the end of all his miseries and therefore is properly called mans day Iob 18.20 The day of a mans death is better then the day of his birth Luc. 2.29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 1 Sam. 28.15 Why hast thou troubled me Iob 3.13 For now should I have lien still and beene quiet I should have slept then should I have beene at rest The Councell of Toledo marketh that Christ wept not at Lazarus death but at his resurrection and this should teach us to moderate our griefe when our friends dye and those whom we love best If ye love me saith Christ yee will rejoyce because I goe to my father Ioh. 14.28 So we should rejoyce when wee see our friends goe to our Father and count the day of their death better then the day of their birth The day of death is worse to the wicked The day of a mans death is better than the day of his birth to the children of God it is better but to the wicked it is much worse the child of God saith in his death as Christ said consummatum est then all teares are wipt from their eyes but to the wicked it is their worst day as the child of God saith consummatum est so they say inchoatum est Luc. 16.25 Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus his evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Death is worse to the wicked man therefore his death is called the death of the uncircumcised Ezek. 28.12 and he dyeth as a foole 2 Sam. 3.33 but the children of God die in the Lord and their death is their rest It may seeme that to be borne is better than death Ob. Ioh 16.20 A woman when she is in travell hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the world She rejoyceth that she hath brought forth a Sonne but we rejoyce not when one dyeth therefore it may seeme that the day of ones birth is better then the day of his death It is better for the woman that she hath a child borne for the continuation of her posterity Answ and therfore she rejoyceth but the day of the childs death is better for himselfe than the day of his birth because then there is an end put to all his miseries In what case may a man choose death rather then life Quest We may chiefely choose death rather then life onely to be rid of sinne as Paul desired Answ to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 but this was onely to be delivered from the body of sinne to prevent sinne it is better not to be than to be Eccles 4.3 for he hath not seene the evill worke which is done under the Sunne Againe it is better for reprobates that they had never beene because of their damnation as it is said of Iudas It had beene better for him that he had never beene borne Matth. 26.21 and it is better to be dead then living that a man may be freed of sinne There is esse Physicum esse morale it is better for a wicked man to be than not to be ratione Physica because he commeth nearer to God who hath his being of himselfe but it is worse to him quoad esse morale magis optandum non esse cum carentia poena quam esse cum poena that is it is better for him not to be without punishment than to be and be punished eternally There is in man instinct reason and faith instinct teacheth him onely to seeke the preservation of his body reason goeth somewhat higher and hath some respect to vertue and honor but yet it is not a right guide to man here when hee wisheth to be dead for feare of shame and such worldly inconvenients Stoici ne foedetur virtus Romani ob inanem gloriam mortem optarunt but faith seeth farther and wisheth this dissolution because it knoweth that the body and the soule shall be joyned together againe after they are separated and purified from sinne A man must not wish death or the grave although he be bitter in soule Iob. 3.20 and afflictions be upon him but onely for sinne If it be said death destroyeth the substance of man but sinne destroyeth onely an accident in man Ob. therefore death should not be desired for the eschewing of sinne Answ Death is not a totall destruction of a man neither is a man turned into nothing when he dyeth neither wisheth he death that he may not be but that this Tabernacle may be dissolved that he may have A building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Observe that men looke diversly upon death First as it is an enemy to nature and so all men abhorre it And the naturall man in this respect calleth it a bitter death 1 Sam. 15.3 Hagag said Surely the bitternesse of death is past Secondly some looke upon it as the wages of sinne Rom. 6.32 then it is a more bitter death and thirdly some looke upon it as a passage to life and then it is to be wished but not for it selfe but for another end as when a sicke man desireth a bitter potion for his healths sake for no evill of punishment is to be desired for it selfe There are two periods set downe here our birth and our death and not our life It is the manner of the spirit of God in the Scriptures to set downe the two extremes and to leave out the midst as Psal 21.8 the Lord shall keepe thy going in and going out that is all thy wayes so Exod. 8.11.5 And all the first borne of the land of Egypt shall dye from the first borne of Pharaoh that fitteth upon the throne unto the first borne of the Maidservant that sitteth behind the Mill here the rest of the people are left out for shortnesse and the two extremes are expressed so Num. 6.4 from the kernell to the huske here the wine which is the midst is left out so Iob. 24.20 The wombe shall forget him and the wormes shall feede sweetly upon him here the birth and the grave include the whole life So here are set downe our birth and our death our two graves the grave out of which we come and the grave unto which we goe Iob joyneth these two together Naked came I out of my Mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither Iob. 1.21 he was not to returne backe to his Mothers wombe againe but he was to returne backe to the grave againe the second wombe and Christ joyneth the belly and the grave Matth. 1â— 4 For as Ionas was three dayes and three night in the Whales belly So shall the some of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth hence it is that the inferior parts of the earth
are both called the Mothers wombe and the grave Psal 139.15 My substance was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth that is in my Mothers wombe and as no man hateth the belly that conceived and bred him so no man should hate the grave which is his second mother He marketh the two extremes here the birth and the death and passeth by our life to teach us the shortnesse of our life the Scripture describeth the shortnesse of mans life sundry wayes First he calleth our dayes anni numeri that is which may bee easily numbered Iob. 16.22 when a few yeeres are come yeeres of number than I shall go the way whence I shal not returne so dies numeri signifie a few dayes Num. 19.20 so homines numeri a few men Deut. 4.27 So Ezek. 12.16 and Esay 10.19 The rest of the trees of his forrest shall be number that a child may write them that is they shall be few and here Iob saith When yeeres of number are come that is a few yeeres that may be easily numbered to note the shortnesse of his dayes Secondly our life is called saeculum Psal 17.14 Thirdly our yeeres are reduced to three score and tenne and if by reason of strength they be fourescore yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we flye away if a man out live threescore and ten he payeth interest for those yeeres much sorrow and griefe Then our yeeres are compared to the dayes of an hireling Iob. 7.1 which was a short time the yeres of an hirling were but three yeeres and the Lord to shew the suddaine destruction that should come upon Moah he saith Esay 16.14 Within three yeeres as the yeeres of an hirling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned that is it shall shortly be contemned so Iob saith his dayes are like the dayes of an hireling that is they are very short They are compared to monthes Iob. 14.5 the number of his monthes are with thee Then they are compared to dayes and to an artificiall day from the sunnerising to the setting of the Sunne they are like grasse which groweth up in the evening it is cut down and whitereth Ps 90.6 and to a watch in the night which was but three or foure houres vers 4. then they are compared to an houre then to a moment and last to nothing Psal 39.5 So our yeeres for the shortnesse of them are compared to a post Iob. 25. Now my dayes are swifter than a post they flyaway see no good they are passed away as the swift ships as the Eagle that hasteneth to her pray Marke the gradation here First Iob compareth his dayes to a post a post goeth on in his journey very swiftly when one horse wearieth he will take another and so goeth on but yet he must rest sometimes Therefore hee goeth further and compareth them to the swiftest ships that are called ships of desire the ship will not weary day nor night yet there may come a contrary winde and make her stay therefore he goeth higher and he compareth his dayes to the Eagle which of all fowles is the swiftest to catch pray and nothing can stay her untill she have obtained it So mans dayes wearies not nothing can stay them in their course but they flye away and hasten to their end So mans life is compared to the weavers shitle Iob. 7.6 this comparison would be marked for the shuttle carieth the threed within it and the weaver tosseth the shuttle too and fro untill the threed be spent and then he cuteth it off So time is the weaver that tosseth the shuttle and our dayes are as the threed within the shuttle which peece and peece are spent and then death cutteth them off So they are compared to a smoke and to a dreame or to a vapour Psal 49. or to the breath of ones mouth and to this the Apostle hath reference when he saith what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Iam. 4.4 Now that our death may be comfortable unto us first we must remember that we are mortall Gen. 2.17 In that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Symachus translateth it Mortalis eris the consideration of mortalitie in Abraham made him to say that he was but dust and ashes Gen. 78.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye but after this the judgement Heb. 9.17 If men dyed not they could not obtaine life eternall for flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption therefore we must either die or be changed And this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality and then we need not to be afraid of death for it shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.50 as the Wise man saith Ecclus 14.12 Remember that death is not long in comming and that the covenant of the Grave is not shewed unto thee The Lord sheweth unto us that we are all mortall and that we must dye but he sheweth not in particular the time when we shall dye and therefore we should be ready at all times Secondly remember the advertisements of death when thou art faint and weary those are Gentlemen Vshers to death when yee feele those messengers remember that the sound of their Masters feet is behind them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cincinni sic dicti quod facile mutantur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutabit 2 King 6.32 We are called in the Scriptures bene hhaloph Prov 31.8 Children of change and the lockes of our haire are called mahhaliphoth mutationes Iudg 16.13 because they are soone changed when our haire beginneth to change once that is an advertisement to death as the wise man saith but many men take no notice of those advertisements when a Sergeant commeth to arrest a man the man absenteth himselfe and will not seeme to be at home yet notwithstanding the arrestment is valide and holdeth good in the Law so those advertisements of death although thou neglect them and seemest not to be at home yet the arrestment shall hold good and thou shalt be enforced to answer at the day appointed Thirdly looke upō the death of others for that he looketh seriously upon the death of others he cannot chuse but that he must remember his mortality 2 Sam. 20.12 When Amasa was wallowing in his blood all the people stood still and lookt upon him when people behold the death of others then it should put them in minde of their owne death Fourthly acquaint thy selfe often with death that it seeme not a stranger to thee when it commeth Hierome set the skull of a dead man before him daily and the Anchorites of old scraped with their nailes some part of their owne grave every day Put not the evill day farre from thee Esay 22.12 When the Lord called the Iewes to mourning yet they put the evill
stood foaming and roaring before them but hurt them not and therfore they were glad to put the skinnes of wild beasts upon them to make the Lyons runne upon them and teare them Thou that art a wicked man and hast no part of this Image of God to defend thee no marvaile if thy dogge bite thee thy horse braine thee or thy oxe gore thee Let us studie then for to haue this Image repaired in us if we would be in league with the beasts of the field Beasts surpasse man in many duties The dogges came and licked his sores The beasts many times out-strip man in many duties The Kine of Bethshemesh went streight forward with the Arke and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left but man many times declineth either to the right hand or to the left and he keepeth not this midst The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Esay 1.3 and Ier. 8.7 Yea the storke in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. And the Lord sendeth man to the Ant to learne wisedome Prov. 6.6 Goe to the ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Balaams Asse saw the Angell sooner then Balaam himselfe and therefore is it that the Scripture calleth men beasts and sendeth them to be taught by beasts which sheweth how farre man is degenerated from his first estate and what a low forme hee is in when the beasts are set to teach him Why God gaue his children a small portion in this life It may seeme strange why the Lord distributeth things so that he giveth such plentie and abundance to the rich glutton and so little to Lazarus seeing the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 God who doth all things in wisdome doth not this without good reason The Lord dealeth with his children in this life Simile as he did with the Israelites when he brought them to Canaan Numb 13.17 When he brought them to Canaan South a barren Countrey he made them to goe Southward into the Mountaines the South was a dry and barren part Iudg. 1.15 Thou hast given me a South-land giue me also springs of water so Psal 126.4 Turne againe our captivitie O Lord as the streames in the South hee prayeth that the Lord would refresh them now in the midst of bondage as the waters refreshed the dry and barren South And Iarchi noteth that the Lord did with his people here as Merchants doe who shew the worst cloath first Simile so dealeth the Lord with his children hee sheweth them the worst first and as at the wedding in Cana of Galilie the last wine was the best so is it here the Lord sheweth his children great afflictions and troubles the South part as it were at first but afterwards he bringeth them to the Land that floweth with milke and honey Secondly he bestoweth these outward and temporarie things but sparingly upon his children that hee may draw their hearts to the consideration of better things he giveth the wicked their portion in this life Psal 17.14 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 but he reserveth the good things for his owne children that is the holy Ghost the graces of the Spirit Luk. 11.9 It is a matter of great consequence to discerne what are the gifts of Gods favour Great skill required in discerning the gifts of Gods right hand many men thinke because they haue wealth and prosperitie they are the gifts of Gods favour and they seeme to stand under the Lords right hand but they are deceived Simile When Ephraim and Manasseh were brought before Iacob Ephraim was set at Iacobs left hand and Manasseh at his right hand but Iacob crossed his hands and laid his right hand upon Ephraims head and his left upon the head of Manasseh Gen. 48. So many men who seeme to stand at the Lords right hand shall be set at his left hand and many who seeme to stand at his left hand shall be set at his right hand Lazarus seemeth to stand now at his left hand but stay till you see him die and the Angels carry him to glory and then yee shall see him stand at the Lords right hand It is a point of great wisedome to know the Lords dispensing hand David prayeth Psal 17.7 separa benignitates tuas as if he should say giue us something O Lord that we may be discerned to be thy children from the wicked for by these outward favours wee shall never be knowne to be thy children The Lord careth not to throw a portion of this world to a wicked man as if one should throw a bone to a dogge but he will know well to whom hee giveth this rich gift of eternall life Death separateth the godly from the wicked And it came to passe that the beggar dyed and the rich man also dyed Death maketh a full separation betwixt the children of God and the wicked the sheepe and the goates may feed together for a while but the shepheard separateth them the wheat and the chaffe may lie in one floore together but the fanne separateth them and the good and the bad fish may be both in one net untill they be drawne to the land and the tares and the wheat may grow in one field for a while until the time of harvest so may the godly and the wicked liue together here for a while Simile but death maketh a totall and full separation Moses said to the Israelites stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene to day yee shall see them no more for ever Exod. 14.13 the red Sea made a separation betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians for ever So death separateth the children of God from the wicked that they shall never meete againe Betwixt us and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us Gods children should haue little medling with the world that would come from thence Luk. 16.26 This should teach the children of God to haue little medling with the wicked why because one day there shall be a totall and finall separation and this is a great comfort to his children oftentimes now they are afraid of the incursions of the wicked and of their bloodie hands but then they shall never be afraid of them The gates of the new Ierusalem were not shut at all Revel 21.25 to signifie that there shall be no feare of the enemie there And he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Here consider three things first how it commeth that the Angels are ministring spirits to man secondly what
day farre from them and they said Let us eate let us drinke for tomorrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Many men live now as though they should never dye they make a covenant with death as the Prophet saith Esay 28.16 We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement But they are deceived death is unmercifull it will mak a league with no man this league is made only in the imagination of their owne hearts Fiftly consider the comforts which we have against the grave it is very terrible in it selfe it is called a pit Esa 38.18 darknesse and the Land of oblivion Psal 88.13 The shadow of death Iob 10.21 corruption and destruction and for the power of it it is said to have gates and doores Iob 38.13 and a soule Esay 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatat sepulchrum animam suam Hirhhibbah sheol naphshah the grave hath enlarged her soule so to have hands Psal 49.16 and 89.49 so to have a mouth Ps 141.7 so a sting 1 Cor. 15.55 all those Epithites are to shew how terrible and fearefull it is to a wicked impenitent sinner who lyeth down in it with his sins upon him but to the godly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleeping place it is a place that all men yea even the best must come into Iacob made account to go thither Gen. 37.35 and Iob desired to be there O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave Iob 14.13 Because he knew that it was his house Iob. 17.13 Yea Christ himselfe was there and sanctified it first he bought the grave the price of him that was valued after that Iudas had cast it backe againe was given for a potters field for the buriall of strangers this is the first right which gentiles have to the grave because Christ purchased it unto them Againe Christ was buried in Golgotha where his blood ranne downe upon the graves of the dead that were buried there Thirdly he hath lyen downe in it and whereas it was loathsome before now he hath persumed it so that we may safely lye downe in that bed in which his blessed body lay and lastly he hath the key of the grave to open it when hee pleaseth so that it hath no power to keepe us Revela 1.18 I have the keyes of hell and of death this is a singular comfort to us then who are the Children of God so that we may say better is the day of our death than the day of our birth Sixtly wee should remember that our dead bodies are within the covenant and the Lord forgetteth them not When Iacob went downe to Egypt the Lord promised to bring him backe againe Gen. 46.4 but how did the Lord bring him backe againe seeing he dyed in Egypt The Lord was with him when his bones were brought out of Egypt so the Lord preserveth all the bodies of his Saints and he keepeth all their bones Psal 34.20 yea even when they are in the grave because they are within the Covenant therefore it is called domus viventium the house of the living Lastly that our death may be comfortable unto us let us remember that it doth not onely put an end to our miseries in this life but it is the entrance to glory and everlasting happinesse where we shall see the Lord and his Angels and abide with them eternally Moses is renowned unto the worlds end because hee saw the Lords backe parts onely but we shall not onely see his backeparts but we shall see him as he is even face to face 1 Iohn 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 The Queene of Sheba heard many things of Salomon and yet the halfe was not told her but when shee saw him face to face then shee said Happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee 1 King 10.8 So in this life wee heare many things of Christ the true Salomon and his kingdome but yet the halfe are not told us for the eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 But at the day of our death when our soule shall be separated from our bodies then wee shall see these things and shall say with the Queene of Sheba happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Revel 14.13 If wee consider these things seriously wee shal be inforced to conclude with Salomon here better is the day of death thā the day that one is borne Errata Pag. 32. line 6 for Ezek. r. Esa pag. 43. l. 15. for eate of this r. eate not of this bread but other lesse holy things pag. 68. l. 30. were essentially r. as the cause and the effect pag. 73. l. 8. r. first fruits pag. 82. l. 20. dele done upon pag. 95. l. 1. Pentecost r. Passeover pag. 101. l. 11. dele therefore p. 114. l. 25. r. they blew not at all in the fifty yeere as Masius holdeth but in the forty nine yeere pag. 156. l. 22. for neither r. and his sonnes but not his daughter pag. 168. l. 27. for thee r. his FINIS AN EXPLICATION OF THE IVDICIALL LAWES OF MOSES Plainely discovering divers of their ancient Rites and Customes As in their Governours Government Synedrion Punishments Civill Accompts Contracts Marriages Warres and Burialls Also their Oeconomicks Vizt their dwellings Feasting Clothing and Husbandrie Together with two Treatises the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life and in the life to come The other declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult Texts of Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venia danda primum aliquid experienti By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE COLENE EARLE OF SEAFORT Lord Mackenzee and Kintaill one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Privie Councell in the Kingdome of Scotland Honorable and my very good Lord GOD who is the God of order and not of confusion from whom all good things descend hath placed here below sundry sorts of people Prov. 30.25.26.27.28 the Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the Summer the Conies are but a feeble folke yet make they their houses in the Rocks the Locusts haue no King yet goe they forth all of them by bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings palaces this sort of people differ very much for some of them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which provide onely
the Schoolemen speake their Synagogues and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses of prayer were but Loci ut loci therefore they might not sacrifice in them but when they worshiped in them they turned alwayes their faces towards the Temple The Tabernacle which was the first place commanded for the worship of God was a type of heaven Psal 15.1 Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and when they could not have accesse to the Tabernacle they thought themselves but like the wandring Arabians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protraxit we reade not that Daevid ever dwelt in the tents of Keâ—ar therefore it should be translated as in Kedar that knew not God nor his worship Psal 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourne so long dwelling as in the Tents of Kedar This Tabernacle was divided in three parts the holiest of all the holy place and the court of the people The holiest of all signified heaven the second place signified the state of the old Law where the Priests entered in daily and offered for themselves and the people and the court of the people signified the Church here below The people might not come into the court of the Priests The people might not come into the holiest of all but Esay 56.7 My house shall be called the house of prayer he applyeth this both to the Iewes and Gentiles which Christ applyeth to the Iewes onely in the Temple of Ierusalem and the Prophet speaketh in prototype as Christ in type the Proselytes might not come into the court of the Israelites they stood but in Atrio Gentium in the court of the people but Esay foretelleth that the Gentiles shall have as free accesse to the house of God as the Iewes because his house is the house of prayer and this Salomon foretold 1 King 8.41 If a stranger come from a farre country to call upon thy name then heare thou in heaven that is grant that they may have as great accesse to thee as the Iewes have When Herod built the Temple he wrote an inscription upon the gate of the court of Israel that no stranger should enter in there under the paine of death but now this inscription is changed that whatsoever stranger he be that doth not enter into the house of the Lord shall dye the death before The Levites might not goe into the holy place the people might not enter into the court of the Priest but now wee are all Kings and priests to God 1 Pet. 2.9 before the Levites might enter where the people might not goe they might goe into the court of the Priests but not into the holy place but now all the people are the Lords Levites Mal. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur quia habet ×” praefixum Yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hostes Levi here is put for the whole people and therefore they have as great accesse now as the Priests had Before none might enter into the holiest of all but the High priest once in the yeere Heb. 9.7 but now all have accesse to the throne of grace Heb 4.16 Rom. 5.2 The Tabernacle and the Temple were alike in many things first in the forme A comparisen betwixt the Tabernacle and Temple for the Tabernacle was a paterne to the Temple Againe there was no light in the holiest of all in the Tabernacle In what things they were alike So neyther in the holiest of all in the Temple and the signification was this Rev. 21.23 and the City had no neede of the Sunne neyther of the Moone How the Lord is sayd to dwell in a cloud to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof In the holiest of all there was no light and the High priest when he entred into it kindled smoke and he saw nothing because the Lord dwelleth in a cloud Psal 18.11 he was not able to behold the shecina or glory that dwelt in the holiest there was no externall light that came there but the Lambe was the light and when we shall be glorified wee shall not see that inaccessible light in which hee dwelleth So in the holyest both in the Tabernacle and temple there was no light but the light of the Candlestick no light in the Temple but that which the lampe gave for there were no windows in the Temple to give light to it and it was compassed round about with Chambers that it could have no light Ob. 1 Sam. 3.3 And ere the lampe of God went out in the Temple of the Lord where the Arke of God was and Samuel was layd downe to sleepe Then it may seeme that they had other light than the light of the candlestick Answ Before the lampe of God went out that is before the lampes were changed by the Priests and new lights added and the signification of this was the Church should be directed by no light but by the light of the Word 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe well that yee take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts The Court of the Priests was not covered There was a court for the Priests both in the Tabernacle and Temple and it was not covered above to signifie that the Church here hath more of the light of nature than of the light of grace Againe the Tabernacle and Temple had the like implements both in the Holiest and Holiest of all And last the Tabernacle and the Temple served for the same use for Gods worship In what things the Tabernacle and Temple differed Now let us see wherein they differed First the Tabernacle was moveable and the other was fixed the moveable Tabernacle signified our estate and condition here and the Temple which was unmoveable signified our estate in future glory The Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles Secondly the Temple was much more large than the Tabernacle the Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles as the temple had there was but one golden candlesticke in the Tabernacle and ten in the Temple 1 King 7.49 So in the Tabernacle was but one brasen Laver in the Temple there were ten so there were but two Cherubims in the Tabernacle but foure in the Temple Lastly the Tabernacle indured not so long as the Temple did and when the Tabernacle had no use it was layd up in the Temple The Conclusion of this is Conclusion the Tabernacle gave place to the Temple So both the Temple and the Tabernacle gave way to Iesus Christ who was both the true Tabernacle and Temple and of whom they were but types EXERCITAT IIII. Of the Arke A Ceremoniall Appendix of Command 2. Exod. 25.17 And thou shalt make a Mercie seate of pure Gold c.
were commanded to absteine from the dead and not to come neare their fathers brethren or sisters if they were dead if a man dyed suddenly by them they were defiled and if they touched but one who touched the dead they were defiled the same holinesse was required of them that was required of the highpriest to absteine from the dead Maimone in his treatise of mourning cap. 3. The Iewes say if the Highpriest had lighted upon a dead bodie in the way hee might defile himselfe and bury the dead being alone and none to helpe him So they say if an inferiour Priest and a Nazarite were walking together if he had beene but Nazaraeus dierum he was to burie the dead because his holinesse was not perpetuall but if he had beene a perpetuall Nazarite then the inferior Priest was to bury the dead and not he because as great purity was required in the perpetuall Nazarite as in the Priest concerning the dead Quest Did not Sampson sinne being a Nazarite by touching of the dead bodies and taking off their cloathes Answ He did this by the singular direction of the spirit of the Lord so he dranke of the water which flowed out of the law bone of the Asse and eate of the honey which was in the dead Lion which were al unclean by the law The heathen Priests learned of them not to touch the dead Seneca consolatione ad Marcian cap 15. the Flaminian Priests might not put shoes upon their feete of the leather of that beast which dyed of it selfe and if a Priest happened to have a funerall oration before the dead corpes he used to stretch a vaile betwixt him and the corpes that he might not see it Non licebat Flamini Diali tibias funebres-audire nec locum in quo bustum erat ingredi A Flaminian Priest might not heare the sound of the pipes which were at burialls neither might he come into that place where there was a grave The third thing was this that no Rasor came upon their head they suffered their haire to grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intonsi therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel intonsi and if they were voluntary Nazarits no Razor might come upon their heads untill the vow was expired and then their haire was cut and cast under the Altar burnt but if they were perpetuall Nazarits there came never a razor upon their head but their haire was onely cut about and this was cincta caesaries Dalila cut off Sampsons haire yet he ceased not to be a Nazarit for the Angell said that he should be a NaZarit unto his death The haire was a signe of strength and as long as Sampson kept his haire hee kept his strength and God threatning to weaken the estate of his people useth this similitude that he will shaue the haire with a razor Esay 7.20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor When the voluntary Nazaret vowed a vow for thirty dayes and in the meane time defiled himselfe by touching of the dead if the whole time had beene spent to one day and then if he had touched any uncleane thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these former dayes were reckoned nothing to him Iob. 3.6 Naphal fugient aut dilabentur Onkelos inutiles erunt Perire diem ad embolismum pertinet or let let them be reckoned amongst the intercalar dayes which were not numbered amongst the dayes of the yeere and he was to begin his vow anew againe so it is in the course of our sanctification when we haue gone on a while in it and then fall into some great sinne in that case we are to begin our sanctification anew againe Act. 7.42 O yee house of Israel have ye offered to me slaine beasts and sacrificed by the space of forty yeeres in the Wildernesse They offered to the Lord sundry times in the Wildernes according to his ordinance but because now they fell to worship Idols therefore the Lord reckoned the former sacrifices as though they had not beene offered to him When the Israelites had travelled to the confines of Moab to Kadesh-Barnea they fell a murmuring there against the Lord therefore the Lord brought them backe againe after that they had passed sixteene stationes Num. 33.20.35 To the red Sea in which they were baptized 1 Cor. 10.2 So when we fall from the Lord we are to returne backe againe to our Baptisme and first vow And he came and dwelt in Nazaret that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Matth. 2.23 And he shall be a Nasarit to the Lord. Quest How were these two accomplished in Christ he was called both a Nasarit and a Nazarit Answ Christ was a Nazaret the true branch of the roote of lesse Nazaraus vot◠Nazarenus habitatione and he was a Nasarit truly separate to the Lord and Satan acknowledged him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 4. As Sampsō was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctified to the Lord in type 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctus and he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oriundus ex Nazaret and in the title of Christs Crosse there was an allusion to that plate of gold which was upon the forehead of the high Priest and therefore Aaron was called the Saint of the Lord because he had holinesse to the Lord written in his forehead that plate of gold was called Nezer it had written upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 30.39 It was written that is ingraven in the plate Christ was that true Nazarit holy blamelesse and undefiled we are to marke that the Seventy to facilitate words and to make them the more easie to be pronounced write the words different from the Hebrew as they say Samaria for Shemron so Solomon for Shelomoh so Nasareus for Nazareus the devil being well acquainted with all languages could cal Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting S for Z so in the inscription upon the Crosse they call him that Nasarit or Nazarit Ob. But Christ did drinke wine therfore he cannot be called Nasarit but Nazarit onely Answ He was not a legall Nasarit for he fulfilled that in his forerunner Iohn the Baptist but he was the true Nasarit separated from sinners the Iewes in contempt called Christ a Nazarit and so Iulian the apostate called Christ a Galilean because Nazarit stood in Galilee and it was for this that the Christians were called at the first Nazaraei but afterward their name was changed at Antioch and they were called Mesichijm Christiani From the cutting of the Nazarits haire they brought in shaving of the heads in the Christian Church and they said that long haire signified superfluity in manners hence came this speech afterwards Tonso capite fieri monachus
was a great worke but it was not a miracle it was onely an inlarging of Nature Secundum naturam Prater naturam Supra naturam Contra. naturam God worketh not contrary to nature God worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he worketh never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Nature when he maketh a man see ordinarily so he worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides Nature when he made Stevens eye to see to the third Heaven Act. 7. But when he made the blind to see this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When a yong woman conceiveth and beareth a child this is according to Nature but when Sarah bare a sonne After that it ceased to be with her after the manner of women Gen. 18.11 This was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides nature but when the Virgin Mary bare a sonne this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above Nature The Lord reserveth foure keyes to himselfe She shall bring forth children the Lord is he that giveth children to the barren Ier 31.27 I will sowe the house of Iuda and the house of Israel with the seed of men The paraphrast of Ierusalem in Gen. 30.4 setteth downe foure keyes the first is clavis foecunditatis ad aperiendum the key of fertility to open the wombe and sterilitatis ad oceludendum of barrennesse to shut the wombe Gen. 30.22 God remembred Rahel and opened her wombe Secondly clavis pluviae Deu. 28.12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasures the heavens to give raine unto the Land in due season The third is clavis cibationis the key of feeding Psal 145. Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing And the fourth is clavis sepulchre the key of the grave Ezek. 37.12 And I shall open your graves She shall give seed The woman giveth seed in generation the woman giveth seed in the generation as well as the man it should not be translated Si semen conceperit aut susceperit for that is contrary to the nature of the Active conjugation hiphil and it is oftentimes spoken in the Scriptures of trees and herbes sementare semen which cannot be translated suscipere semenâ— So Heb. 11.11 Sarah received strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not susceptio sed jactus or the casting out of the seed as when the Husbandman casteth the seed into the ground that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the casting out of the seed The Syriacke paraphrase doth not paraphrase it rightly ut susceperit aut conceperit semen that she might conceive seed The Anabaptiste deny that Iesus Christ tooke flesh of the Virgin Mary but that he passed through her The errour of the Anabaptists as water doth the row a golden Pipe and their chiefe reason is because as they say Women give no seed in generation but this Text sheweth the contrary So Levit 1â— 2 And if Christ had not taken flesh of the Virgin Mary he had never been our Goel but as our neere kinseman he has redeemed us from eternall damnation Lastly observe The Word of God like the bitter water as this bitter water made the guilty womans thigh to rot so it maketh her that is innocent to conceive So the Word of God which is the savour of death unto death to the wicked is the savour of life unto life to the godly The conclusion of this is Conclusion God findeth out punisheth all sinne but especially adultery He will â—uagerwomen that breake wedlocke Ezek. â—6 28 And he shall be a swift witnesse against adulterers Mal. 3.5 Commandement VIII EXERCITAT XXXI Of devouring of holy things A ceremoniall appendix of Command 8. Prov. 20.25 It is a snare for a man to devour that which is holy and after Vowes to make inquiry Sacriledge compared to a snare IT is a snare for a man to devour holy things a snare is set as a trape to catch Ier. 5.26 When the fowler layeth his snare he scattereth some Corne about it to draw the Birds to it then the snare catcheth the Birds and lastly the fowler destroyeth them when Sacrilegious men meddle with holy things to devour them they see some hope of gaine there which allureth them but there is a snare laid secretly to catch them and then the Lord who taketh them justly destroyeth them for meddling with holy things The judgements of God upon those who have devoured holy things There was never one that medled with those holy things to devour them or turne them to their owne private use and commodity but it was a snare to him Iehoiakim tooke the Cedar out of the house of God and seiled his owne Windowes with it and painted it with Vermilion that it should not be knowne to be the seiling of the house of God but see what judgements befell to him quia commiscuit se cum ista cedrâ— because he meddled with that Cedar turned it to his owne use the Lord saith They shall not lament for him he shall be buried with the buriall of an Asse drawne and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem Iere. 22.19 And see what judgements befell to Nebuchadnezzer because he robbed the Temple and to Belshazzer becaused hee dranke in the Vessels of the House of the Lord And what befell Sbishak King of Egypt and to Crassus for robbing of the Temple of the Lord All these doe let us see what a snare it is to devour holy things Abimelech when he burnt the house of Baal Berith the Idol his snare catched him quickely because he medled with the house of Baal which he tooke to be a god hee was killed by a Woman with a piece of a Milstone Iudg 9.53 How dangerous a thing is it then to rob the house of the living God Dionysius the Tyrant after he had robbed the Temple of Apollo and finding a good goale of wind as he returned home he jestingly said O how doth sacrilege please the Gods But here the Lord saith It is a snare to devour that which is holy When the Heathen were sacrificing Simile there came an Eagle to the Altar and caught a peece of the sacrifice from it but a coale did cleave to the flesh which she carrying into her nest burnt her nest her yong ones and she hardly escaped her selfe it is easie for any to apply this who is not a mocker as Dionysius was So it was a snare to the sonnes of Eli to take that part of the Sacrifice which belonged not to them so it was a snare to those in the dayes of Malachy Who with-held the tithes from the house of God and so to the Priests who changed and alienated their Portions Ezek. 48.14 And so to those who delayed to pay their vowes So the Hebrewes say What it is to transgresse in holy things that to transgresse in the holy things is sacriledge as if they did eate the tithe of their
to Ieremiah as being cozen german to Hanameel We have morgaged the Inheritance of heaven but Iesus Christ who is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones hath redeemed it to us againe The third thing which the Goel did to his kinsman The Goel redeemed his kinsman out of prison he redeemed him out of prison so we being condemned to everlasting prison Zach. 9.11 our Goel hath redeemed us It may be asked why our Goel should give any price for our redemption Quest seeing we were sold freely without any money Esay 50.1 for according to the Law of Redemption the Redeemer should pay no more than was paid The divell death Answ How we are said to bee redeemed freely and sinne our enemies to whom we were slaves gave nothing for us they held us as tyrants and unjust possessors wherefore when we were redeemed without money we were redeemed freely both in respect of our selves who paid nothing and also in respect of the Divell Sinne and Death we are redeemed freely for nothing was paid to them because they gave nothing for us but because we are sold from the Lord who was our right owner the price behoved to be paid to him and so 1 Pet. 1.18 We are not redeemed with corruptible gold or silver but with his precious blood He that is our Redeemer then first he is our neere kinsman and hath priviledge to redeeme us next hee hath taken the prey from the unjust possessor thirdly he payed no ransome to him Lastly the ransome that our Goel paid for our Redemption was his owne blood Sanguis est redemptionis jus redemptionis pretium It is both the right of redemption and the price of redemption Ephes 1.7 In whom wee have redemption through his blood Thou that art redeemed rejoyce in thy liberty secondly take not that yoake of servitude againe upon thee thirdly shew thy selfe a servant of obedience to righteousnesse The priviledges which the first borne had done to him were three first he had the double poâ—tion of his fathers goods and secondly all the inheritance and thirdly his brother was bound to raise up seed to him So Iesus Christ our eldest brother hath gifts above his brethren and anoynted above his fellowes therefore the whole inheritance belongeth unto him but this is the difference betwixt our eldest brother and other elder brethren The difference betwixt Christ and other elder brothers here the eldest brother getteth all the inheritance and the rest are excluded but our eldest brother Iesus Christ secludes not us from the inheritance but makes us coheires with himselfe Rom. 8. We use to say of our friends that we can see them need but wee will not see them bleed but Iesus Christ our neerest kinsman he will neither see us need nor bleed but revenges our blood and prepareth a kingdome for us The second thing which was done to the eldest brother was this if he dyed without children then his brother was bound to raise up seed to him and the children which his brother begot were not called his children but his eldest brothers Ruth 4. and if he refused to doe this duty to his eldest brother then they spat in his face and pulled off his shooe and he was called discalceatus in Israele that is lost his possession in Israel Now let us come to the application of this ceremony who is the eldest brother here Christ who are the second brothers that are bound to raise up seede unto him the Preachers Christ shall never want a seede in his Church till the Worlds end Psal 72.5 Christ shall never want a seed in the Church They shall feare thee as long as the sunne and the moone endureth throughout all generations Secondly CHRIST promiseth to be with his Church to the end of the world then this seede shall endure to the end of the world Thirdly the covenant made with this seede shall endure for ever Hos 2.19 Therefore this seede must endure for ever Fourthly the seales of the covenant and the people within the covenant must endure for ever 1 Cor. 11.26 Yee shew the Lords death till he come againe Fiftly see what an expresse promise our eldest brother hath that hee shall never want a seede Psal 72.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filiabitur nomen eius vel sobole scet nomen eius ijnnon filiabitur nomen ejus the Seventy transleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permanebit he shall not want a posterity to continue his name for ever when Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel came against Ierusalem to besiege it Esay 7 Achaz trembled and feared exceedingly that the two Kings should sacke the City and waste all but what doeth the Lord to confirme Achaz he causeth Esay the Prophet to bring forth his young sonne in his hand Shear-jashub which signified the rest shall returne and that there shall bee a remnant seede left still in Iuda Esay 1.9 Who shall be saved in the midst of all their desolations 2 Chro. 28. so when we see the Church like to be made havocke of let us looke up to God the Father bringing out his Sonne Iesus Christ Shear-jashub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reliquum revertetur to confirme us against the strength and power of the great Kings of the world Pekah and Rezin that there shall alwayes be a seed and a remnant left for the Lord and that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against his Church when Er was dead Onan was bound to raise up seed unto him and when Onan refused then Shelah was bound to performe this duty so there shall bee some still to performe this duty to their elder Brother Christ The second brother raised up seed to the eldest brother but the children were called the eldest brothers children A Minister should not seeke his owne praise Hence wee learne that a faithfull pastor should not seeke his owne praise but the honor of his eldest Brother Christ if he seeke his owne praise then he begetteth but children to himselfe when Ioab besieged Rabba and was ready to take it hee sent unto David saying come thou and take it lest the victory be attributed to me so should all faithfull Preachers be exceeding carefull that whatsoever they doe the praise may belong to their elder brother Preachers are but the Bridegroomes friends they should not sue for themselves but for the Bridegroome when Sampson sent one to be spokesman for a wife to him Iudg. 14. â—0 this spokesman tooke the woman to himselfe he is not a faithfull spokesman that sues for himselfe the Preachers are but the children of the wedding or the Bridgroomes freinds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that should be our highest credit 2 Cor. 4.5 I doe not preach my selfe but the Lord Iesus and my selfe your servant for his sake and let us be content with Iohn the Baptist to decrease that Christ may encrease and labour to exalt
and the fooles in his left side How the wise mans heart is said to be in his right side the reason why the fooles heart is said to be in his left side is because the blood for the most part falleth to the left side and so the heart that is dull is said to be in the left side but the spirits againe ascend from the left side to the right and so the wise mans heart is said to be in his right side because he hath more understanding So in pleading before the judges the accused stood at the left hand of the accuser as Satan stood at the right hand of Ioshua but if the accused prevailed in judgement and the accuser succumbed then he was shifted from the right hand to the left hand then he was said to lose his cause But when the Scripture speakes of protection The left hand put first for protection it putteth the left hand first Psal 16.8 Because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Then David stood at his left hand So Psal 129.5 The Lord is thy defence at thy right hand So when Iob prayeth Iob 17.3 Pone me juxta te set me by thee that is at thy left hand that thou mayest defend me with thy right hand Lastly when the heart and the hand are compared together then the left hand is the chiefe hand therefore the Iewes wore their Phylacteries upon their left arme because it was nearest their heart and so the Latines say of him that went at the left hand Ambulare introrsum vel extrorsum quid ambulare introrsum because that hand was nearest the heart and of him that goeth at the right hand they say of him ambulare extrorsum and we use to say when we give a man the left hand we give him the hand that is nearest the heart Standing at his right hand To stand in the Scriptures is either to pray Stand taken diversly Stare pro orare as Abraham is said to stand before the Lord that is to pray and the Publican stood a farre off that is prayed So Iere. 18.20 Remember that I stood before thee to speake for them and to turne away thy wrath from them and the Hebrewes say Sine stationibus non subsisteret mundus that is without prayers the world could not endure because they stood when they prayed Secondly to stand signifies to serve Pr. 22.29 Seest thou a servant diligent in his businesse Stare pro servire this man shall stand before Kings that is serve Psal 135.2 Yee who stand in the Courts of the Lord that is who serve Thirdly to stand in the Scripture is to stand to be judged before a Iudge Stare pro judicare as Exod. 17.14 Why doth the people stand all the day long So amongst the Latines Stare in judicio cadere causa Psal 1.5 Impij non stabunt in judicio that is they shall lose their cause now Ioshua stood here praying Ioshua stood here ready to serve and Ioshua stood as accused He shewed me Satan standing at the right hand of Ioshua Foure chiefe combats betwixt God and the Divell We may marke foure singular strifes betwixt God and the Divell about foure singular of the Lords valiant ones The first was betweene God and Satan about Iob cap. 1 The second was betwixt Michael the Archangell and the Divell about the body of Moses Iude 9. The third was betwixt Christ and the Divell about the High-priest Ioshua here The fourth was betwixt Christ and the Divell about the faith of Peter Luc. 22.31 In the first strife betwixt God and the Divell about Iob it might seeme strange that God gave such a way to Satan in this conflict but if we will consider Gods end in it Why God suffered Satan to afflict Iob. we shall see both his wisedome and goodnesse in it for God did not expose Iob to these trials that the Divell might swallow him up but both that he might get the greater glory by this his Champion Iob and that the Church might learne patience by this example yee have heard the patience of Iob Iam. 5.11 The Lord delighted here to see his champion Iob wrestle and to returne victorious God taketh delight to see his children fight with Satan and to put Satan to the foyle the Romane Emperours used to keepe Lyons in cages and they used to cast in condemned persons to them to fight to the death with them wee read in Tertullian how conclamatum est Christiani ad Leones so the Lord keepeth the Divels in Cages and brings not out slaves and condemned wretches to fight with them but his most notable champions whom he knowes will report the Victory and therefore hee delights to behold this conflict The second reason why the Lord put Iob to these hard tryals was for the good of his Church for even as the Physitians keepe the bodies of the condemned to make anatomies of them for the good of others so the Lord kept Iob for this tryall for the good of the Church that they might remember the patience of Iob. The second great strife was betwixt Michael the Archangell and the Divell about the body of Moses A second strife betwixt Christ and Satan about the body of Moses Iude 9. It is strange to see how Satan dealeth with Moses when Moses was living nothing but stone him to death but now when he is dead he would make an Idoll of his body and set it up to be worshipped and that which hee could not effectuate by him when hee was living he goes about to effectuate it now by his dead body It was a great sinne first to kill the Prophets and then to erect Sepulchres to them Matth. 23.29 Woe unto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites because c. but this is a greater sinne first to kill Moses and then afer his death to labour to make an Idoll of him but the Lord had a great respect to Moses who was faithfull in all his house Heb. 3.5 when hee was living so now when he was dead hee preserved this his body and buried it honorably with his owne hands where the devill knoweth not The third strife betwixt CHRIST and the Devill was about Ioshua the Highpriest Satan accuses Ioshua for standing before the LORD in soiled apparrell but the Lord takes his defence putteth Satan to rebuke putteth new apparell upon Ioshua and setteth a crowne upon his head The fourth strife was about Peters faith Satan sought to winnow Peter as wheat but Christ prayed for Peters faith that it should not faile Luc. 22.31 The devill gave his faith a shrewd blow and sifted him strangely when he made him deny his master thrice But Christ saved him by his intercession We are to make use of these conflicts 2 Cor. 10.13 that God will not suffer us to be tempted above that wee are able God will not suffer us to be tempted above our power but
transgressionum mearum And lastly they oppose themselues against his Gospell they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aven gilajon nuntium vanum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly if ye will respect their dealing with us in civill matters they are worthy to be secluded from the societie of Christians They care not to forsweare themselues to us Christians they are most mercilesse usurers in exacting from the Christians and they who professe Physicke amongst them care not to poyson Christians whom they call Goijm Gentiles And if we shall adde further that no false Religion should be tolerated and the Lord commanded heretickes to be put to death how then should they be suffered in a Christian Common-wealth What Iewes may be sufsered in a Common-wealth and who not But we must put a difference betwixt these miscreants who raile against the Lord Iesus Christ and blaspheme his name and those poore wretches who liue in blindnes yet but do not raile blasphemously against Christ those we should pitie The reasons that should moue us to pitie the Iewes First we should pitie them for their fathers cause the Patriarchs Secondly we should pitie them because Christ is come of them who is blessed for ever thirdly the Oracles of God were committed to them Rom. 3.2 and the law was the inheritance of Iacob Deut. 33.4 they were faithfull keepers of the same to others and they were like a lanterne who held out the light to others although they saw not with it themselues Fourthly when we Gentiles were out of the Covenant they prayed for us Cant. 8.8 We haue a little sister what shall we doe for her So when they are out of the Covenant We haue an Elder brother Luk. 16. what shall we doe for him And lastly because of the hope of their conversion that they shall be graffed in againe Rom. 11. Some Christian Common-wealths admit them but with these Caveats Caveat 1 First that they submit themselues to the positiue Lawes of the Countrie wherein they liue Caveat 2 Secondly that they raile not against Christ and be not offensiue to the Christians Caveat 3 Thirdly that they be not suffered to marrie with the Christians to seduce them Caveat 4 Fourthly that they be not permitted to exhaust Christians with their usurie Caveat 5 Fiftly that they be not admitted to any publicke charge and that they be distinguished from the rest of the people by some badge or by their apparell with these Caveats sundry Common-wealths haue admitted them CHAPTER XVI Of the Synedrion of the Iewes MAT. 5.22 But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Iudgement and whosoever shall say to his brother Raca shall be in danger of the Councell THis word Synedrion is a greeke word but changed and made a Syriack word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sitters in judgement and Sanhedrin are the Iudges who sat in the Councell and the place it selfe was called Synedrion In the Syriack Domus judiciorum The difference betwixt Domus judiciorum and Domus Iudicum and Domus Iudicum differunt Domus judiciorum is the house where the Counsellers met and Domus Iudicum according to the Syriack and Chaldy phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domus Iudicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Domus judicij signifieth the Iudges themselues So the Chaldees when they expresse the Trinitie they call it Domus Iudicij because there were three that sat in their lesser Iudicatorie and when Beth dina signifieth the Iudges themselues it hath the point aboue judh but when it signifieth the place of Iudgement it hath the point under judh There were two sorts of these Synedria amongst the Iewes the great Councell and the lesser the great Councell was called â—anhedrin Gedolah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the lesser was called Sanhedrin Ketannah The great Synedrion sate at Ierusalem onely the lesser Synedria sat in other places also and they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicia Allusion Vide Guilelâ— Schickardum de jure regio Ludovic de Dieu The great Synedrion sat in Ierusalem onely and Christ alludeth to this Mat. 23.37 A Prophet might not die out of Ierusalem So O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets Mat. 23.37 The great Synedrion judged onely of a Prophet The great Synedrion divided into fiue parts But Gabinius the Proconsul of Syria divided this great Synedrion which sat onely at Ierusalem into fiue parts whereof he placed one at Ierusalem another in Gadara the third in Amathus towards the red Sea the fourth in Iericho and the fift he placed in Sephra in Galilie And Christ meant of these Councels when he sayes they will deliver you up to the Councels Mat. 10.17 At this time the great Synedrion was divided into fiue parts They shall deliver you up to the Councels and they will scourge you in their Synagogues What meant by Synagogues and Councels by their Synagogues he meant their Ecclesiasticall Iudicatories by the Councels their civill The number that sat in this great Iudicatorie were seventie and two six chosen out of every tribe but for making the number round they are called Seventie the Scripture useth sometimes when the number is not full Retundatio numeri quid to expresse the full number as Iudg. 11.5 Abimelech killed his brethren which were threescore and ten persons there were but threescore and nine of them for Iotham fled So Gen. 42.13 Thy servants are twelue brethren the sonnes of one man although Ioseph was thought to be dead yet to make up the number because he had once twelue sonnes they are called the twelue sonnes of Iacob So Num. 14.33 And your children shall wander in the Wildernesse fortie yeares according to the number of the dayes that the Spyes searched the Land this was spoken to them two yeares after they came out of Egypt yet the number is made up here and it is called fortie yeares So 1 Cor. 15.5 He was seene of the twelue there were but eleven of them at this time for Iudas was dead and Matthias was not chosen as yet yet he calleth them twelue because they were once twelue to make up the number Sometimes againe although there be moe for making round the number they take away some as Luke 10.1 the Syriack hath it the seventie two Disciples yet it is translated the seventie Disciples So the Seventie two who translated the Bible are called the Seventie The Lord charged Moses to gather Seventie of the Elders of Israel Moses said how shall I doe this If I shall choose sixe out of every Tribe then there shall be sixty and two The uncertaine conjecture of Sol Iarchi concerning their Election of the Seventie and if I shall choose but fiue out of every Tribe then there will be ten wanting and if I shall choose sixe out of one Tribe and but fiue out of another Tribe that will breed but
strife amongst them What doth he then He made choise of sixe out of every Tribe and he brought forth seventie two blanke papers upon seventie of the papers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Senex he wrote Zaken senex and upon the two that remained hee wrote Hhelek pars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pars. Now when the Tribes drew their Lots out of the Boxe he who drew Zaken senex Moses said unto him Antea sanctificavit te deus benedictus but he who drew Hhelek pars he said unto him Non cupit te deus The Hebrewes say that Eldad and Medad Num. 11.26 were of those who were written but they went not out into the Tabernacle because they drew Hhelek pars but not Zaken senex they were inter conscriptos say they but not inter electos and so the number seventie is made up without them There were two Presidents in this Councell Two Presidents in the Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princeps the first chosen in respect of his power dignitie and wisedome and he was called Nashi princeps and Rosh hajeshibhah Pater consessus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater Consessus and he it was as the Iewes say that succeeded Moses The order how they sat in Iudgement who was the principall and the chiefe in the Councell and upon his right hand sat he who was greatest amongst the seventie and he was called Abh beth din pater consistorij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater Consistorij the rest sat according to their dignitie and age next to the Prince and they sat in a circuit or a halfe Moone that both the Presidents might haue them in their sight The time when they sat in these Iudicatories The time when they sat the great Iudicatorie sat every day except on the Sabbath and festivall dayes and when they sat the little Synedrion sat but from the morning Sacrifice untill the sixt houre that is untill our twelue but the great Synedrion sat from the morning Sacrifice untill the evening Sacrifice that is untill our three of the clocke in the afternoone What matters were judged in the great Synedrion The matters which they judged in this Iudicatorie were matters of greatest weight as to judge of a false Prophet when to make warres appointing Magistrates for inferior Cities so for cutting off of a Tribe and punishing the high Priest and whether an Apostate Citie should be raised and cast downe or not and they say that none might giue the bitter waters to the woman suspected of Adulterie but this Iudicatorie Num. 5.29 So they say when a man was killed and the killer not knowne none might measure from the place where the man was killed to the next Citie Deut. 21.7 but the Elders of the great Synedrion this case was onely tryed by them So the raising up seed to his brother and pulling off his shoe if he refused these were tryed by the great Synedrion Obiect Bellarmines argument to proue the Pope to be aboue secular Iudges Bellarmine the Iesuite to proue the Pope to be aboue secular Iudges alledgeth Deut. 17.12 The man that doth presumptuously and will not hearken unto the Priest and to the Iudge even that man shall die Here he saith the Magistrate doth onely execute the sentence of the Priest But first ex decreto judicis is not in the originall Answ but according to the sentence of the Law Deut. 17.11 and the word should be read disjunctivè He that hearkeneth not unto the Priest or unto the Iudge c. And by the Priest here is understood not onely the high Priest but other Priests Vers 9. When the high Priest and the Iudges sat together then he that hearkened not to the sentence given by the Iudge and interpreted by the Priest was to die so he who hearkened not unto the Iudge although the Priest was not there was to die for these Iudicatories which are conjoyned are sometimes distinguished Deut. 17.12 2 Chro. 19.8 and they must be interpreted respectiuely as the Lawyers speake In the lesser Iudicatorie When they might judge of capitall crimes in the lesser Iudicatorie they might not judge of a capitall crime unlesse they were twentie three a full number so they judged of a beast that had killed a man or lien with a woman to be put to death Levit. 20.16 The seventie whom Moses chose now at the commandement of the Lord Num. 11.25 The difference betwixt the seventie which Moses chose and the seventie which were chosen at the direction of Iethro differed from the seventie whom he chose at the commandement of Iethro Exod. 18. they excelled the former seventie far in gifts for they had the spirit of Moses upon them and as the Mantle of Elijah when it was put about Elisha then the spirit came upon him The spirit of Moses was not diminished when it was put upon the seventie so came the spirit of Moses upon the seventie and the spirit of Moses was not diminished when it came upon the seventie but the spirit of Moses in that houre was like the middle lamp of the Candlestick from the middle Lamp the rest were lighted but the light of this Lamp was not diminished so the spirit of Moses was not diminished when it came upon the seventie Moses spirit of judgement was upon them all but not his other gifts as Moses was mightie in words and deed but not they Moses was the meekest man in the world but not they One Moses ruling in a Councell will make it famous but to haue seventie like Moses sitting in a Councell for they had the same spirit of ruling which Moses had that made it to excell all the Councels in the world even Areopagus in Athens and the Senate in Rome and if we shall marke the unitie that was in this Councell then we shall more admire it Object Whether had the Seventie this gift of Prophesie continually or not Answ They prophesied for a day but no more therefore the Text said Prophetarunt non addiderunt i.e. prophetare The seventy which Moses chose had not this gift of Prophesie continually and so the phrase is used by the Hebrewes Gen. 8.12 Non addidit redire She returned not againe so 1 Sam. 15. Non addidit Samuel redire ad Saulem that is he saw him no more so Prophetarunt et non addiderunt that is they prophesied that day and no more Conclusion The conclusion of this is the Lord did sit here in the midst of this great judicatorie and he was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was the President of their Councell and therefore they that hearkened not to this Councell were worthy to die CHAPTER XVII Whether a Iudge is bound to giue sentence according to things prooved and alledged or according to his owne private knowledge EXOD. 23 1. Thou shalt not receiue a report put not thine hand
twelue moneths fiue dayes and sixe houres which sixe houres every fourth yeare maketh up a day and this yeare we call leape yeare these eleven odde dayes are not cast away they are insititij dies or ingrafted daies as a graft is grafted in a tree and they are called the Epact because they are cast to to the end of the year for to reduce the Moones course to the course of the Sunne neither are they left as dies desultorij to runne at randome through all the moneths of the yeare This time of the Epact with them is counted as no time and they illustrate the matter thus The embolimie epact counted as no time A man had thirty sonnes and thirty daughters and three which were neither his sonnes nor his daughters but abortives borne out of time these thirty sonnes and thirty daughters were the dayes the nights of the moneths and the three odde dayes after the third embolimie were reserved as insititij dies untill the next embolimie and were no part of the moneths of the yeare untill the seventh embolimie The spirituall use which the Scripture maketh of the Moone is first to shew us the instabilitie of the world therefore Revel 12.1 the Church is the woman cloathed with the Sunne having the moone under her feet to signifie that the Church shall tread under foote the changeable world Secondly as the Moone changeth so doth the life of man Iob 14. while my change come so Prov. 31.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filii mutationis aperi ostuum in causa filiorum mutationis that is for him that is going to be put to death and as we pray when the Moone changeth Lord send us a good change so should we pray especially when we are ready to die that the Lord would giue us a happie change CHAPTER XXVIII Of their Yeare 2 CHRO 24.23 And it came to passe at the end of the yeare or in the revolution of the yeare that the Host of Assyria came up THe Iewes had a twofold beginning of the reckoning of their yeare the first was from Tishri the second was from Nisan They began their first reckoning from Tishri in the moneth Elul their yeare ended and in this moneth their new yeare began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revolutio this was called Tekuphah revolutio anni 1 King 20.26 it was in this moneth that the Kings went forth to battaile 2 Sam. 11.1 And it came to passe when the yeare was expired at the time when Kings went out to battaile They went out to battaile at this time of the yeare because then the heat of the yeare was declining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mensis Antiquorum and the Chaldees called this moneth Mensis Ethanim id est veterum 1 King 8.2 In this moneth they began to reckon before they came out of Egypt because the Iewes held that the world was created in this moneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chaldaicè Pueritia et Hyems this moneth is called Hhoreph pueritia for as Tishri is the beginning of the yeare Gen. 8.22 so the beginning of our age is our childhood Iob 29.4 Their Ecclesiasticall reckoning began in Nisan Their Ecclesiasticall reckoning began in Nisan Exod 12.1 Chron. 12.15 These are they who went over Iordan in the first moneth when Iordan had overstowed all the bankes this was in the moneth Nisan for then the snow melteth upon the mountaines of Libanus and the waters overflow the banks of Iordan Ioh. 4.35 Say ye not there are yet foure moneths and then commeth the harvest that is the Pascha and the Pentecost the first was the beginning of the harvest and the last was the end of the harvest the beginning of the harvest fell in the first moneth of the yeare in Nisan for on the fourteenth day was the Pascha on the fifteenth day they brought in handfuls of new Corne and Zach. 7.1 The word of the Lord came unto Zachariah in the fourth day of the ninth moneth even in Chisleu that is in the ninth from Nisan So the feast of the Tabernacles was kept in the seventh moneth Tishri which is the seventh from Nisan From Nisan they reckoned their feasts What they reckoned from every moneth the reigne of their Kings their contracts bonds and Obligations From Elul answering to our August they reckoned the age of their young beasts which they were to offer to the Lord none of their beasts were offered before Elul Thirdly from Tishri answering to our September they reckoned the seventh yeare of the resting of their land and their Iubilees Vide Buxtor Synag and from this time they reckoned how long their trees were circumcised or uncircumcised Fourthly from Shebat answering to our Ianuary they reckoned all their trees which payed fruit they payed tithe onely of these trees which began to flourish at that time The conclusion of this is Conclusion As the Lord changed the reckoning of the Iewes from Tishri to Nisan because the Iewes then were delivered out of Egypt so the Lord hath changed our reckoning now from the old Sabbath of the Iewes to the new reckoning of our Sabbath because this day our delivery and redemption was finished 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are passed away behold all things are become new CHAPTER XXIX Of their numbring and manner of counting PRO. 3.6 Wisedome commeth with length of dayes in her right hand THey numbered of old three manner of wayes first by their fingers secondly by letters and thirdly by Ciphers First by their fingers for as their first measure was their hand Esay 40.12 Who hath measured the waters with the hollow of his hand and met out the heavens with his span So their first numbering was by their fingers and Salomon alludeth to this forme Pro. 3.6 Wisedome cōmeth with length of dayes in her right hand The Greeks called this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they numbered upon their fiue fingers Lib. 2. Fast so Ovidius Seu quia tot digitis per quos numerare Solemus So Invenal writing of Nestor Sua dextra computat annos They numbered upon their ten fingers because no simple number can go beyond nine and the tenth number is the complement of all simple numbers They numbered first with their right hand upon the left because the right was the most fit hand for action for the spirits lie in the right side of the heart and so make the right hand more fit to doe any thing and the bloud lieth more to the left side and therefore the left hand is not so fit for action Salomon saith that the wise mans heart is at his right hand Eccles 10.2 the spirits enableth his hand more to doe and the fooles is at his left hand because there are not so many spirits in the left side of the heart to quicken the hand but when the spirits encline equally to both the sides then he is Itter jad ambidexter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
two for one Three sorts of Precepts amongst the Hebrewes or foure for one or at the most fiue for one not aboue The Hebrewes had three sorts of Commandements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graviae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Media 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praecepta first they had Mitzboth Hhamuroth Praecepta gravia and Mitzboth Kalloth Praecepta levia those which they call Praecepta gravia here they say the punishment is alwayes indispensable as the murtherer is alwayes to die the death Secondly they had Praecepta levia as not to kill the dam sitting upon the egges this was one of the judiciall Lawes of the lightest sort for there was no punishment in Israel for transgression of this Law so if an Oxe had killed a man his flesh was not to be eaten this was one of their judiciall Lawes but if a man had eaten the flesh of such an Oxe he was not to die for it Thirdly they say they had Praecepta media where the punishment might be enlarged or diminished but not unto death as in theft How affirmatiue and negatiue Precepts bind Affirmatiue commandements binde not so strictly as Negatiues doe this is a Negatiue yee shall not suffer a Witch to liue but this is an Affirmatiue that the theefe shall pay fourefold or fiue this Law had sundry exceptions and mitigations it might be extended or mitigated he was bound to pay fourefold but yet the Magistrate might haue mitigated this and taken but twofold from him and they might haue extended it further as Salomon extendeth it to sevenfold Proverb 6.31 Ieshallem Shibhgnathaijm he shall pay sevenfold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhat the doubling of the duall nūber among the Hebrewes signifieth the Hebrewes double the duall number ten in the duall number is twentie three is thirtie and foure is fortie but when they come to seaven here they double not The light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold then he addeth for explanation as the light of seven dayes Esa 30.26 Here Shibhgnathaijm doubleth not in the duall number as in the former numbers but onely standeth for seven he shall pay Shibhgnathaijm VVhat the number seven signifieth that is seven for one some interpret it a definite number for an indefinite or he shall pay sevenfold that is as much as two for foure but it is not the manner of the Scriptures to take the number under seven for seven or he shall pay seven-fold that is much more then he tooke and the words following seeme to approue this interpretation he shall pay all the substance of his house And sometimes this punishment was extended to death as Davids sentence was that he should die the death because he tooke the poore mans onely sheepe Some answere that it was not for his theft that David gaue out sentence of death upon him but for his oppression and violent theft as if a man had come by night and had broken into a mans house and had stollen any thing then he might haue safely killed him by the Law and he was not to die for it but if he had come after the Sunne rose and had stolen any thing and the owner of the goods had killed him then he was to die for it But out of Davids answere we may obserue this The person against whom the theft is committed aggravateth the sinne that the person against whom the sinne is committed aggravateth the sinne as for a rich man to steale a poore mans sheepe so the time aggravateth the sinne if the theefe came in the night to steale then the owner of the goods might safely kill him because of his violent theft But it may be asked what is violent theft If a man steale to satisfie his hunger that is not violent theft but if a man steale who may get his living other wayes and liue upon the sweat of other mens browes or if he steale from one that hath small means to liue on or if he haue meanes to liue upon who stealeth this is judged violent theft Tom. 1.2 Municipall Lawes bind onely in the Countrey where they are made and the Magistrate for this may put him to death Thomas observeth well that the Magistrate may adde to the judiciall Law of Moses according to the necessitie of the time and greatnesse of the offence and as the Municipall Lawes of other Countries oblige not men but in the Countrey where they are made so doth not Moses judiciall Law A Magistrate in Israel was bound when a malefactor was whipt not to giue him aboue fortie stripes this Law bindeth not the Magistrate now sed crescentibus delictis exasperantur paenae but the equitie of Moses judiciall Lawes bindeth all people this is the equitie of Moses Law that for violent theft a man should alwaies die and the Law judged that violent theft which is not for a mans necessitie to satisfie his life Quest What if a poore man had but a little to saue his life and another were in as great extremitie whether were this violent theft for him to take from the poore man in such a case Answ How Christs words are to be understood in workes of charitie No doubt it were therefore Christ sayth hee that hath two coats let him giue his neigbour one to wit in his necessitie but not he that hath one coat for then he was not bound to giue it Object It is alledged Prov. 6.30 that the theife should pay seven-fold and not be put to death but the jealous husband will kill the adulterer Answ This place proveth nothing it sheweth onely what the jealous husband doth it sheweth not what he may doe And secondly for the theife it sheweth onely what was the usuall punishment amongst the Iewes by their judiciall Lawes to take seven fold but it sheweth not what may bee done by the positiue lawes of other Countries The conclusion of this is Now under the Gospell theft is a greater sinne then under the Law A difference betwixt that which is done and that which should bee done and the necessitie is greater amongst us generally then it was amongst them And thirdly that selling of men to make restitution for things taken by theft is not in use amongst us and therefore theeues may bee put to death CHAPTER XXXIX Of their proceeding in judgement before they executed the malefactor EzEK 9.10 Goe through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the forehead of those that sigh c. Those that were to bee saved the Lord caused to marke them THose who were appointed to be saved amongst the people of God he used to set a marke upon them Exod. 12. When the Egyptians were to be destroyed the Lord commanded his people to sprinkle the bloud of the Paschall Lambe upon the lintels of their doores and from this as Epiphanius marketh Lib. 1.
home divideth the spoyle Psal 63.12 So were the weake sicke and infirme the yong and the old under twentie and aboue fiftie so the captiues and Idolaters all these were exempted none of them payed the halfe shekell or went to the warres Secondly when they pitched about the Tabernacle they pitched their Tents with their faces towards it Num. 2.2 because of the respect that they carried to it They pitched round about the Tabernacle when they rested in their Tents and David alludeth to this Psal 76.11 Let all that be about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared there were three Tribes vpon every quarter Iuda Issachar and Zabulon upon the East Ruben Simeon and Gad upon the South Ephraim Manasse and Benjamin upon the West Dan Asher and Nephthali upon the North Num. 23.10 Who can number the fourth part of Israel Here is an allusion to the Campe as it was divided in foure quarters There were three Tribes on every quarter and a space betwixt them and the Tabernacle and Moses and Aaron and the Priests upon the East the Coathites upon the South the Gersonites upon the West and the Merarites upon the North these lay betwixt the Tribes and the Tabernacle to watch the holy place So betwixt Gods throne and the foure and twentie Elders compassing it were foure living creatures full of eyes Rev. 6.10 In the first place Iudah pitched and removed first The priviledges of Iudah Iudah got the first place of him the Kings were to come he marched first he sacrificed first Numb 7.12 Iudah gaue a Lyon in his Colours Themistocles said it was better to haue a Lyon to be a Captaine to a company of Harts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catulus leonis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo juvenis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo cordatus than to haue a company of Lyons and a Hart to be their Captaine The Lyon is first Gur Catulus Leonis then he is Cephir cum incipit praedari when he beginneth to catch the prey and then he is Labhi when he groweth old First When Iudah was the Lyons whelpe the Lyon and the fierce Lyon Iudah was the Lyons whelpe in Ioshuah's time Iosh 1. when they went out first to Conquer the Land then he was Cephir in Davids time and thirdly he was Labhi Cordatus Leo in Salomons time And in placing of these Tribes ye shall obserue that alwayes with the feebler Tribes there is a warre-like and a couragious Tribe placed as with Issachar and Zabulon two feeble Tribes A warrelike Tribe placed with the more feeble Iudah is placed Issachar was dull like the Asse and loved to coutch betweene two burdens Gen. 49.14 So Iudg. 15.16 Why abodest thou amongst the sheep-folds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sibilare to heare the bleating of the flookes or delighting to whistle by the flockes having no minde to helpe thy brethren in the warres Zabulon had no skill in the warres he dwelt by the Sea-side and gaue himselfe onely to shipping therefore Iudah was joyned to helpe these two weake Tribes so in that vision Esa 21.7 The Asse and the Camell are joyned together the Camell signifying the Medes the more generous people and the Asse the Persians the more dull people In the second companie was Ruben Simeon and Gad Ruben unstable as water Gen. 49.4 So Simeon a weake Tribe divided in Iacob and scattered in Israel Gen. 49.7 now to helpe these they had the warre-like Tribe of Gad joyned with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elegans paranomasia Gen. 49.19 Gad jedud jegudennu vehu jagud gnakabh Gad a troupe shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last the men of Gad were mightie men of warre and had faces like Lyons 1 Chron. 12.8 In the third companie were Ephraim Manasse and Benjamin and Ephraim the most warrelike of the three Ephraim had skill to handle the Bow Psal 78.9 but Benjamin was Ittor jad he could sling with both the hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambidexter 1 Chron. 12.2 In the fourth companie were Dan Asser and Nephthali and of these three Dan was the most valiant Zabulon and Nephthali were a people that jeoparded their liues unto the death Iudg. 5.18 but Dan was their Captaine he came in to saue the taile of the hoast and he was called the gathering hoast and the Lord alludeth to this forme Esa 51.11 I will goe before you and gather you in they left none of the weake behinde them Num. 12.15 and Miriam was shut out of the Campe seven dayes for Leprosie and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in againe David alludeth to this Psal 27.10 Though my father and my mother should forsake me yet thou wilt gather me up Amalek cut off the taile of the Host Deut. 25.17 these are called the hindmost of the Host Iosh 10.19 Every one of these quarters had their Captaine Every one of the Quarters had their Captaine and he was the wisest and most couragious for strength and counsell are for the warres Prov. 10.5 2 Sam. 23.8 the Tachmonite for his wisedome is Ioshebeang he sat in the Councell and for his valour and courage he is called Hadino the Eznite that is who delighted to lift up the speare young and rash youths are not fit to be Captaines such as was Alexander the Great Quando animali additur genitivus famininus pluralis tunc significatur animal illud tenerumesse Gen. 38.7 who ran violently rather thorow the world than by skill or wisedome therefore Dan. 8.21 he is called Hircus caprarum that is a young Goat There were foure memorable things to be observed in this Campe first their order secondly their cleanlinesse thirdly Salus castrametantium and lastly how the Lord provided meat and cloath for them First the order that was in this Campe The order of this Campe. this was Acies benè ordinata and God who is the God of order and not of confusion set them in this order Balaam saw this when he said Num. 24.5 How goodly are thy Tents O Iacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As the vallies are they spread forth as Gardens by the River side as the trees of Lign-aloes which the Lord hath planted and as Cedar trees beside the waters Secondly Mundities the cleanenesse and neatnesse of this Campe for the Lord commanded them when they were to ease nature to goe without the Campe and to take a padle with them and dig in the ground to cover their excrements Deut. 23.12 Thirdly Salus castrametantium there was none feeble in their Tribes Psal 105.37 and pes tuus non fuit fermentatus thy foote did not swell these fortie yeares Deut. 8.4 The Lord provided meat and cloths for this Campe. Fourthly the Lord provided well for this Campe both meat and cloths meat He rained downe Manna from the heavens and fed them with the bread of Angels and for their clothes they waxed not old Deut. 8.4
Prophets understood these things which they phophecied that in all these sorts of visions and apparitions they understood that which they prophesied and therefore the Prophets were called videntes Seers Iob. 13.1 mine eyes hath seene all these things mine eares hath heard them and I understand them all Pharoah did not understand these things which he saw therefore he was not a Prophet So Belthasser when he saw fingers writing upon the wall he under not that which he saw and therefore he was not a Prophet and so Caiphas understood not what he prophesied Ioh. 11. They were like unto men who are purblind and see not a thing distinctly and therefore desires others to tell them more distinctly what it is The Iewes say of these that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were stirred up by God but they sought not the Lord. And of Balaam they say prophetavit ex voluntate Dei sed non cepit quod prophetavit Daniel at the first understood not the prophesie but the Angel revealed it unto him Dan. 8.17 So the Lord appeared to them in Dreames as he did before to them when they were awake and sometimes these dreames were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dreames in which they saw some shapes and visions as Iacob saw a ladder in his dreame so Abraham in his dreame saw the Carkases and foules lighting upon them Gen. 15.8 Daniel saw the foure monarchies represented be foure visible shapes Dan. 4. and sometimes he revealed himselfe sine symbolo without any visible shape as to Ioseph Matt. 2. and to the wise men Mat. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord was onely author of these dreames therefore Gen. 37.7 when Ioseph is called bagnal chalamoth it is not well translated Lord of dreames for God himselfe is onely Lord of dreames The Seventie translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infomniator and it signifieth not simple a dreamer but him who dreameth often therefore chalamoth is in the plurall number If the Lord revealed himselfe in the forepart of the night as hee did to Abraham then it was called Tardema a dead sleepe 1 Sam. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cecidit sopor domini super eos id est magnus But if in the latter part of the night then it was called chalam a dreame To some hee revealed himselfe in a dreame but he gave then not the interpretation of it as to the Butler and Baker Some had the interpretation of the dreame but not the dreame as Ioseph Nebuchodnezzer had the dreame but Daniel the interpretation of it but the Prophets of God had both the dreame and the interpretation of it as Daniel The heathen sometimes had both the dreame and the interpretation The Prophets had the dreames with the interpretations of them as the Midianites had of the Barly cake Iud. 7. but this was for their destruction but the comfortable dreames and visions with their interpretations were onely revealed to the Prophets for the good of the Church Quest Whether was the revelations by dreames or by visions the more perfect revelation Intensive the revelation by vision was the more excellent Revelatio intensiva Revelatio extensiva but extensive the revelation by dreames was the more excellent and that by vision came nearest to that which was intellectuall for they had no use of their senses in it the visions were presented to their understanding only When we take up a thing by sense Something 's are presented to the sense somethings to the phantasie and some things to the understanding first the sense transmiteth it to the phantasie and then the phantasie sendeth it to the understanding this is the most imperfect sort of knowledge Secondly when the vision is presented to the phantasie onely and the phantasie sendeth it to the understanding this is more perfect then the former And thirdly when the vision is presented to the understanding onely this is a higher degree In the Knowledge which they got by dreames first they had the dreame and when they were awake they got the understanding of it but in a vision they presently understood the thing presented unto them Because the revelation by vision was the more perfect sort of knowledge therefore Ioel saith your young men shall see visions and then he added your old men shall dreame dreames as the more imperfect sort of revelation Ioel. 2.28 Quest It may be asked why God revealed himselfe this way by dreames Ans Reason 1 The reasons were these The reasons why God revealed himselfe by dreames First these things which we begin to thinke upon when we are awake we begin to try them by reason and if reason approve them not then we reject them but in a dreame the mind receiveththings not examining them by reason In matters Divine the lesse that reason have a hand in admitting of them the better it is and here it was better for the Prophets to be ruled by God and fitter for them to be schollers then judges Reason 2 The second reason why he taught his Prophets by dreames was this to let them see how farre his power exceeded the power of man for masters cannot teach schollers but when they are awake and giving heed but God can teach his Prophets in a deepe sleepe and in a dreame which gave the Prophets to understand what great commandement the Lord had over all the faculties of their mindes Reason 3 Hee revealed himselfe in dreames to them to let them understand that death tooke not away all knowledge from man and that there was another way to get knowledge than by discourse or reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How the Lord revealed himselfe to his Prophets by the holy Spirit The third way how the Lord revealed himselfe to his Prophets was by ruah hakkodesh by the holy spirit then the Prophets had all the use of their senses hearing one speaking to them as we doe every one another and seeing c. and the more use that they have of their senses Drusius in Pentateuchum the more unperfect was their revelation Others distinguish this sort of revelation which was by the holy Spirit from that which was properly called prophecie they say these who spake by the holy spirit were Prophets in that sense they were not called to attend still as Prophets such as was David a King Daniel a Courtiour But Esay and Ieremy were Prophets properly so called because they waited still and attended in the schoole of the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fourth way how God revealed himselfe was by vrim thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they are alwayes joyned together except in two places of the Scripture What sort of revelation was by Vrim and Thummim Exod. 17.21 and 1 Sam. 28.8 This was a different kind of revelation from the former for by
this the Priest did not prophesie neyther made songues to the prayse of God but having put on this breastplate it was a signe to him that God would answer these doubts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he asked of him it is called the Brestplate of judgement mishpat signifieth eyther the administration of publike judgements Esa 41.3 or private affaires Pro. 13.23 est qui absumitur absqe judicio that is because his family is not rightly administrat It is called then the breastplate of judgement because the Lord taught his people in their doubtfull cases what to doe The breastplate and the Vrim and Thumim are distinguished by this vrim and thummim Exod. 28.30 Thou shalt put in the breastplate Vrim and Thummim Some hold that the twelve pretious stones set in the brestplate were called vrim and thummim as Kimchi but the Text maketh against that for the breastplate and the vrim and the thummim are distinguished vers 30. Some of the Iewes againe incline most to this sense that these two words vrim and Thummim were set in the breastplate as holinesse to the Lord was written in great letters upon a plate of Gold What this Vrim and Thummim were and set in the forehead of the highpriest But it seemeth rather that they were two pretious stones given by the Lord himselfe to be set in the brestplate and an Ancient Iew called Rabbi Bechai marketh ה demonstrativum that these two are set downe cum he demonstrativo for their excellencie Neyther saith the Lord thou shalt make vrim and thummim as hee sayd of the rest of the ornaments of the Highpriests thou shalt make this or that The letters did not make up the answer It is commonly holden that the letters did shine out of the breastplate of Aaron when the Lord gave his answers to him that he might read the answer by the letters but this could not be as may appeare by the forme of the brestplate following The forme of the Breast-plate When David asked of the Lord 1 Sam. 23.12 will the men of Keila deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord sayd ysgiru they will deliver thee here the letters in the brestplate would have made up this whole answer Iod from Iehuda Samech from Ioseph Gimel from Gad Iod from Levi Resh from Reuben and Vau from Reuben but Iudges 20.8 when the Israelites asked counsell of the Lord who shall goe up first to battell against Benjaman it was answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehuda Battechilla Iuda shall goe up first now there was not so many letters in the brestplate to expresse this answer for there wanted foure letters of the Alphabet in the brest-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 5.23 There wanted foure letters in the Breast-plate when David enquired of the Lord shall I goe up against the Philistimes the Lord answered Thou shalt not goe up but fetch a compasse behind them and come upon them over against the Mulberry trees The letters in the brestplate could not expresse all this therefore it was not by the letters that the Lord answered the Priest but when hee had on this brestplate How the Lord taught the Priest by Vrim and Thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rationale upon him then the Lord taught him what to answer and this brestplate was but a signe unto him that the Lord would answer him as Sampsons hayre was a signe unto him that the Lord would continue his strength with him as long as hee kept his haire how was the strength in Sampsons haire not as in the cause or in the subject but onely as in the signe so in the Apostles garments and shaddow The Vrim and Thummim were a signe onely that the Lord would answer the Priest they were but a signe of their power which they had in healing miraculously and so was vrim and thummim but a signe of this that the Lord would answer the Priest The vrim and thummim were not alwayes with the Arke The Vrim and Thummim were not ever with the Arke for all the time of Saul they asked not counsell of the Arke 1 Chron. 13.3 Let us bring againe the Arke of our God unto us for we enquired not at it in the dayes of Saul they went usually to aske counsell in the Tabernacle and Sanctuarie of the Lord Iud. 20. they went up to Silo where the Tabernacle was to aske the Lord then the Arke was in the Tabernacle but when the Arke was separated from the Tabernacle they might sacrifice in the Tabernacle So they might aske the Lord here by vrim and thummim although the Arke was not there When the Highpriest asked counsell for David at Nob the Arke was not there nor the Tabernacle but onely vrim and thummim but when the Arke and the vrim and thummim were together they alwayes enquired the Lord before the Arke and when they were separated they turned their faces towards the Arke wheresoever it was when they asked counsell by the judgement of vrim and thummim When David was in Ziglag 1 Sam. 30. he asked counsell of the Lord by the Priest but neyther the Arke nor the Tabernacle was ever in Ziglag a towne of the Philistims They asked counsell of the Lord at the Arke by the High Priest When any are sayd to aske counsell of the Lord who were not Highpriests as the Israelites are sayd thrice to aske the Lord. Iud. 20.18 1 Sam. 14.37 23.2 1 Chron. 14. they are understood to have done this by the Highpriest for Num. 27.21 Ioshua is commanded to aske counsell at the Lord by Eleazer the High-priest How he stood who asked counsell by Vrim and Thummim The manner how he stood who asked counsell of the Lord by the Highpriest He shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall aske counsell for him after the judgment of Vrim before the Lord. Num. 27.21 he stood not directly before the Highpriest for then he should have stood betwixt him and the Arke therefore liphne should be translated juxta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a latere or beside the Priest Hee stood by the Highpriest when he asked counsell and hee heard not what tht Lord sayd to the Priest but the Priest gave him his answer The Lord by Vrim and Thummim answered distinctly to every question When two things are demanded of the Lord he answered in order to them As 1 Sam. 23.9 will they come up The Lord answered they will come up So he answered to the second question will they deliver me They will deliver thee They asked not counsell of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim but in great and weighty matters They asked counsell by Vrim and Thummim onely in matters of weight as David after the death of Saul 1 Sam. 2. So 2 Sam. 5. they asked the Lord for the King for the common wealth or for a
originall Copie what is the reason that Origen setteth it not downe in his Octupla as hee hath done other translations and what is the reason that Hierome never citeth it nor followeth it in his translation if it be the originall Reason 5 Fiftly the manner of the Samaritans writing sheweth that this was not the originall which Moses received from the Lord and delivered to the people of God afterwards as you may perceive in the page following out of Exod. 31. from vers 12. to 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exemplar Samaritanum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraiè sic Et dixit Iehova Mosi dicendo Latinè sic tu al loquere filios Israel dicendo nunc il la Sabbatha mea serua tote quia signum est in terme inter vos per generationes vestras ad cognoscēdū quod ego Iehova sanctificans vos et observate Sabbathum quia sanc tum erit illis profanātes illud morte morietur quia omnis faciens in illa opus utique excinde turanima il la emedio populorum suorum s ex di ebus opera beris opus in die septimo Sabbathū sabbatulū sanctum Ie hovae omnis faciens o-pus in die illo sabbathi morte morietur observanto filij Israel ipsum sabbathum celebrando sabbathum per generationes suas faedere aeter no interme inter filios Israel signum erit in aeternum quia sex diebus fecit Iehoua caelum et terram in die septimo quievit et respiravit Exod. 31.12 In English thus And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 13. Speake thou also unto the Children of Israel saying verily my Sabbaths shall ye keepe for it is a Signe betweene me you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you 14. Ye shall keepe the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any worke therein that Soule shall be cut off from amongst his people 15. Sixe dayes may worke bee done but in the Seventh is the Sabbath of rest holinesse to the Lord whosoever doth any worke in the Sabbath day hee shall surely bee put to death 16. Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetuall Covenant 17. It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever for in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Observe the forme of this writing of the Samaritans and yee shall finde it to be meere Cabbalisticall by which they would finde out the diverse readings in framing the lines words and letters and setting them downe after such a curious forme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Cabbalists doe by their Gematrija notaricon and temura that is by the number of letters the diverse significations of them and the diverse situation and placing of them they make diverse senses in the Scriptures as by elbham and ethbhash sometimes putting the last letters for the first and the first for the last sometimes reading up and downe sometimes crosswayes and sometimes from the left hand to the right this we may see in this example of the Samaritan Copie where they summe up the observation the breach and punishment of the Sabbath in a round circle which curiosity the Spirit of God never used in writing the holy Scriptures Christ speaking of the originall Text and the perpetuity of the Law which we have he saith One jote or one title of the Law shall not passe in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to the Hebrew Iod and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not properly translated A tittle as if it made a difference betwixt some letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the top of Daleth from Resh for the Syriacke calleth it Sharat incisura vel incisio the small lines which are in ones hand The meaning is then that not one part of a letter neyther the least letter nor any part of the least letter shall perish hence we may reason from Christs words In that copie whereof the Lord speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Iod must be the least letter but in the Samaritan copie Iod is not the least but the biggest of all the Letters therefore the Samaritan copie is not that copie which Christ spake of י Hebrae but the Hebrew as we may see by the difference of the Letters in the margent here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samarit hence we may gather that this Samaritan letter was abolished in Christs time and therefore wee ought neyther to imbrace the copie nor the Characters as authenticke or originall The Conclusion of this is Conclusion If the light that is in the body be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse Matth. 6.23 The Scriptures are the light of the Church and if the originall Text were corrupted Instrumenta gratiae conjuncta remota how great were the darkenesse of the body God hath Conjuncta instrumenta remota instrumenta gratiae Remota instrumenta gratiae are the Preachers and their writings and they may be corrupted But Conjuncta instrumenta gratiae are the Prophets and Apostles and their writings these the Lord kept from errour and corruption for the good of his Church EXERCITAT XIII That no Canonicall booke is perished Matth. 5.18 Heaven and earth shall passe one jote or one tittle shall no wayes passe from the Law till all be fulfilled WHen a thing wanteth an essentiall part this is the greatest want Secondly when it wanteth an integrall part this is likewise a great defect Defectus Partis essentialis partis integratis ornamenti accidentalis And thirdly when it wanteth accidentall ornaments When the soule is separated from the body here is a separation of the essentiall parts When a man wanteth a hand or a foote then he wanteth an integrall part And when hee wanteth his cloathes hee wanteth some ornaments No booke in the Scripture wanteth any essentiall part There is no booke in the Scripture that wanteth any essentiall part for the Law and the Gospel which are essentiall parts Vide Iunium in Iudam and Perkins reformed Catholike are found in every booke Secondly the Scripture wanteth no integrall part since the Canon was sealed before the Canon was sealed they had as much as served for their infancie but after that it was sealed the whole Canon was compleate and none of those Bookes perished Gods care in preserving the Scriptures Great was the care which the Lord had to preserve the Scriptures First hee commanded the Levites to take the booke of the Law written by Moyses and to put it in the side of the Arke of the covenant of the Lord Deut. 31.26 Secondly the Lord commanded
Iewes say that this division in Parashoth was most ancient but the division into Haphtaroth was later and they give this to be the reason why they reade these Haphtaroth they say when Antiochus Epiphanes forbad them under paine of death to reade the Law of Moses 1 Macch. 2. then they made choise of some parts of the Prophets answerable to these parts of the Law Example because they durst not reade Petorah beresith They read Esay 42. So saith the Lord Creator of heaven and earth Example 2. the second Parasha is Elle toledoth Noah now because they durst not read this they read Esay besiman that is The reading of Moyses and the Prophets more ancient than Antiochus at the signe 54. for that which we call a Chapter they call a signe Sing yee barren c. But is it likely that Antiochus that great Tyrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbad them onely the reading of the five bookes of Moses wherefore the reading of Moses and the Prophets hath beene much more ancient than the time of Antiochus therefore Act. 15.21 Moses is read of old A Phrase which signifieth a great antiquitie When they read Moses Law They read the whole Law in their Synagogues once in the yeere they divided it in fifty and two Sections and they finished it once in the yeere They had two sorts of yeeres there was Annus impraegnatus or Embolimaeus and Annus Aequabilis Annus Impragnatus was that which wee call Leape yeare and it had fifty three weekes Annus impragnatus embolimaeus in this yeere they divided one Parashah in two parts and so they ended the reading of the Law within the yeare When it was Annus Aequabilis then it had but fifty two weeks then they read one Parashah for every Sabbath and in the last Sabbath of the yeare which was the twentie third of Tishri they read that Parashah called Latitia legis which beginneth Ioshu 1. And the next Sabbath they began beresith againe at the first of Genesis These Parashoth were subdivided into so many parts and there were sundrie who read these parts upon the Sabbath hee that read the first was called Cohen the Preist hee repeated the first part of the Section and then rose up Catzan or Cantor who did sing the same part which the Priests had read then there rose up in the third place a Levite and he read his part Fourthly there rose up an Israelite and hee read his part and at last it came to Maphtir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cessare in hiphil dimittere and hee read the last part of the Haphtorah he was called Maphtir because when that part was read the people were dismissed and so the Latine Church said Ite missa est In the weeke dayes they read upon the second and the fift day of the weeke some part of those Parashoth but not the whole and the Pharisee meant of these two dayes when he said I fast twise in the weeke Luk. 18.12 The Greeke and Latine Fathers never cite Chapters as we doe now Augustine in his booke of retractations Cap. 24. saith not I have written to Genesis 3. but this wayes I have written to the casting out of our parents out of paradise And Gregorie in his Prologue upon the first of the Kings saith I have expounded to you from the beginning of the booke unto the victory of David Who divided the Scriptures first into Chapters it is not certaine they were divided of old two manner of wayes first they divided them into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 titles for so they called the greater parts and then into Chapters as into lesser parts others againe divided them into Chapters as into greater parts It is holden that Musaeus presbiter Ecclesiae Massiliensis divided them first into titles and subdivided them into Chapters Genebrard Chronologia According to this first division Matthew had sixty three titles and three hundreth and fifty five Chapters So Luke according to the ancient division had forty eight titles and three hundreth and forty eight chapters He who began this latter division into Chapters is holden to be Hugo Cardinalis according to this division Matthew hath twenty and eight Chapters and Luke twenty and foure c. Lastly it was divided into verses this division into Pesuchim or verses the Masoreth found out first amongst the Iewes The Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger calleth them Commata and Robertus Stephanus calleth them Sectiunculas and some hold that it was hee that found them out first amongst us EXERCITAT XIX Of the sense of the Scriptures THere is but one literall sense in the Scriptures which is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 To make divers senses in the Scripture is to make it like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Anaxagoras dreamed of making Quidlibet ex quolibet August Epist 48. Augustine writing to Vincentius justly derideth the Donatists who constructing these words Cant. 1.7 Tell me o thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noone They gathered out of them that the Church of Christ was onely in Africa by their allegoricall application Origen was too much given to these allegories and therefore he missed often the true sense of the Scriptures These who gathered divers senses out of the Scripture doe little better with them than Esope did with an inscription written in a pillar of Marble in which were written these seven letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esope first read them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est abscedens gradus quatuor fodiens invenies thesaurum auri But Xanthus his master finding as he had spoken a great treasure of Gold and giving nothing to Esope for his conjecture kept all to himselfe therefore Esope read them another way thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est qui tollitis dum abitis dividite quem invenistis thesaurum auri But when Esope got nothing in a rage he read it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est redde Regi Dionysio quem invenisti thesaurum auri The Iewes hold that there is a literall sense in every Scripture and a mysticall sense the literall sense they call Dabhar keton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rem parvam and the mysticall sense they call it Dabhar gadol rem magnam the literall sense they call it peshath sensum nudum and the mysticall sense they call it darash and most of the Schoolemen hold that there is a double sense in the Scriptures Latomus the Papist saith Theologiam crassam versari circa literalem sensum theologiam subtiliorem versari circa mysticum allegoricum sensum and they call the literall sense panperem grammaticum and the allegoricall Divitem theologicum the rich and theologicall sense But we must strive to finde out the literall sense of the Scriptures