agreed In their consecration they differed 1. a Hinc Sacerdos summus in fonte legitur Sacerdos vnctus Leu. 4. 5. Ionathan habet Sacerdos magnus vel summus Disertè Aben Esra Sacerdos magnus ipse est Sacerdos vnctus Lyranus adhuc clarius Sacerdos vnctus est Sacerdos magnus quia inferiores Sacerdotes non vngebantur c. The High-Priest was anointed the materials of this chrisme or ointment are prescribed Exod. 30. 23. It was powred vpon Aarons head Leuit. 8. 12. It ran downe to his beard and to the border of his garments Psal 133. 2. The second Priests were onely sprinkled with this Oyle mixed with the bloud of the Sacrifice Leuit. 8. 30. In this was typed out the vnction of our Sauiour who was anointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Psal 45. 8. Hee was anointed aboue his fellowes Extensiuè and Intensiuè Extensiuè for though Aaron was anointed Priest Saul anointed King Elisha anointed Prophet Melchisedek King and Priest Moses Priest and Prophet Dauid King and Prophet yet none saue onely Christ King Priest and Prophet Intensiuè he was anointed we sprinkled He was full of grace and truth Iohn 1. 14. And from his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Vers 16. And all Christians especially Ministers are vnto God the sweet sauour of Christ 2 Cor. 2. 15. Secondly they differed in their garments which were a necessary adiunct to their consecration The High-Priest wore at the time of his ordinary ministration in the Sanctuary eight garments Exod. 28. First Breeches of linnen put next vpon his flesh 2. A Coat of fine linnen put ouer the breeches 3. A girdle imbroidered of fine linnen blew purple and scarlet wherewith the coat was girded 4. A Robe all of blew with seuenty two bells of gold and as many Pomegranates of blew purple and scarlet vpon the skirts thereof this was put ouer the coat and girdle 5. An Ephod of gold and of blew purple scarlet and fine linnen curiously wrought on the shoulders thereof were two faire Beryll stones engrauen with the names of the twelue Tribes of Israel This Ephod was put ouer the Robe and girded thereto with a curious girdle made of the same 6. A Brest-plate wrought of gold blew purple scarlet and fine linnen which being a spanne square was fastned by golden chaines and ringes vpon the Ephod herein were set twelue seuerall stones on which the names of the twelue Tribes were engrauen Moreouer in this brest-plate were the Vrim and Thummim placed 7. A Miter offine linnen sixteene Cubits long wrapped about his head 8. A plate of pure gold or holy crowne two fingers broad whereon was grauen Holinesse to the Lord this was tied with a blew lace vpon the forefront of the Miter These eight garments the High-Priest vsed in his ordinary ministration and they are termed by the Rabbies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bigde Zahab Vestimenta aurea Golden vestments because of their richnesse in comparison of other extraordinary garments which he wore only once a yeere when he entred into the Holy of Holies vpon the propitiation day Leuit. 15. 4. 23. These latter are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bigde laban Vestimenta alba White garments they were in number foure 1. A linnen breeches 2. A linnen coat 3. A linnen girdle 4. A linnen Miter Leuic 16. 4. In time of the second Temple a Cunaeus lib. 2. de rep Hebr. cap. 7. p. 222. because the Chrisme or holy oyle could not be found therefore as formerly in respect of his vnction the High-Priest was called by the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mithrabe Mischa Auctus vnctione The annointed so when the oyle was lost in respect of his garments hee was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mithrabe begadim Auctus vestibus The clothed Those forementioned garments b Moses Kotsensis praecept affâ—â—m 173. fol. 212. col 3. the High-Priest might not weare abroad in the citie vnlesse some vrgent occasion compelled him as Simeon the iust did when hee went forth to meet Alexander the great In his apparell the threefold office of our Sauiour Christ was shadowed the Crowne signified his Kingly office the Vrim and Thummim and likewise his Bells and Pomegranats his Propheticall office by Vrim and Thummim hee answered as from an Oracle by the Bells was typed the sound of his doctrine by the Pomegranats the sweet sauour of an holy life the names of the twelue Tribes engrauen on the Ephod and the Brest-plate signified his Priestly office presenting vnto God the whole Church for which he maketh intercession Hee knoweth his owne sheepe by name Iohn 10. 3. The inferiour Priests had onely foure garments which they vsed in their ministration 1. A linnen breeches 2. A linnen coat 3. A linnen girdle 4. A linnen bonnet Exod. 28. Thirdly they differed in their mariage The High-Priest might not marry a Widdow nor a diuorced woman nor an harlot but a Virgin Leuit 21. 14. From a Widdow he could not expect the first loue from a diuorced woman hee could not expect the first or iust loue from an harlot neither first iust nor only loue all which Christ whom the High-Priest did herein represent expecteth from his Church The other Priests might lawfully marry a Widdow Leuit. 21. 7. The High-Priest and the inferiour Priests agreed in their consecration in these particulars It was required first that both should be voide of bodily blemish Leuit. 21. 17. Secondly that both should bee presented vnto the Lord at the doore of the Tabernacle Exod. 29. 4. Thirdly that both should bee washed with water Exod. 29. 4. Fourthly that both should bee consecrated by offering vp of certaine Sacrifices Exod. 29. Fifthly that both should haue of the bloud of the other Ramme put vpon the tip of the right care the thumbe of the right hand and the great toe of the right foot Exod. 29. 20. In the time of their consecration certaine peeces of the sacrifice were put into the Priests hand Exod. 29. 9. The ceremony in the Christian Church vsed by the Bishop vnto the Minister in time of ordination that the Bishop giueth the Bible into the hands of the Minister doth much resemble this And both may signifie that no man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but hee that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. Hence consecration in the Hebrew phrase is termed Filling of the hand And contrary to this did Ieroboams Priests whosoeuer would he Filled his owne hand 1 King 13. 33. that is He thrust himselfe into the Priesthood In the discharge of their offices the High-Priest differed from the other Priests First because he only and that but once a yeere entred into the Holy of Holies Exod. 16. 34. Secondly the High-Priest might not mourne for the death of his nearest kinne Leuit. 21. 10 11. The phrases vsed there to expresse mourning are two First vncouering the head Secondly Renting the clothes Of both these somewhat is spoken in the chapter
righteousnesse Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ger schagnar Proselytus portae A proselyte or stranger within thy gates Deut. 14. 21. Of him also wee reade in the fourth Commandement He was suffered to dwell amongst them whence he is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toschab Incola an inhabitant Hee was not circumcised neither did he conforme himselfe to Mosaicall rites and ordinances onely he was tied to the obedience of those commandements which among the Hebrew Doctors goe vnder the name of Noahs seuen Commandements e Sheindler in Pentaglot p. 1530. which they reckon thus 1. Iudgements or punishments for malefactors 2. Blessing the name of God vnder this is contained the keeping of the Sabbath 3. Disclaiming Idolatry 4. Vncouering ones nakednesse 5. Shedding of bloud 6. Robbery 7. Eating of any member of a beast taken from it aliue Of this sort were Naaman the Syrian the Eunuch Cornelius and those of whom wee reade That there were dwelling at Ierusalem Iewes f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men that feared God of euery Nation vnder heauen Acts 2. 5. Secondly to the making of one to be a Prosclyte of the couenant according to the difference of sex and the difference of times the rites of initiation varied To the making of g Moses Kotsens fol. 40. â—…l 2. a Male Proselyte at first three things were required * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Circumcision 2. A kinde of purification by water 3. The bloud of oblation This oblation was commonly two Turtles or Pigeons To the making of a Woman Proselyte were required onely Purification by water and Oblation h Drusius de tribus sect lib. 2. p. 102. Now because the Iews haue neither Altar nor Sacrifice they say that for the males Circumcision and Purification by water sufficeth and for the females onely Purification by water i Moses Aegyptius in Assure biah Perek 13. fol. 137. vide Serarium trihaeâ—… lib. 2. cap. 2. In Dauids time they say that many thousands of Proselytes were ioyned vnto the Church without Circumcision onely by this Purification Hence we may obserue that a kinde of initiation by water was long in vse among the Iewes though it were not Sacramentall vntill Christ his institution yea therefore it may seeme to haue beene vsed by them because they expected it at the comming of the Messias as appeareth by their comming vnto Iohn questioning not so much his Baptisme as his authority by what authority he baptized Why baptizest thou then if thou be not that Christ nor Elias neither that Prophet Iohn 1. 25. Thirdly the respect borne by the Iewes towards Proselytes was charitable k P. Fag Exod. 22. 21. they vsed no vpbraiding termes towards them saying Remember thy former deeds Notwithstanding it was also prouided l Moses Aegypt lib. ult Iad tract Sanhedrin cap. 2. No Proselyte should be eligible into the Court of their Sanhedrim yea in their common commerce they had a vsuall prouerbe which admonished them of warinesse m Casaubonus aduers Baron p. 27. Vel ad decimam vsque generationem à Proselytis caue Beware of Proselytes to the tenth generation CHAP. IIII. Of their Kings WEE shall reade of three sorts of Kings in the old Test Melchisedek was King and Priest Dauid King and Prophet others simply Kings Melchisedek was King and Priest Dauid King and Prophet The concurrence of Princely Soueraigntie and holy orders in the same man intimates that supreme authority should alwaies be accompanied with care of religion In which respect Ioash when he was anointed King receiued the Testimony or booke of the Law 2 Kings 11. 12. neither did these two meet onely in Melchisedek and Dauid but the same man among the Heathens a Rex Anius Rex idem hominum Phoebique Sacerdos Virg. Aeneid lib. 3. was oftentimes King and Priest And Trismegistus had his name Ter maximus b Alex. Neopolit lib. 2. cap. 6. because he was Philosophus maximus Sacerdos maximus Rex maximus All Kings were not anointed but only those in whom succession was broken and there the first of the family was anointed for his successors except in case of dissention where there was required a renued vnction for the confirmation of his authority For this reason it was that Salomon was anointed as well as Dauid because of the strife betweene him and Adoniah Furthermore Saul and Iehu were anointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bepac with a Cruse of oyle to shew the short continuance of their kingdomes Dauid and Solomon were anointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bekeren with an horne of Oyle that is in a plentifull measure to shew the long continuance of their kingdomes As Kings were distinguisht from the people by many Ensignes of honor by their Crowne their Scepter their Throne c. so likewise were they distinguished by their apparell that was the reason that Ahab entring into battle changed his apparell 1 Kings 22. 30. Though purple and white colours were not appropriated vnto Kings c Valer. Max. lib. 1. cap. 6. yet these colours were in chiefe esteeme and principally vsed by them d Alex. ab Alex. lib. 1. cap. 20. yea purple aboue others was affected by the Emperors and Nobility of Rome and white by the Nobilitie of the Iewes whence the Hebrewes terme their Noblemen and such as are of best ranke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chorim Albatos men clad in white and on the contrary men of meaner rank 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaschucim Sordidatos men clad with a foule garment Hence is that of Saint Iames If there come a man with a gold Ring and in goodly apparell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a white garment and there come also a poore man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a vile or foule raiment Iam. 2. 2. This may be the reason why when the Iewes accused Christ of treason Pilate his souldiers clad him in purple Matth. 27. 28. and Herod the Tetrarch of Galile put on him a White garment Luke 23. 11. both therein applying themselues to the customes of their owne Countrey and in derision clothing him as a King CHAP. V. The High-Priest Priests Leuites and Nethinims THere were three rankes or degrees of Ministers about the Temple Priests Leuites and Nethinims they may be paralleld with Ministers Deacons and Subdeacons in the Primitiue Church Ouer all these the High-Priest was chiefe In Aaron and his posterity was continued the succession of the Priests the High Priesthood was tied to the line of his first-borne all the rest of his posterity were Priests simply so called or called Priests of the second order 2 King 23. 4. Except Aaron and those that issued from his loynes in whom the series of Priests was continued all the rest of Leui his posteritie were called Leuites Both in the High-Priest and the second or inferior Priests there are two things considerable First their consecration Secondly their Office In both these somewhat they differed somewhat they
by consequence the Dositheans beleeued al other points necessarily flowing from this The occasion of this heresie was this When z Aboth cap. 1. Antigonus taught that wee must not serue God as seruants serue their masters for hope of reward his schollers Sadoc and Baithus vnderstood him as if he had vtterly denied all future rewards or recompence attending a godly life and thence framed their heresie denying the resurrection the world to come Angels spirits c. Their Dogmata Canons or Constitutions were 1. They reiected a Ioseph Antiq. lib. 13. c. 18. the Prophets and all other Scripture saue onely the fiue bookes of Moses Therefore our Sauiour when he would confute their errour concerning the resurrection of the dead he proues it not out of the Prophets but out of Exod. 3. 6. I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaack and the God of Iacob Mat. 22. 32. 2. They reiected b Elias in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all traditions Whence as they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minaei i. Heretiques in respect of the generall opposition betweene them and Pharises First because the Pharises were in repute the only Catholikes Secondly because in their doctrine the Pharises were much neerer the truth than the Sadduces So in respect of this particular opposition in the ones reiecting the others vrging of traditions the Sadduces were c Drusius de trib sect c. 8. lib. 3. p. 130. termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Karaim Biblers or Scripturists 3. They said there was no reward for good works nor punishment for ill in the world to come Hence S. Paul perceiuing that in the Councell the one part were Sadduces the other Pharises he cried out Of the hope i. of the reward expected and of the resurrection of the dead I am called in question Act. 23. 6. 4. They denied the resurrection of the body Act. 23. 8. Matt. 22. 23. Luk. 20. 27. 5. They said the soules of men are d Ioseph de bello lib. 2. c. 12. annihilated at their death 6. They denied Angels and spirits Act. 23. 8. 7. They wholly denied e Ioseph lib. 13. cap. 9. Fate or Destinie and ascribed all to mans Free-will The Samaritanes and the Sadduces are of neere affinitie but yet they differ 1. f Epiphan Tom. 1. lib. 1. haeres 14. The Samaritanes sacrificed at the temple built vpon mount Garizim but the Sadduces sacrificed at Ierusalem 2. The Samaritanes allowed no commerce with the Iewes Ioh. 4. 9. yea the mutuall hatred betweene the Samaritanes and the Iewes was so great that it was not lawfull for the Iewes to eat or drinke with the Samaritans How is it that thou being a Iew askest drinke of me which am a woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 9. Nay whereas libertie was granted vnto all nations of the earth to become Proselytes to the Iewes so did the Iewes hate the Samaritans that they would not suffer a Samaritan to be a Proselyte This appeareth by that solemne g Drusius de trib sect lib. 3. cap. 11. ex Ilmedenu Excommunication termed Excommunicatio in secreto nominis tetragrammati the forme thereof as it was applied say they by Ezra and Nehemiah vnto the Samaritans was thus They assembled the whole congregation into the temple of the Lord and they brought 300. Priests and 300. trumpets and 300. bookes of the Law and as many boyes and they sounded their trumpets and the Leuites singing cursed the Samaritans by all the sorts of Excommunication in the mysterie of the name Iehoua and in the Decalogue and with the curse of the superiour house of iudgement and likewise with the curse of the inferiour house of iudgement that no Israelite should eat the bread of a Samaritan whence they say he which eateth a Samaritans bread is as he who eateth swines flesh and let no Samaritan be a Proselyte in Israel and that they should haue no part in the resurrection of the dead R. h Buxtorf epist Hebr. p. 59. Gersom forbade the breaking open of the letters vnder the penaltie of this Excommunication This proueth what formerly was said namely that betweene the Iewes and the Samaritans there was no commerce but the Sadduces familiarly conuersed with the other Iewes euen with the Pharises themselues yea both sate together in the same Councell Act. 23. 6. Now the Samaritans and Sadduces agreed 1. In the reiection of all traditions 2. In the reiection of all other Scriptures saue only the fiue bookes of Moses 3. In the deniall of the resurrection and the consequencies as future punishments and rewards according to mens works but the Samaritans held that there were Angels which the Sadduces denied For the proofe of these agreements disagreements betweene them reade Epiphanius haeres 9. 14. Touching the Samaritans there are three degrees or alterations in their religion obseruable 1. The strange nations transplanted by Shalmanesar into Samaria when Israel was carried away captiue into Assyria worshipped euery one the God of their owne countries 2 King 17. Secondly when they saw they were deuoured by lions because they feared not the Lord the King of Assyria sent one of the Priests which was taken captiue to instruct them in the true worship of God which manner of worship though they receiued yet they would not lay aside their former idolatrie but made a mixture of religions worshipping the liuing God and their owne dumbe Idols Thirdly Manasses brother to Iaddus the high Priest in Ierusalem being married to Sanballet the Horonites daughter by reason of Nehemiahs charge of putting away their strange wiues being driuen to that exigent that hee must either put away his wife or forgoe the hope of the Priesthood by Sanballets meanes he obtained leaue from Alexander the Great to build a Temple i Ioseph Antiq. lib. 11. cap. 8. vpon mount Garizim one of the highest mountaines in Samaria whither many other apostated Iewes fled together with Manasses being made their high Priest and now the Sect of Samaritanes betweene whom and the Iewes there was such hatred began now all those forementioned errors were maintained And of this Hill it is that the woman of Samaria speaketh Iohn 4. 20. Our father 's worshipped in this mountaine c. By comparing the Dogmata of the Pharises with these of the Sadduces wee may perceiue a manifest opposition betweene them yet both these ioyned against Christ Marke 12. This heresie though it were the grossest amongst the Iews yet was it embraced and maintained by some of the high Priests themselues k Gorionides cap. 29. Ioannes Hyrcanus was a Sadducee so were his sonnes Aristobulus and Alexander l Euseb hist lib. 2. c. 23. Ex Ioseph antiq lib 20. c. 8. and likewise Ananus the younger so that Moses chaire was not amongst them exempted from error no nor heresie CHAP. XII Of the Essenes THe etymologies of the names Essaei or Esseni i. Essenes are diuers that which I prefer is from the Syriak
the Christian Church The Tabernacle was moueable and but for a time The Temple fixed and permanent the state of the Iewes vanishing to continue in their generations the state of Christians durable to continue vnto the worlds end More principally it shadoweth forth the state of the Church militant here on earth and triumphant in heauen vnto both the Prophet Dauid alludeth Lord who shall soiourne in thy Tabernacle Who shall rest in thine holy mountaine Psal 15. 1. There were in the same tract of ground three hills Sion Moria and mount Caluarie On Sion was the Citie and Castle of Dauid on Moria was the Temple and on mount Caluarie Christ was crucified a Genebrard in Chronog lib. 1. Anno Mundi 3146. But all these three were generally called by the name of Sion whence it is that though the Temple were built on Moria yet the Scripture speaketh of it commonly as if it were on mount Sion In the Temple there are these three things considerable 1. The Sancta Sanctorum the Holy of Holies answerable to our Quire in our Cathedrall Churches Secondly the Sanctum the Sanctuarie answerable to the body of the Church Thirdly the Atrium the Court answerable to the Church-yard In the Holy of Holies there were the golden censer and the Arke of the Testament Heb. 9. 4. In b Sunt qui illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Apostolum Heb. 9. 4. referunt ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vt dicant in tabernaculo secundo quod appellant Sancta Sanctorum fuisse vrnam mannae virgam Aaronis tabulasque foederis videl vrnam virgam ante Arcam ita Moses Kotsensis 210. 1. tabulas autèm in Arca. the Arke there were three things 1. The pot of Manna 2. Aarons rod that budded 3. The tables of the Testament Heb. 9. 4. Thus they were in Moses his time but afterward in the dayes of Solomon only the tables of the law were found in the Arke 1 King 8. 9. The couer of this Arke was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Propitiatory or Mercy seat because it couered and hid the law that it appeared not before God to pleade against man It was a type of Christ who likewise is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Propitiatory Rom. 3. 25. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our propitiation 1 Iohn 2. 2. At each end of the Mercy seat stood a golden Chenub each Cherub stretched forth his wings and from betweene them as from an Oracle God gaue his answer Exod. 25. 22. Hence it is that the Lord is said to sit betweene the Cherubims Psal 99. 1. The positure of the Cherubims was such that their faces were each towards the other but both looking downe towards the Mercy seat they fitly shadowed out the people of the Iewes and Christians both looking toward each other but both expecting saluation in Christ onely In the Sanctuary there was the incense altar in the middle and the table with the twelue loaues of shewbread on it on the one side and the candlesticke on the other The incense altar was a type of our praiers Psal 141. 2. And that this Altar must bee once euery yeare sprinkled with the bloud of the sacrifice by the high Priest Exod. 30. 10. it teacheth that our very praiers except they bee purified by the bloud of Christ they are vnauaileable before God The twelue loaues were a type of the twelue Tribes and the candlesticke a type of the word of God In them all wee may see the necessity of both ordinances required Praier and Preaching if wee would bee presented acceptable vnto the Lord The Candlesticke was a type of Preaching Incense of Praier In Moses his Tabernacle there was but one table and one candlesticke in Solomons Temple there were ten Tables and ten Candlesticks as likewise in the Court of the Tabernacle there was but one brazen Lauer in the Court of the Temple there were ten and another great vessell wherein the Priests washed in the Tabernacle there were but two Siluer Trumpets in the Temple there were an hundred and twentie Priests sounding Trumpets The Courts of the Temple at first were but two Atrium sacerdotum the Priests Court and Atrium populi the Peoples Court. In the Priests Court were the brazen Altar for sacrifices and the Lauer for the washing both of the Priests and the sacrifices The Lauer and the Altar situated in the same court signified the same as the water and bloud issuing out of Christs side namely the necesary concurrence of these two graces in all that shall bee saued Sanctification and Iustification Sanctification intimated by the Lauer and Water Iustification by the Altar and bloud The Court for the Priests and the Court for the people c Ioseph l. 8. cap. 3. were separated each from other by a wall of three Cubits high The Court for the people was sometimes called the outward court sometimes the Temple sometimes Solomons Porch because it was built about with porches into which the people retired in rainy weather it had Solomons name either to continue his memory or because the porches had some resemblance of that porch which Solomon built before the Temple 1 Kings 6. 3. Iesus walked in the Temple in Solomons porch Iohn 10. 23. All the people ranne vnto the porch which was called Solomons Act. 3. 11. That is this outward Court In the middest of the peoples Court Solomon made a brazen skaffold for the King 2 Chron. 6. 13. This Court for the people went round about the Temple and though it was one entire court in the daies of Solomon yet afterward it was diuided by a low wall so that the men stood in the inward part of it and the women in the outward This diuision is thought to haue beene made in Iehosaphats time of whom wee reade that hee stood in the house of the Lord before the new Court 2 Chron. 20. 5. that is before the womens Court. There was an ascent of fifteeene steps or staiers betweene the womens Court and the mens d R. Dauid Kimchi Psa 120. vpon these steps the Leuites sung those fifteene Psalmes immediatly following the one hundred nineteenth vpon each step one Psalme whence those Psalmes are entitled Psalmi graduales Songs of degrees In the womens Court stood their treasurie or almes box as appeareth by the poore widowes casting in her two mites into it Luke 21. 1. In Hebrew it is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Korban the chest of oblations the word signifieth barely an oblation or offering and accordingly Saint Luke 21. 4. faith they all haue of their superfluities cast into the offrings that is into the Korban or chest of offrings In Greeke it was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 commeth the Latine word Gazophylacium A Treasurie That set vp by Iehoiada 2 King 12. 9. seemeth to haue beene different from this and to haue beene extraordinary only for the repairing of the Temple for that stood beside the
18. 21. He is sometimes called Moloch sometimes Molech sometimes Milcom He was the reputed god not onely of the Ammonites but of the a Lorinus in â— ex Oecumenio Moabites also Hee had his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malac signifying to rule or reigne The seuentie Elders translate him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prince or King Such King-Idols were Adram-Melech and Anam-Melech the Gods of Shephernaim vnto whom that people burnt their children in fire I take Moloch and Baal to be one and the same Idol they were both names of supremacy and rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baal signifieth a Lord or Master And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Molech a King or Prince They had both the same manner of sacrifice they burnt their sonnes for burnt offerings vnto Baal likewise Ier. 19. 5. yea they built the high places of Baal which are in the vally of Benhinnom to cause their sonnes and their daughters to passe thorow the fire vnto Molech Ier. 32. 35. In which text the place of sacrifice is noted to be one and the same common to both Idols and Molech put in the end of the verse to explaine Baal in the beginning thereof Some thinke them to be different because the b Augustin super Iudic. quaest 16. Vide sis Eusebium de praepar lib. 1. cap. 7. planet Iupiter was worshipped vnder the name of Baal but the planet Saturne is probably thought to haue beene worshipped vnder the name of Moloch If wee diligently obserue histories we shall finde such a confusion of the planets that the Sunne as it was sometime called Baal somtimes Moloch so it was somtimes called c Plato apud Macrob Satur. lib. 1. cap. 23. vbi mendosè citatur è Timaeo Platonis quod est in Phaedro Iupiter sometimes d Assyrios Saturnum quem Solem dicunt Iunonemq coluisse constat Seruius in Aenâ—id 1. Saturne and concerning Baal this is euident hence Iupiter was called by the Phenicians Baal-samen which name is deriued from the Hebrew and soundeth as much as Iupiter Olympicus the Lord of Heauen For Baal signifieth Lord and Shamaim Heauen And what is this Lord of Heauen in the theologie of the Heathens other than the Sunne who may as well be stiled the King of Heauen as the Moone the Queene Yea Sanchoniatho as Eusebius in the forequoted place relates him taketh all these three for one namely the Sunne Iupiter and Baal-samen Concerning Saturne it is apparent that the Sunne was worshipped vnder his name but I finde some Expositors to interpret Moloch to be e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Molech dici volunt quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malach. i. Angelus Nuncius Proindè interpretantur Molech Mercurium Deorum nuncium Mercurie others f R. Leui. Leuit. 18. 21. Mars these are but few and the grounds weake It is therefore more generally and more probably thought that he was Saturne because as to Moloch so to Saturne the Heathen people did sacrifice their g Macrob. Saturn lib. 1. c. 7. Sonnes and Daughters Secondly Saturnes Image differed not much from Molochs Of Saturnes thus we reade h Euseb de praepar lib. 4. cap. 7. It was made of brasse wonderfull for its greatnesse whose hands reaching towards the earth were so hollow readie to claspe that the youths which were compelled to come vnto him did fall as it were into a mightie ditch full of fire You shall reade in a manner the same description of Moloch Ialkut commenting on Ieremie writeth thus i Ialkut Ierem. 7. fol. 97. column 1. Though all other houses of Idolatrie were in Ierusalem yet Moloch was without Ierusalem in a place apart How was he made He was an image of brasse He had seuen chappels and he was placed before them hauing the face of a bullocke and hands spread abroad like a man that openeth his hands to receiue somewhat from some other and they set it on fire within for it was hollow and euerie man seuerally entred according to his offering After what manner whosoeuer offered a fowle went into the first chappell he that offered a sheepe into the second a lambe into the third a calfe into the fourth a bullocke into the fifth an oxe into the sixth and whosoeuer offered his sonne into the seuenth Thus Moloch and Saturne agree First in their sacrifice Secondly in the forme of their Images Now these seuen chappells built for Moloch may well resemble those k Orig. contra Celsum lib. 6. fol. 74. col 4. It. Gyrald in Deorum Syntagm 7. p. 223. seuen gates with which the Persians honoured the Sunne and as the seuen gates did so might the seuen chappels mystically expresse the seuen planets whereof the Sunne was Molech i. the King and Prince When they sacrificed their sonnes vnto this Idoll they did beat vpon tabrets and drums that the cry of the childe might not bee heard by the father Thereupon was the place called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tophet from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toph signifying a drumme as likewise from the cry of the children it was called Gehenna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a valley and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 roaring or crying Some may make the question whether that the phrase The fire of Gehenna Matth. 5. 22. had its originall from this fire wherewith the children were burnt vnto Moloch I answer that in this phrase there was not respect onely vnto this fire though by the bitter cries and eiulations of poore infants the restlesse torments of hell might be shadowed yet the perpetuitie and euerlastingnesse of hellish paines I take to be signified herein by allusion vnto that l D. Kimchi Psal 27. 13. other fire kept continually burning for the consuming of dead carcasses and the filth brought out of Ierusalem For Gehenna was reputed a contemptible place without the Citie in the which they burnt by meanes of a fire continually preserued there the carcasses filth and garbidge of the Citie The m Capâ—io de Kabala p. 644. Kabbalists treating of Gehenna in this metaphoricall sense as it is applied to the paines of hell doe distinguish of it saying That there is Gehenna superior and inferior By the first they vnderstand bodily torments inflicted vpon the bodies of sinners in this world By the second they vnderstand the paines of the soule in the world to come n P. Galatinus lib. 12. c. 6. They say likewise that there are Septem Gehennae mansiones Seuen degrees or mansion places in Gehenna 1. Infernus 2. Perditio 3. Profundum 4. Taciturnitas 5. Vmbra mortis 6. Terra inferior 7. Terra sitiens Of these seuen receptacles he that will mis-spend his time may reade according to the quotation It is much controuersed among expositors whether the children in this sacrifice were burnt in the fire or onely initiated and consecrated to Moloch passing in the middest of two fires in signe of their consecration It is probable that both
they were certaine Idolls placed vpon the house-top and so alwaies exposed to the Sunne Furthermore as Iupiter m stat corniger illic Iupiter Lucan l. 9. vers 514. Ammon was painted with hornes so likewise was the n Syderum regina bicornis audi Luna puellas Horat. car saecular Moone why they should bee thus painted many reasons might bee produced but chiefly three the first peculiar to the Sun the other common both to Sunne and Moone First the Sunne was painted with rammes hornes because with the Astronomers the signe Aries in the Zodiak is the o Pier. hieroglyph l. 10. beginning of the yeare Secondly because as the strength of horned beasts consist in their hornes so the vertue and influence of the Sun and Moone is deriued vnto sublunary creatures by their beames Thirdly because the light of the Sunne and Moone makes the reflection cornute or horne-like When Moses came downe from God Aaron and the people saw that his face shined Exod. 34. the Latine reades it Facies eius erat cornuta and hence it is that Moses is painted with hornes which some of the Rabbines haue interpreted p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cornud magnificantie R. Solem. poriò Hebraicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coâ—nuemanarunt significat in morem cornuum splendorem radioseâ— emittere hornes of magnificence The error grew from the doubtfull signification of the Hebrew word signifying splendor or brightnesse and also hornes q Macrob. Saturnal lib. 1. c. 15. The Moone was also worshipped vnder the name of Diana who although shee were worshipped throughout all Asia yet shee was had in principall esteeme among the Ephesians whence arose that cry Great is Diana of the Ephesians Act. 19. 28. Her greatnesse among the Ephesians appeareth partly by her Temple which in r Plin. lib. 36. 14. one place Pliny saith was two hundred and twenty yeeres building but Å¿ Plin. 16. 40. elsewhere hee saith foure hundred yeeres partly from the great gaine procured vnto the siluer Smiths in making and selling siluer Temples of Diana Act. 19. 24. It is much disputed what those siluer temples were some thinke them to bee little housen or shrines such as were for their smalnesse portable in forme representing the Temple of Diana and within hauing the image of Diana inclosed and in this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes vsed to signifie closets or shrines wherein images were kept others thinke certaine coynes or peeces of money to be called by the name of Dianaes Temple from the similitude of Dianaes Temple engrauen or stamped vpon those coynes as in England we call some peeces of gold the George others the Angell others the Thistle from the impression which they beare The like custome of naming coynes from their sculpture or impression was not vnusuall among the t Simili prorsus ratione Atheniensium numos quosdam boues eorundem Atheniensium alios quosdam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. puellas alios Corinthiorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pullos alios Peloponnesioram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testudines alios Romanorum naues vocabant ancients neither were such coynes vnusuall on which the Temple of Diana was engrauen these capitall letters added DIAN EPHE Theodorus Beza in his maior annotations vpon the Acts reporteth that he hath seene two of these himselfe Wee reade of another kinde of idolatrous worship towards the Moone to haue beene u Macrob. Saturnal lib. 3. cap. 8. Non absimilem idololatriam in cultu Veneris prodidit Iulius Firmicus de errore profan religion cap. 4. that men sacrificed to her in womens apparell and women in mens apparell because they thought the Moone to be both male and female whence the Moone is called by old Authors as well Lunus as Luna And Venus whom Philochorus affirmes to be the Moone is termed Deus Venus as well as Dea Venus x Maimonid in more Nebochim part 3. cap. 38. Some haue thought that God had respect vnto this kinde of Idolatry Deut. 22. 5. where men are forbidden to weare womens apparell è contrà but it is more generally and vpon better grounds thought that the promiscuous vse of apparell whereby the distinction of sex is taken away is there forbidden CHAP. VII Of other Gods mentioned in Scripture THe Sunne and Moone which are the greater lights in the Heauen I take to haue beene the chiefest Idols worshipped by the Heathen people Notwithstanding their blinde deuotion deified also the other Planets and that numberlesse number of lesser lights called in Scripture Militia caelâ— The hoste of heauen whose seuerall natures properties and influences are not distinctly knowen In like manner there is an hoste of Idols mentioned in holy writ of whom little or nothing is spoken to the purpose by Autors more than their very names Of this nature are those chambers of imagery wherein all formes of creeping things were pourtrayed on the walls Ezek. 8. It may be termed their Pantheon In those Colonies which the King of Ashur transplanted into Samaria euery one worshipped the god of his owne Nation The men of Babel made Succoth Benoth the men of Cuth made Nergal the men of Hamath made Ashima the Auims made Nibhaz and Tartak the Shepharuims burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Shepharuaim 2 Kin. 17. 30. 31. a R. Iarchi 2 King 17. R. Dauid non dissentit The Hebrew Doctors say that Succoth Benoth was the picture of an hen with her chicken Nergal they interpret Gallum syluestrem Asima a Goat Nibhaz a dog Tartak an asse Adrammelech a mule Anammelech an horse that such bruit beasts should bee worshipped as gods may seeme ridiculous but the like to haue beene practised among the Heathens profane Authors abundantly testifie The b Lucian lib. 16. de Syr. Dea. cocke was worshipped as a God among the Syrians c Herodotus in Euterp A goat by the Mendesij d Cic. de legib lib. 1. vid. Traquell in Alex. ab Alex. lib. 6. It. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 1. 18. A dog by others yea they haue adopted into the number of their gods e Alex. Neopolit lib. 6. cap. 26. Oxen Lions Eagles Wolues Crocodiles Cats Rats c. Nay they haue digged their gods out of their gardens f Porrum cepe nefas violare srangere morsu O sanctas gentes quibus baec nascuntur in hortis Numina Iuuenal satyr 15. Garlick leekes onions c. To these may bee added Nisroch which was the god of the Assyrians and as it seemeth had his Temple at Nineue 2 King 19. vlt. and Esay 37. vlt. Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rimmon the word signifieth a Pomegranat Concerning this Idol it is much controuersed whether Naaman sinned not in saying The Lord be mercifull vnto thy seruant that when my Master goeth into the house of Rimmon c. 2 King 5 18. Reade the words in the
first fruits were alwaies offred at their Pentecost But omitting farther proofes I proceed to shew the ground why in this heaue-offering of the floore at least a sixtieth part was prescribed it is grounded vpon that of the Prophet Ezekiel This is the oblation that yee shall offer the sixth part of an Ephah out of an Homer Ezek. 45. 13. that is the sixtieth part of the whole because an Homer containeth ten Ephahs Hence they tooke that distinction of these offrings * Solom Iarchi Deut. 18. 4. Item Hieronym in Ezek. 45. Fol. 260 Some say they gaue the fortieth part of their increase this because it was the greatest quantity giuen in this kinde of oblations they termed h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therumagnaijn iapha Theruma Oculi boni the oblation of a faire eye others though they were not so liberall as the former yet that they might not be reputed niggardly gaue a fiftieth part and this they termed i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theruma benonith Theruma mediana the oblation of a middle eye others whom they reputed sordid gaue iust the sixtieth part lesse than which they could not giue this they termed k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theruma gnaijn ragna Theruma oculi mali the oblation of an euill eye so that the payment of these was bounded by the tradition of the Elders betweene the sixtieth and the fortieth part but the l Epiphan contr Pharis pag. 11. Pharises that they might be holy aboue others made their bounds the fiftieth and the thirtieth part so that he was reputed sordid with them that paid the fiftieth part and none liberall except he paid the thirtieth The manner how these first fruits termed Biccurim were paid is at large set downe Deut. 26. But in time of the Prophets other Ceremonies seeme to haue beene receiued of which the Hebrew Doctors say thus m Maimonid in Riccurim cap. 4. §. 16. When they caried vp their first fruits all the cities that were in a Countie gathered together to the chiefe citie of the Countie to the end that they might not goe vp alone for it is said In the multitude of people is the Kings honour Prou. 14. 28. And they came and lodged all night in the streets of the citie and went not into houses for feare of pollution and in the morning the Gouernour said Arise and let vs goe vp to Sion the citie of the Lord our God And before them went a bull which had his hornes couered with gold and an Oliue garland on his head to signifie the first fruits of the seuen kinds of fruits There was likewise a pipe strooke vp before them vntill they came neere to Ierusalem and all the way as they went they sang I reioyced in them that said vnto me We will goe into the house of the Lord c. Psal 122. Vnto this and other like manner of solemne assemblies the Prophet hath reference saying Yee shall haue a song as in the night when an holy solemnity is kept and gladnesse of heart as when one goeth with a pipe to come vnto the mountaine of the Lord Esa 30. 29. The first-lings or first-borne of man and beast the Lord challenged as his owne Exod. 13. The ground of this law was because God smote all the first-borne in Egypt from man to beast but spared the Israelites for a perpetuall memory of which benefit hee commanded them to sanctifie all their first-borne males vnto him Now the first-borne of men and vncleane beasts were redeemed for fiue siluer shekels of the Sanctuary paid vnto the Priests for each of them Num. 18. 15 16. Vnto this Saint Peter alludeth saying We are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold 1 Pet. 1. 18. The firstlings of cleane beasts ought to be sacrificed their bloud to bee sprinkled on the altar their fat to bee burnt for a burnt offering and their flesh to returne to the Priests Obserue how God would bee honoured by the firstlings of men and cattell by the first fruits of trees and of the earth in the sheafe in the threshing floore in the dough in the leaues All which teach vs to consecrate the first and prime of our yeeres vnto the Lord. CHAP. III. Of tithes WE are here to enquire First what things in generall were titheable Secondly how many kindes of tithes there were Thirdly the time when each sort of tithe began to be titheable First their yeerely increase was either cattell fruits of the trees or fruits of the land of a Vid. Sixtin Amama de decimis all these they payed tithes euen to mint anise and cummine These things they ought not to leaue vndone Mat. 23. 23. Secondly the sorts of tithes payed out of the fruits both of the trees and the land by the husbandman were two payed in this manner When the haruest had beene ended and all gathered then the husbandman laid aside his great Theruma otherwise called the first fruits of his threshing floore of which it hath beene spoken in the Chapter of first-fruits This being done then out of the remainder hee paied a tenth part vnto the Leuites and this they termed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnasher rischon the first tithe Tob. 1. 7. this was alwaies paied in kinde and as it seemeth to me it was not brought vp to Ierusalem by the husbandman b Decimae primae necissario aut a colono ipsoa aut eiuâ— vicariâ— Hierosoâ—ymas deport nâ—ae erant Sixtin Amama de decimis others thinke otherwise but paied vnto the Leuites in the seuerall cities of tillage Nehem. 10. 37. out of this first tithe the Leuites payed a tenth portion vnto the Priests this they termed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnasher min hammagnasher the tithe of the tithes Nehem. 10. 38. and Decima sanctitatum the tithe of holy things 2 Chron. 31. 6. this the Leuites brought vp to the house of God Nehem. 10. 38. When the Leuites had payed this tenth portion vnto the Priests then the Leuites and their families might eat the remainder of the first tithe in any place euen out of Ierusalem Num. 18. 31. This first tithe being payed the husbandman payed out of that which remained a second tithe this the husbandman might pay in kinde if he pleased or if he would he might by way of commutation pay the worth thereof in money but when he payed in money he added a fifth part so that what in kinde was ten in the hundred that changed into money was twelue in the hundred This the husbandman brought vp vnto Ierusalem and made a kinde of loue-feast therewith vnto which hee inuited the Priests and Leuites onely euery third yeere hee caried it not to Ierusalem but spent it at home within his owne gates vpon the Leuites the fatherlesse the widowes and the poore Deut. 14. 18. c Moses Kotsens tract de ceciâ— a secunda Fol. 199. They reckoned their third yeere from the Sabbaticall yeere
he saith Blessed be the Lord our God the King of the world who hath created man after his owne image according to the image of his owne likenesse and hath thereby prepared vnto himselfe an euerlasting building blessed be thou O Lord who hast created him Then followeth againe Blessed art thou O Lord our God who hast created ioy and gladnesse the bridegroome and the bride charity and brotherly loue reioycing and pleasure peace and society I beseech thee O Lord let there suddenly be heard in the cities of Iudah and the streets of Ierusalem the voice of ioy and gladnesse the voice of the bridegroome the bride the voice of exultation in the bride-chamber is sweeter than any feast and children sweeter than the sweetnesse of a song and this being ended he drinketh to the maried couple This custome of praising God at such times was not needlesse or superfluous for the fruit of the wombe was expected as a speciall blessing from God and so acknowledged by them in that saying That foure keies were in the hand of him who was the Lord of the whole world which were committed neither to Angell nor Seraphim Namely o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Targum Hierosol Gen. 30. 21. Clauis pluuiae clauis cibationis clauis sepulchrorum clauis sterilitatis Concerning the key of raine thus speaketh the Scripture The Lord will open to thee his good treasure Deut. 28. Concerning the key of food Thou openest thy hands Psalm 145. Concerning the key of the graue When I shall open your sepulchers Ezek. 37. Concerning the key of barrennesse God remembred Rachel and opened her wombe Gen. 30. Whereby is intimated that these foure things God hath reserued in his owne hand and custody Namely Raine Food the Raising of our bodies and the Procreation of children The time of the mariage feast appeareth cleerely to haue beene vsually p Vid. Thisbit in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seuen daies Sampson continued his feast seuen daies Iud. 14. 10 11. And of this seuen daies feast q Augustin quaest super Genes 88. Diuines doe vnderstand that speech of Labans vnto Iacob concerning Leah Fulfill her weeke and we will also giue thee this Gen. 29. 27. In which speech it is thought that Laban did desire Iacob not to reiect and turne away Leah but to confirme the present mariage by fulfilling the vsuall daies of her mariage feast From this custome together with the practise of Ioseph mourning seuen daies for his father Gen. 50. 10. arose that vsuall prouerbe among the Iewes Septem ad conuiuium Septem ad luctum The chiefe gouernour of the feast was called r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baal mischie which name is fitly expressed by being called the Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruler of the feast Iohn 2. 9. The moderne Iewes in Italy when they inuite any to a mariage feast vse this forme of words Such a one or such a one intreateth you to credit his daughters mariage with your presence at the feast c. Then he which is inuited replieth t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stakius de conuin l. 2. c. 3. Mazal tob which some interpret to be the wishing of good lucke in generall but I rather thinke that hereby was wished to the maried parties a speciall blessing in the procreation of children whence the wedding ring giuen vnto the Bridewife had u Munster Gen. 30. this inscription or posie Mazal tob and the Hebrews call the Planet Iupiter Mazal whose influence they thought to be of great efficacie and force for generation but in truth Mazal signifieth any other Planet or Starre in the heauen according to that Hebrew prouerb x Non est tibi vlla herba inferites cui non sit Mazal in firmamento ferit ipsam 〈◊〉 Mazal duit ei Crâ—sce There is no herbe in the earth which hath not a Mazal or Starre in the firmament answering it and striking it saying Grow Now tob signifieth good so that the phrase soundeth as much as Be it done in a good houre or vnder a good Planet At the time of the mariage also the man gaue his wife a dowrie-bill which the Scriuener wrote and the bridegroome paid for whereby he endowed his spouse if shee were a virgin with two hundred deneyrs that is fifty shekels and if she had beene maried before with an hundred deniers that is twenty fiue shekels and this was called the root or principall of the dowry the dowry might not be lesse but more so much as he would though it were to a talent of gold There is mention of a contract betweene Tobias and Sarra and that was performed not by a Scriuener but by Raguel the womans father where wee may obserue that before the writing of this bill there was a giuing of the woman vnto her husband The forme of words there vsed is Behold take her after the law of Moses Tobit 7. 14. A copie of this dowry-bill is taken by Bertram out of the Babylon Talmud The words thereof are thus y Talmud Bab. vid. Buxtorf Grammatic Chald. p. 389. Vpon the sixt day of the weeke the fourth of the moneth Siuan in the yeere fiue thousand two hundred fiftie foure of the creation of the world according to the computation which we vse here at Massilia a Citie which is situate neere the Seashoare the bridegroome Rabbi Moses the sonne of Rabbi Iehuda said vnto the bridewife Clarona the daughter of Rabbi Dauid the sonne of Rabbi Moses a Citizen of Lisbon Be vnto me a wife according to the law of Moses and Israel and I according to the word of God will worship honor maintain gouerne thee according to the manner of the husbands among the Iewes which doe worship honour maintaine and gouerne their wiues faithfully I also doe bestow vpon thee the dowry of thy virginity two hundred deniers in siluer which belong vnto thee by the law and moreouer thy food thy apparell and sufficient necessaries as likewise the knowledge of thee according to the custome of all the earth Thus Clarona the virgin rested and became a wife to Rabbi Moses the sonne of Iehuda the bridegroome After the mariage was finished then the wife might challenge from her husband three things as debt 1. Food 2. Apparell 3. Cohabitation or the right of the bed which they note from Exod. 21. 10. where it is said If hee take him another wife her food her raiment and her dutie of mariage shall he not diminish And vnto this the Apostle alludeth calling it Due beneuolence 1 Cor. 7. 3. The wife when she was first presented vnto her husband couered her head with a veile in token of subiection Rebecca tooke a veile and couered her selfe Gen. 24. 65. and for this cause namely in signe of subiection ought the woman to haue power on her head 1 Cor. 11. 10. where by power the Apostle vnderstandeth a veile Doe any aske the question why hee should denote this
The ground hereof is taken from the charge of Iacob vnto his sonne Ioseph that hee should not bury him in the land of Egypt but in Canaan q Solom Iarchi Gen. 47. 29. For which charge they assigne three reasons First because he foresaw by the spirit of Prophecy that the dust of that land should afterward be turned into lice Secondly because those who died out of the holy land should not rise againe without a painefull roling and tumbling of their bodies through those hollow passages Thirdly that the Egyptians might not idolatrously worship him They made a feast at their burials which is stiled The bread of men Ezek. 24. 17. And a cup of consolation Ier. 16. 7. because it was administred to comfort those that were sad of heart It much resembled the Roman Silicernium From those two places last quoted we may obserue that at the buriall of their friends they vsed these ceremonies which follow some to testifie some to augment their griefe 1. Cutting themselues that is wounding or cutting any part of their body with any kinde of instrument r Gentes quasdam corporis partes acu vulnerabant vel aliâs incidebant atramentumque super ponebant quod in cultum daemonum suorum fiebat praecipitur ergo ne vllo pact sicut gentes ferirent carnes suas quemadmodum sacerdotes Cybeles Deae Syrorum vt refert Lucianuâ— P. Fag Deut. 14. 1. Vnguibus orasoror faedans pectora pugnis Virg. lib. 4. Aeneid This practise was learned from the Heathens who were wont not onely to scrarch their face but to punch and prick certaine parts of their body with an needle and then couer it ouer with inke which they vsed as a speciall ceremony in their superstitious worship and therefore it is forbid Deut. 14. 1. Secondly making themselues bald which was done diuers manner of waies either by shauing their haire or plucking it off with their hands or by empoysoned plaisters to make it fall of Other nations were wont to shaue of the Å¿ Sectos fratri imposuere capillos â—uid met 3. haire of their head and to offer it in the behalfe of the dead they did sometimes shaue their cheekes sometimes their eylids and this also being an Heathenish custome was likewise forbidden in Israel Deut. 14. 1. Thirdly going bare headed that they might cast dust or ashes vpon their heads signifying thereby that they were vnworthy the ground on which they went Fourthly going bare footed for their greater humiliation Fifthly the couering of their lippes for that was a speciall signe of sorrow and shame The Seers shall bee ashamed c. they shall all couer their lippes for they haue no answer of God Mich. 3. 7. If it bee demanded how they couered their lippes It is thought they did it t D. Kimchi Aben Esra p. Fag Leuit. 14. 45. by casting the skirt of their cloke or garment ouer them Sixthly u Scissâque Polyxena pallâ Iunenal Satyr 10. renting their clothes Seuenthly putting sackloth about their loynes Genes 37. 34. These were generall tokens of griefe vsed vpon all extraordinary occasions of sorrow Two other there were more proper to burialls to augment their griefe First minstrels who with their sad tunes inclined the affections of the people to mourning x Maioris aetatis funera ad tubam proferre solebant minoris verò aetatis ad tibias Seruius Aencid lib. 5. Of these there were two sorts Some playing on pipes others sounding trumpets At the funerall of Noble men or old men they vsed a trumpet at the funerall of the common people or children they vsed a y Tibia cui teneroâ— suetum deducere manes Lege Phrygâ— maesta Statius Theb. lib. 6. vers 121. pipe In this respect spect it is said That Iesus when he raised Iairâ—us his daughter cast out the minstrels Mat. 9. 23. Secondly women hired to sing at burials for the same purpose and likewise by outward significations of sorrow to moue the company and more strongly to affect them Call for the mourning women c. and send for skilfull women Ier. 9. 17. These the Romans called Preficas quasi in hoc ipsum praefectas Chiefe or skilfull mourners CHAP. VI. Of their oathes THe manner of swearing was sometimes by lifting vp their hands towards heauen Abraham said to the King of Sodome I haue lift vp my hand vnto the Lord that is I haue sworne that I will not take from a threed euen to a shooe latchet Gen. 14. 22. Vnto which custome the Psalmist seemeth to allude Psal 106. 26. He lifted vp his hand that is hee swore Sometimes hee that tooke the oath did put his hand vnder the others thigh which administred the oath Wee read this manner of administration to haue beene vsed by Abraham Gen. 24. 2. and Iacob Gen. 47. 29. Which ceremony a Aben Esra Gen. 24. 2 some interpret to bee as a token of subiection b Solomon Iarchi ibid. others as a mysterie of circumcision the signe whereof they bore about that place of their body c Augustin quaest super Gen. 62. others more probably thinke it to bee a misterious signification of Christ the promised seede who was to come out of Abrahams loynes or thigh as the like phrase is vsed Gen. 46. 26. the soules that came out of Iacobs thigh Sometimes also the manner of deposing was to stand before the Altar 1 King 8. 31. Which was also the custome of the d Alex. ab Alex. lib. 5. c. â—o Athenians the e Liuius dec 3. lib. 1 It. valer Max. lib 9. cap. 3. Carthaginians and the f Lareslicet Samothracum nostorum aras Iuâ—enal Satyr 3. Romans The obiect of a lawfull oath was and is onely the Lord whence hee that tooke the oath was said to confesse vnto God Compare Esay 45. 23. with Rom. 14. 11. And the antient forme of imposing an oath was this Giue glory to God Ios 7. 19. Iohn 9. 24. Now God was glorified by an oath because thereby there was a solemne confession and acknowlegement of Gods omnipresence that hee is present in euery place of his omniscience that hee knoweth all secrets of his truth that hee is a maintainer of truth and an auenger of falshood of his iustice that hee is willing and his omnipotency that hee is able to punish those that by swearing shall dishonour him And as the obiect of a lawfull oath was onely God So it is implyed that it was not rashly or vnaduisedly to be vndertaken but by a kinde of necessity imposed for the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a passiue and signifieth to be sworne rather than to sweare In corrupter times they were wont to sweare by the g Allium porrum cepas inter Deos iureiurande babuerunt Aegyptij Plin. lib. 19. c. 6. Item Iuuenalis Sat. 15. creatures but the Iewes chiefely by Hierusalem by the Temple by the gold of the Temple by the
Altar and the gift on the Altar This gift in Hebrew was termed Corban and it was one of those h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inter quae sacramenta cum quibusdam alijs etiam iusiuranduÌ„ quod Corban appellatur enumerat Ioseph contra Apion lib. 1. p. 147. oathes which in our Sauiour Christs time the Scribes and Pharises accounted principally obligatory If any swore by the Altar it was nothing but if any swore by the oblation of the Altar hee was bound to performe it Mat. 23. 18. yea although Gods law inioyned honour and reliefe towards parents yet if they had bound themselues by this oath Corban that they would not helpe or relieue their parents they taught they were discharged Whence saith their i Talmud Hierasolymit tract de votis cap. 10. Talmud Euery one ought to honour his Father and Mother except hee hath vowed the contrary And it is euident that the Iewes did often by solemne vowes and k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iureiurando se obstringunt huic vel illi homini nihil se commodi praestituros Philo Iud. de specialibus legib p. 595. oathes binde themselues that they would neuer doe good to such or such a man Wee must furthermore know that vsually to their oathes there was an execration or conditionall curse annexed which sometimes was expressed as If I doe not doe thus and thus then the Lord doe so to mee and more also 1 Sam. 14. 44. Also 1 King 20. 10. Sometimes it is vnderstood as I haue sworne if I take from a threed to a shooe latchet Gen. 14. 22. Then let the Lord doe so to mee and more also this or the like is vnderstood and maketh the former part of the oath to sound negatiuely as if Abraham had said I haue sworne I will not take from a threed to a shooe latchet In like manner Psal 95. I haue sworne if they shall enter into my rest that is They shall not enter into my rest Heb. 3. 18. This helpth the exposition of that difficult place Matt. 15. 5. which wee reade i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per Corban si quicquam tibi prodero Interpretor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si quisquam quemadmodum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 10. 14. Matt. 23. 18. Et execratione subauditâ sensus emergat Per Corban nihil tibi prodero Caeterum si quis vrgeat quod in fonte sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non per Corban vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sciendum quod similis ellipsis in iurandi formulis non est inusitata hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per domicilium hoc Vid. Druâ—um de tribus sectis l. 2. cap. 17. By the gift that is offered by me thou maiest haue profit but if we conceiue it thus according to the forme of the oath Corban By Corban if thou receiue any profit by me and vnderstand the execration implied Then let God doe thus and much more to me The sense will be thus By Corban thou shalt receiue no profit by me This exposition is as agreeable to the scope of the place as it is to their forme of swearing and plainly sheweth how the Pharises by their traditions transgressed the commandement of God For God commanded saying Honour thy father and thy mother But the Scribes and Pharises said Whosoeuer should say to father or mother seeking reliefe By corban thou shalt receiue no profit from me he was discharged CHAP. VII Of their writing their Masorites and their worke WRiting in no nation came to its perfection on a sudden but by degrees The opinions of the ancient concerning the authors and inuenters of letters are different Some say a Plin. lib. 7. cap. 56. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 6. cap. 15. â—admus brought the vse of letters into Greece others say b Seruius lib. 2. Aeneid Palamedes c Alex. Genial l. 2. c. 30. some say Rhadamanthus brought them into Assyria Memnon into Egypt Hercules into Phrygia and Carmenta into Latium Likewise some say the Phenicians had first the knowledge and vse of letters Phaenices primi famae si credimus ausi Mansuram rudibus vocem signare figuris Lucan Others say the d Diodor. Sicul. l. 4. Ethiopians e Plin. l. 7. c. 56. others the Assyrians But vpon better grounds it is thought that f Euseb praepar Euang. l. 18. Moses first taught the vse of letters to the Iewes and that the Phenicians learned them from the Iewes and the Grecians from the Phenicians In like manner the matter vpon which men wrote in ruder times was different Some wrote on rindes of trees whence Liber signifying originally a rinde of a tree is now vsed for a booke g Diogen Laert. in vita Cleanthis some wrote on tile-stones with a bone in stead of a pen some on tables this last was chiefly in vse among the Iewes the Decalogue was written in two tables of stone Againe write these things vpon a table Es 30. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Septuagint as if the writing tables at that time were made of box tree They vsed not then pens or quills but a certaine instrument or punch made of iron or steele called stylus it was sharpe at one end for the more conuenient indenting or caruing of the characters and broad at the other for the scraping or blotting out what had beene written whence sprang that prouerbiall speech h Erasm in Adag Inuertere stilum To vnsay what he hath said or to blot out what hee hath written Scribe stylo hominis write with the pen of man Es 8. 1. Afterward before they came to binde vp bookes in manner as now we haue them they wrote in a roll of paper or parchment which sometimes was ten cubits broad and twentie long Zach. 5. 2. This they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Megilla in Hebrew from Galal To role Volumen in Latine in English a volume from voluo To role In the volume of the Booke it is written Ps 40. 7. And Christ closing the Booke gaue it to the Minister Luk. 4. 20. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complicans folding or rolling it vp And vers 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Explicans vnfolding or opening it i Buxtorf institut epist p. 4. These volumes were written not with one entire continued writing but the writing was distinguished into many spaces columnes or platformes like vnto so many Areae these platformes filled with writing were in stead of so many pages in a booke and thus we are to vnderstand that Ier. 36. 23. When Iehudi had read three or foure leaues hee cut it with the pen-knife c. These leaues were nothing else but such spaces and platformes in the roll After this manner the Iewes reserue the law written in such rolles and with such spaces in their Synagogues at this day It is much controuersed whether the Iewes did from the beginning write
name in remembrance 2 Sam. 18. 18. The other sort of wiues they call c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vxor secundaria vocem compositam essè aiunt ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diuidere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vxor quasi vxor diuisa dimidiae Pillagschim Secundary wiues or halfe-wiues the English translates them Concubines and that not vnfitly for sometimes the Hebrew word it selfe denoteth an infamous strumpet or common harlot The differences betweene these Concubines and the chiefe or primary wiues are many 1. A disparity in their authority or houshold gouernment the Wife was as mistresse the Concubine as an handmaid or seruant She had onely Ius tori a true and lawfull right vnto the mariage bed as the chiefe wife had otherwise she was in all respects inferiour And this appeareth in the history of Sarah and Hagar Secondly the betrothing was different the chiefe wife at her espousals receiued from her husband certaine gifts and tokens as pledges and testimonies of the contract Thus Abrahams steward who is probably thought to be Eliezer of whom wee reade Gen. 15. 2. gaue in Isaaks name vnto Rebecca iewels of siluer and iewels of gold and raiment Gen. 24. 53. This custome was in vse also among the Grecians who called these gifts d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliad 9. vid. etiam Suid. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e D. Kimch 2 Sam. 5. 13. Moreouer the chiefe wife likewise receiued from her husband a bill of writing or matrimoniall letters whereas the Concubine receiued neither such gifts nor such letters Thirdly onely the children of the chiefe wife succeeded the father in his inheritance the children of the Concubine receiued gifts or legacies Abraham gaue all his goods to Isaak but vnto the sonnes of the Concubines which Abraham had Abraham gaue gifts Gen. 25. 5 6. And here by the way wee may take notice that the first-borne by right of primogeniture receiued a double portion of his fathers goods The father shall giue him a double portion of all that hee hath for hee is the first of his strength Deut. 21. 17. Vnto this custome the Prophet Elishaes speech alludeth when the praieth Elijah that his spirit might be double vpon him 2 King 1. 9. that is that he might haue haue a double portion of the spirit in comparison of the other Prophets or rather the sonnes of the Prophets amongst whom he obtained the place of an elder brother and therefore praieth for the right of primogeniture so that we are not to vnderstand him as if hee did ambitiously desire a greater measure of the spirit than rested vpon his Master but that hee desired to excell the other remaining Prophets vnto whom afterward hee became a Father The f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partem duorum Hebrew phrase is in both places the same Secondly in their betrothing wee are to consider 1. The distance of time betweene the espousals and the confirmation of their mariage which some haue conceited to haue beene a full yeare at least ten moneths and this they obserue from Rebecca her brother and mothers answer vnto Abrahams seruant desiring that the maid might not depart presently but remaine after the espousalls at least ten daies Gen. 24. 55. Which text they interpret g Orkâ—los R. Solomon ten moneths vnderstanding thereby that which elsewhere is phrased an h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dâ—orum annorum dâ—erum yeare of daies Gen. 41. 1. But if we should yeeld this interpretation although our English at least ten daies is more agreeable vnto the Septuagint and the Originall yet it followeth not that this time was craued for the fulfilling of any prescribed distance betweene the espousalls and the mariage but rather it implieth the tender affection of the mother towards her daughter as being loth so suddenly to part with her Notwithstanding it is not vnlikely that there was a competent distance of time betweene the first affiancing and the confirmation of the mariage though not prescribed or limited to any set number of daies weekes or moneths The second thing considerable in their betrothing is to enquire the manner of their contracting which might be done in Israel three waies 1. i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses Kotsens fol. 124. By a peece of money Secondly By writing Thirdly By copulation and all these in the presence of witnesses by a peece of money though it were but a faithing or the worth thereof at which time the man vsed this or the like forme of words k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 3. §. â— Loe thou art betrothed vnto mee And hee gaue her the money before witnesses By hill and then he wrote the like forme of words Be thou betrothed vnto me which hee gaue her before witnesses and it was written with her name in it else it was no betrothing By copulation and then hee said likewise Loe thou shalt bee betrothed vnto mee by copulation and so hee was vnited vnto her before two witnesses after which copulation shee was his betrothed wife If he lay with her by way of fornication and not by the name of betrothing or if it were by themselues without the fore-acquainting of witnesses it was no betrothing howeuer he might not lie with her the second time before the mariage was accomplished And though the betrothing might be any of these three waies yet vsually it was by a peece of money and if they would they might doe it by writing but betrothing by copulation was forbidden by the wise men of Israel and who so did it was chastised with roddes howbeit the betrothing stood in force These solemnities in betrothing were performed by the man and woman vnder a tent or canopy made for the purpose called in their language l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elias â—hisbit Chuppa A Tabernacle or Tent to this the Psalmist alludeth Psalme 19. 4 5. In them hath hee set a Tabernacle for the Sunne which as a Bridegroome comming out of his chamber reioyceth as a strong man to runne a race Thirdly the rites and ceremonies of their mariage were performed in the assembly of ten men at least with blessings and thanksgiuings vnto God whence the house it selfe was called m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth hillula the house of praise and their mariage song n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hillulim praises The bridegroomes intimate friends which accompanied him and sung this Epithalamium or mariage song were termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children of the bride-chamber Matth. 9. 15. Such I conceiue those thirty companions to haue beene which Sampson associated to himselfe Iudg. 14. 11. The forme of this praise or blessing is at large described by Genebrard and the summe thereof is this the chiefe of these companions taketh a cup and blesseth it saying Blessed art thou O Lord our God the King of the world which createst the fruit of the vine Afterward then