notice of it that they call'd the place ever since e v. 11. Abel Mizraim the mourning of the Egyptians 127. Would the people of Israel that liv'd in the first 40 years It was wholely of themselves beforementioned have paid such Duty and Affection to Moses if he had come among them as Ioseph did among the Egyptians One that was quite a stranger in their Country and was sold thither for a Slave if he had been advanced to the Power that Ioseph had and had made that use of it that Ioseph did would the Israelites have taken it as the Egyptians did Would they not have told Moses as soon as they had seen what he drove at that he came to make them all like himself Slaves to Pharaoh them and their children And how long would they have endured it surely not a year to an end For we see in the first month or two after this Peoples coming out of Egypt how often they mutinied against Moses One while because their Water was f Ex. XV. 23 24. bitter they murmured only for the unpleasantness of it How much more when they came to g XVI 1. want Bread in another place In a third when they had h XVII 1. no water at all then they outright i v. 2. child with Moses They were almost k v. 4. ready to have stoned him And yet in every one of these Times they saw their wants were supplyed as it were with a hand reach'd out to them from Heaven And that still upon Moses's Prayer It was he only under God to whom they owed all the Thanks that were due for their deliverance out of the Egyptian bondage for the Supply of all their wants in the Wilderness for all their Preservation hitherto They could not but see it was He that stood always between God and them as oft as his wrath was breaking forth to consume them And yet that which chiefly occasioned it was that God could not shew himself unconcern'd at their ill usage of his Servant Moses It was doubtless from God that he had that Testimony of his being a Num. XII 4. the meekest man upon Earth And he shewed it in bearing all that ill usage from them whom he had obliged more than ever any meer man did or could oblige that or any other Nation 128. Therefore no Nation could more justly deserve that character God called them a Stiffnecked People which God was pleased to give to this People at first and which stuck by them ever after It was given them first on occasion of their throwing that unworthy b See n 88. Contempt upon Moses and that which followed upon it their Sin of Calf worship God told Moses of it and thereupon added these words c Ex. XXXII 9 10. I have seen this People and behold it is * The meaning of this word stiffnecked when it is spoken of Beasts or of Men with Resemblance to them is doubtless that they are hard to be brought to the Yoke But it seems to be used in speaking of Men commonly without that Resemblance For in the Hebrew Phrase you to hear is usually put for to obey And of them that will not be brought to Obey it is very often said they will not hear nor do any thing towards it They will not encline their ear They will not turn towards him that speaks to them This is the common meaning of the word that they are Stiffnecked And so the Prophet Ieremy seems to have understood it Ier. VII 25. where charging the Iews of his Ier. VII 25. age with the Obstinacy derived to them from their Fathers even from the time of their coming forth of the Land of Egypt to this day he tells them what God said of them v. 26. I have sent to them all my Servants the Prophets c. but they hearkned v. 26. not to me nor enclined their ear but stiffenâ—… their neck So the words are in i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ier. XVII 22 23. the Hebrew In like manner Ieremy himself having admonished them to keep the Sabbath Ier. XVII 22 23. when he could not bring them to it saith They obeyed not nor enclined their ear but made their neck stiff that they might not hear nor receive Instruction Whosoever would see more Examples of this kind may find them in 1 Kin. XVII 14. 2. Chren XXXVI 13. Neh. VII 16 17. 19. Ier. XIX 5. a stiffnecked People Now therefore let me alone that I may consume them And yet then upon Moses's Intercession d v. 14. God repented of the evil which he thought to do to his People He revoked his sentence for the punishing of them but did not alter his Judgment of the merit of their Sin As to that it was fit they should know it And therefore he bade Moses tell it them plainly more than once First upon Gods withdrawing that token of his Presence in the Pillar of Cloud and of Fire and not suffering it now to come within the Camp of Israel as it had done hitherto He gave them this reason for it e XXXIII 3. thou art a stiffnecked People if I come among thee I shall consume thee Again to make them more Sensible of the Condition into which they had brought themselves God bade Moses f v. 5. say unto the Children of Israel you are a stiffnecked People put off thy Ornaments from thee thy Holyday Clothes for in such they had dressed themselves to keep a Feast to their Calf according to g Ex. XXXII 5. Aarons Proclamation They obey'd Moses in this h XXXIII 46. They strip't themselves of all their fine Attire and now they mourn'd for Gods leaving them This encourag'd Moses to pray for them again He ask'd now a farther favour from God that he would not onely a XXXIV 9. pardon their Sin but own them to be his Inheritance which would appear by the Return of the Pillar to be over the Camp as it was formerly He begs it of God in these words I pray thee go among us FOR it is a stiffnecked People 129. * Among the Iews Aben Ezra and Sal. Iarchi and among the Christians Grotius and others of the highest Note of Commentators have been of Opinion that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although For so as Noldius sheweth it Vid. Noldii Concord partic p. 399. doth signify in some other places of Scripture But others are of Opinion that the rendring of it so in this place would make the Text less intelligible than it is in our English Translation And ours followeth the Septuagint and the Vulgar Latin and the words are thus interpreted by R. Bechai and likewise R. Bechai fol. 113 114. by Calvin in locum Some very Learned Men have thought it strange that Moses Moses makes it an Argument in his Prayer in his prayer to God should bring
debate with the Pharisees and Sadducees in the first verse of that chapter They required of him a Sign from heaven to prove that he was the Messias which they resolved not to beleive He sighed deeply in his spirit Mar. VIII 12. and asked them Ye Hypocrites you can discern the face of the Sky but can you not discern the Signes of the Times Matt. XVI 3. It is hard to say what Times he should mean but those two times that are mentioned in this Prophecy namely first the time of the Messias being cut off which was to be After the LXII Weeks and 2dly the time of the single Week that follows in the end of the chapter the Week that was appointed of God for the destroying of the City and Temple at Jerusalem and the dissolving of the Jewish Church That our Saviour intended the former of these namely the time when the Messias was to be cut off it will presently appear by considering at what time it was that he said this It was now this very year on the 11th day of May or some little time later that the LXII Weeks were expired †The LXII Weeks expired Now our Saviour knew the time was come that St. Luke speaks of Luke IX 51. the Time when he should be taken up that is crucifyed as the pious and learned Dr. Hammond expounds it Or rather as Christ expounds it himself for this was his manner of speaking He said the Son of man should be lifted up Ioh. III. 14. He used the word lifted up thereby signifying what death he should dye XII 32 33. and he was therefore delivered to Pilate to be crucifyed for the fulfilling of this Prophecy as the Evangelist expounds it Ioh. XVIII 32. For the precise TIME of the Messias his death there is no other prediction of it in Scripture than that which we have in this Prophecy Therefore those words of St. Luke before mentioned can signify no other TIME than this AFTER the expireing of the LXII Weeks So the most learned Grotius in his Annotations on that Text Matt. XVI 3. understands those words of our blessed Saviour to the Pharisees and Saducees before mention'd He takes them as if Christ had said to those Jews if you lookt into the Prophecies of Scripture with as much concernedness as you doe into the face of Heaven when you are taking a Iourney you would see and acknowledge out of doubt that the end of DANIEL'S Weeks is at hand Our blessed Lord knew it to be so near that there was not one DAY of another Week left he had not a year longer to live But he also knew that his peice of a DAY should not be at an end till next Passeover He knew that that was his HOUR Ioh. XIII I. He should be cut off then and no sooner Therefore in the mean space he takes particular care that this should be no surprize to his Disciples He first broke it to them immediately after the reproof that he gave to the Pharisees It was in his progress in the parts about Caesarea Philippi that he * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. BEGAN to shew his Disciples that he must go up to Jerusalem and there be rejected by the Sanhedrim and be kill'd and after three days must rise again Matt. XVI 21. Mar. VIII 31. Luk. IX 22. These Words were so frightfull to them that Peter took him aside and rebuked him for saying such things Our blessed Lord sharply returned it upon him but nevertheless a week after this he took Peter together with Iames and Iohn to be present at his Transfiguration Matt. XVII 1. Mar. IX 2. Luk. IX 28. It seems not improbable that the Feast of Transfiguration is rightly placed on the 6th of August For it was kept on that day in the Eastern Church in St. Saba's time which was within 500 years after this as appears in the 60th chapter of his Life published by Cotelerius in the 3d Vol. of his Greek Monuments There are also in that Volume some pieces of Nicon by which it appears that this Feast was kept yearly 8 days at Ierusalem but in the Church of Antioch onely on the day abovementioned At this time the Apostles both saw and heard Moses and Elias there present and talking with our Saviour Their discourse was concerning his EXODUS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a proper word for the time of the Passeover that being the very Type of his suffering which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was about to accomplish at Ierusalem Luk. IX 31. After this our Saviour being returned to the rest of his Disciples he again told them all and bid them remember it that he should be betrayed and delivered into the hands of men and that they should kill him and the third day he should rise again Matt. XVII 22. Mar. IX 31. Luk. IX 44. This was so contrary to their Notion of a Messias that they could not understand any thing that he said of this kind and yet they would not shew their Ignorance by asking him what he meant by it b. 32 35 19  On the 19th of August which was about this time the Emperour TIBERIUS began the 19th year of his reign It appears that our Saviour came to Capernaum and staid there some little time after this Matt. XVII 24. till XIX 1. Mar. IX 33. till X. 1. But as St. Luke goes on IX 51. the time being come that he should be taken up he resolved thereupon to go to Ierusalem to be there at all the great Feasts and to make use of those Opportunities to do all the good that he could before his going out of the World The next Feast was that of TABERNACLES on the 15th day of Tisri which was about the middle of October Against that Feast his angry Relations at Nazareth would needs have him go up with them to Ierusalem to advance them together with himself to Greatness by his working Miracles there or else to leave him to his Enemies Whatsoever the matter was he would not go up with them but stayd behind them in Galilee Ioh. VII 9. When they were gone up he came after them as it were in secret Vers. 10. leaving a great part of his company behind him For whereas he was stopt in his next way through Samaria Luk. IX 52. for towards any of the great Feasts the people there would hardly receive any one that was going up to Ierusalem Our Saviour took this Occasion to send out LXX of his Disciples to prepare the people to receive him in all places where he should come for the future Luk. X. 1. and so took none but the Twelve and those perhaps not all together along with him in his Journey to Ierusalem Thither he came about the midst of the Feast Ioh. VII 14 Where immediately as soon as it was known the Iews were ready to kill him Vers. 19. upon the old grudge they had against him for healing on the Sabbath day
the supernatural Assistance of the Spirit of God it seems he had lost the Sence of that for the present which made him cry out in the first Words of the two and twentieth Psalm My God my God! why hast thou forsaken me But as he shewed the firmness of his Faith in calling God by that Title So it appears he did not forget himself to be the Messias of God for whom David made that Psalm in the Spirit of Prophecy And God appear'd to Answer his Prayer by a visible Token in dispelling that Darkness which had now continued three Hours as was before mentioned It was at the Ninth hour that the Darkness went off Matt. XXVII 45. Mar. XV. 33. That was the hour of Prayer in the Temple Act. III. 1. the Time of the Evening Sacrifice After which imediately followed the killing of the Paschal Lambs And that held from the Ninth hour to the Eleventh as Iosephus tells us de bell Iud. VII 17. At the Beginning of this part of the Day namely at the Ninth hour Iesus cried with a loud voice saying Eloi Eloi lamma Sabachthani My God my God c. Mar. XV. 34. The Words that he spoke were in the Syriac tongue which was our Saviour's natural Language And as Bp. Walton saith they were the Words of the Ierusalem Targum of that Psalm But some of them that stood by when they heard it said behold he calleth for Elias Mar. XV. 35. Grotius thinks they were Hellenists such as understood not that Language and therefore mistook the Word Eloi for Elias After this Iesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that belong'd to his State of Humiliation his Death onely excepted to the end that the Scriptures might be fulfill'd he said I thirst Ioh. XIX 28. Thereupon one run and fill'd a Spunge full of Vinegar whereof there stood a Vessel full probably for the Soldiers use And putting this Spunge on a Reed or Stalk of Hyssop which seems to have been a Shrub or small sort of Tree in that Countrey l. King IV. 33. with this they put it to our Saviours Mouth Matt. XXVII 48. Mar. XV. 36. Ioh. XIX 29. Others that were in the same mistake being pleased with this for the asswaging of his Thirst that he might not die presently said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go on so Grotius renders it Go on keep him alive that we may see whether Elias will come to take him down Matt. XXVII 49. Our blessed Lord did receive the Vinegar Ioh. XIX 30. and so fulfilled the latter Part of that Prophecy Psal. LXIX 21. In my thirst they gave me Vinegar to drink which was the last Prophecy to be fulfilled before his Death Our blessed Lord had no sooner Received this but he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. XIX 30. Which Word may be render'd it is fulfilled And so by what he said vers 28. St. Iohn seems to have understood it of the fulfilling of the Prophecy It is render'd in our Translation it is Finished and so the same word is used by St. Paul II. Tim. IV. 7. Our blessed Lord had now Finished his great Work that he had undertaken He had pay'd the last drop of his Blood for our Redemption and had nothing more to do but to resign his Soul to God To shew how willingly he did this he cryed with a loud Voice saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke XXIII 46. They are the Psalmist's words Psalm XXXI 5. to which our blessed Lord added onely the Title of Father which he alone could use in his own proper Right And so in perfect Obedience to his Father he did as it was foretold of him pour out his Soul unto Death Esai LIII 12. He Bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost Ioh. XIX 30. St Iohn tells us in his next Words vers 31. that it was now the Preparation of the Sabbath He further tells us that that Sabbath-day was a High-day So the Iews called the first and last days of their great Feasts Ioh. VII 37. This was therefore the first of the seven days of Unleaven'd Bread which falling upon a Sabbath-day was a High-day more than Ordinary But for this Preparation of the Sabbath the Apostle is carefull to distinguish it from the Preparation of the Passeover mentioned before vers 14. That of the Passeover as he there told us was about the Sixt hour which as it was shewn before in page Lxvj. held from Six till Nine in the morning But this Preparation of the Sabbath was not till three of the Clock in the Afternoon So it is expressly said in Augustus his †Jos. Antiq. XVI 10. p. 561. E. Edict for the exempting of the Iews from giving Bail in Suits of Law that it should not be required of them on their Sabbath-dayes nor on their Preparations or Sabbath-day Eves from the Ninth hour that is from three of the Clock in the Afternoon It was some three hours before our Saviours death that as St. Luke tells us XXIII 44 45. The Sun was darkned and the Vail of the Temple was rent in the midst plainly shewing that the Eclipse as Phlegon calls it and the Earthquake came both together as they have been placed before in this Discourse But it seems very likely that there was another Shock of the Earth-quake at the time when our blessed Saviour expired For St. Matthew not only places the Earthquake immediately after our Saviours death but also saies Thereupon the Centurion and they that were with him watching Iesus when they saw the Earthquake feared greatly But that which struck them most was their seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matt. XXVII 54 Luk. XXIII 47. what happened in the Manner of our Saviour's death Mar. XV. 39. viz. that he So Cryed Out and then immediately gave up the Ghost St. Luke saies The Centurion seeing these things happen together Glorified God Owned that this was certainly his Work and that He must be a Righteous Man for whom God was so much concerned nay he must be what he owned himself to be The Son of God As that Word was what made Pilate afraid Iohn XIX 8. so it did now the Soldiers that had thus ill treated so great a Favorite of God But not only They but all the People that were come together to that sight when they beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that had happened smote their breasts and returned Luke XXIII 48. no doubt with sad hearts thinking what heavy Judgements of God this Great Sin was like to bring upon their Nation But soon after they that had been the Authors of this being still Zealous for the Externals of their Religion were concern'd that the dead Bodies should not be suffered to hang upon the Cross on the Sabbath day Especially that being a High day as was before mentioned They therefore besought Pilate that the Bodies might be taken away Ioh. XIX 31. But to shew that they meant the Condemnd Men no Favor
in this they desired it might not be without breaking their Legs first which was a Cruell way of putting them out of their pain Pilate ordered howsoever that it should be as they desired So the Soldiers came and brake the Legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with Him vers 32. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was Dead already they brake not his Legs but to be sure of his being dead one of the Soldiers with a Spear pierced his Side and forthwith there came out Blood and Water vers 33 34. Which as is commonly observed was a sure sign that the Spear had pierced his Heart St. Iohn declares himself to have been an Eye witness of this against them that held that Christ died not really but in appearance which was a prevailing Heresie in those days But withall he shews how wonderfully God orderd things by taking our Saviour so soon out of the World to make way for the fulfilling of two other Prophecies of Scripture One of them was to shew that in Him that great Type of the Paschal Lamb was accomplished In token whereof as He Died at the same Hour when the Paschal Lamb was to be killed so according to the Ordinance of the Passeover Exod. XII 43 46. it truely came to pass that not a Bone of Him was broken Iohn XIX 36. The other was that in Zechary's Prophecy of the Conversion of the Iews wherein it is saied by Him whose Spirit spake in the Prophets They shall look on Mee whom they have pierced Zech. XII 10. So now to put them out of doubt that he was Dead his blessed Body was pierced which would have been Spared if he had been yet Living St. Iohn layes great weight upon that which he Saw of the fulfilling of both these Scriptures in our Saviours Person First that He was the true Paschal Lamb that was slaine to redeem us by his Blood Rev. V. 6 9 12. VII 14. XII 11. That we may often think of this he mindes us of it above twenty times more in that Book The other is that the Jews shall know him to be their Messias by that very Token of their having Pierced him Psalm XXII 16. Zech. XII 10. That they would use him so was foretold in those Prophecies which their own Writers †See Pearson on the Creed p. 201. Edit 1692. have acknowledged to belong to the Messâ—… They are now so blind they cannot see it But it will be otherwise at the coming of the Son of Man Dan. VII 13. to their Conversion Then they shall see Him whom they have Pierced and all the Tribes of Israel all the World over shall waile because of him Rev. 1. 7. Our blessed Saviour himself sayd the same in effect Matt. XXIV 30. That then shall be the fulfilling of these Prophecies Even then when he shall gather his Elect from the four Winds from one end of Heaven to the other vers 31. The fulfilling of this Prophecy concerning Christ's Death proved by Instances out of the foregoing Account of the Gospel History THe Chief design of all this Discourse in relation to our present business has been to shew how our blessed Saviour understood and Explained that principal part of the Angel's Prophecy That after LXII Weeks the Messias shall be cut off And also to shew how it was fulfilled in his Person so as to prove beyond contradiction that He was the very Messias spoken of in this Prophecy In Order to this here are two things to be considered First what the Messias was to suffer And Secondly The time when it should come to pass First what He was to suffer the Angel expressed in one Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is properly rendred he shall be cut off But as the Reader will find in the Explication of this Prophecy it is to be cut off Judicially either by Man's Judgement or by the Judgement of God The learned Iews will find that the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies so in fortie places of their Scripture and it is never used otherwise in speaking of a Person Affirmatively as it is here in this Prophecy Now as to our blessed Saviour's case we are to shew that He was cut off Judicially both ways First he was so by the Judgement of God in being made a Curse for us Gal. III. 13. and that according to the Sentence of the Law which saies He that is Hanged is accursed of God Deut. XXI 23. The Iews know to whom they Apply this Secondly to be cut off by Man's judgement is according to the usuall practice to be taken and Tried for one's Life and being found guilty to be condemned and put to Death And it must be to such a Death as the Law of the Land has prescribed for such a Crime as Particularly in the Roman Empire for any one of Servile condition that was found guilty of any State Crime by their Law he was to be Crucified Much needs not be said to shew that this was our blessed Saviour's case Secondly as to the Time when the Messias was to suffer this to be cut off Iudicially The Angel foretold it should be after LXII Weeks Dan. IX 26. And in the next verse before he saies there should be VII Weeks and LXII Weeks from the going forth of the Commandement to build Jerusalem again till the Messias the Prince VII Weeks and LXII are LXIX Weeks that is they are 483 years And these are to be reckond from Nisan or soon after in the 20th of Artaxerxes Longimanus So that after the End of these 483. years was to be the Death of the Messias as is shewn in the Explication of this Prophecy Now these 483 being such years as were generally known in the place and Age in which Daniel lived Namely years of 360 days let them begin from Nisan in the 20th year of Artaxerxes that is from April in the year 445. before Christ they will end in May or very little later in the 32th year of the Vulgar Aera as hath been already shewn in the first set of Tables And therefore it must be within the compass of a year after Mâ—…y 32 that the Messias was to dye according to this Prophecy it must not be a whole Day after the LXII Weeks How our blessed Saviour himself understood those Words of his being cut off will appear by many Instances in the Chronological account which are referr'd to at the bottom of the Page The first time we read of the Iews having determined to kill Him was upon his healing one on the Sabbath Iohn V. 16 18. That was at the Time of Passeover in the 30th year of the Vulgar Aera The next year in Galilee for another such Sabbath-breach as they called it the Pharisees took Counsel to destroy Him Matt. XII 14. But our Saviour knowing their design did only withdraw Himself He made no Reflexion upon it till the Weeks were Expired
and one for Levi besides with Aaron's Name written upon it to be laid up in the Tabernacle before the Ark of God and to ly there only for one night God told Moses what would be the issue of it and accordingly he found it so the next morning Behold the Rod of Aaron was budded and had brought forth Blossoms and those came to be Almonds all in that one night Moses brought out all those Rods that the Children of Israel might see them Of the Princes of the twelve Tribes every one acknowledged his own Rod. Then God caused Moses to bring back Aaron's Rod and to lay it before the Ark to remain there for a Token against those Rebels and quite to take away their Murmuring for the future 103. Now the whole Nation of Israel had seen these miraculous The People obstinate to the last proofs of God's insisting on his choice of Aaron to be Priest as well as his asserting the Authority of Moses They had also seen those dreadful Judgements of God Earthquake and Fire from Heaven and Plagues that he sent all in one day to cut off those Rebels that attempted to set up themselves against these his Ministers What disposition that People were in after this God has been pleased to let us know by giving us the Passionate words into which they broke out on this occasion He tells us f Num. XVII the Children of Israel spake unto Moses saying behold we dye we perish we all perish Whosoever cometh any thing near to the Tabernacle of the Lord shall dye Shall we be consumed with dying * After Moseâ—… and Aaron had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt their first Complaint against them was this that whereas they had put the people in hope of bringing them into g Ex. XIII 5. a Land flowing with milk and honey Ex. XIII 5. They found fault that they had brought them into a a Ex. XIV 11. wilderness Ex. XIV 11. where first their b XV. 24. water was bâ—…r XV. 24. and where there was c XVI 3. nothing to eat XVI 3. and at last there was d XVII 3. no water XVII 3. God was so Gracious as notwithstanding all this to supply fall these defects and to forgive their Sin of murmuring so that not one of them died for it And after that he was pleased to renew to them that Promise of bringing them into e Num. XXXIII 3. Lev. XX. 24. a Land flowing with milk and honey Num. XXXIII 3. But when he had just brought them to that Land and the Spies whom they had sent to look into the nature of it had told them it was f Num. XIII 32. a Land that eat up the Inhabitants thereof which was quite contrary to what Moses had promised them then they broke out into a Tumuk worse than any of the former For this in the first place God g XIV 37. cut off those Spies that had given them that false information Then for their so often repeated Sin of murmuring against God he declared that they all should h vers 32. dye in the wilderness and that within the space of i 33. forty years This terrible Sentence daunted them for a while But soon after in the time of Korâ—…h's Rebellion Dathâ—… and Abiram k XVI 13 14. revived this very thing Num. XVI 13 14. In their charge against Moses they told him Thou hast brought us up to kill us in the wilderness thou hast not brought us into a Land that flows with milk and honey Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men Wilt thou make them believe this is a Land flowing with milk and honey when they see it is a Wilderness This was a downright Rebellion against God for which as those Ten Spies l XIV 37. died of the plague so these two Daâ—…han and Abiranâ—… and all that belonged to them were m XVI 32. swallowed up at once by the Ground opening under them But it seems the Sin these Men died for was no other than what all the People had in their hearts There seems to be an acknowledgement of it in these words when reflecting upon this Judgement on Dathan and Abâ—…ram they could not forbear telling Moses n XVII 1â—… XVII 12. behold we dye we perish we all perish that is to say if all that are of this opinion must dye then there is no help for it we must all dye and perish They were as good as their words They boldly said this again and again when they saw many others to join with them in it And o XX. 2 3. XXI 5. this was the cause of their dying in the next judgements of God that came upon them in the Wilderness Num. XX. 2 3. and XXI 5. But that which was freshest in their minds and which most stuck with them was this that Moses had advanced his Brother Aaron and his Sons to the Priesthood which always belonged to the first born in former times This was in their opinion such an engrossing of Honour and Riches into one Family as ought not to be endured That this was the People's sense of the matter it appeared by their so generally joyning with Korah and his Company in opposition to Aaron's Priesthood Koráh had with him p Num. XVI 2. vers 18. 250 men of the chief of their Nation who all took Censers in their hands to officiate as Priests in burning Incense at the Door of the Tabernacle The People saw them all struck dead with q v. 35. Fire from Heaven After which as Moses said by God's Command r v. 37 38 39. their Censers were taken up and wrought into Plates for the covering of the Altar and that expressly for this reason that it should be s v. 40. a Memorial to all others that were not of the â—…ons of Aaron that t Num. XVI 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. not a man of them should come near to offer incense before the Lord that he be not as Korah and his Company Num. XVI 40. All this the People must have known or else it could not hare been a warning to them They might also know what Moses now said as from God concerning u Num. XVII 10 11. Aaron's Rod being now laid up before the Ark for a second Memorial He had said that it was to mind the People not to meddle with any office of the Priesthood x vers 10. that they dye not It was as most think upon the hearing of this that the y v. 12. Children of Israel spoke to Moses those passionate words we dye we perish we all perish that is in effect we hear of nothing but dying But those words especially went to their hearts that Moses had z XVI 40. XVII 13. said on occasion of the Plates being made of those Censers for a Memorial c. They repeat them here in effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the People of Israel and together with him the Daughter of a King of the Midianites who would surely make it a National Quarrel This was such a thing as God would not let vs be ignorant of and therefore he plainly tells us that the Name of the Man was g v. 14. Zimri the Son of Salu a Prince of the cheif family among thr Simeonites and that the Woman was h v. 15. Cozbi the Daughter of Zur who as he tells us i XXXI 8. elsewhere was one of the five Kings of Midian Such an Heroic Action as this was being done in pure Zeal for Gods Cause was so highly acceptable to him that thereupon he stopt his hand and would not suffer the Plague to proceed any farther And not onely so but as well for a Reward to Phineas at present as for a Memorial of it in future times God gave him the promise of continuing the Priesthood to him and his seed after him for ever 120. By this one Act of his it came to pass that this Judgment of The Plague held but one day God was no more than k 〈◊〉 Cor. X. 9. one days work It was l Num. XXV 18. the Day of the Plague as Moses calls it But in that short space of time there dyed m v. 9. of the Plague no fewer than 24000. Moses elsewhere has told us that those were n Deut. IV. 3. all the Men that followed Baal-Peor And that none dyed after this day till the Date of the Book o Deut. I. 3. of Deuteronomy which was but one Month before his death This is certain from what he told them in the next words p v. 4. You that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day 121. No doubt they that saw this terrible Judgment of God Moses's last numbring of the People though they knew how just it was upon them that perished in it yet could not but be in some kind of fear for themselves none of them being secure but that living as they did among those Idolatrous Nations with whom God would not let them be in hostility they might by conversing with them be ensnared into some Sin or other for which they might perish in like manner God was pleased therefore to let them know that the danger they were in on that account was not long to continue There was onely the a Num. XXVI 3. River Iordan between them and the Land which God had promised to their Fathers Their next Remove would bring them thither And when they had taken possession of that Land which God could give them as easily as he had given them all on this side Iordan they were then b 53 ... 55. to divide it for an Inheritance among themselves To let them see it was the Care of Gods Providence that it should be equally shared he was pleased to order c v. 1. Moses and Eleazar the High Priest to make a second Numbring of the People like that which Moses and Aaron had d Num. l. 1. formerly made in the Wilderness of Sinai It could not but comfort them to see that after the dying away of more than e v. 46. 600000 men that had been then Numbred many of them no doubt dying Natural deaths but all the rest save f Num. XXVI 65. onely Ioshua and Caleb having been swept away by those Judgments of God that had fallen upon them within these last 38. Years yet now they were but g v. 51. 1120. men fewer than they were at that former Numbring which small Number of men might very likely have been lost by their own Miscarriages in the h XXI 31 35. Conquering of those two Kingdoms 122. All this while as well they as their Fathers before them They had now all Extraordinary means had continually before their Eyes those i v. 71 86 93. evident proofs of Gods presence among them in the Pillar of fire all night and of cloud all day either moving before them or resting over the Tabernacle They had the k Deut. VIII 3. Manna which their Bread was made of immediately from Heaven They had their l v. 15. Water first out of one Rock and then out of another still following them all the while they were in the Wilderness None of them had his Raiment waxen old nor his m v 4. and XXIX 1. Shoes grown uneasy to his feet in all these 40. Years God was pleased to let them know that his design in all this was as well to n v. 2 3 16. humble them seeing they had nothing they could call their own as also to teach them to live in an entire Dependance on his Providence 123. There was certainly Need of such Extraordinary ways to With little of the Ordinary instruct them and to mind them of their duties there being then so little of the Ordinary means which God gave to his People in after times They had not the Sacrament of o Iosh. V. 5. Circumcision since their coming up out of Egypt They had no p v. 10 12. Passeover since the second Year after that They had no written Rule to walk by but onely that of the q Ex. XX. Ten Commandments r XXXIV 27. written in Tables of stone and they had also those National Judgments which are all conteined in s Ex. XXI XXII XXIII three Chapters of Exodus Whatsoever Teaching they had more it could be no other than what they had from the mouth of Moses for he writ nothing till the last l Deut. XXXI 9 25. year of his life 124. And yet perhaps no people in the world ever needed teaching Their great Degeneracy more than they did For though they were Abraham's Seed by Sarah his wife and that according to the a Gen. XVII 19. promise of God which was their great Privilege yet even that did not free them from Original Corruption that came to them from much nearer Parents than Abraham and Sarah The immediate Fathers of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were the Twelve Sons of Iacob by whose names they were called But for these Patriarchs how any of them lived or what they did we have no Account in any other Book but that of Genesis and even there we have nothing told us particularly but of the four Eldest Sons and of Ioseph And though this last appears to us wholely without Spot yet of those four others the most that we know is of their Crimes We cannot read of the Incests of b Gen. XXXV 22. Reuben and c XXXVIII 18. Iudah the Faithbreach and Cruelty of d XXXIV 27. Simeon and Levi without sad reflections on the Ignorance of those times For the rest of Iacob's Sons God has not been pleased to let us know any thing of them save only this that when those two Bloudy men were for e XXXVII
the better understanding of this Prophecy 26 29 12 477 THis year Valerius Gratus was recalled from his Government of Iudaea He had been put in by Tiberius in the beginning of his Reign and had now held the government 11 years in the End whereof he made Cajaphas High-Priest Ios. Ant. XVIII 3. The next Governour was Pontius Pilate Ios. ibid. He was made Procurator of Iudaea in the 12th year of Tiberius as Eusebius saith twice in his Hist. Eccles. I. 9. Pilate continued in the Government 10 years and was recalled in the last year of Tiberius Ios. Ant. XVIII 5 ending By all these notes of time it appears that both Cajaphas and Pontius Pilate came into their Offices this year 27 30 13 478 Iun. 8th begins Daniel's 479th year Aug. 19th begins the 14th of Tiberius Dec. 25th begins Christ's 31th year There was in these times every where among the Iews a general Expectation of the Coming of the Messias as appeared before at the time of Christ's birth Matt. II. 1. c. But now his coming was to be proclaimed by Iohn Baptist whose preaching is therefore called the beginning of the Gospel Marc. I. 1. Act. X. 37. and was in the next year after this b. 28 31 14 479 Iun. 2d begins Daniel's 480th year Aug. 19th begins the 15th of Tiberius In which year Pilate being Governour Cajaphas High-Priest Iohn Baptist began his preaching in the Wilderness of Iudaea Luk. III. 1 3. All the People flocked thither to him Matt. III. 5. were baptized by him in Iordan confessing their Sins v. 6. The Priests Levites hearing of this sent from Ierusalem to know of him by what Authority he did this Ioh. l. 25. All the People then mused whether Iohn were the Messias or no. Luk. III. 15. Iohn declared to them all that he was not the Messias but that he was sent before him to be his Fore-runner Luk. III. 16. Ioh. I. 15 23 27. The next day after he had given this Answer to the Priests Iesus then walking by him Iohn saw the Holy Ghost descending upon him Thereupon Iohn declared that this was He and that he knew him by this Sign as he was told he should by him that sent him Ioh. I. 29 34. Iohn's Disciples that heard this immediately followed our Saviour v. 37. Christ took them with him leaving Iohn to his business which was to prepare the People for Christ Ioh. I. 31. The mean while our Saviour went into Galilee where he was to begin his Preaching Esai IX 1. There at Cana he began to work Miracles Iohn II. 11. He went from thence to Capernaum v. 12. where also he wrought Miracles and thereby much displeased his Brethren at Nazareth Luk. IV. 23. At this time Christ was about 30 years old Luk. III. 23. He was not full 31 till Dec. 25. which began his 32th 29 32 15 480 Towards the Passeover Christ came up to Ierusalem Ioh. II. 30. There he acted as a Prophet in whipping the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple Ioh. II. 14 18. The Iews thereupon required of him a Sign for the proving of his Authority Our Saviour knowing they were such as would not be convinced by a Sign gave them none but referred them to that great Sign which he intended to give them by his Resurrection from the Dead He did it in these words Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up again The Iews understanding he had spoken these words of that august pile of the Temple which Herod had built they said to him This Temple has been building now these 46 years and wilt thou rear it up in 3 days v. 18 20. By these words it appears that this Passeover was in the 29 year of the Vulgar Aera For about the Passeover of this year was the beginning of the 47th year from the Spring time of the 18th year before Christ when Herod began his Building of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the outer part of the Temple Ios. Ant. XV. 14. The Building work about the Temple was continued till the year of Christ 63. And then the dismissing of the workmen to the Number of 18000 was one of the occasions of the breaking out of the Iewish war Ios. Ant. XX. 8. Apr. 15. was the Passeover this year Christ then at Ierusalem wrought Miracles upon which many that saw them believed on him Ioh. II. 23. followed him into Iudaea where he staid for some time and baptized all that came to him Ioh. III. 22 26. These were more than Iohn baptized at this time which when Iohn heard of he greatly rejoyced v. 26 29. But the Pharisees were moved at it Ioh. IV. 1. Christ hearing of this and knowing that as yet his time was not come departed from thence and went away through Samaria into Galilee There he went about as he had done before preaching and working Miracles Ioh. IV. 43 54. The mean while May 28. had begun Daniel's 481 year Aug. 19. began the 16th of Tiberius Dec. 25. begins Christ's 33. 30 33 16 481 The blessed Iesus came from Nazareth in Galilee to be baptized by Iohn Baptist in the river Iordan Mar. I. 9. It was after all others had been baptized Luk. III. 〈◊〉 There again the Holy Ghost descended upon him Matt. III. 16. Mar. I. 10. Luk. III. 21 22. It was at his coming up out of the water and it is not said that Iohn saw it but that Christ himself did After this immediately from thence the Spirit led him into the Wilderness Mar. I. 12. Luk. IV. 1. There he fasted 40 days and was all that while tempted of the Devil Luk. IV. 2. who after he had carryed him several ways at last brought him to the top of the Temple at Ierusalem Luk. IV. 9. There it seems to have been that the Devil left him and Angels came and ministred to him This was but a little before the Passeover for there he was at the Feast Ioh. V. 1. which was this year on the 7th of April Seeing then at the pool of Bethesda a lame man that had been so 38 years he made him perfectly whole on the Sabbath day The Jews holding this to be a breach of the Sabbath would therefore have killed him but they sought much more to do it for his calling God his Father Ioh. V. 15 18. Christ knowing their design Ioh. VII 19 23. which was also visible to others v. 25. went therefore from Ierusalem because he would not dy before the time appointed of the Father and he came thither no more till above 2 years after and even then he found this matter fresh in their memory Ioh. VII 23. The mean while Herod Antipas had shut up Iohn Baptist in prison at his Castle of Machaerus in Peraea It was at the Passeover time or soon after that Christ came to hear of this Whereupon when Christ left Ierusalem he went from thence into Galilee Matt. IV. 12. There first he came
Vers. 23. But yet they could not hurt him Vers. 30. because his HOUR was not yet come So another time Ioh. VIII 20. when they would fain have layd hold on him the same reason is given why they could not because his HOUR was not yet come it could not be till the Passeover The latter time here mention'd was on the 23th of Tisri when our Saviour was teaching in the Treasury In the end of that day upon his saying those words before ABRAHAM was I am they took up Stones to cast at him But not to work Miracles needlessly he escaped from them in the throng and that probably by the help of his Disciples for they were then about him or near him Ioh. IX 2. He had no sooner escaped that storm but another was raised against him upon his working a Miracle on the Sabbath day It was his giving Sight to one that was born blind Ioh. IX 14. for which since they could not reach our Saviour they layd hold on the poor man and cast him out of the Synagogue Vers 34. The mean while our blessed Saviour in his return from Ierusalem met with his LXX Disciples who brought him an account of what they had done in their Ministry The first place he came to was Martha's house Luk. X. 38. She was a widow as Grotius thinks Her House was at Bethany Ioh. XI 1. about fifteen furlongs from Ierusalem Vers. 18. From thence he went on through the Cities and Villages Luk. XIII 22. which were prepared for him by his LXX Disciples No doubt it was by their means that wheresoever he came he found the People so ready to hear him As we reade Luk. XI 29. that in one place they were gathered thick together for that purpose So in another it is sayd there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. XII 1. innumerable multitudes insomuch that they trode upon one another But every where the Scribes and Pharisees got in among them Luk. XI 53 54. who were still laying wait for him seeking to catch something out of his Mouth that they might accuse him No doubt they were these that were still cavilling at his Miracles seeking Signs from heaven Luk. XI 15 16. But it appears they put the people on the same Vers. 29. and so again Luk. XII 56. where he gives them the same answer as he had done before to the Pharisees Matt. XVI 3. Our Saviour thus going on through the Cities and Villages where the LXX had been was now again making his journey to Ierusalem Luk. XIII 22. This was no doubt to the Feast of DEDICATION which was yearly held on the 25th of Cisleu above two months after the Feast of Tabernacles In his way to that Feast we find him at Peraea in Herod's Dominions Luk. XIII 31. There Herod kept his Court at Machaerus as we learn from Iosephus Ant. XVIII 7. and elswhere But he could not like to have the blessed Iesus so near him for His being there could not but mind the people of his forerunner Iohn Baptist whose death was very grievous to them It seems most likely that Herod for that reason sent the Pharisees to try if they could affright him out of those coasts It appears that our Saviour knew they came from Herod for to Him he sends them with this Answer go tell that Fox c. I cannot dye out of Ierusalem And thereupon he pronounced the Fate of that City that it should be layd desolate and should be left so till the time foretold Psal. CXVIII 25 26. even the Time when the JEWISH Nation shall turn to him saying blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. All this our Saviour repeated again Matt. XXIII 37 c. when the Hosanna-time at his coming up to Ierusalem was past and therefore it is not necessary that these words should refer to that particular Occasion That being indeed a fulfilling of that Prophecy Zech. IX 9. of Christ's coming to Ierusalem riding on an Asse in such manner as is therein described with all those Shews of public joy among the common People which were but a low Type of the universal joy that shall be hereafter at their Restauation Our Saviour's coming up now from Peraea to Jerusalem was to the Feast of DEDICATION before mentioned It was now that he had that dispute with the Iews Ioh. X. 24. upon which they were for stoning him more than once Vers. 31 39. but both times he escaped out of their hands And after the Feast he went again into Peraea Vers. 40. About this time on the 25th of December began the 36th year of his Age. 33 36 19 Our blessed Lord being returned from the Feast of DEDICATION made his abode in Peraea with his Disciples for some time Iohn X. 40. and there on the account of what they had heard Iohn Baptist say of him as well as what they saw of the Miracles that he wrought many believed on him Vers. 41 42. From thence at the desire of Mary and Martha he came into Iudaea again to help their Brother Lazarus who was sick unto death Ioh. XI 7 8. At his coming thither he found Lazarus dead and buryed some days before There in the presence of many witnesses our Saviour restored him to life which put his Enemies out of all patience The chief Priests and Pharisees from that day forth were in consultation together how to put him to death Now it was not safe for our Saviour to stay there nor to go to any place that they were acquainted with for they had given a Commandment that if any man knew where he was he should shew it that they might take him Vers. 57. Our Saviour therefore retired into the Country near to the Wilderness It was that which reaches from Iericho to Bethel Iosh. XVI 1. and which is called the Wilderness of Bethaven XVIII 12. There his retirement was in a City called Ephraim which seems to have been that where Absolom had his Sheep-shearing to which he invited David and his Sons II Sam. XIII 23. In St. Ierom's time there was a very great Village called Ephrea about 20 miles North of Ierusalem This long Wildernesse as Ioshua there shews was in the confines between Benjamin and Ephraim or between the Countries of Iudaea and Samaria as they were called in our Saviour's time Our blessed Saviour could not be safer than there in any place at that distance from Ierusalem and he could not well be further off being soon to return to Ierusalem for the Passeover was nigh at hand Ioh. XI 54 55. So near that they that sought his life were enquiring whether he would not come up that year Vers. 56. They were afraid he would stay away from this Passeover as he had done from the two last beforegoing But when our Saviour saw his time to come up to the Feast then out of his retirement he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee Luk. XVII 11. that is as the learned
Dr. Lightfoot says in his Jewish Chorography he went over Iordan at the bridge of Scythopolis and so came into Peraea which was called Galilee as being a part of Hered's Tetrarchy The reason of his going that way is plain enough from what has been said His Enemies then were enquiring and laying the roads for him where soever they expected he would come He therefore took his way through the midst of Samaria where the Sanhedrim had no power And thence he went into Peraea where Herod durst not touch him There he had a multitude of Disciples ready at hand Ioh. X. 42. who no doubt came many of them up to the Passeover and helpt to make up that great multitude that attended him from Iericho Matt. XX. 29. and that much greater that welcomed him to Ierusalem with their Acclamations That that part of Galilee which Luka there speaks of was no other then Peraea we find by those Passages of his History Luk. XVIII 15 18. c. which happened when he was in Peraea as we are told in the other Gospels Matt. XIX 13 16. Mar. X. 13 17. Saint Luke goes on as both those Gospels doe with our Saviour's Journey from thence to Ierusalem Where by the way having his Disciples by themselves he gave them the last Notice of his Sufferings in these Words behold we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles that is to the ROMANS to mock and to scourge and to crucify him and the third day he shall rise again Matt. XX. 18 19. Mar. X. 33 34. St. Luke has the same Prediction XVIII 31. tho not in the very same words he has not the word crucify in any of the Warnings they had from our Saviour But he tells us that after Christ's resurrection the Angel minded them of this very Word Luk. XXIV 6 7. remember how he spake to you while he was yet in Galilee saying the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinfull men and be crucifyed Where it may be observed by the way that he saith the words were spoken in Galilee which were spoken in Peraea as it is plain in both the other Gospels But one thing St. Luke adds in our Saviours Prediction which ought not here to be omitted It was that part of it which virtually contained all the rest Luk. XVIII 31. Behold we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished Could our Saviour mention what the Prophets had written concerning his suffering and not think of Daniels Words in this Prophecy that after LXII Weeks MESSIAS was to be cut off It can scarce be imagined that the Disciples could hear what he said now without thinking of them All the Nation of the Iews seemed to have them in their heads at this time One can judge no otherwise by the account that St. Luke gives of what our Saviour said then to them that were about him at Iericho Luk. XIX 11. He saith that Christ spoke the Parable there following because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the Kingdom of heaven should immediately appear The Disciples it seems were not singular in this Opinion for as Dr. Lightfoot saith Vol. II. pag. 468. It was that Nations universal Opinion being so taught by the Prophecy of Daniel He saies that hence arose the Question of the Apostles Acts I. 6. and hence was that conflux of the Iews from all Countries to Ierusalem Acts II. 1. He saith the same of this Prophecy Daniel IX expressly in Vol. I. pag. 276. Our blessed Lord in his way to Ierusalem with a multitude of people about him passed through Iericho where he lodged at the house of Zacchaeus the Publican And from thence he came to Bethany abovementioned There †For the Days see the page before Daniel's Tables on Palm-Sunday eve the 9th of Nisan beginning he was entertained at supper by Simon a Leper being probably one of the many of that sort whom our Saviour had cured There were with him his most especial Friends Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead now sitting at Supper with him and his sister Martha serving our Lord at the Table and Mary anointing him with an Oil of very great price This costly Ointment our Saviour's purs-bearer Iudas would fain have turned into Money and so have got it into the Bag that he might have made his profit of it Whereupon there passed some Words between our Saviour and him that stuck in his Stomach afterwards and that and his covetousnesse together set him on that cursed Design of betraying his Lord. This occasioned the two first writers of our Saviours History to place this part of it concerning that Supper at Bethany so much later to the time when Iudas made his bargain with the chief Priests That Bargain was struck but two days before the Passeover and from that time Iudas sought opportunity to betray him Matt. XXVI 3. 16. Mar. XIV 1 11. The whole History of this Supper in those two Gospels is placed as it were in a Parenthesis between the beginning and concluding of that Bargain which occasioned the placing of it there It began with the Consultation of the Sanhedrim Matt. XXVI 3 5. It ended with Iudas's striking in with them Vers. 14 15 16. But St. Iohn who no doubt was present at that Supper and had read the Account of it in these two Gospels thought fit to bring it into its right Place as he doth Ioh. XII 1. Six days before the Passeover He that reads and observes all the Words that Christ spoke as they are delivered here Ioh. XII 7 8. and as they are in the two other Gospels Matt. XXVI 10 12. and Mar. XIV 7 9. will find they are the same Words and will not doubt but that they were spoke at the same Supper The next day being Palm-Sunday and still the 9th of Nisan our Saviour made his publick Entry into Ierusalem the History whereof is recorded in all the four Gospels His Attendance and their Acclamations were such as daunted his Enemys So that tho they were mad at what they both saw and heard yet they durst not murmur against it Onely to be eased of it a little they prayed him to make his Disciples hold their peace Luk. XIX 39 40. Which he told them could not be for it was the fulfilling of the Prophecy Zech. IX 9. before mentioned It is to be observed that coming down from Mount Olivet where he had the City in full view he could not forbear weeping over it and withall he broke out into these Words If thou hadst known even thou in this thy day the things that belong unto thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Thereupon he declared the approaching Destruction which had been so long
Question was whether it were lawfull to give Tribute to Caesar or not Not a word of his Answer should be lost and therefore it ought to be read in the Text. Matt. XXII 18. 21 Mar. XII 15 16. Luk. XX. 23. 25. It was a just and full Answer to their Question yet such as they could not take hold of either way which struck them all with Admiration So that they gave him over and returned to those that sent them The same Day came to him the Sadducees Matt. XXII who might probably hope to magnify themselves by bafling him that had been too hard for the Pharisees for they were among a multitude of People Vers. 33. And therefore they brought him such a Question as they thought was not to be Answered It was concerning a Woman who according to their Law had been marryed to seven Brethren one after another all of them dying without Children The Sadducees for their parts believ'd no Resurrection And perhaps they had posed the other Iews that did by asking them whose Wife she should be of the seven when they all came together at the Resurrection They put this Question to our Saviour Matt. XXII 23 32. Mar. XII 18 27. Luk. XX. 27 38. In his Answer he shewd them their Ignorance of the Scriptures and proved the truth of that Article of the Resurrection so that the multitude were astonished at his Doctrine Matt. XXII 33. This advancing the Peoples esteem of our Saviour was that which the Pharisees could not endure And therefore though they had left him yet to try him once more they set one of their Lawyers to attacque him with a Question in his own Profession Matt. XXII 35. He askt him which was the great Commandment of the Law To this learned man our blessed Lord gave such an Answer as himself could not but approve And after that no man for the present neither Pharisee nor other durst ask him any Questions Matt. XXII 46. But when the Pharisees had done with him then he began with Them and askt them such a Question as they could not Answer consistently with their Doctrine So they had not a word to say more neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more Questions Matt. XXII 46. It does not seem likely that St. Matthew would have used these last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if our Saviour had not given the Pharisees sufficient opportunity after that Day to have asked him more Questions if they would especially that day being now near expired For this and other reasons that follow it may be presumed that our Saviour bestowed another Day after this in teaching in the Temple according to his dayly practice mention'd Luke XIX 47. and XXI 37. And even this day after the Pharisees had done with him still the common People heard him gladly Mar. XII 37. till toward night when as St. Luke there tells us XXI 37. he went out and abode in the Mount of Olives It was at Bethany where he had lodged every night since Palm Sunday Eve and no doubt there he lodged also this Tuesday night which begun the thirteenth of Nisan The next day which was Wednesday the first of April Our blessed Lord having done with the Pharisees applied himself wholely to the People who as St. Luke says XXI 38. came early in the morning to him in the Temple to hear him Of what he said this day in teaching the People Mar. XII 38. there is nothing recorded in Scripture but onely the Warnings that he gave them of that dangerous Sect of the Pharisees which he foresaw would harden them to their utter destruction He had formerly said as much to the Pharisees themselves Luk. XI 39 52 telling them plainly how they had spoil'd the Religion of the Iewish Church with their Oral Tradition and denouncing Woes against them for their Hypocrisy particularly in adorning the Sepulchres of the dead Prophets and killing the living ones whom God sent to reprove them for their Sins Some of the same things he said of them now to his Disciples in the audience of all the People Luk. XX. 46 47. Mar. XII 38 39 40. But he added a great deal more which St. Matthew has given us at large XXIII 13 36. At last out of a deep sense of the approaching ruine which that harden'd People were now bringing on themselves he repeated there in the City and Temple that form of Lamentation that he had made for them formerly at his coming thither Luk. XIII 34 35. O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. Matt. XXIII 37 39. The effect of what he said was to let that People know he had done with them and was now leaving THEIR HOUSE to them DESOLATE that is leaving the City and Temple to that utter Destruction which Daniel had so long since foretold would come upon them when the MESSIAS was CUT OFF Dan. IX 26. By this Act they were now about to fill up the measure of their Sins after which they were no more to expect that he should send them a National Call till they should be ready at their Conversion to give Him that National wellcome foretold in Psal. CXVIII 25 26. The Words of which they sing allwayes in their great Hallel at every Passeover and the fulfilling whereof was typified in those public acclamations given him at his last Entrance into their City Matt. XXI 9. above mention'd Having given this sad Farwell to the City and Temple he sate a little while to see the People throw their Money into the Treasury where the rich threw in much but the poor Widow's two mites he valued above all Mar. XII 41. 44. Luk. XXI 1 4. After this he went out and departed from the Temple Matt. XXIV 1. to go to his retirement in Bethany Luk. XXI 37. But in his way thither one of his Disciples Mar. XIII 1. speaking of those vast buildings of the Temple and the goodly stones and gifts which they saw in them our blessed Lord told them the time was now coming when of all they now saw there should not be left one stone upon another Matt. XXIV 2. Mar. XIII 2. Luke XXI 6. Then it seems he dismissed all his other Disciples but Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrew for these four stay'd and talk'd privately with Him Mar. XIII 3. He was now sitting on the Mount of Olives Matt. XXIV 3. Mar. XIII 3. in full view of the Temple And it appears they were thinking on what he had said at his leaving it They desir'd him to tell them when that Destruction should be and with this they joyn'd two other Questions that it seems run much in their minds viz. what the Signs would be of his coming and of the end of the World His answer to these three Questions takes up near the whole Chapters Matt. XXIV Mar. XIII and Luk. XXI His answer to the first Question is in Matt. XXIV 4 28. Mar. XIII 5 23. Luk. XXI 8 29. He told them
first what things would come one after another before the Destruction of Ierusalem to the end they might not be surpris'd but might know what they were to do when any of these things should come to pass But whereas in speaking of these things now mention'd that his Disciples might not mistake he had told them these things must come to pass but the END is not yet Matt. XXIV 6. Mar. XIII 7. Luk. XXI 9. he at last tells them of one particular thing that should be going on all the while and says when that is done then shall the END come Matt. XXIV 14. It was the preaching of the Gospel in all the Roman World That was plainly the preparing of the Messias's future People mention'd Dan. IX 26. This was the business of his holy Apostles and by what steps they went on in the doing of it we are told in the History St. Luke has given us of it viz. in the Acts of the Apostles whereof there is a summary Account at the End of the Tables of Daniel's Weeks There it also will be shewn that at the very year which ends the History of the Acts of the Apostles there begins Daniel's single Week Dan. IX 27. That our Saviour referrs to that Prophecy of Daniel he plainly declares Matt. XXIV 15. Mar. XIII 14. And he not onely uses the Words of that Prophecy let him that readeth understand which as Grotius observes are taken from Dan. IX 25. but he quotes the principal thing in it concerning the Destruction of Ierusalem viz the Abomination of desolation being set up in the holy place Dan. IX 27. For the clear understanding whereof the Reader may be pleased to see what is said upon that verse in the explication of Daniel's Prophecy After this Destruction our blessed Saviour shews what the miserable Estate of that People shall be till their Conversion and Restauration But this is a principal part of that which these Disciples meant by his COMING in their 2d Question the Answer to which our blessed Saviour gives them Matt. XXIV 29 35. Mar. XIII 24 31. Luk. XXI 25 33. Then he comes to answer the last of the three Questions in the last part of the three chapters now mentioned But he ended not his Answer here but went on with it through the whole 25th chapter of St. Matthew in three parables the first of the ten Virgins the 2d of the Talents and the 3d. of his coming to Iudge the World It follows in St. Matthew's Gospel XXVI 1. When IESUS had finished all these Sayings which was most probably on the Wednesday night that began the XIV of Nisan that then at his return to Bethany knowing that Iudas since his dismission that evening had gone to the chief Priests and bargained with them to betray him without naming the Person he imparted the matter to his Disciples in these words vers 2d You know that after two Days is the PASSEOVER and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucifyed It follows vers 16. that from that time of Iudas's contract with the Priests he continually sought opportunity to betray him Our blessed Lord knowing this would not go on Thursday morning as he had done every day this Week to Ierusalem but continued at his retirement in Bethany Thither some Greek Proselytes known to Philip got him to bring them to see and hear the Lord Iesus Iohn XII 21. 22. It appears that he did admit them by what follows vers 29 34. and that on this occasion he said such things as he saw proper as well for theirs as for his Disciples Instruction Vers. 30 36. At his entrance into this discourse he told them the HOUR is come that the Son of man should be glorifyed Iohn XII 23. This is spoken of his Passion and Death Vers. 24 33. From which he prayed to be deliver'd vers 27 but with Submission to the Will of his Father All this was proper to be said on Maundy Thursday and no sooner for Then he knew his next Sleep was to be that of Death But having something yet to do before his going out of the World particularly in his Institution of the holy Sacrament that he might not be surprised besore he had done that he hid himself no doubt he went out of Iudas's knowledge Ioh. XII 36. After this the Evangelist gives a short Account of the reasons of the Iews unbelief Vers. 37 43. and after that he repeats some of those vehement Words which our Saviour had formerly said to his Disciples declaring his faithfull discharge of his message from his Father and the consequence of Mens hearing or not hearing him It appears that our blessed Lord was at his retirement in Bethany when he sent two of his Disciples to prepare the Passeover for him now as no doubt they had done in former years Luk. XXII 8. This was as St. Matthew tells us XXVI 17. on the first day of unleavened Bread St. Mark XIV 12. makes it plainer by adding that it was the day on which they killed the Passeover St. Luke plainer yet that it was the day on which the Passeover ought to be killed Luke XXII 7. And in the beginning of that Verse he has these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that day came which words plainly import that it was in the beginning of that day But the Passeover ought to be killed on the XIV of Nisan according to God's command by Moses Exod. XII 6. and as it is said there expressely it must be between the evenings that is as the Iews understand it between three of the clock in the afternoon and Sun-setting So that this coming of the Disciples to our Saviour was after Sun-set in the Evening before the killing of the Passeover that is in the beginning of the XIV of Nisan And that was after Sun-set on Thursday the second of April as will be shewn at large in the discourse before Daniel's Tables St. Luke XXII 8. tells us they were Peter and Iohn whom our Saviour sent on this Affair It seems as if none of the rest knew the place where he was To be sure he would not trust Iudas with the knowledge of it though it was his Office to buy in things for such an Occasion As for those two Disciples our Saviour bad them Go into the City and told them there they should meet a man bearing a Pitcher of Water and they were to follow him to the House whither he was going Mar. XIV 13. We are told it is the manner of the Iews after Sun-set on the XIV of Nisan to fetch in the Water with which they are to make their Azyms the next day and probably this man was so employed on this occasion Our Saviour bad them tell the Owner of the House the Master says my Time is at hand I will keep the Passeover at thy House with my Disciples Matt. XXVI 18. that is according to Dr. Hammond's Exposition the time of my Death is so
near at hand that I cannot observe the Paschal Sacrifice I will therefore eat the unleavened Bread and bitter herbs this night at thy house with my Disciples Our Saviour also told them they should find every thing provided at that House Mar. XIV 15. According to his Command they came into the City and there they found every thing as he had said to them vers 16. So they made ready the Passeover Matt. XXVI 19. Mar. XIV 16. according to our Saviour's direction which was no doubt with respect to what the time would afford we have seen what that was according to Dr. Hammond's opinion and that of Grotius we shall have in the following Discourse It seems not likely that our blessed Lord would lose the benefit of his hiding himself by coming abroad while there was day-light enough to discover him Especially since there was no need of his exposing himself to any Danger on this Occasion For the Passeover was to be eaten in the night Exod. XII 8. And so Dr. Hammond expounds the Words Matt. XXVI 20. Mar. XIV 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it was evening by those of St. Luke when the hour was come Luke XXII 14. viz. the Hour of night at which they were to eat the Passeover Then at that hour he came with the Twelve Mar. XIV to the house where all things were prepared and there at the Table he sat down Mar. XIV 17. Luk. XXII 14. and the Twelve with him Iudas not excepted There no doubt they did eat the Passeover together such as was prepar'd for them according to our Saviour's direction But whether they had a Paschal Lamb or no is a great Question It should seem they had not by those Words of St. Iohn XIII 1 2. where he says that our Saviour knowing the Hour was come that he should depart out of the World to the Father he loved his Disciples to the end and he shewed it particularly by what he sayd and did at his last eating with them That this in St. Iohn was his last will be made very plain by what he has of our Saviour's Predictions concerning Iudas his betraying and Peters denying him This last time that our Saviour did eat with his Disciples St. Iohn calls a SUPPER and not a Passeover And to make this the plainer he says it was before the Feast of the Passeover vers 1. which Words will be further consider'd in the Discourse before Daniel's Weeks But what shall we say to those Words in the three other Gospels where it is as plain that this last Supper of our Saviours is called a PASSEOVER several times by our Saviour himself and by his Disciples Especially those Words of his when he and they were eating together are thought to imply that they had a Paschal Lamb then before them with desire I have desired to eat this PASSEOVER with you before I suffer adding this reason for I say unto you I will not eat any more thereof untill it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God Luke XXII 15 16. The like words he spoke of the fruit of the Vine that he would drink no more of it after that Supper till the Kingdom of God should come They that hold Christs Death to have been on the XIV of Nisan cannot admitt that he had a Paschal Lamb at his last Supper for the reasons already mentioned and others that will be offered in the following Discourse Therefore they take those Words of our Saviour and his Disciples where they call his last Supper a PASSEOVER as a family of Iews would understand one another if they were speaking now of a Passeover to be kept among themselves They all know there can be no Paschal Lamb now because they have no Place for a Sacrifice And then at Christ's last Supper there was no Time for it in their Opinion who believe that Christ died on the XIV of Nisan They take it that the Passeover spoken of Now could be no other than what they had the two last years in Galilee There no doubt it was onely of Unleavened bread and bitter herbs So it was now according to Dr. Hammond in those words above mentioned And this as Grotius words it was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a Sacrifice but a Memorial The Sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb was onely a Type of Christ's Death for which at this time there was no Occasion because Christ himself was to be slain at this Passeover But for those other things they were eaten onely in Remembrance of their Affliction in Egypt and their sudden deliverance from it and for those to be called a Passeover where there was no Lamb to be called so this is the Iews common manner of speaking at this Day And that it was anciently so Ios. Scaliger shews Emend Temp. VI. out of a Paschal Prayer of the Iews in which he observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum amaris vocari Pascha that the unleaven'd Bread together with the bitter things they eat with it are called the Passeover After this short Supper as it must be if there was no Lamb to be eaten then came the common Supper which at such Festival times used to be of better Cheer then on Ordinary days And this Supper being ended according to our Translation or after this Supper began as the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather signify then our Saviour rose from the Table and having laid aside his upper Garments and girded himself with a Towell took Water and washed his Disciples Feet and wiped them with that Towell Ioh. XIII 4 5. Of which whole matter he †Buxtorf Exercit. de S. Coena § XXX that could very well judge of such things says it was no Paschal Rite as some understand it but it was an extraordinary Action of our Saviours to shew an extraordinary Example to his Disciples The washing of the Feet was but a common Act of kindness with which they usually treated their Guests in those hot Countrys Gen. XVIII 4. XIX 2. XXIV 32. But for one of any eminent rank to do this to them that were much his Inferiors to Servants this was such an Act of Humility as a greater could not be express'd see I Sam. XXV 41. This was it that the Apostle would have us take especial notice of what an infinite Condescension it was that He who knew he came from God and was going to God Ioh. XIII 3. was pleased to take that low Office on himself to do this to his Disciples and thereby to give them such an Example of charity and Humility as might live in them when He was gone He told them plainly that was the end of his doing it Ioh. XIII 12 17. And withall by this Bodily washing he shewed what purity of Soul is required of them that will have any Communion with him vers 8 9 10. This ought especially to be consider'd in our approaches to the Lord's Supper And it
Saviour required him withall that after so great a fall when he was risen again he should consider others Infirmities and be the more ready when they fell to help them up Luk. XXII 31 32. How contrary an effect this had on St. Peter at the present may be seen by his Answer to our Saviour Wherein with great Assurance he told him the same as before Lord I am ready to go with thee both into Prison and to Death Luk. XXII 33. St. Iohn adds a third thing of his own observation and it seems to have been that which immediately led our Saviour to this Prediction He had said to his Disciples and this also probably on occasion of the Strife before mention'd Ioh. XIII 33. Little Children yet a little while I am with you after which I shall go where you cannot come He had told them just before vers 32. he was going straitway to be Glorifyed in and with God That was enough to assure them they should still be under his Fatherly care But withall they must remember that his Eye would be over them to see how they behaved themselves Particularly in relation to his New Commandment that he gave them in these words as I have loved you so do you also love one another He tells them by their resembling him in This they should shew they were his Children and his Disciples It appears that by those words of his going away Peter thought our Saviour meant that he was now about to take a long Journey probably in order to the restoring of the Kingdom to Israel for that still run in their minds Acts I. 6. But whither soever it was Peter would not stay behind and therefore he asked him Lord whither goest thou Ioh. XIII 36. Our Saviour meaning by those Words that he was now going to dye upon the Crosse as also he foresaw St. Peter would in God's time accordingly answer'd him Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt afterwards Thereupon Peter replyed Lord why cannot I follow thee now I will lay down my Life for thy sake This no doubt was his fixed Resolution and he thought he had strength to make it good but he Presumed too much on that and therefore our Sauiour told him wilt thou lay down thy Life for my sake Verily verily I say unto thee the Cock shall not crow till thou hast denyed me thrice Ioh. XIII 38. St. Mark words the latter part thus to day even in this night before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice Mar. XIV 30. It is most likely that he writ the Words as he had them from St. Peter himself Of his two Cock-crowings the first was at three in the morning that being the middle between the two last Watches of the night Mar. XIII 35. and his second was at Day-break which being the Principal is the Onely Cock-crowing that is mentioned in the other three Gospels What the present effect of our Saviour's Prediction was St. Luke and St. Iohn needed not repeat having seen it so fully deliver'd in the two former Gospels which tell us that St. Peter as if he knew himself better than Christ did answered him yet more vehemently than before though I should dye with thee yet I will not deny thee Matt. XXVI 35. Mar. XIV 31. And they add that when he had said this all the other Disciples said the same thinking not without reason that they might say it all as well as he After this it might seem to little purpose for our Saviour to discourse with them any longer besides that it was now grown †Buxtorf Synag c. XVIII saies that the Jews Paschal Supper ends not till near Midnight late in the night and he had but little time to spare But even of that little he bestowed what he could in giving them such Instructions and Comforts as he saw needfull to leave with them These we have Ioh. XIV which Chapter concludes with our Saviour's Words that Grotius and Dr. Hammond understand of his rising from the Table Arise let us go hence vers 31. Then it seems most likely he sung a Hymn with his Disciples as the Iews after their Passeover sing that which they call the great Hallel After that he departed with them to the Mount of Olives Matt. XXVI 30. Mar. XIV 26. St. Luke could not but see how those two Predictions of the Disciples forsaking and St. Peter's denying our Lord are placed in those two Gospels after our Saviour's going out to the Mount of Olives though they were spoken by him before his rising from the Table according to that Evangelist's sure Information He therefore set them down in the order wherein they are here placed in our Saviours Table-Discourse to his Disciples After which he added what our Saviour said to them as it seems after his rising from the Table Luk. XXII 35 38. The summe of it was to let his Disciples know what a surprizing change there would presently be in their condition That whereas hitherto they had been safe under his Wings and he had provided for them as his little Children so he called them now he was to be taken from them this night according to the Prophecy touching the Messias to be reckoned among the Transgressors Esai LIII 12. So that now they must provide for themselves and that not onely against want but against Danger humanely speaking their Country of Galilee whither they would think to fly so abounding with Robbers that whosoever would live there should rather sell his Clothes than want Arms to defend himself His last Words being Proverbially spoken they did not understand them as it appears by their Answer and he had not time now to explain himself Therefore breaking off this Discourse he onely said it is enough And so as it follows Luk. XXII 39. he went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives that is he went thither now this Maundy Thursday Night as he had done every Night before since Palm-Sunday It was in his way to the Mount of Olives according to Grotius and Dr. Hammond that he made those Discourses to his Disciples which are recorded Ioh. XV. and XVI And probably it was at his coming to that place that as St. Iohn tells us XVII 1. He lifted up his Eyes to Heaven and his Soul to God in that Prayer for himself and for his Disciples all that should believe on him through their Word v. 17. If in the three first Gospels where they speak of our Saviours going from his last Supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these Words be rendred as Grotius would have them towards the Mount of Olives then his walk at that time was no further than to the Garden on the other side of the brook Cedron Ioh. XVIII 1. And there as we read in Matt. XXVI 36. Mar. XIV 32. he came to the place called Gethsemane which according to Dr. Lightfoot signifyes the place of Olive presses It was as
Chief Priests on our Saviour that he called himself King of the Iews as Pilate being vexed at their pressing him with this had it seems to vex them called him your King more then once Ioh. XIX 14 15. So now to vex them more he had it written in the Table above mention'd Iesus of Nazareth the King of the Iews It seems before this was Nailed up that many of the Iews had read it as all might that would for it was written in Hebrew Greek and Latin there being scarce any of the Iews but understood one or more of these Languages Hereupon the Chief Priests being disturbed did as it seems hinder the setting of it up for a while till they had spoken with Pilate And fain they would have perswaded him not to write the King of the Iews but that he said I am King of the Iews But Pilate did not fear their complaining to Caesar of This and therefore being as Philo says inflexible in his own Nature and Angry with them besides he Answer'd them accordingly what I have written I have written Ioh. XIX 19 22. While this matter was in Debate the Soldiers expecting the Title and having nothing else to do at present sat down and watched him there Matt. XXVII 36. It seems to have been on that Occasion of Pilate's giving our Saviour the Title of King of the Iews that their Rage which he had quieted a little before by Sentencing him to that cruel Ignominious Death now flamed out afresh to that degree that they were for punishing him More if it were possible They did what they could toward it by falling upon him in several Attaques reviling and scoffing and insulting over his Miseries First we read how the People that stood Looking upon him and the Rulers also with them Dâ—…rided him Luk. XXIII 35. wherein They fulfilld that part of the Prophecy Psal. XXII 6. in which David says in the Person of the Messias They that See me laugh me to scorn Next They also that Passed by reviled him wagging their Heads Matt. XXVII 39 40. Mar. XV. 29 30. therein fulfilling the following part of the same Prophecy But above all the rest the Sanhedrin or a Commitee of them for they were of all three Orders Chief Priests and Elders and Scribes that attended there to set on the People had so much forgot the Sacredness or even the Gravity of their Profession that they stood there mocking at him and jesting among themselves Matt. XXVII 41. Mar. XV. 31. Some of these Scoffers charged him with those Words that the false Witnesses could not agree about that he said he would destroy the Temple and build it again in three Days a plain Wresting of the Words of that Prophecy of his Death and Resurrection which was even now to be fulfilled Others scoffed at his Miracles as if his saving others were nothing unless he did now save himself And yet they could not deny he had newly raised Lazarus from the Dead and they very well knew he had foretold that after three days he would rise himself Matt. XXVII 63. The Scoff they all join'd in was at his being called the King of the Iews the King of Israel the Messias the Christ the Son of God these are severall Words for the same thing and the Scoffers used some one Word some another all agreeing in this that if he were the Christ he must come down from the Cross. But he had told them often before that he was to be lifted up Ioh. XII 34. but not once of his coming down And he was to prove his being the Messias not by his escaping Death but by his Resurrection from the Dead The strangest of all their Scoffs was in these Words He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him Matt. XXVII 43. Strange indeed that they that saw his Hands and Feet pierced when he was Nailed to the Cross and now he was hanging on it they could tell all his Boâ—…es they that saw the Soldiers parting his Garments all which things they had read in that Psalm of the Passion Psal XXII 16 17 18. should themselves use those Words which it is there foretold some would use on that Occasion Psal. XXII 8. A plain Instance of the just Judgement of God upon them for their Obstinacy that though they read the Writings of the Prophets every Day yet they fulfilled All that was written in them of our Saviours sufferings Act. XIII 27 28 29. It is no wonder that the Soldiers also mocked our Saviour when they saw it done by all those of his own Nation But these poor Heathens did it with some kind of Humanity For coming to him they offerd him Vinegar Luke XXIII 36 37. This being mingled with Water was their common Drink †See Mâ—…ill in Ioh. XIX not XXXVI And no doubt it was in compassion that they offer'd it to him it was for the asswaging of his Thirst which could not but be very great after his violent Sweatâ—… and so much loss of Blood The Soldiers at this time having received the Table with that Superscription before mention'd were order'd to Nail it on the Top of the Cross above our Saviour's Head Luke XXIII 38. Which being done they were now at Leisure to do what they had left undone at the time of their dividing our Saviour's Garments They had then laid aside the Seamless Coat and now they cast Lots to know whose it should be So Now they had fulfilled the whole Prophetical verse in that Psalm of the Passion Psal. XXII 18. where David saith not of himself but the Messias They parted my Raiment among them and for my Vesture they did cast Lots They had fulfilled the former part of it before Matt. XXVII 35. Now the latter part also was accomplished Thâ—…se things therefore the Soldiers did Ioh. XIX 23 24. Of all sorts of men Iews and Gentiles that were present at our Saviour's Sufferings there were none but had already taken their Turn in reviling and scoffing at him but onely the two Thieves that were Crucified with him But they also having heard what the Chief Priests said of him that if he were Christ he should now come down from the Cross they cast the same in his Teeth Matt. XXVII 44. Mar. XV. 32. But it was onely one of them did this as we learn from Luke XXIII 39. He said if thou be Christ save they self and Us. The other hearing this rebuked him for it and told him how different their Case was from Christ's We indeed suffer justly for we receive the due Reward of our Deeds but this Man has done nothing amiss vers 40 41. It appears by what this man said of Christs Innocency that he knew of his Holy and Exemplary Life He knew also of his Doctrine and Miracles So far as to be thereby converted though Probably not till since his committing those Crimes for which he suffer'd This appears by his Prayer that he made
since foretold by the Prophet Daniel as Grotius observes upon the Words on this thy Day He saies respicitur hic potissimum locus Danielis IX 27. Here our Saviour had an especial regard to the last Week in Daniel's Prophecy Being come to the City our Saviour at present did onely go into the Temple and there he observed what was amiss that he might set it right the next Day This we learn from Mar. XI 11. Who herein clears what was obscure in the XXI of St. Matthew's Gospel There also he tells us that at the Evening which began Nisan 10th our Saviour went out unto Bethany with the XII Our blessed Lord took that care of himself not only this night but the three nights next following He would not be shut up in the City put to death before his time Therefore as St. Luke tells us this was his manner on the three following days Luk. XXI 37. In the Day time he was teaching in the Temple and at Night he went out and abode in the Mount of Olives that is at Bethany Mar. XI 1. †For the Days see the page before Daniel's Tables According to this Method on Munday morning the 10th of Nisan he went again from Bethany to Ierusalem Mar. XI 12. And there being hungry on the Way and seeing a Figtree afar off that had leaves by which he had reason to hope there might be Fruit also he came to see what he could find for there are Figs more or lesse all the year and therefore the time of gathering Figs being not yet come he thought he might be sure to find some on the Tree but finding nothing but Leaves which plainly shewed that this was a barren Tree that it might not draw others out of their Way as it had done him to loose his labour he ordered that as naturally it bore no fruit so neither should it bear Leaves for the future whereupon the Tree presently withered away Matt. XXI 19. And the Disciples saw it was so Vers. 20. But their seeing that it was withered away was not till next day as St. Mark plainly shews Mar. XI 20. who herein also as in many other places clears what was obscure in St. Matthew's Gospel †On this Munday the 10th day of Nisan our Saviour being come into the Temple cast out them that bought and sold and made that Reformation that we read of Matt. XXI 12. Mar. XI 15. Luk. XIX 45. declaring that even this House which God was now about to leave Yet while it continued a House of Prayer even the worst part of it the outer Court which was not good enough for any Iew but was allotted to the Gentiles and where therefore the Publican stood afar off when he was praying Luk. XVIII 13. even that was too good for these common uses This was the 2d time that our Saviour declared this The former was at his 1st Entrance into the Ministry Ioh. II. 16. And now it was just before his going out of the World There again the Children crying in the Temple Hosanna as they had heard the Men cry in the Highways and Streets the Priests and Scribes being sorely displeased at it our Saviour gave them a Text of Scripture to think upon and so left them and went out of the City to Bethany and lodged there Matt. XXI 17. and Mar. XI 19. †This Munday Evening began the 11th of Nisan On the Tuesday morning as Christ was returning to Ierusalem his Disciples then observed that the Figtree was withered away Whereupon our blessed Lord gave them that Instruction Matt. XXI 20 22. Mar. XI 20 26. Soon after he being come to teach in the Temple the whole Sanhedrim came about him Matt. XXI 23. Mar. XI 27. Luk. XX. 1. and as well they might question any one that set up for a Prophet they askt him by what Authority he did it but he soon silenced them by asking them what they thought of Iohn Baptist That He was a Prophet they durst not deny for fear the People should stone them and yet if they acknowledged that they could not deny the Authority of the blessed Iesus whom â—…hn had declared to be much more than a Prophet even the CHRIST the SON of GOD. Iohn I. 34 III. 28. From his speaking of Iohn Baptist our blessed Lord went on to mind the Pharisees of their Impenitence whom that holy Prophet could work no good upon by his Preaching Thereupon he told them the Parable of the two Sons in which he preferred the Publicans and Hâ—…rlots before them Matt. XXI 28. Then he mentions that of the Vineyard in the conclusion whereof he plainly told them Matt. XXI 43. the Kingdom of God that is the Priviledge of being his Church shall be taken from you shall be given to a Nation that shall bring forth the Fruits thereof viz. to the Romans who are called the future People in this Prophecy The chief Priests and Pharisees knew the meaning of all this so well that they would fain have laid hands on him but they durst not for fear of the People Vers. 45 46. Yet they stayed out one Parable more of those that he was teaching the People Matt. XXII 1. It was of a King that sent out to bid Guests to the Mariage of his Son but some of them instead of accepting his Invitation killed his Servants by whom it was sent them Whereupon he sent forth his Armys and destroyed those Murderers 〈◊〉 burnt â—…p tâ—…eir City The Pharisees had not patience to heâ—…r any more after this but went and took Counsell together how to set the Roman Government against him The way that they took for the effecting of this was by sendâ—…g some preâ—…ded Religious men to put to him a Câ—…se of 〈◊〉 in such a matter as touched the Vitals of the Roman Govâ—…nment They pitched upon a Question whâ—… 〈◊〉 to be of great concern to their Religion and therefore he being a Prophet could not avoid the Answering oâ—… 〈◊〉 tho if he Answer'd it directly either way affirming 〈◊〉 denying it would be at his utmost peril One way he would be sure to loose the People that had been hiâ—… Guard hitherto then he would ly open to all his 〈◊〉 but it he answer'd the other way then they should get Pilate to do their work for them in destroying him In order to this they must have some to 〈◊〉 and to Prâ—…ve what they should charge him with And they had the fittest for their turn that could be wished the Herodians who in outward appearance differ'd not from the other Iews But these being of Herod's Court or Officers under him knew they could not oblige him more who was then at Ierusalem and greedy of all Occasions there to shew his Zeal for the Roman Government than by enabling him to make such a discovery as this would be if our Saviour declared his mind freely as they expected he would there being none but Iews within hearing Their