such as I described unto you false Teachers that pretended to the Spirit and to preach and work Miracles by the Spirit And I shall discourse a little concerning the great delusion that is by pretence of the Spirit and this the rather that I may speak something like in subsequence to that I treated upon at our last Meeting Then I exhorted you to hold Communion by the example of Christ. For separation I then told you was the undoing of our Church Now I give caution against the pretence of those that Preach and Expound Scripture by the Spirit For that is the cause of Separation and hath proved the ruine of Religion And although this change of times doth seem to promise that this delusion in time will dye so that the present discourse may seem not so very pertinent yet doth that mischief now live move delude and captivate silly souls little less than it hath done all along Therefore give me leave a little to discover this delusion to you that you may not only be the better fenced against it that it do not deceive you but that you may be the better furnished to stop the mouths of those that pretend to it For the prosecuting this argument you must distinguish between the false pretence to the Spirit of Sanctification and to the Spirit of Revelation By the former men deceive themselves by the latter others They deceive themselves by conceiving they have the former because they have something like it but these deceive others by the pretence of the latter though they have nothing like it There is no grace but there is a false coin minted by the Devil to dissemble it As the Harlot takes the live-child from the unwitting mother and fosters the dead one in the room and so lyes the poor woman deceived and so the poor man is deceived and thinks he hath saving grace when t is but common and the Spirit of Sanctification when t is but the Spirit of Bondage But I shall not insist on this But proceed to the other pretence viz. to the Spirit of Revelation and Prophesie whereby these in the Text deceived others I shall not need to shew you how this hath been the great cheat in all times There were false Prophets before the captivity and false Prophets after it such pretenders almost in all times I shall strip this delusion naked and whip it before you by observing these four things I. No degree of holiness whatsoever doth necessarily beget and infer the Spirit of Revelation as the cause produceth the effect It is the first cheat that these men put upon themselves and others by concluding I am a Saint therefore I have the Spirit and I preach and expound Scripture by the Spirit whereas I say no degree of Sanctification doth necessarily beget and produce that of Revelation I clear this from the nature of the thing it self and by examples First From the nature of the thing The Spirit of Holiness and Revelation are far different therefore the one is not the cause of the other The cause and the effect have a parity and similitude one with another but these are far from being so 1. They are impartible to different subjects Holiness only to holy men the Spirit of Revelation sometimes to wicked men So it was imparted to Balaam Numb XXIII so likewise to Judas and Caiaphas 2. They are bestowed upon different ends Holiness for the good of him that hath it Revelation for the benefit of others 3. They are of different manners and operations The Spirit of Sanctification changeth the heart Paul is a Saul no more Revelation doth not Judas is Judas still 4. They are of different Diffusion in the Soul Sanctification is quite through I Thess. V. 23. Revelation only in the understanding 5. They are of different Effects Sanctification never produceth but what is good Revelation may produce what is evil Knowledge puffeth up Now see what a cheat they are in This to themselves if they believe it themselves and to others that believe it in this argumentation I am holy therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation To the further confuting of this add but two Examples 1. The first Adam He was as holy as created nature could be and yet had he the Spirit of Revelation Not the Spirit at all He was most holy yet had not the Spirit of Sanctification most full of knowledge yet had not the Spirit of Revelation but all his holiness was founded only in his nature as he was created God made him holy and left him to stand upon his own holiness and had not the assistance of the Spirit at all So he had great knowledge yet not the Spirit of Revelation either to know things to come or to know things beyond their natures and causes But 2. Consider the second Adam He was holiness it self yet had he not the Spirit of Revelation by that holiness In Christ there were two things The holiness of his person by union with the Godhead and the Indowment of the Spirit upon his person He was so holy that he was not only without sin but he was impeccable Rom. VIII 2. as we are a Law that cannot but sin so he contra Now this holiness of Christs person or nature is to a clean different end to what the guifts of the Spirit upon him were His person was so holy that he might perform the Law satisfie justice pay obedience conquer Satan But the guifts of the Spirit were to fit him for Mediatorship to cast out Devils to reveal the will of God to work Miracles to confirm that Doctrine As these differ in their ends so are they from different originals holiness from the purity of his nature indowments by extraordinary donation If he had the Spirit in extraordinary guifts of Revelation and Miracles by vertue of his holy nature why was that Spirit given so visible Matth. III. and given when he was to begin his Mediation Consider his own words Mark XIII 32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Some are ashamed to confess their ignorance of any thing yet he doth it plainly For the Divine Nature in Christ acted not to the utmost of its power T is clear from this passage of Christ that by his nature he had not the Spirit of Revelation but he had it by the immediate guift of God For it pleased not God so to reveal that day and hour to him while he was here on Earth So that by this example you may see much more the fallacy of that argument I am a Saint therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation Whereas Christ himself could not say so II. The Spirit of Revelation is given indeed to Saints but means little that sence that these men speak of but is of a clean different nature The Apostle prays Ephes. I. 17. That God would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom
it self viz. a blessing from the Spirit of Messias which is the Spirit of God Let us observe these things gradually or in order I. That whereas the Jews expected Messias in his Personal and pompous presence he resolves them that his Presence is by his Spirit and his Victory by his Spirit See that John XVI 7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient that I go away from you for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you He speaks there in reference to the Jews opinion that called Messias Menahem Comforter and looked for earthly comforts from him No saith he It is expedient for me to go away and my Spirit shall supply comforts unto you To that purpose is that Joh. XX. 17. Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father Greg. Nyssen for Adveniat regnum tuum speaks of Lukes having it Adveniat Spiritus sanctus tuus insted of Thy Kingdom come let thy Holy Spirit come The thing is true though the authority questionable II. For the justifying and evidencing this that his Presence is by his Spirit and so his Rule he sent his Spirit in powerful Demonstrations as you read in the Acts of the Apostles that by the sight of his Spirit men might come to own him Observe that passage Joh. XIV 12. Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father You my Disciples shall do greater things than I do why so For the magnifying of the Spirit Hence that in Mark III. 28 29. He that should speak against the Son should be pardoned but not he that should speak against the Holy Ghost He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness Because the Son appeared in meanness and his personal presence was not to be insisted on but the Holy Ghost came in all powerful and convincing Demonstration Hence Ananias and Sapphyra were so severely punisht because their sin was against the Holy Ghost Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye to the Holy Ghost V. Act. 3. III. The Spirit did by these demonstrations of power assert the Deity and authority of Christ and his own as sent by him and to be his Spirit See Joh. XVI 8 9 10. And when he the Spirit is come he will reprove the World of sin and of righteousness and of judgment Of sin because they believe not on me Of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Of judgment because the Prince of this World is judged And by that very thing is shewed Christs Rule and Work in his Church by his Spirit IV. That as the Spirit by these Demonstrations was to assert Jesus so the Apostles at that time baptized only in the Name of Jesus And accordingly the gift of the Spirit was given at Baptism See Act. XIX 2. He said unto them have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed Signifying that the receiving of the Holy Ghost followed upon Baptism As the Spirit of God that is the Holy Ghost rested on Christ at his Baptism so the Spirit of Christ that is the Holy Ghost rested on His at their Baptism Not on all Why Because he was come for that end to inable the Disciples to teach and preach and to assert Jesus V. When the Doctrine of Jesus and the Spirit were thus manifested then it was ripe to baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Each Person had demonstratively approved his Godhead The Father under the Old Testament Hence is the tenor of Christs speech John V. 19 20. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do for what things soever he doth these also doth the Son likewise For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doth and he will shew him greater works than these that ye may marvel The Son hath demonstrated his Godhead by his conversation among us Joh. I. 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father And by his Resurrection Rom. I. 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead And lastly by pouring down of his Spirit when he was ascended The Holy Ghost demonstrated his Godhead by his powerful actings VI. Turn your minds back to Babel Gen. XI there the Heathen lost the knowledge of the true God Rom. I. 21. c. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imagination and their foolish heart was darkned And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man c. Thence forward consider what was done in that peculiar people whom God had chosen for revealing the true God Father Son and Holy Ghost And when all those revealings were full than it was ripe to bring that manifestation of God among the Heathen Go and teach all Nations baptizing them c. It is as much as if Christ should have said to his Apostles The Heathens have lost the knowledge of the true God now bring that knowledge among them again and baptize them in the Name of the true God Father Son and Holy Ghost As Baptism was in the Name of Jesus among the Jews where the question was about the true Messias so among the Gentiles where the question was about the true God Baptism was in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost Lay Rom. I. 25. to this Text. Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator The casting off the Gentiles was because they worshipped the Creature What was their Recovery in the Text Was it to bring the worship of the Creature among them again as the Arian and Socinian gloss No but to bring the knowledge and worship of the Creator among them of the true God and that was Father Son and Holy Ghost I shall not go about to confute those cursed opinions the Lord rebuke them I shall only observe these things upon them First That as they blaspheme the greatest so the plainest truths in the Bible I cannot but wonder at the denial of the Godhead of Christ and though the God-head of the Holy Ghost is not in so plain terms yet it is in as plain Evidences as can be Secondly That they go clean cross to the stream of Scripture The main purpose of that is to extol Christ and the Holy Ghost the main purpose of these to abase them Thirdly Grant them what they would have they set themselves further from Heaven and Hope when the Redeemer and Sanctifier are but Creatures Fourthly Observe here the Spirit of old Antichrist and how it hath descended First The Jews began and
Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin the meaning of these words as written in Belshazzers Dining Room 1194 1195 Mercy of God oft wrested by Men to their own destruction p. 1275. Monuments of mercy were never set up in Scripture to be encouragements for Presumption 1276 Messias divers Names of him produced by the Talmudists p. 167. The Epoche of the Messias is stated from the Resurrection of Christ. p. 180. His coming was predicted by the Quarrels of the Jews p. 181. He was acknowledged for the Son of God by the Jews though not by Nature but by Adoption p. 269 270. Messias who was God-Manâ— considered as he was a Servant and Messenger of the Father and received his Abilities of doing Miracles and of knowledge of Evangelick Misteries and of other things before hand from the anointing of the Spirit p. 251 252. Messias supposed by the ancient Jewish Rabbins to be begot without carnal copulation by the Spirit p. 385 386. The Jews expected their Messias to come when Christ did appear p. 468 1289. They also expected that when the Messias came he would lead them into the Garden of Eden where they should enjoy all manner of worldly Pleasures in the highest degree p. 552. At his coming the World was to be renewed p. 220. Messias or Christ and the Son of God are convertible Terms against the Jews p. 385 548 549. The Fathers of the Sanhedrim had in all likelyhood a strong suspition if not a knowledge that Jesus was the Messias p. 583 584. The Jews expected when he came to enjoy great worldly deliverances and blessings p. 598. What the Jews apprehended of his Temporal Reign was in some things plain in others obscure p. 636. Messias not acknowledged by the Jews to be the genuine Son of God p. 690. The Resurrection of the Messias pointed at in the second Psalm p. 690 691. David put for the Messias p. 691. What appearances and effects the Jews looked for in the Messias which they found not in our Saviour Christ. p. 1110. It was the opinion of the Jews That the Messias should reign a thousand years p. 1171. The Messias say the Jews was not to redeem from sin but from Captivity and Enemies p. 1275. He was say they to have an earthly pompous flourishing Kingdom Page 1275 Messopotamia and her Consorts or Companions what p. 663. And what Country it is 665 Micra a Treatise of the Rabbins containing the Text of the Bible it self its Reading and Literal Explication 422 Midrash a Treatise of the Rabbins containing the Mystical and Allegorical Explication of the Scriptures 422 423 Migdal Elder was a Tower situate near Jerusalem on the South-side 306 Mile a Talmudick mile was seven furlongs and an half 319 581 Millenaries or Fifth Monarchists their dangerous mistake of the twentieth Chapter of the Revelations refuted 1056 1057 Millo in Jerusalem what 24 25 Mind of Man put for the understanding also the bent and inclination of the Soul 1286 Mines of Iron and Brass were in several places in the Land of Israel 88 Ministry the Priests and Levites were the setled Ministry of the Church of Israel they always lived upon Tithes when they studied in the Universities preached in the Synagogues and attended on the Temple Service 86 Ministers there were many Ministers in the Apostles days belonging to every Church with the reason of it 1156 1157 Minstrels among the Jews were used at Burials 172 173 Miracles many done in one day by Christ. p. 174. Miracles could not drive the Jews from their Traditions p. 345. Mear Miracles or Signs were never wrought by our Saviour 1104 Mirth or Joy wicked in a strange instance in the Gunpouder-Trayâ—ors 1184 Mishneh a Treatise of the Rabbins containing the Doctrin of Traditions and their Explications 422 Missaar or Mizaar a hill mentioned in the Psalms where situate 501 Mite what sort of mony 350 Moloch represented the Sun and why It was an Image of Brass having the Face of a Calf c. 672 Moment of time what out of the Jewish Doctors 405 Monarehy the Fifth Monarchy is not the Kingdom of Christ but was the Kingdom of the Devil 1166 Mony the Streets of Jerusalem were swept every day and mony found there in the time of Feasts was all Tenths or Tiths p. 303. So also what was found at any time p. 303. Mony of Silver and Gold both Roman and Jewish with their value and stamps what 349 Money Changers what from the Talmud and Maimonides p. 224 225. What they were and why our Saviour overthrew their Tables in the Temple 1204 Monster in a Child with two Bodies from the Navel upward it acted as two Children 373 Mortal Adam was not created mortal against the Socinians 1353. Moses fasted forty days three times over one after another p. 405. Part of his History p. 670. Why God fought to kill him as we read Exod. 4. 24. Page 1066 Mothers Family among the Jews is not to be called a Family 99 Mount Gilead what And whether not the Hill Gaash 373 374 Mount Hor called Amanah in the Jewish Writers 62 Mount Macvar Macherus is derived from it what 81 Mount Olivet the Mount of Olives in the Rabbins commonly the Mount of Oyl whence the Name and what was done there p. 39 c. It had shops in it 305 Mount of Simeon what 51 Mount Tabor what and where situate 495 c. Mount Zebim was within the Land 51 Mountain of the Amorrbites what 12 Mountain of Snow with some the same with Hermon 62 Mountanous Country what 12 Mourners for the dead how the Jews used to comfort them both in the way and at home 323 581 582 Mourning what Mourning was used for the dead also what Feasting and company p. 173. The third day of mourning was an high day 583 Mulcts for Corporal wrongs were several 151 152 Murder was so common among the Jews that the beheading of an Heiser commanded Deut. 21. was left off by order of the Sanhedrim for fear of the Murderers 1111 Musicians in the Temple what sort of Men 373 Musick used at Burials what 172 173 Mustard stalk or Tree exceeding large 195 Mutterings a sort of Enchantments used by the Jews c. 243 N. NAIM near Tabor what p. 369 c. Naim in Josephus and the Rabbins what p. 370. The same with Engannim Page 370 371 Names were given Children at their Circumcision so at the institution of Circumcision God changed the Names of Abraham and Sarah p. 387. It was chiefly for the honour of some Person whom the Parents esteemed that they gave their Son his Name seldom was the Son called by the Name of the Father p. 387. It was common in the Jewish Nation for Men to have two Names one a Jewish Name used among the Jews another a Gentile Name used among the Heathen 739 Nature of Man desperately corrupted 1308 1309 Naveh what place and by whom inhabited 515 Nazarene Christ was so called to hint his separation and estrangment
a man not to be certainly pointed out either who he was or when he lived and therefore that Chapter must necessarily be taken up where it lies because it is not possible to find out where else to lay it 5. The last Chapter is some part of it Batshebaes words to Solomon and some part of it Solomons words in her commendation and in commendation of all women like her And the former part which are her words might very well be laid in her Story and in Solomons minority namely after vers 25. of 2 Sam. 12. but yet it is very properly laid here where it is because the words of Solomon in commendation of such women as she were delivered when he delivered his other Doctrines and Proverbs and so the occasion that drew out those words is fitly joyned to the time of the words themselves Solomon is called Lemuel by his Mother as alluding or tuning to Shemuel or Samuel a Son of his mothers vows as Solomon is here averred by his mother to be of hers She giveth him many excellent Lessons in his tender years toward the making him a good man and a good King for which when he comes to mature years he highly commends and extols a good woman such a one as his mother was in an Acrostick or Alphabetical Oration The Song of SOLOMON or The CANTICLES AFTER the building of the Summer House in the Forrest of Lebanon Solomon pens the Book of the Canticles as appeareth by these passages in it Chap. 4. 8. Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse with me from Lebanon And Chap. 7. 4. Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon c. Upon his bringing up Pharaohs Daughter to the house that he had prepared for her 1 King 9. 24. he seemeth to have made this Song For though the best and the most proper aim of it was at higher matters then an earthly marriage yet doth he make his marriage with Pharaohs Daughter a type of that sublime and spiritual marriage betwixt Christ and his Church Pharaohs Daughter was a Heathen and a stranger natively to the Church of Israel and withal she was a Black-moor as being an African as Cant. 1. 4 5. alludeth to it and so she was the kindlier type of what Solomon intended in all particulars CHAP. X. 2 CHRON. IX From beginning to vers 29. Solomon 31 THE Queen of Sheba cometh to hear the wisdom of Solomon and so Solomon 32 condemneth the Generation of the Jews that despised the wisdom of the Solomon 33 Father Matth. 12. 42. Solomon as is probable is yet flourishing in State Power Solomon 34 and Religion And is a Prince of admirable Peace at Salem a figure of the Solomon 35 King of Righteousness and the King of Peace CHAP. XI From beginning to vers 41. Solomon 36 IN his old age Solomon is drawn away by his Idolatrous Wives to forget Solomon 37 God The wisest and the happiest man like Adam undone by women Solomon 38 Hereupon his prosperity and his happiness began to change The Book of ECCLESIASTES AFTER his great fall Solomon recovereth again by repentance and writeth this Book of Ecclesiastes as his penitential dirge for that his folly He calleth himself in it Koheleth or the Gathering-Soul either recollecting it self or by admonition gathering others that go astray after vanity He sheweth in it that all things on this side Heaven are but vanity and he had found it so by sad experience and so the Kingdom promised to David which was to be everlasting must not be expected to be of this world as Joh. 18. 36. 1 KING XI Vers. 41 42 43. And 2 CHRON. IX Vers. 29 30 31. THE Book of Chronicles omitteth to mention the fall of Solomon as he had omitted the fall of David World 3029 Solomon 39 Solomon dieth having reigned forty years as his father David had done and Solomon 40 having had a great fall in his time as his father David had had yet like him is recovered pardoned and saved Kingdom of JUDAH 1 KINGS XII from beginning Division 1 to Vers. 25. World 3030 Rehoboam 1 Ieroboam 1 REHOBOAM through his folly and tyranny looseth the people by threatning them with a heavy yoke Christ seeketh to regain them by promissing a light one Matth. 11. 29 30. Shechem once the stage of blood Gen. 34. is now the scene of this unhappy division Rehoboam was now one and forty years old 2 Chron. 12. 13. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 childish and simple 2 Chron. 13. 7. but of an haughty and oppressive spirit and so proveth himself a very fool Eccles. 2. 19. though he were the son of so wise a Father Kingdom of ISRAEL 2 CHRON. X. all And XI Division 1 to Verse 5. World 3030 Rehoboam 1 Ieroboam 1 JEROBOAM of Ephraim draweth ten Tribes from the house of David from the Temple that stood near it and from the promise of Christ that was affixed to it And this suddain rent of Solomons Kingdom did plainly teach that the King and Kingdom promised to David was not of this world but of another which King and Kingdom the revolting Tribes have now forsaken and by forsaking have lost Christ have lost Religion and have lost themselves And here is a kind of an Antichristian faction now risen in the world before Christs appearing The very foundation of this revolt of the Tribes was laid in the blood of Adoram Rehoboam seeketh to reduce the people with a strong hand whom with a gentle he would not retain PSAL. II. WITH the Story of the Apostacy of the ten Tribes read the second Psalm which was prophetically made by David Act. 4. 25. upon this revolt and rebellion and this is the first aim and intent of it though in a second and more full it hits upon the greater rebellion which this but typified and that is Judahs despising and crucifying the Lord of life being indeed exhibited as Israel despiseth him here being promised And as the Psalmist had touched in the first Psalm upon the fall of Adam who miscarried by walking in the counsel of the ungodly the Serpent and the seduced woman and had shewed a way how to withstand and escape such counsellings namely by meditation and delight in the Law of the Lord. So doth he in this Psalm touch upon the fall of the ten Tribes and how they miscarried by casting away the cords of obligation which God had tied them in to the throne of David and he giveth admonition to them to be wiser and adviseth both them and the generation that put the Lord to death and all ages to come To kiss the Son by a loving and submissive obedience as 1 Sam. 10. 1. and so to escape the wrath to come Matth. 3. when the Lords anger should be kindled and destroy the people that had been his destroyers 2 CHRON. XI From ver 5. to the end of the Chapter REhoboam fortifieth divers Cities Rehoboam 2 Ieroboam 2 Division 2 in Judah and Benjamin Rehoboam 3
that they thereupon might the more confidently confirm the people And hereupon it is observable that while the Baptist was at liberty our Saviour contented himself with his testimony and preaching but when he was shut up then instantly chose he others Now if any doubt of the possibility of this and question how could John see and hear these things and the other company that was present not do so as well as he The answer may be readily given by example of Elishaes servant 2 King 6. 17. and the two men that went to Emmaus Luke 24. For the mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of fire and Elisha perceived them but his servant did not till his eyes were opened in a more special manner And Christ it is like was in the same shape and appearance upon the way when they knew him not that he was in the house when they did but till then their eyes were holden Yet if any one will suppose that the people saw the slashing of the opened Heaven and heard the noise of the voice that came from thence and took the one for lightning and the other for thunder as John 12. 29. we will not oppose it for now was the season of the year fit for lightning and thunder but that either they saw the Holy Ghost or distinguished the words of the voice any more then Pauls companions did Act. 9. 7. compared with Act. 22. 9. the reasons alledged do inforce to deny till better information Matth. 3. vers 16. And he saw the Spirit of God The Syntax and construction of Mark doth tye and fix these words He saw only to our Saviour as it did those before and both for the reason mentioned namely to shew the return and answer of his prayer But these words of Matthew are not so strict but that they may equally be applied unto John For first there may be observed a distinction in the verse and a kind of difference of speech betwixt what goeth before about the opening of the Heavens and this sight of the Holy Ghost For of that he speaketh thus And Jesus being baptized went straightway out of the water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him And then cometh he on with a distinct clause concerning the other And he saw the Spirit of God descending leaving it at the least in an indifferency whether to apply it to Christ or John But secondly it seemeth rather to be understood of John because he saith himself that this descending of the Holy Ghost was given to him for a sign and that he saw it and if it be not to be so taken here none of the three Evangelists have mentioned it in the story at all And thirdly the rather may it be taken of Johns seeing it because he saith He saw him descending and coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon him Had it been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon himself it must needs have been understood of Christ upon whom the Spirit came that he saw the Spirit coming upon himself but since it i◠upon him without any reciprocation it may be the better applied to John that he saw it It is true indeed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifieth reciprocally himself as our Lexicons do give examples and as it is of force to be taken in Saint Mark in this place like as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes doth not signifie reciprocally as in the LXX in Judg. 7. 24. But why should we take the word out of its commonest and properest sense unless there were necessity to do it which in Matthew there is not though in Mark there be Fourthly and lastly These words he saw being understood of John it maketh that the three Evangelists being laid together the relation ariseth out of them the more full and the story more plain For Luke telling that the Heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended Mark addeth that Jesus saw this and Matthew that John Matth. 3. ver 16. The Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 2. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters in the beginning of the old world and so doth it here of the new It is needless to instance how oft in Scripture the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of God as Gen. 41. 38. Exod. 31. 3. Numb 24. 2. and very many other places but it is most necessary to observe that wheresoever he is so called it is in the Hebrew the Spirit of Elohim in the plural number and sheweth his proceeding from more persons then one Contrary to the opinion of the Greek Church that holdeth that the Holy Ghost proceedeth not from the Father and the Son but from the Father only Luke 3. ver 22. The Holy Ghost As he is called the Spirit not so much in regard of his own nature as in regard of his manner of proceeding so also is he called Holy not so much in respect of his person for the Father and Son are Spirits and are holy as well as he but in regard of his Work and Office which is to sanctifie the Church of God And in this respect he is called by the Hebrews not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit onely but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruahh hakkodesh the Spirit of Holiness for this phrase the Holy Ghost is taken from the common speech of the Jews And so is he called by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 4. and so doth the Syrian call him Rubba dekudsha in this place §. The Holy Ghost descended This descending of the Holy Ghost was first partly for the sake of John for this token had been given him when he first began to preach and baptize whereby to know Christ when he should come Joh. 1. 33. Secondly Partly for Christ that he might thus receive his Consecration and Institution for the Office that he was now to enter upon the Preaching of the Gospel This was as his anointing to instal him into his Function as Aaaron and his Sons were with material oyl to enter them into theirs as Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me therefore hath he anointed me he hath sent me to Preach the Gospel And Thirdly Partly for the business and matter that was now to go in hand namely Christ beginning to preach accordingly For First The Gospel is the Spiritual Kingdom and Scepter of Christ in and by which he was to rule all Nations for ever and therefore it was agreeable that the Spiritualness of that should be sealed and confirmed by the Holy Spirits shewing himself even in the beginning of it The carnal rites of Moses were now to vanish and his Corporal and Ceremonial observances to be changed into a Spiritual Worship and neither at Jerusalem nor at mount Gerizim nor elsewhere must there be any more adoration with fleshly and earthly Ceremoniousness but he that will worship God must worship him in Spirit as Joh. 4. 21. Therefore it is no wonder if
that they are wrought in God 22. ¶ After these things came Iesus and his Disciples into the i i i i i i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is into Judea country meaning in opposition to Judea City For the story next before of the conference with Nicodemus came to pass and was acted in Jerusalem and there had Christ kept the Passover and done divers miracles and stayed some time and after these things mentioned before saith the Evangelist Jesus leaveth the City and goeth into the Country leaveth the chief City of Judea and goeth into the Country of Judea for to this sense do the Evangelists words mean if they be taken up at large And therefore I see no reason why Beza should confine this place to the country that lay near Jerusalem translating it Judeae territorium and expounding it to that sense Nor do I see that it is any such great matter as he makes it to give a reason of this unusual phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 country of Iudea and there he tarried with them and baptized 23. And Iohn also was baptizing k k k k k k Aenon The Syriack and Arab read it in two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some would have to mean the Well of the Greeks as if in the times of the Grecian and Syro-Grecian Monarchies some Greeks had digged and laid up these waters we shall enquire after this place in the exposition of the verse in Aenon near to Salim because there was much f Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The voice thereof For even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things without life are said to yield a voice 1 Cor. 14. 7 8. As blood Gen. 4. 10. waters Psal. 93. 3. miracles Exod. 4. 8. thunder Rev. 19. 6. c. And whereas the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth indifferently signifie either an articulate voice or any other sound the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is also used very commonly in the Scripture to the same signification and extent water there and they came and were baptized 24. For Iohn was not yet cast into prison 25. l Therefore there was a question of Iohns disciples with the Iews about purifying 26. And they came unto Iohn and said unto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Iordan to whom thou barest witness behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him 27. Iohn answered and said A man can receive nothing except it be given him from Heaven 28. Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but I am sent before him 29. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice This my joy thorefore is fulfilled 30. He must increase but I must decrease 31. He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from above is above all 32. And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his testimony 33. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him 35. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Reason of the Order THE subsequence and jointing of this story of Nicodemus unto that which is recorded in the latter end of the second Chapter of Christs doing many miracles at Jerusalem at the Passover is so apparent out of Nicodemus his own words ver 2. and out of the words of the Evangelist ver 22. that it needeth no proof and evidence but only to point at these verses for the proving of it Yet that we may observe both the connexion of this Chapter with the former and also the times and juncture of this Chapter within it self let us view it a little at large and take our prospect from the three and twentieth verse of the second Chapter Now when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover on the Feast day many believed in his name when they saw the miracles that he did This feast day at the Passover may best be conceived to be the first day of the festival week or the day after the Passover was eaten for on that day was the appearance of the people in the Court of the Temple as the Law appointed that thrice every year they should appear before the Lord. For that appearing mentioned in the Law saith Rambam was that every one appear in the Court the first holy day of the festival and bring an offering In Hagg. per. 1. On that day therefore the concourse of the people being the greatest it is most proper to suppose that Christ began to shew himself in his miraculous power as he had done a day or two before in his Prophetick zeal in driving the market out of the Temple What miracles they were that he wrought is not mentioned it is most rational and most agreeable to his workings afterward to hold that it was healing of diseases and casting our Devils but whatsoever the miracles were for particular and distinctive quality the power shewed in them was so great that it made Nicodemus confess and others acknowledge that none could do such but a teacher come from God and it made the Galileans who were spectators now to receive him when he came amongst them afterward Joh. 4. 45. Such works had never been done in their sight till now and they had never had such miraculous spectacles at their appearances before and so he shewed them at once that it is not in vain to wait upon God in his appointments and that the great Prophet was come among them and yet on that very day come three years they put him to death Nicodemus undoubtedly was a spectator and witness of what was done and so the Syriack translator seemeth to conclude when he rendreth the beginning of this Chapter thus Now there was one of the Pharisees named Nicodemus there and so his own words seem to argue as spoken not upon hearsay but upon ocular witness we know thou art a teacher come from God for none can do such miracles c. He having seen those wondrous workings by day came to Jesus that night as may in most probability be conjectured and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very properly rendred in such a definite and determinate construction For there can be no doubt but he would come with the first conveniency he could being taken with those miracles and desiring to have some communication with Christ and not knowing how soon he might be getting out of Town However if he did not come that night yet doubtless he would delay as
is so little The Chaldee writes the name of God with two Jods above and a Vowel under thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From hence some have picked an expression of the Trinity In the two letters the Father and the Son and in the vowel the Holy Ghost proceeding from both And from the aequidistance of the Letters and Vowel they gather the distinction of the Persons and by the nearests of all the unity of Essence Such another conceit hath Bonfinius in his Hungarian History When the Heresie of Arrius saith he had got head almost over all the world and was dilated as well by persecution as by disputation a Town in Gaul was besieged because it held the Orthodox Faith of the Sons coequality with the Father God to confirm this their faith shewed this Miracle As the Priest was at high Mass at the Altar behold three drops of bloud fell from Heaven upon the Altar lying a while in an equal distance one from another to shew the distinction of the three Persons at last in sight of all the People they met together to shew the Unity of Essence so the story But we have a more sure word of Prophecy That there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are one The Chaldee sometimes useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dehhila and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dahhalah fear or terrour for God because of the fear that is due to him So Jacob coming from Syria and being to swear to a Syrian swears according to the Syrian or Chaldee Phrase By the fear of his father Isaac Gen. 31. 53. or by the God that Isaac feared as Onkelos and Jonathan render it CHAP. III. Of the Phrase The Sons of God Gen. 6. and Iob 1. ALL take this Phrase in Job to mean the Angels and truly in which sense while they have taken it in the sixth of Genesis they spoil all For hence they think that Angels lay with Women and begat Children So can Jarchi almost find in his heart to think and so Tertullian Lactantius and others Some tell what evil Arts. these Angels taught Women and how they begat mighty Children of them How far this conceit is from true Philosophy let Aristotle censure Merlin in Geffry Monmouth is recorded to be such another hatch believe it who list His vein of Prophecying can make Alanus de Insulis think it is so but I must needs confess it comes not into my Creed As some conceit that the fallen Angels or Devils here begat Children of Women so the Jews most wickedly fable that Adam begat Children of Devils Those hundred and thirty years say they that Adam was separated from Eve Devils came to him and he engendered with them and begat Devils and Spirits and Friends And again Four women are the mothers of Shedhim or Devils Lilith Naamah Ogereth and Mahlath I believe both these alike for I believe that neither is likely Both the Chaldees Onkelos and Jonathan render the sons of Elohim the sons of the Potentates or Judges taking the word Elohim in the same sense that it is taken in the middlemost verse of the book of Exodus cap. 22. 28. Thou shalt not curse Elohim or the Judges This opinion is far better than the former but Christians have a better than this That the House and Progeny of holy Seth are the Sons of God or the Church and the brood of Cains females were the Daughters of Men. Cypriano di valera in his Spanish Translation of Gen. 4. and the last verse translates it thus Entonces commenciaron llamarse Then begun men to be called by the name of God or by the name of the Lord And in the Margin he explains himself thus that then the Men of Seths House began to be a Publick Church and to be distinguished from Cains Family and to be called the sons of God Gen. 6. 2. CHAP. IV. Of the Phrase Sons of Man THis Phrase is frequent in Scripture and Rabbin Hebrew but most frequent in Chaldee and Syrian Bene Anasha Bar nosho In the latter of which the Syrian usually writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but leaveth out the first letter as that tongue doth frequently in other words use the like ecclipsis writing not as they read as it is said of the French Ezekiel in his Prophecy in Scripture Hebrew is frequently called son of man Why so often he and no other Prophet should be so stiled reasons are given by divers To me though far inferiour to all them the ground work seemeth to be because his Prophecy was written in Chaldean Captivity he useth the Chaldean Phrase Son of man that is O man The same Phrase Daniel useth in Chaldea Dan. 10. 16. CHAP. V. Of Japhets Plantation by his son Javan JAvan is generally held to be Greece And the Greek Tongue is by all Hebrews called the speech of Javan The Arabians do so stile the same language The Syrian in Romans the first Chapter verse 16. calls the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon what reason I cannot imagine Javan the son of Japhet is held to have planted or peopled this Country in memory of whose name the Jones are famous Monuments Moses saith he had four sons Elisha Tarshish Cittim and Dodonim which it is likely planted all the Country of Greece as far as into Italy Elisha and Dodonim dwelt at first near together and so did Tarshish and Cittim but their Posterity scattered far and near The Jerusalem and Babilon Targums do almost resolve us of these four Mens Plantations For Jonathan reads the fourth verse of the tenth of Genesis thus And the sons of Javan Elisha Elis Tarsus Acacia and Dardania Jeruselamy thus And the sons of Javan Elisha and the names of their Provinces Alastarasom and Dodonia Which last word Alastarasom I take to be mistaken by joyning two words together and missing the last letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mem for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samech which is easily done they be so like The word Alastarasom should without doubt be Alas or Elis Tarsus Elis frequent in all Authors Eilision in Homer in Baeot. Elensine in Plutarch in Theseo are places in Greece bearing the name of their old Planter Elisha Dodonim is registred in the name of old Dodona Tarshish left a memorial of himself in Cilicia in the City of Tarsus Which was as Pliny saith urbs libera a free City nat hist. lib. 5. and Saint Paul is free of that City Act. 22. Tarshish in Gen. 10. is the name of a man in Jonah 1. 3. in Chald. Paraphrase it is used for the Sea In Exod. 28. for a * * * The Pearl Tarshish in Ex. 28. 20. is rendred in English a Beryl in the Chalde Translations it is kâ—rmum iamma a Pearl of the Sâ—a Pliny speaks of kâ—ramides a Pearl near that name Terus Targum thinks Tarshish was Ashers stone but Jonathan that it was Zebulons And more likely
them 243 619 Sixth hour was twelve a Clock or high-noon the Jews used to pray evening morning and at noon so did the Apostles after Converts to the Gospel 844 Slaughter at one time five hundred thousand the greatest ever recorded in History 78 So how used 593 Marg. Sodomites besides the Men of Sodom 80 Solomon was but twelve years old when he made choice of Wisdom above all p. 73 125. He exceeded all Kings upon Earth in Wisdom Power Peace and Magnificence 47 Songs and Musick what was used on the Sabbath and at other times 923 924 Son variously used Page 659 Son of God in Scripture only applicable to Christ In the plural number it belongs to Saints p. 504. Christ called the Son of God 535 Sons of God in Gen. 6. and Job 1. what 995 Son of Man Christ so called often but only by himself to shew his humanity and his being the second Adam p. 471 491 537. Others called by that Name why p. 537. A Title given to Christ what p. 678. As opposed to the Son of David what p. 679. Son of Man is a Chaldean Phrase 996 Sosipater in all probability was Sopater of Berea 315 Souldiers their Duties 462 Space the utmost space within the great Wall was commonly called the first Temple 1089. * Spirit of God is often used in the Scriptures for the Holy Ghost but ever in the Hebrew the Spirit of Elohim plural to shew his descent from the Father and the Son against the Greek Church 482 Spirit being born of it what p. 571 573. In Scripture it is compared to Fire and Water the reasons 600 Spirits seven Spirits put for the Holy Ghost a common speech among the Jews 341 Standing was the posture of the Jewish people when they heard their Teachers 241 Star what it was the Wisemen saw where it was they saw it and how upon the sight of it they could conclude that it related to a King of the Jews 437 438 Stationary Men were Israelites that did attend the Temple Offerings and Service these stood to be a representative Congregation c. 924 925 Stephen his accusation before the Sanhedrim The Heads of his Vindication 279 280 Stile of the Jews much followed in the New Testament 213 214 Stocks in the House of the Lord what and of what use 2017. * Stoned what Criminals were to be stoned with the manner of it 282 Stoning a Capital punishment how used among the Jews 2007. * Strangers which was that part of the Temple into which strangers might not come 1089. * Strangled things about not eating them what 293 Strangling a Capital punishment among the Jews how performed 2006. * Stripes whipping or Scourging upon the censure of the Judges and the receiving forty or thirty nine stripes what 901 Study Ministers were to be fitted for their Ministry by Study so were the Priests and Levites accomplished Prophets and inspired Men were only occasional Teachers but those the constant for Prophesie was but sometimes and now and then long wanting as under the second Temple and the People could only be taught by Learned Men because then the Scriptures were in an unknown Tongue to the common people 357 Sufferings sometimes called Baptism 250 Sun and Moon being darkned signifies the Eclipsing the Glory and Prosperity of a Kingdom or a People 344 Sunsetting began and ended the day among the Jews 642 643 Suppers of Christ several p. 258. The Supper in which Satan entred into Judas was two days before the Passover day came 258 260 Shushan the Palace portraied on the East Gate and why 1052. * Swearing by the Temple the custom of the Jews 256 Swine hated by the Jews loved by the Romans 231 Sychar and Sichem the same p. 593 597. Sychar the reason of the name 597 Sycophants were at the first good Officers but afterwards the Term became a reproach 449. Marg. Synagogue in every great Town the Jews had a Synagogue and a Divinity School p. 299. In the Synagogue were had Prayers Reading and plain Sermons in the Divinity School were the high Dogmatical and Controversal Points about their Law p. 299. Every Synagogue had Civil as well as Sacred Governors and Rulers who Judged and Sentenced in Worldly Matters and that both within and without Judea p. 302. So that the Jews were generally judged by their own Magistrates p. 302. Episcopus an Overseer is a Synagogue Officers Term so are most of his Qualifications fetched thence mentioned in the 1 Tim. p. 308. There were four hundred and sixty Synagogues others say more in Jerusalem p. 363. The Land was full of Synagogues which were frequented every Sabbath day and the second and fifth Days of the Week p. 370. The Antiquity and Divine Institution of Synagogues p. 608 to 613. High Places were Synagogues p. 608. It s the Idolatry rather than the Places rebuked in Scripture p. 609. There were very many Synagogues Page 610 Synagogue Days or Times of meeting there were three every week viz. the second and the fifth Days of the week as well as the Sabbath besides Holy Days 291 610 611 Synagogue Officers how they sat in their Synagogues 611 Syria exceeding numerously inhabited by the Jews and in divers things privileged with Canaan some question whether after Davids conquest of it it was not a part of Canaan p. 219. From thence had Israel their greatest afflictions p. 425. It comprehended all the Country of the Jews both within and without Jordan by which we see the Heathens as well as the Jews came to Christ. 645 646 Syrian Language was the common speech of the Jews 419 T. TAbernacle its Form Idea Representation Dimensions Silver Foundation Walls and Juncture p. 716 717. The Curtains of it p. 718 719. Of the most Holy place p. 719. The Table of Shew-bread c. p. 720. The Motions and Stations of the Ark and Tabernacle p. 2060. 2062. * High places were lawful till the Tabernacle was set up in Shilo p. 2060. * How long it abode there p. 2060. * The removal of it from Shilo to Nob thence to Gibeon was by divine Warrant Page 2061. * Tabernacles The Feast thereof p. 243. Feast of Tabernacles the Nature Occasion and Reason of its Institution p. 477. The manner of the Celebration thereof p. 974 to 979. There was more rejoycing in this Feast than any other p. 974 c. The variety of Sacrifices then used 974 975. The Palm and Willow Branches p. 975 976. The Pomeâ—iteron Apples p. 976. The pouring out of Water with their Rejoycing and Rubrick of every days Service 977 to 979 Tables the two Tables the Golden and the Marble in the Porch described p. 1078. * The Shewbread Table with the manner of placing the Loaves upon it 1082. * Talmud of Jerusalem was compiled by R. Jochanan President of the Sanhedrim about A. C. 230. p. 369. The Talmud hath two parts the Mishneh and Gemera it is the Jews Council of Trent it s the sum of their Doctors
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abba my Father if thou hast opened thy mouth Esa. VIII 4. The Targum reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before the child shall know to cry Abba my Father and my Mother See also the Targum upon Ios. II. 13. and Iudg. XIV 16. and elsewhere very frequently II. Of a civil Father Gen. IV. 20 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was Abi the Father of such as dwell in Tents He was Abi the Father of such as handle the Harp c. The Targum reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was Rabba the Prince or the Master of them 1 Sam. X. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But who is Abihem their Father Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is their Rab Master or Prince 2 Kings II. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abi Abi my Father my Father The Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi Rabbi 2 Kings V. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they said Abi my Father The Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they said Mari my Lord. 2 Kings VI. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abi my Father shall I smite them Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi shall c. Hence appears the reason of those words of the Apostle Rom. VIII 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And Gal. IV. 6. Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father It was one thing to call God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father that is Lord King Teacher Governor c. and another to call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abba my Father The doctrine of adoption in the proper sense was altogether unknown to the Jewish Schools though they boasted that the people of Israel alone were adopted by God above all other Nations and yet they called God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Father that is our God Lord and King c. But since ye are sons saith the Apostle ye cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abba O my Father in the proper and truly paternal sense Thus Christ in this place however under an unspeakable agony and compassed about on all sides with anguishments and with a very cloudy and darksome providence yet he acknowledges invokes and finds God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Father in a most sweet sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We cry Abba Father Did the Saints invoking God and calling him Abba add also Father Did Christ also use the same addition of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father and did he repeat the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abba or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abi Father seems rather here to be added by Mark and there also by St. Paul for explication of the word Abba and this is so much the more probable also because it is expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Father in the Vocative VERS LI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having a linnin cloth cast about his naked body IT is well rendred by the Vulgar Amictus Sindone Cloathed in Sindon or fine linnin for to that the words have respect not that he had some linnin loosly and by chance cast about him but that the garment wherewith he always went clothed was of Sindon that is of linnin Let us harken a little to the Talmudists f f f f f f Menachoth fol. 40. 1. The Rabbins deliver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sindon linnin with fringes what of them The School of Shammai absolves The School of Hillel binds And the wise Men determine according to the School of Hillel R. Eliezer ben R. Zadoc saith Whosoever wears Hyacinth purple in Jerusalem is among those who make men admire By Hyacinthinum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purple they understand those fringes that were to put them in mind of the Law Numb XV. And by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sindon linnin is understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Cloak or that garment which as it serves for cloathing the body so it is doubly serviceable to Religion For 1. To this garment were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fringes fastned concerning which mention is made Numb XV. 38. 2. With this garment they commonly covered their heads when they prayed Hence that in the Gemarists in the place quoted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talith or the Cloak whereby the boy covereth his head and a great part of himself if any one of elder years goes forth cloathed with it in a more immodest manner he is bound to wear fringes And elsewhere g g g g g g Piske Tosaphoth in Menachoth numer 150. The Priests who vail themselves when they go up into the pulpit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a cloak which is not their own c. But now it was customary to wear this cloak in the Summer especially and in Jerusalem for the most part made of Sindon or of linnin And the question between the Schools of Shammai and Hillel arose hence that when the fringes were woolen and the cloak linnin how would the suspicion of wearing things of different sorts be avoided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Zeira loosed his Sindon The Gloss is He loosed his fringes from his Sindon that is from his Talith which was of Sindon linnin because it was of linnin c. h h h h h h Ibid. fol. 41. 1. The Angel found Rabh Ketina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cloathed in Sindon and said to him O Ketina Ketina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sindon in the Summer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a short cloak in the Winter You see that word which is spoke by the Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 About his naked body carries an emphasis for it was most usual to be cloathed with Sindon for an outer garment What therefore must we say of this young man I suspect in the first place that he was not a Disciple of Jesus but that he now followed as some curious looker on to see what this multitude would at last produce And to such a suspicion they certainly do consent who think him to have been rouzed from his bed and hastily followed the rout with nothing but his shirt on without any other cloaths I suppose secondly St. Mark in the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having a Sindon cast about him spake according to the known and vulgar dialect of the Nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clothed with a Sindon For none shall ever perswade me that he would use an Idiom any thing uncouth or strange to the Nation and that when he used the very same phrase in Greek with that Jewish one he intended not to propound the very same sense But now you clearly see they themselves being our Teachers what is the meaning of being clothed with a Sindon with them namely to have a Talith or cloak made of linnin that garment to
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye cannot bear them now THOSE things which he had to say and they could not bear yet were the institution of the Christian Sabbath and the abolishing of the Jewish the reason and foundation of which viz. his Resurrection they yet understood not the rejection of the Jewish Nation when they expected that the Kingdom should be restor'd to Israel Act. I. 6. The intire change of the whole Mosaick dispensation and the bringing in of all Nations in common within the pale of the Church These and such like things as these belonging to the Kingdom of God Act. I. 3. they could not yet bear For though he had plainly enough discours'd to them the destruction of Jerusalem Mat. XXIV yet is it a question whether they apprehended either that their whole Nation must be utterly cast off or that the rites of Moses should be antiquated although he had hinted something of this nature to them more than once VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak AND ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall receive of mine He speaks according to the Dialect and custom of the Nation and so to the capacity of his auditors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they have heard they teach i i i i i i Sanhedr cap. 11. hal 2. It is spoken of a Judg in the lower Sanhedrin consulting a higher Court first that of the Triumvir and if they hear they teach if not then he goes to the supreme Court of all The latter clause he shall receive of mine seems taken from Isa. XI 2. especially if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if our Saviour exprest the sense of that word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did in that also follow the familiar manner of speaking known amongst the vulgar and it should seem he inclin'd rather to this sense because he does not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall receive of mine and give but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall receive and shew it unto you by which the Jew would understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall receive of my Doctrine or from my instructions For the Holy Spirit is sent as an instructor from the Son as the Son is sent as a Redeemer from the Father VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And ye shall see me because I go unto the Father A Little while and ye shall not see me because I go to the Father and ye shall see me because I go to the Father i. e. Ye shall not see me personally but virtually It is true they did not see him when he lay in the grave and they did see him when he rose again but I question whether these words ought to be taken in this sense because it would sound somewhat harshly here what is added Ye shall see me because I go unto the Father I would therefore rather understand it of his ascending into Heaven after which they saw him indeed no more personally but they did see him in the influences and gift of his Holy Spirit and so what follows agrees well enough with this sense of the words ver 23. In that day ye shall ask me nothing as ye were now about to enquire of me ver 19. Ask the Father in my name and he shall reveal to you whatever you shall ask of him VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name UNderstand this clause of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and then all things will be easie All the faithful did pray in the name of the Messiah and these Disciples acknowledging Jesus to be the Messiah did pray in the name of Jesus the Messiah But hitherto they had asked nothing extraordinary in his name not the power of working miracles not the revelation of Mysteries and of future things not the spirit of Prophesie c. for it was not necessary for them as yet to ask these things in his name whiles he was present with them who could dispense it to them according to their instant necessities But for the future when himself should be gone from them whatsoever they should ask the Father in his name he would give it them That prayer of the Apostles Act. IV. 29 30. is a good Comment upon these words Ask such things as these in my name and whatsoever you ask you shall receive that your joy may be full when you shall find by experience that I am still present with when gone from you Those things which both here and elsewhere in the discourses of our Saviour might give occasion for Scholastical discussion I leave wholly to the Schools omitting many passages about which a great deal might be said because they have been already the labours of other Pens It was my design and undertaking only to note some things which were not obvious and which others had not yet taken notice of and not forgetting the title of this little work being Horae Hebraicae Talmudicae * * * * * * Iewish and Talmudical Exercitations I have the more sparingly run out into Scholastick or Theological disputes CHAP. XVIII VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Over the brook Kidron THERE is a question among Expositors about the article in the Plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the accent in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that upon this occasion that it might not be thought as if any relation were to be had here to Cedars wherein one hath been deceiv'd when he thus comments upon it It is called the brook Cedron that is of Cedars that grow there So also the Arab. Interp. in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the brook of Cedar But in 2 Sam. XV. 23. and 1 King II. 37. he retains the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cedron Amongst the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kedar signifies dung a a a a a a Schabb. fol. 33. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Gloss renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kedar by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the easing of nature Aruch render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dung and the sense of that clause is more die of inconvenient easing nature than of hunger I would not affirm that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was us'd in this sense in the Primitive denomination of the brook Kidron but rather that the brook was call'd so from blackness the waters being blacken'd by the mud and dirt that ran into it it being indeed rather the sink or common sewer of the City than a brook But when the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was us'd for dung which it might be at that time when the Greek Version was made perhaps those Interpreters might translate the Hebrew word into Greek which is not unusual with them so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be the same with them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
turned into Glory Faith into fruition Sanctification into impeccability and there will be no need of the Spirit in our sense any more So that Having the Spirit is understood of man considered only under the Fall II. Having the Spirit speaks of having it for mans Recovery The Spirit is given for his Recovery viz. what God will have recovered Let us look back to the Creation That lesson is divine and pertinent Eccles. XII 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth There is more in it than every one observes It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Creators in the plural and teaches two things That as the first lesson Youth is to learn is to know his Creator so therewith to learn to know the Mystery of the Trinity that created him God created all things and man an Epitomy of all by the Word and Spirit Son and Holy Ghost XXXIII Psal. 6. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his Mouth Joh. I. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any made that was made Job XXXIII 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Now when Gods creation in man was spoiled by Son and Spirit it is repaired So that as Christ saith of himself I come to seek and to save that which was lost so the Spirit came to restore and repair what was decayed This is the meaning of the new creature 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature Eph. II. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Who works this Christ and the Spirit Something Christ doth by his blood viz. restores righteousness the rest by his Spirit viz. recovers holiness Nay I may add the Spirit is given only for mans Recovery The Spirit created man so perfect to try him Spiritus movens the Spirit moving is to try man outward administrations are to try him but when sanctification comes it hath a further purpose Compare man in innocency with man after the fall His state in which he then was was to try him But will the Spirit alway have his work of so uncertain issue Will he never act but for trial and leave the issue to the will of man God when he intended not innocency for the way of Salvation left man to himself Doth the Spirit the like in a way intended for Salvation Who then could be saved Spiritus movens the Spirit moving I said was given to try inhabitans inhabiting only and undoubtedly to Recover III. Having the Spirit presupposeth having of Christ vers 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of Christs contra If any have the Spirit he hath Christ. These terms are convertible He that hath Christ hath the Spirit and vice versa he that hath the Spirit hath Christ. As He that hath the Father hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also As Son and Spirit cooperated in mans creation so in his renovation Personal works are distinct but never separate Christ to Justifie the Spirit to Sanctifie but never one without the other The Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ is it possible then to have the Spirit absque Christo without having Christ And he is called his Spirit not only quia procedit a filio because he proceeded from the Son but because he gives him and is a purchase of his blood As the Spirit moved on the Waters so he moves on the blood of Christ he comes swimming in that and it is ex merito sanguinis from the merit of his blood whosoever hath him See Gods way of cleansing the Leper which is an Emblem of cleansing a sinner XIV Levit. 14 15 17. And the Priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed c. And the Priest shall take some of the Log of oyl c. And the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear c. First Blood and then Oyl On whom is the unction of the Spirit on him is first the unction of blood As the person is accepted before his Service Gen IV. 4. The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering So the person is first Justified before Sanctified God doth not new-create a person whom he accepts not IV. He that hath the Spirit hath a twofold work of the Spirit common grace and sanctifying grace We may consider the Spirit as Creator and Sanctifier and thirdly acting in a Work between both When he teacheth man arts indues him with intellectual abilities he then works as Creator in bonum Universi for the good of the Universe When he sanctifieth he doth it for the recovery of the Soul Now there is a work between both that is more than he doth as Creator and less than as Sanctifier but in tendency to the latter but as yet it is not it viz. Common grace Such is Illumination to see ones Condition Conviction with feeling Conscience active thoughts of Soul This is called grace because more than nature Common because wicked men have it sometimes as appears by Heb. VI. 4. And you read of Felix his trembling at S. Pauls Sermon Now the Spirit never worketh sanctifying grace but first useth this to make way He plows the heart by common grace and so prepares it for sanctifying grace In this Chapter at vers 15. There was the Spirit of fear before that of adoption As the Law was given first so the work of the Law is first Rom. VII 9. When the Commandment came sin revived and I died As Moses delivered the people of Israel into the hand of Joshua so the Law when it hath sufficiently disciplined us commits us into the hand of Grace As in Gal. III. 17. The Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law c. cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect The Law is subservient to the promise so this work of the Law to Grace Is a meer work of the Law sanctifying Grace True the work of the Law goes along with grace hence many a gracious heart is under terrors But is the first work of the Law Grace No it is to fit the heart to receive Grace Many now a days say I have the Spirit How came they by it If they have it it is an unnatural birth not bred and born after Gods ordinary way To day debauched to morrow turn Sectary and then have the Spirit That was a wonder in the Prophet speaking of one that before she travailed was delivered such a wonder is this if it be so No God causeth this work of Common Grace to prepare and fit us for the reception of the Holy Spirit V. The Spirit worketh both these by the
Sanctuary Eli 18 with a Sacrifice and a Song The year of his birth is not determinable Eli 19 Eli 20 no not so much as whether it were in the Judgeship of Eli though it be undoubted Eli 21 that it was in his Priest-hood Eli's sons commit theft and adultery in Eli 22 the very Sanctuary they ravin from the men that came to sacrifice and they Eli 23 ravish the women that * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 2. 22. Women that had some office and attendance at the Tabernacle As Num. 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to do the Sanctuary service Anna was such a woman Luke 2. 37. waited on the Sanctuary and so they cause the Ordinances Eli 24 of the Lord to be abhorred Under such example is Samuel educated Eli 25 Eli 26 yet falleth not under that taint A Prophet sharply reproveth Eli for not reproving Eli 27 his sons This Prophet the Jews held to be Elkanah himself and say Eli 28 that he was one of the eight and forty Prophets that prophesied to Israel In Chap. Eli 29 2. Vers. 11. it is said that Elkanah returned to Ramoth to his own house and yet Eli 30 verse 20. it is said that Eli blessed Elkanah which is to be understood that Eli 31 he had done so from Samuels first dedication and so did as oft as he came to Eli 32 Shiloh Samuel himself becomes a Prophet first against Elies house and then Eli 33 afterward to all Israel Chap. 3. 1. Impiety had exceedingly banished Prophesie Eli 34 Eli 35 in these times amongst them but now the Lord begins to restore it for prediction Eli 36 of ruine and then for direction of reformation Urim and Thummim Eli 37 were ere long to be lost from the Priests with the loss of the Ark Eli 38 and God pours the Spirit of Prophesie upon a Levite to supply that Eli 39 want CHAP. IV. World 2909 Eli 40 THE Ark first touched and taken with the hands of uncircumcised ones The two sons of Eli come to fatal ends at this last service of the Ark as the two sons of Aaron Nadab and Abihu did at the first Eli himself dieth the very death of an unredeemed Ass Exod. 13. 13. Shiloh laid waste Jer. 7. 14. and the birthright lost from Joseph and Ephraim Psal. 78. 60. c. The Tabernacle had been at Shiloh 340 years and somewhat more The Idol of Dan hath now out-lived it Judg. 18. 31. Ah poor Israel World 2910 Eli 1 Here begin the forty years of Samuel and Saul mentioned Act. 13. 20 21. He gave them Judges after a manner four hundred and fifty years that is the years of the oppressors also reckoned in the Judges 299. the oppressors 111. and Eli 40. until Samuel the Prophet And afterward they desired a King and God gave them Saul by the space of forty years that is to the expiration of forty years from Elies death the last of the Judges CHAP. V. VI. THE Ark is all the spring and summer of this year in the land of the Philistims For its sake the Lord smiteth Dagon the god of their Corn and destroyeth the harvest of their Corn as it grew on the ground with an army of Mice He striketh the people with Emerods in their hinder parts Psal. 78. 66. and bringeth a shameful soreness on them in a contrary part and in a contrary nature to the honourable soreness of Circumcision They restore the Ark again with strange presents with abundance of golden Mice Et cum quinque anis vel podicibus aureis quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Kine knew their owner as Esa. 1. 3. Hophni and Phineas knew him not The Bethshemites though Priests yet slain by the Lord for too much boldness with the Ark. CHAP. VII Vers. 1. And the first half of the second Samuel 2 THE Ark setled in Kirjath-jearim the City of the woods to this the Samuel 3 Psalmist speaketh Psal. 132. 6. We heard of it at Ephratah or at Shiloh Samuel 4 in Ephraim we found it in the fields of the wood or at Kirjath-jearim there an Samuel 5 Eleazar looketh to it when both the line of Eleazar and Ithamar are out of Samuel 6 that service And it came to pass while the Ark abode in Kirjath-jearim the time Samuel 7 Samuel 8 was long for it was twenty years This is not to be understood for the whole Samuel 9 time that it was there for it was above six and forty years there before David Samuel 10 fetched it up 2 Sam. 6. namely thirty nine years of Samuel and Saul and Samuel 11 seven David born in the tenth year of Samuel years of Davids reign in Hebron but it is to be thus understood and construed Samuel 12 that the Ark was twenty years in Kirjath-jearim before the people of Israel Samuel 13 minded it or looked after it but they followed and adhered to their former Samuel 14 Idolatries and corruptions and therefore it is said by Samuel afterward vers 3. Samuel 15 Samuel 16 If you do return unto the Lord put away the strange gods Ashteroth from among Samuel 17 you c. Their Idolatry and prophaneness was so deep rooted having been so Samuel 18 long and so customary with them that neither the loss of the Ark nor the Samuel 19 slaughter of Israel had wrought upon them but that twenty years together Samuel 20 they are lost to the Ark though the Ark were not then lost to them CHAP. VII Vers. 2. The latter half of it * * * The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be translated not And but Then they lamented Then all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord and so to the end of the 7 Chapter and Chapter 8. all World 2930 Samuel 21 A Spirit of repentance and conversion cometh generally upon all the people a matter and a time as remarkable as almost any we read of in Scripture one only parallel to it and that is in Acts 2. and 3. at the great conversion there There were to that time these sums of years four hundred ninety years from hence to the beginning of the Captivity seventy years of the Captivity and four hundred ninety years from the end of the Captivity thither The seventy of the Captivity are the midst of years Hab. 3. 2. And Samuel according to this chain is the first of the Prophets Acts 4. 24. Samuel 22 Israel is baptized from their Idols Samuel though no Priest yet by special They drew water and poured it before the Lord Chap. 7. 6 To be understood of their washing themselves from their idols as Gen. 35. 2. Exod. 19. 14. Samuel 23 warrant sacrificeth by Prayer destroyeth the Philistims with thunder Chap. 2. Samuel 24 20. Psal. 99. 6. they were subdued in that very place where they had subdued Samuel 25 Israel and taken the Ark one and twenty years before Samuel rideth in circuit Samuel 26 and judgeth Israel Judah recovereth
further Some point thus All things were made by him and without him was nothing made That which was made in him was life A reading which Chrysostom Hom. 5. in Job saith was used by Hereticks whereby to prove the Holy Ghost to be a Creature And this is the very reading of the vulgar Latin Others have read it thus All things were made him and without him was nothing made which was made in him And then they began a new sentence He was life c. A reading conceived to have been used by the Manicbâ—es whereby to prove duo principia a good and a bad 4. In him was life and the life was the light of men 5. And the light shined in darkness and the darkness comprehend it not 6. There d d d d d d From Mal. 3. 1. 4. 5. And thus dothe two Testaments joyn together was a man sent from God whose name was John 7. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the Light that all men through him might believe 8. He e e e e e e The Baptist was a light John 5. 35. but not that light that was to come â—s the light of the three first days of the Creation without the Sun was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that light 9. That was the true Light f f f f f f It may be either read which coming into the world lighteth every man or as our English hath it which latter is approved the true 1. By the very place where the word comming or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyeth for it followeth not immediately the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so being joyned with it reason and the custom of Grammar tell that it should be construed with it 2. It is ordinary among the Jews to call men by this Periphrasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as come into the world which Idiom of the Hebrews the Evangelist followeth here The Syriak readeth as we do which lighteth every man that cometh into the world 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not 11. He came unto g g g g g g As it were into his own house or among his own people as Joh. 16. 32 19. 27. Act. 4. 23. 21. 6. his own and his own h h h h h h In ver 11. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 12. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though they signifie the same thing yet might some distinction of sense be observed in the distinction of words For Christ came among the Jews bodily yet they would not so much as receive him bodily nor acknowledge him for Messias at all but coming among the Gentiles by his word and spirit they received him spiritually received him not 12. But as many as h h h h h h In ver 11. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 12. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though they signifie the same thing yet might some distinction of sense be observed in the distinction of words For Christ came among the Jews bodily yet they would not so much as receive him bodily nor acknowledge him for Messias at all but coming among the Gentiles by his word and spirit they received him spiritually received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name 13. Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we behold his glory the glory i i i i i i As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimâ—bi in Micol as Numb 11. 1. The people became as murmurers Prov. 10. 20. The heart in the wicked is as little worth that is very murmurers very little worth so here The very glory of the only begotten as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Reason of the Order THE Preface being made the story is to begin and that it doth here from Christs Divinity most Divinely For whereas the other Evangelists begin their relations no further back then from the birth or conception of our Saviour or at the furthest of his Forerunner John draws the Reader back to behold him in the Old Testament in the Creation of the world and in the promises to the Fathers And therefore this portion is first to be begun withall and of it self will justifie its own order Especially it being considered that the Person of Christ is first to be treated of before his actions and in his Person the divine nature which John here handleth before the humane Harmony and Explanation FROM Gen. 1. 1. the Evangelist sheweth that the redemption was to be wrought by him by whom the Creation was namely by the Word or the second Person in the Trinity as being sittest for that great work as whereby confusion both in the external works of the Trinity as also in the term of Sonship might be avoided In the external works of the Trinity when the Creator of man became his Redeemer and in the term of Sonship when the Son of God and the Son of Man were but one and the same person Ver. 1. The Word He is so called in the Old Testament First as the Author of 2 Sam. 7. 2. For thy words sake which in 1 Chr. 17. 19. is expressed For thy servants sake the title of Christ Esay 42. 2. the Creation Psal. 33. 6. Secondly as the Author of the Promise 2 Sam. 7. 2. compared with 1 Chron 17. 19. Thirdly as the very Subject of the Covenant and Promise it self Hag. 2. 5. Deut. 30. 12. compared with Rom. 10. 6 7. So that these things being laid together and well considered they shew why John calleth the Son of God the Word rather then by any other name First because he would shew that as the world was created by the Son so it was most fit it should be redeemed Secondly that as in him the promise was given so in him was fit should be the performance Thirdly that as he was the Subject of the Covenant in the Old Testament so also was he the Substance of it in the New From such places as these forenamed where the Son of God is called the Word in the Old Testament it became most familiar and ordinary among the Jews to use this title personally for him And this may be a second reason deduced from that that was named before why the Evangelist here useth it namely as a name most familiarly and comly known amongst his own people Examples hereof might be alledged out of the Chaldee Paraphrast even by hundreds It will suffice to alledge some few Gen. 28. 20 21. If the word of the Lord will be my help c. The word of the Lord shall be my God
bloods in the plural number That is not of the kindred descent or continued Pedegree from the Patriarchal line or the blood of Abraham Isaac Jacob and successively For John the Evangelist speaketh much to the same tenor here that John the Baptist doth Mat. 3. 9. That Christ would adopt the Heathen for the Sons of God as the Jews had been though they had no relation at all to the Jewish blood or stock Nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man The Evangelist hath traced Moses all along from the beginning of the Chapter and so he doth here He used the Phrase of the Sons of God in the Verse preceding from Gen. 6. 2. And this Clause that we have in hand he seemeth to take from the very next Verse after My Spirit shall no more strive with man because he also is flesh Where as Moses by flesh understandeth the brood of Cain men that followed the swing of lust sensuality and their own corruption and by Man the Family of Seth or Adam that was regulated by Religion and reason till that Family grew also fleshly like the other so doth John here the like For having in the next foregoing words excluded one main thing that was much stood upon from any claim or challenge towards the adopting of the Sons of God or forwarding of the new birth and that is descent from Abraham and from those holy men successively that had the promise So doth he here as much for two other which only can put in for title to the same and those are first the will of the flesh or ability of nature Secondly the will of man or power of morality Ver. 14. And the word became Flesh Now hath the Evangelist brought us to the Apollinaris from this clause the word became flesh would wickedly conclude that the word assumed not an humane soul but only humane flesh and that the Godhead served that flesh instead of a reasonable soul Conâ—uted Luke 5. 52. Mat. 26. 38. great Mystery of the Incarnation in the description of which may be observed First the two terms the word and Flesh expressing Christs two natures and the word was made or became their hypostatical union Secondly the word flesh is rather used by the Evangelist then the word man though oftentimes they signifie but the same thing as Gen. 6. 12. Psal. 65. 2. Isa. 40. 5 6. First to make the difference and distinction of the two natures in Christ the more conspicuous and that according to the common speech of the Jews who set flesh and blood in opposition to God as Matth. 16. 17. Gal. 1. 16. Secondly to magnifie the mercy of God in Christs incarnation the more in that flesh being in its own nature so far distant from the nature of God yet that he thus brought these two natures together as of them to make but one person for the reconciling of man and himself together Thirdly to confirm the truth of Christs humanity against future Heresies which have held that he had not a true and real humane body but only Fantastical or of the air Fourthly to explain what he said before that Believers became the Sons of God that is not by any change of their bodily substances but by participation of divine grace for Christ on the contrary became the Son of Man by assuming of flesh and not by changing into it Fifthly to shew the Plaister fitly applyed unto the Sore and the Physick to the Disease for whereas in us that is in our flesh there dwelleth no good but sin death and corruption he took upon him this very nature which we have so corrupted sequestring only the corruption from it that in the nature he might heal the corruption Sixthly he saith he was made or became flesh and not he was made man lest it should be conceived that Christ assumed a person for he took not the person of any man in particular but the nature of man in general Was made flesh Not by alteration but assumption not by turning of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God not by leaving what he was before that is to be God but by taking on him what he was not before that is to bo man And the Evangelist saith rather He was made flesh then he assumed it i. e. that he might set out the truth and mystery of the Incarnation to the life both for the hypostatical union of the two natures and their inseparablity being so united For first whereas Nestorius said that the word was not that man that was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary but that the Virgin indeed brought forth a man and he having obtained grace in all kind of vertue had the word of God united unto him which gave him power against unclean Spirits And so he made two several Sons and two several persons of the two natures his Heresie is plainly and strongly confuted by this phrase he was made flesh which by the other he assumed it might have had more pretext and colour Secondly whereas Eutyches Valentius and others averred that Christ had not a true humane body but only a body in appearance This also confuteth them home and taketh away all probability of any such thing which the word assumed might have left more doubtful since we know that Angels assumed bodies and those bodies were not truly humane So that in this manner of speech The word was made flesh is evidently taught First that there are two distinct natures in Christ the God-head and the Man-hood for he saith not the word was turned into but was made or became flesh Secondly that these two natures do not constitute two persons but only one Christ for he saith he was made flesh and not assumed it Thirdly that this union is hypostatical or personal for he saith the word was made flesh and not joyned to it And lastly that this union is indissoluble and never to be separated For Angels in assumed bodies laid them by again and were parted from them but the word being made flesh the union is personal and not to be dissolved And dwelt among us c. That is among us his Disciples for so the next clause we saw his glory importeth And this Evangelist speaketh the same thing more at large 1 Joh. 1. 1. Full of grace and truth For these words follow next in Grammatical construction and connection lying thus And the word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth The reason of the Parenthesis and we saw his glory may seem to be First because he would explain what he meant by Us before he left it viz. us Disciples that saw his glory Secondly because the Apostles beheld not the very fulness of his grace and truth till they had beheld the fulness of that glory which he shewed on earth Grace and truth As the Soul hath tow noble faculties the understanding and the will the objects of which are
with the end of the ninth to all men whatsoever but that by the floor of Christ in this place is meant the Church of Israel or the nation of the Jews alone may be concluded upon these observations First That the title given His floor is but the very Epithet of Isaiah that he giveth to Israel Isa. 21. 10. Oh my threshing and the corn of my floor which though some Expositors both Jewish and Christian apply to Babel yet let the Reader upon common reason and serious examination be the Judge Secondly Because the phrase of fanning of that Nation betokeneth their final desolation Jer. 15. 7. I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the Land and the Baptist seemeth in these expressions his fan and his floor to have reference to these two Prophets Thirdly Because the words being thus appropriated to Israel they have the more agreement with the verses preceding which tell of the wrath to come upon that Nation and of the ax already laid to the root of that tree Fourthly The phrase of throughly purging which the Greek word importeth and the same word is used both by Luke and Mark denoteth a final separation of the Wheat and chaff and an utter consumption of the wicked and this being spoken only to the Jews and to those Gentiles that were mingled with them they cannot so fitly be applyed to any thing as to that Nation and their utter desolation for God had often purged them before but now their thorough purging is near at hand when Christ by the fan of the Gospel shall have sifted and tried them and found them out who was Wheat and who was chaff And Fifthly This Exposition is consented to even by the Jews themselves the more ancient of whom have held that the coming of Christ should be the final desolation of their Nation So doth their whole Sanhedrin confess Joh. 11. 48. This man doth many miracles and if we let him alone all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and Nation And to the same tenor of confession is that collection of the Talmud cited ere while from the last verse of the tenth Chapter of Isaiah and the first of the eleventh where the fall of the forest and Lebanon and the coming of the branch out of the stem of Jesse are laid together And to the same purpose doth the Chaldee Paraphrast render Isa. 66. 7. Before her pains came she was redeemed and before the pangs of her birth Messias her King was revealed A Text from which Rabbi Samuel bar Nachaman in Bereshith Rabba concludeth that the destruction of the Temple and the birth of the Messias should be near together And lastly that this verse as it was spoken only so also is to be applied only to the Jews may be somewhat inferred from the Titles given to the parties spoken of wheat and chaff which both grow from one root and come up upon the same stalk resembling fitly both the believing and unbelieving Jews or the godly and wicked of them both descended from the same National Original And to back this observation it is observable that whereas our Saviour maketh his metaphor of Wheat and Tares because he would only shew the difference betwixt the righteous and the wicked the Baptist doth his of Wheat and chaff because he would not only shew the same difference in condition but also their agreement and identity in Nation §. The Wheat he will gather By Wheat and chaff might very well be understood true and false doctrine and the rather because the Scripture elswhere calleth them by such terms Jer. 23. 28. and maketh the fire of the Word of God the trier and touchstone of them both 1 Cor. 3. 12 13 15. from Deut. 33. 2. and the rather still because the words are spoken to Pharisees and Sadduces which were both very erroneous in their tenets but that it will be very harsh to apply the gathering into the Garner and the unquenchableness of the fire in reference to doctrine therefore the two different titles are severally and properly to be understood of righteous and wicked mens persons differenced in those their several qualifications and under this interpretation may the truth or falsity of doctrine be also understood Now the righteous or Saints of God are fitly compared to Wheat in diverse respects as in goodness usefulness weight and fulness whereas the wicked on the contrary are like chaff in being refuse vile unprofitable light empty and fittest for the fire §. He will gather The observation is not far amiss especially the significancy and force of the Greek word regarded that from hence inferreth that the righteous lie scatteredly and dispersedly among the wicked but the word gathering doth not always necessarily import so much for a Leper was said to be gathered when he was cleansed 2 King 5. 3. which was not from amongst men but unto them and the manner of speech here seemeth to be taken from the gathering of harvest or ripe fruits Exod. 23. 16. or from the gathering of dying men unto their rest as Gen. 25. 8. 17. §. Into the Garner Seeing that the main intent of the verse is to shew forth the destruction of Jerusalem as is proved before by these words might well be understood the care and charge that God took of his faithful ones in that ruine when by the warning of a voice in the Temple that said Migremus hinc let us flit hence he removed them to Pella a place far enough distant from the danger but that our Saviour hath taught us to understand it of the rest in Heaven in his parable of the Wheat and Tares Matth. 13. SECTION X. Christ installed into his Ministry by baptism and by the unction of the Holy Ghost his Pedegree by his Mother Mary St. MATTHEW CHAP. III. Ver. 13. THEN cometh Iesus from Galilee to Iordan unto Iohn to be baptized of him 14. But Iohn forbad him saying I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me 15. And Iesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness Then he suffered him 16. And Iesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him 17. And lo a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased St. MARK CHAP. I. Ver. 9. AND it came to pass in those days that Iesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized of John in Iordan 10. And straight way coming up out of the water he saw the Heavens opened and the spirit like a Dove descending upon him 11. And there came a voice from heaven saying Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased St. LUKE CHAP. III. Ver. 21 NOW when all the people were baptized And it came
the clouds by that is used here namely Heaven As The Lord that gave the Law out of a cloud Exod. 19. 16. is said to have spoken from Heaven Exod. 20. 22. So the like voice to this here that came out of a cloud Luke 9. 35. yet is said to come from Heaven 2 Pet. 1. 18. And Elias that by his prayer shut up the clouds that there was no rain is said to have shut up Heaven Luke 4. 25. The opening of the Heavens then was the renting of the clouds as we see them rent when the lightning comes forth and out of that rent came the Holy Ghost in visible shape and the heavenly voice And thus did the Gospel or Preaching of Christ begin with the opening of the Heavens which the Law had shut and thus were the heavens shaken when the desire of all Nations came first to be revealed openly as Hag. 2. 6 7. The very same difference of expression that is betwixt Saint Mark and the other Evangelists is betwixt the Hebrew and the LXX in Isa. 64. 1. for the Original readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wouldest or hast rent but the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou open the Heavens c. Matth. 3. ver 16. The Heavens were opened to him To him to whom To Christ or to John Why to the eyes and beholding of them both for in that John saith he saw the Holy Ghost coming from or out of Heaven like a Dove Joh. 1. 32. he maketh it past denial that he saw the opening of the Heavens but the word to him in this place must be reserved and referred in a singular peculiarity to Christ and the opening of the Heavens to him importeth a more emphatical propriety than their opening to his sight For the Syntax and Grammatical construction that Mark useth maketh it impossible to fix the words to him any other ways than upon Christ And straightway saith he coming up out of the water he saw the Heavens rent or cloven c. This then being the propriety of the words that the Heaven was opened to our Saviour and yet since it was also opened to the sight of John it doth necessarily inforce us to understand it otherwise than only to his view or beholding namely to his prayer as the phrase is used by him himself Knock and it shall be opened unto you For had the Evangelist intended only to shew how he saw this apertion in the Heaven he might have joyned John with him in the same sight but he would give us to understand by the phrase that he hath used singularly of Christ alone that the Heavens were not only opened to his sight but for his sake And from hence may be confirmed what was spoken before concerning his prayer namely that it aimed at such a thing as Elias prayed and the Heaven was opened and fire came down upon his Sacrifie Thus Heaven that was shut to the first Adam because of his sin is opened to the second because of his righteousness and to all that by faith are partakers of it Mark 1. Ver. 10. He saw the Heavens cloven This is to be understood as that before of Christ only and after the same sense or to the same purport But since it is certain that John saw this as well as he as is also observed before and yet none of the three Evangelists that record the Story have given any undoubted or plain evidence of any such a thing it may likewise be questioned whether the rest of the people which were there present did see this sight as well as Christ and John Theophylact is peremptory in the affirmative For all of them saith he saw the Spirit coming upon Jesus lest they should think that the voice This is my beloved Son had been spoken concerning John but upon the sight of the Holy Ghost they might believe that that voice was concerning Christ. And of this opinion are very many others with him and no marveil for who could conceive any other thing And yet upon the weighing of these Reasons following we may very well be perswaded to believe the contrary or that this Heavenly spectacle and divine voice was conspicuous and audible to none but only to Christ and John First Because John after this doth himself tell those that were present at this time that there had stood one among them but they knew him not that that was he that was to come after him For the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1. 26. must of necessity be rendred in its preterfect signification for John spake not those words till after Christ was baptized and gone for he was at that time in his temptation in the wilderness Secondly Because Christ himself also telleth the Jews that they had never heard his Fathers voice John 5. 37. and among those to whom he speaketh were divers that had imbraced the doctrine and baptism of John ver 35. and it may very well be supposed some that were present at his baptism at this very time The maintainers of the contrary Opinion have spied this scruple and difficulty arising upon that Text and have gone about to salve it but with a very improper and dangerous plaister holding that though they heard this voice yet they heard not the voice of the Father but of an Angel which spake in his Name which shall be examined by and by Thirdly It is improbable that when Christ had such another testimony from Heaven at his transfiguration that he should conceal it from nine of his Disciples and charge the three silence that heard it and saw what was done Matth. 17. 9. and yet should let this voice and vision from Heaven be so publick as to be heard and seen of all the people Fourthly John himself telleth that this Revelation was given chiefly if not only for his sake John 1. 33. Fifthly The preaching of the Baptist was the means that God had ordained to bring the people to the knowledge of Christ John 1. 7 31. and this Revelation to bring the Paptist to it Sixthly Had all the people been partakers of this sight and voice John had needed no more to have pointed Christ out but the people would have known him as well as he nor could the opinion have ever prevailed as it did that valued John above him Seventhly When John shewed him forth with the finger with Behold the Lamb of God presently Disciples followed him which they would have done much more had they thus seen and heard him pointed out from Heaven but it is plain they did not the one and thereupon it may be boldly concluded that they did not the other Eighthly To which may be added that God ordained preaching partly of John partly of Christ himself and partly of his Disciples the way to bring the world acquainted that he was Messias And these divine Revelations were for the instruction and confirmation of them his preachers who were chosen witnesses for such a purpose
Heathen concerning their calling First They put in two men Gen. 10. that they might dissemble their arrogating of singularity above all Nations and to make Ptolomy believe that there was no such distinction of people held by them but they thought otherwise Luke reserves the one of these in his pedegree for the other could not come in it to teach the Gentiles really what they did in dissimulation that there was no such distinction of Nations in the sight of God even the Seventy themselves being witnesses Secondly They used a mournful name for the men whom they inserted in detestation of the coming in of the Gentiles Luke reserves this also for the comfort of the Gentiles which were now to be called in To teach them from the Jews own confession that the divulging of the Gospel in vulgar languages should bring Japhet into the tents of Sem which thing was now ready to begin when Christ at his Baptism is anointed to Preach the Gospel and to send it abroad to be Preached both to Jew and Gentile And what the Seventy in their Cainan sorrowed to see afar off Luke in his Cainan calls to behold now with comfort near at hand Thus are the Censers of Korah and his company though ordained for an evil end by them yet reserved in the Sanctuary for a good by the command of GOD. Ver. 38. Which was the Son of Adam which was the Son of God Thus hath the Evangelist shewed Christ to be the seed of the woman promised to Adam and descended from him And that he that was proclaimed the seed of the Woman to Adam in the garden was now pointed out and proclaimed the Son of God from Heaven to John at Jordan And thus doth the Evangelist conclude this Genealogy with a clear expression of Christs two natures his humanity for he was the son of Adam his divinity for he was the Son of God And this lesson of these two natures being knit and united in the person of our Saviour the Evangelists all of them teach very frequently as they go along as a thing of chief and choice observation which we shall take up and observe as we proceed The End of the first Part. THE HARMONY OF THE Four Evangelists Among themselves and with the OLD TESTAMENT The Second Part. FROM THE BAPTISM of our SAVIOUR TO THE First Passover after WITH An Explanation of the Chiefest DIFFICULTIES both in LANGUAGE and SENSE By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. LONDON Printed by W. R. for Robert Scott Thomas Basset John Wright and Richard Chiswell MDCLXXXII THE SECOND PART OF THE HARMONY OF THE Four EVANGELISTS SECTION XI The second Adam tempted like the first but overcometh in such temptations as in which the first was overcome St. MATTHEW CHAP. IV. THEN was Iesus a a a a a a Each Evangelist hath his peculiar expression and each expression its peculiar meaning though some Translators do not much mind their differences as the Syriack that useth the same word in Matthew and Luke and the Arabick the same in Matthew and Mark only either of them take it actively in the one and passively in the other 1. Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was acted or moved actus est agebatur in Beza and the Uulgar intending the internal moving of the Spirit within him for so the manner of speech is used Rom. 8. 14. Gal. 5. 18. 2. Mark saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit casteth bringeth or driveth him out for in these senses is the word used Matth. 12. 35. Luke 9. 40. John 10. 4. Gal. 4. 30. c. And he implieth by it First his parting him from the company at Jordan Secondly his sending him out upon his office and function for so the word is also used Matth. 9. 38. And thirdly it seemeth to denote some visible vehemency and rapture wherewith all the Spirit separated him from the company as Philip was taken away from the Eunuch Acts 8. 39. 3. Matthew saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was led up as our English hath well rendred it from the low grounds about Jordan to the high mountains of the wilderness some conceive he was rapt up into the air and there carried aloft till he came into the wilderness which if it were so the evil spirit imitated this act of the holy Spirit when he carried him in the air to the pinnacle of the Temple led up b b b b b b The Syriack in Matthew addeth By the holy Spirit Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put casually as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Hebrew very frequently Psal. 33. 6. Hos. 1. 7. c. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 12. 28. for this temptation of Christ was not in vision as Ezekiels carryiny into the valley of dried bones was Ezek. 37. 1. where he saith of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Seventy render it but it was really done and Christ was bodily driven or carried into the wilderness and therefore Matthew's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Luke's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must thus far bear the same sense that they denote a real and not a visionary action and the power and activity of the Holy Ghost moving and driving our Saviour in â—â— and to it Though Luke's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may â—orâ— singularly express the internal motion and Matthew's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the external â—mpulsion of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil 2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights be was afterward an hungred 3. And when the tempter came to him he said If thou be the Son of f f f f f f The Greek reads it say or speak to these stones as Numb 20. 8. and accordingly it is rendred by the Syriack and Vulgar for Gods speaking is commanding and his commanding is operative in things of this nature And so he spake or said and all things were made Gen. 1. which the Psalmist expresseth he commanded Psal. 148. 5. And the Devil doth purposely and pertinently use this phrase because he saith instantly before If thou be the Son of God and if God speak it must be done God command that g g g g g g The difference in number used by the Evangelists the one saying This stone and the other These stones is no strange thing in Scripture but of common and familiar use as Gen. 28. 11. He took of the stones of the place which in Verse 18. is expounded He took the stone E. Luke sheweth that Matthews expression These stones is to be understood for one of these stones as Judg. 12. 7. Jephihah was buried in the Cities of Gilead that is in one of the Cities And 1 Sam. 18. 21. Thou shalt be my Son-in-law in the two that is in one of the two c. And that speech of Reuben Gen. 42. 37. seemeth to be to a sense and construction not very
as to the instruction conviction benefit and advantage of men And therefore although the humane nature of Christ through the uniting of it to the Godhead did abound in all holiness and wisdom and graces as to the knowing of God and the best things to the enjoyment of the vision of God and communion with him to the being and persisting absolutely without the least corruption to the entire performing of the whole Law and to a non-possibility of committing sin all which capacities tended towards the satisfaction of Gods justice and mans redemption yet for the ministration of the Gospel and for his working upon the bodies minds and affections of men by teaching preaching and working miracles he is indued with the immediate gifts of the Spirit as it was the way of God to deal with Prophets and prophetick men which gifts did not so properly accrew from the union of the two natures as from the unction of the Spirit The result of the union of the two natures being more properly acceptance with God in the work of Redemption and the fruits of this unction being to the acceptance with men in the work of the Ministery And whereas it is not to be denied but that Christ before the Holy Ghost came upon him at his baptism had the power of miracles and Prophetick wisdom in him as appeareth by his disputing with the Doctors at twelve years old this was through the fulness of the Holy Ghost that was in him even from his mothers womb as it was and much more than it was with John the Baptist Luke 1. 15. and that with this difference from what it is now that it was then upon him as one to be ordained and now upon him as ordained already to the Ministery Now the difference of the fulness of the Holy Ghost in Christ from other men who are also said to have been filled with the Holy Ghost as Luke 1. 67. Acts 6. 5. may appear in these particulars 1. In the measure which may be measured by consideration of the difference of the persons and of their employments for Christ was more capable by infinite degrees of the fulness of the Holy Ghost than meer men were or could be and his employment being also so infinitely beyond the employment of men the measure of the Holy Ghosts fulness in him must needs be accordingly beyond all measure 2. In the manner and vigor of acting The power of the Prophets in working of miracles was exceeding great indeed and wondrous and their descrying and discovering the will of God and things to come was exceeding wonderful and sublime but they could neither do nor tell all things nor could they act upon all occasions but had always their bounds and had sometimes a recess of the Spirit or departure of it from them As Isaac can see what shall befal Jacob and Esau many hundred years after yet cannot know Jacob from Esau when he is in his arms And Jacob can tell what shall become of all his sons in the last time to come yet cannot tell what is become of his best son Joseph in his own time for 13 years together So Moses hath power over Egypt yet hath not power over his own stammering and the Prophet at Bethel can command the Altar that it rent it self but cannot command the Lion not to rent him Thus to this great gift of Prophecy on men as to the Ocean God set its bound which it might not pass and so far might the operating of it go and might go no further but with Christ it was not so He could work what miracles he would when he would how he would and on whom he would he could reveal all truths resolve all doubts clear all difficulties know all thoughts and had no limit of the vigor and acting of the Spirit upon him but his own will §. Was led by the Spirit into the wilderness Namely into the wilderness of Judea For 1. that was in mention in the story next preceding Matth. 3. 2 3. and a wilderness being here spoken of without any further mention what wilderness it was none can so properly be understood as that of Judea which was last named before 2. It is said by Luke that Jesus returned from Jordan by the word returned importing that he came back when he went to his temptation on the same side Jordan on which he was baptized Now that the wilderness of Judea lay on that side is more evident than needeth any demonstration Chemnitius indeed hath supposed this wilderness where our Saviour was tempted to have been the great desert of Horeb or Sinai and he giveth these three reasons for it 1. Because other wildernesses have their distinguishing titles as of Ziph 2 Sam. 23. 14. Shur Exod. 15. 22. Engedi 1 Sam. 24. 11. c. but this wilderness of Horeb is called the wilderness by a special emphasis without any other addition and so is the wilderness mentioned in this story But this is easily answered that it wants its distinctive title here because it was named by it a little before and called the wilderness of Judea 2. Because saith he Mark saith that Christ in this wilderness was with the wild beasts now in other wildernesses there are either dwellings of men here and there or they are not altogether remote from the converse of men but in the great desart of Horeb there were only wild beasts as there are mentioned to have been here Ans. Mark when he saith Christ was with wild beasts doth not therefore inforce that that wilderness was without either men or dwellings But first That Christ for that time avoided both the one and the other and kept himself in the wildest places and most retired from humane society And secondly the Evangelist seemeth to regard rather the state of Christ than the state of the place and to shew Christ to be the second Adam as in the temptation which he was now about so in his safety and security among the wild beasts as Adam in innocency had been and they hurt him not The wilderness of Judea had indeed both cities and villages and dwellings of men in it but withall it had some places wild in it without any such habitations and it had wild beasts in it in those places 1 Sam. 17. 28. 34. 2 Sam. 23. 20. Jer. 49. 19. 3. By this supposal he addeth that this wilderness where Christ was tempted was the great desart of Horeb there is a fair answerableness found out between this story and the story of Israel in that place and betwixt this fasting of Christ and of Moses and Elias in the same desart Answer it is true there would be so indeed but the being of the thing cannot be grounded upon this correspondency but this correspendency must be built upon the thing first found so to be and if this may argue for Horeb desart we may as well argue for Judea wilderness for there the sore tryals of David under the persecution
coming nearest to creating and therefore when the power of miracles was first given the first that was wrought was transforming Exod. 4. 3. And such a one was the first that was wrought by our Saviour John 2. 9. The Devil therefore assaying Christ in a work of wonder tryeth him in one of this nature and when he cannot move him to shew his power upon another Creature in Changing the form of it in this temptation he seeketh in the next to move him to shew his power upon his own body in altering the quality of it and making it fly Now to enquire what sins they were that the Devil would have perswaded him to in this temptation in turning stones into bread whether to gluttony or distrust of providence or what else is not so material and pertinent as to consider why he tryed him first by such a manner of temptation And the satisfaction to this is facil and obvious namely 1. because he took advantage of his present hungring And 2. because he had sped so successfully to his own mind by a temptation about a matter of eating with the first Adam he practiseth that old manner of his trading with the second Ver. 4. It is written This is the first speech that proceeded from our Saviours mouth since his entrance into his Ministerial function that is upon record and though it be very short yet is it very material for observation of these things 1. That the first word spoken by Christ in his ministerial office is an assertion of the authority of Scripture 2. That he opposeth the word of God as the properest incounterer against the words of the Devil 3. That he alledgeth Scripture as a thing undeniable and uncontrolable by the Devil himself 4. That he maketh the Scripture his rule though he had the fulness of the Spirit above measure § Man shall not live by bread only but c. He doth most properly and divinely produce this place of Moses Deut. 8. 3. it being a Lesson which the Lord had read to Israel when they had fallen into and in a temptation not much unlike to this that Satan would have tript Christ in at this time Now the sense of the Text alledged is somewhat controverted some take it to mean that man hath not only a life of the body to look after which is sustained by bread but also and rather a life of the soul which is supported by the Word of God And some again by the Word of God understand the Word of Doctrine others the Word of Gods power providence and decree as meaning that mans life doth not depend upon bread only but that God can support and sustain it by other means as he shall see fit Any of which carry a most proper and a most considerable truth along with them But the most facil interpretation of these words and the most agreeable to the context in Moses with which they lye is by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God to understand Gods commandments by the observing of which a man shall live prosper and it shall go well with him for to this sense the first verse of that Chapter in Deuteronomy speaketh All the commandments that I command thee this day shall ye observe to do that ye may live c. Now our Saviour retorteth this in this sense against the Devils temptation that incited him to have turned stones into bread 1. To shew that it was his meat and drink to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work as John 4. 34. And 2. that obedience of Gods commandments is more propely the way to live than by the use of the Creature Matth. 4. ver 5. Then the Devil taketh him up Here it is controverted whether this were done really and truly or only in vision and apparition And there be that assert the latter conceiving that Christ was brought no otherwise to the pinnacle of the Temple or to the high mountain than Jeremy went to Euphrates to hide his girdle Jer. 13. or Ezekiel slept on his right and left side c. Ezek. 4. or other things of this nature mentioned in Scripture which it is past all denial were done only in vision vid. Jansen in loc But that these transportings of our Saviour from place to place were really and actually done even in the body and not in vision may be strongly confirmed by these considerations 1. Otherwise they had been no temptations which the Evangelists tell plainly that they were For what had it been for Christ to have seen a thousand of such things as these in a vision and to have nothing more to do with them but only see them what temptation could this be to him 2. The next place that we hear Christ was in after the temptations were finished was beyond Jordan as shall be shewed in the next Section now it will be hard to find how he was got instantly after his temptations to the other side Jordan if he were not carryed thither in the next temptation after this that is now in hand For in the temptation before this he is in the wilderness of Judea in this temptation he is at Jerusalem on the top of the Temple and in the next on the top of an high mountain and the next tydings of him after is that he is beyond Jordan Now this taking him up was bodily and locally and really the Devil catching him up into the air and carrying him in the air to the battlements of the Temple and from thence in the next temptation to the high mountain And here may the Reader fix his meditations upon four or five material things very pertinent and profitable to consider of upon this passage As 1. the horrid impudency of the Tempter that cannot but suppose him the Son of God and yet dare assail him as the basest of men 2. The wonderful humiliation of the Redeemer that was even now proclaimed the Son of God from heaven and now is hurryed by the Devil in the face of heaven 3. The power of evil Spirits over mens bodies if they be permitted and let loose to execise their power upon them 4. The constant and continued providence shewed in our preservation that we are not hurryed away bodily by Satan every moment who is thus busie here even with our Redeemer who was the Son of God 5. That in all the Scripture there is no mention of the like story that the Devil ever thus carryed any man in the air unless he had first bodily possessed him For having first done so it is said of the poor wretch among the Gaderens That he was driven of the Devil into the Wilderness And so we have observed elsewhere that it is probable that the Devil took Judas into the air and there strangled him and threw him down to the earth and burst out his bowels for the Devil was bodily in him before but for one not possessed to be so transported
Iesus coming unto him and saith Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the k k k k k k In the Greek it is sin in the singular number which hath caused some to understand it of original sin only not minding it seemeth the common custom of the Scripture to put one number for another especially by the word sin in the singular number to understand all sins whatsoever sins l l l l l l Here is no ground at all for universal redemption for the word World standeth here in opposition to the Jews as this very Evangelist himself explaineth it 1 Joh. 2. 2. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only of the Jewish Nation but also for the sins of the whole world and of men of other Nations and so he meaneth here that Christ is the Lamb of God a sacrifice not for the Jews only but for the Gentiles and other Nations also of the world 30. This is he of whom I said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me 31. And I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water 32. And Iohn bare record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him 33. And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said to me Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost 34. And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God 35. Again the next day after Iohn stood and two of his Disciples 36. And looking upon Iesus as he walked he saith Behold the Lamb of God 37. And the two Disciples heard him speak and they followed Iesus 38. Then Iesus turned and saw them following and saith unto them What seek ye They said unto him m m m m m m Rabbi This and other titles of their Doctors as Rab and Rabban and Ribbi were but lately grown into use and request among them and sprang up but very little before the birth of Christ. The Prophets and the men of the great Synagogue and all the generations till the times of Hillel had been content with their bare proper names as Sadoc Baithus Antigonus Shammai Hillel Shemaja Abtalion and the like very frequent and common in mention in the Jewish Authors But Simeon the son of Hillel he that took our Saviour in his arms Luke 2. was the first Doctor among them cum titulo and he was called Rabban From his times and forward titles came exceedingly into request and fashion among them and none more common than the title Rabbi as appeareth frequently in the Gospel and infinitely in their own Writers Now the reason why in these times and not before this titularity grew into use and custom so much among them may be guessed to be either one or both these two 1. Because of the contestation that had been continually between the Schools of Shammai and Hillel they commonly differing in opinion and judgment in every thing almost that came before them like Scotists and Thomists and very seldom or never having the luck to concur and consent in any opinion whereupon the Scholars of either took titles upon them that they might as it were by their high swoln Epithets out-swagger one another 2. Because their learning as they supposed at least their pride was come to its very apex or perfection that passage in the Talmud concerning the Scholars of Hillel makes it seem no wonder if they from those times forward did swell into titles Hillel saith the Talmud had 80 Scholars 30 of them were fit that the Divine glory should rest upon them as it did upon Moses 30 others were worthy that the Sun should stand still for them as it did for Joshua and 20 were of a Form between c. It was with the Jews now as it proved afterward among the Christian Doctors who when piety truth and humility reigned among them were content with their bare names as Augustine Ambrose Jerome c. but when pride and error were got aloft then the titles of Divus Seraphicus Angelicus and the like came into fashion and entertainment These Jewish titles imported Mastership Doctorship or Principality and were of higher dignity one than another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi was a more excellent title than Rab and Rabban more excellent than Rabbi Rab was the more proper title of the Babylonian Doctors Rabbi of the Judaean and Rabban ascribed to seven men only Rabbi which is to say being interpreted Master where dwellest thou 39. He saith unto them Come and see they came and saw where he dwelt and abode with him that day for it was about the tenth hour 40. One of the two which heard Iohn speak and followed him was Andrew Simon Peters brother 41. He first findeth his own brother Simon and saith unto him We have found the Messias n n n n n n Which is being interpreted Christ. These are the words of the Evangelist the historian and not the words of Andrew For it was needless for him to tell Peter what was the meaning of Messias and accordingly the Syriack Translater hath omitted this clause and that in Vers. 42. which is by interpretation Peter and that also Chap. 4. 25. which is by interpretation Christ as knowing it unnecessary to tell an Hebrew or a Syrian what is meant by Messias or Cephas which is being interpreted the Christ. 42. And he brought him to Iesus and when Iesus beheld him he said Thou art Simon the son of Iona thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation Peter 43. The day following Iesus would go forth into Galilee and findeth Philip and saith unto him Follow me 44. Now Philip was of Bethsaida the city of Andrew and Peter 45. Philip findeth o o o o o o We find the name Nathaneel in the Old Testament also as 1 Chron. 15. 24. Ezra 10. 22. c. But Philip and Andrew and Nicodemus c. were names of a latter edition taken up into use since the Grecian power and language had overspread Judoa and those Eastern Countries This Nathaneel was of Cana of Galilee Joh. 21. 2. one of the first Disciples called and that continued with Jesus to the very last as it appeareth by that place in John Now since all these that are mentioned in this Chapter by name as Peter and Andrew and Philip were made Apostles it is somewhat strange if Nathaneel missed the like place Nathaneel and saith unto him We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Iesus of Nazareth the son of Ioseph 46. And Nathaneel said unto him Can there any good come out of Nazareth Philip saith unto him p p p p p p Come and see A very
by any of Sems sons was now past because of the late conquest but only of Aram the youngest who had no chalengers or children in the war of him was Eliezer descended who was Abrahams chief servant and whereas the title by Sems resignation was to descend to Abram and his heirs Eleazer was like to be next if Abram had no child of his own When this jealousie somewhat troubleth Abram God removeth it by the promise of a Son of his own Loyns and by a Covenant with sacrifice even of all manner of creatures that were to be sacrificed CHAP. XVI Abram assured of a son of his own body but not whether by Sarah or not taketh Hagar to compass the promise she wearied out by Sarai's strictness is travailing to her own Country Aegypt and by the way hath a vision of the Angel of the Covenant which was strange to her to have visions out of Abrams house therefore she called the Name of the Lord that spake unto her Thou art the God of vision for she said Did I here also look after a vision in a place so far distant from Abrams family And the well also where he spake unto her was called The well of the lively one of vision CHAP. XVII Circumcision instituted in Hebron and about the time of Easter the place and time of the year where and when the Baptist was born who was to bring in Baptism instead of Circumcision Abram and Sarah upon Circumcision saith Rabbi Menahem were as new creatures and therefore also must they have new names CHAP. XVIII The three Persons in the Trinity in the shape of three men appear to Abraham and dine with him and eat the First flesh that is mentioned eaten in all the Scripture Abraham beggeth for Sodom till he thought he had been gotten within the compass of righteous ones in Lots family and then he ceaseth CHAP. XIX The Son and the Holy Ghost come into Sodome to destroy it and now they are called Angels because they were sent by the Father Lots wife is struck dead with lightning and stiffened and fixed in the place where she stood and of a salt and brackish smell and therefore called a pillar of salt Sodom destroyed by a strange fire and the memorial of so great a Judgment preserved to this day by as strange a water Jordan before that time had an issue further but from that time it pleased God to stop it and to lay that valley up on a fatal pool Lot had two Daughters at the least that perished in the fire and brimstone as well as he had two that escaped It is observable how soon after the institution of Circumcision those Cities came to destruction which so hideously abused that member wherein the Covenant for the land was sealed CHAP. XX. XXI Abraham flitteth into the Land of the Philistims that Isaac might be born out of the Land of Canaan properly so called for the greater mystery to his birth God himself cometh in visible form as chap. 18. Sarah hath once a greater measure of the Spirit of Prophesie than Abraham namely in the matter of casting out the bond woman and her son There is good probability of Ismaels salvation Abraham consecrateth a grove at Beersheba that he might have hallowed wood for his sacrificing fires as well as holy fire for his sacrifices CHAP. XXII Abraham passed through ten temptations and the sacrificing of his son the last and greatest CHAP. XXIII When Rebeceahs son is risen in the last Chapter Sarah sets in this The first foot of Land and all the Land that Abraham hath in Canaan in possession is only a place of burial God by this very thing drawing him and his to look after the spiritual part of the promise CHAP. XXV At what time Abraham married Keturah is uncertain the Text hath laid it after Isaacs marriage because it was fit that all the actions of Abraham which any whit concerned the promise should be handled first and together before the other which either did not at all or did it the less But that Abraham was married to this woman long before Isaacs marriage or Sarahs death is probable upon these conjectures 1. He that held it strange to have a son at an hundred years old it is not like he would marry at an hundred and forty 2. In chap. 24. 36. when the servant is to make the match for Isaac he saith that Abraham had given all his estate to Isaac which had been unnecessary to mention had he had no more children but Ismael who was gone from his house long before Abrahams disposing of his sons into the East Countries or Arabia was not upon usurpation but upon just claim by conquest chap. 14. All these Countries were of the Land of Canaan and of the promise and therefore are circumcised ones seated in them instead of Canaanites When the Text hath recited these sons of Abraham and their settlement it bringeth him and Ismael to their graves Not that they died before the birth of Jacob and Esau as the Text hath laid it for Abraham lived till they were fifteen years old and Ismael till they were at their climacterical year of sixty three but now hath Moses no more to say of them and therefore he concludeth their story at once Esau born all hairy over like a Kid but of a reddish colour and therefore they called him Esau Factus made and perfected already as having both his beard and pubes as soon as he was born In a sore year of famine in the Land Esau selleth his birth-right for want of meat CHAP. XXVI The famine that had caused him to part with his birth-right causeth Isaac his father to part out of the Land of Canaan The Philistims Africans by descent Gen. 10. 14. and tawny like them do soon espy the beauty of Rebeccah a white woman CHAP. XXVII Isaac being arrived at the age of one hundred and thirty seven years at what age Ismael his brother had died by his example beginneth to think of his own death and to dispose himself for that He sendeth Esau to hunt for venison for a trial whether he should bless him or no for missing of venison before he had lost his birth-right and if he miss to day as he did then it would be a sure sign that he must lose the blessing And so though Isaac had passed away the main blessing at unawars yet when Esau cometh home sped of a prey he seeth that it was the will of God he should have some blessing and so blessed him also Esaus garments in which Jacob obtained the blessing were the garments of the Priesthood which belonged to the first born CHAP. XXIX XXX Jacob stronger than three men and rolleth away the stone from the wells mouth alone which they could not do with all their strength united he is deceived by Laban by a suborned person and imbraced Leah thinking he had imbraced Rahel as he deceived his father by a suborned person
curiously wrought in rich Curtains It is not fit every eye should see so rich a room therefore to prevent this the East end had a hanging like the vail within of the same dimensions and of the same materials wrought with needle This was hung upon five Pillars of Shittim wood overlaid with Gold each Pillar was fastned in a base of brass and at the top had a golden hook on which the covering hung Quest. Whether was the vail hung within the Pillars or without Answ. Without so that it hid the Pillars from the view of the people else had not the building been uniform all the Timber of the house being hid with hangings and this not Thus was the Tabernacle made with all the furniture of it Now are we to consider the outmost part of it or the Court of the people SECTION XLII Of the Court of the people THIS Fabrick of the Tabernacle was inclosed with another pale of curtains hanging round about it On the South side of the house twenty cubits distant from the house were set a row of Shittim Pillars twenty in number Each Pillar was set in a base of brass distant from each other five cubits counting from the middle of one Pillar to another So that the twenty made a length of an hundred cubits in each Pillar was struck a hook of silver and each Pillar had a border of silver wrought about it Thus were they on the South side just so were they on the North. At the West end thirty five cubits from the house were set ten Pillars in the same manner and distance making the breadth of the Court fifty cubits at either end for just in the middle the house took up ten cubits breadth just so were the Pillars set at the East end at the same distance from the house and from one another On the sides upon the hooks of the Pillars were hangings fastned made of linnen well twisted of an hundred cubits in legnth and sive in height At the West end were the like just half so long and just so high At the East end there was some difference for that had three pieces to make it up On either side of the entrance was a piece hung of fifteen cubits long and of the same height Just in the middle was a piece of twenty cubits long of the same height with the other hangings but of more rich stuff for whereas the other were made only of linnen this was of the same stuff that the rich curtains were curiously wrought with the needle To fasten these hangings that they might not flie up in the lower end there were cords fastned to them and these cords tied to brasen pins which pins were fastned in the ground and so made all sure Thus were also the curtains that covered the house served with pins of the same metal with cords fastned to them in like manner to prevent the like inconvenience So was the Court called the Court of the People because into this the people had entrance as well as the Priests and Levites SECTION XLIII Of the Altar of Burnt Offerings IN the Court of the people stood the Altar of burnt sacrifice up toward the Tabernacle that the people might stand to behold the sacrifice offered with their faces toward the holy place only the Laver stood above the Altar between it and the Tabernacle This Altar was made of Shittim wood five cubits or two yards and a half long and as much broad and one yard and a half high thus made First a strong frame like the frame of a Table of these dimensions The open places in the frame were made up with boards All this bulk was overlaid with brass at each corner was a horn made of the same wood and piece that each corner post was of Thus stood it hollow and within the hollow just in the middle between bottom and top was set a brasen grate made in manner of a net that the Ashes might fall through upon this grate the fire burnt continually and never went out At each corner of this grate was a brasen ring which at each corner came through the Altar frame and hung out of the frame in these rings were staves of Shittim wood overlaid with brass put which made the frame and the grate sure together and so were they also carried together To this Altar belonged divers appurtenances made of brass As first brasen Pans in which they carryed forth the Ashes of the Altar As also brasen shovels to scrape the Ashes together Then brasen basons wherein to take the blood of the sacrifice Brasen hooks with which they turned the burning pieces into the fire if any part lay out that so every part might be surely burnt Lastly brasen dishes or Censors in which the Priests took burning coals from the Altar to carry into the Holy place there to offer Incense SECTION XLIV Of the Laver for water IN this Court also stood a vessel of brass upon a foot or base of brass in which vessel water was kept for the Priests washing themselves c. The form of this is not expressed in the Text therefore we will look only at the matter and the end This vessel was made of brasen bright pieces which the women used to look their faces in and out of this piece water was taken when a suspected woman was to be tryed The end why this was set so nigh the Altar was that the Priests might wash themselves when they went about the Service of the Tabernacle and that they might wash some part of the Sacrifices This Laver fitly resembled the water of Baptism that admits us to sacred Mysteries and chiefly the blood of Christ that cleanseth us from all filthiness of flesh and spirit SECTION XLVI High Priests Garments NEXT unto his flesh he had a coat wrought checker work this reacht down to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heels such a coat as this each one of his Sons had Exod. 39. 27. This was made of fine linnen and it was girded to him about his loyns with a needle wrought girdle of divers colours About this he put another coat called the coat of the Ephod because the Ephod being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put upon this did gird it This coat was of all one stuff and colour namely of fine yarn dyed purple This coat he put not on after the ordinary fashion of putting on coats which were open before but this he put on like a Surpless over his head for it had a hole in the top where-through he put his head and this hole was edged about with an edging of the same stuff woven in that the hole should not rent At the skirts of this coat were made Pomegranates of linnen and woollen of divers colours and Bells of gold so that there were a Bell and a Pomegranate a Bell and a Pomegranate round about This coat was not so long as the under coat for then the Bells would have drawn on
the Syriack translates it until the fulness of the time of all things c. And the Arabick did not much different until the time in which all things shall be perfected or finished c. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed signifieth a restitution to a former estate a repairing or an amending as might be frequently shewed in Greek Writers but in Scripture doth not so properly signifie this as what the Rabbins would express by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fulfilling or accomplishing and the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not so much stand in the force of Re or again but it stands in opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privative in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth unsetled or unconfirmed and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polyb. Hist. lib. 4. Settlement of a City to tumult And to take up these two places where this word is used in the New Testament Matth. 17. 11. and here Elias indeed shall first come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall restore all things What To their former estate Nay that the Baptist did not for he brought them into a clean different estate to their former or he shall amend all things That is true indeed so the Baptist did but how will this place in hand bear that sense which speaketh not of the mending of all things but of their ending And how improper would either of these senses run in this verse Till the restoring of all things to their former estate which God hath spoken by the mouth of his Prophets Or till the amending of all things which God hath spoken by his Prophets But clear and facil is that sense that is given Till the accomplishment of all things that God hath spoken by the mouth of his Prophets The things which God had spoken by the mouth of his Prophets from the beginning of the world were Christs victory over Satan in the Salvation of all his people his conquest of the last enemy Death the calling of the Jews the fulness of the Gentiles c. and how can these things be said to be restored or amended They may most fitly be said to be accomplished perfected or performed and so must the same words be rendred of the Baptist Elias truly cometh and accomplisheth all things that are written of him and so must the Son of man do all things that are written of him as Mark follows the sense Mark 9. 12. Vers. 24. All the Prophets from Samuel He is reckoned the first of the Prophets after Moses First Because Prophesie from the death of Moses to the rising of Samuel was very rare 1 Sam. 3. 1 2. Secondly Because he was the first Prophet after Moses that wrote his Prophesie From the beginning of Samuels rule to the beginning of the captivity in Babel was 490 years and from the end of that captivity to the death of Christ 490 years more and the 70 years captivity the midst of years between as I have shewed elsewhere But I must advertise the Reader here that the beginning of Samuels Prophetickness in this reckoning is not from the death of Eli but from one and twenty years after And here let me take up a verse of as much difficulty and of as little observing of it as almost any in the Old Testament as that is 1 Sam. 7. 2. And it came to pass while the Ark abode at Kiriath-jearim that the time was long for it was twenty years and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. Now the Ark was undeniably above forty years in Kiriath-jearim namely all the time from Elies death till David fetcht it to Jerusalem which was seven and forty years and somewhat above only that first excepted in which it was seven months in the Land of the Philistims 1 Sam. 6. 1. and a little time in Bethshemesh what then should be the reason that it is said to be in Kiriath-jearim only twenty years Why the meaning is not that that was all the time that it was there but that it was there so long a time before the people ever hearkned after it Their idolatry and corruption of Religion had so transported them that they thought not of nor took regard to the Ark of God for twenty years together Then all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord for so must it be rendred and not And all the house of Israel c. And so have we one and twenty years taken up from the Death of Eli till this time of Israels repentance which yet are counted to Samuels forty but are not reckoned in the account of Habakkuk of the extent of the race of the Prophets Upon this place therefore we may take up these pertinent observations First That God did now on a suddain pour a spirit of Reformation generally upon all the people of Israel after a long time of prophaneness and Idolatry They had been exceedingly prophane in the time of Elies sons And therefore the Lord in justice forsook his Tabernacle in Shiloh the Tent which he had pitched besides Adam when Israel passed through Jordan Josh. 3. 16. Psal. 78. 60. and he gave the Ark into the Enemies hand yet was not Israel humbled for it The Ark was restored to them and was among them twenty years together and they continued in their Idolatry still and never sought after it nor took it to heart At last upon a suddain and with a general conversion Israel begins to turn to the Lord and lament after him and forsake their Idols Secondly Here was a strange and wondrous spirit of conversion poured upon the people at the beginning of the race of the Prophets as there was at the end of it in these Chapters of the Acts of the Apostles Thirdly As the practise here in the Acts was to repent and to be baptized so was it then with Israel as that expression may most properly be interpreted vers 6. They drew water and poured it out before the Lord as washing or baptizing themselves from their Idolatry Vers. 25. Ye are the children of the Prophets That is the Scholars or Disciples of them as the phrase The children of the Prophets is ordinarily used in the Old Testament 2 King 2. c. and Amos 7. 14. I was neither Prophet no Prophets son that is nor Prophets Scholar And Matth. 11. 19. Wisdom is justified of her children that is of her Disciples ACTS CHAP. IV. Vers. 1. The Captain of the Temple THIS was the Captain of that Guard or Garison which was placed in the Tower of Antonia for the guard of the Temple This Tower stood in the North-east corner of the wall that parted the mountain of the House from the City It was built by Hyrcanus the Asmonean the High Priest and there he himself dwelt and there he used to lay up the holy Garments of the Priest-hood whensoever he put them off having done the Service of the Temple Joseph Antiq.
common in all their Authors When they cite any of the Doctors of their Schools they commonly use these words Amern rabbothenu Zicceronam libhracah in four letters thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus say our Doctors of blessed memory But when they speak of holy men in the Old Testament they usually take this Phrase Gnalau hashalom on him is peace in brief thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus when they mention Moses Solomon David or others this is the memorial they give them The Arabians have the like use in their Abbreviation of Gnalaihi alsalemo on whom is peace The words in Hebrew want a verb and so may be construed two ways On him is peace or on him be peace The learned Master Broughton hath rendered it the former way and his judgement herein shall be my Law To take it the latter way seems to relish of Popish superstition of praying for the dead which though the Jews did not directly do yet in manner they appear to do no less in one part of their Common Prayer Book called Mazkir neshamoth the remembrancer of Souls which being not very long I thought not amiss to Translate out of their Tongue into our own that the Reader may see their Jewish Popery or Popish Judaism and may bless the Creator who hath not shut us up in the same darkness CHAP. XL. Mazkir neshamoth or the Remembrancer of souls in the Iews Liturgy Printed at Venice THE Lord remember the soul or spirit of Abba Mr. N. the son of N. who is gone into his world wherefore I vow to give Alms for him that for this his soul may be bound up in the bundle of life with the soul of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Sarah and Rebecca Rachel and Leah and with the rest of the righteous men and righteous women which be in the garden of Eden Amen The Lord remember the soul of Mrs. N. the Daughter of N. who is gone to her World Therefore I vow c. as in the other before Amen The Lord remember the soul of my father and my mother of my grandfathers and grandmothers of my uncles and aunts brethren and sisters of my cosens and consenesses whether of my fathers side or mothers side who are gone into their world Wherefore I vow c. Amen The Lord remember the soul of N. the son of N. and the souls of all my cosens and cosenesses whether on my fathers or mothers side who were put to death or slain or stabd or burnt or drowned or hanged for the sanctifying of the Name of God Therefore I will give Alms for the memory of their souls and for this let their souls be bound up in the bundle of life with the soul of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Sarah and Rebecca Rachel and Leah and with the rest of the righteous men and righteous women which are in the garden of Eden Amen Then the Priest pronounceth a blessing upon the man that is thus charitable as it followeth there in these words He that blessed our father Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses and Aaron David and Salomon he bless Rabbi N. the son of N. because he hath vowed Alms for the souls whom he hath mentioned for the honour of God and for the honour of the Law and for the honour of the day for this the Lord keep him and deliver him from all affliction and trouble and from every plague and sickness and write him and seal him for a happy life in the day of Judgment and send a blessing and prosper him in every work of his hands and all Israel his brethren and let us say Amen Thus courteous Reader hast thou seen a Popish Jew interceding for the dead have but the like patience a while and thou shalt see how they are Popish almost entirely in claiming the merits of the dead to intercede for them for thus tendeth a prayer which they use in the book called Sepher Min hagim shel col Hammedinoth c. which I have also here turned into English Do for thy praises sake Do for their sakes that loved thee that now dwell in dust For Abraham Isaac and Jacobs sake Do for Moses and Aarons sake Do for David and Salomons sake Do for Jerusalem thy holy Cities sake Do for Sion the habitation of thy glories sake Do for the desolation of thy Temples sake Do for the treading down of thine Altars sake Do for their sakes who were slain for thy holy Name Do for their sakes who have been massacred for thy sake Do for their sakes who have gone to fire or water for the hallowing of thy Name Do for sucking childrens sakes who have not sinned Do for weaned childrens sakes who have not offended Do for infants sakes who are of the house of our Doctors Do for thine own sake if not for ours Do for thine own sake and save us Tell me gentle reader 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whether doth the Jew Romanize or the Roman Judaize in his devotions This interceding by others is a shrewd sign they have both rejected the right Mediator between God and Man Christ Jesus The prophane Heathen might have read both Jew and Papist a lecture in his Contemno minutos istos Deos modo Jovem propitium habeam which I think a Christian may well English let go all Diminutive Divinities so that I may have the great Jesus Christ to propitiate for me CHAP. XLI Of the Latine Translation of Matth. 6. 1. ALms in Rabbin Hebrew are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedhakah righteousness which word the Syrian Translator useth Matth. 6. 1. Act. 10. 2. and in other places From this custom of speech the Roman vulgar Translateth Attendite ne justitiam vestram faciatis One English old manuscript Testament is in Lichfield Library which hath it thus after the Latine Takith hede that you do not your rightwisnes before men to be seyne of hem ellis ye shullen have no mede at your fadir that is in hevenes Other English Translation I never saw any to this sense nor any Greek copy It seems the Papist will rather Judaize for his own advantage than follow the true Greek The Septuagint in some places of the Old Testament have turned Tsedhakah Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almsdeeds or little or to no sense As the Papists have in this place of the New Testament turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almsdeeds by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness to as little purpose In the Hebrew indeed one word is used for both Tsedhakah for Almsdeeds which properly signifies Righteousness upon what ground I know not unless it be to shew that S◠Chrysostom hath such ◠touch Alms must be given of rightly gotten good or else they are no righteousness or they are called Zadkatha in Syrian Hu ger zadek le mehwo they are called righteousness because it is right they should be given and given rightly The Fathers of the Councel of Trent speak much of the merit of Alms whom one may
Ghost unto the publick office of his ministry to fight with that old Serpent and at last to bruise his head And since the Devil was always a most impudent spirit now he takes upon him a more hardned boldness than ever even of waging war with him whom he knew to be the Son of God because from that antient proclamation of this war he knew well enough that he should bruise his heel The first scene or field of the Combate was the Desert of Judea which Luke intimates when he saith that Jesus returned from Jordan and that he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness that is from the same coast or region of Jordan in which he had been baptized The time of his temptations was from the middle of the month Tisri to the end of forty days that is from the beginning of our month of October to the middle of November or thereabouts so that he conflicted with cold as well as want and Satan The manner of his temptations was two fold First Invisibly as the Devil is wont to tempt sinners and this for forty days while the Tempter endeavoured with all his industry to throw in his suggestions if possible into the mind of Christ as he does to mortal men Which when he could not compass because he found nothing in him in which such a temptation might fix it self Joh. XIV 30. he attempted another way namely by appearing to him in a visible shape and conversing with him and that in the form of an Angel of light Let the Evangelists be compared Mark saith he was tempted forty days so also doth Luke But Matthew that the Tempter came to him after forty days that is in a visible form The matter of his Temptations was very like the Temptations of Eve She fell by the lust of the flesh the lust of the Eye and the pride of Life which are the heads of all sins 1 Joh. II. 16. By the lust of the Eyes for she saw the fruit that it was pleasant to the sight By the lust of the flesh she lusted for it because it was desirable to be eaten By the pride of life not contented with the state of perfection wherein she was created affected an higher and she took of the fruit and did eat that she might become wiser by it The same tempter set upon our Saviour with the same stratagems I. As Eve was deceived by mistaking his person supposing a good Angel discoursed with her when it was a bad So the Devil in like manner puts on the good Angel here cloathed with light and feigned glory II. He endeavours to ensnare Christ by the lust of the flesh Command that these stones be made bread by the lust of the Eye All these things will I give thee and the Glory of them by the pride of life Throw thy self down and fly in the air and be held up by Angels VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon the pinnacle of the Temple WHether he placed him upon the Temple it self or upon some building within the holy circuit it is in vain to seek because it cannot be found If it were upon the Temple it self I should reflect upon the top of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porch of the Temple if upon some other building I should reflect upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Royal Gallery The Priests were wont sometimes to go up to the top of the Temple stairs being made for this purpose and described in the Talmudick book intitled t t t t t t Chap. 4. hal 5. Middoth and they are said to have ascended hither u u u u u u Bab. Taanith fol. 29. 1. When fire was first put to the Temple and to have thrown up the keies of the chambers of the Temple towards Heaven with these words O thou eternal Lord because we are not worthy to keep these keies to thee they are delivered And there came as it were the form of a hand out of Heaven and took them from them and they leaped down and fell into the fire Above all other parts of the Temple the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porch of the Temple yea the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 space before it may not unfitly be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wing of the Temple because like wings it extended its self in bredth on each side far beyond the bredth of the Temple which we take notice of elsewhere If therefore the Devil had placed Christ in the very precipice of this part of the Temple he may well be said to have placed him upon the wing of the Temple both because this part was like a wing to the Temple it self and that that precipice was the wing of this part But if you suppose him placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Royal Gallery look upon it thus painted out by Josephus x x x x x x Antiq. lib. 15 cap. 14. On the South part of the Court of the Gentiles was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings Gallery that deserves to be mentioned among the most magnificent things under the Sun for upon an huge depth of a vally scarcely to be fathomed by the Eye of him that stands above Herod erected a Gallery of a vast height from the top of which if any looked down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he would grow dizzy his Eyes not being able to reach to so vast a depth VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World c. THAT is Rome with her Empire and State For 1. That Empire is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the World which word Luke useth in this story both in sacred and prophane Writers 2. At this time all Cities were of little account in comparison of Rome nor did any part of the Earth bear any vogue without that Empire 3. Rome was the seat of Satan Rev. XIII 2. and he granted to the beast of that City both it and the Dominion 4. This therefore seems to be that whereby he attempts to ensnare our Saviour in this object namely that he promiseth to give him the pomp and power of Cesar and to deliver into his hand the highest Empire of the World that is the Roman This Antichrist afterwards obtained VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt at Capernaum WHY he left Nazareth after he had passed six or seven and twenty years there the reason appears Luke IV. 28. c. We do not read that he returned thither again and so unhappy Nazareth thou perishest by thine own folly and perverseness Whether his father Joseph had any inheritance at Capernaum which he possessed as his heir or rather dwelt there in some hired house we dispute not This is certainly called his City Matth. IX 1 c. and here as a Citizen he paid the half Shekel Matth. XVII 24. Where it is worthy marking what is said by the
examples of this nature Let a third Decad also be added that nothing may be left unsaid in this matter giving examples of the parts of the phrase distinctly and by themselves 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i i i i i Maimon Mamrim cap. 2. The things which they bound not that they might make a hedg to the Law 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k k k k k k Id. in Hameâ—s Matsah cap. 1. The Scribes bound the leaven 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Id. ibid. cap. 5. They neither punished nor bound unless concerning the leaven it self 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m m m m m m Id. ib. cap. 9. The wise men bound the eating of leaven from the beginning of the sixth hour of the day of the Passover 5. n n n n n n Hieros Avod Zarah fol. 39. 2 R. Abhu saith R. Gamaliel ben Rabbi asked me What if I should go into the Market 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I bound it him 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o o o o o o Maimon Mamrim cap. 2. The Sanhedrin which looseth two things let it not hasten to loose three 2. p p p p p p Tanchum fol. 1. 3. R. Iochanan saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They necessarily loose saluting on the Sabbath 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q q q q q q Id. fol. 74. 3. The wise men loose all oyls or all fat things 4. r r r r r r Schabb. cap. 1. Hal. 5. The School of Shammai saith They do not steep ink colours and vetches on the Eve of the Sabbath unless they be steeped before the day be ended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the School of Hillel looseth it Many more such like instances occur there 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s s s s s s Hieros Schab fol. 3. 1. R. Meir loosed the mixing of wine and oyl to anoint a sick man on the Sabbath To these may be added if need were the frequent shall I say or infinite use of the phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bound and Loosed which we meet with thousands of times over But from these allegations the Reader sees abundantly enough both the frequency and the common use of this phrase and the sense of it also namely first that it is used in Doctrine and in Judgments concerning things allowed or not allowed in the Law Secondly that to bind is the same with to forbid or to declare forbidden To think that Christ when he used the common phrase was not understood by his hearers in the common and vulgar sense shall I call it a matter of laughter or of madness To this therefore do these words amount When the time was come wherein the Mosaic Law as to some part of it was to be abolished and left off and as to another part of it was to be continued and to last for ever he granted Peter here and to the rest of the Apostles Chap. XVIII v. 18. a power to abolish or confirm what they thought good and as they thought good being taught this and led by the Holy Spirit as if he should say Whatsoever ye shall bind in the law of Moses that is forbid it shall be forbidden the Divine Authority confirming it and whatsoever ye shall loose that is permit or shall teach that it is permitted and lawful shall be lawful and permitted Hence they Bound that is forbad Circumcision to the Believers eating of things offered to Idols of things strangled and of blood for a time to the Gentiles and that which they bound on earth was confirmed in Heaven They loosed that is allowed Purification to Paul and to four other Brethren for the shunning of scandal Act. XXI 24. and in a word by these words of Christ it was committed to them the Holy Spirit directing that they should make Decrees concerning Religion as to the use or rejection of Mosaic Rites and Judgments and that either for a time or for ever Let the words be applied by way of Paraphrase to the matter that was transacted at present with Peter I am about to build a Gentile Church saith Christ and to thee O Peter do I give the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven that thou maist first open the door of faith to them but if thou askest by what Rule that Church is to be governed when the Mosaic Rule may seem so improper for it thou shalt be so guided by the Holy Spirit that whatsoever of the Law of Moses thou shalt forbid them shall be forbidden whatsoever thou grantest them shall be granted and that under a sanction made in Heaven Hence in that instant when he should use his Keys that is when he was now ready to open the Gate of the Gospel to the Gentiles Act. X. he was taught from Heaven that the consorting of the Jew with the Gentile which before had been bound was now loosed and the eating of any Creature convenient for food was now loosed which before had been bound and he in like manner looses both these Those words of our Saviour Joh. XX. 23. Whose sins ye remit they are remitted to them for the most part are forced to the same sense with these before us when they carry quite another sense Here the business is of Doctrine only not of Persons there of Persons not of Doctrine Here of things lawful or unlawful in Religion to be determined by the Apostles there of persons obstinate or not obstinate to be punished by them or not to be punished As to Doctrine the Apostles were doubly instructed 1. So long sitting at the feet of their Master they had imbided the Evangelical Doctrine 2. The Holy Spirit directing them they were to determine concerning the Legal Doctrine and practice being compleatly instructed and enabled in both by the Holy Spirit descending upon them As to the Persons they were endowed with a peculiar gift so that the same spirit directing them if they would retain and punish the sins of any a power was delivered into their hands of delivering to Satan of punishing with diseases plagues yea death it self which Peter did to Anâ—â—ias and Saphira Paul to Elymas Hymeneus and Philâ—tus c. CHAP. XVII VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And was Transfigured WHEN Christ was Baptized being now ready to enter upon his Evangelical Priesthood he is sealed by a heavenly voice for the High Priest and is anointed with the Holy Spirit as the High Priests were wont to be with holy oyl In his Transfiguration he is sealed for the High Priest for mark 1. How two of the greatest Prophets Moses and Elias resort to him 2. How to those words This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased which also were heard from Heaven at his Baptism is added that Clause Hear ye him which compare with the words of Moses concerning a Prophet to be raised up by God Deut. XVIII 19. Whosoever shall
only asks How shall this be c Doubtless she took the Prophecy in its proper sense as speaking of a Virgin untoucht She knew nothing then nor probably any part of the Nation at that time so much as once thought of that sense by which the Jews have now for a great while disguised that place and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 II. Give me leave for their sakes in whose hands the book is not to transcribe some few things out of that noble Author Morney a a a a a a De Verit. Christ. Relig. cap. 28. which he quotes concerning this grand mystery from the Jews themselves b b b b b b Moses Haddarson in Psa LXXXV Truth shall spring out of the earth R. Jotten saith he notes upon this place That it is not said truth shall be born but shall spring out because the Generation and Nativity of the Messiah is not to be as other creatures in the world but shall be begot without Carnal Copulation and therefore no one hath mentioned his Father as who must be hid from the knowledge of men till himself shall come and reveal him And upon Genes Ye have said saith the Lord we are Orphans bereaved of our Father such an one shall your redeemer be whom I shall give you So upon Zachary Behold my servant whose name is of the branch And out of Psal. CX Thou art a Priest after the order of Melchizedech He saith R. Berachiah delivers the same things And R. Simeon Ben Jochai upon Genes more plainly viz. That the Spirit by the impulse of a mighty power shall come forth of the Womb though shut up that will become a mighty Prince the King Messiah So he VERS XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath also conceived a Son in her old age THE Angel teaches to what purpose it was that Women either barren before or considerably stricken in years should be enabled to conceive and bring forth viz. to make way for the easier belief of the Conception of a Virgin If they either beside or beyond nature conceive a Child this may be some ground of belief that a Virgin contrary to Nature may do so too So Abraham by Faith saw Christ's day as born of a pure Virgin in the birth of his own Son Isaac of his old and barren Wife Sarah VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. She went into the hill Country c. THAT is to Hebron Jos. XXI 11. For though it is true indeed the Priests after the return from Babylon were not all disposed and placed in all those very same dwellings they had possest before the Captivity yet is it probable that Zachary who was of the seed of Aaron being here said to dwell in the hill Country of Judah might have his House in Hebron which is more peculiarly said to be the City of Aaron's off-spring VERS XLI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Babe leaped in her Womb. SO the Seventy Gen. XXV 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Children leaped in her womb Psal. CXIV 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mountains skipped That which is added by Elizabeth Vers. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The babe leaped in the womb for joy signifies the manner of the thing not the cause q. d. it leaped with vehement exultation For John while he was an Embryo in the Womb knew no more what was then done than Jacob and Esau when they were in Rebecca's Womb knew what was determined concerning them a a a a a a Hieros Sotah fol. 2. 3. At the Red Sea even the infants sung in the wombs of their Mothers as it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. LXVIII where the Targum to the same sense Exalt the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye infants in the bowels of your Mothers of the seed of Israel Let them enjoy their Hyperboles Questionless Elizabeth had learnt from her Husband that the Child she went with was designed as the fore-runner of the Messiah but she did not yet know of what sort of Woman the Messiah must be born till this leaping of the infant in her womb became some token to her VERS LVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abode with her three Months A Space of time very well known amongst the Doctors defined by them to know whether a Woman be with Child or no. Which I have already observed upon Matth. I. a a a a a a Iâ—â—â—moth fol. 33 2. 34. â— 35. 1 c. VERS LIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they called it c. I. THE Circumciser said a a a a a a Schabb. fol. 137. 2. Blessed be the Lord our God who hath sanctified us by his precepts and hath given us the Law of Circumcision The Father of the infant said who hath sanctified us by his precepts and hath commanded us to enter the Child into the Covenant of Abraham our Father But where was Zachary's tongue for this service II. God at the same time instituted Circumcision and changed the names of Abraham and Sarah hence the custom of giving names to their Children at the time of their Circumcision III. Amongst the several accounts why this or that name was given to the Sons this was one that chiefly obtained viz. for the honour of some person whom they esteemed they gave the Child his name Which seems to have guided them in this case here when Zachary himself being dumb could not make his mind known to them Mahli the Son of Mushi hath the name of Mahli given him who was his Uncle the Brother of Mushi his Father 1 Chron. XXIII 21 23. b b b b b b Cholin fol. 47. 2. R. Nathan said I once went to the Islands of the Sea and there came to me a Woman whose first born had died by Circumcision so also her second Son She brought the third to me I bad her wait a little till the blood might asswage She waited a little and then Circumcised him and he lived They called him therefore by my name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nathan of Babylon See also Jerusalem Jevamoth c c c c c c Fol. 7. 4. d d d d d d â—ab Jevam. fol. 105. 1. There was a certain Family at Jerusalem that were wont to die about the eighteenth year of their age They made the matter known to R. Johanan ben Zacchai who said perhaps you are of Elie's Lineage concerning whom it is said The increase of thine House shall die in the flower of their age Go ye and be diligent in the study of the Law and ye shall live They went and gave diligent heed to the Law and lived They called themselves therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Family of Johanan after his name It is disputed in the same Tract e e e e e e Fol. 24. 1. whether the Son begot by a Brother's raising up seed to his Brother should not be called after the
They read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when in the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet is not washed from its filthiness VERS LI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the time was come that he should be received up IT is a difficulty amongst some why there should be any mention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his receiving up when there is no mention of his death But let it be only granted that under that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is included the ascension of Christ and then the difficulty is solved The Evangelist seeming from thence to calculate Moses and Elias had spoken of his departure out of this world that is of his final departure when he took leave of it at his ascension into heaven And from thence forward till the time should come wherein he should be received up he stedfastly set his face toward Jerusalem resolving with himself to be present at all the Feasts that should precede his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or receiving up He goes therefore to the Feast of Tabernacles and what he did there we have it told us John VII After ten weeks or thereabout he went up to the Feast of Dedication Chap. XIII 22. and Joh. X. 22. and at length to the last Feast of all his own Passover Chap. XVII 11. VERS LII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into a Village of the Samaritans IT may be a question whether the Jews in their journeying to and from Jerusalem would ordinarily deign to lodge in any of the Samaritan Towns But if necessity should at any time compel them to betake themselves into any of their Inns we must know that nothing but their mere hatred to the Nation could forbid them For m m m m m m Hieros Avod Zarah fol. 44. 4. Their land was clean their waters were clean their dwellings were clean and their roads were clean So that there could be no offense or danger of uncleanness in their dwelling and so long as the Samaritans in most things came the nearest the Jewish Religion of all others there was less danger of being defiled either in their meats or beds or tables c. VERS LV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of WHat Elias once did to those of Samaria the Sons of Zebedee had an ambition to imitate in this place dreaming as it should seem that there were those thunders and lightnings in their very name Boanarges that should break out at pleasure for the death and destruction of those that provoked them But could you not see O ye Sons of Zebedee how careful and tender your master was from the very bottom of his soul about the lives and well-being of mankind How he healed the sick cured those that were possest with Devils and raised the dead and will you be breathing slaughter and fire and no less destruction to the Town than what had happened to Sodom Alas you do not know or have not considered what kind of spirit and temper becomes the Apostles of the Messiah VERS LX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the dead bury their dead THE Jews accounted of the Gentiles as no other than dead n n n n n n Chetubboth fol. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people of the earth that is the Gentiles do not live And as the Gentiles so even amongst themselves these four sorts are so esteemed o o o o o o Shemoth rabb fol. 123. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These four are accounted as dead the blind the leprose the poor and the childless CHAP. X. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seventy WHY the Vulgar should have seventy and two they themselves I suppose are able to give no very good reason Much less the Interpreter of Titus Bostrensis when in the Greek Copy before him he saw only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why he should render Septuaginta duos seventy two who can tell Aben Ezra upon the story of Eldad and Medad a a a a a a Numb XI hath this passage The wise men say that Moses took six out of every tribe and the whole number amounted to seventy and two but whereas the Lord had commanded only seventy the odd two were laid aside Now if God laid aside two of those who had been enrolled and endowed with the Holy Spirit that so there might be the just number of seventy only we can hardly imagine why our Saviour should add two to make it LXXII and not LXX d d d d d d Vajicra rabba fol. 178 1. It was said to Moses at Mount Sinai Go up thou and Aaron and Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the Elders of Israel so will the holy blessed God ordain to himself in the world to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a counsel of Elders of his own people Now the number of this Consistory the Doctors determine to be no other than seventy A Council of Seventy two was never heard of amongst the Jews but once only at Jabneh a a a a a a Jadaim cap. 3. hal 3. R. Simeon ben Azzai saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I receiv'd it from the mouths of the LXXII Elders on the day when they made R. Eliezar ben Azariah one of the Sanhedrin Nor did they then remove Rabban Gamaliel although he had displeas'd them VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As lambs among wolves IT is added in another Evangelist b b b b b b Mat. X. Be ye wise as serpents c. with which we may compare that in Midr. Schir c c c c c c Fol. 17. 3. The holy blessed God saith concerning Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that belong to me are simple as Doves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but amongst the Nations of the world they are subtle as serpents VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salute no man by the way I. WE have a passage something like this elsewhere d d d d d d 2 King IV. 29. If thou meet any man salute him not that is as is commonly expounded do not hinder thy journey by discoursing with any in the way But the same reason doth not hold in this place the business of these Disciples not requiring such mighty expedition They were commanded out two by two to this or the other place or City where Christ himself was to come in person nor was it necessary they should run in so great hast that they should make no stay in the way Only having appointed them to such and such places their business indeed lay no where but in those very places to which they had been particularly sent to proclaim the coming of Christ there and not to be telling it in the way The twelve Apostles that were sent their business was to declare the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven these the coming of the King himself No wonder therefore if the Apostles were
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that comfort ought to sit no where but upon the floor II. The mourner himself sits chief A custom taken from these words Job XXIX 25. I chose out their way and sate chief Like him who comforts the mourners Ibid. III. It was not lawful for the comforters to speak a word till the mourner himself break silence first The pattern taken from Job's friends Job II. IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Johanan saith if the mourner nod his head the comforters are to sit by him no longer The Gloss is If by nodding his head he signifie to them that he hath comforted himself Hence that frequently said of some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would not receive comfort that is they gave signs by nodding their head that they had sufficiently comforted themselves These and many other things about this matter do occur in Moed Katon and Rabbenu Asher and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon this Treatise as also in Massecheth Semachoth where by the way take notice that that Treatise which hath for its subject the Mourners for the dead is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Treatise of gladness So the Sepulchres of the dead are often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Houses of the living Let us take a little taste of the way of consolation they used x x x x x x Moed Katon fol. 28. 2 The Rabbins deliver that when the Sons of R. Ishmael dyed four of the Elders went in to him to comfort him viz. R. Tarphon R. Jose the Galilean R. Eliezer ben Azariah and R. Akibah R. Tarphon saith unto them Ye must know that this is a very wise man well skilled in Exposition Let not any of you interrupt the words of his fellow Saith R. Akibah I am the last R. Ishmael began and said the mourner here breaks silence His iniquities are multipled his griefs have bound him and he hath wearied his Masters Thus he said once and again Then answered R. Tarphon and said It is said and your brethren of the House of Israel shall bewail the burning Levit. X. 6. May we not argue from the less to the greater If Nadab and Abihu who never performed but one command as it is written and the Sons of Aaron brought blood to him then much more may the Sons of R. Ismael be bewailed R. Jose the Galilean answered saying All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him 1 Kings XIV 13. And must we not argue from the greater to the less If they wept so for Abijah the Son of Jeroboam who did but one good thing as it is said because in him there is found some good thing how much more for the Sons of R. Ismael Of the same nature are the words of R. Eliezar and R. Akibah but this is enough either to raise laughter or make a man angry In the same page we have several forms of speech used by the Women that either were the mourners or the comforters As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The grave is as the robe of Circumcision to an ingenuous man whose provisions are spent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The death of this man is as the death of all and Diseases are like putting money to usury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He ran and he fell in his passage and hath borrowed a loan With other passages very difficult to be understood The first three days of weeping were severer than the other because on the first day it was not lawful for the mourner to wear his Phylacteries to eat of holy things nor indeed to eat any thing of his own All the three days he might do no servile work no not privately and if any one saluted him he was not to salute him again The first seven days let all the beds in the house be laid low Let not the man use his Wife Let him not put on his Sandals Let him do no servile work publickly Let him not salute any man Let him not wash himself in warm water nor his whole body in cold Let him not anoint himself Let him not read in the Law the Mishneh or the Talmud Let him cover his head All the thirty days let him not be shaved Let him not wear any clothing that is white or whitened or new Neither let him sew up those rents which he made in his garments for the deceased party c. y y y y y y Rambam in Moed Katon cap. ult VERS XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the Resurrection BE It so O Jew if you will or it can be that the little bone Luz in the back-bone is the seed and principle of your resurrection As to us our blessed Jesus who hath raised himself from the dead is the spring and principle of ours z z z z z z Midr. Coheleth fol. 114. 3 Hadrian whose bones may they be ground and his name blotted out asked R. Joshuah ben Hananiah How doth a man revive again in the world to come He answered and said From Luz in the back-bone Saith he to him demonstrate this to me Then he took Luz a little bone out of the back bone and put it in water and it was not steeped He put it into the fire and it was not burnt he brought it to the mill and that could not grind it He laid it on the Anvil and knocked it with an Hammer but the Anvil was cleft and the Hammer broken c. Why do ye not maul the Sadducees with this Argument VERS XXXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Followed her a a a a a a Erubhin fol 18. 2. IT is a tradition Let not a man follow a Woman upon the way no not his own Wife If this grain of Salt may be allowed in the explication of this passage then either all that followed Mary were Women or if men they followed her at a very great distance or else they had a peculiar dispensation at such solemn times as these which they had not in common conversation But the observation indeed is hardly worth a grain of salt VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he hath been dead four days THE three days of weeping were now past and the four days of Lamentation begun so that all hope and expectation of his coming to himself was wholly gone b b b b b b Massecheth Semacoth cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They go to the Sepulchres and visit the dead for three days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither are they solicitous lest they should incur the reproach of the Amorites The story is they visited a certain person and he revived again and lived five and twenty years and then dyed They tell of another that lived again and begot Children and then died c c c c c c Beresh rabba fol. 114. 3. It is a Tradition of Ben Kaphrae's The very height of mourning is not till the third day For three days the spirit wanders about the Sepulchre expecting if it may
h h h h h h De Bell. Sacr. lib. 10. cap. 31. VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He will reprove the world of sin c. THE Holy Spirit had absented himself from that Nation now for the space of four hundred years or thereabout and therefore when he should be given and pour'd out in a way and in measures so very wonderful he could not but evince it to the world that Jesus was the true Messiah the Son of God who had so miraculously pour'd out the Holy Spirit amongst them and consequently could not but reprove and redargue the world of sin because they believed not in him VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Of righteousness c. THAT this righteousness here mention'd is to be understood of the righteousness of Christ hardly any but will readily enough grant but the question is what sort of righteousness of his is here meant whether his personal and inherent or his communicated and justifying righteousness we may say that both may be meant here I. Because he went to the Father it abundantly argu'd him a just and righteous person held under no guilt at all however condemn'd by men as a malefactor II. Because he pour'd out the Spirit it argu'd the merit of his righteousness for otherwise he could not in that manner have given the Holy Spirit And indeed that what is chiefly meant here is that righteousness of his by which we are justify'd this may perswade us that so many and so great things are spoken concerning it in the Holy Scriptures Isai. LVI 1. My Salvation is near to come and my righteousness to be revealed Dan. IX 29. To bring in everlasting righteousness Jer. XXIII 6. This is his name by which he shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS And in the Epistles of the Apostles especially those of St. Paul this righteousness is frequently and highly celebrated seeming indeed the main and principal subject of the Doctrines of the Gospel In the stead of many others let this serve for all Rom. I. 17. For therein viz. in the Gospel is the righteousness of God reveal'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from faith to faith which words may be a good Comment upon the foregoing Clause I. The Law teacheth faith that is that we believe in God But the Gospel directs us to proceed from faith to faith viz. from faith in God to faith in Christ for true and saving faith is not a meer naked recumbency immediately upon God which faith the Jews were wont to profess but faith in God by the mediation of faith in Christ. II. In the Law the righteousness of God was reveal'd condemning but in the Gospel it was reveal'd justifying the sinner And this is the great mystery of the Gospel that sinnes are justify'd not only through the grace and meer compassion and mercy of God but through Divine justice and righteousness too that is through the righteousness of Christ who is Jehovah the Lord our righteousness And the Spirit of Truth when he came he did reprove and instruct the world concerning these two great articles of faith wherein the Jews had so mischievously deceiv'd themselves that is concerning true saving faith faith in Christ and also concerning the manner or formal cause of Justification viz. the righteousness of Christ. But then how can we form the Argument I go unto the Father therefore the world shall be convinc'd of my justifying righteousness I. Let us consider that the expression I go unto the Father hath something more in it than I go to Heaven So that by this kind of phrase our Saviour seems to hint That work being now finisht for the doing of which my Father sent me into the world I am now returning to him again Now the work which Christ had to do for the Father was various The manifestation of the Father Preaching the Gospel vanquishing the enemies of God sin death and the Devil but the main and chief of all and upon which all the rest did depend was that he might perform a perfect obedience or obediential righteousness to God God had created man that he might obey his Maker which when he did not do but being led away by the Devil grew disobedient where was the Creator's glory The Devil triumphs that the whole humane race in Adam had kickt against God prov'd a rebel and warr'd under the banners of Satan It was necessary therefore that Christ clothing himself in the humane nature should come into the world and vindicate the glory of God by performing an intire obedience due from mankind and worthy of his Maker He did what weigh'd down for all the disobedience of all mankind I may say of the Devils too for his obedience was infinite He fulfilled a righteousness by which sinners might be justify'd which answer'd that justice that would have condemned them for the righteousness was infinite This was the great business he had to do in this world to pay such an obedience and to fulfill such a righteousness and this righteousness is the principal and noble theme and subject of the Evangelical Doctrine Rom. I. 17. of this the world must primarily and of necessity be convinc'd and instructed to the glory of him that justifieth and the declaration of the true Doctrine of Justification And this rightequsness of his was abundantly evidenced by his going to the Father because he could not have been receiv'd there if he had not fully accomplisht that work for which he had been sent II. It is added not without reason and ye see me no more i. e. Although you are my nearest and dearest friends yet you shall no more enjoy my presence on earth by which may be evinced that you shall partake of my merits especially when the world shall see you enricht so gloriously with the gifts of my Spirit VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Of judgment because the Prince c. IT is well known that the Prince of this world was judged when our Saviour overcame him by the obedience of his death Heb. II. 14. and the first instance of that judgment and victory was when he arose from the dead the next was when he loos'd the Gentiles out of the chains and bondage of Satan by the Gospel and bound him himself Revel XX. 1 2. which place will be a very good Comment upon this passage And both do plainly enough evince that Christ will be capable of judging the whole world viz. all those that believe not on him when he hath already judg'd the Prince of this world This may call to mind the Jewish opinion concerning the judgment that should be exercis'd under the Messiah that he should not judg Israel at all but the Gentiles only nay that the Jews were themselves rather to judg the Gentiles than that they were to be judg'd But he that hath judg'd the Prince of this world the author of all unbelief will also judg every unbeliever too VERS XII
there were no age but there would be some persons Oracular as Moses If any limit then where is it fixed I say at the fall of Jerusalem And I will prove it by what they bring to prove Prophesie for these days Act. II. 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and their sons and their daughters shall Prophesie c. By the last days they would understand it of the World I of Jerusalem So in divers places besides That it is so to be understood in the place S. Peters application makes out Who applies this place of the Old Testament unto himself and the Christians at that time upon occasion of their speaking strange Languages What absurdity would there also be in his applying this place The old Oeconomy is as the old World the Evangelical is the new Heaven and the new Earth So that the last days of the old World are the last days of the old Oeconomy Hence the destruction of Jerusalem is spoke of as the destruction of the old World and Christs coming is said to be in the last days So that if we take not the pouring out of the Spirit in the last days in that sence we swerve from the sence of the phrase in Scripture And hence it appears that Spirit to be in those last days and that it was affixed to them from propriety of phrase To this we might add the manner of imparting the Spirit in those times It was either by effusion upon many together Act. II. X. or by imposition of hands upon some single ones Now who dares think that ever was since the fall of Jerusalem such manner of giving or ever will be And these are the only ways of imparting the Spirit that are spoke of since Christ ascended To all we might add that at the fall of Jerusalem all Scripture was written and Gods full will revealed so that there was no further need of Prophesie and Revelation Therefore those places they cite are misapplied both as to the time and also as to the proper sence of them So that here is a discovery of the third delusion that Prophesie still continues whereas it was to cease at the fall of Jerusalem and there is no promise whereupon any hath reason to expect it in these times IV. The standing Ministry is the ordinary Method that God hath used for the instruction of his Church It has ever been Gods way since he first wrote words to teach his Church by a studious learned Ministry who were to explain the Scripture by study not by the Spirit Mistake not this Ministry consisted not of Prophets they were occasional and of necessity but of Priests and Levites We are sent to them Hag. II. 11. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ask now the Priests concerning the Law Mal. II. 7. For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts We have mention made of the sons of the Prophets in the Old Testament these were not inspired but understanding was instilled into them by Elias and they sat at his feet such were those of Issachar So the Disciples sat at the feet of Christ. The true Apostles indeed were inspired because there was a necessity of it But when the New Testament was written there was no further need of inspiration And then the Church was sufficiently instructed by ordinary Ministers therefore was Timothy left at Ephesus Titus in Creet Thefore was the Imposition of Hands Hebrews VI. 2. I conclude all with that suitable advise of St. John I Chap. IV. 1. Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the World A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Staffordshire-Natives At St. Michaels Cornhil LONDON Novemb. 26. 1663. ROM V. Vers. 1. Being justified by Faith we have peace with God THIS Text may seem very unsuitable to this occasion but certainly to no occasion no company no season can it be unsuitable can it be unseasonable to speak hear meditate of the infinite mercy of God in justifying men and of the unexpressible happiness of man in having peace with God But I have chosen this Subject to treat upon in a methodical succession to what I have discoursed upon heretofore being called to this Employment At my first being upon this task before you from those words in X. Joh. 22 23. which speaks of Christs being at Jerusalem at the Feast of Dedication I shewed you at large how our Saviour held Communion with the Church of the Jews and thereupon I spake of such unity against Schism At my second from those words Jud. vers 12. These are spots in your Feasts of Charity I shewed that the spots spoken of were false Teachers that went abroad pretending to the Spirit and so deceiving and thereupon I spake of taking heed of such delusions against Heresie and Error And now what can I more orderly and methodically speak upon after speaking of keeping Peace with the Church and keeping Peace with the Truth than of having Peace with God Yes you will say To have taken in first having peace one with another True that might not have been immethodical But you speak that in my stead this Loving Friendly Brotherly meeting discourses that for me and makes a visible Sermon of your peace one with another And I have made that as it were a Text whereupon to raise an occasional meditation to the tenor of that which the Text that I have read speaks And let me raise it thus If it be so good and pleasant and happy a thing to see brethren thus live together in unity thus to meet together to walk together to Feast together in Love Unity and Peace Sursum corda lift up your hearts and from this lustre you see of the Sun shining in this water below look up to the light that is in the body of the Sun it self and meditate how excellent how pleasant how happy a thing it is to have peace with God to walk in peace with God in his own ways to converse in peace with God in his own House to Feast in peace with God at his own Table and at night to lie down and sleep in peace with with God in his own Bosom This is the last Epistle the Apostle wrote before his apprehension and imprisonment He wrote it from Corinth where he touched in his journy to Jerusalem his last journy thither He wrote it in the second year of Nero immediately after Easter when Claudius who had hindred the Mystery of iniquity from its working in its full scope by his discountenancing the Jewish Nation had now been taken away above a year and an half ago And now that mystery did find it self loose and acted in its full activity those of that Nation that had not embraced the Gospel persecuting it with all
be dissolved Any one may be ready to say upon it as Ahab doth to Benhadad That which my Lord sent to me for at the first I will do but this second thing I cannot do The first thing proposed To look for the day of God I shall willingly agree to but to hasten the day of God this is a hard saying For who as the Judge standeth before the door dare invite him in Who dares say as Laban to Abrahams servant Come in thou blessed of the Lord come in why standest thou without The generality of men thinketh the day of God hasteneth fast enough of it self and that there is little need to hasten it And yet that very consideration is a great perswasive so to do I am sure it is so argued Matth. XXV Behold the Bridegroom cometh go forth to meet him Not sit still till he come up to you for he is coming but because he is coming go forth to meet him It was a noble confidence and valour in David that when Goliath came out against him he ran and made hast to meet him And he had but coursely incountred that great giant had he not had that confidence and valour That man or woman will but coldly incounter death and judgment that sit still till death and judgment come upon them and never make out to meet them that when the Judge stands at the door have no mind of his entring and coming in It were worth disputing how far a good man may be willing to die or how far unwilling but I shall not enter upon that at this time It is past all dispute that every one should be preparing to die and to meet the Judge when he cometh He standeth at the door it is happy to be prepared against he cometh in Let us all leave our thank-offerings at the Judges altar for his great patience and long-suffering towards us that he is still standing at the door and hath not broken in upon us that his Patience is not outwearied by us after our so great exercising of it And let us ever carry the words of the Text sounding in our ears and hearts That the Judge standeth at the door beholding all our actions beholding all our hearts noting and observing all we do to demand an account of us at his day of Judgment A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge Octob. 7. 1655. MATTH XXVIII 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost SEven things may be taken notice of from these words at first sight I. A permission and commission to bring the Gospel among the Gentiles The Apostles had been tied up before Matth. X. 5. Jesus sent forth the twelve and commanded them saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles But now he inlargeth them II. The end of this inlargement to bring the Gentiles in to be Disciples So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as we shall see anon III. The way to initiate them for Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them Disciples by baptizing them IV. The form of the administration of Baptism In nomine Patris c. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost V. This is the fourth establishment of Baptism The first was in the hand of John Secondly Christ himself was baptized Thirdly The Disciples baptized in his Name Joh. III. 22. Joh. IV. 2. Fourthly Here in the Text is the full establishment of it VI. The Doctrine of the Trinity is in the Text and professed in every Baptism VII The Office of Ministers To teach and administer the Sacraments Two Heresies especially misconstrue this Text Anabaptism and Socinianism For I must call that Heresie that unchurches all Churches and ungods God I shall not intangle my self in these disputes only consider the sense and propriety of the Text as before us and that in these parts named First I shall consider the Apostles commission to fetch in the Gentiles This is called a Mystery Ephes. III. 4 5 6 c. Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the Mystery of Christ. Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel c. This is the great business in the Prophets To bring thy sons from far All the Ends of the Earth shall see the Salvation of God c. In a word this is a great monument of the Riches of grace that when the Gentiles had lain rejected so long as two and twenty hundred years so deep as to commit all sin and not know of sin so inslaved as to adore Devils so far from the means of grace as that they never heard of it yet not length of time depth of sin power of Satan nor vastness of distance could hinder the light of the Gospel breaking in upon them O! the heighth depth bredth and length of the grace of God! Here is a large field to consider this Grace As first how the Gospel was slighted by the Jews yet this Grace was not worn out of patience but God sends it also to the Gentiles And secondly how it was brought to them that cared not to come to it I might speak here of our share of this grace who were Heathen It was good tidings to all people as to the Romans Chap. I. 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ But I shall keep close to the words of the Text. I shall observe two things concerning this Commission I. The time when this Commission was given II. The work which the Apostles were to do by vertue of this Commission First The time Christ being now risen And the reasons why Christ took this time to deliver this Commission to his Apostles were these 1. One reason of it appears in the word Therefore In the 18 vers All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore All power as Mediator He dispenced things before after his own Will by vertue of his Soverainty Rom. IX 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy But add to this that now he had paid a price for the Heathens he had earned his wife as Jacob had conquered Satan that had them captive had exhibited a Righteousness to save the wickedest where they would apply it had broken down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile In Ephes. II. 13 14. But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our Peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us And in vers 15. he shews you how Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Law of commandments contained in Ordinances c.
Matth. III. 7. When John saw Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptism he said Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come By receiving Baptism they fled from Gods wrath that was coming upon the Jewish Nation So 1 Pet. III. 21. The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth now save us As the Ark saved Noah and his family from perishing in the general Deluge so Baptism the figure of that saved those that received it from the destruction that was then coming Would men look upon Baptism under this notion as it is a badge of preservation they would not need much perswading to baptize their children And thus I have considered the Disciples Commission and Work Go teach all Nations baptizing them I now come to the Form of Baptism In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost It is not unprofitable to observe how the Holy Ghost at the story of great actions doth oft intimate the Trinity Let us make man Let us confound their language And at the XVIII Chap. of Genesis you read of three men that stood by Abraham who are called afterward Jehovah And at the settling of the Service of the Tabernacle Num. VI. ad fin the Form of blessing that was prescribed to the Priests to use intimated a Trinity The Lord bless thee and keep thee The Lord make his face shine upon thee The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee But to spare more instances at Christs entry into the Ministry the Trinity is at his Baptism and now at the end of it he proclaims it and injoyns it to be profest at every Baptism Christ giveth no rules for the manner of Baptism but only this for that needed not it being known before The Anabaptist pleads that there is no precept for Infant-baptism I say it needed not and Christ took up Baptism as he found it If a Law be made in these words Let all the University come to S. Maries on the Sabbath it would be madness hereafter to say That there ought to be no Sermons there because there is no mention of them in the Law That is supposed in the Law as a thing common and known So Christ makes this Law that all Nations should be baptized he directs not in this Law how to Baptize nor who to be baptized because that was so well known to all already And you may observe that the Jews never wonder at Johns baptism as to the thing but all run to him to be baptized Matth. III. 5. There went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan and were baptized of him And John is questioned only what authority he had to baptize whether it was from Heaven or of Men. They would have said his Baptism had been from the Devil if it had been of the nature of a Monster never seen before No Baptism was well enough known to the Jews and both John and Jesus Christ took it up as they found it And the Form was the only new rule that he gave for the Ministration of it and that he did because it was necessary in the alteration of the Oeconomy into which Baptism was an Introduction There were three Forms of Baptism as used for introduction First The Baptism of Proselytes under the Old Testament these were baptized into the Profession of the Father not verbatim so said but reipsa it was so I shall not dispute how far holy men then acknowledged the Trinity But under the second Temple when that doctrine was more obscure their common appellation of God was Father Secondly Baptism in the Gospel was at first in the Name of the Son only though not under this title And this was doubly done by John and by the Apostles 1. John baptized in the Name of the Messias now coming Act. XIX 4. John verily baptized with the Baptism of Repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus John baptized half a year before he knew the person of the Messias John I. 31. I knew him not So those baptized by him knew not Jesus yet were baptized into the Messias Hence that Act. XVIII 25. Apollos spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord knowing only the baptism of John And such were those XIX Act. 2. that were baptized into Johns baptism but knew not whether there were any Holy Ghost They by their baptism took the badge of owning the Messias but knew not his person Thus John baptized into the Name of the Messias 2. The Apostles baptized into the Name of Jesus as true Messias That in III. John 22. is so to be understood After these things Jesus came and his Disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized By the way we may take notice of two things First That Christ bids his Apostles here Go to the Gentiles yet they were not of divers years Act. XI 19. They that were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travailed as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the Word to none but unto the Jews only And Peter preached not to any else till he had the vision Act. X. The reason of which may be fetched from Act. I. 8. Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the Earth By which words Christ commands them first to preach all Judea through before they preached to the uttermost parts of the Earth Secondly That Christ bids them baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost yet they did baptize all the while they were in Judea in the Name of Jesus only Act. II. 38. Be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ. VIII Chap. 16. They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus So the XIX Chap. 5. When they heard this they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Now the reason of this was to seal Jesus for the Messias and true God The controversie was whether Jesus was the Messias hence Jesus Christ is so oft joyned together not so much to shew Christ a Saviour as to assert Jesus to be Christ. And for this end baptism among them was in the Name of Jesus And hence the Apostles benediction Grace and peace from God and Jesus Christ in their Epistles Where is the Holy Ghost says Socinus Not excluded though not nominated If satisfaction be given concerning Jesus that he is the Messias satisfaction is easie about his Spirit The Jews acknowledged the Spirit of Messias of a Divine Nature and acting even to be the Spirit of God that wrought the Creation So Zohar on Gen. I. 2. Now therefore that being the thing to be setled that Jesus was the Messias and Son of God the Apostle applies himself to that in the benediction and the other would follow of
blasphemed Christ 1 John II. 22. Who is ◠lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son And that then was the Jew Secondly When they were destroyed then Rome began to persecute till Constantine Thirdly When that was quieted then the Arian and the Macedonian appeared in the Jewish Spirit Fourthly That cursed Spirit was hardly laid but then the Papacy begins t◠rise and brings in all Judaism against the honour of Christ. And Fifthly That unmasked in the Reformation the Jewish Spirit appears again in the Socinian A SERMON PREACHED AT ASPEDEN April 5. 1660. 1 COR. X. 2. And were all baptised unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea ONE great breach in England is the breach about the Sacraments It is the policy of the Devil to divide Christians even there where there is the greatest bond of Communion As poison is to our Victuals which makes that which in its own nature is the great means of the preservation of our health and lives to become the destroyer of it Our knitting together must be in these Sacraments but they are made the means of our disuniting Therefore if the present occasion called not for it yet the present necessity of our Nation does to inform our selves about these bonds For your instruction in the Sacrament or Bond of Baptism I have chosen these words Wherein we may observe these four things I. Israel was Baptized II. All were baptized III. Unto Moses IV. In the Cloud and in the Sea I. Israel was baptized when they came out of Egypt From whence I make this Doctrine That Baptism was no new thing when Christ ordained it in the Church of the Gospel This Observation is of excellent use It is said concerning the times of the Gospel that there should be new Heavens and a new Earth All new When God set aside that old people he chose him a new people viz. The Gentiles This change of new for old consisted in two things First Some things were laid aside And Secondly some old things were reserved but the end of them changed All the Ceremonial Law laid aside but the Moral reserved and the Doctrine cleared The publick Worship of the Temple laid aside of the Synagogue reserved But some old things were reserved and changed At the Passover the Lamb was laid aside Bread and Wine reserved but the end changed And in this Sacrament where Baptism was added to Circumcision Circumcision was laid aside Baptism received The first mention of Baptism is in Gen. XXXV 2. And Jacob said unto his houshold and unto all that were with him Put away the strange Gods that are among you and be clean and change your garments Be clean the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mundate vos That Baptism is meant here is confest by the Jews The next mention is this in the Text They were all Baptized unto Moses c. And this is the more considerable that they should be Baptized now when they were but newly circumcised to wit in the three days darkness that was upon the Egyptians during which time Israel was circumcised to qualifie them to eat the Passover For no uncircumcised Person may eat thereof Exod. XII A third mention of Baptism is at Sinai So the Jews And they speak of Proselytes Admission now The Anabaptists will not hear this nothing but the letter of Scripture But that is a dangerous Text. T is true we are to require it for the foundation of Faith but by ininsisting upon it too rigorously for other matters we lose infinite profit that may accrue to us by Examples and Explications But let us reason with them that Baptism could be no new thing in those times First The Scribes and Pharisees were not so easie to be brought to follow Novelty But they came in multitudes to Johns Baptism Matth. III. 7. Secondly See I. Joh. 25. The Jews sent Pharisees to John the Baptist and they asked him why baptisest thou then if thou be not that Christ Whereby you may see they never questioned the thing and shewed also that they were easily perswaded that the Messias would make use of their rite of baptizing for the admitting Disciples Take this in the dispute about Poedobaptism They tell us that there is no example in the Scripture of children baptized I answer True but no such example needed to be recorded for Christ took up Baptism as he found it in the Jewish Church and they baptized Infants as well as grown persons And if Christ would not that Baptism should have been administred to children he would have forbidden it Therefore there is no Rule or Example given in Scripture of baptising children Luke wrote enough in XVI Act. 15. 32. where he tells us of the Baptism of Lydia and her houshold and of the Jaylor and all his Now one reading these passages in Judaea how would he have understood it Undoubtedly according to the ordinary practise of Baptism as it was used among them in admitting of their Proselytes which was that when the Master of the house was baptized for a Proselyte all his family children and all were baptized too T is the best rule to come to the understanding of the Phrases of Scripture to consider in what sence they were taken in that Country and among that People where they were written II. They were All baptized Who All our Fathers vers 1. All passed through the Sea Were there not children here How Was there no child in arms did they carry none on their backs when they passed through the Sea What say the Anabaptists here This Text saith All were baptized They say None ought to be baptized that are children because they are not capable of understanding the Ordinance What then Were the Jewish children more capable than the children of Christians There are two opinions of the Anabaptists which we are to be informed in else we may fall into mistake First That Baptism is not to be administred to any that are without knowledge Secondly That it is not to be administred to any unless he be verus filius foederis a true son of the Covenant To these I will put answer into your mouths To the first God never ordained Sacraments that their nature should be changed pro captu recipientis according to the capacity of him that received them Ordinances retain their nature whosoever receives them As sin is sin though not felt and the Word is the Word of God though he that hears it is not benefitted by it So Sacraments are Sacraments as to their nature whatsoever the Receivers be T is true their fruit is pro captu recipientis but not their nature The Sacrament is a seal whosoever receives it Again You read of Baptism without knowledge in Matth. XXVIII 19 20. Go and Disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name c. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you c. Baptize and Teach
creation totus Mundus Ethnicus the whole Heathen World groneth and travaileth in pain together until now For it might be shewed that at this time there were some extraordinary stirrings as the child in the womb among the Heathen towards this delivery vers 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves grone within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body And so I am come to my Text. In it are three words especially observable towards opening the sense of it I. We. II. First fruits of the Spirit III. Our Body I will take them up inverso ordine the last first I. Body I cannot understand it of the body we carry about us For the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Adoption of the Body or the Adoption of the Soul set alone is unusual in Scripture but Adoption is of the whole person But I take it for the mysticacl body of Christ of which the Gentiles were the far greater part And than this acceptation of the word nothing is more usual God had promised the Adoption of numberless sons from among the Gentiles and this was to make up the whole mystical body And this we grone for waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body This this same Apostle calls the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. IV. 13. He hath ordained in his Church divers orders of spiritual men some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists c. for the edifying the body of Christ for the bringing it to its full growth Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Christs mystical Body was growing up from time to time under the preaching and publishing of the Gospel by the Apostles Prophets Evangelists c. and was not yet arrived to a perfect man but when the Gentile World came in then it attained to its manhood to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. II. First fruits of the Spirit This refers to afterfruits not to grace or glory But the first fruits of the Spirit implies that the Spirit was first given to them and that it was afterwards to be given to others As the Priests had the first fruits and the afterfruits or the rest the people had So 1 Cor. XV. 23. Christ the first fruits and those that are Christs the afterfruits And this clears the meaning of the first word III. We. That is we Jews among whom God bestowed his Spirit I need not prove that God bestowed his Spirit first on the Jews The Prophets oft call the Jewish Nation Pools of Water for this and the Gentiles a dry Wilderness for want of this but foretel that the Wilderness should become Pools of water And this we grone for that is we Jews for them Gentiles that they might partake of this Spirit as well as we Or take it we Christians or Saints that have first received the Spirit we grone that God would make good the like upon the fulness of the Gentiles This Exposition I leave at your feet If it be not as agreeable to the Apostles discourse for he presently after begins with Election and Reprobation that may fall out to be thought of upon Gods calling of the Gentiles if not as agreeable to the whole tenor of Scripture if not as full of plainness and clearness if not as warrantable by the Language as any of the three I mentioned refuse it nay if it were not so I my self should never own it However I will not so confine you to my sense as to ground the foundation of my ensuing Discourse upon my interpretation but I take up one clause without consideration of the connexion and that whose construction is unquestionable viz. We that have the first fruits of the Spirit Not to insist upon the word first fruits I will leave it out and speak to this Question What it is to have the Spirit A question pertinent to be looked after both because of that in vers 9. where it is said That if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and because of the common delusion I have the Spirit I doubt not the Apostle speaks of the sanctifying Spirit and so I shall handle it I shall answer this Question in seven or eight Observations I. Observe Having of the Spirit is spoken of man only considered under his Fall I mean the Spirit of Grace and so the Apostle here I mean not in opposition to his recovery but to Innocency and Glory Adam in innocency had not the Spirit nor Saints in glory but man only in the middle condition True Adam was perfectly righteous intirely holy and absolutely able so to act but this was not founded in his having the Spirit but meerly in his nature He had the Image of God not the Spirit of God God having created him left him to himself did no more to him but as Creator His holiness was not founded in Sanctification but in Creation The Spirit created him but left him to himself and did no more to him And let me ask Could he have fallen if he had had the Spirit As the Spirit created him impeccaminosum without sin so if he had had the Spirit inhabiting and acting as in Saints it had made him impeccabilem without possibility of sinning The Spirit raiseth the fallen preserveth that good men fall not finally and yet they are sinful allow the same property of operation in Adam and could he have fallen Nay he had not so much as the Spirit of Prophesie Which is less than the Spirit of Sanctification For Balaam and Caiaphas had that His knowledge was great but it was not prophetick foreknowledge He could see future things as wrapt in causes but not things contingent Knowledge is part of Gods Image Col. III. 10. The new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him This Adam had when he knew God himself and the Creature as perfectly as possible flesh and blood could But to know things to come was not for created knowledge but the Creators And the Serpent tickles him not with the promise of knowing future things but of good and evil And our new Creation in knowledge Col. III. 10. is to know God not to know future events On the other hand Saints in glory have not the Spirit nostro sensu in the sense we are now speaking of for cui sini to what purpose They are beyond sanctification and now need it no more the Spirit hath done his work with them And as Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to God so the Spirit his Sanctified ones Ecce ego filii quos dedisti Behold here I am and the sons which thou hast given me Grace is now
III. An Instance or two of the practise of all the Church And all this will serve for illustrating the second thing I propounded for the clearing this Duty viz. Secondly The Evidence of the use of it in the first times I. Our Saviour the very next thing he did after signing sealing and sanctionating the New Testament was to sing a Psalm And who then can doubt of the institution of this as a New Testament-duty Matth. XXVI 28. 29 30. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom And when they had sung an Hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives Let us stick here a little and from this singing of an hymne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may observe three things 1. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number Beza approves of Erasmus here for departing from the Vulgar That hath it Hymno dicto He cum cecinissent Beza hereupon Ut intelligatur Apostolos una cum Christo cecinisse That men might understand that the Apostles joyned with Christ in singing And very true for it was the custom among the Jews in all companies that celebrated the Passover so to do for though one chiefly rehearsed yet all had some share in the Quire And so in the case in the Text though the Psalm were of their own composing yet the Congregation bare some part in it as Miriam with Moses XV. Exod. 21. Apostolos cecinisse the Apostles sung Was Judas there or no I wonder it is not confessed by all the World it is so plain that he eat the Passover received the Sacrament and stayed the Psalm and was present till all rose from the Table And Christ knew him and yet gave the Psalm and sung with the whole Table And Peter and John knew him and yet it were peevishness to think that they joined not in the Quire when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they had sung What can they say to this that refuse to joyn with us in this exercise Will they can they say that Judas was not there But if that be granted that he was gone yet at the eating the Passover it is well known every company sung together without bogling 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung What The very same that every company did viz. The great Hallel as it was called which began at the CXIII Psalm and ended at the end of the CXVIII No expositor but grants this and no reason to the conrary for Christ complied with all the rites of the Passover and started not from them in this Here the Lord of David sings the Psalms of David What Christ saith by way of posing If David in Spirit call him Lord how is he his Son We may say the like by way of admiration If David in spirit call him Lord how did he descend to make use of his Poetry What says our Caviller now Set forms are too strait for the Spirit He that had the Spirit above measure thinks not so but useth such He that gave the Spirit to David to compose sings what he composed That All-blessed Copy of peace and order could have indited himself could have inspired every Disciple to have been a David but submits to order which God had appointed sings the Psalms of David and tenders the Peace of the Church and takes the same course the whole Church did 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung a Hymn In what Language Here is a question indeed and that might provoke a Scholastical dispute both in Divinity and Antiquity In Divinity Did they sing in the original Hebrew That was not now understood In Antiquity Had they a translation of the Psalms and Hagiographa now Yea they had the LXX But all that sung understood not the LXX But had they a Vulgar Translation in their own Tongue This draws into another question viz. What was their Tongue I should answer Not the Syriack we now read but the old Syriack or Chaldee which they call Turgumica And I should answer to the former question That they had the Hagiographa now in the Tongue as well as the Prophets of Jonathans translation and I find in both Talmuds that each speaks to it to confirm it However who thinks they sung in a Tongue they understood not or in any other but the Vulgar And here is our warrant for our framing the Psalms into our Tongue and Metre Thus have we seen the Example nay institution of our great Master II. Now let us hear our great Apostle the Apostle of the Gentiles In two places he speaks to this subject besides what he says in this Chapter Ephes. V. 18 19. Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And Col. III. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where let us take up three things as we did in the former 1. Observe how spiritual a pitch he set this at and what elevation of Heart he ascribes to it Be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymus c. It is the very vent and issue whereby a spiritual frame breaks out in its chiefest demonstration The more we are filled with the Spirit the more we break out this way and a most fit vent it is to the Spirit when both Tongue and Heart speak and put forth themselves in their best vigor by singing to the praise of God when the heart is full of spiritual fervor this excellent way So in that place to the Colossians Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you When it does it will break out in all wisdom and in Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns c. 2. Observe the three Titles he useth Psalms Hymns Spiritual Songs They are variously indeed taken but very generally for the Psalms of David Psalms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Psalms upon any subject Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Psalms of Praise Spiritual Songs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Cantica magis artificiosa Psalms about which is employed greater art and curiosity Others differ upon particulars but agree upon this that by these three are meant the Psalms of David and other Songs in Scripture What If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the Psalms of David upon any subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hymns be such Psalms as are picked out and used for special occasions as Hallel those of Degrees and for every day So that word seems to imply from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is used to express the Psalms that Christ and his Apostles
out its own Eyes and chuse to be blind and live in darkness when it hath Eyes and light A doleful thing that men should be killed because they will not be fools Think of the hundreds that have gone to the fire and faggot because they could not believe Transubstantion because they could not believe that which is contrary to Reason Religion and the trial of the Sences therefore they must be put to a most cruel death Poor England because she will not be Popish must be no more because she will not lose her wits she must lose her life Poor Abel must be murthered because he will not be such a wretch hypocrite and vilain as Cain This is all the quarrel they had against us because we would not be of such a Religion as they are of and had no mind to build our Salvation upon straw and stubble Think of this and of the constant practise of Rome to seek to destroy those that will not be of her mind and Religion then guess who is the Gog and Magog in the Text that takes up persecution and fighting against those that will not be deceived by Satan as they themselves are The design of this day engageth us to hate Popery that must be maintained and propagated with blood and force I shall not dispute which is the true Religion the Protestant or the Popish Only set Jacob and Esau before you whether of the two is more lovely Popery is rough and rugged witness the Inquisition the Massacre the Marian days and the fift of November Think of these and hate Popery Let me enlarge my self a little upon this subject what a great cheat Satan puts on men when he deceives them to become enemies to true Religion There was hardly ever any persecutor of the truth in the World but he would confess this truth so that I might need no other proof of it but the confession of such enemies Paul when he murthered the members of Christ without mercy or measure he would be ready enough to say Oh! it s a cursed cheat the Devil puts upon men when he sets them to be enemies to persecute the true Religion but this Sect of Nazarens that I persecute they are Hereticks Apostates and t is a good deed to persecute them for they are fallen from the Religion of their Fathers Bonner that Butcher of Hell that so bloodily murthered so many of the Saints of God in Queen Maries time he would be ready enough to say Oh! it s a cursed cheat of the Devil to set men upon persecuting true Religion but these Lollards these Protestants are desperate Hereticks horrid Apostates that have fallen away from holy Mother Church of Rome and it is fit such men should not live And none that hates and persecutes another for Religion but he will be ready to say in the like kind this being one arrand and very general cheat of Satan to make all men though of the falsest worst and most damnable Religion or profession of Religion to believe theirs is the best The greatest Dispute in the World is which is the true Religion and as the Apostles upon Christs speaking of one betraying him every one asked Is it I So will every Religion in the World upon this Question Which is the true Religion answer It is I. The Jew saith His the Turk His the Papist His the Protestant His one Protestant his manner of worship and profession is best another His and a third His. Like the two Hostesses before Solomon about the living and dead child one saith the dead Religion is thine and the living mine and another nay my Religion is the living but thine the dead How is it possible to determine this controversie about which there hath been so much quarreling and so many many vast Volumes written And if we do not determine which is true Religion we can make nothing of the Doctrine before us which speaks of Sataus cheating men to be enemies to it It would speak high to undertake to determine when dispute is betwixt so Learned Men. But let me give you these two marks of it which also may help to give some caution against being enemy to it I. That is the true Religion and true Religiousness that the Devil hates most That is the King of Israel that the Captains of the Syrians bend themselves most to fight against 1 Kings XXII Need I to tell you how the Devil in the Revelations is continually fighting against the true Saints of God and their Religion It hath been his quarrel ever since God set the enmity between the Womans seed and him Gen. III. 15. Now certainly it may be a very pregnant mark of discerning what a mans Religion and Religiousness is by computing whether the Devil have reason to hate it or no. In the great question twixt Papists and us whether is the true Religion Bring them to the touchstone hath the Devil any cause to hate worshiping of Images to hate the casting away the Scripture and taking up the wretched Traditions of Men to hate their nurseling of the people in Ignorance and the blind leading the blind into the ditch to hate the Popes pride and arrogance against God and Christ and Kings and Princes the Clergies domineering over the Consciences of Men to keep them blind and so as they may make a prey of them In a word hath the Devil any reason to hate that Religion that is nothing but paint and show and outside and no life of Religion at all in it These things make for him and are on his side and bring him Souls to Hell heaps upon heaps and he hath no reason to be an enemy to these Hath the Devil reason to hate or hinder the Religion and Devotion of him that is huge devout in the Church in all ceremonial and formal appearance and they would take him for a Saint or an Angel but out of the Church he is loose covetous malicious cruel prophane and no better than a Devil Such mens Religion will never do the Devil any disadvantage or be any diminishment to his Kingdom But that Religion that gives God his due in holy and spiritual Worship in holy and spiritual walking that devotion that serves God in Spirit and Truth that Ministry that in care and constancy and conscientiousness is always striving to bring Souls to God and to bring them beyond the form to the power of godliness and to deliver them from the power of darkness to the Kingdom of Gods dear son Let any man of reason and understanding guess whether Satan do not cannot choose but hate such a Religion Devotion Ministry So that as Solomon judged this live child is that Womans because her bowels earn towards it so may we very well judge that to be the true and best Religion and Religiousness that the Devils bowels earn against that he cannot but hate and be enemy to II. That is the best and truest Religion and Religiousness that sheweth forth
be under the torments of Hell And the Captain of our Salvation to be under the condition of the damned Let it not be told in Gath publish it not in the Streets of Ascalon Let not the Jews hear it nor the Turks understand such a thing lest they blaspheme our Lord of life more than they do The colour which is put upon this opinion by them that hold it is because Christ upon the Cross bare the sins of men and therefore that he was to bear the wrath torments and damnation that man had deserved And for this they produce those places Esa. LIII 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 1 Pet. II. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree And they would have Christ to mean no less when he cried out Eli Eli Lamasabachtani my God my God why hast thou forsaken me For the stating of this matter I lay down these two things I. That it was impossible Christ should suffer the wrath of God the torments of Hell and be in the case of the damned for any cause of his own II. That he did not could not suffer these though he bare the sins of all his people I shall speak to both these under these five observations I. In all the passages of Christ at his suffering you cannot find that he looks upon God as an angry God Begin at his prayer at his last supper Joh. XVII Can you find there even the least hint that he doubted of Gods favour to him It is the rule of the Apostle 1 Tim. II. 8. That we lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting Can we think that Christ ever prayed with doubting Especially look into that Prayer and there is not the least tincture of it vers 1. Father glorifie thy Son Did his heart then any whit suspect that God was angry at him Vers. 2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life Are these the words of one that suspected he could come under the heaviest wrath of God Vers. 4. I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Are these the words of one that thought he could ever be repayed for so doing with wrath and vengeance and the torments of Hell Vers. 5. And now O Father glorifie me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was Vers. 13. And now Father I come unto thee Vers. 21. Thou Father art in me and I in thee Vers. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Had Christ when he spake these things any suspicion or thought that he could possibly come under the heavy wrath of God It is said Chap. XVIII 1. He went beyond Kidron There he is in his agony then he prays Let this cup pass from me Why What did he see in the Cup Bitterness enough but not one drop of the dregs of Gods wrath Guess his case by the case of sinful men A Stephen a Cranmer a Ridley a Martyr is brought to the Stake He hath a Cup put into his hand and that very bitter but doth he see any of Gods wrath in it Martyrs could not have gone so joyfully to death had they seen God angry in that bitter dispensation Christ could not have gone so readily to his sufferings had he thought he had gone to encounter Gods indignation Look at his words on the Cross Hodie mecum in Paradiso To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Were these the words of one under the torments of Hell to assure the thief of Heaven Pater in manus tuas Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Did he apprehend God angry as at the Damned when he spake these words Nay those words Eli Eli Lamasabachtani speak not that he felt the wrath of God but a bitter providence that God had left him to such wrackings and tortures and to such wicked hands So that look at Christs passages at and near his Passion and you find not one word or action that doth bewray that Christ felt himself any whit at all under Gods fury Nay look through the Scripture whatsoever is spoken of Christ it sets him far from being to be thought liable to the wrath of God Was Christ a child of wrath as well as others Scripture tells you no. Esa. XLII 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him How far is that from such language as this Behold Christ under my wrath behold him under the torments of Hell And so that passage Matth. III. ult Lo a Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And at his Transfiguration In whom I am well pleased And does he ever come to be angry at him as at the Damned and to lay his fury on him as on the tormented in Hell It troubles me to think any Christian should hold such an opinion concerning our Saviour and indeed where there is little need to imagine such a thing Could not Christ have wrought Redemption without enduring such heavy wrath then it were not so improper to conceive so But II. Christ in the work of Redemption had not to deal with the wrath of God but the justice of God not with his wrath to bear it but with his justice to satisfie it There is a great deal of difference may be made twixt wrath and justice and twixt satisfying one and the other A Judge condemning a Malefactor weeps and grieves Is there any wrath No but only justice The Malefactor satisfies the justice of the Law no wrath stirring Consider what was the debt men ought to God What owest thou to my Master It will be said Damnation and suffering eternal torments True these were due to them but the debt was of another nature viz. Obedience Damnation was the penalty upon forfeiture of Bonds but the Debt was Obedience that which man ought to God before he became sinful which he owes to God as he is God and which the Law challengeth and which the Gospel does also Does man owe Damnation to God as he is God as he is Creator as he is Lawgiver Or as man is man No God rather owes and will pay Damnation to man for being sinful Therefore that which Christ was properly to pay for his people was that which was properly their debt which they could not pay viz. Obedience And that the Scripture harps upon Rom. V. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Phil. II. 8. He became obedient unto Death Now what was Christ obedient to To say To the wrath of God were hardly sense but To the will of God which would prove and try him and could do it thorowly without wrath It was
Souls to be disposed of according to its sinfulness or goodness But why should God thus dispose as to the taking men out of this World Why not the wicked Soul and Body to Hell and no more ado And why not the holy Soul and Body to Heaven I might say That Simeon and Levi that have been brethren in Evil might be scattered in Jacob that they conspire evil no more That Soul and Body that have been compartners in â—inning might be severed from conjoyning to sin any more But what need we say more than that God hath thus sentenced upon sin that the Body that was created immortal should dye and see corruption and that Soul and Body that were in the nearest conjunction in this World should be disunited and the bonds of life dissolved and Soul and Body parted into two several Regions Oh! how bitter is this parting how dreadful the very thought of it to most in the World Why Christ did as really undergo this separation in his death as any other whatsoever Observable is the expiring of Christ upon his cross both in regard of the thing it self and of the manner of it Comparing the Evangelists together we shall see it the better S. John seems to make It is finished his last words Joh. XIX 30. S. Luke Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke XXIII 46. And add but the construction that the Centurion makes upon his crying out Mark XV. 39. Truly this was the Son of God They all say in our English He gave up the Ghost Which two of them viz. Mark and Luke express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He breathed out his Spirit according as other dying persons do But Matthew and John have expressions very feeling Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He let go his Spirit or his Soul And John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He delivered it up Christ could not dye nay I may say he would not dye till all things were fulfilled that were written concerning his death Therefore when he had hung above three hours and knowing it was written They gave me Vinegar c. he said I thirst He tastes and finds it Vinegar and says It is finished now all is accomplished so he bows his Head and composeth himself to dye and cries Father into thy hands c. And having so said He let go his Soul and Delivered it up into the hands of God Remember that Joh. X. 17 18. and you see the sense of these expressions I lay down my life that I may take it again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again He had life in his own hand and the Jews could not take it from him but he let it go himself and delivered it up When the Centurion saw that he thus cried out and gave up the Ghost he said Surely this man was the Son of God Doubtless this man hath the Disposal of his own life So strong a cry is not the cry of one that is spent and dying through weakness and faintting but it argues life strong and vigorous to be still in him and therefore he dies not of weakness but gives up his life at his own pleasure Shall we pass this great passage of our Saviour without a meditation Mortal men and women if your Lives and Souls were so at your own disposal could you so readily so willingly part with them and give them up to God They are not and time is a coming when we must part with them whether we will or no. Our Saviour hath taught us what to do against they be called for to get them in readiness to be comfortably willing to part with them and give them up into his hands I remember that passage of a good man dying Egredere anima quid times c. Go Soul depart why art thou affraid Thou hast served a good Master be not affraid to go to him It will be a hard pull to have the Soul and Body parted We had need to be getting the Soul loosned that when God calls it may not be unwilling and hang on and stick and be loth to go It was a hard perplexity with him that cried out Animula vagula blandula c. Ah! poor Soul thou must go and whither art thou to go To leave all thy worldly pleasures and delights and must away thou knowest not whither The hard and dreary parting is when the Soul is chained to the World as well as to the Body when it sticks to these things as well as to the Body and must be torn from all these too He that is dead to the World how easie how comfortable is it for that man to dye When he dies he hath nothing else to do but to resign his Soul to him that gave it So that though the manner of Christs parting Soul and Body were extraordinary yet his Soul and Body were as really parted at his death as other mens are III. His Soul thus parted from his Body went to Hades into another World to the place whither holy Souls go after death which himself expresseth in those words to the good Thief To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise What does a Soul instantly after its departure Some say Walks the regions of Air and sees the secrets of nature there But Souls go not into another World to study but to receive rewards And I may say of any Soul departed as Christ of Peter Joh. XXI 18. When thou wast young thou girdest thy self and walkest whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not So when the Soul was in the Body it went whither it would moved the Body whither it thought good did what it pleased was at its own pleasure but now being departed another hath girded it and if it be an evil Soul he carries it whither it would not if even the best Soul he hath fixed it that it is not at its own liberty as it was before The other World is the fixing of Souls in their place and condition that they flit no more change no more that as the Soul then is not in a mutable condition as it is here so not in a self-moving condition as here Observe that Eccles. XII 7. Then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it A good Soul returns to God and a bad Soul too returns to God that gave it both return to God How Now they come intirely into Gods hands to be disposed of according to what was done by them in the flesh and he instantly disposeth them into Heaven or Hell That is the very day of retribution See Luke XVI 22 23. And it came to pass that the Begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom The rich man also died and was
of the Souls of Men after death believed by the Jews 1283 Spirit of Prophesie and the Holy Spirit ceased from Israel from the death of the later Prophets p. 802. The false pretenders to the Spirit how they may be discovered p. 1046. Spirit of Revelation not necessarily inferred or begotten by any degree of Holiness whatever the truth of this proved at large p. 1046. The Spirit of Holiness and the Spirit of Revelation how they differed p. 1046. The Spirit of Sanctification how to know whether a Man hath it or no. p. 1047. What it is to have the Spirit p. 1150 1151 1152 c. Adam had not the Spirit of Sanctification nor of Prophesie p. 1150. Saints in Glory have not the Spirit p. 1150. How the Spirit worketh by the Word The having of it implies not perfection p. 1152. The several conditions of having the Spirit p. 1151 1152 c. The Spirit never leaves them that have it p. 1153. To have the Spirit implies not the Gift of Prophesie p. 1153. The difference between the Spirit of Sanctification and Prophesie p. 1154. The Enthusiasts about every one having the Spirit and the ground of it refuted p. 1156. The Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation and the Spirit of Grace and Holyness are greatly differing p. 1290. The Spirit of God can and does overpower the Hearts Tongues and Actions of Men so as to serve the design of God's Glory 1290 1291 1292 Spirits unclean what p. 175. Spirits evil and unclean the Jews supposed the first inflicted Diseases the second haunted Burying places p. 441 442. Spirits Angels and Demons distinguished among the Jews p. 483. The Sadducees denied the being of Spirits p. 1282 1284. Spirits and Angels how distinguished Page 1283 Spittle was accounted wholsom by the Jews for fore Eyes 570 Stationary Men what 278 Stock of Israel to be of the Stock of Israel the Jews supposed was sufficient to fit them for the Kingdom of Heaven 533 Stoned what sort of Persons or Criminals were to be stoned among the Jews 579 746 Stoning and other executions were without the City and why p. 266. How performed p. 349. The whole proceeding of it among the Jews 675 Strangled things what the meaning of the Apostolick Prohibition concerning them 697 Strato's Tower what 54 Streets some were memorable in Jerusalem 34 35 Stripes what number Malefactors were to be beaten with and what kind of Scourge 439 Subterraneous places as Mines and Caves were in the Land of Israel 88 Swearing among the Jewish Doctors little set by unless it amounted to forswearing 148 149 Sychem the Metropolis of Samaria called Neapolis the Jews in scorn called it Sychar 52 53 Synagogue or Synagogues a Synagogue was only formed where there were ten Learned Men of which number Three bore the Magistracy the next was the publick Minister of it called the Angel or Bishop then three Deacons or Almoners the eighth Man was the Interpreter the two last less known p. 132 to 134. Synagogue days were the seventh second and fifth in every week Synagogues were anciently builded in Fields but following times brought them into Cities and built them higher than the rest of the Houses every one was to frequent them at the stated times of prayer p. 134. On the Sabbath the Minister in the Synagogue called out any seven whom he pleased to read the Law there was also Prayer Catchising and Sermons in the afternoon a Divinity Lecture p. 135 136. There was a Synagogue in the Temple p. 395. In the Synagogue they read standing up p. 405. He that read was appointed by the Ruler of the Synagogue and called Maphtir and was to read one and twenty verses p. 406 Christ read and expounded as was usual in that Synagogue of which he was a Member p. 406. The Minister of the Synagogue kept the Sacred Books and brought them out to be read when the company was met together p. 407. A Synagogue might be made of a dwelling House an Heathen might build a Synagogue p. 413 414. The Synagogue Minister or Bishop of the Synagogue and Ruler how differing p. 172. There were in Jerusalem four hundred and sixty Synagogues or four hundred and eighty as say others p. 35 664. Synagogue of the Alexandrians what p. 36. In every Synagogue there were three Magistrates who judged of matters of contest arising within the place p. 179 180. Whether lawful to alienate a Synagogue from a sacred to a common use 664 Syriack or Aramtan Language under the second Temple was that which went under the Name of the Hebrew 659 Syrophenician what 202 T. TABERNACLE of the Levitical Priesthood why those that serve there have no right to eat at the Altar that Christians have Page 1264 Tabernacles the Feast of Tabernacles the preparation for it and the parts of it p. 554 555. How and wherefore the eighth Day was computed great by the Jews 559 560 Tabernae or Shops where things were fold for the Temple where situate 512 Tabitha is of eternal memory in Acts 9. and in the Pages of the Talmudists p. 18. Every Maid Servant of Rabban Gamaliel was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Mother Tabitha p. 18. Tabitha Kumi what it signifies 342 Table Gesture or the manner of the Jews sitting there with the form of the Table 595 596 Table second The Commands of the Second Table chiefly injoyned in the Gospel and why 1064 Tables of Mony Changers in the Temple which our Saviour overthrew what 1204 Tabor was not the Mount where Christ was transfigured p. 346. Mount Tabor what and where situate 495 c. Talent what 468 Talith was a Cloak which the Jews used to wear made of Linnin 355 417 Talmud of Jerusalem and it may be the Talmudick Mishna was written at Tiberias p. 72 73. The Jerusalem Talmud is like them that made it 73 74 Tamar and Engedi are the same 7 Tarichet was a City thirty furlongs from Tiberias 71 Tarnegola the upper called Gebar or Gabara by the Rabbins 77 Tarsus was a famous Greek Academy 644 Tauros a Mountain where situate 516 Teachers of the Law and Lawyers what p. 433 434. Teachers used to sit down when they had done reading while they taught 689 Teaching was even by the Jewish Doctors sometimes performed out of the Synagogues in Streets and ways 410 Temple of Jerusalem ten wonders referring to it p. 21. It s breadth and length p. 33 34. In easing nature within the view of the Temple though at a great distance immodest Parts were to be turned the contrary way p. 41. There was a constant Market in the Temple and Shops for that end p. 224. Some hints of the condition of the Second Temple p. 512 513 514 How long it was in building by Solomon Zorobabel and especially by Herod p. 529 530. How much the Second Temple came behind the first p. 530. There were three Temples one at Jerusalem another on Mount Gerizzim and a third in Egypt p. 540 541. The Second
thou hast promised by the Prophets And in another place this is thrice recited t t t t t t Sotah cap. 9 hal 15. Whom have we whereon to relye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides our Father which is in Heaven u u u u u u Joma cap. 8. hal 9. Blessed are ye O Israelites who cleanseth you your Father who is in Heaven x x x x x x Hieros Maaseroth fol. 50. 3. Ye gave not to your Father who is in Heaven but to me the Priest II. But in what sense did the Jews call God their Father in Heaven when they were altogether ignorant of the Doctrine and mystery of Adoption besides that Adoption whereby God had adopted them for a peculiar people I answer for that very cause they were taught by God himself so to call him Exod IV. 22. Deut. XXXII 6 c. Nor was there any among them who not only might not do this but also who ought not to do it While the Heathen said to his Idol Thou art my Father Jer. II. 27. the Israelite was bound to say Our Father which art in Heaven Es. LXIII 16. LXIV 8. III. When Christ useth this manner of speech so very well known to the Nation does he not use it in a sense that was known to the Nation also Let them answer who would have the Lords Prayer to be prayed and said by none but by those who are indeed Believers and who have partook of true adoption In what sense was our Saviour when he spake these words understood of the Hearers They were throughly instructed from their Cradles to call God the Father in Heaven they neither hear Christ changing the Phrase nor curtailing any thing from the latitude of the known and used sense Therefore let them tell me Did not Peter John and the rest of the Apostles think that it was as lawful for all Christians to say to God Our Father which art in Heaven as it was lawful for all Jews They called God Father because he had called them into the profession of him because he took care of them and instructed them c. And what I beseech you hinders but all Christians obtaining the same priviledges may honour God with the same compellation There is nothing in the words of Christ that hinders and there is somewhat in the very phrase that permits it VERS X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdom come THIS obtained for an Axiom in the Jewish Schools 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y y y y y y Bab. Beracoth fol. 40. 2. That prayer wherein there is not mention of the Kingdom of God is not a prayer Where these words are also added Abai saith like to this is that of Rabh to be reckoned that it is a tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have not transgressed thy precepts nor have I forgot them they are the words of him that offereth the first fruits Deut. XXVI 13. I have not transgressed that is by not giving thanks And I have not forgot them that is I have not forgot to commemorate thy name and thy Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thy will be done as in Heaven c. z z z z z z Bab. Berac fol. 29. 2. What is the short prayer R. Eliezer saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do thy will in Heaven and give quietness of spirit to them that fear thee beneath or in earth VERS XI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Our daily bread THat is provide to morrows bread and give it us to day that we be not solicitous for to morrow as ver 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that which next follows not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super substantial from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The necessities of thy people Israel are many and their knowledge small so that they know not how to disclose their necessities let it be thy good pleasure to give to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What sufficeth for food c. VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deliver us from Evil. a a a a a a Berac f. 16. 2. RAbbi Judah was wont thus to pray let it be thy good pleasure to deliver us from impudent men and impudence from an evil man and from an evil chance from an evil affection from an evil companion from an evil neighbour from Satan the destroyer from a hard judgment and from a hard adversary c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For thine is the Kingdom c. I. In the publick Service in the Temple the commemoration of the Kingdom of God was the Respond instead of which the people answered Amen when the Priests ended their prayers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tradition is that they answered not Amen in the house of the Sanctuary What said they then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed by the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever b b b b b b Hieros Berac fol. 13. 3. Hence in the Tract Joma where the Rubrick of the day of Expiation is after various prayers recited which on that day the High Priest makes is added And the people answered Blessed be the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever See the c c c c c c Bab. Joma fol. 39. 1. 41. 2. but chiefly fol. 66. 1. places of that Tract noted in the margent There a short prayer of the High Priest is mentioned in which he thus concludes Be ye clean before Jehovah and these words are added But the Priests and people standing in the Court when they heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Name Jehovah pronounced out in its syllables adoring and falling prostrate upon their face they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed be the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever See also the Tract d d d d d d Bab. Taanith fol. 16. 2. Taanith where a reason is given of this doxology in the Gloss there II. This also they pronounced softly and in a gentle whisper while they were reciting the Phylacteries e e e e e e Bab. Pesachin fol. 56. 1. It is said of the men of Jericho that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They folded up the Schmah It is disputed what this means And R. Judah saith that they made some small pause after the reciting of this period Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord but they said not Blessed be the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever But by what reason do we say so R. Simeon ben Levi explains the mystery who saith Our father Jacob called his sons and said Gather your selves together and I will declare unto you It was in his mind to reveal to them the end of days and the Holy Spirit departed from him he said therefore Perhaps there is something prophane in my bed
which God forbid as it was to Abraham from whom proceeded Ismael and to Isaac from whom proceeded Esau. His sons said unto him Hear Israel the Lord our God is one Lord as in thy heart there is but one so in our hearts there is but one At that time our father Jacob began and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed be the Name of the Glory of his Kingdom for ever and ever The Rabbins said What shall we do Shall we say this Doxology Our Master Moses said it not Shall we not say it Our Father Jacob said it Therefore it was appointed to say it softly c. You see how very publick the use of this Doxology was and how very private too Being a Response it was pronounced in the Temple by all with a loud voice being an ejaculation it was spoken in the Phylacterical prayers by every single man in a very low voice And you see how great an agreement it hath with the Conclusion of the Lords prayer For thine is the Kingdom c. III. As they answered Amen not at all in the publick prayers in the Temple so they seldom joyned it to the end of their private prayers In the Synagogue indeed the people answered Amen to the prayers made by the Minister and also at home when the Master of the family blessed or prayed but seldom or indeed never any one praying privately joyned this to the end of his prayers And now to apply those things which have been said to the matter under our hands consider the following things 1. That this prayer was twice delivered by our Saviour first in this Sermon in the Mount when he was not asked and afterwards when he was asked almost half a year after Luke XI 2. That this Conclusion is added in St. Matthew For thine is the Kingdom c. But in St. Luke it is not In St. Matthew is added moreover the word Amen but in St. Luke it is wanting Upon the whole matter therefore we infer I. That Christ in exhibiting this form of prayer followed a very usual rite and custom of the Nation II. That the Disciples also receiving this form delivered to them could not but receive it according to the manner and sense of the Nation usual in such cases since he introduced no exception at all from that general rule and custom III. That he scarcely could signifie his mind that this prayer should be universally and constantly used by any marks or signs more clear than those which be made use of For First He commanded all without any exception or distinction After this manner pray ye And When ye pray say Our Father c. Secondly As according to the ordinary custom of the Nation Forms of prayer delivered by the Masters to their Scholars were to be used and were used by them all indifferently and without distinction of persons so also He neither suggested any thing concerning this his prayer either besides the common custom or contrary to it Thirdly The Form it self carries along with it certain characters both of its publick and private and constant use It may certainly with good reason be asked why since Christ had delivered this prayer in such plain words in his Sermon upon the Mount this command moreover being added After this manner pray ye it was desired again that he would teach them to pray What had they forgotten that prayer that was given them there Were they ignorant that it was given them for a form of prayer and so to be used But this seems rather the cause why they desired a second time a form of prayer namely because they might reckon that first for a publick form of prayer since this might easily be evinced both by the addition of the Conclusion so like the publick Response in the Temple and especially by the addition of Amen used only in publick Assemblies therefore they beseech him again that he would teach them to pray privately and he repeats the same form but omits the Conclusion and Amen which savoured of publick use Therefore you have in the Conclusion a sign of the publick use by the agreement of it to the Response in the Temple and of the private by the agreement of it to the ejaculation in the Phylacterical prayers A sign of the publick use was in the addition of Amen a sign of the private use was in the absence of it a sign of both in the conformity of the whole to the custom of the Nation Christ taught his Disciples to pray as John had taught his Luke XI 1. John taught his as the Masters among the Jews had theirs by yeilding them a form to be used by all theirs daily verbatim and in terms VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They disfigure their faces THAT is they disguised their faces with ashes as he heretofore upon another cause 1 King XX. 38. f f f f f f Taanith c. 2 In the publick fasts every one took ashes and put upon his head g g g g g g Juchasin f. 59 They say of R. Joshua ben Ananiah that all the days of his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his face was black by reason of his fastings h h h h h h Bab. Sotah fol. 12. 1. Why is his name called Ashur 1 Chron. IV. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because his face was black by fastings Here let that of Seneca come in i i i i i i Epist. 5. This is against nature to hate easie cleanliness and to affect nastiness VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But thou when thou fastest anoint thy head c. FOR those that fasted neither anointed themselves nor washed k k k k k k Joma cap. 8. hal 1. On the day of expiation it was forbidden to eat to drink to wash to anoint themselves to put on their Sandals to lye with their wives But the King and the Bride may wash their faces and a midwife may put on her Sandals See the l l l l l l Fol. 77. 2. Babylonian Gemara here See also the Babylonian Talmud in the Tract m m m m m m Fol. 12. 2. 8 132. Taanith concerning other fasts and the fasts of private men They were wont to anoint their bodies and heads upon a threefold reason I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For â—iner dress n n n n n n Hieros in Maasar Sheni fol. 53. 2. Schab fol. 12. 1 Anointing is permitted to be used on the Sabbath whether it be for ornament or not for ornament On the day of expiation both are forbidden On the ninth day of the month Ab and in the publick fasts anointing for dress is forbid anointing not for dress is allowed II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They anointed themselves often not for excess or bravery or delight but for the healing of some disease or for the health of the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o o o o o o
did he importune another Aâ—sw It â—â— likely he did know it and as likely he did not expect the repetition of the same again but being very intent upon what John had done for his Disciples did hope for a Form more full and copious that might more largely and particularly express what they were to ask for according to what he had observed probably in the Form that bad been prescribed by John but the divine wisdom of our Saviour knew however that all was sufficiently comprehended in what he had given them And as the Jews had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 short summary of those eighteen Prayers epitomized so would he have this Form of his a short summary of all that we ought to ask for VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And lead us not into temptation I Am much deceived if this petition is not amongst other things and indeed principally and in the first place directed against the visible apparitions of the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The evil one as also his actual obsessions by which the phrase of God's leading us into temptation is very much sofâ—ned The Doxology For thine is the Kingdom c. is leâ—â— out because it was our Saviours intention in this place to deliver to them a Form of Prayer merely petitionary for which very same reason also Amen is omitted too d d d d d d 1 Cor. XIV 16. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall say Amen at thy giving of thanks And indeed they commonly ended all their Prayers even those that consisted most of Petition with Thanksgiving and Benediction concluding in this manner Blessed be them O Lord who hast thus done or thus commanded or the like and then was it answered by all Amen This we may observe in those Psalms that conclude any portion of that Book and end with Amen e e e e e e â—â—e Psalm XII â—â— XXII IXXXIX â—â—â— upon what subject soever the Psalmist is ingaged either throughout the whole Psalm or immediately before the bringing â—orth of Amen still he never doth mention Amen without some foregoing Doxology and Benediction Blessed be the Lord God c. Amen and Amen In St. Matthew therefore we find Amen because there is the Doxology In St. Luke it is wanting because the Doxology is so too You may see more of this in Notes upon Matth. VI. VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Through Beelzebub the chief of the Devils I. AS to this name of Beelzebub I have f f f f f f Matth. XII elsewhere discoursed and do still assert the reading of it with the letter l in the end of it viz. Beelzebul against the Syrâ—ack Persiam Vulgar and other Translations which read it Beelzebub The Italian cautiously indeed but not purely Beelzebu that he might not strike upon either the one or the other reading but in the mean time I will not answer for the faithfulness and candor of the Interpreter II. Amongst the Jews we may observe three Devils called the chief or Prince of the Devils 1. The Angel of Death who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Elleh Hadâ—eâ—harim rab fol. 302. 2. Prince of all the Satans 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devil Ashmodeus Of him afterwards 3. Beelzebul in this place Now as to vindicating the writing of it by l in the end of the word and not b. III. It is a question whether there were such a thing as Beelzebub in rerum naturâ Why should not the deity of the place take his farewel when Ekron the place of this Deity was wholly obliterated When there was no more an Idol nor Oracle at Ekron did not the Demon cease to be Beelzebub any longer although it did not cease to be a Demon Wherever therefore Ekron was under the second Temple or the place where it had been under the first you can hardly perswade me there was any Idol or Oracle of Beelzebub and so not Beelzebub himself I will not here dispute whether Aâ—hor the Cyrenians tutelar God against flyes h h h h h h Plin. lib. 10. 28. hath any relation or affinity with the name of Ekron Let it be granted that Beelzebub might change his soil upon some occasion and remove from Ekron to Cyrene but then how should he come to be the Prince of the Devils when all his business and power was only among flies It may not be improbable perhaps that he might be first or chief of those Demons or Baalim that Ahab brought among the Israelites and so Ahaziah his Son in the midst of his affliction and danger might fly to refuge to that Idol as what had been the God of his Father But what is it could move the Ages following at so long distance of time from this that they should esteem this Demon Beelzebub the prince of the Devils Here I confess my self not well satisfied But as to Beelzebul something may be said IV. I have already shewn in notes upon Matth. XII that the Jewish Doctors and such were these who contended with our Saviour did give Idolatrous worship the denomination of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebul or Dung for the ignominy of the thing and so was the Nation generally taught by these Rabbins I gave some instances for the proof of it which I shall not here repeat but add one more i i i i i i Midras Schir fol. 2. 1. It is said of Joseph when his Mistress would have tempted him to Adultery that he came into the house to do his business R. Judah saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was a day of fooling and of dunging it was a day of theatres Where the Gloss upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebul Stercoration saith thus It is a word of contempt and so it is expounded by R. Solomon in the Treatise Avodah Zarah and Tosaphoth viz. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to Sacrifice that is to Idols and they prove it out of Jerusalem Beracoth where it is said he that seeth a place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they dung that is offer sacrifice to an Idol let him say whoso offereth Sacrifice to strange Gods let him be accursed Which words we have also alledged out of the Jerusalem Talmud V. Now therefore when Idolatry was denominated Zebul amongst the Jews and indeed reckoned amongst the grievousest of sins they could be guilty of that Devil whom they supposed to preside over this piece of wickedness they named him Beelzebul and esteemed him the prince of the Devils or if you will pardon the expression the most deviliz'd of all Devils VI. They give the like title to the Devil Asmodeus k k k k k k Gittin fol. 68. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asmodeus the King of the Devils l l l l l l Vajicra rabb fol. 70. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devil the prince of the spirits Which
elsewhere is expounded d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devil Ashmodeus For in both places we have this ridiculous tale There was a certain Woman brought forth a son in the m Beresh rabb fol 39. 3. night time and said to her son a child newly born you must know go and light me a Candle that I may cut thy Navel As he was going the Devil Asmodeus meeting him said to him go and tell thy Mother that if the Cock had not crowed I would have killed thee c. The very name points at Apostacy not so much that the Devil was an Apostate as that this Devil provoked and entised people to apostatize Beelzebul amongst the Gentiles and Asmodeus amongst the Jews the first Authors of their apostacy Whether both the Name and Demon were not found out by the Jews to affright the Samaritans See the place above quoted n n n n n n Bâ—resh rabb col 4. Whenas Noah went to plant a Vineyard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Demon Asmodeus met him and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let me partake with thee c. So that it seems they suppose Asmodeus had an hand in Noah's drunkenness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he that is Solomon sinned Asmodeus drove him to it c. They call the Angel of death by the name of Prince of all Satans because he destroys all mankind by death none excepted VERS XXXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Queen of the South c. I. I Cannot but wonder what should be the meaning of that passage in o o o o o o Fol. 15. 2. Bava bathra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whoever saith that the Queen of Sheba was a Woman doth no other than mistake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What then is the Queen of Sheba The Kingdom of Sheba He would have the whole Kingdom of the Sabeans to have come to Solomon perhaps what is said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an exceeding great Army for so is that clause rendred by some might seem to sound something of this nature in his ears But if there was any kind of ambiguity in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as indeed there is none or if Interpreters doubted at all about it as indeed none had done the great Oracle of truth hath here taught us that the Queen did come to Solomon but why doth he term her the Queen of the South and not the Queen of Sheba II. There are plausible things upon this occasion spoken concerning Sheba of the Arabians which we have no leisure to discuss at present I am apt rather to apprehend that our Saviour may call her the Queen of the South in much a like sense as the King of Egypt is called in Daniel the King of the South the Countries in that quarter of the world were very well known amongst the Jews by that title but I question whether the Arabian Saba were so or no. Grant that some of the Arabian Countries be in later ages called Aliemin or Southern parts yet I doubt whether so called by antiquity or in the days of our Saviour Whereas it is said that the Queen of the South came to hear the wisdom of Solomon is it worth the patience of the Reader to hear a little the folly of the Jews about this matter Because it is said that she came to make a proof of his wisdom by dark sayings and hard questions these Doctors will be telling us what kind of riddles and hard questions she put to him p p p p p p Midr. Mis. about the beginning She saith unto him if I ask thee any thing wilt thou answer me He said it is the Lord that giveth wisdom She saith what is this then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are seven things go out and nine enter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two mingle or prepare the cup and one drinks of it He saith there are seven days for a Womans separation that go out and nine months for her bringing forth that come in Two breasts do mingle or prepare the cup and one sucks it Again saith she I will ask thee one thing more what is this A Woman saith unto her Son thy Father was my Father thy Grandfather was my Husband thou art my Son and I am thy Sister To whom he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely they were Lot's Daughters There is much more of this kind but thus much may suffice for riddles VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. No man when he hath lighted a Candle c. THE coherence of this passage with what went before seems a little difficult but the connexion probably is this There were some that had reviled him as if he had cast out Devils by the Prince of the Devils others that had required a sign from Heaven Vers. 15 16. To the former of these he gives an answer Vers. 17 18. and indeed to both of them Vers. 19. and so on This passage we are upon respects both but the latter more principally q. d. You require a sign of me would you have me light a Candle and put it under a bushel Would you have me work miracles when I am assured beforehand you will not believe these miracles Which however of themselves they may shine like a candle lighted up yet in respect to you that believe them not it is no other than a candle under a bushel or in a secret place VERS XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole shall be full of light THIS clause seems so much the same with the former as if there were something of Tautology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If thy whole body therefore be full of light c. our Saviour speaketh of the eye after the manner of the Schools where the evil eye or the eye not single signify'd the covetous envious and malicious mind Do not bring such a mind along with thee but a candid benign gentle mind then thou wilt be all bright and clear thy self and all things will be bright and clear to thee If you had but such a mind O! ye carping blasphemous Jews you would not frame so sordid and infamous a judgment of my miracles but you would have a clear and candid opinion concerning them VERS XXXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he had not first washed before dinner HAD the Pharisee himself washed before dinner in that sense wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the washing of the whole body it is hardly credible when there was neither need nor was it the custom to wash the whole body before meat but the hands only This we have spoken larglier upon elswhere q q q q q q Vid. Notes upon Mâ—t XV. Mark VII from whence it will be necessary for us to repeat these things that there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a washing of the hands and there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dipping of the