15. 1 Chron. 25. 1 2 3. 2 Chro. 29. 30. 35. 15. 1 Cor. 11. 5. Judg. 1â— 14. 20 10. 1 Sam. 1. 4. 2 Sam. 21. â— Hos 9. 9. 10. 9. was a Third Gibbeah Gibea Giboah Gabang Gibgnah This name doth import some High place or Hill in or very near a City so called where there was a School of young Prophets called The Hill of God a good seat therefore for Students proper for such an Education in a Free Air An Heap of Prophets A cord or String or Chorus of Prophets a Colledgiated company of them well embodyed and held together whom Saul as they were coming down this Hill met they having musical instruments for to help forward the rousing and reviving of their Spirits in Prophecy praising Jehovah Aelohim in Hymns and in Psalms For so did the Prophets of old when they either foretold things to come or otherwaies made known the will of the Lord unto the people uttering themselves musically by well tuned Harmony in a poetical strain or versifying composure which will give some light unto some Scriptures where the word Prophecy has this signification In the present instance about Saul The very Instruments themselves A Psaltery Tabret Pipe and Harp do discover it to be This kind of Prophecy Praising Jehovah with melodious Hymns and Spiritual Songs in Divine raptures Saul himself at that time being in the same Transport of spirit for the Spirit of Jehovah coming and leaping upon him he also prophecyed in the midst of them which occasioned that saying what is This that hath befaln to the Son of Kis Is Saul also among the Prophets which became a Proverb and a man of that place answered But who is their Father It was Jehovah the Father who gave unto Saul as unto those sons a spirit of Prophecy and under God they had a Father some Aged Prophet who was their Teacher to skill them in Scripture-learning as they studyed the orginal Hebrew in this School or Synagogue at Gibeah of Ael where the forces of the Philistines did garrison and keep watch Souldiers and Armies even amongst Pagans Enemies should yet be friendly to Schools and Colledges of Scripture-disciples and Students allowing peaceably the opportunities advantages and maintenances of such If this were Gabaa-Benjamin it was also a further Remark putting a peculiar Additional Honour upon That Tribe It had the Surname of Saul Gibeah of Saul The Instructors and Tutors of these young Sons were mostly the more aged gifted experienced and skilful of the Priests and Levites and some other special extraordinary Prophets of other Tribes trayning up and Catechizing of the more promising and hopeful youths for the Service of the Sanctuary and for the Teaching of the people this was the more ordinary way in the use of instituted means for the Educating and instructing of such under the Government and Tuition of the wiser Elders though the manifestation of the Spirit in a Gift of Prophecy was freely distributed to any other when He would Thus had this Place a Name of Honour whilst the word and Laws of Christ were the Study and practice of these Disciples till they corrupted themselves and one another and the worship and Service of God and so defaced and blotted their Glory The Places where these Scholars were taught were usually Hills called Geba and Gebajoth High places or (e) 1 Sam. 10. 5. 10. Josh 24. 33. Judg. 7. 1. 1 Sam. 10. 19 20. 2 King 22. 14. Hills where their Colledges or Synagogues did stand one of them is named The Hill Moreh The Hill of the Teacher or of the Teaching one of him who Teaching these young Sons from an Hebrew root which doth signify to cast whence also Torah The Law Doctrine Teaching Instruction An orderly disposition of Precepts an Aiming at the Knowledg and exaltation of Gods Law and Honour as the shooter of an Arrow or the caster of a Dart at some eyed mark The Targum calls such a School the House of Doctrine and such a place in the City of Jerusalem had its name Mishnch translated Colledg from a root which doth signify to iterate reiterate repeat geminate ingeminate because the manner of Teaching of Scholars is by repeating and going over again the Doctrines and Lessons which are taught that they might make the more deep and abiding impression upon the mind and memory of the Learners A Fourth was (f) 1 Sam. 19. 18 19 20 21 22. 23 24. 20. 1. 2 King 6. 1 2. Najoth The word taken Appellatively and so considered doth signifie laudable delightful Habitacles Fair and pleasant dwelling places For there usually were these Colledges built in an hilly high pure and healthful Air where was commodious Free breathing and a goodly spacious dwelling for too straitning a place or too-stifling an Air doth very much incommode students Here it is a proper Name near Ramah where Samuel dwelled and it was a School of the Prophets where Sons and Disciples were educated under the Tuition of Samuel unto whom these disciples came who gave themselves to the study of the Scriptures which their Tutor and Teacher expounded to them opening both the secrets of Nature the mysteries of Grace and the significant Propriety of the Hebrew words and Phrases to them here again the Targum calls it The House of Doctrine Ramah was the name of an High mountain and Najoth the name of this pleasant School nigh unto it A retired Colledge fitted for study suited to meditation where Samuel was overseer and President Rector and master Governour and Father Here Sauls messengers not only once but a second and a third time and Saul himself too in his way thitherward a second time were ravished into an Extasy with a spirit of Prophecy These Masters and Teachers in tract of time were greatly corrupted themselves and accordingly they corrupted the minds of their disciples imposing their own magisterial dictates upon the Learners as if it had been Authority enough that such Rabbies said so (g) Matth. 23. 7 8 9 10. Luk. 2. 46 47 52. Mat. 5 6 7. ch Matth. 19. 16 17-27 22. 16 17-46 1 Tim. 3. 1 2 6. 4. 12. 5. 23. 2 Tim. 3. 14-17 which Lording it over mens consciences Christ declared against in His time calling Disciples from such usurpers of Supremacy and Infallibility He Himself being their One and only supream Doctor Master and Father When Christ was but twelve years of age so incomparably-excelling were His Gifts His understanding and Answers even to astonishment that He Sate among the Doctors in the midst of them both hearing them and asking them Questions For that was the manner of teaching of these Disciples either by a continued Speech of the Master or else by Questions and Answers between Teacher and Learner Christ was well grown in wisdom when He was but young in years but as for others it becomes them to remember that whilst they are in their young years they
to see the goodness of Iehovah in the land of the living which doth too much imprison the sense and confine it to that one particular which is not the weightiest neither For that expression except I had believed this doth take in all the experimental cases mentioned in that psalm except I had believed I had been afraid of men when they made battle against me to eat my flesh I had dreaded my distressers and my enemies my heart had been afraid when a pitched Host pitched against me when war rose up against me except he had believed his heart had not been confirmed and strong waiting and expecting when he was banished and driven from the house of Jehovah where he longed to sit all the dayes of his life to view in the pleasantness of Jehovah and to enquire in his Palace except he had believed this what should he have done in the day of evil how could he in such a case have been confident that Jehovah would keep him privily in His pavilion that he would keep him secret in the secret of his Tent and that he would exalt him on a Rock and that his head should be lifted up above his enemies round about him that he should Sacrifice in his Tent Sacrifices of shouting and sing Psalms to Jehovah except he had believed this how could he have lived to his comfort and Satisfaction that though his Father and his Mother would forsake him yet Jehovah would not leave nor forsake him but be his Saviour and gather him except he had believed this how could he have kept an even frame of spirit when he had so many envyers when he was in such danger to be given to the Soul to the will and lust of his Distressers For witnesses of Falshood did stand up against him and the man who breathed violent wrong how injuriously therefore do they charge the Scriptures as if they were no perfect Rule because of such imperfect Speeches as they miscal them whereas this Psalm has the greater Fulness and more Perfection by this means as has been shewn In (q) Psa 109. 4. the one hundredth and ninth Psalm For my love they my slanderous enemies are adversaries to me and I give my self to Prayer here the Translators put in four words of their own which are Give my self to whereas the original is And I Prayer this doth set out one singular truth Duty grace and experience concerning prayer for besides the Several Passages in this Psalm to which it doth relate and concerning which it doth afford a choice either Prevention or remedy as to heart-akes Soul-sicknesses and bodily ailes it doth contain in it An excellent Directory for Prayer when a Believer under such trying cases is at prayer he should be All prayer his whole man should be all ingaged in prayer he should go to Jehovah in Prayer to Jehovah the father to Jehovah the Son to Christ as Mediator to Jehovah the holy spirit to a proper word and to suitable promises in prayer he should see that Graces in their places be acted in prayer he should pray in prayer thus Prayer should be prayer prayer well filled up How much beyond the Translator's-Supplement would this Scripture-expression lead an experienced beleiver Take an instance in the New Testament When the Mother of Zebedees Children came unto Christ desiring a certain thing of Him even to grant that those her two Sons whom she brought along with her to him might sit the one on his Right hand and the other on his Left in His Kingdom one part of Christ's answer was (r) Mat. 20. 23. that to sit on his Right hand and on his Left was not his to give but the Translators put in of their own It shall be given to them these five or six words they add for whom it is prepared of my father If an ignorant Teacher of an ignorant People were to raise Doctrines from this clause they were like to be these two One that to Sit on Christs right hand and on his left is not Christs to give The other that to Sit on Christs right hand and on his left shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of Christs Father These two seem very fairly rightly drawn from the words as translated in English and yet the former of these two is a False Doctrine For it is Christs to give as other (s) Rev. 3. 21. John 5. 22. 27. 13. 3. 17. 2. Scriptures do convincingly prove he has commissioned Power to grant unto him who overcoming to Sit with him in his Throne The Father hath committed All judgment unto the Son he hath given Christ authority to execute judgment The Father gave All things into Christs hands he gave Christ power over all flesh All authoritative power in heaven and in Earth was given unto Christ The Translation therefore should have run thus To Sit from my Rights and from my lefts the Plural Number in both takes in hands Arms sides c. not is it mine to give But or except or save to them it is prepared of my Father Christs it was to give but to such as were expressed in his Commission whom the Fathers purpose was to honour with such a Priviledg Though these and such like Supplements of men by which they pretend they would fill up the Sence be printed in lesser Characters in many Bibles yet not in All English Bibles and where they are printed in lesser Letters yet scarce one of many scores doth take any notice of this to exercise practical judgment about it and to compare Spirituals with Spirituals concerning it As for what doth concern the Right pointing of Sentences and distinguishing of those Sentences by Punctations and Accentuations This is not a meer humane invention but a God-inspired institution For if these be taken away how many blasphemies would Ignorance and malice quickly run into consider that Passage (t) Psal 5. 4. in the Fifth Psalm If a full Period be placed there where there is but a Comma or a Colon would it not be Blasphemy to make a full stop to these words Thou art not A God and so to read no further whereas it must be otherwise pointed For Thou not Ael or the mighty Almighty one A God delighting wickedness The Evil shall not sojourn thee Thus he who will read to the Period finds excelling sence in this choice Scripture To have a Distinction of a Sentence into certain members of it is natural and significant that there may be just spaces alloted both for due breathing and for right understanding the moderating of the respireing Faculty giveth both a Grace to the speech and a light to the apprehension of what is spoken The shortest point in a Sentence leaveth such a space as the ordinary pulse and measure of time is in musick yet so as that what doth follow do quickly Succeed after the breath is drawn in the next to this has a longer and larger respiration
the Scriptures to have given a Specimen of these following Particulars towards the Advancement of Scripture-learning towards which I am like to bequeath my Studies and Collections unto such a School both as to my printed and written books An exact version or Translation of the Original Scriptures word for word without any human alterations or Supplements additions or Substractions with instances in several places what wrong is done unto the word of God and how the Translators were Malignly influenced upon by some thereby to serve Partial designs and Carnal ends and Corrupt interests of Churches and States Those who may have a call to and for such a work should be eminently gifted and graced fitted and furnished by Jehovah Aelohim for such a work Such as would be Right Translators of the Bible they must be God-taught-ones very Humble and mortifyed very Skilful in the original Language Experienced believers and Growing Saints not wedded to privat interests nor swayed by a Partial Spirit such as are much and mighty with a God hearing prayer spiritual wrestlers and powerful prevailers through Christs intercession with Him having Free converse and Distinct Communion with the Father Son and Holy Spirit It is a reproach to the Protestant Cause that one of the best Translations that we have of the Bible in an interlineary we have received from a Popish hand what pen can write down all the losses which the precious Souls of the Common sort of people do Sustain by the many useful mysteries of the Christian Religion which are hid from them for want of This How much has the Cause of Christ Suffered even from a Preaching Ministry by a pertinacious adhering to a Corrupt Translation whilst they let go if they understand it That proper significancy of the Original words and phrases which doe best set out the great Truths and things of the Christian religion and do most commend themselves to the knowledg Faith and Experience of Spiritual Discerners with what singular endowments they should be qualifyed who are employed in such an undertaking is sooner set dowâ—â—â— writing then to be found as yet actually given to men by the Holy Spirit my own unfitness and inability I do readily acknowledg It is honour enough for me to Commend the work to others and to quicken them up by the Prayers of â—iâ—h to wrestle with the Lord for larger pourings down of his Spirit for suâ—â— an End O that I might live to see the Day when Such Eminently called ones might come forth more clothed with that Spirit An Hebrew Grammar and Lexicon should be composed out of the Holy Scriptures and not these Scriptures wrested and wryed to speak conformably to Grammars and Lexicons of Traditionary humane Composure All being to be kept within the Confines and borders of Original True Scripture and of Primitive pure nature of what use the Cognation of Languages would be in this might be considered For the Promoting of this such as have laid up any store or prepared any Materials concerning that which Jehovah Aelohim hath put into his written word and into Created Beings about Letters their figure name Power or force in Sound and Pronunciation Vowels Consonants Syllableâ— words sentences accents punctations distinguishing of Sentences Orthoepy or right Speaking with the instruments of Pronunciation which have so many wonderful secrets and hidden Mysteries both in Nature and in grace by which we communicate the Conceptions of our Heart and mind Orthography or Right writing Parts of speech in their several Proprieties particularly as to the verbs in the distinct significancy of their several Conjugations and as to the verbal Participles Syntax or Construction The only one Primary Original meaning of every Hebrew root the â—ap and Juice of which peculiar significancy should run into all the deviate branches not so making one and the same Word to signify so many various and contrary things To add no more now I am heartily thankful for what we have already hereof but it hath not as yet received its perfecting Advance This and what else might be further named I leave to the Serious and judicious to meditate upon The Lord give understanding herein Jehovah will give Wisdom out of his mouth Knowledg and understanding he hath hiddenly laid up essential Wisdom to the upright Wisdom shall enter into their Heart and Knowledg shall be sweat unto their Soul Of Hebrew Alphabet and Letters their Number and order of vowels Consonants Syllables Words Sentences Notes of Distinction and of Punctation in Sentences the Art and Science of Right speaking Right writing with their mutual Corresponding of the Parts of Speech of Etymologie or Analogy and somwhat of Syntax or of Construction JEhovah (s) Psal 139. 1 2 4 14. Thou hast searched me and Known Thou understandest my Familiar thought afar off when the speech not in my Tongue lo Jehovah Thou knowest it All. I will confess thee for that Fearfully marvellously made am I marvellous thy works and my soul knoweth very well Adam was made a speaking Creature whereby he was separated from and excelling of all others the Glorious Holy Angels only excepted His (t) Psal 16. 9. 30. 12. compare Act. 2. 26. Psa 57. 8 9. Gen. 49. 6. Soul and tongue were his Glory Jehovah Aelohim could have glorifyed and injoyed himself in himself though no Creature had been spoken into a Being or seeing he would give an Essence and Existence to a World He could have made all his Creatures dumb but his will and pleasure was for the exalting of himself and the extolling of his Name to create Angels and men such noble Beings as had Rational Souls intelligent minds and were voluntary Free Agents having Hearts and Judgments to conceive and understand and Tongues and other Instruments of speech wherewith to offer and bring forth those inward Conceptions vocally and so to be the tongued Trumpeters of the whole Creation and thereby to sound forth the high Praises of his Wisdom and Power in so Excelling and Perfect a Work as this goodly beautious World not only to behold it with their Eyes and to admire it in their Meditations but also by Angelical and Human voice to confess it with their Mouths How great a Mystery This is both in Nature in institution and in grace How notions of truths and of things have their Conception Apprehension clear and distinct Perception speculative Reasoning Practical judging comparing and considering Resolving and ultimate dictating how they have Assent or Dissent in the Heart and mind of Intelligent Creatures How these being Formed there are uttered and communicated to the other instruments of speech how brought forth into words and sentences by these how conveighed by voice to the Ear of another how received by the Ears of others how understood by hearing whither carryed from the ear How these come to be written in such a multitude of expressions and phrases where the Letters are so few how written words are discerned and understood by
from which we may not substract I shall cull out two compound Pronoun Affixes ci and mo one of these Letters jod in ci not one of which Christ would have (f) Matt. 5. 18. to fail which common Grammarians Translators and Interpreters do often misjudg to be altogether insignificant whereby much sweet Edifyingness of Experimental Scripture is quite lost to a vulgar reader When the Psalmist was in colloquie or conference with his own self calling (g) Psa 103. 1 3. 4 5. upon his soul and all his inward parts to bless Jehovah as for other things so particularly and especially for these he thus expresseth it Bless him O my Soul it is He who pardoningly-sparing All-thy-my iniquities who healing all thy-my-diseases who redeeming from the corrupting pit thy-my-lives who crowning thee-me with mercy and tender pities He will renew as an Eagle thy-my youths thy iniquities are my iniquities and my iniquities are thy iniquities thy Diseases are my Diseases and my Diseases are thy Diseases thy life and lives is my life and lives and my life and lives is thy life and lives Thy being crowned with mercy and tender pities is my being crowned with mercy and tender pities and my being crowned with mercy and tender pities is thy being crowned with mercy and tender pities Thy youths being renewed as an Eagle is my youths being renewed as an Eagle and my youths being renewed as an Eagle is thy youths being renewed as an Eagle and shouldst not thou and I therefore be blessing of this Jehovah are not every all of these mercy good to thee and to me and to our whole Man Thus in (h) Ps 116. 7. another Psalm Return thou O my soul unto thy-my-Rests For Jehovah hath bounteously-rewarded over thee-me all good rests are injoyable in him thy rests are my rests and my rests are thy rests Jehovahs bounteously rewarding thee is his bounteously rewarding me his bounteously rewarding me is his bounteously rewarding thee In this compound Pronoun-Affix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caph this doth signify the second Person singular thee thy thine being substituted in the room of Attah thou thee thy or thine â—â— Jod is the Affix or Suffix of the First Person singular importing me my mine being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me my or mine Both these put together do signify thy my c. when alone without caph as in Melchizedech Psal 110. 4. is my my King of Righteousness or King of my righteousness which doth set out the office and work of faith in applying of Christs imputed righteousness for justification I leave other places to the Holy Spirits teaching and to the observation and experience of the Intelligent In like manner have they dealt with that other Compouâ—d Pronoun Affix or Suffix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mem is the Pronoun Affix or Suffix of the third Person plural Masculin this when it doth stand a single termination added at the end of a word it doth signify Them their or theirs and is a letter taken out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They them their or theirs the Pronoun of the third Person Plural Masculin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Affix or Suffix of the third Person singular Masculin when a Termination put after a word importing him his c. which is taken and put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he him or his the Pronoun of the third person singular Masculin so that these two pronoun suffixes at the ends of words do differ as much as Plural and singular that is as much as one single individual person or more persons than one Take some Scripture Examples of this which will more clear it up and open the great usefulness of this discovery In (i) Psa 2. 3. Acts 4. 25 26 27 28. Luk. 1â— 14 27. 1 â—oh 5. 10. Joh. 3. 3 -36. 5. 23. the second Psalm both Jews and Gentiles are in a tumultuous rage peoples are muttering Kings of the Earth are setting themselves and Princes are plotting together and all against Jehovah the Father and against his Christ his holy Child Jesus whom he has anointed and they are brought in as saying and resolving we will break Those-Their-His bands the Bands of Father Son and holy Spirit all of them jointly together and the bands of the Son of Christ in special and we will cast from us Their-His-Cords the Cords of Father Son and holy Spirit and his Cords Christs cords particularly we will not be held in subjection under him we will not have him to reign over us we are resolved upon this not to give unto the Mashiach the Anointed One these signs of Homage This doth set out the sinningness of the sin of unbelief which doth reject the only remedy of Salvation by Christ in a way of believing which will not obey Christs laws nor receive the witness of God the father concerning his Son and thereby hath made God a liar because they believe not the Record that God gave of his Son and so by not honouring of the Son they do not honour the Father who sent him Thus in the (k) Psa 11. 7. 2 Cor. 13. 14. 1 Joh. 1. 3. Psa 11. 4 5 6. 34. 15 16. 33. 18. Job 3â— 7. 1 Pet. 3. 12. Eleventh Psalm For the righteous or just Jehovah righteousnesses hath loved The Right one they will or shall view Their-his-Faces The Faces of the Father of the Son and of the holy Spirit have very favourable aspects towards him towards every such one who is right or a righteous one They will each of them and every one of them all jointly and each distinctly will accept the Person and Service of such a one and plead his Cause he presenting himself and his case before them and orderly applying himself to each and keeping up a way of special communion with All and every one of these three Subsistences in the All-glorious one Jehovah-Essence when he doth solemnly appeal to them for Right referring his just cause or the Cause of others of the Lords people to them for righteous Judgment in their Court in Heaven against any false Accusers perjured witnesses or unjust Judges who would condemn him in the corrupted Courts of men And more especially the Faces of the Son of God of the Lord Jesus Christ who is a Mediator Advocate and Surety by Office in whose name For whose sake and by whose satisfaction and intercession they do supplicate for grace who has a Propriety in such a Righteous one which Propriety is the ground of his care and whose Interest it is to look after his own So that for want of opening of this in the Translation some of the most high Heavenly and holy mysteries of the whole Christian Religion do lye hid from a Common understanding The one is Three subsistences of Father Son and holy Spirit in one Jehovah-Essence and the way of an Experienced believers orderly distinct
meaning of Hebrew words and phrases they would keep close to some only one certain proper signification of every distinct Hebrew Root and that the Sap and juice of that significancy may run itself into every one of the branches boughs limbs fruits and leaves which do spring from thence so will the True and Genuin meaning have more clearness and * Compare Gen. 18. 23. Eccl. 7. 16 17. Prov. 21. 18. Eccless 3. 16. Deut. 25. 1 2. Prov. 17. 15. Psal 37. 33. consider the Hebrew of Psal 121. 2. certainty The most Proper significancy of divers Hebrew words is best discerned by their opposites from words of a quite contrary meaning * As he who would find out the true signification of Reshengnim must inquire what is the right understanding of Tzaddikim if the one do set out such as are just ones justified ones then the other must denote these who being unjust not justifyed How holy a Mystery How full a Treasury is there sometimes in one Compound-praeposition in This Tongue of Tongues Take a short hint of this My help said the Psalmist From-with Jehovah who making Heavens and Earth it has been so is so will be so from Him as the Author and Giver of it yet so from Him as that it is with Him He must preserve and keep alive what of help he does actually afford and he continually gives more Oh! who can enough sigh at and cry over the neglect of an exact version or translation of the Original Scriptures word for word without adding or altering into the Mother tongues as they commonly call them because they are such as their Mothers do teach their Children in the several Country's where they are born and bred whereas in True propriety of speech The Hebrew tongue is the only Mother-tongue as the most ancient original Tongue all other Tongues being daughter tongues at the Babel-Confusion of Languages each of which doth retain and borrow somewhat of and from the Hebrew This is an ingenious Age in almost every Art and Science else which the Virtuosi of the times are set much upon highly to advance and greatly to promote in their several sorts of Learning though it doth appear to me through a God-taughtness they lay aside at least the Best if not the only way of thorow obtaining of a Satisfying Knowledg which is the Holy Spirits teaching in the written word and in Created Beings according to that word and what must this only of all other wayes be laid aside Oh how often have I bewailed it with yearning bowels and compassionating pittyings over the precious Souls of the Sons and Daughters of Adam that so many rich truths should lye so much concealed from them wherein their Temporal Spiritual and Eternal good is so much concerned either by giving them no translation of the Scriptures in their own Countrey Language or by putting of them off with such a corrupt and defective such a dark misinterpreted translation in some places as doth hide so many profitable parts of Religion from them which yet Jehovah-Aelohim hath graciously vouchsafed to them in Holy Writ How many large Incomes and great estates have been sinfully mispent and prodigally wasted of late years in England by riotous living and such like Sensual bestialities which will pass heavily upon accompt another day when the Righteous judge of All shall sit upon their case and reckon with such and how many others are there who with the Horseleach are still crying Give Give still coveting more Gold and Silver Houses and Lands and still more being never satisfyed whilst scarcely can one man be found who first layes up at least that portion of Gods part the tenth part of his incom and who also lay's by more of the rest that upon a clear call and just occasion he may have by him a considerable sum for the carrying on of some eminently useful work for the Honour of our Lord and for the good of Souls and the Blessing of Nations such a work especially as this is which I am now upon If there be a new Bridg to be raised or a new great gate or Gate-house to be built or a conduit to be set up or a Superstitious Aedifice to be Superstructed or some such London-Monument to be erected the present Lord Mayors will lavish out of their Baggs to have their names Engraven and their Majoralties recorded to be read in the stones In such cases It is who can be the chief Overseer of such a work some Prince or Noble man or rich Merchant is ambitious at the Foundation or Finishing of such a great publick structure to lay on or cause to be laid on in open view the first or the last stone one or both of which stones it may be they will lay with their own hands (x) Zech. 4. 6 7 8 9 10. and then O what shouting out-cryes and joyful Acclamations are there sounded forth by the people But where are the Zerubbabels and Joshuahs who will set their hands to this new Temple work this later day-glory-work and where do such Prophets and such sons of the Prophets as of old in Samuels in Elijahs and in Elisha's dayes dwell what entertainment this printed paper may have upon the hearts of any into whose hands it may be received I have referred and committed to his care who has the hearts of the great ones in his hand Praying Longing and waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the conspicuous appearance of his Personal Presence when there shall be larger pourings out of his Spirit and when some shall come forth so cloathed with that Spirit when (y) Isa 19. 18. Zech. 3. 9. Isa 34. 16. Acts 14. 13. 1 Thes 3. 13. 2 Thes 2. 8. Heb. 9. 28. 1 Tim. 6. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 10. 4. 1 8. Titus 2. 13. Jude 14. Isa 32. 15. 44. 3 4. 59. 19 20 21. Ezek. 39. 29. 47. 1-12 Joel 2. 28 29. Zech. 4. 6. 12. 10. Rev. 1. 4. 2. 7 11 17 29. 3. 1 6 13 22. Mat. 24. 29 30 31. Mal. 4. 5 6. Rev. 1. 7. 22. 16-21 the lip of Canaan the Pure lip shall be turned to Jehovah's new Covenant-people and shall be Spoken by not only such as are born and bred Hebrews but others also when Jehovahs book shall be more searched after and into from above and when it shall be more crowned with good success upon hearts who shall here below set to their Seals unto that Testimony which shall by miraculous Attests from Heaven be given by the Author of that word of his grace Even so come Lord Jesus Amen Hallelujah POSTSCRIPT The Author intends Freely to impart what in his Measure he hath Freely received to any Sons whom the LORD shall make willing to be Christ's Disciples in this School About Three-times in every week there will be these Exercises One about the proper significancy of Original words and phrases Another about Philosophy A Third about Textual Sermons To which may be added a Specimen or Example of some particular Art or Science
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE HOUSE OF VVISDOM 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The HOUSE of the â—ons of the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An HOUSE of Exquisite Enquiry And of Deep Research 〈◊〉 the Mind of Jehovah Aelohim in the holy Scriptures of Truth 〈◊〉 the Original words and phrases and their proper significancy is â—â—gently studied faithfully compared and aptly put together for â—â—e further Promoting and higher Advancing of Scripture-Knowâ—â—â—ges of all useful Arts and profitable Sciences In the one Book â—â— Books the Word of Christ copied out and commented upon in â—reated Beings Second Essay in pursuit of the same Design held forth in a former Treatise inâ—â—tled All in One By the same Author more and yet more a Lover and Adâ—â—er of Christ and of his Word and Works Prov. 9. 1. Wisdom hath builded her House 2 King 4. 38. The Sons of the Prophets sitting to the faces of Elisha Matth. 11. 19. She hath been justified This Wisdom of those her Sons LONDON â—â—â—nted for the Author and are to be sold by John Lawrence at the Angel in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange 1681. THE House of Wisdom LET such an Uniform (a) Prov. 9. 1. 2 King 4. 18. Mat. 11. 19. Building be founded and superstructed and finished according to the Architectonick Art with Windows looking every way and Casements to be set open when it is needful to have the Rooms freely perflated quite blown thorow with gently-moving and sweetly-wholsom winds and excellently clarified and bright-beaming Sun-shines of Radiant splendour A dull and dark closet a Close smothering Room will breed Stifling Asthmas clogging phlegms panting wheezings they feed melancholy sluggishness raise offensive vapours and make the Spirits faint and swooning let it be in an Air pure clear fragrant and temperate such as may nourish and refresh the spirits of students and may preserve an healthful constitution and lively state of both their inward and outward man and such as is best suited to a Generous mind an Acute wit a clear brain a good Heart free-breathing lungs a sound liver a lively Colour a peircing sight a quick Hearing a discerning Palat a savoury smelling a milky honeyed fountain under the Tongue a clear voice and activity of limbs such Airs as are grosly-thick putridly-Corrupted noisomly-vaporous darkly-cloudy do breed rheumes cause obstructions annoy the lungs corrupt the blood beget ill humors infect and oppress the heart deject and imprison the Spirits having a malignant influence and diseaseing contagiousness quite subverting the Constitution and State of the whole man Let it be eminently Scituated in some open place some high Champion on a firm dry ground on an healthy red Earth having some living Spring of pure Water lying open to the East which East should also face the Front of this House that it may have the benign influence and the aspect of that Glorious luminary the serviceable Sun in its ascending flight with Healing wings * 2 Chron. 31. 14. Ezek. 11. 1. Luke 1. 78 79. Mal. 4. 2. Deut. 33. 2. Isa 60. 1. Job 1. 3. 23. 8 9. Psal 103. 12. Ezek. 40. 6. There was an East-gate of the Temple on Mount Tzijon This looked toward the East and was at the Principal Entrance into the Temple faced by the Rising Sun which is one of Christ's Names Christ is said to Rise up and to Shine forth as the Sun ariseth for of That Rising is the Hebrew word properly used The East is called Kedem Before because of the Positure of Man facing of the East The West Achor Behind The South Jamin the Right Hand The North Semoal the Left Hand In the Early Mornings when Students should be at their work betimes a clear Sun-shine doth visit them and a more pure and lightsom fresh and healthy Air salutes them or if there be not such a living spring yet some running Brook with silver Streams on a Sandy or Pebbly or Gravelly clean Channel and Bottom somewhat near adjoyning the Water being pure in taste sweet in smell altogether clean Low marshy filthy foggy Seats do infect Spirit Soul and Body also with vaporous sickly blasts with their grosness and impurity muddishness and waterishness and are thereby great endammagers of health The Grand Design of this noble undertaking being the improving-advance of Scripture-learning let us examine and collect and put orderly together what the written word of Jehovah Aelohim hath recorded concerning this Subject matter about Such Houses or Schools of the Sons of the Prophets Let that at (b) Gen. 28. 17 19 22. 31. 13. 35. 1 3 6 7 15. Hos 12. 4. 1 King 12. 28 29 30. Jer. 48. 13. Amos 3. 14. 4. 4. 7. 10 13 15. 5. 5. Hos 4. 15. 5. 8. 10. 5. 1 Sam. 7. 16. Jos 18. 21 22. 2 King 2. 3. Genes 12. 8. Josh 16. 1. Mat. 5. 14. 1 Sam. 13. 2. 1 King 13. 4 11. Amos 7. 13. 1 Sam. 10. 3. 2 King 2. 23. Beth-Ael because of its Name and Nature be the First it was a name of Honour The House of Ael whilst it was a Place kept pure for the instituted worship of Jehovah Aelohim In this City the Sons of the Prophets Some of them had a kind of Colledg or School Here the Lord appeared and revealed himself in special to Jacob manifesting his gracious Presence unto him Judge Samuel went from year to year in circuit to this Place which was in the heart of the Country belonging by Lot to the Tribe of Beniamin The Prophets Elijah and Elishah often visited This City for here was the Nursery for Scripture-learning where the Sons of the Prophets were addicted to that Study It had a mountain Eastward of it and Such little mountains and Hills at a convenient distance do somewhat hinder and keep back over-sharp blasting vaporous over-piercing over cold or otherwaies hurtful winds It stood upon a mount the eminence of the Habitation being best approved for health and for the prolonging of life the Air there being the more open and the breathing therefore the more Free the apter to engender an acuteness and generousness a publickness and magnificence of mind whereas when the dwellings of Studious men are in crooked and close in low and Fenny Countries those who are of a retired sedentary pondering and inquiring life are greatly incommoded thereby being of a more dull and drowzy sluggish and lazy sordid and earthy-distemperature whilst those who dwell in a more healthful and high a more pure and thin a more clear and heavenly Air are of a more princely and coelestial of a more subtil and refined of a more nimble and witty of a more ingenious and ingenuous of a more magnanimous and winged Spirit Habit State and Temper In this Beth-Ael dwelt an old Prophet It was a Royal City the house of the Kingdom There was an Ascending up unto it when it became Idolatrous its name was changed from Beth-Ael an house of God and Ael-Beth-Ael