time and story come in the three first Verses of the second Chapter and the story lyeth thus Dayes of the Creation VII GOD having thus created all things * * * Read ver 2. For on the seventh day God had ended his work otherwise there may be a doubt upon it whether God created not something on the seventh day This the lxx Saw and therefore they translate it different from the Original word And God ended his works on the sixth day in six days and man having thus fallen and heard of Christ and of death and eternal life and other like things on the sixth day the Lord ordaineth the seventh day for a Sabbath or holy rest and Adam spendeth it in holy duties and in meditation of holy things The mention of the institution of the Sabbath is laid in the beginning of the second Chapter though the very time and place of that story be not till after the end of the third 1. Because the holy Ghost would dispatch the whole story of the first week or seven days of the world together without interposition of any other particular story 2. Because he would shew that Adam should have kept the Sabbath though he had never sinned And therefore the mention of the Sabbath is before the mention of his sin CHAP. IV. THE exact times of the stories of the fourth Chapter are not to be determined and therefore they must be left to be taken up by conjecture in the times of the fifth as they are cast into the following table and so conjecturally also must we measure out the parallel and collateral times of the generations of Cain and Seth that are either named here or hereafter to the floud Cain and Abel born twins yet the one the seed of the Serpent and the other of the Woman In Cain was legible the poyson that Satan had breathed into fallen man and in Abel the breathing of grace into the elect and a figure of the death of Christ. God fireth Abels sacrifice from heaven but despiseth Cains yet readeth to him the first doctrine of repentance That if he did well he should certainly be accepted and though he did not well yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sin-offering lieth at the door if he repented there was hope of pardon Thus as God had read the first lecture of faith to Adam in the promise of Christ Chap. 3. 15. so doth he the first lecture of repentance to Cain under the doctrine of * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very commonly taken for a sin offering and the sacrifices were constantly brought to the Tabernacle door a sin-offering But Cain despiseth his own mercy is unmerciful to his brother and is denied mercy from the Lord. He beggeth for death that he might be shut out of that sad condition to which God hath doomed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now therefore let it be that any one that findeth me may kill me but this God denieth him and reserve th him to a longlife that he might reserve him to long misery Lamech a branch of this root bringeth into the world the abomination of Polygamie or of having more wives at once than one for which God smiteth him with horrour of conscience that he himself might be a witness against that sin that he had introduced and he censureth himself for a more deplorate and desperate wretch than Cain For that Cain had slain but one man and had only destroyed his body but he himself had destroyed both young and old by his cursed example which was now so currently followed and entertained in the world that ere long it was a special forwarder of its destruction that if Cain was to be avenged seven-fold Lamech deserved seventy and seven-fold In this stock of Cain also began Idolatry and worshipping the creature instead of the Creator blessed for ever and in a mournfull feeling of this dishonour done to God by it Seth calls his Son that was born to him in those times Enosh or sorrowfull because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then began profaness in calling upon the name of the Lord. Noah in 2 Pet. 2. 5. seemeth to be called the eighth in reference to these times namely the eighth in succession from Enosh in whose times the world began to be profane CHAP. V. THis fifth Chapter measureth the time and age of the world between the Creation and the Flood which was 1655. years compleat Being cast into a Table it will not only shew the currency but the concurrency of those times or how those Patriarchs whose times it measureth lived one with another The Reader will not need any rules for the explaining of the Table his own Arithmetick will soon shew him what use to make of it The first Age of the World From the Creation to the Flood This space is called Early in the morning Mat. 2. Hilar. in loc Ten Fathers before the Flood  Adam hath Cain and Abel and loseth them both Gen. 4. unhappy in his children the greatest earthly happiness that he may think of Heaven the more 130 130 Seth born in original sin Gen. 5. 2 3. a holy man and father of all men after the Flood Numb 24. 17. to shew all men born in that estate 235 235 105 Enosh born corruption in Religion by Idolatry begun Gen. 4. 25. Enosh therefore so named Sorrowful 325 325 195 90 Kainan born A mourner for the corruption of the times 395 395 265 160 70 Mahalaleel born A praiser of the Lord. 460 460 330 225 135 65 Jared born when there is still a descending from evil to worse 622 622 492 387 297 227 162 Enoch born and Dedicated to God the seventh from Adam Jude 14. 687 687 557 452 362 292 227 65 Methushelah born his very name foretold the Flood The lease of the world is only for his life 874 874 744 639 549 479 414 252 187 Lamech born A man smitten with grief for the present corruption and future punishment 930 930 800 695 605 535 470 308 243 56 Adam dieth having lived 1000. years within 70. Now 70 years a whole age Psal. 90. 10. 987  857 752 662 592 527 365 300 113 57 Enoch translated next after Adams death mortality taught in that immortality in this 1042 Enoch the seventh from Adam in the holy line of Seth prophecâ—ed against the wickedness that Lamech the seventh from Adam in the cursed line of Cain had brought in 912 807 717 647 582 Enoch lived as many years as there be days in a year via 365. and finished his course like a Sun on earth 355 168 112 55 Seth dieth 1056   821 731 661 596  369 182 126 69 14 Noah born a comforter 1140   905 815 745 680  453 266 210 153 98 84 Enosh dieth 1235    910 840 775  548 361 305 248 193 179 95 Kainan dieth 1290     895 830  603 416 360 303 248 234 150 55
send drink-offerings the drink-offerings are offered but if he send no drink-offerings drink-offerings are offered at the charge of the Congregation Observe that We have the same elsewhere b b b b b b Fal. 166. 2. Vajicra Rabba fol. 166. 2. And it is every where added that this is one of the seven things that were ordain'd by the great Council and that the sacrifice of a Gentile is only a whole burnt-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thank-offerings of a Gentile are whole burnt-offerings and the reason is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mind of that Gentile is toward heaven Gloss. He had rather that his sacrifice should be wholly consum'd by fire to God than as his thank-offerings be eaten by men d d d d d d See also Menacoth fol. 72. 2. Temura◠fol. 103. 1 c. That of Josephus is observable e e e e e e De Bell. lib. 2. cap. 30. Eleazar the Son of Ananias the High Priest a bold young man perswaded those that ministred in holy things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should accept of no sacrifice at the hands of a stranger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the foundation of the war with the Romans For they refus'd a sacrifice for Cesar. f f f f f f Ibid. cap. 31. The Elders that they might take off Eleazar and his followers from this resolution of theirs making a speech to them among other things say this That their fore-fathers had greatly beautify'd and adorn'd the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from things devoted by the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Always receiving the gifts from forreign Nations not having ever made any difference in the sacrifices of any whomsoever for that would be irreligious c. When they had spoken this and many more things to this purpose they produc'd several Priests skill'd in the ancient customs of their forefathers who shew'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all their ancestors received offerings from the Gentiles II. Nor did the Gentiles only send their gifts and sacrifices but came themselves personally sometimes to the Temple and there worship'd Hence the outward Court of the Temple was call'd the Court of the Gentiles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common Court to which that in the Book of the Revelations alludes Chap. XI 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given to the Gentiles And of those there shall innumerable numbers come and worship And they shall tread the Holy City forty and two months It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall tread it under foot as enemies and spoilers but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall tread it as worshippers So Isa. I. 12. g g g g g g Remid◠rab fol. 224. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syrians and those that are unclean by the touch of a dead body enter'd into the mountain of the Temple h h h h h h Hieros Avodah Zarah fol. 40. 1. Rabban Gamaliel walking in the Court of the Gentiles saw an heathen woman and blessed concerning her i i i i i i Ioseph ubi sup◠They would provoke the Roman armes espouse a war with them introduce a new worship and perswade an impiety with the hazard of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If no stranger but the Jews only may be allow'd to sacrifice or worship Hence that suspicion about Trophimus being brought by Paul into the Temple is not to be suppos'd to have been with reference to this Court but to the Court of the women in which Paul was purifying himself k k k k k k Pesachin fol. 3. 2. There is a story of a certain Gentile that eat the Passover at Jerusalem but when they found him out to be an heathen they slew him for the Passover ought not to be eaten by any one that is uncircumcised But there was no such danger that an uncircumcised person could run by coming into the Court of the Gentiles and worshipping there VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Except a corn of wheat HOW doth this answer of our Saviours agree with the matter propounded Thus Is it so indeed do the Gentiles desire to see me The time draws on wherein I must be glorify'd in the conversion of the Gentiles but as a corn of wheat doth not bring forth fruit except it be first thrown into the ground and there die but if it die it will bring forth much fruit so I must die first and be thrown into the earth and then a mighty harvest of the Gentile world will grow up and be the product of that death of mine Isa. XXVI 19. Thy dead men shall live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together with my dead body shall they arise so our translation with which also the French agrees Rescusciteront avec mon corps They shall rise with my Body But it is properly Corpus meum resurgent They shall arise my Body so the interlineary Version The Gentiles being dead in their sins shall with my dead body when it rises again rise again also from their death Nay they shall rise again my Body that is as part of my self and my Body Mystical VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have both glorify'd it and will glorifie it again THIS Petition of our Saviours Father glorifie thy name was of no light consequence when it had such an answer from heaven by an audible voice And what it did indeed mean we must guess by the Context Christ upon the Greeks desire to see him takes that occasion to discourse about his death and to exhort his followers that from his example they would not love their life but by losing it preserve it to life eternal Now by how much the deeper he proceeds in the discourse and thoughts of his approaching death by so much the more is his mind disturbed as himself acknowledgeth ver 27. But whence comes this disturbance It was from the apprehended rage and affault of the Devil whether our Lord Christ in his agony and passion had to grapple with an angry God I question but I am certain he had to do with an angry Devil When he stood and stood firmly in the highest and most eminent point and degree of obedience as he did in his sufferings it doth not seem agreeable that he should then be groaning under the pressures of Divine wrath but it is most agreeable he should under the rage and fury of the Devil For I. The fight was now to begin between the Serpent and the seed of the woman mention'd Gen. III. 15. about the glory of God and the salvation of man In which strife and contest we need not doubt but the Devil would exert all his malice and force to the very uttermost II. God loosed all the reins and suffered the Devil without any kind of restraint upon him to
true when he said Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life What will any man take for his life to pass it away What jewels what rubies what riches will buy his life from him No he accounts it too precious to part with his life for mony or monies worth And this doth enhance the preciousness of life that it is not only so excellent a being in it self but without it all things are nothing to him that hath lost it Bring a dead man bags of gold and heaps of silver fill his coffin up with pearls and jewels strew his grave with diamonds and rubies there is no hearing no minding no affecting when his jewel that was more worth then all these his life is gone Now who is the Preserver of this dear jewel while we carry it about us Is it we our selves The Psalmist tells us that It is he that made us and not we our selves Psal. C. And reason may tell us that it is he that preserves us and not we our selves For can we any more preserve our lives of our selves than we can give life to our selves When a desperate danger is ready to swallow us up if God withdraw his preserving providence can man bring his life out of danger In Scripture Phrase for a man to put his life in his own hand Judg. XII 3. is to venture it to danger where there is no safety but in the hands of God it is secure while he will take charge of it Feeling is that passage of Daniel to Belshazzar Dan. V. 23. The God in whose hand is thy breath Canst thou take it into thine own hand and there hold it The Jews tell a story of the Angel of death sent to take away the soul of Moses but Moses withstood him and he could not do it but when God saw his time to take it no withstanding The Angel of death in their meaning is the Devil and the Apostle speaks to their opinion Heb. II. 14. That through death he might destroy him that â—ad the power of death that is the Devil Now wherein lies the reason why Satan takes not away our lives when he pleaseth Is it in our selves Would not he think you carry away all men bodily to his den if it were in his power And is it our power that doth restrain him Think of those poor possessed ones in the Gospel whom the Devil hurried so up and down at his pleasure Is it our own power that doth restrain him that he useth not us so When we read or hear such stories have we not cause if we had hearts to look up at a higher power than our own that we are not as they were in his power And was it his courtesie that he spared their lives when God had given him liberty to use their bodies as he did Or was it not that God restrained him you may guess it by Jobs case betwixt whose life and Satans malice against him God had put this bar Only take not away his life But when God himself comes by death resolvedly to take away any mans life whose power is it in to hinder When he is resolved to tear body and soul assunder who shall say what dost thou When he will preserve life no longer who can make it out and preserve it himself The Lord giveth life and the Lord taketh it away in his hand only is the disposal of our life and being Secondly God shews himselves tender of our lives doth not only preserve them but shews that he is tender of them and willing to preserve them God is the fountain of being and giver of life and it is agreeable to his nature to maintain the being of men and their lives but it is not so agreeable to him to destroy them it is said of him that he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men Lam. III. And he saith of himself that he hath no pleasure in the death of the sinner Ezek. XVIII And no wonder for it is somewhat besides his nature q. d. for it is his nature to give being and not to destroy it Now that God is tender of the lives of men and preservs them willingly and tenderly you have it evidenced in the mouth of three or four witnesses that the truth of it may be established 1. He is tender of the lives of very birds and beasts and therefore forbids all cruelty towards them Balaam for cruelty towards his poor Ass is reproved both by the Angel and the Ass her self And how does God forbid to kill a beast and her young on the same day to take a bird and her young at the same time but if he take the young to let the dam go forbids to seeth a kid in his dams milk and in a word it is a token the Holy Ghost gives of a good man that he is merciful to his very beast 2. Is it not an evidence that God is tender of mens lives when he hath made so severe a Law against murther or taking them away And what strange discoveries hath he made of murthers and murtherers that he that hath taken away a mans life may not go unpunished So tender is God of the life of man that as man hedgeth in a choice tree or plant that he is tender of so hath God mans life with such a siry law as well as he doth also with his providence 3. Doth not God tender the life of man when he would have all men to spin out their lives to life eternal and shewed them a way how to do it if they would but take his way God had rather thy life should reach Heaven and Eternity there than to drop into Hell in the end and be drowned in eternal death And this is one thing amongst others that doth highly enhance the preciousness of mans life that it may be translated to Eternity 4. And Lastly If you yet need any evidence and demonstration of Gods tenderness to mens lives and willingness to preserve them and unwillingness to destroy them look upon your selves as you are alive here this day And whence is it that you are so Can you give any other proper reason than this because God is tender of your lives and is not willing to destroy them Hath he not power enough to have cut them off and destroyed them long ago And have we not given him cause enough to have destroyed them over and over Whence is it then that we are all here this day God hath spared our lives preserved our lives tenderly preserved them or our souls had long ago dwelt in silence And are we not in debt to God for this care and tendering of us Is there nothing to be paid him not one half shekel for all our preservation Doth not all the reason in the world dictate that when we live by him we should live as he would have us that when he spares and preserves our lives we should lead and
other standers by reviled him with If he be Christ let him come down from the Cross And let God deliver him if he will have him And so it doth magnifie Divine grace the more if it checkt him in his very reviling and made that tongue that reproached Christ in the very next instant to confess and adore him So Saul was happily checked even while he was breathing rage and revenge against the Church and he brought to be a most special member and minister in it The cause of this mans Conversion we must all ascribe to Gods infinite grace and goodness But the means that that grace and goodness used for his conversion I cannot but ascribe to these two things a Doctrine and a Miracle as in those times Doctrines and Miracles went very commonly together I. I cannot but suppose that the darkness that then began to be over all the Land wrought something with this man to bring him to some consideration with himself of the present case which he had not before His fellow Thief it seems was not moved with it at all but I cannot but believe that This was so deeply affected with it that it proved a means of his Conversion They both of them knew very well that Jesus suffered meerly because he professed himself to be the Christ. That is plain by their saying to him If thou be the Christ save thy self and us And now this man seeing so strange an occurence as had been not seen or heard of at any mans Execution before begins to be convinced that he was the Christ indeed for whom such a wondrous miracle was wrought and manifested And then II. It may very probably be conceived that he remembred those passages of the Prophet Esay describing his Passion and suffering Chap. LIII and particularly that vers 12. He was numbred with the transgressors A clause which the Jewish Expositors wrest some one way some another because they cannot abide to hear of Messias sufferings But which we may very well think that as Divine grace brought his Soul to the acknowledgment of Christ so it brought also that prediction of Christs sufferings and with such company to his remembrance as a means to work him to that acknowledgment For how might he argue This Jesus after all the great miracles that he hath done agreeable to the working of Messiah hath asserted and maintained that he is Messiah to the very death this strange and wondrous darkness that is begun over all the Land cannot but bear witness to such a thing And when it is so plainly prophesied by the Prophet Esay that he should suffer and be numbred with such Malefactors as I and my fellow are I am past all doubting that this Jesus is the promised Messiah Therefore He said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom A great faith that can see the Sun under so thick a Cloud that can discover a Christ a Saviour under such a poor scorned despised crucified Jesus and call him Lord. A great Faith that when he sees Jesus struggling for his own life and no deliverer come to him yet sees reason to cast himself upon him for his Eternal state and Everlasting condition and pray to him Lord remember me A great Faith that could see Christs Kingdom through his cross and grave and death and where there was so little sign of a Kingdom and pray to be remembred in that Kingdom I doubt the Apostles reached not to such a Faith in all particulars They acknowledged Jesus indeed to be Christ while he lived but when he is dead they are at it We trusted that it had been he that should have redeemed Israel Luk. XXIV 21. But now they could not tell what to make of it But this man when he is dying doth so stoutly own him They looked for a Kingdom that Christ should have indeed but they little looked that Christ should suffer and so enter into his kingdom as it is intimated in the same Chapter vers 26. But this man looks for it through and after his sufferings That it is no wonder if he sped at the hands of Christ when he brings so strong a Faith with him and that when he pours out his Prayer Lord remember me c. in such strength of believing it is no wonder if he hear from him in whom he so believes Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And could such a Faith be without a parallel and sutable measure of Repentance Our Saviour very well saw that it was not And the Evangelist gives some intimation that it was not For he tells that he confessed his own fault which is one sign of his Repentance We are here justly and receive the due reward of our doings And that he reproveth his fellow and would fain have reduced him which is another Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And that he pleadeth for the innocency of Christ which is a third This man hath done nothing amiss And in what words and meditations he spent the three or four hours more that he hung alive upon the Cross it is easie to conjecture though the Evangelist hath spoken nothing of it The great sum and tenor of the Gospel is Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved And as Christ himself did seal the truth of the Gospel with his own death so was he pleased that that main truth of the Gospel should be proved and confirmed by this noble and notable example even whilst he was dying And accordingly it hath pleased the Spirit of God to give a demonstration of this mans believing in the Lord Jesus Christ more copiously and apparently than of his repantence though he hath given very fair demonstration of that also That as all posterity was to read that great Doctrine of Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ for Salvation so they might have this illustrious and lively Commentary of the truth and proof of it in this mans believing and in his Salvation And now having seen this great monument of Faith and Repentance and Pardon What say we to it As the Evangelists tell us that they that had seen the passages at Christs death returned from the Cross striking upon their breasts and no doubt very full of cogitations So what are the thoughts of our hearts upon this passage which was not the least remarkable among them A great matter that the light of the Suu should be so darkned and not a small that such a dark soul should be so enlightned A great matter that the Earth should quake the Rocks rent and the Vail of the Temple be torn from top to bottom and not a small matter that such a stupid soul should be moved that such a strong heart should be dissolved broken and brought to softness The spactators then present considered of those things Our present work is to consider of these and what do we think of them I
2 3. The great Angel is Christ the old Serpent is the Devil there Christ binds and imprisoneth him and that with the great chain of the Gospel Observe the passage He shut him up in the bottomless pit What In Hell for ever That he should never go abroad again Yea you have him loose again vers 7. and he hath been always going about as in 1 Pet. V. but he tyes him up that he should not deceive the Nations vers 3. and when he is loosed again vers 8. it is his being loose to deceive the Nations Observe by the way the phrase He shuts him up that is restrains him from deceiving and seducing people It is Hell and Prison to the Devil not to be doing mischief So the Psalmist speaks of the wicked children of the Devil They sleep not rest not if they do not evil It is a torment to them if they may not be sinning Well how doth Christ bind Satan that he do not deceive By sending the Gospel to undeceive them So that this is the Victory of Christ against the Devil The very telling of his Death and Merits is that that overcomes the Devil the very Word of his Death and Resurrection is that that overthrows the Devil and his power So is 1 Cor. VI. 3. to be taken Know ye not that we shall judge Angels Now needed Christs soul to go to Hell to tell the Devil these tidings and to triumph there He felt the building of his Kingdom fall about his ears every moment He needed no such message to go and tell him he had conquered him This is the Triumph of Christ over the Devil by the virtue and power of his death and not by any Vocal or actual Declaration of it by his Soul now separate from his Body IV. As to Christs Soul triumphing over the damned needed there any such thing Or could his Soul do any such thing Think you Christs Soul doth or could rejoyce in the damnation of the damned There is joy in Heaven when a sinner is saved Is there joy too when he is damned That tender expression of God As I live I delight not in the death of a sinner doth it give us any room to think that he can rejovce in their damnation That tender Soul of Christ that but six or eight days before wept for the destruction of Jerusalem with O! that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Can we think that that Soul could go to Hell to triumph and insult over poor damned Souls He had cause to triumph and rejoyce over the conquered Devils but had he the like cause or heart to triumph over damned Souls What was the reason of his triumphing over the Devils Because he had subdued themselves only He mastered them while alive in casting them out and commanding them at his pleasure He cast them into Hell by his Divine Power as soon as they had sinned but his triumph over them by his Death and Resurrection was for his peoples sake We cannot say Christ hath any pleasure in the damnation of the very Devils but he had pleasure in the Conquest of Devils because he had delivered his people from them Ah! most Divine Soul of Christ so infinitely full of charity that gave it self a Sacrifice for sin that men might not be damned can that rejoyce and insult over poor Souls damnation Look but upon Christs tenderness and earnestness for Souls here that they come not to damnation and then guess how little delight he taketh in it when they are damned Let us apply these two passages to this Ezek. XVIII 23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should dye And vers 31. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth In the Hebrew it is in the strictest propriety In the death of him that is dead I have not pleasure that he dye and no pleasure in his death when he is dead What is there more plain in Scripture and in all Gods actings than this That God would not have men damned if they would embrace Salvation What speak these expressions 1 Tim. II. 4. Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Pet. III. 9. Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Certainly whatsoever else this is plain enough that God had rather men should be saved than damned How is this written in Scripture as in letters of gold that he that runs may read it How was it written in letters of Christs own blood that was shed that men might not be damned but that whosoever believeth might have eternal life And how is this written in Gods patience beseechings in his affording means of Salvation I need not to instance in particulars Well men will not be saved but choose death before life Doth Christ delight rejoyce to damn them when they must come to it Think ye he pronounceth Go ye cursed with as much delight as Come ye blessed That he insults triumphs over poor damned wretches in their damnation Read his heart in such passages as these Gen. VI. 6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth and it grieved him at his heart What Because he had made them No but because he having made them must now destroy them Lam. III. 33. He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men So he doth not damn willingly nor destroy the children of men And once for all Esa. XLII 14. I have long time holden my peace I have been still and refrained my self now will I cry like a travailing woman I will destroy and devour at once I will cry and destroy but it is grievous to God as pangs of a travailing woman Thus much as hath been spoken may shew how unlikely and indeed how unchristian a thing it is to conceive that Christs Soul went purposely into Hell to triumph and insult over the miserable and damned And so you see that this Article cannot mean his Souls descending into the place of torment to triumph over the Devils and damned so that we must yet look for another sense of it III. A third interpretation then is this That it means the Torments he suffered in Soul III. upon his Cross. Some word it That he suffered the extream wrath of God some the very torments of Hell some that he was for the time in the state of the damned I reluct to speak these things but this Gloss some make upon this Article and while they go about to magnifie the Love of Christ in suffering such things for men they so much abase and vilifie his Person in making it lyable to such a condition The sense of the Article we must refuse unless we should speak and think of Christ that which doth not befit him The dearly beloved of the Soul of God to lye under the heaviest wrath of God The Lord of Heaven and Earth to
The meaning of the whole let us take up in parts There are two main things here intended First To shew the ruine of the Kingdom of Satan and secondly The nature of the Kingdom of Christ. The Scripture speaks much of Christs Kingdom and his conquering Satan and his Saints reigning with him that common place is briefly handled here That Kingdom was to be especially among the Gentiles they called in unto the Gospel Now among the Gentiles had been Satans Kingdom most setled and potent but here Christ binds him and casts him into the bottomless pit that he should deceive no more as a great cheater and seducer cast into prison and this done by the coming in of the Gospel among them Then as for Christs Kingdom I saw Thrones saith John and they sate upon them c. ver 4. here is Christ and his inthroned and reigning But how do they reign with him Here John faceth the foolish opinion of the Jews of their reigning with the Messias in an earthly pomp and shews that the matter is of a far different tenour that they that suffer with him shall reign with him they that stick to him witness for him dye for him these shall sit inthroned with him And he nameth beheading only of all kinds of deaths as being the most common used both by Jews and Romans alike as we have observed before at Acts 12. out of Sanhedr per. 7. halac 3. And the first witness for Christ John the Baptist died this death He saith that such live and reign with Christ the thousand years not as if they were all raised from the dead at the beginning of the 1000 years and so reign all together with him those years out as is the conceit of some as absolute Judaism as any is for matter of Opinion but that this must be expected to be the garb of Christs Kingdom all along suffering and standing out against sin and the mark of the Beast and the like whereas they held it to be a thousand years of earthly bravery and pompousness But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the first resurrection Not that they lived again when the thousand years were finished but it means that they lived not in this time which was the time of living when Satan was bound and truth and life came into the world The Gentiles before the Gospel came among them were dead in Scripture phrase very copiously Ephes. 2. 1 2. 4. 18. c. but that revived them Joh. 5. 25. This is the first resurrection in and to Christs Kingdom the second is spoken of at the twelfth verse of this Chapter that we are upon Paul useth the same expression to signifie the same thing namely a raising from darkness and sin by the power of the Gospel Rom. 11. 15. Now when this quickning came among the Gentiles Satan going down and Christs Kingdom advanced and the Gospel bringing in life and light as Joh. 1. 4. those that did not come and stick close to Christ and bear witness to him but closed with the mark of the Beast sin and sinful men these were dead still and lived not again till the thousand years were finished that is while they lasted though that were a time of receiving life Blessed therefore and holy are they that have part in this first resurrection for on them the second death hath no power ver 6. The second death is a phrase used by the Jews Onkelos renders Deut. 33. 6. thus Let Reuben live and not die the second death And Jonathan Isa. 65. 6. thus Behold it is written before me I will not grant them long life but I will pay them vengeance for their sins and deliver their carcases to the second death And ver 15. The Lord will slay them with the second death Observe in the Prophet that these verses speak of the ruine and rejection of the Jews now a cursed people and given up to the second death and in Chapter 66. vers 29 30 31. is told how the Lord would send and gather the Gentiles to be his people and would make them his Priests and Levites And then see how fitly this verse answers those In stead of these cursed people these are blessed and holy and might not see the second death and Christ makes them Priests to himself and his Father In this passage of John scorn is put again upon the Jews wild interpretâ—â—â—â—n of the resurrection in Ezekiel They take it litterally think some dead were really raised out of their graves came into the Land of Israel begat children and died a second time Nay they stick not to tell who these men were and who were their children Talm. Babyl in Sanhedr ubi supra After the thousand years are expired Satan is let loose again and falls to his old trade of the deceiving the Nations again ver 8. Zohar fol. 72. col 286. hath this saying It is a tradition that in the day when judgment is upon the world and the holy blessed God sits upon the Throne of judgment then it is found that Satan that deceives high and low he is found destroying the world and taking away souls When the Papacy began then Heathenism came over the world again and Satan as loose and deceiving as ever then Idolatry blindness deluding oracularities and miracles as fresh and plenteous as before from the rising of the Gospel among the Gentiles these had been beating down and Satan fettered and imprisoned deeper and deeper every day and though his agent Rome bestird it self hard to hold up his Kingdom by the horrid persecutions it raised yet still the Gospel prevailed and laid all flat But when the Papacy came then he was loose again and his cheatings prevailed and the world became again no better then Heathen And if you should take the thousand years fixedly and literally and begin to count either from the beginning of the Gospel in the preaching of John or of Peter to Cornelius the first inlet to the Gentiles or of Paul and Barnabas their being sent among them the expiring of them will be in the very depth of Popery especially begin them from the fall of Jerusalem where the date of the Gentiles more peculiarly begins and they will end upon the times of Pope Hildebrand when if the Devil were not let loose when was he He calls the enemies of the Church especially Antichrist Gog and Magog the title of the Syrogrecian Monarchy the great persecutor Ezek. 38. 39. Pliny mentions a place in Caelosyria that retained the name Magog lib. 5. cap. 23. So that John from old stories and copies of great troubles transcribeth new using known terms from Scripture and from the Jews language and notions that he might the better be understood So that this Chapter containeth a brief of all the times from the rising of the Gospel among the Gentiles to the end of the world under these two sums first the beating
use of this Sacrament might shew that they renounced their Judaism and professed the Faith and Oeconomy of the Gospel III. Our Communion therefore in this Sacrament is not so much Spiritual as External and declarative of our common and joynt profession of the Christian Faith We are far from denying that the Saints have a Spiritual Communion with God and among themselves in the use of the Eucharist yea we assert there is a most close Communion between true believers and God But what is that Spiritual Communion of Saints among themselves Mutual love one heart prayers for one another c. But they may exercise the same Communion and do exercise it when they meet together to any other part of Divine Worship They may and do act the same thing when they are distant from one another Therefore their Communion in this Sacrament which is distinctly called the Communion of the Eucharist is that they meet together and by this outward sign openly and with joynt minds profess that they are united in one sacred knot and bond of Christian Religion renouncing all other Religions IV. When therefore we approach to the Eucharist in any Church we do not only communicate with that congregation with which we associate at that time but with the whole Catholic Church in the profession of the true Evangelic Religion VERS XXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye do shew the Lords death IT is known what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Passover Supper was namely a Declaration of the great works of God in the deliverance of the people out of Egypt The same as it seems would these Judaizing Corinthians retain in the Lords Supper as if the Eucharist were instituted and superadded only for that commemoration The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does very well answer to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Declaration and while the Apostle admonisheth them that the death of Christ is that which is to be declared it may be gathered that they erred in this very thing and looked some other way VERS XXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unworthily THE Apostle explains himself vers 29. Where we also will speak of this verse VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Let a man examine himself c. HE had said before verse 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they which are approved may be made manifest And in the same sense he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let a man approve himself in this place not so much Let him try or examine himself as Let him approve himself that is Let him shew himself approved by the Christian Faith and Doctrine So Chap. XVI 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whomsoever ye shall approve We meet with the word in the same sense very often VERS XXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the Lords body THIS is to be meant of the proper act of the understanding viz. Of the true judgment concerning the nature and signification of the Sacrament If it were said indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the Lord it might be rendred in the same sense as He knew not the Lord that is he loves him not he fears him not he worships him not But when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not discerning the body it plainly speaks of the act of the understanding He does not rightly distinguish of the body of the Lord. And this was a grievous error of these Judaizing Corinthians who would see nothing of the body of Christ in the Eucharist or of his death their eyes being too intent upon the commemoration of the Passover They retained the old Leaven of Judaism in this new Passover of the Eucharist And this was their partaking of the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthily as assigning it a scope and end much too unworthy much too mean Ther are alas among Christians some who come to this Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unworthily but whether this unworthily of the Corinthians be fitly applied to them I much doubt How mean soever I am let me speak this freely with the leave of good and pious men that I fear that this discourse of the Apostle which especially chastized Judaizers be too severely applyed to Christians that Judaize not at all at least that it be not by very many Interpreters applied to the proper and intended scope of it Of these Corinthians receiving the Eucharist unworthily in the sense of which we spake the Apostle speaks two dreadful things I. That they became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guilty of the body and blood of the Lord vers 27. With this I compare that of the Apostle Heb. X. 29. He hath trampled under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant by which he the Son of God was sanctified a common thing And Heb. VI. 6. They crucify again to themselves the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put him to an open shame Of whom is the discourse Not of all Christians that walked not exactly according to the Gospel rule although they indeed esteem and treat Christ too ignominously but of those that relapse and Apostatize from the Gospel to Judaism whether these Corinthians too much inclined and are admonished seasonably to take care of the same guilt for when any professing the Gospel so declined to Judaism that he put the blood of Christ in subordination to the Passover and acknowledged nothing more in it than was acknowledged in the blood of a Lamb and other Sacrifices namely that they were a mere commemoration and nothing else oh how did he vilify that blood of the eternal Covenant He is guilty of the blood of the Lord who assents to the shedding of his blood and gives his vote to his death as inflicted for a mere shaddow and nothing else which they did II. That they ate and drank 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgment to themselves But what that judgment is is declared vers 30. Many are sick c. It is too sharp when some turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Damnation when the Apostle saith most evidently vers 32. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When we are judged we are chastened that we should not be condemned Thus as in the beginning of the Mosaical Dispensation God vindicated the honour of the Sabbath by the death of him that gathered sticks and the honour of the worship in the Tabernacle by the death of Nadab and Abihu and the honour of his Name by the stoning of the Blasphemer so he set up like monuments of his vengeance in the beginning of the Gospel Dispensation in the dreadful destruction of Ananias and Sapphira for the wrong and reproach offered to the Holy Ghost in the delivery of some into the hands of Satan for contempt of and enmity against the Gospel in this judgment for the abuse of the Eucharist in the destruction of some by the Plague for Nicolaitism Revel II. 23 c. VERS XXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
when the Judge cometh to plead their cause and behold the Judge standeth before the door If we should take the words in this sence and pointing at such a time and matter I suppose it might not be far from the Apostles meaning But do his words reach no further Are not these things written for our learning as well as for theirs to whom he wrote Is it not a truth spoken to us as well as it was spoken to them Behold the Judge standeth before the door Dispute it not but rather down on our knees and bless and magnifie the patience and goodness of this Judge for that he is standing at the door and hath not yet broke in upon us In handling of the words I suppose I need not to spend time in explaining the Phrases For none that hears of this Judge but he knows who is meant and none can but know what is meant by his standing at the door viz. as near at hand and ready to enter And if the Apostle speak here of the nearness of the destruction of Jerusalem our Saviours words of the very same subject may help to explain him Matth. XXIV 33. So likewise ye when ye see all these things know that it is near even at the doors So behold the Judge is near even at the door But the Judge of whom And at the door of whom These shall be the two things that my discourse shall enquire after The Jews in their Pandect mention several things of which they say they are two and yet are four and when they explain themselves they shew they speak very good sence I may speak much like of the Propositions that rise out of the words that they are two but indeed are four The two are these That there is a Judge or God is a Judge and That this Judge stands before the door But the very stile and expression doth double it That God is the Judge of all and That this Judge stands at the door of all Because there is no exception about whom he judgeth nor any exception at whose door he standeth I cannot say it is as essential to God to be a Judge as it is essential to him to be holy infinite eternal good c. because he had been there had these never been creature to judge as he was these from eternity before the creature was but since there is a creature to judge I may say it is as essential to God to be Judge of his creature as it is to be God For we may truly say if he were not Judge he were not God For what kind of God were that that had not to do about judging the creature I need not to produce places of Scripture to prove that that is before us for what more plain what more frequent than such testimonies That God is Judge himself Psal. L. 6. That he is the Judge of all the Earth Gen. XVIII 25. That he is the Lord the righteous Judge 2 Tim. IV. 8. That he sits upon the Throne judging right Psal. IX 5. That with righteousness he shall judge the world and the people with equity Psal. XCVIII ult But because the language of the Text is Behold the Judge let me speak as I may say unto your eyes according to the expression O generation see ye the word of the Lord Jer. II. 31. So let me lead your eyes to behold some specimens of this great Judges judging and some demonstrations and assurances that he hath given that he will so judge Eternal Judgment is one of the first principles of Christian Religion Heb. II. 6. viz. the judgment that doth determine of every mans state for eternity for of Gods temporal judgments we shall not speak here And that judgment is either particular passed upon every one at death or general which shall be at the last day Of either of these I shall take some prospect I. Concerning the particular Judgment When mans day is done the day of the Lord begins with him and when his work is done he is to receive his wages according as his work hath been good or evil Lazarus and the rich man no sooner dead but the one is in torment and the other in Abrahams bosom And how come they there Conceive you see their passage The souls of all good or bad as soon as ever departed out of the body are slipt into another world And what becomes of them there Do they dispose of themselves Do they go to Heaven or Hell by their own disposal There would never soul go to Hell if it were at those terms But the departed soul meets with its Judge as soon as ever it is departed and by him it is doomed and disposed to its eternal estate The Judge stands at the very door of that World of Spirits to dispose of all that come in there to their everlasting condition according as their works have been here good or evil So that those words of the Apostle as they speak the subsequence of judgment to death so they may very well speak this nearness It is appointed for all men once to die and then cometh the judgment Heb. IX ult Those words of our Saviour are very regardable Luk. XX. 30. He is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live unto him Though dead and gone to the World and to themselves yet to him they are not dead but alive and he deals with them as such as are alive And though he be not the God of all that so live yet he is the Judge of them all He calls himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob when they had been now dead and in the dust a long time for they lived though they were dead And so Cain and Cham and Pharaoh lived though they were dead that is were not utterly extinct and yet God was far from owning himself the God of Cain Cham and Pharaoh but he was their Judge And do but think how these men looked upon their Judge when they met him A carnal wretch that never thinks of God never dreams of judgment but is all for his pleasures and delights here when he dies and instantly meets his dreadful Judge to doom him Can any tongue express what a horrid surprizal that soul is taken at I cannot but take some scantling of conception of it from that passage Rev. I. 17. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead The beloved Disciple to be thus terrified at the sight of his beloved Master He that used friendly to lean in his bosom now to fall at his feet for fear as dead And Christ not coming to him neither with any message of terror but in a friendly manner with instructions concerning things that were to come to pass thereafter And if so dreadful a consternation fell upon him upon meeting and seeing the glory of his dear what is the wretched souls case when it so unexpectedly meets with the dreadful terrors of its angry Judge
proves in the end to be but a curse as I have shewed before and they have the longer score to answer for the greater heaps of sin to be arraigned upon the sadder account of so much time mispent But for Answer to this as I said before There is no temporal thing which in it self is a blessing but wicked men by abuse of it make it a curse They make their Table a snare their wealth a trap their long life a curse And it is no wonder if they do so by these things for they make Divine Ordinances which in themselves are a savour of life to become to them the savour of death nay Christ himself to become a stumbling block and their ruine Now the goodness or blessing in things is not to be judged of by such mens using but by what they are in their own nature As thousands in Hell curse the time that ever they lived so thousands in Heaven bless God for ever that ever they lived here so long Long life to the one party was balm the other made it poison There is another Objection That long life to many proves but long misery therefore is not such a promise and blessing Such are the miseries of this life even to them that spend their time the best that Solomon tells us Eccles. VII 1. That the day of death is better than the day of birth And Chap. IV. 2 3. I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive Yea better is he than both that hath not yet been which hath not seen the evil which is done under the Sun And how many of the Saints of God that have spent their lives as well as ever men did as ever men could spend their lives yet because of the miseries of life have desired that their lives might be cut off and that they might live no longer How oft is this Job's mournful tune over and over Chap. VI. 8 9. O that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing I long for Even that it would please God to destroy me and that he would loose his hand and cut me off And Chap. VII 15 16. My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than my life I loath it I would not live always And so alomst in every one of his speeches And the same tune is Elias at 1 King XIX 4. It is enough now O Lord take away my life for I am no better than my Fathers And Jeremy sings the same doleful ditty when he curseth the day of his birth Chap. XX. 14. How is long life then a blessing when the sorrows of it make men so weary of it I Answer This were true indeed if the blessing of long life consisted only in enjoying earthly prosperity and then the Children of God were of all men most miserable For they have the least earthly prosperity But the blessing of long life consists in things of another nature For those holy mens desiring because of their afflictions here to have their lives cut off 1. We neither wronged them nor Religion should we say it was an humane frailty and failing in them But 2. It was not so much for that they undervalued the prolonging of their lives and the blessing in having life prolonged as that they placed not their blessedness in living here but were assured and longed after a better life Not one of them was unwilling to live but because he was very well prepared to dye therefore he wished for death rather And now that we may come to consider wherein the blessing of long life consisteth let us a little take up some places and passages of Scripture and some arguments in reason that declare and proclaim it as of it self to be a blessing 1. Prov. III. 16. Solomon urging men to espouse and marry Wisdom tells what Portion and Dower they shall have that get her Length of days is in her right hand and in her left riches and honour Observe that he accounts length of days a right hand Dower and riches and honour but a left hand one And indeed what are riches and honour if a man have not length of days to enjoy And the same Solomon commending old age saith Prov. XVI 31. It is a Crown of glory or a glorious Crown if the long life that brought it up thither have been spent as it should I might heap up many such passages but these suffice II. Consider that it is threatned for a curse and punishment that the bloody and deceitful man shall not live out half his days Psal. LV. 23. That the men of Eli's House should dye in their prime 1 Sam. II. 31. But I will name but one for all how oft threatned such and such shall be cut off I need not to cite places the Books of the Law are full of such expressions shall be cut off from his people from the congregation c. Which some understand of Excommunication but it means cutting off by the hand of God by some untimely or fatal death or shortning of life It is threatned as a curse that his days shall not be prolonged but cut off III. Ye have holy men in Scripture praying for prolonging of their lives and that upon this warrant that God promised long life as a blessing Psal. XXI 4. He asked life of thee and thou gavest it him even length of days for ever and ever And Psal. XXXIX ult O spare me that I may recover strength And Psal. CII 24. I said O my God take me not away in the midst of my days And so in the case of Ezekiah how bitterly did he take the tidings of the cutting off of his days Whether it were that it went sadly with him to dye of the Plague or that he saw not Jerusalem delivered from Sennacherib yet certainly it cost some tears to think he was to be taken away even in his prime and his life prolonged no further IV. To this may be added that God promised it for a peculiar blessing Thou shalt come to thy grave in a good old age Job V. 26. And how feeling a promise is that Zech. VIII 4. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts There shall yet old Men and old Women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem and every man with his staff in his hand for every age Methinks I see the streets full of such venerable heads and gravity every one crowned with gray hairs and old age a crown of blessing But what need I arguments to prove this What one thing is there in the world that hath more votes and voices than this For who is there that desires not to live long and see many days And skin for skin and all that he hath will he give for his life that it may be prolonged And who but will be contented to part with any earthly blessing so his life may be preserved Now wherein it is that long life is a blessing is best observed
Author likewise concerned For I have seen many Letters of Mr. Pools to him full of thanks and acknowledgment and one bearing date Jan. 7. 1673. in which he does acknowledge to have received his second Papers and expresses his great desire of receiving the Remaining How far our Author was concerned in that very useful design of that Diligent and Worthy Man hath not come to my knowledge and therefore I cannot give a particular account of it This only is not to be omitted that a Friend of mine hath seen many short Annotations in Latine written by his own hand upon many Chapters of Exodus Numbers Josua which he communicated to Mr. Pool whether for the use of his Synopsis or somewhat else it is uncertain This Reverend Man was divers years before his Death preferred by the favour of Sir Orlando Bridgeman then Lord Keeper to a Prebend in the Church of Ely But in what year this was hath not come to my knowledge And I must confess there are many other things in which I wanted information I did never think it would be my lot to give any account to the World of this excellent Person had I foreseen that I could some years since have been more plentifully furnished with materials to this purpose having had the honour to be acquainted with him my self and the opportunity which is now passed of informing my self better of His Life than now I have And I do acknowledge that this account that I now give I receive for the most part from the Hands of the Reverend and my worthy Friend Mr. John Strype Minister of Low-Leyton in Essex who hath furnished me with such an account as though it be short of what might have been had yet may be relied upon And I thought it better to give some though imperfect account of this Learned and Pious Man than that he should go without any at all As to his great Learning his Works are a proof beyond all exception I make no doubt but that the Reader will receive great benefit by them Our Author was a very perspicacious Man and very happy in clearing the difficulties of the Holy Scriptures and greatly furnished with that Learning which enabled him that way His great abilities were acknowledged by the Learned of our own Country and those beyond the Seas I shall not need to insist upon the Testimonies to this purpose which I could easily produce However I shall not forbear to mention some Our Author had sent Doctor Castell one of his Books at that time when he was engaged in his Lexicon In a Letter of his bearing date Aug. 16. 1664. he makes this following acknowledgment Sir you have laid an unutterable obligation upon me by the gift of this Learned and much longed for Work you have enriched my poor Library with an addition so excellent and delightful that truly when I first received it I could not contain my self from reading it quite through notwithstanding the importunacy of my publick engagement and the clamor of all the Work-men Corrector Compositors Press-men c. to all whom I turned a deaf Ear till I had satisfied my Eye with the entire perusal of it And afterwards he adds Sir I will never he ashamed to confess by whom I have profited All that would understand that clear light together with the mysterious hidden use and benefit which the most ancient Records of the Jews bring unto Holy Writ must confess themselves above all others deeply indebted to your Elaborate and incomparable Writings who have fetched out more of these profound and rich Mines than any of the best Seers in this or the precedent Ages have been able to discover I might have added much more from that very excellent Persons own hand Take the suffrage of another Learned Man Mr. Herbert Thorndike who in a Letter to our Author bearing date May 18. 1669. expresses his esteem of his Learning in the Jews Writings and desiring his Judgment of the Exercitations of Morinus in words too long to be transcribed And for Foreigners I shall content my self with two only The first is that of Mounsieur Le Moin a most Learned Minister of the Protestant Church of Roan who in a Letter to Dr. Worthington speaking of his Notes and Exercitations upon Josephus he saith In iis utor saepissime Lightfootii Talmudice Doctissimi quem si inter Philebraeorum familiam ducem dixero nihil certe dixero quod assurgat ultra meritum cruditissimi illius viri Quae de Templo dechorographia sacra in Matthaeum in Actus erudite feliciter Conscripsit diu est quod illa possideo iisque praeclaris operibus Bibliotheca mea superbit The other Testimony is that of the most Learned Professor of Basil the late Doctor John Buxtorf This great Man speaking of our Author in a Letter of his to Doctor Castell hath these words Ex horis ejus Talmudicis incepi illius doctrinam diligentiam valde amare Illae salivam mihi moverunt ut propediem ab ipso similia videre desiderem gustare Precor ipsi omnia laeta ac meritis ejus digna Again in a Letter of the same Professor to our Author dated at Basil Dec. 12. 1663. I find he expresses the highest esteem for him whose diligence and accuracy and dexterity in illustrating the Holy Scriptures he tells him he admires Rarae hae dotes hoc nostro saeculo in viris Theologis rari hujusmodi Scriptores c. as he goes on in that Letter too long to transcribe As no man can question the great Learning of our Author so he will appear to be very exemplary for his indefatigable diligence if we duly consider under what disadvantages he arrived to this great degree of knowledge He was young when he left Cambridge and a stranger to those Studies which he was afterward so deservedly famous for He went as an Usher into a Country School remote from the Books and helps which might assist him His hours were taken up with the care of Boys and his Head filled with their noise and importunities After this he entred into Orders but that did not advance him in Learning Besides he entred upon constant Preaching when he was very young After this he married a Wife and soon had the charge and burden of Children and the cares of the World to divert him from his Studies His worldly circumstances were not large and his family encreased and his work in Preaching was constant He was far from the help and the leisure which a life in the University would have given him But this brave Man surmounts all these difficulties and disadvantages He in his great Judgment saw that the Oriental Learning was worth his while that Chronology and other difficult pieces of knowledge would be of use to him and make him serviceable to others he was sensible of his defects and generously does this young Divine resolve to shake off all sloth and to make no excuses He knew very well
them to be humbled some for their fathers guilt some for their own and some for both and to acknowledge that their being alive till now and their liberty to enter into the Land was a free and a great mercy for their own and their fathers faults might justly have caused it to have been otherwise with them 2. They had imitated their fathers rebellion to the utmost in their murmuring at Kadesh at their last coming up thither and in the matter of Baal Peor and therefore he might very well personate them by their fathers when their fathers faults were so legible and easie to be seen in them 4. He reckoneth not their second journy to Kadesh by name but slips by it Chap. 2. 1 4. Nor mentions their long wanderings for seven and thirty years together between Kadesh and Kadesh but only under this expression We compassed mount Seir many days Chap. 2. 1. because in that rehearsal he mainly insisteth but upon these two heads Gods decree against them that had first murmured at Kadesh and how that was made good upon them and Gods promise of bringing their children into the land and how that was made good upon them therefore when he hath largely related both the decree and the promise he hastens to shew the accomplishment of both 5. In rehearsing the Ten Commandments he proposeth a reason of the Sabbaths ordaining differing from that in Exodus there it was because God rested on the seventh day here it is because of their delivery out of Egypt and so here it respecteth the Jewish Sabbath more properly there the Sabbath in its pure morality and perpetuity And here is a figure of what is now come to pass in our Sabbath celebrated in memorial of Redemption as well as of Creation In the fifth Commandment in this his rehearsal there is an addition or two more then there is in it in Exod. 20. and the letter Teth is brought in twice which in the twentieth of Exodus was only wanting of all the letters 6. In Chap. 10. ver 6. 7 8. there is a strange and remarkable transposition and a matter that affordeth a double scruple 1. In that after the mention of the golden Calf in Chap. 9. and of the renewing of the Tables Chap. 10. which occurred in the first year after their coming out of Egypt he bringeth in their departing from Beeroth to Mosera where Aaron died which was in the fortieth year after now the reason of this is because he would shew Gods reconciliation to Aaron and his reconciliation to the people to Aaron in that though he had deserved death suddenly with the rest of the people that died for the sin of the golden Calf yet the Lord had mercy on him and spared him and he died not till forty years after and to the people because that for all that transgression yet the Lord brought them through that wilderness to a land of rivers of waters But 2. there is yet a greater doubt lies in these words then this for in Numb 33. the peoples march is set down to be from Moseroth to Bene Jahaan ver 31. and here it is said to be from Beeroth of Bene Jaahan to Moseroth there it is said Aaron died at mount Hor but here it is said He died at Moseroth now there were World 2553 Moses 120 Redemption from Egypt 40 seven several incampings between Moseroth and mount Hor Numb 33. 31 32 c. Now the answer to this must arise from this consideration that in those stations mentioned Numb 33. From Moseroth to Bene Jaahan to Horhagidgad c. they were marching towards Kadesh before their fortieth year and so they went from Moseroth to Bene Jaahan But in these stations Deut. 10. 6. they are marching from Kadish in their fortieth year by some of that way that they came thither and so they must now go from Bene Jaahan to Moseroth And 2. how Moseroth and mount Hor Gudgodah and Horhagidgad were but the * * * As Horeb and Sinai were though they be counted two several incampings of Israel Exod. 17. 1 6. and 19. 1. compared same place and Country and how though Israel were now going back from Kadish yet hit in the very same journies that they went in when they were coming thither as to Gudgodah or Horhagidgad to Jotbathah or Jotbath requires a discourse Geographical by it self which is the next thing that was promised in the Preface to the first part of the Harmony of the Evangelists and with some part of that work by Gods permission and his good hand upon the Work-man shall come forth 7. It cannot pass the Eye of him that readeth the Text in the Original but he must observe it how in Chap. 29. ver 29. the Holy Ghost hath pointed one clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To us and to our Children belong the revealed things after an extraordinary and unparalleld manner to give warning against curiosity in prying into Gods secrets and that we should content our selves with his revealed will 8. Moses in blessing of the Tribes Chap. 33. nameth them not according to their seniority but in another order Reuben is set first though he had lost the birth-right to shew his repentance and that he died not * * * So the Chaldee renders ver 6. Let Reuben live and not die the second death the second death Simeon is omitted because of his cruelty to Sichem and Joseph and therefore he the fittest to be left out when there were twelve Tribes beside Judah is placed before Levi for the Kingdoms dignity above the Priest-hood Christ being promised a King of that Tribe Benjamin is set before Joseph for the dignity of Jerusalem above Samaria c. 9. The last Chapter of the Book was written by some other then Moses for it relateth his death and how he was buried by the Lord that is by Michael Jude 9. or Christ who was to bury Moses Ceremonies The Book of JOSHUA THIS Book containeth a history of the seventeen years of the rule of Joshua which though they be not expresly named by this sum in clear words yet are they to be collected to be so many from that gross sum of four hundred and eighty years from the delivery out of Egypt to the laying of the foundation of solomons Temple mentioned 1 Kings 6. 1. for the Scripture hath parcelled out that sum into these particulars forty years of the people in the wilderness two hundred ninety and nine years of the Judges forty years of Eli forty of Samuel and Saul forty of David and four of Solomon to the Temples founding in all four hundred sixty three and therefore the seventeen years that must make up the sum four hundred and eighty must needs be concluded to have been the time of the rule of Joshua CHAP. I. World 2554 Ioshua 1 JOSHUA of Joseph succeedeth Moses the seventh from Ephraim 1 Chron. 7. 25. and in him first appeared Josephs birth-right 1 Chron. 5. 1. and
Ephraims dignity Gen. 48. 10 He is called Jesus by the LXX and by the New Testament Acts 7. 45. Heb. 4. 8. a type of him that bringeth his people into eternal rest He is installed into the authority of Moses both to command the people and to work miracles and the Book of the Law put into his hand by Eleazer as the manner was at Coronations 2 Chron. 23. 11. He foreseeth the dividing of Jordan and gives charge to provide to march through it CHAP. II. RAhab an hostess of Jericho hath more faith then 600000 men of Israel that had seen the wonders in Egypt and the wilderness Two Spies that were sent out the sixth day of Nisan come out of Jericho again that night the seventh day they lie in the mountains and the eighth day they return to the Camp here are the three days just so counted as the three days of our Saviours burial CHAP. III. IV. ON the ninth day the people march along upon Jordans banks till they come over against Jericho The Ark leads the van for the Cloud of Glory which had been their conductor hitherto was taken away at Moses his death On the tenth day the Ark divided Jordan there are 4000 cubits dry land in the midst of Jordan between the two bodies of the armies that marched on either side of the Ark as it stood in the middest of the river the Ark pitcheth besides Adam Chap. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 78. 60. CHAP. V. THERE is a general circumcision now of the people as there had been at their coming out of Egypt and as God then closed the Egyptians in three days darkness that they could not stir so now he striketh the Canaanites with terrour that they dare not stir to hurt the people while they were fore Circumcision sealed the lease of the land of Canaan and therefore as soon as they set foot on it they must be circumcised the eleventh twelfth thirteenth days of Abib or Nisan are spent about this business and on the fourteenth day they kept the Passover and so are sensible of both their Sacraments at once It is now forty years to a day since they came out of Egypt Christ appeareth weaponed and is Lord General in the wars of Canaan CHAP. VI. JEricho strangely besieged incompassed seven days according to the seven generations since the land was promised counting from Abraham by Levi and Moses Israel marcheth on the Sabbath day by a special dispensation The walls of Jericho brought down by trumpets and a shout in figure of the subduing of the strong holds of Satan among the heathens by the power of the Gospel the spoil of the Town dedicated to the Lord as the first fruits of Canaan Rahab received as the first fruits of the Heathen she afterward marrieth Salmon a Prince of Judah Matth. 1. 5. Joshua adjureth Rahabs kindred for ever building Jericho again CHAP. VII World 2554 Ioshua 1 AChan by one fact maketh all Israel abominable the like thing not to be paralleld again The valley of Achor is now the dore of discomfiture and discontent in time to come it must be the dore of hope Hos. 2. 15. fulfilled to the very letter Joh. 4. CHAP. VIII AI taken and the spoil given to the souldiers and here they have the first seisure and possession of the Land for in the spoil of Jericho they had no part And then Joshua builded an Altar vers 30. and writeth the Law upon it and the blessings and the curses are pronounced and now it was full time for now had the Lord by the sweet of the spoil of Ai given the people a taste of his performance of his promise to give them that land and now it was seasonable on their part to engage themselves to him and to the keeping of the Law CHAP. IX X. XI XII XIII XIV Ioshua 2 A Great delusion of the Church by the colour of Antiquity the Gibeonites Ioshua 3 made Nechenims for the inferiour offices about the Sanctuary the Ioshua 4 Sun and Moon do obeisance to a son of Joseph as Gen. 37. 9. thereupon there Ioshua 5 is a miraculous day of three days long In seven years is the land conquered Ioshua 6 as Jericho had been seven days besieged that this was the date of Joshua's Ioshua 7 battles appeareth from the words of Caleb Chap. 14. 7 10. he was sent one of the Spies of the land in the second year of their coming out of Egypt and had lived five and forty years since viz. eight and thirty years in the wilderness and seven in Canaan CHAP. XV. XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX. XXI XXII XXIII XXIV Ioshua 8 JUdah the royal Tribe first seated the taking of Hebron and Kiriath Sepher Ioshua 9 are mentioned here by anticipation for these occurrences came Ioshua 10 not to pass till after Joshua's death because the Holy Ghost in describing of Ioshua 11 the inheritance of Judah would take special notice of the portion of Caleb Ioshua 12 who had adhered to the Lord. Then Ephraim and Manasseh seated the Ioshua 13 birth-right of Joseph is served next after the royalty of Judah The Tabernacle Ioshua 14 set up in a Town of the lot of Ephraim and the Town named Shiloh Ioshua 15 because of the peaceableness of the land at this time The Temple Ioshua 16 was afterward built at Salem which signifieth Peaceable also that in the lot of Benjamin this in the lot of Joseph both the sons of beloved Rachel The rest of the land divided Simeon though he were of the same standard with Reuben and Gad yet consenteth not with them to reside beyond Jordan but is mixed in his inheritance with the Tribe of Judah as Gen. 49. 7. The rest of the Tribes seated agreeable to the prediction of Jacob and Moses The taking of Laish or Leshem by the Danites is related here by anticipation for it was not done till after Joshua's death Judg. 18. 29. because the Text would give account of their whole inheritance together now it is speaking of it From this mention of an occurrence that befel after Joshua's death and the like about Hebron and Kiriath Sepher it may be concluded that Joshua wrote not this Book but Phineas rather Joshua himself is inheritanced last Three Cities of refuge appointed within Jordan one in Judea another in Samaria and the third in Galilee and three without Jordan in the three Tribes there Eight and forty Cities appointed for the Priests and Levites as so many Universities wherein they studied the Law It is not worth the labour to examine because it is past the ability to determine whether the two Tribes and an half returned to their own homes assoon as ever the land had rest from the wars which was in the seventh year or whether they stayed till the land was divided and the people settled which took up a long time more howsoever it was the two and twentieth Chapter that containeth that story is laid
are Deborah 25 all restored to their proper use again That now the Lord had given the remnant Deborah 26 of his people dominion over the great ones that ruled them before Joshua Deborah 27 Deborah 28 of Ephraim had been a root of such victories against Amalek Exod. 17. and Deborah 29 Ehud lately against Amalek Moab and Ammon and now the Lord had so stirred Deborah 30 Deborah 31 up the hearts of the people to sight the Lords battles that even the men of the Deborah 32 best rank and of the most unmartial profession were yet very ready to jeopard Deborah 33 themselves in such a quarrel that the Lawyers of Machir or half Gilead came Deborah 34 Deborah 35 though they lay beyond Jordan and the Scribes of Zebulon and Princes of Issachar Deborah 36 But Reuben and the other half of Gilead on the other side Jordan and Deborah 37 Deborah 38 Dan not very far from the place of the battle staid at home and preferred Deborah 39 their private imployments before the publick That the Lord was seen in the Deborah 40 battle and by storms and tempests from Heaven as if the Stars themselves fought against them he forwardeth their destruction as he had done for Joshua and Israel in the valley of Gibeon that Kishon a river of their antiquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a water of much Idolatry among them in ancient time had now proved their destroyer and swept away them that vainly impiously and foolishly had adored it c. Meroz a Town of Galilee that lay very near the place of the battle yet came not in to help but played the base neuter is bitterly cursed but Jael blessed exceedingly they of Meroz did Israel no good though they were of Israel she a Kenite did Israel so much good though she were of another Nation CHAP. VI. VII VIII World 2731 Gedeon 1 GEDEONS forty years begin they are mentioned Chap. 8. 28. Israel are Gedeon 2 Gedeon 3 again spoiled by peace and after the death of Deborah become Idolatrous Gedeon 4 whereupon the Lord in time selleth them into the hands of the Midianites for Gedeon 5 Gedeon 6 a woful apprentiship of seven years these deal more bitterly and cruelly with Gedeon 7 them then any enemies they had felt before old revenge that had lain boiling Gedeon 8 Gedeon 9 in the breast of that Nation against Israel for the great slaughter that had been Gedeon 10 made among them in Moses times Num. 31. now breaks out and having Gedeon 11 Gedeon 12 power to execute it grows merciless Israel addressing themselves to God have Gedeon 13 a bitter message from him by a Prophet yet the Lord forsakes them not Gedeon Gedeon 14 Gedeon 15 as he is threshing wheat is appointed to thresh Midian he seeth an Angel Gedeon 16 and a miracle and thereby is incouraged to destroy his fathers Idolatry so Gedeon 17 Gedeon 18 un-reformed is Israel under their affliction that they retain their Idols still A Gedeon 19 bullock of seven years fatting for Baal is mentioned to shew that even through Gedeon 20 their seven years calamity under Midian yet their mind and preparations were Gedeon 21 Gedeon 22 still upon and for their Idols Gedeon sacrificeth this bullock to God a sacrifice Gedeon 23 of strange and various dispensations it was offered by night in a common Gedeon 24 place by a private person with the wood of an Idolatrous grove and intended Gedeon 25 Gedeon 26 for an Idol it self yet an offering of faith and so accepted Gedeon by Gedeon 27 the destruction of Baal obtaineth the name of Jerubbaal he hath another sign Gedeon 28 Gedeon 29 shewed him by the wet and dry fleece a proper representation of Israel wet Gedeon 30 with the dews of divine doctrine when all the world besides was dry and Gedeon 31 Gedeon 32 now dry when all the world besides is wet by three hundred men that drank Gedeon 33 of the brook by the way lifting up their head as Psal. 110. and carrying lights in Gedeon 34 earthen vessels he conquers Midian as Jericho was conquered only by a noise Gedeon 35 Gedeon 36 and by an amazement They carried candles in jug-pots or such kind of Gedeon 37 earthen vessels so that no light was to be seen till they had set themselves on all Gedeon 38 Gedeon 39 sides of the army and then they suddenly shout break their pitchers and Gedeon 40 make their candles appear so that what with their sudden noise and what with the sudden lights the heart of Midian trembles as the curtains of their tents had done in the mans dream of the barly cake see Hab. 3. 7. Oreb and Zeb taken and slain and 120000 men and Zeba and Zalmunna pursued taken and their body of 15000 scattered Gedeon of the jewels of the spoil maketh an Ephod and setteth it in his own City which causeth Idolatry in Israel and the name of Jerubbosheth to himself 2 Sam. 11. 21. CHAP. IX World 2771 Abimelech 1 ABIMELECH usurpeth the Kingdom having slain his seventy Abimelech 2 brethren Jotham on the hill Gerizim the hill of blessing denounceth a curse upon him and Shechem which accordingly came to pass for Abimelech 3 Abimelech destroyeth Shechem and is himself slain with a sword and a stone as he had slain his seventy brethren with a sword upon a stone Shechem is again a miserable stage of blood-shed as it had been before Gen. 34. CHAP. X. Vers. 1 2. World 2774 Abimelech 1 TOLA of Issachar judgeth twenty three years he beareth the name Abimelech 2 Abimelech 3 of the first-born of Issachar Gen. 46. 13. He is said to dwell in Shamir Abimelech 4 in the hill Country of Ephraim which may very well be supposed to be Samaria Abimelech 5 Abimelech 6 and so he lived near the place where the late strages and destruction Abimelech 7 had been made by Abimelech Shechem from the time of Joshua was designed Abimelech 8 for the head Town of Israel till Jerusalem in Davids time obtained Abimelech 9 Abimelech 10 that priviledge For Joseph being reputed the first-born and this the chief Abimelech 11 Town of Joseph it came into that dignity and preheminence but here it is laid in the dust by Abimelech Observe in 1 King 12. that the Tribes come to Shechem to make Rhehoboam King for now they begin to stand upon Josephs Iair 12 priviledge and birth-right again which Judah had carried all the time of David Iair 13 Iair 14 and Solomon when Shechem was thus destroyed by Abimelech Samaria ariseth Iair 15 by Tola a man of Issachar but now a sojourner here It is probable that Iair 16 the distracted and low estate of Shechem and Ephraim through the late civil Iair 17 Iair 18 wars did give him the better rise he himself either taking now advantage for Iair 19 his own promotion from their helplesness or the Lord raising him a neighbour Iair 20 Iair 21 of another Tribe for their relief when they
could not relieve themselves Issachar Iair 22 is sluggish and unactive at home as Gen. 49. 14. yet thus active abroad in Iair 23 Tola now and in Baasha in after times 1 King 15. 27. and both in and about the same place Shechem and Samaria CHAP. X. Ver. 3 4 5. World 2797 Iair 1 Iair 2 JAIR or Jairus a Gileadite judgeth two and twenty years he was a man Iair 3 of great honour having thirty sons that were lords of thirty Cities and Iair 4 that rode upon thirty Asses of state like Judges or men of honour as Chap. Iair 5 5. 10. This is not that Jair that is mentioned by Moses as if he had spoken Iair 6 of this man and these Towns prophetically but this is one of the same family Iair 7 and of the same name as Tola that went before him is of the same name with Iair 8 the first-born of Issachar Gen. 46. 13. And whereas it is said by Moses that Iair 9 Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small Towns of Gilead and called them Iair 10 Iair 11 Havoth Jair Numb 32. 41. Deut. 3. And whereas it is said here that Jairs Iair 12 thirty sons had thirty Cities which were called Havoth Jair it is to be understood Iair 13 that thirty of those threescore Villages that old Jair had conquered and possessed Iair 14 in the time of the first plantation of the land these sons of this Jair being Iair 15 of this line had repaired and brought Iair 16 ELY born in the sixteenth of Jair into the form of Cities and dwelt in Iair 17 Iair 18 them and yet they retained their old Iair 19 name of Havoth Jair for the honour of him that first wan and planted them Iair 20 That old Jair was the son of Segub the son of Prince Hesron by Machirs daughter Iair 21 1 Chron. 2. 22. and so by his father side of Judah and by his mothers of Iair 22 Manasseh CHAP. X. from Vers. 6. to the end JEphtah a Gileadite ariseth a Judge after Jair but there is some scruple first to be resolved and removed concerning his time and the oppression that he was raised to remove It is said vers 6 7 8. that Jair died and the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord and he sold them into the hands of the Philistims and that year they oppressed the children of Israel eighteen years Now the question is when these eighteen years began and whether they are to be taken for a sum of years apart from the years of the Judges or to be reckoned with them and what is meant by that expression and that year they vexed Israel Answer These eighteen years are to be reckoned together with the last eighteen years of Jair and they began with his fifth year for though he be said to have judged two and twenty years yet it is not to be so understood as if no enemy peeped up in all that time for we shall see the contrary cleared by the Judgeship of Samson but the meaning is that the Lord at the first stirred him up for a deliverer and wrought some great deliverance by him in the beginning of his time and afterward he continued a Judge and one that sought the reformation of his people but he could neither work that to keep them from Idolatry nor work their total deliverance to keep their enemies under but in his fifth year Idolatry broke out in Israel and continued to a horrid increase so in that very year that this Idolatry broke out their oppressours broke in upon them and kept them under for eighteen years and Jair could not help it but it continued so till his death so that the beginning of Vers. 6. is thus to be rendered in Chronical construction Now the children of Israel had done evil again c. This long oppression at last forceth Israel to seek the Lord and to forsake their Idolatry and the Lord findeth out Jephtah for a deliverer CHAP. XI XII to Ver. 8. World 2819 Iephtach 1 JEPHTAH judgeth six years subdueth the Ammonites sacrificeth his own Iephtach 2 daughter and destroyeth 42000 Ephraimites He was the son of Gilead Iephtach 3 by a concubine this was not that Gilead that was Machirs immediate son but Iephtach 4 one that bare the name of that old Gilead and so we observed of Tola and Iephtach 5 Jair before Jair was the chief man in one half of Gilead and Gilead in another Iephtach 6 Jephtah being expelled out of his fathers family for bastardy betaketh him to arms in the land of Tob in Syria and prospereth and thereupon his prowess being heard of he is called home again and made commander in chief in Gilead In his transactions with the King of Ammon he mentioneth three hundred years of Israels dwelling in Heshbon and Aroer c. in which sum five and thirty of the forty years in the wilderness are included in which they were hovering upon those parts although they dwelt not in them it was now three hundred and five years since their coming out of Egypt His vow concerning his daughter may be scanned in these particulars 1. That his vow in general was of persons for 1. he voweth that whatsoever should come forth of the doors of his house 2. Whatsoever should come to meet him now it is not likely nor proper to understand this of Sheep and Bullock for who can think of their coming out of his house much less of their coming to meet him 3. How poor a business was it to vow to sacrifice a Bullock or Sheep for such a victory Therefore his vow relateth to persons and so might it be translated Whosoever cometh forth 2. What would he do with his vowed person Make him a Nazarite He might vow the thing but the performance lay upon the persons own hand Dedicate him to the Sanctuary Why he might not serve there as not being a Levite Sequester him from the world He might indeed imprison him but otherwise the sequestring from the world lay upon the persons own hand still Suppose one of his married maid servants or man-servants or his own wife had met him first what would he have done with any of them Therefore I am inforced by the weighing of these and other circumstances in the Text to hold with them that hold he sacrificed his daughter indeed though I have been once of another mind And it seemeth that this was a part of the corruption of those times and was but mutato nomine a sacrifice to Molech the God of the Ammonites against whom he was now to go to sight when he maketh this vow The Sanhedrin undoubtedly was now sitting and there was the Priest-hood attending upon the Ark at Shiloh and yet is Israel now so little acquainted with the Law that neither the Sanhedrin nor the Priests can resolve Jephtah that his vow might have been redeemed Levit. 27. But they suffer her thus to be massacred
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
Sanctuary Eli 18 with a Sacrifice and a Song The year of his birth is not determinable Eli 19 Eli 20 no not so much as whether it were in the Judgeship of Eli though it be undoubted Eli 21 that it was in his Priest-hood Eli's sons commit theft and adultery in Eli 22 the very Sanctuary they ravin from the men that came to sacrifice and they Eli 23 ravish the women that * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 2. 22. Women that had some office and attendance at the Tabernacle As Num. 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to do the Sanctuary service Anna was such a woman Luke 2. 37. waited on the Sanctuary and so they cause the Ordinances Eli 24 of the Lord to be abhorred Under such example is Samuel educated Eli 25 Eli 26 yet falleth not under that taint A Prophet sharply reproveth Eli for not reproving Eli 27 his sons This Prophet the Jews held to be Elkanah himself and say Eli 28 that he was one of the eight and forty Prophets that prophesied to Israel In Chap. Eli 29 2. Vers. 11. it is said that Elkanah returned to Ramoth to his own house and yet Eli 30 verse 20. it is said that Eli blessed Elkanah which is to be understood that Eli 31 he had done so from Samuels first dedication and so did as oft as he came to Eli 32 Shiloh Samuel himself becomes a Prophet first against Elies house and then Eli 33 afterward to all Israel Chap. 3. 1. Impiety had exceedingly banished Prophesie Eli 34 Eli 35 in these times amongst them but now the Lord begins to restore it for prediction Eli 36 of ruine and then for direction of reformation Urim and Thummim Eli 37 were ere long to be lost from the Priests with the loss of the Ark Eli 38 and God pours the Spirit of Prophesie upon a Levite to supply that Eli 39 want CHAP. IV. World 2909 Eli 40 THE Ark first touched and taken with the hands of uncircumcised ones The two sons of Eli come to fatal ends at this last service of the Ark as the two sons of Aaron Nadab and Abihu did at the first Eli himself dieth the very death of an unredeemed Ass Exod. 13. 13. Shiloh laid waste Jer. 7. 14. and the birthright lost from Joseph and Ephraim Psal. 78. 60. c. The Tabernacle had been at Shiloh 340 years and somewhat more The Idol of Dan hath now out-lived it Judg. 18. 31. Ah poor Israel World 2910 Eli 1 Here begin the forty years of Samuel and Saul mentioned Act. 13. 20 21. He gave them Judges after a manner four hundred and fifty years that is the years of the oppressors also reckoned in the Judges 299. the oppressors 111. and Eli 40. until Samuel the Prophet And afterward they desired a King and God gave them Saul by the space of forty years that is to the expiration of forty years from Elies death the last of the Judges CHAP. V. VI. THE Ark is all the spring and summer of this year in the land of the Philistims For its sake the Lord smiteth Dagon the god of their Corn and destroyeth the harvest of their Corn as it grew on the ground with an army of Mice He striketh the people with Emerods in their hinder parts Psal. 78. 66. and bringeth a shameful soreness on them in a contrary part and in a contrary nature to the honourable soreness of Circumcision They restore the Ark again with strange presents with abundance of golden Mice Et cum quinque anis vel podicibus aureis quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two Kine knew their owner as Esa. 1. 3. Hophni and Phineas knew him not The Bethshemites though Priests yet slain by the Lord for too much boldness with the Ark. CHAP. VII Vers. 1. And the first half of the second Samuel 2 THE Ark setled in Kirjath-jearim the City of the woods to this the Samuel 3 Psalmist speaketh Psal. 132. 6. We heard of it at Ephratah or at Shiloh Samuel 4 in Ephraim we found it in the fields of the wood or at Kirjath-jearim there an Samuel 5 Eleazar looketh to it when both the line of Eleazar and Ithamar are out of Samuel 6 that service And it came to pass while the Ark abode in Kirjath-jearim the time Samuel 7 Samuel 8 was long for it was twenty years This is not to be understood for the whole Samuel 9 time that it was there for it was above six and forty years there before David Samuel 10 fetched it up 2 Sam. 6. namely thirty nine years of Samuel and Saul and Samuel 11 seven David born in the tenth year of Samuel years of Davids reign in Hebron but it is to be thus understood and construed Samuel 12 that the Ark was twenty years in Kirjath-jearim before the people of Israel Samuel 13 minded it or looked after it but they followed and adhered to their former Samuel 14 Idolatries and corruptions and therefore it is said by Samuel afterward vers 3. Samuel 15 Samuel 16 If you do return unto the Lord put away the strange gods Ashteroth from among Samuel 17 you c. Their Idolatry and prophaneness was so deep rooted having been so Samuel 18 long and so customary with them that neither the loss of the Ark nor the Samuel 19 slaughter of Israel had wrought upon them but that twenty years together Samuel 20 they are lost to the Ark though the Ark were not then lost to them CHAP. VII Vers. 2. The latter half of it * * * The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be translated not And but Then they lamented Then all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord and so to the end of the 7 Chapter and Chapter 8. all World 2930 Samuel 21 A Spirit of repentance and conversion cometh generally upon all the people a matter and a time as remarkable as almost any we read of in Scripture one only parallel to it and that is in Acts 2. and 3. at the great conversion there There were to that time these sums of years four hundred ninety years from hence to the beginning of the Captivity seventy years of the Captivity and four hundred ninety years from the end of the Captivity thither The seventy of the Captivity are the midst of years Hab. 3. 2. And Samuel according to this chain is the first of the Prophets Acts 4. 24. Samuel 22 Israel is baptized from their Idols Samuel though no Priest yet by special They drew water and poured it before the Lord Chap. 7. 6 To be understood of their washing themselves from their idols as Gen. 35. 2. Exod. 19. 14. Samuel 23 warrant sacrificeth by Prayer destroyeth the Philistims with thunder Chap. 2. Samuel 24 20. Psal. 99. 6. they were subdued in that very place where they had subdued Samuel 25 Israel and taken the Ark one and twenty years before Samuel rideth in circuit Samuel 26 and judgeth Israel Judah recovereth
Gath and Ekron which they once Samuel 27 had Josh. 15. 45 46. but lost Judg. 3. 3. Peace made with Amorites for the Samuel 28 third and fourth Generation of those haters of the Lord had had the sins of their Samuel 29 fathers visited upon them Samuels two Sons cause the people to abhor the Samuel 30 Government as Elies two Sons had caused them to abhor Religion Then degeneration Samuel 31 is still coming on CHAP. IX X. XI XII World 2941 Sam. 32 SAUL seeking Asses findeth a Kingdom He is anointed at Ramah which was not far from his own Town of Gibeah Gibeah once so abominable and abominably destroyed Judg. 20. affordeth their first King He prophecieth at Kirjath-jearim among a company of Prophets that attended the Ark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is Saul also among the Prophets And one of the same place answered and said Yes one that is their Father Not Et quis but Et qui pater â—orum Chap. 10. 12. And he becomes one that is their Father or chief Prophet amongst them At Mizpeh where the Sanhedrin sate he is proclaimed King by Lot and by the people He befriendeth Jabesh against Ammon for Jabesh had been a friend to Gibeah and suffered for it Judg. 21. At Gilgal he is annointed again and God in thunder and lightning telleth the people of his displeasure for their asking a King Their occasion of so doing was Nahash the Ammonite his coming against Jabesh at first to besiege it Chap. 12. 12. The siege was long and when it begun to capitulate for surrender Nahash demands every right eye in the Town c. CHAP. XIII XIV XV. Sam. 33 Saul 2 SAUL reigned one year And he reigned two years over Israel That is Sam. 34 Saul 3 he had now been King one year from his first anointing by Samuel at Ramah to his second anointing by him at Gibeah And he reigned after this two years more before the Lord cast him off and anointed David And the time he ruled after that was not a Rule but a Tyranny and Persecution In these two years he beateth the Philistims Syrians Moabites and Ammonites that invade the Land and invadeth Amalek and destroyeth it but undoes himself by sparing Agag Here the Lord casts him off CHAP. XVI World 2944 Sam. 35 DAVID anointed in Bethlehem And from henceforward the Spirit of the Lord resteth upon him by the power of which he killeth a Lion and Bear And by the direction of which he becometh musical and penneth Psalms This is that that makes musick by Davids hand able to hush and master Sauls Devil CHAP. XVII Sam. 36 DAVID killeth Goliah A type of Christs victory over Satan the chief Captain of the uncircumcised He bringeth the Giants head to Saul and Saul questioned Whose Son art thou Not that either Saul or Abner were ignorant who David was for he went but from harping to Saul when Saul went to this War ver 15. but they wonder what kind of man it was that had such Sons as Jesse had now in the Army And his question is not so much Filius cujus as Filius qualis viri or not of Davids Person but of his Parentage The 55 and 56 verses in their proper order should lie after verse 40. but they are put off to the place where they lie that Sauls question which was before the Battel and the resolution of it which was not till after might be laid together and so the Story of verse 54. of Davids laying up the Giants head at Jerusalem is laid before its time as they were laid after for he laid not that there till some space of time after and what time uncertain But the relation of it is mentioned in this place because he would dispatch the Story of Goliah at once PSALM IX UPON this Victory over Goliah David penned the ninth Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the death of the Champion for Goliah is called Ish Benajim 1 Sam. 17. 4. And so the Chaldee Paraphrast interprets it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the death of the man that came out between the two Armies That Psalm is to be taken in at this place CHAP. XVIII UPON Davids discourse with Saul and upon former acquaintance with Davids behaviour Jonathan affects him Saul that day retains him for a Courtier and Jonathan puts him into a Souldiers and Courtiers garbe And so they march from the Camp to Gibeah where Saul dwelt By the way the women came out and sing so as they displease Saul and from thenceforward he spites David casts Spears at him to kill him but seeing him escape he puts him into command in the Army that he may fall there Thus lieth the Story to vers 16. and therefore the fifth verse which speaks of his going in and out before the people is set there as a general head which was to be explained afterward when David is thus set at large from Saul to go in and out at his pleasure then it is like he bringeth Goliahs Armor to Bethlehem and his head to Jerusalem laying up these trophies of his valor victory and success among his own Tribe that when occasion should be and he should need men to stand to him he being already anointed King these very things might have made a good party for him against that time CHAP. XIX Sam. Saul 37 ANother war with the Philistims Another Spear thrown at David His house watched that he might be slain PSAL. LIX HERE cometh in the fifty ninth Psalm made upon this watching of his house as the title telleth and it is to be laid between the 12 and 13 verses of this 19 Chapter Samuel and Saul and David are met altogether Chap. 19. 22. 24. and Saul Prophecying naked for 24 hours whereas it is said in Chap. 15. 35. that Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death It is to be understood as by way of homage for he seeth him now at Ramah by Sauls coming to him but he never after Sauls transgression in sparing Amalek went to him to present himself or service to him for then did the Lord cast him off and he would own him no more as King CHAP. XX. SAuls coming to Ramah putteth David to fly to Gibeah to confer with Jonathan Sauls bloody intention being discovered David is now forced to a perpetual exile It beginneth now CHAP. XXI DAvid cometh to Nob to Ahimelech or Ahijah 1 Sam. 14. 3. In the days of Abiathar Mar. 2. 26. our Saviour nameth him rather then Ahimelech because he was not only one of the Priests there now Chap. 22. 20. but he alone escaped of all Ahimelechs house from Sauls fury and he was of special note afterward From Nob David is forced to flee to Gath the very Town of Goliah and Goliahs sword now about him There is he discovered who he is and hears the very Song repeated that was sung to him when he returned from the slaughter of Goliah
a man not to be certainly pointed out either who he was or when he lived and therefore that Chapter must necessarily be taken up where it lies because it is not possible to find out where else to lay it 5. The last Chapter is some part of it Batshebaes words to Solomon and some part of it Solomons words in her commendation and in commendation of all women like her And the former part which are her words might very well be laid in her Story and in Solomons minority namely after vers 25. of 2 Sam. 12. but yet it is very properly laid here where it is because the words of Solomon in commendation of such women as she were delivered when he delivered his other Doctrines and Proverbs and so the occasion that drew out those words is fitly joyned to the time of the words themselves Solomon is called Lemuel by his Mother as alluding or tuning to Shemuel or Samuel a Son of his mothers vows as Solomon is here averred by his mother to be of hers She giveth him many excellent Lessons in his tender years toward the making him a good man and a good King for which when he comes to mature years he highly commends and extols a good woman such a one as his mother was in an Acrostick or Alphabetical Oration The Song of SOLOMON or The CANTICLES AFTER the building of the Summer House in the Forrest of Lebanon Solomon pens the Book of the Canticles as appeareth by these passages in it Chap. 4. 8. Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse with me from Lebanon And Chap. 7. 4. Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon c. Upon his bringing up Pharaohs Daughter to the house that he had prepared for her 1 King 9. 24. he seemeth to have made this Song For though the best and the most proper aim of it was at higher matters then an earthly marriage yet doth he make his marriage with Pharaohs Daughter a type of that sublime and spiritual marriage betwixt Christ and his Church Pharaohs Daughter was a Heathen and a stranger natively to the Church of Israel and withal she was a Black-moor as being an African as Cant. 1. 4 5. alludeth to it and so she was the kindlier type of what Solomon intended in all particulars CHAP. X. 2 CHRON. IX From beginning to vers 29. Solomon 31 THE Queen of Sheba cometh to hear the wisdom of Solomon and so Solomon 32 condemneth the Generation of the Jews that despised the wisdom of the Solomon 33 Father Matth. 12. 42. Solomon as is probable is yet flourishing in State Power Solomon 34 and Religion And is a Prince of admirable Peace at Salem a figure of the Solomon 35 King of Righteousness and the King of Peace CHAP. XI From beginning to vers 41. Solomon 36 IN his old age Solomon is drawn away by his Idolatrous Wives to forget Solomon 37 God The wisest and the happiest man like Adam undone by women Solomon 38 Hereupon his prosperity and his happiness began to change The Book of ECCLESIASTES AFTER his great fall Solomon recovereth again by repentance and writeth this Book of Ecclesiastes as his penitential dirge for that his folly He calleth himself in it Koheleth or the Gathering-Soul either recollecting it self or by admonition gathering others that go astray after vanity He sheweth in it that all things on this side Heaven are but vanity and he had found it so by sad experience and so the Kingdom promised to David which was to be everlasting must not be expected to be of this world as Joh. 18. 36. 1 KING XI Vers. 41 42 43. And 2 CHRON. IX Vers. 29 30 31. THE Book of Chronicles omitteth to mention the fall of Solomon as he had omitted the fall of David World 3029 Solomon 39 Solomon dieth having reigned forty years as his father David had done and Solomon 40 having had a great fall in his time as his father David had had yet like him is recovered pardoned and saved Kingdom of JUDAH 1 KINGS XII from beginning Division 1 to Vers. 25. World 3030 Rehoboam 1 Ieroboam 1 REHOBOAM through his folly and tyranny looseth the people by threatning them with a heavy yoke Christ seeketh to regain them by promissing a light one Matth. 11. 29 30. Shechem once the stage of blood Gen. 34. is now the scene of this unhappy division Rehoboam was now one and forty years old 2 Chron. 12. 13. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 childish and simple 2 Chron. 13. 7. but of an haughty and oppressive spirit and so proveth himself a very fool Eccles. 2. 19. though he were the son of so wise a Father Kingdom of ISRAEL 2 CHRON. X. all And XI Division 1 to Verse 5. World 3030 Rehoboam 1 Ieroboam 1 JEROBOAM of Ephraim draweth ten Tribes from the house of David from the Temple that stood near it and from the promise of Christ that was affixed to it And this suddain rent of Solomons Kingdom did plainly teach that the King and Kingdom promised to David was not of this world but of another which King and Kingdom the revolting Tribes have now forsaken and by forsaking have lost Christ have lost Religion and have lost themselves And here is a kind of an Antichristian faction now risen in the world before Christs appearing The very foundation of this revolt of the Tribes was laid in the blood of Adoram Rehoboam seeketh to reduce the people with a strong hand whom with a gentle he would not retain PSAL. II. WITH the Story of the Apostacy of the ten Tribes read the second Psalm which was prophetically made by David Act. 4. 25. upon this revolt and rebellion and this is the first aim and intent of it though in a second and more full it hits upon the greater rebellion which this but typified and that is Judahs despising and crucifying the Lord of life being indeed exhibited as Israel despiseth him here being promised And as the Psalmist had touched in the first Psalm upon the fall of Adam who miscarried by walking in the counsel of the ungodly the Serpent and the seduced woman and had shewed a way how to withstand and escape such counsellings namely by meditation and delight in the Law of the Lord. So doth he in this Psalm touch upon the fall of the ten Tribes and how they miscarried by casting away the cords of obligation which God had tied them in to the throne of David and he giveth admonition to them to be wiser and adviseth both them and the generation that put the Lord to death and all ages to come To kiss the Son by a loving and submissive obedience as 1 Sam. 10. 1. and so to escape the wrath to come Matth. 3. when the Lords anger should be kindled and destroy the people that had been his destroyers 2 CHRON. XI From ver 5. to the end of the Chapter REhoboam fortifieth divers Cities Rehoboam 2 Ieroboam 2 Division 2 in Judah and Benjamin Rehoboam 3
came For if Baasha began to reign in the third year of Asa and reigned but four and twenty years as 1 King 15. 33. asserteth then was Baasha dead nine full years before the six and thirtieth year of Asa came and therefore he could not then possibly come up against Judah for he was rotten in his grave But it is thus to be understood that in the six and thirtieth year of Asaes Kingdom that is of the Kingdom of Judah since the revolt of the ten tribes Baasha came up against that Kingdom and warred against it the Kingdom that God would not have to be fought against Now as Jeroboam had made the division which had now continued six and thirty years viz. 17 of Rehoboam 3 of Abijah and 16 of Asa so doth Baasha go about now to confirm that division for he setteth on to build and Garrison Ramah that he might stop all entercourse betwixt Israel and Judah and therefore the Holy Ghost reckoneth the time of this act of Baasha by a computation from the first division And he calls it the Kingdom of Asa the rather also because he had lately confirmed and established it to himself as far as it was possible for him to do namely by a Reformation and a Covenant But now doth Asa exceeding ill for he relieth upon an arm of flesh the King of Syria he hireth him with dedicate things which himself had dedicated but a year or two before he bringeth a forraign enemy in to the Land of Israel and imprisoned the Prophet that reproved him for it Here is the first Captivity of any Israelites and Dan the place of the golden Calf falleth under the sword Because Asa leaned upon the King of Syria therefore was the King of Syria escaped out of his hand 2 Chron. 16. 7. for the Syrian was in league with Baasha and had Asa let him alone he had sided with Baasha and Asa if he had relied on God had conquered Israel and the Syrian both but now he had lost that victory over Syria by seeking thereunto for help 2 CHRON. XVI ver 1. to ver 7. World 3065 Asa. 16 Baasha 14 Division 35 BENHADAD son of Tabrimmon Asa. 17 Baasha 15 Division 36 now King of Syria Baasha cometh up against Judah and beginneth to build and to fortifie Ramah which was a frontier upon the very skirt of Ephraim towards Benjamin and Judah 2 CHRON. XVI vers 7. to vers 11. Asa 18 Baasha 16 Division 37 ASA upon this reliance upon Asa 19 Baasha 17 Division 38 Syria declineth excee-dingly Asa 20 Baasha 18 Division 39 from his former goodness Asa 21 Baasha 19 Division 40 for he grows not only harsh to Asa 22 Baasha 20 Division 41 the Prophet Hanani that reproved Asa 23 Baasha 21 Division 42 him but he also began to Asa 24 Baasha 22 Division 43 use harshness and to tyrannize Asa 25 Baasha 23 Division 44 over his Subjects and for this his alteration he is in continual Baasha 24 wars and troubles World 3074 Asa 26 Elah 1 Division 45 Asa seeth an end of his great Enemy World 3075 Asa 27 Elah 2 Omri 1 Division 46 Baasha and the ruine of that family as he had seen the ruine of the family of Jeroboam 1 KINGS XVI vers 1. to vers 23. Asa 18 Baasha 16 Division 37 AS Hanani the Seer reproved Asa 19 Baasha 17 Division 38 Asa for his reliance Asa 20 Baasha 18 Division 39 upon Syria so Jehu the son of Asa 21 Baasha 19 Division 40 Hanani reproveth Baasha for his Asa 22 Baasha 20 Division 41 Idolatry and threatneth destruction Asa 23 Baasha 21 Division 42 to him and to his family Asa 24 Baasha 22 Division 43 and the same fate is denounced Asa 25 Baasha 23 Division 44 to his house that had befallen the Baasha 24 house of Jeroboam World 3074 Asa 26 Elah 1 Division 45 ELAH reigneth in the of Asa 1 King 16. 8. World 3075 Asa 27 Elah 2 Omri 1 Division 46 OMRI reigneth having slaign Zimri who had slain Elah This is a year of great turbulency in the State of Israel Elah a drunkard of Ephraim is slain by Zimri and Baasha's house is utterly destroyed with him Zimri reigneth at Tirzah but Omri is made King in the Camp at Gibbethon In that very place had Baasha gotten the Kingdom by the slaughter of Nadah five and twenty years ago 1 King 15. 27. a siege being there then as it is now Omri besiegeth Zimri in Tirzah and Zimri destroyeth himself and the Kings Pallace together Then there is another competition and war betwixt Omri and Tibni which continueth till the thirty first year of Asa 1 King 16. 23. And then Tibni is overthrown and Omri becometh sole and intire King Howbeit in the account that the Scripture giveth of Omri's raign saying That he raigned twelve years The beginning of these years is to be taken from the death of Zimri which was in the seven and twentieth of Asa 1 King 16. 15. Therefore whereas it is said in vers 23. That in the one and thirtieth year of Asa King of Judah began Omri to raign over Israel twelve years it is to be understood that his whole raign from the death of Zimri was twelve years which expired in the eight and thirtieth of Asa ver 29. but that the first year of his sole and single Government was Asa's thirty first 2 CHRON. XVI ver 11 12 13 14. World 3076 Asa 28 Omri 2 Division 47 ASA seeth now a third change Asa 29 Omri 3 Division 48 in the Kingdom of Israel Asa 30 Omri 4 Division 49 first the family of Jeroboam then Asa 31 Omri 5 Division 50 of Baasha now of Omri Thus Asa 32 Omri 6 Division 51 speedily doth Idolatry root Families Asa 33 Omri 7 Division 52 out and thus little stability Asa 34 Omri 8 Division 53 is there with those that forsake Asa 35 Omri 9 Division 54 God Athaliah a spawn of Asa 36 Omri 10 Division 55 this last family setteth hard in Asa 37 Omri 11 Division 56 time to bring in the like ruine and confusion into the royal stock Omri 12 of Judah that is now in Israel when she goeth about to destroy the Kings Seed Ahab 1 ASA falleth diseased of Ahab 2 the Gout and seeketh too much to Asa 38 the Physitians 2 Chron. 16. 12. World 3086 Asa 39 Division 57 His name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a Physitian World 3087 Ahab 3 Division 58 in the Chaldee Tongue Asa 40 Division 59 Asa still diseased in his feet 1 KING XXII Vers. 41 42 43. World 3089 Asa 41 Ahab 1 Ahab 4 Division 60 JEHOSHAPHAT reigneth upon his fathers death in the fourth year of Ahab 2 Ahab 5 Division 61 Ahab 2 King 22. 41 42 c. and walketh uprightly before the Lord and prospereth 1 KINGS XVI vers 23. to the end World 3076 Asa 28 Omri 2 Division 47 FROM this second of Omri Asa 29 Omri 3 Division 48 42 years are reckoned to
Potectors Amaziah 10 Ierob 24 Division 169 whilst Uzziah is in his Amaziah 11 Ierob 25 Ierob 26 Division 170 Division 171 minority 2 KING 14 ver 23. to 29. Amaziah 27 Ierob 13 Division 158 Jehu even from the entring Amaziah 28 Ierob 14 Division 159 in of Hamath on the North World 3189 Amaziah 29 Ierob 15 Division 160 to the Sea of the plain or Amaziah 1 Ierob 16 Division 161 the dead Sea South He also Amaziah 2 Ierob 17 Division 162 restoreth Hamath it self Amaziah 3 Ierob 18 Division 163 and Damascus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amaziah 4 Ierob 19 Division 164 to Judah in Israel Amaziah 5 Ierob 20 Division 165 2 King 14. 28. David had Amaziah 6 Amaziah 7 Ierob 21 Division 166 conquered them and they Amaziah 8 Ierob 22 Division 167 being now revolted he rerecovers Amaziah 9 Ierob 23 Division 168 them to Israel in Amaziah 10 Ierob 24 Division 169 Judahs title as fitter to Amaziah 11 Ierob 25 Division 170 be subject to the Seed of Ierob 26 Division 171 Israel then to Syria Judah was not able to recover his own right for they had lately been subject to Jeroboams father and he had sacked Jerusalem and done with it what pleased and now Jeroboam his son being a far more potent King and Judah continuing still in its wickedness as having never recovered strength since Jehoash conquered Amaziah and pulled down Jerusalem wall and withal there being now no King on the throne of Judah this Jeroboam when he had recovered the two Tribes and half beyond Jordan from Syria in the right of the Kingdom of Samaria he also recovers Hamath and Damascus to himself and Israel in the right and title of Judah Judah being now exceeding much in his power since his father had so miserably brought them under Of these Victories over the Syrians Jonah the Prophet prophesied who lived in these times but his journey to Niniveh was not as yet but some space hereafter as shall be observed anon 2 KINGS XIV ver 21 22 15. ver 1 2 3 4. World 3201 Uzziah 1 Ieroboam 27 Division 172 UZZIAH crowned he Uzziah 2 Ieroboam 28 Division 173 is also called Azariah Uzziah 3 Ieroboam 29 Division 174 both the names sounding to Uzziah 4 Ieroboam 30 Division 175 the same sence the one The Uzziah 5 Ieroboam 31 Division 176 Lord is my strength the other Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 The Lord is my help as 2 Chron. Uzziah 7 Ieroboam 33 Division 178 26. 7. Uzziah 8 Hereabout was the time that Uzziah 9 Ieroboam 34 Division 179 Hosea and Joel began to prophesie Uzziah 10 Ieroboam 35 Division 180 and presently after Amos Uzziah 11 Ieroboam 36 Division 181 also beginneth Uzziah 12 Ieroboam 37 Division 182 There had been Prophets before Uzziah 13 Ieroboam 38 Division 183 this time continually but Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 39 Division 184 none left their Prophesies behind Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 40 Division 185 in writing but now ariseth a company of Prophets World 3215 Uzziah 15 Ieroboam 41 Division 186 that do 2 CHRON. XXVI ver 1 2 3 4. 2 KING XIV ver 29. World 3201 Uzziah 1 Ieroboam 27 Division 172 IN the twenty and seventh Uzziah 2 Ieroboam 28 Division 173 year of Jeroboam began Uzziah 3 Ieroboam 29 Division 174 Azaâ—iah to reign two and Uzziah 4 Ieroboam 30 Division 175 fifty years He built Elath or Eloth Uzziah 5 Ieroboam 31 Division 176 in the Country of Edom Deut. Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 2. 8. 2 Chron. 17. And restored Uzziah 6 Ieroboam 32 Division 177 it to Judah after that the King Uzziah 7 Ieroboam 33 Division 178 Amaziah slept with his fathers Uzziah 8 Uzziah 9 Ieroboam 34 Division 179 that is even in those eleven Uzziah 10 Ieroboam 35 Division 180 years before his Coronation Uzziah 11 Ieroboam 36 Division 181 whilst he was yet in his minority Uzziah 12 Ieroboam 37 Division 182 Uzziah 13 Ieroboam 38 Division 183 A fearful Earthquake happens Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 39 Division 184 before the death of Jeroboam Uzziah 14 Ieroboam 40 Division 185 and Amos fore-tells it two years before it comes and foretells World 3215 Uzziah 15 Ieroboam 41 Division 186 of Jeroboams death by the sword Amos 7. The order and time of these former PROPHETS THE Murder of Zacharias the son of Barachias or Jehoiada was the first ruine of Judah and the beginning of their first rejection For when they slew that Prophet and Priest of the Lord in the Court of the Temple and besides the Altar they plainly shewed how they despised and rejected the Lord and his Temple Priest-hood and Prophesie From that time did their state decay and was mouldring towards ruine and that from thence forward fell into sad diseases as well as King Joash did that commanded the Murder This Hosea toucheth upon as the very Apex of their wickedness when they so brake out as that blood touched blood Hos 4. 2. the blood of the Sacrificer was mingled with the blood of the Sacrifice as Luke 13. 1. And the very Apex of their incorrigibleness in that they proved a people that strove with the Priest Hos. 4. 4. And this wicked act of theirs our Saviour makes as the very period and Catastrophe of their State and Kingdom Matth. 23. 35. How they declined from that time both in Religion Joash and Amaziah and the people with them becoming open Idolaters and in the State by the oppression of Syria and of Joash is so apparent in the Story that he that runneth may read and he that readeth not the cause with these effects readeth not all that may be read But more especially in these times that we have in hand in the latter times of Jeroboam the Lord spake indignation from Heaven in more sensible and more singular and terrible manner in three dreadful judgments the like to which neither they nor their fathers had seen nor heard and the sight and feeling of which when it did not avail with them for their conversion and bettering the Lord hath a company of Prophets that are continually telling them of worse judgments namely of final subversion to come upon them The first of these fearful judgments was an earthquake so terrible that it brought them to their wits ends and put them to flee for their lives but they knew not whether Ye shall flee as they fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah Zech. 14. 5. This was as the beginning of their desolation and the shaking of the earth was as a sign unto them that their State and Kingdom should ere long be shaken Amos prophecied of this two years before it came Amos 1. 1. and that the Lord would roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem as did Joel also some time before Joel 2. to 11. This earthquake was in the days of Jeroboam as well as in the days of Uzziah for so Amos sheweth
destroyeth Senacheribs Army yet should Judah at last be also cast off and become Lo-ammi and then the Gentiles should be called in in Israels and Judahs stead And thus having laid the generals of his Prophesie down in the first Chapter he goeth on in the second to particularize upon those heads and to shew the reason and manner of the Jews rejection and the manner and happiness of the Gentiles calling And thus the time of these two first Chapters is reasonably apparent 3. His third and fourth Chapters may be supposed to have been delivered by him at the same time because in Chap. 4. 3. he speaketh of the Plagues of Locusts and that Amos and Joel had spoken of fore-telling them also as they had done In the third Chapter under the parable of another marriage with an adulterous wife he fore-telleth the iniquity of the people after their return out of Babel into their own Land and also their state in their present rejection when they neither follow Idols nor God when neither as a wife they adhere to God nor yet to any other god as to another husband The fourth Chapter taketh the people up as they were in their present posture in the Prophets time and sheweth their wickedness and what Judgments the Lord had in store for them and according to this tenor he goeth on through the rest of his Book 5. The rest of the Book may be supposed coincident some of it with the times of Ahaz and some of it with the former times of Ezekiel even to the captiving of the ten Tribes as shall be observed when we come there The Prophesie of JOEL all IN these latter days of Jeroboam the second and much about the times of Amos his first prophecying among Israel did Joel also appear and begin to prophecy among Judah Some of the Hebrew Doctors have conceived him to have lived in the time of Elisha and that these threatnings of his of famine were accomplished in the seven years famine in that time 2 King 8. 1. others have supposed him to have lived and prophesied in the times of Manasseth King of Judah casting his time as much too forward as the other was too backward but his Subject matter will declare his time for seeing he speaketh of the same Plague of Locusts and of drought and fire that Amos doth it is an argument sufficient to conclude that Amos and he appeared about the same time He sadly bemoaneth and describeth in his two first Chapters the miserable famine and grievous condition that the people were brought into through the Plagues of Locusts and Drought and painteth out the Catterpillars and Cankerworms and Locusts which he calleth the Northern Army as if they were an Army of men indeed They came in at the North part of the Land from towards Syria and Hamath and kept as it were in a body and devoured all before them as they went along to the South part and there as they were facing about to go off below the point of the dead Sea the barrenness of that part affamished them who had affamished the whole Country The Prophet yet concludes afterwards with comfortable promises of Rain after the Drought and flourishing Trees and times after these Locusts And upon that discourse of the restitution of temporal blessings he riseth to speak of spiritual blessings in the days of Christ in the gift of Tongues and in the wonders that should attend Christs death and that should go before the destruction of Jerusalem and concludes in the third Chapter with threatnings against the enemies of Jerusalem and particularly foretelleth the destruction of the Army of Senacharib against which the Lord caused his mighty ones to come down vers 11. namely his Angels and destroyed them in the valley of Jehoshaphat before Jerusalem This Hosea also had particularly pointed at Hos. 1. 7. The Book of AMOS all THIS Prophesie is so clearly dated that there needeth not to use many words to shew in what time to lay it It was uttered in the days of Jeroboam and in the days of Uzziah that they lived together and of this Prophets prophesying in any Kings reign further there is no mention Almost at the end of his Book he telleth us that Jeroboam was then alive and Amaziah the Priest of Bethel would have stirred him up against Amos as against a Traytor Chap. 7. 10. c. so that this Book is to be taken in in the latter times of Jeroboam and the proper order of it falleth between the seven and twenty and eight and twenty verses of 2 King 14. And in the same place also come in the Books of Hosea and Joel And so we may observe the dealing of the Lord with Israel the plainer For whereas they had been brought very low by their enemies and their miseries were become exceeding great the Lord yet would not destroy them but would try them with one kindness more and so he gives them great ease and deliverance by Jeroboam But when both Jeroboam and they continued still in the Idolatry of the old Jeroboam and in the wickedness of their own ways the Lord sendeth these Prophets amongst them to foretel their final destruction and overthrow Amos neither a Prophet nor a Prophets son by education Chap. 7. 14. that is neither Tutor nor Scholler in the Schools of the Prophets but a Shepherd of Tekoa and of a rude breeding yet like the Galilean fishers becomes a glorious Scholler in the School of the Lord and a glorious Teacher in the Congregation of Israel He began to prophesie two years before the Earthquake and told of it before it came that the Lord would smite the Winter house with the Summer house Chap. 3. 15. and the Lintel of the door of the Idolatrous Temple should be smitten and the posts shake Chap. 9. 1. and so there should be a rent and breach in the Idoll Temple at Bethel when the Lord now came to visit them as there was at the Temple in Jerusalem at the death of Christ. It is very generally held by the Jews that this Earthquake was at that very time when Uzziah was struck Leprous but that that cannot be we shall observe when we come forward to the year of his death Amos prophesieth against six Nations besides Israel and Judah and concludeth them all under an irreversible decree of destruction for so should that clause be rendred which in every one of the threatnings breedeth so much difficulty of translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not revoke it For the sense lieth thus The Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem And thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke it That is I will not revoke that voyce but Damascus shall be destroyed and so of the rest For the masculine affixe in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot possibly be referred to any thing that went before but only to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His
Shepherds and Pastours that had helped Solomons house forward unto ruine 2 KING XXIV from vers 10. to vers 17. 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 10. JEHOIACHIN or Jeconiah or Coniah captived and Jerusalem with him 18000 men of might 10000 from Jerusalem and 8000 out of the Country and all the treasures of the Temand Kings house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the mighty of the land but written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fools Mordecay was carried away in this captivity Esther 2. 6. And so was Ezekiel also and therefore he dateth his times from this date Ezek. 1. 2. and calleth it Our captivity Chap. 40. 1. 2 KING XXIV vers 17 18 19 20. And JEREMY LII ver 1 2 3. 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 11. World 3410 Division 381 Years of Captivity 9 Zedekiah 1 ZEDEKIAH made King by the King of Babel he was Jehoiachins Uncle 1 Kings 24. 17. but called his brother that is his Kinsman 2 Chron. 36. 10. and his son because he succeeded him in the throne 1 Chron. 3. 16. JEREMY XXIV all Division 382 Years of Captivity 10 Zedekiah 2 JEREMY seeth comfortable things concerning those that were Division 383 Years of Captivity 11 Zedekiah 3 captived into Babylon with Jeconiah that they are as good figs that may be eaten and that in time they shall return JEREMY XXVII from vers 12. to the end World 3413 Division 384 Years of Captivity 12 Zedekiah 4 JEREMY had been commanded thirteen years ago to make yokes and bands and to put them upon his own neck in token of Judahs subjection to Nebuchad-nezzar which in the very next year after namely in the third year of Jehoiachin came to pass and he is also then commanded by way of prediction that when such and such Kings Embassadors should come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah he should send the yokes away by those Messengers to their Kings That cometh to pass in this fourth year of Zedekiah as the first verse of Chapter 28. doth plainly date it JEREMY XXVIII all HANANIAH at Jerusalem foretelling falsely the restoring of the captivity within two years is himself struck with death within two months for teaching rebellion against the Lord. JEREMY XXIX XXX XXXI XLIX from vers 34. to end And LI. all THIS fourth year of his reign Zedekiah either went himself or sent Messengers to Babel or both for so is that vers 59. of Chap. 51. diversly read when Seraiah went with Zedekiah or when he went for or in behalf of Zedekiah into Babylon Now by the men that went thither either with him or for him Jeremy sendeth Letters to the children of the captivity one to perswade them to frame their hearts and to compose themselves for seventy years captivity This two Prophets in Babel such others as Hananiah at Jerusalem gain-say and would perswade the people to the contrary And a third writes to Jerusalem to have Jeremy punished therefore he threatneth bitter judgments against all three This in Chap. 29. And being upon a Prophesie of the captivities return in that Chapter vers 10 11 c. he falleth in Chap. 30. 31. largely to foretel the calling home of the two Tribes and of the ten Tribes to Christ. Now though it be doubtful whither he sent the Prophesie of these two Chapters to Babel yet is it doubtless that their order is very proper in this place where he is foretelling of the peoples return He also sendeth another Letter to Babylon concerning the ruine and destruction of Babylon it self in Chap. 50. 51. which Chapters are laid as the period of his Prophesie that then conclusion of them all might be the foretelling of the ruine of Babel And under the same date may we also take the last part of Chap. 49. from vers 34. to end a Prophesie against Elam that joyned with Babel against Judea Isa. 22. 6. and is joyned here with Babel in threatnings The beginning of the reign of Zedekiah in verse 34. may be taken as it is Chap. 28. 1. for his fourth year EZEKIEL I II III IV V VI VII World 3414 Division 385 Years of Captivity 13 Zedekiah 5 IN the fifth year from Jehoiachins captivity the Lord raiseth up Ezekiel for a Prophet to the people in Babylon as Jeremy was in Jerusalem He dateth his Prophesie from the 30 year of the finding of Moses his Copy in the 18 of Josias as is commonly conceived but as it may very well be supposed from the 30 year of his own age he being a Priest and that being the time at which the Priests entred their function Num. 4. 3. at that time the spirit of Prophesie came upon him and by a river in Babylon he seeth the Heavens opened as Christ at the same age had the Heavens opened to him by a river in Judea Luke 3. 21 22 23. Now that the people of Israel the Church are to be planted in another Country for a long time the Lord sheweth a glory in the midst of them as he had done at their first constituting into a Church in the Wilderness and out of a cloud and fire as he had done there he sheweth himself and from between living creatures as from between the Cherubims he giveth his Oracles to the Prophet He causeth him to eat a roll to lay a visionary siege to a pictured Jerusalem to lye on his side three hundred and ninety days suitable to the time of the peoples rebellion from Jeroboams revolt to the Cities destruction and forty days more in answer to the forty years transgression of Judah under the ministry of Jeremy as was said before To eat the bread of affliction and pollution to shew the want of victuals at Jerusalem and the peoples eating of polluted things in Babel To shave off his hair and to part it into several fatal significations c. And now that the destruction of the City is near at hand but five or six years off he foretelleth it in sad expressions and bemoaneth it with doleful lamentations 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 11 12 13 14. 15 16. BEcause the fourth year of Zedekiah is called the beginning of his raign Jer. 28. 1. which sheweth his condition yet unchanged as we observed before And because Ezekiel in the next year speaketh of his revolt from his oath made to the King of Babel Ezek. 17. 15. Therefore may we conclude that he rebelled against Babel in this fifth year of his raign EZEKIEL VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX World 3415 Division 386 Years of Captivity 14 Zedekiah 6 ALL these Chapters fall in in the sixth year after Jeconiahs captivity or in the sixth of Zedekiah as appeareth by the date of the eighth Chapter vers 1. and by the date of the twentieth Chapter vers 1. compared together In Chapter eight the Lord sheweth a just cause why he is about to remove his glory from the Temple viz. because it was defiled with all manner of Idolatry 1. There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An
image of provocation or a provoking image vers 3. 5. in the entry into the Temple 2. The very whole Sanhedrin and Jaazaniah their chief committed all manner of Idolatry vers 10. 11. 3. The woman weeping for Adonis vers 14. And 4. The twenty four heads of the courses of the Priest-hood and the High Priest that should have been serving God at the Altar turning their backs upon it and adoring the Sun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 16. a very strange framed word to express their strange abominableness In Chap. 9. God marketh his own before destruction cometh Compare Rev. 7. Jeremy Baruch Ebedmelech and whosoever else feared the Lord are here marked out for deliverance Chap. 10. Ezekiel seeth the glory of God in the Temple which he had seen at Chebar but now it is fleeting off and removed as far as the East Gate And in Chap. 11. it is flitted clean off the City to mount Olivet Chap. 12. When God had thus flitted away his own Glory he setteth the Prophet to flit away his stuff and this doth he that he might the more throughly set on the impression of captivity And from thence forward the Prophet falleth upon the people the false Prophets and Prophetesses with sharp reproofs c. In Chap. 17. there is a terrible denuntiation of Judgment against Zedekiah for violating his Oath and fealty to the King of Babel and seeking to Aegypt for help and strength that he might rebel against him This the Book of Chronicles brandeth him for that he rebelled against King Nebuchad-nezzar who had made him swear by God 2 Chron. 36. 13. It appeareth that at this time he had revolted and began to rebel and so was now brewing his own and Judahs destruction and therefore the Prophet throughout all these Chapters doth lay on the more load of threatning and terror EZEKIEL XX XXI XXII XXIII World 3416 Division 387 Years of Captivity 15 Zedekiah 7 DEstruction is now drawing on apace God will not give the Elders of Israel any answer no more then he would to Saul A sword is sharpned and preparing for Jerusalem and Rabbah Nebuchad-nezzar providing to be avenged on both it seems the King of Ammon proved traitor to Babel as well as Zedekiah had done This prophane wicked Prince of Israel his day is come the Crown must be over-turned over-turned over-turned till Christ come whose right it is The sins of Jerusalem and Israel are reckoned up now she is ready to be called to account Division 388 70 years Captiv 16 Zedekiah 8 Of any passage or occurrence of this year there is no mention 2 KING XXV vers 1. 2. JEREMY XXXIX vers 50. 52. vers 4. 5. World 3418 Division 389 70 years Captiv 17 Zedekiah 9 IN the ninth year of Zedekiah in the tenth month or the month Tebeth the tenth day of the month in the very deep of winter Nebuchad-nezzar layeth siege to Jerusalem EZEKIEL XXIV THAT very day Ezekiel is told of the thing by the Lord in Chaldea and by the Parable of the death of a beloved wife he is told and telleth the people of the destruction of the City and Temple their delight EZEKIEL XXV YET will the Lord take vengeance of those neighbour Nations that took content and rejoyced in the misery of Jerusalem JEREMY XXI ZEDEKIAH upon the Chaldeans incamping against the City inquireth of Jeremy what shall become of them and receiveth a sad answer of destruction and captivity the reason of the order of this Chapter was observed before JEREMY XLVII JEREMY fore-telleth the subduing of the Philistims by Nebuchad-nezzar even before Gaza one of their chief Cities was subdued by Pharaoh this was when Pharaohs Army was abroad and raised the siege at Jerusalem Jerem. 37. This Chapter lieth where it doth that the Prophesies against Egypt may be joyned together JEREMY XXXVII World 3419 Division 390 70 years Captiv 18 Zedekiah 10 THE Egyptians to whom Zedekiah had revolted from Nebuchad-nezzar raise his siege at Jerusalem yet Jeremy telleth that the Chaldeans shall return and take the City he is taken and put in prison JEREMY XXXII XXXIII XXXIV JEREMY in the prison buyeth and purchaseth Land in token of the peoples return thither again he Prophesieth comfortable things thereupon but sad things to the present Generation in Jerusalem who had covenanted to let their servants go free but afterwards reduced them to servitude again EZEKIEL XXIX to vers 17. IN this tenth year the tenth month and twelfth day of the month the Word of the Lord cometh to Ezekiel against Aegypt c. And here is a visible dislocation for Chap. 26. is dated by the eleventh year and Chap. 30. vers 20. and Chap. 31. are dated by the eleventh year yet this Chapter that comes between is dated by the tenth Now the reason of this misplacing is easie to be apprehended and that is this 1. The Prophesie against Egypt was in the tenth year as most properly meeting with Egypt in the very height of its pride and of Jerusalems carnal confidence in it For now it was a foot with all its force to raise the siege at Jerusalem and Jerusalem with all its hope did relye upon it and therefore in that very time the Lord denounceth destruction to it and frustration to the Jews hopes in it Now 2. The reason of setting this Prophesie that fore-telleth so much after the Prophesie against Tyrus which was in the eleventh year is because Tyrus was first to be destroyed and Egypt was to be the wages of Nebuchad-nezzar for destroying Tyrus Chap. 29. 18 19. and therefore that this might be observed the better the threatning of the destruction of Tyrus which was given after yet is set before the threatning of the destruction of Egypt which was given before EZEKIEL XXVI XXVII XXVIII World 3420 70 years Captivity 19 Zedekiah 11 THIS eleventh year of Zedekiah and nineteenth of Nebuâ—â—ad-nezzar was the fatal year of Jerusalems destruction and now are Ezekiels three hundred and ninety years up Ezek. 4. 5. we counted the very year of the division of the Tribes the first of them or else the very last of them would have fallen here on the very first day of this year hath Ezekiel the sad prediction concerning the ruine of Tyrus and Sidon EZEKIEL XXX from vers 20. to the end ON the seventh day of this first month Ezekiel Prophesieth of the weakning and fall of Egypt whom Nebuchad-nezzar had now beaten off and was returned to Jerusalems siege again EZEKIEL XXXI ON the first day of the third month of this year Ezekiel hath another Prophesie against Egypt JEREMY XXXVIII IN these gasping times of the City when all the provision in it was even spent vers 9. Jeremy by cursed suggestion to the King is cast into the Dungeon but delivered thence by the good care of Ebed-melech a Cushite c. JEREMY XXXIX vers 15 16 17 18. JEREMY thus delivered by the means of Ebed-melech from the Dungeon Prophesieth
captive saith in his seventh year they were three thousand and twenty three Jews and in his eighteenth three thousand and thirty two from Jerusalem in which if the Reader ruminate well upon the matter he will find a great deal of difficulty For 1. He never mentioneth in this reckoning either the Captivity in the fourth of Jehoiakim which was the first Captivity not the Captivity of Jechoniah in which the most people were carried away And. 2. There is no mention else-where of Nebuchad-nezzars carrying away into captivity from Jerusalem either in his seventh year or in his eighteenth but of his doing so in his eighth there is mention 2 King 24. 12. and in his nineteenth Jer. 25. 12. Now for answer 1. To the First The Prophet doth not here speak simply of the persons that were captived but of persons that were captived and put to death for that was the very tenour of his speech in the verse immediately before And for the confirming of this it is observable that in these two verses he mentioneth only the Captives that were caused by an open Rebellion Jehoiakims and Zedekiahs and upon those followed slaughter upon cold blood but in the fourth of Jehoiakim when Daniel and his fellows were captived and when Jechoniah was captived with 18000 more there was no such slaughter because there was no such rebellion And by this very consideration we may learn what was the end of Jehoiakim against whom Jeremy threatned the burial of an Ass although the Scripture hath not clearly expressed it else-where To the second we have given some piece of an answer before more fully now Nebuchad-nezzars first year was properly in Jehoiakims third for then is the first news you hear of him Dan. 1. 1. but withal his first year is counted with Jehoiakims fourth in which the seventy years Captivity began for then he had captived Jerusalem and according to these two reckonings the Scripture reckons sometime by the first as Nebuchad-nezzars first year properly some-time by the second as being his first year over Israel and of the seventy of Captivity after which matter the Scripture looketh with special notice Now Jehoiakims Captivity was in Nebuchad-nezzars eighth according to the first date but it is said to be in his seventh according to the second and the rather because Jechoniah was captived the same year and so the one is distinguished from the other And so Zedeliahs captivity was in Nebuchadnezzars nineteenth according to the first date and propriety but said here to be in the eighteenth according to the second and the rather to include in the number of the captived and slain those whom Nebuchad-nezzar caught of the Jews when he marched away from the siege of Jerusalem the year before when the King of Egypt raised it for then it is not imaginable but he caught some and how he would deal with them they being in open rebellion we may well suppose JEREMY XL. from vers 7. to the end And XLI all 2 KING XXV vers 22 23 24 25. THE dispersed Captains and Companies that had fled for their safety up and down for fear of the Chaldean Army do ralley and come together to Gedaliah the Governour for protection Jeremy amongst these reckoneth Jonathan and the Sons of Ephai the Netophathite which the Book of Kings omitteth either for that these were slain with Gedaliah by Ismael as Jer. 41. 3. and never came to Egypt whither the Book of Kings and Jeremy bringeth those rallied Captives and People after Gedaliahs death Or that Jonathan came as an inferiour to Johanan his brother and that these sons of Ephai the Netophathite came under the colours of Seraiah the Netophathite and so the Book of Kings reckons only the Colonels or chief Commanders In the seventh Month Ismael some younger brother of the Royal blood and ten Nobles of the Court envying Gedaliahs promotion do traiterously murder him This was a very solemn month in it self for the Feast of Trumpets expiation and Tabernacles that should have been in it and in this month of old had Salomon kept the dedication of the Temple and sent the people home with joyful hearts afterwards but how is the matter altered now Ismael also killeth seventy Samaritan Proselites such as were coming to the Feast of Tabernacles and casteth them into a trench that Asa had made to be a stop betwixt the Samaritans and himself then made to keep off Samaritans enemies to their Religion now filled with Samaritans friends to it The little dealing that the Jews had with the Samaritans and the flying about of the Chaldean Troopers had made such interception of intelligence that these poor men knew not of the firing of the Temple though it were in the fifth month till they be upon the way towards it and then understanding of it they rent their clothes c. JEREMY XLII XLIII And 2 KING XXV vers 26. THE Captains and people upon the death of Gedaliah go into Egypt though they had promised to be ruled by the voice of the Lord and though the Lord had flatly forbidden them to go thither and so had done of old that they should never return to Egypt Poor Jeremy is carried along with them and when he comes there he prophesieth both against Egypt and them World 3421 Captivity 20 The Jews are now setled in Egypt and in time they fall to a common and open Idolatry for which Jeremy reproveth them and threatneth them very sore In vers 9. he seemeth to give a close touch upon the Idolatry of Salomons wives the first original of Idolatry to the Kings of Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wickednesses of the Kings of Judah and the wickednesses of his wives which indeed may be well construed of every one of their wives But the quaintness of the phrase seemeth to hint some such a particular thing and it may the rather be so understood because he is here taxing the present Idolatry of the Jews wives in Egypt and ripping up the sore to the very head which indeed was first those wives of Solomon Observe in vers 25. how the Hebrew Syntax seemeth to twit these mens base uxoriousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 using the Verb in the feminine Gender though he speak to the men Now in the 45 Chap. of this Book of Jeremy vers 1. It is said that Baruch had written these words in a Book at the mouth of Jeremy in the fourth year of Jehoiakim what these very last words mentioned before But this is very unlikely for these last speeches appear to be uttered upon emergency the meaning of it therefore is that Jeremy in the fourth of Jehoiakim had uttered Prophesies to this purpose that Jerusalem should be destroyed and the Land left desolate and the people captived and mischief and misery following them which is cleered to be accomplished in the story of these Chapters and therefore this 45 Chapter is laid here though the story
Darius and their Astyages were all one and that Darius because of his Grand-fathership did bear the name of the Royalty though Cyrus in this conquest had equal share with him and was for other victories a Conqueror beyond him Not to insist upon those mixtures of fabulousness that the Heathens have invented for the inhancing of the credit of Cyrus as they were used to do about men that were the first raisers of a Kingdom as that his Grand-father Astyages delivered him to Harpagus a Noble Man as soon as he was born to be made away that Harpagus afraid of such a Fact delivered him to the Kings chief Shepherd for such a purpose that he laid and left the infant in a wood that it was there nourisht by a Bitch that the Shepherds wife took it home and nurst it and exposed an infant of her own instead of it c. To omit these things which were invented only for the honour of the beginning of the Persian Empire we may safely take up that relation which is unanimously given by all their Historians and in which there can be no flattery at all suspected and that is of the Pedigree and descent of Cyrus and the names and qualities of his Parents and so they give him for the son of Cambyses the King of Persia and of Mandane the Daughter and only child of Astyages King of Media and so was he heir to both the Kingdoms Now upon the conquest of Babylon Darius or Astyages plat-forms the Government of that Monarchy under one hundred and twenty Governours in the one hundred and twenty Provinces that belonged to it And above these he set a Triumvirate or three Princes to be supervisors to them and to take their accounts both of Tribute and Affairs Daniels knownness in Babylon which was newly taken for his divine and wonderful wisdom and spirit bringeth him to be one of these three and that promotion and his singular carriage in it bringeth him into envy and that into the Lions Den c. This occurrence may be conceived to have been presently after the conquest of Babel even in the compass of that year upon these grounds 1. Because Darius it is like would form the Government of his Monarchy as soon as he had it and Daniel would not be long unenvied when promoted 2. It is very probable that Darius reigned but a little beyond this year 3. The writing of this Chapter in the Chaldee Tongue may be some argument that this occurrence befel Daniel while he was in Chaldea DANIEL VIII THE first and second Verses of this Chapter plainly shew that Belshazzar reigned but three years for it telleth that in the third year of Belshazzar Daniel was in Shushan the royal City of Persia. It cannot be imagined that he was there in Belshazzars life time for his preferment and residence was in Babylon till Babylon fell but his coming thither was by the transporting of him thither by the Persian Monarch after he had conquered Babylon who as it appeareth by vers 27. had preferred him there and interessed him in the Kings imployment This is called the third year of Belshazzar purposely that we might learn to give the first year of Cyrus its proper date Belshazzar was dead and gone and Darius had fashioned the Babylonian Monarchy into another Government Daniel had been cast into the Lions Den in Babylon and was now removed to the Court of Persia Cyrus and Darius had ruled all for a certain space and yet is this Chapter and the occurrences in it dated by this that it was the third year of Belshazzar partly that we might learn to reckon the first of Cyrus and Darius not the very year that Babylon fell but the year after and partly that we might observe how in the very year that the Medes and Persians destroy Babel the Lord revealeth to Daniel the destruction of the Medes and Persians and the two Monarchies after them All the Chapters in Daniel from Chap. 2. vers 4. to the beginning of this Chapter are written in the Chaldee Tongue and from the beginning of this Chapter to the end of the Book he writeth in Hebrew for the affairs that fell under the Chaldean Monarchy he hath registred in the Chaldean Tongue but now that Kingdom is destroyed he will have no more to do with that Language but thence forward he applies himself to write his own native Tongue the Hebrew seeing that God would not have the Persicke under which Language he now was to be the original of any part of Scripture DANIEL IX DANIEL knowing from Jeremies Prophesie that the seventy years of Captivity were now fully expired addresseth himself to God by prayer for their return He receiveth not only a gracious answer to his desire but a Prediction of what times should pass over his people till the death of Christ namely seventy weeks or seventy times seven years or four hundred and ninety This space of time the Angel divideth into three unequal parts 1. Seven sevens or forty nine years to the finishing of Jerusalems Walls 2. Sixty two sevens or four hundred thirty four years from that time till the last seven 3. The last seven in the latter half of which Christ Preacheth viz. three years and an half and then dieth c. The twenty seventh Verse therefore is to be read thus He shall confirm the Covenant with many in the one week and in half that week he shall cause Sacrifice and Oblation to cease c. So that from this year to the death of Christ are four hundred ninety years and there is no cause because of doubtful Records among the Heathen to make a doubt of the fixedness of this time which an Angel of the Lord hath pointed out with so much exactness EZRA CHAP. I. And 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 22. 23. CYRUS published a Decree for the Jews returning to their own Land again This Decree was signed at the very instant of Daniels prayer Dan. 9. 23. Darius was yet alive and reigning as appears by comparing Dan. 9. 1. but the Decree and Proclamation is the Act of Cyrus not only in regard of a Prophesie that went before concerning him Esay 44. 28. but also because he was the greater Conqueror and the greater Prince For 1. He was not only sharer with Darius in the Conquest of Babylon but was also sharer with him in the Kingdom of Media as being sole heir to it but Darius had no claim with him in the Kingdom of Persia. 2. Berosus not that of Annius but cited by Josephus Lib. 1. cont Apion saith that Cyrus had conquered even all Asia before he came to besiege Babel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrus delivered out to Zerubabel who by the Chaldeans was called Shesbazzar all the Vessels of the Temple that Nebuchad-nezzar had captived In the summing of them there is some obscurity for there is a particular given only of two thousand four hundred ninety nine and yet the Text summeth up
my self to Comment but in a transient way to hint the clearing of some of the most conspicuous difficulties and that partly from the Text it self and partly from Talmudical collections Of which later I have alleadged very many and the most of them I hope not impertinently but for usefull illustration For though it is true indeed that there are no greater enemies to Christ nor greater deniers of the Doctrine of the Gospel then the Hebrew Writers yet as Corah's Censers and the spoils of David's enemies were dedicated to the Sanctuary service so may the Records to be met with in these men be of most excellent use and improvement to the explication of a world of passages in the New Testament Nay multitudes of passages not possibly to be explained but from these Records For since the scene of the most actings in it was among the Iews the speeches of Christ and his Apostles were to the Iews and they Iews by birth and education that wrote the Gospels and Epistles it is no wonder if it speak the Iews Dialect throughout and glanceth at their Traditions Opinions and Customs at every step What Author in the World but he is best to be understood from the Writers and Dialect of his own Nation What one Roman Writer can a man understandingly read unless he be well acquainted with their History Customs Propriety of phrases and common speech So doth the New Testament loquitur cum vulgo Though it be penned in Greek it speaks in the phrase of the Iewish Nation among whom it was penned all along and there are multitudes of expressions in it which are not to be found but there and in the Iews Writings in all the world They are very much deceived that think the New Testament so very easie to be understood because of the familiar doctrine it containeth Faith and Repentance It is true indeed it is plainer as to the matter it handleth then the Old because it is an unfolding of the Old but for the attaining of the understanding of the expressions that it useth in these explications you must go two steps further then you do about the Old namely to observe where and how it useth the Septuagints Greek as it doth very commonly and when it useth the Iews Idiome or reference thereunto which indeed it doth continually A Student well versed in their Language and Writings would find it no great difficulty to translate the the New Testament into Talmudick language almost from verse to verse so close doth it speak all along to their common speech The allegations that I have produced of this nature in this present Tract I have done but cursorily as not writing a Comment but a running Survey of the Times Order and History of the whole New Testament So that it may be many of them may not speak to every Reader that full intent for which they are produced and which would I have spent time to have been their Interpreter but I was willing to avoid prolixity I could have made them to have spoken plainly What I might have done in this kind I shall shew but by one instance which let not the Reader think tedoius here since I have avoided tediousness in this kind all along hereafter and this is by a Comment in the way we have been speaking of but upon one verse and that is the 22d verse of the 5th Chapter of Matthew which I have picked out the rather to make an exercitation upon because it is generally held by all Expositors that in it there is a plain reference to something in the Iewish Customs which is the thing we have been mentioning Whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of Judgment c. The sense which is ordinarily given of this verse in the construction of many Expositors is made to refer unto the three sorts of Iudicatories among the Iews the lowest consisting of three Iudges the middle of twenty three and the supream of seventy one With which allusion and explication I cannot close upon these three Reasons 1. Because the lowest Iudicatory to which they apply the word The Judgement had nothing to do in capital matters and so the conclusion of the verse before cannot be understood in this verse The murderer shall be in danger of being judged by the Judicatory of three for they judged no such thing and answerably the first clause in this verse where the same word The Judgment is reserved cannot have the same application 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used only in the second clause and it will be hard to give a reason why the middle Sanhedrin should only be so called as that interpretation makes it to be when all the three and most eminently the highest did bear that name 3. To apply Gehenna ignis to penalty inflicted by the highest Sanhedrins as divers do doth cause so hard straining as may be observed in the several allusions that are framed of it that it is very far from an easily digested and current sense I deny not indeed that Christ in the verse alluded to something of the Iews practises in some point of Iudicature but unto what I shall defer to conjecture till its course come in the method in which it seemeth most genuine to take the unfolding of the verse up and that is 1. To consider of three words in it which also are to be met in other places and so carry a more general concernment with them then to be consined unto this verse and those are Brother and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gehenna 2. To consider of the three degrees of offences that are spoken of namely causeless anger saying Raka and calling Thou fool And 3. to consider of the three penalties denounced upon these offences viz Judgment The Council and Hell fire 1. The word Brother which doth so constantly wrap up all professors of the Name of Christ in the signification of it in the New Testament may not unfitly be looked upon by reflection upon the sense of the word Neighbour in the Old Testament as that was commonly interpreted and understood by the Iews By using the word Neighbour saith Rabbi Nathan he excludeth all the Heathen Aruch in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And let this passage of Maymony be well weighed It is all one saith he to slay an Israelite and to slay a Cananite servant he that doth either must be put to death for it An Israelite that slayeth a stranger sojourner is not put to death by the Sanhedrin for it because it is said if a man come presumptuously upon his Neighbour Exod. 21. 14. and it is needless to say he is not to be put to death for a Heathen And it is all one for a man to kill another mans servant or to kill his own servant for he must die for either because a servant hath taken upon him the Commandments and is added to the possession of the Lord. In Rotseahh c.
and his blood sprinkled under the name of a Paschal for thirteen persons For no Lamb could be eaten for a Paschal whose blood was not sprinkled at the Altar and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the name of a Paschal and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by count for such a number of persons as had agreed to be at the eating of him Talm. in Pesachin per. 5. as Christ died but for a certain number Which shews had not the Evangelists done it otherwise that Christ ate his Passover on the same day that the Jews did theirs which some upon misunderstanding of Joh. 18. 28. have denied nay that it was not possible otherwise for how impossible was it to get the Priests to kill a Paschal for any upon a wrong day Having got the Lamb thus slain at the Temple they were to bring him home to the house where he was to be eaten to get him roasted and to get bread and wine ready and what other provision was usual and requisite for that meal At Even Jesus cometh and sitteth down with the twelve and as he ate he gave intimation of the Traitour who was now at the table and eating with him Which might seem to make this story the same with that in John 13. 21 22. and so might argue that this and that were but one and the same Supper But herein is an apparent difference in the stories 1. At the Supper in John 13. Christ giveth only a private signification of the Traitour by a token given secretly to John but here he points him out openly 2. There he gives him a sop here he only speaks of dipping with him in the dish Only there is some diversity in the Evangelists in relating this story Matthew and Mark have laid this taxation and discovery of the Traytour before the administration of the Lords Supper but Luke after And there is the like variety in their relating the time of these words of Christ I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine c. for Luke hath brought them in as spoken before the Sacrament but the other two after In both which first the main intent of the relation is to be looked after and then may we better state the time The intent in the former is to shew Judas at the Table and at the Table all the time both of the Paschal and the Lords Supper those symboles of love and communion yet he such a wretch as to communicate in both and yet a Traitour The two Matthew and Mark would shew that he was at the Table and so the mention of that they bring in upon Christs first sitting down and beginning to eat and Luke makes the story full and shews that he was at the Table all the time both at Passover and Sacrament and the words of Christ upon the delivering of the Cup But behold the hand of him that betrays me c. cannot possibly be mitigated from such a construction As to the later the meaning of Christ in the words I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine c. is that the Kingdom of God was now so near that this was the last meat and drink or the last meal that he was to have before that came By the Kingdom of God meaning his resurrection and forward when God by him had conquered death Satan and Hell And whereas he saith Till I drink it new with you in the Kingdom of God he did so eating and drinking with them after his resurrection This therefore being the aim of his speech it was seasonable to say so any time of the meal This is the last meal I must eat with you till I be risen again from the dead and hereupon the Evangelists have left the time of his uttering of it at that indifferency that they have done And indeed these two passages had such reference one to another that the one might bring on the other and both of them might very well be spoken by Christ twice The observing of the direct order of Christs actions at this meal which the Evangelists have related will help to clear this matter When he was set down with them he first saith I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for this is the last I must eat with you before the Kingdom of God be come And thereupon he taketh the first cup of wine that was to be drunk at that meal and drinks of it and gives it them and bids Divide it among your selves for I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine c. meaning this is the last time I shall eat and drink with you c. And this speech properly brought in the other One of you shall betray me as paraphrased speaking thus I shall no more eat with you for there is one now at the Table with me hath compassed my death Hereupon they question who it should be c. After this passage they eat the Paschal Lamb after its rite and after it he ordaineth the Lords Supper bread to be his Body henceforward in the same sense that the Paschal Lamb had been his Body hitherto and the Cup to be the New Testament in his Blood now under the Gospel as the blood of Bullocks had been the Old Testament in his Blood Exod. 24. And after the administring of the Cup he tells them again that that was the last that he must drink for the hand of him that betrayed him was at the Table SECTION LXXXIV LUKE Ch. XXII from Ver. 24. to Ver. 39. A contest among the Disciples about priority LUKE himself is a clear warrant of the order And withall the joynt consideration of the story before will help to confirm it The question among themselves about the Traitour helpeth to draw on this other question about priority an unseasonable and a very unreasonable quarrel To which their Master giveth closely this twofold answer besides proposing his own example of humility 1. That let not them stand upon priority for he would equally honour them in his Kingdom c. 2. That this was not a time to stand upon such business as seeking to be preferred one before another for this was a time of sifting and a time when all the care they could take for their safety should be little enough therefore they had now something else to do then to look after precedency SECTION LXXXV JOHN Chap. XV XVI XVII CHRISTS last words to his Disciples and a Prayer for them JOHN in Chap. 18. 1. informs us that when Jesus had spoken the words contained in these Chapters he went over the brook Kidron by which it appeareth that they were spoken at his last Supper instantly before he rose and went to the garden where he was apprehended At their Passover Suppers they used large discourses seasonable and agreeable to the occasion and especially in commemorating what God had done for that people Whatsoever Christ had spoken upon that subject is not recorded but
from this first mischief of faction and schisme 1. A member of the Church had married his fathers wife yea as it seemeth 2 Cor. 7. 12. his father yet living which crime by their own Law and Canons deserved death For he that went in to his fathers wife was doubly liable to be stoned both because she was his fathers wife and because she was another mans wife whether he lay with her in his fathers life time or after his death Talm. in Sanhed per. 7. Maym in Issure biah per. 1 2. And yet they in the height of the contestings they had among themselves did not only not take away such a wretch from among them nor mourn for the miscarriage but he had got a party that bolstered him up and abetted him and so while they should have mourned they were puffed up His own party in triumph that they could bear him out against the adverse and the other in rejoycing that in the contrary faction there was befallen such a scandal Or both as taking this Libertinism as a new liberty of the Gospel The Apostle adviseth his giving up to Satan by a power of miracles which was then in being So likewise did he give up Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. The derivation of this power we conceived at Act. 5. in the case of Ananias and Saphira to be from that passage of Christ to the Disciples John 20. 22. He breathed on them and said whose sins ye retain they are retained c. and so were the Apostles indued with a miraculous power of a contrary effect or operation They could heal diseases and bestow the Holy Ghost and they could inflict death or diseases and give up to Satan Now though it may be questioned whether any in the Church of Corinth had this power yet when Pauls spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ went along in the action as Chap. 5. 4. there can be no doubt of the effect 2. Their animosities were so great that they not only instigated them to common suits at Law but to suits before the tribunals of the Heathen which as it was contrary to the peace and honour of the doctrine of the Gospel so was it even contrary to their Judaick traditions which required their subjection and appeals only to men of their own blood or of their own Religion The Apostle to rectifie this misdemeanour first calls them to remember that the Saints should judge the world and this he mentioneth as a thing known to them Chap. 6. 2. and it was known to them from Dan. 7. 18 27. And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High How miserably this is misconstrued by too many of a fifth Monarchy when Saints shall only Rule is to be read in too many miseries that have followed that opinion The Apostles meaning is no more but this Do you not know that there shall be a Christian Magistracy Or that Christians shall be Rulers and Judges in the world and therefore why should you be so fearful or careless to judge in your own matters Observe in what sense he had taken the word Saints in the former verse namely for Christians in the largest sense as set in opposition to the Heathen And he speaks in the tenour of Daniel from whence his words are taken that though the world and Church had been ruled and judged and domineered over by the four Monarchies which were Heathen yet under the Kingdom of Christ under the Gospel they should be ruled and judged by Christian Kings Magistrates and Rulers Secondly He minds them Know ye not that we shall judge Angels ver 3. Observe that he says not as before Know ye not that the Saints shall judge Angels But we By Angels it is uncontrovertedly granted that he meaneth evil Angels the Devils Now the Saints that is all Christians that professed the Gospel were not to judge Devils but we saith he that is the Apostles and Preachers of the Gospel who by the power of their Ministry ruined his Oracles Idols delusions and worship c. Therefore he argueth since there is to be a Gospel Magistracy to rule and judge the World and a Gospel Ministry that should judge and destroy the Devils they should not account themselves so utterly uncapable of judging in things of their civil converse as upon every controversie to go to the Bench of the Heathens to the great dishonour of the Gospel And withal adviseth them to set them to judge who were less esteemed in the Church ver 4. Not that he denieth subjection to the Heathen Magistrate which now was over them or incourageth them to the usurpation of his power but that he asserteth the profession of the Gospel capable of judging in such things and by improving of that capacity as far as fell within their line he would have them provide for their own peace and the Gospels credit We observed before that though the Jews were under the Roman power yet they permitted them to live in their own Religion and by their own Laws to maintain their Religion and it may not be impertinent to take up and inlarge that matter a little here As the Jews under the Roman subjection had their great Sanhedrin and their less of three and twenty Judges as appears both in Scripture and in their Records so were not these bare names or civil bodies without a soul but they were inlivened by their juridical executive power in which they were instated of old So that though they were at the disposal of the Roman Power and Religion and Laws and all went to wrack when the Emperour was offended at them as it was in the time of Culigula yet for the most part from the time of the Romans power first coming over them to the time of their own last Rebellion which was their ruine the authority of their Sanhedrins and Judicatories was preserved in a good measure intire and they had administration of justice of their own Magistracy as they injoyed their own Religion And this both within the Land and without yea even after Jerusalem was destroyed as we shall shew in its due place And as it was thus in the free actings of their Sanhedrins so also was it in the actings of their Synagogues both in matters of Religion and of civil interest For in every Synagogue as there were Rulers of the Synagogue in reference to matters of Religion and Divine worship so were there Rulers or Magistrates in reference to Civil affairs which judged in such matters Every Synagogue had Beth din shel sheloshah a Consistory or Judicatory or what you will call it of three Rulers or Magistrates to whom belonged to judge between party and party in matters of money stealth damage restitution penalties and divers other things which are mentioned and handled in both Talmuds in the Treatise Sanhedrin per. 1. Who had not power indeed of capital
no small induction to him of the writing of this Epistle and sheweth the desperate danger of it Chap. 6. 4 5 c. and Chap. 10. 26 27 c. In which his touching of it we may see how far some had gone in the Gospel and yet so miserably far fallen from it as that some of them had had the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost and yet now sinned willingly and wilfully against it In describing their guilt one of his passages that he useth is but harshly applied by some Chap. 10. 29. Hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing when they say that this horrid Apostate wretch that treads Christ under foot was once sanctified by the blood of Christ whereas the words mean Christs being sanctified by the blood of the Covenant according to the same sense that Christ is said to be brought again from the dead by the blood of the Covenant in this same Epistle Chap. 13. 20. And the Apostle doth set forth the horrid impiety of accounting the blood of the Covenant a common thing by this because even the Son of God himself was sanctified by it or set apart as Mediator And so should I understand the words He hath trodden under-foot that Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant by which he the Son of God was sanctified an unholy thing He magnifieth faith against those works that they stood upon and sought to be justified by and sheweth that this was the all in all with all the holy men both before the Law and under it When he gives them caution Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau c. Chap. 12. 16. he doth not only speak according to the common tenet of the Nation that Esau was a fornicator as see Targ. Jerus in Gen. 25. but he seemeth to have his eye upon the Nicolaitan doctrine that was now rise that taught fornication to which he seemeth also to refer in those words Chap. 13. 4. Marriage is honourable c. And now henceforward you have no more story of this Apostle what became of him after the writing of this Epistle it is impossible to find out by any light that the Scripture holdeth out in this matter The two last verses but one of this Epistle trace him as far forward as we can any way else see him and that is but a little way neither Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty with whom if he come shortly I will see you By which words these things may be conjectured 1. That after his inlargement out of bonds he left Rome and preached in Italy He mentioneth in his Epistle to the Romans his desire and intent to go preach in Spain Rom. 15. 24. but that was so long ago that he had now found some just cause so much time intervening to steer his course another way For 2. It appears that when he wrote this Epistle to the Hebrews he intended very shortly to set for Judea if so be he sent the Epistle to the Jews of Judea as hath been shewed most probable he did So that trace him in his intentions and hopes and you find him purposing to go to Philippi Phil. 2. 23 24. Nay yet further to Colosse Philem. ver 22. Nay yet further into Judea It is like that the Apostacy and wavering that he heard of in the Eastern Churches shewed him more need to hasten thither then to go westward 3. He waited a little to see whether Timothy now inlarged would come to him in that place of Italy where he now was which if he did he intended to bring him along with him but whether they met and travelled together or what further became of either of them we shall not go about to trace lest seeking after them we lose our selves CHRIST LXIII NERO. IX IT hath been observed before how probable it is that Albinus came into the Government of Judea in Festus room in this ninth year of Nero. And if so then was James the Apostle who was called James the less martyred this year Josephus gives the story of this Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 8. Caesar saith he understanding the death of Festus sendeth Albinus governour into Iudea And the King Agrippa put Ioseph from the High-priesthood and conferred it upon Ananus the son of Ananus Now this Ananus junior was extreme bold and daring and he was of the sect of the Saduces which in judging are most cruel of any of the Iews Ananus therefore being such a one and thinking he had got a sit opportunity because Festus was dead and Albinus was not yet come he gets together a Council and bringing before it Iames the brother of Iesus who was called Christ and some others as transgressors he delivered them up to be stoned But those in the City that were more moderate and best skilled in the Laws took this ill and sent to the King privately beseeching him to charge Ananus that he should do so no more And some of them met Albinus as he came from Alexandria and shewed him how it was not lawful for Ananus to call a Council without his consent Whereupon he writeth a threatning Letter to Ananus And King Agrippa for this fact put him from the Highpriesthood when he had held it but three months and placed Iesus the son of Damneas in his room THE EPISTLE OF JAMES Although therefore the certain time of his writing this Epistle cannot be discovered yet since he died in the year that we are upon we may not unproperly look upon it as written not very long before his death And that the rather because by an expression or two he intimates the vengeance of Jerusalem drawing very near Chap. 5. 8 9. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh and Behold the Judge standeth before the door He being the Apostle residentiary of the Circumcision in Judea could not but of all others be chiefly in the eyes of those that maliced the Gospel there and the Ministers of it So it could not but be in his eye to observe those tokens growing on apace that his Master had spoken of as the forerunners and forewarners of that destruction coming False Prophets Iniquity abounding Love waxing cold betraying and undoing one another that he could not but very surely conclude that the Judge and judgment was not far from the door Among other things that our Saviour foretelleth should precede that destruction this was one Matth. 24. 14. This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all Nations and then shall the end come And so did the Gospel reach all the twelve Tribes as well as other Nations even the ten Tribes as well as the other two Therefore James a Minister of the Circumcision doth properly direct this Epistle to all the twelve Tribes scattered abroad The whole Nation was at this time some at the
the Nation even ever since the death of Zachary and Malachy but is now begun to be restored to speak of the great Prophet near at hand the Holy Ghost was upon him 26. And g g g g g g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used again in this sense Mat. 2. 12 22. Act. 10. 22. Heb. 11. 7. and by the LXX 1 King 18. 27. and in another sense Act. 11. 26. it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord Christ. 27. And he came by the Spirit into the Temple and when the Parents brought in the Child Iesus to do for him after the custom of the Law 28. Then took he him up in his arms and blessed God and said 29. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word 30. For mine eyes have seen * thy salvation 31. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people 32. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel 33. And Joseph and his Mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him 34. And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his Mother Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against 35. Yea a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed 36. And there was one h h h h h h Compare 1 Sam. 1. 2. Anna a Prophetess the daughter of i i i i i i In Hebrew it would be written Penuel as Gen. 32. Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser she was of a great age and had lived with an husband seven years from her Virginity 37. And she was a Widow of about fourscore and four years which departed not from the Temple but served God with fasting and prayer night and day 38. And she coming in at that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Ierusalem 39. And when they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord they returned into Galilee to their own City Nazareth Reason of the Order THE dependence of the beginning of this Section upon the end of that that went before doth even prove and confirm it self For after the story of the birth of Christs forerunner and the relation of what happened and befel at that time what could be expected to come next in order but the birth of Christ himself Especially since none of the Evangelists mention any thing that came between Harmony and Explanation Ships shall come from the coasts of Chittim and shall afflict Ashur and shall afflict Heber Numb 24. 24. THAT by Chittim is meant Italy or the Romans it is not only the general opinion of the Jews as may be seen in their Targums and in other writers but of the most Christians also yea of the Romanists themselves whom the latter part of the verse doth so nearly pinch As see their vulgar Latine and Lyranus upon the place This Prophesie was fulfilled when the power of Rome first set her foot upon the neck of the Hebrews by the conquest of Pompey but especially when she tyrannized over Christ the chief child of Eber even before and at his birth as in this story but chiefly in condemning him to death as in the story of his passion As Jacob had before told that the Jews at Messias his coming should be under the Subjection of a Forain Nation so doth Balaam in this Prophesie shew who that Nation should be And this the more ancient and more honest Jews took notice of and resolved that Christ should come in the time of the Roman Empire and near to the destruction of the Temple by it So in the Talmud they question What is the name of Messias Some answer Hhevara Leprous and he sitteth among the poor in the gates of Rome carrying their sicknesses Sanhedrin The Chaldee Paraphrast likewise on Esa. 11. 4. readeth thus With the speech of his lips shall Messias slay Romulus the wicked one or the wicked Roman shewing at once his opinion of Christs coming in the time of the Romans and also of the Romans being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked one after a singular manner Augustus was the second Emperor of the Romans or rather the first that was intire Monarch for Julius Caesar his Uncle and Predecessor had hardly injoyed any Monarchical government at all nor did Augustus of many years neither till he had outed Lepidus and overcome Anthony which were copartners with him in the dominion His name Augustus was given to him for his worthy administration of the Common-wealth For before-time he was called a a a a a a Dion Caepias and b b b b b b Sueton. Thurinus and Octavianus and had like to have been named Romulus as a second founder of the City but by the advice of Munacius Plancus he was named Augustus which importeth Sacredness and reverence § That all the world should be Taxed To so vast an extent was the Roman Empire now grown from Parthia to England and they two also included that it was a world rather then one dominion And so did their Virgil Ovid Florus own Authors boast it in those times as Caesar Regit omnia terris Divisum imperium cum Jove Totum circumspicit orbem Terrarum orbis imperium and such like speeches usual among them both in Poesie and Prose This huge and unweldy body of so large and spacious a dominion Augustus had now reduced to the healthful temper of peace and quietness which is the more remarkable by how much the more wars had been more frequent and more bloody but a little before For never had that Empire felt so great distemper within it self as it had done of latter times in the civil wars betwixt Sylla and Marius betwixt Julius and Pompey betwixt Augustus and Antony not to mention the continual wars that it had abroad It had not been very long before this time that the Evangelist speaketh of when both Rome it self and the rest of the world was at that pitiful plight that Polybius speaketh of That the Romans were forced to send to Ptolomy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 2. King of Egypt for a supply of corn because there was a great scarcity and dearth among them For in Italy all their corn was destroyed even to the gates of Rome by the Souldiers and abroad there was no help nor supply to be had there being wars in all parts of the world But now is there an universal Peace not only in the Roman Empire so that the Temple of Janus was shut up which it never used to be when any wars at all were stirring but if we will believe Crantzius even in those parts and Countries where the Roman power had not yet set her foot as Denmark Norway
Hillel Out of which as they relate there came thousands of Scholars but fourscore especially of most renown Hillel the old they are the words of the Talmud had fourscore Scholars Thirty of them were fit in whom the divine Majesty should rest as it did on Moses Thirty of them were worthy for whom the Sun should stand still as it did for Joshua and twenty were of a middle rank between The greatest of them all was Jonathan ben Uzziel that Paraphrased the Prophets in the Chaldee Tongue and the lowest of them was Johannan the son of Zaccai Such a Father had this our Simeon and so renowned but himself infinitely more renowned in the thing that is now in hand and in his having the Saviour of the world in his arms and heart Now this is the Genealogy of this man as it is Recorded by the Jews themselves Hillel begat Simeon who was first titled Rabban Rabban Simeon begat Rabban Gamaliel the Tutor of Paul Rabban Gamaliel begat Rabban Simeon the second Rabban Simeon the second begat Rabban Gamaliel the second Rabban Gamaliel begat Rabban Simeon the third Rabban Simeon the third begat Rabbi Juda the holy Rabbi Juda begat Rabban Gamaliel the third These six Rabbans were of the line of Hillel besides whom there was a seventh that bare the same title of another stock Rabban Johanan ben Zaccai But it may be justly questioned if Simeon were the man we suppose namely the Son of Hillel and the Father of Gamaliel and if he were so holy and devout a man and confessed Christ as this Evangelist relateth of him how came it to pass that his Son Gamaliel was so far contrary as appeareth by the education of Paul in Pharisaical righteousness and persecution of the Truth Answ. First It is no strange thing for holy Fathers to have wicked Children witness Eli David Josaphat and common experience Secondly It was thirty years from Simeons acknowledging of Christ to Gamaliels education of Paul or little less and so much time might wear out the notice of his Fathers action if he had taken any notice of it especially his Father dying shortly after he had made so glorious a confession §. Waiting for the consolation of Israel It is an Article of the Jewish Creed To believe the coming of the Messias and to wait and wait for his coming although he defer it which foolishly they do even to this day after sixteen hundred years expired since he came But Simeons expectation is neither so vain nor so uncertain For besides the general expectation of the whole Nation that the Messias should appear about that time Luke 19. 11. he had it by a special and assured revelation ver 26. The coming of Christ is called The consolation of Israel from Isa. 49. 13. 52. 9. 66. 13. Jer. 31. 13. Zech. 1. 17. and such like places which the Jews do not only apply to the coming of the Messias but also in their Talmud questioning what his name should be when as he came some conclude it to be Menahem The Comforter from Lam. 1. 16. In Sanhedr Ver. 26. That he should not see * * * * * * As Psal. 89. 48 and to see corruption Psal. 16. 10. death before he had seen the Lords Christ. This was the time when the Nation expected that Messias should appear Luke 19. 11. and began to look for redemption near at hand Luke 2. 38. The Angel Gabriel to Daniel and he to the people had so determinately pointed out the time Dan. 9. 26 27. that not only Jews of all Nations are gathered to Jerusalem against the expiring of that Prophesie Act. 2. but also all the East was possessed with an opinion of a Prince to rise about these times of supereminent honour glory and dominion Baron in Appar c. Sueton. Virgil c. Simeon having learned the time with the rest of the studious of the Nation out of the Scripture hath the certainty of it sealed up to him by the spirit of Prophesie which assured him that the time of so great expectation was so near at hand that he though he were old yet should not die till he had seen what he desired And thus Prophesie that was departed from Israel so long ago is returning and dawning to it again to be as the morning Star to tell that the Sun of righteousness would rise ere long Ver. 35. Yea a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also These words seem to be of the same tenor and intent with those of our Saviour to Peter Joh. 21. 18. and to tell Mary of her suffering martyrdom for Christ and the Gospel as those do of his For Simeon having in the preceding verse related how Christ both in his person and in the Gospel should be as a sign to be spoken against persecuted and opposed yea saith he and thou his Mother also for his and the Gospels sake shalt drink of the same cup and partake of the same lot for the sword of persecution shall go through thy life also for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth often signifie §. That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed This clause is linked to the latter end of the verse preceding and reacheth beyond the Parenthesis that lieth before it and in conjuncture with the clause before that it maketh this sense that Christs being set up for a sign to be spoken against or persecution for the Gospels sake should detect many mens tempers and affections which were not descried nor revealed before and discover what malignity or sincerity to him and to his cause is in their hearts as Matth. 13. 21. and as it is at this day Vers. 36. The daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser Hannah a Widdow indeed as 1 Tim. 5. 3 5. that is not by divorce but by the death of her husband and now of above an hundred years of age is chosen also and actuated by the Holy Ghost to give testimony of Christ as Simeon had done that out of the mouth of two such witnesses of either sex one the thing might be established and the party witnessed unto might be the more taken notice of Her Father Phanuel is named as either being a noted and well known man in those times or for the significancy of his name made good in her in that she now beholdeth the Lord face to face as Gen. 32. 30 31. And thus the New Testament doth by this Prophetess as the Old Testament doth by divers of the Prophets in naming her and her Father with her as Isa. 1. 1. Jer. 1. 1. Joel 1. 1. c. Phanuel her Father was a Galilean for in Galilee lay the Tribe of Aser and from thence cometh a Prophetess now to declare and publish the great Prophet that must once appear thence to the wonder of the Nation Ver. 37. Which departed not from the Temple Her constant continuance there might be either because she was a poor Widow and so
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
by the consent of the Senate make him King of Judea a man composed as if they were his four elements of fawning policy cruelty and unconscionableness Of whose life and actions Josephus Egesippus and others have discoursed at large and it is not seasonable to insist upon them here This only is not impertinent to inquire after what year it was of the reign of Herod when this story of the Wisemens coming to Bethlehem and the butchery upon the children there fell out that it may be seen how long our Saviour was in Egypt before his return upon the tyrants death and how soon it was that the Lord overtook this and the other cruelties of the tyrant with deserved vengeance Josephus Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 26. hath placed the beginning of Herods reign under the hundreth eighty and fourth Olympiad and under the Consulship of C. Domitius Calvinus II. and C. Asinius Pollio and hath summed the length of it to four and thirty years from the death of Antigonus his competitor and seven and thirty from the Romans first declaring of him King Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 10. And with this reckoning of the years of his reign agreeth Egesippus de Excid Jerosol lib. 1. cap. 45. and so doth Eusebius in his Chronicle for the latter sum of seven and thirty but differeth far from the beginning of his reign placing it under the last year of Olympiad 186. eight years at least after the time prefixed by Josephus And reason he hath indeed to differ from his beginning For if Herod began his reign in the Consulship of the men fore-named and reigned but thirty and seven years from thence it will result in the conclusion that he dyed the year before our Saviour was born as may be easily cast by the Catalogue or number of Consuls from Cn. Domitius and Asinius Pollio which was after the building of the City Anno 714 to Cornelius Lentulus and Valerius Messalinus under whom our Saviour was born which was Anno urbis 751. So that this account of years that Josephus hath given though it be true for the number yet can it not be so from that beginning from whence he hath dated them What shall we say then by beginning the thirty seven years of his reign from the time that he was King intire and sans corrival in the Kingdom by the death of Antigonus the last spark of the Asmonean fire Why herein also I find Dion differing from Josephus and Eusebius from them both For whereas Josephus hath related that the sacking of Jerusalem by Socius and the death of Antigonus were under the Consulship of M. Agrippa and Canidius or Caninius Gallus which was Anno urbis conditae 717. Dion in his Roman History lib. 49. hath placed the crucifying of Antigonus and the making of Herod King by Antony under the Consulship of Claudius and Norbanus which was Anno V. C. 716. or a year before And Eisebius hath still laid Herods beginning a year or two after Baronius hath found out a date different from all these namely that Herods years of his Reign are to be begun from the time that he received his Crown from the hands of Augustus after his victory of Antony at the battle at Actium Caesar being then in Rhodes of which story Josephus maketh mention Antiq. lib. 15. cap. 10. Augustus being then a third time Consul and Valerius Messala Corvinus his partner By which account it will follow that our Saviour was born in the nine and twentieth year of Herods reign and that Herod lived till he was about nine years old Which opinion though it best suited to the salving of other passages of Josephus in Chronologie about this time yet it seemeth to be something too corrosive an application and a remedy very harsh upon these respects First Because by this account of his both about the Wisemens coming and Herods death he will have Christ to be nine years in Egypt or thereabout or according to our reckoning seven years or little under Now in his banishment from his own Country the means of his Parents and of his own subsistence in a forreign Land for so long a time is so hard to imagine that it will breed another and no less a scruple then that in hand Secondly the transition of St. Luke from his presenting in the Temple to his coming into Nazareth will seem a great deal the more harsh if eight or nine years are to be taken in between especially with such as Baronius himself who will have nothing to come between at all Thirdly by this opinion must our Saviour be ninteen years old and more at the death of Augustus and then how could he be but beginning to be thirty in the fifteenth of Tiberius Luke 3. For suppose with the Cardinal that he was nine years old at the death of Herod then was he ninteen at the banishment of Archelaus who reigned ten years as appeareth by Josephus Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 15. After Archelaus was removed from his kingdom the same Josephus nameth Cyrenius and Coponius as rulers and disposers of Judea for a season And after Coponius Marchus Ambibuchus was Ruler and after him Annius Rufus and then dyed Augustus Now lay all these together and it will follow that our Saviour could not be less then above twenty years old at the death of Augustus whereas it is most plain by the Gospel that he was but about fifteen Let us therefore take these parcels backward and as they confute the opinion under question so do they help to settle and resolve the question in hand For grant that Coponius Ambibuchus and Rufus ruled their single years apiece after the exile of Archelaus as it is most like they did and more then years apiece they could not do all things well laid together and take before them the ten years current of Archelaus and we have thirteen years backward of our Saviours fifteen at the death of Agustuss and this doth bring us to his two years of age or thereabout which was the time when the Wisemen came to him So that since Archelaus began to reign when Christ was not very much above two years old for that he was something above it may be some months the time that Archelaus wanted of ten years reign compleat will allow and that he could not be more then such a space above the premises well ponderated will conclude it will readily and plainly follow that our Saviours birth was in the five and thirtieth year of Herod and this murder of the children of Bethlehem in his seven and thirtieth but a month or two or such a space before his death Now whereas some stick not to say that he was struck with the wound of death that very night that the children were slain and dyed not many days or hours after in that we cannot be so punctual but that he lived not many months after is more then probable by the collections and computations mentioned well weighed and laid
his birth and education could not but acknowledge what he spake and gave testimony to his words they were so gracious And this makes them wonder comparing his present powerful and divine discourse with his mean and homely education and to be amazed among themselves and to say Is not this the son of Joseph as Mark 6. 2 3. Vers. 23. Ye will surely say to me this Proverb c. He taketh occasion of these words from their present wonderment and questioning among themselves about him As if he had spoken out to them thus at large Ye look upon me as Josephs son as one that was bred and brought up among you and therefore ye will be ready to urge me with the sense of that Proverb Physician heal thy self and expect that I should do some miracles here in mine own Town as I have done in other places nay rather in this Town than in others because of my relation to it § Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum Jansenius from this passage concludeth that this Sermon of Christ in the Synagogue of Nazareth was not of a great while after his coming into Galilee but that he had first passed and preached through Galilee because as yet according to the order in which we have laid the story there is but one miracle mentioned that he had done at Capernaum which was the recovering of the Rulers son Now that miracle was enough to have occasioned these words though he had done no more But Capernaum was Christs very common residence upon all occasions and it is like he had done divers miracles there though they be not mentioned for when he came from Samaria the Text relateth that he avoideth his own Town of Nazereth because he knew that there he should find but cold intertainment and little honour but that he went into some other parts of Galilee and the Galileans whither he went received him having seen all that he did at Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover John 4. 44 45. Now Capernaum was as likely a place whether he would betake himself and where he would stay if he stayed in any City as any other Vers. 25. When the Heaven was shut up three years and six months This sum lyeth very obscure in the Text of the Book of Kings for there it is only said that Elias said there shall not be dew nor rain these years 1 Kings 17. 2. And that after many days in the third year Eliah shewed himself to Ahab and there was rain c. 1 Kings 18. 1 And it were not strange that Christ the Lord of time did for all the difficulty of the Text determine it but it seemeth by his speech to these Nazarites that it was a reckoning and sum commonly known and received of them And so when the Apostle James useth the same account James 5. 17. it is likely that he speaketh it to the Jews as a thing acknowledged and confessed But how to pick it up in the Book of Kings is very intricate to him that shall go about it Yet thus far we may go 1. That it was a year after the drought began before the Brook Cerith dried up for it is said that at the end of days the Brook dried now for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Days to be used for to signifie a year examples might be given exceeding copiously 2. Those words in the third year God said to Eliah Go shew thy self to Ahab and I will send rain cannot be understood of the third year of drought for this his coming to Ahab was not in the third year but after it for he had told him there should be no rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these three years at the least as the learned in the Hebrew tongue will easily observe out of the number of the word which is not dual but plural And therefore the third year is to be referred to Elias sojourning with the Sareptane widow He had been one year by Cherith and above two years at Sarepta and after many days in the third year he shews himself to Ahab and there were rains Now how to bring these many days to half a year is still a scruple how to fix it or to go any whit near thereunto unless it be by casting the times of the year when the drought began and when it ended and there might be very probable reasons produced to shew that it began in Autum and ended in the Spring which two times were their most constant times of rains Joel 2. But truth hath spoken it here and it is not to be disputed but only thus much is spoken to it because it seemeth that he speaketh it to the Jews here as men consenting and agreeing in the thing already The Rabbins do quaintly descant upon the last verse of 1 King 16. where there is mention of Hiels building Jericho and losing his two sons in the work according to the word of Joshua and the first verse of Chap. 17. where Eliah foretels the restraint of rain thus Ahab and Eliah say they went to comfort Hiel for the death of his sons Ahab said to Elijah it may be the word of the servant Joshua is performed but the word of the Master Moses will not be performed who saith Ye will turn away and serve other Gods and the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and he will shut up heaven that there be no rain c. Thereupon Elias swore and said As the Lord liveth before whom I stand there shall be no rain This number and term of time of three years six months just half the time of the famine in Egypt is very famous and renowned in Scripture as hath been observed before But in nothing more renowned then this that it was the term of Christs Ministery from his Baptism to his death he opening Heaven for three years and six months and raining down the Divine dew of the Gospel as Elias had shut Heaven so long and there was no rain at all Vers. 28. And all they in the Synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath c. Here is such another change of affection in these Nazarites one while giving testimony to the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth and presently ready to murder him for his words as there was in the men of Lycaonia Act. 14. who one while would worship Paul and Barnabas for Gods and immediately stone them with stones The matter that gave such offence in these words of Christ to his Countrymen was double 1. Because he so plainly taught and hinted the calling of the Gentiles and refusing of the Jews as was to be seen in the double instance that he alledged that Elias should harbour no where with any Israelite but should be recommended by God to a heathen widow for so were the Sareptanes being of Sidon and that not one Israelite leper should ever be healed but Naaman a Heathen Syrian should be This doctrine about
words of Christ the man had received healing though he had said no more to him since none that came to him in faith went away not sped Yet herein lyeth some scruple and question how the forgiveness of his sins could have influence into the healing of his disease Since that is the cure of the soul and not of the body and since justified persons are as incident to diseasdness and to death as those that are not justified There is a passage in the Prophet Esay something agreeable to this matter in hand and that is in Chap 33. 24. The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Now in such passages as these there seemeth reference to be had to those curses threatned for violation of the Law in Deut. 28. amongst which there are sad diseases of body and mind mentioned and denounced vers 21 22 27 28 35 59 60 61. And from that ground seemeth to have risen their giving up men that were palpable offenders to a Cherem or a curse and the giving up of men to Satan For as for incorrigible offenders that would not be reclaimed by correction and for whom there was no express and positive Law to put them to death what was there to be done with them But to devote them solemnly and to leave them to those curses that God denounced against such violaters of his commandements which Judicial process founded upon the warrant and belief of his word it pleased the Lord very often to follow with answerable effect and such a person became a curse among his people as Numb 5. 27. And this I suppose to be the giving up to Satan mentioned in the Scripture as devoting such a wretch out of the care and protection of God to the power and disposal of the Devil And this that common and proverbial speech among the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pack to Satan which is to be found in their Talmudical writers seemeth to have respect and reference unto And accordingly divers diseases in the Gospel are ascribed to the inflicting of Satan as Luke 13. 16. 11. 14. c. And the giving up of the person to Satan 1 Cor. 5. must be for the destruction of the flesh vers 5. Vers. 5. Whether it is easier to say Thy sins be forgiven thee c. It was indeed a truth that the Scribes aimed at when they said this man blasphemeth namely that none can forgive sins but God only but their ignorance concerning the person about whom they spake did cause themselves to blaspheme when they said he blasphemed In this answer of Christ to them whether it is easier to say c. 1. He meaneth not whether is it easier to pronounce those words but whether is it easier to effectuate those words that is to do those things that the words do mean namely to forgive sins or to heal a palsie 2. He meaneth that it had been an easier thing to have said Rise take up thy bed and walk and so to have recovered the man of his malady as a Prophet or one indued with the gift of miracles might have done But 3. that he said Thy sins are forgiven thee purposely that they might take notice not only by his uttering of the words but also by the effect that was to follow them that he had power to forgive sins As he had mightily revealed his power in the two cures that he had wrought in the stories before in casting out a Devil and healing a Leper so doth he here shew this power a greater power than either of those and it may be conceived That he purposely useth those word Thy sins are forgiven thee for the mans healing rather than Rise take up thy bed not only because he would shew his own power to forgive sins but because he would glorifie the doctrine of forgiveness of sins before these Pharisees who stood altogether upon legal righteousness And so at once would shew the great work of the Messias to save his people from their sins as Matt. 1. 18. and the great tenor of the Gospel faith and remission of sins He saw their Faith and said Thy sins are forgiven Vers. 9. He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the Receipt of Custom Matthew is now writing his own story and he is not ashamed to speak the worst of himself that the grace of God might be the more magnified in him and to tell you that he was of the worst sort of men namely a Publican as he speaks it out Chap. 10. 3. He was also called Levi for so Mark and Luke do style him and whether he carried these names one before his calling and the other after it is but needless to enquire since double-namedness among the Jews was so familiar He was the Son of Alpheus or Cleopas and so Christs kinsman and thus that one man hath four sons that were Apostles namely James called the less and Judas called also Lebbeus and Thadeus and Simon called the Canaanite and Levi called also Matthew Matthew it seemeth was a Publican at Capernaum Custom-house on the Sea side for so it appeareth by the relation of Mark to gather tribute or Custom of Passengers over the water and of those whose imployment lay in that Sea of Galilee And here I cannot but mention a Gloss of Rabbi Solomon on Judg. 5. 10 11. You saith he that walk afoot by the way speak and mention this deliverance which you have from the noise of those that shot at you from Ambushes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thieves and Publicans that lay in wait by stocks to surprise those that came over the waters And the Chaldee Paraphrast at the same place speaketh of the Publicans sitting besides the waters And to this purpose also may be produced that Tradition in the Treatise Sabbath per. 8. To carry out ink on the Sabbath to write with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the Publicans Tickets and to carry out one of the Publicans Tickets was unlawful The Gemarists there explain what these Publicans Tickets were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How big say they was one of these Publicans Tickets It was two great Letters written in Paper or on something else c. And the intent of these Tickets were that he that had paid his whole toll or Custom on this side the water shewing it when he came on the other side of the water he was freed from paying any more Now Publicans were of two sorts either those that voluntarily set themselves to a mony-changing and mony-breaking trade and in that trade by cheating and oppression raised profit and such Baal Aruch meaneth when he speaketh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Publican that sets up of himself or such as were set up by the Romans to gather their Tribute of the Jews as saith Haggaon and they favoured some in partiality and on others they laid load and exacted more than right and proved but thieves Aruch
here to Moses the first Prophet of the Church of Israel it also descended to a succession of Prophets in that Congregation from time to time But with this excellent gift it was also given Moses himself to know and so likewise them that did succeed that they had this double power not from themselves but from another Moses his stammering tongue taught himself and them so much for Prophesie and his leprous hand taught so much for Miracles This succession of Prophets began from Samuel and ended in the death of Christ Acts 3. 24. Not that there were not Prophets betwixt Moses and Samuel but because they were not expressed by name as also because vision in that space of time was exceeding rare 1 Sam. 3. 1. Now from the beginning of the rule of Samuel to the beginning of the captivity in Babel were four hundred and ninety years and from the end of that captivity to the end of Christs life upon earth were four hundred and ninety years more The seventy years of captivity between which were the seventh part of either of these two Numbers that lay on either side are called by Habbakkuk The midst of years namely from the beginning of Prophesie in Samuel to the sealing of Prophesie in the death of Christ. Revive thy work in the midst of the years in the midst of the years make known Then was it justly to be feared that the spirit of Prophesie would quite have ceased from Israel when they were captived among the Heathen This made the Prophet to pray so earnestly that God would preserve alive or revive his work of Miracles in the midst of years and in those times of captivity that he would make known things to come by that gift of Prophesie And he was heard in what he prayed for and his supplication took effect in the most prophetick and powerful Spirit of Daniel The Jews had an old Maxim That after the death of Zachary Malachy and those last Prophets the Spirit of God departed from Israel and went up So that from thence forward prediction of future things and working of miracles were rarities among them To this aimed the answer of those holy ones Act. 19. 2. We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Not that they doubted of such a person in the Trinity but that whereas they had learned in their Schools that the Holy Ghost departed away after the death of Malachy they had never yet heard whether he was restored again in his gifts of Prophesie and Miracles till now or no. SECTION VII The two first miracles Exod. 4. 1. THE turning of Moses rod into a Serpent did utterly disclaim any power of the Devil in these wonders which he was to work which power only the Magicians wrought by For as a Serpent was the fittest Embleme of the Devil as Gen. 3. and Revel 12. 9. 80 was it a sign that Moses did not these Miracles by the power of the Devil but had a power over and beyond him when he can thus deal with the Serpent at his pleasure as to make his rod a Serpent and the Serpent a rod as he seeth good Yet it is worth the observing that he is commanded to take it by the tail vers 9. for to meddle with the Serpents head belonged not to Moses but to Christ that spake to him out of the bush as Gen. 3. 15. His rod at Sinai is said to be turned into Nahash a common and ordinary Snake or Serpent but when he casts it down before Pharaoh it becometh Tannin Chap. 7. 10. a Serpent of the greatest dimensions be like a Crocodile which beast the Egyptians adored and to whose jaws they had exposed the poor Hebrew Infants in the River 2. His Leprous hand disclaimed also any power of Moses his own in these wonders which he wrought for it was not possible that so great things should be done by that impure and unclean hand but by a greater 3. Both of these Miracles which were the first that were done by any Prophet in the world did more specially refer to the Miracles of that great Prophet that should come into the world by whose power these Miracles were done by Moses at this time For as it belonged to him only to cast out the power of the Devil out of the soul and to heal the soul of the leprosie of sin so was it reserved for him first to cast out the Devil out of the body and to heal the leprosie of the body For though the Prophets from Moses to Christ had the gift of doing Miracles and performed wonders many of them in an high degree yet could never any of them or any other cast out a Devil or heal a Leper till the great Prophet came Elisha indeed directed Naaman how he should be healed but he neither touched him nor came out to him at all that he might shew that it was not his power but such cures were reserved for Christ to come SECTION VIII Moses in danger of death because of distrust Exod. 4. 24. THE fault of Moses that brought him into this danger was not the uncircumcision of his Son as it is commonly held for that had been dispensable withal in him as it was with thousands afterwards of the Israelites in the Wilderness but his fault was grievous diffidence and distrust For this is that that makes him so much so oft and so earnestly to decline so glorious and honourable a message as the Lord would send him on and this was that that brought him into this danger of death when he was even going on this message Observe therefore his evasions and how they sound exceeding hollow and empty of belief First Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh Chap. 3. 11. This the Lord answereth I will be with thee and this my appearing to thee may be an undoubted token to thee that I have sent thee vers 12. Secondly But who shall I say hath sent me For forty years ago they refused me saying Who made thee a Prince and a Ruler over us Chap. 4. 1. This scruple the Lord removeth by giving him the power of miracles Thirdly But I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken to me for though I may work miracles upon others yet is not this wrought upon my self that I speak any whit better than I did before This receiveth this answer I will be with thy mouth vers 10. 11 12. Fourthly But I pray thee send by that hand that thou wilt send or stretch out vers 13. for thou saidst to me I will stretch out mine hand and smite Egypt c. Chap. 3. 20. Now therefore I pray thee stretch out this hand of thine for the hand of man is not able to perform it At this the Lords anger was kindled against him and that deservedly For in this he denied the mystery of the Redemption which was to be wrought by a man the God-head going along with him Now it
critical we might observe the various qualifications of a Pastor and Teacher from these two surnames the one a son of wisdom and the other of exhortation but our intention only is to shew that the two Josephs in mention differed in person for they differed in name §. And Matthias Who or whence this man was we cannot determine certain it is the sense of his name is the same with Nathaneel though not the sound and I should as soon fix upon him for the man as any other and some probabilities might be tendred for such a surmisal but we will not spend time upon such conjectures CHAP. II. Vers. 1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all together with one accord in one place §. 1. The time and nature of the Feast of Pentecost THE expression of the Evangelist hath bred some scruple how it can be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day to be compleated or fulfilled when it was now but newly begun and the sight of this scruple it is like hath moved the Syrian Translater and the Vulgar Latine to read it in the plural number When the days of Pentecost were fulfilled Calvin saith compleri is taken for advenire to be fulfilled for to be now come Beza accounts the fulness of it to be for that the night which is to be reckoned for some part of it was now past and some part of the day also In which exposition he saith something toward the explanation of the scruple but not enough Luke therefore in relating a story of the feast of Pentecost useth an expression agreeable to that of Moses in relating the institution of it Lev. 23. 13. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering seven Sabbaths shall be compleat Even unto the morrow after the seven Sabbath shall ye number fifty days It will not be amiss to open these words a little for the better understanding and fixing the time of Pentecost First The Sabbath that is first mentioned in the Text in these words Ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath is to be understood of the first day of the Passover week or the fifteenth day of the month Nisan the Passover having been slain on the day before And so it is well interpreted by the Chaldee Paraphrast that goeth under the name of Jonathan and by Rabbi Solomon upon this Chapter at the 11 verse And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord after the holy day the first day of the Passover And it was called a Sabbath be it on what day of the week it would as it was on the Friday at our Saviours death because no servile work was to be done in it but an holy convocation to be held unto the Lord vers 7. and the Passover Bullock Deut. 16. 2 7. 2 Chron. 30. 24. 35. 8. to be eaten on it Joh. 18. 28. as the Lamb had been eaten the night before and this Bullock was also called a Passover and the day the preparation of the Passover Joh. 19. 14. as well as the Lamb and the day before had been This helpeth to understand that difficult phrase Matth. 28. 1. about which there is such difference and difficulty of expounding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the evening of the Sabbath saith the Syriack and the Vulgar And o utinam for then would the Lords day be clearly called the Sabbath the Sabbath of the Jews being ended before the evening or night of which he speaketh did begin In the end of the Sabbath saith Beza and our English but the Sabbath was ended at Sun-setting before It is therefore to be rendred after the Sabbaths for so signifieth * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch post regls tempora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post tempora Trojana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post noctem c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after in Greek Writers as well as the Evening and the plural number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to have its due interpretation Sabbaths Now there were two Sabbaths that fell together in that Passover week in which our Saviour suffered this Convocational or Festival Sabbath the first day of the Passover week and the ordinary weekly Sabbath which was the very next day after the former was a Friday and on that our Saviour suffered the latter a Saturday or the Jewish Sabbath and on that he rested in the grave and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after these Sabbaths early in the morning on the first day of the week he rose again Secondly The morrow after this Sabbath of which we have spoken or the sixteenth day of the month Nisan was the solemn day of waving the sheaf of the first fruits before the Lord and the day from which they began to count their seven weeks to Pentecost Lev. 23. 11. Deut. 16. 9. This day then being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or second day in the Passover week and being the date from whence they counted to Pentecost all the Sabbaths from hence thither were named in relation to this day as the first Sabbath after it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 6. 1. Not as it is rendred the second Sabbath after the first but the first Sabbath after this second day the next Sabbath after was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the rest accordingly Thirdly Now in their counting from this morrow after the Sabbath or this day of their first-fruit sheaf to Pentecost seven Sabbaths or Weeks were to be compleat whereupon R. Solomon doth very well observe that the count must then begin at an evening and so this day after the Sabbath was none of the fifty but they were begun to be counted at Even when that day was done so that from the time of waving the first-fruit sheaf Pentecost was indeed the one and fiftieth day but counting seven weeks compleat when an evening must begin the account it is but the fiftieth Fourthly To this therefore it is that the phrase of the Evangelist speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English hath very well uttered the day of Pentecost was fully come thereby giving an exact notice how to fix the day that is now spoken of from our Saviours death and to observe that he speaketh of the time of the day indeed and not of the night which was now over and the day fully come The dependence of Pentecost upon this day of waving the first-fruit sheaf was upon this reason because on this second day of the Passover barley harvest began and from thence forward they might eat parched corn or corn in the ear but by Pentecost their corn was inned and seasoned and ready to make bread and now they offered the first of their bread This relation had this Festival in the common practise but something more did it bear in it as a memorial for
his seed to Molech or useth Sorcery or profaneth the Sabbath or eateth holy things in his uncleanness or that cometh into the Sanctuary he being unclean or that eateth fat or blood or what is left of the sacrifice or any sacrificed thing not offered in season or that killeth or offereth up a sacrifice out of the Court or that eateth leaven at the Passover or that eateth ought on the day of Expiation or doth any work on it or that makes oil or incense like the holy or that anoints with holy oil that delayeth the Passover or Circumcision for which there are affirmative precepts All these if done wilfully are liable to cutting off and if done ignorantly then to the fixed sin-offering and if it be unknown whether he did it or no then to a suspensive trespass-offering but only he that defiles the Sanctuary and its holy things for he is bound to an ascending or descending offering Now that we may the better understand what Death by the hand of Heaven and Cutting off mean we are first to take notice that neither of them was any penalty inflicted by the hand or sentence of man but both of them do import a liableness to the wrath and vengeance of the Lord in their several kinds And the Jews do ever account Cutting off to be the higher and more eminent degree of Divine vengeance As to spare more evidences of this which might be given copiously this passage of Maymonides is sufficient and it is remarkable when he saith f f f Maym. in Biath Mikdash per. 4. Is it possible for a Priest that serveth in his uncleanness to stay so little in the Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As that he should be guilty of death by the hand of Heaven only and not guilty of cutting off He had had those words but a little before which were cited even now An unclean person that serveth in the Sanctuary profaneth his Service and is guilty of death by the hand of Heaven although he stay not there and then he comes on and is it possible saith he that he should stay so little as to be guilty only of death by the hand of Heaven and not to be guilty of cutting off Apparently shewing that cutting off was the deeper degree and die of guilt and vengeance by the hand of God and Divine indignation By Death by the hand of Heaven in their sense therefore is to be apprehended some such a sodain avengeful stroke as the Lord shewed upon Nadab and Abihu or Ananias and Saphira to take them away And this may the better be collected by two passages usual in the Rabbins about this matter First In that they give up the offence of the Priests drinking wine before they went to serve which is held to have been the offence of Nadab and Abihu g g g â—â—â— per. 1. to death by the hand of Heaven which argues that they mean such a kind of stroke as they two had And secondly In that wheresoever the Law enjoyneth Aaron and his sons and the people about the affairs of the Sanctuary they shall or they shall not do thus or thus lest they die they interpret this of death by the hand of Heaven But what to understand by Cutting off is not so readily agreed among them h h h Kimchi in Esay â—8 Kimchi alledgeth it as the opinion of their Doctors That Dying before fifty years old is death by cutting off Compare Joh. 8. 57. i i i R. Sol. in Gâ—â— 17. Rabbi Solomon saith It is to die childless and to die before his time Baal Aruch giveth this distinction between Cutting off and Death by the hand of Heaven that k k k Arâ—â—h in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cutting off is of himself and of his children but Death by the hand of Heaven is of himself but not of his children But mean it which of these you will or all these together or which may have good probability to conceive a liableness to cutting off from the life of the world to come both this and Death by the Hand of Heaven were held by that Nation with whom the phrases were so much in use to mean not any censure or punishment inflicted by man but an impending vengeance of God and a continual danger and possibility when indignation should seize upon him that was faln under these gilts Anathema Maran Atha one under a curse whensoever the Lord shall come to inflict it as Joh. 3. 18 36. SECT III. Penalties inflicted upon unclean persons found in the Temple Whipping and the Rebels beating IT was not a small awe that this might work in the hearts of the people towards their restraining from going into the Sanctuary in their uncleanness to have this impressed and inculcated upon them as it was continually that such a venture did hazard them both body and soul and brought them ipso facto into Gods dreadful displeasure and into undoubted danger of accrewing judgment But did they let the offender thus alone that had offended as if he was fallen under the guilt of death by the Hand of Heaven or under the guilt of cutting off that they had no more to do with him but leave him to the justice of God and to judgment when it should fall upon him Many a wretch would make sleight of this matter and because sentence upon his evil work was not executed speedily his heart would be fully set in him to do so again as Eccles. 8. 11. Therefore they let not the Delinquent so escape but as he had fallen under the wrath of God so they also brought him under a penalty by the hand of man And this penalty was twofold either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whipping by the appointment of the Judges or mawling and beating by the people 1. There was the penalty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whipping or scourging upon the censure of the Judges according to the Law Deut. 25. 2. Where he was to receive forty stripes but their Tradition brought it to forty save one 2 Cor. 11. 24. And the reason of this was because they would make a hedge to the Law and whereas that commands that they should not give to a Delinquent that was whipt above forty stripes lest their brother should seem vile unto them they abated one of forty to make sure to keep within compass The measure and manner of their whipping is largely described in the Treatise Maccoth thus in their own words a a a Maccoth per. 3. How many stripes do they give him saith the Mishueh there Why forty lacking one As it is said by a certain number forty stripes that is a number near to forty Rabbi Judah saith he is beaten with full forty and where hath he the odd one above thirty nine Between his shoulders They allot him not stripes but so as they might be triplicated They allot him to receive forty he hath had some of them
we come up to the time of our Saviours death and to a wretch that had not a small hand in it Annas or Ananus who had been High-priest four changes before him is said to be High-priest with him Luke 2. 41. JONATHAN the son of Ananus made High-priest by Vitellius in the room of Ibid. c. 6. Cajaphas whom he removed 42. THEOPHILUS the brother of Jonathan upon the removal of Jonathan by Ibid. c. 7. the same Vitellius is made High-priest 43. SIMON called also Kantheras made High-priest by Herod Agrippa Theophilus Lib. 19. c. 5. being removed this was he whose daughter Herod married and who was removed from the High-priesthood so many changes ago 44. JONATHAN the son of Ananus restored by Agrippa again but he desires Ibid. c. 6. that his brother Matthias might be put in the place as a fitter man than himself which was a wonder in the great ambition for the High-priesthood which commonly was afoot 45. MATTHIAS put in the room of Jonathan 46. ALIONEUS or Elioenai placed by Agrippa in the room of removed Matthias Ib. cap. 7. 47. JOSEPHUS the son of Kanei promoted by Herod King of Chalcis Lib. 20. cap. 1 48. JONATHAN slain by an Assassin by the contrival of the Governour Felix Ibid. c. 6. 49. ISMAEL the son of Fabi. Ibid. 50. JOSEPH the son of Simon Ibid. 51. ANANUS the son of Ananus mentioned before This man was a Sadducee Ibid. c. 8. He put to death James the brother of our Lord he is called Ananias a whited wall one whom Paul will not own for High-priest Act. 23. 3 5. 52. JESUS put in by Agrippa King of Chalcis in the room of Ananus this Jesus was Ibid. the son of one Gamaliel 53. MATTHIAS the son of Theophilus And here began the Wars of the Jews Ibid. which at last were their destruction In which time the confusion of the times did breed such confusion and jumbling about the High-priesthood in choosing and counterchoosing and putting in and out according to the pleasure of this or that faction that prevailed that it would be but confused work to go about to give a Catalogue or account of them therefore having led the row of the High-priests thus far as till all order both in Church and State were perished and the dignity and respect of that Order was utterly lost we will supersede with this number that hath been related and pass on to the other ranks of Priests that are before us CHAP. V. The Sagan Katholikin Immarcalin and Gizbarin SECT I. SAGAN THE word Sagan is rare in the Scripture but both the name and the dignity is very commonly known and used in the Hebrew writers It is undoubted that he was next to the High-priest or Vicegerent to him but under what notion he came into this deputation is disputable and a a a Iuchasin fol. 57. Abraham Zaccuth doth purposely dispute it One conjecture about this matter is from that Tradition mentioned in Joma That against the day of expiation when the High-priest was to go into the most Holy place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b Ioma per. 1. ab initi◠They appointed another Priest in his stead who might supply the solemn work of that day if any uncleanness did befal the High-priest himself And R. Judah also saith they appointed him another wife lest his own wife should have died because he was enjoyned to atone for himself and for his house that is for his wife Now it is conceived by some that this Priest that was appointed as a reserve if any thing had befallen the High-priest to make him unfit for that work was called the Sagan c c c Ioseph Ant. lib. 17. cap. 8. Josephus giveth one example when the work of the day of Expiation was carried on by such a substitute but this opinion maketh the Sagan useful but for one week in the year whereas it appeareth by the Jewish records that he was in a continual office all the year thorough Some therefore again conjecture that the Sagan was to be he that was to be the next High-priest and in his Sagan-ship was as a Candidate for that Office d d d R. Sol. in Num. 19. So R. Solomon calleth Eleazar the son of Aaron the Sagan And e e e Aruch in Sagan Iuchas ubi sup the Jerusalem Talmud observes that none was High-priest unless he had been Sagan first but there are two arguments that oppose this opinion the first is because the High-priests after the time of Herod especially were so made at the arbitrary disposal of the Governor that it is not imaginable that they ever regarded whether he had been Sagan before or no. And another is because in all the Old Testament where the succession of the High-priesthood was fair and legal and it was still known who should be High-priest next yet there is never mention of the word or of the thing Sagan but only in 2 King 25. 18. and Jer. 52. 24. where is mention of Zephaniah the second Priest and the Chaldee Paraphrast calls him Sagan Now unless he were son to Serajah which I know not who ever held he was in no possibility of the High-priesthood had the Temple scaped the Babylonian fire and desolation For the discovering therefore what the Sagan was and under what notion he came into his Office it is observable that he is most commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sagan of the Priests So the Chaldee in the two places cited titleth Zephaniah So the Talmud in two places in the Treatise Shekalim speaketh of f f f Shekalim per. 3. per. 6. Ananias the Sagan of the Priests and in divers places both in the Talmud and in other Hebrew writers the phrase is used in this conjuncture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sagan of the Priests By the which it seemeth his Office had relation as much if not more to Priests below him as to the High-priest above him and I know not what fitter conception to have of him than this that he was as the High-priests Substitute in his absence to oversee or in his presence to assist in the oversight of the affairs of the Temple and the service of the Priests For although it is true that in some particulars his attendance did especially respect the High-priests person as in three reckoned by g g g Talm. Ierus Ioma per. 3. the Talmud of Jerusalem yet did his Office also relate to the Priests below him and so saith Maymonides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h h h Maym. in Kele Mik per. 4. That all the Priests were under the disposal or command of the Sagan For the High-priest having the chief charge and care of the holy things and that burden and incumbency being of so great a weight he was forced to get an assistance to help him to bear the burden nay sometime the silliness and
parts of those that went out So that were I to describe the City as I am now about describing the Temple I should place the Gate Sur somewhere in Sion and there also should I place the Gate behind the Guard and it would not be very hard to gather up fair probability of their situation there Now though so strong Guards were set both in the Temple and in Zion yet Athaliah for whom all this ado is made comes up into the Temple so far as to see the young King at his Pillar in the Court before the East-Gate and no man interrupts her partly because she was Queen partly because she came alone and chiefly because they knew not Jehoiadas mind concerning her But when he bids have her out of the ranges they laid hold upon her and spared her till she was down the Causey Shallecheth and then they slew her If by the ranges the ranks of men that stood round about the Mountain of the House be not to be understood I should then think they mean either the ranks of Trees that grew on either side that Causey or the Rails that were set on either side it for the stay and safety of those that passed upon it And to this sense Levi Gershom doth not unproperly expound those words in 1 King X. 12. Of the Almug Trees the King made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the house of the Lord and for the Kings house The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie a Prop or Support yet is expressed in 2 Chron. IX 11. The King made of the Almug Trees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 high ways to the house of the Lord And q q q Ralbag i◠1 King X I think saith the Rabbin that in the ascent that he made to go up to the house of the Lord from the Kings house he made as it were battlements that is Rails on either side of the Almug Trees that a man might stay himself by them as he went along the highway of that ascent And so in other ascents of the house of the Lord or of the Kings house where there were not steps as the rise of the Altar c. SECT I. A credible wonder of the brazen Gate WE will leave the belief of that wonder that hath been mentioned about the brazen Door of Nicanor in its shipwrack to those that record it but we may not pass over another wondrous occurrence related by Josephus of the brazen Gate whether this of Nicanor or the other which he calleth the brazen Gate as by its proper name we will not be curious to examine which is a great deal more worthy of belief and very well deserving consideration He treating of the Prodigies and wonders that presaged the destruction of Jerusalem amongst others he relateth this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The East-Gate of the inner Temple being of brass and a Ios. de bell lib. 6. cap. 31. extream heavy and which could hardly be shut by twenty men being barred and bolted exceeding strong and sure yet was it seen by night to open of its own accord which the simpler and more foolish people did interpret as a very good Omen as if it denoted to them that God would open to them the Gate of all good things But those of a deeper reach and sounder judgment did suspect that it presaged the decay and ruine of the strength of the Temple And with this relation of his do other writers of his own nation concurr who report b b b Iuchasin s. 10 That forty years before the destruction of the City the doors of the Temple opened of their own accord Whereupon Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai after chief of the Sanhedrin cryed out Open thy doors O Lebanon that the fire may devour And from that time the great Sanhedrin flitted from the room Gazith and so removed from place to place The like saith Rabbi Solomon on Zech. XI 1. Open thy doors O Lebanon c c c R Sol. in Zech. XI He prophecieth saith he of the destruction of the second Temple and forty years before the destruction the Temple doors opened of their own accord Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai rebuked them and said O Temple Temple how long wilt thou trouble thy self I know thy best is to be destroyed for Zechariah the Son of Iddo prophecied thus of thee Open thy doors O Lebanon that the fire may devour thy Cedars c. There are three remarkable things which the Jews do date from forty years before the destruction of the Temple namely this of the Temple doors opening of themselves and the Sanhedrins flitting from the room Gazith and the Scarlet List on the Scape-goates head not turning white that are as Testimonies against themselves about the death of Christ which occurred exactly forty years before the Temple was destroyed Then the Lord shewed them by the Temple doors opening the shaking of their Ecclesiastical glory and by the flitting of the Sanhedrin the shaking of their civil and by the not whitening of their Scarlet list which had denoted pardon of sin their deep die of sin and guilt for the death of Christ. Compare this self-opening of the Temple doors with the renting of the Veil of the Temple of its own accord and they may help the one to illustrate the other And methinks the words of Rabban Jocanan upon the opening of the doors O Temple how long wilt thou disquiet thy self do seem to argue that before that opening there had been some other such strange trouble in the Temple at that was which might be the renting of the Veil SECT II. A Sanhedrin sitting in this Gate THIS Gate of Nicanor or the East-Gate of the Court was the place where the suspected Wife was tried by drinking of the bitter waters and where the Leper cleansed stood to have his attonement made and to have his cleansing wholly perfected the rites of both which things we have described in their places In this Gate also did Women after child-birth appear for their purification here it was that the Virgin Mary presented her Child Jesus to the Lord Luke II. 22. a a a Talm. in Sanhedr per. 11. In this Gate of Nicanor not in the very passage through it but in some room above or by it there sate a Sanhedrin of three and twenty Judges Now there were three ranks of Judicatories among the Jews A Judicatory or Consistory of three A Judicatory of three and twenty and the great Sanhedrin of seventy one In smaller Towns there was a Triumvirate or a Consistory set up consisting only of three Judges b b b Ibid. per. 1. these judged and determined about mony matters about borrowing filching damages restitutions the forcing or inticing of a maid pulling off the shoe and divers other things that were not capital nor concerned life and death but were of an inferiour concernment and condition In greater Cites there were Sanhedrins of three and twenty which
so long as four thousand years before Christ came to save Sinners p. 627. Why did Christ appear at that time of the World rather than any other p. 628. The Jews had dreadful Opinions about his coming p. 640 641. He healed all Diseases by his Touch but cast out Devils by his Word p. 642. The Diseases he cured were of three kinds p. 645. His Doctrines were comprised under Two Heads p. 645. He cured the Leprosie when the Priests could not yet Christ was tender of their reputation p. 648. He as God could do all things but as Messias nothing but as delegated and assisted by the Father As Son of God he hath all power in himself as Messias he hath all power put into his Hands by the Father p. 672 c. He was set up by his Father as King and Lord over all things affirmed in many places in Scripture He as God-man is Head of all Principality and Power five Reasons given for it p. 674. Further evidence of his being the Messias and how opposed therein by the Jews p. 680 681 682. His Life Doctrine and Miracles shewed him to be the Messias so did the Testimony of his Father John the Baptist and the Scriptures c. p. 682 683 684. His Resurrection and the History of it as also his eight several Apparitions after it p. 734 735. The year of his Ascention p. 738. The Age of the World at his Resurrection Death and Ascention p. 739. He was nailed to the Cross at the same time of the day that our first Parents fell viz. at twelve a Clock p. 748. At three a Clock he yielded up the Ghost then Adam received the promise p. 748. There was a general expectation of his appearance even when he did appear with the multitudes that then came to Jerusalem upon that account both Jews and Heathens then expecting him as is seen by their own Writers p. 751 752. Some things out of the Jewish Writers concerning the Judging Condemning and Executing of him p. 968. He paid his Church Duties p. 240. He was so poor as to be put to work a Miracle to get money p. 240. The Signs of his coming predicting his near approach what p. 462 463. Christ about the time of his death the scarlet List on the Scape Goats head turned not white as usually what against the Jews p. 1101. * Christians called by Suetonius Men of a new and evil Superstition or Religion so Tacitus calls their way a dangerous Superstition shewing how Nero persecuted them after Rome was fired as if they had been guilty to deliver himself from the just accusation of it p. 327 There was yet Christians in Nero's houshold p. 328. They were under Nero very bloodily and bâ—rbarously persecuted so as to move the pity of their Enemies saith Tacitus the Jews heightening that persecution against them p. 333 334. They were destroyed by Nero for a plot layed by himself against them the Heathens for real plotting against him now grown endlesly cruel p. 334. The Disciples were first called Christians at Antioch Page 871 Chronology was very exact from the Creation to Christs death but less cared for after the New Testament History was finished and why p. 777. The Heathen Chronology mistaken in numbring the Persian Kings 2066. * Church Church Duties were paid by Christ. p. 240. The Church a Title given the first Professors of the Gospel 871 Circumcision when and where instituted p. 13. It was renewed at Israels entring into Canaan as a Seal of the lease of the Land p. 40. It was not to be used under Christianity because the Jews looked upon it as an admission into the Covenant of Works p. 319. It enervated Justification by faith p. 319. It obliged to the observance of the whole Law p. 319. The reason of its Institution why it was not in the old World nor for some considerable time after the Flood that is why the Church injoyed it not of so long a time p. 464 465. When it was to cease 465. It was instituted in Hebron about the time of Easter p. 695. Circumcision and Meats made the difference between Jew and Gentile these being removed let the Gentiles into the Church p. 842. The Ends of its use and how used among others besides the Israelites p. 1007 1008 Citation or Quotation of Scripture one place of Scripture citing another doth sometimes change the words to fit the occasion 498 Cittim The name of a Man and of Italy and of part of Greece 996 City The City and Temple of Jerusalem were destroyed Anno Mundi exactly 4000. p. 487. Holy City the common and ordinary name for Jerusalem when even full of abomination and corruption Separatists may think of this p. 497. City what 647 Clean and Unclean Legal the Doctrine of them p. 30. The Priests could only pronounce not make Leapers clean 219 c. Cleopas was the same person with Alpheus p. 27. He had four Sons all Apostles 660 Clerks of the Sanhedrim what their Number and what their business 2006. * Cloak Paul's Cloak denoted his Jewish habit 3â—6 Cloister walks called Porches p. 661 668. Cloister Royal what 1061. * Closets for the Butchering Instruments and for the Priests Vestments described 1077. * Cloud the Cloud of Glory was taken away at Moses his death p. 40. And appeared again at the Sealing of the Great Prophet Christ. 710 Coat of the first Born what p. 905. And Coat of the High Priest and of the Ephod what 905 Coming of the Lord and the end coming denote the near approach of Vengeance on Jerusalem 332 333 335 338 342 343 Common or unclean what before the Flood and since 845 Community of Goods was not to level Estates but to provide for the Poor p. 278. How practised and of what extent 762 Communicating with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Communion with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Companying with others was sometimes in Sacred Things in Civil Things it was twofold 305 Confession of sins at Johns Baptism was after not before Baptism Page 456 457 Confirmation Imposition of Hands by the Apostles in all likelyhood was never used for Confirmation 788 Confusion of Tongues into what number of Languages it was divided 1009 to 1011 Consistory of Priests was called Beth-Din which transacted business in the Temple 914 Consolation of Israel Christs coming is often signified by that term 430 Conversion Repentance or Reformation was once general and wonderful 54 758 c. Conversion of Niniveh a very wonderful thing 1007 Cor what sort of Measure 545 Corus what sort of Measure 545 Corban what p. 237. The Gate Corban where and why so called 2020 2021. * Corinth something described 295 Cornelius a Roman Captain one that arived at an admirable height of Piety though not so much as a Proselite p. 285 286. Some things remarkable about his calling into the Gospel 832 c.
a man first take upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and then the yoke of the Precept u u u u u u Gemâ—ra Bab. ibid. fol. 13. 2. Rabh said to Rabbi Chaijah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We never saw Rabbi Judah taking upon himself the Kingdom of Heaven Bar Pahti answered At that time when he put his hands to his face he took upon himself the Kingdom of Heaven Where the Gloss speaks thus We saw not that he took upon himself the Kingdom of Heaven for until the time came of reciting the Phylacteries he instructed his Scholars and when that time was come I saw him not interposing any space x x x x x x Ibid. fol. 15. 1 Doth any ease nature Let him wash his hands put on his Phylacteries repeat them and pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this is the Kingdom of Heaven fulfilled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y y y y y y Ibid. col 2. in the Gloss. If thou shalt have explained Shaddai and divided the letters of the Kingdom of Heaven thou shalt make the shadow of death to be cool to thee that is if in the repeating of that passage of the Phylacteries Deut. VI. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord c. you shall pronounce the letters distinctly and deliberately so that you shall have sounded out the names of God rightly thou shalt make cool the shades of death For the same Gloss had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The repeating of that passage Hear O Israel c. is the taking of the Kingdom of Heaven upon thee But the repeating of that place And it shall be if thou shalt harken c. Deut. XI 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the taking of the yoke of the Precept upon thee z z z z z z In eodem cap. 2. tract Berac hal 5. Rabban Gamaliel recited his Phylacterical prayers on the very night of his nuptials And when his Scholars said unto him Hast thou not taught us O our Master that a bridegroom is freed from the reciting of his Phylacteries the first night He answered I will not harken to you nor will I lay aside the Kingdom of Heaven from me no not for an hour a a a a a a Zohar in Levit. fol. 53. What is the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven In like manner as they lay the yoke upon an Ox that he may be serviceable and if he bear not the yoke he becomes unprofitable so it becomes a man first to take the yoke upon himself and to serve in all things with it but if he casts it off he is unprofitable as it is said Serve the Lord in fear What means In fear The same that is written The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom And this is the Kingdom of Heaven a a a a a a Hieros Kid 〈◊〉 â—â—â— 59 4 The Scholars of Jonathan ben Zaccai asked why a servant was to be bored through the ear rather than through some other part of the body He answered When he heard with the ear those words from Mount Sinai Thou shalt have no other Lord before my face he broke the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven from him and took upon himself the yoke of flesh and blood If by the Kingdom of Heaven in these and other such like places which it would be too much to heap together they mean the inward love and fear of God which indeed they seem to do so far they agree with our Gospel sense which asserts the inward and spiritual Kingdom of Christ especially And if the words of our Saviour Behold the Kingdom of God is within you Luke XVII 21. be suited to this sense of the Nation concerning the Kingdom of Heaven there is nothing sounds hard or rough in them for it is as much as if he had said Do you think the Kingdom of Heaven shall come with some remarkable observation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much shew Your very Schools teach that the Kingdom of God is within a man But however they most ordinarily applied this manner of speech hither yet they used it also for the exhibition and revelation of the Messiah in the like manner as the Evangelical History doth Hence are these expressions and the like to them in Sacred Writers The Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God should come Luke XVII 20. They thought that the Kingdom of God should presently be manifested Luke XIX 11. Joseph of Arimathea waited for the Kingdom of God Luke XXIII 52. c. And these words in the Chaldee Paraphrast Say ye to the Cities of Judah the Kingdom of your God is revealed Esa. XL. 9. They shall see the Kingdom of their Messiah Esa. LIII 11. The Baptist therefore by his preaching stirs up the minds of his hearers to meet the coming of the Messiah now presently to be manifested with that repentance and preparation as is meet VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The food was locusts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b b b b Hieros Nedarim fol. 40. 2. He that by vow tyeth himself from flesh is forbidden the flesh of fish and of locusts See the Babylonian Talmud c c c c c c Câ—olin fol. 65 1. concerning Locusts sit for food VERS V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The region round about Iordan THE word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the region round about is used by the Jerusalem Gemara d d d d d d Sheâ—iâ—th fol. 38. 4. From Beth Horn to the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one region 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 round about or one circumjacent region 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perhaps both in the Talmudists and in the Evangelist is one and the same thing with a Coast or a Country along a coast in Pliny e e e e e e Lib. 5. cap. 13 The country saith he along the coast is Samariâ— that is the Sea coast and the country further lying along by that coast which may be said also concerning the region round about Jordan Strabo concerning the Plain bordering on Jordan hath these words It is a place of an hundred furlongs all well watered and full of dwellings VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And were baptized §. A few things concerning Baptism IT is no unfit or unprofitable question whence it came to pass that there was so great a conflux of men to the Baptist and so ready a reception of his Baptism I. The first reason is Because the manifestation of the Messias was then expected the weeks of Daniel being now spent to the last four years Let us consult a little his Text. Dan. IX 24. Seventy years of years are decreed concerning thy people c. That is four hundred and ninety years from the first of Cyrus to the death of Christ. These years are divided into three parts and they very unequal 1. Into seven weeks
VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings TWO Sparrows were sold for one farthing d d d d d d Mat. X. 29. and five for two We find that Doves were sold in the Temple upon the account of women in child-bed and their issues of blood by whom a pair of Turtles and young pigeons were to be offer'd if they had not wherewithal to present a more costly sacrifice so probably the Sparrows were likely to be sold upon the account of lepers in the cleansing of whom they were made use of e e e e e e Levit. XIV 4. I confess the Greek Version in this place hath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two sparrows but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two little birds And yet if you will believe the far-fetcht reason that R. Solomon gives you will easily imagine that they are sparrows that are pointed at The leprosie saith he came upon mankind for an evil tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for too much garrulity of words and therefore in the cleansing of it they used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sparrows that are always chirping and chattering with their voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not one of them is forgotten before God f f f f f f Beresh rabb fol. 88. 4. R. Simeon ben Jachai standing at the mouth of his Cave wherein he lay hid for the space of thirteen years he saw a certain man catching of birds And when he heard Bath Kol out of Heaven saying mercy mercy the birds escaped But when he heard Bath Kol saying the pain of death then was the bird taken He saith therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A bird is not taken without God much less the life of a man This passage is also recited in Midras Tillen g g g g g g Fol. 15. 1. but the circumstances vary VERS IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But he that denyeth me c. COnsider whether in these words and in the following Verse our Blessed Saviour do not point at those two unpardonable sins Apostacy or denying and renouncing of Christ and Blasphemy or the sin against the Holy Ghost The first is called a sin unto death h h h h h h 1 Joh. V. 16. And so in truth and in the event is the latter too I find them indeed confounded by some who discourse upon the sin against the Holy Ghost when yet this difference may be observed viz. that Apostacy cannot properly be charged on any but who have already profest Christianity but Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was uttered by the Scribes and Pharisees at that time that they disowned and rejected Christ. VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he divide the inheritance with me I. IN the titles of brethren this obtained amongst them that as the eldest was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first born so the younger was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simple because without the title of first-born It seems to be only two brethren here betwixt whom the complaint is made but which of them is the complainant it is not so easie to determine You will say the younger most probably because it is more likely that the first-born should wrong the younger than the younger the first-born And yet in that Court of Judicature which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Court of thou draw and I 'll draw the younger might be troublesome to the first-born as well as the first-born to the younger That matter was thus i i i i i i Baâ—a bathra fol. 13. 1. When a Father had bequeathed to his first-born and younger Son a servant and an unclean beast which could not be parted in two then saith the one to the other do thou draw or I 'll draw that is do thou redeem thy share or I will redeem mine Now here the younger brother may be perverse and as well hinder the redemption as the first-born II. In the division of inheritances how many vexations and quarrels may arise both reason and common experience do abundantly teach us The Rabbins are very large upon this head and suppose that great controversies may arise either from the Testament of the Father or the nature of the inheritance or the quality of the Sons as if the younger Son be a Disciple of the Wise-men and the elder not if the younger be made a Proselyte the elder a Gentile c. But in the instance now before us the complaint or controversie is not about dividing but about not dividing because the first-born most probably would not gratifie the younger in that thing The Judges in that case was the Bench of the Triumviri these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges in the Controversie and decreed concerning the right or equity of dividing And either some were appointed by them or some chosen by those between whom the cause depended as arbiters in the case and these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dividers those that took care as to the equality of the division Now we cannot easily suppose what should move this man to appeal to our Saviour as judge in this matter unless either himself or Brother or both were of the number of his Disciples VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Soul take thine ease eat drink c. k k k k k k Tâ—anith fol. 11. 1. WHen the Church is in distress let not any man then say I will go into mine house and will eat and drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and peace be to thee O my soul. For if any one shall so do it is written of him behold joy and gladness staying Oxen and killing Sheep eating flesh and drinking wine Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye But what follows It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged away from you till you dye And what if he should so say and do when the Church is not in distress VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This night shall thy soul be required of thee HOwever this following story hath something in it that may be laught at yet hath it something in it that is serious enough l l l l l l Elleh Haddehbarim rabb fol. 300. 1. The Rabbins say It fell out in the days of R. Simeon ben Chalaphta that he went to a certain Circumcision and there feasted The Father of the infant gave them old wine wine of seven years old to drink and said unto them with this wine will I grow old in the joy of my Son They feasted together till midnight R. Simeon ben Chalaphta trusting to his own vertue went out at midnight to go into the City In the way he finds the Angel of death and observes him very sad Saith he to him who art thou He saith I am the messenger of the Lord And why then saith
q q q Fol. 98. 2. there is a certain beggar called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diglus Patragus or Petargus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poor infirm naked and famished But there could hardly be invented a more convenient name for a poor beggar than Lazar which signifies the help of God when he stands in so much need of the help of men But perhaps there may be something more aimed at in the name when the discourse is concerning Abraham and Lazarus who would not call to mind Abraham and Eleazar his servant r r r r r r Gen. XV. one born at Damascus a gentile by birth and sometime in posse the heir of Abraham but shut out of the inheritance by the birth of Isaac yet restored here into Abraham's bosom Which I leave to the judgment of the Reader whether it might not hint the calling of the Gentiles into the faith of Abraham The Gemarists make Eleazar to accompany his Master even in the Cave of Macpelah s s s s s s Bava bathra fol. 58. 1. R. Baanah painted the sepulchres when he came to Abraham's cave he found Eleazar standing at the mouth of it He saith unto him what is Abraham doing To whom he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he lieth in the embraces of Sarah Then said Baanah go and tell him that Baanah is at the door c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Full of sores In the Hebrew language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stricken with Ulcers Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His body full of Ulcers as in that Story t t t t t t Taanith fol. 21. 1. They tell of Nahum Gamzu that he was blind lame of both hands and of both feet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in all his body full of sores He was thrown into a ruinous house the feet of his bed being put into basins full of water that the Ants might not creep upon him His Disciples ask him how hath this mischief befallen thee when as thou art a just man He gives the reason himself viz. Because he deferr'd to give something to a poor man that begged of him We have the same story in Hieros Peah u u u u u u Fol. 21. 2. where it were worth the while to take notice how they vary in the telling it VERS XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was carried by Angels THE Rabbins have an invention that there are three bands of Angels attend the death of wicked men proclaiming there is no peace saith the Lord unto the wicked x x x x x x â—emidb rabb fol. 245. 4. But what conceptions they have of Angels being present at the death of good men let us judge from this following passage y y y y y y Hieros Kilaim fol. 32. 3. The men of Tsippor said whoever tells us that Rabbi Judah is dead we will kill him Bar-kaphra looking upon them with his head veiled with an hood said unto them Holy men and Angels took hold of the tables of the Covenant and the hand of the Angels prevailed so that they took away the tables They said unto him is Rabbi dead then The meaning of this parabolizer was this Holy men would fain have detained R. Judah still in the land of the living but the Angels took him away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into Abraham's bosom So vers 23. in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not alter the sense but strengthens it The Jewish Schools dispose of the Souls of Jews under a threefold phrase I can hardly say under a threefold state I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the garden of Eden or Paradise Amongst those many instances that might be alledged even to nauseousness let us take one wherein this very Abraham is named z z z z z z Midras Tillin fol. 3. 1. He shall be as a tree planted by the Rivers of waters This is Abraham whom God took and planted in the land of Israel or whom God took and planted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Paradise Take one instance more of one of equal fame and piety and that was Moses a a a a a a Tâ—murah fol 11â— 1. When our Master Moses departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Paradise he said unto Joshua if thou hast any doubt upon thee about any thing enquire now of me concerning it II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Under the throne of glory We have a long story in Avoth R. Nathan b b b b b b Cap. 10. of the Angel of death being sent by God to take away the soul of Moses which when he could not do God taketh hold of him himself and treasureth him up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the throne of glory And a little after Nor is Moses his soul only placed under the throne of glory but the souls of other just persons also are reposited under the throne of glory Moses in the words quoted before is in Paradise in these words he is under the throne of glory In another place c c c c c c Pesikta fol 93. 1. he is in Heaven ministring before God So that under different phrases is the same thing exprest and this however made evident that there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the garden of Eden was not to be understood of an earthly but an heavenly Paradise That in Revel VI. 9. of souls crying under the Altar comes pretty near this phrase of being placed under the throne of glory For the Jews conceived of the Altar as the throne of the Divine Majesty and for that reason the Court of the Sanhedrin was placed so near the Altar that they might be filled with the reverence of the Divine Majesty so near them while they were giving judgment Only whereas there is mention of the Souls of the Martyrs that had poured out their blood for God it is in allusion to the blood of the Sacrifices that were wont to be poured out at the foot of the Altar III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Abraham's bosom Which if you would know what it is you need seek no further than the Rhemists our County-men with grief be it spoken if you will believe them For they upon this place have this passage The bosom of Abraham is the resting place of all them that died in perfect state of grace before Christ's time heaven before being shut from men It is called Zachary a Lake without water and sometimes a prison but must commonly of the Divines Limbus patrum for that it is thought to have been the higher part or brim of hell c. If our Saviour had been the first author of this phrase than might it have been tolerable to have lookt for the meaning of it amongst Christian Expositors but seeing it is a scheme of speech so familiar amongst the Jews and our Saviour spoke no other than in the known and vulgar dialect of that Nation the meaning
repeat nothing here Which method I have taken in several places in this Evangelist where he relates passages that have been related before and which I have had occasion to handle as I met with them CHAP. XXII VERS IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Captains THEY are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 52. Captains of the Temple And in the singular number the Captain of the Temple Acts IV. 1. but who should this or these be I. All know that there was a Roman Garrison in the Castle of Antonia whose charge especially was to suppress all Tumults and Seditions in the Temple But was the Tribune or the Centurions of that Garrison called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Captains of the Temple Surely rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Captains of the Castle of Antonia And indeed it appears not that the Roman Captains had conspired against the life of Christ that Judas should betake himself to them to make a bargin for the betraying of him II. The conjecture might be more probable of those Rulers in the Temple concerning whom we have this mention a a a a a a Shekalin cap. 5. These are the Rulers that were in the Temple Johanan ben Phineas Governour of the Seals Ahijah set over the drink offerings Matthiah ben Samuel that presided over the Lots c. But to me it seems beyond all doubt that the Captains of the Temple were the Captains of the several Watches b b b b b b Middoth cap. 1. In three places the Priests kept Watch and Ward in the Temple viz. in Beth Abtenes Beth Nitsots and Beth Mokad The Levites also in one and twenty places more Whereas therefore these Watches or Guards consisted every one of several persons there was one single person set over each of them as their Captain or the head of that Watch. And this way looks that of Pilat Matth. XXVII 65. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have a watch of your own let some of them be sent to guard the Sepulchre III. The Captain of the Temple therefore distinctively and by way of eminence so termed I would suppose him whom they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ruler of the Mountain of the House who was the chief of all the heads of those Wards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c c c c c c Middoth ubi supr hal 2. The Ruler of the Mountain of the Temple takes his walks through every watch with Torches lighted before him and if he found any upon the Watch that might not be standing on his feet he said Peace be with thee but if he found him sleeping he strack him with a stick and it was warrantable for him to burn the Garments of such an one And when it was said by others what is that noise in the Court the answer was made it is the noise of a Levite under correction and whose Garments are burning for that he slept upon the Watch. R. Eliezer ben Jacob said they once found my Mother's Son asleep and they burnt his Cloaths Compare this passage with Revel XVI 15. Behold I come as a Thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame It is easie distinguishing this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Captain of the mountain of the Temple from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ruler of the Temple or the Sagan The former presided only over the Guards the latter over the whole Service of the Temple And so we have them distinguished Acts IV. vers 1. there is the Captain of the Temple and Annas who was the Sagan VERS XIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is my body THE words of the institution of the Holy Eucharist throughout the whole contain a reflection partly by way of Antithesis partly by way of Allusion I. This is my body Upon the account of their present celebration of the Passover these words might very well have some reference to the body of the Paschal Lamb. The body I say of the Paschal Lamb. For the Jews use this very phrase concerning it d d d d d d Maimon in Hhamets Umatsah cap. 8. They bring in a Table spread on which are bitter Herbs with other Herbs unleaven'd Bread Pottage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Body of the Paschal Lamb. And a little after He eateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Body of the Passover From whence our Saviour's meaning may be well enough discerned viz. that by the same signification that the Paschal Lamb was my body hitherto from hence forward let this Bread be my body II. Which is given for you But the Apostle adds which is broken for you Which indeed doth not so well agree with the Paschal Lamb as with the Lamb for the daily Sacrifice for as to the Paschal Lamb there was not a bone of it broken but that of the daily Sacrifice was broken and cut into several parts and yet they are both of them the Body of Christ in a figure And although besides the breaking of it there are these further instances wherein the Paschal Lamb and that of the daily Sacrifice did differ viz. 1. That the daily Sacrifice was for all Israel but the Paschal for this or that Family 2. The daily Sacrifice was for the attonement of sin the Passover not so 3. The daily Sacrifice was burnt but the Passover eaten yet in this they agreed that under both the body of our Saviour was figured and shadowed out though in a different notion III. This do in remembrance of me As you kept the Passover in remembrance of your going out of Egyt e e e e e e Beracoth cap. 1. hal ult Thou shalt remember the day of thy going out of Egypt all the days of thy life Ben Zuma thus explains it the days of thy life that is in the day time all the days of thy life that is in the night time too But the wise men say the days of thy life that is in this age all the days of thy life that the days of the Messiah may be included too But whereas in the days of the Messiah there was a greater and more illustrious redemption and deliverance than that out of Egypt brought about with the Jews good leave it is highly requisite that both the thing it self and he that accomplished it should be remembred We suspect in our Notes upon 1 Cor. XI as if some of the Corinthians in their very participation of the Holy Eucharist did so far Judaize that what had been instituted for the Commemoration of their redemption by the death of Christ they perverted to the Commemoration of the going out of Egypt and that they did not at all discern the Lord's body in the Sacrament Under the Law there were several eatings of Holy things The first was that which Siphra mentions f f f f f f Fol. 24. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
mountain than in that cursed place Saith the R. I will tell you what you are like you are like a god greedy after carrion so you when you know that Idols are hid under this mountain as it is said Gen. XXXV 4. and Jacob hid them you are acted with a greedy desire after them They said amongst themselves seeing he knows there are Idols hidden in this mountain he will come in the night and steal them away And they consulted together to have kill'd him but he getting up in the night stole away Somewhat akin to this Temple on Gerizzim was that built by Onias in Egypt the story of which you have in l l l l l l Antiqu. lib. 13. 6. Josephus and the description of it m m m m m m De Bell. lib. 7. cap. 37. Of this Temple also the Gemarists discourse n n n n n n Menacoth fol. 109. 2. from whom we will borrow a few things Simeon the Just dying said Onias my Son shall minister in my stead For this his brother Shimei being older than he by two years and an half grew very envious He saith to his brother Come hither and I will teach thee the rule and way of ministring So he puts him on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and girds him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall have the meaning of the words by and by and then setting him by the Altar crys out to his brethren the Priests see here what this man hath vow'd and does accordingly perform to his wife viz. that whenever he minister'd in the High Priesthood he would put on her Stomacher and be girt about with her girdle The Gloss upon the place saith that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a leathern garment but Aruch from Avodah Zarah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Abba saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stomacher of the heart What the word in this place should mean is plain enough from the story it self Shimei that he might render his brother both ridiculous and odious to the rest of the Priests perswades him to perform his services with his wife's Stomacher instead of the Brest-plate of the High Priest and her girdle instead of that curious one they were wont to be girt with c. The story goes on His brethren the Priests upon this contrive his death but he escaping their hands fled into Alexandria of Egypt and there building an Altar offer'd Idolatrous sacrifices upon it These are the words of R. Meir but R. Judah tells him the thing was not so for Onias did not own his brother Shimei to be two years and an half older than himself but envying him told him come and I will teach thee the rule and method of thy Ministry And so as R. Judah relates the matter the Tables are turn'd the whole scene alter'd so that Onias perswades his brother Shimei to put on his wife's Stomacher and gird himself with her girdle and for that reason the Priests do plot the death of Shimei But when he had declar'd the whole matter as it was indeed then they design to kill Onias He therefore flying into Alexandria in Egypt builds there an Altar and offer'd sacrifices upon it to the name of the Lord according as it is said o o o o o o Isa. XIX 19. In that day shall be an Altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt And now it is at the Readers choice to determine which of these two Temples that in Egypt or this upon Gerizzim are built upon the best foundation the one by a fugitive Priest under pretence of a Divine Prophesie the other by a fugitive Priest too under pretence that that Mount was the Mount upon which the blessings had been pronounced Let the Jews speak for themselves whether they believed that Onias with pure regard to that Prophesie did build his Temple in Egypt and let every wise man laugh at those that do thus perswade themselves However this is certain they had universally much more favourable thoughts of that in Egypt than this upon Mount Gerizzim hence that passage in the place before quoted If any one say I devote an whole burnt-offering let him offer it in the Temple at Jerusalem for if he offer it in the Temple of Onias he doth not perform his vow but if any one say I devote an whole burnt-offering for the Temple of Onias though he ought to offer it in the Temple at Jerusalem yet if he offer it in the Temple of Onias he acquits himself R. Simeon saith it is no burnt-offering Moreover if any one shall say I vow my self to be a Nazarite let him shave himself in the Temple at Jerusalem for if he be shaven in the Temple of Onias he doth not perform his vow but if he should say I vow my self a Nazarite so that I may be shaven in the Temple of Onias and he do shave himself there he is a Nazarite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And ye say that in Ierusalem c. What did not the Samaritans themselves confess that Jerusalem was the place appointed by God himself for his Worship No doubt they could not be ignorant of the Temple which Solomon had built nor did they believe but from the times of David and Solomon God had fixed his name and residence at Jerusalem And as to their prefering their Temple on Gerizzim before that in Jerusalem notwithstanding all this it is probable their boldness and emulation might take its rise from hence viz. they saw the second Temple falling so short of its ancient and primitive glory they observ'd that the Divine presence over the Ark the Ark it self the Cherubims the Urim and Thummim the spirit of Prophesie c. were no more in that place VERS XXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know that Messias cometh IF the Samaritans rejected all the Books of the Old Testament excepting the five Books of Moses it may be a question whence this woman should know the name of Messias for that it is not to be found throughout the whole Pentateuch From whence also may further arise a twofold enquiry more one whether the Samaritans were of the same opinion with the Sadducees the other whether those Sadducees that liv'd amongst the Jews rejected all the Books of the Old Testament excepting those of Moses only Perhaps they might so reject them as to forbid their being read in their Synagogues in the same manner as the Jews rejected the Hagiographa but the question is whether they did not use them read them and believe them as the Jews did those holy writings p p p p p p Schabb. fol. 115. 1. They snatch all the sacred Books out of the fire though on the Sabbath day whether they read or whether they read them not The Gloss is Whether they read them that is the Prophets which they are wont to read in their
water hath never seen any rejoycing at all This offering of water they say was a Tradition given at Mount Sinai a a a a a a Rambam in loc and that the Prophet Jonah was inspired by the Holy Ghost upon this offering of water b. If you ask what foundation this usage hath Rambam will tell us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Gloss in lot there are some kind of remote hints of it in the Law however those that will not believe the Traditional Law will not believe this article about the sacrifice of water I. They bring for it the authority of the Prophet Isaiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the house of drawing for it is written Ye shall draw waters with joy c. Isa. XII 3. b b b b b b Succah fol. 50. 2. This rejoycing which we have describ'd before they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rejoycing of the Law or for the Law for by waters they often understand the Law Isa. LV. 1. and several other places and from thence the rejoycing for these waters II. But they add moreover that this drawing and offering of water signifies the pouring out of the Holy Spirit c c c c c c â—…h rabba fol. 70. 1. Why do they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the house of drawing because thence they draw the Holy Spirit Gloss in Succah ubi supr In the Jerusalem Talmud it is expounded that they draw there the Holy Spirit for a divine breathing is upon the man through joy Another Gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Flute also sounded for encrease of the joy Drawing of water therefore took its rise from the words of Isaiah they rejoyc'd over the waters as a symbol and figure of the Law and they lookt for the Holy Spirit upon this joy of theirs III. But still they add further d d d d d d â—oh Hashaâ—â—h fol. 16. Why doth the Law command saying offer ye water on the feast of Tabernacles The Holy Blessed God saith offer ye waters before me on the Feast of Tabernacles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the rains of the year may be blest to you For they had an opinion that God decreed and determin'd on the rains that should fall the following year at that Feast Hence that in the place before mention'd e e e e e e â— Taanith fol. 2. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Feast of Tabernacles it is determin'd concerning the waters And now let us reflect upon this passage of our Saviour Whosoever believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water They agree with what he had said before to the Samaritan woman Chap. IV. 14. and both expressions upon the occasion of drawing of water The Jews acknowledg that the latter Redeemer is to procure water for them as their former Redeemer Moses had done f f f f f f Midras Coheleth fol. 85. But as to the true meaning of this they are very blind and ignorant and might be better taught by the Messiah here if they had any mind to learn I. Our Saviour calls them to a belief in him from their own boast and glorying in the Law and therefore I rather think those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Scripture hath said should relate to the foregoing clause Whosoever believeth in me as the Scripture hath spoken about believing in Isa. XXVIII 16. I lay in Sion for a foundation a try'd stone He that believeth c. Habak II. 4. The just shall live by faith And the Jews themselves confess g g g g g g Maccoth fol. 24. 1. that six hundred and thirteen precepts of the Law may all be reduc'd to this The just shall live by faith And to that of Amos v. 6. Seek the Lord and ye shall live II. Let these words then of our Saviour be set in opposition to this rite and usage in the Feast of Tabernacles of which we have been speaking Have you such wonderful rejoycing at drawing a little water from Siloam He that believes in me whole rivers of living waters shall flow out of his own belly Do you think the waters mention'd in the Prophets do signifie the Law they do indeed denote the Holy Spirit which the Messiah will dispense to those that believe in him and do you expect the Holy Spirit from the Law or from your rejoycing in the Law the Holy Spirit is of faith and not of the Law Gal. III. 2. VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this Holy Ghost was not yet THESE words have relation to that most receiv'd opinion of the Jews about the departure of the Holy Spirit after the death of Zachary and Malachi to this also must that passage be interpreted when those of Ephesus say Act. XIX 2. We have not yet heard whether there were a Holy Ghost or no. That is we have indeed heard of the Holy Ghosts departure after the death of our last Prophets but of his return and redonation of him we have not yet heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Lord revive thy work in the midst of the years in midst of the years make known Hab. III. 2. He calls the seventy years of Captivity the midst of the years For on the one hand it had been seven times seventy years from the birth of Samuel the first of the Prophets to the Captivity Act. III. 24. and on the other hand it was seven times seventy years from the end of the Captivity to the death of Christ. The prayer is that the gift of Prophesie might not be lost but preserv'd whiles the people should live exil'd in an heathen Country And according to the twofold virtue of Prophesie the one of working miracles the other of foretelling things to come he uses a twofold phrase revive thy work and make known Nor indeed was that gift lost in the Captivity but was very illustrious in Daniel Ezekiel c. it return'd with those that came back from the Captivity and was continu'd for one generation but then the whole Canon of the Old Testament being perfected and made up it departed not returning till the dawn of the Gospel at what time it appear'd in inspiring the Blessed Virgin John Baptist and his Parents c. and yet the Holy Ghost was not yet come that is not answerably to that large and signal promise of it in Joel II. 28. VERS XLIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This people c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people of the earth in common phrase oppos'd to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the disciples of the wise men whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy people h h h h h h Setah fol. 39. 1. but the former they call the accursed VERS LII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou also of Galilee IT seems to be spoken scoffingly Art thou of those Galileans that believe in this Galilean CHAP. VIII EXPOSITORS
of the Scribes So we often meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is out of the Law or Scripture to which is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is out of the Rabbins That Christ abideth for ever How then came the Rabbins to determine his time and years some to the space of Forty years some to Seventy and others to three Generations q q q q q q Sanbedr fol. 99. 1. After the days of Messiah they expected that Eternity should follow VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Therefore they could not believe c. THEY were not constrained in their infidelity because Isaiah had said Their heart is waxen gross c. But because those things were true which that Prophet had foretold concerning them Which Prophesie if I understand them aright they throw off from themselves and pervert the sense of it altogether r r r r r r Rosh hashanah fol. 17. 2. R. Johanan saith repentance is a great thing for it rescinds the decree of judgment determined against man as it is written The heart of this people is made fat their ears heavy and their eyes are closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they shall be converted and healed For to that sense do they render these last words diametrically contrary to the mind of the Prophet They have a conceipt that Isaiah was cut in two either by the Saw or the Ax by Manasses the King principally for this very Vision and Prophesie s s s s s s Jevamoth fol. 49. ◠It is a Tradition Simeon Ben Azzai saith I found a Book at Jerusalem in which was written how Manasses slew Isaiah Rabba saith He condemned and put him to death upon this occasion He saith to him Thy Master Moses saith no man can see God and live But thou sayest I have seen the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up Thy Master Moses saith Who is like our God in all things that we call upon him for Deut. IV. 7. But thou saiest seek ye the Lord while he may be found Isai. LV. 6. Moses thy Master saith the number of thy days I will fulfil Exod. XIII 26. But thou saiest I will add unto thy days fifteen years Isai. XXXVIII 5. Isaiah answered and said I know he will not hearken to me in any thing I can say to him If I should say any thing to the reconciling of the Scriptures I know he will deal contemptuously in it He said therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will shut my self up in this Cedar They brought the Cedar and sawed it asunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when the Saw touched his mouth he gave up the Ghost This happened to him because he said I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Manasses slew Isaiah and as it should seem the Gemarists do not dislike the fact because he had accused Israel of the uncleanness of their lips No touching upon Israel by any means VERS XLI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When he saw his Glory ISAI VI 1. I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne Where the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I saw the Lords Glory c. So Exod. XXIV 10. They saw the God of Israel Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They saw the glory of the God of Israel and vers 11. and they saw God Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they saw the glory of God So the Targumists elsewhere very often commended therefore by their followers for so rendring it because no man cold see God It might be therefore thought that our Evangelist speaks with the Targumist and the Nation when he saith that Isaiah saw his glory whereas the Prophet himself saith he saw the Lord. But there is a deeper meaning in it nor do I doubt but this glory of our Saviour which Isaiah saw was that kind of Glory by which he is described when he was to come to avenge himself and punish the Jewish Nation As when he is said to come in his Kingdom and in his Glory and in the Clouds c. viz. in his Vindictive Glory For observe 1. The Prophet saw the posts of the door shaken and removed as hastening to ruine 2. The Temple it self filled with smoke not with the cloud as formerly the token of the Divine Presence but with smoke The forerunner and prognostick of that fire that should burn and consume it 3. He saw the Seraphims Angels of fire because of the predetermined Burning 4. He heard the decree about blinding and hardening the people till the Cities be wasted and the Land desolate CHAP. XIII VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now before the Feast of the Passover THE Vulgar Beza and the Interlinear read Now before the Feast-day of the Passover But by what authority they add day it concerns them to make out For I. In the common language of the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do never signifie less than the whole Festivity and time of Passover Pentecost and of Tabernacles no part of that time being excepted nor does the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feast occur any where throughout the whole Bible in another signification II. It is something harsh to exclude the Paschal Supper out of the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Feast of the Passover because the name of the whole Feast takes its original from it This they do who imagine this Supper mentioned in this place to have been the Paschal Supper and yet it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Feast of the Passover We have therefore shewn by many Arguments in our Notes upon Matth. XXVI 2 6. That the Supper here mentioned was with that at Bethany in the House of Simon the Leper two days before the Passover VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Supper being ended I Acknowledge the Aorist and yet do not believe the Supper was now ended We have the very same word in the story of the same Supper Matth. XXVI 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Jesus being in Bethany Which in St. Mark is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And being in Bethany Chap. XIV 3. So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being Supper Let us joyn the full story together whiles Jesus was at Supper in the House of Simon the Leper two days before the Passover a Woman comes and pours very precious Oyntment upon his head when some murmured at the profuseness of the expense he defends the Woman and the action by an Apology and having finished his Apology he rises immediately from the Table as it were in the very midst of Supper and girds himself to wash his Disciples feet so that while they are grumbling at the anointing of his head he does not disdain to wash their
to his promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth The Heavens and the Earth of the Jewish Church and Commonwealth must be all on fire and the Mosaick Elements burnt up but we according to the promise made to us by Isaiah the Prophet when all these are consumed look for the New Creation of the Evangelical state IV. The day the time and the manner of the execution of this vengeance upon this people are called the day of the Lord the day of Christ his coming in the Clouds in his Glory in his Kingdom Nor is this without reason for from hence doth this form and mode of speaking take its rise Christ had not as yet appeared but in a state of Humility contemned blasphemed and at length murdered by the Jews His Gospel rejected laught at and trampled under foot His followers pursued with extream hatred persecution and death it self At length therefore he displays himself in his Glory his Kindom and Power and calls for those cruel enemies of his that they may be slain before him Acts II. 20. Before that great and notable day of the Lord come Let us take notice how St. Peter applies that prophesie of Joel to those very times and it will be clear enough without any commentary what that Day of the Lord is 2 Thess. II. 2. As if the day of Christ was at hand c. To this also do those passages belong Heb. X. 37. Yet a little while and he that shall come will come James V. 9. Behold the judge is at the door Revel I. 7. He cometh in the Clouds and XXII 12. Behold I come quickly With many other passages of that nature all which must be understood of Christ's coming in judgment and vengeance against that wicked Nation and in this very sense must the words now before us be taken and no otherwise I will that he tarry till I come For thy part Peter thou shalt suffer death by thy Country-men the Jews but as for him I will that he shall tarry till I come and avenge my self upon this generation and if I will so what is that to thee The story that is told of both these Apostles confirms this Exposition for it is taken for granted by all that St. Peter had his Crown of Martyrdom before Jerusalem fell and St. John survived the ruins of it VERS XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we know that his testimony is true THE Evangelist had said before Chap. XIX 35. He knoweth that he saith true and here in this place he changeth the person saying We know that his testimony is true I. One would believe that this was an Idiotism in the Chaldee and Syriack Tongue to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know the same thing which is not unusual in other Languages also Joshua II. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know The Targumist hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you would believe to be We knew 1 Sam. XVII 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I knew Targumist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We knew So amongst the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seems to be We know we say And indeed sometimes nay most frequently they so signifie But sometimes the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I is included So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so of the rest which appears very clearly in that Expression * * * * * * Beracoth fol. 56. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell me what I am to see in my dream For that so it must be rendred I am to see the Gloss and Context directs us where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We will not therefore in this place take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We know for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know although the sense might not be very disagreeable if we did so But II. We suppose the Evangelist both here and Chap. XIX 35. referreth to an eye witness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in all judicial causes the ocular testimony prevailed If any person should testifie that he himself saw the thing done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his witness must be received For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 True when it is said of any testimony does not signifie barely that which is true but that which was to believed and entertained for a sure and irrefragrable evidence So that the meaning of these words is this This is the Disciple who testifies of these things and wrote them And we all know that such a testimony obtains in all judgments whatever for he was an eye witness and saw that which he testifies Soli Deo Gloria HORAE Hebraicae Talmudicae HEBREW AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS UPON THE ACTS of the Apostles And upon some CHAPTERS of the Epistle of Saint PAUL TO THE ROMANS By JOHN LIGHTFOOT D. D. late Master of Katharine-Hall in the University of CAMBRIDGE LONDON Printed by William Rawlins for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIV HEBREW AND TALMUDICAL EXERCITATIONS upon the ACTS of the Apostles CHAP. I. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The former treatise have I made c. WE may reduce to this place for even thus far it may be extended what our Historian had said in the very entrance of his Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It seemed good to me also to write to thee in order where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In order seems to promise not only an orderly series of the History of the actions of our Saviour but successively even of the Apostles too For what passages we have related to us in this Book may very well be reckoned amongst the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things which were most surely believed amongst them Indeed by the very stile in this place he shews that he had a design of writing these stories joyntly that is to say first to give us a narration of the Actions and Doctrine of Christ and then in their due place and order to commit to writing the Acts and sayings of the Apostles As to most of the things contained in this Book St. Luke was both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eye-witness yea and a part also but how far he was spectator of those acts of our Saviour which he relates in his other book none can say What he speaks in the Preface of that work is ambiguous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and leaves the Reader to enquire whether he means he had a perfect understanding of things from the first by the same way only which those had that undertook to compile the Evangelical Histories from the Mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those that were Eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word Or whether he came to this understanding of things from the first he himself having been from the beginning an Eye-witness and a Minister Or lastly Whether he does not by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
cap. 11. Here Lands are sold not so much upon the account of their own poverty as the poverty of others CHAP. V. VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Kept back part of the price c. DIDST thou not remember O Ananias what things had been prophesied concerning the Spirit of the Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of the King Messiah viz. a spirit of Wisdom and understanding c. Isai. XI 2. He shall make him quick of scent in the fear of the Lord. d d d d d d Sanhedr fol. 93. 2. Rabba saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He smelleth and judgeth Not after the sight of his eyes doth he judge Bar-Cozbi reigned two years and an half and said to the Rabbins I am the Messiah they reply upon him it is written of the Messiah that he smelleth and judgeth let us see if thou canst do so also c. The Gloss is He smells out a man whether he be guilty or innocent By what apprehension of things Ananias was so deceived as to think to have deceived the Holy Ghost is not easie to conceive or guess He might understand by the instance of Gehazi how quick and â—agacious the Spirit of a Prophet is in detecting all cheats and tricks and did he not suppose the Apostles endowed with a spirit as capable as the Prophet's was whatever it was that had blinded him to that madness or hardened him to that daringness in sin he abides as a dreadful monument throughout all ages of the indignation of God upon all those that shall contemn and vilifie his Holy Spirit whom if he did not blaspheme within his heart how near was he to that sin such mischiefs can Hypocrisie and Covetousness bring about It is not to be searched out of what degree or quality this Ananias was There is some probability he was not of the meer vulgar sort but of some higher rank because the mention of him falls in with that of Barnabas and there are more things that do in some measure perswade us For what hinders why he should not be supposed to have been one of that number upon whom the Holy Ghost had been shed What Judas was amongst the twelve that might he be amongst the hundred and twenty endowed with the gifts of the Holy Ghost and yet a Devil For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may have something more in it than lying to the Holy Ghost Perhaps it may be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsifying the Holy Ghost and making him a lyar VERS III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And Peter said c. WHether St. Peter derived the Authority of sentencing this man to an immediate death from those words of our Lord whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Joh. XXI or whether from some immediate revelation or both he gives a notable instance of his own repentance and recovery after his fall whiles he who by a lie yea even perjury it self had denyed his Master doth such severe execution upon another for a lie he was guilty of VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Wound him up c. THEY having no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burying Cloths at hand do bind up the dead man in what fashion they can and carrying him out of that place commit him to the earth VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 About the space of three hours SO long a space of time being spent for interring the deceased doth seem to hint something as to the distance of the burying place which in the Cities of the Levites we have thus described The Suburbical Lands for the Levitical Cities are defined in the Law to be three thousand cubits from the wall of each side outward According as it is said From the wall of the City and outward a thousand cubits And it is elsewhere said ye shall measure from without the City on the East side two thousand cubits The thousand cubits are the Suburbs of the City and those two thousand which they measure beyond those are for Fields and Vineyards Now they assign the burying place for each City beyond all these bounds because they do not bury their dead within the limits of the City e e e e e e Maimon Shemittah Vejobel cap. 13. The burying place from a Levitical City was above a mile and an half distant Was it so in other Cities that belonged not to the Levites doubtless burying places were at some distance from all Cities but whether so far may be enquired but must not be the matter of our present search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not knowing what was done Hence probably we may gather the reason why the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They wound him up is added Had the deceased been carried to his own House or Lodgings by them who brought him out of the Chamber where he fell down dead to fetch burying cloths his Wife could not have been ignorant of what had fallen out but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They wound him up as well as they could in his own Cloths and so carried him out and buried him VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And of the rest durst no man joyn themselves unto them WHO should these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest be those certainly that were of the number of the hundred and twenty excepting the XII Apostles Of this number I presume Ananias might be one and the rest being terrified by the fate of one of their own order conceived so great a dread and reverence for the Apostles that they durst not joyn with them as their equals VERS XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them AND why the shadow of Peter more than the rest of the Apostles who shared an equal authority and power of miracles with himself ver 12 1. It must be supposed that the sick were not brought out in their beds into the streets unless they had first seen Peter or were assured that he must pass by 2. It is a question whether they that brought out their sick knew any other of the Apostles besides Peter They had heard him speaking they had seen him doing while the rest were silent and sat still And that which these believers here do doth not so much argue his preeminence beyond the rest of the Apostles as that he was more known and noted than the others were VERS XX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words of this life THERE is no necessity that these words should beget any difficulty if we will observe that ver 17. there is mention of the Sect of the Sadducees So that the words of this life are words that assert and prove this life that is the resurrection which the Sadducees deny For the controversie was about Jesus his resurrection VERS XXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gamaliel a Doctor of the Law THIS was Rabban Gamaliel the first commonly and by way of
find almost in all the Epistles of the Apostles more especially in the second Epistle of S. Peter and in this Epistle of S. Jude throughout These are they that the Text saith were spots certain deceivers crept in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 4. men that took on them to have the Spirit but were sensual not having the Spirit vers 19. and filthy dreamers vers 8. These were the Spots What these Feasts of Charity were is some scruple The more general opinion is that they were Solemn Meals which every Congregation had and eat at together at receiving the Sacrament some think instantly before some after And the groundwork of this opinion is that I Cor. XI 21. In eating every one taketh before other his own supper Thereupon Beza without any sticking At those Feasts saith he which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they received the Sacrament as is plain out of I Cor. XI Whereas such Feasts as these Suppers were as far from the Apostles meaning as the Apostle is far from commending or approving them For you may observe that he doth not only nor so much condemn the misdemeanors at those suppers as he doth the suppers themselves as a misdemeanor For 1. He tells plainly that by them they vilified the Church or the place of their publick meeting 2. That they shamed the poor who could not bring in so good commons and victuals And 3. That if they were so hungry they should eat everyone at home There are such dreadful and terrible glosses made of the unworthy eating and drinking at these Feasts here mentioned that many Christians now a days are terrified from partaking of the Lords Supper for fear lest they fall under this unworthy eating and drinking and the Judgment consequent upon it Whereas I know you will think it strange if I say it yet I fear not to say it that I believe there is not a Christian now in the World that receives the Sacrament unworthily in that sence the Apostle speaks of unworthy receiving there Mistake me not I say in that sence that the Apostle speaks of there For whereas all Churches consisted then of Jews and Gentiles and this of Corinth particularly as appears in the story of its first planting Acts XVIII and hence were their divisions this was the cause of their other divisions I Chap. I. 12. The Gentile party saying I am of Paul c. The Jewish party even in all Churches in this Church undoubtedly hankered too much after their old Judaism this old leaven that the Apostle gives them caution against Chap. V. 8. Two smacks of Judaism you find them tainted with which the Apostle hints in that XI Chap. before he speaks of their misreceiving of the Sacrament The first was that the men would not pray but with their faces covered Which was a meer Judaizing superstition And the other that they wore long hair as it appears by his so smartly reproving the thing which relished of the rite of Nazarites a meer Judaick custom Upon that very account did Absalom wear his long hair which some think he did of pride because that kind of pride is grown into fashion among us But he did it as being or pretending to be under a Nazarites vow II Sam. XV. 8. And as they thus Judaized in those two things and I might shew their speaking with strange Tongues c. had a smatch of Judaism also So did they Judaize about the Sacrament It was a common and generally received opinion among the Jewish Nation That Messiah when he came should no whit alter much less abolish any of their Mosaick Ordinances but should inhance them to a greater glory That he should make their Sacrifices Purifications Sabbaths Festivals and all other usances far more resplendent and glorious than ever they had been According to this opinion did these Jewish Christians of Corinth understand and conceive concerning the Sacrament They observed not that it was a Remembrance of Christs death which the Apostle minds them to observe vers 26. nor did they discern the Lords body at all in it as the Apostle lasheth them for not doing vers 29. But they reputed it only as a farther inhancement of their delivery out of Egypt and that Christ had only ordained it as a further addition to this Passover and to that Memorial Hence those Procoenia were in imitation of the Passover-suppers Judaizing in them and in their opinion and receiving of the Sacrament Which were as far from being any ground for these Feasts of Charity in that sence that they are commonly interpreted in as Judaism from Christianity Error from Truth as a thing odious and to be abhorr'd in Christianity from a thing laudable and of divine approval If therefore I may have liberty to dissent from an opinion so generally received I should say these Feasts of Love were the Entertainment of strangers It was a constant custom among the Jews that at every Synagogue a place and persons were appointed for the reception of strangers as appears by their own Writings That this custom was translated into Christian Congregations may be concluded partly by the necessity of such a thing at that time when the Apostles and Disciples went abroad to preach without mony or provision of their own and could not have subsisted without such entertainments and partly because we read of Gaius Rom. XVI 23. and Phaebe vers 1. and women that washed strangers feet So did these false Teachers walk abroad and came as strangers for they crept in unawars vers 4. taking on them to be true and so the Churches entertained them in such entertainments in those Feasts of Charity at the common charge looking on them as true Ministers and Disciples but they proved Spots and Rocks for so the Greek word signifies in those entertainments Spots that shamed the company they conversed with and soiled them with the filth of Errors and false Doctrines and Rocks at which multitudes of Souls dashed splitted and shipwracked Faith and their Salvation I am not ignorant of the variety of Reading and Interpretation of these words as much as in most places but I shall not insist upon that for it would be but expence of time since both Antiquity embraceth the Reading as we do and an easie discovery might be made by what mistakes other Readings and Interpretations took place In the words there are three parts I. The Persons in the first word These II. One particular act of theirs hinted in the last words they crept into their Feasts of Charity III. What and how they proved there they were Spots or Rocks and did mischief I might take up words by way of Descant upon the present occasion and tell you what are Spots in the Feasts and Entertainments Riot and Drunkenness obscene and filthy Communication Quarrelling and Contention Uncharitableness and Forgetting of the Poor these and other things are Spots But I keep close to the Apostles meaning and consider the persons he speaks of
God the true Messias And the Jews that would not believe that no sign would serve to make them believe That indeed you 'l say gave assurance to all men that he was the Son of God the true Messias but how did that give assurance that there should be an universal Judgment and he the Judge Truly he that knows what the true Messias means needs no more proof and demonstration of that than his very Character He is heir of the World he is Prince and Saviour he is King in Sion he is set up above all Principality and power as the Scripture speaks these and divers other things of him and doth any man need more evidence of his being judge of all the World But our question is how that is inferred or argued from his Resurrection The Resurrection of Christ did beget and effectuate a double Resurrection for you have mention of a two fold Resurrection in Scripture First There is mention of the first Resurrection Rev. XX. 5. The Millenary not able to clear the notion whereof nor to spell out the meaning hath bewildred himself in those wild conceptions as he hath done The first Resurrection began and took place presently after our Saviours own Resurrection for it means no other than the raising the Heathen from their death in sin blindness and Idolatry to the life light and obedience of the Gospel And so the Apostle titles their estate writing to the Ephesians which had been some of them Ephes. II. 1. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins And to that very tenor are those words of the Prophet Esay XXVI 19. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise The Gentiles to be raised from their spiritual death presently upon his raising from his bodily And who so shall well weigh those words of our Saviour Joh. V. 25. The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live will clearly find them to mean nothing else So that the Resurrection of Christ had first influence and virtue to cause this spiritual Resurrection the Resurrection of souls the raising up of the Gentiles from the death of sin And whence it had this influence it is easie to read viz. because by his Resurrection he had conquered the Devil who had so long kept the poor Heathen under that spiritual death Will you have a Commentary upon that passage in Psal. CX 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power First His Resurrection day of power Rom. I. 4. Then look into the story of the Acts of Apostles the history of the times next following his Resurrection You may wonder there to see people coming in by flocks and thousands to the acknowledgment and entertaining of the Gospel three thousand at one Sermon Chap. II. five thousand at another Chap. III. and further in that book in a little time the Gospel running through the World and imbraced and intertained of all Nations Oh! It was the day of his power and thy people shall be willing in day of thy power He had now Conquered Hell and Satan by his death and rising again whose captives those poor heathen had been two and twenty hundred years and now he said to the captives Go free and to the prisoners Go forth and so they did And upon the very like account his Resurrection hath influence to the causing and effectuating the general Resurrection at the last day For though it might be a little too long to hold that the wicked shall be raised by the very same virtue of Christs Resurrection that the godly shall yet it is not too large to hold that they shall be raised by some virtue of his Resurrection viz. as his Resurrection had conquered death and brought him to those articles that he must in time give up and restore all prisoners and dead that they may come and give account to him that conquered him I have the keys of the grave and death faith he in the Revelations he had wrung the keys out of the jaylors hand and opened the prison doors that the prisoners should come out when he calls Very observable to the purpose we are upon viz. that Christs Resurrection did assure that judgment and that he should be judge is that in Phil. II. 8. 9. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him Obedience was that debt that was to be paid to God Whereas much stress is laid upon the torments that Christ suffered it is very true that he suffered as much as I may say God could lay upon him short of his own wrath and as much as the Devil could withal his wrath but that was not the debt that was due and to be paid to God Wrath and torment and damnation was rather the debt that was to be paid to man But the debt was obedience For easie is it to observe how Satan had got the day of God as with reverence I may speak it when he had brought the chief creature of Gods creation and in him all mankind to disobey God and to be obedient to him and had carried it for ever had not an obedience been paid again to God that outvied that disobedience How might Satan triumph Man that is the darling creature to the Creator and that is set up Lord and Ruler of all Creatures and to whom even the Angels are appointed to be ministring Spirits I have brought this brave Gallant to forsake his Creator and to follow and obey me But forth steps this noble Champion of God and in the form of a servant incounters this triumpher and mauger all his spite and power and vexatiousness he pays God an obedience incomparably beyond the obedience that Adam should have paid incomparably outweighing the disobedience that Adam shewed He paid an obedience that should answer for the disobedience of all his people An obedience that should be a stock for all his people Nay he paid an obedience that outvied all the disobediences of all men and Devils For he paid an obedience that was infinite Now his Resurrection did demonstrate that he had made full payment or else Satan and Death might have kept him still in the grave their prison if a farthing had been yet unpaid Now he having by his Resurrection consummated the payment of so great obedience and vindicated the honour and quarrel of God against his enemies In all justice and equity the Lord exalted him above all that all should be subject and homagers to him and that he might take account and reward accordingly those that obey him and that obey him not And so the Lord hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness by him whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he raised him from the dead And are you assured that there will be
He preserves indeed man and beast as the Psalmist tells us and so he is preserved as beasts are preserved But he owns not God in his preservation no more than they A man that rightly owns his dependence upon God commits himself to God by prayer beseeching him to take him to his care and charge Thus the Saints of God have ever put themselves under his wings I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be feared and so shall I be saved from mine enemies This was Davids way to be in safety and preservation continually And it is according to Gods direction Psal. L. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee So Jacob commits himself to Gods protection when he is going for Syria by prayer and a vow Gen. XXVIII 20. If God will be with me and keep me in the way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on c. And such another copy you have of Jabez 1 Chron. IV. 9. And Jabez called upon the Lord God of Israel saying O that thou wouldst bless me indeed and inlarg my coast and that thine hand might be with me and that thou wouldst keep me from evil that it may not grieve me And God granted him that which he requested This is the way to engage God to our preservation when we thus cast our selves upon him and implore his care of us II. They that own their dependence upon God for preservation and protection put thâ—mselves under his protection in the way of his protection Do you think that Gods mâ—rciful protâ—â—â—â—on dwells every where and that a man may promise himself to meet with it every where in an Idol Temple a Whorehouse leud company He that walks in a wicked course of life can he expect Gods merciful providence will meet with him here The Apostle tells us how to put our selves under Gods protection 1 Pet. IV. 19. to commit the keeping of our souls to him in well doing And David long before Psal. XXXVII 3. Do good and verily thou shalt be fâ—d Keep in his ways and he will keep thee be doing his work and he will take care of thee But canst thou expect his protection and care when thou art in the ways of the Devil and doing the work of the Devil A Christian should alway be doing of that as that he may lawfully and warrantably beg Gods blessing upon him while he is doing it Joyn prayer and well doing together and thou art sure to speed well III. He that owns his dependence upon God aims that his preservation be to the service of him that preserves him As he owns that he lives upon God so he aims to live to him This use of Gods preserving providence Jacob aimed at Gen. XXVIII 21. If God will be with me and keep me in this way c. so that I come again to my Fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God And David Psal. CXVI 8 9. For thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living And it pinched Job that he should any way have failed of it Job VII 20. I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O! thou preserver of men Hast thou preserved me and do I sin against thee contrary to the end I should have aimed at under thy preservation Reason and the very light of nature may argue to such a purpose that in all equity and justice he that is maintained by God should be serviceable to God We look for service of our servants and beasts and all the reason in the World God should have it from Men. IV. He that owns his dependence upon God observes Gods constant preserving providence and counts nothing in preserving providence small No sin is to be accounted little because it is against a great God and no good providence is little because it is exercised towards sinful men A true owner of his dependence upon God looks upon Gods preserving mercy towards him through this double multiplying glass his own brittleness and his own unworthiness that God should preserve a thing so brittle and so ill deserving And thus I have considered the end of this offering viz. To be an acknowledgment to God of their dependence on him for their lives and to implore his care and good providence towards them for their preservation Now in the second place we come to consider II. The quantity of this sum Half a shekel What But half a shekel for the best man in Israel Why The price of a servant was thirty whole shekels and is the rate of the best freeman in Israel but at a poor half shekel Exod. XXI 32. If an Ox push a man servant or maid servant that they die the owner of the Ox must give to their Master thirty shekels of silver for the price or value of his servant he had lost And so our Saviour was sold at the price of a servant viz. thirty pieces of silver a poor price to value him at and you may think it not a rich price to value the best man of Israel but at half a shekel when the poorest servant was valued at thirty whole ones Do you not observe the difference That was the price of a Servant twixt man and man this the rate of men twixt Man and God A servant might well be worth thirty shekels to his Master as being able to be profitable to him But what can poor sinful man be profitable to God Even an Ox or an Asse may be of a good handsom price twixt man and man because they may be profitable to man but what can man be profitable to God It is Eliphaz question Job XXII 2. Can a man be profitable to God as a wise man may be profitable to himself You find oft in Scripture mention of the Children of Belial the word signifies Unprofitable but it means an Idol a God that cannot profit and whom it is no profit to serve Our God is not such he is not an unprofitable Master it is profit to serve him but when we have done all we can we have cause to say We are unprofitable If we should be valued by God according as we can be profitable to God as we value our cattel according as they are profitable to us at what rate should he set us At a grain of dust and a dram of ashes at a puff of vapour and a blast of wind at the rate of a moth and the price of a worm at the value of nothing and lighter than vanity this is the proper weight we carry upon the ballance if we be weighed as we are indeed in our selves Therefore never complain that God rates men so low as but half a shekel wonder rather that he rates or values them so high nay that he sets any value upon them at all For Lord what is man that thou
when Nathan tells him the Lord hath done away thy sin but the punishment followed viz. the Sword which was not to depart from his house And the reason of his punishment was because he had given occasion to the enemy to blaspheme therefore God to vindicate his own honour and the honour of Religion punished him that men might see that God was righteous and hated iniquity wheresoever he saw it Secondly Let us remember here that strange passage Amos III. 2. You have I known of all the families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities You have I known owned chosen of all the families of the Earth What then One would think he should infer Therefore I will not punish you but he says the contrary Therefor I will The children of God are punished many and many a time as to temporal punishments when wicked and ungodly men scape This poor holy man falls under so sad a fate while Jeroboam the wickedest wretch upon Earth that made all Israel to sin eats and drinks and sleeps and no hurt comes to him Some will think that speaks strangely others will think it speaks as they would have it in Hos. IV. 14. I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom nor your spouses when they commit adultery This is as they would have it for then they may whore and drab and adulterate and fear no colours But that is a sad Diapason Jer. V. ult What will you do in the end thereof And that 2 Pet. II. 9. God knoweth how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished That of the Apostle may state the case on both hands 1 Cor. XI 32. When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World When wicked men are not judged it is a sore sign that they are to be condemned with the World When God neither judgeth them nor they judge themselves there will be a judgment to come will pay for all For a man to go on uncontrouled in his sinning is the very preface of destruction and especially if his own conscience do not now and then controul him for that is sometime the whip wherewith God doth chasten God saith of some persons I will not punish I will not chasten him when he sins against me but Let Ephraim alone he is joyned to Idols so let him be Let the Scribes and Pharisees alone they are blind leaders of the blind and let them be so still Wouldst thou change thy afflicted state with one of these Wouldst thou part with thy smarting conscience for such â—eared stupid past feeling souls and such as God will have nothing to do withal God hath thee in hand and is chastening thee for thy good these he hath utterly cast off all care of and will have nothing to do with But what kind of chastening was this to this poor man that it cost him his life and cut him off whereas God useth to do good to his people by his chastisements Heb. XII 11. No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that be exercised thereby But what fruit was there with this man when the very chastening was his death A Jew will tell you that his death did expiate for his sin and was a means to attone for it and a Papist will almost be of the same opinion But Gods intention in the dispencing of this providence looked another way viz. to vindicate his own honour and to shew to the World how tender he is of his own commands And that is the third thing we may read in this great and dreadful severity viz. Thirdly That God will not abide to have his Commands dallied and trifled withal that we are not to account that common which he hath sanctified He is a jealous God that will not hold him guiltless that breaks his Commandments Hos. VIII 12. I have written unto them the great things of my Law The things of his Law and commands are great things and what one of them is little or so to be dealt withal Though they are one less than another if compared among themselves yet none of them are to be reputed little by us One is less than another in regard of their matter yet all alike of reverence and dread to us in regard of their Author A small business you would think for this man being hungry and weary to eat and refresh himself in Bethel and that being invited by another Prophet and told too by him that an Angel had commanded him to invite him But because he had a command from God to the contrary you see how dear it cost him A small thing you would think for Saul to save Agag alive and to bring away some of the Amalekites cattel especially when it was to sacrifice to God yet how severely doth he smart for it because in it he transgressed Gods command to the contrary How might the poor man have pleaded as he went to be stoned for gathering sticks on the Sabbath day Alas this was not so great a crime to gather a few sticks especially when I wanted them for the necessity and benefit of my family But friend there is an express command and Word of God against it the Word of the Lord is sharper than a two edged sword That title of the Law is regardable and dreadful in Deut. XXXIII 2. From his right hand went a firy Law for them Or as it is in the Original the fire of a Law for them A Law not only given in fire as it was in Mount Sinai but a Law that it self is Fire to consume and destroy those that transgress it As our God is a consuming fire so his Law and Commandment is a consuming fire Hos. VI. 5. I have hewen them by the Prophets I have slain them by the words of my mouth His word is a weapon of slaughter to them that disobey and rebel against it And whereas it is said Man shall live by the Word of God if he obey it he shall die by the Word of God if he transgress it The Commandments of God are edged tools if slightly meddled withal they cut to the quick and prove as that stone if they fall upon one they will grind him to powder Not one command but the transgression binds over to eternal condemnation and therefore it speaks less to say it binds over to temporal punishment Fourthly and lastly This mans repentance so little a time before his death as we spake of before and obtaining pardon some may chance take hold of and use it as an argument for puting off repentance till his death bed and latter end For may his carnal heart thus argue if this Prophet repented of his transgression but an hour or two before his death and obtained pardon I hope I may do so too and obtain pardon as well as he
and the first temptation presented to him Now all the power and army of Hell is let loose all the machinations of the bottomless pit put in practise against the second Adam but all to no purpose he stands like a rock unmoved in his righteousness and obedience and by such a death destroys him that had the power over death the Devil II. As the Dâ—â—â—l must be conquered so God must be satisfied And as Christs obedience did the one work so it did the other Obedience was the debt of Adam and mankind and by disobedience they had forfeited their Bonds Then comes this great Undertaker and will satisfie the debt with full interest yea and measure heaped and running over Does not the Apostle speak thus much Rom. V. from vers 12. forward particularly at vers 19. By the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Nor was this all that mans debt must be paid but Gods honour lay at stake too and that must be vindicated God had created man his noblest creature that he might glorifie and honour his Creator by his obedience Satan brings him to disobey his Creator and to obey him How might Satan here triumph and the honour of God lie in the dust I have mastered the chief Creation of God might Satan boast and made him that carried the badge and livery of his image now to carry mine I have frustrated the end and honour of the Creator and now all is mine own How sad a time were those three hours or thereabouts that passed betwixt the Fall of Adam and the promise of Christ Adam in darkness and not the least glimpse of promise or comfort Satan triumphing and poor manking and Gods honour trampled underfoot But then the Sun of righteousness arose in the promise that the seed of the woman should break the head of the Serpent And shall this uncircumcised Philistin thus deâ—ie the honour and armies of the living God saith Christ shall Satan thus carry the day against man and against God I will pay obedience that shall fully satisfie to the vindication of Gods honour to confound Satan and to the payment of mans debt to his reinstating and recovery And that was it that he paid consummatively in his Obedience to the death and in it and to the shedding of his blood Of which to speak in the full dimensions of the height depth length bredth of it what tongue can suffice what time can serve T is a Theme the glorified Saints deservedly sing of to all Eternity I shall speak in little of that which can never be extolled enough these two things only I. That he died merely out of obedience The Apostle tells us in Phil. II. 8. He became obedient to the death the death of the Cross. And what can ye name that brought him thither but Obedience Christs dead body imagine lies before you Call together a whole College of Phisitians to diffect it and to tell you what it was of which he died And their Verdict will be Of nothing but Love to man and Obedience to God For Principles of death he had none in his nature And the reason of his death lay not in any mortality of his body as it does in ourâ— but in the willingness of his mind Nor was his death his wages of sin as it is ours Rom. VI. ult but it was his choise and delight Luke XII 50. I have a baptism to be baptised withal and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Ask the first Adam why he sinned when he had no principles of sin in him and the true answer must be Because he would sin And so ask the second Adam why he died when he had no principles of death in him his answer must be to the like tenor He would lay down his life because he would be obedient to the death He came purposely into the World that he might dye Behold I tell you a mystery Christ came purposely into the World that he might dye and so never did Man but himself never will man do but himself True that every Man that comes into the World must dye but never Man came purposely that he might dye but only He. And he saith no less than that he did so Joh. XII 27. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour And John XVIII 37. For this cause came I into this World to bear witness to the Truth Even to bear witness to the Truth to Death and Martyrdom II. Now add to all this the dignity of his Person who performed this Obedience that he was God as well as Man That as he offered himself according to his Manhood so he offered himself by the Eternal Spirit or as he was God as this Apostle saith Chap. IX 14. And now his obedience his holiness that he shewed in his death is infinite And what need we say more So that lay all the disobedience of all men in the World on an heap as the dead frogs in Egypt were laid on heaps that they made the land to stink again yet here is an Obedience that out-vies them all For though they be infinite in number as to mans numbring yet lay them all together they are finite upon this account because committed by creatures finite But here is an Obedience a holiness paid down by him that is infinite And now Satan where is thy Triumph Thou broughtest the first Adam to fail of perfect Obedience that he should have paid his Creator and here the second Adam hath paid him for it infinite Obedience And what hast thou now gained Therefore to take account from whence comes that infinite Virtue of Christs blood and death that the Scripture so much and so deservedly extols and magnifies Because as the Evangelist â—aith Out of his side came water and blood so out of his wounds came obedience and blood holiness and blood righteousness and blood and that obedience holiness righteousness infinite because he that paid it down and performed it was infinite And now judge whether it may not very properly be said That Christ was sanctified by his own blood As Aaron was sanctified for his Priesthood by his Unction and Garments Christ was consecrated fitted capacitated by his infinite obedience and righteousness which he shewed to the death and in it to be an High Priest able to save to the uttermost all those that come to him For first as in reference to himself it is said by this Apostle that he was raised from the dead by the blood of the Covenant Chap. XIII 20. And it was not possible but he should be raised for when he had performed such obedience and righteousness as in it was infinite in its validity subdued Satan in its alsufficiency satisfied the justice of God it was impossible that he should be held of death which is the wages of sin and disobedience And as he was thus raised by
shews they are hard set when they must make Caiaphas a copy after whom to write the Infallibility of their Papal chair But they gazed so much upon the chair when they wrote this Note that they clean looked off the Book and Text they had before them For had they looked well upon that that would have given them a more proper reason of his prophesying and indeed the proper reason of it namely not so much because he was High Priest as because he was High Priest that year This he spake not of himself but being High Priest that year High Priest that year Why He had been High Priest several years before So Luke tells us Chap. III. that he was High Priest when Christ was baptized three years and an half ago and Josephus tells us as much and more and of his being High Priest after this year also And therefore why that circumstance added He was High Priest that year To speak the proper reason of his prophesying First I might say That was the year nay even the hour of the last gasp of the High Priesthood It prophesied and instantly breathed out its last There is much dispute upon those words of Paul Act. XXIII 5. which our English renders I wist not Brethren that he was the High Priest If I should render it I knew not that there is an High Priest I am sure it hath warrant enough of the Original Greek and warrant enough of the truth of the thing it self Did not the High Priesthood dye and cease and was no more when the great High Priest of Souls died and by death made expiation for his people If you will allow the other Priesthood and the employment of it to live still after the death of Christ and his sacrifice offered by the eternal Spirit till the fall of Jerusalem and dissolution of the Temple yet can you find nothing that the High Priest had then to do that it should survive any longer after Christ was sacrificed The other Priesthood had something to do besides what was most plainly typical in it and referred to the death of Christ as sacrificing and sprinkling of blood did For they had to offer the first fruits of the people for their Thankfulness to purifie women after child-birth to present the first born to the Lord c. But the distinctive work of the High Priest in diversity from the other Priesthood was on the day of Expiation to go within the Vail into the most holy place with blood and make an Attonement Which when Christ had done through the Vail of his flesh through his own blood as the Apostle tells us Heb. X. 20. what had the High Priesthood to do any more To this peculiarly related that which occurred at the death of the great High Priest Matth. XXVII 15. The vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom Which when you come narrowly to examine you will find to be the vail that hung between the holy and most holy place Which the Jews in their writings call by a Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the vail that the High Priest turned aside as we do hangings at a door to go into the room And he went into the most holy place only once a year But now it is rent in pieces no such distinction or separation thenceforward to be had and no such work of the High Priest to be done any more So that if we take these words of Paul to the sense I mentioned viz. I knew not Brethren that there is now any High Priest or any High Priesthood at all that Function is long ago laid in the dust it was spoken like a Paul boldly and as one that very well understood and could well distinguish twixt substance and shadow and how long those Ordinances of that Oeconomy were to last and when to decay And if accordingly we take that circumstance in the Text He prophesied as being High Priest that year in the sense I mentioned namely that last year of the being and life of the High Priesthood it gives a story not much unlike that of the son of King Crâ—sus Who when he had been dumb from the birth and never spake word at last seeing in a battel an enemy ready to run his Father through he forced his Tongue so as that he broke the string of silence and cryed out O man do not kill Croesus So the High Priesthood having been dumb from Prophesying for above four hundred years together and never spoken one Prophetick word when now the King is ready to be slain its Tongue is loosed in Caiaphas and prophesieth of the Redemption of all the Israel of God and presently expireth But Secondly That year was the great year of pouring down the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation as in Act. II. the great year of sealing Vision and Prophesie as in Dan. IX And then it is the less wonder if this dog get some crumbs that fell from that plentiful table of the children and some droppings from that abundant dew that fell upon the Fleece of Gedeon Something like the case of Eldad and Medad but they were better men Numb XI 26. that in that great pouring out of the Spirit there had their share though they were not in the company of those that were assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And thus was the case with Caiaphas as it was with Balaam that wretch inspired till then by the Devil but then by God Who went purposely to curse Israel but God so overpowered and turned the stream that he could not but bless them So this wretch inspired with malice from the Devil to plot and compass the death of Christ is now also inspired by the Spirit of Prophesie to foretel his death and to proclaim it Redemption to his people A very strange passage that while he was sinning against the Holy Ghost he prophesied by the Holy Ghost and that in those very words that he spake against Christ to destroy him he should prophesie of Christs death and Redemption to magnifie it So can the Spirit of God overpower the Hearts and Tongues and actions of Men to serve the design of his own glory And this is that that I shall speak to I might observe obiter how great diversity there is twixt the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation and the Spirit of grace and holiness The same Spirit indeed is the Author of both but there is so much diversity in the thing wrought that a Balaam a Caiaphas have the Spirit of Prophesie who are as far from having the Spirit of Sanctification as the East is from the West Hell from Heaven A mistake hath taken the Spirits of too many to account this good Language and Divinity I am a believer converted sanctified therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation and I can preach and expound Scripture by that Spirit little considering the vast diversity of the gift of Prophesie
conquer Hell then If he did what was it with What did his Soul there to conquer Hell How he conquered Hell and Death by dying and rising we can tell but how his Soul conquered with bare going thither who can tell you Or did he augment the torments of the Devils and damned That needed not nor indeed could it be done as I shall shew afterwards What then did Christs Soul there in its Triumph unless as He Veni vidi vici I came I saw I overcame it conquered Hell by looking into it Natura nihil facit frustra Nature does nothing in vain much less the God of nature And Christ in his life time never did spoke thought any thing in vain And it is unhansom to think that his Soul after death should go out of the bosom of his Father into Hell to do no body can imagine what For who can tell what it did in Triumphing there II. Was not Christ under his Humiliation till his Resurrection Was he not under it whilst he lay in the grave He himself accounts it so Psal. XVI 10. Thou wilt not suffer my Soul being in the state of separation my Body to see corruption to be trampled on by death to be triumphed over by Satan that yet had it there If you imagine his Soul triumphing or vapouring in Hell for I cannot imagine what it should do there unless to vapour how might Satan vapour again Thou Soul of Jesus dost thou come to triumph here Of what I pray thee Have I not cause to triumph over thee Have I not procured his death Banished thee out of his body and got it into the grave And dost thou come to triumph here Let us first see whether he can get out from among the dead before we talk of his triumph over him that had the power of death So that if we should yield to so needless a point as Christs going to triumph in Hell yet certainly it would be but very unseasonable to have gone thither when he had not yet conquered but his body was still under death and as yet under the conquest of Satan This had been to triumph before Victory as Benhadads vapour was to Ahab when he received that answer Let not him that girdeth on his sword boast himself as he that putteth it off The beginning of Christs Kingdom was his Resurrection for then had he conquered death and him that had the power of death the Devil And so the Scripture generally states it I need cite no proof but two of his own speeches Matth. XXVI 29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom that is after my Resurrection when I have conquered the Enemies of God and set up his Kingdom And Matth. XXVIII 18. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth And this was after his Resurrection But is it not improper to dream of a Triumph before a Conquest That Christ should Triumph as King before he had put on his Kingdom As Esth. V. 3. On the third day she put on the Kingdom For so it is in the Hebrew The days before she had been under fasting mourning humiliation and that was not a time of Royalty and Triumph So on the third day Christ rose and put on his Kingdom the days before he had been under death had abased himself a very unfit and unseasonable time for his Soul to go and triumph III. As concerning Christs triumphing over Devils His Victory over Satan was of another kind of nature than to go amongst them to shew terribly or speak terribly for what else can we imagine his Soul did in that Triumph in Hell It is said Heb. II. 14. That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil Destroy him How We may say of him as he of the Traitor Vivit etiam in Senatum venit He lives yea he comes into the Council-house So Is the Devil destroyed He is alive walketh rageth ruleth He walked about the Earth before Christs death Job I. So hath he done ever since 1 Pet. V. 8. Your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour He was a murtherer from the beginning to Christs death Joh. VIII 44. So hath he been ever since he goes about seeking to devour and he doth devour He wrought in the children of disobedience before and he now worketh Eph. II. 2. And how hath Christ conquered destroyed him You must look for the Conquest and Triumph of Christ over him not so much in destroying his Person as destroying his Works 1 Joh. III. 8. For this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil I might here speak of many things I shall only mention two or three particulars wherein the Victory of Christ over the Devil by his death doth consist 1. By his death he hath conquered the very clamors of Satan paying a ransom for all his people Rom. VIII 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Satan is ready to say I lay a charge and claim to them for they have been disobedient But Christ hath paid a satisfaction for all their disobedience Satan thou art cast in thy suit the debt is paid How is the Devil confounded at the loss of such a prize as he expected And how does the Death and Merits of Christ here Triumph Now Goliah David defies thee touch one in the Camp of Israel if you can or dare they are all redeemed and ransomed thou hast nothing to do with them And the ransomed of the Lord shall go to Sion with everlasting joy Rejoyce O Heathens for the false accuser is cast out Here is a glorious Triumph by the righteousness and holiness of Christ delivering all his people 2. By his death he brake the partition wall and brings in the Heathen Oh! how did Satan hold them in slavery Pharaoh let my people go No. I know not the Lord nor will I let them go But thou shalt be brought to it and by the death of a Paschal Lamb they shall go whether thou wilt or no. Two thousand years had they been in his slavery sure thought he this shall be for ever But by the death of poor despised Jesus at Jerusalem the prison doors are open and all these captives are gone free Rejoyce ye prisoners of hope as they are called Zech. IX 11 12. I cannot but think of the case of Paul and Silas Act. XVI in an inner prison their feet in the stocks the doors fast and a strong guard and there comes one shake and all fly open and all the prisoners are loosed Jaylor what sayest thou now Thou mayst even draw thy sword and end thy self all thy prisoners are gone 3. Nay yet further Jaylor thou must to prison thy self Ponder on those words Rev. XX. 1
lost the power of Judging Malefactors p. 1111 1112 c. They had a high conceit of their own Nation p. 1112. They were highly severe and strict about little inconsiderable Customs but very remiss about things of great Moment and Necessity p. 1113 1114. They were rejected by God not only for putting our Saviour to death but before also for their cursed Traditions and crying wickedness p. 1114. The calling in of the Jews expected by some is not probable and why p. 1123. The Jews were dispersed before our Saviours time p. 1144. They were cast off to a reprobate sense before the destruction of Jerusalem p. 1145. They crucified the Lord of Life out of the very Principles of their Traditional Religion p. 1177. The Jews and the Jewish Religion were very corrupt under the second Temple p. 1199 1200. The Church of the Jews was only a child under age till Christ came 1334 Jezabelites impudently oppose the Decrees of the Apostles 695 696 Ignorance and Error the common cause of them is because Men will not know and embrace the Truth 1286 1287 Image of God in Adam what p. 1153. Image of God upon Man not lost by sin though the likeness of God be 1302 Images in the Church of Rome are Idols 1312 1314 Imposition of Hands in ordination a fundamental Point as well as the Doctrin of Faith and Repentance proved from Hebrews 6. 2. 1040 Imputation of the sins or good Deeds of Parents to the Children supposed by the Jews not to be in the days of the Messias p. 569. Imputation of Parents sins to Posterity is real and rational 1316 1317 Incense the way of burning it with the manner of the Priests and Levites getting ready in order thereunto 380 381 Indifferent Things and such as were not sinful of themselves although of humane invention and used in the Jewish worship did not cause our Saviour to leave that communion nor to forsake the way of Worship but he joyned therein rather than he would give offence 1037 1038 1039 c. Infant Baptism argued for 273 274 Infants in the womb supposed by the Jews to be in a capacity to commit some sin 569 570 Institution divine defiled by corruption but not extinguished Page 165 Intercallated Month or Year what 185 226 Interpretation of the Holy Text the judgment of the Jews concerning a just Interpretation 784 Interpreters in the Synagogues stood by the Readers of the Law and Prophets to turn the words of the Hebrew Text into the Language understood by the people at the same time Commenting or Preaching upon the words p. 132 134 707. Interpreters of the Law part of their work what 803 Invention humane less dangerous to be brought into Divine Worship under the Jewish Law than under the Gospel and why 1038 Invisible Things are the greatest things of our concernment 1284 Jod of it s not passing away or eternal duration 137 138 John Baptist in all probability was no Eremite 387 388 John the most punctual of all the four Evangelists especially in giving an account of the Festivals that intercurred between Christ's entrance into his publick Ministry and the time of his death p. 1033. John the beloved Disciple was him to whom the Revelation was delivered 1196 Jordan the waters thereof were opened twelve miles when Israel passed through p. 46. The Country beyond it what p. 363. Little Jordan was from the spring of Jordan to the Lake Samochonitis but from that Lake being much a larger stream it was Jordan the greater p. 62 63 64 298. Jordan had over it two bridges at least besides other passages 492 Jordan-transmarine its division 363 Jose and Joseph are one and the same Name 640 Joshua where buried 373 374 Jot of it s not passing away or eternal duration 137 138 Journey Sabbath days Journey the length of it was two hundred cubits or one mile 485 486 Joy wicked in a strange instance in the Gunpouder Traytors 1184 Joy in Heaven over a sinner that is converted what 1267 Isaiah the Prophet say the Jews was cut in two by Manasses the King 593 Iscariot a Name given to Judas the Traytor whether given before or after his death If after his death it emphatically shews his miserable end p. 176. As a Betrayer he was to have no part in the World to come his going to his place intends his going to Hell 176 177 Iturea its situation 365 366 Juda for Jehuda and why 97 Judaism the twofold sense of the Word p. 1051. The Jews held this Maxim That if a Jew forsook his Judaism he should have no part in the World to come p. 1087. Judaism and Nicolaitism were two Errors on each hand the Gospel into which some Primitive Christians did fall 1097 Judas was present at the Eucharist p. 261. He was carried by the Devil into the Air there strangled and then cast down to the Earth and there burst assunder 264 639 Judea a sight and division of it p. 9. It was priviledged above other Parts of the Land of Israel p. 10. A description of the Coast of it p. 10. The Mountainous Country of Judea what p. 11. The South Country of it what p. 13. The North Coast of it 19 Judges what Benches of them there were among the Jews 755 Judgment Judgment to him that is angry what p. 141 142. Judgment might be unrighteous when the Judging was righteous 1106 Judgment the Day of Judgment put for Christ's coming with vengeance to Judge the Jewish Nation six differing ways of expressing it p. 346. The Last Judgment proved p. 1101 1102 1103 The objections of the Sadducces and Atheists answered p. 1101 c. Noah's Flood was a prognostication and an assurance of the Last Judgment p. 1104. The destruction of Jerusalem is set forth in Scripture terms seeming to mean the Last Judgment p. 1104. The several and providential assurances that God hath given of the Last Judgment p. 1103 1104 1109. The prosperity of wicked Men is an argument of the Last Judgment p. 1105. Assizes are an assurance and a fit representation of the Last Judgment p. 1104 1117 1119. Conscience is an assurance given by God of the Last Judgment p. 1104 1119. The manner of giving the Law is an assurance of the Last Judgment Page 1119 Judgments Capital always began on the Defendants side among the Jews and not on the Accusers p. 609. Judgments were distinguished into Pecuniary and Capital among the Jews 754 Julian the Apostate part of his character or part of what he was and did 1238 Julias There were two Cities of this Name one built by Herod the other by Philip the later was before called Bethsaida where situate 83 Just a just person or the just two sorts of them p. 448. How distinguished from the Penitent p. 449. Just Men distinguished by the Jews into two sorts and to which of them they gave the preference 1266 Justification is a great Mystery in several respects p. 1051 1052. What it is
the Doxology is added to it by Saint Matthew and omitted by Saint Luke 1139 Prayers were sometimes performed with great silence in the Temple p. 351. Prayers of the Jews consisted in Benedictions and Doxologies p. 427. Private Prayers in what part of the Temple they were performed p. 464. Dayly Prayers of the Jews were eighteen in number what they were 690 Praying for the dead founded by the Rhemists on that Text 1 John 5. 16. refuted 1094 Preaching was one part of Prophesie Singing Psalms and foretelling of Things from Divine Revelation were the two others 785 Precepts there were say the Jews six hundred thirteen Precepts in the Law of Moses 1114 Pre-existence of Souls some of the Jews held it 569 1352 Preparation of the Sabbath what 358 Presbyters and Elders were to judge in Pecuniary Affairs 755 Preservation of God how he preserves all Men alike and yet not all alike Page 1213 Presumption Monuments of Mercy were never set up in Scripture to be encouragements to Presumption 1276 Priestess one born of the Lineage of Priests of these the Priests commonly took themselves wives 379 Priesthood and High Priesthood only differed in two things 585 Priests married Gentlemens Daughters p. 42. One hundred sixty Priests were married in Gophna all in one night p. 52. Priests were the setled Ministry of the Church of Israel they always lived upon Tithes when they studied in the University Preached in the Synagogues and attended on the Temple Service p. 86. They were called First Plebeian Priests for Priests were not made but born so some of them were poor yet being of Aaron's seed though unlearned they had their Courses at the Altar Secondly Idiots or Private because still of a lower Order Thirdly Wâ— thier being besides the High Priest Heads of the Courses Heads of Families Presidents over Offices And such as were Members of the chief Sanhedrim p. 110. The Marriage of the Priests was a thing of great concern on purpose to keep them uncorrupt p. 379. Priests and Levites what was lawful and unlawful in them p. 382. Priests were examined by the Great Council whether they had any blemishes which if they had they were sent away arraied in black p. 388. Chief Priests Elders and Scribes how distinguished 469 Prince of this World the Devil how so called 591 592 Probatica or the Sheep Gate was not near the Temple contrary to the common Opinion 507 Prodigies very memorable which happened forty years before the destruction of the Temple what 248 Prophane or polluted and unclean distinguished 199 200 Promises given to Israel in the Law are most generally and most apparently Temporal Promises p. 1331 c. Scarcely any Spiritual much less any Eternal Promises in the Law of Moses p. 1332. In the Books of Moses they were all for earthly things as they belonged to the Jews p. 1332. Why God gave them such Promises p. 1333. There were spiritual Promises before the Law p. 1333. The Gospel State happy in the better Promises p. 1332 1333. God intended Spiritual Things under Temporal Promises p. 1333. Why God did not speak out Spiritual and Eternal Things but only obscurely hinted them in such Temporal Promises 1333 1334 Prophesie comprehends the singing of Psalms to Preach and Foretel something from Divine Revelation p. 785. From the death of the later Prophets the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Prophesie ceased from Israel p. 802. Prophesie expired at the fall of Jerusalem p. 1048. Prophesie was one of the two extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit p. 1157. Prophesie Revelation and Urim and Thummim was gone from the Jews for four hundred years before Christ came p. 1284 1288 1289. Prophesie was sometimes performed by ill Men as Caiaphas and Balaam 1288 to 1291 Prophesying what it was in Saint Paul's time 1157 1158 Prophets Schools of the Prophets were little Universities or Colledges of Students their Governor some venerable Prophet inspired with the Holy Spirit to give forth Divine Revelations c. p. 86. Prophets how divided by the Jews p. 407. How unrolled and distant Places put together p. 407 408. Prophets put for Prophetical Books of Scripture p. 458. From the days of Zachary and Malachy the Jews expected no Prophets till the coming of the Messiah p. 522. Prophets were not the standing Ministry of the Church neither under the Law nor under the Gospel but occasional and of necessity p. 1034 1049. The Books of the Law and Prophets only were read by the Jews in their Synagogues the rest they read not 1102 Proselyte what Page 234 Proselytes Fearers of the Lord are used for Proselytes every one of them are blessed 689 Prosperity of the wicked did once occasion both weeping and laughing p. 706. Prosperity or Peace outward in the things of this World is no sign of Peace with God p. 1053. It 's sometimes a sign of God's enmity proved from Ecclesiastes 5. 13. and from Mal. 2. 2. p. 1053. The Prosperity of wicked Men is an Argument of the Last Judgment and future state 1104 Protestant Church and Religion where they were before Luthers time 1201 Providence of God not a Rule for Men to go by but his Word 1276 Psalms put for the Hagiographa p. 265. Singing of Psalms was one part of Prophesie p. 785. Singing of Psalms in Christian Congregations is a great and heavenly work p. 1158. The Primitive Christians sung David's Psalms in their publick Congregations p. 1158. The singing whereof is a Duty incumbent upon Christians p. 1158 to 1162. Our Saviour the Apostles and the Primitive Church practised it 1159 to 1162 Ptolemais also called Acon a City of Galilee how situate 60 Ptolomy is in something amended 320 Publican what his business p. 171. Publican Heathen what 215 Publicans were odious to the Jews p. 152 c. They were of several Degrees 466 467 Purgatory the Doctrine of it p. 1341. The improbability ridiculousness and irreligion of the Papists holding that the Patriarchs were in it 1342 1343 Purification days of a Woman after Child bearing when accomplished p. 391 392. Purification after touching a dead Body what 790 Purifying water Children were born and brought up in some Courts under ground to be made fitter to sprinkle the Purifying water 34 Purifyings some were performed in a longer and others in a shorter time 586 Purim the Feast of Purim opposed by some of the Jews 578 Putting away for divorcing what p. 146. Putting away a Husband by the Wife c. among the Jews what With the Form thereof 759 Pythons what 175 Q. QUAKARISM Popery and Socinianism are great Heresies Page 1280 1281 R. RAbban Jochanan ben Zaccai something of his History Page 652 653 Rabbi an haughty Title not common till the times of Hillel which in later times was much affected 232 233 Rabbins of Tiberias were mad with Pharisaism bewitched with Traditions blind guileful doting and magical and such a like work is the Jerusalem Talmud which they made there it 's not possible to suppose that
only to the words of Esaiah But who they are in Esaiah is plain enough CHAP. X. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cometh into the Coasts of Iudea by the farther side of Iordan HERE is need of a discerning eye to distinguish of the true time and method of this story and of Christs journey If you make use of such an eye you will find half a year or thereabouts to come between the uttering of the words immediately beforegoing and this travail of our Saviour however it seems to be intimated by our Evangelist and likewise by Matthew that when he had finished those words forthwith he entred upon his journey When in truth he went before to Jerusalem through the midst of Samaria to the Feast of Tabernacles Luke IX 51 c. Joh. VII And again From Galilee after he had returned thither through the Cities and Towns to Jerusalem Luke XIII 22. to the Feast of Dedication Joh. X. 22. And again beyond Jordan indeed Joh. X. 40. but first taking his way into Galilee and thence beyond Jordan according to that story which is before us The studious Reader and that in good earnest imployeth his labour upon this business has no need of further proof his own eyes will witness this sufficiently Thus the Wisdom and Spirit of God directed the pens of these holy Writers that some omitted some things to be supplyed by others and others supplyed those things which they had omitted and so a full and compleat history was not composed but of all joyned and compared together I wish the Reverend Beza had sufficiently considered this who rendreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Beyond but By Jordan and corrects the vulgar Interpreter and Erasmus who render it Beyond Jordan properly and most truly As if by Perea saith he or the Country beyond Jordan Christ passing over Jordan or the lake of Tiberias came into Judea out of Galilee which is not true But take heed you do not mistake Reverend Old-man For he went over Jordan from Capernaum as it is very probable by the bridge built over Jordan between Chammath near to Tiberias at the Gadaren Country He betook himself to Bethabara and stayed some time there Joh. X. 40. thence he went along Perea to the bank over against Jericho While he tarrieth there a Messenger sent from Mary comes to him concerning the death of Lazarus Joh. XI and thence after two days he passeth Jordan in Judea VERS XVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kneeled to him SO Chap. I. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beseeching him and kneeling to him This is variously rendred Procidit ad pedes Genu flexo Genu petens Ad genua procidens c. He fell at his feet Bowing the knee Beseeching upon his knee Falleng down at his knees Which rendrings are not improper but I suspect something more is included For 1. It was customary for those that so adored to take hold of the knees or the legs 2 King IV. 27. Mat. XXVIII 9. 2. To kiss the knees or the feet See what we have said at Mat. XXVIII 9. When a a a a a a Bab. Chetub fol. 63. 1. R. Akiba had been twelve years absent from his Wife and at last came back his Wife went out to meet him and when she came to him falling upon her face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She kissed his knees And a little after When he was entred into the City his Father-in-Law knowing not who he was but suspecting him to be some great Rabbin went to him and falling upon his face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kissed his knees b b b b b b Id. Bava Bathr Speaking of Job 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan came and he kissed his knees But in all this Job sinned not with his lips c. c c c c c c Sanhedr fol. 27. 2. When a certain Rabbin had discoursed of divers things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bar Chama rose up and kissed his knees VERS XXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loved him THAT is by some outward gesture he manifested that this man pleased him both in his question and in his answer when he both seriously enquired concerning attaining eternal life and seriously professed that he had addicted himself to Gods Commandments with all care and circumspection Let us compare the customs of the Masters among the Jews Eliezer d d d d d d Hieros Chagigah f. 77. 1. ben Erech obtained leave from Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai to discourse of some things before him He discoursed of Ezekiels Chariot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. I. or Of Mystical Divinity When be had made an end Rabban Jochanan arose up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And kissed his head R. e e e e e e Id. Hâ—raioth fol. 48. 3. Abba bar Cahna heard R. Levi disputing profoundly When he had made an end R. Abba rose up and kissed his head There is a story of a certain Nazarite young man that exceedingly pleased Simeon the Just with a certain answer that he gave Whereupon said Simeon f f f f f f Id. Nederim fol. 36. 4. I bowed towards him with my head and said O Son let such as you be multiplyed in Israel This story is found elsewhere g g g g g g Nazir fol. 51. 3. Where for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I bowed towards him with my head it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I embraced him and kissed his head h h h h h h Baâ— Megil fol. 14. 1. Miriam before the birth of Moses had prophesied My Mother shall bring forth a Son who shall deliver Israel When he was born the whole house was filled with light His Father stood forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And kissed her upon the head and said thy prophesie is fulfilled And when they cast him into the River 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He struck her upon the head What if our Saviour used this very gesture towards this young man And that the more conveniently when he was now upon his knees before him Some gesture at least he used whereby it appeared both to the young man and to the standers by that the young man did not a little please him both by his question and by his answer So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have loved Psal. CXVI 1. in the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have loved one may render well Complacet mihi It pleaseth me well So Josephus of Davids Souldiers 1 Sam. XXX Those four hundred who went to the battle would not impart the spoils to the two hundred who were faint and weary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and said that they should love that is be well pleased that they had received their wives safe again In some parity of sense John is called the Disciple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Jesus loved not that Jesus loved him more than the rest with his eternal infinite saving love but that he favoured him more with
some outward kindness and more intimate friendship and familiarity And why Because John had promised that he would take care of Christs mother after his death For those words of our Saviour upon the Cross to John Behold thy Mother and to his Mother Behold thy Son And that from thence John took her home do carry a fair probability with them that that was not the first time that John heard of such a matter but that long before he had so promised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have loved thee Esa. LX. 10. is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have had pity upon thee which may here also agree very well Jesus had pity upon him VERS XLVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bartimeus the son of Timeus SOME suspect the Evangelist here guilty of a Solecism by making a Tautology for it was neither necessary as they think so to render the Syriac word in Greek nor is it done so elsewhere in proper names of that nature For it is not said by any Evangelist Bartholomeus the son of Tholomeus Bar Abbas the son of Abbas Bar Jesus the son of Jesus nor in the like names True indeed But I. When the denomination is made from a common name and not a proper then it is not so ill sounding to interpret the word which is done once and again Mark III. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boanerges which is The sons of Thunder Act. IV. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barnabas which is a son of Consolation II. Bar Timai may be rendred otherwise then The son of Timeus namely either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A son of Admiration or which is more proper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A son of profit The Targum in Ester III. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the King ariseth no profit Timai from them The Evangelist therefore deservedly that he might shew that this Bartimeus was not named from this or that or some other Etymology but from his fathers name so interprets his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bartimeus the son of Timeus III. Perhaps there was a Timeus of some more noted name in that age either for some good report or some bad so that it might not be absurd to the Jews that then conversed there to say This blind Bartimeus is the son of the so much famed Timeus So it is unknown to us who Alexander and Rufus were Chap. XV. 21. But they were without doubt of most eminent fame either among the Disciples or among the Jews IV. What if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thimai be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simai Blind from the use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thau for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samech among the Chaldeans so that Bartimeus the son of Timeus might sound no more than The blind son of a blind Father CHAP. XI VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when he had looked round about upon all things COmpare Mark with the other Evangelists concerning the time of casting out the Merchants out of the Temple and it will appear that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he looked about denotes not a bare beholding or looking upon but a beholding with reproof and correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Admonition among the Jews VERS XIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the time of figs was not yet SEE what we have said at Matth. XXI 19. The sum is this I. The time of Figs was so far off that the time of leaves was scarcely yet present II. The other Fig-trees in the Mount were of the common kind of Fig-trees and on them were not leaves as yet to be seen But that which Christ saw with leaves on it and therefore went to it was a Fig-tree of an extraordinary kind III. For there was a certain Fig-tree called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benoth Shuach which never wanted leaves and never wanted Figs. For every year it bare fruit but that fruit came not to full ripeness before the third year And such we suppose was this Fig-tree VERS XVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And would not suffer that any should carry any Vessel through the Temple a a a a a a Bab. Ievamoth fol. 6. 2. WHAT is the Reverence of the Temple That none go into the Mountain of the Temple or the Court of the Gentiles with his staff and his shoes with his purse and dust upon his feet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that none make it his common thorow-fare nor make it a place of spitting The same thing is ordered concerning a Synagogue yea concerning a Synagogue that is now laid waste much more of one that flourisheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b b b b b b Megill f. 28. 1. A Synagogue now laid waste let not men make it a common passage And c c c c c c Fol. 27. 2. His Disciples asked R. Eleazar ben Shammua Whence hast thou lived so long He answered I never made a Synagogue a commonth orow-fare It is therefore forbid by the Masters that the Court of the Temple be not made a passage for a shorter way And was not this bridle sufficient wherewith all might be kept back from carrying Vessels through the Temple But the Castel of Antonia joyned to the Court and there were Shops in the Court of the Gentiles where many things were sold and that prophane Vessels were brought hither is scarcely to be denied And these Vessels might be said to be carried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Through the Temple although those that carried them went not through the whole Temple CHAP. XII VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A certain man planted a Vineyard THE Priests and Pharisees knew saith Matthew that these things were spoken of them Matth. XXI 45. Nor is it any wonder For the Jews boasted that they were the Lords Vineyard and they readily observed a wrong done to that Vineyard by any but how far were they from taking notice how unfruitful they were and unthankful to the Lord of the Vineyard The a a a a a a Tanchum fol. 54. 3. matter may be compared to a King that had a Vineyard and there were three who were enemies to it What were they One cut down the branches The second cut off the bunches And the third rooted up the Vines That King is the King of Kings the Blessed Lord. The Vineyard of the Lord is the House of Israel The three enemies are Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzer and Haman c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Vineyard If b b b b b b Kilaim cap. 4. hal 5. a man plants one row of five Vines the School of Schammai saith that it is a Vineyard But the School of Hillel saith It is not a Vineyard until there be two rows of Vines there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set an hedge about it c c c c c c Ibid. hal 3. What is an hedge Let it be ten hands bredths high Less than so is not an hedge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉