translated from the family of Phinehas to Ithamars posterity Ob. for Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar and not of Phinehas and from Eli it came to his sonne Phimehas and then to Achitub and then to Achiaz the brother of Ahimelech and then it was restored to Zadoc see 1 Chron. 24.3 for foure generations the posteritie of Phinehas wanted the Priesthood Elies posterity had it de facto et non de jure Ans therefore it is to be marked what bad successe most of them had in the Priesthood Eli brake his necke his sonne Phinehas was killed in the battell Abiathar was put from the Priesthood and his soone Ahimelech was slaine by Doeg and all this time when they wanted the Priesthood the posterity of Elcazer farre surpassed the posterity of Ithamar 1 Chron. 24.4 Againe it was promised to Phinehas posterity conditionally if they should walke in their fathers wayes This promise of the Priesthood was not made so absolutely to Phinehas but that Phinehas posterity for their sinnes might be deprived of it for a time even as the promise made to David that the Kingdome should continue with his posterity for ever did not exclude the captivity of Babylon and the overthrow of the kingdome for a time yet by vertue of this promise made to Phinehas his posterity could not want it for ever And thirdly it is so promised to his posterity that it should not be taken for ever from him as it was from the posterity of Eli. This rod brought forth Almonds without a roote the fathers reason out of this place against the Iewes who will not beleeve that the Virgin could beare a sonne why will ye beleeve this say they that Aarons rod brought forth Almonds without a roote and cannot beleeve that a Virgin can beare a sonne ye beleeve that Eva was created out of the side of Adam and that Adam was created out of the dust why may yee not beleeve this likewise that God can create a child in the Wombe of the Virgin Yee beleeve that Sara an old withered stocke conceived by the power of God and why ye will not beleeve this that God by his power created the Child in the Wombe of the Virgin The tree blossomed although it was withered Hence we may gather that the withered tree the Church of the Iewes shall flourish againe a man looking with a naturall eye upon that heape of dry bones Ezek. 37. would never thinke that they should rise againe but the Lord by the mighty wind of his Spirit gathered these bones together and made them to live so the Lord by his mighty power shall make the withered tree of the Iewes to flourish againe Obj. But ye will say that Christ cursed the figtree which represented the Church of the Iewes and said Never fruit grow upon thee henceforth Mat. 21.19 Then it may seeme that this tree shall never flourish againe Answ That figtree that was accursed by Christ never to beare fruit againe represented the Iewes who lived then and those who shall live till the conversion of the Iewes but when the wrath of God is come upon them to the full as the Apostle speakes then the Lord shall call them and their rod shall flourish againe Quest Whether kept this rod still the buds blossomes and Almonds when it was laid up before the Lord or not No question it did Answ for the Lord commandeth to lay it up as a testimony against the rebels now when it kept the buds blossomes and Almonds it testified the more vively against them and as the Manna lasted so many hundreth yeares in the golden pot so did this rod keepe the blossomes and Almonds When Aarons rod budded it was a token to him that he was called of the Lord he that runneth and is not sent by the Lord shall never doe good in that holy Calling these Agrippa who were borne with their feet formost it was a bad token of their evill government to follow as it fell out in Herod Agrippa who was a very bad Governour so when a Preacher is not sent by God to his people and the Lord doth not make his rod to bud he shall never be a profitable Minister in his Calling Of the priviledges of the first borne under the Law and what he was bound to doe to his brethren and kinsmen Matth. 22.24 If a man die having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto him AFter that the Pharisees had tempted Christ the same day the Sadduces came to tempt him who denyed the Resurrection and they reason with Christ ab absurdo if there were a Resurrection then this absurdity would follow that seven men should have one wife at the Resurrection but this is absurd therefore c. and thus they goe about to ground upon Moses Law For Moses commanded in the Law that if a man dye without seed then his brother should raise up his seed unto him Deut. 35.5 Now there fell out a case among us that a man married a wife and dyed without children his brother married his wife and he dyed without children also and seven brethren had her to wife Whose wife then shall she be in the Resurrection Our Lord answereth that they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God The Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection put this question to Christ He that denyeth the immortality of the soule cannot hold one sound point in Religion the Sadduces denyed the immortality of the soule they held the soule to be like Quickesilver which made the body to stirre or like Salt that kept the body from corruption as Epicurus held and the best that they made of it they said it was an exact temperature of the humours of the body and then for the Angels they said they were but good thoughts but not subsisting spirits Now if the soule be not an immortall substance the body cannot be joyned to it againe for the weale of the body dependeth upon the soules immortality they held the soule to be mortall and therefore of necessity they behoved to deny the resurrection Tertullian called the Marcionites and Valentinians qui credebant reditum animae non corporis partiarios Saducaeos We who professe our selves to be Christians say the Creed and repeate this Article often I beleeve the resurruction of the body but yet if we will looke to the lives of most part of men we shall heare than say no other thing but that which the Sadduces and Epicures said 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eate let us drinke for to morrow we shall dye that is be quite extinguished in soule and body as if there were no more of us after our death thā beasts when they are knockt on the head when the Pharises reasoned with the Sadduces they said unto thē Why study ye to keep the Law seeing ye beleeve not the immortality
of the soule they answered That it might be well with them in this life we professe the immortality of the soule why study we not then to keepe the Law that it may goe well with us in the time to come Augustine said if he were perswaded that the soule were mortall then of all religions he would chuse to be the Epicure or Sadduce but seeing the soule is an immortall substance Let us detest these bruit beasts who imagine that death is the end both of soule and body the soule liveth for ever then the body must live for ever either in weale or woe Let us study therefore to feed the soule with that immortall food of the Word of God and not say with the rich man in the Gospell Luc. 12.19 Soule thou hast enough if we would have that happy conjunction betwixt the soule and the body againe Moses said if a man dye having no children Quest The question may be asked here how Moses could command such a thing for incest is condemned in the morall law and forbidden in the seventh Commandement Ans We must distinguish betwixt these lawes which are morall positive lawes and those which are divine positive lawes Morale positivum divinuâ— positivum Morall positive lawes are such as the very light of nature commandeth Divine positive are those which are accessory commandements added to the first Example this is a morall positive law that a man should not lye with his mother nor with his mother in law for this is a fornication that is not named amongst the Gentiles 1 Cor. 5.1 And it was for this sort of incest that the Canaanites were cast out of Canaan So this is primarium jus naturae or morale positivum that a man should not lye with his daughter nor his daughters daughter descendendo descending downeward but this againe is divinum positivum or secundarium jus naturae in the collaterall line that a man should not lye with his sister or his brothers wife No marriage in the collaterall line was forbidden at the first by the law of nature or morall positive law but it was forbidden afterwards by the divine positive law Levit. 18.16 When Lot lay with his daughters this was incest in the highest degree because it was contrary to Ius naturale the morall positive law but when Amram married Iochabed Dodatho his fathers sister Exod. 6 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amita It should not be translated Patrueâ—is cozin-german but his fathers sister see Num. 26.59 This was not against the morall positive or naturall part of the law because it was not in the right line but in the collaterall although in the neerest degree it was against the divine positive law and that the Church might be replenished with people God over-saw this sort of marriage at the first but God doth more here hee commanded the brother to raise up seede to his brother First This Commandement was not against the morall positive Law this is not contra primarium jus naturae because it was not in the right line Secondly it is an exception from secundarium ius naturae for when God commanded to doe this hee willed them not to doe this to satisfie lust for that were against primarium jus naturae the morall positive law but onely that the elder brother might be a tipe of Iesus CHRIST who should never want a seede in the Church If he dye having no children In the originall it is having no seede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not be translated sonnes here for daughters succeeded likewise to the inheritance when the fathers had no sonnes therefore it should be translated haeving no children The women raised up seed to their parents which comprehends both the males and femals the women raised up seede to their parents as well as the males marrying within their owne tribe therefore that saying in the Talmud was not true qui masculam prolem non habuit etsi filias habuerit plurimas in eo genus est consummatum His brother shall marry his wife and raise up seede to him What brother had this priviledge The eldest brother was bound to raise up seed onely he that was the eldest brother and therefore Deut. 25.5 If brethren dwell together and one of them dye one of them Numerus Cardinaliâ— pro ordinali that is the eldest of them Gen. 1.5 and the evening and the morning were one day that is the first day this is cardinalis numeruâ— pro ordinali if the third brother had raised up seede to the second brother then it had beene incest He that was the first borne in Israel What things the first borne did to the rest he was bound to do three things to his brethren kinsmen first he was bound to revenge his blood their was vindex sanguinis Secondly he was Goel and redeemed the morgaged lands of his neere kinsman and thirdly it was he that delivered him out of prison all these three he was bound to doe to him jure propinquitatis because hee was his neerest kinsman What things due to the eldest brother There were three things againe which were due to him First hee had a double portion of his fathers goods Secondly he had the whole inheritance and thirdly if he dyed without children his brother was to raise up seed unto him Christ our Goel revengeth our blood upon his enemies Now let us apply these to Christ First Christ is our Goel or vindex sanguinis the revenger of our blood upon that red Dragon who thristeth for the blood of man and upon all the enemies who thirst for the blood of his children the revenger of blood or Goel Deut. 19.6 when he pursued the killer his heart waxed hote in the pursuite Iesus Christ our Goel when hee doth see the blood of the Saints shed his heart waxeth hote and he furbisheth the sword to make it drunke with the blood of his enemies Iere. 51.35 The violence done to me to my flesh be upon thee Babylon shall Sion say and my blood be upon the Chaldeans shall Ierusalem say now marke what is said in the chapter preceding Iere. 30.50 How teares are said to offend Thy Goel or redeemer is strong and I will pleade thy cause See how the revenger of the blood makes Babylon and Chaldea answer for all Iob saith Cap. 17. My teares ascend before the Lord Teares naturally descend but as the Sunne drawes up the exhalations and they fall downe againe so the wrongs that are done to the Saints they come up before their Goel and then fall downe againe upon the enemies heads they shall answer for all the blood shed from Abel to Zachary and all this innocent blood which is shed now the Lord will require it at their hand Secondly he redeemed the morgaged land Ruth 4.4 and Ier. 32.7 when Hanameel the sonne of Shallum had morgaged his field that was in Anathoth the right of redemption belonged
striving against the spirit as Iacob and Esau in their mothers belly and sometime he feeleth the messenger of Satan buffetting him and hanging so fast on and fettering him by the way that in his owne sense and feeling he thinkes this worke will never be finished but yet he may take heart to him in this as God brought home Ioshua out of the captivity cloathed him with change of apparell and lastly put the crowne upon his head so shall the Lord finish that good worke which he hath begun in us Philip. 1.6 The difference betwixt the Kings Crowne and the Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corona regis They put a Crowne upon his head The Kings Crowne differed from the Priests crowne First in name the Kings Crowne was called Gnaterah the Priests was called Mitznephath Secondly in the matter the Kings Crowne was of pure gold the Priests was fascia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cidaris vel corona sacerdotis Exod. 28.4 of silke mixed with gold and it was called tiara Thirdly they differed in the forme and lastly in the use the Kings Crowne was typicall and civill also for government in things civill the Priests was onely typicall Secondly the things that were joyned with the Priests Crowne were more vive types of Christ then the Kings Crowne was for his Bells typed Christs propheticall office his white garments his Priestly office and the Crowne his Kingly office he was a more vive representation of Christ than the King was And they put a Crowne upon his head There are three sorts of crownes first the crowne of profession Three sorts of crownes common to all Christians Revelat. 3.11 Hold fast that thou hast let no man take thy Crowne Secondly a ministeriall crowne which belongeth to faithfull Pastors Phil. 4.1 Therefore my brethren my joy and crowne So 1 Thess 2.19 And thirdly the Crowne of glory 1 Pet. 5.4 The crowne of the Pastor is his people converted by him Prov 17.6 Childrens children are the crowne of old men Gnatereth corona commeth from Gnatur cingere 1 Sam. 24.23 When Saul and his men invironed David then they are said Gnatar cingere when the Grandfather hath his childrens children compassing him about what a crowne is that for him so a Ministers crowne shall be this Simile when his people converted by him stands about him like a crowne The Priest under the Law in the time of his dayes laid aside his crowne Ezek. 24.17 and in time of joy and gladnesse put it on againe Many now a griefe may lay aside their crowne and trample it upon the ground for griefe that they have been so negligent in their Calling What joy can a man have when hee remembreth his great negligence in his ministery and sloth in the Lords businesse he should not be so negligent if he would alwayes remember that last crowne of glory which the chiefe Shepheard shall give 1 Pet. 5.4 A crowne that fadeth not away The crownes below here wherewith men were crowned were made of grasse of Lawrell trees of linnen of wooll and the best of them but of gold which all are fading crownes but this crowne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immarcessibilis nunquam marcescens item flos quidam sic dictus quod non marcescat sed decerptus asservetur cum cuncti flores defecere madefactus aqua reviviscat Plinius lib. 2. cap. 11. an incorruptible and durable crowne that cannot fade nor vanish away So they set a Mitre upon his head or a crowne upon his head After that Ioshua by the assistance of the Angel had resisted Satan given him the foyle and had gotten the victory the Lord in signe of this victory and to confirme Ioshua in the Priesthood after hee returned from the captivity setteth a crowne upon his head This is a great comfort to all Christians but chiefly to faithfull Ministers that although they suffer persecution be carried as it were into captivity accused by Satan and the wicked in the world yet if they constantly stand out and resist Satan and stop the mouthes of those wicked instruments of his by their good life and holy conversation they may be assured the Lord will give them a crowne even the Crowne of life Revel 2.10 Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the Divell shall cast some of you into prison that yee may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee a Crowne of life Of the eating of holy things Levit. 22.10 There shall no stranger eate of the holy thing a soâ—ourner of the Priest or an hired servant shall not eate of the holy thing But if the Priest buy any soule with his money he shall eat of it c. THe LORD made a twofold distinction of meates under the Law First of cleane and uncleane meates and that is taken away now for to the cleane all things are cleane Titus 1.15 The Hebrewes call that which is uncleane Piggul a polluted thing that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abhominatio res abhominanda proprie dicitur de carne faetoris coloris tetri a thing that is eaten after the time and Aquila translateth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing to be rejected or refused And the Apostle useth the same word when he is speaking of meates that nothing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be refused if it be received with thankesgiving 1 Tim. 4.4 The second distinction of meates was this some were cleane by the Law but yet if they were eaten by persons who had no right to eat them then they were uncleane to them Thirdly if they eate them not in the appointed place and fourthly if they eat them not in due time First somethings the Priests might eate and their sonnes but not their daughters Num. 18.9 Here we must marke a difference betwixt the legall promises and the spirituall promises the legall promise is the Priests and his sonnes shall eate of it but not their daughters but the spirituall promises are made to them and to their children and to all that are a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts chapter 2. verse 39. The difference betwixt the legall promises and Evangelicall promises Secondly the legall promise was made to the Priests and their sonnes but not to their daughters but in the spirituall promises there is no difference betwixt male and female Galat. 3.18 There were other things that their daughters might eate of as well as their sonnes and the servant that was bought with money or borne in the house and the Priests daughter who was a Widdow or divorced and returned to her father againe having no children all these might eate of the lesse holy things Lev. 22.11 12 A difference betwixt the morall and ceremoniall Law Observe first a difference betwixt the morall Law and the ceremoniall the morall
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
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
they minister to man thirdly the comfort that we haue by their ministerie First the ground of their ministery is because we are reconciled to God in Christ when man fell from God the Angels stood with a flaming sword to hold him out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 When Christ reconciled us to God he reconciled us also to the Angels Why the Angels minister to us Iacob saw in a vision a Ladder reaching from the earth to the heaven and the Angels ascending up and downe upon it Gen. 28.12 Christ is this Ladder upon which the Angels come downe to minister unto us Ioh. 1.51 Verily verily I say unto you hereafter yee shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the sonne of man Quest Whether doe the Angels minister to wicked men or not Answ For outward things they may helpe them Whether the Angels doe minister to the wicked even as the Lord makes his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good Mat. 5.45 We haue examples of this in the Scriptures when the Israelites were in the Wildernesse the Angels brought downe Manna to them therefore David saith He fed them with the bread of Angels Psal 74.25 It is called the bread of Angels because it was brought downe by their ministery there were many wicked men amongst the Israelites who did eat Manna yet the Angels by their ministery brought it downe to them another example wee haue the Angels came downe at certaine times and stirred the Poole Ioh. 5.4 and whosoever stepped in first after that the Poole was stirred was healed whether he were bad or good the Angels then may minister to wicked men in outward things but they doe not defend them from spirituall temptations as they doe the children of God in resisting Satan Secondly when they minister to man they minister to him in his life time in his death in the graue and at the resurrection First they minister to him in his life and they keepe him that he dash not his foote against a stone Secondly in his death they waite about his bed to repell Satan and when the soule is out of the bodie they carry it into Abrahams bosome and they attend the bodies of Gods children in the graue because they are the Temples of the holy Ghost and so at the resurrection they shall gather them from the foure corners of the earth and shall attend them to glorie Thirdly we haue great comfort by their ministery first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vigilantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustissimi they are Gnirim vigilantes the watchfull ones Dan. 4.13 Secondly they are Habhirim strong ones Psal 78.25 When Salomon went to bed he had threescore valiant men about it of the valiant of Israel to defend him Cant 3.7 But what comfort is it to the children of God then to haue so many watchfull and strong Angels attending them He was carried by the Angels What strange change was this that he who was now lying amongst the dogs is carried by Angels lying amongst dogs the most base and uncleane creatures therefore they are called Impuri canes obscaeni canes that he should now be carried by Angels the most excellent creatures that GOD made and not carried by one Angell but by many Angels as if they were striving every one to carry him when a great man dieth all men striue to be about the Coffin Simile one to carrie a legge and another to carry an arme so doe the Angels striue here to carrie Lazarus soule never man in this world rode in such triumph as Lazarus soule did The pompe of the Romans in their Chariots the Romans after their Victories in their triumphs they had their Chariots drawn sometimes with Elephants sometimes with nimble footed lennets sometimes with pyde horses and we reade of Amasis King of Egypt who had his Chariot drawn with foure Kings whom he had conquered but what is this to Lazarus Chariot who is carried here by the Angels of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he rode here Bemirkebbath hashecinah in curru majestatis What shall be done to the man whom the King will honour Esther 6.9 he shall not ride upon the Kings best horse but in the Kings best Chariot Into Abrahams bosome This is a speech borrowed from the custome of the Iewes for they that lay in ones bosome were most deare and familiar with him as Iohn leaned in Christs bosome therefore it is said that Christ came out of the bosome of the Father Ioh. 1.18 The fathers were partakers of the same salvation that we are partakers of The fathers partakers of the same salvation that we are of therefore Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome they shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God Mat. 8.11 Our Sacraments haue the same name with the Iewes Sacraments And they eat the same spirituall manna with us 1 Cor. 10.3 And our Sacraments haue the names of their Sacramēts we are circumcised with circumcision not made with hands Colos 2.11 And Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 Those then who thinke that the fathers were but fatted up like hogges with the temporary promises of this life are foully deceived Paradise is called Abrahams bosome because the faithfull as Abrahams children are received into that same fellowship with him what is then become of this Limbus Patrum The rich man also died and was buried Many were the solemnities which were in this funerall but nothing of the Angels that carried his soule to heaven he carried nothing of all that he had with him but onely the prickles of an evill conscience now he leaveth all his pomp behinde him R. Salomon observeth that David sometimes is called David the King and David King of Israel but when the Scripture speaketh of his death he is called but David the dayes of David drew nere that he should die 1 King 2.1 so vers 10. David slept with his fathers and was buried All externall glory and worldly pompe leaveth a man in his death How to make use of Parables Arguments drawn from the lesse to the more To make use of Parables we are to consider how the spirit of God in a Parable draweth an argument from the lesse to the more as if the unjust Iudge because of the importunitie of the widow granted her request how much more will God grant the earnest petitions of his children so the man instantly seeking bread from his neighbour the end of these Parables is to teach us perseverance onely and no other thing to be gathered out of them Secondly the unjust Steward is commended for providing for himselfe here we are to follow him in the Parable for his foresight and not for his deceit so we commend the Serpent for his craft but not for his poison Nothing to be gathered besides the scope of the Parable Thirdly nothing is to be gathered in a Parable besides the scope
39.15 And the passengers that passe through the land when any seeth a mans bone then shall he set up a signe by it till the buriers come and bury it This signified such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2.1 and such as have their consciences defiled by dead workes Heb. 9.13.14 those are uncleane What the legall pollutions taught the Iewes And those legall pollutions taught the people of God how carefull they should be that they defile not themselves with sinne or communion with dead and sinnefull workes as the Apostle saith touch no uncleane thing 2 Cor. 6.17 and be not partakers of other mens sins keepe thy selfe pure 1 Tim. 5.22 The Iewes adde to many of the Lawes of God Whosoever toucheth one that is slaine with a sword in the open fields shall be uncleane seven dayes Num. 19.16 And the Iewes adde he that toucheth the sword which killed the man shall be uncleane but this is an addition of their owne So the Lord commanded that the Nazarit should drinke no wine they adde nor come nere unto a Vineyard So the Lord commanded that they should not cary burdens upon the Sabbath Iere. 17. but they added that it was not lawfull for a sick man to take up his bed upon the Sabbath Ioh. 5. So the Lord commanded that they should goe no further but a Sabbath dayes journey upon the Sabbath but they added that it was not lawfull to stirre out of the place upon the Sabbath So the Lord commanded them that they should abstaine from the drinke offerings of the heathen but they added that they should abstaine from the wine of the Gentils So here the Lord saith that Whosoever toucheth one that is slaine with a sword shall be uncleane untill the even But they adde whosoever shall touch the sword which killed the man shall bee uncleane untill the even The touching of the bodies of the dead shewes us what unregenerate men are in the sight of God they are dead while they are alive 1 Tim. 5.6 they are like rotten graves their throte is an open sepulchre Rom. 3.13 and they are like whited Sepulchres which indeed appeare beutifull outwardly but within are full of dead mens bones and all uncleannesse Matth. 23.27 What are we to thinke of the bodies of the Saints Quest when they are lying in the grave whether are their bodies corpora pura or impura Ans They are neither corpora pura nor impura Whether the dead bodies of the Saints in the grave be pure or not sed non pura they are not impura because their sinnes are pardoned they are not pura because they are as yet under the corruption and punishment of sinne but the wicked who lye downe with their sinnes in the dust their bodies are impura filthy and uncleane The bodies of the Saints being not impura therefore the soules of the glorified might come to such bodies againe as Moses in the transfiguration was there in soule and body his glorified soule came to his body againe because it was not a sinnefull body now but a body lyeing under corruption as yet but when Lazarus soule returned to his body we must not thinke that Lazarus soule was a glorified soule for a glorified soule returneth not to a sinful body to dwel in it againe but the vinon betwixt the soule and the body was loosed at this time A difference betwixt the glorified soules and sinfull soules enioâ—ning into their bodies againe Sumus de purgatorie and the soule was still in the sinfull body tanquam in sede non tanquam in organo that is it was still in the body although it did not animate the body Quest Whether did he Iewes commit sinne when they touched a dead body or not Answ There was irregularitas here sed non peccatum for for there is not a sinne where there is not a law forbidding it In what case the Iewes sinned when they touched a dead body for sinne is the transgressing of the Law The Lord saith not yee shall not touch the dead but he saith he that toucheth the dead shall be uncleane untill the even Then there is a Commandement added that a cleane person shall sprinkle him with water upon the third day and upon the seventh Num. 19.19 So that although he be not commanded not to touch the dead yet if he have touched the dead he is commanded to wash himselfe So there is not a Commandement forbidding a man to touch a Leper but if he had touched a Leper there was a Commandement given that he should not enter into the congregation untill he was purifieth and if he did enter before he was purifieth he transgressed the Commandement and sinned The comforts in Death Eccles 7.1 Better is the day of death than the day of ones birth IN the former part of this verse the Preacher sheweth The coâ—â—â—sion of the words that a good name is better than pretious oyntment and then he subjoyneth better is the day of death than the day of ones birth as if he should say a mans good name and his report is better knowne after his death than when he is alive and then his good name smelleth like the Wine of Lebanon which in his life time may be many wayes blotted He preferreth the day of our death to the day of our birth and hee saith that the day of our death is better A thing is said to be better sundry wayes One thing is said to be better then an other sundry wayes first it may be better in it selfe but not to the person so it is said that it had beene better that Iudas had never beene borne it made more for the glory of God that Iudas was borne but it was not better for himselfe Secondly things are said to be better when they seeme to be better to a carnall and corrupt man as hee saith that a living dog is better than a dead Lyon Eccles 9.4 that is he had rather live in a base estate here than to be in best account amongst the dead Thirdly some things are better for this present estate and condition of life than others as better is a dinner of hearbes where love is than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith Prov. 15.17 Fourthly some things are better for a man in the state of grace and for his soule as it is better to be a doore keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wicked men One thing is said to bee better then another comparatively Psal 84.1 So it is better to goe to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting and sorrow is better than laughter Eccles 7.2 3. So the day of a mans death is better than the day of his birth Next let us consider why the day of death is better than the day of ones birth because man is borne unto trouble as the sparkes flye upward Iob 5.7 but the day of his death is
a Potters field with it to bury strangers in Mat. 27.7 therefore they might sell a field for they bought this field to bury strangers in it First this field was not a fruitfull field Answ but a place where the Potters made pots and it seemeth that this field was adjacent to some poore house So Ioseph of Arimathea being of another tribe than those of Ierusalem for Arimathea or Rama was in the tribe of Ephraim but a great part of Ierusalem with Mount Calvarie and Iosephs Garden wherein he had his Tombe was in the tribe of Benjamin yet he bought a Garden being neere Ierusalem and the Hill Calvarie because it was a thing which belonged to the house within the walled Citie If a man might not sell his inheritance in Israel Object how could the Kings themselues inlarge their possessions or haue places of pleasure proper for themselues but we reade that the Kings of Iuda Israel had Orchards and Gardens and places of buriall proper to themselues which was a part of their peculium or proper right Answ The Kings might haue Orchards and Gardens proper to themselues places of pleasure but they might not buy the propertie of any mans Land or Vineyard Wherefore Naboth said well God forbid it me that I should sell my fathers inheritance they were but usufructuarij but the Lord was Dominus fundi and he that hath no right to himselfe cannot make a right to another Why might they sell their houses within a walled Citie and not their fields and grounds in the Country Levit. 25.13 The reason why they might sell their houses within the walled Cities The reason was this they might not sell their grounds that their possessions might be kept still distinct but because many came to dwell in the walled Cities and the houses were not so distinguished as the grounds and Vineyards therefore they might sell them this was also done in favour of the Proselytes that they might haue a dwelling amongst the people of God Conclusion The conclusion of this is as the Israelites when they morgaged their Land they had not power simplie to sell it because the propertie was the Lords therefore it was to returne unto him in the yeare of the Iubile So although the children of God morgage their part of the heavenly Canaan yet because the right is the Lords it shall returne to them in the yeare of that great Iubile CHAPTER XV. Whether the Iewes should be tolerated in a Christian Common-wealth or not ROM 11.23 And they also if they abide not still in unbeliefe shall be graffed in for God is able to graffe them in againe THere may be many reasons alledged why this sort of people should not be tolerated amongst Christians First if yee respect their profession and Religion they are to be secluded from us Christians and secondly in respect of their dealing with us in their civill contracts and bargaining As for their Religion First they detest us Christians who professe Christ for Christs cause Secondly they hold many damnable and blasphemous opinions concerning Christ first for his forerunner Iohn the Baptist secondly they hate Marie the Mother of our Lord Iesus Christ thirdly they oppose themselues against Christs natures fourthly against his Offices King Priest and Prophet fiftly against his death upon the crosse sixtly against his resurrection seventhly they oppose themselues to his imputed righteousnesse and lastly to his Gospell and they expect a glorious Messias to come First in detestation of Christ they detest us Christians they call us Goijm Gentes and Edomites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vastavit and when they would welcome a Christian they say welcome Shed that is Devill The Iewes detest Christians hinking that the common people understand not the word and they curse us Christians daily anathema sit externis in serpente that is they wish that we who are without their societie may be execrable as the Serpent But they detest those most of all who are converted from Iudaisme to Christianitie and they pray three times in the day against them morning midday and evening and thus they pray Ne sit quies Apostatis neque spes The Iewes expect Elias to come Secondly they expect Elias Tishbites to be the forerunner of their Messias and when they cannot resolue their hard questions to their Schollers they say Tishbi solvet nodos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when Elias Tishbites shall come he will resolue all doubts but Elias is come alreadie and they haue done to him whatsoever they listed Math. 17.12 They hate Marie the Mother of Christ and they call her Mara bitternesse and the herbe called Herba Mariae by them is called Herba suspensi because Marie bare Christ who was crucified upon the Crosse so a peice of money called grossa Mariae they called it in despite grossa suspensi The Iewes deny the two natures of Christ Then they deny the two natures of Christ for they deny his God-head inceptum est nomen Iehova profanari Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it thus illi caeperunt idola colere fecerunt sibi Deos erroneos quod cognominabant de sermone domini he understandeth here blasphemously Christ calling him Deum erroneum whom the Scripture call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of old they said Deus sanctus domus Iudicij ejus fecerunt hominem by the house of Iudgement they meant the trinity of persons for all the inferior house of Iudgment consisted of three and they said Duorum non est judicium so the Chaldie paraphrast paraphraseth the trinitie of persons by this paraphrase but now the Iewes doe set themselues against this and they deny it flatly They set themselues against his offices The Iewes set thēselues against the offices of Christ he was anointed King Priest and Prophet Hameshiah that excellent Prophet but in detestation of Christ they will not call their Tardigradum or slow-comming Christ Messiah but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delibutum they hate so the name of Christ They mocke the Kingly office of Christ Mat. 27.19 they put a crown of thornes upō his head for a crowne and they put a reed in his hand for a Scepter So they mocke his Priestly office he saved others let him saue himselfe Vers 40. and his Propheticall office Prophesie thou O Christ who is he that smiteth thee Mat. 26.68 So they mocke his death and his crucifying upon the Crosse they call Christs crosse the Woofe and the Warpe and so mystically when they speake one to another amongst Christians they call Christ the Woofe and the Warpe They deny the resurrection of Christ Mat. 28.15 and it is noysed abroad amongst them unto this day that Iesus Christ was stolen away by his Disciples and that he did not rise againe So they oppose his imputed righteousnesse and they say that every fox must pay his owne skin to the flayer and they say sit mors mea expiatio cunctarum
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.
cont haer 18. the Egyptians used at the Equinoxe in the Spring to take vermilion and to rubbe over all their trees and houses with it saying that at that time of the yeere the fire had almost burnt up all Egypt and therefore they use this as a signe in remembrance of their deliverance So the Lord commanded Ezekiel to set a marke upon those of Ierusalem that mourned whom he was minded to saue Ezek. 9.4 Quest But what was the reason that he set not a marke of destruction upon them that were to be destroyed as he set upon these who were to be saved Answ The reason was God did not marke those who were to be destroyed because of their great number because of the great number that was to be destroyed in respect of the handfull that was to be saved for where there was one to be saved there was a hundred to be destroyed there were but seven thousand who bowed not their knee to Baall and of the great multitude that came out of Egypt onely two entred into the land of Canaan And Revel 7.4 of all the Tribes of Israel there were but one hundred and fortie foure thousand sealed in the fore-head And in Ieremies time it was very hard to find one that executed judgement in all the streetes of Ierusalem Ier. 5.1 There were a few good men at that time as Ieremie himselfe Ebedmelech the Blackmoore Vriah the Prophet and the Rechabites But the most of the rest were naught and if Ierusalem had beene searched few had been found in it And this was a griefe to the Prophet Micah which made him to complaine that hee could not get a cluster to eate Mica 7.1 meaning that the good men were perished out of the earth The Heathen learned this of the people of God to marke those who were to be saved with the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these that were condemned with the letter θ theta The heathen marked the condemned with theta and them that were absolved in judgement with tau Ascon pad It was the custome of the ancient warriors when they returned from battaile he who kept the register of their names marked the names of those who returned safe with the letter tau and the names of those who were wanting with the letter theta the Latines learned this from the Grecians the Grecians from the Egyptians and the Egyptians from the people of God Persius Si potis es vitio nigrum praefigere theta The Iewes put not two to death in one day but for the same crime They put not two to death in one day except they were guiltie of one crime and they giue this example If a man had lien with the Priests daughter he and she were not put to death both in one day because she was guiltie of a greater sinne then he therefore she was to be burnt quicke but he was not to be put to death that day neither was he burnt quicke as she was Quest How came it to passe then that they put Christ and the two theeves to death in one day seing Christ was condemned for affecting the Kingdome and the theeves for theft Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seditiosi Mark 15.7 á 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seditio factio Christ and the two theeves were condemned for one fault because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 troublers of the peace of the Kingdome and therefore the theife said thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same condemnation Luke 23.40 Barrabas was a murtherer and so should haue dyed by the sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effractores but because he made insurrection and troubled the common peace therefore he was to be crucified And the Hebrewes call these perizim effractores and the Rabbins called them listin from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they tooke armes to trouble the peace of the Common-wealth and they used to crucifie all these who troubled the Kingdome and made insurrection CHAPTER XL. Of their Capitall punishments IOSH. 7.25 And all Israel stoned him with stones and burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones THere were sundry sorts of punishments inflicted upon malefactors by the house of judgement among the Iewes Some of them were burnt some of them were strangled some of them were stoned and some of them were beheaded and some of them were drowned He that lay with his mother or daughter in law the wife of his sonne or with a maide that was betrothed Who were stoned Deut. 22.24 Or if a woman bowed downe to a beast Levit. 20.16 so the blasphemer Levit. 24.14 and Idolater Deut. 17.5 So he who offered his seed to Molech Levit. 20.2 He that had the spirit of divination or was a wizard Levit. 20.27 He that profaned the Sabbath he that cursed his father or his mother Levit. 20.9 so the disobedient sonne was stoned to death Deut. 21.21 He that perswaded or enticed others to Idolatry Deut. 13.1 all these were stoned to death First the Priests daughter if she committed adulterie Secondly he who lay with his owne daughter Who were burne Thirdly he who lay with his sonnes wife Fourthly he who lay with his daughters daughter or with the daughter of his wiues daughter Fifthly he who lay with his mother in law or with the mother of his mother in law or hee who lay with the mother of his father in law his wife being yet aliue even all these were burnt Iosh 7 15. He that is taken with a cursed thing shall be burnt with fire and vers 25. all Israel stoned him with stones first he was stoned and then burnt Who were beheaded Those who killed were beheaded and those who fell away to Idolatry Who were strangled The fourth sort of punishment was strangling which was the lightest sort of punishment capital among the Iewes First he who did strike his father or his mother Secōdly he who stole a man in Israel Deut. 24.7 Thirdly any old man who hearkened not to the voice of the Synedrion Fourthly a false Prophet and he who lay with another mans wife Fiftly he who defiled the Priests daughter all these were strangled And the Iewes say wheresoever this punishment is set down let his bloud be upon his owne head it is to be understood of stoning but where the phrase is found let him die the death and the punishment not set downe in particular then it is to be understood of strangling But this holdeth not it is said Exod. 21.12 he that smiteth a man that he die shall surely bee put to death so it is said that the adulterer shall die the death yet he was not strangled but stoned Ezek. 16.40 Ioh. 8.45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crucifigere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crux 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arbor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This strangling the Romanes changed into crucifying which was called Zacaph crucifigere and the crosse was
and as we looke not to every particular colour in the picture but to the whole picture so wee should not looke in a Parable to every particular circumstance in it but to the generall scope example the rich Glutton lift up his eyes and saw Lazarus in heaven therefore the damned in hell doe see the glorified in heaven False Collections from this Parable a false collection and it is besides the intention of the Parable so the rich Glutton prayed to Abraham therefore we may pray to the Saints departed or that there is water in heaven to quench the thirst of the damned or that the soules departed haue fingers or eyes or tongues or that the damned desire that their brethren come not to those torments all false collections but if they should gather that the children of God are in great joy and the damned in great paine that were pertinent Secondly What may be gathered from this Parable that there is no redemption out of hell thirdly that there is no refreshment to the wicked in hell fourthly that the desires of the wicked shall not be granted to them fiftly that those who will not be instructed by the Word here will not beleeue although one should come from the dead to them and lastly that the Word of God Moses and the Prophets are the onely meanes to beget faith in us here Thus farre we may stretch the Parable and then wee shall bring a good sense out of it but if we stretch it farther then we shall bring a wrong sense out of it the wringing of the nose bringeth forth bloud Prov. 30.33 How the wicked may be inlightned by the Preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated MAT. 12.43 When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and findeth none then he saith I will returne unto mine house c. CHRIST having taught long amongst the Iewes and illuminated their minds by working sundry miracles amongst them and casting out Devils The scope of the Parable but having wrought no sanctification amongst them he bringeth this Parable of a man dispossessed of a Devill and being cast out finding the house emptie and trimmed returneth with seven spirits worse than himselfe The parts of it There is the Parable here and the application of the Parable the Parable is set downe at large and the application in few words even so shall it also be with this wicked generation The Parable it selfe hath three parts first possession secondly dispossession and thirdly repossession Possession in these words when the evill spirit is gone out of a man which implieth that he must first haue possession before he be cast out secondly dispossession and when he is dispossessed he wandreth in dry places and findeth no rest untill he returne and thirdly repossession he goeth and taketh with himselfe seven other spirits more wicked than himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first When the uncleane spirit is cast out He is an uncleane spirit first in the manner of his apparition secondly in the manner of his revelation and thirdly in the manner of his operation First in the manner of his apparition Satan uncleane in the manner of his apparition he appeareth in the likenesse of a Goat a stinking and a vile creature therefore the Lord saith They shall no more offer their sacrifices to Devils Deut. 17.7 In the Originall it is Leshegnirim to the hayrie ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are called the hayrie ones because they haue appeared in the likenesse of Satyres or wilde Goates Secondly In his revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devill is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his revelation thou shalt not suffer Obh a Witch to line Exod. 22.18 Obh is called a Bottle or a Bladder the Witches are so called because Satan gaue his answers out of their bellies and out of the secret passages of nature and for this they were called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly In his operation he is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his operation where ever he lodgeth he defileth that soule and that bodie therefore the Scriptures call such somtimes dogges and swine Revel 22.15 and the filthiest beasts that are but the holy Spirit is most comely in the manner of his apparition in his revelation and operation First in the manner of his apparition when he appeared it was either in the likenesse of a man or a Doue How the Holy Ghost appeared or in the likenesse of fiery tongues but he never appeared in the likenesse of any filthy beast Againe in the manner of his revelation he revealed himselfe to his Prophets in a most comly manner when he spake in them he spake not out of the secret parts of nature they did not foame at the mouth as those who were blasted by the Devill but the holy Ghost sanctified their tongues and in great modestie and comelinesse they spake the truth Thirdly in the manner of his operation he is most holy for where ever he lodgeth he sanctifieth and purifieth that soule and bodie therefore he is compared in the Scriptures to water and to fire and to the Fullers sope Psal 51.7 Wash me and I shall be whiter than the snow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall it is Tecabbeseni play the Fuller upon me We may know then whether we be possessed by Satan or not if we delight in filthinesse or uncleannesse for uncleannesse is the unseparable effect of the uncleane spirit a man may be overtaken by Satan somtimes and Satan may in part pollute him but he delighteth not in it The godly delight not in sinne but if he delight to wallow in that sinne and make no resistance to Satan then he is certainly the habitation of Satan when one offered violence to a woman under the Law Deut. 22.27 if shee cryed out she was not to die the death but if she held her peace and consented to that villany she was to die the death So when Satan commeth to pollute the soule and defile the bodie if he cry out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death Rom. 7.24 then we are not to die but if wee hold our peace delight in Satans temptations which pollute the soule and the bodie then wee are to die Is cast out of a man There is no creature in which Satan delighteth to lodge Satans delight is to lodge onely in man but onely in man when he entred into other creatures it was but onely to deceiue man as when he entred into the Serpent it was for this end to deceiue Eva he cared not for the Serpent it selfe so when he entred into the Gergesites swine it was not for the swine that he cared but onely that he might draw
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
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