Theudas whose Sect had begun before that of Judas Vers. 41. That they were counted worthy Or That they had obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeming to interpret the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so common among the Rabbins which soundeth to that sense and so is it not only most easily but so it must be most commonly rendred in them And of the very same sense is the Latine word Mereri when it is applied to man with reference to good generally in the Fathers As when it is said that the Virgin Mary meruit esse mater redemptoris she obtained to be the mother of the redeemer not she deserved Mary Magdalen Audire meruit Fides tua te salvam fecit she obtained to hear it said Thy faith hath saved thee and a thousand such examples might be given which too many thousands interpreting by the word merit wrest an harmless word to their own destruction R. Solomon speaketh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meritum volucrium the priviledge of birds and some fathers speaking of our obtaining Gods favour and salvation and the like express it sine merito nostro meruimus we have obtained it without our merit PART II. The ROMAN Story §. 1. The state of the City hitherto THE City Rome was built by Romulus in the year of the World 3175. in the fifteenth year of Amaziah King of Judah and in the first year of Jeroboam the second the King of Israel It had stood from the time of its first foundation to this year in which it put the Lord of life to death seven hundred fourscore and five years And had undergone and passed thorough two different and diverse kinds of government and was now but lately entred upon a third The first was under Kings for 243 years and the foundation of this government as of the City it self was laid in the blood of Remus shed by his brother Romulus who was the founder of the City The second was under Consuls 467 years from the expulsion of Tarquin the last King to the Consulship of Hirtius and Pansa which was the year that Augustus began to rule with Antony and Lepidus This change of the government was likewise founded in blood as the former had been namely of Lucrece Aruns and Brutus and in the extirpation of Tarquins house A third manner of government had the City and Empire now begun upon and had been under it threescore and two years namely a monarchy again but the name only changed from a King to an Emperor And the foundation of this change was also laid in blood as the other had been namely in the death of Julius Caesar Antony and Cleopatra The carriage of Tarquin the last of the Kings had brought the City into an opinion that Monarchy was an enemy to Liberty And the growth and flourishing of that State under another manner of government had so confirmed this opinion that they were sooner put out of their Liberty than out of belief of that Position Brutus and Collatinus who were the expellers of Tarquin and of Monarchy with him had found out a government likely enough in all humane judgment to heal all these mischiefs and miscarriages that Monarchical Tyranny did bring upon them when they appointed two supreme Governors in stead of one and their Power and Rule to be but annual in stead of for life The success was agreeable to the policy and so happily and prosperously did the State grow under these rulers and some others mixt as occasion urged that to offer to reduce it to Monarchy again was infallibly held to be to reduce it to slavery and Julius Caesar found how deeply grounded this opinion was in the heart of a Roman by the loss of his life they supposing his affecting the Empire single aimed at the loss of their Liberties Augustus his Nephew and adopted son though he had before his eyes in Julius his death a clear and convincing Lecture how dangerous and desperate an attempt it was to affect the monarchy yet did he dare it but managing his desires and designs with so much discretion and noislesness that the government was gotten into his hands alone and the Empire slipt into a monarchical subjection even before it was aware Tacitus hath described this strange transition to this purpose After that Brutus and Cassius being slain there was now no publick hostility Pompey was crushed at Sicily and Lepidus being stripped of his power and Antony slain there remained now no commander on Julius his party but only Caesar he laying down the name of Triumvir and bearing himself as Consul and as content with the Tribunate for the defense of the Commons when he had won the Souldiers with gifts the people with provision and all men with the sweetness of peace he began to get up by degrees and to draw to himself the power of the Senate Magistrates and Law no man gainsaying him For the fiercest persons were either dispatcht in the armies or by banishment the rest of the Nobles by how much the more they were the readier for vassallage by so much the more they were preferred with wealth and honours and being thus inriched by these innovations they desired rather the safe and present condition than the ancient and dangerous Nor did the Provinces refuse this state of things they having the rule of the Senate and people in suspition because of the quarrellings of the great ones and the avarice of the Magistrates the Laws affording no relief but themselves destroyed by power prowling or money Thus did the very posture of things as it were conspire with the desires of Augustus to bring the Roman state into a Monarchy and himself to be the Monarch the decrees and determination of Heaven having so ordered that here should begin a fifth Monarchy after the destruction of the four Dan. 2. 7. which should equal all the four in power pomp and cruelty and should be the continual persecutor of the Church of the Christians as they had been of the Church of the Jews And thus doth the Gospel and the State that should persecute it in a manner arise at once and Christ and Antichrist after a sort are born together §. 2. The qualities of Tiberius the present Emperor his damnable dissimulation Augustus as he had got the sole government into his hands by a great deal of wisdom and daring so did he keep it with the same wisdom and as much moderation He sat Emperor for the space of four and forty years honoured and beloved and died desired and lamented though he had thus impropriated as it was conceived the whole liberty of the Empire into his own hand Now whether it were the native gentleness and goodness of the Emperor that kept him in such a sweetness and moderation or whether it were some policy mingled with it as knowing it not to be safe to be too busie and rigid so near the change he so demeaned himself for the benefit of the City and
conceived in adultery His reconciliation is shewed in the Lords delighting in a child born in wedlock of the same woman His birth is mentioned before the taking of Rabbah though it were long after because the Text having Bathsheba's story David 31 in hand it would conclude it altogether Absalom in this year in exile at Geshur Absalom still at Geshur CHAP. XIV c. David 32 ABSALOM still at Geshur but this year begged home again by Joab and by a suborned woman Her speech to David is very obscure and intricate if not very well looked into and considered She first proposeth a story parable wise of one of her sons murdering another as Absalom had done Amnon and the danger of the slayer for the fact if the King should not remedy it To this the King answers her Go to thine house and I will give charge concerning thee ver 8. And the woman said unto the King The iniquity be on me and on my fathers house and the King and his throne be guiltless vers 9. Her meaning in plain terms was this Well thou givest me such an answer and dispatch as may possibly bring the blood upon thine own head and upon thy Throne for thou saist thou wilt give charge concerning me to prevent the mischief which may chance be done before thou prevent it And the King said Whosoever saith ought unto thee bring him to me and he shall not touch thee any more ver 10. She replies to this Let the King remember the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the multitude of avengers of blood to destroy and let them not destroy my Son That is Let the King for the Lords sake consider how many avengers of blood there are and whilest I am bringing one to thee another may chance kill him in the mean season Then the King swears her son shall not die And then she comes close up to her errand And why saith she hast thou such thoughts towards the people of thy Kingdom and thinkest not the like towards the people of thine own family so as to bring thine own banished back For we must indeed once die and when we are dead there is no recalling of us any more no more then spilt water can be gathered again off the ground But whilest the Lord doth not take away the life he hath contrived ways and thoughts that a banished man shall not be banished for ever from him c. David 33 Absalom is at Jerusalem but seeth not the Kings face He takes upon him to be a Nazarite for the present and under a vow that he may the better pretend the paying of a vow at Hebron yet is he forced to cut his hair before his vow David 34 be paid because it was a burden to him He brings Joab to him as God useth to bring men to him by affliction he fires his field and then comes Joab and brings him to the King CHAP. XV. David 35 ABSALOM rebels at the end of forty years after David was first anointed by Samuel at Bethlehem and puts David to flee for his life PSAL. III. WITH the thirty second verse of this chapter even with these words of it And when David came to the top of the Mount where he worshipped God read the third Psalm made as the title telleth by David when he fled from his son Absalom and poured out as may well be supposed in this Prayer that he made on the top of Mount Olivet where he worshipped God He complaineth sadly in it of the multitude of his enemies that were against him and of the multitude of his false friends that durst not be for him but yet assures himself of deliverance and of his enemies destruction and prophesieth of the very manner of the end of Absalom and Achitophel if you will take these words in the very letter Thou hast smitten mine enemies on the cheek bone Achitophel with the knot of the rope and Absalom with the bough of the Oak unless he allude to Samsons Victory with the jaw bone and foresee that by small means as that was the Lord will bring him a great deliverance Compare Christs going up to mount Olivet and there praying in the day of his bitterness with this type of David CHAP. XVI DAVID gives away and disposeth of Mephibosheths Land when he hath not power to dispose of his own Shimei flings curses and stones at David and barks like a living Dog though Abishai call him a dead one The only unjust act that ever David had done against the house of Saul he had but newly done that was giving away Mephibosheths Land and here a man of the house of Saul is soon upon him PSAL. VII BEtwixt the thirteenth and fourteenth Verses of this Chapter cometh in the seventh Psalm made by David upon these words of Shimei and sung by him even in this extremity He calleth him Cush by way of derision as alluding to Kish the father of Sauls family for Shimei was of the Family of Saul but turning it into Cush upon Shimei an accursed name Gen. 10. and a Black-moor Nation and of such a colour were Shimeis conditions CHAP. XVII AHitophels cursed spleen against David yet he as it is probable was Bathshebaes Grand-father Hushai foileth his counsel PSAL. XLII XLIII DAVID in his slight from Absalom stays not till he come close to Jordan and there he rests that if there be any necessity or danger he is ready to get over the water and be gone and so is that to be understood in 2 Sam. 16. 14. And the King and all the people that were with him came weary and refreshed themselves there that is a little beyond Bahurim which was close by Jordan and they had not staid nor refreshed themselves till they came there As David lies thus upon Jordan banks he makes the forty second Psalm and from the land of Jordan remembers the Lord ver 6. and by the observing of the waters of Jordan he remembers his own misery There he observeth the waves rolling one in the neck of another and the deep making a noise here and there in its channels and in its falls And so saith he all thy billows and all waves tumble over me one after another vers 7. c. The forty third Psalm seemeth also to have been made by him about the same time compare the last Verses of the two Psalms together PSAL. LV. BEtwixt the one and twenty and two and twenty Verses of this 17 Chapter of the second of Samuel upon the relation how tidings came to David of Ahitophels counsel against him take in the five and fiftieth Psalm in which David deploreth his misery caused by one of his guides and acquaintance and Counsellors ver 13 14. and prayeth bitterly against him His prayer took effect instantly in Ahitophels death CHAP. XVIII XIX ABSALOM hanged by the neck in the forked bough of an Oak His high head is now in its proper exaltation and his proud heart
same mind that Saul reigned but three years in all 1 Sam. 13. 1. and that the forty years mentioned at the breaking out of Absaloms rebellion 2 Sam. 15. 7. were to be reckoned from the time of Sauls first anointing or of Israels asking a King and so that that rebellion fell out in the seven and thirtieth year of the reign of David But now having a second time as seriously as I can viewed the times and finding so many things occurring betwixt the first anointing of Saul and the days of his death as are not imaginable to have been acted in three years especially it being said that David was one whole year and four months in the country of the Philistims after all his persecutions and before Sauls death 1 Sam. 27. 7. and it appearing also most probable according to the order as the Chapters themselves lye that the three years famine for the Gibeonites were after Davids restoring to his Kingdom again after Absaloms rebellion I cannot but upon these second thoughts retract my first and conceive of these times according as I have laid them now with these conceptions concerning them 1. That Davids numbring and setling the Officers of State and the Priests and Levites was in his fortieth year 1 Chron. 26. 31. 2. That this was begun presently upon the Lords designing the place of the Temple by fire from Heaven 1 Chron. 22. 1 2. which was in Davids thirty ninth 2 Sam. 24. 8. 3. That the year that David sinfully numbred the people was the very next year after the three years famine 2 Sam. 24. 13. 4. That the first of these three years famine was the year that next followed the year of Absaloms rebellion 5. That the year of that rebellion was forty years after Davids first anointing in Bethlehem 6. That Saul reigned but three years before that anointing of David And though he lived five years after yet are not those years reputed of his reign for now the Lord had cast him off and he acted not now the part of a King but a Persecutor 1 KING II. from ver 12. to ver 39. World 2990 Solomon 1 SOLOMON reigned Adonijah slain for desiring his fathers wife Abiathar of the line of Ithamar put from the High Priesthood Joabs blood shed at the Altar Benaiah a Priest the Executioner and made General of the Army Shimei is confirmed This year Solomon begetteth Rehoboam of a Lady of Ammon see 1 King 14. 21. c. 2 CHRON. I. to vers 14. 1 KING 3. from ver 3. to the end THE Story of the death of Shimei is anticipated and joyned to the Story of his confinement though it were three years after that the Relation might have done with Shimei at once So also is the Story of Solomons marrying Pharaohs daughter laid sooner then its Chronical time for it was not before Solomons going to Gibeon and there begging wisdom but it was after But the reason of the placing of it before is given by the Jews to be because he married not Pharaohs daughter before he had slain Shimei and therefore the Stories of them are so laid together But upon viewing well the scope of the Stories preceeding about the death of Joab and the exclusion of Abishai from the Priesthood c. the reason of joyning Solomons marriage with Pharaohs daughter will easily appear namely because the Text would lay the politick ways of Solomon for the establishing of his Kingdom close together and those were these two The taking away those that might disquiet it at home and by making league and affinity with powerful Princes abroad And then it cometh to tell the sure and divine way how to make it sure and that it also expresseth to be two namely loving the Lord and begging wisdom of him At Gibeon was the greatest Synagogue in the Land for there stood the Tabernacle and the brazen Altar that Moses had made being brought thither as to the chief residence of the sons of Ithamar who waited on the Sanctuary when Shiloh fell There Solomon asketh wisdom of the Lord and obtaineth it And coming to Jerusalem he sheweth it in determining the doubtful case between the two Harlots He was now but twelve years old 1 KING XI ver 21 22. THE very reading of ver 21. doth plainly shew that it is proper to take in this Story of Hadads returning to his own Country here CHAP. IV V. 2 CHRON. I. vers 14 15 16 17. And II. all Solomon 2 THE matter of the fourth Chapter of Kings and the conclusion of Solomon 3 1 Chron. 1. is not of a fixed and determinate date tied to any one year but it runneth through the story of many years for it sheweth the growth and continuance of Solomons strength establishment and prosperity in his Kingdom and the evidencing of his wisdom all his time till his declining to Idolatry And therefore as for the method and place of it it might be laid even any where in the Story of all that time this construction being made of it wheresoever it is laid But the Holy Ghost hath laid it in the beginning of his History that that general matter concerning his power and prosperity might be concluded before the relation come to speak of particular actions It is no doubt but the transfaction of business betwixt Solomon and Hiram King of Tyre was very early in Solomons reign because he would not loose time towards the building of the Temple But the Text would dispatch the other before as a general thing that particular Stories might be fallen upon and receive no interruption Hiram or Hirom or Hâ—ram King of Tyre for all these ways his name is written confesseth God the Creator 2 Chron. 2. 12. maketh a Covenant with Solomon supplieth him with necessaries for his building and sendeth him a choice workman Hiram This Hirams father was of the Tribe of Naphtali 1 King 7. 14. but said to be a Tyrian because he dwelt there as Obed-Edom a Levite is said to be a Gittite his mother was of the Tribe of Dan 2 Chron. 2. 14. the place of Idolatry Solomon setteth one hundred fifty three thousand six hundred Proselites to frame materials for the Temple seventy thousand to bear burdens eighty thousand to be hewers in the mountains and three thousand six hundred overseers 2 Chron. 2. 18. that is three thousand three hundred overseers of the one hundred and fifty thousand Workmen 1 King 5. 16. and three hundred overseers of them and all The Princes of Solomon at home and his chief Officers for his houshold provision reckoned 1 King 4. Azariah the Son of Zadok ver 2. that is the Son of Ahimaaz the Son of Zadok 1 Chron. 6. 8 9. is chief of the Sanhedrin Zadok and Abiathar are Priests ver 4. though Abiathar was expelled by Solomon from the High Priesthood Chap. 2. 26. Yet might he exercise the Function of a Priest at Gibeon till the Temple was built There were twelve Officers for the twelve
a man not to be certainly pointed out either who he was or when he lived and therefore that Chapter must necessarily be taken up where it lies because it is not possible to find out where else to lay it 5. The last Chapter is some part of it Batshebaes words to Solomon and some part of it Solomons words in her commendation and in commendation of all women like her And the former part which are her words might very well be laid in her Story and in Solomons minority namely after vers 25. of 2 Sam. 12. but yet it is very properly laid here where it is because the words of Solomon in commendation of such women as she were delivered when he delivered his other Doctrines and Proverbs and so the occasion that drew out those words is fitly joyned to the time of the words themselves Solomon is called Lemuel by his Mother as alluding or tuning to Shemuel or Samuel a Son of his mothers vows as Solomon is here averred by his mother to be of hers She giveth him many excellent Lessons in his tender years toward the making him a good man and a good King for which when he comes to mature years he highly commends and extols a good woman such a one as his mother was in an Acrostick or Alphabetical Oration The Song of SOLOMON or The CANTICLES AFTER the building of the Summer House in the Forrest of Lebanon Solomon pens the Book of the Canticles as appeareth by these passages in it Chap. 4. 8. Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse with me from Lebanon And Chap. 7. 4. Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon c. Upon his bringing up Pharaohs Daughter to the house that he had prepared for her 1 King 9. 24. he seemeth to have made this Song For though the best and the most proper aim of it was at higher matters then an earthly marriage yet doth he make his marriage with Pharaohs Daughter a type of that sublime and spiritual marriage betwixt Christ and his Church Pharaohs Daughter was a Heathen and a stranger natively to the Church of Israel and withal she was a Black-moor as being an African as Cant. 1. 4 5. alludeth to it and so she was the kindlier type of what Solomon intended in all particulars CHAP. X. 2 CHRON. IX From beginning to vers 29. Solomon 31 THE Queen of Sheba cometh to hear the wisdom of Solomon and so Solomon 32 condemneth the Generation of the Jews that despised the wisdom of the Solomon 33 Father Matth. 12. 42. Solomon as is probable is yet flourishing in State Power Solomon 34 and Religion And is a Prince of admirable Peace at Salem a figure of the Solomon 35 King of Righteousness and the King of Peace CHAP. XI From beginning to vers 41. Solomon 36 IN his old age Solomon is drawn away by his Idolatrous Wives to forget Solomon 37 God The wisest and the happiest man like Adam undone by women Solomon 38 Hereupon his prosperity and his happiness began to change The Book of ECCLESIASTES AFTER his great fall Solomon recovereth again by repentance and writeth this Book of Ecclesiastes as his penitential dirge for that his folly He calleth himself in it Koheleth or the Gathering-Soul either recollecting it self or by admonition gathering others that go astray after vanity He sheweth in it that all things on this side Heaven are but vanity and he had found it so by sad experience and so the Kingdom promised to David which was to be everlasting must not be expected to be of this world as Joh. 18. 36. 1 KING XI Vers. 41 42 43. And 2 CHRON. IX Vers. 29 30 31. THE Book of Chronicles omitteth to mention the fall of Solomon as he had omitted the fall of David World 3029 Solomon 39 Solomon dieth having reigned forty years as his father David had done and Solomon 40 having had a great fall in his time as his father David had had yet like him is recovered pardoned and saved Kingdom of JUDAH 1 KINGS XII from beginning Division 1 to Vers. 25. World 3030 Rehoboam 1 Ieroboam 1 REHOBOAM through his folly and tyranny looseth the people by threatning them with a heavy yoke Christ seeketh to regain them by promissing a light one Matth. 11. 29 30. Shechem once the stage of blood Gen. 34. is now the scene of this unhappy division Rehoboam was now one and forty years old 2 Chron. 12. 13. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 childish and simple 2 Chron. 13. 7. but of an haughty and oppressive spirit and so proveth himself a very fool Eccles. 2. 19. though he were the son of so wise a Father Kingdom of ISRAEL 2 CHRON. X. all And XI Division 1 to Verse 5. World 3030 Rehoboam 1 Ieroboam 1 JEROBOAM of Ephraim draweth ten Tribes from the house of David from the Temple that stood near it and from the promise of Christ that was affixed to it And this suddain rent of Solomons Kingdom did plainly teach that the King and Kingdom promised to David was not of this world but of another which King and Kingdom the revolting Tribes have now forsaken and by forsaking have lost Christ have lost Religion and have lost themselves And here is a kind of an Antichristian faction now risen in the world before Christs appearing The very foundation of this revolt of the Tribes was laid in the blood of Adoram Rehoboam seeketh to reduce the people with a strong hand whom with a gentle he would not retain PSAL. II. WITH the Story of the Apostacy of the ten Tribes read the second Psalm which was prophetically made by David Act. 4. 25. upon this revolt and rebellion and this is the first aim and intent of it though in a second and more full it hits upon the greater rebellion which this but typified and that is Judahs despising and crucifying the Lord of life being indeed exhibited as Israel despiseth him here being promised And as the Psalmist had touched in the first Psalm upon the fall of Adam who miscarried by walking in the counsel of the ungodly the Serpent and the seduced woman and had shewed a way how to withstand and escape such counsellings namely by meditation and delight in the Law of the Lord. So doth he in this Psalm touch upon the fall of the ten Tribes and how they miscarried by casting away the cords of obligation which God had tied them in to the throne of David and he giveth admonition to them to be wiser and adviseth both them and the generation that put the Lord to death and all ages to come To kiss the Son by a loving and submissive obedience as 1 Sam. 10. 1. and so to escape the wrath to come Matth. 3. when the Lords anger should be kindled and destroy the people that had been his destroyers 2 CHRON. XI From ver 5. to the end of the Chapter REhoboam fortifieth divers Cities Rehoboam 2 Ieroboam 2 Division 2 in Judah and Benjamin Rehoboam 3
the expedition against the Syrians about Ramoth Gilead this was one of the Cities of refuge Josh. 20. 8. and that consideration World 3107 Ahab 19 Ahab 22 Iehoram 2 Division 78 might ingage Jehoshaphat in this business the rather because that was a concernment of his Kingdom as well as of the Kingdom of Israel 2 KING I. all World 3106 Ahab 18 Ahab 21 Ahaziah 2 Iehoram 1 Division 77 AHAZIAH falling through a grate as he was walking on his leads catcheth his death and Jehoram his Brother succeedeth him twelve year 2 Kings 3. 1. World 3107 Ahab 19 Ahab 22 Iehoram 2 Division 78 AHAB slain at Ramoth Gilead and now as Saul sparing the Amalakites was slain by an Amalakite so Ahab sparing the Syrians is slain by them Perdere quos vult Deus dementat otherwise might Ahab have taken cautions enough for meddling in this war he had not only the warning of Micaiah the son of Imlah when he is setting forward 1 King 22. 28. nor only the guilt of Naboths blood and his own Idolatry nor only the terrible threatnings of Eliah denounced against him but he might read how hainously he had sinned in sparing Benhadad and the Syrians and accordingly might expect vengeance by the Syrians as the Prophet had told him by what the Lord had demonstrated about that matter He had called the Syrian King the man of his curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 20. 42. he had therefore given Ahab two great victories over him he had not only cast down the wall of Aphek Jerecho like to make the City undefensible of the Syrians that were fled thither but had slain 27000 with the fall of it he had slain a man with a Lion as 1 King 13. 24. which refused to forward and to help to set on an admonition to him yet seeing all these things he would not see for as he had sold himself to sin so had the Lord sold him to destruction It is somewhat observable that this murderer of Naboth and sparer of Benhadad is slain at a City of refuge by Benhadads Army and by a shot made at random Compare Deut. 19. 4. His son Ahaziah dyes before him by a fatal fall inquires at the Devil when he is sick as Saul at a Witch loseth one hundred men by fire from Heaven and dieth childless Here begins vengeance on Ahabs house Compare Jeroboams twenty two years and his son Nadabs two years and their reigning together with Ahabs twenty two and Ahaziahs two These last times of Ahab the Text gives us account to reckon thus Three years he is about the business of Ramoth viz. his 20 21 22. three years before he is without war with Syria 1 King 22. 1. viz. his 19 18 17. In this space of time he murders Naboth the year before them viz. his 16. He hath great victory over Syria slayeth 100000 men and taketh Benhadad And the year before that he hath another victory over them viz. in his fifteenth 2 CHRON. XIX XX. Iehoshaphat 20 Iehoram 3 Division 79 JEHOSHAPHAT reformeth his Kingdom and setteth up Judges throughout the Land World 3109 Iehoshaphat 21 Iehoram 4 Division 80 Jehoshaphat hath a miraculous victory against Moab Ammon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the inhabitants of Mount Seir that lay upon Animon borders for the rest of Edom rebelled not yet See 2 King 8. 20. These people are elswhere called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maonites Judg. 10. 12. or Mehunims 2 Chron. 26. 7. and so should they be expressed in 1 Chron. 4. 41. And these written by name came in the days of Hezckiah King of Judah and smote their Tents and the Maonites that were found there The LXX renders it well there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and 2 Chron. 26. 8. either by inversion of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which kind of thing is very common in Scripture as Heres and Serah Josh. 24. 30. compared with Judg. 2. 9. Beta and Tibath Compare 2 Sam. 8. 8. with 1 Chron. 18. 8. Eliam and Ammiel 2 Sam. 11. 3. compared with 1 Chron. 3. 5. and abundance more that might be alleadged or because of their mixture with the Ammonites in their habitation as Midianites and Ishmaelites are all one Gen. 37. And observe how roundly the Text comes off with this inversion and how clearly it argues this cohabitation 2 Chron. 26. 7 8. And God helped Uzziah against the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahunims and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah This company that came against Jehoshaphat is said to come from beyond the Sea from Syria ver 2. now this Sea was the dead Sea as it appeareth by the words immediately following and behold they be in Hazazan-Tamar which is Engedi which lay upon the Southern point of the dead Sea Now neither that place nor these mens Country were in Syria but that in Canaan and their Country in Arabia and therefore when it said they came from Syria it is to be understood they came in the King of Syrias quarrel and upon his war which he now raised upon Jehoshaphat to be avenged on him for taking part with Ahab at Ramoth Gilead 2 KING III. 1 2 3 4 5. Iehoshaphat 20 Iehoram 3 Division 79 JEHORAM destroyed Baal out of Samaria but continueth Jeroboams golden Calves Moab rebelleth and so he loseth World 3109 Iehoshaphat 21 Iehoram 4 Division 80 a great Tribute It is like that Ahab conquered Moab when he conquered Benhadad and the two and thirty Kings with him and that the King of Moab was one of those Kings 2 CHRON. XXI ver 1 2 3 4. World 3110 Iehoshaphat 22 Iehoram 1 Iehoram 5 Division 81 JEHORAM or Joram the Son of Jehoshaphat made Viceroy again for so it is plain 2 King 8. 16. In the fift year of Joram son of Ahab King of Israel Jehoshaphat being then King of Judah Jehoram the Son of Jehosaphat King of Judah began his reign and reigned eight years in Jerusalem Now this was upon Jehoshaphats going with Joram King of Israel to war against Moab 2 King 3. 7. 9. For as Jehoshaphat when he went with Ahab to Ramoth Gilead made Joram then King in his stead till he came again as was observed before so doth he now when he goeth with Joram Ahabs son against Moab but Jehoshaphat doth never sit in the throne again for observe 1. that whereas it is said Joram reigned eight years in Jerusalem they are reckoned from this beginning as it appeareth by 2 King 8. 25. where they are ended in the twelfth of Joram the son of Ahab 2. That Jehoshaphat is called The King of Israel 2 Chron. 21. 2. for his affinity and society which Ahab and Joram the Kings of Israel had undone him and when he would not take warning upon his first miscarriage in that kind 2 Chron. 19. 2. he is sorely punished upon a
Potectors Amaziah 10 Ierob 24 Division 169 whilst Uzziah is in his Amaziah 11 Ierob 25 Ierob 26 Division 170 Division 171 minority 2 KING 14 ver 23. to 29. Amaziah 27 Ierob 13 Division 158 Jehu even from the entring Amaziah 28 Ierob 14 Division 159 in of Hamath on the North World 3189 Amaziah 29 Ierob 15 Division 160 to the Sea of the plain or Amaziah 1 Ierob 16 Division 161 the dead Sea South He also Amaziah 2 Ierob 17 Division 162 restoreth Hamath it self Amaziah 3 Ierob 18 Division 163 and Damascus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amaziah 4 Ierob 19 Division 164 to Judah in Israel Amaziah 5 Ierob 20 Division 165 2 King 14. 28. David had Amaziah 6 Amaziah 7 Ierob 21 Division 166 conquered them and they Amaziah 8 Ierob 22 Division 167 being now revolted he rerecovers Amaziah 9 Ierob 23 Division 168 them to Israel in Amaziah 10 Ierob 24 Division 169 Judahs title as fitter to Amaziah 11 Ierob 25 Division 170 be subject to the Seed of Ierob 26 Division 171 Israel then to Syria Judah was not able to recover his own right for they had lately been subject to Jeroboams father and he had sacked Jerusalem and done with it what pleased and now Jeroboam his son being a far more potent King and Judah continuing still in its wickedness as having never recovered strength since Jehoash conquered Amaziah and pulled down Jerusalem wall and withal there being now no King on the throne of Judah this Jeroboam when he had recovered the two Tribes and half beyond Jordan from Syria in the right of the Kingdom of Samaria he also recovers Hamath and Damascus to himself and Israel in the right and title of Judah Judah being now exceeding much in his power since his father had so miserably brought them under Of these Victories over the Syrians Jonah the Prophet prophesied who lived in these times but his journey to Niniveh was not as yet but some space hereafter as shall be observed anon 2 KINGS XIV ver 21 22 15. ver 1 2 3 4. World 3201 Uzziah 1 Ieroboam 27 Division 172 UZZIAH crowned he Uzziah 2 Ieroboam 28 Division 173 is also called Azariah Uzziah 3 Ieroboam 29 Division 174 both the names sounding to Uzziah 4 Ieroboam 30 Division 175 the same sence the one The Uzziah 5 Ieroboam 31 Division 176 Lord is my strength the other Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 The Lord is my help as 2 Chron. Uzziah 7 Ieroboam 33 Division 178 26. 7. Uzziah 8 Hereabout was the time that Uzziah 9 Ieroboam 34 Division 179 Hosea and Joel began to prophesie Uzziah 10 Ieroboam 35 Division 180 and presently after Amos Uzziah 11 Ieroboam 36 Division 181 also beginneth Uzziah 12 Ieroboam 37 Division 182 There had been Prophets before Uzziah 13 Ieroboam 38 Division 183 this time continually but Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 39 Division 184 none left their Prophesies behind Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 40 Division 185 in writing but now ariseth a company of Prophets World 3215 Uzziah 15 Ieroboam 41 Division 186 that do 2 CHRON. XXVI ver 1 2 3 4. 2 KING XIV ver 29. World 3201 Uzziah 1 Ieroboam 27 Division 172 IN the twenty and seventh Uzziah 2 Ieroboam 28 Division 173 year of Jeroboam began Uzziah 3 Ieroboam 29 Division 174 Azaâ—iah to reign two and Uzziah 4 Ieroboam 30 Division 175 fifty years He built Elath or Eloth Uzziah 5 Ieroboam 31 Division 176 in the Country of Edom Deut. Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 2. 8. 2 Chron. 17. And restored Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 it to Judah after that the King Uzziah 7 Ieroboam 33 Division 178 Amaziah slept with his fathers Uzziah 8 Uzziah 9 Ieroboam 34 Division 179 that is even in those eleven Uzziah 10 Ieroboam 35 Division 180 years before his Coronation Uzziah 11 Ieroboam 36 Division 181 whilst he was yet in his minority Uzziah 12 Ieroboam 37 Division 182 Uzziah 13 Ieroboam 38 Division 183 A fearful Earthquake happens Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 39 Division 184 before the death of Jeroboam Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 40 Division 185 and Amos fore-tells it two years before it comes and foretells World 3215 Uzziah 15 Ieroboam 41 Division 186 of Jeroboams death by the sword Amos 7. The order and time of these former PROPHETS THE Murder of Zacharias the son of Barachias or Jehoiada was the first ruine of Judah and the beginning of their first rejection For when they slew that Prophet and Priest of the Lord in the Court of the Temple and besides the Altar they plainly shewed how they despised and rejected the Lord and his Temple Priest-hood and Prophesie From that time did their state decay and was mouldring towards ruine and that from thence forward fell into sad diseases as well as King Joash did that commanded the Murder This Hosea toucheth upon as the very Apex of their wickedness when they so brake out as that blood touched blood Hos 4. 2. the blood of the Sacrificer was mingled with the blood of the Sacrifice as Luke 13. 1. And the very Apex of their incorrigibleness in that they proved a people that strove with the Priest Hos. 4. 4. And this wicked act of theirs our Saviour makes as the very period and Catastrophe of their State and Kingdom Matth. 23. 35. How they declined from that time both in Religion Joash and Amaziah and the people with them becoming open Idolaters and in the State by the oppression of Syria and of Joash is so apparent in the Story that he that runneth may read and he that readeth not the cause with these effects readeth not all that may be read But more especially in these times that we have in hand in the latter times of Jeroboam the Lord spake indignation from Heaven in more sensible and more singular and terrible manner in three dreadful judgments the like to which neither they nor their fathers had seen nor heard and the sight and feeling of which when it did not avail with them for their conversion and bettering the Lord hath a company of Prophets that are continually telling them of worse judgments namely of final subversion to come upon them The first of these fearful judgments was an earthquake so terrible that it brought them to their wits ends and put them to flee for their lives but they knew not whether Ye shall flee as they fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah Zech. 14. 5. This was as the beginning of their desolation and the shaking of the earth was as a sign unto them that their State and Kingdom should ere long be shaken Amos prophecied of this two years before it came Amos 1. 1. and that the Lord would roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem as did Joel also some time before Joel 2. to 11. This earthquake was in the days of Jeroboam as well as in the days of Uzziah for so Amos sheweth
captive saith in his seventh year they were three thousand and twenty three Jews and in his eighteenth three thousand and thirty two from Jerusalem in which if the Reader ruminate well upon the matter he will find a great deal of difficulty For 1. He never mentioneth in this reckoning either the Captivity in the fourth of Jehoiakim which was the first Captivity not the Captivity of Jechoniah in which the most people were carried away And. 2. There is no mention else-where of Nebuchad-nezzars carrying away into captivity from Jerusalem either in his seventh year or in his eighteenth but of his doing so in his eighth there is mention 2 King 24. 12. and in his nineteenth Jer. 25. 12. Now for answer 1. To the First The Prophet doth not here speak simply of the persons that were captived but of persons that were captived and put to death for that was the very tenour of his speech in the verse immediately before And for the confirming of this it is observable that in these two verses he mentioneth only the Captives that were caused by an open Rebellion Jehoiakims and Zedekiahs and upon those followed slaughter upon cold blood but in the fourth of Jehoiakim when Daniel and his fellows were captived and when Jechoniah was captived with 18000 more there was no such slaughter because there was no such rebellion And by this very consideration we may learn what was the end of Jehoiakim against whom Jeremy threatned the burial of an Ass although the Scripture hath not clearly expressed it else-where To the second we have given some piece of an answer before more fully now Nebuchad-nezzars first year was properly in Jehoiakims third for then is the first news you hear of him Dan. 1. 1. but withal his first year is counted with Jehoiakims fourth in which the seventy years Captivity began for then he had captived Jerusalem and according to these two reckonings the Scripture reckons sometime by the first as Nebuchad-nezzars first year properly some-time by the second as being his first year over Israel and of the seventy of Captivity after which matter the Scripture looketh with special notice Now Jehoiakims Captivity was in Nebuchad-nezzars eighth according to the first date but it is said to be in his seventh according to the second and the rather because Jechoniah was captived the same year and so the one is distinguished from the other And so Zedeliahs captivity was in Nebuchadnezzars nineteenth according to the first date and propriety but said here to be in the eighteenth according to the second and the rather to include in the number of the captived and slain those whom Nebuchad-nezzar caught of the Jews when he marched away from the siege of Jerusalem the year before when the King of Egypt raised it for then it is not imaginable but he caught some and how he would deal with them they being in open rebellion we may well suppose JEREMY XL. from vers 7. to the end And XLI all 2 KING XXV vers 22 23 24 25. THE dispersed Captains and Companies that had fled for their safety up and down for fear of the Chaldean Army do ralley and come together to Gedaliah the Governour for protection Jeremy amongst these reckoneth Jonathan and the Sons of Ephai the Netophathite which the Book of Kings omitteth either for that these were slain with Gedaliah by Ismael as Jer. 41. 3. and never came to Egypt whither the Book of Kings and Jeremy bringeth those rallied Captives and People after Gedaliahs death Or that Jonathan came as an inferiour to Johanan his brother and that these sons of Ephai the Netophathite came under the colours of Seraiah the Netophathite and so the Book of Kings reckons only the Colonels or chief Commanders In the seventh Month Ismael some younger brother of the Royal blood and ten Nobles of the Court envying Gedaliahs promotion do traiterously murder him This was a very solemn month in it self for the Feast of Trumpets expiation and Tabernacles that should have been in it and in this month of old had Salomon kept the dedication of the Temple and sent the people home with joyful hearts afterwards but how is the matter altered now Ismael also killeth seventy Samaritan Proselites such as were coming to the Feast of Tabernacles and casteth them into a trench that Asa had made to be a stop betwixt the Samaritans and himself then made to keep off Samaritans enemies to their Religion now filled with Samaritans friends to it The little dealing that the Jews had with the Samaritans and the flying about of the Chaldean Troopers had made such interception of intelligence that these poor men knew not of the firing of the Temple though it were in the fifth month till they be upon the way towards it and then understanding of it they rent their clothes c. JEREMY XLII XLIII And 2 KING XXV vers 26. THE Captains and people upon the death of Gedaliah go into Egypt though they had promised to be ruled by the voice of the Lord and though the Lord had flatly forbidden them to go thither and so had done of old that they should never return to Egypt Poor Jeremy is carried along with them and when he comes there he prophesieth both against Egypt and them World 3421 Captivity 20 The Jews are now setled in Egypt and in time they fall to a common and open Idolatry for which Jeremy reproveth them and threatneth them very sore In vers 9. he seemeth to give a close touch upon the Idolatry of Salomons wives the first original of Idolatry to the Kings of Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wickednesses of the Kings of Judah and the wickednesses of his wives which indeed may be well construed of every one of their wives But the quaintness of the phrase seemeth to hint some such a particular thing and it may the rather be so understood because he is here taxing the present Idolatry of the Jews wives in Egypt and ripping up the sore to the very head which indeed was first those wives of Solomon Observe in vers 25. how the Hebrew Syntax seemeth to twit these mens base uxoriousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 using the Verb in the feminine Gender though he speak to the men Now in the 45 Chap. of this Book of Jeremy vers 1. It is said that Baruch had written these words in a Book at the mouth of Jeremy in the fourth year of Jehoiakim what these very last words mentioned before But this is very unlikely for these last speeches appear to be uttered upon emergency the meaning of it therefore is that Jeremy in the fourth of Jehoiakim had uttered Prophesies to this purpose that Jerusalem should be destroyed and the Land left desolate and the people captived and mischief and misery following them which is cleered to be accomplished in the story of these Chapters and therefore this 45 Chapter is laid here though the story
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
per. 2. By which it is apparent that they accounted all of their own Religion and them only to come under the title Neighbour to which opinion how our Saviour speaketh you may observe in Luke 10. 29 30 c. So that in the Iewish Church there were those that went under the notion of Brethren that is Israelites who were all of one blood and those that went under the name of Neighbours and those were they that came in from other Nations to their Religion They shall no more teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother Jer. 31. 34 c. Now under the Gospel where there is no distinction of Tribes and kinreds the word Brother is ordinarily used to signisie in the same latitude that Neighbour had done namely all that come into the profession of the Gospel and it is so taken also as that had been in contradistinction to a Heathen Any man that is called a Brother 1 Cor. 5. 11. If thy brother offend thee c. Let him be as a Heathen Matth. 18. 15 17. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English rendereth Is in danger of translates the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are as ordinarily used among the Iewish Writers as any words whatsoever as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guilty of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guilty of cutting off c. Every page almost in either Talmud will give you examples of this nature 3. Gehenna It is well known that this expression is taken from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The valley of Hinnom of which and of the silthiness and abominableness of which place there is so much spoken in Scripture There was the horrid Idol Molech to which they burnt their children in the fire And thither as D. Kimchi saith was cast out all the filth and unburied carcases and there was a continual fire to burn the filth and the bones In Psal. 27. From hence the Iews borrowed the word and used it in their ordinary language to betoken Hell And the Text from which they especially translated the construction seemeth to have been the last verse of the Prophesie of Isaiah which by some of them is glossed thus And they shall go forth out of Jerusalem into the valley of Hinnom and there they shall see the carcases of those that rebelled against me c. Vid. Kimch Ab. Ezr. in loc It were endless to shew the frequency of the word in their Writers let these few examples suffice Chald. Paraph. in Isa. 26. 15. Lord thou wilt drive all the wicked to Gehinnom And on Isa. 33. 14. The wicked shall be judged and delivered to Gehinnom the everlasting burning And on ver 17. Thou shalt see those that go down to the Land of Gehinnom R. Sol. on Isa. 24. 22. They shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in prison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that guilty of Gehinnom into Gehinnom Targ. in Ruth 2. 12. Be thou delivered from the Judgment of Gehinnom Midras Mishle fol. 69. Do you think to be delivered from the Judgment of Gehinnom Baal Tur. in Gen. 1. 1. Because of the Law they are delivered from the Judgement of Gehennah c. See the phrase Matth. 23. 33. And now we have done with words let us come to sentences and consider the offences that are prohibited which are easily acknowledged to be gradual or one above another About the first viz. Causeless anger there needeth no explanation the words and matter are plain enough The second is Whosoever shall say to his brother Racha A nick-name or scornful title usual which they disdainfully put one upon another and very commonly and therefore our Saviour hath specified in this word the rather because it was of so common use among them and they made no bones at it Take these few examples A certain man sought to betake himself to repentance and restitution His wife said to him Rekah if thou make restitution even thy girdle about thee is not thine own c. Tanchum fol. 5 Rabbi Jochanan was teaching concerning the building of Jerusalem with Saphires and Diamonds c. One of his scholars laughed him to scorn But afterward being convinced of the truth of the thing he saith to him Rabbi Do thou expound for it is fit for thee to expound as thou saidest so have I seen it He saith to him Rekah Hadst thou not seen thou wouldest not have believed c. Midras Tillin fol. 38. col 4. To what is the thing like To a King of flesh and blood who took to wife a Kings daughter he saith to her Wait and fill me a cup but she would not whereupon he was angry and put her away She went and was married to a sordid fellow and he saith to her Wait and fill me a cup She said unto him Rekah I am a Kings daughter c. Idem in Psal. 137. A Gentile saith to an Israelite I have a dainty dish for thee to eat of He saith What is it He answers Swines flesh He saith to him Rekah even what you kill of clean beasts is forbidden us much more this Tanch fol. 18. col 4. The third offence is to say to a brother Thou fool which how to distinguish from Racha which signifies an empty fellow were some difficulty but that Solomon is a good Dictionary here for us who takes the term continually for a wicked wretch and reprobate and in opposition to spiritual wisdom So that in the first clause is condemned causeless anger in the second scornful taunting and reproaching of a brother and in the last calling him a reprobate and wicked or uncharitably censuring his spiritual and eternal estate And this last doth more especially hit the Scribes and Pharisees who arrogated to themselves only to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisemen but of all others had this scornful and uncharitable opinion This people that knoweth not the Law is cursed Joh. 7. 49. And now for the penalties denounced upon these offences let us look upon them taking notice of these two traditions of the Iews which our Saviour seemeth to face and to contradict 1. That they accounted the command Thou shalt not kill to aim only at actual murder So in their collecting of the six hundred and thirteen precepts out of the Law they understand that command to mean but this That one should not kill an Israelite Vid. trip Targ. ibid. Sepher Chinnuch ibid. Maym. in Rotseah per. 1. And accordingly they allotted this only violation of it to judgement Against this wild gloss and practise he speaketh in the first clause Ye have heard it said Thou shalt not kill and he that killeth or committeth actual murder is liable to judgment and ye extend the violation of that command no further but I say to you that causeless anger against thy brother is a violation of that Command and even that maketh a man liable to
withal by Christ in more places then one They had taken up a consent to beat down the dignity and authority of his Miracles by asserting that whatsoever he did he did by the power of Magick and this corrupt blood ran up in their veins every where wheresoever he met them and therefore it is no wonder if the same words be in their mouths here and there when the same rotten principle was every where in their hearts Observe how scornfully they require a sign from Heaven when they had but newly seen a most heavenly sign The word Beelzebul was taken up for the more detestation as importing The god of a dunghil and the sacrificing to Idols they called dunging to an Idol R. Jose ben R. Ben. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that seeth them dunging to an Idol must say He that sacrificeth to other gods must be destroyed Talm. Jerus Beracoth fol. 12. col 2. What Christ speaketh about the unpardonableness of blasphemy against the holy Ghost is in direct facing of their Tener which held that blasphemy was attoned for by death though by nothing else He say they by whom the name of Heaven is blasphemed repentance hath no power to save him from punishment nor the day of expiation to attone for him or chastisements of the Judges to acquit him But repentance and the day of expiation attone for a third part and chastisements a third part and death a third part And of such it is said If this iniquity be purged till you die Behold we learn that death acquitteth Talm. Jerus Sanhed fol. 27. col 3. The Jews defamed the miracles done by Christ as done by Magick as appeareth not only by this and other places in the Gospel but even in Talm. Bab. Schabb. fol. 104. col 2. R Eliezer said to the wise men Did not Ben Saida this is a blasphemous name they give to Jesus of Nazareth as was said a little before bring inchantments out of Egypt in incisions in his flesh But when they saw they were not able to contradict and decry the credit of the great miracles that he did and they saw that this would not serve their turn to say he did them by the power of the Devil the Devil taught them to betake themselves to another shift clean contrary and that was to say and maintain that when Messias came he should do no miracles at all which they assert in Sanhedr per. Helek and Maym. in Melachint per. ult SECTION XXXVI MATTH Chap. XII from Ver. 46 to the end MARK Chap. III. from Ver. 31. to the end LUKE Chap. VIII Ver. 19 20 21. CHRISTS Mother and Brethren seek him c. THe Order is cleered by the transition of Matthew While he yet talked c. Luke hath set the coming of Christs mother and brethren after the Parable of the Sower whereas the other two Evangelists have set it before and that in its proper place thereby intimating the end and prosecution of the errand they came upon which was to take him up from preaching with which intention and importunity they follow him from place to place Here is an evidence of the Virgin Maries sinfulness as well as other womens if going about to stop Christs Ministry were a sin as certainly it was proceed that intention from what pretence soever Mark 3. 21. His friends went to lay hold on him for they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie that word what it will whether he is beside himself or he is faint or he is in a rapture c. their errand and intention was to take him off from the course he was in which he knew well enough and therefore he gives so smart an answer Who is my mother c Compare Deut. 33. 9. SECTION XXXVII MATTH Chap. XIII from the beginning to Ver. 54. MARK Chap. IV. from the beginning to Ver. 35. LUKE Chap. VIII from Ver. 4 to Ver. 19. The Parable of the Sower and divers other Parables MATTHEWS transition doth again cleer the order here The same day went Jesus c. The same day that his Mother and brethren came to him as is apparent in the twelfth Chapter So that this consideration helpeth to methodize the order of Luke for whereas the other two have set the coming of Christs mother and brethren before his uttering of the Parable of the Sower c. he hath set it after and that without contrariety though with diversity For both the occurrences were on the same day and he hath by this order shewed how the mother and friends of Christ having once found him went along with him whether to prosecute the intention they came upon or better convinced to attend him and his doctrine CHRIST speaking of Parables which he doth so exceeding much through the Gospel was according to the stile and Manner of that Nation which were exceedingly accustomed to this manner of Rhetorick The Talmuds are abundantly full of this kind of oratory and so are generally all their ancient writers and they commonly enter upon their Parables with this preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Parable To what is the thing like which stile he also useth not seldom And sometime they enter upon it more abruptly with such an entrance as this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To a man or To a King of flesh and blood c. meaning It is like to a man or like to a King c. I believe there are very many in the world that have not been further acquainted with the writings of the Jews then what they have seen quoted by other writers and yet are ready to censure them of lies and falshoods which indeed they are not free from meerly upon want of acquaintance with their stile of Parables and hyperboles Very good use may be made of the Talmudick treatises Peah Demai and Kilaim which treats intentionally concerning sowing and seeds for illustration of these Parables In Kilaim they dispute of sowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon rocks and upon stones and of mingling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheat and tares c. cap. 1. In Peah in Tal. Jerus fol. 20. they speak of a tree of mustardseed that one might climbe into like other trees c. And in divers other passages in these Parables some light may be fetched from those tracts seeing Christ all along speaketh of things usual and most particularly usual among that Nation SECTION XXXVIII MATTH Chap. VIII Ver. 18 19 20 21 22. MARK Chap. IV. Ver. 35. LUKE Chap. IX Ver. 57. 58 59 60 61 62. A Scribe will follow CHRIST c. THe story of CHRISTS preparing to go over the water is evidenced by Mark to come in here in its proper place for he saith The same day at even c. Matthews laying it where he hath done may seem to be because of its neerness to Matthews or Levies feast as will appear in the following current of the story which feast he hath laid at Matthews call and so hath accordingly brought
enough of him when he speaks but this Antonius Felix per omnem saevitiam ac libidinem jus regium servili ingenio exercuit Histor. lib. 5. cap. 2. Upon which Josephus will give you a large comment of his intolerable covetousness polling cruelty sacriledge murdering and all manner of wickedness His injuriousness to Paul in the story before us and the very naming of his wife Drusilla may be brand enough upon him for her by inticements and magical tricks he allured to himself from her Husband and married her And him he kept prisoner two years wrongfully because he would not bribe him In his pleading before him he makes him tremble but it is but a qualm and away CHRIST LVII NERO. III PAUL is a prisoner this year at Caesarea under Felix A great City of Jews and Greeks mixtly the place where the first spark of Jews Wars kindled afterward A famous University of Jews in time if so be it was not so at this time CHRIST LVIII NERO. IV ACTS Chap. XXIV Ver. 27. PAUL still a prisoner at Cesarea under Felix for the first part of this year Then cometh Festus into the Government and Felix packeth to Rome to answer for his misdemeanours ACTS Chap. XXV XXVI PAUL answereth for himself first before Festus alone then before Agrippa and his Sister Bernice this Agrippa was his Son whose death is related Acts 12. he by the favour of Claudius the Emperour succeeded his brother in Law-Uncle Herod for such relations did that Incestuous family find out in the Kingdom of Chalcis For Bernice his Sister had married Herod King of Chalcis her Uncle and his who was now dead and this Agrippa succeeded him in his Kingdom being also King of Judea Of this Agrippa as it is most probable there is frequent mention among the Hebrew Writers as particularly this that King Agrippa reading the Law in the latter end of the year of release as it was injoyned and coming to those words Deut. 17. 15. Thou shalt not set astranger King over thee which is not of thy brethren the tears ran down his cheeks for he was not of the seed of Israel which the Congregation observing cried out Be of good comfort O King Agrippa thou art our brother He was of their Religion though not of their blood and well versed in all the Laws and Customs as Paul speaks Chap. 26. 3. Berenice his Sister now a Widdow lived with him and that in more familiarity then was for their credit afterwards she fell into the like familiarity with Titus the Son of Vespasian when he came up to the Jews Wars There is mention in Jerus in Taanith fol. 66. col 1. and again in Megillah fol. 70. col 3. of the Scribes or learned Jews of Chalcis against whom the people rose and tumultuated In the one place it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be they were of this Agrippa's planting there As Paul pleads for himself Festus takes him to be beside himself but Agrippa better acquainted with those kind of things that he spake of was much moved and concludes that had he not appealed to Caesar he might have been quit What he did in this appeal was not a small thing and it is very questionable whether ever Jew had appealed from their own Sanhedrin to the Heathen Tribunal before But for this he had a Divine Warrant ACTS Chap. XXVII PAUL shipped for Rome and Luke with him and Aristarchus a Thessalonian Paul calls him his fellow-prisoner Coloss. 4. 10. whether now or not till he came to Rome is a question Trophimus an Ephesian is also now with him Acts 21. 29. whom he leaves sick at Miletum as he passeth by those coasts of Asia Acts 27. 2. 2 Tim. 4. 20. and there likewise he leaves Timothy Who else of those that went with him to Jerusalem Acts 20. 4. were now with him is uncertain It was now far in the year and Winter entring for the feast of expiation was over so that they met with a tempestuous journey and at last suffer shipwrack and swim for their lives and do all escape The Reader by the time of the writing of the second Epistle to the Corinthians which he hath passed will easily see that what he speaks there A day and a night have I been in the deep 2 Cor. 11. 25. cannot be understood of his shipwrack now but refers to some time a good while ago CHRIST LIX NERO. V ACTS CHAP. XXVIII from the beginning to Ver. 30. PAUL and his company are the three winter months in Malta where he doth some miracles And when winter was now drawing over they put to sea again in an Alexandrian bottom whose badge was Castor and Pollux or the Picture of two young men on white horses with either of them a javelin in his hand and by him half an egge and a star whom Heathenish folly and superstition conceited to have been twins begotten by Jupiter and Deities favourable to those that sailed on the sea And this seemeth to have been the reason why Luke doth mention this circumstance because he would intimate the mens superstition as expecting better sailing under this badge then they had had From Melita they sail to Syracuse in Sicilie and there abide three daies Form thence to Rhegium in Italy and from thence to Puteoli there they find Christians and stay with them seven daies and then set away for Rome At Appii Forum about Fifty miles from the City some of the Roman Christians hearing of their coming come to meet them and at the Tres Tabernae Thirty three from the City they met with more and so they injoy the society of one another some space together as they travel along which was no small refreshing to Paul who had desired so much and so long to see them SECTION XXVIII Ver. 30. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his hired house and received all that came to him 31. Preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him JULIUS the Centurion that had brought him and the rest of the Prisoners from Judea had been his friend and favourer from their first setting out Chap. 27. 3. and so continued even to the time of his setling in Rome obtaining him this liberty that he might take lodgings of his own and there he was kept under a restraintless restraint After three daies he sends for the Chief of the Jews and laies open his case before them and upon a day appointed he asserteth and expoundeth the truth and doctrine of the Gospel whereupon some believe but others do the rather become his enemies His accusers that were come from Judea to lay in his charge against him for we can hardly suppose otherwise but that some such were come would be urgent to get their business dispatched that they might be returning to their own homes again and so would bring him
took his place with the Nobles about him and the plays began one of them was a Mimick acting that part which Neoptolemus did at the slaughter of King Priamus Another of one or more actors that seemed to vomit blood so that the stage was even bloody over and his sports read his destiny himself being presently to substantiate in his own person what these did but personate and represent of others Having sitten a spectator of these his own Omens till towards one a clock and indifferent whether to go to dinner or no his stomack being undisposed through his yesterdays gluttony Asprenas a partner in the plot sitting near him perswaded him for his refreshment to go to the Bath and so to Dinner and then to the Plays and shows again Caius giving notice of his rising the company bussles to make him room the conspirators pretending officiousness helpt to keep off the crowde and people when he was come from among the multitude he took not the open and ordinary way to the Palace but a back and by way toward the Bath There was he met and accoasted by Chereas who came to him as the custom was to demand the word which when he gave him with his accustomed scorn and disgracefulness Chereas drew and flew upon him with these words Hoc age and smote him sore into the coller bone upon the wound Caesar neither cried out nor resisted but sought to have slipt away Then was he intertained by Sabinus with the like curtesie of a blow or stab so that by this time the great Lion is gotten down and then the rest of the confederacy flie all in upon him every one with his slash that there he lieth mangled with few or no less than thirty wounds §. 3. The sequel A pleasant spectacle was this to the overpressed Common wealth but there must be some more trouble before she can enjoy the pleasure Such storms as these though they come suddainly and without expectation yet are they not so suddainly pasted and calmed again The German Souldiers were the first that had notice of the Princes death and they are the only men that will avenge it Men not only conditioned like himself in barbarousness and headlong cruelty but also in love with those conditions because they found acceptance and reward with him These men upon the report rise up in revenge and in searching for the murderers of Caesar you must expect some innocency will be murdered They first light upon Asprenas a man that indeed had a finger in the business but it is like it is more than they knew yet howsoever he must pay for it because he cometh in their way and so the shedding of his own blood answereth the Omen that he had but even now by the blood of the sacrifice Next cometh Barbarus Norhanus to handling because next to hand and after him Anteius whose curiosity was his destiny for coming to look upon the corps of the slain Tyrant he was made a corps himself When the rumor of what had passed came into the Theatre it moved different passions according to their different affections Some could not believe the news it was so good others would not because it was displeasing hoping better than that they had lost so great a patron of their unruliness and sporting But when the Souldiers came in thither after the rumor with the heads of Asprenas Norbanus and Anteius in their hands then imagine what case they were all in there expecting to be all involved in the same fatal end by the same fatal fury though they were not of the same opinion and affection to the fact that had lately passed But this fear and fury was with as much speed as wit and indeed were both finely calmed and removed by one Aruntius for coming in among them in a mourning weed as if for Caius he plainly and dolefully and assuredly averred that he was dead One would have thought that this should have increased the raging of the Souldiers far more than before but it had the clean contrary effect as his policy had wittily foreseen For when they knew certainly that he was dead of whom they expected a reward for this their outrage in his quarrel and when they considered what the people might do now he was dead who so hated him while he was alive they sheathed their swords and their fury together and withdrew themselves from the Theatre and the peoples fear from the people fairly and quietly both at once By a carriage of as much valour as this was of ingenuity did Valerius Asiaticâ—s calm the tumult of the people in the market place for when there was no other language but who is it and who is it that hath killed Caesar he steppeth into some place above the people and boldly cried I would it had been I and with his boldness daunted the mutiny and amazed their anger §. 4. Dissention about the Government The hearts of the people were pretty well setled about the death of the Prince but their minds not so well about the manner of the future Government The Senate being assembled in the Capitol were divided about this great matter whether the Common-wealth should return to its old Democracy or to its latter Monarchy again some remembring the tyrannies used by the two latter Monarchs abhorred the thought of that Government any longer Others considering that it were better to be under one Tyrant than under many were as much against Democracy and yet if they might have a Monarch which they desired they were yet to seek who should be he Sentius the Consul was vehement for the former choice and might have well been suspected for affecting some kind of Monarchy for the present himself for he was chief Governor alone but that his earnestness to reduce the state to its former rule stopped the mouth of any such prejudice Thus rose the Court without any determination and no less was the City divided in opinion And indeed it was a very hard task that they had in hand to resolve for futurity what might prove the best being to take a gentle medium betwixt their too much liberty and too little §. 5. Claudius Whilst they were thus in doubt and agitation and better able to resolve what they would not have than what they would fortune seemed to offer them an umpirage and determination winding an acceptance of a Monarch into their hearts before they were aware Claudius an uncle of the Tyrant that now lay dead hearing the tumult and hubbub that the Palace was in and how the matter went with Caligula he crept into an obscure hole to hide himself not much guilty indeed of any other cause of such fear but only because he was so near allied to the man so hated and now slain When lo Gratus a common Souldier searching about whether for a prey or for a conspirator spieth his feet lying out of his skulking hole and draws him out to see who it was here might a
and Delivery of Niniveh I cannot but admire a double mercy of God who to use a Fathers words Sic dedit poenitentibus veniam qui sic dedit peccantibus poenitentiam Who was so ready upon their Repentance to grant them Pardon who was so ready upon his Threatning to give them Repentance Other kind of entertainment than Jonah had had he that came from Gregory Bishop of Rome to Preach to our Realm of England The passage of which story our Countryman Bede hath fully related That when Austen had Preached the Gospel to the King and Dehorted him from his Irreligious Religion your words saith the King are good but I have been trained up so in the Religion â— now follow that I cannot forsake it to change for a new This Argument too many â—â—perstitious Souls ground upon in these days choosing rather to Err with Plato than to follow the Truth with another Desiring rather to be and being as they desire of a false Religion than to forsake the Profession of their Parents and Predecessors Not refusing like good fellows to go to Hell for company rather than to Heaven alone Such a boon companion was Rochardus King of the Phrisons of whom it is Recorded that whereas a Bishop had perswaded him so far towards Christianity as that he had got him into the water to Baptize him the King there questions which way his forefathers went which died Unbaptized whether to Heaven or Hell The Bishop answers That most certainly they were gone to Hell Then will I go the same way with them saith the wicked King and pulls back his Foot out of the water and would not be Baptized at all Hoc animus meminisse horret luctuque refugit CHAP. XXVI Of the Iews Sacraments Circumcision and Passover BOTH these Sacraments of the Jews were with Blood both in Figure the one to carry the Memory of Christ till he came and the other the Passion of him being come Abraham received the sign of Circumcision the seal of the Righteousness of Faith which he had when he was Uncircumcised Rom. 4. The Israelites received the Institution of the Passover in Egypt Exod. 12. I will not stand to Allegorize these matters of the time and manner of receiving these two but only of the things themselves Circumcision given in such a place is not for nothing but in the place of Generation it is given Abraham as a Seal of his Faith that he should be the Father of all those that believe Rom. 4. And especially a Seal to him of Christs coming from those Loins near to which his Circumcision was And appertaining to this I take to be the Oath that Abraham gives his Servant and that Jacob gives Joseph with their Hands put under their Thighs * * * As the Iews think not to swear by their Circumcision but by Christ that should come from those Thighs Circumcision was also used for distinction of an Israelite at the first and hence were they distinguished but in time Ismael had taught his race so much and Egyptians Phaenicians Arabians and the Countries about them grew Circumcised So was Pythagoras Circumcised that he might have access to the recluse Misteries of the Egyptians Religion Circumcision was also used with the Jews as Baptism with us for admission into the Church of Israel And it was Gods express command that the Child on the eighth day should be Circumcised And on that day more than any other saith Saint Austen to signifie Christs resurrection who rested the weeks end in the grave and rose on the eighth day And if Aristotle say true one may give a reason why not before the eighth day because a Child for the seven days is most dangerous for weakness A stranger was so admitted to their Congregation Exod. 2. 48. And of this does Rabbi Eliezer fantastically expound that verse in Jonah 1. 16. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered sacrifice whereupon the wandring Jew saith thus As soon as the Mariners saw when they drew near to Niniveh all the wonders that the blessed God did to Jonah they stood and cast every one his gods into the Sea They returned to Joppa and went up to Jerusalem and Circumcised the flesh of their fore-skin as it is said And the men feared the Lord exceedingly and sacrificed Sacrifices what Sacrifice But this Blood of the Circumcision which is as the Blood of a Sacrifice And they vowed to bring every one his Wife and Children and all that he had to fear the Lord God of Jonah and they vowed and performed This was indeed the way to admit Proselytes by Circumcision but in Salomons time when they became Proselytes by thousands they admitted them by Baptism or Washing as some Jews do witness Whether the neglect of Circumcision as I may so term it in the Wilderness were meerly Politick because of their more fitness for any moments removal and march or whether some Mystery were in it I will not decide Nor need I relate how the Jews use to Circumcise their Children for the great Buxtorfius hath punctually done it Nor can I relate how highly the Jews prise their Circumcision for one might gather volums out of them upon this subject For they consider not that he is not a Jew which is one outward neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Jew which is one within and the Circumcision is of the Heart in the Spirit not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God CHAP. XXVII Of the Passover THE Passover was a full representation of Christs passion though to the Jews the Passover was more than a meer shadow To run through the parts of it might be more than copious A word and away At the Passover the beginning of the Year is changed So. At Christs Passover the beginning of the Week is changed The Passover was either of a Lamb to signifie Christs innocency or of a Kid to signifie his likeness to sinful Flesh as Lyranus The Lamb or Kid was taken up and kept four days to see whether he were spotless and it may be to scoure and cleanse himself from his Grass The Passover slain at Even So CHRIST slain at Even His Blood to be sprinkled with a bunch of Hysop So CHRISTS Blood sprinkled And of this I think David may be understood Psal. 51. Cleanse me with Hysop That is besprinkle me with the Blood of the true Paschal Lamb Jesus Christ. He was to be roasted with Fire So So Christ tried with Fire of Affliction These parts were to be roasted His Head His Legs His Inward parts So was CHRIST Tortured His Head with Thorns His Hands and Feet with Nails His Inwards with a Spear Their Eating of him as it concerned the Israelites in their estate so may it instruct Christians for the eating of the true Passover the Lords Supper The Passover Eaten Without Leaven With bitter Herbs With Loins girt With Feet shod With Staff
in that month was born into the World and what if on that very day that the Temple was Consecrated namely the fifteenth day of the month of whose Incarnation and Birth how lively a Type the Temple and its Dedication were I need not to illustrate Thus was the Temple dedicate and the Service of it began Anno Mundi three thousand and one At the Dedication of it both the Books of Kings and Chronicles inform us that the Tabernacle of the Congregation and all the Holy Vessels that had been in the Tabernacle were brought up thither 1 Kings VIII 4. 2 Chron. V. 5. But the question is What became of them there were they used or were they laid up There are that assert either way and the later seemeth the more probable namely that these things of Moses upon the rising of a greater and more eminent Glory did decay and were laid aside as all his Ceremonies were to do upon the rising of the Gospel The Temple though it were of a Heavenly resemblance use and concernment as figuring Christs Body John II. 19. enjoying Gods presence 2 Chron. VII 16. and Israels worship Psal. CXXII 4 c. yet being but an earthly building it was subject to the universal condition of earthly things casualty and changing Nay there is hardly any State or Place in any Story of which may be found more vicissitudes and alterations of condition than of this and there is hardly any Kings time of all those that reigned in the time of the Temple in which it received not some remarkable alteration of estate or other In the time of Solomon that built it it received that vile affront of an Idol Temple built by him in the face of it and what became of the Service of the Temple in these times may be shrewdly suspected In his son Rehoboams time it was first forsaken by the Ten Tribes and afterward by Judah it self who fell to Idolatry and then it was plundred by Shishak How oft the Treasuries of it were plundred sometimes by Forainers sometimes by their own Kings how oft it self prophaned as by Athaliah Ahaz Manasseh how the Service of it either totally slighted or slightly performed how Idols set up in it and Altars to strange gods how the Blood of the High Priest shed and the manners of the Priests corrupt and the House of Prayer made a Den of Thieves as also how sometimes again it was repaired the Service restored the Priests reformed and matters amended with it is so plainly and copiously described in the Books of Scripture that it were but transcription of the Text to recite them in particular At last it had run out its date and it self fired and all its precious Vessels were Captived by the Babylonian what became of the Ark the Scripture doth not mention the Jews conceive that it was hid in some Vault that they say Solomon had purposely made against such a time where it escaped the Conquerors fury but this we leave to their own credit The time of the standing of this first Temple from its finishing in the eleventh year of Solomon to its firing by Nebuzaradan was four hundred and twenty years SECT 1. The state of the second Temple under the Persian Monarchy ALthough between the return out of the Babylonian Captivity and the final desolation of Jerusalem there might seem to be strictly and literally two Temples that of Zorababel and that of Herod for Herod began his Temple from the very Foundation yet do the Scriptures and all Jewish Writers so unanimously and generally own them but for one Temple calling it the Second Temple all the time there was a Temple after its first building under Cyrus that it would be but needless labour and unwarrantable curiosity to take up any other notion or distinction of it For though the Temple built by Zorobabel were pulled down to the very ground by Herod when he built that Fabrick that stood to the last fate of Jerusalem yet since that demolition was not by destruction and ruine but for reparation and for its bettering there is no reason to reckon these as two several Temples but as one Temple first built and then repaired to a more excellent and glorious condition From the first year of Cyrus in which he Proclaimed Redemption to the Captives and gave Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem to the death of Christ were four hundred and ninety years as they be summed by an Angel Dan. IX and from the death of Christ to the fatal and final destruction of Jerusalem were forty years more five hundred and thirty years in all In all which time it were endless to shew every particular occurrence and change of condition that befel the Temple and it would require a large Story and Volume I shall therefore only touch upon the chiefest distributing the times into those several and remarkable periods that they fell into and applying the Stories to the times accordingly The first parcel of this time was taken up by the Persian Monarchy which how long it continued and for how many Kings Succession is a thing of as disputable and controverted a nature as any one thing in Chronology I will keep to the number and names of the Kings of that Throne that we find in Scripture In Dan. XI 2. there are these words Behold there shall stand up yet three Kings in Persia and the fourth shall be far richer than they all and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the Realm of Grecia And a mighty King shall stand up c. And when he shall stand up his Kingdom shall be broken and shall be divided toward the four Winds of Heaven and not to his posterity c. It is observable concerning this Prophesie and account about the Persian Monarchy 1. That this was told Daniel in the third year of Cyrus Chap. X. 1. and so when he saith There shall stand up yet three Kings and the fourth c. he meaneth four besides Cyrus the first beginner of the Kingdom and therefore some of the Jews do make but a cross reckoning upon this place who will have Cyrus which was the first to be meant by this that is called the fourth 2. The Prophesie speaketh of the length of the Persian Monarchy till it brings it up to Alexander the Great the destroyer of that Monarchy of whom it speaketh plainly vers 3 4. and of his Successors afterwards vers 5 c. 3. There were therefore by the account of the Angel here but five Kings of Persia namely Cyrus and four more 4. These four are thus named in the Scripture 1. Ahashuerosh Ezra IV. 6. 2. Darius Ezra IV. 24. VI. 1. c. 3. Artaxerxes Ezra VI. 14. 4. Darius Neh. XII 22. To which may be added for the confirmation of this account 5. That Nehemiah lived quite through the whole length of the Persian Monarchy being at Mans estate the first year of it Ezra II. 2.
Rabban Simeon succeeded him c c c c c c Juchas fol. 57. 1. who perished with the City Jerusalem being destroyed d d d d d d Avoth R. Nathan cap. 4. Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai obtained of Titus the Conqueror that he might still receive and retain the Sanhedrin of Jabneh which being granted by him Jochanan himself was first President there and after him Rabban Gamaliel the second and after him R. Akibah And this place was famous above all the other Universities except only the latest of all viz. Tiberius so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vinyard of Jabneh became a proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e e e e e e Jevamoth cap. 8. R. Sal. ib◠For there there they sat in order as a Vinyard And it is reported f f f f f f Hieros Taanith fol. 67. 4. that there were there three hundred classes of Scholars or at least eighty How long time Rabban Jochanan sat here is doubted g g g g g g See Juchasin fol. 20. 21. There are some who attribute to him two years only and h h h h h h Tsemach David others five with whom we consent This Rabban Jochanan I very much suspect to be the same with that John mentioned Act. IV. 6. Omitting those things which were done by him while he remained at Jafneh let me produce his dying words as they are recited by his friends i i i i i i Bab. Beracoth fol. 28. 2. When Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai now laid languishing his Scholars came to visit him Whom he seeing began to weep To whom they said O thou light of Israel thou right hand pillar thou strong hammer whence are those tears To whom he replied If men were about to carry me before a King of flesh and blood who to day is here and to morrow is in his Grave if he were angry with me his anger is not everlasting if he should cast me into bonds his bonds are not eternal if he should kill me his killing would not be eternal and I might perhaps pacifie him with words or soften him with a gift But they are ready to lead me before the King of Kings the Lord holy and blessed who lives and lasts for ever and for ever and ever who if he be angry with me his anger is eternal if he bind me his bond is eternal if he kill me his killing is eternal and whom I cannot either appease with words or soften with a gift And moreover there are two ways before me one to Paradice another to Hell and I know not which way they will lead me Should I not therefore weep Ah! the miserable and fainting confidence of a Pharisee in death Rabban Gamaliel of Jabneh a busie and severe man succeeded Jochanan k k k k k k Juchas f. 53. 2 Being to be slain with his father Rabban Simeon by the intercession of Rabban Jochanan he was delivered l l l l l l Bab. Taanith fol. 29. 1. Being also sought for to be slain when Turnus Rufus in m m m m m m Josep de Bell. lib. 7. cap. 7. Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terentius Rufus plowed up the floor of the Temple he was delivered by a way scarcely credible n n n n n n Rosh Hashanah c. 1. Hal. 7. Sitting in Jafneh he removed R. Akibah Head at that time of the School of Lydda from his Headship o o o o o o Hieros Taanith fol. 67. 4. and he at last was removed from his and over him was placed R. Eleazar ben Azarias R. Akibah succeeded him and sat forty years and died a fool being deceived by ben Cozba and slain with him and the University was removed from Jabneh to Usha Jafne stands two Parsae that is eight miles from Azotus and was at last called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ivelyn They are the words of Benjamin in his Itinerary CHAP. XVI Lydda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a a a a a a Joseph Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lydda was a village not yielding to a City in greatness Concerning its situation and distance from Hierusalem the Mishnah hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b b b b Maasar Sheni cap. 5. Hal. 2. The Vinyard of four years that is the fruit of a Vinyard now of four years growth for for the first three years they were trees as it were not circumcised was brought to Hierusalem in the space of a days journey on every side Now these were the bounds of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elath on the South 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acrabatta on the North 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lydda on the West and Jordan on the East The Gloss The wise men appointed that the second Tenth of the fruits growing within the space of a days journey from Hierusalem should be carried thither to be eaten and should not be redeemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That the streets of Hierusalem might be crowned with fruits When you consider this distance you may well wonder what that means which is almost become a Proverb c c c c c c Gemar Hieros in Maasar Sheni in the place above The Women of Lydda knead their dough go up to the Temple pray and come back before it be leavened Not that the distance of the places are made less but that hence may be shewn that no disadvantage accrued to these women who paid their vows and performed their Religion I very much wonder that the Authors of the Maps have held Lod and Lydda for two Towns Lod not far from Jordan and Jericho Lydda not far from the Mediterranean Sea A Jew or one versed in Jewish affairs will laugh at these things when Lod and Lydda have no difference at all between them unless that that is Hebrew this Greek When the Sanhedrin sat in Jabneh there flourished eminent Schools in Lydda Yea Lydda had her Schools and her Learned Men when the University was gone away into Galilee and Jabneh lamented her loss of Scholars There R. Akibah bore the Headship of the School removed as I said before from his government by Rabban Gamaliel d d d d d d Rosh Hashanah cap. 1. Hal. 7. Because he detained at Lydda more than forty pair of men travailing towards Jafneh to give their testimony to the Sanhedrin concerning the new Moon and suffered them not to go forwards Gamaliel being dead or rather removed when R. Akibah was Head in Jabneh R. Tarphon was Rector of the School of Lydda whom you have sometimes disputing with R. Akibah but at last yielding to him with this commendation He that separates himself from you is as if he separated himself from his own life e e e e e e Hieros Jom Tobh fol. 62 ◠We read of
whether Cuthite leaven f c. With which caution the Disciples thought that Christ armed them when he spake concerning the leaven of the Pharisees but withall they suspected some silent reproof for not bringing bread along with them VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom do men say that I the son of man am I. THAT phrase or title The son of man which Christ very often gives himself denotes not only his humanity nor his humility for see that passage Joh. V. 27. He hath given him Authority of executing Judgment because he is the Son of Man but it bespeaks the seed promised to Adam the second Adam and it carried with it a silent confutation of a double ignorance and error among the Jews 1. They knew not what to resolve upon concerning the original of the Messias and how he should rise whether he should be of the living as we noted before the manner of his rise being unknown to them or whether of the dead This phrase unties this knot and teaches openly that he being a seed promised to the first man should arise and be born from the seed of the woman 2. They dreamed of the earthly victories of the Messias an◠of nations to be subdued by him but this title The Son of man recalls their minds to the first promise where the victory of the promised seed is the bruising of the Serpents head not the subduing of Kingdoms by some warlike and earthly triumph II. When therefore the opinion of the Jews concerning the person of the Messias what he should be was uncertain and wavering Christ asketh not so much whether they acknowledged him the Messias as acknowledging the Messias what kind of person they conceived him to be The Apostles and the other Disciples whom he had gathered and were very many acknowledged him the Messias yea those blind men Chap. IX ver 27. had confessed this also therefore that Question had been needless as to them Do they think me to be the Messias But that was needful What do they conceive of me the Messias and to this the Answer of Peter has regard Thou art Christ the Son of the living God as if he should say We knew well enough a good while ago that thou art the Messias but as to the Question What kind of person thou art I say Thou art the Son of the living God See what we note at Chap. XVII ver 54. Therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom asks not so much concerning the person as concerning the quality of the person In which sense also is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who in those words 1 Sam. XVII 55. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not The Son of whom but the Son of what kind of man is this youth VERS XIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But others Ieremias THE reason why they name Jeremy only of all the Prophets we give at Chap. XXVII ver 9. You observe that recourses is here made to the memory of the dead from whom the Messias should spring rather than from the living among other things perhaps this reason might perswade them so to do that that piety could not in those days be expected in any one living as had shined out in those deceased persons one of the Babylonian Gemarists suspects that Daniel raised from the dead should be the Messias And this perhaps perswaded them further because they thought that the Kingdom of the Messias should arise after the Resurrection and they that were of this opinion might be led to think that the Messias himself was some eminent person among the Saints departed and that he rising again should bring others with him VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flesh and Blood THE Jewish Writers use this form of speech infinite times and by it oppose men to God g g g g g g Rab. Btrac fol. 28. 2. If they were about to lead me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before a King of flesh and blood c. but they are leading me before the King of Kings h h h h h h Tauchum fol. 12. 4. A King of flesh and blood forms his picture in a table c. the Holy blessed one his c. This Phrase occurrs five times in that one column i i i i i i Id. fol. 18. 3. The Holy Blessed God doth not as flesh and blood doth c. Flesh and blood wound with one thing and heal with another but the Holy Blessed one wounds and heals with one and the same thing Joseph was sold for his dreams and he was promoted by dreams VERS XVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thou art Peter c. I. THERE is nothing either in the Dialect of the Nation or in reason forbids us to think that our Saviour used this very same Greek word since such Grecizings were not unusual in that Nation But be it granted which is asserted more without controversie that he used the Syriac word yet I deny that he used that very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cepha which he did presently after but he pronounced it Cephas after the Greek manner or he spoke it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cephai in the adjective sense according to the Syriac formation For how I pray could he be understood by the Disciples or by Peter himself if in both places he had retained the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art a Rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And upon this Rock I will build my Church It is readily answered by the Papists That Peter was the Rock But let them tell me why Matthew used not the same word in Greek if our Saviour used the same word in Syriac If he had intimated that the Church should be built upon Peter it had been plainer and more agreeable to the vulgar Idiom to have said Thou art Peter and upon thee I will build my Church II. The words concerning the Rock upon which the Church was to be built are evidently taken out of Esay Chap. XXVIII 16. Which the New Testament being interpreter in very many places do most plainly speak Christ. When therefore Peter the first of all the Disciples from the very first beginning of the preaching of the Gospel had pronounced most clearly of the person of Christ and had declared the Mystery of the Incarnation and confessed the Deity of Christ the minds of the Disciples are with good reason called back to those words of Esay that they might learn to acknowledg who that Stone was that was set in Sion for a foundation never to be shaken and whence it came to pass that that foundation remained so unshaken namely thence that he was not a Creature but God himself the Son of God III. Thence therefore Peter took his surname not that he should be argued to be that Rock but because he was so much to be employed in building a Church upon a Rock whether it were that Church that was to be gathered out of the Jews
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labouring all the day VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To their partners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If indeed they were joyned in such a kind of partnership which Maimon speaks of f f f f f f In cap. 4 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VERS XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When he was in a certain City behold a man full of Leprosie g g g g g g Kelim cap. 1. hal 7. THE walled Cities are more holy than the land of Israel in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they cast out the Leprous from them Which must be understood if we allow of the Rabbins for Interpreters of Cities that had been walled from the days of Josua If this City which the Evangelist here mentions were of that number no Leper would have been suffered in it unless absolved from his uncleanness by the Priest For the Leprosie remained after that absolution and the sick man was not healed but restored to the Church That the man is here said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of Leprosie the passage may not impertinently be compared with Levit. XIII 12 13. Whether he had been purified by the Priest before or no however Christ sends him to the Priest to offer what was required from the Leper that was cleansed The Law of Moses hardly supposeth the Leper healed when he was made clean It is a question indeed whether the Disease was ever cureable but by a miracle And therefore is this man sent to the Temple to shew himself to the Priest and offer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a tistimony unto them vers 14. That is that he might bear witness that the Leprosie an incurable disease was now healed by miracle as formerly it had been in Miriam and Naaman and so there was now a great Prophet arisen in Israel VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On a certain day IN Talmudic Writing it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on a certain time VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the receipt of custom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h h h h Succah fol. 30. 1. The House of Tribute This thing is like a King of flesh and blood passing by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the House of Tribute He saith to his servants pay the tax to the Publicans VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The old is better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i i i i i i Beracoth fol. 51. 1. Is not the old better The Gloss is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old Wine That is of three years old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wine of three leaves The Gloss is Of three years because k Schabb. fol. 129. 1. from the time that the Vine had produced that Wine it had put forth its leaves three times CHAP. VI. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the second Sabbath after the first I Have spoken to this already in notes upon Matth. XII Let me add a few things in this place It is a controversie amongst the Jewish Doctors and the Baitheuseans about the exposition of these words that concern the offering of the sheaf of the first fruits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the morrow of the Sabbath Levit. XXIII 10 11. Gloss. a a a a a a In Rosh hashanah fol. 22. 2. The Baithuseans desired that the first day of the Passover should be on the Sabbath that the offering of the sheaf might fall on the first day of the week And that the Feast of Pentecost might also fall on the first day of the week For they interpreted those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Priest shall wave the sheaf on the morrow of the Sabbath as if the sense of them were on the morrow of the Sabbath of the Creation Against this the Rabbins dispute with one consent and indeed truly enough affirming that by the morrow after the Sabbath must be understood the morrow after a sabbatical day or after the first day of the Feast So the Targumist Siphra Solomon Menatiem c. So also the Greek Version We may see their Arguments b b b b b b In Siphra and Pesikta and Menacoth fol. 65. 1. The principal Argument is that of Rabban Johanan disputing with a Baithusean in the place last quoted One Scripture saith he saith you shall number fifty days that is from the day wherein you offer your sheaf unto Pentecost Levit. XXIII 16. Another Scripture saith ye shall count seven Sabbaths Levit. XXIII 14. Deut. XVI 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This if the first day of the Feast happen on the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That if the first day of the Feast happen in the middle of the week His meaning is this If the first day of the Seven-days Feast of the Passover happen on the Sabbath then the sheaf being offered the next day after the Feast of Pentecost will fall on the next day after the seventh Sabbath But if that first day happen in the middle of the week then from the offering of the sheaf the next day we must not count seven Sabbaths but fifty days For instance suppose we the Lamb eaten on the third day of the Jewish week which with us is Tuesday Wednesday was the first day of the Feast and on Thursday the sheaf was offered then on Thursday again accounting fifty days is the Feast of Pentecost Here Seven Sabbaths come between and four days after the last Sabbath before the Pentecost Where numbring by Sabbaths shortens the space of time but numbring by fifty days fixes the matter beyond scruple And at once it concludes these two things I. That the offering of the sheaf was not restrained to the next day after the Sabbath but to the day after the sabbatical day viz. the first day of the Feast II. That the day of Pentecost was not restrained to the first day of the week as the Baithuseans would have it but might fall on any day of the week What should be the Baithuseans reason why they so earnestly contended to reduce the day of Pentecost always to the morrow after the Sabbath or the first day of the week is not easie to comprehend Perhaps he that disputes the matter with Rabban Johanan gives some hint of it when he tells us Our master Moses loved Israel and knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Feast of Pentecost should be but for one day did therefore appoint it on the morrow after the Sabbath that Israel might rejoyce two days together Whatever the reason was it is certain they misunderstood that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the offering the sheaf the morrow after the Sabbath when it was to be understood of the morrow after a Sabbatical day And so the Greek Version 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he shall offer the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you on the morrow after the first day
that particularly by very impious vows they would be making We have a little hint of it Mat. XV. 5. and more in the Treatise Nedarim See also Mat. V. 43. Thou shalt hate thine enemy This rule obtain'd in the Jewish Schools And upon that precept Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self let us see the mighty charitable Gloss in Chetubb c c c c c c Fol. 8. 2. Thou shalt love thy neighhour as thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is decree him to an easie death namely when he is adjudg'd by the Sanhedrin to die When you consider the frequent repetition of this precept Love one another consider also that passage Mat. X. 34. I came not to send peace but a sword and then having reflected on those horrid seditions and mutual slaughters wherewith the Jewish Nation raging within its self in most bloody discords and intestine broils was even by its self wasted and overwhelmed you will more clearly see the necessity and reasonableness of this command of loving one another as also the great truth of that expression By this they shall know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But I have call'd you friends because all things c. Thus is it said of Abraham the friend of God Gen. XVIII 19. VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye have not chosen me FOR it was a custom amongst the Jews that the Disciple should chuse to himself his own Master d d d d d d Avoth cap. 1. hal 6. Joshuah ben Perachiah said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chuse to thy self a master and get a Colleague VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They had not had sin So also ver 24. in both places the passage is to be understood of that peculiar sin of rejecting the Messiah If I had not spoken to them and done those things that made it demonstrably evident that I was the Messiah they had not had sin that is they had not been guilty of this sin of rejecting me But when I have done such things amongst them it is but too plain that they do what they do in meer hatred to me and to my Father Our Saviour explains what sin he here meaneth in Chap. XVI 9. CHAP. XVI VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall put you out of the Synagogues THIS I presume must be understood of a casting out from the whole Congregation of Israel because I know the Jews always proceeded in that manner against the Samaritans and certainly the Disciples of Jesus were full as hateful to them as the Samaritans could be Nay they often call the Christians by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuthites as well as those Those that were cast out of the Church they despoil'd of all their goods according to Ezra X. 8. which they also did to those that were Shammatiz'd e e e e e e Moed-katon fol. 81. 2. whence it may be a question whether Shammaetizing did not cast out of the whole Congregation and again whether one cast out of the whole Congregation might be ever readmitted We may take notice of what is said in Avodah Zarah f f f f f f Fol. 7. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No one that relapseth may be receiv'd again for ever The Gloss tells us that the passage concerns the Plebeians or Laicks who having taken upon themselves any religious rule of life go back again from that profession they do not admit them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into that order and society again Whether therefore those that fell off from the Gospel returning to their Judaism again were ever admitted into the Jewish Church after they had voluntarily forsaken it might be an enquiry but these things only by the by There was in truth a twofold Epocha of the persecution of the Apostolical Church namely both before that Apostacy of which we have such frequent mention and also after it Our Saviour had foretold the Apostacy in that tremendous Parable about the unclean spirit cast out and returning again with seven worse So shall it be also saith he with this wicked generation Mat. XII 45. The footsteps of this we may discern almost in every Epistle of the Apostles It is worthy observation that of 2 Thes. II. 3. This day of the Lord shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed The day of the Lord here spoken of was that wherein Christ should come and reveal himself in that remarkable vengeance against Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation of which kind of expression we shall say more on Chap. XXI 22. The Apostacy or falling away and revelation of the man of sin was to precede that day which might be easily made out by a History of those times if I were to do the business either of an Historian or a Chronologer When therefore the severe and cruel persecution was first rais'd by the unbelieving Jews before this falling away of Christians it must needs be greatly encreas'd afterward by them and the Apostates together Which distinction we may easily observe out of this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will think that he doth God service So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Zealots of whom we have mention in Sanhedr g g g g g g Fol. 81. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Zealots kill him Gloss. These are those good men who are endued with zeal in the cause of God Such who with their own hands immediately slew the transgressor not staying for the judgment of the Sanhedrin So in the place before quoted The Priest that ministers at the Altar in his uncleanness they do not bring before the Sanhedrin but they bring him out into the Court and there brain him with the pieces of wood provided to maintain the fire upon the Altar What infinite mischiefs and effusion of blood such pretexts of zeal toward God might occasion it is easie to imagin and very direful instances have already witnessed to the world Hence was it that they so often went about to have ston'd our Saviour Hence those forty and more that had conspir'd against St. Paul And those Zealots whose butcherly cruelties are so infamous in the Jewish story took the occasion of their horrid madness first from this liberty From such kind of Villains as these the Disciples of Christ could have little safeguard indeed they were greatly endanger'd upon a threefold account I. From the stroke of Excommunication by which they were spoiled of their goods and estates Heb. X. 34. II. From the sentence of the Sanhedrin dooming them either to be scourg'd or slain III. From these Assasins for by this name a name too well known in Europe we will call them We pronounce Assasine and Assasination Gul. Tyrius calls them Assysins whom it may be worth the while to consult about the original of that name
none made oblations of their own good will Nor let any think it strange that the Prophet and after him the Proto-martyr counts up the time in that round sum of forty years when it was indeed but eight and thirty and an half for so doth God himself Numb XIV 34. VERS XLIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And ye took up c. THE word in Amos is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if we might render with R. Sol. in the future tense And ye shall bear your Idols with you into captivity as burdens laid upon your shoulders it would take off a little of the difficulty that otherwise seems to lye in this passage for it might be very reasonably questioned whether the Israelites ever did this in the wilderness but then this is directly contrary both to the Greek Version in that Prophet and now to the Holy Ghost in this place and to the very scope of the Proto-martyr in quoting it For he speaketh of God as giving up the people to worship the host of heaven and straightways suggests that they first desisted from serving God and then addicted themselves to the worshipping of Idols But the question is whether the discourse in this place is concerned in the Idolatry they committed in the wilderness or that in after-times That it doth not point at the Idolatry in the wilderness these following arguments seem to confirm I. Because there is no mention of any Idolatry committed in the wilderness after the Golden Calf besides that with Baal-Peor And it is hardly imaginable that Moloch and Baal-Peor were the same and that Moloch and Remphan were not two different Idols Nor is it probable at all that the Sacred Historian would have past over such a piece of wickedness without any taking notice either of the fault or punishment especially when as every where else the History of their Idolatry is related so very accurately But not to multiply arguments II. If Stephen refer this Idolatry of the Israelites to the times after those in the wilderness and in that sense interprets the Prophet he speaks the same thing that was commonly known and received amongst the Jews viz. that the punishment of that sin of the Golden Calf descended and was derived to following generations l l l l l l Sanhedr fol. 102. 1. R. Oshaiah saith that to the times of Jeroboam the children of Israel suckt of one Calf the Gloss is viz. that Calf they made in the wilderness but from that time forward they suckt of two and of a third too The Gloss is those two of Jeroboam's and the third of the wilderness R. Isaac saith there is not any instance of vengeance that comes upon the world wherein there is not a twenty fourth part of a pound of the first Calf According as it is said In the day that I visit I will visit their sin upon them Exod. XXXII R. Chaninah saith after twenty four generations the Gloss hath it in the Reign of King Zedekiah this verse was accomplisht as it is said He cried in mine ears with a loud voice the visitations of the City draw near every man having his destroying weapon in his hand Ezek. IX 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tabernacle of Moloch The Prophet Amos hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lat. Interlin Et portastis Siccuth Regem vestrum i. e. Ye carried Siccuth your King So R. Sol. and Kimchi Siccuth is the name of an Idol For my part I am at a stand in this matter as also in what words the Chaldee Paraphrast hath rendred this clause For in the Books publisht amongst us it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as the Aruch citing the Targumist in this place saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siccuth Malchechem with the Targumist is Succuth Pethachrechon Observe Pethachrechon not Pathcumarchon And that it was so originally written in the Targumist I do very much suspect however Kimchi owns only the other reading For 1. It is not easie I may say not possible to give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that propriety in this place that it bears in Ezek. XIII 18. and Chap. XVI 16. 2. Whereas the same Paraphrast renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Isa. VIII 21. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Zephan I. 5. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the more probable that he may render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word it should seem he useth for some Idol or heathen God because when he would express a King taken in its proper sense he always retains the usual word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If therefore according to the Copy quoted by the Aruch it should be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the Chaldee Version falls in with the Greek and shews that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendered your Moloch so that Moloch signifie an Idol and Succuth not an Idol but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tabernacle of Moloch which seems the more likely from the agreement of the two clauses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tabernacle of Moloch and Star of Remphan But who or what kind of God this Moloch should be I will not spend much time to find out this having been the business of so many Pens already only this I cannot but observe that both Moloch and Remphan were certain figures that represented some of the Coelestial Luminaries because he saith He gave them up to worship the host of Heaven c. And that it is generally supposed that by Moloch was represented the Sun partly because of the Kingly name and partly upon the account of the fiery form and shape of the Idol and the fiery rites of its worship It is also called Baal Jer. XXXII 35. They built the high places of Baal to offer their sons to Motoch Which whether it be the same Idol that Ahab brought in upon Israel might not be unworthy our considering There may be some colour and hint of that bloody worship in what the Priests of Baal did to themselves 1 King XVIII 28. They cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets till the blood gushed out upon them Moloch as the Jews describe him was an Image of brass having the face of a Calf his hands open like one ready to receive something brought him from another And so Diodorus Siculus describes Saturn of Carthage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They had an Image of Saturn made of brass stretching out his hands extended towards the earth so that a child being put into them was thrown and rould in a great gulph of fire q q q q q q Apud Euseb. Prepar Evang. lib 4. cap. 16. There we have also this passage out of Philo concerning the History of the Phoenicians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Saturn therefore whom the Phoenicians call Israel having governed that Country after his death was made the Star called Saturn Of
him unless he would Nevertheless R. Moses of Egypt glosseth otherwise saying that by love is understood if he be in love with the beauty of the image of that Idol by fear that if he fear the Idol should hurt him as the Worshippers of it think that it can profit or hurt and that if he adore it in such a case he is free An excellent School and excellent doctrine indeed To omit other things mark that which prevailed also with these Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he acknowledg not the Idol under the notion of God it is nothing and these men said also An Idol is nothing Therefore to be in an Idol Temple to eat things offered to Idols is nothing for I own nothing of the Deity in the Idol I know it is wood or stone c. But saith the Apostle First however the Idol it self be wood or stone yet those things which are offered to it are offered to Devils Chap. X. 20. And Secondly However you think your self so wise as to judge of an Idol as a matter of nothing yet all have not so accurate a judgment and you by your example encourage others to eat things offered to Idols even under the notion of things offered to Idols VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For whom Christ dyed HE useth the very same argument and reason Rom. XIV 15. And his words respect the quality of the person than rather the person himself barely considered As though he had said for tender consciences and trembling at the word of God for those that are burthened and grone under the yoke and weight of the Law for such as sweat and pant in the ways of the Lord to keep faith and a good Conscience for such Christ dyed and will you destroy such an one by your meat He dyed to loosen those yokes and to lighten consciences pressed under those weights and will you destroy such with your meat CHAP. IX VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Am I not free HERE some Interpreters in their Versions vary the order of the clauses and read Am I not free and then after that Am I not an Apostle Moved to it hence undoubtedly because it is greater to be an Apostle than to be Free and they supposed they should keep true order if they proceeded from a lower degree to a higher But they should have considered that Paul did not barely treat of Christian Liberty but of Apostolic Liberty which appears also sufficiently vers 5 Nor could he use a more accurate method in his business than by first proving himself an Apostle and then proving his Apostolic Liberty He is about to treat of his Liberty or how lawful it is for him to require maintenance for himself his wife and family if he had them for his ministery in the Gospel among the Heathen which Peter and the rest of the Apostles did among the Jews It was formerly appointed by Jewish Lawyers that Tithes were not to be required and taken of the Gentiles maintenance was not to be asked from Heathens and that a Jew should not make himself any ways beholden to an Heathen Which so much the more also prevailed among them because there was not any permission in the Law concerning these things or at least that there was deep silence in the Law concerning them These matters could not but raise a contest against him concerning his maintenance among the Heathen while he preached the Gospel to them Our Apostle therefore the Minister of the Uncircumcision flies to that namely to defend himself by his Apostolical power among them who had raised a difference against him about this business Ver. 3. Be it granted that it was appointed by the Traditional Laws concerning taking no maintenance from Heathens yea though it were granted that it were so decreed by the Law of Moses but I am an Apostle I am free from such Laws yea it is in my power to institute this for a Law to the converted Heathen that those that preach the Gospel should be sustained by the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have I not seen Iesus Christ PAUL saw the Lord twice First in his journey to Damascus when he was marked out for an Apostle Secondly In his Trance at Jerusalem when he was marked out for the Apostle of the Gentiles Act. XXII 21. He alone among the Apostles saw the Lord after his ascension VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Apology c. THE Apology it self follows Have we not power c. unto ver 15. The necessity of his Apology was that he was accused by some of receiving maintenance from Heathen Churches for his preaching the Gospel or it was observed with a stern countenance by some Cavilers whether he would receive it or not Hence it was that he applied himself to mechanic labour whereby he might sustain himself and get his living Not that it was unlawful for him to demand a livelyhood of the Gentiles but because he would not to stop the mouths of the Jews that barked against him Hence are those words vers 19 20. I am free from all men and yet I am become the Servant of all To the Jews I became as a Jew c. Compare III. Joh. ver 7. They took nothing of the Gentiles VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that wait at the Altar HE distinguisheth between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labouring about holy things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Waiting at the Altar For there were some who wrought in the holy things besides those who served at the Altar concerning whom see the Tract Shekalim a a a a a a Cap. 5. Among the rest were they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who picked the wormt out of the wood which was to be layed upon the Altar who being touched and infected with some spot were not fit to minister at the Altar but they were deputed to this office and nourished out of the consecrated things b b b b b b Middoth cap. 2. hal 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Assidentes Altari sitting at the Altar not in the proper and strictest sense for it was lawful for none to sit within the Court but for the King alone c c c c c c Joma f. 69. 2. But rather Obsidentes Besieging the Altar and spred every where about it in the service of it Some taking away the ashes some killing the Sacrifice others sprinkling the bloud others laying the pieces of the Sacrifice upon the Altar c. Concerning which see the Tract Tamid d d d d d d Cap. 3. hal 1. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also to lay snares which may also be applied to that emulous diligence wherewith they did as it were lay snares for the Altar contending in former times who should first go up thither to take away the ashes and to make the fire c. concerning which these things are related In e e e
the virtue of his blood i. e. of his obedience and righteousness so see what the same Apostle saith of his Exaltation Phil. II. 8 c. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow c. And think here Christian what a stock of obedience and righteousness here is for thee to answer and satisfie for thy disobedience and unrighteousness if thou become a child of the Covenant as this blood was the blood of the Covenant It is said in Dan. IX 26. That Messiah should be cut off but not for himself This blood of the New Testament was not shed for himself but for many And here is enough for every soul that comes to him be they never so many Like the Widdows oyl in the Book of the Kings there is enough and enough again as long as any Vessel is brought to receive it And this may direct us toward the forming of the reliance of our Faith upon the blood of Christ the great work that a Christian hath to do for his Justification and Salvation Which will be the more cleared to us by considering how his blood is the blood of the Covenant Which is the next thing we should speak to had we time to do it A SERMON PREACHED UPON HEBREWS XIII 10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle THERE is one that asks our Saviour Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life Mat. XIX 16. And another that asks his great Apostle What must I do to be saved Act. XVI 30. The questions mean one and the same thing but only proposed in different expressions And the answers tend to one and the same purpose though proposed in terms very different Our Saviour answers If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments The Apostle answers If thou wilt be saved believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The one proposeth Faith the other proposeth Good works not in such contrariety as the Apostle James speaks of Faith and Works Chap. III. but in such consonancy as that the one is subservient unto the other keeping of the Commandments towards the bringing on of Faith and Faith to the breeding and forwarding the keeping of the Commandments and both to obtain eternal life I will speak at present of the absolute necessity of Faith for the obtaining eternal life and therefore have I chosen these words which I have read to you which seem at first sight to be meer strangers to such a subject but when explained and rightly understood are very pertinent to such a matter I say rightly understood for there are many the Popish Expositors especially that understand them exceedingly wrong and as far from the Apostles meaning as likely can be By we have a Altar they understand the Altar in their Churches viz. the Table where they administer the Sacrament and thence they call the Sacrament The Sacrament of the Altar A title that hath been too common in England and which hath cost many a good man very dear The Lord grant the title be never known here any more But the title of the Altar is commonly known among us still and ask many why they call it an Altar they will be ready to produce this place of the Apostle We have an Altar As if the Apostle who had been crying down the service and sacrifices of the Altar all along this Epistle and shewed that they were but shadows and to vanish when the substance appeared should set them up again and build up anew what he had so earnestly set himself to destroy As if Gedeon that destroyed the Altar of Baal in the night should fall awork in the morning and build it up again But the Altar in the Apostles meaning here is Christ himself And as he had called him an High Priest and a Sacrifice along in the Epistle before so he calls him also the Altar here shewing that all those things did but represent him and that he was the substance and reality of those shadows He shews how he was the Great High Priest in the later end of the fourth and along the fifth Chapter He shews how he was the great Sacrifice in the ninth and tenth Chapters and how he was the great Altar he shews at this place We have an Altar And that he means Christ by the Altar is apparent by two things that follow to omit more that might be collected by the context The first is in the words immediately following For those beasts whose blood was brought by the High Priest into the holy place for sin their bodies were burnt without the Camp Therefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate His argumentation is this The great solemn Sacrifice for sin on the day of attonement was not burnt upon the Altar in the Temple but was burnt without the City so Christ was sacrificed without the gate so that whosoever will partake of that true Sacrifice for sin must go to the Altar there and not to the Altar within the Temple And in the next verse but one he shews yet more plainly that he means Christ by our Altar ver 13. Therefore by him let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God As on the Altar in the Temple they offered their Sacrifices and Thank-offerings so by him as on our Altar Let us offer our sacrifice of praise to God So that in the words you have an Affirmative assertion and a Negative The Affirmative That we have Christ for our Altar The Negative That they that serve the Tabernacle have no right to eat of this Altar The Affirmative comfortable to every true Christian the later seems comfortless for every true Jew The reason of the Negative assertion we may inquire more particularly into afterwards To the former to speak at present we take up this Observation from it That he that will offer any sacrifice acceptable to God must go to Christ as the true Altar on which to offer it No sacrifice among the Israelites could be accepted if it were not offered on the Temple-altar And it was Gods special command Thou shalt not offer thy sacrifice in any of thy Cities but shalt go to the Altar of the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse Nor can any sacrifice be acceptable to God of any Christian but what is offered to him upon the Altar of his appointment the Lord Christ where alone is attonement for sinners As Priesthood and Sacrifice were typical and signified to this purpose so also was the Altar of the same signification And whereas there were two Altars at the Temple one for Sacrifice the other for Incense they did both but represent Christ and his acting