to the feast of the Tabernacles and Ioh. 2.37 it is called the last and the great day of the feast Besides these legall feasts in this moneth they had likewise on the fourth day the fast of Godaliah and upon the twenty third day was festum latitiae legis et benedictio They had but one feast in the Moneth Nisan and one in Iair the Pentecost So the Lord commanded that the Land should rest in the seventh yeere and every seventh seventh in the Iubile The lan◠was laboured six yeeres and these yeeres were called Anni georgici The land was to rest the seventh yeere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was called annus shemittah from Shamat liberum demittere and not to seeke any due of it for those who laboured the ground to seek fruit of it every yeere was too much and gave no time of rest to the ground The Lord taught the Iewes sundry things by the resting of the Land What things the Iewes were taught by the rest of the seventh yeere for as the Sabbath day taught them that as they were the Lords they behoved to cease from their owne workes to doe his worke So the Sabbath of the seventh yeere taught them that both they and their land was the Lords and therefore it was to rest Secondly this yeere taught them to depend upon the Lords providence for the Lord promised his blessing upon the sixt yeere that the Land should bring out for three yeeres Levi. 25.20 Thirdly this yeere was a signe to them of their eternall rest Lastly he instituted this yeere to teach them to be pitifull to the poore for those things which grew of their owne accord that yeere were alloted to the poore and to the strangers Quest How could they live seeing the land rested the seventh yeare Answ The Lord answered Levit. 25.21 How God blessed the sixt yeere that it served for three yeeres Thar he should so blesse the sixt yeere that it should serve for three yeares and here we may see how the promises were fulfilled which were made Levit. 26 10. Ye shall bring out the old because of the new that is there shall be such plenty of new that yee must bring forth the old to make roome for it and that is that which Amos speaketh cap. 9.13 Haebraice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a specie in speciem et chaldaice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab anno in annum Arator apprehendet messorem the plowman shall ever take the reaper that is the old and the new shall meete together So Psal 144.13 That our garners may be full affording all manner of store but the Chaldee Paraphrast paraphraseth it Affording corne from one yeere to another The fertility of the seventh yeare was not meerely naturall Here we may observe that this fertility of the seventh yeare was not merely naturall but proceeded from the blessing of God Secondly all those who rested the seventh yere from their labours yet they wanted nothing but it was supplied by the blessing of God Mal. 3.10 Effundam vobis vsque ad non sufficientiam that is that yee shall not have vessells to containe the oyle and the wine nor garners to containe the corne which I shall bestow upon you Never man suffered any losse in Gods service So those who abstaine from their labours upon the Sabbath it shall never impoverish them for the blessing of God upon the weeke dayes shall supply all their wants so the Lord promised when they shall goe up to Ierusalem to serve him at their feasts that he would keepe their land from the incursion of the enemies Exo. 34.24 and we see Iosh 5.2 When they were circumcised the Lord strooke such a feare and terror in the hearts of the Canaanites that they durst not touch them as Simeon Levi killed the Sichemites when they were newly circumcised never man yet got hurt in the service of God He shall still find the Lords protecting Hand and blessing in his service When hee sent out the seventy Disciples without purse scrip and shooes he said Lacked ye any thing and they said Nothing Luc. 22.35 Nebuchadnezzer shall not want a reward for his service which he did to the Lord albeit he was an heathen for hee got the Land of Egypt for his wages Ezek. 29.20 The next priviledge of the Sabbaticke yeare was this Deut. 14.1 Debts were payed in the seventh yeare that mens debts were pardoned to them if they became poore and had nothing to satisfie but not if they had sufficient to pay then they were bound to satisfie and if they were poore the Lord commanded to lend unto them Deut. 15.19 although the seventh yeare was at hand but that which was borrowed for necessitie onely was not to be restored and the naturall Iewes had onely this priviledge but not the Proselytes The third priviledge of this yeare was this Servants were set a liberty this yeare Exod. 21.2 He shall goe out free in the seventh yeere paying nothing to wit if he was an Hebrew servant but if hee was not an Hebrew servant but a stranger then he was to serve untill the yeare of the Iubile Levit. 25.4 The fourth thing which was done in the seventh yeare The Law was publikely read this yeare the Law was publikely read Deut. 31.10 Quest Whether or not kept they alwayes these sabbaticall yeares Answ Not Ier. 34.14 therefore the Lord plagued them with divers plagues and especially with barrennesse of the sixt yeare 2 Mach. 6.43.49 Quest When began this yeare of the rest Answ Some hold that it began after the land was divided by Lot At what yeare the first Rest began but seeing the Land was twise divided by Lot first in Gilgal Ioh. 14. Secondly in Siloh a few yeares after because the first division was not perfected this account of the seventh yeare seemeth to begin at the latter division of the Land Ios 18 2. Quest What time of the yeare began this rest of the seventh yeare Answ From Tishri and not from Nisan At what time of the were this Rest began for if it had begun in Nisan then they should have lost two Harvests first they might not cut downe the Corne which was growing upon the ground in Nisan and then secondly they might not sow in Tishri and so they should have lost both the Harvests Exod. 23.16 and 34.22 but the Lord saith Levit. 25.27 Yee shall sow the eighth yeare therefore they wanted but one sowing and one Harvest Of the Jubile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Produxit eduxit Their great Sabbaticall yeare was the yeare of the Iubile It was called the Iubile from Iobhel or hobhel deduxit or produxit because it brought men backe againe to their first estate the Seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were brought backe to their first estate and Philo Iudaeus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 restitutio and Iosephus 〈◊〉
we cannot expound them literally but in vision for Ieremiah was never yet in Babel So we are not to expound the Prophecy literally when it is contrary to piety but onely in vision as when Hosea is bidden marry a whore Hos 1.2 This was onely in vision Thirdly when they are contrary either to decency or good manners as when Ezekiel is bidden goe naked and to eate his bread baken with mans doung Ezek. 4.12 so we are not to take this vision literally that the Angell did any thing in our sanctification or justification In the parable of the rich glutton hee desired that Abraham would send Lazarus that he might dip his finger put it upon his tongue in heaven the glorified soules have no fingers as yet nor in hel the damned have no tongues yet but because we cannot conceive spirituall things but by bodily things therefore it is expressed after this manner So every knee in heaven and earth shall how Phil. 2.10 there are no knees in heaven as yet to bow to Christ but this is spoken to our capacity for when we would doe homage here below we bow the knee so heavenly worship is here figured by earthly gesture And to him he said behold I have caused thine inquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment Pardoning of sinne here is expressed by putting off foule cloathes and putting on a new garment The Lord delightes to see his Priests cloathed in holinesse Psal 122.16 and to put on righteousnesse as a garment Iob. 29.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sponsus and the Hebrewes observe that Cohen a Priest and Cahan a Bridgroome come both from one roote because the Priest when he commeth before the Lord should be adorned like the bridgroome the Apostle saith That as many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ Galat. 3.27 which is a speech borrowed from the custome used in the primitive Church for those who were Adulti or come to age The custome in the Primitive Church when they baptized those that were come to age when they were to be baptized came to the Church the Sunday before the Pascha and put upon them white cloathes therefore the day was called Dominica in albis and they were called candidati if white cloathes and holinesse becommeth every Christian when he entereth into Christianity how much more should Preachers study to put on righteousnesse when they enter to this holy calling but many now dare be bold to come in before the Lord with their soiled and filthy cloathes as if they had lyen amongst the pots of Egypt Foure sorts of Garments unbeseeming a Minister Secondly some come in and they have not these mutatorius vestes changed apparell but they had rather superindui to put one some shew of holinesse above but not to lay aside their old sinnes They make the outside of the platter cleane but within it is full of uncleannesse Matth. 23 25. Thirdly others come in with their garment of Linsey-Woolsey before the Lord ye shall not know of what profession they are like Sceptikes doubting of all things now standing for popery now for the truth now broching this heresie now that Fourthly some come in before the Lord with their wollen cloathes the Lord by Ezekiel cap. 44. commandeth expressely that the Priests should weare no wooll in the sanctuary but linnen and out of the sanctuary when they were about their secular affaires no linnen but wooll and therefore the Iewes proverb was when they saw a worldly minded Priest they said there goeth the man with the wollen cloathes Ministers of all men should study to have their cloathes cleane and see that their garments be not spotted with the flesh Iud. 23. Great purity required in Ministers It was a great change in Israel when the Nazarits who were purer then snow whiter then milke more ruddy in body then rubies when they became blacker then a coale Lamen 4.7 So now it is a great change when Ministers whose Garments should be pure and holy shining as the wings of a dove covered with silver and like her feathers covered with yeallow gold come in as though they had lien among the pots Psal 68.13 Many now that should come in Candidati before the Lord are fettered and intangled with the affaires of the world yea they come in Loadened with thicke clay Habak cha 2.6 having greater care to heape up gold then to gather grace to uphold them in the day of their triall when Satan shall accuse them for being cloathed with filthy garments as hee did Ioshua the Highpriest here And I will cloathe thee with change of raiment Quest Ioshua's sinnes being pardoned already how is his sinne pardoned anew againe Answ There is our totall justification and our partiall justification Ioshua had his totall justification before but this was his partiall justification Iustificate totalis partialis God pardoned him those sinnes which hindered him in his Priestly office an example not unlike unto this we have Esay 6.7 When the Seraphim came with a coale and touched the lippes of Esay this was his partiall justification when he pardoned him those sinnes which hindred him in his calling Esay 6. But ye will say Ob. get we not the remission of all our sinnes simul semel Although all sinnes both by past and to come are remitted to the child of God in Gods eternall counsaile Ans Whether we get remission of all our sinnes simul et semel yet the sinnes not yet committed when they are committed and repented of in our sense and feeling then they are pardoned when we feele them to be pardoned Peccata praeterita remittuntur per formalem applicationem as they speake in the Schooles futura vero virtualiter tantum praeterita insese futura in subjecto vel persona peccante And I said let them set a faire crowne upon his head God never beginneth a worke but he perfecteth it God never beginneth a worke but that which he perfecteth this we see in the worke of creation God rested not untill he had finished all his workes so in the worke of his providence Psal 65.11 Thou crownest the yeere with thy goodnesse Thirdly in the worke of redemption Christ left not off this worke till he said consummatum est Fourthly in the worke of sanctification Phil. 3.6 He that hath begun a good worke in you will performe it untill the day of Iesus Christ The Lord bringeth to perfecton every good worke begun in us he is not like the man in the Gospel who began to build a house but was not able to finish it This is a great comfort to the children of God who find many impediments in the worke of their sanctification the child of God saith sometimes with Rebecka Gen. 25.22 It had been better for me The comforts of the children of God never to have conceived he feeleth the flesh
originall Copie what is the reason that Origen setteth it not downe in his Octupla as hee hath done other translations and what is the reason that Hierome never citeth it nor followeth it in his translation if it be the originall Reason 5 Fiftly the manner of the Samaritans writing sheweth that this was not the originall which Moses received from the Lord and delivered to the people of God afterwards as you may perceive in the page following out of Exod. 31. from vers 12. to 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exemplar Samaritanum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraiè sic Et dixit Iehova Mosi dicendo Latinè sic tu al loquere filios Israel dicendo nunc il la Sabbatha mea serua tote quia signum est in terme inter vos per generationes vestras ad cognoscēdū quod ego Iehova sanctificans vos et observate Sabbathum quia sanc tum erit illis profanātes illud morte morietur quia omnis faciens in illa opus utique excinde turanima il la emedio populorum suorum s ex di ebus opera beris opus in die septimo Sabbathū sabbatulū sanctum Ie hovae omnis faciens o-pus in die illo sabbathi morte morietur observanto filij Israel ipsum sabbathum celebrando sabbathum per generationes suas faedere aeter no interme inter filios Israel signum erit in aeternum quia sex diebus fecit Iehoua caelum et terram in die septimo quievit et respiravit Exod. 31.12 In English thus And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 13. Speake thou also unto the Children of Israel saying verily my Sabbaths shall ye keepe for it is a Signe betweene me you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you 14. Ye shall keepe the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any worke therein that Soule shall be cut off from amongst his people 15. Sixe dayes may worke bee done but in the Seventh is the Sabbath of rest holinesse to the Lord whosoever doth any worke in the Sabbath day hee shall surely bee put to death 16. Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetuall Covenant 17. It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever for in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Observe the forme of this writing of the Samaritans and yee shall finde it to be meere Cabbalisticall by which they would finde out the diverse readings in framing the lines words and letters and setting them downe after such a curious forme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Cabbalists doe by their Gematrija notaricon and temura that is by the number of letters the diverse significations of them and the diverse situation and placing of them they make diverse senses in the Scriptures as by elbham and ethbhash sometimes putting the last letters for the first and the first for the last sometimes reading up and downe sometimes crosswayes and sometimes from the left hand to the right this we may see in this example of the Samaritan Copie where they summe up the observation the breach and punishment of the Sabbath in a round circle which curiosity the Spirit of God never used in writing the holy Scriptures Christ speaking of the originall Text and the perpetuity of the Law which we have he saith One jote or one title of the Law shall not passe in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to the Hebrew Iod and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not properly translated A tittle as if it made a difference betwixt some letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the top of Daleth from Resh for the Syriacke calleth it Sharat incisura vel incisio the small lines which are in ones hand The meaning is then that not one part of a letter neyther the least letter nor any part of the least letter shall perish hence we may reason from Christs words In that copie whereof the Lord speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Iod must be the least letter but in the Samaritan copie Iod is not the least but the biggest of all the Letters therefore the Samaritan copie is not that copie which Christ spake of י Hebrae but the Hebrew as we may see by the difference of the Letters in the margent here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samarit hence we may gather that this Samaritan letter was abolished in Christs time and therefore wee ought neyther to imbrace the copie nor the Characters as authenticke or originall The Conclusion of this is Conclusion If the light that is in the body be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse Matth. 6.23 The Scriptures are the light of the Church and if the originall Text were corrupted Instrumenta gratiae conjuncta remota how great were the darkenesse of the body God hath Conjuncta instrumenta remota instrumenta gratiae Remota instrumenta gratiae are the Preachers and their writings and they may be corrupted But Conjuncta instrumenta gratiae are the Prophets and Apostles and their writings these the Lord kept from errour and corruption for the good of his Church EXERCITAT XIII That no Canonicall booke is perished Matth. 5.18 Heaven and earth shall passe one jote or one tittle shall no wayes passe from the Law till all be fulfilled WHen a thing wanteth an essentiall part this is the greatest want Secondly when it wanteth an integrall part this is likewise a great defect Defectus Partis essentialis partis integratis ornamenti accidentalis And thirdly when it wanteth accidentall ornaments When the soule is separated from the body here is a separation of the essentiall parts When a man wanteth a hand or a foote then he wanteth an integrall part And when hee wanteth his cloathes hee wanteth some ornaments No booke in the Scripture wanteth any essentiall part There is no booke in the Scripture that wanteth any essentiall part for the Law and the Gospel which are essentiall parts Vide Iunium in Iudam and Perkins reformed Catholike are found in every booke Secondly the Scripture wanteth no integrall part since the Canon was sealed before the Canon was sealed they had as much as served for their infancie but after that it was sealed the whole Canon was compleate and none of those Bookes perished Gods care in preserving the Scriptures Great was the care which the Lord had to preserve the Scriptures First hee commanded the Levites to take the booke of the Law written by Moyses and to put it in the side of the Arke of the covenant of the Lord Deut. 31.26 Secondly the Lord commanded
Ezek. 24.18 The wings are put for their hands They are made with wings and in that vision of Ezekiel with hands under their wings Eze. 1.8 but where they are described with wings and no mention made of their hands then their wings served them for hands and so the Hebrews put a wing for a hand Psal 7.4 If there be iniquitie in mine hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all 's vel manibus meis in the Hebrew it is becaphai in my wing And they appeared in these formes quae notant Christi trophaeum The divers formes of the Cherubims signifie Christ glorious triumph which sheweth Christs triumph and victorie who was borne as a man killed as a Calfe rose like a Lyon and ascended like an Eagle and so in the revelation made to Iohn were foure beasts full of eyes before and behind and the first beast was like a Lyon and the second beast like a Calfe and the third beast had the face of a man and the fourth beast was like a flying Eagle Revel 4.7 Now let us observe the difference betwixt the Cherubims in the Tabernacle and the Cherubims in the Temple The difference betwixt the Cherubims in the Temple and Tabernacle there were but two in the Tabernacle and foure in the Temple those who stood in the Tabernacle looked downeward with their faces towards the propitiatorie but two of the Cherubims which were in the Temple and stood upon the ground looked with their faces to the entrie of the Temple and they had their wings stretched out not as their wings which stood upon the Arke in the Tabernacle and the signification was this that now their charge was to be extended and the Gentiles were to be called to waite upon them also Againe Difference betwixt the Cherubims which Ezekiel saw and them in the Tabernacle and Temple marke a difference betwixt the Cherubims in Ezekiels vision and these in the Tabernacle and Temple In Ezekiels vision they are described full of eyes but in the Tample and Tabernacle they are not so described they are described full of eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that the Lord whom they attend is full of eyes and seeth all things Those Cherubims in Ezekiels vision moved but these in the Temple and Tabernacle stirred not when these moved they moved forwards but never backeward or in a circle they stood still at the commandement of the Lord or went forward at his commandement In Esaiahs vision they cryed holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts Esa 6.13 but in Ezekiels vision they made but a sound or a noyse What an Angell is Of this which hath beene sayd wee may describe a Cherub or an Angell after this manner An Angell is a creature most understanding most strong most swift and most obedient First they are most understanding therefore they have the face of a man and they are full of eyes to teach us that they exceede man in knowledge men are but ratiocinantes creaturae and they are intelligentes creatura they learne hoc post hoc sed non hoc ex hoc as men doe Quest. Why was the blood then commanded to be sprinkled upon the Lintels of the doores of the Israelites in Egypt but to teach them to passe by their houses as we are led by the Signe to know the house Answ The blood was not sprinkled upon the Lintels of the doors for the Angels cause that they might be led to know the houses by this signe but it was to confirme the Israelites that the Angels should not destroy them The second property of Angels is their strength represented by the Lyon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustissimi and therefore they are called the strong ones Psal 78.25 one of them killed an hundred fourescore and five thousand in one night 2 King 19.35 The third property of the Angels is their sweetnesse represented by the Eagle one Angell killed all the first borne of Egypt in one night Exod. 12.29 The fourth propertie is their obedience represented by the Oxe therefore we pray thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Matth. 6.10 Conclusion The Conclusion of this is this doth minister great comfort to the faithfull that they have such ministering spirits attending upon them continually The children of God have protection by the Angels to keepe them in all their wayes Alexander the Great slept soundly one night when the enemie was neare by him and being asked how he could sleepe so soundly he answered because Parmenio waked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vigilantes So may the children of God lye downe in peace and sleepe Psal 4.8 because they have gnirin the watchfull ones attending them Dan. 4.17 Salomon had sixtie valiant men of the valiant of Israel having all swords because of feare in the night Cant. 3.7 but the children of God have more strong and valient onâ—s waiting upon them so that they neede not be affrayd neither in the day or in the night EXERCITAT X. Of the golden Candlesticke A eremoniall Appendix of Command 2. Exod. 25.31 And thou shalt make a Candlesticke of pure Gold of beaten worke shall the Candlesticke be made his shaft and his branches his bowels his knops and his flowers shall be of the same THe matter of which this Candlesticke was made was pure Gold and it had a shaft branches bowlse knops and flowers The pure gold signified how excellent the word of God is Psal 19.10 more to be desired are they then gold The signification of the Candlesticke yea then much fine gold We are not curiously here to seeke the difference of the knops branches and flowers but onely to rest in the generall that the Candlesticke signified the Word The Candlesticke had seven branches it signified the divers gifts bestowed upon his Church by the word The branches of the Candlesticke signified the divers gifts bestowed upon the Church and Iohn alludeth to the seven branches of this Candlesticke Revel 1.13 And in the midst of the seven Candlesticks one like the Sonne of man cloathed with a garment this was but typus arbitrarius or an allusion for the golden Candlesticke was not made to be a type of the seven Churches in Asia but it is onely an allusion to it So Prov. 11.30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life here is an allusion onely that it is like to the tree of life The oyle in the Tabernacle was pure oyle The oyle which was in this Candlesticke was pure oyle Levit. 24.2 Command the children of Israel that they bring unto thee pure oyle Olive beaten for the light to cause the lampes to burne continually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aurum hic est oleum sic dictum quod purâ—m splendidum nit idum fuit sine mixtura This pure oyle is called golden oyle or gold for the puritie of it Zach. 4.12 because the oyle was bright cleare
Priests onely killed the sacrifice and sprinkled the blood and the Lambe was then caried home Secondly It was abhomination to sacrifice in Egypt Maimone in Corban Peshang cap. 1. ◠it was an abhomination to the Egyptians to see beasts killed there because they worshiped beasts as their Gods but it was not abhomination before the Lord for feare of the Egyptians they would not sacrifice there they might have sacrificed there as well as they killed the Paschall Lambe there it was a thing lawfull in it selfe We must distinguish two things in the paschal Lamb it was both a Sacrament and a sacrifice the sprinkling of the blood in the Temple was a sacrifice the eating of the Lambe at home in their severall houses was a Sacrament and so as it was a sacrifice they offered and as it was a Sacrament they received Reasons proving that the Paschall Lambe was a sacrifice Reasons proving that it was a sacrifice are these Reas 1 First 2 Chro. 30.1 Hezekiah gave Commandement that all the people should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem to keepe the Passeover Wherefore should he have commanded them to come to the house of the Lord to eat it if it had not been a sacrifice if it had been onely a Sacrament it had beene enough to have bidden come to Ierusalem to eate it Reas 2 Secondly 2 Chro. 35.11 And they killed the Passeover and they sprinkled the blood it was the blood of the sacrifice that the Priest sprinkled Reas 3 Iosephus de bello Iudaico lib. 6. cap. 45. Iosephus writeth that Cestus Florus when he would shew to the Emperor the multitude of the Iewes that were in Ierusalem at the Passeover he desired the Priests that they might get the number of the people and how did the Priests find out the number of the people he saith by the number of the Lambes which they killed at the Passeover and then they reckoned how many were in every familie at the eating of a Lamb and so they found out the number of the people it was the Priest then that killed those Lambes and none else The Paschall Lambe a figure of Christ The Paschall Lambe was a figure of Iesus Christ the Paschall Lambe was taken the tenth day and separated untill the fourteenth at the evening of the fourteenth it was killed Iesus Christ the true Paschall Lambe Came sixe dayes before the Passeover to Bethania Ioh. 12.1 and the morrow after he went to Ierusalem where they met him with branches of palme trees and this was five dayes before the Passeover then he stayed foure dayes in Ierusalem and was killed in the day of the Passeover at night and thus he accomplished the ceremonies of the Law Quest Whether did the Iewes and Christ eate the Passeover upon the same day or not Answ Christ observed the true day Whether Christ kept the Passeover that same day which the Iewes kept in the end of the fourteenth day and the beginning of the fifteenth he eate it betwixt two evenings but the Iewes transferred the day and eate it in the end of the fifteenth day and beginning of the sixteenth and therefore when Christ eate the Passeover it was the day of the Preparation to the Iewish Passeover although indeed it was the true Passeover Iohn 17.62 When the Passeover preceded the Sabbath they used to transferre the holy actions of that day to the Sabbath that two feasts may not fall together and they did their common worke upon that day which should have been done upon the Passeover and reserved the holy actions to the Sabbath following and it was upon this day that they crucified Christ They kept this translation of feasts Why they transferred their feasts to the Sabbath lest the feast of Lots should have fallen 2 4 7. Lest the feast of the Passeover should have fallen 2 4 6. Lest the feast of the Pentecost should have fallen 3 5 7. Lest the beginning of the new yeare should have fallen 1 4 6. Lest the day of expiation should have fallen 1 3 6. They observed this translation of the feasts because they had certaine feasts which fell upon these dayes that two feasts should not fall together as the three feasts of Dedication the foure fasts mentioned in Zachariah and the feast of Lots When the divers keeping of the Passeover began This diversity was not kept so long as the first Temple stood whence arose it then it seemeth to have taken the beginning from the divers beginning of the moneth for when they reckoned their moneth from the apparition which was doubtfull and uncertaine hence it came to passe that the beginning of the moneth was not alwayes at the selfe-same period for the last day of Adar might fall out so that it should be the beginning of Nisan and therefore the Sanhedrin appointed that the full Moone should be the thirteenth day which according to the verity was the fourteenth this diversitie arose of this because of the divers apparitions of the Moone so they kept the preparation to the Pascha diversly Great dissention betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches for keeping of the Passeover When the Apostles have so clearely determined that matter that no man should bee condemned or judged for not keeping these dayes yet Satan came and did sow his Cockle and his Darnell and raised dissentions in the Churches betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches about the keeping of the Passeover the Easterne Churches alledged that Iohn and Philip celebrated the Passeover in memory of Christs Supper for they kept diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fourteenth day of the Moneth but the Westerne Churches alledged that Peter and Paul kept the Passeover upon the first Lords day after the fourteenth day of the moneth upon which day they kept diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pius Bishop of Rome ordained the Passeover to be kept on the Lords day Pius Bishop of Rome in the yeere of God 147. gave out an Edict that the Pascha should be celebrated by all upon the Lords day yet those in Asia cared not much for this Edict and there arose hot contentions on both the sides Polycarpus Iohns Disciple came into Rome to settle this contention and he appointed that every one should celebrate the Pascha as they were wont yet this contention was not buried for the Easterne and Westerne Churches left not off one to write against another Victor the Bishop of Rome in a Synode holden there Victor his Statute concerning the Passeover ordayned that the Pascha should be celebrated there upon the Lords day from the fourteenth day of March untill the twenty one of that moneth Those of Caesarea Palestina Pontus and Achaia embraced this Edict yet others stood out against it and said they would keepe it according to Iohns tradition wherefore Victor excommunicated all the Bishops in Asia Yet Irenaeus Bishop of Lions Polycarpus Schollar setled the
lejom shenishel succoth and it began at 1 King 7.51 So was ended all the words which King Salomon made c. And that day Salomon stood up and blessed all the people So Iesus Christ the true Salomon blessed the people in the great and last day of the feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second Haphtorah which was read this day was Haphtorah Shimhhath Hatorah festum laetitaei legis and it began at Iosh 1. They kept this feast because the Law was ended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At this feast was the dedication of the Temple and the Arke brought into it â— Chro. 3.2.3.7 The remnant of the Iewes that returnâ—d from the caâ—tivity was to keepe this feast Zach. 14.16 and Ioshua began the Prophets The third Haphtaroh which they read was Sabboth Hagadol which began at Mal. 3.4 And it ended with these words Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet Mal. 4.5 And so they joyned the last Section of the law and the last Section of the Prophets both together and it was on this day that Iesus Christ stood up and spake to them who was the true Salomon the true Ioshua the end of the law and the Prophets and whereas the Iewes delighted much in eating and drinking that day Iesus Christ called all those to him who thirst If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Ioh. 7.37 Last see how upon the first day of this feast they offered thirteene young Bullockes two Rames and fourteene Lambes of the first yeere the second day twelve the third day eleven the fourth day ten the fift day nine the sixt day eight and upon the seventh day of the feast were offered but seven Bullockes the seaventh day of the feast was the great day of the feast and yet it had but the meanest offering which gave them to understand that the Lord was to abolish these sacrafices and to bring in a perfect sacrifice in place of them who is Iesus Christ once to be offered for all At this feast they held up branches and so they held them up to Christ before the Passeover and they sang Hosanna which was a solemne sort of prayer Salva quaeso nunc and they wish not onely peace to him on earth but also in Heaven Then the shoute of a King was amongst them Num. 23.21 EXERCITAT XXII Of the New Moones A ceremoniall appendix of Command 4. Psal 81.3 Blow up the Trumpet in the New Moone in the time appointed on our solemne feast day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Novilunium a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 texit quodtunc Luna Sole tegitur vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feria stativa tempas statum quod in numeratum anni diem semper recurrit a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numeravit supputavit THe New Moone hath two names in the Scripture First it is called Ceseh or Cese Secondly it is called Hhodesh from Hhiddesh renovare They kept the New Moones holy as they did their Sabbaths Wherefore wilt thou goe unto him to day it is neither New Moone nor Sabbath 2 King 4.28 So the Apostle joyneth them both together Coloss 2.16 Let no man therefore judge you in respect of an Holy day or of the New Moone or of the Sabbath Their new Moones and other feasts were Holy dayes they might doe no servile worke in those dayes as to reape sow or plough buy or sell but they might kindle fire dresse meat and such upon them which they might not doe upon the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NoviluniuÌ„ mensis a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innovavit In all their other Holy dayes the Passeover pentecost feast of Tabernacles and first day of the new yeare their sacrifice had a feast joyned with it but the first day of the new Moone had no feast added to it Obj. 1 Sam. 20.11.12.13 It is said that it was the day of the new Moone and David desired to goe to Bethlehem to keepe the feast Answ The feast was not kept here for the new Moone but because it was the day of the feast of Trumpets or the first day of the New yeere for the first day of the Moneth and the first day of the New yere fell together therefore the Iewes when they set downe their Haphtorah in the Margent upon 1 Sam. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They set downe Haphtorah berosh Harâ—sh as ye would say a division to be read in the first of the first that is on that which was both the first day of the Moneth and the first day of the New yeere and it was for the first day of the New yeere that the feast was kept and not for the first day of the New Moone The New Moone was celebrated ever upon the first day of the Moneth The new Moone kept ever upon the first day of the moneth and therefore the Moone and the Moneth began both in one day although not at the same houre for the Moone had twentynine dayes and twelve houres but the Moneth had twentynine or thirty dayes successively therefore the twelve houres of the first New Moone excressing over the twentynine dayes of the first moneth were reserved untill the second New Moone which had other twelve houres and those two being joyned together made up the thirty day of the second Month. The Lord would have them to keepe these New Moones Holy to him to teach them Why they kept the new Moones that it was he who ruled and governed the world and all the changes and vicissitudes of it for as the Moone is predominant over all inferior creatures so doth Gods providence rule all things below here the heathen groaped after this when they set a god or a goddesse to every Moneth as Iuno to Ianuary Neptune to February The heathen set a god over every moneth Minerva to March Venus to Aprill Apollo to May Mercury to Iune Iupiter to Iuly Ceres to August Vulcan to September Mars to October Diana to November and Vesta to December But the Lord hath made summer and winter Psal 74.17 And it is he that crowneth the yeere with his goodnesse Psal 65.21 The keeping of these New Moones taught them the estate of the Church in this world A comparison betwixt the moone and the Church the Church is compared to the Moone the Moone is lightned by the Sunne and beautified by it the Church is said to be faire as the Moone Cant. 6.10 She is faire as the Moone when she is cloathed with Christs righteousnesse and as the moone hath her light from the Sunne so hath the Church her light from Iesus Christ The Sunne giveth light and receiveth none the Moone giveth light and receiveth the aire onely transmitteth light but it giveth no light so the Lord onely giveth light but receiveth none the Church receiveth light and communicateth light to others but the worldlings neither receive light nor doe communicate light to others The diverse changes of the Moone
Againe the Church is like the Moone for her alterations and change for the moone hath many changes she is somtimes Cese in ab scondito or in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the conjunction Secondly she is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when shee is in the prime Thirdly she is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corniculata Fourthly she is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 halfe Moone then she is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gibbosa and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full Moone so in declination First she is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and fourthly in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many are the alterations which are in the Moone so there are in the Church Psal 89.2 Salomons Kingdome is compared to the Moone Solomons Kingdome compared to the Moone the Moone in twenty eight dayes finisheth her course fourteene dayes to the full and fourteene dayes to the wane so from Abraham were fourteene generations to Salomon then the Moone was at the full then from the end of Salomons dayes untill Zedokiah are fourteene generations and then the Kingdome decayed and waned Lastly observe here that they are commanded to keepe the New Moone and not the full Moone to teach the Church that her greatest perfection here is to bee growing to perfection The Moone keepeth three courses Three motions of the Moone the first is called mensis peragrationis The second is mensis illuminationis and the third is mensis conjunctionis Mensis peragrationis is this Mensis peragrationis what when the Moone goeth from the point of the Zodiacke to the same point againe and this shee doth in twentyseaven dayes and eight houres the Iewes observed not this moneth because it hath no reference to the Sunne but respecteth onely the owne proper course of it The second is mensis illuminationis that is Mensis illuminationis what when the Moone is entring in under the Sunne and when she is wearing out under the sunne againe this moneth comprehendeth twentyeight dayes the Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the old and new and this moneth the Iewes keepe not The third is mensis conjunctionis Mensis conjunctionis what the moneth of the Moones conjunction with the Sunne consisting of twenty nine dayes and twelve houres she remained under the beames of the Sunne twelve houres before the point of the change when she is comming out under the Sunne in those twelve houres she is said to bee in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because she could not be seene immediately after these twelve houres were past for the brightnesse of the Sunne beames they stayed untill the Sunne went downe What time of the new Moone they blew the Trumpets then they went up to the Turrets of their Synagogues and then they blew their Trumpets and killed their sacrifices in the space of those eighteene houres her twelve houres after she came out under the Sunne and the sixe houres to the prime the Iewes marked them with those two letters Iod He which make eighteene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18. Againe Motus Velo cissimus tardissimus medius observe that the Moone hath Motum velo cissimum tardissimum et medium her swiftest course is when she is farthest from the earth and then she is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this course she runneth 17 degrees in one day and she remaineth not under the shadow of the Sun the Iewes observed not this motion The slowest motion of the Moone is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nearest the earth then she runneth but ten degrees in one day and shee remaineth under the Sunne more than two dayes This course of the Moone the Iewes observed not The Iewes observed the first apparition â—f the Moone in her middle motion The third motion of the Moone is a middle motion and in one day she runneth thirteene degrees and then remaineth under the shadow of the Sunne two dayes and the Iewes observed her first apparition in this course for their New Moones the Moone keepeth alwayes a constant course but yet when she is farthest from the earth the seemeth to us to runne more swiftly therefore they could not make their observation of the change of the Moone from that course neither when she is neerest to us for then she seemeth to make too slow a course therefore they observed this course when she was in her middle motion neither too slow nor too swift Of their feast of Trumpets In the first day of the seventh moneth they had the feast of blowing of Trumpets the Iewes commonly hold that this feast was kept in remembrance of Isaacs deliverie when the Lambe was killed for him but Psal 81. vers 5. David biddeth them blow up the Trumpet because it was a statute in Israel and a law of the God of Iacob this he ordained in Ioseph for a Testimony when he went out through the Land of Egypt A figure to shew at what time the Iewes began their New Moones EXERCITAT XXIII Of the day of Expiation A ceremoniall appendix of Command 4. Levit. 23.24 On the tenth day of the seventh moneth there shall be a day of Atonement c. THis day of Atonement is called Dies cippurim the day of expiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Picavit pice obduxit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aliquem iniustum pronuntiare Caphar properly is to cover a thing with pitch or plaster Gen. 6.14 Christ must cover our sinnes so that they appeare no more contrary to this is Hirshiangh to condemne a man or to make him wicked that is to pronounce him to bee wicked Foure things commanded to be done in the day of expiation There were foure memorable things commanded on this day of expiation first that they should fast Secondly that they should abstaine from al sorts of work and all sorts of delights Thirdly that they should afflict their soules Fourthly that they should proclaime the Iubile this day The day of expiation called a fast by way of appropriation First they were commanded to fast this day they had many fasts as the fast of the fourth moneth and the fast of the fift and the fast of the seventh Moneth and the the fast of the tenth moneth Zach. 8.19 But this was called the great fast as Act. 8.9 Sailing was dangerous because the fast was now past this fast was the day of expiation No workes to be done upon the day of expiation Secondly they were commanded to abstaine from all workes this day In other feast dayes they were commanded to abstaine froÌ„ servile works as plowing sowing reaping but this day was to be kept as Holy as the Sabbath it selfe they might kindle no fire this day nor dresse meat they were to abstaine from all delights and pleasures this day as first from washing of themselves secondly from
therefore let us make great reckoning of this time to redeeme it Psal 108.2 I my selfe will awake early but in the Originall it is more emphaticall Hagnira shahher Expergefaciam auroram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expergefaciam Auroram As if David should say the morning never tooke me napping but I wakened it still Secondly The day representeth the shortnesse of our life the day representeth the shortnesse of our life to us and it is compared to an artificiall day Psal 90.5 In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up but in the evening it is cut downe and withereth it is like Ionas Gourd which groweth up in one artificiall day and decayeth againe and the houres of the day whereunto our life is compared are like planetary houres long in the Summer and short in the Winter Compare our dayes with the dayes of our fathers they are but few and evill in respect of their dayes therefore our dayes are called dies palmares The Lord made the day for man to travaile The day was made for man to travaile in it and the night for him to rest in therefore they are monsters in nature that invert this order who sleepe in the day and wake in the night Psal 104.23 Man goeth forth unto his worke and to his labour untill the evening And Vers 20. Thou makest darknesse and it is night wherein all the beasts of the Forrest doe creepe forth Those who turne day into night follow the beasts and not man such a monster was Heliogabalus who would rise at night and then cause morning salutations to be given unto him the History saith that the world seemed to goe backward in this monsters dayes this sort of people Seneca calleth them our Antipodes for when we rise they goe to bed contrà How they reckoned the dayes of the Weeke THe Iewes reckoned their dayes thus Prima Sabbath secunda sabbath the first day of the weeke the second day of the weeke c. Secondly the Latine Church reckoned from the Passeover Prima feria secunda feria c. Thirdly they borrowed afterward another sort of reckoning from the Heathen who reckoned their dayes by the Planets the Sunne the Moone Mercurie Mars c. Quest What is the reason that they reckoned not the dayes of the weeke according to the order of the Planets for the Planets stand after this order Saturne stands in the highest place then Iupiter next Mars and so in order Sol Mercurie Venus and then Luna Iupiter followeth not Saturne in the dayes of the weeke but Sol so Mercurie followeth not Sol but Luna Answ The order of the dayes of the weeke is Mathematicall for the seven Planets being set downe in a circle according to their owne naturall order by an equall distance they make seven triangles reaching from their bases to the Hemisphere whose bases arise from the severall corners drawne in the circle in whose circumference the seven Planets are set downe according to their owne order making up one equall triangle in every one of their two sides as ☉ Sol ☽ Luna ♂ Mars ☉ Sol is in the right side of the triangle ☽ Luna in the top and ♂ Mars in the left side of the triangle and so from ♂ Mars to ♃ Iupiter by ☿ Mercurie and from ♃ Iupiter to ♄ Saturne by ♀ Venus and from ♄ Saturne to ☽ Luna by ☉ Sol and from the ☽ Moone to ☿ Mercurie by ♂ Mars and from ☿ Mercurie to ♀ Venus by ♃ Iupiter as yee may see in the figure following A Demonstration to shew how the dayes are reckoned according to the seven Planets Quest Whether may these names of the weeke dayes which are imposed by the Heathen be used in the Christian Church or not Answ The Apostles themselues used such names for distinction as Areopagus Mars streete Act. 17. So we sailed in a Shippe whose Badge was Castor and Pollux Act. 28. and such like CHAPTER XXVII Of their moneth EXOD. 12.2 This shall be the beginning of moneths to you BEfore the people of God came out of Egypt the moneths were reckoned according to the course of the Sunne Reasons proving how many dayes every moneth had following the custome of the Egyptians and Chaldeans and their moneths were full thirtie dayes as may be gathered out of the eight of Genesis the floud began to waxe the seventh day of the second moneth Iair answering to our May and it began to decrease in the seventh day of the seventh moneth Tishri from the seventh day of the second moneth to the seventh day of the seventh are one hundred and fiftie dayes which being divided by thirtie giveth to every moneth thirtie dayes After they came out of Aegypt their moneths were full thirtie dayes Numb 11.19 Yee shall not eate one day neither fiue dayes neither tenne dayes but even a whole moneth Hence we may gather that their moneth was full thirtie dayes Reasons proving how many moneths are in the yeare because they reckoned by fiue ten twentie thirtie So there were twelue moneths in the yeare every moneth consisting of thirtie dayes 1 King 4.7 And Salomon had twelue Officers over all Israel which provided victuals for the King and his houshold Each man in his moneth through the yeare made provision now if there had beene more then twelue moneths in the yeare as afterward the Iewes made their intercalar yeare Veadar then one should haue had two moneths So 1 Chron. 27.1 and 12.15 The chiefe Officers served the King by courses which came in and out moneth by moneth throughout all the moneths in the yeare here we may see that there were twelue moneths in the yeare every moneth had thirty dayes which made up in the yere three hundred and sixtie dayes But because there were fiue full dayes lacking in the moneths to fill up the course of the Sunne The twelue moneths come short of the course of the Sunne fiue dayes which is three hundred sixtie and fiue dayes the Egyptians put to the fiue dayes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the last moneth Tishri and they illustrate the matter by this apologue The fiue odde dayes illustrated by an apologue of Mercurie and the Moone they say that Mercurie and the Moone at a time did play at the dice for the fiue odde dayes and that Mercurie did winne them from the Moone and Mercurie followed the course of the Sunne And in respect the Sunne every yeare runneth three hundred sixtie fiue dayes and sixe odde houres How the leape yeare or bissextile is made up which sixe odde houres every fourth yeare maketh a day they added this day to the fourth yeare which yeare by the Egyptians was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ye would say the dog turning about to himselfe as when he biteth his owne taile and the Latines called it annus from annulus because it turned about to the same point againe So Ioh. 18.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a yeare
called Zeceph crux and gnetz arbor and the Greekes called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lignum geminum Lastly drowning Mat. 18.6 It were better that a milstone were hanged about his necke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dimersio in pelagus submersio and that he were drowned in the midst of the Sea and the Greekes had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were put in a chest of lead and sunke in the Sea as Casaubon sheweth out of Athenaeus Quest. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excisio What sort of punishment is meant Gen. 17.14 he that is not circumcised that soule shall bee cut off from his people Answ The Hebrewes expound this sort of punishment diversly Kimchi saith he shall be punished by the Lord but he addeth that he is much mistaken who thinketh that the child not being circumcised is secluded from the life to come Moses Cotzensis thinketh that these who were not circumcised the eight day should dye without children alluding to that place Levit. 20.20 But all of them agree in this that the punishment is inflicted by the Lord. Exod. 31.14 Object Whosoever doth any worke on the Sabbath day he shall be cut off from his people and bee surely put to death by cutting off here is meant cutting off by the Magistrate why should it not then be so understood in that place Gen. 17.14 so Levit. 20.6 If any goe after wizards I will set my face against him and cut him off by cutting off here is meant to be cut off by the Magistrate why is it not so then to be understood in that place of Genesis before mentioned Maymone answereth to these places Answ distinguishing betwixt the manifest transgression and the hidden transgression of the Law if one did violate the Sabbath with a hie hand and if there were witnesses and he were admonished before not to doe so then he was cut off by the hand of the Magistrate but if he was not admonished secretly before and did transgresse then hee was cut off by the hand of the Lord. But wee must distinguish betwixt these phrases Levit. 17.10 and 21.6 Difference betwixt these two phrases I shall cut off c. and thou shalt cut off c. I shall cut off that soule and thou shalt cut off that soule Exod. 22.18 thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue but when hee sayth I will set my selfe against that soule which eateth blood and will cut him off from my people then it is meant that by his owne hand immediately hee will cut him off But what sort of cutting off by the hand of God is meant here Quest It is not meant of any bodily punishment inflicted Answ upon their bodies or upon their posteritie as the Iewes interpret it but of excommunication and secluding them from the Church So Calvin Iunius Deodati expound it CHAPTER XLII Why they gaue wine to those who were going to be executed PROV 31.6 Giue wine unto those that be of an heavie heart THey used to doe three things to them who were condemned First they gaue them wine to drinke to comfort them Amos 2.8 They drunke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God that is they dranke the most excellent wine for such wine they gaue to the condemned Secondly they used to apply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soft wooll which the Chirurgians apply to wounds to mitigate their paine because their death was a lingering death Thirdly they used to hold odoriferous canes or reedes to their nose to refresh their braines But see what miserable comforters the Iewes were to Christ Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they derided him Luk. 23.35 for in stead of wine they gaue him vinegar and gall to drinke which was a most bitter sort of drinke and the Lord saith Ier. 9.15 I will feed this people even with wormwood and giue them water of gall to drinke And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they gaue him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hysope tyed about a read and dipped in vineger and they gaue it him not to quench his thirst but to smell it in derision They gaue him wine to drinke mingled with myrrhe but he received it not Mark 15.23 Christ would not drinke this cup mingled with myrrhe for it intoxicated the braine that he might be sensible of the paine which he was to suffer for us It is a great judgement to be beaten and not to feele it Prov. 23.35 The Lord who went willingly to death did willingly drinke the cuppe of Gods wrath for us and therefore he was unwilling to drinke this cuppe which would haue made him senselesse of the paine They gaue him hyssope in stead of wooll which should haue mitigated his paine the tender mercies of the wicked are cruell Prov. 12.10 Christ suffered in all his senses in his tast they gaue him veneger mixed with gall in his feeling whereas they should haue applied soft wooll and bound up his wounds mitigated his paine they applied but hysope so in his hearing he heard their bitter mockes and scoffing And as he felt the grievous paine of the crosse in all his senses so the wicked shall suffer the paines and torments of hell in all their senses The conclusion of this is sin is sweet in the beginning but bitter in the end Adam did eate asweet fruit Conclusion but here is vineger and gall a bitter potion offered to Christ for it the lippes of a strange woman drop as an hony combe and her mouth is smoother then oyle but her end is bitter as wormwood sharpe as a two-edged sword Pro. 5.3 They giue him hysope hysope was the last purgation and sprinkling when the leper was brought into the Campe againe and David alludeth to this Psal 51. wash mee with hysope So Christs death must purge us from all our sinnes and bring us into the societie of the Saints of God that there we may dwell for ever CHAPTER XLIII Of their VVarres DEVT. 20.10 When thou commest neare to a Citie to fight against it then proclaime peace vnto it c. FIrst let us consider in their warres the time when they went to battell secondly the manner how they pitched about the Tabernacle thirdly the manner how they marched when the Camp removed fourthly the Proclamation made to them at their removing fiftly the conditions of peace offered to the enemie sixtly what they did before they joyned battell and lastly the song which they had after the victorie The time that they entred to be Souldiers First what time they entred to be Souldiers the Levites entred to their Ministery when they were thirtie yeares Num. 4.42 But the Souldiers entred when they were twentie yeares and they left off when they were fiftie none went to the warres but they who payed the halfe shekell the Levites were exempted because they served the Lord in the Tabernacle they neither payed this halfe shekell nor yet went to the warres Women likewise were exempted She that tarrieth at
more wicked than others they are not then called worse spirits because they are moe in number onely but they are worse because they are more malicious they are all bad spirits but some exceed others in malice and wickednesse many men doe mistake Satan and his Angels they thinke that some of them are spirits which doe no harme but they are all sworne enemies to mans salvation therefore Satan is called the red Dragon the red Dragon delighteth not onely to kill men for hunger but also for sport to kill them what can we looke for then of those infernall spirits of destruction And the last end of that man is worse than the first The end of the wicked is worse than their beginning three wayes His last end is worse than his beginning in three respects first in respect of God secondly in respect of himselfe thirdly in respect of Satan First in respect of God who justly punisheth him this wise by giving him up unto a reprobate sense because he loved not the truth secondly his last end is worse in respect of himselfe because he is dyed over againe with sinne those sinnes in the Scripture are called Scarlet sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scarlet is called Shani or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is twice dyed So men when they fall backe they are dyed anew againe and as recidivatio in morbis est periculosa so is the falling into sinne anew againe So it is worse in respect of himselfe because after that a man is illuminated he is more readie to become prophane Simile if he be not sanctified Take water and heat it and set it in the ayre it will freeze sooner than cold water So if a man be illuminated and haue some taste of sanctification and then fall backe againe he is in a worse case than he was in before Thirdly he is worse in respect of Satan for when Satan catcheth him againe he maketh him twice more the childe of hell A Iailor hath a prisoner fettered by the hands necke and feete the prisoner beggeth of him that he would release him he releaseth him all to the foote he slippeth his foote out of the fetters and escapeth if the Iailor catch him againe he layeth a double weight upon him and fettereth him twice as sure as he was before so when a sinner seemeth to escape from Satan being enlightned and in some shew sanctified it he fall backe againe he bringeth seven worse spirits with him The application of the Parable is The application of the Parable Even so shall it be also unto this wicked Generation As if Christ should say when I came amongst you yee were in darkenesse but by my ministerie yee haue beene illuminated but maliciously now yee impugne this truth and yee are possessed with seven worse spirits than before therefore your end must be worse than your beginning FINIS ¶ An Addition Pag. 122. line 11. TO raise up seed to the brother that is to the eldest brother Deut. 25.5 If brethren dwell together and one of them die that is if the first or eldest die and haue no seede then his second brother was bound to raise up seede to him if he were not married for the Law speaketh of brethren dwelling together and not married or forisfamiliate an example of this we haue in Er and Onan Gen. 38. Secondly if he had no brethren then his neerest Kinsman was bound to performe this duty to him if he had not beene married But it seemeth that this dutie is required of N. Rut. 4. Object although he had children for he saith then I should marre mine owne inheritance It is onely required of him here to redeeme the inheritance but not to marrie his Cousins wife Answ this was onely stare super nomen defuncti that is to make his childe to be reputed as the childe of the dead and so the childe should not be counted his sonne but the sonne of Chilion thus his inheritance should haue beene marr'd and his name rased out and this made N. to refuse but if the Cousin were not married then he was bound to marry the wife of his Kinsman Erratum Page 166. line 13. Dele not EXERCITATIONS DIVINE Containing diverse Questions and Solutions for the right understanding of the Scriptures Proving the necessitie majestie integritie perspicuitie and sense thereof As also shewing the singular prerogatiues wherewith the Lord indued those whom he appointed to bee the pen-men of them Together with the excellencie and use of Divinitie above all humane Sciences All which are cleared out of the Hebrew and Greeke the two originall languages in which the Scriptures were first written by comparing them with the Samaritane Chaldie and Syriack Copies and with the Greeke Interpretors and vulgar Latine translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viatici parum via longinqua est By Iohn Weemse of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Christs Gospell LONDON Printed by T. Cotes for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO The Right Honorable Sr. Thomas Coventrie Knight Lord Coventrie Baron of Alesborough Lord Keeper of his Majesties Great Seale of ENGLAND Most Honorable and my very good Lord IOB the wisest and the richest Prince in the East Iob. 28.7 searching where wisedome might be found he could not finde the place thereof He could not finde it in the land of the living the depth saith it is not with me and the Sea saith it is not with me the Vultures eye hath not seene it for all his sharpe sight and for the worth of it it cannot be gotten for Gold neyther can Silver be weighed for the price thereof then hee subjoyneth God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof for he looketh to the ends of the earth and seeth under the whole heaven The wisedome which Job speaketh of here is Gods secret wisedome in his workes of nature which none of the world although they were as sharpe sighted as the Eagle can understand Now if man be so ignorant in Gods woTkes of nature much more is he in the workes of grace and he may say as Agur sayd when he considered Jthiel and Vcal Iesus Christ the wisedome of the Father surely I am more brutish then any man Pro. 30.2 and have not the understanding of a man David when he lookt upon the heavens Psal 19.1 the workes of Gods hands he sayd The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handy worke then he telleth how they declare his glory and what sort of Preachers they be The vniversality of their preaching their line is gone out through all the earth even to the ends of the world Then their diligence in preaching both day and night Lastly how plainely they preach n all languages Yet this their preaching is but an indistinct fort of preaching in respect of the preaching of
the Gospel We may see some of his wisedome in the heavens which are his handy worke but nothing of the hid treasure and riches hid up in Iesus Christ can we learne by this preaching But Paul speaking of the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles saith their sound went out into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world Rom. 10.18 hee changeth their line into their sound There is a great difference betwixt these two sorts of preaching a naughty person winketh with his eyes he speaketh with his feete and teacheth with his fingers Pro. 6.13 but hee speaketh more distinctly with his tongue So the Lord preacheth indistinctly as it were by his worke but by the sound of his Gospel hee preacheth clearely and plainely Where shall we finde these treasures of grace and hid wisedome this treasure is to bee found in his Law therefore the Iewes call it desiderium mundi and it is more to be desired than Gold yea than most fine Gold Psal 19.10 The Angels themselves with stretched out neckes desire to looke into this mysterie even as the Cherubims with stretched out neckes looked downe to the propitiatorie 1 Pet 1.12 If the Angels have such a desire to behold this wisedome much more should man have a desire to search into these mysteries for he tooke not upon him the nature of Angels Heb. 2.16 but he tooke on him the seede of Abraham Happie is that man that findeth this wisedome and the man that getteth understanding this wisedome is onely to be found in the Law of the Lord. Pro. 3.13 I have indevoured my Noble Lord in this treatise to make some small path for the younger sort to this wisedome And I have abstained from these questions which doe more hurt than good to the Church Plutarch maketh mention of a number of Suters to one maid but they fell to such contention amongst themselves that they did teare her all in peeces too many disputations in effect doe rent the truth nimium altercando amittitur veritas the best way to come by the knowledge of the truth is to bee conversant in the Text it selfe and to bee acquainted with the phrase of the holy Ghost speaking in his owne language Let it not seeme strange to any that I seeming a stranger should take this boldnesse to offer these my labours to your Lordship I cannot acknowledge such strangenesse for wee have one Lord Ephe. 4.13 one faith one baptisme one God and Father of us all We live all under one gratious King Heb. 13.13 and there is small or no difference in our language Act. 1. we differ not as the Cananites and these of Ashdod yee say sibboleth and we say shibboleth Matth. 26.73 yee speake the Dialect of Jerusalem and we the Dialect of Galilee small or no difference But the reason wherefore I made choise of your honour is the good report which I heare of you every where your name smelleth as the wine of Lebanon yee have put on righteousnesse as a garment yee are eyes to the blind and feete to the lame Hos 14.7 the blessing of him that is ready to perish commeth upon you Iob 29.14 and you have caused the widowes heart to sing for joy There were many notable and excellent parts in Iob he despised not the counsell of his man-servant or of his maid-servant here was his humility yet when he sate in judgement what grace and majestie had he they gave eare and kept silence at his counsell the young men saw him and hid themselves and the aged arose and stood up before him he was hospitable to the poore Iob. 30.1 he did not eate his morsels alone he was pitifull to the fatherlesse and to the widdow and he disdained the wicked that he would not set them with the dogges of his flocke happy is that Land where there are such judges Another cause which moved me to grace this worke with your Lordships name is the desire I have that others may reade it the more willingly for their owne profit and even as a faire entrie leadeth the beholder to looke more particularly upon every part of the building so the beholder of this worke set out under the protection of your honours vertue will the more earnestly affect the perusing of the same in confidence that so much worth as is eminent in your Lordship would hinder any mans boldnesse to present unto you a trifle And for conclusion when Jacob was to send his sonne Benjamin into Aegypt Gen. 42.14 he prayed that God Almighty would give him favour before the man So my earnest prayer to God is that this treatise may first be acceptable to the Church of God and then unto your Lordship And so I have obtained that which I desire The grace of God be with your Lordship and make that the long continuance in the charge which his Majestie most worthily hath layd upon you may produce long happinesse to this Commonwealth Your honours in all dutifull submission Iohn Weemse A loving advertisement to young Students in Divinity who desire to come to the knowledge of the holy Scriptures LOving Brethren There be three Schooles in which young Divines must bee exercised the schoole of Arts and Sciences the Schoole of grace and the Schoole of your vocation It is a great helpe and an introduction to Divinitie to bee trained up in the first Schoole of Arts and Sciences Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Aegyptians Daniel in the learning of the Chaldeans and Dionysius Areopagita was trained up in Philosophie Act. 7.22 A certaine Scholler amongst the Jewes asked one of the R. His Master Dan. 1.4 whether he might read any of the humane Writers or not Act. 17.34 he gave him this Answere you may reade them providing you reade them neither day nor night this was a foolish answere for the Jewes hated all humane learning therefore they say maledictus qui aluerit Suem aut didicerit Sapientiam Graecorum they call all humane learning the wisdome of the Greekes But to shut up this Schoole and to take away all humane learning from a Divine were in effect to make him no Divine The knowledge of all Arts and Sciences is necessarie for him as of Geometrie Arithmeticke Geographie the knowledge of Physicke but above all the knowledge of the tongues is more necessary for him because they are Vehicula scientiarum But here ye must not onely studie that part of the tongues which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is mere Grammer as to stand upon Letters Accents Pronounciation and such but ye must goe farther to that part which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true meaning of the words to interpret them out of one language into another and to understand one Phrase by another neither should ye stand here but ye must goe further to that part which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉