314 other lived longest of all the twelve The children of Israel after the Years of the Promise 315 Years of the Promise 316 death of the twelve Patriarchs do by degrees fall into all manner of Years of the Promise 317 abomination They commit Idolatry Josh. 24. 14. Ezek. 20. 8. They forget Years of the Promise 318 and forgo Circumcision the Covenant of their God and this was Years of the Promise 319 Years of the Promise 320 the reproach of Egypt Josh. 5. 9. c. They joyned in marriage with the Years of the Promise 321 Egyptians Lev. 24. 10. Exod. 12. 38. and walked according to such Years of the Promise 322 wretched principles as these therefore the Lord casteth them into a furnace Years of the Promise 323 Years of the Promise 324 of affliction and now as in Abrahams vision Gen. 15. 12. when Years of the Promise 325 the Sun of Religion is gone down among them an horrid darkness of Years of the Promise 326 Years of the Promise 327 impiety and misery comes upon them Yet doth the strength of the Years of the Promise 328 Promise shew it self wonderful in both the sexes in the men that they Years of the Promise 329 Years of the Promise 330 are strong to beget children though overpressed with intolerable labour Years of the Promise 331 and in the women that they bare their children with less pain and tediousness Years of the Promise 332 Years of the Promise 333 of travel then other women did being lively and quick in their Years of the Promise 334 delivery and were delivered before the midwives came at them Pharaoh Years of the Promise 335 when over-labouring of the men will not prevent their increasing Years of the Promise 336 in children giveth charge to the midwives for the destroying of the children when they should be born but Shiphrah and Puah two of the midwives observing Gods wonderful hand in the womens delivery disobeyed the Kings command and by a glorious confession of Gods hand which they saw will rather venture the Kings displeasure then fight against God for Years of the Promise 337 Years of the Promise 338 which their piety God marrieth them to Israelites for they were Egyptian Years of the Promise 339 women and builded up Israelitish families by them ver 25. Because the Years of the Promise 340 midwives feared God he made them houses PSAL. LXXXVIII LXXIX IN these times of bitterness and misery lived the two sons of Zerah or the Ezrahites Heman and Ethan 1 Chron. 2. 6. who had the spirit of the Lord upon them in the midst of all this affliction and they penned the eighty eight and eighty ninth Psalms the former sadly mourning for the present distress and the latter cheerfully singing the mercies of God in the midst of this distress and prophecying of deliverance And here is the proper place and order of these Psalms The Book of JOB IN these times when it went thus sadly with Israel in Egypt there shone forth the glorious piety and patience of Job in the land of Uz and here in order of time doth his book and story come in It is not possible to fix the time of his great trial and affliction to its proper date but there are two or three considerations which do argue that it was about these bitter times of Israels sinfulness and misery As 1. to consider how suitable it is to the providence of God and agreeable to his dispensation at other times as in the matter of Elias and the widow of Sarepta for one instance that when Religion was utterly lost and gone in the Church of Israel where it should have been to find it in the family of Job in a place where it might have been little supposed to have been found 2. How Job is preferred for his piety before any man alive and that before his patience had given it such a lustre 3. If Eliphaz be called a Temanite as being the immediate son of Teman it helpeth to scantling the time exceeding much for then was he the fourth from Esau as Amram was from Jacob and so their times might very well be coincident The Book of Job seemeth to have been penned by Elihu one of the speakers in it as may appear by these two things 1. Because in Chap. 2. when Jobs friends that came to lament with him and to comfort him are reckoned and mentioned by name Elihu is not named in the number arguing as it may well be conceived these two things 1. That he came not to Job from a place far distant as the other three did but neighboured upon him And 2. that he himself was the Historian and Pen-man that made the relation and therefore he named not himself when he named others 2. Because in Chap. 32. he speaketh of himself as of the Historian ver 15 16 17. They were amazed they answer no more they left off speaking When I had waited for they spake not but stood still and answered no more I said I will answer also I also will shew my opinion Job was a son of Nahor Abrahams brother descended from him by his son Uz Gen. 22. 21. and so Elihu and he came to live so near together the one being of Uz the eldest son of Nahor and the other of Bus the second The order of the Book is facile and direct the Penman in the two first Chapters sheweth how Job fell into his misery who before was one of the richest and most prosperous men in those parts On a Sabbath day when the sons of God presented themselves before the Lord that is when the professors of the true Religion were met together in the publike assembly Satan was invisibly there among them but the Lord seeth him and upon some conference about Job the Lord letteth Satan loose upon him in reference to his estate and another Sabbath upon the like occasion and conference he letteth him loose upon him in reference to his body so Satan destroyeth all that he hath and all his children Read ver 5. of Chap. 1. not when the days of their feasting were gone about but as the days of their feasting went about â— and smiteth him with an intolerable itch that his nails will not serve his turn to scratch but he is glad to get a potsheard to scrub himself Then come his three friends to him from a far distance and Elihu his cousen that lived near to him and these in several speeches to him do but aggravate his misery and prove miserable comforters The dialogues or disputation between him and his three friends do hold this course that he answereth and they reply upon him in the course of their age and seniority Their greatest drift is to prove him extraordinary sinful because he was extraordinarily punished which incharitable errour when he cannot convince them of because of their prejudice he stoppeth all their mouths by a confident imprecation or execration upon himself if he be so faulty
the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy servant for this thing for so should the words be rendred as craving pardon for Idolatry past and not begging leave to be Idolatrous for the time to come Gehazies covetousness brings upon him Naamans Leprosie the Text hath divinely omitted a letter in one word that it might the more brand him with a blot for this his villany I will run after Naaman saith he and will take of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blot instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somewhat ver 20. The third year Elisha maketh Iron to swim preventeth the Syrians ambushments and striketh those with blindness that were sent to catch him and bringeth them into the middest of Samaria and there feasteth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 6. 23. So the bands of Syria came no more as yet into the land of Israel for so the very next verse teacheth that it should be translated for it relateth that after this Benhadad gathered all his Host and besieged Samaria So is the like passage to be rendred 2 King 24. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the King of Aegypt came no more as yet or at that time out of his Land for in Jer. 37. 5. The King of Aegypt is a foot with his Army and abroad again The fourth year Jehoshaphat dieth Edom rebelleth and shaketh off Judahs yoke which David had laid upon them Till Jorams time there was no King in Edom of absolute power and rule but a Deputy under the Kings of Judah was King 1 King 22. 47. but now Edom revolteth from under the hand of Judah and made a King over themselves 2 King 8. 20. Then Libnah revolteth also Joram goeth against them and by night smiteth their Squadrons which were pitched about him to give him battel the next morning The fifth year Samaria is besieged by Benhadad and the famine becomes so great in the City that women eat their own Children as Deut. 28. 53. 56. and men women and children eat Doves dung All the fault is laid upon Elisha and he must be beheaded but he foretelleth a suddain and wonderful delivery and a strange and miraculous plenty which accordingly came to pass An unbelieving Prince is trod to death The sixth year Philistims and Arabians oppress Joram King of Judah and captive his wives and children leaving him only one son behind Here he is met with for the murder of his own Brethren The seventh year Joram is fallen into the sad disease of his bowels 2 Chron. 21. 19. And it came to pass after the end of two years his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness for he shewed no bowels to his brethren This year the famine endeth at Harvest and at that Harvest the Shunamites child dieth and is recovered by Elisha his death and reviving is related instantly after the Story of his birth though when he died he was able to follow the reapers because his Story might be related together and not long after his Mother goeth to the King to beg and petition to be setled in her estate again and there she finds leprous Gehazi with him The first verse of Chapter 8. should chronically be translated as of the time past Now Elisha had spoken to the woman c. ver 2. And the woman had risen and done after the saying of the man of God c. This year Elisha is at Damaseus Benhadad sick Hazael stifles him with a wet cloth and reigns in his stead 2 CHRON. XXII to ver 10. 2 KING VIII 25. to the end World 3117 Iehoram 8 Iehoram 12 Division 88 AHAZIAH the son of Joram reigneth and dieth this year by the sword of Jehu 2 King 8. 26. In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab King of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram King of Judah begin to reign Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign and he reigned one year in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri King of Israel And 2 King 9. 29. In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to raign over Judah 2 Chron. 22. 2. Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign c. Here the Reader seeth two plain and visible differences the one about the age of Ahaziah and the other about the time when he began to reign The same Book of Kings saith he began to raign in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab and he began to raign in the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab Now the reconciling of this difference is easie when it is observed that Joram the son of Ahab reigned one whole year in the life time of his father and eleven years afterward And so one Text calleth his last year his twelfth that is of his whole raign and another Text calleth it his eleventh that is of his sole reign after his fathers death But the other difference is both the more visible and the more difficult for the Book of Kings saith Ahaziah was but two and twenty years old when he began to raign and the Book of Chronicles saith he was two and forty and so this latter reckoning maketh him two years older then his father for his father began to raign when he was two and thirty years old and and reigned eight years and so died being forty 2 King 8. 17. Now for the reconciling of this scruple the Original helpeth us which in our translation is not visible The Original meaneth thus Ahaziah was the son of the two and forty years namely of the house of Omri of whose seed he was by the mothers side and he walked in the ways of that house and came to ruine at the same time with it This the Text directed us to look after when it calleth his mother the daughter of Omri which was indeed the daughter of Ahab Now these forty two years are easily reckoned by any that will count back in the Chronicle to the second of Omri Such another reckoning there is about Jechoniah or Jehojachin 2 King 24. 8. Jehojachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign But 2 Chron. 36. 9. Jehojachin was the son of the eight years That is his beginning of reign fell in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar and of Judahs first captivity as shall be shewed there World 3117 Iehoram 8 Iehoram 12 Division 88 JORAM King of Israel fighteth at Ramoth Gilead is wounded comes to be healed of his wounds at Jezreel and is there slain by Jehu Ahaziah had been with Joram at Ramoth and is slain with Joram at Jezreel 2 CHRON. XXII vers 10 11 12. and 2 KING XI ver 1 2 3. World 3118 Athaliah 1 Iehu 1 Division 89 ATHALIAH destroyeth Athaliah 2 Iehu 2 Division 90 the rest of the Seed Royal Athaliah 3 Iehu 3 Division 91 that were left besides the forty Athaliah 4 Iehu 4 Division 92 two slain by Jehu she her Athaliah 5
shall be no more thence an infant of days nor an old man that hath not filled his days for the child shall dye an hundred years old That is there shall be so clear and great means of knowledge by the Gospel that none needed to be a child in understanding if they would but labour to know and that even the young child might speak it self to be as it were an hundred years old for knowledge if men would apply themselves to the means afforded for knowledge They produce that in I Joh. II. 27. The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you c. Whereas the Apostle himself doth explain what that anointing is namely Truth But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth which is the very common title of the Gospel in the Gospel To speak fully to this matter I should clear this I. That after God had compleated and signed the Scripture Canon Christians must expect Revelations no more It was promised by God that he would pour down of his Spirit in the last days but it means the last days of Jerusalem and when she had finished her days and seen her last the Spirit in such kind of effusion is to be looked for no more II. I should shew that the Scripture containeth all things necessary for us to know or to enquire of God about T is not for you to know the times and the seasons Act. I. T is not for Peter to enquire what should become of John What is that to him Joh. XXI 22. But what is necessary for us to know to the Law and to the Testimony there you may learn it I need not to tell you that you may enquire there and learn what to believe what to do what to avoid how to demean your selves towards God towards your Neighbours towards your Selves how to come to Heaven and the like For I hope none come hither at this time upon the present occasion but have consulted with this Oracle to direct them Whether to go to suite with their Neighbour or no how to bear Witness how to Counsil how to Determin But the common curiosity of men is ready to enquire how should I know my Fortune Why I may tell them from this Oracle if I may use the term Fortune in such a case Esa. III. 10 11. Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him But shall I propose a case of the greatest concernment that a man can possibly enquire about and that is How shall I know whether my sins are pardoned whether I have the favour and love of God whether I shall be saved At Urim and Thummim they never enquired about any of these things and I believe such questions were rarely proposed by any to any Prophet And yet this Oracle we are speaking of the Law and Testimony will resolve this Quaere as far as is needful for any man to know so little are we behind them in the advantage of inquiring of God Is there any here that proposeth this question from a good heart and for a good end Let me close with him in the words of God Esa. XXI 12. If ye will enquire enquire ye But first let me tell him That a man may be saved though he do not know he shall be saved till he come to Salvation And I doubt not but there are many in Heaven that were never certain that they should come there till they came thither A good man may die doubting fearing trembling and yet his estate be sure for blessedness though he be never assured of it till he enjoy it For it is Faith that secures Salvation and is absolutely necessary for it Assurance is not so absolutely necessary If he kill me yet will I trust in him saith Job A strong Faith but little Assurance and yet his eternal state secure enough Secondly A man may have Faith and yet not know that he hath it As how many of the dear Saints of God have groned under this doubtfulness And answerably a man may have Certainty of Salvation as to the thing it self though not Assurance as to his own apprehension I deny not all this while that Assurance may be had though it be not obtained by all and that it is to be striven after according to that give all diligence to make your calling and election sure But to the coming to satisfaction upon this inquiry do as the Priest in his inquiries put on the brest-plate and go and stand before the Ark of the Covenant and there inquire Bring your Covenant to face the Law and then consult with it For this purpose consider these properties of Conscience 1. The actings of Conscience are only about things twixt us and God 2. The actings of Conscience in this case and indeed in all are not directly but by reflexion the very name of Conscience imports no less a knowledge by reflection Thus a sinner by his Conscience knows he hath sinned How By reflecting on the Law knows he hath deserved wrath by the Law 3. As Conscience condemns in the same method it comforts and acquits In Rom. II. 15. Conscience accuses or excuses in the same way both by reflexion upon a Law For 4. The ultimate resolution in this inquiry must be from the Mandatory part of the Covenant not the Promissory Many a man deceives himself undoes himself by judging his case from the promises and not taking his Resolution thence whence it should come viz. his Conscience and Gods Commandments laid together God hath promised pardon mercy salvation therefore I doubt not saith a secure soul but all will be well with me But how knowest thou these promises belong to thee Go to the Mandatory part of the Covenant the Moral and Evangelical Law and lay Conscience to that as face and glass and there what seest thou The Law commands thus and thus look in Conscience hast thou done thus If so thou mayst conclude that thou shalt participate of the promises that are affixt to such Commandments Thou canst not look on the Sun in Heaven but mayst see it in a pail of water Thou canst not immediately discover whether God loves thee has pardoned thee intend thee for Salvation but thou canst do it by reflexion twixt Law and Conscience twixt this and the Conditions of the Covenant Peter does not conclude Lord thou lovest me but Lord I love thee Look on the Command Love the Lord then look in Conscience and that gives the reflexion and so thou mayest be secured A SERMON PREACHED AT HERTFORD Assise March 29. 1663. II. PET. III. 13. Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnes IT is well they might so and had warrant of promise so to do
Though it be confessed too that the exact agreement of the story in both places according to the Samaritan is on the other hand considerable for the readding of the Samaritan Text. The Repetitions of the Samaritan in Exod. XVII after vers 14 19 22. from Deut. XXIV V. with some alterations as in many other places and the interposition of a whole sentence Exod. XXII 10. and elsewhere these I say being all absent from all the Translations are arguments of the integrity of the Hebrew copy in general and particularly in those places Nor can I believe but in that vexatious question of the two Cainans Gen. X. 24. and Luke III. 36. the Septuagint is corrupted and the Hebrew Copy in the right since the Samaritan Text and Version and all other Translations agree with the Hebrew And even the Vatican Copy of the Septuagint in 1 Chron. I. hath quite left out the second Cainan and the Alexandrine Copy as it once hath it so it hath once omitted it also But then 2 on the other hand it is to be acknowledged that sometimes the consent of other Versions are an argument of defect or error in our present Hebrew Copies For through the Hebrew Copies we have be beyond all comparison the best and nearest the Originals yet it is too much partiality or superstition to believe that there are not therein some faults considerable to be corrected by the translations of which examples are frequent in the restoring of other Authors and particularly Ignatius's his Epistles by Primate Usher In that known place Psal. XXII 16. the English translation hath truly read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they pierced my hands and my feet But in our present Hebrew Copies it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As a Lyon my hands and my feet That there is a defect in all these Hebrew Copies and that it was formerly written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have pierced or digged my hands and my feet all the Versions except the Chaldee Paraphrase confirm Besides that the present reading is non-sense except it be supplied with some Verb as it is by the Chaldee Paraphrast which upon this Book of the Psalms and upon the Hagiographa is of no great antiquity where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. like a Lion biting my hands and my feet But this is very Precarious and such an Ellipsis though the Hebrew abounds with that figure as seems contrary to the Genius of the Biblical Hebrew and perhaps without example Not now to mention that according to the Masora it self it must be here read in another sense than as a Lion for it here notes that in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is twice found in the Bible with the Vowel â— but in two different significations and that the other place is Isa. XXXVIII 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our English translation I reckoned till morning that as a Lyon so will he break all my bones In this last place no doubt but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie as a Lyon therefore in the first place of Psal. XXII it must not signifie so but some other sense These are things known sufficiently to the Learned but not to beginners in this sort of Literature nor in our Language and therefore it may not be superfluous to mention them Nor that of Psal. CXLV 14. where all the Translations except the Chaldee Paraphrase again interposing a whole verse to this sense The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works makes it highly probable besides the argument from the Alphabetical beginning of every verse one of which will be wanting without that interposition that so much is left out in all our modern Hebrew Copies which was in the more ancient whatever the industrious and laborious Hottinger may briskly and warmly after his Thâ—s Philolog manner say in defence of them though the repetition of that verse with the alteration of two words in the seventeenth verse may be some argument on the other side That famous place of difficulty Exod. XII 40. The sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years would be justly suspected of defect from the Samaritan Text and Alexandrine Copy of the Seventy though there was no evidence from Chronology Both of which have it The sojourning of the children of Israel and of their Fathers in Egypt and Canaan and even the Roman edition of the Seventy adds the land of Canaan to Egypt In old Jacobs Prophesie concerning his youngest son Joseph Gen. XLIX 22. The Samaritan Text confirmed by the Seventy seems much the better reading than the Hebrew In the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which our English translation renders whose branches run over the wall But indeed according to the present punctation it can hardly be construed But in the Samaritan Text it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Joseph my youngest son which also well answers that in the prediction concerning Reuben vers 3. Reuben my first born In Gen. IV. 8. The agreement of the Samaritan Text and Version the Syriack Septuagint Vulgar Latine for the interposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Samaritan Text i. e. let us go into the field in the speech of Cain to Abel besides the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he said necessarily requiring it and a void space left in the Hebrew Copies makes it extreamly probable that those words are really wanting in our present Books As for the great difference of the intervals or sum of years from the Creation to the Flood and from the Flood to Abraham's birth which is between the present Hebrew the Samaritan and the Septuagint I leave it to Chronologers This is not a place to dispute it That there are also many Errata's and faults in many places of the present Hebrew of single letters both consonants and vowels I mean the sounds not the characters of vowels which without doubt are very late cannot reasonably be denyed by one unprejudiced as principally from other arguments so from one or more of the Versions I do not allow of all the Examples produced by Learned Men and some of them as much partial on the other hand and almost spiteful against the Hebrew But I think some instances are just and reasonable As to single out one or two Psal. II. 9. we read now in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Thou shalt break them with a rod or rather a scepter of Iron But in the Septuagint and in the New Testament as Rev. I. 27. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt feed or rule them to which agree all the other translations except the Chaldee Paraphrase Whence we have very likely reason to believe that they did read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew which signifies thou shalt feed
by Othniel 3 Urim and Thummini who should first begin that expedition the success of Othniel 4 which beginning would have much influence to daunt or incourage the enemy Othniel 5 according as it should prove Judah the royal Tribe is chosen for that purpose Othniel 6 and Caleb the son of Jephunneh is general for that Tribe till his age and Othniels Othniel 7 prowess caused the command to devolve upon Othniel Simeon joyneth with Othniel 8 Judah in the expedition who was mingled with him in possession as Josh. 19. 1. Othniel 9 Civil wars among the Canaanites have made the way the easier for Israels victories Othniel 10 for Judah conquereth seventy Kings in the conquest of Adonibesek they bring this Tyrant before Jerusalem for the greater terrour of the Jebusites and there kill him and then they sack and burn that City This story of the taking of Jerusalem lieth in its proper place here for though the King of it had been slain in the field Josh. 10. yet was not the City taken nor it nor any other City fired in Joshua's time but only Jericho Ai and Hazor Josh. 6. 24. 8. 26. 11. 3. and therefore the eight Verse should be read And the children of Judah warred against Jerusalem and took it and smote it c. and not as if it had been done before Now the children of Israel had warred Hebron and Debir taken by Caleb and by Othniel Calebs uncle but younger then he and so are those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be understood And Othniel the son of Kenaz a kinsman of Calebs younger then he took it For Othniel and Jephunneh Calebs father were brethren both sons of Kenaz see Numb 32. 12. and 1 Chron. 4. 13 14. Hebron and Debir had been taken by Joshua in the first or second year of his wars Josh. 10. 36 37 38 39. and about the seventh year of his wars he sweeps those places again of the Canaanites and Anakims that had swarmed thither again in the space between Josh. 11. 20. And when the land begins to be divided he allotteth Hebron unto Caleb as Josh. 14. Now ten or twelve years passed since that allotment and the publick service had been acting all this while for the dividing of the land and bringing every Tribe into its possession so that Caleb hitherto had had little leasure because of the publick or if he had leasure yet left to his own strength and forces which he can make a part and distinct from the publick he is too weak to work his own settlement and the Canaanites are still growing upon him till now that the whole Tribe of Judah and Simeon ingage for him and he their General and then he takes Hebron and Debir and destroyes the Anakims and Canaanites clear out that they grow no more there Othniel marrieth his nephews daughtet or his own great neece and hath an inheritance of land with her though she had three brethren 1 Chron. 4. 15. Jethro's family called Kenites because they dwelt in the Country called Kain Numb 24. 22. had come up with Joshua and Israel into the land of Canaan and resided about Jericho the City of Palm-trees among the Tribe of Judah till now and now that Judah hath cleared his portion and begins to spread into plantations they go along and plant with them in the South upon the coasts of the Amalekites and so in Sauls time are mingled among them 1 Sam. 15. 6. These Kenites were the root of the Rechabites Jerem. 35. 1 Chron. 3. 55. Judah conquereth Horma for Simeon and Azza Askelon Ekron for himself but the Philistims soon recover these three last Towns again Chap. 3. 1 2. The several Tribes are working themselves into settlement in their several possessions but are not careful to root out the Canaanites but suffer them to live amongst them and so hazzard themselves to be corrupted by them and forget the command of God which had ingaged them utterly to destroy and not to spare them CHAP. II. to Ver. 11. Othniel 11 FOR this Christ himself cometh up from Judahs camp at Gilgal to the people Othniel 12 assembled at some solemnity at Shiloh or Bethel and telleth them Othniel 13 plainly that he will no more conquer for them he had offered himself to Othniel 14 Joshua to lead the field in all the wars and so had done Josh. 5. 14. He had Othniel 15 been with Judah and made him victorious till he also spares the Canaanites and Othniel 16 either for fear or neglect le ts the inhabitants of the vale inhabite there still Othniel 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 19. it is left to construe indifferently either he would not or Othniel 18 could not or durst not drive them out And then the Captain of the Lords Othniel 19 hoast the Angel of the Covenant that had brought them from Egypt thitherto Othniel 20 departs from them for which all the people have good cause to weep and Othniel 21 they call the place Bochim the dimission of the people by Joshua and his age Othniel 22 and death and the death of that generation are mentioned here that the Othniel 23 foundation of the future story may be the better laid and the time of the peoples Othniel 24 beginning to degenerate may be marked out CHAP. XVII XVIII XIX XX. XXI Othniel 25 AFter the tenth Verse of the second Chapter is the proper place and order of these Chapters for though they be laid at the end of the Book yet were the things mentioned in them acted even in the beginning of their wickedness after Joshua's and the Elders death for the better evidencing of which it will be pertinent to consider first the connexion of the passages there mentioned one to another and then the reason of the dislocation of them all CHAP. XVII IDolatry is begun in Israel by a woman and in Ephraim where afterwards Jeroboam established it by Law Micahs mother devoteth eleven hundred shekels to the making of an Idol and nine hundred of them go for materials and two hundred for workmanship Micah setteth it up in his own house for his own use and the use of the neighbour-hood round about him The Text in the Original calleth him Micaiahu with a part of the name Jehovah affixed to his name till he have set up his image and from thence forward viz. from ver 5. it calleth him Micah CHAP. XVIII Othniel 26 THE Danites take Micah's Idol from him and set it up publickly in their own Tribe there Jeroboam setteth up one of his calves afterward also For this first publick Idolatry begun in the Tribe of Dan that Tribe is not named among the sealed of the Lord Rev. 7. A great grandchild of Moses is the first Idolatrous Priest but Moses his name is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manasseh with the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above the word partly for the honour of Moses in the dust and partly because this his
and only salve it with making a statute for her yearly lamentation In some time of the Judges the High-priesthood is translated from the line of Eleazer to the line of Ithamar as appeareth in Eli in the beginning of the Book of Samuel Now in all the story of the Judges we find not any one thing so likely to be the cause of rooting out of that house from the Priest-hood as about this matter of Jephtah they not instructing him better but suffering such a butchery for a sacrifice Jephtah hath a new quarrel with the Ephraimites and slayeth 42000 of them discovering them by the mis-pronouncing of a letter he might have offered many words that had Sh double in them as Shemesh the Sun Shelosha three Shalsheleh a chain but the word proposed is Shiboleh because of the present occasion It signifieth a stream and the Ephraimites are put to call the stream that they desired to pass over by the right name and they could not name it CHAP. XII Vers. 8 9 10. World 2825 Iephtach 1 Iephtach 2 IBSAN judgeth seven years He was a man of Bethlehem and thereupon Iephtach 3 imagined by the Jews to be Boaz without any ground or reason for since Iephtach 4 Iephtach 5 Rahab the mother of Boaz was taken into the Congregation of Israel were 270 Iephtach 6 years and then guess whether Boaz be likely to be active now Ibsan is renowned Iephtach 7 for the number and equality of the number of his sons and daughters CHAP. XIII And CHAP. XII Vers. 11 12. World 2832 Elon 1 ELON judgeth ten years He was a Galilean of Zebulon In the tenth Elon 2 year of Ibsan the Philistims forty years of oppressing begin mentioned Elon 3 Chap. 13. verse 1. Samson is born about this year if not in it for when the Elon 4 Angel telleth of his conception the Philistims were lords over Israel see Elon 5 verse 5. The story of his birth is joyned to the story of his life that there Elon 6 might be no interruption in the story of the Judges before him and that the Elon 7 whole history of his life and birth might lie together but in Chronical Series Elon 8 it lieth about the beginning of the rule of Elon Elon 9 Elon 10 JESSE the father of DAVID born by this time if not before CHAP. XII Vers. 13 14 15. World 2842 Elon 1 ABDON judgeth eight years He is exceedingly renowned for his Elon 2 children having as many young Nobles and Gallants to his sons and Elon 3 granchildren as would make a whole Sanhedrin namely seventy and himself Elon 4 the Head He was an Ephraimite of Pirathon and so Josephs glory Elon 5 shineth again in Ephraim as it had done in Joshua before the time of the Elon 6 Judges and had done in Manasseh in the Judges times in Gedeon Jair Elon 7 and Jephtah Ephraims low estate in the matter of Abimelech and Shechem is Elon 8 now somewhat recovered in Abdon CHAP. XIV XV. XVI World 2850 Elon 1 SAMSON judgeth twenty years A man of Dan and so as Ephraim Elon 2 and Dan had bred the first Idolatry they yield the last Judges he Elon 3 was born supernaturally of a barren woman and becomes the first Nazarite Elon 4 we have upon record He killeth a lion without any weapons findeth honey Elon 5 in the carkass proposeth a parable to thirty Philistim gallants which Elon 6 in three days they cannot unriddle and on the seventh day saith the Text Elon 7 they said unto his wife Perswade thy husband Chap. 14. vers 15. That is Elon 8 on the Sabbath day their irreligiousness not minding that day and now Elon 9 finding the fittest opportunity of talking with his wife alone Samson being Elon 10 imployed about the Sabbath duties He pays them with their own Countrymens Elon 11 spoil Fires the Philistims corn with three hundred Foxes is destroying Elon 12 them all his life but destroys more at his death A type of Christ. Elon 13 It is observable that the Philistims are said to bear rule and oppress Israel Elon 14 all Samsons days Chap. 13. 1. The Lord delivered Israel into the hands of the Elon 15 Philistims forty year and Chap. 15. 20. And Samson judged Israel in the days Elon 16 of the Philistims twenty years This helpeth clearly to understand that the Elon 17 years of the oppressours are included in the years of the Judge and so Elon 18 endeth the Chronicle of the Book of Judges in the death of Samson though Elon 19 the posture of the Book it self do end in another story No Judge of all Elon 20 the twelve had fallen into the enemies hand and under their abuse but only Samson but he slayeth more at his death then while he was living The first Book of SAMUEL THIS Book containeth an History of 80 years viz. from the death of Samson who died by his own hand gloriously to the death of Saul who died by his own hand wretchedly This time was divided into two equal portions namely 40 years to Eli 1 Sam. 4. 18. and 40 years to Samuel and Saul Acts 13. 21. CHAP. I. II. III. World 2870 Eli 1 ELI judgeth 40 years He was of Ithamar For Eleazers line had lost the Eli 2 High Priest-hood in the times of the Judges It had been in that family Eli 3 seven generations viz. Eleazar Phineas Abishua Bukki Uzzi Zerahiah Meraioth Eli 4 Eli 5 1 Chron. 6. 4 5 6. and there it failed till the seventh generation after Eli 6 namely through the times of Amaziah Ahitub Zadok Ahimaaz Azaria Johanan Eli 7 and then comes Azariah and he executes this Office in the Temple Eli 8 that Solomon built 1 Chron. 6. 7 8 9 10. observe these six that failed of the Eli 9 high Priest-hood left out of the Genealogy Ezra 7. 3 4. Eli was the first of Eli 10 the other line that obtained it and it run through these descents Eli Phineas Eli 11 Ahitub Ahimelech Abiathar 1 Sam. 14. 3. 22. 20. 1 King 2. 26. SAMUEL Eli 12 Eli 13 the son of his mothers prayers tears and vows was born in * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 1. 1. that is of one of the two Ramahs to wit that of the Zophites of the hill country of Ephraim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be construed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Sam. 18. 2. one of two and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be construed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh. 21. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1. 39 5. Not the hill of Ephraim but the hill country Aramathea the Eli 14 twentieth from Levi of the off-spring of Korah who was swallowed up of Eli 15 the ground 1 Chron. 6. and Numb 26. 11. He had murmured at the Priesthood Eli 16 and Magistracy and now one of his line is raised up to repair both when Eli 17 they are decaied Samuel was a vowed Nazarite and dedicated at the
were inabled to understand the Originals of Scripture which they understood not before Their birth and breeding had not allowed them so much learning as to understand any Bible that was then extant either Hebrew or Greek but here is the first operation of this gift of the Spirit upon them that they are first made able to understand the Originals of Scripture and then able to unlock them to any one in their own tongue And here should they begin that take on them to expound the Scriptures by the Spirit namely to unlock the difficulties of the Original languages for therein the mainest difficulty of the Scripture lodgeth according as was the method of the Spirits operation in the Apostles Pentecost was a time of rejoycing and at all such festivities the Jews had ever good store of wine stirring so that these men conclude that they had drunk too much and spake as men distract which Peter confutes by telling them it was not yet the third hour of the day or nine a clock For upon their Sabbaths and holidaies they used not to eat or drink till their Synagogue service was done Maym. in Schab per. 30. which was not of a good while after nine a clock His alleadging of Joel In the last daies I will pour out my Spirit c. teacheth us how to construe the phrase The last daies in exceeding many places both of the Old Testament and the New as Isa. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 1. and 2 Tim. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 7. 1 Joh. 2. 19 c. namely for the last daies of Jerusalem and the Jewish State For to take his words in any other sense as some do for the last daies of the world is to make his allegation utterly impertinent and monstrous Three thousand converted are Baptized In the Name of the Lord Jesus ver 38. which no whit disagreeth from the command Baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son c. Matth. 28. 19. For the form of Baptism in those first daies of the Gospel of which the New Testament giveth the story may be considered under a threefold condition 1 John the Baptist baptized in the Name of Messias or Christ that was then ready to come but that Jesus of Nazareth was he he himself knew not till he had run a good part of his course Joh. 1. 31. as was observed before 2. The Disciples baptizing the Jews baptized them in the Name of Jesus upon this reason because the great point of controversie then in the Nation about Messias was Whether Jesus of Nazareth were he or no. All the Nation acknowledged a Messias but the most of them abominated that Jesus of Nazareth should be thought to be he therefore those that by the preaching of the Gospel came to acknowledge him to be Messias were baptized into his Name as the critical badge of their imbracing the true Messias But 3. among the Gentiles where that question was not afoot they baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And so that baptizing in the Name of Jesus was for a season for the setling of the evidence of his being Messias and when that was throughly established then it was used no more but Baptism was in the Name of the Father and Son c. Of the same cognizance were those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit evidences of Jesus his being the Messias and means of conveying the Gospel through the world and when both these were well established then those gifts ceased for ever All that believed were together and had all things common ver 46. The Children of those that believed must come under the title of Believers too or they must famish For this community of goods being for the relief of the poor as we shall shew at the fourth Chapter the Children Babes and Infants of believing Parents that were poor must be taken in under this expression All that believed c. or how did they for support if the community of goods reacht them as well as their Parents the title must reach them too When a Master of a Family was baptized his Children were they never so young were baptized with him and hence the mention of baptizing whole housholds Act. 16. 15. 33. They that pleading against Infants Baptism do cavill that it may be there were no Infants in those Families that are mentioned bewray that they little understand the manner of administring Baptism in its first use For the stress of the business lies not in this whether it can be proved that there were Infants in those Families where it is recorded that whole housholds were baptized but the case is this that in all Families whatsoever were there never so many Infants they were all baptized when their Parents were baptized Thus was the constant custom among the Jews for admission of Proselytes and thence this Canon That a Woman proselited and baptized when she was great with child her Child needed not then to be baptized when it was born Maym. in Issure biah per. 13. For if he had been born before she was baptized he must have been baptized with her And the New Testament gives so little evidence of the altering this custom at those first baptizings under the Gospel that it plainly on the contrary shews the continuance of it when it speaketh of the Apostles baptizing whole households ACTS Chap. III IV. PEntecost Feast lasted eight daies as well as their other Feasts Passover Tabernacles and Dedication did Jerus in Moed Katon and Chagigah at large The occurrences of the very day of Pentecost it self are related already Now whether the healing of the Creeple and the consequences upon that contained in the third Chapter befell upon the same day in the afternoon or on the next day after which was the day when all the males appeared before the Lord in the temple or further in the Feast is not certain but that they were within the compass of the Feast is more then probable by the great multitude that was converted at one Sermon Peter and John go into the Temple at the ninth hour the hour of prayer Talm. in Pesachin per. 5. The dayly sacrifice of the evening was killed at the eight hour and a half and offered at the ninth hour and an half Joseph Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Twice a day namely in the morning and about the ninth hour they offered on the Altar There as they go in at the East-gate tha◠led into the Court of the Women they find and heal a Creeple which had been so from his birth The Jews looked upon this miracle as wrought by their own holiness as appears by the Apostles answer to them ver 12. For such a conceit walked among the Nation that extraordinary holiness might attain to miraculous workings R. Phineas ben Jair saith Industry bringeth to purity Purity to cleanness Cleanness to holiness Holiness to humbleness Humbleness to
maintained upon the foundation or because she was a Prophetess and so lodged in some of the buildings or chambers belonging to the Temple For so might women do as 2 Chron. 22. 11 12. SECTION VII S. MATTHEW CHAP. II. Christ at two years old is visited and honoured by the Wisemen The Children of Bethlehem murthered Herod dyeth soon after Christ returneth out of Egypt NOw when Iesus was born in Bethlehem of a a a a a a Vulg. of Juda and this is conceived by Jerom to be the better reading because it is so written ver 6. But in this verse the Evangelist telleth it was in Bethlehem of Judea to distinguish it from Bethlehem in Galilee Joh. 19. 15. and in ver 6. he saith it was in the land of Judah to distinguish it from the lot of Benjamin Judea in the days of Herod the King behold there came b b b b b b Wisemen Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is reserved by the Syr. Arab. Ital. and generally by all Latines the French readeth it Sages in the sense of our English Wisemen from the East to Jerusalem 2. Saying where is he that is born King of the Jews For we have seen his Star in the East and are come to worship him 3. When Herod the King had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him 4. And when he had gathered all the chief Priests and c c c c c c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXX Exod. 5. 6. Joh. 1. 10. 2 Sam. 8. 17. Jer. 36. 10. Ezr. 4. 8. and 7. 12. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 1. 15. Scribes of the people together he demanded of them where Christ should be born 5. They said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea For thus it is written by the Prophet 6. And thou Bethlehem d d d d d d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as John 1. 4. the Preposition is understood in the Land of Juda art not the e e e e e e the LXX in Mic. 5. use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of smalness of number but Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of smalness of bulk or dignity least among the Princes of Juda for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel 7. Then Herod when he had privily called the Wisemen enquired diligently of them what time the Star appeared 8. And he sent them to f f f f f f Bethlehem distant from Jerusalem 35 furlongs Just. Matt. Apol. 2. Four miles and almost an half Bethlehem and said Go and search diligently for the young child and when ye have found him bring me word again that I may come and worship him also 9. When they had heard the King they departed and lo the Star which they saw in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was 10. When they saw the Star they rejoyced with g g g g g g As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 61. 10. exceeding great joy 11. And when they were come into the house they saw the young child with Mary his Mother and fell down and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto him gifts h h h h h h Gold and Frankincense they shall bring in Merchandize and also for a present to the King Messias and for the house of the Lord D. Kim◠on Esa. 60. 6. Gold and Frankincense and Myrrhe 12. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod they departed into their own Country another away 13. And when they were departed behold the Angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream saying Arise and take the young child and his Mother and flee into Egypt and be thou there until I bring thee word for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy him 14. When he arose he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt 15. And was there until the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my Son 16. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the Wisemen was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time he had diligently inquired of the Wisemen 17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremie the Prophet saying 18. In i i i i i i Rama was the birth place of Samuel 1 Sam. 1. 19. c. Rama was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel mourning for her children and would not be comforted because they are not 19. But when Herod was dead behold an Angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20. Saying Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the Land of Israel for k k k k k k Compare Exod. 4. 19. they are dead which sought the young childs life 21. And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the Land of Israel 22. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his Father Herod he was afraid to go thither notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee 23. And he came and dwelt in a City calleth Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets He shall be called a Nazarite Reason of the Order TO confirm and prove the Order of this Section and Story requireth some labour because of an opinion ancient and current among men that crosseth the laying of it in this place It hath been generally held and believed almost of every one that the Wisemen came to Christ when he was but thirteen days old and it is written in red Letters in the Kalendar as if it were a golden truth by the title of Epiphany at the sixth of January An opinion which if it were as true as it is common it were readily known where to place this Story of the Wisemens coming namely between the Circumcision of our Saviour and his Presentation in the Temple betwixt Ver. 21 and 22 of Luke 2. But upon serious and impartial examination of this opinion these rubs and unliklehoods lie in the way and make it as incredible for the improbability as it seemeth venerable for its antiquity First to omit the length of their journey from their own Country to Bethlehem their preparation for so long a journy before they set out and their stay at Jerusalem by the way for I cannot think that all that passed there while they were there was done in an instant Secondly how utterly improbable it is that after all this hubbub at Jerusalem upon the Wisemens
is time for Moses to set for Egypt when he seeth God angry at his excusing he doth so but he taketh his diffidence along with him in that he taketh his wife and children with him One would think that had been a special piece of charity but it being looked into will prove a special piece of distrust For when God appeareth to him at the very first he giveth him assurance of the peoples delivery and that they should come in their journies to that very place When thou hast brought the people forth out of Egypt ye shall serve God upon this mountain Chap. 3. 12. Now if Moses had believed certainly this promise and that undoubtedly he and the people should come thither he would never have taken wife and children with him to trouble them and himself in so long a journey and in so earnest a business but would have left them still with Jethro till he and Israel should march up to them But this he feared that this his journey would be to no effect that Israel would accept of none and therefore should obtain no delivery that this message would produce nothing unless danger to himself and that while he spake of delivering others he might incur bondage himself so that if he left wife and children behind him it was odds he should never see them again And therefore to make sure work he will take them with him and for this his distrust the Lord meets him and seeks to kill him Nor was this distrust and diffidence little or small in him but if the circumstances be considered it will appear to be very great and his want of faith exceeding much Zipporah his wife was now lying in Childbed a weak woman but lately delivered and therefore far unfit for so long a journey and the new-born child as unfit if not unfitter than she and yet Mother and child in this weak case must travel to the hazzard of both their lives for he durst not leave them behind him for fear he and they should never meet again For this it is that Zipporah twice calleth him a bloody husband before the childs circumcision and after before because he had hazzarded both their lives in bringing them forth both of them being in their blouth and blood and after because she through him was put to Circumcise the child which bloodiness a tender mother must needs abhor and for this also is the word circumcisions in the plural number vers 26. A bloody husband Lemuloth because of the circumcisions SECTION IX Zipporah but very lately delivered of her child THAT Zipporah was so lately delivered of child is plain by observing these things First That Jethro her Father was circumcised both he and his houshold for he was a Midianite a Son of Abraham by Keturah and all Abrahams children after the flesh were circumcised and that not by usurpation or unwarrantable imitation but by the bond and tye of the institution therefore though Moses had been absent never so long or never so far off yet would Jethro have taken care of the childs circumcision on the eighth day but now the child may not stay till he be eight days old and whole again upon his circumcision but must travel young and uncircumcised as he is Secondly Observe the childs name which was usually given at Circumcision and if the child were older than we speak of then had he been so long without a name or had had another name than Eliezer Thirdly He called his name Eliezer for the God of my fathers said he hath been mine help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh Chap. 18. 4. Now Moses was not secure of Pharaohs sword till just at his setting for Egypt For after he came from Horeb into Midian again the Lord tells him that all those are dead which sought his life vers 19. This doth aggravate his diffidence the more Who though he had seen such wonders at Horeb and heard of other wonders done for him by God in Egypt in cutting off his enemies there yet durst he not trust the promise of God for his returning to his wife and children but will take them along with him For this God brings him into danger of his life visibly which Zipporah poor woman thought to have been for the uncircumcision of her Son therefore she taketh and circumciseth him but Moses being conscious of his own infidelity or distrust in this so great a danger rubbeth up his faith again and the peril refineth it as silver so that now he betaketh himself wholly to God by confidence in the promise and to express this his faith he calleth his Son when the mother had circumcised him Eliezer God is mine helper so that I shall escape danger from Pharaoh and the Egyptians in this mine errand And the Lord saw his faith and let him go SECTION X. Of the name Jehovah and how it was unknown to the Fathers Exod. 6. 3. THIS is the uncommunicable name of God not given at any time unto the Creature Esay 42. 8. This name in its sound and letters was known unto the Fathers yea even in its signification Abraham calls mount Moriah Jehovah Jireh Gen. 22. 14. Isaac called upon the name of Jehovah Chap. 26. 25. And Jacob saith Jehovah thy God hath brought it to me Chap. 27. 20. The name Jehovah signifieth three things First Gods eternal being in himself without dependence or mixture upon or with any other thing For his being undependent it is rendred the first and the last and which is and which was and which is to come For his being without mixture or composition it is said here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not By my name Jehovah I was not known Nor My name Jehovah was not known But My name Jehovah I was not known to shew that God and his Name are not two things united by composition but one and the same thing Secondly Jehovah betokeneth Gods giving of being to the Creature To this purpose it is observable that God is never called Jehovah till all the Creation be perfected and every thing have received its being Gen. 2. 4. So in all the speeches that pass between Job and his friends God is never called Jehovah but once where mention is made of the Creatures receiving their being Job 12. 10. Thirdly Jehovah signifieth the faithfulness of God in his promise and in this sense it is rendred Amen true and faithful In this sense it is set after so many commands Thou shalt or thou shalt not do thus and thus I am Jehovah And in all these significations it is justly prefixed before all the Commandments Exod. 20. I am Jehovah thy God As this name is not communicable to any Creature but only appropriate to the Godhead so it is severally given to every Person in the Trinity First To the Father Psal. 110. 1. For he is the fountain of being in himself Secondly To the Son Jer. 23. 6. For he is the giver of being to the Creature
Passover that he might satiate himself with it Yet if he eat no more than what amounted to the quantity of an Olive he discharged the obligation of his duty These fourteenth days peace offerings were so called to distinguish them from the peace offerings of his Hagigah and rejoycing at the feast for those were offerings to which he was obliged of duty and were to be offered after the eating of the Passover most ordinarily but these were some thanks offerings or vows or free will offerings which being reserved to be offered at their coming up to the Festival they commonly did so offer them as that when the Altar and Priests had had their parts they had the other ready for this occasion to begin the meal on the Passover night And so here was one dish more than we find appointed for this time by the Law Now the Talmudicks speak of two more which if they were used in the time when the Temple stood may well be supposed to have been to supply the want of peace offerings in such companies as had not offered any nor had any ready for this occasion And they call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the two boiled meats The Mishuch in that Chapter of Pesachin that hath been cited so oft delivering the Rubrick of the Passover saith they set before him unleavened Bread and bitter Herbs and charoseth and the two boiled meats making no difference of time between these and the other particulars named with them which undoubtedly were in those times of which we speak The Gemara thereupon hath these words It is a command to set before him unleavened Bread and the bitter Herbs and the two boiled meats And those two boiled meats what are they Rab. Hona saith Broth and Rice Ezekiah saith Fish and Eggs. Rab. Joseph saith two sorts of flesh were required one in the memorial of the Passover and the other in memorial of the Hagigah And with this last doth Maymony concur for he useth the very same words but he useth also the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At this time they set upon the Table two sorts of flesh c. as making it questionable whether this custom were in use when the Temple stood or taken up afterward I shall not be sollicitous to dispute the case it seemeth for ought I yet see in the Talmuds or their Schoolmen that it was in the Temple times and that the Author cited doth not by the Phrase he hath used so much intimate that the custom was taken up after the Temple was fallen as he doth that after the Temple was fallen they were glad to take up with these two dishes only For whilest that stood peace offerings were in use and served for that occasion on the Passover night and these two boiled meats were only in request where no peace offerings were to be had which was but rare but after the Temple fell there were no peace offerings to be had at all and so they were constrained to take up only with these two dishes Let the Reader scan his meaning from his own words * * * Id. in Hhamets c. per. 8 They set before him the Officiator bitter Herbs and unleavened Bread and Charoseth and the body of the Lamb and the flesh of the fourteenth days Hagigah But at this time they set upon the Table two sorts of flesh one in memorial of the Passover and the other in memorial of the Hagigah And whether way soever he turneth the scales it is not much material 5. They had also a dish of thick sawce which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charoseth ‖ ‖ ‖ Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made of sweet and bitter things grown and pounded and mingled together †††Maym. Corban Pesach per. 8. as Dates Figs Raisins Vinegar c. * * * Haggadah Shâ—l Pesach And this was a memorial to them of the clay in which their Fathers laboured in the Land of Egypt They used Charoseth saith the Talmud although it were not commanded Rabbi Eliezer from Rabbi Zadok saith it is a command A command for what Rabbi Johanan saith it is a memorial of the clay therefore they make it of all kinds of sweet and bitter things with vinegar like clay in which there is a mixture of every thing The dish in which our Saviour dipped the sop which he gave to Judas is held by exceeding many to have been this dish of the thick sawce Charoseth which might be very well believed if it might be believed that that supper was the Passover supper which hath been much asserted but never yet proved VI. The Table thus furnished * * * Maym. in Hhamets ubi supr the Officiator takes some of the sallet of the Herbs and after he hath blessed God for the creating the fruit of the ground he dips it in something but whether in the thick sawce Charoseth or in Wine or in Vinegar is disputed and so we will leave it in dispute and he eateth the quantity of an Olive at the least of them and so do all the rest of the company the like ‖ ‖ ‖ Gloss. ib. Now this dipping and eating of Herbs was not under the notion of eating bitter Herbs which the Law enjoyned but is was some other of the Herbs as Lettice Endive or the like and it was for this and meerly that the children might begin to wonder at this strange beginning of a meal and might be incited to enquire about the matter And to put them on to this the more the company had no sooner eaten of this bit of the sallet but presently the dishes were all removed from before the Officiator and a second Cup of Wine was filled and brought unto him 14 14 14 Pesanh ubi supr And here the Children began to enquire about the matter and if he had no Children the Wife enquired and if there was no Wife the company enquired one of another And if none enquired yet he unasked began thus How different is this night from all other nights For on all other nights we eat leavened or unleavened bread indifferently but on this night unleavened bread only On all other nights we eat any herbs whatsoever but this night bitter herbs On all other nights we eat flesh either roasted or stewed or boiled but on this night we eat flesh only roasted On all other nights we wash but once but on this night we wash twice On all other nights we eat either sitting or leaning indifferently on this night we all sit leaning And according to the capacity of the Child he would address his speech to him if he were very young and slender of understanding he would tell him Child we were all servants like this maid-servant or this man-servant that waiteth and as on this night the Lord redeemed us and brought us into liberty But to the Children of capacity and to the rest of the company he would
would have the Bible turned into Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. 1. Pag. 124. That is For this were the Scriptures interpreted in the Grecians Tongue that they might have no excuse for their ignorance being able to understand our Scriptures if they would CHAP. XXIV Phrases taken from Iews in the New Testament THESE Phrases are by the great Broughton called Talmudick Greek when Jewish and Talmudical Phrases are used in Holy Writ Such is Gehenna frequent in all Rabbins Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. the bitter excommunication The world to come so often used in the Gospel and nothing more often among the Jews and Chaldees Raka Matth. 5. 22. of which see Chap. 19. Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3. 8. whose names I find in the Chaldee Paraphrast with very little difference and a goodly legend of them As in Exod. 1. 15. Pharaoh slept and saw in his dream and behold all the land of Egypt was put in one scale and a * * * Chal. Taâ—la bar imera young lamb in the other scale and the lamb weighed down the scales of himself * * * Chal. Mliadh out of hand a Phrase most usual in Iews Authors and the very same in Eng. oâ—t of hand out of hand he sends and calls all the Sorcerers of Egypt and tells them his dream Out of hand Janis and Jimbres chief of the Sorcerers opened their mouths and said unto Pharaoh there is a child to be born of some of the Congregation of Israel by whose hands all the land of Egypt shall be wasted therefore the King consulted with the Jewish midwives c. And in Exod. 7. 11. He calls them Janis and Jambres And that you might the better understand who these two were the Hebrew comment upon the Chaldee Text saith They were Scholars for their art of enchanting to the noble wizard Balaam and so he fetches Zophar for authority to maintain them And to prove Janis and Jambres either very constant enemies and opposers to Moses or else very good dutiful Scholars to Balaam the Chaldee saith that these two were the two servants that went with Balaam Numb 22. 22. when he went to curse Israel Beelzebub or as the New Testament Greek calls it Beelzebul is a wicked phrase used by the Jews of Christ Mark 3. 22. and elsewhere Now whether this change of the last letter were among the Jews accidental or of set purpose I cannot determine Such ordinary variation of letters without any other reason even use of every Country affords So Reuben is in the Syrian called Rubil Apoc. 7. 5. So the Greek and Latine Paulus is in the Syrian Phaulus in Arabian Baulus But some give a witty reason of l in Beelzebul that the Jews in derision of the Ekronites god Baalzebub which was a name bad enough the god of a flie gave him a worse Baalzebul the god of a Sir-Reverence for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Chaldean To omit any more Jewish Phrases honoured by the New Testament using them this very thing does shew the care is to be had for the right reading of the Greek since so many idioms and so many kinds of stile are used by it CHAP. XXV Ninivehs conversion Jonah 3. THE book of Jonah is wholly composed of wonders Some hold Jonah to be wonderful in his birth As that he should be the son of the Sarepta widow whom Eliah raised to life And because the mother of the child said Now I know that the word of God in thy mouth is true therefore he is called Ben Amittai the son of my truth whether the story may be called Ben Amittai or a true story let the Reader censure by the two Towns of Sarepta and Gath-hepher Howsoever Jonah was wondrous in his birth I am sure he was wondrous in his life A Prophet and a runnagate before his shipwrack a man drowned and yet alive in his shipwrack and a Preacher of Repentance and yet a Repiner at Repentance after The least wonder in the book is not the conversion of Niniveh It was a great wonder as D. Kimchi says that Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights and yet lived And it was another wonder that he was not stupid but continued in his senses and intellectuals and prayed And do but well consider it and it will appear almost as great a wonder that Niniveh so great a Town so long wicked in so short time should be converted To say as Rabbi Joshuah doth That the men of the Ship were got to Niniveh and had told all the occurrence about Jonah how they had thrown him over hatches and yet he it was that was among them and therefore they believed the sooner as it is without Authority so doth it lessen the wonder of the Towns conversion Jonah an unknown man of a forraign people to come into so great a City with a Fourty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed was strange But for the King upon so short a time to send a cryer to proclaim Repentance is as strange if not stranger Jonah proclaims the Town shall be destroyed the King in a manner proclaims the Town shall not be destroyed by proclaiming the means how to save it Repentance To say as * * * Aben Ezra gives 2. Reasons of poor force to provt that Ninlveh feared God in old time 1. Because otherwise he would not have sent his Prophet to them and so he lessens the wonder of Gods mercy 2. Because we read not that they brake their images therefore they had not any How far the Rab. is besides the cushion both for construction and reason one of small skill may â—edge Aben Ezra does That because the City is called Gnir gedholah leelohim a great City of God that therefore they feared God in old time but now in Jonahs time began to do evil is still to lessen the wonder about their conversion a stranger repentance than which the world never saw The old world had a time of warning of years for Ninivehs hours and yet eat and drunk till the flood came and then in the floods of many waters Repentance and Prayers would not come near God Psal. 32. Fair warning had Sodom by the preaching of Lot whose righteous soul they vexed and would not repent till their Hell as it were began from Heaven and fire and brimstone brought them to the lake of fire and brimstone and when the wicked seed of him that derided his fathers nakedness perished for their naked beastliness and their flames of lust brought them to flames on Earth and in Hell The men of Niniveh shall rise up in Judgment against the generation of the Jews and condemn them because these at the Preaching of Jonah Repented and they not for the Preaching of a greater than Jonah that was among them When the Master of the Vineyard sent his Servants nay his own Son they put him to Death In the Conversion
denomination from the last Letter of Arphaxad's Name 13 Chaldean and curious Arts what 820 Chambers The Chambers in Solomon's Temple their height breadth and evenness of them without notwithstanding they were not of the same dimensions within p. 1065. * overlaid with Gold 2 Chron. 3. 9. over the Holy Place what or whether any such thing p. 1085 1086. * The Treasury Chambers what 1097. * Changers of Mony or Mony Changers what 213 550 Chapiters belonging to the Pillars what 1074. * Chargers what and of what use in the Temple 2048. * Charming was much used among the Jews 371 Chazan that is Episcopus or Overseer 375 Chel what and how put for the Temple 1089 Cherubiâ—s what number of what resemblance and where placed 1086 * Chests in the Treasury where placed and for what use p. 1095 1096. * The Chest set in the Gate of the House of the Lord what 2022 * Chief Priests put for the Sanhedrim many of them being Priests p. 282. They were the Heads of the Families of the Priests or the chief of the 24 Courses c. p. 438 439 Children How an Holy Seed p. 203. The Infants of Believers were brought to Christ to be received as Disciples which he did declaring them to be such and blessed them 248 Children came under the Title of Believers when all things were in common or else they must have farnished p. 277. When a Master of a Family was baptised his Children though never so young were baptised with him as had been the Custom among the Jews and was in the times of the Apostles unaltered p. 277. What Children are to be taught by their Fathers p. 295. They were sometimes named by the Mother as soon as born sometimes by the Standers-by but the Fathers at the Circumcision had the casting voice Whether the Name should be so or no. 421 Children for Scholars or Disciples 759 Children begot by or on Angels or Devils a nonsensical story 995 Chochebas and Barchochebas the same with Ben Coziba coyned Mony with his own Stump tortured the Christians to make them deny Christ was at the head of a most desperate Rebellion p. 366 367. He reigned two years and an half 366 367 Christ how Abraham saw his day p. 13. How Isaac typified him p. 13 14. He gave the Ten Commandments p. 28. He appeared weaponed and was Lord General in the Wars of Canaan p. 40. When he ceased to be Israels Captain and Conductor p. 45. Glorious things are spoken of him p. 102. His Divinity shewed and his fitness to be Incarnate p. 201 202. He was born in Tizri about the Feast of the Tabernacles that is about the close of September at which time 30 years after he was baptised p. 204 210 c. We have no History of him for nine or ten years p. 206. When he was twelve years of Age and all the time of his Ministry he disputed with and proved his Doctrine against the most learned Sanhedrim p. 207. He came in a double seasonableness When Learning was at the highest And Traditions had made the Word of God of none effect p. 207 440. His Life from Twelve to Twenty nine is passed over by all the Evangelists in silence they having a special eye at his Ministry only so has the Angel Gabriel Dan. 9 24 25 c. p. 208. Those years in which we hear nothing of him he spent at Nazareth in his Fathers Trade of Carpentry which made the Jews stumble at him looking for a pompous Messiah p. 208. He appeared not till fully looked for what were the things did intimate his coming p. 209. The time when he was born and when he died were both eminent p. 210 211. He was circumcised into the Jewish Church and baptised into the Church of the Gospel p. 211. He was unknown to John the Baptist and those whom John had baptised into faith in Christ until Christ himself came to be baptised of John p. 212. He was admitted at Nazareth as a Member of the Synagogue to be a Maphteir or Publick Reader of the second Lesson in the Prophets for that day p. 215. His reading and interpreting the Original Hebrew shewed him to have a Prophetical Spirit he not being educated in that Language 215. At his second Passover he declares his Authority and Power before the Sanhedrim that being a time of Wonders p. 221. He was a great Priest and a great Prophet when and how p. 239. He did not so fully and openly reveal himself to be the Messias till he sent forth the Seventy Disciples p. 242. He could not be apprehended without his own leave p. 263. The Jews transgressed two of their own Canons in arraigning and judging Christ on an Holiday and by Night p. 263. He was had before the Sanhedrim in Caiphas his house p. 263. The Wine offered him at his Crucifixion was to intoxicate him p. 268. How bewailed when he went to Execution p. 268. The manner even of his friends burying him shewed the small expectation they had of his Resurrection p. 269. His Disciples and Mary Magdalen notwithstanding their saving faith in him neither of them believed his Death nor his Resurrection p. 270. His coming in Clouds in his Kingdom and in power and great glory all signify his Plaguing the Nation that crucified him p. 342 343. His birth was called The fulness of time p. 383. He was born in the year of the World 3928. about the close of September p. 390. He was not born at the later end of December but September a Month famous indeed p. 427. Why he would be baptized that needed no cleansing being purity it self eight Reasons p. 472. Why John refused to admit him to baptism p. 472. His Ministry was just Three years and an half p. 476. Why he was tempted p. 499. What were his Temptations and where and how tempted p. 503 to 511. In his Temptations his being hurryed about by the Devil does afford some material and profitable Considerations p. 506. He is shewed to be the Son of God p. 504. That he was the Messias he easily convinced the Mind by telling of secret things p. 535. He was the seed of the Woman illustrated from Lukes Genealogy and Christs calling himself the Son of Man p. 471 491 537. His Union of two Natures in one Person is plainly shewn with what refers thereunto p. 577 578. How he could be said to be in Heaven whilst speaking with Nichodemus on earth p. 578. The several Properties of the two Natures in Christ are sometimes indifferently applied to the whole Person p. 578. Believing in Christ for salvation excellently illustrated by being healed by looking on the Brazen Serpent p. 579. He is said to do what his Servants do p. 581. His anointing was his setting apart for Mediator and Minister of the Gospel c. also his apparent Installments into that Office by the Spirit p. 616 617. His Ministry had six parts in it p. 617 to 619. Why it was
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In reproving thou shalt reprove He reproves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he heareth not Whence is it proved he is bound to a second reproof The Text saith In reproving thou shalt reprove And a little after How long must we reprove Rabh saith Even to blows that is until he that is reproved strikes him that reproves him Samuel saith Until he is angry See also d d d d d d â—â— Peah c. 6. Maimonides VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Take with thee one or two more c. THE Hebrew Lawyers require the same thing of him that sins against his brother e Samuel saith Whosoever sins against his brother he must say to him I have sinned 〈…〉 Iâ—ma fol. 4â— â— Bab. â—oma â—â— â— against thee If he hear it is well If not let him bring others and let him appease him before them If perhaps he die let him appease him at his sepulchre and say I have sinned against thee c. But our Saviour here requires a higher charity namely from him who is the offended party In like manner f f f f f f Maimon in Avod â—arah cap â— The great Sanhedrin admonished a City lapsed to Idols by two Disciples of the Wise men If they repented well if not all Israel waged war against it In like manner also The Jealous husband warned his wife before two witnesses Do not talk with N. c. VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell the Church THAT which was incumbent upon him against whom the sin was committed was this That he should deliver his soul by reproving his brother and by not suffering sin in him This was the reason that he had need of witnesses for what else could they testifie They could not testifie that the brother had sinned against him that reproved him for this perhaps they were altogether ignorant of but they might testifie this that he against whom the sin was committed used due reproof and omitted nothing which was commanded by the Law in that case whereby he might admonish his brother and if possible bring him back into the right way The witnesses also added their friendly admonition whom if the offender hearkned not unto Let it be told the Church We do not here enter upon that long dispute concerning the sense of the word Church in this place However you take it certainly the business here is not so much concerning the censure of the person sinning as concerning the vindication of the person reproving that it might be known to all that he discharged his duty and freed his soul. It was very customary among the Jews to note those that were obstinate in this or that crime after publick admonition given them in the Synagogue and to set a mark of infamy upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g g g g g g Bab. Sanhedr fol. 26. 2. All these have need of public admonition in the Consistory The business there is about some Shepherds Collectors and Publicans and it is declared how uncapable they are giving Evidence in any Judiciary matter but not before public admonition is gone out against them in the Consistory h If any denie to feed his children they reprove him they shame him they urge him â— Maimon In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 12. if he still refuse they make proclamation against him in the Synagogue saying N. is a cruel man and will not nourish his children more cruel than the unolean birds themselves for they feed their young ones c. i i i i i i Id. ibid. cap. 14. A provoking wife who saith I will create vexation to my Husband because he hath done thus or thus to me or because he hath miscalled me or because he hath chiâ— me c. The Consistory by Messengers send these words to her Be it known unto you if you persist in your perversness although your dowry be an hundred pounds you have lost it all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And moreover they set forth a public proclamation against her in the Synagogues and in the divinity-Schools every day for four Sabbaths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be to thee as an Heathen and a Publican He saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be to thee Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be to the Church because the discourse is of peculiar and private scandal against a single man who after three admonitions given and they to no purpose is freed from the Law of brotherly obligation and he who being admonished does not repent is not to be esteemed so much for a brother to him as for a Heathen c. I. Christ does not here prescribe concerning every offender according to the full latitude of that Law Levit. XIX 17. but of him that particularly offends against his brother and he does particularly teach what is to be done to that brother II. Although he against whom the offence is committed had a just cause why he should be loosed from the obligation of the Office of a brother towards him who neither would make satisfaction for the wrong done nor be admonished of it yet to others in the Church there is not the same reason III. The words plainly mean this If after a threefold and just reproof he that sinned against thee still remains untractable and neither will give thee satisfaction for the injury nor being admonished doth repent thou hast delivered thine own soul and art free from brotherly offices towards him just as the Jews reckon themselves freed from friendly offices towards Heathens and Publicans That of Maimonides is not much different k k k k k k In Gerushin cap. 3. A Jew that apostaâ—izes or breaks the Sabbath presumptuously is altogether like a Heathen 1. They reckoned not Heathens for brethren or neighbours l l l l l l Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any ones Ox shall gore his neighbours Ox. His neighbours not a Heathens when he saith neighbours he excludes Heathens A Quotation which we produced before 2. They reputed Publicans to be by no means within Religious society 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m m m m m m Hieros Demai fol. 23. 1. A religious man who becomes a Publican is to be driven out of the Society of Religion 3. Hence they are neither with Heathens nor with Publicans concerning which thing they often quarrel our Saviour Hence that of the Apostle 1 Cor. V. With such a one no not to eat is the same with what is spoke here Let him be to thee as a Heathen c. n n n n n n Maimon in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 12. It is forbidden a Jew to be alone with a Heathen to travel with an Heathen c. 4. They denyed also brotherly offices to Heathens and Publicans o o o o o o Maimon Gezelah cap. 11. It is forbidden to bring home any thing of a
that blood still bubbled but their blood did not bubble Discover the matter to me said he or I will tear your flesh with iron rakes Then they said to him this was a Priest a Prophet and a Judg who foretold to Israel all these evils which we have suffered from you and we rose up against him and slew him But I saith he will appease him He brought the Rabbins and slew them upon that blood and yet it was not pacified He brought the children out of the School and slew them upon it and yet it was not quiet He brought the young Priests and slew them upon it and yet it was not quiet So that he slew upon it ninety four thousand and yet it was not quiet He drew near to it himself and said O Zacharias Zacharias Thou hast destroyed the best of thy people that is they have been killed for your sake would you have me destroy all Then it was quiet and did not bubble any more c. The truth of this story we leave to the relators that which makes to our present purpose we observe That it was very improbable nay next to impossible that those that heard the words of Christ concerning Zacharias slain between the Temple and the Altar could understand it of any other but of this concerning whom and whose blood they had such famous and signal memory and of any other Zacharias slain in the Temple there was a profound silence In Josephus indeed we meet with the mention of one Zacharias the son of Baruch which is the same thing with Barachias killed in the Temple not long before the destruction of it whom some conjecture to be prophetically marked out here by our Saviour But this is somewhat hard when Christ expresly speaks of time past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye slew and when by no art nor arguments it can be proved that this Zacharias ought to be reckoned into the number of Prophets and Martyrs There are two things here that stick with Interpreters so that they cannot so freely subscribe to our Zacharias 1. That he lived and dyed long before the first Temple was destroyed when the example would have seeemed more home and proper to be taken under the second Temple and that now near expiring 2. That he was plainly and notoriously the Son of Jehoiada but this is called by Christ the Son of Barachias To which we after others who have discoursed at large upon this matter return only thus much I. That Christ plainly intended to bring examples out of the old Testament and he brought two which how much the further off they seemed to be from deriving any guilt to this generation so much heavier the guilt is if they do derive it For a Jew would argue what hath a Jew to do with the blood of Abel killed almost two thousand years before Abraham the father of the Jews was born And what hath this generation to do with the blood of Zacharias which was expiated by cruel plagues and calamities many ages since Nay saith Christ this generation hath arrived to that degree of impiety wickedness and guilt that even these remote examples of guilt relate and are to be applied to it And while you think that the blood of Abel and the following Martyrs doth nothing concern you and believe that the blood of Zacharias hath been long ago expiated with a signal punishment I say unto you that the blood both of the one and the other and of all the righteous men killed in the interval of time between them shall be required of this generation 1. Because you kill him who is of more value than they all 2. Because by your wickedness you so much kindle the anger of God that he is driven to cut off his old Church namely the people that hath been of a long time in covenant with him For when Christ saith That on you may come all the righteous blood c. It is not so much to be understood of their personal guilt as to that blood as of their guilt for the killing of Christ in whose death the guilt of the murder of all those his types and members is in some measure included and it is to be understood of the horrible destruction of that generation than which no former ages have ever seen any more woful or amazing nor shall any future before the funeral of the world it self As if all the guilt of the blood of righteous men that had been shed from the beginning of the world had flowed together upon that generation II. To the second which has more difficulty namely that Zacharias is here called the Son of Barachias when he was the Son of Jehoiada we will observe by the way these two things out of the writings of the Jews before we come to determine the thing it self 1. That that very Zacharias of whom we speak is by the Chaldee Paraphrast called the Son of Iddo For thus saith he on Lament Chap. III. vers 20. Is it fit that the daughters of Israel should eat the fruit of their womb c. The rule of Justice answered and said Is it also fit that they should slay a Priest and Prophet in the Temple of the Lord as ye slew Zacharias the Son of Iddo the High Priest and faithful Prophet in the house of the Sanctuary on the day of expiation c. 2. In the place of Isaiah o o o o o o Chap. VIII 2. concerning Zachariah the Son of Jebarichiah the Jews have these things p p p p p p Bab. Maccâ—th fol. 24. 1. 2. It is written I took unto me faithful witnesses to record Uriah the Priest and Zachariah the Son of Barachiah o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writ without Jod prefixed Esa. VIII 1. But what is the reason that Uriah is joyned with Zachariah For Uriah was under the first Temple Zachariah under the second but the Scripture joyneth the prophesie of Zachariah to the prophesie of Uriah By Urias it is written For your sakes Sion shall be plowed as a field By Zachariah it is written As yet old men and ancient women shall sit in the streets of Jerusalem When the prophesie of Uriah is fulfilled the prophesie of Zachariah shall also be fulfilled To the same sense also speaks the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the place And I took unto me faithful witnesses The curses which I foretold I would bring in the prophesie of Uriah the Priest behold they are come to pass likewise all the blessings which I foretold I would bring in the Prophesie of Zachariah the son of Jebarechiah I will bring to pass See also there R. R. Jarchi Kimchi From both these we observe two things 1. If Iddo did not signifie the same thing with Jehoiada to the Jewish nation why might not our Saviour have the same liberty to call Barachia the father of Zacharia as the Chaldee Paraprhast had to call him Iddo 2. It is plain that the Jews looked
he art thou so sad He saith unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am sad for the speeches of those who say I will do this or that e're long though they know not how quickly they may be called away by death That man with whom thou hast been feasting and that boâ—sted amongst you with this wine I will grow old in the joy of my Son behold the time draws nigh that within thirty days he must be snatcht away He saith unto him do thou let me know my time To whom he answered over thee and such as thou art we have no power for God being delighted with good works prolongeth your lives VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither Store-house nor Barn I Am mistaken if the Jerusalem Writers would not render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the Store-house where they laid up their fruits and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the Barn where they laid up their grain It is commonly rendred the floor but there it is meant the Barn floor Our Saviour takes an instance from God feeding the Ravens m m m m m m Vide Job XXXVIII 41. Ps. CXLVII 9. It is R. Solomon's remark Our Rabbins observe that the Raven is cruel toward its young but God pitieth them and provides them flees that breed out of their own dung Now the reason they give why the old ones are so unmerciful to their own young is in Chetabboth n n n n n n Fol. 49. 2. where the Gloss thus explains the mind of the Gemarists speaking of the young ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both white and black when they grow black the old ones begin to love their young but while they are all white they loath them In that very place there occurs this passage not unworthy our transcribing There was a certain man brought before Rabh Judah because he refused to provoide for his Children saith he to those that brought him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dragon brings forth and lays her young in the Town to be nourisht up When he was brought to Rabh Chasda he saith unto them compel him to the door of the Synagogue and there let him stand and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Raven seeks her young ones but this Man doth not seek or own his Children But doth the Raven seek her young ones behold it is written God feedeth the Ravens which cry unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This hath no difficulty in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is said of them while they are white that God feeds them but that is said of them when they are become black that the Raven owneth her young But the Gloss hath it thus It seems as if he with his own voice should cry out against himself and say the Raven owneth her young But there are those that expound it as if the minister of the Synagogue should set him forth and proclaim upon him the Raven acknowledgeth her young but this man rejects his own Children Tell it to the Church Matth. XVIII 17. VERS XXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The nations of the world c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is a very common form of speech amongst the Jews by which they express the Gentiles or all other nations beside themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have a peculiar propriety in Sacred Writ which they have not in prophane Authors so far that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath relation only to the Jewish ages and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the nations that are not Jewish Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. XXIV 3. is meant the end of the Jewish age or world And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. I. 2. is before the Jewish world began and hence it is that the world very often in the New Testament is to be understood only of the Gentile world VERS XXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will come forth and serve them o o o o o o Gloss. in Bathra fol. 57. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that serves at the table goes about while the guests sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to denote the same thing here unless it may referr to some such thing as this viz. that the Master will pass by his dignity and condescend to minister to his own Servants VERS XXXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the second watch and in the third IN the very dead watches of all at least if there be not a solecism in speech At the first watch they went to bed and the fourth watch the time of getting up again came on so that the second and the third watch was the very dead time of sleep VERS XLVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall be beaten with many stripes THere was a stated number of stripes and that was forty beyond which no Malefactor Condemned by the Judges to that punishment ought to receive Whence that passage p p p p p p Cholin fol. 82. 1. seems a little strange He that kills an Heifer and afterward two of that Heifers Calves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be beaten with fourscore stripes How so fourscorce when they ought not to exceed above forty q q q q q q Deut. XXV 3 They might not exceed that number for one single crime but if the crime was doubled they might double the punishment And it may be a question whether they did not double their accusations upon St. Paul when they multiplied their stripes he himself telling us that five times he had received forty stripes save one r r r r r r 2 Cor. XI 2â— But did every one that was adjudged by the Court to stripes did they always receive that number exactly of thirty nine no doubt the number was more or less according to the nature of the crime Which seems to be hinted in s s s s s s Fol. 24. 2. Pesachin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that eateth the Potitha some creeping thing of the Sea let him be beaten with four stripes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that eateth a Pismire let him be beaten with five 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that eateth an Hornet let him have six If this be the sense of the words then here may arise a question with what kind of scourge they were beaten if with that scourge of three cords that was used when they gave nine and thirty stripes repeating their strokes by a scourge of three cords thirteen times how then could they inflict four or five stripes with such a scourge as that was But as to the number of stripes which the master might inflict upon his slave that was not stated but left to the pleasure of the master according to the nature of the crime which seems hinted at in these words of our Saviour and in the following rule amongst the Jews some kind of measure still being attended to t
must be fetcht thence not from any Greek or Roman Lexicon That which we are to enquire after is how it was understood by the auditory then present and I may lay any wager that the Jews when they heard Abrahams bosom mentioned did think of nothing less than that kind of limbo we have here described What Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses c. in a lake without water in prison on the very brim of Hell Is this to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Paradise is this to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the throne of glory And was Lazarus carried thither by Angels when he was carried into Abrahams bosom We meet with a phrase amongst the Talmudists a. Let us borrow a little patience of d Kiddushin fol. 72. It is quoted also from Juchasin fol. 75. 2. the Reader to transcribe the whole passage Rabbi Judah saith to Levi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 represent the Persians to me by some similitude He saith they are like to the host of the house of David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Represent to me the Iberians They are like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Angels of destruction Represent to me the Ismaelites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are like the Devils of the stinking pit Represent to me the disciples of the wise that are in Babylon They are like to ministring Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When R. Judah dyed he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hemnia is in Babylon and consists of Ammonites wholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mesgaria is in Babylon and wholly consists of spurious people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Birkah is in Babylon where two men interchange their wives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Birtha Sataia is in Babylon and at this day they depart from God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acra of Agma is in Babylon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ada bar Ahava is there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This day he sits in Abraham's bosom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This day is Rabh Judah born in Babylon Expositors are not well agreed neither by whom nor indeed concerning whom those words are spoken this day he sits in the bosom of Abraham And for that reason have I trascribed the whole period that the Reader may spend his judgment amongst them The Author of Juchasin thinks they may be the words of Adah bar Ahavah spoken concerning Rabbi Judah Another Gloss saith they are spoken of Adah bar Ahavah himself Let us hear them both e e e e e e Iuchasin The day that Rabbi dyed Rabh Adah bar Ahavah said by way of Prophesie this day doth he sit in Abraham's bosom f f f f f f Gloss. There are those indeed that expound this day doth he sit in Abraham's bosom thus that is this day he dyed Which if it be to be understood of Adah bar Ahavah the times don't suit It seems to be understood therefore this day he sits in Abraham's bosom that is this day is Adah bar Ahavah circumcised and entred into the Covenant of Abraham But the Reader may plainly see having read out the whole period that these words were spoken neither by Adah nor of him but by Levi of whom we have some mention in the beginning of this passage and spoken concerning Rabbi Judah that was now dead It is Levi also that saith that in his room on that very self-same day was Rabh Judah born in Babylon according to the common Adage of their Schools which immediately follows A just man never dyes till there be born in his room one like him So saith R. Meir when R. Akibah dyed Rabbi Judah was born When Rabbi Judah dyed Rabh Judah was born When Rabh Judah dyed Rabba was born When Rabba dyed Rabh Isai was born We have here therefore if we will make up the story out of both Talmuds another not very unlike this of ours In the Jerusalem Talmud Rabbi Judah is conveighed by Angels In the Babylonian he is placed in Abraham's bosom neither would the Glosser have doubted in the least either of the thing or of the way of expressing it so as to have fled to any new exposition had he not mistook the person concerning whom these words were uttered He supposeth them spoken of Adah bar Ahavah wherein he is deceived and because the times do not fall in right if they were to be understood of his death he therefore frames a new interpretation of his own whiles in the mean time he acknowledgeth that others expound it otherwise We may find out therefore the meaning of the phrase according to the common interpretation by observing first that it was universally believed amongst the Jews that pure and holy souls when they left this body went into happiness to Abraham Our Saviour speaks according to the received opinion of that Nation in this affair when he saith Many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit down with Abraham Give me leave to transcribe a Story a little more largely than usual g g g g g g Midras Echah fol. 68. 1. There was a Woman the Mother of seven Martyrs So we find it also 2 Maccab. VII When six of her Sons were slain and the youngest brought out in order to it though but a child of two years and an half old The Mother saith to Caesar by the life of thy head I beseech thee O Caesar let me embrace and kiss my child This being permitted her she plukt out her Breasts and gave it suck Then she by the life of thy head I entreat thee O Caesar that thou wouldst first kill me and then the child Caesar answered I will not yield to thee in this matter for it is written in your own Law the Heifer or Sheep with its young one thou shalt not kill on the same day To whom she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O thou foolishest of all mortals hast thou performed all the commands that this only is wanting He forthwith commands that the Child should be killed The Mother running into the embraces of her little Son kissed him and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go thou O my Son to Abraham thy Father and tell him thus saith my Mother do not thou boast saying I built an Altar and offer'd my Son Isaac For my Mother hath built seven Altars and offered seven Sons in one day c. This Woman questionless did not doubt of the innocence and purity of the Soul of this Child nor of its future happiness for we will suppose the truth of the Story which happiness she expresseth sufficiently by this that her Son was going to his Father Abraham There are several other things to the same purpose and of the same mould that might be produced but let this suffice in this place However see Notes upon Vers. 24. Now what this being in Abraham's bosom may signifie amongst the Jews we may gather from what is spoken of the manners and the death of this R. Judah concerning whom it is
Law by it self and changed thirteen places in it the examination of the latter clause will yield light to the former and will give its vote to him that says that it does not appear in the Talmudists that the LXX translated at all but that they only transcribed the Hebrew Books in Hebrew CHAP. VIII Of the thirteen places that were changed BOTH Talmuds as also other Rabbins who relate the story of the LXX Elders add always this that they changed thirteen places in the Law which they also reckon up But now when those different readings are not found in the Greek Version that story is exploded by the most as a mere fiction when indeed the change was not in the Version but in the Hebrew Transcription Let the thing speak it self They wrote say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God created in the beginning Gen. I. 1. not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the beginning God created Lest the King should say Bereshith is God and there were two powers and the first created the later a a a a a a See the Gloss in Megill fol. 9. 1. But now in the Greek Version it was impossible that such a scruple should arise it could arise only from the Hebrew Text and it must necessarily be that this change intended for an amendment should be reckoned to be in the Hebrew words themselves They write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Sarah laughed among her neighbours Gen. XVIII 12. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within her self They wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever was desirable I took not from them Numb XVI 15. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Ass. Now who will doubt but that the change was made in the Hebrew words themselves In the former from the affinity of the words in the later from the similitude of the letters But instead of more let this one Example serve They wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he sent worthy men of the children of Israel Exod. XXIV 5. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 young men Now if it be asked whether they wrote the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the sense of it in the Greek Language the Jerusalem Gemarists witness that that very same word was writ by them in this story Three books say they were found in the Court of the Temple In one of them was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. XXXIII 27. in two was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They received those two and they rejected the third In one was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sent worthy men of the children of Israel In two was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sent young men of the children of Israel They received those two and rejected the third In one was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nine In two was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eleven They received those two and rejected the third Now it may be asked What I pray were those two Copies in which it was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were Hebrew Copies without all controversie and so was that without all doubt in which it was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no reason therefore why that tradition of the thirteen places changed should bear so ill a report and be accounted for a fiction because those thirteen alterations are not met with in the Greek Version For the Talmudists plainly treat of the Seventy two not Translating out of Hebrew but transcribing the Hebrew Books themselves Let us also add the introduction that the Jerusalem Writers make to this history b b b b b b Megill f. 71. 4. The Jerusalem Talmudists say they wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerusalem Jerushlema Tzaphon Tzephona Teman Temna That is they changed the writing of these Hebrew words and immediately they add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wise Men altered thirteen places for Ptolomey the King Which is also to be understood of the Hebrew words themselves otherwise this does not suite with what goes before CHAP. IX In what value the Version of the Seventy as it is commonly called seems to have been among the Iews THUS it remains doubtful whether the Talmudists acknowledge any Version of the Seventy two Elders or no. Let it be granted therefore that they attributed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divine inspiration to them from hence that being put asunder yet they all conspired in one mind and sense nevertheless it will not at all follow thence that any honour was given by them to this Version which is carried about under that name One may much more readily perceive in it the breath of Jewish Traditions than any inspiration of the Holy Ghost And although their own Traditions were of account certainly to the Nation and for the patronizing them many things seem to be put into the Version which favour them yet this did by no means so much obtain with them as that they valued the Version above the Hebrew Original and that the casting away that made choise of this to themselves but they always reserved to the Hebrew Text its due honour I. What the Learned among them might judge of the Greek Version one may somewhat guess from hence that even a Christian himself seriously reading and viewing it may observe many things in it whereby he may discover by what counsils cautions and crastiness that Version was published especially if together with it he hath in his Eye the Manners Traditions Ordinances and State of the Jewish Nation to which allusion is very frequently made and respect had by those Interpreters The matter may be illustrated by one or two examples as to their Traditions Gen. XX. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because the Lord in shutting shut up all the Womb without Whence comes the putting in of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without It agrees with the Tradition that the Wombs were barred up against copulation a a a a a a Bava Kama fol. 92. 1. Exod. XXIV 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saw the place where God had stood instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saw the God of Israel Compare the Tract Kiddushin b b b b b b Fol. 49. 1. with this where the Gloss is this R. Hananiel saith He that renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saw the God of Israel is a liar c. See the Notes before at Chap. XIV vers 2. Deut. XXX 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Lord shall purifie thy heart And Jos. V. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After which manner Joshua purified the children of Israel for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He circumcised in a sense too much inclining to the trifling praises of Circumcision among the Masters Whence are those words taken Jos. XXI 42. and XXIV 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There they laid
of spirit Why to east down thy thirty pieces of Silver which thou hadst got so notoriously and bought so duly Oh! Conviction of mine own Conscience which bears me down and lies heavier on my Soul than a thousand thousand milstones They shall say to the Rocks fall on us and to the Hills cover us And those weights seem lighter than the burden of Conscience that lies upon them Here is Conviction of Conscience overpowering ad ultimum quod sic as far as possible in that kind and as far as possible in this World a man so throughly convinced of his lost undone damnable condition that his Conviction is his Hell already and he cannot suffer or feel more of Hell till he come there But Secondly There is a Conviction of Conscience overpowering to the utmost effect of Conviction that is smoother like Jacob and not such a rough thing as this Esau a child of the freewoman and of the promise and not of this spirit of horror and bondage and that is when a man is so convinced in Conscience concerning his duty that he cannot but with all earnestness set to it and keep to it As in Jer. XX. 9. The word of the Lord was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones that I was weary of forbearing and could not stay This I shall illustrate to you by looking into a case or state of Conscience referring something to the Conviction spoken of last before and also to this we are speaking of now Many a dear child of God walks in darkness and sees no light from the time of his new birth to his grave he walks in brokenness of Heart and dejection of Spirit and never sees good day His example may be instance enough for all others in Psal. LXXXVIII 15 16 17. I am afflicted and ready to die even from my youth up I suffer thy terrors I am distracted Thy fierce wrath goeth over me and thy terrors have cut me off They came round about me daily like waters they compassed me about together Now what is that that bears such a Soul up that it does not sink under despondency and despair It is a wonder that such a one can live and what is it that he lives upon Upon the strong and overpowering Conviction and sence of his duty Every child of God that is born to God by the new birth is in Rebecca's case with a Jacob and Esau struggling in her but the younger overcoms the elder He hath a twofold overpowering of Conscience in him namely concerning his lost condition and concerning his duty and the latter overcoms the former He hath those pangs and anguishes of Conscience through the sight of his sins and sence of Gods displeasure that it brings him to the very brink of Hell and of the gulph of dispair but he hath withal so strong an impression of his duty that that keeps him from sinking or falling in A travailer towards Heaven walks upon two legs Hope and Sence of his duty Now many and many a time his hope like Jacobs thigh is sinnew-shrunk and lame and hath no strength at all in it yet he makes shift to bear upon his other leg the sence of his duty that Jacob-like at last he limps out to his journies end The hope of a good Soul may be in the dark that he cannot see the glimmering of the least spark of it but the sence of his duty is always in his sâ—ght that he cannot but look on it and walk after it The case of Jonah in the Whales belly Jon. II. 4. I said I am â—â—t off from the light Why Jonah then thy case is desperate and there is no hope But I will yet look toward thy holy Temple That is my duty and I must not give out from it That good man in Psal. LXXXVIII thou seest thou hast waited and prayed and laboured for comfort all thy time and no comfort comes there is no hope strive no longer I but it is my duty to wait and pray and labour and I must hold to that and not give out Job dost thou not see thy hopeless case dost thou still hold thine integrity blessing God and dying Ah! thou speakest like a fool saith he though God kill me yet will I trust in him I will wait on him this is my duty and I must do it Oh! This is worth your laying to heart If ever your case come to despond in hopes and comforts yet to â—ear up with this Though I cannot see it is the Will of God to shew me comfort yet I am sure it is his Will that I should hold out in doing my duty I long for assurance of pardon of my sins and cannot find it I pray and wait and labour for grace and hope and comfort and cannot feel it My heart is as sad as ever as dull as slippery as incumbred as ever yet come what will I must not leave my hold I must pray and wait and labour still it is my Duty Thus hath many a sad Soul been born up under despondencies that have seen no light hope nor comfort that it hath been a wonder how they have holden up yet have lived upon a hidden manna as in Revel II. 17. have been born up upon this crutch the overpowering Conviction of their Conscience concerning their Duty IV. Fourthly Every Conscience in the World must at one time or other come to such ultimate Conviction in the one kind or other either to confusion and horror or to conversion and setting to his duty Cain if thou do well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou do not well sin lies at the door Gen. IV. 7. The word in the Original â—â—â—â—â—fies sin but more commonly a sin-offering and that laid at the door And that I take to be the meaning of the place and this to be the first doctrine of Repentance in the Bible Though thou do not well yet there is a sin-offering to make thy peace repent and thou shalt be pardoned but if thou do not repent sin and vengeance lies at the door ready to seize upon thee Sinner if thou improvest trying Conviction as thou oughtest to do thou mayest come to the kindly overpowering Conviction to set thee to thy duty for thy everlasting comfort but if not expect overpowering Conviction at one time or other to thy eternal horror And to this sence could I easily be induced to believe those borrowed expressions of Daniel mean Dan. XII 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth Joh. V. 28 29 shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt A resurrection of dead Consciences as well as dead bodies Conscience of it self is one of the sleepiest things in the World if God would let it sleep but he will suffer no Conscience to sleep for ever But up sluggard Jonah why sleepest thou either call upon thy God or betake thy self to thy duty or into the
distinction is taught by phrases that speak both parties viz. them that profess and them that do not and sometimes by a single word that speaks them that profess only I will mention these few 1. 1 Cor. VII 12 13. But to the rest speak I not the Lord. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away And the woman which hath an husband which believeth not and if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him Brother in opposition to unbeliever The Apostle here starts the point of Christians married with infidels whether they should divorse because of Religion and what rank their Children were in To the rest speak I not the Lord. He spake not without the Lord but he means that there was not a Text for this case in the Law See vers 10. And unto the married I command yet not I but the Lord. Let not the wife depart from her husband And see Chap. IX 8. Say I these things as a man or saith not the Law the same also If any brother i. e. Christian. See 1 Cor. V. 11. If any man that is called a brother be a Fornicator or Covetous c. whereby Brother is plainly meant a Christian. A wife that believeth not viz. a Pagan And so along The same case is handled 2 Cor. VI. 15. What concord hath Christ with Belial and what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel There Believer and Infidel are opposed Believer here is as large as professor in opposition to Jew or Pagan 2. Those Phrases Within and Without 1 Cor. V. 12. What have I to do to judge them that are without do not ye judge them that are within It is a Jewish phrase and they straiten the sence that take those that are without to be meant of Christians In one word sometime Believer alone the opposite not named Act. II. 44. And all that believed were together and had all things common And here whole families children and all are understood Sometime Disciples and Christians Act. XI 26. The Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch In this sence Church most commonly is taken viz. for the Professors of Christ in opposition to Jews and Pagans that professed him not XVI Matth. 18. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church Which is meant of the Church of the Gentiles in general So III. Ephes. 10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God So by Saints are meant nothing else but Professors of Christian Religion 1 Cor. VI. 1 2. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law befare the unjust and not before the Saints Do ye not know that the Saints shall Judge the World And VII Chap. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were their children unclean but now are they holy Now are they Saints answering to the usual Hebrew phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Sanctitate Here is a study for a young Divine to be setled in the sense of these words There are great divisions and great misconstruction of one another from mistake of these things II. That God hath appointed Sacraments as external and visible marks whereby to sign out this distinction Badges of Homage as in the Text Disciple all Nations baptizing them So under the Law Circumcision served for that end to be a mark of a Jew and therefore the Heathen are called uncircumcised And when some of the circumcised seed degenerated that they wanted that mark to distinguish them then God ordained the Passover So under the Gospel Baptism is the Mark as in the Text. Children are baptized that there may be none in our families that bear not the badge of Homage Christ ordained it for this end to badge out the owning of his Power and to introduce into the Profession of him III. Gal. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. See Joh. III. 5. Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Speech is there had of Christs Kingdom of Heaven upon Earth or the state under Christ. See vers 2 3. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and said unto him Rabbi we know thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles that thou dost except God be with him Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Where mark how Christs answer suits He observed in Nicodemus words signifying that he thought he saw the dawning of the Kingdom of Heaven and now it was that the Jews thought it would come upon them and this further confirmed him that Christ was the Messias To this therefore Christ answers and intimates to Nicodemus to be baptized Why would Christ himself be baptized Because he would own the proper way of introduction into the Gospel which he was now to preach So the Lords Supper is a badge of this distinction See 1 Cor. X. 14 16. Wherefore my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ As much as if he should have said because we have the Sacrament of the Communion of the body and blood of Christ therefore avoid Idolatry It is the badge of those that profess Christ in opposition to Heathenism I might speak how the word Sacrament speaks such distinction but that is well enough known III. As Baptism hath several coordinate ends so all or most of them are suitable to that that we are speaking of viz. introducing into the Profession of Christ. Both Sacraments have several ends therefore it is proper in the dispute now about them to consider whether it is fit to apply them to one only end 1. Baptism hath a doctrinal end It is a visible word Loquitur Deus ut videas As it is a visible sign so a visible doctrine As God speaks in Jer. II. 31. O generation see ye the Word of the Lord. The Lord to come home to our capacity brings divine things to our eyes 1 Joh. I. 1. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon Thus Baptism when we see it administred reads the doctrine of our natural defilement and purging from it Ezek. XXXVI 25. is so understood Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you So circumcision in the member of generation shewed a check to our
things considered it is past all doubting that when he saith Whatsoever cometh out to meet me that he meaneth some man or woman or child of his family And child he had none but only this one daughter vers 33. And it is very like he little thought of her when he made his Vow but some of his men or maids And whereas our English hath rendred it favourably because of the great question that is raised upon his Vow Whatsoever cometh out the Hebrew original will most properly bear it He that cometh forth and so the Greek Latine and other Translations bear it For he was now upon an extraordinary and very great design viz. To go and fight with the potent army of the Ammonites his forces not being very great And therefore it is very likely that he makes an extraordinary Vow to his extraordinary design he was upon Now this had been but an ordinary and common business to Vow if I return from the children of Ammon with victory I will offer the first Lamb or Ram or Bullock I meet withal at my coming to mine own house Had this been any great Vow for the imploring his prospering in the great undertaking he went about But to dedicate a man or a woman to God spoke high and something like the greatness of the design And how he served his daughter when she came first to meet him is the great question and dispute Some tender of Jepthahs credit and reckoning it not fit to lay more hard things on him than the story will well bear therefore to make the best of it hold that he did dedicate to God not sacrifice his daughter he devoted her to God in keeping her a Recluse and Nun and never to be married though he had no other child and so his family was like to fall But on the contrary First Nunship and Vow of Virginity by the Papists indeed is pretended to be a great piece of devoting and consecrating the party to God But that it is so never was nor ever will be proved but only pretended and with a loud noise cried up as they did in the great hubbub at Ephesus Great is Diana of the Ephesians when none could understand or see any reason for such a hubbub and outcry Certainly among the Jewish Nation they were so far from accounting the Vow of Virginity a piece of Devotion and Religion that they accounted it a reproach for a woman to be childless nay a reproach for a woman not to be married You remember that saying of Elizabeth that had thitherto been barren Luke I. 25. Thus the Lord hath dealt with me in the days when he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men A great reproach for a woman to live and die childless but God hath taken away that reproach from me in giving me a child And a greater reproach it was for a woman not to be married And hence is that in Psal. LXXVIII 63. Their young men were slain by the sword and their maidens were not praised for so it is in the Original which our English hath rendred were not given in marriage For it was a dispraise for a woman not to be married Nay the Jews in their Traditional Law by which they were led too much did not only account it a shame not to be married but a sin and a breach of Gods command For those words Gen. I. 28. Be fruitful and multiply they account not only a blessing but a Command and reckon it the first Command of the six hundred and thirteen commands that are in the Law And to this opinion of theirs it is that the Apostle reflects 1 Cor. VII 25. Where treating concerning virginity and marriage he saith Now concerning Virgins I have no command from the Lord but I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful Secondly To this may be added that Persons dedicated to the Lord were not thereby bound to perpetual Virginity For we read of some that were so dedicated that yet for all that married As Samson a dedicate Nazarite yet took him a wife and that of the daughters of the Philistins And Samuel dedicated by his parents and yet afterwards married and had children So that whereas the Papists account vowed Virginity so great a piece of Religion and Devotion and thereupon their Nuns and their Priests must not marry they will hardly find the least warrant for it either in the Old Testament or the New It is meerly an invention of their own as indeed is most of their Religion and clearly without any warrant or allowance of God It is very unlikely therefore that vowed Virginity should be ever so much in fashion or request in the Jewish Nation as for them to account it so great a piece of Religion or that Jephtha should account that a noble performance of his Vow and account it a great Vow to devote his Daughter to perpetual Virginity But if that were not the intent and action of his Vow what did he to his Daughter Did he really sacrifice her and offer her up for a burnt offering Thaâ— was less Religion and less in custom in the Nation to sacrifice a person And can it be imagined that Jephtha that the Apostle reckons among the faithful should do such a thing I answer Very true But may we not think him though faithful yet for the present that he might fall under ignorance and a blind zeal It is indeed something hard and strange to think so uncharitably of such an one as he was But The Fathers of old were almost unanimously of the mind that he really sacrificed his daughter They that have purposely handled this question will tell you that Tertullian Athanasius Nazianzen Hierom Ambrose Chrysostom Austen Theodoret and others were of that mind Besides Jewish Writers that might be produced I will name but two the Chaldee paraphrase and Josephus And divers modern Christians are of the same mind But still the objection will return What such a man as Jephtha murther his own Daughter and offer her in sacrifice Would the Apostle ever have reckoned him among the noble army of Faithful ones had he done such a thing as this I answer First That comes but a little short of this that is said of Solomon 1 King XI 5. Solomon went after Ashtoreth the Goddess of the Zidonians and Milcom the Abomination of the Ammonites Let the Jews plaister the case the best they can and say that he himself did not worship these Gods but only suffered his wives to worship them and that he did not build those high places for Chemosh and Molec vers 7. but only suffered his wives to build them Yet how deeply was he guilty in suffering such a thing But the Text tells you that he himself went after these Gods which in Scripture language signifies commonly the real committing Idolatry with such Gods And do but remember what the service of Molec was and offering
Beginning and the end as referring things to be debated or explained what 565 566 Believers punished for sin and how or for what end 1226 Believing in Christ and coming to him how distinguished p. 1261 1262. Believing obeying not to be separated 1263 Bell a little Bell in the Temple gave notice when they entred upon their Services p. 380 381. Upon the hearing of which the Priests Levites and People got themselves into their distinct Postures and Places of Service 380 381 Benches of Judicature their Order and Degrees among the Jews 755 Ben Coziâ—a the Pseudo-Messiah of the Jews the reason on which they rejected him 543 Ben Nezer was a Thief or Robber that raised himself to a sort of a Kingdom by taking of Cities it s also taken for that Kingdom 496 Ben Satda or Stada a contumelious and blasphemous Name given by the Jewish Writers to Jesus Christ whom they make a Magician and that he brought that Art out of Egypt with him 189 270 Beor and Pethor changed into Bosor three things observed from it 1144 1180 Berurea the Wife of Rabbi Meir was a learned Woman p. 543. Supposed by some to be that Samaritan Woman which conversed with our Saviour 543 Betar a City not mentioned in the Scriptures but much among the Talmudick Writings called Bitter or Bither among the Christians 48 49 Bethabara Bethamerah Bethany what and how used for the same place 491 492 493 494 Pethany and Beth-hene the same p. 40. Bethany is put for that part of Mount Olivet which lay furthest from Jerusalem being one mile off but the Town of Bethany was twice as far off 485 Bethaven there were two of the Name 20 Beth-cerem whether not Beth-haccerem 51 Beth Chadulo three miles from Jerusalem what 50 Bethel first called Luz sometimes Bethaven where situated 20 Bethesdas Pool in it Men not Beasts were washed p. 545 It was made of an healing quality by the help of an Angel about the days of Christs being on Earth but how long before or after we know not 546 547 Beth Gubrin what place 317 Beth-horan though there were two places of this Name in the Old Testament yet we find but one under the second Temple several Histories referring to it the way from Jerusalem to it 19 Beth Maron the Town where situate 515 Beth-Meon distant from Tiberias four Furlongs the Maps place it too remote 71 Beth Midras or Beth Midrash was an upper Room like a Divinity School or Chappel near a kin to a Synagogue being the House of the Rabbin common for any use here the Disciples of the Rabbins met and the like afterwards the Disciples of the Primitive Church met in the House of some Doctor or Minister 638 795 Bethphage was reckoned as within Jerusalem which shews the error of the most Maps as also of the Description of the Place among Historians and Travelers p. 36. The derivation of the word Bethphage where it is shewn how it agrees with its being within Jerusalem 37 Bethsaida after rebuilt by Philip was called Julias 83 Bethshan the beginning of Galilee a most fruitful pleasant place p. 57. Now called Scythopolis a City of Decapolis p. 315. Where situate Page 493 Bible Hebrew some would have the Hebrew Bible corrected by the Greek Version and contend that those Interpreters were inspired p. 710 711 712. The Hebrew Bible was ever read in the Synagogues of the Hebrews p. 802. The Jews thought not so honourably of any Version as they did of the Hebrew Bible 803 804 805 Bigamy and Poligamy forbidden 696 Bill of Divorce its manner of giving with a Copy of such a Bill how confirmed how it was delivered p. 147 148 Christ permits not Divorce except in case of Adultery the only case in which Christ permitted a Bill of Divorce 148 Binding and Loosing a very usual Phrase in the Jewish Schools spoken of Things not of Persons Thirty Instances out of the Jewish Writers p. 205 206 207. Reduced to the Gospel State p. 207. Remitting of sins is quite another thing this belongs to Persons that to Doctrine 207 Birthdays the keeping of them was esteemed as a part of Idolatrous Worship 196 Bitter-water for the tryal of the Adulteress the way of using it with the consequence 563 564 Bitur or Bitar not the same with Betar 51 Blasphemer he was to be stoned 579 Blessing and Cursing how practised among the Jews 136 Blood the eating of it prohibited c. p. 697. The putting the blood upon the Ear of him that was cleansed of a Leprosie the way and manner of doing it p. 1038. The Blood of the Covenant put for the Blood of Christ. 1254 Boanerges what 336 337 Brass piece of Coyn what 468 Bread frequently used by the Jews for Doctrine 553 Breaking of Bread was a Phrase and Custom much in use among the Jews p. 648. Whether it intended common Bread or Sacramental Bread among the Primitive Christians 648 Bride and the Children of the Bridechamber what their priviledge and business 172 Bridge of Jacob over Jordan where and why so called p. 492. There were two Bridges at least over Jordan besides other passages over it 492 Brother and Neighbour what the difference between them 141 Brothers younger Brothers the Lineage or Descent of Christ was most of younger Brothers 1089 1090 Burials what Musick and Mourning was used then p. 172 173. How the Jews carried the Corps to their Burials little Children were carried in their Arms all were buried out of the City 414 Buried Criminals were buried in differing places from other Men and had the stone wood sword or rope wherewith they were executed buried with them 676 Burying Places were either Common or Noble and Extraordinary the Common were publick places where the mixed Multitudes buried without the City The Extraordinary were hewn out in Rocks in their own ground with no little Charge and Art they buryed Men of the same Family altogether the whole described with their manner of Burying p. 89 90. How far their Burying Places were distant from their Cities 656 C. CADESH where seated and what other Names it had Page 325 Cadytis for Jerusalem in Herodotus 302 303 Cain there was another besides him we read of in the beginning of Genesis also the Name of a Town p. 329 330 Cain his description as to Extraction and Action after he slew his Brother p. 1307 1308. His Mark that God set upon him what Page 1310 Cainan put into the Genealogy by the Seventy Translators without ground from the Hebrew 401 c. Calling of the Gentiles why Christ gave a Commission not before but after his Resurrection for the calling of them 1123 Calling of the Jews expected by some not probable and why 1123 Callirrhoe is Lasha 296 Campain Country put sometimes for a Wilderness sometimes for a Country where the ground was not distinguished by fens 294 295 Cana of Gallilee its situation p. 81 309 497. It s disputable whether it should be writ with C or