is called both Ahashuerus and Artaxerxes Ezra 4. vers 6 7. for Artaxerxes was a common name of the Kings of Persia as Pharaoh was of the Kings of Egypt DANIEL X XI XII DANIEL mourning for the hindrance of the Temple seeth Christ as John did in Patmos And hath a Revelation of the condition of his own people under their powerful Enemies till the madness of Antiochus Epiphanes was over He should violate the Sanctuary and cause Religion and Moses Law to lie in the dirt for a time two Times and half a time or three years and an half or one thousand two hundred and ninety days But he that waiteth and liveth to see five and forty days more or till those one thousand two hundred and ninety days be made up one thousand three hundred and thirty five days he should see an end of Antiochus Artaxerxes Ahashuerus World 3474 Artax Ahashuerus 1 The building of the Temple lieth forgot and forlorn by the command of Artaxerxes Ahashuerosh the present King of Persia Hereupon divers of the Jews that had gone up to Jerusalem in the first of Cyrus return back again in this Kings reign to their old residence in Babylonia or in Persia again Artax Ahashuerus 2 The building of the Temple lieth still quite forlorn ESTHER I. World 3476 Artax Ahashuerus 3 ARTAXERXES who was also called Ahashuerosh after his great Grandfather of the Median blood Dan. 9. 1. is a greater Potentate and Prince by seven Provinces then Cyrus and Darius were compare vers 1. with Dan. 6. 1. To shew and to see his own glory and pomp he maketh a Feast half a year together to his Nobles and seven days more to all Susan and when all this glory of his great command hath been shewed he cannot command his own wife c. ESTHER II. Artax Ahashuerus 4 THREE whole years and above is Ahashuerus without a Queen Artax Ahashuerus 5 his servants and officers in several Countries are making inquiry after Artax Ahashuerus 6 who may be fit for a Queen for him World 3480 Artax Ahashuerus 7 Esther taken into the Kings Palace in the seventh year of his reign in the tenth month vers 16. a Daughter of Benjamin born for the good of her people Mordecai had been captived with Jechoniah above seventy years ago and had been at Jerusalem when the Captivity was sent back to their own Country again and there had helped forward their settlement and prosperity as long as the work of the Temple would go forward but when not he returns to Persia and there doth his people good in that Court when he could no longer do it in their own City Artax Ahashuerus 8 Bigthan and Teresh two of the Kings Porters hanged for Treason The matter discovered by Mordecai and revealed to the King ESTHER III. Artax Ahashuerus 9 HAMAN promoted by the King to the highest honour in the Artax Ahashuerus 10 Kingdom obtaineth not one bowing or cringe from Artax Ahashuerus 11 Mordecai Mordecai disdaineth to homage or to shew reverence to an Amalekite for so Haman was of the Seed of Agag whom Samuel hewed to pieces in Gilgal World 3485 Artax Ahashuerus 12 Haman would buy all the Jews in the Persian Monarchy for ten thousand Talents of silver but they are given him for nothing He goes not about the destruction of them but first useth direction by Magical Lots what day fittest to speed of his request and the Devil allots him the thirteenth of the first month and what month fittest for the execution and the Devils Lot telleth him the month Adar On the thirteenth day of the first month Letters are dispatched through all the Provinces of the Monarchy for the destruction of the Jews at such a time ESTHER IV V. ALL the Provinces perplexed at the tidings the Jews in Shushan keep a Fast of three days and three nights long this time is measured exactly as the three days and three nights of our Saviours death for on the third day Esther puts on the Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and obtains the Kings favour ESTHER VI VII HAMAN prepares a Gallows for himself and bespeaks Honours for Mordecai his Wife and friends knew the curse upon Amaleck because of the Jews and read his fall ESTHER VIII IX ON the twenty third day of the month Sivan Mordecai and Esther obtain Letters to revoke Hamans bloody purpose and that the Jews should stand in their own defence against their enemies which they do at the time appointed for their destruction and slay 75810 men The feast of Purim instituted ESTHER X. Artax Ahashuerus 13 AFTER this great and wonderful deliverance and prosperity of the Artax Ahashuerus 14 Jews Artaxerxes or Ahashuerosh layeth a Tax upon the whole Empire but in what year of his reign is uncertain and how long he reigned after this is not easily determinable For the Scripture is utterly silent to express the number of the years of his reign or any of the Kings of of Persia that come after him in clear expressions Of this King it saith no more at all of the next it mentioneth his second year Ezra 4. 24. his fourth year Zech. 7. 1. his sixth year Ezra 6. 15. his seventh Ezra 27. 8. his twentieth Neh. 1. 1. his thirty second Neh. 13. 6. but how long he reigned further there is no account at all neither By collection from other places and passages it may be concluded and upon very good ground that this King Artaxerxes Ahashuerosh reigned but fourteen years in all the ground is this Because Zechariah in the second year of Darius doth then but reckon the time of some captivity seventy years The Angel of the Lord answered and said O Lord of Hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years Zech. 1. 12. And in Chap. 4. there are some people sent from Babel to Jerusalem and they have this quaere among the rest of the business they came about to speak to the Priests which were in the house of the Lord of Hosts and to ask Should I weep in the fifth month as I have done these seventy years Compare ver 3. 5. Now from the beginning of the seventy years or the fourth of Jehoiakim to the second of Darius were many years above seventy namely the three years of Cyrus all the years of Ahashuerosh which were twelve mentioned in Scripture before his taxing the Empire and two of Darius himself eighty seven in all by this account from the time that the seventy years captivity beginneth to be counted therefore these seventy years mentioned in Zechary must be counted from some other date or else there will be exceeding much hardness and impropriety in the speech Now this date is from the destruction of Jerusalem and firing of the Temple in the nineteenth year of Nebuchad-nezzar to Darius his second namely fifty one years of the seventy of Babell three of Cyrus
is very tender and loving to our Souls It is the great dispute Whether an Infant in Baptism be capable to have a Vow and bond laid upon him And thereupon some deny Infant baptism because he is not able to stipulate or take any bond upon him for he knows not what a bond or a Vow means Man is born as a wild Asses colt saith Job and a wild Asse colt little understands any religious concernment and an Infant when he is baptized as little Very true and yet Anabaptists cannot say A wild Asse colt is as fit to have a bond laid upon him as an Infant An Infant hath a Soul and ows duty to God a wild Asse colt wants both which moves God to deal after another manner with an Infant than with an Asse colt An Infant hath sin and guilt upon it and so hath not an Asse colt and upon this account also God deals in another manner with an Infant than an Asse colt An Infant is born a child of wrath as the Apostle saith all are Ephes. II. 2. God surprizes it as soon as born and makes it enter into bonds with him that it may come out of the state of wrath But further in answer to this objection consider these three things I. The child indeed then understands not what it does and cannot stipulate again in words to God as God by his Word doth to it but the very equity of the things that God lays upon it doth tie the child in the bond and wrap him in the obligation as justly and forceably as if the child had said Amen to every particular For it is the equity of Gods commands that lays the obligation of obedience upon men and not their own consent For as the Prophet speaks whether they hear or whether they forbear yet the obligation lies upon them Because it is so meet fit and just that they should do what God commands them By this equity God lays his obligations upon us in our baptismal bond And though as Infants we cannot understand nor consent to it yet by the justness of the things enjoyned we are inwrapped in it And Gods Vows are upon us and the more because he lays them on for our good viz. to deliver us from the wrath under which we are born The bond is to forsake the Devil and his works to believe in God and to serve him And can there be any thing more just and equal And though we are not then able to give consent to the bond and obligation and though none others should undertake for us yet doth not the very equity of the thing required oblige us II. God by the continual preaching of his Word minds us of the obligation We know not what we did nor what it was laid upon us but he all along now teaches us to know it and daily is refreshing to us the sight and sense of our bond and as it were anew tying it on It is considerable that the Commands are called the Covenant and the two Tables of the Ten Commandments the Tables of the Covenant And whose Covenant Both Gods and Mans. Gods because God hath indented with man upon such conditions And Mans especially because the condition of the obligation is his And God is continually warning him that it is his obligation There is a voice behind him continually telling him this is his duty III. As God in Baptism lays his obligation upon us when we knew not of it and in preaching of the Word is continually urging of us to know it so in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper he would have us willingly and knowingly to take it upon us They know not what the Lords Supper means that own not an obligation in it As in that Sacrament there is taught living by Christ so there is challenged a living to him The Sacrament reads that Christ died for men and that very thing reads that men are not to live to themselves There is a benefit pertaking of Christ to live by him but there is an obligation also a bond to live to him For as the Covenant is obligatory so this seal or administration of the Covenant is so too Now he that in receiving the Sacrament owns not such an obligation and takes not that bond upon him understands not what he does And if his heart do not engage to live to Christ as much as he desires to live by Christ he seeks to serve his own turn and not Christs A SERMON Preached upon 1 KINGS XIII 24. And when he was gone a Lion met him by the way and slew him and his carcass was cast in the way And the Asse stood by it the Lion also stood by the carcass IN this Chapter there is mention of one or two miracles and there is intimation of two wonders The miracles are the Altar at Bethel renting and Jeroboams head withered and at the Prophets prayer restored again The wonders are that so brave a Prophet should be deceived as he was should be destroyed as he was and its wondrous that the Lion that destroyed him should not also destroy his Asse I know you know the story He was sent to cry out against the Idolatrous Altar at Bethel and so he did He is commanded not to eat or drink in that place and he did not though the King kindly invited him home But by the deceiving of another Prophet he is brought back again when he was got out of Town he eats and drinks in the Town contrary to what he was commanded and when he goes out again a Lion meets him by the way and kills him There is no difficulty at all in the wordsof the story it is very easie to be understood but there is mysteriousness in the providential disposal of God that appears in the story I. The good Prophet to be so destroyed How would this incourage Jeroboam and the Idolaters at Bethel in their Idolatry Oh! this man was but a false Prophet all he said against our golden Calf and Altar was but a scarbabe for otherwise he would never have come to such an end And how might they boast that their new God at Bethel had met with him for his sauciness against him II. And how might this discourage other Prophets to go on the message of the Lord when this poor man sped no better than to be killed with a Lion III. That one Prophet should so deceive another as the old Prophet at Bethel deceived this poor man to his undoing by telling a lye and making him transgress the command of God How might this disadvantage the function and credit of the Prophets for who will believe them when they lie one to another and deceive one another IV. A poor man to be cheated and deceived into a transgression having that fair excuse The old Prophet did deceive me and I did it And yet to be so dreadfully punished for it as that it must cost him his life and in such a manner too as to be
Author likewise concerned For I have seen many Letters of Mr. Pools to him full of thanks and acknowledgment and one bearing date Jan. 7. 1673. in which he does acknowledge to have received his second Papers and expresses his great desire of receiving the Remaining How far our Author was concerned in that very useful design of that Diligent and Worthy Man hath not come to my knowledge and therefore I cannot give a particular account of it This only is not to be omitted that a Friend of mine hath seen many short Annotations in Latine written by his own hand upon many Chapters of Exodus Numbers Josua which he communicated to Mr. Pool whether for the use of his Synopsis or somewhat else it is uncertain This Reverend Man was divers years before his Death preferred by the favour of Sir Orlando Bridgeman then Lord Keeper to a Prebend in the Church of Ely But in what year this was hath not come to my knowledge And I must confess there are many other things in which I wanted information I did never think it would be my lot to give any account to the World of this excellent Person had I foreseen that I could some years since have been more plentifully furnished with materials to this purpose having had the honour to be acquainted with him my self and the opportunity which is now passed of informing my self better of His Life than now I have And I do acknowledge that this account that I now give I receive for the most part from the Hands of the Reverend and my worthy Friend Mr. John Strype Minister of Low-Leyton in Essex who hath furnished me with such an account as though it be short of what might have been had yet may be relied upon And I thought it better to give some though imperfect account of this Learned and Pious Man than that he should go without any at all As to his great Learning his Works are a proof beyond all exception I make no doubt but that the Reader will receive great benefit by them Our Author was a very perspicacious Man and very happy in clearing the difficulties of the Holy Scriptures and greatly furnished with that Learning which enabled him that way His great abilities were acknowledged by the Learned of our own Country and those beyond the Seas I shall not need to insist upon the Testimonies to this purpose which I could easily produce However I shall not forbear to mention some Our Author had sent Doctor Castell one of his Books at that time when he was engaged in his Lexicon In a Letter of his bearing date Aug. 16. 1664. he makes this following acknowledgment Sir you have laid an unutterable obligation upon me by the gift of this Learned and much longed for Work you have enriched my poor Library with an addition so excellent and delightful that truly when I first received it I could not contain my self from reading it quite through notwithstanding the importunacy of my publick engagement and the clamor of all the Work-men Corrector Compositors Press-men c. to all whom I turned a deaf Ear till I had satisfied my Eye with the entire perusal of it And afterwards he adds Sir I will never he ashamed to confess by whom I have profited All that would understand that clear light together with the mysterious hidden use and benefit which the most ancient Records of the Jews bring unto Holy Writ must confess themselves above all others deeply indebted to your Elaborate and incomparable Writings who have fetched out more of these profound and rich Mines than any of the best Seers in this or the precedent Ages have been able to discover I might have added much more from that very excellent Persons own hand Take the suffrage of another Learned Man Mr. Herbert Thorndike who in a Letter to our Author bearing date May 18. 1669. expresses his esteem of his Learning in the Jews Writings and desiring his Judgment of the Exercitations of Morinus in words too long to be transcribed And for Foreigners I shall content my self with two only The first is that of Mounsieur Le Moin a most Learned Minister of the Protestant Church of Roan who in a Letter to Dr. Worthington speaking of his Notes and Exercitations upon Josephus he saith In iis utor saepissime Lightfootii Talmudice Doctissimi quem si inter Philebraeorum familiam ducem dixero nihil certe dixero quod assurgat ultra meritum cruditissimi illius viri Quae de Templo dechorographia sacra in Matthaeum in Actus erudite feliciter Conscripsit diu est quod illa possideo iisque praeclaris operibus Bibliotheca mea superbit The other Testimony is that of the most Learned Professor of Basil the late Doctor John Buxtorf This great Man speaking of our Author in a Letter of his to Doctor Castell hath these words Ex horis ejus Talmudicis incepi illius doctrinam diligentiam valde amare Illae salivam mihi moverunt ut propediem ab ipso similia videre desiderem gustare Precor ipsi omnia laeta ac meritis ejus digna Again in a Letter of the same Professor to our Author dated at Basil Dec. 12. 1663. I find he expresses the highest esteem for him whose diligence and accuracy and dexterity in illustrating the Holy Scriptures he tells him he admires Rarae hae dotes hoc nostro saeculo in viris Theologis rari hujusmodi Scriptores c. as he goes on in that Letter too long to transcribe As no man can question the great Learning of our Author so he will appear to be very exemplary for his indefatigable diligence if we duly consider under what disadvantages he arrived to this great degree of knowledge He was young when he left Cambridge and a stranger to those Studies which he was afterward so deservedly famous for He went as an Usher into a Country School remote from the Books and helps which might assist him His hours were taken up with the care of Boys and his Head filled with their noise and importunities After this he entred into Orders but that did not advance him in Learning Besides he entred upon constant Preaching when he was very young After this he married a Wife and soon had the charge and burden of Children and the cares of the World to divert him from his Studies His worldly circumstances were not large and his family encreased and his work in Preaching was constant He was far from the help and the leisure which a life in the University would have given him But this brave Man surmounts all these difficulties and disadvantages He in his great Judgment saw that the Oriental Learning was worth his while that Chronology and other difficult pieces of knowledge would be of use to him and make him serviceable to others he was sensible of his defects and generously does this young Divine resolve to shake off all sloth and to make no excuses He knew very well
the Gentiles A mission that might not be granted but by such a divine warrant considering how the Gentiles had always lain behind a partition wall to the Jews For although Peter in the case of Cornelius had opened the door of the Gospel to the Heathen yet was this a far greater breaking down of the partition wall when the Gospel was to be brought into their own Lands and to their own doors When God saith Separate them to the work whereunto I have called them it further confirmeth that it was and had been known before that they should be Ministers of the uncircumcision The Romish glossaries would fain strain the Mass out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Rhemists think they have done us a courtesie that they have not translated it to that sense whereas besides that the word naturally signifieth any publick ministration the Holy Ghost by the use of it seemeth to have a special aim naimely to intimate to us that this was a publick fast as well as another publick ministration Publick fasts were not ordinary services and they were not taken up but upon extraordinary occasions and what the present occasion might be had been a great deal better worth studying upon then how to make the Greek word speak the Mass which it never meant How publick fastings and days of humiliation were used by the Jews and upon what occasions there is a special Treatise in the Talmud upon that subject called Taanith and the like in Maymony that beareth witness and it was no whit unsuitable to the Gospel upon the like exigencies to use the like kind of service and devotion And the present famine that was upon all Countries might very well minister occasion to this Church at Antioch at this present for such a work for we cannot but suppose that the famine was now in being Whatsoever the occasion was the Lord in the midst of their humiliation pointeth out Paul and Barnabas for an imployment of his own who were but a while ago returned from an imployment of the Churches And so the other three Simeon Lucius and Menaen understanding what the Lord meant and having used another solemn day in fasting in prayer lay their hands upon them and set them apart by Ordination According as the ordaining of Elders among the Jews was by a Triumvirate or by three Elders Sanhedr per. 1. halac 3. This is the second Imposition of hands since the Gospel began which did not confer the Holy Ghost with it for these two were full of the Holy Ghost before and this is the first Ordination of Elders since the Gospel that was used out of the Land of Israel Which rite the Jewish Canons would confine only to that Land Maym. Sanhedr per. 4. Which circumstances well considered with the imployment that these two were to go about and this manner of their sending forth no better reason I suppose can be given of this present action then that the Lord hereby did set down a platform of ordaining Ministers in the Church of the Gentiles to future times Paul and Barnabas thus designed by the Lord and ordained and sent forth by this Triumvirate and guided by the Holy Ghost they first go to Seleucia most likely Seleucia Pieriae of which Strabo saith that it is the first City of Syria from Cilicia Geogr. lib. 14. to which Pliny assenteth when he measureth the breadth of Syria from Seleucia Pieriae to Zeugma upon Euphrates Nat. hist. lib. 5. cap. 12. The reason of their going thither may be judged to be that they might take ship for Cyprus whither they intended for that this was a Port appeareth by what follows in Strabo when he saith That from Seleucia to Soli is about a thousand furlongs sail and so it is plain in Lukes Text when he saith they departed unto Seleucia and from thence they sailed to Cyprus where let us now follow them Cyprus was a Country so exceeding full of Jews that it comes in for one in that strange story that Dion Cassius relates in the life of Trajan The Jews saith he that dwelt about Cyrene choosing one Andrew for their Captain slew the Greeks and Romans and eat their flesh and devoured their inwards and besmeared themselves with their blood and wore their skins Many they sawed asunder from the head downward others they cast to wild beasts many they made to slay one another so that there were two hundred and twenty thousand destroyed in this manner There was the like slaughter made in Egypt and Cyprus where there also perished two hundred and fourty thousand From whence it is that a Jew may not since come into Cyprus and if any by storms at Sea be driven in thither they are slain But the Jews were subdued by others but especially by Lucius whom Trojan sent thither This was the native Country of Barnabas Act. 4. 36. Although these two Apostles were sent to the Gentiles yet was it so far from excluding their preaching to the Jews that they constantly began with them first in all places where they came They begin at Salamis the place next their landing and there they preached in the Synagogues of the Jews having John Mark for their Minister From thence they travailed preaching up and down in the Iland till they come to Paphos which was at the very further part of it toward the Southwest Angle There they meet with a Magical Jew called Barjesus and commonly titled Elymas which is the same in sense with Magus Such Jewish deceivers as this went up and down the Countries to oppose the Gospel and to shew Magical tricks and wonders for the stronger confirming of their opposition Such were the vagabond Jews exorcists Act. 19. 13. and of such our Saviour spake Matth. 24. 24. and of some such we may give examples out of their own Talmudical Writers And here we may take notice of a threefold practice of opposition that the Jews used in these times and forward against the Gospel and the spreading of it besides open persecution unto blood 1. Much about these times was made the prayer that hath been mentioned which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prayer against Hereticks which became by injunction one of their daily prayers Maymony speaketh the matter and intent of it in his Treatise Tephillah in these words In the days of Rabban Gamaliel Hereticks increased in Israel by Hereticks he meaneth those that turned from Judaism to Christianity and they troubled Israel and perswaded them to turn from their Religion He seeing this to be a matter of exceeding great consequence more then any thing else stood up he and his Sanhedrin and appointed a prayer in which there was a petition to God to destroy those Hereticks and this he set among the common prayers and appointed it to be in every mans mouth and so their daily prayers became nineteen in number Perek 2. So that they daily prayed against Christians and Christianity 2. The Jews had
from above but from the Temple as Isa. 66. 6. And this can hardly be denied to have been one of their Bath Kol voices And if we will believe the Jewish Authors in every place where they give examples of this their Bath Kol it will appear rather to be such a voice as came to Samuel which was so far from a perpendicular descending voice that he could not distinguish whether it were the call of Eli. Secondly Because whereas the Jews repute their Bath Kol both the last and the lowest kind of divine Revelation among them this kind of a voice from Heaven was both most ancient as Gen. 21. 17. 22. 11. and also most honourable Exod. 20. 22. Deut. 4. 33 36. §. From Heaven The opinion that these words were spoken by an Angel deputed by God for that purpose which some do hold is not only improper but also dangerous improper because it crosseth a plain and facile Text and dangerous because it bringeth a created Angel into a kind of equality and compartnership with the sacred Trinity For First Why should there be any surmise of such an Angel uttering these words unless it might be thought that God could not utter them himself Secondly As Paul saith To which of the Angels said God at any time Thou art my Son So may it be said much more which of the Angels ever durst or might call Christ his Son Thirdly Peter speaking of the Parallel or like voice to this which was uttered at our Saviours transfiguration he saith it came from the excellent glory which doubtless sheweth more than from an Angel 2 Pet. 1. 17. Matth. 3. Ver. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased In Mark and Luke it is Thou art my beloved Son c. whereas Matthew expresseth it This is which though it shew some difference yet is it not material nor doth the difference breed so much difficulty as it doth satisfaction to the Reader and fulness to the story For the two Evangelists first named relate it as spoken to Christ for the sealing of his person and in answer to his prayer but the other expresseth it only as spoken of Christ and not to him but pointing him out to the notice of John Now this whole speech is taken from 2 Sam. 7. 14. Psal. 89. 26 27. and Isa. 42. 1. and when it is uttered again from Heaven at our Saviours transfiguration this addition Hear him is put to it Matth. 17. 5. Luke 9. 35. sealing him then for the great Prophet of his Church whom all must hear Deut. 18. 15. as it sealeth him now for the high Priest of his Church being now to enter into his Ministry Luke 3. ver 23. And Iesus himself began to be about thirty years of age Agreeable to this age of Christ when he began his Ministery was the age of the Priests when they entred their Office Numb 4. 3. the age of Joseph when he came to promotion Gen. 41. 46. and the age of David when he began to Reign 2 Sam. 5. 4. Now how this is to be understood is some controversie Some there are that take it thus that Jesus was now fully and perfectly thirty Others thus that he now began or drew on to be full thirty and so preaching three years and six months that he died at thirty three years old and an half But this interpretation the phrase used by the Evangelist and the common and ordinary manner of the Scriptures reckoning of the ages of men and of other things doth sufficiently contradict For First In that Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was baptized beginning to be as it were thirty the word beginning to be denieth his being thirty compleat and the word as it were denieth his drawing upon thirty compleat likewise For if he were full thirty then he began not to be so and if he were drawing on to full thirty then was he not drawing to as it were thirty but to thirty indeed By the phrase therefore is to be understood that he was now nine and twenty years of age compleat and just now entring upon his thirtieth and this the Evangelist hinteth so clearly that it needeth not much confirmation For that he was in his thirty current and not compleated is plain by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were thirty that is thirty years old after a certain reckoning and that he was but now entring upon this his thirty current is as plain by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he began but to be so To which also secondly may be added the common and current use of Scripture in reckoning of ages either of men or beasts to account the year which they are now passing for a year of their age be it never so newly or lately begun Examples of this it is needless to give the thing is so usual and obvious to every eye So that now to take up the times of the world and of our Saviour according to this computation they result to this First That since he was born in the year of the World 3928. stilo veteri but newly begun he was baptized in the year of the World 3957. but newly begun by the same stile likewise Secondly That since he was born in Tisri he was also baptized in Tisri Thirdly That since his last residence in Bethlehem to his first appearing publickly in the work of the Gospel were full seven and twenty years all which time he had lived either in Nazareth the Town of his Mother or in Capernaum the Town of his supposed Father and so his birth in Bethlehem is utterly grown out of the thoughts and observation of the people Fourthly That he hath now three years and a half to labour in the Gospel from his Baptism to his crucifying Rabbi Janna said Three years and a half the glory of God stood upon Mount Olivet and preached saying Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near Midr. Tillin Fifthly That he lived but two and thirty years and an half and that his thirtieth year was the first year of his preaching and not the last year of his private life Compare the date of Davids reign in Hierusalem 1 Chron. 29. 27. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years Seven years reigned he in Hebron and thirty three years reigned he in Heirusalem Exactly Seven years and six months reigned he in Hebron 2 Sam. 5. 5. and then thirty and two years and six moneths reigned he in Hierusalem Sixthly That if Hierusalem were destroyed exactly forty years after our Saviours death as it is apparent it was both in Christian and Heathen Stories then that destruction of it befel just in the four thousand year of the world and so as the Temple of Solomon had been finished Anno mundi exactly 3000 so in Anno mundi exactly 4000. both the City and the Temple that then was was destroyed never to be repaired or rebuilt
into the state of Grace must be born of the Spirit Baptism is Gods Ordinance for the former purpose and it is necessary for that end ratione praecepti and we must obey God in it The Spirit is Gods operation for the latter purpose and it is necessary ratione medii and we must attend on him in his way for it Vers. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh Christ in the former words had declared the manner of the New birth and here he speaks of its dignity comparing it with the birth-priviledge of descent from Abraham For though as to outward honour and prerogative that had something and that not a little in it yet that birth was but according to the flesh and what conduced it towards entring into the Kingdom of Heaven which was spiritual But he that is born of the Spirit is spiritual c. And thus he is still winding up Nicodemus higher from his gross and carnal apprehensions concerning the Kingdom of God and days of Messias Vers. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth c. For the clearing of our Saviours argumentation here which is somewhat obscure we are to observe these things 1. That by this comparison he goeth about both to confirm the truth of the doctrine of the New birth which he had delivered and also something to clear the manner of its being or coming to pass 2. The comparison seemeth not made between the wind and the new birth but between the wind and one anew born for observe the application So is not the birth of the Spirit but every one that is born of the Spirit yet is the application to that work it self not to be excluded The comparison therefore runneth thus As the wind blowing at its own liberty thou hearest the sound of it and so art sensible of the stirring of such a thing but knowest not how it blows or what becomes of it even so is every one that is born of the Spirit the Spirit worketh this product of the new birth in whom and when it pleaseth and he upon whom the thing is wrought findeth by the change and effects in himself that such a thing is done but he cannot tell how it is come to pass and actuated and to what progress and efficiency it will grow And so doth Christ explain to the sensual and gross understanding of Nicodemus the truth of the things that he had spoken in as plain notions as they could be uttered First He asserteth the truth and reality of the New birth a thing to be as well perceived by the fruits and consequences of it as the wind by the sound 2. That the Spirit doth work this by as free an agency and unlimited activity as the wind doth blow at its own liberty without confinement or restraining 3. That this work is inscrutable and past the fadoming of humane reason as is the way of the wind where it begins and where it terminates Vers. 10. Art thou a Teacher of Israel c. Talmud Torah or the teaching of the Law in Israel was in so high esteem amongst them and that most deservedly had they gone the right way to work that they prized nothing at a higher value nay nothing of an equal dignity with it They esteemed it the most precious of all the three Crowns that the Lord had bestowed upon Israel The Crown of the Kingdom the Crown of the Law and the Crown of the Priesthood They weighed it against any one of the Commandments nay against all the Commandments and it out weighed them all For they had this received position 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amongst all the Commandments there is not one Commandment that is parallel to the learning and teaching of the Law but that is equal to all the Commandments put together Maym. in Talm. torah per. 3. Now there were four sorts of Teachers and teaching of the Law among them 1. In every City and Town there was a School where Children were taught to read the Law and if there were any Town where there was not such a School the men of the place stood excommunicate till such a one was erected 2. There were the publick Preachers and Teachers of the Law in their Synagogues Act. 15. 21. most commonly the fixed and setled Ministers and Angeli Ecclesiae and sometime learned men that came in occasionally as Act. 13. 14. 3. There were those that had their Midrashoth or kept Divinity Schools in which they expounded the Law to their Scholars or Disciples of which there is exceeding frequent mention among the Jewish writers especially of the Schools of Hillel and Shammai Such a Divinity professor was Gamaliel Act. 22. 3. 4. And lastly The whole Sanhedrin in its Sessions was as the great School of the Nation as well as the great Judicatory For it set the sense of the Law especially in matters practical and expounded Moses with such authority that their gloss and determination was an ipse dixit a positive exposition and rule that might not be questioned or gainsaid Of this company of the great Doctors and Teachers of the Sanhedrin Nicodemus was one and it may very well be conceived that he kept a Divinity School as other of the great Doctors did and so he was doubly a Teacher of Israel and yet knew not these first principles of Religion But whether he kept a Divinity School or no as he was a member of the Sanhedrin he was in place of the highest Teachers of the Nation and this retortion that our Saviour puts upon him is parallel to that that the Apostle useth Rom. 2. 21. Thou that teachest others teachest thou not thy self §. And knowest not these things The Divinity of the Jews which they taught and heard in their Schools was as far out of the rode of such doctrine as Christ teacheth here as it is from England to Jerusalem For though some of them stuck not to say that the Law might be expounded 72 ways yet in all their Expositions the Doctrine of Regeneration and the work of Grace was little thought on or looked after To omit their manner of expounding by Rashe sophe tebhoth Gematria Notericon Atbash Kabbalah and such wild kind of commenting as was ordinary among them the best Divinity that was to be had with them was but to instruct them in carnal rites and to heighten their Spirits to Legal performances They would speak and teach indeed concerning repentance and mortification and such kind of Doctrines but all was to promote their own Legal righteousness in such things and actions the more Their Divinity that they taught and learned was generally to this tenour To build upon their birth priviledge from Abraham Mar. 3. 9. To rest in the Law Rom. 2. 17. To rely upon their own works Mark 19. 20. Luke 18. 11. Gal. 4. 21. 5. 4. To care for no other faith but historical Jam. 2. 19. To patter over prayers as efficacious ex opere operato Maym. In
all appearing exceeding rare ever since the death of the last Prophets or thereabout And upon this reason I cannot but hold that this miraculous virtue was but of a later date because miracles and Angels had not been so conspicuous among them till near Christs coming Vers. 5. A certain man which had an infirmity 38. years Our Saviour is pleased to choose out for his cure a man and malady of the longest languishing and of the greatest unlikelihood of recovery If we run back these eight and thirty years to the first beginning of his infirmity we shall find that he was entred into this his disease seven years and an half before Christ was born for Christ was now compleat thirty years old and an half and it may be his disease was as old as was this virtue of Bethesda waters It began upon him immediately after the Temple was finished and completed by Herod as it will appear to him that will calculate and compute the times Now I should assoon date this healing virtue of Bethesda from about those times as any times I can think upon For as the providence of God did bring on and usher in the coming of the Messias when it drew near by several dispensations and degrees so the bringing of the Temple to the highest glory that ever it must have but only that the King of glory came into it and the restoring of Angelical and miraculous administrations were not the least of those dispensations But be it how it will whether the mans disease were as old as the pools virtue or no it was so old as doubtless the oldest in all the pack and as to glorifie the power of Christ most singularly in the healing of it Vers. 6. He saith unto him Wilt thou be made whole Christ doth not question this as doubting of his desire but to stir up his faith and expectation His lying and waiting there so long did resolve the question That he would be made whole but the greater question was Whether he had faith to be healed as Acts 14. 7. and that our Saviour puts to trial by this interrogation Vers. 8. Iesus saith unto him Rise take up thy bed and walk Here is a question also not unjustly moved Why would Christ injoyn him to carry his bed on the Sabbath day It was contrary to the letter of the Law Jer. 17. 21 22. Bear no burden on the Sabbath day c. It was extreamly contrary to their Traditions For bringing a thing out and in from one place to another was a work and one of the special works forbidden to be done on the Sabbath day Mayim in Shab per. 12. And he that carryeth any thing on the Sabbath in his right hand or left or in his bosom or upon his shoulder he is guilty Talm. in Sab. per. 10. And it was dangerous to bring him either to whipping or to suffer death The most general answer that is given is that Christ would have him hereby to shew that he was perfectly and entirely healed when he that could not stir before is able now to carry his bed and so by this action at once he gives a publick testimony of the benefit received and an evident demonstration of the perfectness of the cure But both these might have been done abundantly only by his walking sound and well seeing that he could not walk nor stir of so long before A man that had been so diseased so long a space and had lain at these waters so great a time for him now to walk strongly and well would shew the benefit received and the cure done as well as walking with his bed on his back There was therefore more in this command of Christ than what did barely refer to the publication of the miracle and that may be apprehended to have been partly in respect of the man and partly in respect of the day In respect of the man it was to trie his faith and obedience whether upon the command of Christ he durst and would venture upon so hazardous an action as to carry his bed on the Sabbath day which might prove death or sore beating to him and he relies upon the word of him that commanded and casts off fear and does it And to this sense his own words do construe the command when the Jews question him upon the fact He that made me whole gave me warrant to do it for he bad me and said Take up thy bed and walk He whose power was able for such a cure his word was warrant for such an action And as our Saviour stirs up his faith in his question before Wilt thou be made whole so he tries what it is in this command Take up thy bed and carry it home for so we must construe that Christ ment by walking from the like expression Mark 2. 9. with vers 11. In respect of the day it was to shew Christs power over the Sabbath And as in healing of the palsick man Mark 2. 9. he would not only shew his power over the disease but also over sin and so forgave it So it pleased him in this passage to shew his power over the Sabbath to dispence with it and to dispose of it as he thought good as he shewed his command over the malady that he cured And here is the first apparent sign toward the shaking and alteration of the Sabbath in regard of the day that we meet withall and indeed a greater we hardly meet with till the the alteration of the day came To heal diseases and to pluck off ears of corn for necessary repast on the Sabbath day had their warrant even in the Law it self and in all reason but to enjoin this man to carry his bed on that day and to bear it home whereas the bed might very well have lain there till the Sabbath was over and his home was no one knows how far off certainly it sheweth that he intended to shew his authority over the Sabbath and to try the mans faith and obedience in a singular manner It was easie to foresee how offensive and unpleasing this would be to the Jews for it stuck with them a long time after Joh. 7. 23. and how dangerous it might prove to the man himself and yet he purposely puts him upon it that he might hereby assert his own divine power and God-head as it appeareth by his arguing for it when they cavil at him all along the Chapter Even the same power that could warrant Abraham to sacrifice his own son and Joshua to march about Jericho on the Sabbath day Vers. 14. Afterward Iesus findeth him in the Temple c. The Faith and Obedience of the man upon Christs command though it were of so nice consequence do argue to us that his appearance at the Temple was to render his thanks for the great benefit he had received The poor wretch had hardly been at this Temple for eight and thirty years together the date of Israels wandring
what he did on the Sabbath of his own mind but that it was comprehended within his Commission as Messias and as he had in that his Office received authority from the Father to do wonders to raise the dead and to judge the world so had he also no have command and disposal over the Sabbath peculiarly 5. His words But what he seeth the Father do are to be pointed and referred to the same sense and limitation to which the preceding part of the verse hath been referred To understand the words properly and in their first apparent signification is something difficult To say strictly that Christ could do nothing but those individual and singular things which he had seen God the Father actually to do before him would be very rugged and such a saying as would not be proved For fecit mundum tamen non vidit Patrem ante facientem it is the objection of some of the Fathes He made the world and yet he saw not the Father make another world before him He took upon him humane nature yet he saw not the Father do so before him and so of other particulars But his meaning is according to the thing that he was speaking of namely that in his administrations under the Gospel he could do nothing but according as the Father had done under the administration of the Old Testament not as to every singular and particular administration as if Christ in the administration of the New Testament was to do no particular thing the like to which the Father had not done before but it is to be understood in reference to the general of power authority and disposal according to which the Messias acted in the Gospel even as the Father had done before And so the words immediately following do expound it Whatsoever he doth the same doth the Son likewise Vers. 20. For the Father loveth the Son This God proclaimed twice in a voyce from Heaven Matth. 3. 17. 17. 5. which very words do teach how to understand the term Son all along this discourse namely for the Messias God and man Esay 42. 1. Eph. 1. 6. whom as David represented in other things so did he even in his name which signifieth Beloved and Solomon in his name Jedidiah 1 Sam. 12. 24. The Father besides the infinite and eternal love he beareth to the Son as God the second person in the Trinity Prov. 8. 30. is said to love the Son as Messias because of his undertaking mans redemption and promoting Judgment righteousness knowledge mercy c. the glory of the Father c. Esay 42. 1 2 3 4. Heb. 1. 8 9. John 10. 17. § And sheweth him all things that himself doth By shewing is not meant barely discovering or revealing but imparting and communicating As Psal. 4. 6. Who will shew us any good that is who will bestow any good on us Psal. 85. 7. Shew us thy mercy 1 Kings 2. 7. Shew kindness c. that is grant and vouchsafe it And such is the meaning of Christs words here that the Father doth grant and communicate to him as the Administrator of the New Testament the same power and activity that he himself exercised under the Old To do and act in the same divine Authority and in the same miraculous power that he himsel used and acted in doing whatsover pleased him § And he will shew him greater works than these c. It was a great work that Christ had done in healing a man of so long diseasedness and it was a great matter that he had assumed when he granted such a dispensation with the Sabbath and yet he must do greater things than these before he had done namely raise the dead and change the Sabbath day It is said in verse 16. The Jews did persecute Jesus because he had done these things on the Sabbath day These things that is healed the man and commanded him to bear his bed In answer to those two particulars our Saviour speaketh in this expression greater works than these and in the two next verses he sheweth what greater works those are namely raising the dead and power of all Judgment If any will take the clause in comparison with the works that the Father had done in the Old Testament as that he would vouchsafe the Son to do the like nay greater than these there may be an innocent construction made of it for we read of greater miracles done by Christ than done before but in that he instanceth in the two particulars vers 21 22. it argueth that he speaketh not of doing greater works than the Father had done for the Father had done those two works that he instanceth in but of doing greater works than those that he had done already for which he was now upon his answer He had healed a long continued disease but as the Father raised the dead so would he raise dead as he thought good and he had only granted a dispensation for a particular action on the Sabbath but the Father had committed all Judgment about the affairs of men into his hand and he might alter the Sabbath if he pleased and he would do it Now whereas he referreth these his great works to no higher end in this his speech but only this That ye may marvail he proposeth not this as their ultimate end for that end you have in verse 23. but he proposeth this only as a fruit of those works that he should work that they should be to the astonishment and conviction of these that now accuse him though not to their intertaining of him and believing Parallel to that Acts 13. 41. Vers. 21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead c. This relateth to what is spoken of God in the Old Testament Deut. 32. 39. and to what he did in the Old Testament by the Ministery of his Prophets He proclaims himself God alone in the place cited because he killeth and maketh alive and he raised some dead by the means of Elias and Elisha c. Now saith Christ as the Father or God whom ye acknowledge this great Agent in the Old Testament sheweth this power and so thereby shewed himself to be God alone even so the Messias in the New Testament is invested with the very same power to raise and quicken whom he will that all men should honour the Messias the Administrator of the New Testament as they honour the honour the Father the Administrator of the Old For to this tenour that I may say it again doth he speak all along this Chapter parallelling the Father and the Son not in regard of their equal Diety and Divine power as God but in regard of their dispensations to the sons of men under the two Testaments As how is it possible to understand this passage in hand As the Father raiseth the dead under any other notion than as is mentioned when vers 17 18 19. do clearly ascribe the general Resurrection to the Son Vers. 22. For the
witness of himself therefore in the verses following he produceth other witnesses on his behalf and this verse is but a transition to the second part of his oration which was to produce proof that he was the Messias he had in his discourse hitherto declared his power authority and actings as he was Messias But I know saith he here that what I say of my self will not be a current Testimony with you therefore I shall produce you others to witness of me as John the Baptist vers 33. the works he wrought vers 36. the Father vers 37. the Scriptures vers 39. and particularly Moses in whom ye trust vers 46. Vers. 32. There is another that beareth witness of me and I know c. This is John the Baptist as the verses following do explain this to whom they before whom Christ is now pleading had sent to enquire as Joh. 1. 19. and he gave testimony concerning Christ then near at hand Now in that he saith I know that his witness is true it will admit of a double construction either I know that his Testimony is current with you and will pass for sufficient or though you should sleight his Testimony as invalid yet I know it is true And though I need no humane testimony yet do I refer you to his Testimony that if it would be I might bring you to be perswaded and to believe that I am what I take on me to be that ye might be saved Vers. 35. He was a burning and a shining candle and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light Here is a glorious and eminent testimony concerning John who was yet alive though now that burning and shining candle was put under the bushel of an unworthy prison It is familiar with Scripture to denote the Ministry of the Word and Ordinances in the Church under the notion of the Lamps or Candles burning in the Golden Candlestick as Zech. 4. Revel 1. 11. c. And according to that tenor of speech doth our Saviour speak here concerning the Baptist c. The latter part of the verse which is the more difficult ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light is variously understood By some thus Ye were taken and affected with his holiness and exemplary life but his Doctrine and testimony concerning me ye cared not for By others to this sense You were content to intertain and rejoyce in the doctrine of John for a while but would none of the true light when he is come whose light lasteth for ever But by others thus and more near the purpose Though John were so bright a candle yet ye cared for his light but for a while It appeareth by the story of the Gospel that upon the first breaking forth of this light it was intertained with exceeding great and general applause and affection as see Matth. 3. and Luke 3. and the people received John as a Prophet Maith 21. 26. But did the Sanhedrin so also for to them Christ is speaking And if they did so what caused them to cast him off Answer It is evident by Luke 7. 30. that these great Doctors and Rulers of the people refused Johns Baptism and yet it is as evident by these words that they rejoyced in his light for a while which contrary carriages are to be considered with these respects When the Ministry of John first appeared it shewed it self in so high a demonstration of power and holiness that the Nation especially the learned that were most observant could not but rejoyce to see so much dawning of Prophesie appear which had been so long nighted and so fair a sign of the coming of Messias which was expected about that time For though John did no miracles Joh. 10. 41. which might proclaim him for a Prophet yet was his Doctrine so powerful and convincing his conversation so admirably holy and religious his admonitions so free and fearless his speech so to the glory of Christ and not of himself and the concourse to him so general and wonderful that it could not but be a rejoycing to them to see so much hopes towards the answering of their long and longing expectation of Messias coming especially when now they looked that he should shortly appear Luke 19. 11. and when they also looked for a great change upon his coming such a change was Johns baptizing and his doctrine But when they found not in John those mistaken carnal characters that they looked after as that he was neither very Elias from Heaven nor one of the Prophets from the dead nor Messias himself and when they found his doctrine to tend to so dangerous an issue as they held it as to the crying down of their self-righteousness of which they so much triumphed and of their Pedegree-Privileges and to the alteration of their frame of Religion then is John Baptist lost in their repute and he scandaled to have a Devil Matth. 11. 18. Observe that Christ saith not Ye were willing to walk in his light but to rejoyce in it yea and to rejoyce in it exceedingly for so the Original word importeth Not that they took any holy content or had any joyful inclination to reform according to the Doctrine that John preached but that they hoped those glorious times of the Messias that they looked for did now begin to appear in this new risen Prophet and that they should see and have their share in those pompous and brave businesses that they had fancied to themselves at Messias his coming It seemeth by Joh. 1. 19 20 c. that they had looked upon John with such thoughts and conceit a great while together before they put him to trial who he was namely from his first beginning to Preach and Baptize till after Christs forty days of temptation was finished in the Wilderness which was above seven months conceiting that it was possible that this was the Messias Luke 3. 15. and to this conceit it is that John gives his first No Joh. 1. 20. but when they found not all things answering their low and carnal apprehensions concerning the Messias Johns light was no more regarded by them Vers. 36. The same works that I do bear witness of me Here is the second witness that he produceth to prove himself to be the Messias namely the undeniable testimony of his great works which he calleth a testimony greater than Johns partly because John did no miracles partly because these miracles that he did carried with them more pregnant conviction than the words of John It might be some question quoad rem ipsam whether the testimony of John were not as Divine a Testimony as the witness of Christs miracles but he speaketh as referring to the influence and validity of them towards the convincing of the people The faithless Jews for the evading of the undeniable force and argument of Christs miracles have found out two cursed and damned tergiversations and they are these 1. That the
Passover day 954 Sect. 3. The time of killing the Passover 955 Sect. 4. The Paschal societies 956 Sect. 6. The killing of the Passover 957 CHAP. XIII The manner of eating the Passover 959 CHAP. XIV Sect. 1. Of the Solemnity and Rites of the first day in the Passover week of the Hagigah and peace offerings of rejoycing 968 Sect. 2. The second day in the Passover week The gathering and offering of the first fruits Omer 969 Sect. 3. The feast of Pentecost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 970 CHAP. XV. Of the Service on the day of expiation 971 CHAP. XVI The manner of their celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles 972 Sect. 1. The several Sacrifices at the Feast of Tabernacles ibid. Sect. 2. Their Palm and Willow branches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 975 Sect. 3. Their Pomecitron apples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 976 Sect. 4. Their pouring out of water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Rubrick of every days service 977 Sect. 5. Of the Feast of Trumpets and feast of Dedication 979 CHAP. XVII Certain peculiar parcels of Service Sect. 1. The King reading the Law 980 Sect. 2. The Priests burning of the Red Cow 981 Sect. 3. The trial of the suspected wife 982 Sect. 4. The atoneing for a cleansed Leper 983 Sect. 5. The manner of bringing and presenting their first fruits 984 Sect. 6. Their bringing up wood for the Altar ibid. TO THE READER IT was my desire and so it was my hope that this poor Treatise should not have gone abroad into the world so thinly and so alonely as it doth but that it would have had a mate to have gone forth with it which was bred and born and grew up with it even till the time that it should go forth but then it stumbled at the threshold got a lameness and so was forced to stay at home My design in reference to the affairs of the Temple when first I undertook a work of that nature was first to describe the place and to give the character and platform of the Temple it self and then to have something to say about the service And accordingly with no small pains and study out of the Scripture and the highest Antiquities of the Jews I drew up in a large Tractate and Discourse as also in a very large Map and Figure a full plain punctual and exact prospect and description if I may have liberty to say so much of mine own Work of the Temple at Jerusalem especially as it stood in those times when our Saviour himself in humane flesh did resort thither It s Situation Dimensions Platform Fabrick and Furniture both within and without the Walls Gates Courts Cloisters Chambers and Buildings that were about it The Altar Lavers Stations for Men Slaughter places for Beasts and all the Offices belonging to it with observation of all or most of those places in either Testament that speak concerning it or any of the parts of it Adelineation so copious and plain of all the particulars in that holy ground that had it had the hap to have come to the publick view I should not have feared to have made the Reader the Iudge and Censor upon the nature and use of the thing and whether it might have proved of any benefit and advantage yea or no. But that hap of becoming publick is not happened to it for the Schemetical delineation of the Temple and of the buildings about it in the Map and the Verbal description of them in the Written Tract do so mutually face and interchangeably refer one to the other the Map helping to understand the Description in the Book and the Book helping to understand the Delineation in the Map that they may not be sent forth into publick apart or one without the other but must needs appear if ever they appear both together For this purpose have I waited very many months since Book and Map were both finished nay many months before I would suffer this present Tract to go to the Press for the Ingraving or Cutting of the Map in Brass that it might be Printed and so it and that Treatise and this might have come forth at once as it was my desire and mine intention But I have so far failed of my desire and expectation and find so little fruit of all my long waiting that to this very hour I have not obtained so much as the least hope of the Maps Ingraving at all or the least probability when it will be begun I have therefore laid both those aside in suppression the one to wait for the speeding of the other if that will ever be and both to see how this speeds which is sent abroad which it may be had been as good to have staid at home as they do and not to have been so forward That rests in the Readers manner of entertainment Curtesie or Censure I shall not use many words to Court the one or Deprecate the other Learned ingenuity will be Courteous though not Flattered and proud or unlearned censoriousness will be crabbed unless I would be a Spaniel and it may be I should be then kickt too I shall only say thus much of what I have done I have desired to benefit and I have spared no pains I have walked in paths very rugged and very untroden if I have stumbled or erred it is no wonder the way full of difficulty and I of humane frailty And as for many things which I have left not explained as it may be the Reader would have desired it was because I supposed all along as I drew up this tract that the other would have come forth with it in which divers things which will be thought wanting here are more fully handled and supplied London May 30. 1649. J. L. A PROSPECT OF THE Temple Service OR The TEMPLE SERVICE as it stood in the days of Our SAVIOUR Described out of the SCRIPTURES and the eminentest Antiquities of the JEWS CHAP. I. Of the different Holiness of the several parts of the Temple THE degrees of the Holiness of places among the Jews by their own reckoning were a a a Kelim per. 1 Maym. in Beth habbâ—chiraâ— per. 1. these eleven 1. The land of Israel was more holy than other lands Not to mention the many appropriations fixed to that land by them which they will have no other land under Heaven to partake of as b b b R. Sol in Ionah 1. that the spirit of Prophesie c c c Maymon in Sanhed per. 4. Ordination d d d Idem in Kiddush bhodesh per. 1. per. 5. appointing the New Moons c. should be no where else these two or three peculiarities they observe by name as proper only to that very soil and no other That the Omer or first reaped Sheaf and other first Fruits that were to be offered and the two Loaves of Shew-bread which were to stand continually before the Lord might not be taken and made of the Corn of any Country
at Led or Lyddo Act. 9. 35. and this Fast was for rain which they wanted exceedingly And rain came down for them before midday Rabbi Tarphon saith to them Go eat and drink and keep holiday They went and eat and drank and kept holiday and came at Even and said over the great Hallel and we shall observe anon that at the eating of the Passover as they used constantly to say over the Hallel commonly so called so did they sometimes add the great Hallel to it and when we come to speak of the time when this was rehearsed we will then observe what this great Hallel was So that now to return where we were again the first company being come into the Court and having filled it and the doors locked upon them and they falling to kill the Passovers this Hallel or these Psalms were begun to be sung the people answering as hath been related And when they had sung them over once and the work not yet done they set to them again and a third time and by that time they had gone over the third time the work was commonly done and they began not again And therefore those words which are very usual with those Jews which treat upon this subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be construed that when they had sung it over a second time they began a third although they went not through a third time in all their days for before they had gone through the work was done and then they had done also * * * Pesach per. 5. Sect. 9. The first company being thus dispatched went out of the Court with their slain and flead Passovers how they flead them was observed erewhile and they stood in the mountain of the House And now there comes in the second company as many as the Court would hold and while they are killing sprinkling the blood and burning the fat the Hallel is begun again and sung even as it was before and when that company had done they went out and the third came in and they did as the others before till all was finished They did not only slay the Passovers whilst they stood thus in the Court but the blood was also sprinkled by the Priests they standing in rows from the slaughter place to the Altar conveying the blood from hand to hand and so they crowded not nor troubled not one another which they would have done had they run singly from every slain Lamb to bring the blood to the Altar The blood brought thither in such handing rows was poured at the foundation of the Altar The owners flead their Lambs the most of them hanging him upon a staff on their shoulders and he hanging between them and they helping one another They took out his entrails cleansed away his ordure separated his inwards put them in a dish salted them and laid them on the fire on the Altar and when the three companies were so dispatched the Priests as there was no small need did wash the Court If the Passover killing did fall upon the Sabbath yet did they not abate of any of this work no not of washing the Court for they had a traditional warrant which bare them out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was that there was no prohibition concerning resting in the Sanctuary and that which was prohibited elsewhere and obliged others about resting from work upon the Sabbath did not oblige the Priests at the Temple and to this our Saviour speaketh Matth. 12. 5. On the Sabbath days the Priests in the Temple prophane the Sabbath and are blameless Now although they killed and fleaed and opened the Passovers on the Sabbath yet did they not carry them home to their lodgings at Jerusalem till the Sabbath was out But when the first company had dispatched in the Court they went and stood in the mountain of the House and the second being dispatched went and stood in the chel and the third continued in the Court till the Sabbath ended and when it was done they went away with their Lambs to their several companies And the reason of this was because the killing and offering of the Passover was by the express commandment of the Law bound to its time which they might not transgress but must do it though it were on the Sabbath but the taking of the Lamb home was not so bound but that it might very well be delayed till the Sabbath was ended CHAP. XIII Their manner of eating the Passover IT is indeed beyond our line and compass to follow the people with their slain Paschals from the Temple to their own homes to see what they do with them there for the virge of the Temple confineth our discourse yet because the eating of these Lambs was so high and holy a rite and since the story of our Saviours last Passover hath turned the eyes of all men to look at the custom and demeanour used in this solemnity the Reader I doubt not will be facile to excuse such a digression as shall relate the particulars of this great business which were many and which we will take up one by one 1. To omit their curiosities in roasting the Paschal Lamb * * * Talm. in Pesach per. 7. which they commonly did upon a spit or staff of Pomegranate tree running him in with it at the mouth and out behind the first observable circumstance towards the eating of him we may take up in this tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * * * Ib. per. 10. On the evening oft he Passover a man may not eat from near the Minchah till it be dark In which they inform us of two things first that they went not about the Passover meal till it was night and the reason of this custom is apparently grounded in the Law because that commanded they shall eat the flesh in that night Exod. 12. And accordingly are these words of the Evangelists in the relation of our Saviours Passover to be understood when the Even was come he sat down with the twelve Secondly That they fasted some space before Near the time of the Minchah * * * R. Alphes R. Sol. R. Sam. in loc say the Glossaries upon that Tradition meaneth a little before the Evening sacrifice and from that time they might eat nothing that they might eat the unleavened bread which was commanded with appetite for the honour of the command II. They eat not the Passover but sitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * * * Talm. ubi sup No not the poorest in Israel might eat it till he was set down ‖ ‖ ‖ Gemar Ier. in Pesac in loc R. Simeon in the Jerusalem Gemara in the name of R. Joshua the son of Levi saith that olive-quantity that sufficeth to discharge a man that he hath eaten the Passover he must eat it sitting down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is said Jesus sat down with the twelve Now this sitting at their Passover
Temple that we are surveying which was the Temple built by Herod the Temple that was in the days of our Saviour though Ezekiel speak of such Pillars at the door of his Temple Chap. XL. 49. yet because we desire to give account chiefly of what we find recorded in Scripture concerning the Temple in general we cannot pass over two such memorable Monuments as these two Pillars of whom the Story and relation is held out by the Scripture so largely and exactly 1. These two Pillars which were of brass consisted either of them of two parts the Pillar it self and the Boll and Chapiter that was set on the head of it The Pillar it self was hollow the circle incompassing the hollow four fingers thick and the compass of that circling twelve cubits about Jer. LII 21. 1 King VII 15. a a a R. Sol. in 1 King VII R. Lev. Gers. ibid. the whole thickness or diameter of either Pillar four cubits or three cubits and four fifth parts of a cubit as is the reckoning of Levi Gersom The Chapiter or Boll likewise of either Pillar was hollow and was a huge piece of Brass Boll or oval fashion which had a very large hole in it into which the top of the Pillar was let and so this Chapiter sate upon it 2. The length or height of either Pillar was eighteen cubits besides the Chapiter for the Text doth clearly reckon the height of Pillar and Chapiter distinctly Now the Book of Chronicles summeth the length of both Pillars together and saith they were five and thirty cubits high 2 Chron. III. 15. in which it cometh short a cubit of that account and summ that is given in the Book of Kings and Jeremiah which say That either Pillar was eighteen cubits and so the whole of both was six and thirty But half a cubit of either Pillar was taken up and hid in the hole of the Chapiter that sate upon it and so that Text in the Book of Chronicles measures them as they stood with the Chapiters upon them two and twenty cubits and an half high Pillar and Chapiter and all 3. The Chapiter or oval on the head of either Pillar is called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Rabbi Solomon renders in the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pumels Kimchi A Crown with which the Chaldee agrees who expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corona but Levi Gershom more exactly saith it was like two Crowns joined together It was a huge great oval of five cubits high and did not only sit upon the head of the Pillars but also flowred or spread them being larger about a great deal than the Pillars themselves 4. Whereas it is said both in 1 King VII 16. Jer. LII 22. that the height of either Chapiter was five cubits and yet in 2 King XXV 17. it is said that the height of the Chapiter was three cubits it is generally and well answered by the Jews that the lowest two cubits of the Chapiter were plain and without any graving or imbroidering but the three upper cubits were of such imbroidery To which may be added and some of them do add it that the two lower cubits were but the rising into the spreading or belly of the Chapiter and that they there are not reckoned in that place but only from the belly upward the account is taken 5. The ingravery or imbroidery or both of these Chapiters is thus described by the Holy Ghost in various particulars As. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King VII 17. which our English renders Nets of checker-Checker-work And so the Seventy useth the word Nets also The original word doth properly signifie the inwrapping and infolding of the branches of Trees one within another as Neh. I. 10. Gen. XXII 13. Jer. IV. 7. Esai X. 34. As Vines or Thickets saith b b b Michol in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimchi explaining the word that are caught and infolded one within another And so some others express this clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the imbroidery was like the branches of Palm Trees or like the handful of branches they used to carry in their hands at the Feast of Tabernacles This I conceive to be the proper meaning of the words that the Chapiters were curiously wrought with branch-work seven goodly branches standing up with their feet from the belly of the oval and their boughs and leaves curiously and lovelily intermingled and inwoven one with another And the words might not improperly be translated thus for the clearer understanding of their meaning and of the manner of the work it self With thickets of branch-work and wreaths of chain-work 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wreathes of Chain-work The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Deut. XXII 12. signifies the fringes that they wore upon their Garments for memorials of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Chaldee Paraphrast And according to such a sense is it to be taken here that about the belly of the Chapiter was a curious Fring or border of wreathen and intwined work upon which border stood the feet or root of the branch-work spoken of before and those branches from thence went upward spreading upon the swelling of the Chapiter and bowing toward the top of the oval as the oval bowed and they there growing into their contracted tops 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two rows of Pomgranates were wrought artificially below the boughs of these branches as if they had been the Apples that those branches bare but only that they were not scattered dispersedly among the branches as Apples use to be in their Trees but were ranked into two several rows or borders severally below them But here we had need to look upon the Text with much seriousness for in two things about this very thing it speaks obscurely and with much difficulty For first in speaking of these rows it saith That the Chapiters were above or upon the Pomgranates 1 King VII 18. Now it is so harsh to hear of the Chapiters being upon the Pomgranates whereas it is most undoubted that the Pomgranates were upon the Chapiters that some Copies as David Kimchi tells us have been so bold as to change the word and instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the head of the Pomgranates to read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the head of the Pillars but as he well observes the Masoreth by putting a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it or a note that it is not read so any where else doth conclude that it is and must be read so here upon the head of the Pomgranates Now the construction of this may be fetched from 2 Chron. III. 16. where it is said That he put the Pomgranates upon the chains that is the two rows of the Pomgranates were close above the Fring or border of chain-work which was as it were the bottom and basis of the imbroidery and so the bulk and body of the Chapiter where the imbroidery was was above
oppose Christianity and the Gospel p. 373. Their Original Names Qualities and Principles p. 457 458 459. They were fierce against the Pharisees They denyed the Resurrection p. 655 656. Whence this denial sprung p. 2008. * They denyed all Traditions which as they pretended they could not prove from the Law of Moses 655 Safety from danger Baptism was the badge of it in the days of the Baptist and St. Peter 339 Sagan was Vice-High Priest 363. He was Vicegerent to the High Priest p. 911. What he was and under what notion he came into this Office 912 Salim what and where 583 Salt the place for it in the Temple and what great quantities were used in the worship there 2023 Samaria had a Temple and Service resembling those at Jerusalem p. 280. In the days of Christ it was a Country not a City for then there was no City of that name but Sychem was the City p. 592 593. Marg. 597. It is a Country not a City and when the City Samaria is mentioned it means the chief City of the Country which was Sychem 786 Samaritanism generally was a mongrel Judaism 280 Samaritans though they differed from other Hereticks yet they harmonized with the rest to oppose Christianity and the Gospel p. 373. The reason of the great feud between the Samaritans and the Jews 598 599 600 Samosatenus denyed the Godhead of Christ confuted 663 Sanctuary the Sanctuary being pitched just in the middle of the Camp of Israel shews that Religion is the Heart of a State p. 32. What Officers were there employed and what their business 1104. * Sanhedrim when first chosen was endued with the Spirit of God p. 34. This was the great Council and bare the Rule in its Place in the times of the Judges p. 43. It s fate at Misphah p. 55. It had one in it that was Chief p. 73 125. The Sanhedrim was slain by Herod the Great p. 202. It revived again viz. the seventy Judges and beside this at the same time there were two more of twenty three Judges p. 206. The right Sanhedrim continued many years after the destruction of the City p. 206. Hillel was President in the Sanhedrim forty years Manâ—hen and after him Shammai were Vice-Presidents These Men were famous for Learning and Breeding of Learned Men they advanced Learning to a mighty height p. 207. Nicodemus who came to Christ was one of the Judges of the Great Sanhedrim p. 213. Christ at his second Passover declares his Authority and Power before the Sanhedrim that being a time of wonders p. 221. The Sanhedrim was in Caiaphas his House when Christ was brought before him p. 263. The Sanhedrim again question Jesus in their own Council Chamber then condemn him and deliver him to the Secular Power p. 264. Gamaliel Paul's Master was long President in the Sanhedrim p. 278. Many of the Sanhedrim were Priests p. 282. Annas Caiaphas John Alexander Gamaliel Nicodemus Joseph of Arimathea c. were all members of the Sanhedrim p. 281 282. It had power over the Jews even in foreign Lands but rather declarative and perswasive than imperious p. 282 283. Also it sat sometimes at Lydda on the other side Joppa where was most famous Schools p. 284. The Sanhedrim called the chief Priests and why p. 287. The less Sanhedrim was of twenty three Judges invested with Civil Power p. 302. That Sanhedrim which was first in the Wilderness was inspired with Divine Gifts the Members of all the following Sanhedrims were only qualified by Education Study and acquired parts p. 357. It continued in lusâ—â—â— alâ—er Jerusalem was destroyed p. 364. It sat long at Jabneh at first by the grant of Cesar upon the pâ—tition of the Vice-President of it who was all a long Cesars Friend Its Members named p. 284 365. Afterwards it was at several other places till its end See on from 365 to 370. The Sanhedrim or Great Council was made up of Chief Priests of the Seed of Aaron of Scribes of the Tribe of Levi and of Elders of the People being meer Laymen p. 439 440. It sat in the Temple and had two Heads the first called the Prince the second the Father of the Court all the rest of the Seventy two sat so as these two might see them p. 447. The scrutiny and judging of a Prophet only belonged to the Sanhedrim p. 521. The Sanhedrim is commonly called Jews in the Evangelists p. 662 670. The Doctors of the Sanhedrim were most accute diligent and curious searchers of the Scriptures yet proud of it thinking that the very external study thereof would accomplish their Salvation p. 684. The ten flittings of it what p. 1062. * Also the Reasons thereof p. 1063. * How many Sanhedrims how many Members in each how chosen and where they sat p. 1102 c. * Their Constitution Sitting Power and Qualifications p. 2005. * The Room where they sat with the quality of it p. 2005. * What Clerks belonged unto the Sanhedrim and what their Office p. 2006. * The Sanhedrim might judge the King p. 2006 2008. * The Names and part of the History of the Presidents thereof from the time of the Captivity Page 2007 c. * Saron a firtil Valley famous in Scripture 841 Satum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what sort of measure 546 Saying is often used for what is contained in writing 421 Scape Goat his choice his sending away into the Wilderness with the manner of it p. 972 973 974. About the time of the death of Christ the Scarlet List on the Head of the Scape Goat did not turn white as usually 1101 1102. * Scarcrow on the top of the Temple what wherefore set there and whether any such thing or no. 1069. * Scholars or Disciples were called Children 749 School every Town where there was not a School the Men thereof stood Excommunicate 574 Schools the Jews had five hundred Schools and in every one five hundred Scholars R. Akibah had twenty four thousand Disciples that frequented his Schools p. 368. There were many Schools in several places besides any where where the Sanhedrim had fat was a School after their departing p. 369. But after the writing the Talmud of Jerusalem we hear little more mention of Jewish Schools any where but at Babilon in Egypt that bearing all the renown 370 Schools of Divinity the Sanhedrim was the School of the Nation in its Sessions as well as Judicatory 574 Schisms produced sad effects in the Church of Corinth some of them mentioned 301 to 304 Scribes their Doctrine and Practises 255 256 Scribes of the People their work was to transcribe the Text of the Hebrew Bible and preserve it pure p. 349. They were great Pulpit Men or Preachers c. p. 439. They were Learned Men that expounded the Law one of them is called a Lawyer others Doctors p. 638. Scribe is used for Prophet the distinction of Scribes into several Ranks they were Teachers but their Doctrine was vastly remote from
and vex the Reader and yet there are none who do more intice and delight him In no Writers is greater or equal trifling and yet in none is greater or so great benefit The Doctrine of the Gospel hath no more bitter enemies than they and yet the Text of the Gospel hath no more plain interpreters To say all in a word To the Jews their Countrymen they recommend nothing but toys and destruction and poyson but Christians by their skill and industry may render them most usefully serviceable to their Studies and most eminently tending to the Interpretation of the New Testament We here offer some specimen of this our reading and our choice for the Readers sake if so it may find acceptance with the Reader We know how exposed to suspicion it is to produce new things how exposed to hatred the Talmudic Writings are how exposed to both and to sharp censure also to produce them in holy things Therefore this our more unusual manner of explaining Scripture cannot upon that very account but look for a more unusual censure and become subject to a severer examination But when the lot is cast it is too late at this time to desire to avoid the sequel of it and too much in vain in this place to attempt a defense If the work and book it self does not carry something with it which may plead its cause and obtain the Readers pardon and favour our oration or beging Epistle will little avail to do it The present work therefore is to be exposed and delivered over to its fate and fortune whatsoever it be Some there are we hope who will give it a milder and more gentle reception for this very thing dealing favourably and kindly with us that we have been intent upon our Studies that we have been intent upon the Gospel and that we have endeavoured after Truth they will shew us favour that we followed after it and if we have not attained it they will pity us But as for the wrinkled forehead and the slern brow we are prepared to bear them with all patience being armed and satisfied with this inward Patronage That we have endeavoured to profit But this Work whatever it be and whatever fortune it is like to meet with we would dedicate to You My very dear Katherine-Hall men both as a Debt and as a Desire For by this most close bond and tye wherewith we are united to You is due all that we study all that we can do if so be that All is any thing at all And when we desire to profit all if we could which becomes both a Student and a Christian to do by that bond and your own merits You are the very centre and rest of those Desires and wishes We are sufficiently conscious to our selves how little or nothing we can do either for the publick benefit or for Yours yet we would make a publick Profession before all the World of our Desire and Study and before You of our inward and cordial affection Let this pledge therefore of our love and endearment be laid up by You and while we endeavour to give others an account of our Hours let this give You an assurance of our Affections And may it last in Katherine-Hall even to future Ages as a Testimony of Service a Monument of Love and a Memorial both of Me and You. From my Study The Calends of June 1658. HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae OR HEBREW AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS upon the Evangelist St. Matthew CHAP. I. VERS I. Βίβλος ΓενÎσεως Ἰησοῦ ΧÏιστοῦ The Book of the Generation of Iesus Christ. _×¢ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TEN a Stocks came up out of Babylon 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priests 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levites 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a a a a Talm. in Kiddush cap. 4. Art 1. Israelites 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Persons as to the Priesthood such whose Fathers indeed were sprung from Priests but their Mothers unfit to be admitted to the Priests Marriage Bed 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liberti or Servants set Free 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothi for such as were born in Wedlock but that which was unlawful 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nethinims 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bastards such as came of a certain Mother but of an uncertain Father 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as were gathered up out of the Streets whose Fathers and Mothers were uncertain A defiled Generation indeed and therefore brought up out of Babylon in this common sink according to the Opinion of the Hebrews that the whole Jewish Seed still remaining there might not be polluted by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Ezra went not up out of Babylon until he had rendred it pure as flower They are words of the Babylonian Gemara which the gloss explains thus He left not any there that were illegitimate in any respect but the Priests and Levites only and Israelites of a pure and undefiled stock Therefore he brought up with him these ten kinds of Pedigrees that these might not be mingled with those when there remained now no more a Sanhedrin there which might take care of that matter Therefore he brought them to Jerusalem where care might be taken by the Sanhedrin fixed there that the legitimate might not marry with the illegitimate Let us think of these things a little while we are upon our entrance into the Gospel History I. How great a cloud of obscurity could not but arise to the people concerning the original of Christ even from the very return out of Babylon when they either certainly saw or certainly believed that they saw a purer spring of Jewish blood there than in the Land of Israel it self II. How great a care ought there to be in the Families of pure blood to preserve themselves untouched and clean from this impure sink and to lay up among themselves Genealogical Scrols from generation to generation as faithful witnesses and lasting monuments of their legitimate stock and free blood Hear a complaint and a Story in this case b b b b b b Hiâ—â—â—â— Kiddâ—â— fol. 6â— â— Bab. ibid fol. 71. R. Jochanan said By the Temple it is in our hand to discover who are not of pure blood in the Land of Israel But what shall I do when the â—â—â—â—â— mâ—â— of this generation lie hid that is when they are not of pure blood and yet we must not declare so much openly concerning them He was of the same Opinion with R. Isaac who said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Family of the poluted blood that lies hid let it lie hid Abai also saith We have learned this also by tradition that there was a certain Family called the Family of Beth-Zeripha beyond Jordan and a son of Zion removed it away The gloss is some eminent Man by a publick Proclamation declared it impure But he caused another which was such that is
blood of thy neighbour but this is not thy neighbour And further m m m m m m Ibid. cap. 13. An Israelite who alone sees another Israelite transgressing and admonisheth him if he repents not is bound to hate him VERS XLVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do not even the Publicans the same HOW odious the Publicans were to the Jewish Nation especially those that were sprung of that Nation and how they reckoned them the very worst of all mankind appears many ways in the Evangelists and the very same is their character in their own Writers n n n n n n Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 5. It is not lawful to use the riches of such men of whom it is presumed that they were thieves and of whom it is presumed that all their wealth was gotten by rapine and that all their business was the business of extortioners such as Publicans and robbers are nor is their money to be mingled with thine because it is presumed to have been gotten by rapine o o o o o o Nedarim cap. 3. hal 4. Publicans are joined with cut-throats and robbers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They swear to cut-throats to robbers and to Publicans invading their goods This is an offering c. He is known by his companion p p p p p p â—â—â— Sâ—â—â—â—dr fol. 25. 2. Among those who were neither fit to judg nor to give a testimony in judgment are numbred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Collectors of Taxes and the Publicans They were marked with such reproach and that not without good reason partly by reason of their rapine partly that to the burthen laid upon the Nation they themselves added another burthen q q q q q q Mâ—iâ—on in â—hâ— place above When are Publicans to be reckoned for thieves when he is a Gentile or when of himself he takes that office upon him or when being deputed by the King he doth not exact the set summ but exacts according to his own will Therefore the father of R. Zeira is to be reputed for a rare person r r r r r r 〈…〉 2. who being a Publican for thirteen years did not make the burthens of the taxes heavier but rather eased them s s s s s s Gaon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the King laid a Tax to be exacted of the Jews of each according to his Estate these Publicans being deputed to proportion the thing became respecters of persons burthening some and indulging others and so became Plunderers By how much the more grievous the Heathen yoak was to the Jewish people boasting themselves a free Nation so much the more hateful to them was this kind of men who though sprung of Jewish bloud yet rendred their yoke much more heavy by these rapines CHAP. VI. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Take heed that ye do not your Alms c. IT is questioned whether Matthew writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alms or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness I answer I. That our Saviour certainly said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness or in Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I make no doubt at all but that that word could not be otherwise understood by the common people than of Alms there is as little doubt to be made For although the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the idiom of the old Testament signifies nothing elss than Righteousness yet now when our Saviour spoke those words it signified nothing so much as Alms. II. Christ used also the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness in the three verses next following and Matthew used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alms but by what right I beseech you should he call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness in the first verse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alms in the following when Chriâ—t every where used one and the same word Matthew might not change in Greek where our Saviour had not changed in Syriac Therefore we must say that the Lord Jesus used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these four first verses but that speaking in the dialect of common people he was understood by the common people to speak of Alms. Now they called Alms by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness in that the Fathers of the Traditions taught and the common people believed that Alms conferred very much to justification Hear the Jewish Chair in this matter a a a a a a Bab. Bava Bathra fol. 10. 1. Midr. Tillin upon Psal XVII 15. For one farthing given to a poor man in Alms a man is made partaker of the beatifical vision Where it renders these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall behold thy face in righteousness after this manner I shall behold thy faâ—e because of Alms. One saith b b b b b b Bab. Rosh hashanaâ— fol. 4. 1. This mony goes for Alms that my sons may live and that I may obtain the world to come c c c c c c Id. Beracoth fol. 55. 1. A mans Table now expiates by Alms as heretofore the Altar did by Sacrifice d d d d d d Hieroâ— Pâ—aâ— fol. 15. 2. If you afford Alms out of your purse God will keep you from all dammage and harm e e e e e e Ibid. Monobazes the King bestowed his goods liberally upon the poor and had these words spoke to him by his kinsmen and friends your ancestors encreased both their own riches and those that were left them by their fathers but you wast both your own and those of your Ancestors To whom he answered my Fathers layd up their Wealth on earth I lay up mine in heaven as it is written Truth shall florish out of the Earth but Righteousness shall look down from Heaven My father 's laid up treasures that bear no fruit but I lay up such as bear fruit as it is said It shall be well with the just for they shall eat the fruit of their works My Fathers treasured up where power was in their hands but I where it is not as it is said Justice and Judgment is the habitation of his throne My Fathers heaped up for others I for my self as it is said And this shall be to thee for Righteousness They scraped together for this world I for the World to come as it is said Righteousness shall deliver from death These things are also recited in the f f f f f f Bava Bathra fol. 11. 1. Babylonian Talmud You see plainly in what sense he understands Righteousness namely in the sense of Alms and that sense not so much framed in his own imagination as in that of the whole Nation and which the Royal Catechumen had imbibed from the Pharisees his Teachers Behold the justifying and saving virtue of
II. 1. Their conceptions in this thing we have explain'd to us in Midras Schir m m m m m m Fol. 16. 4. My beloved is like a Roe or a young hart Cant. II. 9. A Roe appears and is hid appears and is hid again So our first Redeemer Moses appear'd and was hid and at length appear'd again So our latter Redeemer Messiah shall be reveal'd to them and shall be hid again from them and how long shall he be hid from them c. A little after In the end of forty five days he shall be reveal'd again and cause Manna to descend amongst them They conceive a twofold manifestation of the Messiah the first in Bethlehem but will straightway disappear and lye hid At length he will shew himself but from what place and at what time that will be no one knew In his first appearance in Bethlehem he should do nothing that was memorable in his second was the hope and expectation of the Nation These Jews therefore who tell our Saviour here that when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence he is whether they knew him to have been born at Bethlehem or no yet by his wonderful works they conceive this to have been the second manifestation of himself and therefore only doubt whether he should be the Messiah or no because they knew the place Nazareth from whence he came having been taught by Tradition that Messiah should come the second time from a place perfectly unknown to all men VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that sent me is true whom ye know not A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here must be taken in the same sense wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so often used amongst the Lawyers to signifie him whose word and testimony in any thing may be taken n n n n n n Chagigah fol. 24. 2. The men of Judea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be credited as to the purity of the wine and the oyl Gloss. Even the people of the land the very vulgar sort may be credited for the purity of the wine and the oyl which is dedicated by them to the Altar in the time of the vintage or pressing Men not known by name or face to the Priests yet if they offer'd wine or oyl were credited as to the purity and fitness of either from their place of habitation There are numberless instances of men though perfectly unknown yet that may be credited either as to Tythes or separating the Trumah or giving their testimony c. To the same sense our Saviour Chap. V. 31. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true i. e. In your Judicatories it is not of any value with you where no one is allow'd to be a witness for himself and in this place He that hath sent me although you know him not yet is he true or worthy belief however I my self may not be so amongst you VERS XXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. To the dispersed among the Gentiles c. I Confess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles writings does very frequently denote the Gentiles to which that of the Rabbins agrees well enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wisdom of the Greeks i. e. the wisdom of the Gentiles But here I would take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its proper signification for the Greeks It is doubtful indeed whether the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be understood the dispersed Greeks or the Jews dispersed amongst the Greeks There was no Nation under Heaven so dispers'd and diffus'd throughout the world as these both Greeks and Jews were o o o o o o Senec. in Consolat ad Helvean cap. 6. In mediis Barbarorum regionibus Graecae urbes Inter Indos Persasque Macedonicus sermo c. In the very heart of all the barbarous Nations the Greeks had their Cities and their language spoken amongst the Indians and Persians c. And into what Countries the Jews were scatter'd the writings both Sacred and Profane do frequently instance So that if the words are to be taken strictly of the Greeks they bear this sense with them Is he going here and there amongst the Greeks so widely and remotely dispersed in the world If of the Jews which is most generally accounted by Expositors then would I suppose the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set in distinction to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That distinction between the Hebrews and the Hellenists explains the thing The Jews of the first dispersion viz. into Babylon Assyria and the Countries adjacent are called Hebrews because they used the Hebrew or Transeuphratensian language How they came to be dispers'd into those Countries we all know well enough viz. that they were led away captive by the Babylonians and Persians But those that were scatter'd amongst the Greeks used the Greek Tongue and were called Hellenists It is not easie to tell upon what account or by what accident they came to be dispers'd amongst the Greeks or other Nations about Those that liv'd in Palestine they were Hebrews indeed as to their language but they were not of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dispersion either to one place or another because they dwelt in their own proper Country The Babylonish dispersion was esteem'd by the Jews the more noble the more famous and the more holy of any other The land of Babylon is in the same degree of purity with the land of Israel p p p p p p R. Salom. in Gittin so 26. 1. The Jewish off-spring in Babylon is more valuable than that among the Greeks even purer than that in Judea it self q q q q q q Kiddush fol. 69. 2. Whence for a Palestine-Jew to go to the Babylonish dispersion was to go to a people and Country equal if not superior to his own But to go to the dispersion among the Greeks was to go into unclean regions where the very dust of the land defiled them it was to go to an inferior race of Jews stain'd in their blood it was to go into Nations most heatheniz'd VERS XXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the last day that great day of the Feast THE Evangelist speaks according to a receiv'd opinion of that people for from Divine institution it does not appear that the last day of the Feast had any greater mark set upon it than the first nay it might seem of lower consideration than all the rest for on the first day were offer'd thirteen young Bullocks upon the Altar on the second twelve and so fewer and fewer till on the seventh day it come to seven and on this eighth and last day of the Feast there was but one only as also for the whole seven days there were offer'd each day fourteen lambs but on this eighth day seven only Numb XXIX So that if the numbers of the Sacrifices add any thing to the dignity of the day this last day will seem the most inconsiderable and not
turned into Glory Faith into fruition Sanctification into impeccability and there will be no need of the Spirit in our sense any more So that Having the Spirit is understood of man considered only under the Fall II. Having the Spirit speaks of having it for mans Recovery The Spirit is given for his Recovery viz. what God will have recovered Let us look back to the Creation That lesson is divine and pertinent Eccles. XII 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth There is more in it than every one observes It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Creators in the plural and teaches two things That as the first lesson Youth is to learn is to know his Creator so therewith to learn to know the Mystery of the Trinity that created him God created all things and man an Epitomy of all by the Word and Spirit Son and Holy Ghost XXXIII Psal. 6. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his Mouth Joh. I. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any made that was made Job XXXIII 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Now when Gods creation in man was spoiled by Son and Spirit it is repaired So that as Christ saith of himself I come to seek and to save that which was lost so the Spirit came to restore and repair what was decayed This is the meaning of the new creature 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature Eph. II. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Who works this Christ and the Spirit Something Christ doth by his blood viz. restores righteousness the rest by his Spirit viz. recovers holiness Nay I may add the Spirit is given only for mans Recovery The Spirit created man so perfect to try him Spiritus movens the Spirit moving is to try man outward administrations are to try him but when sanctification comes it hath a further purpose Compare man in innocency with man after the fall His state in which he then was was to try him But will the Spirit alway have his work of so uncertain issue Will he never act but for trial and leave the issue to the will of man God when he intended not innocency for the way of Salvation left man to himself Doth the Spirit the like in a way intended for Salvation Who then could be saved Spiritus movens the Spirit moving I said was given to try inhabitans inhabiting only and undoubtedly to Recover III. Having the Spirit presupposeth having of Christ vers 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of Christs contra If any have the Spirit he hath Christ. These terms are convertible He that hath Christ hath the Spirit and vice versa he that hath the Spirit hath Christ. As He that hath the Father hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath the Father also As Son and Spirit cooperated in mans creation so in his renovation Personal works are distinct but never separate Christ to Justifie the Spirit to Sanctifie but never one without the other The Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ is it possible then to have the Spirit absque Christo without having Christ And he is called his Spirit not only quia procedit a filio because he proceeded from the Son but because he gives him and is a purchase of his blood As the Spirit moved on the Waters so he moves on the blood of Christ he comes swimming in that and it is ex merito sanguinis from the merit of his blood whosoever hath him See Gods way of cleansing the Leper which is an Emblem of cleansing a sinner XIV Levit. 14 15 17. And the Priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed c. And the Priest shall take some of the Log of oyl c. And the Priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear c. First Blood and then Oyl On whom is the unction of the Spirit on him is first the unction of blood As the person is accepted before his Service Gen IV. 4. The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering So the person is first Justified before Sanctified God doth not new-create a person whom he accepts not IV. He that hath the Spirit hath a twofold work of the Spirit common grace and sanctifying grace We may consider the Spirit as Creator and Sanctifier and thirdly acting in a Work between both When he teacheth man arts indues him with intellectual abilities he then works as Creator in bonum Universi for the good of the Universe When he sanctifieth he doth it for the recovery of the Soul Now there is a work between both that is more than he doth as Creator and less than as Sanctifier but in tendency to the latter but as yet it is not it viz. Common grace Such is Illumination to see ones Condition Conviction with feeling Conscience active thoughts of Soul This is called grace because more than nature Common because wicked men have it sometimes as appears by Heb. VI. 4. And you read of Felix his trembling at S. Pauls Sermon Now the Spirit never worketh sanctifying grace but first useth this to make way He plows the heart by common grace and so prepares it for sanctifying grace In this Chapter at vers 15. There was the Spirit of fear before that of adoption As the Law was given first so the work of the Law is first Rom. VII 9. When the Commandment came sin revived and I died As Moses delivered the people of Israel into the hand of Joshua so the Law when it hath sufficiently disciplined us commits us into the hand of Grace As in Gal. III. 17. The Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law c. cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect The Law is subservient to the promise so this work of the Law to Grace Is a meer work of the Law sanctifying Grace True the work of the Law goes along with grace hence many a gracious heart is under terrors But is the first work of the Law Grace No it is to fit the heart to receive Grace Many now a days say I have the Spirit How came they by it If they have it it is an unnatural birth not bred and born after Gods ordinary way To day debauched to morrow turn Sectary and then have the Spirit That was a wonder in the Prophet speaking of one that before she travailed was delivered such a wonder is this if it be so No God causeth this work of Common Grace to prepare and fit us for the reception of the Holy Spirit V. The Spirit worketh both these by the
shews they are hard set when they must make Caiaphas a copy after whom to write the Infallibility of their Papal chair But they gazed so much upon the chair when they wrote this Note that they clean looked off the Book and Text they had before them For had they looked well upon that that would have given them a more proper reason of his prophesying and indeed the proper reason of it namely not so much because he was High Priest as because he was High Priest that year This he spake not of himself but being High Priest that year High Priest that year Why He had been High Priest several years before So Luke tells us Chap. III. that he was High Priest when Christ was baptized three years and an half ago and Josephus tells us as much and more and of his being High Priest after this year also And therefore why that circumstance added He was High Priest that year To speak the proper reason of his prophesying First I might say That was the year nay even the hour of the last gasp of the High Priesthood It prophesied and instantly breathed out its last There is much dispute upon those words of Paul Act. XXIII 5. which our English renders I wist not Brethren that he was the High Priest If I should render it I knew not that there is an High Priest I am sure it hath warrant enough of the Original Greek and warrant enough of the truth of the thing it self Did not the High Priesthood dye and cease and was no more when the great High Priest of Souls died and by death made expiation for his people If you will allow the other Priesthood and the employment of it to live still after the death of Christ and his sacrifice offered by the eternal Spirit till the fall of Jerusalem and dissolution of the Temple yet can you find nothing that the High Priest had then to do that it should survive any longer after Christ was sacrificed The other Priesthood had something to do besides what was most plainly typical in it and referred to the death of Christ as sacrificing and sprinkling of blood did For they had to offer the first fruits of the people for their Thankfulness to purifie women after child-birth to present the first born to the Lord c. But the distinctive work of the High Priest in diversity from the other Priesthood was on the day of Expiation to go within the Vail into the most holy place with blood and make an Attonement Which when Christ had done through the Vail of his flesh through his own blood as the Apostle tells us Heb. X. 20. what had the High Priesthood to do any more To this peculiarly related that which occurred at the death of the great High Priest Matth. XXVII 15. The vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom Which when you come narrowly to examine you will find to be the vail that hung between the holy and most holy place Which the Jews in their writings call by a Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the vail that the High Priest turned aside as we do hangings at a door to go into the room And he went into the most holy place only once a year But now it is rent in pieces no such distinction or separation thenceforward to be had and no such work of the High Priest to be done any more So that if we take these words of Paul to the sense I mentioned viz. I knew not Brethren that there is now any High Priest or any High Priesthood at all that Function is long ago laid in the dust it was spoken like a Paul boldly and as one that very well understood and could well distinguish twixt substance and shadow and how long those Ordinances of that Oeconomy were to last and when to decay And if accordingly we take that circumstance in the Text He prophesied as being High Priest that year in the sense I mentioned namely that last year of the being and life of the High Priesthood it gives a story not much unlike that of the son of King Crâ—sus Who when he had been dumb from the birth and never spake word at last seeing in a battel an enemy ready to run his Father through he forced his Tongue so as that he broke the string of silence and cryed out O man do not kill Croesus So the High Priesthood having been dumb from Prophesying for above four hundred years together and never spoken one Prophetick word when now the King is ready to be slain its Tongue is loosed in Caiaphas and prophesieth of the Redemption of all the Israel of God and presently expireth But Secondly That year was the great year of pouring down the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation as in Act. II. the great year of sealing Vision and Prophesie as in Dan. IX And then it is the less wonder if this dog get some crumbs that fell from that plentiful table of the children and some droppings from that abundant dew that fell upon the Fleece of Gedeon Something like the case of Eldad and Medad but they were better men Numb XI 26. that in that great pouring out of the Spirit there had their share though they were not in the company of those that were assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And thus was the case with Caiaphas as it was with Balaam that wretch inspired till then by the Devil but then by God Who went purposely to curse Israel but God so overpowered and turned the stream that he could not but bless them So this wretch inspired with malice from the Devil to plot and compass the death of Christ is now also inspired by the Spirit of Prophesie to foretel his death and to proclaim it Redemption to his people A very strange passage that while he was sinning against the Holy Ghost he prophesied by the Holy Ghost and that in those very words that he spake against Christ to destroy him he should prophesie of Christs death and Redemption to magnifie it So can the Spirit of God overpower the Hearts and Tongues and actions of Men to serve the design of his own glory And this is that that I shall speak to I might observe obiter how great diversity there is twixt the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation and the Spirit of grace and holiness The same Spirit indeed is the Author of both but there is so much diversity in the thing wrought that a Balaam a Caiaphas have the Spirit of Prophesie who are as far from having the Spirit of Sanctification as the East is from the West Hell from Heaven A mistake hath taken the Spirits of too many to account this good Language and Divinity I am a believer converted sanctified therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation and I can preach and expound Scripture by that Spirit little considering the vast diversity of the gift of Prophesie
all to pieces and the noblest Creature to whom God put all other Creatures in subjection was himself become like the beasts that perish the beasts that were put in subjection to him and when Satan the enemy of God as well as man had thus broke all to pieces the chief work-manship of God here the world was mar'd as soon as made And as God in six days made Heaven and Earth and all things therein so before the sixth day went out Satan had mar'd and destroyed him for whom all these things were created God therefore coming in with the promise of Christ who should destroy Satan that had destroyed all and having now created a new world of grace and brought in a second Adam the root of all were to be saved and having restored Adam that not only from his lost condition but into a better condition than he was in before as having ingrafted him and all believers into Christ a surer foundation than natural perfection which he had by Creation but had now lost then he rested as having wrought a greater work than the Creation of nature But then you will say that the first Sabbath was of Evangelical institution not of moral that then the law for keeping of it was not written in Adams heart but was of Evangelical revelation I may answer truly that it was both For though Adam had not sinned yet must he have kept the Sabbath And to this purpose it is observable that the institution of the Sabbath is mentioned Gen. II. before the fall of Adam is mentioned Gen. III. partly because the Holy Ghost would mention all the seven days of the first week together and partly to intimate to us that even in innocency there must have been a Sabbath kept a Sabbath kept if Adam had continued in innocency and in that regard the Law of it to him was Moral and written in his heart as all the Laws of piety towards God were It is said Gen. II. 15. The Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress and keep it Now if Adam had continued in innocency do you think he must have been at work dressing and keeping the Garden on the Sabbath day as on the other six He had Gods own copy so laid before him of working six days and resting the seventh that he could not but see that it was laid before him for his Example But you will say All the Moral Law was written in Adams heart as soon as he was created now the Law to keep the Sabbath could not be because the Sabbath was not yet created nor come And by then the Sabbath came the Law in his heart was blurred by sin and his fall I answer The Law writ in Adams heart was not particularly every Command of the two Tables written as they were in two Tables line by line but this Law in general of piety and love toward God and of justice and love towards our neighbour And in these lay couched a Law to all particulars that concerned either to branch forth as occasion for the practice of them should arise As in our natural corruption brought in by sin there is couched every sin whatsoever too ready to bud forth when occasion is offered So in the Law in his heart of piety towards God was comprehended the practice of every thing that concerned love and piety towards God as occasion for the practice was offered Under this Law was couched a tie and Law to obey God in every thing he should command And so though the command Eat not of the forbidden fruit was a Positive and not a Moral Command yet was Adam bound to the obedience of it by virtue of the Moral Law written in his heart which tyed him to love God and to obey him in every thing he should command And so the Sabbath when it came although you look upon it as a positive command in its institution yet was it writ also in Adams heart to obey God in that Command especially when God had set him such a Copy by his own resting II. A second thing observable in that first Sabbath and which was transmitted to posterity as a Law to keep is that now it had several ends As in man there is something of the perfection of every Creature a Spirit as Angels Life as Beasts Growth as Trees a Body as Stones so the Sabbath hath something of the excellency and of the end of every Law that was or could be given There are four sorts of Laws which God hath given to men Moral Commentorative Evangelical and Typical Moral Laws are given in the Ten Commandments Commemorative Laws as the Law of the Passover to commemorate the delivery out of Egypt Pentecost to commemorate the giving of the Law Typical as Sacrifices Priesthood Purifications sprinkling of blood to signifie good things to come as the Apostle speaks and to have their accomplishing in Christ Evangelical such as repentance self-denial believing c. Now the Sabbath is partaker of all these Ends together and hath the several excellencies of all these ends included in its self And so had that first Sabbath appointed to Adam First The Moral end is to rest from labours So in this fourth Commandment six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work c. So Jer. XVII 21. Thus saith the Lord Take heed to your selves to bear no burthen on the Sabbath day nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem Neither bring forth a burthen out of your houses neither do you any work but hallow the Sabbath day as I commanded your fathers Oh! then I celebrate the Sabbath saith the Sabbath-breaker for I do no work but play and recreate and drink and sit still and do no work at all Friend dost thou think God ever established idleness and folly by a Law That he hallowed the Sabbath day to be a playing fooling sporting day But Christian how readest thou as a Christian The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God not a Sabbath for thy lust and laziness And in it thou shalt do no manner of work of thine own but the work of the Lord thy God And the rest that he hath commanded is not for idleness but for piety towards God for which end he gave all the Laws of the first Table viz. to leave communion with the world and worldly things that day and to have it with God as in Esai LVIII 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy will on my holy days and call the Sabbath a delight As Moses to betake our selves to the mount of God and there to have communion with him To get into the Mount above the world and there to meet God and converse with him To be in the Spirit on the Lords day and not to recreate the Body but the Soul