7. c. 1 Sam. 4. 21. 1 Chron. 4. 29. and sometimes by the standers by at the birth as Gen. 38. 29. and 25. 25. Ruth 4. 18. but the Father at the Circumcision had still the casting voice whether the name should be so or no as appeareth by Jacobs changing Ben-oni into Benjamin Now Zacharie being dumb and the mother having given it no name at the birth the persons present undertake to call it by the name of the Father And now is he in circumcising that is the man appointed to be the first overthrow of Circumcision by bringing in Baptism instead of it R. Solomon from the Talmud in Sanhedrin expoundeth Jerem. 25. 10. I will take from them the sound of the milstones and the light of the candle to this sense The sound of the milstones signifieth the Feast at a Circumcision because they ground or bruised Spices for the healing of the sore and the light of the Candle signieth the Feast it self Thus do they confess a decay of Circumcision to be foretold by the Prophet and yet they stick not to deny most stiffly that Circumcision must ever decay Vers. 63. He wrote saying That is expressing or To this purpose as Exod. 18. 6. And Jethro said to Moses I Jethro come unto thee That is he signified so much by Letter as the serious viewing of the story will necessarily evince And so 2 King 5. 6. And he brought the Letter to the King of Israel saying not that Naaman that brought the Letter spake the words that follow but the Letter it self spake them John The Lord hath been gracious A name most fit for him that was to be the first Preacher of the Kingdom of grace and to point out him that was grace it self Rabbi Jochanan sayd what is the name of the Messias Some said Haninah Grace as it is said I will not give you Haninah that is the Messias who shall be called gracious Jer. 16. 13. Talmud bab in Pesach cap. 4. Vers. 64. And his mouth was opened Infidelity had closed his mouth and now faith or believing doth open it again And herein may this case of Zachary be fitly compared with the like of Moses Exod. 4. For he for distrust is in danger of his life as Zachary for the same fault is struk dumb but upon the circumcising of his child and recovery of his faith the danger is removed as Zacharies dumbness is at such a time and occasion as Psal. 116. 10. He believeth and therefore doth he speak And the tongue of the dumb doth sing Esa. 35. 6. And his tongue Our English hath added loosed for illustration as also hath the French and some say it is found in some Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But first no such word is expressed either in the Syrian Arabick Vulgar Latine Italian Erasmus or other Translators Nor secondly needeth there any such word to make a perfect sense but it may well help the simple and vulgar capacity what our English hath added Vers. 66. Laid them up in their hearts It could not but affect all that heard of this strange birth of the Baptist with wonder and amazement and singular observation both in regard that so many and great miracles were wrought in this time when miracles were so much abated and decayed as also in consideration that there was never birth before that had so many concomitants of wonder and miraculousness as the birth of this child Not of Isaac the glorious Patriach not of Moses the great Prophet nor of any other whatsoever that had been in former times And the hand of the Lord was with him Either the special favour and assistance of the Lord as Ezra 7. 6. and 8. 22 c. or the gift of Prophecy at capable years as 1 Sam. 3. 19. for so the hand of the Lord doth signifie Ezek. 1. 3. 37. 1. 40. 1. Psal. 80. 17. 1 Chron. 28. 19. Vers. 68. Redeemed Greek ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath made or wrought redemption In the very phrase implying a price paid for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth It is used again Chapter 2. 38. and by the LXX Psal. 111. 9. and 130. 7. and by Theodotion for satisfaction Prov. 6. 35. Vers. 69. An horn of Salvation Psal. 18. 1. 2 Sam. 22. 3. Vers. 70. Which have been since the World began Adams calling his wives name Eve or life in apprehension of the promise of the seed of the woman that should break the head of the Serpent Eves calling her Sons name Cain a purchase because she had obtained a man even the Lord or the Lord to become a man and her naming her other Son Seth or setled c. these were Prophecies that spake of Christ from the beginning of the world Vers. 71. That we should be saved from our enemies This hath sweet reference to the promise given at the beginning of the World from which time he had traced Prophecies in the verse preceding I will put enmity betwixt thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed He shall break thine head Gen. 3. 15. Where in the former words of the verse I will set enmity c. there is an expression who are our enemies namely the Serpent and his seed and in the latter he shall break thine head there is an intimation how we shall be saved namely by Christs breaking the head and power of Satan So that the former verse and this being laid together they arise unto this sense that all the Prophets from Adam and upward had their eye upon the promise in that garden and spake of salvation and delivered by Christ by his breaking the head and destroying the kingdom of the Devil Vers. 76. The Prophet of the Highest As Aaron to Moses Exod. 7. 1. Prophecy had been now very long decayed and but little thereof had been under the second Temple it is now reviving in an extraordinary manner and this child is to be the first of this race of Prophets that is in rising and to be the Harbinger of Christ himself Vers. 77. To give knowledge of salvation by remission c. The knowledge of salvation that the Law held forth at the first view was by legal righteousness and absolute performance of what was commanded but John who was to begin the Gospel brought in another Doctrine and gave the people knowledge of salvation by another way namely by the remission of sins as Rom. 4. 6 7. And this is the tenor of the Gospel Vers. 78. The day spring from an high Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the LXX to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The branch Esa. 4. 2. Jer. 23. 5. Zech. 3. 9. 6. 12. the name of Christ and so it may be understood of Christs personal coming and appearance amongst men as God is said to have visited Sarah Gen. 21. 1. that is not only in merciful dealing with her as to give her a child but also in personally
he include no less in what he speaketh and though if ever generation were viperous that was But the Baptist useth an expression that hitteth and reflecteth upon their Fathers and predecessors as well as themselves for he calleth them a brood or off-spring of Vipers intimating that they and their Fathers were Vipers both And this he doth that he might face and affront that fond and vain opinion of theirs which so much deluded them and whereupon they built great hopes and made great boasting namely of their being the children of Abraham No saith John Say not within your selves we have Abraham to our Father for ye are not the seed of the promise but the seed of the Serpent And thus he speaketh not only to the Pharisees and Sadduces the hereticks of the Nation but as Luke inlargeth it to all the multitude that came to be baptized Commenting upon the first promise at this first preaching of the Gospel and as on the one hand proclaiming Jesus that was coming after him to be the seed of the Woman so on the other declaring the Jews to be now become the seed of the Serpent who should persecute and kill the seed of the Woman howsoever they boasted themselves for the holy seed of Abraham And the same lesson our Saviour readeth them when he giveth them the same title Mat. 12. 34. and 23. 33. Vipers are the worst and most deadly of any Serpents for they destroy and kill suddenly Act. 28. 4. 6. See Job 20. 16. Isai. 30. 6. and 59. 5. from whence the Baptist and our Saviour seem to have this phrase and Epithet and Isai. 41. 24. as the margin of our English and an Expositor in Dav. Kimchi do interpret it § To flee from the wrath to come In this speech John seemeth to refer to the last words in all the Old Testament where Malachi prophecying of the Baptist and of his beginning to preach the Gospel He shall turn saith he the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the hearts of the Children to the Fathers Lest I come and smite the Land with a curse This meaneth that wrath to come which should surely fall upon them if they should disobey the Gospel which was now the last means offered them for their conversion and so it came to pass with them when about forty four years after this they were destroyed by the Romans Matth. 3. Vers. 9. Say not we have Abraham to our Father This was their common boasting as John 9. 33. the Chaldee Paraphrast and R. Sol. on Isai. 62. 6. And so doth Rabbi Solomon conceive that the Edomites were proud of their descent from Abraham as well as the Jews for thus he expoundeth those words in the Prophecy of Obadiah ver 3. Which dwellest in the clefts of the Rock He leaneth upon the staff of his Fathers Abraham and Isaac and they will not profit him § Of these stones to raise up children to Abraham Some take this figuratively as Ignat. Mart. Epist. ad Magnesios Clem. Alex. Portrept ad Graec. and others of the Gentiles who are stony-hearted toward the Truth and who worship stocks and stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham But it is rather to be interpreted literally for the crying down of their idle boasting That it was but a vain prop whereupon they leaned to think that it was enough for them that they were descended of Abraham for God by his omniponent power was able to make as good and towardly children to Abraham as they were even of stones Matrh 3. ver 10. And now also is the Ax laid unto the root of the Trees Whether we read it rationally as doth the Vulgar Latine For now the ax or conjunctively as doth our English And now also it plainly sheweth it self to be an Argument or Reason used to inforce something that goeth before And indeed it suiteth so very well with any of the three verses next preceding that it is hard to tell to which most properly it should be applyed For being laid to the seventh verse it doth so strongly confirm that there was a wrath to come that it sheweth it to be hard by and even close at hand For now the ax is laid to the root of the Trees Join it to the eighth verse and it followeth the metaphor that is used there of bringing forth fruit and enforceth the exhortation or Doctrine that is there given from the danger that may follow on unfruitfull trees For now the ax is laid to the root of them Or apply it likewise to the verse next preceding and it doth argue against the carnal confidence that the Jews had in their descending of the stock of Abraham paraphrastically thus Ye have had warning of wrath that is to come and you think you are out of the danger of it because ye are the children of Abraham and descended lineally from his loins a Prerogative so little to be boasted of that it may be common with you to stones for God is able of them to raise up children unto Abraham and a shelter so little to be trusted under that look to your selves the Ax is already laid to the root of the trees Some by the Ax understand the word of God and the preaching of the same or the publication of the Gospel from Jerem. 23. 29. after the reading of the LXX and from Hosea 6. 5. Others Christ himself consisting say they of two natures divine and humane as an Ax of two parts the head and the handle But the current of the most and the best Expositors understand it of the judgments of God and that it is so to be understood may be strongly concluded by these reasons First because the context both before and after speaketh of Judgement and vengeance to come upon the impenitent and unfruitful as wrath to come ver 7. and casting into fire and fire unquenchable ver 10. 12. and therefore it is most proper to expound the Ax as an instrument destroying for judgment or destruction Secondly this place seemeth plainly to have reference to Esai 10. 33 34. Behold the Lord the Lord of hosts shall lop the bough with terror and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down and the haughty shall be humbled And he shall cut down the thickets of the Forests with iron and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one which how the more ancient Jews understood of the destruction of their State and Kingdom and that neer upon the coming of Christ a testimony of their own in their Talmud in the treatise Berachoth may sufficiently evidence There was a certain Jew say they was plowing and one of his Oxen lowed The Ox lowing told of the coming of the Lord. A certain Arabian passing by heard the lowing of the Ox and said unto the Jew O Jew unyoke thine Oxen and care not for thine implements for your Sanctuary is destroyed And the Ox lowed again and the Arabian saith O Jew yoke thine Oxen and make
Horeb or what else is but lost labour to make enquiry because we are sure we cannot find only this again is worth our thoughts to compare together the being of Moses in the mount with God and the being of Christ in a mount with Satan and the Lords shewing to Moses from an high mount all the Kingdoms of Canaan and saying All these will I give to the Children of Israel and the Devils shewing to Christ all the Kingdoms of the Earth and saying All these will I give thee c. § And sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the world Here are two things mainly considerable 1. The object represented to the eyes of Christ. And 2. the manner of Satans representing it The first the text expresseth to be all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them upon which if we come to ponder by weighing and considering the state of the world at this time it will appear that the object that the Devil presented Christ withall in this spectacle was Rome her Empire and glory For 1. That Empire is called by the very name of all the world Luke 2. 1. and the very same word that Luke useth to express it there he useth here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here 2. Where was there any pomp or worldly glory to be seen any where upon all the earth at this time but what belonged to the Roman State nay where was there almost any Country or Kingdom but was within the compass and dominion of that Empire or where was there any power or rule as Luke uttereth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either comparable to the power and rule of that State or indeed where was there any power or rule that was not now under it The Roman stories that describe the State of Rome at these times do give an abundant account of her wealth pomp power revenues extent and largeness even to the amazement of the Reader they were all so vast and they do so commonly and familiarly call the Roman Empire the Empire of the whole world that scarce any thing is more ordinary among them Let but one be a tast of the rest and let us take up all in little in that prayer that Paterculus a man that lived in these very times makes in reference to Tiberins who was Emperour and Lord of this vast pomp and power at this very present in the conclusion of his Book Voto finiendum volumen fit Jupiter Capitoline Gradive Mars Vesta quicquid numinum hanc Romani Imperii molem in amplissimum terrarum orbis fastigium extulit destinate successores quam serissâ—nos sed eos quorum cervices tam fortiter sustinendo terrarum orbis Imperio sufficiant quam hujus suffecisse sensimus 3. If Satan had claim and interest in any place state or pomp under heaven it was in Rome and her appurtenances and if those words of his which Luke hath added All this glory will I give thee for that is delivered to me and to whomsoever I will give it were true of any place it was true of this For first observe the characters and dechipherings of Rome as it is set out in Scripture and see whether it carry not the very image and superscription of the Dragon upon it In Numb 24. 24. the first place that it is pointed out it is doomed to eternal perdition for both Jews and even some Romanists themselves understand Rome by Chittim in that place In Isa. 11. 4. it is called The wicked one as the Chaldee Paraphrase there And Paul 2 Thes. 2. 8. do expound it The abominable armies Dan. 9. 27. The abomination of desolation Matth. 24. 15. The mother of fornications and abominations of the Earth Rev. 17. 5. c. Secondly observe that in it was met together all the cruelty bloodines and persecution that was in the four bestial Monarchies that were enemies to the Church before Christs first coming Dan. 7. compared with Rev. 13. And thirdly observe that this was the seat of Satan Rev. 13. 2. and that he gave his power and seat and authority to the beast of this City That this was as his special heritage and his heir apparent the singular seed of the Serpent Antichrist was to arise here And lastly observe that the Kingdom of Christ and the opposite kingdom of Antichrist were both now beginning and that now the Serpents head began to be in danger according to the prophecy so long ago Gen. 3. 15. Now after all these considerations may the Reader take up some such hints as these and enlarge them in his own thoughts according as he finds them fixing on his thoughts and worthy meditation 1. How probable it is that Satan when he maketh this offer to our Saviour doth intentionally point out this very Antichristian City and her glory 2. How much truer he speaketh than he commonly doth or is commonly observed to do here when he saith that all power was delivered to him and he might give it to whom he would 3. How he doth offer to seat Christ in the very throne of Antichrist and would perswade the singular seed of the woman to become the singular seed of the Serpent and his own heir placed by himself in his own seat 4. How by this cursed overture he would have stopped and stifled the Gospel in the very beginning and rise of it by choaking the great Preacher of it with all the power and pomp of the Roman State 5. How that he might prevent the breaking of his own head by the Kingdom of Christ he striketh at the very head of Christ tempting him with the glory of the Kingdom of Antichrist and would have him to do as Antichrist would do fall down and worship the Dragon 6. How Rome is laid by the Devil for a stumbling block in the way of the Gospel as soon as ever Christ appeareth towards the preaching of it 7. How when Satan cannot at the entrance of Gospel perswade Christ by all the pomp of Rome to do like Antichrist he setteth up Antichrist at Rome to be an enemy to the Gospel in all the continuance of it 8. Compare Christs refusal here with the Jews choice hereafter John 19. 13. Here he is offered to be the Caesar and Lord of the Roman Empire which he refuseth there he is refused and Caesar preferred before him Now for the resolution of the second Quaere viz. After what manner Satan represented this object before him these things may be considered I. That it is not possible that this was a real and a very representation of these things indeed for divers things do contradict it For first there is scarcely any mountain under Heaven from whence any one kingdom can be viewed over and if there were there is scarcely any eye under heaven that could view it And whereas the Devil brought Christ into an exceeding high mountain when he would shew him this spectacle it was rather to colour the
Bible makes Methushelah live fourteen years after the Flood their reason of this their addition of years many render which I omit But S. Austen saith some fall short of this mans age In three Greek books saith he and one Latine and one Syrian book all agreeing one with another Methusalem is found to die six years before the flood So Austen in Civ Dei lib. 15. cap. 13. Such differences may incite men to apply themselves to the Hebrew Text where is no falsifying nor error CHAP. L. Upon the words The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head THE New Testament affords a rich Commentary upon these words in the Gospel of Saint Luke who in his third Chapter shews how through seventy five generations Christ is this seed of the woman and in the fourth Chapter how through Jerus and Babilon targums do both apply these words to the Messias three temptations this seed began to bruise the head of the Serpent where the Reader may observe how the Devil tempts Christ in the very same manner that he had tempted Eve though not with the same success All the sins of the world are brought by Saint John to these three heads Lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 John 2. 15. By these three Eve falls in the garden She sees the tree is good for meat and the lust of the flesh inticeth her she sees it fair to look on and the lust of the eye provokes her and she perceives it will make her wife and the pride of life perswades her to take it By these three the Devil tempts Christ when he is hungry he would have him turn stones into bread and so tries him by the lusts of the flesh He shews and promiseth him all the pomp of the World and so tries him by the lust of the eyes and he will have him to flie in the air and so tempts him to pride of life But as by these three the Serpent had broken the head of the woman so against these three the seed of the woman breaks the head of the Serpent David Prophecied of this conquest Psal. 91. 13. The Dragon thou shalt tread under thy feet The very next verse before this the Devil useth to tempt Christ withal but to this he dare not come for it is to his sorrow CHAP. LI. Iewish hypocritical prayers reproved by our Saviour Matth. 6. 5. Because they love to stand praying in the Synagogues and corners of the streets THIS Sermon upon the Mount is much in reproof of the Jews Talmudical traditions by which they made the Word of God of none effect This verse reproveth one of their tenets for their high-way Oraisons for which they have this tradition in their * * * In Sepher Beracoth Talmud Rabbi Josi saith On a time I was walking by the way and I went into one of the deserts of Jerusalem to pray then came Eliah ‖ ‖ ‖ Heb. Zacâ—r lâ—ttobh Remembred for good Heb. Morâ— which in the Chaldee and Syrian signifieth a Lord or Master hence is Maran atha our Lord cometh the great excommunication of blessed memory and watched me at the gate and stayed for me till I had ended my prayer after that I had ended my prayer he saith unto me Peace be unto thee Rabbi I said unto him peace be upon thee Rabbi and Master Then said he to me my son wherefore wentest thou into this desert I said unto him To pray He said to me Thou mightest have prayed in the way Then said I I was afraid lest passengers would interrupt me He said unto me Thou shouldest have prayed a short prayer At that time I learned of him three things I learned that we should not go into the desert and I learned that we should pray by the way and learned that he that prayed by the way must pray a short prayer Thus far their Talmud maketh them these Letters Patents for Hypocrisie fathering this bastard upon blessed Elias who was not a high-way prayer 1 Cor. 16. 12. or one that practised his own devotions in publick for he was John Baptists type for retiredness CHAP. LII Israels affliction in Egypt OF Israels being in Egypt many Heathen Authors do touch though every one a several way and all of them the wrong Josephus against Appion is angry at their fables about it Of the famine that brought them thither if we take the want of Nilus flowing to be the natural cause as most like it was there Nilus the wonder of Affrick the river of Egypt flows every year once over his banks and if it flow not at all or not to his right height it causeth famine for Egypt hath no rain From this river under God comes their plenty or famine and it is remarkable that the fat and lean kine in Pharoah his dream which betokened the plenty or scarsity of the Country came out of the River Of the reason of the flowing of this River Pigaffetra especially is large And I wonder that Jordan was not as much wondred at for it did so also Josh. 1. seems then to be some remembrance of those seven years in Seneca in his natural questions where he saith Per novem annos Nilum non ascendisse superioribus saeculis Callimachus est Author that is Callimachus writes that in old time Nilus flowed not of nine years together where he outstrips but two of the number But of Israels affliction in Egypt I find the Heathens silent God had told Abraham of this their hardship long before and shewed him a token of it by the fowls lighting upon his carcasses Gen. 15. A type of Israels being in Egypt and of Pharoahs being plagued for their sakes was when Pharoah suffered for taking Sarah from her husband and keeping her in his house as it is Gen. 12. How long they were in that land few there be but know but how long their affliction lasted is uncertain Probable it is that it was about an hundred and twenty years the time of the old Worlds repentance and Moses his age This is to be searched by Levi his age which within a little one may find certain All the generation of Josephs time die before they are afflicted as all the generation of Joshuahs time die before they fall to Idolatry Judges 2. 10. The reasons why God should thus suffer them to suffer whether it were to fit them for the receiving of him and his Law or whether it were to whip them for their Idolatry or for some other cause I dare not enter too near to search this I see that when the foundation as it were of the visible Church is laid thus in affliction the Church cannot but look for affliction whilest it lives in the Egypt of this World But as Israel increased under persecution so does the Church for even when sparsum est semen sanguinis Martyrum surrexit seges Ecclesiae Nec frustra oravit Ecclesia pro
rejection of that people you will understand more clearly the Apostle concerning their Call which is there handled Pharisaism and the sotishness of traditions had now a good while ago thrown them into blindness stupidity and hardness of heart and that for some Ages before Christ was born but when the Gospel came the Lord had his gleanings among them and there were some that believed and unto whom the participation of the promises was granted concerning them the Apostle speaks in that Chapter See ver 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. At this present time there is a remnant according to election c. which we have observed before at Chap. III. ver 7. VERS XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zunin in Talmudic language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i i i i i Kilaim cap. 1 hal 1. Wheat and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zunin are not seeds of different kinds Where the Gloss is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a kind of Wheat which is changed in the earth both as to its form and to its nature By the best Lexicographers it is rendred Zizania in Latine So that that field in this Parable was sown by the Lord with good wheat by the Enemie with bad and degenerate wheat but all of it was sowen with wheat one or the other These words do not so barely mean good and bad men as good and bad Christians both distinguished from other men namely from Heathens as wheat is distinguished from other seeds but they are distinguished also among themselves as good wheat is distinguished from that which is degenerate So Chap. XXV All those ten women expecting the Bridegroom are Vigins but are distinguished into Wise and foolish VERS XXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which indeed is the least of all seeds c. HENCE it is passed into a common proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to the quantity of a grain of mustard and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to the quantity of a little drop of mustard very frequently used by the Rabbins when they would express the smallest thing or the most diminutive quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is the greatest among herbs h h h h h h Hieros Peah fol. 20. 2. There was a stalk of mustard in Sichin from which sprang out three boughs of which one was broke off and covered the tent of a potter and produced three Cabes of mustard R. Simeon ben Calapha said A stalk of mustard was in my field into which I was wont to climb as men are wont to climb into a fig tree VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In three sata measures of meal THAT is In an Epha of meal Exod. XVI 36. Now an Omer is the tenth part of an Epha The Chaldet reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The tenth part of three Sata The LXX reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The tenth part of three Measures And Ruth II. 17. It was as an Epha of Barly Where the Targum reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it were three Sata of Barly A i i i i i i Alphes in Pesach cap. 5. Kimchi in Miclel Seah contains a double Hin six Cabes twenty four Login an hundred and fourty four Eggs. VERS LII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bringeth forth out of his Treasury things new and old THESE words are spoken according to the dialect of the Schools where the Question was not seldom started What wine What corn or fruits were to be used in the Holy things and in some Rites new or more old namely of the present year or the years past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But now a thrifty man provident of his own affairs was stored both with the one and the other prepared for either which should be required So it becomes a Scribe of the Gospel to have all things in readiness to bring forth according to the condition and nature of the thing of the place and of the hearers Do ye understand all these things saith Christ both the things which I have said and why I have said them So a Scribe of the Gospel ought to bring forth c. CHAP. XIV VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This is Iohn c. WAS not Herod of the Sadducean saith For that which is said by Matthew Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Saducees Chap. XVI 6. is rendred by Mark Beware of the leven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod Chap. VIII 15. that is Of their doctrine If therefore Herod embraced the doctrine of the Sadducees his words This is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead seem to be extorted from his conscience pricked with the sting of horror and guilt as though the image and ghost of the Baptist but newly butchered by him were before his eyes So that his mind is under horror and forgetting his Sadducism groaning and trembling he acknowledgeth the Resurrection of the dead whether he will or no. Or let it be supposed that with the Pharisees he owned the Resurrection of the dead yet certainly it was unusual for them that confessed it to dream of the resurrection of one that was but newly dead they expected there should be a resurrection of the dead hereafter but this which Herod speaks beleives and suspects is a great way distant from that doctrin and seems indeed to have proceeded from a conscience touched from above VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not lawful for thee to have her a a a a a a Cherithuth cap. 1. hal 1. THERE are thirty six cuttings off in the Law that is sinners who deserve cutting off And among the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that lies with his brothers wife b b b b b b Joseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 6. Philip was now alive and lived to the twentieth year of Tiberius VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when Herods birth day was kept THE Jewish Schools esteem the keeping of Birthdays a part of Idolatrous worship perhaps they would pronounce more favourably and flatteringly of thine O Tetrarch because thine c c c c c c Avodah Zarah c. 1. hal 3. These are the times of Idolaters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kalends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saturnalia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when they first took upon them the Empire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Birth day of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the day of a mans birth While they distinguish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and A birth day they understand the beginning of that Kingdom of which distinction the Gemarists have many disputes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The daugter of Herodias danced Not so much out of lightness as according to the custom of the Nation namely to express joy and to celebrate the day The Jews were wont in their public and more than ordinary
whether Cuthite leaven f c. With which caution the Disciples thought that Christ armed them when he spake concerning the leaven of the Pharisees but withall they suspected some silent reproof for not bringing bread along with them VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom do men say that I the son of man am I. THAT phrase or title The son of man which Christ very often gives himself denotes not only his humanity nor his humility for see that passage Joh. V. 27. He hath given him Authority of executing Judgment because he is the Son of Man but it bespeaks the seed promised to Adam the second Adam and it carried with it a silent confutation of a double ignorance and error among the Jews 1. They knew not what to resolve upon concerning the original of the Messias and how he should rise whether he should be of the living as we noted before the manner of his rise being unknown to them or whether of the dead This phrase unties this knot and teaches openly that he being a seed promised to the first man should arise and be born from the seed of the woman 2. They dreamed of the earthly victories of the Messias an◠of nations to be subdued by him but this title The Son of man recalls their minds to the first promise where the victory of the promised seed is the bruising of the Serpents head not the subduing of Kingdoms by some warlike and earthly triumph II. When therefore the opinion of the Jews concerning the person of the Messias what he should be was uncertain and wavering Christ asketh not so much whether they acknowledged him the Messias as acknowledging the Messias what kind of person they conceived him to be The Apostles and the other Disciples whom he had gathered and were very many acknowledged him the Messias yea those blind men Chap. IX ver 27. had confessed this also therefore that Question had been needless as to them Do they think me to be the Messias But that was needful What do they conceive of me the Messias and to this the Answer of Peter has regard Thou art Christ the Son of the living God as if he should say We knew well enough a good while ago that thou art the Messias but as to the Question What kind of person thou art I say Thou art the Son of the living God See what we note at Chap. XVII ver 54. Therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom asks not so much concerning the person as concerning the quality of the person In which sense also is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who in those words 1 Sam. XVII 55. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not The Son of whom but the Son of what kind of man is this youth VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But others Ieremias THE reason why they name Jeremy only of all the Prophets we give at Chap. XXVII ver 9. You observe that recourses is here made to the memory of the dead from whom the Messias should spring rather than from the living among other things perhaps this reason might perswade them so to do that that piety could not in those days be expected in any one living as had shined out in those deceased persons one of the Babylonian Gemarists suspects that Daniel raised from the dead should be the Messias And this perhaps perswaded them further because they thought that the Kingdom of the Messias should arise after the Resurrection and they that were of this opinion might be led to think that the Messias himself was some eminent person among the Saints departed and that he rising again should bring others with him VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flesh and Blood THE Jewish Writers use this form of speech infinite times and by it oppose men to God g g g g g g Rab. Btrac fol. 28. 2. If they were about to lead me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before a King of flesh and blood c. but they are leading me before the King of Kings h h h h h h Tauchum fol. 12. 4. A King of flesh and blood forms his picture in a table c. the Holy blessed one his c. This Phrase occurrs five times in that one column i i i i i i Id. fol. 18. 3. The Holy Blessed God doth not as flesh and blood doth c. Flesh and blood wound with one thing and heal with another but the Holy Blessed one wounds and heals with one and the same thing Joseph was sold for his dreams and he was promoted by dreams VERS XVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thou art Peter c. I. THERE is nothing either in the Dialect of the Nation or in reason forbids us to think that our Saviour used this very same Greek word since such Grecizings were not unusual in that Nation But be it granted which is asserted more without controversie that he used the Syriac word yet I deny that he used that very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cepha which he did presently after but he pronounced it Cephas after the Greek manner or he spoke it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cephai in the adjective sense according to the Syriac formation For how I pray could he be understood by the Disciples or by Peter himself if in both places he had retained the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art a Rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And upon this Rock I will build my Church It is readily answered by the Papists That Peter was the Rock But let them tell me why Matthew used not the same word in Greek if our Saviour used the same word in Syriac If he had intimated that the Church should be built upon Peter it had been plainer and more agreeable to the vulgar Idiom to have said Thou art Peter and upon thee I will build my Church II. The words concerning the Rock upon which the Church was to be built are evidently taken out of Esay Chap. XXVIII 16. Which the New Testament being interpreter in very many places do most plainly speak Christ. When therefore Peter the first of all the Disciples from the very first beginning of the preaching of the Gospel had pronounced most clearly of the person of Christ and had declared the Mystery of the Incarnation and confessed the Deity of Christ the minds of the Disciples are with good reason called back to those words of Esay that they might learn to acknowledg who that Stone was that was set in Sion for a foundation never to be shaken and whence it came to pass that that foundation remained so unshaken namely thence that he was not a Creature but God himself the Son of God III. Thence therefore Peter took his surname not that he should be argued to be that Rock but because he was so much to be employed in building a Church upon a Rock whether it were that Church that was to be gathered out of the Jews
and obtained life Let us now in the next place view the means of their believing II. A New Covenant was made with them They were under two Covenants in one day As Noah saw two Worlds so Adam saw an old Creation and a new As it was said of him Idem dies vidit Consulem exulem The same day saw him Consul and a banished man So the same day saw Adam under two vastly different conditions according to the tenor of the two Covenants The form of either Covenant was not exprest plainly but resulting The Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works both somewhat obscure to him But I. The enjoyment of God was necessarily intimated in both not the enjoyment of the Creature Adam was made a reasonable Soul for this purpose II. Obedience was the way This is a Duty to God and this is the way of the enjoyment of him when we conform to God III. He saw he had now lost obedience and the power of obedience He had lost God and the power of the enjoyment of him IV. God held out one that should recover him And he 1. A root of a seed as Adam was 2. Of an infinite Righteousness and Obedience beyond Adam 3. One that should by Obedience destroy the works of the Devil for his own seed V. Adam saw no way of recovery but by trusting in him God must be satisfied he could not do it obeyed he could not obey Therefore he had no way but to cast himself on Christs obedience VI. The Covenant only held out Christ to be trusted and believed on Obedience was required even by the Law of Nature and creatureship Faith was therefore enforced because they could not perfectly obey VII The Promise given in the curse of Satan that God would put enmity between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent and that the Womans seed should bruise the Serpents head this had that effect upon them that they set themselves to defy Satan and cleave to the seed promised VIII That Mercy that created them in an instant so perfect recovered them in an instant Let us now in the third place view their condition under believing III. I. They were now representative no more as they were of mankind before the Fall They were stated in another representative Christ. Now they acted for themselves and he for them Hence their Faith was not imputed to posterity though their sin was II. They were built on another foundation than they were before Then it was on Nature Self-holiness Freedom of Will sandy foundations because changeable Now on a Rock Grace and the Righteousness of Christ. III. Now they have the Spirit of God working in them With Christ God gave his Spirit whereas before they had only natural abilities IV. Now they were under a Promise before not That Christ should break the head of the Serpent contained the promise of all good things V. They were under such Evangelical revealings that they wanted nothing needful for Salvation The Improvement of this discourse shall be in two or three Uses I. This magnifies Gods Grace to them and mankind How great is this Grace which will appear if you consider these things 1. There was as much done to provoke God for ever as was possible Compute the sin of Adam with all its circumstances 2. Here was greater Mercy than to the Angels that fell 3. Nay than to the Angels that fell not 4. Grace restored man to a better condition than he was in before We may admire all this and resolve all into Grace What comfort then is here to poor sinners Look on an Example that of St. Paul who was the chief of sinners yet Grace was exceeding abundant towards him 1 Tim. I. 14 15. He was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious Here were sins like scarlet yet forgiven You that are under the pangs of conscience consider this Grace Thou canst not sin so hainously as Adam did if thou addest not wilfulness and impenitency nor fall so high nor damn posterity as he did and yet he obtained pardon Take one Example more There were some pardoned that Crucified the second Adam II. See the wretchedness of the sin of Devils that is beyond pardon Their unpardonableness in what lay it In these two things 1. They sinned of pride and malice Adam and Eve of ignorance and weakness Take heed of sinning proudly and presumptuously 2. They were in the state of Eternity therefore their change to evil was unchangable Man carried the plea of weakness in his nature they not III. There is the same Grace Christ Promise Covenant from the beginning A SERMON PREACHED upon 1 JOHN III. 12. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother and wherefore slew he him Because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous THESE words refer to vers 11. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning that we should love one another and indeed to the tenor of all John's Epistles every where exhorting to love and not to be as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother He had given two marks of one not born of God vers 10. Whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother They are both here in Cain Who was so far from love and righteousness that he hated his Brother and slew him Wicked mens sins are set down that we may avoid them as Rocks 1 Cor. X. 6. These things were our Examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted But Cain's sin reads more It is the first story after the Fall And it shews I. The enmity 'twixt the seeds II. What poison Satan bad breathed into mans nature The Holy Ghost in that story bids us look on him Thou art the Man This is Man fallen Of Seth it is said Gen. V. 3. that he was begot in Adam's image here it needs not be said it is so plain In the words we have a description of the Father and the eldest son viz. the Devil and Cain I. The Devil described by a most proper denomination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wicked one II. Cain by his extraction and action He was of the wicked one and slew his Brother We will first clear these and then make some observations from them I. The denomination of the Devil That wicked one So he is stiled Matth. XII 45. Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other Spirits more wicked than himself Eph. VI. 16. Taking the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the siery darts of the wicked So some understand that petition in the Lords Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deliver us from Evil that is the Evil one Nay Ephes. VI. 12. the Devil is called Wickedness in the Abstract We wrestle c. against spiritual wickedness in high places First He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
to better purpose made use of it than this our laborious and learned Author I will only here as I have done in the particulars before add an instance or two out of many of our own observation and put an end to this short essay of the utility of oriental Learning In Matth. XII 36. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or idle word for every one of which our Saviour saith men shall give an account he doth not say shall be condemned or punished may perhaps be of the same importance with that which the Talmudists and Rabbins call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the talk of those who are idle at leisure have little to do such as is used among people in ordinary conversation when they meet together As what news How doth such a person Or the like Even this may be well or ill done prudently or foolishly and therefore even of this an account will be required See Maiem Comment in Pirk Av. cap. 1. That of our Saviours promise Matth. XVIII 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them is well parallel'd and illustrated by the saying of R. Chaninah Pirk. Avo. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If but two together employ themselves in the Law the Shechinah or divine presence will be among them the like also T. B. Ber. 6. 1. That of St. Mark XIV 56. concerning the false witnesses against our Saviour that their witnesses agreed not together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be somewhat explained by the custom we read of in T. B. Sanh Misn. cap. 5. they used to put seven questions to every one of the witnesses apart namely in what Jubilee or space of forty nine years any thing was done in what year of that Jubilee What month What day of the month What day What hour What place If the words of the witnesses agreed not the Testimony was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an idle Testimony which was to no purpose if they did agree it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a firm and effectual Testimony And a somewhat more obscure saying of our Saviour to the Samaritan woman John IV. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life This may receive light from a like saying in in pir Avo. cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Law gives him that studies in it a Kingdom Dominion Sagacity in judgment revelation of its secrets and becomes to him like a never ceasing fountain and mighty flowing river The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the refreshment of Spirit in the World to come of which R. Jacob in pir Av. cap. 4. pronounceth that one hours enjoyment is more worth than a whole life in this World is very like St. Peters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the times of refreshment which shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts III. 19. The Apostles advice Cor. I. 8. to abstain from things offer'd to Idols was in compliance with those Brethren who thought it unlawful from a Jewish Canon T. B. Avod zar Mis. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is lawful to eat of the flesh which is carrying into an Idols Temple but not of that which comes out because it is of the sacrifices of the dead i. e. to inanimate Idols or to dead persons That place of 1 Cor. XI 10. where St. Paul commands the women to cover their heads in praying because of the Angels would have given Criticks and Expositors no trouble if they had observed that the Apostle alluded to and allowed of the received opinion of the Jews concerning Angels being present and that with curiosity in some humane affairs of importance but especially in Religious matters We may learn thus much and smile into the bargain from what we read concerning R. Joshua and R. Jose the Priest in T. B. Chag 14. 2. 'T is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this sense As R. Joshua and R. Jose the Priest were walking together they said one to another let us discourse of the Mereavah or Chariot that is the Metaphysical part of their Cabbala or traditional mysterious Philosophy so called from the vision of Ezekiel where they think it was mystically taught R. Joshua began and it was upon the day of the Summer Solstice presently the Heavens were covered with clouds and there appeared a kind of a Bow in a cloud and the ministring Angels were crowding to hear as men use to do at the solemnities of the Bridegroom and Bride This story will not fail to bring to our minds that of St. Peter 1. I. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into which things the matters of the Gospel the Angels desire to look into Which makes me a little wonder at the opinion of our Author pag. 303. so well versed in those Books that by the Angels are meant the Devils making a bait of the beauty of the women to entangle the Eyes and Hearts of the men Perhaps he hath changed his opinion in his notes upon the Epistle to the Corinthians which I could never yet see He that reads in the Chaldee Paraph. commonly called Jonathan's on the Pentateuch Gen. XXXV 25 26. That the Angels used to meet together at certain times to praise God vocally and in the same Targ. as also in the Jerusalem how the Angel which wrestled with Jacob desired him that he would let him go because that very morning was his first course from the Creation with others to laud and praise God He that reads the long story of R. Chaninah and R. Kasma in the Medraschim Printed with Zohar fol. 46. pag. 2. col 2. concerning the Angels Aza and Azael 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who murmuring and rebelling against God and by him tumbled down from his holy place and then clothed with aiery vehicles playing pranks with women were bound with long Iron chains to the mountains of darkness I say he that reads these cannot but refer them to 1 Cor. XIII 1. The Tongues of Angels and 2 Pet. II. 4. The Angels that sinned and were cast down to Hell and delivered into chains of darkness and Jude vers 6. The Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness I have put as many things together here as I could conveniently and could add much more But it is time to put an end to this part of our little dissertation and to draw to a conclusion of the whole In the beginning of our Preface I promised something concerning this very worthy and learned Author It is but a little I have to say of him but it is all that either my own knowledge or others no very forward information would amount to He was born in Staffordshire and educated in Christs College in Cambridge but in that Age
me Paul taketh the world to come in this sense Heb. 2. 5. 3. Baptism had been in long and common use among them many generations before John Baptist came they using this for admission of Proselytes into the Church and baptizing Men Women and Children for that end Talm. in Jebamoth cap. 4. and Maym. in Issure biah cap. 13. A person is not a Proselyte till he be both circumcised and baptized Id. in Chettuboth cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A little one they baptize by the appointment of the Consistory And Maym. in Avadim cap. 8. An Israelite that takes a little Heathen Child or that finds an Heathen Infant and baptizeth him for a Proselyte behold he is a Proselyte Hence a ready reason may be given why there is so little mention of baptizing Infants in the New Testament that there is neither plain Precept nor Example for it as some ordinarily plead The reason is because there needed no such mention baptizing of Infants having been as ordinarily used in the Church of the Jews as ever it hath been in the Christian Church It was enough to mention that Christ establisht Baptism for an Ordinance under the Gospel and then who should be baptized was well enough known by the use of this Ordinance of old Therefore it is good plea Because there is no clear forbidding of the baptizing of Infants in the Gospel ergo they are to be baptized for that having been in common use among the Jews that Infants should be baptized as well as Men and Women our Saviour would have given some special prohibition if he intended that they should have been excluded so that silence in this case doth necessarily conclude approbation to have the practise continued which had been used of old before Johns Baptism differed from that before only in this that whereas that admitted Proselytes to the Jewish Religion this admitted and translated Jews into the Gospel Religion that was a Baptism binding them over to the performance of the Law as their Circumcision did but this was a Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins as was observed before 4. Though some of the Nation expected that the Messias would come and redeem them though they were impenitent as some of the Gentiles plead in Talm. Bab. Sanhedr cap. 10. R. Samuel in articulis fidei Judaicae yet was it more generally held and with good reason that the Messias would look for a repenting Generation and thereupon others of the Gemarists in the place alleadged say If Israel repent but one day presently the Messias cometh Upon the consideration of these things it will appear the less strange that the People flowed in to Johns Baptism in so great a conflux this being the time about which the Nation expected the appearing of Messias Baptism being a thing most commonly known and used among them and this Baptism of repentance administred preparatively toward the entertainment of Christ now ready to come being sutable to their own apprehensions of the necessity of repentance against his coming Baptism was besides other tendencies of it as a badge whereby those that received it and stuck to it were marked out for safety and preservation against that destruction that was to come upon the Nation for unbelief Therefore John construes their coming to be baptized their fleeing from the wrath to come and Peter in the same sense doth say that Baptism doth now save 1 Pet. 3. 21. as the Ark had done in the destruction of the old World so this from the destruction now coming And Acts 2. 40. to his admonition to Repent and be baptized he addeth Save your selves from this untoward Generation § MATTH Chap. III. from Ver. 13. to the end § MARK Chap I. Ver. 9 10. 11. § LUKE Chap. III. Ver. 21 22. CHRIST XXX CHRIST is baptized being thirty years old initiant Josephs Age at his appearing before Pharaoh Gen. 41. 46. The Priests at their entrance into their Office Numb 4. and Davids when he began to reign 2 Sam. 5. 4. He hath now three years and a half to live and to be a publick Minister of the Gospel as the Angel Gabriel had told Dan. 9. 27. that in half of the last seven of the years there named he should confirm the Covenant R. Jochanan saith Three years and an half the Divine Glory stood upon the Mount of Olives and cried Seek the Lord while he may be found Midr. Till fol. 10. col 4. This space of time had been renowned before by Elias his shutting up Heaven Luke 4. 25. James 5. 17. and now Heaven is opened by the persecution of Antiochus when all Religion was destroyed Dan. 12. 7 11. and now redemption and restoring is come Christ therefore living three years and an half and dying at Easter it follows that he was baptized in Tizri about the Feast of Tabernacles at which time of the year he had been born and was now when he was baptized nine and twenty years old compleat and just entring upon his thirtieth to which add his three years and an half after his Baptism and it resulteth that he died being two and thirty years old and an half the exact time of Davids reign in Jerusalem 1 Kings 2. 11. The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years seven years reigned he in Hebron and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem that is in Hebron seven years and an half 2 Sam. 5. 5. and in Jerusalem two and thirty years and an half so the Jerus Talm. counteth well in Rosh hashanah fol. 1. col 2. As Christ by Circumcision was admitted a Member of the Church of the Jews so is he by Baptism of the Church of the Gospel being withal installed into his Ministerial Function by Baptism and Unction of the Holy Ghost as the Priests were into theirs by washing and anointing SECTION X. LUKE Chap. III. from Ver. 23. to the end of the Chapter CHRISTS Genealogy by his Mothers side MATTHEWS Genealogy and this as they run by a different Line so they are brought in upon different ends Matthew intends to shew that Jesus Christ was the Son promised to David Luke shews him the seed of the woman promised to Adam Gen. 3. 15. who in the next following Section begins to break the head of the Serpent Therefore when that promise to Adam beginneth to take place in Christs entring upon his Ministry and in his being sealed for the Messias by the Holy Ghost this Genealogy is divinely woven in Matthew derives his Line by the Pedigree of Joseph his supposed Father and draws it from Solomon Luke by the Pedigree of Mary his Mother and draws it from Nathan For as the Jews looked on him as the Son of David they would regard the Masculine Line and the Line Royal therefore Matthew giveth it at his birth But looked on as the seed promised to Adam the seed of the woman he was to be looked after by the Line of his Mother And whereas
this seed of the woman was to destroy the power of Satan by the word of truth as Satan had destroyed men by words of falshood Luke doth properly draw up his Line to Adam now when he is to begin to preach the Word The Line on this side the Captivity for which there is no record elsewhere in Scripture Matthew and Luke took from some known Records then extant among the Nation R. Levi saith There was found a Book of Genealogies at Jerusalem in which it was written Hillel was of the Family of David Ben Jatsaph of the Family of Asap c. Tal. Jerus in Taanith fol 68. col 1. They kept the Records of Pedigrees and of all other they would be sure to keep those of the Family of David because of the expectation of the Messiah from it SECTION XI MATTH Chap. 4. from the beginning to Ver. 12. MARK Chap. 1. Ver. 12 13. LUKE Chap. IV from the beginning to Ver. 14. The Seed of the Woman and the Serpent combating MARK and LUKE by these words immediately the Spirit driveth him and Jesus returned from Jordan do make the order necessary so that as for the subsequence of this to what preceded there can be no scruple Only there is some difference 'twixt Matthew and Luke in relating the order of the temptations which Matthew having laid down in their proper rank as appeareth by these particles then ver 15. and again ver 8. Luke in the rehearsing of them is not so much observant of the order that being fixed by Matthew before as he is careful to give the full story and so to give it as might redound to the fullest information As our Mother Eve was tempted by Satan to the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life as 1 Joh. 2. 16. for she saw it was good for food that it was pleasant to the eyes and to be desired to make one wise Gen. 3. 6. so by these had it been possible would the same tempter have overthrown the seed of the woman For he tempted him to turn stones into bread as to satisfie the longing of the flesh to fall down and worship him upon the sight of a bewitching object to his eyes and to fly in the air in pride and to get glory among men Luke for our better observing of this parallel hath laid the order of these temptations answerable to the order of those Jesus being baptized about the Feast of Tabernacles toward the latter end of our September is presently carried into the Wilderness of Judea by the acting of the Holy Spirit to enter that combate with the Serpent which was designed Gen. 3. 15. Forty days and forty nights He being all the while in watching fasting and solitude and among the wild beasts but sate as Adam among them in innocency the Devil tempteth him invisibly as he doth other men namely striving to inject sinful suggestions into him but he could find nothing in him to work upon as Joh. 14. 30. therefore at forty days end he taketh another course and appeareth to him visibly in the shape of an Angel of Light and so had Eve been deceived by him mistaking him for a good Angel and trieth him by perswasion by Scripture and by power but in all is foiled mastered and banished by a word SECTION XII JOHN Chap. I. from Ver. 15. to the end of the Chapter CHRIST is pointed out by John and followed by some Disciples COnceive the continuance of the Story thus Christ newly baptized goeth immediately into the Wilderness and leaveth John at Jordan on Judea side In the time of the forty days temptation John having now gathered his Harvest of Disciples on that side the River goeth over into the Country beyond Jordan and baptizeth in Bethabara Thither came some Pharisees by commission of the Sanhedrin to question him about the Authority whereby he baptized making no strangeness at baptizing which had been so long in use among them but questioning his Authority to baptize in that tenor that he did The next day after their questioning of him Christ cometh into sight is pointed out by John and followed by some of his Disciples For half a year John had baptized in the Name of Christ and knew him not ver 31 33. Only as all the Nation expected the Messias to come in time and John had it revealed to him that he was now ready to appear so John baptized and the People came to him upon this account He professed to all that came to him to be baptized and so he did to the Jews Commissioners now that he baptized only in the Name of him that was to come after him whose shoos latchet he was not worthy to unloose ver 27. Let a passage in Tosaphtoth comment upon these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is the token of a Servant He ties his Masters shoos or looses his shoos and bears his things after him to the bath In Kiddushin cap. 1. And the like saith Maymony in Mekerah cap. 2. A Canaanite Servant is like Land as to buying and he is bought by Money or by Script or by service in way of earnest And what is the earnest in buying Servants Namely that a man use them as they use Servants before a Master As to loose his shooe or to tie his shooe or to carry his things after him to the bath c. So that those that were baptized in this time of whom there was a very great number knew not of Jesus of Nazareth his being the Christ nor knew they more of Christ than they had known before but only that he was ready to come only they were baptized into faith in him and to repentance But when Christ himself came to be baptized John had discovery of him and so is able now upon the sight of him to point him out to his Disciples whereupon Peter and probably John and Andrew and Philip and Nathanael follow him SECTION XIII JOHN Chap. II. All the Chapter Water turned into Wine CHRISTS first Passeover after his Baptism THe words The third day in ver 1. mean either the third day from Christs coming into Galilee Joh. 1. 43. or the third day from his conference with Nathanael or the third day from the Disciples first following him they give demonstration enough of the series and connexion of this Chapter to the former It was about the middle of our November when Christ came out of the Wilderness to John at Bethabara and then there were about four months to the Passeover which time he spent in going up and down Galilee and at last comes to his own home at Capernaum Those two passages being laid together The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee Joh. 1. 43. And After this he went down to Capernaum and continued there not many days and the Jews Passeover was at hand Joh. 2. 12. do make it evident that Jesus had now a perambulation of Galilee which took up
punishments but they had of corporal namely of scourging to fourty stripes save one Hence it is that Christ foretels his Disciples In the Synagogues you shall be beaten Mark 13. 9. and hence had Paul his five scourgings 2 Cor. 11. 24. So that in every Synagogue there were Elders that ruled in Civil affairs and Elders that laboured in the Word and Doctrine And all things well considered it may not be so monstrous as it seems to some to say it might very well be so in those times in Christian Congregations For since as it might be shewed that Christ and his Apostles in platforming of the model of Christian Churches in those times did keep very close to the platform of the Synagogues and since the Romans in those times made no difference betwixt Jews in Judaism and Jews that were turned Christians nor betwixt those Religions for as yet there was no persecution raised against Christianity why might not Christian Congregations have and exercise that double Function of Ministry and Magistracy in them as well as the Jewish Synagogues And if that much controverted place 1 Tim. 5. 17. should be interpreted according to such a sense it were neither irrational nor improbable Nor to interpret Paul speaking to such a tenour here Only his appointing of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the less esteemed in the Church to be appointed for that work is of some scruple what if it allude to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Committee of private men Of which there is frequent mention among the Hebrew Doctors See Maymon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 253. col 1. 3. It was the old Jewish garb when they went to pray to hide head and face with a vail to betoken their ashamedness and confusion of face wherewithal they appeared before God And hence is the conjunction of these two words so common in their Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He vailed himself and prayed And this for a current rule The wise men and their schollars may not pray unless they be vailed Maymon in Tephillah per. 5. To which let us add that of Sueton. in Vitell. cap. 2. Lucius Vitellius saith he had an excellent faculty in flattering he first set afoot the worshipping of Caius Caesar for a God when returning out of Syria he durst not go to him but with his head vailed and then turning himself about he fell prostrate Again it was the custom of the Jewish women to go vailed or their faces covered whensoever they went into publick A woman saith Maymony may not go into publick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if she have not a vail on In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per. 24. And this the Talmudists call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jewish Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The garb of modesty Chetubboth per. 7. and Alphes ibid. Where they say that that those women transgress the Jewish Law that go forth unvailed or that spin in the streets or that talk with every man Now in this Church of Corinth the men retained the Jewish custom that they prayed vailed or with their head and face covered but the women transgressed their Jewish Law for they went unvailed and bare faced into the publick Congregation and their reason was as it seemeth by the Apostles discourse because they in regard of their beauty and comly feature needed less to be ashamed before God in his worship then the men The Apostle reproves both and argues that if the man pray vailed who is the Image and glory of God then much more should the woman who is but the glory of the man But he cries down the mans praying vailed as dishonouring his head and exhorts that the woman have power on her head because of the Angels cap. 11. 10. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we observed instantly before out of Maymony signified a womans vail doth also signifie power or dominion and accordingly the Apostle speaketh Let the Woman have power on her head But what means he by Because of the Angels I should answer Because of the Devils for these he had called Angels also a few Chapters before viz. Chap. 6. 3. And his words may be construed to this sense that Women should not expose their faces openly in the Congregation lest the Devil make a bait of their beauty and thereby intangle the eyes and hearts of the men who should be then better imployed then gazing and longing after beauty There are that by Angels understood the Ministers and interpret it that Women should be vailed lest the Ministers eyes should be intangled by their faces which exposition if it be admitted it may speak for the admission of that also which we give which provides for the eyes of the whole congregation as well as of the Ministers 4. In the same eleventh Chapter he also blameth their disorder in receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the height of their heats and contestations Wherein they did not only not discern the Lords body a Symbole and tye of communion but they even transgressed that rule now Christians which those of them that were Jews would not have done in their Judaism It was then a Canon current and binding amongst them that none should eat and drink in their Synagogues and none should sleep Jerus in Megilla fol. 74. col 1. Maym. in Tephillah per. 11. and Gloss. in Maym. in Shabb. 30. But now as they ate and drank the Bread and the Cup in the Sacrament in their Churches and that warrantably so did they also presume unwarrantably to eat their own common Suppers there and that only in defiance one of another the rich to outface the poor and one party another with their good commons some banketing and feasting to the full whilst others sat hungry by and looked on See how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 21. signifies in the LXX Gen. 43. 34. Cant. 5. 1. Thus did they eat and drink judgement to themselves in the Sacrament whilst they would receive the symbole of communion and yet shew such signs and evidences of disunion at the very instant And the Lord accordingly overtook some of them with evident judgements weakness sickness and death avenging at once upon them the indignity done to his Sacrament and the indignity done to their brethren Much like surfeting Nabals case and end 5. And as the people were thus irregular in this part of worship in their publick assemblies so were their Ministers faulty in others namely about the managing of spiritual gifts there The pretence to the Spirit where indeed it was not hath alwaies been the great usherer in of all errour and delusion And to this the very unbelieving Jews pretended and often backed their pretences with magical impostures and of this the Apostle speaks Chap. 12. 3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God as these men took on them to do can call Jesus accursed as they called him And on the other hand some that had spiritual gifts indeed failed in
to pass that Iesus also being baptized and praying the heaven was opened 22. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon him and a voice came from heaven which said Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased 23. And Iesus himself began to be about thirty years of age being as was supposed the son of Ioseph which was the son of Heli 24. Which was the son of Matthat which was the son of Levi which was the son of Melchi which was the son of Ianna which was the son of Ioseph 25. Which was the son of Mattathias which was the son of Amos which was the son of Naum which was the son of Esli which was the son of Nagge 26. Which was the son of Maath which was the son of Mattathias which was the son of Semei which was the son of Ioseph which was the son of Iuda 27. Which was the son of Ioanna which was the son of Rhesa which was the son of Zorobabel which was the son of Salathiel which was the son of Neri 28. Which was the son of Melchi which was the son of Addi which was the son of Cosam which was the son of Elmodam which was the son of Er 29. Which was the son of Iose which was the son of Eliezer which was the son of Ioram which was the son of Matthat which was the son of Levi. 30. Which was the son of Simeon which was the son of Iudah which was the son of Ioseph which was the son of Ionan which was the son Eliakim 31. Which was the son of Melea which was the son of Menan which was the son of Mattatha which was the son of Nathan which was the son of David 32. Which was the son of Iesse which was the son of Obed which was the son of Booz which was the son of Salmon which was the son of Naasson 33. Which was the son of Aminadab which was the son of Aram which was the son of Esrom which was the son of Pharez which was the son of Iuda 34. Which was the son of Iacob which was the son of Isaac which was the son of Abraham which was the son of Thara which was the son of Nachor 35. Which was the son of Saruch which was the son of Ragau which was the son of Phaleg which was the son of Heber which was the son of Sala 36. Which was the son of Cainan which was the son of Arphaxad which was the son of Sem which was the son of Noah which was the son of Lamech 37. Which was the son of Methusala which was the son of Enoch which was the son of Iared which was the son of Maleleel which was the son of Cainan 38. Which was the son of Enos which was the son of Seth which was the son of Adam which was the son of God Reason of the Order THERE can be no doubt or scruple about the subsequency of the beginning of this Section to that that was next before for the three Evangelists have so unanimously ranked them together that the order needeth no more confirmation But about this latter part or the genealogy of Christ there is something more difficult For some Harmonists have brought this line of Luke and that of Matthew together some bringing Matthews hither with Lukes to Christs baptism and others this of Luke to the time of Matthews to Christs birth But as the Evangelists have laid them asunder so are they to be kept asunder and to be disposed in the Harmony according as they lie for pregnant reasons may be given why the two have laid them at times so far distant Why Matthew at our Saviours birth the reasons were given their in there proper place and why Luke at his baptism may be the better seen by looking on the promise Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent Matthew wrote his Gospel chiefly for the Jews and therefore it was necessary for him to shew and approve Jesus for the Messias by his Pedigree which was the manifest and the chiefest thing that Nation looked after for the judging of the true Christ this he doth therefore at the Story of his birth and beginneth it from Abraham who was the ultima Analysis or the furthest that they cared to look after as concerning his discent But Luke a companion of the Doctor of the Gentiles in all his travailes writeth his Gospel for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews and therefore he sheweth Christs descent at the Story of that time at which he was first born toward the Gentiles that is at his revelation at his baptism from whence he first began to preach the Gospel The first words of the promise the seed of the Woman the Evangelist sweetly expoundeth in this genealogy shewing through seventy five descents that he was the seed of the woman promised to Adam in the garden and therefore he draweth his line from Adam in whose loins the Gentiles were for whom he writeth as well as the Jews when the promise was made The latter words Shall break the head of the Serpent begin to take place from the baptism of Christ and forward and first in his victory against Satans temptations which is the very next story that the Evangelist handleth and then in his preaching of the Gospel the power of which must destroy the Kingdom of Satan from that time forward Harmony and Explanation Mat. 3. ver 13. Then Iesus cometh c. THE Tabernacle in the wilderness was six months current in working and preparing for before it was finished and set up For on the tenth day of the month Tisri which answereth to part of our September Moses cometh down from his third Fast of forty days and bringeth with him the glad tydings of Gods reconciliation to his people and in sign thereof the renewed Tables and the welcome command to make the Tabernacle From that time forward the working and offerings for the making of the Sanctuary began and six months after it was finished and erected namely in the month of Abib Exod. 40. So long a time was the Baptist conceived and born before the conception and birth of our Saviour Luke 1. 26. and so long a time did he preach and baptize and prepare for the great building of the Gospel before our Saviour himself came and by his own baptism and preaching reared it up For as our Saviour was baptized and entred into his ministerial function when he began to be thirty years of age and that according to a legal ordinance as shall be shewed ere long so likewise did the Baptist begin to preach when he began to be thirty which was six months current before And this may be the better supposed if it be but considered how great multitudes were baptized of John before the baptism of Christ and how far he travailed up and down to preach Of the latter Luke witnesseth thus And he came into all the
Devil said unto him All this power will I give thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it 7. If thou therefore wilt worship me all shall be thine 8. And Jesus answered and said Get thee behind me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve 9. And he brought him to Jerusalem and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple and said unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down from hence 10. For it is written m m m m m m The Chaldee Paraphrast on the 91 Psalm out of which this allegation is produced applieth the promises made there to Solomon but Aben-Ezra to the days of the Messias He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee 11. And in their hands they shall bear thee up left at any time n n n n n n This phrase seemeth to allude to Balaams miscarriage in his way Numb 22. 25. Now the Devil in this quotation from the Psalm doth visibly and palpably play legerdemain two ways In the allegation it self he omitteth this clause To keep thee in all thy ways For such an action as he was now tempting our Saviour to namely to tempt the Lord was none of the ways of Christ. And secondly his allegation reacheth not to take in the words that next follow Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and Adder c. for those directly prophesie of Satans own ruine and treading down and he cannot find in heart to meddle with them thou dash thy foot against a stone 12. And Jesus answering said unto him it is said Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 13. And when the Devil had ended all the temptation he departed from him for a season Reason of the Order THE juncture and connexion of the two stories of Christs baptism and of his temptation and the speedy succeeding of the one to the other is so clear and manifest in all the Evangelists that it were but loss of time to go about to prove or confirm it especially since Mark hath tied them so close together with the word immediately that it is impossible to put them asunder But it is a difficulty that requireth some study and seriousness viz. how to reconcile the two Evangelists Matthew and Luke together in their relating of this story of the temptation they do so much differ in their order For whereas Matthew hath laid that temptation that was on the pinnacle of the Temple for the second temptation and that upon the high mountain for the last Luke hath laid that upon the mountain for the second and that upon the pinnacle for the third And in the laying down their Text I have suffered each to retain his own order and have not been so bold as to alter and transpose it Now for the reconciling of the difference and satisfying of the difficulty let these things be taken into consideration 1. That the order in which Matthew hath laid the temptation is the proper method and order in which they were done and acted And this is plain by those particles which he hath used to express the time which Luke hath not done as vers 5. Then the Devil taketh him and vers 8. Again the Devil taketh him which clearly methodize and rank the second temptation after the first and the third after the second 2. That Luke was not punctual in setting down the order since he saw Matthew had done it before but he changeth and inverteth it for special reason 3. The reason of his alteration may be conceived to be this He had in the Chapter and Section preceding laid the genealogy and proper pedegree of our Saviour at his baptism and had drawn his line up to Adam and this he did in reference to and in explanation of that part of the promise made to Adam The seed of the woman In this story of the temptations and of Christs victory over Satan in them he illustrateth the other part of the promise Shall break the head of the Serpent Now that he may the clearer explain that latter part concerning Christs breaking the Serpents head he doth not only shew how he conquered the Devil in his temptations as our first parents were conquered by him but he also giveth such a hint by this dislocation of the story that we might observe that these temptations were agreeable to the temptations by which we fell and that this second Adam overcame the Devil in such temptings as in which the first Adam was overcome Our mother Eve had been tempted of the Serpent by the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life as 1 Joh. 2. 16. By the lust of the flesh for the woman saw that the tree was good for food by the lust of the eyes for she saw that it was pleasant to look upon and by the pride of life for she conceived that it was a tree to be desired to make one wise and she took of the fruit thereof and did eat Gen. 3. 6. Accordingly was our Saviour assaulted at this time by the same tempter 1. He would have tempted him to lust of the flesh when perceiving him hungry he moveth him to turn stones into bread 2. To lust of the eyes when he shewed and offered to him the glory and pomp of all the Kingdoms of the Earth And 3. to pride of life when he would perswade him from the ordinary way of coming down from the top of the Temple but would have him to cast himself headlong presuming upon a promise The order laid down by Luke is so point-blank correspondent to the order of those first temptations that we may well conceive that the reason of his ranking these in this method is that the Reader might compare and consider the one from the other 4. Now the reason why the Devil did not tempt our Saviour in the very same order and method that he tempted our first parents is very difficult to determine But this is plain to observe that he tempted him first to works of power to make stones bread and to fly in the air and when in these he could not prevail then he tempted him to a work of sinful weakness viz. to adore the Devil such is the impudency of the Devil as even to cross himself in the tenor of his temptations and if he cannot speed in one to take up another clean contrary to it rather than to â—ail and to go away without speeding in what he desireth if it may be done Harmony and Explanation OUR Saviour being installed into his function of the Ministry by baptism and by the the unction of the Holy Ghost as the Priests under the Law were into their office by washing and anointing Lev. 8. 6 12. he beginneth now to act no more as a private man but as the great High Priest the Redeemer the Messias and
Captain of our Salvation and such an one is he held out in this story and such an one is he offered to this combate by the Holy Ghost 1. That the work of the Redemption might begin to parallel the fall for both of them were with temptations 2. That Christ from the very first entrance into his function might be looked on as the subject of the promise Gen. 3. 15. That seed of the woman that shoul break the head of the Serpent in the end when he thus bruised him in the beginning 3. That this beginning of his Ministry might vindicate and glorifie his Ministry all along when the Prince of this world had come and found nothing in him And 4. that a greater than Adam in innocency might be acknowledged here for he by temptation had been overcom but this in temptation overcame Other reasons of Christ being tempted referring to men may be given diverse As 1. to shew that even the holiest of men cannot expect to be free from temptations 2. That Christ might teach us how to combate against the temptations of Satan namely with fasting prayer and the Word of God 3. To shew that we are to overcom through him who overcame temptations for us as he overcame death for us 4. For our assurance of help and succour in our trials since our Redeemer was tempted like unto us as Heb. 4. 15. See Aquin. part 3. quest 41. Art 1. Luke IV. ver 1. And Iesus being full of the Holy Ghost For the better understanding of these words there are two things very material to take into consideration The first is what need there was of Christs being now filled with the Holy Ghost when all the fulnese of the Godhead had dwelt in him hitherto And secondly in what the fulness of the Holy Ghost that was in Christ these gifts that were in him did differ from that fulness and from those that were in other men For the first it is to be observed 1. That by the term the Holy Ghost is to be understood the Prophetick gifts wherewithal Christ was filled for the preaching and publishing of the Gospel as the revealing of the will of God and working miracles The expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Holy Ghost is a phrase and manner of speech used by the Jews in their writings and very common and frequent there and from them must the sense of it be explained for from them it is taken and most commonly and constantly used in their sense in the New Testament Now the Jewish Authors do constantly mean by it the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which he bestowed upon Prophets and Prophetick men enabling them for that employment unto which they were called As if we should go about to multiply examples from them to this purpose we might do it infinitely The Holy Ghost say they was one of the five things that were wanting in the second Temple Massecheth Ioma cap. 1. cited by R. Sol. and Kimchi on Hag. 1. 8. Thou hast shewed that the Holy Ghost dwelleth not on thee to know that I am not drunk Rasi on 1 Sam. 1. 13. The Holy Ghost was gone from Eli therefore prophecy came to Samuel D. Kimch on 1 Sam. 3. 2. The Holy Ghost was born in him from that day and forward and he uttered Psalms and Songs by the Holy Ghost that was born in him for under this general term the Spirit of the Lord is the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of power or strength understood Idem on 1 Sam. 16. 13. The Holy Ghost rested on the false Prophet Idem on 1 King 13. 20. Our Wisemen say before Elias was taken away the Holy Ghost was in Israel when he was taken away the Holy Ghost departed R. Sam. Lanjade on 2 Kings 2. In all which speeches and in divers others which might be produced it is apparent that the Jews by this phrase the Holy Ghost do constantly and continually intend Prophetick gifts wherewith men and women were indued either for the managing of some publique employment to which they were called or for the suiting to some singular and special occasion wherewithal they met And in this sense is the expression most constantly to be taken in the New Testament when it speaketh not of the third person in Trinity it self as Luke 1. 15 41 67. John 7. 3 9. Acts 2. 4. 8. 18. 10. 44. 13. 52. 19. 2. and in very many other places And so is it to be understood here that Christ being now to enter upon the publique Ministery of the Gospel and to act as the great Prophet of his Church and people he is at his baptism anointed and ever after filled with the gifts of the Holy Ghost befitting so great a work and befitting so great a Prophet Now 2. it is to be observed that these Prophetick gifts that the Holy Ghost bestowed upon some particular persons did really and very far differ from the grace of sanctification which he bestoweth upon all his Saints They might indeed sometimes be and very often they were in one and the same person but they were very far from being one and the same thing For 1. Prophetical gifts were sometimes in wicked and prophane men as in Balaam the false Prophet at Bethel Judas c. 2. These were given for the benefit of others rather than for his own that had them but sanctifying grace is given for his benefit chiefly that doth enjoy it 3. They did not make a man any whit the holier towards God but only the more able for some occasions amongst men So that by this expression Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost is not intended any addition of grace or sanctity which he had not before but the collation of Prophetick qualifications at the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him which he had not till then For though by the union of the humane nature to the Godhead that nature did partake of glorious and most excellent perfections arising and resulting from that union yet did it not partake of these gifts or perfections that we have in hand because these were not properly fruits of that union but of a donation And not things conducing to the satisfaction of God in the work of Redemption but to the satisfaction of men in his work of the Ministry The proper fruits of that union were the qualifying of the person of Christ so as that he should be absolutely without sin that he might exactly perform the Law and might be able to satisfie Gods justice and overcom death for these were the proper ends and reasons for which such an union was required but to work miracles to expound difficulties to heal diseases to teach divinity to foretel things to come and the like were not so properly the fruit of that union for even meer men have been enabled to do the same nor did they so directly tend to the most proper end of the incarnation namely the satisfaction of Gods justice
of his enemies and otherwise may be as fit parallels to harmonize with this temptation as Israels being in that desart see 1 Sam. 17. 34 23. 14 19 24. 24. 1. Psalm 61. in title c. Mark 1. ver 13. And was there forty days tempted For these forty days together Satan was tempting him invisibly and did not yet assume any visible or conspicuous shape which at the end of forty days he did and so is Matthew to be understood when he saith The tempter came to him that is in an apparent and visible form Now if we look upon the time and place and Christs present posture we may see what materials or occasions the Devil had to frame these his invisible temptations of all this while 1. The time of the year was from about the middle of the month Tisri six weeks forward that is from the beginning of our October till about the tenth of our November and then was the cold increasing the nights growing long and the winter driving on apace but very comfortless subsisting in the open plan of a desert wilderness 2. The place of our Saviours residence all this while be it where it will in the wilderness of Judea whether two miles from Jericho at Quarantania as it is pointed out by some or further southward along the banks of the dead Sea as the more desert place or wheresoever else it was in the company and danger of wild beasts and no humane company near him to comfort him nor house to shelter him 3. His posture in this time and place was not only in a fasting but in an impossibility of getting sustenance unless by miracle in solitude in want of company in want of necessaries and in a condition that made a life as comfortless as likely might be Upon these outward occasions as fit opportunities for such a matter Satan would be busie with his suggestions to inject them into Christ if it had been possible either to have moved him from that resolved work upon which he was or to have moved him to the acting or entertaining of something which should not have been And herein did these forty days and nights fasting of our Saviour exceedingly out-goe the like dated fastings of Moses and Elias For he did not only fast but he was in continual watching and constant combat with Satan and did not so much as enjoy the repose of his body or of his thoughts in rest and contemplation as Moses and Elias had sweetly done in their fasts without such disturbance Compare the combate in 1 Sam. 17. 16. Luke 4. ver 2. And in those days he did eat nothing Matthew mentioneth the nights of his fasting as well as the days that it might be distinguished from the ordinary fastings of other men who though they ate nothing of all day yet at night they did 1 Sam. 14. 24. 2 Sam. 1. 12. c. But the fast in Susan was for three days and nights Esth. 4. 16. Now this long and miraculous fast of Christ was not for imitation no more than were the like of Elias and Moses but as theirs was so was this for another end For as Moses fasted three times forty days and forty nights at his giving of the Law and setling of religion that the authority of the one and the honor of the other might be the more advanced and as Elias fasted forty days and forty nights at his restoring of decaying prophecie and beginning of a reformation that the one and the other might be the more dignified in the hearts of the people upon this very consideration that the agents in these things did as it were for a preface to the acting of them lead so Angelical and miraculous a life for so long a time So was this like action of our Saviour for the greater honour and authority of the Gospel which he was now to preach when he that preached it had led so the long life of an Adgel without meat and drink had foiled the Devil upon the greatest advantages imaginable and had dwelt among the den of wild beasts and was hurt by them compare Esay 11. 6. Thus did John the Baptist begin the Gospel with wonderous abstemiousness and Christ with miraculous abstinence both of them thereby not only honouring the Gospel which they preached but also thereby instructing them to whom they preached it 1. That the kingdom of heaven is not of meats and drinks 2. That man is not to live by bread only but by the Word of God And 3. That the liberty of the Gospel is not licentiousness but liberty of another nature § And when they were ended he afterward hungred It is not so said either of Moses or Elias though the same thing were true likewise of them but it is expressed thus of Christ 1. To evidence his humanity 2. And chiefly to give light unto the story following namely to shew that Satan took occasion for his first proposal to turn stones into bread from Christs hungring And 3. that this and the first temptation might be parallelled where Satan assaulted Eve when she now began to hunger and it was eating time Matth. 4. ver 3. And when the tempter came to him Now is the seed of the Woman and the Serpent met visibly together and the enmity which was set betwixt them from the first day of Adam is now breaking into an open combate And the Evangelist in the Epithet the Tempter doth plainly call us to take notice of the first temptation that occasioned the fixing of that enmity The Devil now appeareth to Christ in a visible shape as he had done to Eve but in what appearance the text is silent It is most likely like an Angel of light and as she was deceived by him in taking him for a good Angel in the trunk of the Serpent so that he goeth now about to deceive Christ also in the representation of a glorious Angel For in that he requireth Christ to worship him and promiseth him all the kingdomes of the world it is very unlikely that he carryed the image of a meer plain simple man or of any brute beast for either of them it was most improper to make any such overture but that he carryed indeed a humane shape but with that lustre majesty and gloriousness that the holy Angels used to appear in Judg. 13. 6. For that the Devil can transform himself into such a fashion and garb the Apostle doth tell us § He said if thou be the Son of God He tempteth Christ under the notion of his two natures twice in reference to his Godhead To turn stones into bread and to fly in the air works of divine power and once in reference to his manhood to fall down and worship him for wordly preferment an act of humane sinfulness and weakness When the Devil doth twice use this expression If thou be the Son of God it argueth not that he was ignorant who Christ was as some conceive for the
mention for they were but airy and phantastick apparitions § If thou wilt fall down and worship me Here is impudency come to its height and the Devil shewing himself in his own colours indeed Neither of the former temptations had so visibly and desperately invited Christ to impiety as this doth with open face for in the first perswasion to turn stones into bread there was some colour of Christs own benefit for he was now hungry and bread might have been a thing of welcomness to him and in the second to have flown in the air there might be some colour of his honour and repute in shewing himself so miraculous before the people as we read that some vain men have sought esteem by such a vain course as Icarus mentioned by Suetonius in the life of Nero chap. 12. And Simon Magus so reported of by all Ecclesiastical Historians and both these not very many years after this time And Bladud mentioned in our own stories if he lived at any time at all But to be invited in plain anddown right terms to fall down and worship the Devil hath no colour at all upon it but naked impiety What did not the Devil know Christ who he was that we have proved before that he did or did he think that Christ knew not who he was that he could not think if he knew Christ as he did What shall we say then to this damned overture of having Christ to adore him why here he joyneth all his power of temptation together and would 1. bring Christ into a more low fall than he had done Adam and 2. makes a stroke desperately at him to have bruised his head whereas it was told him only he should bruise his heel and all this because being of an intolerable impudency he would obtrude any thing even beyond all sense reason and modesty to compass his own design and seeing Christ had condescended so far as to be hurryed by him in the air he would leave no way unattempted of tempting if so it might have been possible to have corrupted innocency now as he did once in Adam and to have power over his mind as he saw he had so far over his body And thus hath he done his worst and shewed his Devilship to the utmost to have brought the second Adam to have been a sinner like the first but here the seed of the Woman that was promised Adam bruised the head of the Serpent who would have bruised his Ver. 10. Get thee hence Satan Lukes expressing of this hath bred some scruple for he hath phrased it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by our English Get thee behind me Satan being the very same words that our Saviour useth to Peter Mark 8. 33. when he would have perswaded him not to have been Christ as the Devil would here have perswaded him to be Antichrist Hence hath a doubting been bred with some whether Christ commanded the Devil clean away any more than he did Peter or only commanded him either to get behind his back or not to offer to advise or direct him in any thing further as he had impudently done hitherto The Syriack hath omitted that passage in Luke wholly and so hath the Vulgar Latine and Beza mentioneth four ancient Greek copies that wanted it also But saith he in the other and in Theophylact these words are found and so are they in the Arabick and most authentick copies expositions and translations Now the meaning of Christ in these words is to pack Satan clean away from him indeed as is apparent by the expression of Matthew who saith only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be gone and by the sequel it self for Matthew telleth that upon these words the Devil departed But Luke hath added the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behind me because he hath mentioned another temptation after this and it would have seemed that Christ had not had command over the Devil if he had bidden Be gone Satan and he had not departed Therefore though it were true indeed that the Devil did depart upon these words and tempt Christ no more yet since it seemeth not so in Lukes method therefore he used such an expression as was suitable and agreeing to his own method and order and which might both serve the same sense that Matthew intended in his expression and yet withall save the sense of Luke himself in regard of the ranking of these temptations By the phrase therefore Get thee behind me he meaneth not that Satan should only leave advising and instructing Christ what to do and come behind him as a disciple doth behind his Master yet following and not departing from him but by it he commandeth the Devil never to offer to tempt and assault him in the like kind again and curbeth his hideous impudency and sawciness that durst thus assail him c. And to the same tenor may the same words of our Saviour to Peter be readily and facily understood the intention of the temptation only differing Luke 4. ver 13. The Devil departed from him for a season It is not so much material to question whether to render this for a season as our English and some other Translators do or till a season as the Syrian Arabick and some others seem to do and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will very well bear as it is to inquire when it was that the Devil returned to assault Christ again as this expression of the Evangelist seemeth to inforce he did But we shall take the consideration of all these together The Evangelist saith first That the Devil having finished all the temptation departed Now this ending or finishing all the temptation is understood by some to mean that when he had proposed these temptations he had proposed all manner of temptations whatsoever and so he had for he had tempted him to lust of the flesh lust of the eye and pride of life which the Apostle John makes the heads or generals of all the things that are in the world 1 John 2. 16. and he had tempted him visibly and invisibly which are the two only ways of his temptations in his own person But it may withal and rather be understood that the Devil having now done his worst to have tempted him to sin and not seeing himself prevail in it he departed resolving to assail him afterwards in another way It was told him in the garden that he should bruise his heel but here if you observe him in all these his temptations he striks at his very head namely to have brought Christ to have sinned and so to have spoiled himself and redemption but when he seeth that his endeavour in this hath been in vain and that still he was far from bringing Christ to sin but that Christ did foil him in every temptation he will try no more at this time nor to this purpose nor in this way but will reserve his further enterprise till another time end and way of tempting And the
he saith to him but his words are aimed at them all Amen Amen I say to you Ye shall see c. He applyeth his speech to all in general though he spake more singularly as the Text telleth to Nathaneel in prosecution of the discourse that had been betwixt them before Now the main difficulty of this speech lyeth in this in what sense to understand the opening of the Heavens and where and how these Disciples saw the Angels ascending and descending upon Christ The words are capable of a double construction and some give them the one and some the other some understand them literally that the Disciples did at some times see the Heavens opened indeed as John the Baptist had done Luke 3. and the Angels ascending and descending upon Christ indeed though never a one of the Evangelists mention it And fair arguments and probability they shew for this which I shall not spend time to mention But others conceive the words are to be interpreted in a Metaphorical and borrowed sense and not according to the letter and so taken some interpret them one way some another I confess that I have stood at this place tanquam in bivio a very long time and can hardly tell which way to take both the interpretations of the thing both the literal and the tropical carrying so fair a colour and appearance with them But I cannot but incline to the latter namely to conceive that Christ here speaketh in a borrowed sense and by the opening of Heaven and the ascending and descending of Angels that he meaneth not historically that that very thing was to be done but mystically meaneth some thing else which he thought good to express by these borrowed phrases And that which mainly swayeth me that way is besides the silence of all the Evangelists that never mention such a thing really done the force and signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our English and Erasmus render it hereafter and so have left the time at a very large and uncertain scantling But the Syriack and the Vulgar render it from this time or henceforward and so it is most properly and naturally meaneth For it signifieth not only a date of time and some one action done after that date at a time uncertain but a continuance of such actions or things from that date forward Now our Saviours meaning in this phrase is that from this very time forward he would declare and shew himself in his Ministery gloriously and with power and henceforward should his Disciples see and perceive so much by glorious demonstrations of him that they might know that he was the Christ. His expressions of the Heavens opened and the Angels ascending and descending refer and allude to Ezekiels vision at Chebar Ezek. 1. 1. and to Jacobs at Bethel Gen. 23. two as glorious revelations of Christ as any vision the Old Testament mentioneth His meaning may be given in a paraphrase thus Nathaneel dost thou think it so great a matter that I could see thee though thou wert so close and private and secret under the figtree thou shalt see far greater things than these for I tell you all From this time forward I must begin to preach the Gospel and ye shall perceive that I have such knowledge of things as if heaven it self were open to me and such power of miracles and doing wonders as if the Angels were continually going on errands for me and doing my will And accordingly the Evangelist relateth that on the very next day he shewed a miracle at Cana in Galilee and manifested forth his glory and in the latter end of the same Chapter he speaketh of his miracles at Jerusalem and his knowledge of all men ver 24. So that henceforth Christs Ministery in preaching and doing miracles doth begin the place Cana the time some two months after his Baptism or thereabouts for ought is to be perceived from the Evangelists to the contrary § The Son of Man This title of Christ which is so frequent in the Evangelists and yet which is observable never but in his own words meaneth not only to express a man according to the Syrian Dialect then used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bar nosho nor only to express Christs humanity or that he was truly man in all things like unto us sin only excepted nor doth it only intimate his humility when he doth not disdain to call himself so oft by this humble name though it may have some aim at all these things but it seemeth to be used so oft by our Saviour concerning himself as intimating him to be the second Adam and referring to that promise that was made to Adam instantly after his fall of the seed of the Woman that should break the Serpents head And to this very purpose as we observed in its place the Evangelist Luke at the story of his Baptism when he was to be installed into his Minstery and had that glorious testimony from heaven deriveth his pedegree up to the first Adam to draw all mens eyes to that first promise and to cause them to own him for that seed there promised and for that effect that is there mentioned of dissolving the works of Satan And as that Evangelist giveth that hint when he his now entring this quarrel with Satan even in the entrance of his Ministery so doth he himself as he goeth along in it very frequently and commonly by this very phrase give the same intimation for the same purpose Nathaneel had proclaimed him the Son of God he instantly titles himself the Son of Man not only to shew his humanity for that Nathaneel was assured of by the words of Philip who calls him Jesus of Nazeret the son of Joseph but to resolve the thoughts of the hearers to the first promise and to lead them to look for restoring of that by this second Adam which was lost in the first To him was heaven shut upon his fall and he lost his former converse and attendance of Angels but ye shall see heaven open and the Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man that you may know that the second Adam is here It is true indeed that Ezekiel and Daniel are called either of them Son of Man Ezek. 2. 1. c. Dan. 8. 17. and that all men in general are called the sons of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 62. 9. as nomen naturae and so we deny not but this title doth denote and shew Christs humanity and may tell us to what honour God raised our nature in him But when he doth often stile himself by the title with such an Emphasis it draws the eyes and thoughts of all to meditate also and consider upon this further thing SECTION XIII S. JOHN CHAP. II. Christs first miracle changing of forms His first Passover AND a a a a a a The third day There is much difference whence to date this day whether from Johns last testimony of Christ or from
of more which might be done exceeding abundantly and when all is alledged but to little satisfaction Christ then may mean here say they What is that woman to me and thee being but strangers that they want wine as some intepret it or which is the more proper use of that kind of speech in holy Writ what have I to do with thee that is why should I have respect to thy desire in this case In matters touching my charge and the commission of my Father for preaching working miracles and other graces I must not be tyed to flesh and blood Which was not a reprehension of our Lady or signification that he would not hear her in this or other things pertaining to Gods glory or the good of men for the event sheweth the contrary but it was a lesson to the company that heard it and namely to his Disciples that respect of kindred should not draw them to do any thing against reason or be the principal motion why they do their duties but Gods glory And a little after Our Lady knew it was no check to her but a doctrine to others Now quorsum hoc Why do these men and generally all the Expositors of the same school keep such ado to clear this from a reprehension why because the Virgin Mary must have no check by no means but if it had been any woman in the world but she or any man in the world but Peter it is a question whether we should have had all this ado to carry these words out of a reprehension The manner of the expression they cannot deny to be of a reprehensive nature the common use of it in Scripture is so apparent Judg. 11. 12. 2 Sam. 16. 10. Ezr. 4. 3. Matth. 8. 29. and divers of the most ancient Fathers have understood it here in such a sense as Irenaeus Chrysostome Augustine Athanasius produced by Beza upon the place It is more pertinent and to the purpose therefore to examine the reason why our Saviour giveth his mother such a check than to seek evasions and arguments to discharge it from being such a thing There be that have conceived that our Saviour that knew all hearts did perceive a little pride and vain-glory breathing in these words of his mother as if she sought for and was tickled with some desire of esteem and glory which would redound to her upon these actions of her son But upon what ground they have built so uncharitable a gloss as this is far from apparency Although we hold not the Virgin Mary free from sin as the Papists do for upon Mark 3. 31. we cannot but lay a very foul sin to her charge yet do I not know any cause for which to charge her with pride especially here where the respect and care of her kinsmans credit in whose house she now was did move her to propose this to her son rather than any respect of her own But others more charitably somewhat have construed it so as if Christ should check her for going about to keep him still under her maternal correction and commands when he was now come to so full an age as that he might very well be guide of his own actions and accordingly they have read the latter clause by way of question What is not mine hour yet come that I may be at mine own disposal but still must be at the mothers command but besides the quaintness of this interrogative reading hardly warranted by any Copy extant it may very well he supposed that there was something more that our Saviour looked after in the matter than his own priviledge and immunity from his mothers command or else as the former exposition laid some aspersion of pride upon the mother this doth very nearly do it upon the Son The mind of Christ therefore in the uttering of these words may best be understood by those that he speaketh with them Mine hour is not yet come as he being the best Expositor of himself if we can rightly expound those § Mine hour is not yet come Not to trouble my self and the Reader to shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hour in Scripture is not allways taken in that strict sense as an hour properly is taken with us but that it very commonly and often is used to signifie time in general and of an undefined measure these words of Christ seem to have this aim He had told the day before that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From thenceforth they should see the Heavens opened c. that is that now he began to be revealed and from henceforward he must declare himself in his Publick Ministery and in power Mary taketh occasion of her proposal to him for this miracle from his own words as was observed before But Christ says no upon this reason because his working miracles was to confirm his doctrine and therefore it were fit he should first preach and shew his first miracle rather upon a Sermon than upon a feast And that this is his mind in this clause may be concluded by his condescension and in that he doth accomplish what the Virgin his mother doth desire although he seem to deny her desire He first gives her a mild reprehension for that she will be medling so with his Ministerial actings as that when he hath but told that he must do miracles she will offer to prescribe the time and occasion This he doth in those words Woman what have I to do with thee He then rectifies her in the doctrine concerning his miracles namely that they were not to be acted upon all offers and occasions but to confirm his Doctrine among those uncredulous ones that unless they saw a sign or wonder would not believe This he doth in this clause Mine hour is not yet come And then he acts the miracle that she did desire because he knew it would have the fruit here that his miracles aimed and looked after namely belief in those that saw it and so it had for his Disciples that he had chosen before in the former Chapter beleived on him ver 11. and there were new ones added of his own kindred So that though the former part of Christs speech in this verse be a flat reprehension of his mother yet is not the latter part a flat denial of her request but an exposition of the most proper meaning of his former words Now if it be questioned when that hour came of which he speaketh it is answered by some when John Baptist was laid up in his prison for that then it is said Jesus began to preach c. but it is more than apparent that Jesus both preached very much and did miracles very many before that time and therefore those words From that time Jesus began to preach are to be construed in another sense than in an antithesis to what he had done before as shall be shewed when we come there And this hour that he speaketh of here is to be understood of
couples for breed and the odd one for Adams sacrifice upon his fall but of unclean only one couple for the propagation of the kind Vers. 26. Man created by the Trinity about the third hour of the day or nine of the clock in the morning CHAP. II. The three first verses that treat of the institution of the Sabbath are according to their proper Order of time to be taken in at the end of the third chapter Vers. 4. c. On the morning of the sixth day a mist that had gone up from the Earth fell down upon it again in rain or dew and watered the Earth with which watering the trees and plants budded to maturity in a trice this dew being as a natural cause thereof yet the effect being withal exceeding supernatural because â—o speedy Vers. 7. Of the dust of the Earth thus watered God created the body of man and to this the Psalmist alludeth The dew of thy youth Psal. 110. 3. And into that Earth so prepared he breatheth the Spirit of Life and Grace Ephes. 4. 24. Vers. 10. Eden watered by a river that overflowed it once a year after the manner of Nilus and Jordan Chap. 13. 10. To Adam thus created and made Lord of the creature the Lord himself bringeth the creatures to receive their names which he giveth to them agreeable to their natures and that at the first sight shewing at once his dominion over them and his wisdom among them all he seeth no fit match for himself but by seeing every one of them mated and that they came before him by pairs he is brought to be sensible of his own want of a fellow which thereupon God provideth for him out of his own body of a rib which part of him might best be spared And thus the Creation endeth in the making of the woman CHAP. III. The woman thinking it had been a good Angel that spake in the trunk of the Serpent she entreth communication with the Devil who perceiving her both to add and to diminish to and from the Commandment that was given them groweth the more impudent to tempt and seduceth her by the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life as 1 John 2. 16. And she perswadeth her husband and so they both are fallen on the very same day that they are created Gen. 9. 1 2 3. Psal. 49. 12. Christ is promised before the man and the woman are censured and they are questioned also before they be sentenced but so was not Satan for God had mercy in store for them but none for him The curse is not upon man himself but upon the Earth to teach him to set his affections on things above and not on the cursed ground and not to look for an earthly Kingdom of Christ on this Earth which the Lord hath cursed Adam apprehendeth and layeth hold upon the promise by Faith and in evidence of this his faith he calleth his wives name Eve or Life because she was to be the mother of Christ according to the flesh by whom life should come and of all believers that by faith should live in him for an outward sign and seal of this his Faith and for a further and more lively expression of the same God teacheth him the rite of sacrifice to lay Christ dying before his eyes in a visible figure And with the skins of the sacrificed beasts God teacheth him and his wife to cloath their bodies And thus the first thing that dieth in the world is Christ in a figure At the end of this third chapter imagine the three first verses of Chap. 2. concerning the Sabbath to be observed to come in and suppose the texture of the story to lye thus Adam thus fallen censured recovered instructed and expelled Eden on the sixth day the next day following he by Gods appointment keepeth for a Sabbath or an holy rest and spendeth it only in divine duties Now the reason why it standeth in the place where it doth Chap. 2. Is partly because Moses would lay the seven days or the first week of the world altogether without interposition and partly because he would shew by setting it before Adams fall that had he persisted in innocency yet must he have observed a Sabbath The seventh day or Sabbath is not bounded in the Text with the same limits that the other days are for it is not said of it as it was of them The Evening and the Morning were the seventh day because a time should come when it should have a new beginning and end and though to the Jews it was from Even to Even yet from the beginning it was not so expressed CHAP. IV. Cain and Abel twins of one birth and first was born he that was natural and after he that was spiritual The faith of Abel appeared in the very materials of his sacrifice it being of slain beasts and so a representation of the death of Christ for this it is fired from Heaven and Cain's is not though his dry ears of Corn were materials far more combustible Cain and Abel were both their own Priests for it cannot be proved that Sacrifices were ever offered but upon emergent occasions till the Law fixed it for a common service and he that had such an occasion had liberty to be his own Priest even under the Law as it appeareth by Gedeon Manoah c. and then much more was that liberty before The word Sin in vers 7. seemeth rather to signifie an offering or attonment for sin than punishment For first God cometh not to deject Cain lower than he was but to raise him from his dejection as it appeareth both by his deigning to give him an Oracle from Heaven and also by the words wherewith he beginneth Secondly If the words Sin lieth at the door intend suddain Judgment ready to devour him what dependance can the words following have with these If thou do not well thou shalt certainly be punished and thy brothers desire shall be subject to thee for this were to threaten poor Abel more or at least as much as Cain Thirdly The Original word Chateath as it signifies Sin so also doth it the sacrifice for sin as Hos. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 21. And all along Leviticus and it was the custom according to which Moses speaketh as best known to lay the Sacrifice at the Sanctuary door Vers. 14. Cain sensible of his punishment though he was not of his sin beggeth of God that he might die to ease him of it Therefore let any one that findeth me kill me but this God denyeth to him reserving him to a lingring punishment and Cain being assured of long life giveth himself to all sensuality to sweeten it as much as he can and this is the way of Cain Jud. vers 11. Vers. 23. Lamech in horrour of Conscience for his Polygamy which now began to be examplary to the general corruption of the world acknowledgeth his sin seventy times greater than
being mixed with men of different conditions which thing they know is unprofitable and hurtful This kind of people are in many parts of the world but it abounds in Egypt through every one of those places that are called Nomi especially about Alexandria Now out of all places the chief or best of the Therapeutae are sent into a Colony as it were into their Country into a most convenient region besides the lake Maria upon a low gentle rising bank very fit both for safety and the wholesom air The houses of the company are very mean affording shelter in two most necessary respects against the heat of the Sun and the coldness of the air Nor are they near together like houses in a City for such vicinity is trouble and displeasing to such as love and affect solitude Nor yet far asunder because of that communion which they imbrace and that they may help one another if there be any incursion of thieves Every one of them hath a holy house which is called a * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chappel and Monastery in which they * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being solitary do perform the mysteries of a Religious life bringing in thither neither drink nor meat nor any other necessaries for the use of the body but the Law and the Oracles given by the Prophets and hymns and other things whereby knowledge and religion are increased and perfected Therefore they have God perpetually in their mind insomuch that in their dreams they see nothing but the beauty of the Divine powers and there some of them who by dreaming do vent excellent matters of Philosophy They use to pray twice every day morning and evening at Sun rising and Sun setting and all the time between they meditate and study the Scripture allegorizing them because they believe that mystical things are hid under the plain letter they have also many commentaries of their predecessors of this Sect to this purpose They also made Psalms and Hymns to the praise of God Thus spend they the six days of the week every one in his Cell not so much as looking out of it But on the seventh day they meet together and sit down according to their age demurely with their hands within their coats the right hand betwixt their breast and their skin and the left on their side Then steps forth one of the gravest and skilfullest in their profession and preacheth to them and the rest hearken with all silence only nodding their heads or moving their eyes their place of worship is parted into two rooms one for the men and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other for the women All the week long they never taste meat nor drink any day before Sun setting because they think the studdy of wisdom to be fit for the light and the taking ease of their bodies for the dark some hardly eat above once in three days some in six on the seventh day after they have taken care of the soul they refresh the body Their diet is only bread and salt and some add a little hyssop Their drink spring-water Their cloths mean and only fit to keep out heat and cold At the end of every seven weeks they feast together honouring much the number seven Old women are present at their feasts but they are such as are Virgins upon devotion When they first meet together they first stand and pray that the feast may be blessed to them then sit they down the men on one side and the women on the other some of their young Scholers wait on them their diet is but as at other times bread and salt for their meat hyssop for sauce and water for drink there is general silence all the meal save that one or other asketh or resolveth questions the rest holding their peace and they shew by their several gestures that they understand or approve or doubt Their interpretations of Scripture are all allegories when the president hath satisfied the things proposed they give a general applause and then he singeth a Psalm either of his own making or of some of the ancients And thus do the rest in their course when all have done the young men take away the table and then they rise and fall to a daunce the men apart and the women apart for a while but at last they joyn and dance all together and this is in representation of the dance upon the shore of the red Sea Thus spend they the night when Sun riseth they all turn their faces that way and pray for a happy day and for truth and understanding and so they depart every one to their Cells To this purpose doth Philo describe these Therapeutae of his times which howsoever they are taken for Christians by divers as was said before yet it is so plain by divers passages in Philo's Charactering of them that they were no Christians but Jewish sectaries that it is even needless to determinate it let the reader but consider that it is a Jew that commends their devotion that he himself imitates their manner of expounding the Scriptures by allegories that he saith they had many commentaries of their predecessors to that tenour that they were superstitious about the number seven as he himself is not a little and if there were no other arguments to prove that they were only a Sect of the Jews these were enow §. 2. The affairs of the Jews in Alexandria and Babylonia The death of Caius was an allay to the troubles of the Jews both in Judea and Alexandria and the proclamation of Claudius which we shall hear of the next year was their utter cessation for the present but so it was not in Babylonia The terror and trouble that had seized Judea about the statue of Caesar was removed and extinct with the removal and extinction of Caesar himself so were the pressures of them in Alexandria mitigated much from what they were before though their commotions and troubling continued still in an equal measure For whereas before the displeasure of the Emperor lay so heavy upon them that they neither could nor durst stand out in their own defence when that burden is now removed they gather heart and metal and now though the Greeks and they be continually at daggers drawn yet now it is upon equal terms and they dare strike as well as the other But in Babylonia and thereabout their miseries is but now a brewing and an equal strait is preparing for them as had been to either of the other though it began with some smiling of a seeming happiness and the sunshine of present prosperity The bloodhound of vengeance was to hunt this Nation and not to be taken off till it was destroyed and therefore when it giveth off the quest in one place it takes it in another and leaveth not their footing till it had left them no footing at all Those Jews whose Tragedy we have seen acted already found their own misery though
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
answer in the very words of their vulgar Attendite ne justitiam vestram faciatis Take heed you do not make them your Justification CHAP. XLII An Emblem A Wall in Rome had this picture A man painted naked with a whip in one hand and four leaves of a book in the other and in every leaf a word written In the first Plango I mourn Is the second Dico I tell In the third volo I will and in the fourth facio I do Such a one in the true repentant He is naked because he would have his most secret sins laid open to God He is whipped because his sins do sting himself His book is his repentance His four words are his actions In the first he mourns in the second he confesses in the third he resolves and in the fourth he performs his resolution Plango I mourn there is sight of sin and sorrow Dico I tell there is contrition for sin and confession Volo I will there is amending resolution Facio I do there is performing satisfaction CHAP. XLIII Mahhanaiim Gen. 32. 2. AND Jacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him And Jacob said when he saw them This is the Host of the Lord and he called the name of the place Mahanaim The word is dual and tels of two Armies and no more what these two Armies were the Jews according to their usual vein do find strange expositions To omit them all this seems to me to be the truth and reason of the name There was one company with Jacob which afterwards he calls his army and there was another company of Angels which he calls the Army of God These are the two Armies that gave name to Mahanaim two Armies one heavenly and the other earthly and from this I take it Salomon compares the Church * to the company of Mahanaim for so the Church consisteth Cant. 6. 12. of two Armies one heavenly like these Angels which is the Church triumphant and the other travailing on earth like Jacobs Army which is the Church militant CHAP. XLIV The book of Psalms THE Psalms are divided into five books according to the five Books of Moses and if they be so divided there be seventy books in the Bible the unskilful may find where any one of these five books end by looking where a Psalm ends with Amen there also ends the book As at Psal. 41. 72. 89. 106. and from thence to the end These may even in their very beginnings be harmonized to the books of the Law Gensis The first book of Moses telleth how happiness was lost even by Adams walking in wicked counsel of the Serpent and the Woman Psal. 1. The first book of Psalms tells how happiness may be regained if a man do not walk in wicked counsel as of the Serpent and Woman the Divel and the Flesh. This allusion of the first book Arnobius makes Exodus The second book of Moses tells of groaning affliction in Egypt Psal. 42. The second book of Psalms begins in groaning affliction Psal. 42. 43. Leviticus The third book of Moses is of giving the Law Psal. 73. The third book of Psalms tells in the beginning how good God is for giving this Law This allusion Rab. Tanch makes very near Numbers The fourth book of Moses is about numbring Psal. 90. The fourth book begins with numbring of the best Arithmetick numbring Gods mercy Psal. 90. 1. and our own days vers 12. Deuteronomy The last book of Moses is a rehearsal of all Psal. 107. So is the last book of the Psalms from Psal. 107. to the end In the Jews division of the Scripture this piece of the Psalms and the books of the like nature are set last not because they be of the least dignity but because they be of least dependance with other books as some of them being no story at all and some stories and books of lesser bulk and so set in a form by themselves The Old Testament books the Jews acrostically do write thus in three letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every letter standing for a word and every word for a part of the Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Aorajetha or Torah the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Nebhiim the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Cethubhim or books of Holy Writ this division is so old that our Saviour himself useth it in the last of Luke and vers 44. All things written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and the Psalms By the Psalms meaning that part of Cethubhim in which the Psalms are set first CHAP. XLV Of the Creation TWO ways we come to the knowledge of God by his Works and by his Word By his Works we come to know there is a God and by his Word we come to know what God is His Works teach us to spell his Word teacheth us to read The first are as it were his back parts by which we behold him a far off The latter shews him to us face to face The World is as a book consisting of three leaves and every leaf Printed with many Letters and every Letter a Lecture The leaves Heaven the Air and Earth with the Water The Letters in Heaven every Angel Star and Planet In the Air every Meteor and Soul In the Earth and Waters every Man Beast Plant Fish and Mineral all these set together spell to us that there is a God and the Apostle saith no less though in less space Rom. 1. 20. For the * * * In the Syrian translation it is the hid things of God invisible things of him that is his eternal Power and Godhead are seen by the creation of the World being considered in his Works And so David Psal. 19. 1. It is not for nothing that God hath set the Cabinet of the Universe open but it is because he hath given us Eyes to behold his Treasure Neither is it for nothing that he hath given us Eyes to behold his Treasure but because he hath given us Hearts to admire upon our beholding If we mark not the Works of God we are like Stones that have no Eyes wherewith to behold If we wonder not at the Works of God when we mark them we are like Beasts that have no Hearts wherewith to admire And if we praise not God for his Works when we admire them we are like Devils that have no Tongues wherewith to give thanks Remarkable is the story of the poor old man whom a Bishop found most bitterly weeping over an ugly Toad being asked the reason of his Tears his answer was I weep because that whereas God might have made me as ugly and filthy a creature as this Toad and hath not I have yet never in all my life been thankful to him for it If the works of the Creation would but lead us to this one Lecture our labour of observing them were well bestowed How much more
of his Knowledge as in the Sacrifices fire and salt were ever joyned 5. The fifth days work was of fishes to play in the Seas and the souls to flie toward Heaven So the fifth step in a new creature is to live and rejoyce in a Sea of troubles and to flie by prayer and contemplation to Heaven 6. On the sixth day God makes man and all these things performed man is a new creature To reckon them altogether then as S. Peter does his golden chain of vertues 2 Pet. 1. Add to your light of Knowledge the firmament of Faith to your Faith Seas of repentant Tears to your Tears the fruitful Trees of good Works to your good Works the hot Sunshine of Zeal to your Zeal the winged souls of Prayer and Contemplation Et ecce omnia facta sunt nova Behold you are become a new Creature As the Bible begins so it ends with a new Creation of a new Heaven and a new Earth and a new Paradise and a new Tree of Life Apoc. 21. unto all which O thou whom my soul loveth say come CHAP. XLVII Of the fall of Adam THE fall of Adam was the death of himself the death of us and the death of Cypriano di valter Christ. At his fall were three offenders three offences and persons offended Three offenders Satan Adam Eve three offences Ignorance weakness and malice three persons offended Father Son and Holy Ghost Eve sinned of Ignorance and so sinned against the Son the God of knowledge and she was forgiven and so S. Paul sinned and was forgiven 1 Tim. 1. 13. Adam sinned of weakness and so sinned against the Father the God of power and he was pardoned and so S. Peter sinned and he was pardoned Matth. 26. But Satan sinned of set malice and so sinned against the Holy Ghost the God of love and he was not forgiven For he that speaketh against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven Mark 3. 29. And in Gods censuring of these three Gen. 3. He questioneth Adam and Evah before he sentenceth because he had mercy for them nay more he promiseth Christ before he inflict punishment but for the Serpent he never questioned because he would shew him no mercy God left Adam to his own free-will and suffered him to fall quia sciebat se c. because he knew how to turn that fall of his to his salvation When Lazarus died Christ was not there that the raising of Lazarus by Christ might be the more glorious So when Adam fell as I may say so God would not be there for he left Adam to his own free-will that the repairing of Adam through Christ might be the more glorious Hereupon one sings O foelix lapsus Unhappy was the fall of Adam since by his fall we all fell but yet happy was that unhappy fall since it must be recured by Christ. Joseph suffered his brother Simeon to go into prison for a while that at last he might bring him out with greater comfort So God suffered Adam to go into Satans Newgate for a while that at last he might bring him out with greater comfort The day thou eatest hereof thou shalt dye there is the prison And the man took and eat there Adam goes into prison The seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent there Joseph delivers Simeon out of prison God brings man out of Hell through Christ. Whereupon a Doctor in admiration questions utrum mirabilius homines justos creare an injustos justificare whether is more admirable that God created man righteous or that he justified man when he had made himself unrighteous Whether was more miraculous for God to make man of nothing or to repair him from worse than nothing Wonderful he was in both in his first and his second creation for Justificatio est secunda hominis creatio mans Justification is his new creation CHAP. XLVIII Ophitae Evia SOme Hereticks in Epiphanius think themselves beholden to the Devil for his pains that he took to overthrow Adam for they used to worship a Serpent because say they he brought knowledge into the world Clemens Alexandrinus doth partly think this conceit was got among the Heathens who at their Feasts of Bacchus used to carry a Serpent as it were in procession and to cry Evia Evia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Evia saith Clemens if it be asperated Hevia it signifies in the Hebrew Tongue a female Serpent Where the good man calls the Chaldec Tongue the Hebrew For in the Hebrew I do not find such a word for a Serpent But all the Chaldee translations of the Bible in the third of Genesis and diverse other places do use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hivia for a Serpent which I take to be the word he means CHAP. XLIX Of the Greek Translation of the fifth of Genesis HOW the Septuagint does add hundreds of years to mens ages before and after the Flood few Scholars but they know This bred the difference of computation of the times while some followed the Hebrew some the Greek Hence came two notorious doubts About Methuselah living after the Flood who died a month or two before And of Sem his death before Abrahams birth who lived as long after Abraham came to Canaan as Abraham was old when he came thither viz. seventy five years And so might well be Melchizedek The Greeks had a great deal of stir where to put Methushelah all the Flood-time for fear of drowning At last some laid him on the top of Noahs Ark and there he was all that watry year The Jews lay Og the Giant there also as the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the fourteenth of Genesis ridiculously observeth Whose words for your fuller sport I will not spare to set down The thirteenth verse be renders thus in Chaldee And Og came who was left of those that died in the Flood for he rode upon the Ark and was as a covering upon it and was nourished with Noahs victuals but he was not preserved for his own sake or merit but that the inhabitants of the world might see the power of the Lord and say Did not the Gyants in old time rebel against the Lord of the world and he destroyed them from the earth yet assoon as these Kings make war behold Og is with them Og saith with himself I will go and shew Abraham Lots case that he is taken prisoner that so he may come to rescue him and may himself fall into their hands He goes and comes to him about the Passover day and finds him making unleavened cakes then he told Abraham the Hebrew c. Thus far the Chaldee of whose conceits here and in one thousand of places more and so of his Nation the Jews I know not whether to say Risum or fletum teneatis amici But to return to my purpose The Greek The Chaldee Paraphrase of Jonathan does also mistake in the age of Mathuselah but I think it only false Printing
into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel was 14 steps or 7 cubits m m m Mid. per. 2. or as the Talmud more truly reckons but 12 steps or 6 cubits for every step was half a cubit rise and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel being ten cubits broad it was level to the Wall of the Womens Court. The Wall that incompassed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel was not high as were the other Walls about the Temple but it was only as it were barrs before the higher Wall of the Court but of three cubits high the fashion or work of it being very curious wrought into paves or latices or such open work that one might look through it as well as over it The passages into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chel through this Wall were many namely one before every Gate that went into either of the Courts and there on either side the passage was a Pillar set up with the inscription mentioned advising strangers to beware of the coming upon the holy ground Now in the Syrogecian Kings times when the Jews and Jerusalem lay in subjection to those Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Wall that was the barr against strangers n Id. Ibid. going any further was broken by those Kings in thirteen places they scornfully and disdainfully and impiously breaking upon the holy ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Jews made up the breaches again and ordained thirteen adorations and oraisons to be made against the Heathen Kingdoms upon any ones coming to any of the places where breach had been CHAP. XVIII The Court of the Women THE Courts of the Temple to the surveying of which we are now come were properly two The Court of Israel and The Court of the Women For though there was indeed a distinction between the Court of Israel and the Court of the Priests as that the one was not the other and they that came into the one might not come into the other yet was the one so within the other and the partition between the one and the other so small and but one boundary that inclosed them both that they were indeed not so very properly two Courts as two several places for the Priests and for the Israelites to stand in in one Court But the Court of Israel and the Court of the Women were so truly and apparently two different Courts that they lay one before another and they were parted and divided one from another with a very high Wall The Court of the Women is not mentioned in Scripture by that express name and title in any place but yet it is spoken of there under two or three other Epithets or denominations 1. It is called the New Court 2 Chron. XX. 5. where it is said that Jehoshaphat stood in the Congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new Court that is he and all the Congregation stood in the Mountain of the House Eastward before the Court of the Women Now David Kimchi upon the place though he speak not out so much yet he concludeth indeed that that new Court meaneth the Court of the Women and he giveth two reasons why it is called New a a a Kimchi in 2 Chron. XX. either because it had gone to decay and they had newly repaired it or because they had made some new Laws concerning it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had appointed that none that were defiled so as they needed to wash themselves the same day should come within the Camp of Levi which is a peculiar prohibition in the b b b Kelim per. 1. c c. Lemper in Midd. fol. 62. the Talmud as concerning this Court of the Women c But rather it was called new because it was not made when the other Court was by Solomon but added in aftertime There is mention indeed of the Inner Court built by Solomon 1 King 36. 6. which inferreth an outer but that outer meaneth the whole mountain of the House which lay without the Court of Israel as is well observed by some of the Hebrew Doctors and that is it which is also called the great Court in contradistinction to the Court of the Priests 2 Chron. IV. 9. And in that there is mention only of Solomons building the inner Court it is an argument that he built but that Court and that this that we are speaking of was not extant in his time but taken in and built afterward either by Asa or by Jehosaphat before that time and occasion that the text mentioned in the book of Chronicles speaketh of and so there came to be two Courts in the House of the Lord 2 King XXI 5. 2. It is called The outer Court Ezek. XLVI 21. d d d Mid. per. 2. Kimch in loc as that Text is generally and truly understood by the Jewish Writers which we shall have occasion to examine anon and the reason of the name doth easily appear namely because it lay on the outside of the Court of Israel and further off from the Temple 3. It is also called The Treasury John VIII 20. the reason of which name we shall observe before we have done with the survey of this Court But by the Jewish Writers it is generally and ordinarily called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Court of the Women and the reason of that name was because the Women might go no higher or further than into this Court. e e e Ioseph de Bell. l. 5. c. 14. Antiq. l. 15. c. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This being the proper place for them to worship in and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 further than this towards the Temple was unaccessible to them only when a Woman brought a Sacrifice she might go into the Court of Israel as we have observed in another place This Court lay at the East end of the Court of Israel and was parted from it by a high Wall so that whosoever came to worship here could see nothing of the service in the other Court and indeed hear but little unless they went up the steps of the Gate and looked in for till you came to the middle of the entry of the Gate that went up into the upper Court it was but of the same holiness with the Court of the Women but beyond the middle it was holier The floor of this Court was even and level throughout f f f Mid. ubi ant and it was a perfect square of 135 cubits long and 135 cubits broad and it was curiously flag'd with marble as indeed was all the space both Courts Chel and the other space that was within the Wall that incompassed the holy ground And they have this Tradition about the pavement of the Court where the Altar stood g g g Maym in beth habbech per. 1. That all the Court was flag'd with fair stones and if any flag were loosed although it lay still in its place yet was it
for the Priests standing The Court of Israel parted from the Levites Desks by Pillars and Rails The Levites standing parted from the Priests by a Wainscot Desk or some such thing The Court of the Priests open to the Altar but only that the Pillars that supported the Cloister stood in a row before it And so we have the dimensions and platform of the Court and of the Buildings and the Cloisters that stood about it But before we proceed to observe the particulars that were within it I cannot but think of a piece of structure that in its story looks something like to some of the Cloisters that we have described either in the Mountain of the House or in one of the Courts though I believe it was none of them and that is The Covert of the Sabbath of which there is speech and mention 2 King XVI 18. where it is said of Ahaz The Covert of the Sabbath that they had built in the House and the Kings entry without c. How to frame the Verb to this sentence is somewhat doubtful whether to say he turned it from the House of the Lord and so doth our English or he turned it to the House of the Lord and so doth the Chaldee Paraphrast and some others with him for the word in the Original doth not determine it Were that the question before us I should adhere to the sense of our English for the Kings entry without was turned to the House of the Lord from its first making but our question is what this Covert of the Sabbath was The Seventy have rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The foundation of the chair or seat upon what mistake in their unprickt Bible a mean Hebrician will easily discover namely that they read Musadh for Musach Daleph and Caph â—inal being like and for Shabbath they read Shebeth Vid. Kimc Lev. Gerson in loâ— Nobil in LXX Ibid. The most received opinion about this matter is that this was some special piece of building that was purposely made for the course of Priests that went out every Sabbath to repose themselves in till the Sabbath was out or till they might go home And the reason of this conception is because of the word Sabbath which they suppose to refer rather to the change of the Priests courses who came in and went out on the Sabbath than to the Service or the Peoples attending whose concourse was greater at the Festivals than on the Sabbath I should rather take it to mean some Court of Guard that was made on the top of the Causey Shallecheth up towards the Gate Coponius where the Kings Guard stood on the Sabbaths having attended the King into the Temple till he came out again there to receive him again and to Guard him home and I should understand and construe the word The Kings in conjunction with both particulars named namely that it meaneth the Kings covert of the Sabbath as well as the Kings Entry without and my reason for this opinion I should fetch partly from the mention of these Gates that we had in speech before namely The Gate of the Foundation and the Gate behind the Guard 2 King XI 6. And partly from the passage in Jerem. XXXVIII 14. where it is said that King Zedekiah sent and took Jeremy the Prophet unto him into the third entry that was in the House of the Lord where Solomon Jarchi doth ingenuously confess that he knows not what this third Entry in the House of the Lord was but perhaps saith he it meaneth the Court of Israel the Court of the Women and the Chel being the two other Kimchi doth well conceive that this Entry was as they came from the Kings House into the Temple but more of it he hath not determined I should say it meaneth the Gate Coponius and conceive the King coming to the Temple through these entrances or passages First At the bottom of the Stairs or descent of Zâ—on much about his turning to come upon the Causey there was the Gate of the Foundation then being come up the Causey towards the Temple he passed through the Gate behind the Guard and walked through the Court of Guard which I suppose was called the Kings covert for the Sabbath and so through the Gate Coponius which was his third entrance or Gate he passed through These Gates we said before were Gates of Sion meaning that they were in the way from the Temple thither and not Gates of the Temple it self According therefore to this supposal I apprehend that Ahaz becoming a Renegado to Religion did deface and defile the Temple within and did clean cut off the way of the Kings access thither without as if he and his should never have more to do there And according to this supposal also I apprehend that Zedekiah having garisoned himself in the Temple while the Chaldeans were now lying in Siege about the City he sends for Jeremy from his prison in Zion and he comes up to the Gate Coponius or Shallecheth and there the King and he confer together And now let us turn our Eyes and Observation upon what is to be found in the Court from which we have thus far digressed and first we will begin with the Altar which is not only the most remarkable thing to be observed there but which must also serve us as a standing mark from whence to measure the place and sight of other things CHAP. XXXIV Of the Altar of Burnt-offering THE Altar that Moses made in the Wilderness because it was to be carried up and down was of light materials and of small dimensions for a a a Ex. XXVII 1. it was of Shittim wood and but five cubits square and three cubits high with a Grate of Brass hanging within it for the Fire and Sacrifice to lye upon And therefore when it is called the brazen Altar 2 Chon I. 5. it is because it was plated over with brass Exod. XXXVIII 1. But when Solomon came to build the Temple and there was to be no more removing of the Tabernacle of the Congregation as there had been before b b b 2 Chron. IV. 1. he made the Altar far larger and weightier than that of Moses namely of Brass and of twenty cubits square and ten cubits high I shall not be curious to inquire whether Solomon's Altar were of brass indeed or no or whether it is said to be of brass though it were of stone because it succeeded instead of Moses his brazen one as c c c Vid. Kimch in 1 King VIII 64. some Jews conceive d d d Vid. Lev. Gers. ibid. or as others because though it were of stone yet it was over-laid with brass I see no reason why it should not be properly and literally understood that it was of massie brass indeed for why may we not well conclude by the plating of Moses his Altar over with brass that it was made of wood only for lightness and
exact about their Language and appoint to themselves certain signs their Law is established in their hands to the men of Galilee who are not exact about their Language nor appoint to themselves signs their Law is not established in their hands The Gloss is They were exact about their Language namely in rendring the same words which they had heard from their Masters And because they were taught orally by hearing after hearing they appointed to themselves from them sign after sign And because they were exact about their Language they knew how to appoint to themselves fit signs that they might not forget The men of Judea learn from one Master and their Law is established in their hands the Galileans learn not from one Master and their Law is not established in their hands The Gloss writes The Galileans heard one Master in one Language and another in another and the diversity of the Language or pronuntiation confounded them so that they forgat And a little after R. Abba said If any ask the men of Judea who are exact about their Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maabrin with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ain or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maabrin with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aleph Whether they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acuzo with Ain or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acuzo with Aleph They will answer There are some who pronounce it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Aleph and there are others who pronounce it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Ain There are some who say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there are others who say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a little after A certain Galilean said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They answered him O foolish Galilean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense is When the Galilean asked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immar this Lamb He pronounced the first letter in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immar so confusedly and uncertainly that the hearers knew not whether he meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamar that is an Asse or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamar Wine or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amar Wool or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immar a Lamb. A Galilean woman when she should have said to her neighbour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come and I will feed you with milk or some fat thing said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My neighbour a Lion shall eat you The Gloss is She distinguished not but confounded the letters for when she should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shelubti with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth which signifies a Neighbour she said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shelucti with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph a barbarous word For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tai Doclic Chalaba Come and I will feed you with milk she said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toclic Labe words that imply a curse as much as to say Let a Lion devour thee A certain woman said before the Judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which she intended to say was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Lord I had a Picture which they stole and it was so great that if you had been placed in it your feet would not have touched the ground But she so spoiled the business with her pronouncing that as the Glosser interprets it her words had this sense Sir slave I had a beam and they stole thee away and it was so great that if they had hung thee on it thy feet would not have touched the ground Among other things you see that in this Galilean Dialect the pronuntiation of the Gutturals are very much confounded which however the Jews correct in the words alledged yet it was not unusual among them so that b b b b b b Hieros Schabb. fol. 9. 2. the Mystical Doctors distinguished not between Cheth and He. They are the words of the Jerusalem Talmudists and these also are the words of those of Babylon c c c c c c Bab. Berat fol. 32. 1. The Schools of R. Eleazar ben Jacob pronounced Aleph Ain and Ain Aleph We observed d d d d d d Chap. LXIII before one example of such confusion of letters when one teaching thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The waters of the marshes are not to be reckoned among those waters that make unclean he meant to have it understood of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The water of eggs but he deceived his hearers by an uncertain pronuntiation You have another place noted in the margin e e e e e e Hieros Avod Zar. fol. 39. 3. Rabh said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Ain Samuel said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Aleph Rabh said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Aleph Samuel said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Ain Rabh said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Aleph Samuel said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Ain If you read the Samaritane Version of the Pentateuch you will find so frequent a changing of the Gutturals that you could not easily get a more ready key of that Language than by observing that variation CHAP. LXXXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gilgal in Deut. XI 30. What that place was THAT which is said by Moses that Gerizim and Ebal were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Over against Gilgal Deut. XI 30. is so obscure that it is rendred into contrary significations by Interpreters Some take it in that sense as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a a a a Bab. Sotah fol. 33. 2. Near to Gilgal some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b b b b R. Sol. in Deut. XI Far off from Gilgal The Targumists read Before Gilgal while as I think they do not touch the difficulty which lays not so much in the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mul as in the ambiguity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gilgal These do all seem to understand that Gilgal which the people of Israel took the first night after their passage over Jordan Jos. IV. 19. which as Josephus relates was distant only c c c c c c Jos. Antiq. lib. 5. cap. 1. fifty furlongs from Jordan but which the Gemarists guess to be fifty miles and more For d d d d d d Kiâ—ch in Jos. IV. they say the journey of that day was more than sixty miles to wit from Jordan to Gilgal And this they say that they may fix Gilgal near Gerizim and Ebal where they think the people encamped the first night after their entrance into the land of Canaan from those words of Moses Deut. XXVII 2. In the day wherein thou shalt pass over Jordan thou shalt set thee up great stones and shalt plaister them with plaister c. Now those stones say they are set up in Gerizim and Ebal Hence is that of the Gemarists e e e e e e Bab. Sanbedr fol. 44. 1. in
harmoniously agree with the said axiome as scarcely any thing can do more clearly 2. That from his Baptism to his cross he lived three years and an half This is intimated by the Angel Gabriel Dan. IX 27. In the half of a week that is In three years and an half he shall make the sacrifice and oblation to cease and it is confirmed from the computation in the Evangelists but especially in John who clearly mentioneth four Passovers Chap. II. 13. V. 1. VI. 4. XIII 1. after his forty days fast and not a little time spent in Galilee II. Therefore we suppose Christ was baptized about the feast of Tabernacles in the Month Tisri at which time we suppose him born and that John was born about the feast of the Passover and at that time began to baptize For when Christ lived two and thirty years and an half and died at the Feast of the Passover you must necessarily reduce his birth to the Month Tisri and about the time of the feast of Tabernacles and when John the Baptist was elder than he by half a year you must necessarily suppose him born about the feast of the Passover But of these things we have said something already VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And behold a voice from Heaven CHRIST was honoured with a threefold testimony pronounced by a voice from Heaven according to his threefold office See what we say at Chap. XVII 2. You find not a voice sent from Heaven between the giving of the Law and the baptism of Christ. What things the Jews relate of Bath Kol they must pardon me if I esteem them partly for Jewish fables partly for Devilish witchrafts They hold it for a Tradition n n n n n n Bab. Sanhedr fol. 11. 1. After the death of the last Prophets Haggai Zachariah Malachi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Spirit departed from Israel which was most true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But they used thenceforth the Bath Kol The Bath Kol was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o o o o o o Piske Tosaph in Sanhedr cap. 1. art 29. When a voice or Thunder came out of Heaven another voice came out from it But why I pray was Prophesie withdrawn if Heavenly oracles were to be continued Why also was Urim and Thummim taken away Or rather why was it not restored after the Babylonian captivity For p p p p p p Hieros Taanith fol. 65. 1. five things say they were wanting under the second Temple which were under the first namely the fire from Heaven The Ark Urim and Thummim the Oyl of anointing and the Holy Spirit It would certainly be a wonder if God taking away from his people his ordinary oracles should bestow upon them a nobler oracle or as noble and that when the Nation had degenerated and were sunk into all kind of impiety superstition heresie When the last Prophets Haggai and the rest were dead the Sadducean heresie concerning the Resurrection crept in and the Pharisaical heresie also weakening all Scripture and making it of none effect by vain Traditions And shall I believe that God should so indulge his people when they were guilty of so grievous Apostasie as to vouchsafe to talk familiarly with them from Heaven and to afford them oracles so sublime so frequent as the Prophets themselves had not the like If I may speak plainly what I think I should reduce those numberless stories of the Bath Kol which occur every where under these two heads namely that very many are mere fables invented for this purpose that hence the worth of this or that Rabbin or story may be illustrated the rest are mere Magical and Diabolical delusions When I read these and such like passages That q q q q q q Bab. Sanhedr in the place above the Bath Kol in Jericho gave witness to Hillel that he was worthy to have the Holy Ghost abide upon him that the Bath Kol in Jabneh yielded the same testimony to Samuel the little That r r r r r r Hieros Berac fol. 3. 2. the Bath Kol again in Jabneh determined the controversies between the Schools of Shammai and Hillel for those of Hillel and innumerable other stories of that kind I cannot but either suspect these to be tales or that these voices were framed by art Magick for the honour of the Rabbins It is remarkable what is related in the Jerusalem Talmud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s s s s s s Scbab fol. 8. 3. R. Eliezer saith They follow the hearing of Bath Kol And a little after R. Jochanan and R. Simeon ben Lachish desired to see the face of Samuel the Babylonian Doctor let us follow say they the hearing of Bath Kol Travailing therefore near a School they heard a boys voice reading in 1 Sam. XXV 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Samuel died They observed this and so it came to pass for Samuel of Babylon was dead R. Jonah and R. Josah went to visit R. Acha lying sick let us follow say they the hearing of Bath Kol They heard the voice of a certain woman speaking to her neighbour The light is put out To whom she said let it not be put out nor let the light of Israel be quenched Behold Reader a people very well contented to be deceived with a new kind of Bath Kol Compare these things with Virgils lots of which the Roman Historians speak frequently Not to be more tedious therefore in this matter let two things only be observed 1. That the Nation under the second Temple was given to Magical arts beyond measure And 2. That it was given to an easiness of believing all manner of delusions beyond measure And one may safely suspect that those voices which they thought to be from Heaven and noted with the name of Bath Kol were either formed by the Devil in the air to deceive the people or by Magicians by Devilish art to promote their own affairs Hence the Apostle Peter saith with good reason that the word of Prophesie was surer than a voice from Heaven 2 Pet. I. 19. The very same which I judge of the Bath Kol is my opinion also of the frequent appearances of Elias with which the leaves of the Talmud do every where abound namely that in very many places the stories are false and in the rest the Apparitions of him were Diabolical See the notes upon the tenth verse of the seventeenth Chapter CHAP. IV. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted c. THE War proclaimed of old in Eden between the Serpent and the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman Gen. III. 15. now takes place when that promised seed of the Woman comes forth into the field being initiated by Baptism and anointed by the Holy
in white and had a white veil and entred and ministred with his Brethren the Priests 2. We meet also with mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Council-house of the Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q q q q q q Bab. Joma fol. 66. 1. in Gemara The High Priests made a Decree and did not permit an Israelite to carry the scape Goat into the wilderness But in the Gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Council of the Priests did not permit this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r r r r r r Chetubh chap. 1. hal 5. The Council of the Priests exacted for the portion of a Virgin four hundred Zuzees and the wise men did not hinder it First This was that Council of which we spoke before in the Chamber of the Councellors Secondly That which was decreed by them concerning the carrying away of the scape Goat belonged meerly to the Service of the Temple as being a caution about the right performance of the office in the day of Attonement Thirdly And that about the portion of a virgin was nothing else but what any Israelite might do and so the Gemarists confess If any noble family in Israel say they would do what the Priests do they may The Priests set a price upon their virgins and decreed by common consent that not less than such a portion should be required for them which was lawful for all the Israelites to do for their virgins if they pleased 3. s s s s s s â—â—â— Hashanah chap. 1. hal 7. There is an example brought of Tobias a Physician who saw the New Moon at Jerusalem he and his Son and his servant whom he had freed The Priests admitted him and his Son for witnesses his servant they rejected but when they came before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bench they admitted him and his servant and rejected his Son Observe 1. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Council is here opposed to the Priests 2. That it belonged to the Council to determine of the New Moon because on that depended the set-times of the Feasts this is plain enough in the Chapter cited 3. That what the Priests did was matter of Examination only not Decree 4. t t t t t t Jerus 〈◊〉 fol. 2â— 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Elders of the City Deut. XXII 18. are the Triumvirat Bench. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the Gate v. 24. means the Bench of the chief Priest The matter there in debate is about a married woman who is found by her husband to have lost her virginity and is therefore to be put to death Deut. XXII 13 c. In that passage among other things you may find these words ver 18. And the Elders of that City shall lay hold of that man and scourge him The Gemarists take occasion from thence to define what the phrase there and in other places means The Elders of the City and what is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Gate when it relates to the Bench. That say they signifies the Triumvirat Bench This the Bench or Council of the High Priest that is unless I be very much mistaken every Council of twenty three which is clear enough both from the place mentioned and from reason it self 1. The words of the place quoted are these R. Bon bar Chaija enquired before R. Zeira What if the Father of the Virgin should produce witnesses which invalidate the testimony of the husbands witnesses if the Fathers witnesses are proved false he must be whipped and pay a hundred Selaim in the Triumvirat-Court but the witnesses are to be stoned by the Bench of the Twenty three c. R. Zeira thought that this was a double judgment but R. Jeremias in the name of R. Abhu that it was but a single one But the Tradition contradicts R. Abhu for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Elders of the City ver 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is To the Triumvirat Bench. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But at the Gate means the Bench of the High Priest It is plain that the Bench of the High Priest is put in opposition to the Triumvirat-Bench and by consequence that it is either the chief Council or the Council of the Twenty three or some other Council of the Priests distinct from all these But it cannot be this third because the place cited in the Talmudists and the place in the Law cited by the Talmudists plainly speaks of such a Council which had power of judging in capital causes But they that suppose the Ecclesiastical Council among the Jews to have been distinct from the Civil scarce suppose that that Council sat on capital causes or passed sentence of death much less is it to be thought that that Council sat only on life and death which certainly ought to be supposed from the place quoted if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Council of the High Priest did strictly signifie such a Council of Priests Let us illustrate the Talmudical words with a Paraphrase R. Zeira thought that that cause of a husband accusing his wife for the loss of her virginity belonged to the judgment of two Benches namely of the Triumvirat which inflicted whipping and pecuniary mulcts and of the Twenty three which adjudged to death but Rabbi Abhu thinks it is to be referred to the judgment of one Bench only But you are mistaken good Rabbi Abhu and the very phrase made use of in this case refutes you for the expression which is brought in To the Elders of the City signifies the Triumviral Bench and the phrase at the Gate signifies the Bench of Twenty three for the chief Council never sat in the Gate 2. Now the Council of Twenty three is called by the Talmudists the Bench or the Council of the chief Priest alluding to the words of the Law-giver Deut. XVII 9. where the word Priests denotes the inferiour Councils and Judg the chief Council II. In the chief Council the President sat in the highest seat being at this time when Christ was under examination Rabban Gamaliel as we said but the High Priest excelled him in dignity every where for the President of the Council was chose not so much for his quality as for his learning and skill in Traditions He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a phrase very much used by the Author of Juchasin applied to Presidents that is Keeper Father and deliverer of Traditions and he was chose to this office who was fittest for these things Memorable is the story of Hillel's coming to the Presidentship being preferred to the Chair for this only thing because he solved some doubts about the Passover having learnt it as he saith himself from Shemaiah and Abtalion u u u u u u Jerus Pesach fol. 33. 1. We will not think it much to transcribe the story The Sons of Betira once forgot a Tradition for when the fourteenth day on which the Passover was to be
after the same manner as other Nations took theirs from their father at the Confusion of Languages SECT II. Whence Canaan was a part only of Canaan Judg. IV. 2. CANAAN with his people wandring from Babylon after the confusion of Languages passed over Euphrates through Syria and travailed towards Palestine and the way led him straight into the Northern part of it first And that which the Jews say of Abraham travailing thither may be said of his person also in this regard b b b b b b Beresh rabb §. 39. God said to Abraham say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To thee To thee the words being doubled by reason of a double journy one from Arain Naharaim the other from Aram Nachor While Abraham lived in Aram Naharaim and Aram Nahor he saw men eating drinking and playing he said therefore Let not my portion be in that Land But after he came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the ladder of the Tyrians he saw men labouring in digging their grounds in gathering their Vintage and in husbandry and then he said Let my portion be in this Land Note how Abraham coming into the Land of Canaan is first brought into the North part of it for there was Scala Tyriorum The Ladder of the Tyrians Canaan in like manner with his sons travailing from Babylon went the same way and possesseth first the North parts both those that were without the Land of Canaan and those that were parts of the Land of Canaan it self First Let the seats of these his four sons without the Land of Canaan be observed I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arvadi The Arvadites Which word in all Versions almost is read as Aradi The Aradites And their seats are easily discovered in Arad and Antarad Jonathan for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arvadi the Arvadites reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lutasites Which people in what part of the World were they When I search in the Aruch what the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lutas means he cites these words out of Bereshith Rabba A certain woman of the family of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tiberinus was married 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to one Lutas and when accordingly I search Bereschith Rabbah I find it there written She was married 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a certain robber If it were written in Jonathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I should suspect his eye was bent upon Latavin a place of Phenicia concerning which mention is made in the Notitia Imperii where the Roman Garrisons under the Duke of Phenice are Otthara Euhara Saltacha Latavis c. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zemari The Zemarites In the Targumists both that of Jerusalem and of Jonathan it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamatsi So it is in the Arabic and in the Jerusalem Gemarists c c c c c c Hieros Megill fol. 71. 2. and also in Bereshith Rabbah d d d d d d Beresh rabb §. 37. which either supposeth them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zemarites or alludes to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they wrought in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zemer woollen manufacture But Chamats and Apamia are convertible terms in the Jerusalem Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sea of Apamia say they is the Sea of Chamats e e e e e e Hieros Chetubh fol. 35. 2. But now that Apamia we shew elsewhere is the same with Sepham on the utmost coast of the Land of Israel North and North East III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arki The Arkites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f f f f f f Beresh Rab. in the place before Arki is Arcas of Libanus Pliny writes thus g g g g g g Nat. Hist. lib. 5. 19. Paneas in which is Cesarea with the Spring before spoken Abila Arca c. Borchard thus In terminos read Inter Libani Antilibani offendimus castrum Arachas c. On or rather between the borders of Libanus and Antilibanus we found the strong hold Arachas and built by Aracheus the son of Canaan when the deluge was over IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hamathi The Hamathites In the Jerusalem Targum it is Antioch And Berechith Rabbah not much from that sense though in very different words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Sinite saith he and Arethusia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamathi is Epiphania Thus Pliny The rest of Syria hath these people except what shall be said with Euphrates the Aretheusians the Bereans and the Epiphanians You see the Antiochian and Syrophenician Syria possessed by the Canaanites and yet we are not come as far as the Land of Canaan Let us therefore proceed onwards with Canaan and the rest of his sons The borders of the Canaanites saith the Holy Scripture were from Sidon to Gerar even unto Gaza Gen. X. 19. You will say they were from Antioch and utmost Phenicia and a great part of Syria True indeed those Countries as we have seen were planted by the sons of Canaan but the Scripture doth not call them Canaanites but where their Coasts end towards the South there the Canaanites begin The Tract therefore or Region first possest by them is called by a peculiar name Canaan as distinct from the rest of the Land of Canaan Judg. IV. 2. Where Jabin the King of Hazor is called The King of Canaan that is of the Northern coast of the Land of Canaan And among the seven Nations devoted by God himself to a curse and cutting off the Canaanites are always numbred when all indeed were Canaanites and that as it seems upon a double reason partly because that Country was distinctly so called as another Country and was of a peculiar difference from those Countries inhabited by the sons of Canaan of whom we have spoke partly because Canaan the Father probably fixed his seat there himself and thence both that Country was called Canaan and the whole Land moreover called The Land of Canaan SECT III. The Perizzites who REckon the sons of Canaan in Gen. X. and where do you find the Perizzites And yet a matter to be wondered at they are always numbered in that black Catalogue of the seven Nations to be cut off I know it is supposed by some that they are called Perizzites as much as to say Villagers because they dwelt in Villages and small Towns unfortified which indeed varies not much from the derivation of the word But certainly it is needless when all the Canaanitish families are reckoned up which possessed the whole Land to add The Villagers over and above who were sufficiently included in the aforesaid reckoning But that which we know was done by the Israelites we justly suppose was done by the Canaanites also namely that some families of the Canaanite stock were denominated not from the very immediate son of Canaan from whom they derived their original but from some famous and memorable man of that stock
Now if the Samaritan may knead dough in an Israelites house it is evident the Israelite might use the Samaritan d d d d d d Hieros Jeramoth fol. 9. 1. An Israelite may circumcise a Cuthite but a Cuthite may not circumcise an Israelite because he is circumcis'd into the name of mount Gerizzim R. Josah saith let him circumcise him and let him pass into the name of mount Gerizzim till he departs this life If therefore it was lawful for the Israelite to circumcise the Cuthite or Samaritan and the Samaritan the Israelite then the Jews had dealings with or did use the Samaritans What then must be the proper meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to answer it e e e e e e Hieros Avsdah Zara fol. 44. 1. The Cuthites of Caesarea asked R. Abhu saying Your fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our fathers why then do not you the same to us Let us gather the sense from something like it it was a trite and common saying among the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me as Mat. XV. 5. According to which form of speech I may say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let not the Samaritans be profitable to the Jews and in this sense I would understand the words now in hand The Jews have no such dealings with the Samaritans as to be obliged to them for any courtesie or benefit receiv'd from them They ask or receive nothing from them gratis they borrow nothing of them which is not forbidden them as to any other Nations f f f f f f Avodah Zara cap. 1. hal ◠For three days before the feasts of the Idolaters it is forbidden the Jews either to give to or receive from them to ask or lend or borrow of them But for any other parts of the year it was not forbidden them But as to the Samaritans it was not permitted the Jews to borrow or receive any thing from them at any time gratis Nor indeed can the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place intend any thing else For whereas it was lawful for the Jews to converse with the Samaritans buy of them use their labour answer to their benedictions Amen as we find in Beracoth g g g g g g Cap. 8. hal 8. lodg in their Towns Luk. IX 52. I would fain know in what sense after all this can it be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in this only that they would not be oblig'd to them for any kindness Which may a little serve to illustrate that of Luk. X. 33 c. and it does very well agree with the matter in hand For the words before seem to be what the woman speaks and not what the Evangelist and they spoken scoptically or with sarcasm Doest thou who art a Jew ask water of me who am a Samaritan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for you Jews despise all courtesie of the Samaritans to receive the least kindness of them and do you ask me for water The Greek Lexicons back this Exposition who render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only by commercium habeo to have dealings but also by mutuo accipio utendum rogo to borrow for use c. VERS XI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence then hast thou that living water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living water The woman mistakes our Saviour's meaning as if he intended only what was usually exprest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bubbling or springing waters So that when our Saviour talks to her of a water that he had to give which whosoever should drink of should thirst no more the woman laughs in her sleeve indeed and with all the scorn that could be saith Sir pray give me of this water that I may never have any thirst or give my self the trouble of coming hither to draw for so we ought to conceive of her answer to be rather by way of scoff not supplication VERS XVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thou hast had five husbands c. CHRIST stops her fleering mouth with the dung of her own unchast conversation charging her with that infamous sort of life she had hitherto liv'd q. d. Thou for thy impudent adulteries hast suffer'd divorce from five husbands already and that which thou now hast is not thy husband but an adulterer h h h h h h Kiddushin ubi supr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cuthites do not understand the Law about betrothings and divorcings They had their customs of affiancing and divorcing and perhaps by how much the less accurate they were about their divorces I mean with respect to the Jewish rules the neerer they might come to the first institution of Moses who allow'd no divorces but in the cause of adultery That this woman was dismist from her husbands for these infamous faults of hers seems evident partly from the extraordinary number of Husbands partly that our Saviour mentions her Husbands as well as him that then liv'd adulterously with her as if he would intimate that she liv'd dishonestly under her Husbands as well as with this man VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshipped in this mountain THE story of that Temple on Gerizzim out of Josephus and others is very well known It was built in emulation and envy to that at Jerusalem as of old were Dan and Bethel Hence that irreconcileable hatred between the two Nations and the apostacy of divers Jews The Samaritans attributed a certain holiness to the mountain even after the Temple had been destroy'd but for what reason they themselves could not well tell However for the defence of it the Samaritan Text hath notoriously falsified the words of Moses in Deut. XXVII 4. For whereas the Hebrew hath it Ye shall set up these stones which I command you this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in mount Ebal The Samaritan Text and Version hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in mount Gerizzim as I have elsewhere observ'd i i i i i i Beresh rabba Sect. 32. R. Jochanan going to Jerusalem to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he past by that mountain Gerizzim a certain Samaritan seeing him askt him Whether goest thou I am saith he going to Jerusalem to pray To whom the Samaritan Were it not better for thee to pray in this holy mountain than in that cursed house Whence comes this mountain to be so holy saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because saith the other it was not over-flown by the waters of the deluge A doughty reason indeed k k k k k k Ibid. Sect. 81. R. Ismael the Son of R. Joseph going to Jerusalem to pray past by that mountain a certain Samaritan meeting him asks where art thou going I am going saith he to Jerusalem to pray Saith the other were it not better for thee to pray in this blessed
up Candles Who this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tarquinus or Tarquinius was whether they meant the Emperor Trajan or some other we will not make any enquiry nor is it tanti However the story goes on and tells us That the Woman calling her Husband accused the Jews stirring him up to revenge which he executed accordingly by a slaughter amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Feast of Dedication So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the title of the XXX Psalm the Greek Interpreters translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dedication By which the Jewish Masters seem to understand the dedication of the Temple e e e e e e Bemidb. rabba fol. 149. 1. Whereas really it was no other than the lustration and cleansing of David's House after Absolom had polluted it by his wickedness and filthiness which indeed we may not unfitly compare with the purging again of the Temple after that the Gentiles had polluted it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Ierusalem It was at Jerusalem the Feast of the Dedication Not as the Passover Pentecost and Feast of Tabernacles was wont to be at Jerusalem because those Feasts might not be celebrated in any other place But the Encenia were kept every where throughout the whole Land f f f f f f Rosh hashanah fol. 18. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They once proclaimed a Fast within the Feast of Dedication at Lydda The Feast of Dedication at Lydda this was not uncustomary for that Feast was celebrated in any place but the Fast in the time of that Feast this was uncustomary g g g g g g Maâ—mont in the place above One upon his journey upon whose account they set up a Candle at his own House hath no need to light it for himself in the place where he sojourneth For in what Country soever he sojourns there the Feast of Dedication and lighting up of Candles is observed and if those of his own houshold would be doing that office for him he is bound to make provision accordingly and take care that they may do it Maimonides goes on The precept about the Lights in the Feast of Dedication is very commendable and it is necessary that every one should rub up his memory in this matter that he may make known the great miracle and contribute toward the praises of God and the acknowledgment of those wonders he doth amongst us If any one hath not wherewithal to eat unless of meer Alms let them beg or sell his Garments to buy Oyl and Lights for this Feast If he have only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one single farthing and should be in suspense whether he should spend it in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consecrating the day or setting up lights let him rather spend it in Oyl for the Candles than in Wine for Consecration of the day For when as they are both the prescription of the Scribes it were better to give the Lights of the Encenia the preference because you therein keep up the remembrance of the miracle Now what was this miracle it was the multiplication of the Oyl The Feast was instituted in commemoration of their Temple and Religion being restored to them the continuance of the Feast for eight days was instituted in commemoration of that miracle both by the direction of the Scribes when there was not so much as one Prophet throughout the whole Land h h h h h h Hierosol Megillah fol. 70. 4. There were eighty five Elders above thirty of which were Prophets too that made their exceptions against the Feast of Purim ordained by Esther and Mordecai as some kind of innovation against the Law And yet that Feast was but to be of two days continuance It is a wonder then how this Feast of Dedication the solemnity of which was to be kept up for eight days together that had no other foundation of authority but that of the Scribes should be so easily swallowed by them Josephus as also the Book of Maccabees tells us that this was done about the hundred and forty eighth year of the Seleucidae and at that time nay a great while before the Doctrine of Traditions and authority of the Traditional Scribes had got a mighty sway in that Nation So that every decree of the Sanhedrin was received as Oracular nor was there any the least grudge or complaint against it So that though the Traditional Masters could not vindicate the institution of such a Feast from any Tradition exhibited to Moses upon Mount Sinai yet might they invent something as Traditional to prove the lawfulness of such an institution Who had the Presidency in the Sanhedrin at this time cannot be certainly determined that which is told of Joshua ben Perachiah how he fled from Janneus the i i i i i i Sanhedr fol. 107. 2. King carries some probability along with it that Joses ben Joezer of Zeredai and Joses ben Jochanan of Jerusalem to whom Joshuah ben Perachiah and Nittai the Arbelite succeeded in their Chairs sate President and Vice-president at that time in the Sanhedrin But this is not of much weight that we should tire our selves in such an enquiry The Masters tell us but upon what Authority it is obscure k k k k k k Bemidb. rab fol. 151. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the work of the Tabernacle was finished on the twenty fifth day of the month Chisleu that is this very day of the month of which we are now speaking but it was folded up till the first day of the month Nisan and then set up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it was Winter The eight days begun from the xxvth of the month Chisleu fell in with the Winter solstice Whence meeting with that in the Targumist upon 1 Chron. XI 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I question whether I should render it the shortest day or a short day i. e. one of the short Winter days is the tenth of the month Tebeth if he did not calculate rather according to our than the Jewish Calendar The Rabbins as we have already observed upon Chap. V. 35. distinguish their Winter months into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Winter and mid-winter intimating as it should seem the more remiss and more intense cold Half Chisleu all Tebeth and half Shebat was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Winter Ten days therefore of the Winter had passed when on the XXV of the month Chisleu the Feast of the Dedication came in It was Winter and Jesus walked in the Porch He walked there because it was Winter that he might get and keep himself warm perhaps he chose Solomon's Porch to walk in either that he might have something to do with the Fathers of the Sanhedrin who sate there or else that he might correct and chastise the buyers and sellers who had their shops in that place VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How long dost thou make us to
HERE I am at a stand as to the determination of this Gate according to the uncertain signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If in the Etymology of it it hath any relation with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time which any one would imagine then we might suppose it the Gate called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Huldah perhaps so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heledh time or age There were two Gates of this name on the South-side of the Court of the Gentiles under that noble Porch called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Royal Porch g g g g g g Middoth cap. 1. hal 3. Through which the way led from Jerusalem it self or Acra into the Temple But if by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be meant strictly beautiful as it is commonly rendred then we might suppose it the East Gate of the Women's Court which although it was but a Brazen Gate yet for splendor and glittering it exceeded the other Gates of Silver or Gold h h h h h h Joseph de Excid lib. 5. c. 14. There were nine of the Gates indeed that were overlaid with Silver and Gold There were nine Gates overlaid with Gold and Silver And one without the Temple made of Corinthian Brass which far exceeded those of Gold or Silver Let the Reader judge whether that which is added v. 11. encrease or explain the difficulty As the lame man which was healed held Peter and John all the people ran together unto them in the porch which is called Solomon's From whence this difficulty ariseth Whether Peter and John and the lame man had hitherto gone no further than the Court of the Gentiles or whether they had come back thither from the Women's Court. If the former then the lame Man lay at some Gate of the Court of the Gentiles that was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we may suppose was the Gate called Huldah If the later then he lay at that Corinthian Gate VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look on us V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gave heed unto them IN the Jerusalem Language perhaps it might be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look on us and he looked on them i i i i i i Hieroso Chetub fol. 35. 1. On a certain day Elias came to R. Judah while a fit of Toothach was upon him and he said unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look on me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he looked on him and he touched his Teeth and cured him VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Silver and Gold have I none IT is a Tradition k k k k k k Beracoth fol. 62. 2. Let no one enter into the Mountain of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with money bound up in his Linnen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor with his Purse hanging behind him Where by the way we may observe the Gloss of Rambam upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a Garment saith he which a Man puts on next his skin in which he sweats that he may not spoil better cloths nor is it the custom for any one to go abroad with that Garment alone having no other Cloths on We leave the Reader to spell out his meaning but with this remarque That he is not followed in the explication of this word by his Countrey-men But though it was not lawful for any to carry a Purse into the Temple with them yet was it very seldom that any did go into the Temple without money either in his hand or carried about them some other way and that with an intent either to bestow in Alms or to make a voluntary Offering in the Treasury this is evident from those two mites of the poor Widow Might not Peter have something of this nature to bestow to a beggar though he had neither Silver nor Gold Doubtless he had no such equivocation but meant it sincerely that he had no money at all VERS XI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Porch that is called Solomon's IF we will distinguish betwixt Porch and Porch then Solomon's Porch was on the East and the Royal Porch on the South c. But if we would have the whole Court of the Gentiles to be comprehended under the name of Solomon's Porch though it may seem something obscure why it should be called a Porch and why Solomon's Porch yet it may not be unfitly admitted here But whether it took its name from Solomon's Porch strictly so called as being the most noble Porch and antiently that of Solomon's or because Solomon consecrated that Court in his Temple by Sacrifices l l l l l l 1 Kings VIII 64. Or whether because Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Josephus tells us filled the deep trenches with earth that by levelling the place he might have room enough to make this Court. Whatever it was I deny not but the whole Court might go under that name although as I have elsewhere shewn the very Solomon's Porch strictly taken as a Porch was only the Eastern part and Porch of that Court And let me only repeat what I have quoted in that place m m m m m m Midr. Schir fol. 16. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priest's Gate and the Gate Huldah were not to be destroyed at all till God should renew them Which encreaseth our suspition that the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hhuldah is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hheled which signifies time and Age from the lastingness they had phansied of this Gate and that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place might have some such signification as one would say the gate of time And perhaps the little Priest's Gate was the other Gate of Hhuldah from the same duration they conceited in that Gate also For there were two Gates of that name on the South side of the Court as we have noted before VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the times of refreshing shall come I May perhaps betray my ignorance in the Greek Tongue if I should confess that I cannot see by what Authority of that language the most Learned Interpreters have rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That when the times of refreshing shall come as the Vulgar â—rasmus and the Interlinear or When they shall come also the English French and Italian or After they shall come as Beza I am not ashamed to confess I do not understand by what reason they thus render it when it so well agrees with the Idiom of that Language to translate it That the times of refreshing may come Psal. IX 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I may shew forth c. Psal. XCII 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they may be destroyed for ever Psal. CXIX 101. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I might keep Acts XV.
sung at the Passover which were ordinarily used by the Jews for that occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritual Songs were other Songs in Scripture besides Davids So you read of the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb in XV. Revel 3. 3. Observe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. V. The English translates it to your selves i. e. inter vos mutuo among your selves as Beza well and as that in Col. III. explains it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admonishing one another Which speaks it a publick exercise and of communion where all joyned and stirred up one another III. Further examples of this Exercise in the New Testament we might observe in the Revelations That Book speaks of the State of the Christian Church and one great work of it is singing Rev. V. 9. And they sung a new song c. The ordinary practise was to sing the Psalms of David but they sung a new song and that is there set down Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. So in Rev. XIV 23. And I heard the voice of Harpers harping with their harps And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the Elders and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the Earth This place speaks according to the acceptation of the Jews how they shall sing when Messiah brings them out of Captivity for there is mention among them of one hundred and forty four thousand of the twelve Tribes And so upon other occasions you find the Church singing as in XV. Chap. 2 3. But that that I shall fix on is that in 1 Cor. XI 5. Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head What is meant by the woman prophesying Not preaching For that is forbidden them in the Chapter wherein the Text is 34. vers Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted them to speak c. Nay nor so much as to ask any question which in the Jewish assemblies at their Sermons was ordinary vers 35. And if they will learn any thing let them ask their husbands at home Neither is meant by this prophesying prophesying in the proper sense i. e. foretelling things to come For it is a question whether any woman in Corinth nay in rerum natura now Philips daughters excepted Act. XXI 9. did thus prophesie But it is plain the Apostle speaks of the ordinary Service which whole Congregations joyned in and the praying and prophesying here used is praying and praising or singing Psalms Take the Apostles own gloss in this Chapter vers 15 I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the Understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the Understanding also As all the Congregation joyned in prayer with the Minister and said Amen vers 16. So all the Congregation Men and Women joyned with him that had and gave the Psalm and sung with him For the Conclusion I might produce even endless Encomiums and Extollings of this work in Christian Writers viz. That it is the work of Angels the Employment of glorified Saints the musick of Heaven c. I confess I want words to express the excellency of this Duty Now to make some Use of what I have said I. If I were in a vulgar or unlearned Congregation I would give rules for singing of Psalms with profit and among divers especially these two 1. To mind what is sung not only that the Heart go along with the Tongue in general but to be carefully observant of what is sung There is variety of matter in most Psalms they pass from one thing to another This we should carefully observe now I pray now I mourn for my sins for the Church of God c. To this I may apply that in vers 15. I will sing with the understanding if the place speaks in reference to a mans own understanding of what he prays or sings but the Apostle there means of singing and praying to be understood by others 2. To apply to our selves the matter we sing as far as it may concern us To bear a part with David not in word and tune but affection This way we must use in hearing or reading the Scripture to bring it home to our own concernment So likewise in this action of singing Thus did they Revel XV. 3. They sung the song of Moses that is they applied Moses song in Exod. XV. unto themselves And this the leisure for meditation gives you opportunity to do At male dum recitas incipit esse tuus He that illy repeats another mans verses makes them ill verses but withal makes them his own But here I will alter the words a little Si bene recitas If you sing right sing Davids Psalms but make them your own Let the skill of composure be His the life of devotion yours II. If I thought there were any here that made scruple of this ordinance I would speak a word or two to them Let me say but two things First There is no plain ground why to refrain from singing but most plain grounds why to sing A thousand times we are bidden Sing never forbidden Sing not So of the holy Sacrament t is commanded in Scripture Do this but never Do it not Secondly Where a Duty is commanded and a scruple ariseth from some circumstance it is safer to go with the Command than from it It is commanded in Psal. XXXIV 3. O magnifie the Lord with me c. The scruple is that some prophane persons sing that set forms are too narrow c. It is warrantable now notwithstanding these scruples to keep up to the Command but not contra not warrantable to omit the Command because of these scruples There is no extinguishing a Duty because of some particular doubts concerning it This rule holds good of the reception of the holy Sacrament III. I might speak by way of incitation to all to make Conscience of this Duty Fail not to joyn with the Congregation in the performance of it stir up your hearts while you are conversant about it Say to your selves as David to his Instruments Awake Lute and Harp I my self will awake right early I will say but this Qui vult cantare in Coelo discat cantare in terris He that will sing in Heaven let him learn that divine exercise on Earth As S. Paul saith of Charity 1 Cor. XIII 8. Charity never faileth but whether there be prophesies they shall fail whether there be Tongues they shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away But charity only remains and goes to Heaven with us So I say of this Duty Praise only of all the Services we perform to God here goes along with us to Heaven There is no
manner of speech is no rare thing in Scripture as might be shewed by several instances if I would insist upon it And all the World is inevitably put upon this Dilemma either thou must be of Satans army or must fight against Satans army and expect it to fight against thee That therefore may seem an hard case that God from the beginning put enmity between the Devil and Men Gen. III. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed And was there any need of this Had not the Devil spight and enmity enough against men without Gods putting enmity between them Yes enough and enough again but man had not enmity enough against the Devil He had been too much friends with him in harkening to him obeying him complying with him to the violating Gods Command and the undoing of all mankind and should he still continue in that compliance with him there were no hope of recovery no way but eternal ruine Therefore it was a most comfortable and happy passage when God himself takes on him to dissolve this society and to set them at odds that the seed of the woman should set the Devil at defiance be an Enemy to him and fight against him and at last through Gods strength and good assistance tread him under foot But they must look for as sharp dealing from him as possible If they will be enemies to him and not obedient and compliant he will be an enemy to them to purpose and omit nothing that may tend to their ruine whether subtilty or strength For he hath his deceivings and his Army in the Text and he hath his deceivings and his strength in his temptations and assaults I need not to spread before you the parts of the Text they lye so plain in their several clauses The task before us is rather to explain them which we shall assay to do in the method and order as they lye And first the first clause And when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed recals us to the third verse of the Chapter where Satan is bound for a thousand years There bound here loosed there bound for a thousand years here the thousand years are expired there bound and imprisoned that he should not deceive the Nations and here loosed he goes out to deceive the Nations again I doubt a Millenary and I should scarce agree about the explication of this Scripture He looks for the thousand years yet to come I make no doubt but they are long since past and ended He thinks Satan shall be chained up that he shall not persecute or trouble the Church when the Text tells you plainly that his chaining up was that he should not deceive the Nations And there is a great deal of difference between persecuting and deceiving between the Church and the Nations Do but call to thoughts how the Devil deceived the Nations or the Heathen for that English word of ours is the very Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the Text to worship Idols or as the Scripture phraseth it to worship Devils to believe lying Oracles false Miracles to account the highest profaneness to be Religion as the Prostitution of their bodies in Fornication to be divine adoration offering their children to Molock to be devotion sacrificing men and women to be zeal and to bury men quick to be a blessed attonement I say do but call to remembrance how the Devil thus deceived the Nations before the Gospel came among them and you may easily perceive what is meant by the great Angels binding the old Serpent the Devil and imprisoning him that he should not deceive the Nations or Gentiles as he had viz. Christ sending his Gospel among them did by the power and prevalency of it curb restrain and chain up the Devils power and activity from cheating so abominably as he had done hitherto For the Gospel cast down their Idolatry silenced their Oracles dissolved their Miracles and curbed those abominations that had reigned before As those that are any whit acquainted with History do very well know and those that but read the Bible cannot be ignorant of And thus he bound the Devil that he should not deceive the Nations Secondly His binding and imprisoning is said to be for a thousand years Which may be taken Allusively or Determinately 1. Allusively or speaking according to the common opinion of the Jewish Nation which conceiveth that the Kingdom and Reign of Messias should be a thousand years as it were easie to shew in their own Authors abundantly And so the Apocalyptick may be conceived to speak according to their common opinion that he may the better speak to their capacity and that speaking by things familiarly received and known he might intimate his mind more feelingly to their apprehensions But withal he explains what is meant by Christs reigning viz. in and by the power of the Gospel conquering Nations to the obedience of the Truth and subduing Satan from his cheating and deluding them as he had done Now the Scripture speaking so much of Christs Kingdom and reigning among the Gentiles by the Gospel that Gospel subduing the power of Satan among them and bringing them to subjection under Christs scepter and the Jews holding that Messias his Kingdom should be a thousand years our Evangelist relates to the former and allude◠to the latter that he may the better be understood when he saith Satan was bound a thousand years and the Saints of Christ reigned with him a thousand years 2. You may take the time determinately and that very properly for just so long a time And begin from the time that the Gospel was first sown by the Apostles among the Heathen and count a thousand years forward and you have them ending in the depth and darkness of Popery when Satan was let loose again and the World and Nations cheated and deceived by him into as gross ignorance palpable darkness horrid Idolatry ridiculous belief of forged Miracles and Oracles and committing all manner of abominations as ever the Heathen had been deceived and cheated by him before The Gospel from the first preaching of it among the Gentiles had now gone through all Nations and by it the World was made Christian and all People and Nations and Languages were come to the acknowledgment of it when up comes Popery in the West as Mahumetism in the East and overspreads the World with an universal darkness that it becomes as blind superstitious deluded heathenish as ever it had been And that Popery is more peculiarly here meant whereby Satan deceived the Nations as much as ever he had deceived the Nations under Heathenism besides that the calculation of the time taken determinately doth help to argue the main scope of this book from Chapter XIII hitherto doth also evince which is to speak of Rome or the Western Babylon and as it were to write her story Thus according to the first clause in the
You have mention of her armies Dan. IX ult but with this brand upon them that they are called The abominable army that maketh desolate there styled by their Vulgar Latine as in Matth. XXIV the abomination of desolation But thirdly That which tops up all is that she is called Babylon in this Book of the Revelations and described there as she is For that by Babylon is meant Rome the Romanists themselves will readily grant you if you will grant them the distinction of Rome Pagan and Christian Imperial and Pontifical And the last verse of Chap. XVII puts the matter out of all doubt where it says that the Woman the scarlet Whore which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Upon which every one that is acquainted with the Rome-history must needs conclude that no City can there be understood like the City Rome Now it is a very improper inquest to look for the new Jerusalem in a place that must perish for ever to look for the holy City among the abominable armies and to look for Sion the City of God in Babylon that Mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth Secondly Whereas old Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation incurred so great a curse and guilt for the murther of the Lord of life as we all know it did it requireth very cogent arguments to prove that Rome that had a hand as deep in that murther should obtain so great a blessing and happiness on the contrary as to be the only Church in the World and the Mother of all Churches There is no Christian but knoweth how deep a hand Jerusalem had in that horrid fact and he knoweth but little that knoweth not that Pontius Pilate was Deputy for Rome there and how deeply also he was ingaged in it as her Deputy And so much be spoken concerning the very Place and how unlikely it is to find the new Jerusalem there How improper it is to imagine that that should be the City of God of which God himself in his Word speaks not one good Word but evil to imagine that he should choose that of all Cities for his dearest spouse that of all Cities had the deepest hand in the murther of his dear Son II. Concerning their Church and Religion If these men that pretend to lead men to the new Jerusalem and lead them to Rome would but speak out and plain and tell them that they will lead them to the old Jerusalem and so lead them to Rome they speak something likely For what is the Church and Religion of Rome but in a manner that of old Jerusalem translated out of Judaick into Roman and transplanted out of Palestina into Italy And there is hardly an easier or a clearer way to discover that she is not the new Jerusalem then by comparing her with the old as God doth most clearly discover the Jerusalem then being Ezek. XXIII by comparing her with Samaria and Sodom divers hours would scarce serve to observe the parallel in all particulars and punctually to compare the Transcript with the Original I shall only and briefly hint two things to you to that purpose And First Let me begin with that distinction that the Jews have in their writings once and again of the Mosaick Law and the Judaick Law or the Law of Moses and the Law of the Jews And they will tell you such and such things are transgressions of the Mosaick Law and such and such are transgressions of the Judaick Law And as they themselves do make the distinction so they themselves did cause the distinction What they mean by the Mosaick Law we all understand and by their Judaick Law they mean their Traditional Law which they call the Law unwritten While they kept to the Law of Moses for a rule of faith and life as they did under the first Temple they did well in point of Doctrine and no heresie and heterodoxy tainted them but when they received and drank in Traditions as they did under the second Temple they drank in their own bane and poison There is in Scripture frequent mention of the last days and the last times by which is meant most commonly the last days of old Jerusalem and of the Jewish oeconomy when they were now drawing toward their dissolution But from what date or time to begin her last days may be some question If you date them from the time she first received and entertained her traditions you do but fit the calculation to the nature of the thing calculated For then did she fall into the consumption and disease that brought her to her grave then did she catch that infection and plague that never left her but grew upon her till it made her breath her last in a fatal end Traditions spoiled her Religion and brought her to worship God in vain teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men Matth. XV. 9. Traditions spoiled her manners and trained her up in a vain conversation received by tradition from the Fathers 1 Pet. I. 18. In a word Traditions as they made the Law so they made the Gospel of no effect and the doctrine of Christ the death of Christ the belief in Christ to be but needless business and things to no purpose Nay Traditions leavened them to hate the Gospel to murther Christ and to persecute his Disciples For by the principles of their Traditions they could do no less than all these Now surely Jerusalem that is above is above this infection and the new holy City certainly brought no such infection from Heaven nor was tainted with this contagion which was the death of the old as a Priest in Israel could hardly be infected with Leprosie But you may see the tokens upon the Church of Rome very thick traditions upon traditions some of so like stamp to those of old Jerusalem that you can hardly know them asunder but all of the like effect and consequence that they make the Gospel of none effect as those did the Law and causing men to worship God in vain while they are taught for Doctrines the commandments of men How great a part of their Religion is nothing else but the commandments of men and other Traditions and how great a part of their Church is built upon nothing else The very chief corner stone in all their fabrick is of no better substance and solidity viz. that S. Peter was Bishop there and there was martyred when the Scripture and reason gives a far fairer probability that he was Apostle to the circumcision in Babylonia and there ended his days Secondly You would hardly think that there was a worse brood in the old Jerusalem than those that we have spoken of the men so infected with the Plague and with a Frenzy with it of traditions And yet I can name you a worse and that was those that had forsaken their Judaism and entertained and embraced the Gospel but at last apostatized from it and revolted to their old
things considered it is past all doubting that when he saith Whatsoever cometh out to meet me that he meaneth some man or woman or child of his family And child he had none but only this one daughter vers 33. And it is very like he little thought of her when he made his Vow but some of his men or maids And whereas our English hath rendred it favourably because of the great question that is raised upon his Vow Whatsoever cometh out the Hebrew original will most properly bear it He that cometh forth and so the Greek Latine and other Translations bear it For he was now upon an extraordinary and very great design viz. To go and fight with the potent army of the Ammonites his forces not being very great And therefore it is very likely that he makes an extraordinary Vow to his extraordinary design he was upon Now this had been but an ordinary and common business to Vow if I return from the children of Ammon with victory I will offer the first Lamb or Ram or Bullock I meet withal at my coming to mine own house Had this been any great Vow for the imploring his prospering in the great undertaking he went about But to dedicate a man or a woman to God spoke high and something like the greatness of the design And how he served his daughter when she came first to meet him is the great question and dispute Some tender of Jepthahs credit and reckoning it not fit to lay more hard things on him than the story will well bear therefore to make the best of it hold that he did dedicate to God not sacrifice his daughter he devoted her to God in keeping her a Recluse and Nun and never to be married though he had no other child and so his family was like to fall But on the contrary First Nunship and Vow of Virginity by the Papists indeed is pretended to be a great piece of devoting and consecrating the party to God But that it is so never was nor ever will be proved but only pretended and with a loud noise cried up as they did in the great hubbub at Ephesus Great is Diana of the Ephesians when none could understand or see any reason for such a hubbub and outcry Certainly among the Jewish Nation they were so far from accounting the Vow of Virginity a piece of Devotion and Religion that they accounted it a reproach for a woman to be childless nay a reproach for a woman not to be married You remember that saying of Elizabeth that had thitherto been barren Luke I. 25. Thus the Lord hath dealt with me in the days when he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men A great reproach for a woman to live and die childless but God hath taken away that reproach from me in giving me a child And a greater reproach it was for a woman not to be married And hence is that in Psal. LXXVIII 63. Their young men were slain by the sword and their maidens were not praised for so it is in the Original which our English hath rendred were not given in marriage For it was a dispraise for a woman not to be married Nay the Jews in their Traditional Law by which they were led too much did not only account it a shame not to be married but a sin and a breach of Gods command For those words Gen. I. 28. Be fruitful and multiply they account not only a blessing but a Command and reckon it the first Command of the six hundred and thirteen commands that are in the Law And to this opinion of theirs it is that the Apostle reflects 1 Cor. VII 25. Where treating concerning virginity and marriage he saith Now concerning Virgins I have no command from the Lord but I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful Secondly To this may be added that Persons dedicated to the Lord were not thereby bound to perpetual Virginity For we read of some that were so dedicated that yet for all that married As Samson a dedicate Nazarite yet took him a wife and that of the daughters of the Philistins And Samuel dedicated by his parents and yet afterwards married and had children So that whereas the Papists account vowed Virginity so great a piece of Religion and Devotion and thereupon their Nuns and their Priests must not marry they will hardly find the least warrant for it either in the Old Testament or the New It is meerly an invention of their own as indeed is most of their Religion and clearly without any warrant or allowance of God It is very unlikely therefore that vowed Virginity should be ever so much in fashion or request in the Jewish Nation as for them to account it so great a piece of Religion or that Jephtha should account that a noble performance of his Vow and account it a great Vow to devote his Daughter to perpetual Virginity But if that were not the intent and action of his Vow what did he to his Daughter Did he really sacrifice her and offer her up for a burnt offering Thaâ— was less Religion and less in custom in the Nation to sacrifice a person And can it be imagined that Jephtha that the Apostle reckons among the faithful should do such a thing I answer Very true But may we not think him though faithful yet for the present that he might fall under ignorance and a blind zeal It is indeed something hard and strange to think so uncharitably of such an one as he was But The Fathers of old were almost unanimously of the mind that he really sacrificed his daughter They that have purposely handled this question will tell you that Tertullian Athanasius Nazianzen Hierom Ambrose Chrysostom Austen Theodoret and others were of that mind Besides Jewish Writers that might be produced I will name but two the Chaldee paraphrase and Josephus And divers modern Christians are of the same mind But still the objection will return What such a man as Jephtha murther his own Daughter and offer her in sacrifice Would the Apostle ever have reckoned him among the noble army of Faithful ones had he done such a thing as this I answer First That comes but a little short of this that is said of Solomon 1 King XI 5. Solomon went after Ashtoreth the Goddess of the Zidonians and Milcom the Abomination of the Ammonites Let the Jews plaister the case the best they can and say that he himself did not worship these Gods but only suffered his wives to worship them and that he did not build those high places for Chemosh and Molec vers 7. but only suffered his wives to build them Yet how deeply was he guilty in suffering such a thing But the Text tells you that he himself went after these Gods which in Scripture language signifies commonly the real committing Idolatry with such Gods And do but remember what the service of Molec was and offering
high when I say He suffered as much as God could put him to suffer and that I speak too low when I say short of his own wrath I dare not say He suffered the wrath of God as many do but the Prophets and Apostles teach me that he suffered the tryings of God And more he could not be put to suffer than what he did It pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief Esa. LIII 10. And more could not be laid upon him than what was laid Have you seriously weighed the meaning of those words of our Saviour himself Luke XXII 53. This is your hour and power of darkness The plain English of it is This is your hour that God hath let you loose upon me to do with me what you will without restraint And so hath he let loose upon me the Kingdom of darkness in its utmost power at the full length of the chain to do against me the utmost it can do I was daily with you in the Temple and ye stretched out no hands against me For then Providence restrained them because the Hour was not yet come But this is your hour and now Hell and all its power and all its Agents are let loose against him and Providence does not check them with any restraint I might insist to shew you that whereas God from the day of Adams fall had pitched a combate and field to be fought twixt the Serpent and the seed of the Woman in which the Serpent should bruise his heel and he break the Serpents head the hour of that incounter being now come the Godhead of Christ suspends its acting the providence of God suspends its restraining and lets Satan loose to do the utmost of his power and malice and leaves Christ to stand upon the strength of his own unconquerable holiness The Providence of God hath the Devil in a chain yea as to wicked and ungodly men Else why are they not carried bodily to Hell by him Why are they not hurried to their own place by him body and soul together But here God let the chain quite loose Satan do thy worst against him use all thy power rage and malice but all would not do for God very well knew what a Champion he had brought into the field to incounter him And therefore I may very well say it again That God put him to suffer as much as he could put him to suffer on this side his own wrath and the Devil put him to suffer as much as he could do with all his rage and power But his sufferings were not all that gave his blood and death that virtue that most justly is ascribed to it of justifying and saving The torments that he suffered were not the Godfather that named his blood by that precious Name of justifying and saving but it was that infinite Obedience that he shewed in bowing so low as to undergo those sufferings And there especially does the Scripture lay and lodge the stress of it Rom. V. 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Phil. II. 8. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Heb. V. 8. Though he were a son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered Our Saviour in his sufferings and death for to that I will consine my discourse concerning his Obedience as the Text confines us to treat only of his blood and as the Scripture more peculiarly lodges his Obedience there For though he performed Obedience to God all his life yet the Obedience that he shewed to and in the shedding of his blood was the very apex and top-stone of his obedience And for this it is that I scruple to say that he suffered the wrath of God in his sufferings because it is hard to think that he lay under the depth of Gods displeasure when he was now in the highest pitch of obeying and pleasing God I say That Our Saviour in his sufferings and death had to deal with God and Satan upon different accounts with God to satisfie him with Satan to destroy him And with one and the same instrument as I may call it his Obedience he effected these contrary effects As the pillar of â—ire Exod. XIV was darknes to the Egyptians but light to Israel So his Obedience was destruction to the Devil and satisfaction to God I. Christ was to break the head of the Serpent as the Serpent had broke the head of Adam and all mankind He was to conquer the Devil who had conquered Man And what was that by which he conquered him By his divine power as he was God That had been no great Mastery for the great God by his omnipotent power to conquer a creature When he did but exert a little of his divine power at his apprehension he made Judas and all his band of Ruffians to go backward and fall to the ground Joh. XVIII 6. But he was to conquer Satan by righteousness holiness and obedience to God He had not needed to have been incarnate to conquer the Devil by his omnipotent divine power but he was to conquer him and he did conquer him by obedience and holiness Joh. XIV 30. The Prince of this World cometh saith he and hath nothing in me And he came with all his forces all his fury all his power and do all he could he could find nothing in him that could serve his turn All that he did or could do could not move him one hairs bredth from obeying God and persisting in his holiness The Apostle in the ninth of this Epistle vers 14. saith He offered himself without spot to God One spot had spoiled all the offering but the Devil could not fix one spot upon him though he flung against him all the sink of Hell but still he keeps to his obedience and holiness Vicisti Galilaee Julian a child of the Devil once said O Galilaean thou hast overcome me The Devil himself hath cause to say so now The Devil let loose upon him to do the utmost against him that he could without any restraint to bring him from his obeying of God and so to foil him and all will not do All the temptations and tricks and assaults that the anvil of Hell could forge and sharpen were bent and used against him and all return blunted and avail nothing All that Satan can do cannot bring from him one repining word for all his tortures not one desponding thought for all his pangs not one unbecoming passage for all his passion But still he will oby God come what will he will still retain his holiness and integrity let Devils and Men do what they will Satan art thou not conquered O Devil where is thy power now O Hell where is thy victory Thanks be given to God that hath given us such victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Satan thou hast not the first Adam now in handling who was foiled by one Devil and in one
and the first temptation presented to him Now all the power and army of Hell is let loose all the machinations of the bottomless pit put in practise against the second Adam but all to no purpose he stands like a rock unmoved in his righteousness and obedience and by such a death destroys him that had the power over death the Devil II. As the Dâ—â—â—l must be conquered so God must be satisfied And as Christs obedience did the one work so it did the other Obedience was the debt of Adam and mankind and by disobedience they had forfeited their Bonds Then comes this great Undertaker and will satisfie the debt with full interest yea and measure heaped and running over Does not the Apostle speak thus much Rom. V. from vers 12. forward particularly at vers 19. By the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Nor was this all that mans debt must be paid but Gods honour lay at stake too and that must be vindicated God had created man his noblest creature that he might glorifie and honour his Creator by his obedience Satan brings him to disobey his Creator and to obey him How might Satan here triumph and the honour of God lie in the dust I have mastered the chief Creation of God might Satan boast and made him that carried the badge and livery of his image now to carry mine I have frustrated the end and honour of the Creator and now all is mine own How sad a time were those three hours or thereabouts that passed betwixt the Fall of Adam and the promise of Christ Adam in darkness and not the least glimpse of promise or comfort Satan triumphing and poor manking and Gods honour trampled underfoot But then the Sun of righteousness arose in the promise that the seed of the woman should break the head of the Serpent And shall this uncircumcised Philistin thus deâ—ie the honour and armies of the living God saith Christ shall Satan thus carry the day against man and against God I will pay obedience that shall fully satisfie to the vindication of Gods honour to confound Satan and to the payment of mans debt to his reinstating and recovery And that was it that he paid consummatively in his Obedience to the death and in it and to the shedding of his blood Of which to speak in the full dimensions of the height depth length bredth of it what tongue can suffice what time can serve T is a Theme the glorified Saints deservedly sing of to all Eternity I shall speak in little of that which can never be extolled enough these two things only I. That he died merely out of obedience The Apostle tells us in Phil. II. 8. He became obedient to the death the death of the Cross. And what can ye name that brought him thither but Obedience Christs dead body imagine lies before you Call together a whole College of Phisitians to diffect it and to tell you what it was of which he died And their Verdict will be Of nothing but Love to man and Obedience to God For Principles of death he had none in his nature And the reason of his death lay not in any mortality of his body as it does in ourâ— but in the willingness of his mind Nor was his death his wages of sin as it is ours Rom. VI. ult but it was his choise and delight Luke XII 50. I have a baptism to be baptised withal and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Ask the first Adam why he sinned when he had no principles of sin in him and the true answer must be Because he would sin And so ask the second Adam why he died when he had no principles of death in him his answer must be to the like tenor He would lay down his life because he would be obedient to the death He came purposely into the World that he might dye Behold I tell you a mystery Christ came purposely into the World that he might dye and so never did Man but himself never will man do but himself True that every Man that comes into the World must dye but never Man came purposely that he might dye but only He. And he saith no less than that he did so Joh. XII 27. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour And John XVIII 37. For this cause came I into this World to bear witness to the Truth Even to bear witness to the Truth to Death and Martyrdom II. Now add to all this the dignity of his Person who performed this Obedience that he was God as well as Man That as he offered himself according to his Manhood so he offered himself by the Eternal Spirit or as he was God as this Apostle saith Chap. IX 14. And now his obedience his holiness that he shewed in his death is infinite And what need we say more So that lay all the disobedience of all men in the World on an heap as the dead frogs in Egypt were laid on heaps that they made the land to stink again yet here is an Obedience that out-vies them all For though they be infinite in number as to mans numbring yet lay them all together they are finite upon this account because committed by creatures finite But here is an Obedience a holiness paid down by him that is infinite And now Satan where is thy Triumph Thou broughtest the first Adam to fail of perfect Obedience that he should have paid his Creator and here the second Adam hath paid him for it infinite Obedience And what hast thou now gained Therefore to take account from whence comes that infinite Virtue of Christs blood and death that the Scripture so much and so deservedly extols and magnifies Because as the Evangelist â—aith Out of his side came water and blood so out of his wounds came obedience and blood holiness and blood righteousness and blood and that obedience holiness righteousness infinite because he that paid it down and performed it was infinite And now judge whether it may not very properly be said That Christ was sanctified by his own blood As Aaron was sanctified for his Priesthood by his Unction and Garments Christ was consecrated fitted capacitated by his infinite obedience and righteousness which he shewed to the death and in it to be an High Priest able to save to the uttermost all those that come to him For first as in reference to himself it is said by this Apostle that he was raised from the dead by the blood of the Covenant Chap. XIII 20. And it was not possible but he should be raised for when he had performed such obedience and righteousness as in it was infinite in its validity subdued Satan in its alsufficiency satisfied the justice of God it was impossible that he should be held of death which is the wages of sin and disobedience And as he was thus raised by
19. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise 590   And compared with Iohn 5. 20. Ephes. 2. 1. 1105 28. 16. I lay in Sion a foundation a stone c. 205 35. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him and put him to grief 1255 40. 3. Wilderness for Heathen World 296 45. 13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. 1057 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs c. reconciled with Matth. 8. 17. 167  7. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter 680  8. Who shall declare his generation 1112 55. 3. Hear and your Souls shall live c. Even the sure mercies of David 1235 56. 1. Keep judgment and do justice 1114 63. 4. The day of vengeance is in my heart c. 351  8. Children that will not lye compared with Iohn 1. 47. 524 65. 13. Behold my servants shall eat but they shall be hungry 552  17. I create a new Heaven and a new Earth 244 626 1075  20. There shall be no more than an infant of days 573 1071 66. 7 8. Before she travailed she brought forth before her pain came she was delivered c. 244 350 351  20. They shall bring their Brethren c. 347  21. I will take of them for Priests and Levites saith the Lord. 1040  24. Their worm shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched 38 346 347 JEREMIAH Ch. vers  Page 2. 31. SEE the Word of the Lord. 1125 4. 23. Earth without form c. 244 31. 34. They shall teach no more every man his neighbour for they shall all know me 1071 EZEKIEL Ch. vers  Page 8. 17. THEY put the branch to their nose 602 15. 2. What is the Vine-tree more to me than any tree c. 602 27. 7. Wheat of Minith and Pannag 684 38. 39. 17. Concerning Gog and the Land of Magog 1173 1247 DANIEL Ch. vers  Page 7. 9. THrones were cast down c. 220  10. The judgment was set c. 220  13 14. Kingdom of Heaven 115  18 26 27. The Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom c. 1058 1059  24. The ten horns are ten Kings that shall arise 1035  25. A time and times and the dividing of times 1035 9. 24. Seventy years c. 116  27. He shall confirm the Covenant c. 117 12. 2. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake 1085 HOSEA Ch. vers  Page 3. 5. IN the later days compared with Acts 2. 17. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 1 Ioh. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 10. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 7. and interpreted of the end of the Jewish State 1074 4. 8. They eat up the sins of my people 1243 5. 11. Ephraim is oppressed c. Because he willingly walked after the commandment 1098 8. 12. I have written to him the great things of my Law c. 11â—7 AMOS Ch. vers  Page 3. 2. YOU have I known of all the families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities 1226 4. 3. And ye shall go out at the breaches c. 673 5. 18. Wo to you that desire the day of the Lord reconciled with Chap. 6. 3. 1120  25. Have ye offered unto me 671  26. The Tabernacle of Moloch c. compared and harmonized with Luke 7. 43. 671 to 673 6 3. Wo to you that put the evil day far away reconciled with Chap. 5. 18. 1120 OBADIAH vers  Page 20. ZArephath 368 HAGGAI Ch. vers  Page 2. 9. THE glory of this later house shall be greater than of the former 531 ZECHARIAH Ch. vers  Page 11. 8. THree Shepherds c. interpreted of Pharisees Sadducees and Esseans 1037 1102 11. 1 2 3 6 7 8 10 14. Concerning the great Shepherd 573 574 14. 16 17. It shall come to pass that every one that is left of all the Nations c. 107 MALACHI Ch. vers  Page 4. 5. BEhold I will send Elijah 382 c. MATTHEW Ch. vers  Page 1. 17. FOurteen Generations c. thrice said but squares not exactly Vindicated 99 100 3. 5. The Region about Jordan 43 298 c.  7. Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come 1128 4. 15. Beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles 362 6. 9. After this manner pray ye 1138 c. 8. 17. Himself took our infirmities reconciled with Isa. 53. 4. 167  28. The Country of the Gergasins reconciled with Mark 5. 1. 70 10. 5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles 273  29 30. The hairs of your head are numbred 1251  34 35. Think not that I am come to send peace on Earth reconciled with Isa. 2. 4. 11. 9. 1042 1061 12. 32. It shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come 1095  43 44 45. When the unclean Spirit is gone out of c. Even so shall it be to this wicked generation Meant of the Apostacy of the Jews from Christianity 1044 1096 15. 22. A woman of Canaan reconciled with Mark 7. 26. 202  39. Coasts of Magdala reconciled with Mark 8. 10. 307 16. 28. Shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom 625 1074 18. 17. Let him be to thee as an Heathen or a Publican 1097 19. 28. Ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel 1057 21. 19. No figs but leaves why was the figtree cursed when as it was not time for figs 87 225 to 228  38. The Husbandmen seeing the Son said among themselves this is the heir let us kill him c. 654 23. 2 3. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat Therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do 1038 1080 24. 22 24. For the Elect sake Deceive the very Elect. 1146  29 30. The Sun shall be darkned c. Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven 608 1074 1201  31. Son of Man send his Aâ—geiâ— c. 1201 26. 6. And Iohn 13. 1 2. The Suppers here mentioned were the same however otherwise interpreted 252 to 254 260 261 24. This night before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice 1086  37. Thou art a Galilean for thy speech betrayeth thee 78 27. 33 34. Vinegar to drink mingled with Gall reconciled with Mark 15. 23. 267 617  48. Put it on a reed reconciled with Iohn 19. 29. 617 28. 19. Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 1122 to 1124 MARK Ch. vers  Page 1. 40. BEseeching him and kneeling to him 347 3. 28 29. All sins shall be forgiven c. But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness c. 1130 5. 1. The Country
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