the Father of Nations those Nations whose Father he was called by God could be no other than those which the Messias purchased to God the Father by his own Blood And there is no doubt but the Christians at this day may call Abraham their Father Thus far the renowned Salmasius When he was in Mesopotamia That is While he yet abode at Vr of the Chaldees Not to mention the Fables of the Hebrews who change Vr into an Appellative name I do not approve of their Opinion though it seem more probable to Bochartus * Phaleg l. 2. c. 6. who places Vr towards the Mountainous parts of Armenia in the Confines of Syria and more Northern Mesopotamia where by the name Vr they denote a Persian Castle * Amm. l. 25. c. 26. For neither does the Name of Chaldaea seem to be extended so far nor had Abraham then come from the East but rather from the North Neither can a Demonstrative Argument be drawn from the similitude of Names such as is that of the Persian Castle in Marcellinus whither he reporteth that Cassianus and Mauritius came as Bochartus himself elsewhere observes Isaac Vossius a very learned man will have Vr to be the same with Chebar or Chobar at the Confluent of Chabor and Euphrates but the way is nearer from that place into Syria nor was it needful for those that were journying to Canaan to go up into Charan nor was that a City of Chaldaea Therefore it 's uncertain whether it be Vra mentioned by Pliny * l. 5. c. 24. in the turning of Euphrates toward the East and Babylonia Or Ouria spoken of by Eupolemus a City of Babylonia according to Eusebius * Praep. l. 9. but according to Ptolomy situate near Euphrates in Babylonia or the City Orchoa or any other City of Chaldaea whose name was changed But the Chasedim Chaldaeans who were issued from Chesed the Son of Nachor Gen. 22. v. 22. seem to be mentioned by a Prolepsis Gen. 11.31 as are the names of Bethel Dan c. Thus far the most renowned Frederick Spanhem the Son in his Introduction to Sacred Geography The most learned Vsher Bishop of Armach is of opinion that the word Chasedim is rather an Appellative of a Sect denoting Diviners and Magicians than the proper name of a Nation The Fortune-tellers in Chaldaea it self are also found distinguished by that name Dan. 2. v. 2 20.4 v. 7. 5. v. 11. Stephen saith Heidegger Reckons Mesopotamia the same with Chaldaea For this reason certainly that that part of Mesopotamia which lies next to Syria is in the Scriptures also mentioned under the name of Chaldaea And Pliny lib. 6. c. 26. declareth that some part of Babylonia yea Babylon it self was comprehended within the bounds of Mesopotamia Babylon the Head of the Chaldaick Nations for a long time enjoyed the greatest renown in the whole World on which account the rest of Mesopotamia and Assyria was called Babylonia And the same Pliny a little after There are also Cities in Mesopotamia Hipparenum and this of the Chaldees as also Babylon near the River Narraga which gave name to a City The Persians demolished the Walls of Hipparenum The Orchens also a third Sect of the Chaldaeans were placed in the same Situation turned toward the South Moreover Tremellius is of Opinion that Orchoe is the same with Vr The same Pliny * l 6. c. 27. also declareth that Mesopotamia is bounded on the East with Tigris on the West with Euphrates on the South with the Persian Sea and on the North with the Mountain Taurus So that not only all encompassed by the two Rivers but also all places situate by their Banks are to be comprehended in Mesopotamia Possibly the Words of * 1 An. 7. Josephus tend also to the same purpose where speaking of Abraham he saith When the Chaldaeans and the rest of the Mesopotamians rose up against him he determined to transmigrate himself and relying upon the good Will and Favour of God he went and dwelt in the Land of Canaan It is therefore apparent that Abrahams Native Country Vr may be rightly ascribed both to Mesopotamia and also to Chaldaea Thus far Heidegger * Hist Sac. Patriarc Tom. 1. Exercit. 23. num 45. Tom. 2. Exerciâ— 3. num 5. Babylon saith Lightfoot may be also said to be in Mesopotania partly because it was situate betwixt the two Rivers Euphrates and Tigris but especially according to Scripture Idiom because it was on the other side of the River Which that it is observed by the Vulgar Interpreter you may see from Jos 24. v. 3. where for that which is in the Hebrew And I brought Abraham your Father from beyond the River he has I brought therefore your Father Abraham from the Porders of Mesoptamia Eratosthenes in Strabo l. 3. saith That Mesopotamia is comprehended with Babylonia in a great circle by Euphrates and Tigris Before he dwelt in Charan As if he had said Abraham was indeed as yet in Mesopotamia when the Lord appeared to him but at Vr of the Chaldees not at Charan Abraham departing from Vr of the Chaldees with his Fathers House came to Charan not with an intention to abide there but to go over to the Land of Canaan as saith Torniellus A. M. 2113. num 3. But when he was come to Charan of Mesopotamia an Eastern City not far from Vz where Job afterwards inhabited his Father Therach was there seiz'd with a Distemper whereof he died hence his duty to his Father now a dying who had given himself as a Guide and Companion of this Pilgrimage on the account of Religion detained and kept back Abraham from accomplishing his begun Journey and so he dwelt at Charan till Therach accomplished the days of his Pilgrimage being now 205 years of Age as it is related Gen. 11 31 32.
by way of Anticipation Mesopotamia where the Euphrates runneth close by it Frid. Spanhem Hist Job 1. c. 7. n. 4. towards the South and East is adjoyning to Arabia the Desert being only parted from it by the River so that there are indeed some Cities such as even at this day are Ana or Anna of the largest and most famous of that Countrey some whereof on this side of the River are accounted Cities of Mesopotamia Hence they have one and the same Language Religion and Customs the nature of the Ground is the same being plain and barren and running out into waste Deserts producing the same Herbs and Twigs the same Emir also or Prince of the Arabians extending his Dominion a great way in Mesopotamia Whence it is that the Southern part of Mesopotamia is by Xenophon l. 1. Anabas Pliny Hist l. 5. c. 24. Strabo Geogr. l. 16. and others reckoned a part of Arabia But now Charan the place of Nachors abode called by Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also Charrhai by Stephen Ptolomy and Sozomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Acts by Jerom Aran as also Carrae if it be the same City with that of the Roman Writers of the Crassian Overthrow Charan by the Georg. Gen. 24.10 of Nubia called also Nachor from Nachor who built and inhabited it is situate in that part of Mesopotamia which the River Chabora watereth between Euphrates and Ascorus for by Holy Writ we may learn that Charan lay in the Way that leadeth from Chaldea into Canaan Gen. 11.31 So that it is altogether more Southerly towards Arabia the Desert and Syria Palmyrena or Aram Tsaba For the Way from Vr of the Chaldees to Palestine is from the East to the West except where to avoid the unpassable places of Arabia Travellers turn toward the North through that part of Mesopotamia that is more Southerly which is to the Northwards of Chaldaea Again the Country of Charan was said to be Easterly in respect of Palestine Gen. 29.1 Hence it is certainly in the Southerly part of Mesopotamia which borders with that part of Arabia where the Inhabitants dwell in Tents according to the Stile of the Scripture and the insight of Maps For the Northern parts of both the Syria's and the Country of Assyria are not said to be Eastward but Northward Hence we may discern their mistake who will have Charan to be situate a great way towards the North and the Mountains of Armenia about the 36 or 37 degrees of Latitude and who confound it with Edessa or Orfa as R. Benjamin Peter Appian Jacob Ziglerus Joseph Moletius and others And the Carrae that are there marked towards the Assyrians whence Lucan called them the Assyrian Carrae as in the Book of Tobit they are placed between Niniveh and Raghes are of necessity altogether different from the Charan of Nachor and Abraham Charan therefore in Mesopotamia was fituated betwixt Babylonia and that part of Syria which led into Palestine hence it lies more towards the South not far from the River Euphrates as the Chaldaean Paraphrase hath it the Nubian Geographer confirms this who will have Harran to be more Southerly than the City Aleppo about the 31 Deg. North. Lat. Hence Arias Montanus on Gen. 24. v. 10. declareth the City Padan to be in that Tract nearer to Babylonia which more truly was the Country in which Charan the City of Nachor was situate nor was it contiguous to Palestine as Adrichomius will have it in the Theater of the Holy Land which as being in Mesopotamia is rather contiguous to Arabia the Desert as this is extended Northward to Euphrates wherein we have placed Jobs Habitation yea those of the East do declare that Charan in Abrahams days was inhabited by the Sabaean Arabians as also the famous Huttinger in his Oriental History c. 8. out of Keesseus the Muhammedan And he said unto him To Wit When he was addicted to the Superstition and Idol-Worship of the Chaldaeans or as those of the East say of the Zabians Jos 24.2 3. Get thee out of thy Country The uninterrupted tenor of the words sufficiently importeth that he speaketh of one call when Abraham dwelt at Vr of the Chaldees where he was born and brought up The call it self together with the Promise is extant Gen. 12.1 2 3. Stephen indeed left out the Promise because it was not needful to touch upon every particular Come into the Land which I shall shew thee He promiseth that he will at length shew him the Land which he did not express in the Call it self Hence also Heb. 11.8 Abraham is said to have gone out not knowing whither he went If Abraham knew not whither he went and the Land towards which he must go could not be shewed him till after his setting out whence is it that by a Prolepsis Abraham is said to have set out from Vr of the Chaldees together with Therach his Guide in his Pilgrimage and Sarah and Lot his Companions therein that he might go into the Land of Canaan Torniellus answers in the year of the World 2113 num 3. That it might very well be that Abraham when he set out knew that God would have him go to the Land of Canaan but that he did not know whether God would have him to settle there or go further to some more remote Countrey and therefore he came into Charan not with a design to settle there but to pass over towards the Land of Canaan firmly believing that there the Lord would shew him the Land whereto he must go and in which he must abide even as a little after it truly came to pass For when he came to Sichem in the Land of Canaan he heard from God Gen. 12.7 To thy Seed will I give the Land 4. Then To wit after Abraham understood both Gods Commands and Promises He came out of the Land of the Chaldaeans As if he had said He utterly forsook his Fathers House and together with his Father Sarai and Lot departed from Vr of the Chaldaeans Stephen will have Mesopotamia the same with Chaldaea The Arabians saith Ludovicus de Dieu are still of Opinion that Chaldaea belongs to Mesopotamia For the Geographer of Nubia in the sixth part of the fourth Climate where he describeth Mesopotamia saith that Bagdad extendeth thither which is that we now call Babylon the Metropolis of Chaldaea whose Province Benjamin in his Itinerary concludeth to be Beretz Sinear in the Land of Shinar which is Chaldaea But although Gods call commanding Therach together with Abraham Sarah and Lot to depart from Vr of the Chaldaeans was directed to Abraham yet because Therach was Father of the Family therefore Gen. 11. v. 31. the business of Migration is ascribed to him not to a Son of his Family as Scaliger * In Elencho Pareano hath rightly observed And dwelt in Charan For no long time saith the most Eloquent of the Jews Philo in his Book of Dreams Aug. 16.
other place of Moses in which Joseph is compared unto a firstling Bullock and which they do attribute unto the Messiah Son of Joseph is applied unto the Messiah Son of David in the Midrash Thehillim The Jews say that Jacob did Prophesy these words concerning the Messiah Son of David Gen. 49. v. 10. Till he come who is to be sent and he shall be the expectation of the Nations And these words Psal 71. v. 17. And all the Tribes of the Earth shall be blessed in him all Nations shall magnify him but in the Book of the Talmud intituled Sanhedrin the same Testimonies are referred unto that Messiah of whom Isaiah spake chap. 53. v. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows R. Selomon Jarchi in his Expositions upon the Gamara of Sanhedrin and R. Moses Alschech say that the 53d Chapter of Isaiah belongs unto the Messiah Son 〈◊〉 David in which are told the griefs reproaches death of the Messiah the which opinion Ra. Isaac Abrabaniel retains in some places This indeed doth teach that the Messiah Son of David is signified in those words which are Isai 11. v. 3. 4. He shall not judge after the sight of his Eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his Ears but with Righteousness shall he judge the poor But the same Book of Sanhedrin teacheth that the Messiah whom Isaiah foretelleth there shall be punished by God The Messiah that is sprung of Ruth is the self same that was the Nephew of David notwithstanding we read in Ruth Rabbathi that a Kingdom and Calamities are portended unto this Messias in these words which are in Ruth 2. v. 14. Come hither and eat of the Bread and dip thy morsel into the Vinegar Therefore some Rabbins of no small Note do agree that there is one only Messiah to come twice 34. Answering That is Beginning to speak or having begun See our Literal Explication Mat. 11. v. 25. Of himself These things in some manner in a Typical sense may not badly be understood of Isaias himself who suffered many evils in Manasses's time But they are understood of another in a full and perfect sense to wit of Christ that suffered griefs reproaches and a bitter death that he might give us eternal Salvation 35. And opening c. As if he should say But Philip having begun a long Oration from this place of Isaiah which was before his hands he took an occasion to instruct the Eunuch about Jesus in which this and other predictions of the Prophets are fulfilled in an excellent manner He told him that that Jesus who was born of the Family of David born of a Virgin at Bethlehem and suffered a bitter death for our Offences was raised from the dead to sit at the right Hand of God the Father whose only begotten Son he is and that none is to obtain eternal Salvation but those who earnestly repenting of their sinful condition believe in Jesus himself obey his precepts And that those that do profess his Faith and Repentance ought to be dipt into the Water according to Christs appointment that the remission of sins may be sealed unto them by this holy dipping which remission is freely granted to every repenting sinner when he does believe in Christ 36. And as they went on their way That is while they went forward in the Eunuchs Journey to Gaza from Jerusalem They came unto a certain water Eusebius in his Book of Hebrew places which Hierom did translate and augment saith Bethsur in the Tribe of Juda or Benjamin and at this day is called Bethsoron a Village to us in the twentieth mile as we Travel from Aelia to Hebron near which there is a Fountain that springeth at the foot of the Hill is suckt up by the same ground in which it ariseth And the Acts of the Apostles do tell us that the Eunuch of Candace the Queen was Baptized in this Fountain by Philip. And there is also another Village called Bethsur in the Tribe of Juda distant a thousand paces from Eleutheropolis See here is Water c. It doth manifestly appear that the Eunuch among other things was taught by Philip that Baptism of Water was of necessity to be taken by them who repenting of their sinful life do imbrace the Faith of Christ as a Holy Rite appointed and commanded by Christ himself that it might be in itself a figure of new life and a seal of the remission of sins obtained through Christ 37. If thou believest That the Eunuch is not permitted to be Baptized unless he had professed a sincere Faith in Christ it doth sufficiently enough declare how truly great Basil hath spoken in his Book on the Holy Spirit ch 12. Faith and Baptism are the two means of Salvation inseparably cleaving together for Faith is perfected by Baptism but Baptism is founded by Faith and by the same names both things are fulfilled For as we believe in the Father Son and Holy Spirit so also we are Baptized in the name of the Father Son Holy Spirit indeed there goeth before a Confession leading us unto Salvation but Baptism followeth sealing our Confession Covenant But the Covenant of God is his promise of giving us eternal life and our answer is our promise of Worshipping God according to his will revealed to us The same Churches Teacher in his third Book against Eunomius Baptism is the seal of Faith Faith is the confession of the God-head it is necessary we should first believe then be sealed with Baptism According to this Rule of Scripture and agreeing with reason itself the most part of the Greeks in all Ages even unto this day retain a Custom of delaying Infant Baptism till they themselves can give a Confession of their Faith as Grotius hath noted on Matth. 19. v. 13. But especially the sixth Canon of the Synod of Neocasarea is to be observed whose words are as follows Concerning a Woman with Child that she may be Baptized when she pleases for her Baptism concerns not her Child For every one is to give a demonstration of his own choice in a Confession For however the Interpreters draw it to another purpose it does appear that the question was made of Women big with Child because it did seem that the Child was Baptized together with the Mother which notwithstanding ought not nor used not to be Baptized except of its own proper Election and Profession And to this purpose are the words of Balsamo In Compen can tit 4. The unborn Babe cannot be Baptized because it is not come into light neither can it have a choice of making Confession which is required in Holy Baptism And Zonaras The Babe will then need Baptism when it can chuse But the Synod doth determine that Baptism of a Woman great with Child doth therefore rightly proceed because her Baptism concerns her alone who can Confess what she believeth and not the Child in her Womb. But that Synod of Neocaesarea
continency of sacred Men Chap. 5. Dissert Lib. 1. de Episc Dignit Jurisdict upon which account he was miserably abused by the Jesuite Dionysius Petavius But also the same Medina affirmed the same openly in the Council of Trent neither did he stick though many fretted at it publickly to contend that so far Jerome and Augustine had a Heritical opinion the matter to wit not being altogether clear Which as it moved others not a little So saith the writer of the History of the Council of Trent this Doctor sticking close to his own opinion maintained it with his might Neither is there ought that makes against it in Storcas Pallavicinus his History of the Council of Trent against Paulus Venetus published at Rome Anno M. DC LVII Further Petavius himself doth also witness that Medina was not the only Man among the Papists who was of this Judgment Theol. Dogm Tom. 3. de Eccles Lib. 2. Cap. 8. but that others also did ascribe the said Heresy to the forecited Fathers And Morton in the forementioned place of his Apology does adduce some of them Rivet also Sum. Contr. Tract 2. quaest 22. Therefore although according to the terms of honour which the Church now useth as saith Augustine in his Epistle to Jerome the Episcopacy be greater than the Presbytery yet Richard of Armach said truly There is no difference found in the Evangelical or Apostolical Scriptures betwixt Bishops and simple Priests who are called Presbyters Lib. 11. ad quaest Arm. Cap. 5. whence it follows that there is the same Power in both Whether saith Cassander the Episcopacy ought to be put among the orders of the Church is not agreed upon betwixt the Theologues and the Canonists but it is agreed upon among all Consult Art 14. that in the age of the Apostles there was no difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters but that afterward to evite Schism a Bishop was set over Presbyters But as Musculus in his common places saith excellently of the Ministers of the Word Pag. 246. Whether this Counsel whereby such Bishops are more by custom introduced to use Jerom 's words than by the truth of the Lords appointment to be greater than Presbyters be profitable for the Church of Christ or not hath been better manifested in the following ages than when this custom was first introduced c. See what follows there Also Greg. Naz. Orat. 28. August in Psal 105. Whitaker quaest 1. de pont Rom. Cap. 3. and the History of Episcopacy written in English not long ago by that indefatigable Preacher of Gods Word the Reverend Richard Baxter Famous for Knowledge and Piety To feed That is To rule as a Pastor does his Flock and it is extended to every part of managing the Flock such as to Lead Defend Rule and Direct them The care of the Church is equally divided among many saith Jerome For as he saith before that by the instigation of the Devil there were Parties made in Religion and it was said among the People I am of Paul I of Apollos but I am of Cephas the Churches were governed by the common advice of Presbyters Those spiritual Pastors set up by God to feed not their own Flock but the Flock of their Lord and supream Pastor ought to consult the good of the Flock and procure their Salvation feeding the People with divine Oracles and healthful admonitions and by strong reasons refelling the opposers of the Christian Faith The Church See Tit. 1.9 1 Pet. 5.2 3 4. That is a company of Men professing the saving Doctrine of Christ Behold here as also Phil. 1.1 the Church is distinguished from the Presbyters who had the oversight of it which oversight is in the Greek called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopacy above Ch. 1.20 therefore the overseers of the Church who are frequently called Presbyters in the new Testament and four times Bishops from their Office are not alone the Church much less any Bishop of Bishops 1 Cor. 1.2.10.32.11.16 2 Cor. 1.1 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Of God The Christian multitude is the Church or Flock of God and the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ Beza witnesseth that he read in five Copies of the Lord and of God Matth. 16.18 Rom. 16.16 Many other Greek Copies have only of the Lord by which Lord after the Apostolick manner of speaking is deservedly meant Jesus of Nazareth because as it is said above God made him Lord and Christ Ch. 2.36 which excellently agrees with what followeth Which he purchased That to wit it might be to him a peculiar People With his own Blood Poured out upon the Altar of the Cross But if by the Word of God be understood God the Father it is the same as if he should say with the bloody Death of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ Hence saith Beza it is read in one Greek Copy By this Blood of this his own viz. Son The strength of that Article saith Beza is to be observed whereby the excellency of this Blood and the antithesis is declared which is more copiously expounded Heb. 9.12 For this Blood was truly holy yea a truly purifying and Sanctifying Blood flowing out of him See Eph. 1.12 13. Col. 1.14 20. Heb. 9.12 c. 1 Pet. 1.18.19 Rev. 5.9 who as he truly is a most pure Man so is he also truely and in the most perfect manner God We ought to make of what God has bought so dear 29. I know The Spirit revealing it to me That after my departing The Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used says Ludovicus de dieu is in the Glossary rendred Arrival departing and is used in the Attick signification by Demosthenes as well as here Wolves Heretical teachers who with their false and deadly Doctrine Corrupt and Destroy the Flock of Christ are so called by a Metaphor See our literal explanation Matth. 7.15 Such spiritual Wolves are according to Christs Command to be once and again admonished Matth. 18.16 17 18. if that do not avail we ought to break off familiar correspondence with them but the Apostles Institutions and Examples forbid to exasperate these false Teachers with Curses 1 Cor. 5.9 Tit. 3.10 or to oppress them with carnal violence or to put them to Death See 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Grievous That is Barbarously and intolerably cruel Not sparing the Flock That is Who shall have no pity upon the Flock He goes on in his similitude and Allegory begun v. 28. meaning by the Flock the Church or company of believers in Christ who are frequently called Sheep 30. Of your own selves Lawfully called to the Pastoral Office not only the same Presbyters to whom the Pastoral charge of the Church of Ephesus is committed and to whom Paul then spoke as appears from v. 28. are noted but also such of their Equals and Successors as should even in other Churches degenerate into Wolves Arise That is Spring