Commanders stifled Division 332 Manasseh 51 and reigned in his stead 2 King 8. 15. and doth Israel much mischief Division 333 Manasseh 52 2 Kings 10. 32. Benhadad his son succeeded him 2 King 13. 24. and Division 334 Manasseh 53 after him reigned Rezin the last King of Syria captived by the Assyrian Division 335 Manasseh 54 and Damaseus with him and so is there an end of the Syrian power World 3365 Division 336 Manasseh 55 Manasseh dieth Ammon reigneth two years and is at last slain by his own servants but his death avenged on those servants by the people of the Land Whilest the Kingdom of Syria was in its power the Assyrian Kingdom World 3366 Division 337 Ammon 1 was obscure and therefore very improperly made by some the first of the World 3367 Division 338 Ammon 2 four Monarchies No King of it mentioned in Scripture till Pull in the time of Menahem King of Israel Famous in Heathen Stories is Sardanapalus the last King of that Kingdom whilest it was obscure and with whom it fell Before his time it was that Jonah went to Niniveh and prophesied against it some thirty or forty years before its fall In new hands that City and Kingdom began to be great and victorious The first of the Kings of the new race was Pull so potent that he pull'd a thousand Talents by way of tribute from the King of Israel 2 King 15. 19. After him came Tiglath-Pileser into the Assyrian Throne and conquered Syria and added it to Assyria 2 Kings 16. 9 10. Next after him reigned Shalmanezer who captivated the ten Tribes 2 King 17. 3 c. and after him Sennacherib the blasphemous called also Sargon as it is probable Esay 20. 1. Esar-haddon succeeded Sennacherib and he is the last Assyrian King mentioned if Asnapper were not one on that Throne different from him Then did Babylon swallow up Niniveh and Nebuchad-nezzar subdued it and brought it under the subjection of Babylon whereas Babel had been lately under the subjection of it 2 KING XXII vers 1. and 2 CHRON. XXXIV vers 1. to vers 8. World 3368 Division 339 Iosiah 1 JOSIAH reigned 31 years being but eight years old when he Division 340 Iosiah 2 began to reign The youngest King that ever sate upon the Throne Division 341 Iosiah 3 of Judah as young again as Uzziah 2 King 15. 2. and yet was Uzziah Division 342 Iosiah 4 long off the Throne for his minority God hath much to do by Josiah Division 343 Iosiah 5 and therefore he sets him on the Throne and shews his piety Division 344 Iosiah 6 to the world betime The Lord had spoken of him about 340 years ago 1 King 13. 2. World 3374 Division 345 Iosiah 7 JEHOIAKIM born this year Compare 2 Chron. 34. 1. and 36. 5. World 3375 Division 346 Iosiah 8 JOSIAH setteth himself to seek God in the eighth year of his reign World 3376 Division 347 Iosiah 9 JEHOAHAZ born see 2 Chron. 36. 2. He is called Johanan and Division 348 Iosiah 10 Shallum 1 Chron. 3. 15. Jer. 22. 11. and said to be the first born of Josiah Division 349 Iosiah 11 because he reigneth first and the fourth Son because he was last born World 3379 Division 350 Iosiah 12 Josiah purgeth Judah and Jerusalem from Idols c. JEREMY World 3380 Division 351 Iosiah 13 JEREMY beginneth to Prophesie in the thirteenth of Josiah and by Prophesying to help forward the reformation begun which went on exceeding slowly not through any negligence of Josiah himself whose heart was very upright with the Lord but through the slackness and remisness of the Princes and people and through the rootedness of Idolatry in them And hence it is that Jeremy prophesieth so terrible things and so certain destruction in the very time of reformation Josiah in the twelfth year of his reign had begun to destroy Idolatry and yet how much filth of it was remaining in his eighteenth year is almost incredible 2 King 23. Jeremy a young Priest and Prophet for the young King was Moses like a Prophet to Israel forty years viz. 18 of Josiah 11 of Jehoiakim and 11 of Zedekiah and as Moses was so long with the people a Teacher in the Wilderness till they entred into their own Land so was Jeremy so long in their own Land a Teacher before they went into the wilderness of the Heathen The Holy Ghost setteth a special mark upon these forty years of his Prophesying Ezek. 4. 6. where when the Lord summeth up the years that were betwixt the falling away of the ten Tribes and the burning of the Temple three hundred and ninety in all and counteth them by the Prophets lying so many days upon his left side he bids him to lye forty days upon his right side and bear the iniquity of the House of Judah forty days a day for a year Not to signifie that it was forty years above three hundred and ninety betwixt the revolting of the ten Tribes and the captivity of Judah for it was but three hundred and ninety exactly in all but because he would set and mark out Judahs singular iniquity by a singular mark for that they had forty years so pregnant instructions and admonitions by so eminent a Prophet yet were impenitent to their own destruction The Prophesies of Jeremy are either utterly undated and so not easily if at all to be referred to their proper time or those that are dated are almost generally dislocated and not easie to give the reason of their dislocation The first Chapter at vers 2. and the third Chapter at vers 6. do only bear the date of Josiahs reign and no more mention of any other Prophesie delivered in his time expresly made and yet there is no doubt that very much of the beginning of his Prophesie was in his time JEREMY I. THIS Chapter dateth it self by the thirteenth year of Josiah and that was the time and this was the subject of the Prophets first Ministery for here is laid down the general head upon which his whole Prophesie doth chiefly run A rod and evil to come upon Jerusalem from the North. God sheweth him a plain dried withered rod to signifie the rod and stroke that God was about to bring upon the people and when he asked Jeremy what he saw he not only saith he saw a rod but he can readily name the wood of which it was made though it was withered and dry and no ready token on it to discern of what wood it was I see saith he Makal shaked a rod of Almond thou hast well seen saith God for Ani shokedh I hasten my word to perform it The Lord descanteth upon the word Shakedh in the Prophets answer And since Jeremy had spoken so fully as to tell that he not only saw a rod but a rod of Shakedh or of Almond the Lord answers as fully that he is not only about to bring a rod upon the Land but also Shakedh he doth hasten to
Asa 30 Omri 4 Division 49 Ahaziah 2 Chron. 22. 2. of which Asa 31 Omri 5 Division 50 when we come there Asa 32 Omri 6 Division 51 In the one and thirtieth year of Asa 33 Omri 7 Division 52 Asa Tibni is conquered and Asa 34 Omri 8 Division 53 Omri is sole King He reigneth Asa 35 Omri 9 Division 54 six years in Tirzah and then removeth Asa 36 Omri 10 Division 55 to Samaria which he had Asa 37 Omri 11 Division 56 built for Zimri had fired the Omri 12 Kings Palace at Tirza Omri is more wicked then any that went before him he maketh cursed Statutes Mich. 6. 16. Ahab 1 AHAB reigneth in the 38 Ahab 2 year of Asa 1 King 16. 29. and Asa 38 doth more wickedly then his father World 3086 Asa 39 Division 57 Omri had done He bringeth World 3087 Ahab 3 Division 58 in the Sidonian Idoll Baal into Asa 40 Division 59 request in Israel and addeth that Idolatry to the Idolatry with the golden Calves He had married a Sidonian woman Jezabell an Idolatress a Murdress World 3089 Asa 41 Ahab 1 Ahab 4 Division 60 a Witch and an Whore and it is no wonder if Ahab grew to a height of wickedness indeed Ahab 2 Ahab 5 Division 61 when he had such a father as Omri to bring him up and such a wife as Jezabell to lye in his bosom 2 CHRON. XVII all World 3091 Ahab 3 Ahab 6 Division 62 JEHOSHAPHAT in Ahab 4 Ahab 7 Division 63 the third year sendeth Ahab 5 Ahab 8 Division 64 Priests Princes and Levites Ahab 6 Ahab 9 Division 65 to teach the Law He hath Ahab 7 Ahab 10 Division 66 great tribute from the Philistims Ahab 8 Ahab 11 Division 67 and Arabians hath Ahab 9 Ahab 12 Division 68 eleven hundred thousand and Ahab 10 Ahab 13 Division 69 sixty thousand fighting men Ahab 11 Ahab 14 Division 70 and is a terror to all that were round about him But hath already made affinity with Ahab and married his Ahab 12 Ahab 15 Division 71 Son JORAM to Athaliah Ahab 13 Ahab 16 Division 72 Ahabs Daughter see Ahab 14 Ahab 17 Division 73 2 Kings 8. 18. and 11. 1. Ahab 15 Ahab 18 Division 74 for Ahazia Son to Joram Ahab 16 Ahab 19 Division 75 and Athaliah was born in the eighth year of Jehosaphats reign See 2 Kings 8. 26. 1 King 22. ver 44. to 50. World 3105 Ahab 17 Ahab 20 Ahaziah 1 Division 76 1. JORAM the son of Jehoshaphat reigneth Observe these Texts 1 King 2â— 51. Ahaziah the Son of Ahab began to raign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah and reigneth two years And 2 King 1. 17. And Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken and Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat King of Judah And 2 King 3. 1. Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah By these Scriptures it is most plain that both Joram the son of Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign in the seventeenth of Jehoshaphat I shall not need to make the collection it is so conspicuous in the Text for who seeth not in them that Jehoshaphats eighteenth when Joram the son of Ahab beginneth to reign is called The second year of Joram the son of Jehoshaphat Now Jehoshaphats reign was not yet expired by eight or nine years for this was in his seventeenth year and he reigned five and twenty 1 King 22. 42. Nor was Ahabs reign expired by two or three years for this was in his twentieth year and he reigned two and twenty 1 King 16. 29. But the reason that both their sons came into their thrones thus in their life time and both in this same year was because the fathers Jehoshaphat and Ahab were both ingaged in the war against the Syrians about Ramoth Gilead and while they were providing for it and carrying it on they made their sons Viceroyes and set them to reign in their stead while they were absent or imployed about that expedition we shall have occasion to observe the like of Joram the son of Jehoshaphat again afterward 1 KING XVI ver 30. to the end World 3091 Ahab 3 Ahab 6 Division 62 AHAB doth abominably Ahab 4 Ahab 7 Division 63 buildeth a Chappel and Ahab 5 Ahab 8 Division 64 an Altar to Baal in Samaria In Ahab 6 Ahab 9 Division 65 his days Hiel a man of the family Ahab 7 Ahab 10 Division 66 of Rahab living now in Bethel Ahab 8 Ahab 11 Division 67 seeing Canaanitish Idolatry Ahab 9 Ahab 12 Division 68 and Canaanitish manners come Ahab 10 Ahab 13 Division 69 on so fast he is imboldned to set Ahab 11 Ahab 14 Division 70 on to build Jericho again to make it a Canaanitish City but his eldest Son is slain in laying the foundation and his youngest son in setting up the Gates according to the curse of Joshua denounced upon such an undertaking above five hundred and thirty years before 1 King 17 18 19. In the degenerate and most wicked times of Ahab appeared the glorious piety and Prophetick spirit of Elias a seasonable reformer when times were come to the very worst He was of Jabesh Gilead he shutteth up Heaven that there is no rain for three years and six months till Baalites be destroyed and then there is rain enough He is fed by birds of prey he feedeth the Sareptane widow and becometh the first Prophet of the Gentiles He raiseth her dead Child destroyeth hundreds of false Prophets bringeth fire from Heaven and rain ere long after it Fasteth forty days and forty nights seeth the Lord where Moses had seen him accuseth Israel to him Is appointed to anoint Hazael King of Syria who should plague Israel for their Idolatry and to anoint Jehu King of Israel who should destroy the house of incorrigible Ahab and to anoint Elisha a Prophet in his stead to go on with the reformation that he had begun John Baptist was a second Elias a man in a hairy garment and leather girdle 2 King 1. 8. Matth. 3. 4. of a powerful and operative Ministry and a great reformer in corrupt times 1 KING XX XXI XXII vers 51 52 53. Ahab 12 Ahab 15 Division 71 AHAB two years together Ahab 13 Ahab 16 Division 72 hath two great Victories Ahab 14 Ahab 17 Division 73 over the Syrians but letting Ahab 15 Ahab 18 Division 74 Benhadad go he undoeth himself Ahab 16 Ahab 19 Division 75 compare the case of Saul about Agag King of Amalek 1 Sam. 15. Ahab murdereth Naboth for his Vineyard World 3105 Ahab 17 Ahab 20 Ahaziah 1 Division 76 AHAZIAH the Son of Ahab reigneth 1 KING XXII to Verse 50. and 2 CHRON. XVIII all World 3106 Ahab 18 Ahab 21 Ahaziah 2 Iehoram 1 Division 77 JEHOSHAPHAT and Ahab are now together in
perform it Division 352 Iosiah 14 Josiah goeth on in piety and in reforming yet is not the wrath of Division 353 Iosiah 15 the Lord removed partly because of the sins of Manasseh 2 King Division 354 Iosiah 16 23. 26. and partly because the peoples reformation was but fained Division 355 Iosiah 17 Jer. 3. 10. and partly because in most of them there was no reformation at all 2 KING XXII from vers 3. to end and XXIII to vers 29. 2 CHRON. XXXIV from vers 8. to end and XXXV to vers 20. World 3385 Division 356 Iosiah 18 THE copy of the Law written with Moses own hand is found this year in the Temple Josiah consulteth Huldah a Prophetess about it Jeremy was not now at Jerusalem but at Anathoth the Town of his birth he prophesied there till his Towns-men were about to kill him Chap. 11. 22. and then he goeth up to Jerusalem and the Lord before hand tells him that he must expect rougher dealing at Jerusalem then at home For if foot-men had wearied him how could he run with horsemen c. Chap. 12. 5. If he had been thus tired with his own equals at Anathoth what would he do with the great ones at Jerusalem And if in his native Town the place of his peace he had found so much trouble what would he do in Jerusalems tumults For even thy brethren and thy fathers house have dealt treacherously with thee c. vers 6. The Prophet was very young when he began to Prophesie and spent some of his junior years in preaching to his own Country-men but they despised his youth and therefore as Christ being refused by his own Towns-men of Nazareth goeth then about all Galilee preaching the Gospel Luke 4. So Jeremy rejected and indangered by his Towns-men of Anathoth goeth then abroad to prophesie at Jerusalem where it is more then probable he was not when Josiah inquired of Huldah a woman about Moses Copy Zephany had not yet appeared a Prophet at all as shall be observed by and by Josiah humbled and afraid upon the reading of the Law bringeth the people into a Covenant setteth on to destroy Idolatry and keepeth a solemn Passover JEREMY II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Division 357 Iosiah 19 JEREMY in these latter years of Josiah doth prophesie very sad Division 358 Iosiah 20 and heavy things against Judah and Jerusalem and telleth plainly Division 359 Iosiah 21 that Jerusalem should become like Shiloh c. For the time and Division 360 Iosiah 22 order of these Chapters the Reader may take notice of these few Division 361 Iosiah 23 things Division 362 Iosiah 24 1. That whereas his Chapters from the twentieth forward are of very Division 363 Iosiah 25 much and very visible dislocation these to the twentieth do not own Division 364 Iosiah 26 any such thing in so visible and evident a manner as those do nor indeed Division 365 Iosiah 27 by any closer intimation to conclude any whit certainly upon and Division 366 Iosiah 28 therefore it is not safe nor solid to transpose them at all but to take Division 367 Iosiah 29 them up as they lye Nor do I see any thing to the contrary but that Division 368 Iosiah 30 they lye very direct and methodically all along 2. The thirteenth Chapter and all that follow to the one and twentieth I conceive to have been delivered in the time of Jehoiakim and not in the time of Josiah and that upon this ground because in Chap. 13. vers 18. The Prophet calls to the King and Queen Humble your selves and sit down for your Principality shall come down even the Crown of your glory which was most fully accomplished upon Jehoiakim and his wife Jer. 22. 19. with 2 King 24. 12. and not at all upon Josiah and his Queen at the least not upon his Queen for ought we read of 3. There is one particular very remarkable that runneth along through the most of these Chapters from the beginning of the third to the fourteenth and that is the mention of a great drought or want of rain as Chap. 3. 3. 5. 24 25. 8. 13. 20. 9. 10. 12. 12. 4. 14. 1 2 3 4. Now if this drought were in the time of Josiah as it is mentioned instantly before the dating of a Prophesie in Josiahs time Chap. 3. 3. 6. and in the time of Jehoiakim as there is mention of it presently after a Prophesie against Jehoiakim Chap. 13. 18. 14. 1 2. then it appeareth that this sad restraint of rain fell out in the last years of Josiah and continued some of Jehoiakims time and so these Chapters of Jeremy do most properly fall in with the latter years of Josiahs reign In Chap. 11. 2. he seemeth to speak concerning the Covenant that Josiah had caused the people to enter into upon the finding and reading of Moses copy and he doth earnestly exhort the people to keep it And it may be that phrase in Chap. 2. 31. O generation behold or see the Word of the Lord may have reference to that copy of Moses also I am sure it may be more properly interpreted as if he pointed to that then it is interpreted by some Jews as if he shewed them the Pot of Manna There is only some Chronical doubt ariseth upon the eighteenth verse of the second Chapter and that is whether Judah had any league and reliance with and upon Egypt in Josiahs time which as there is no Scripture to assert so also is there none neither to contradict And it may very well be held affirmatively and more probable then otherways all circumstances well considered And what if Josiahs death by the King of Egypt were a temporal punishment for his reliance upon Egypt The Prophesie of ZEPHANIAH all IN these latter times of Josiah did Zephaniah also arise and appear a Prophet the great Grand-child of King Hezekiah if some guess aright The times of his Prophesying may be setled the better by this that as the first verse of his Book doth date his Prophesie by the reign of Josiah so the eight verse of the same Chapter doth Prophesie against the Kings Children Jehoahaz Jehoiakim and Zedekiah for their new-fashions and new-fangled apparrel Now the eldest of these three was but twelve years old at Josiahs eighteenth and the second but ten It is true indeed that it nameth not these three men by name but why it should not be understood in the litteral and proper sence and mean these three men I yet see no ground to the contrary The Jews indeed appear to be of another mind for they make * * * Maimon in Praef. ad Mish Jeremy to be Zephanies Scholler and so Expositers are of another mind for they understand the Kings Children largely for the Noble-mens Sons or Courtiers but considering the wickedness of these sons of Josiah after their fathers death I have no reason to think them much otherwise in
their fathers life-time and I see not why they may not go in the first place with any that deserved reproof and on whom it lighted under the name of the Kings Children 2 CHRON. XXXV from vers 20. to end 2 KING XXIII vers 29. 30. World 3398 Division 369 Iosiah 31 JOSIAH slain by Pharaoh Necho yet dies in peace 2 Kings 22. 20. because in Gods favour The King of Assyria had conquered Carchemish a great while ago Esay 10. 9. And Necho or his Predecessors had recovered it and he went now to strengthen the Garrison there or to recover it and passing some part of Josiahs Country with an Army Josiah takes a quarrel at him though it may be he was in league with him and is slain at Megiddo This Zech. 12. 10. alluded to The mourning of Hadadrimmon and in the valley of Megiddo there is an Ellypsis of the conjunction Vaâ— 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 1 2 3 4. 2 KING XXIII vers 31 32 33 34 35. JEHOAHAZ is made King by the people of the Land as one best beloved by them for he was two years younger then Jehoiakim Compare 2 King 23. vers 31. 36. He is called Shallum 1 Chron. 3. 15. Jer. 22. 11. He reigned but three months and is deposed by Pharaoh Necho His three months reign is to be reckoned in the last year of Josiah as Jeremy maketh the account plain Jer. 25. 3. And therefore I must here retract and I retract it with wonder how it ever was so mistaken what is said in Prolegon to harmony of Evang That some years of trouble passed between the death of Josiah and the reign of Jehoiakim 2 KING XXIII vers 36 37. 2 CHRON. XXXVI Vers. 4 5. World 3399 Division 370 Iehoiaikim 1 JEHOIAKIM reigneth eleven years set up by Pharaoh Necho Division 371 Iehoiaikim 2 and named Jehoiakim by him instead of Eliakim In which change of name Pharaoh shewed rather his power then any thing else unless he would not indure the word Jehovah in Jehoiakims name for Jehoiakim and Eliakim is but one and the same in signification JEHOIAKIM doth wickedly like as his wicked predecessors had done And his eyes and his heart are not but for covetousness and for to shed innocent blood and for oppression and for violence to do it Jer. 22. 17. Amongst other of his wickednesses this was not the least committed in the beginning of his raign that he slew Urijah the Prophet Read here Jer. 26. ver 20 21 22 23. JEREMY XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXII to ver 24. IT was observed before that Chapter 11. was most properly to be referred to Josiahs times as pointing to the Covenant that he caused the people to enter into and that the twelfth Chapter joyned to it viz. vers 5 6. of Chap. 12. to vers 21 22 23. of Chap. 11. And so with the end of the twelfth Chapter are ended the Prophesies of Jeremy of Josiahs time And it was also observed before that ver 18. of Chap. 13. pointed at the time of Jehoiakim and so doth also the 18. vers of Chap. 22. And therefore since we have no date nor direction for any of the Chapters between to fix them to any other time we may very well take in all these Chapters of Jeremy from the beginning of the thirteenth to the 24 verse of the two and twentieth in the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim The one and twentieth Chapter only is to be set out for it is plainly dated by the time of Zedekiah Now the reason of setting this Chapter so forward as among those that were in the beginning of Jehoiakims time whereas it was in Zedekiahs which was many years after may be conjectured to be because of the correspondency of something in the twentieth Chapter and it In the twentieth a Pashur in the time of Jehoiakim sets Jeremy in the stocks for foretelling destruction to Jerusalem by the Babylonian And in the one and twentieth a Pashur in the time of Zedekiah seeks to Jeremy for remedy against the Babylonian who had made good Jeremies Prophesie so far as that he had besieged Jerusalem This was a thing remarkable that one Pashur should thus oppose Jeremies prophesying and another Pashur should thus assert it And for the better marking of this the two Chapters that contain the two stories are laid together The two and twentieth to ver 24. doth shew that it was delivered in Jehoiakims time when Shallum or Jehoahaz was not long before captivated It biddeth Weep not for the dead Josiah but weep sorely for Shallum that was gone for he should return no more vers 10. See 2 Kings 23. 34. JEREMY XXVI all and XXVII to vers 12. THE beginning of these two Chapters bear the date of the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim which in this Prophets language is not precisely the first year of his reign the first second or third year singly he nameth not but it is taken in a larger sence and construction as there is an evidence from the like expression used concerning another King and expounded Chap. 27. 1. In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah in the fourth year Here Zedekiah is in the fourth year of his reign and yet it is called The beginning of his reign and the reason of the Phrase is because of the double condition and change that either of these Kings underwent in the time of their reign Jehoiakim for above two years reigned by the deputation of Pharaoh Necho but the rest of his time by the deputation of Nebuchad-nezzar and Zedekiah for four years at the least reigned under the subjection of the King of Babel Jer. 51. 59. but the rest of his time he reigned as rebelling and casting off the yoke of the Babylonian 2 King 24. 20. therefore the time of either of these Kings before this change and alteration befel them is called The beginning of their reign Now as for the order and method of these two Chapters under hand let us a little look back to the portion where we left before and that was at the three and twentieth verse of the two and twentieth Chapter for from thence to this 26 Chapter all that comes between is dislocated and laid there by anticipation The four and twentieth verse of Chapter twenty two beareth the date of the raign of Jehoiachin or Coniah which was not till Jehoiakim had reigned eleven years whereas divers Prophesies which were uttered in those eleven years of Jehoiakim are set after as Chap. 25. 26. 27. and very many more Now the reason of this method is this that the threatnings against the father Jehoiakim and the son Jehoiachin might be laid together and the rather because the time of Jehoachins reign was but very short namely three months and therefore the prediction of his captivity is fitly joyned to the prediction of his fathers since his reign is reputed as nothing Chap. 36. 30. And when the Text is fallen upon
which was a comfortable word for Baruch in Egypt in the threatnings of Egypt the 46 Chapter which was also delivered in this fourth of Jehoiakim is laid next that all the threatnings against Egypt though at several times delivered yet might come together and that the accomplishment of this Prophesie delivered in Jehoiakims time and fulfilled upon Pharaoh Nechos Army might be a confirmation that Israel in Egypt must expect the like truth of the Prophesies against it delivered to them there of misery to come upon it by Nebuchadnezzar Of the same date with the 46 Chapter we may well suppose the 48 49 Chapters to be also because the second verse of Chapter 46. doth use a comprehensive expression The Word of the Lord against the Gentiles as concluding all these Sermons and Prophesies against these several Nations under one date and head only Chap. 47. and vers 34. of Chap. 49. are of several specified dates of which when we come to them JEREMY XXXVI from vers 9. to end World 3403 Divvision 374 Years of Captivity 2 Iehoiakim 5 IN the fifth year of Jehoiakim in the ninth month Jehoiakim cuts in pieces and burns Jeremies Prophesie a wickedness not to be paralleld Let the Reader weigh whether Baruchs reading the Book in the fourth year of Jehoiakim on the Fast day vers 6. and his reading it now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim at an extraordinary Fast in the ninth month be above the space of two months asunder It is very well worth the pondering I cannot but conclude affirmatively and I believe upon very good ground and this observed and concluded doth help to count the seventy years captivity the more exactly if it do not also teach us to begin the year from the time of the first captivity from its antient date in Tisri till Redemption altered the date and brought it to Abib which I believe Captivity hath now altered again The preceding Chapter and this and divers forward are Historical and therefore they are laid together after those that are more fully Prophetical we shall observe the like in the Book of Daniel ere it be long Divvision 375 Years of Captivity 3 Iehoiakim 6 There is no particular occurrence mentioned this sixth year of Jehoiakim 2 KING XXIV the latter end of vers 1. and vers 2 3 4. JEHOIAKIM rebelleth against the King of Babel for which he is miserably invaded and Judah spoiled and this misery continueth all his time DANIEL I. from vers 18. to end World 3405 Divvision 376 Years of Captivity 4 Iehoiakim 7 DANIEL and his three fellows are presented to the King and higly approved of JEREMY XXXV THE Story and matter of Jeremies setting wine before the Division 377 Years of Capt. 5 Iosiah 8 Rechabites c. is said to be in the days of Jehoiakim but in Division 378 Years of Capt. 6 Iosiah 9 what year is not mentioned only this may be collected out of the Division 379 Years of Capt. 7 Iosiah 10 Text that it was after Jehoiakims rebelling against Nebuchad-nezzar for they say in vers 1. that they fled to Jerusalem for fear of the Army of the Chaldeans and the Army of the Syrians which are the Army mentioned to have come against him upon his rebelling 2 King 24. 2. This Story therefore fell out in these latter years of Jehoiakim Now it is laid so far in the Book as after divers Prophesies dated by the times of Zedekiah partly because it is Historical and so is set after Prophetical things and partly because this Story of the Rechabites doth set off the impiety of the Jews mentioned in the preceding Chapter the more for there he sheweth how false the people were to their Covenant with God in recalling their freed servants and here how faithful the Rechabites were to an ingagement of their father 2 KING XXIV vers 5 6 7. 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 6 7 8. World 3409 Division 380 Years of Capt. 8 Iosiah 11 JEHOIAKIM captived slain and buried with the burial of an Ass. JER LII vers 28. NEBUCHAD-NEZZAR captiveth three thousand and twenty three Jews This is to be understood of the captivity of Jehoiakim it is called the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar because his siege against Jerusalem began in his seventh and he took the City in the beginning of his eight and partly to distinguish this from the captivity of Jehoiakin which was in his eight when he carried away many thousands 2 King 24. 12 14 16. 2 KING XXIV vers 8. 9. 2 CHRON. XXXVI vers 9. JEHOIACHIN the son of Jehoiakim reigneth three months He is called also Jeconiah and Coniah the name Jeho or Jahu a contraction of Jehovah being sometime set before his name and sometime after and the first syllable of his name sometime cut off and he called Coniah That his three months are to be taken in in Jehoiakims last year there is evidence sufficient in 2 King 25. 2 8. where the eleventh year of Zedekiah and the nineteenth of Nebuchad-nezzar are coincident or fall in together And in 2 Chron. 36. 10. where it is said that when the year was expired the King of Babel captived him thither There is one main doubt and scruple ariseth in comparing his Story in the Book of Kings and Chronicles together for the Book of Chronicles saith he was eight years old when he began to reign and the Book of Kings saith he was eighteen Now in expressions that are so different propriety is not to be expected in both but the one to be taken properly and that is that he was eighteen years old when he began to reign and the other that he was the Son of the eighth year or fell in the lot of the eighth year after any Captivity of Judah had begun for the beginning of his reign was in the eighth year of Nebuchad-nezzar 2 King 24. 12. and in the eighth year of the seventy of captivity And so the Holy Ghost dealeth here as he doth about Ahaziah 2 King 8. 26. and 2 Chron. 22. 2. compared together as was observed there JEREMY XXII from vers 24. to the end JEHOIACHIN or Jeconiah is no sooner upon the Throne but Jeremy denounceth his captivity and the failing of Solomons house in him And this doth but as it were take at that Prophesiy which he uttered before against Jehoiakim his father Chap. 36. 30. He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David When the ending of Solomons House is to be denounced he calleth the Earth Earth Earth to hear the word of the Lord that the earthly Kingdom was now to decay and therefore a Kingdom of another nature was to be looked after JEREMY XXIII all THIS King and Kingdom is described in this Chapter and when he had denounced the failing of Solomons house and the ruine of the earthly Kingdom of the house of David in the Chapter before he now telleth of the everlasting King and Kingdom of David vers 5. 6. and denounceth woe against those cursed
time and story come in the three first Verses of the second Chapter and the story lyeth thus Dayes of the Creation VII GOD having thus created all things * * * Read ver 2. For on the seventh day God had ended his work otherwise there may be a doubt upon it whether God created not something on the seventh day This the lxx Saw and therefore they translate it different from the Original word And God ended his works on the sixth day in six days and man having thus fallen and heard of Christ and of death and eternal life and other like things on the sixth day the Lord ordaineth the seventh day for a Sabbath or holy rest and Adam spendeth it in holy duties and in meditation of holy things The mention of the institution of the Sabbath is laid in the beginning of the second Chapter though the very time and place of that story be not till after the end of the third 1. Because the holy Ghost would dispatch the whole story of the first week or seven days of the world together without interposition of any other particular story 2. Because he would shew that Adam should have kept the Sabbath though he had never sinned And therefore the mention of the Sabbath is before the mention of his sin CHAP. IV. THE exact times of the stories of the fourth Chapter are not to be determined and therefore they must be left to be taken up by conjecture in the times of the fifth as they are cast into the following table and so conjecturally also must we measure out the parallel and collateral times of the generations of Cain and Seth that are either named here or hereafter to the floud Cain and Abel born twins yet the one the seed of the Serpent and the other of the Woman In Cain was legible the poyson that Satan had breathed into fallen man and in Abel the breathing of grace into the elect and a figure of the death of Christ. God fireth Abels sacrifice from heaven but despiseth Cains yet readeth to him the first doctrine of repentance That if he did well he should certainly be accepted and though he did not well yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sin-offering lieth at the door if he repented there was hope of pardon Thus as God had read the first lecture of faith to Adam in the promise of Christ Chap. 3. 15. so doth he the first lecture of repentance to Cain under the doctrine of * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very commonly taken for a sin offering and the sacrifices were constantly brought to the Tabernacle door a sin-offering But Cain despiseth his own mercy is unmerciful to his brother and is denied mercy from the Lord. He beggeth for death that he might be shut out of that sad condition to which God hath doomed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now therefore let it be that any one that findeth me may kill me but this God denieth him and reserve th him to a longlife that he might reserve him to long misery Lamech a branch of this root bringeth into the world the abomination of Polygamie or of having more wives at once than one for which God smiteth him with horrour of conscience that he himself might be a witness against that sin that he had introduced and he censureth himself for a more deplorate and desperate wretch than Cain For that Cain had slain but one man and had only destroyed his body but he himself had destroyed both young and old by his cursed example which was now so currently followed and entertained in the world that ere long it was a special forwarder of its destruction that if Cain was to be avenged seven-fold Lamech deserved seventy and seven-fold In this stock of Cain also began Idolatry and worshipping the creature instead of the Creator blessed for ever and in a mournfull feeling of this dishonour done to God by it Seth calls his Son that was born to him in those times Enosh or sorrowfull because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then began profaness in calling upon the name of the Lord. Noah in 2 Pet. 2. 5. seemeth to be called the eighth in reference to these times namely the eighth in succession from Enosh in whose times the world began to be profane CHAP. V. THis fifth Chapter measureth the time and age of the world between the Creation and the Flood which was 1655. years compleat Being cast into a Table it will not only shew the currency but the concurrency of those times or how those Patriarchs whose times it measureth lived one with another The Reader will not need any rules for the explaining of the Table his own Arithmetick will soon shew him what use to make of it The first Age of the World From the Creation to the Flood This space is called Early in the morning Mat. 2. Hilar. in loc Ten Fathers before the Flood  Adam hath Cain and Abel and loseth them both Gen. 4. unhappy in his children the greatest earthly happiness that he may think of Heaven the more 130 130 Seth born in original sin Gen. 5. 2 3. a holy man and father of all men after the Flood Numb 24. 17. to shew all men born in that estate 235 235 105 Enosh born corruption in Religion by Idolatry begun Gen. 4. 25. Enosh therefore so named Sorrowful 325 325 195 90 Kainan born A mourner for the corruption of the times 395 395 265 160 70 Mahalaleel born A praiser of the Lord. 460 460 330 225 135 65 Jared born when there is still a descending from evil to worse 622 622 492 387 297 227 162 Enoch born and Dedicated to God the seventh from Adam Jude 14. 687 687 557 452 362 292 227 65 Methushelah born his very name foretold the Flood The lease of the world is only for his life 874 874 744 639 549 479 414 252 187 Lamech born A man smitten with grief for the present corruption and future punishment 930 930 800 695 605 535 470 308 243 56 Adam dieth having lived 1000. years within 70. Now 70 years a whole age Psal. 90. 10. 987  857 752 662 592 527 365 300 113 57 Enoch translated next after Adams death mortality taught in that immortality in this 1042 Enoch the seventh from Adam in the holy line of Seth prophecâ—ed against the wickedness that Lamech the seventh from Adam in the cursed line of Cain had brought in 912 807 717 647 582 Enoch lived as many years as there be days in a year via 365. and finished his course like a Sun on earth 355 168 112 55 Seth dieth 1056   821 731 661 596  369 182 126 69 14 Noah born a comforter 1140   905 815 745 680  453 266 210 153 98 84 Enosh dieth 1235    910 840 775  548 361 305 248 193 179 95 Kainan dieth 1290     895 830  603 416 360 303 248 234 150 55
apparent that Abram was born to Terah when he was a hundred and thirty years old and therefore must that passage Verse 26. And Terah lived seventy years and begat Abram Nahor and Haran be understood that he begat one of these as the like expression is Chap. 5. 32. Noah was five hundred years old and Noah begat Sem Ham and Japhet Haran was Terahs eldest son though named last as Japhet was Noahs Abram is named first because of his dignity and because the story was to fall upon him And so is it with Sem in that place CHAP. XII XIII XIV XV. World 2083 Sem 525 Arphaxad 425 Salah 390 Eber 360 Abram 75 THE PROMISE given to Abram in Haran after Abram 76 his fathers death On the 15 day of the moneth Abram 77 Abib or Nisan Exod. 12. 41. He journyeth that Spring into Abram 78 the land of Canaan and at or near Abram 79 mount Gerizim and mount Ebal he buildeth two Altars and taketh possession Abram 80 of the land by faith Famine driveth him into Egypt Abram 81 where the Blackmoor Egyptians are soon aware of the Abram 82 beauty of Sarai a white woman and she is taken into Abram 83 Pharaohs house but redeemed by the Lord himself plaguing the Egyptians A type of things to come upon her posterity and upon the Egyptians for their sake Abram returning Sem 534 Arphaxad 434 Salah 399 Eber 369 Abram 84 out of Egypt into Canaan again riches suffer not Lot and him to dwell together in unity they part asunder in the valley of Achor and Lot separateth from Abrams family and chooseth residence among the Sodomites to his own danger and detriment when he is parted Abram hath a full promise of the land and thereupon flits his habitation to Hebron a place of singular eminency in time to come Then Abram that hitherto had the land by promise hath it now by victory For Kedorlaomer of Elam the eldest son of Sem and so heir apparent to Canaan in Noahs prophecy being now in the fourteenth year of his reign over the Country and being provoked by the rebellion of the five Cities in the plain of Jordan he bringeth three Kings more with him and conquereth all the Canaanites both without and within Jordan as first the Rephaims under Lebanon the Zuzims in Amon the Emims in Moab the Horims or Hivites in the caves of Edom and all the Canaanites in Hazezon Tamar at the point of the dead Sea Then turn they into the land within Jordan and as they had subdued all the Countries from North to South without so now they do the like from South to North within but when they were come with all their spoil to the out-going of the land upon the North border Abram over-takes them and so their victories are become his Sem or Melchisedech observeth this dispensation of God and his devolving the land by so special a providence upon Abram and therefore he meets him in his return with bread and wine as a King and with a blessing as a Priest and passeth the possession of the land and of the blessing upon him Afterwards Abram hath the promise of an heir out of his own loins God maketh a covenant with him by sacrifice passing in the appearance of fire between the parts of the slain beasts and consuming them four hundred years affliction and sojourning of his seed are foretold CHAP. XVI World 2093 Sem 535 Arphaxad 435 Salah 400 Eber 370 Abram 85 ABRAM marrieth Hagar that he might compass the promise of having a son of his own body he being not yet informed whither by Sarai or no Hagar through Sarai's harsh dealing is forced to return towards her own Country but by the way seeth the God of vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by him is instructed concerning the condition and name of the son in her womb and is sent back to Sarai again World 2094 Sem 536 Arphaxad 436 Salah 401 Eber 371 Abram 86 ISMAEL born the son of the bond-woman Abram 87 Ismael 1 born in the very latter end of Abrams eighty sixth year World 2096 Sem 538 Arphaxad 438 Salah 403 Eber 373 Abram 88 Ismael 2 ARPHAXAD dieth 438. years old read Gen. Abram 89 Ismael 3 11. 11 13. It is now 440. years since the flood for Abram 90 Ismael 4 Arphaxad was born but two years after it The Septuagint Abram 91 Ismael 5 makes him the father of Cainan which never was in being and yet is that followed by Saint Luke Chap. 3. 36. for special reason There be that suppose the Chasdim Abram 92 Ismael 6 or Chaldeans took their denomination from the last letters Abram 93 Ismael 7 Abram 94 Ismael 8 of Arphaxads name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this hath the more probability Abram 95 Ismael 9 because they are so called Chasdim Gen. 15. 7. before Abram 96 Ismael 10 Chesed which otherwise might have seemed to have given Abram 97 Ismael 11 Abram 98 Ismael 12 them their denomination was born Gen. 22. 22. CHAP. XVII XVIII XIX XX. World 2107 Sem 549 Salah 414 Eber 384 Abram 99 Ismael 13 IN this year these several occurrences came to pass Circumcision was instituted in the moneth Abib or Nisan and instituted in Hebron In which very place and at which time of the year John Baptist is born who brought in Baptism in stead of Circumcision Abram and Sarai have their names changed at the institution of Circumcision and Isaac is named before he is conceived Some three moneths after this the three Persons in the Trinity dine with Abraham and foretel the birth of Isaac again The Son and the Holy Ghost go down to Sodom but the first Person in the Trinity stayeth with Abraham and condescendeth to his prayer as long as he asketh Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim destroyed with fire and brimstone Lot escapeth but loseth two of his daughters in the flames and his wife by lightning his other two daughters help to undo him Abraham denyeth Sarah again the son of the promise being now in her womb but she not yet to be discovered to be with child CHAP. XXI World 2108 Sem 550 Salah 415 Eber 385 Abram 100 Ismael 14 ISAAC born the son of the promise Abraham in Abram 101 Ismael 15 Isaac 1 the supernatural birth of Isaac fore-saw the supernatural Abram 102 Ismael 16 Isaac 2 birth of Christ and rejoyced Isaac was not so Abram 103 Ismael 17 Isaac 3 named Laughter only because of Abrahams joy for him Abram 104 Ismael 18 Isaac 4 but also for his joy in Christ John 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad World 2113 Sem 555 Salah 420 Eber 390 Abram 105 Ismael 19 Isaac 5 ISMAEL mocketh Hagar and he is cast out of Abram 106 Ismael 20 Isaac 6 Abrahams family From hence begin the 400 years Abram 107 Ismael 21 Isaac 7 mentioned Chap. 15. 13. Abimelech and Abraham make a Abram 108
Ismael 22 Isaac 8 league c. God had foretold Abraham of the Egyptian Abram 109 Ismael 23 Isaac 9 affliction and his affliction beginneth first by an Egyptian Abram 110 Ismael 24 Isaac 10 namely by Hagar and her son There is mention of Abram 111 Ismael 25 Isaac 11 a double space of his seeds sojourning in a land not Abram 112 Ismael 26 Isaac 12 theirs viz. 400 years Chap. 15. 13. which was from Abram 113 Ismael 27 Isaac 13 Ismaels mocking to their delivery out of Egypt and Abram 114 Ismael 28 Isaac 14 430 years Exod. 12. 40. which was from the promise Abram 115 Ismael 29 Isaac 15 given to Abram Gen. 17. 1. to their delivery Gal. 3. 17. Abram 116 Ismael 30 Isaac 16 Abraham consecrateth a grove at Beersheba that he Abram 117 Ismael 31 Isaac 17 might have hallowed wood for his sacrifices as well as holy fire see Chap. 21. 7. he had had fire from heaven at some time upon his sacrifice and he preserved it World 2126 Sem 568 Salah 433 Eber 403 Abram 118 Ismael 32 Isaac 18 SALAH or Shelah dieth being 433 years old read Gen. 11. 14 15. Abram 119 Ismael 33 Isaac 19 There is a good space of time passed over in silence Abram 120 Ismael 34 Isaac 20 concerning Isaac for from the time of Ismaels mocking Abram 121 Ismael 35 Isaac 21 which was at his fifth year till the time of his offering Abram 122 Ismael 36 Isaac 22 up in a figure which was at his thirty third as Abram 123 Ismael 37 Isaac 23 may be conceived there is no mention of him for as Abram 124 Ismael 38 Isaac 24 yet the story most especially followeth the Acts of Abraham Abram 125 Ismael 39 Isaac 25 Now it is very likely that as the offering up of Abram 126 Ismael 40 Isaac 26 Isaac was so plain and perfect a figure of the offering up Abram 127 Ismael 41 Isaac 27 of Christ in other things so also that these two things the Type and Antitype did agree in the time and that Isaac was offered when he was two and thirty years and an half old or three and thirty current which was the age Abraham 128 Ismael 42 Isaac 28 of our Saviour when he was crucified And the like concurrence Abraham 129 Ismael 43 Isaac 29 and circumstance of the time may be also well Abraham 130 Ismael 44 Isaac 30 conceived of Abel at his death who murdred by his brother Abraham 131 Ismael 45 Isaac 31 typified the same thing that Isaac did sacrificed by Abraham 132 Ismael 46 Isaac 32 his father CHAP. XXII Abraham 133 Ismael 47 Isaac 33 ISAAC probably offered up this year The mount Moriah Abraham 134 Ismael 48 Isaac 34 Ver. 2. the third day Ver. 4. His first bearing the Abraham 135 Ismael 49 Isaac 35 wood and then the wood bearing him Vers. 6 9. His Abraham 136 Ismael 50 Isaac 36 being bound hand and foot Vers. 9. do call us to remember such circumstances in the death of Christ. CHAP. XXIII World 2145 Sem 587 Eber 422 Abraham 137 Ismael 51 Isaac 37 SARAH dieth being 127 years old the only woman Abraham 138 Ismael 52 Isaac 38 whose age is recorded in Scripture A burial place is Abraham 139 Ismael 53 Isaac 39 the first land that Abraham hath in Canaan CHAP. XXIV XXV to Verse 7. and 1 CHRON. 1. Vers. 32 33. World 2148 Sem 590 Eber 425 Abraham 140 Ismael 54 Isaac 40 ISAAC is married to Rebeccah Abraham after Sarahs Abraham 141 Ismael 55 Isaac 41 death marrieth Keturah and hath divers children by Abraham 142 Ismael 56 Isaac 42 her those children when they come to age he sendeth Abraham 143 Ismael 57 Isaac 43 away into those countries beyond Jordan and in Arabia Abraham 144 Ismael 58 Isaac 44 which Kedarlaomer and the Kings with him had conquered Abraham 145 Ismael 59 Isaac 45 and by the conquest of them they descended to Abraham Abraham 146 Ismael 60 Isaac 46 There these sons of his grow into Nations and become continual Abraham 147 Ismael 61 Isaac 47 enemies to the seed of Israel Though Abraham were Abraham 148 Ismael 62 Isaac 48 very old at Sarahs death being 137 years old then yet is Abraham 149 Ismael 63 Isaac 49 he not past the strength of generation through the strength of that promise I will multiply thee c. The greatest wonder of Isaacs birth was that he was born of an old barren woman World 2158 Sem 600 Eber 435 Abraham 150 Ismael 64 Isaac 50 SEM dieth being 600 years old read Gen. 11. 11. the Abraham 151 Ismael 65 Isaac 51 same was Melchisedech the only man in the world greater Abraham 152 Ismael 66 Isaac 52 then Abraham For though Eber and Arphaxad and the Abraham 153 Ismael 67 Isaac 53 other Patriarchs had this dignity above Abraham that they Abraham 154 Ismael 68 Isaac 54 were his fathers yet he was dignified above them all in Abraham 155 Ismael 69 Isaac 55 this that he had the singular and glorious Promise made to Abraham 156 Ismael 70 Isaac 56 him which was not made to any of them but only Sem Abraham 157 Ismael 71 Isaac 57 Sem saw the two great miseries of the world the Flood Abraham 158 Ismael 72 Isaac 58 and the confusion of Tongues but he saw comfort in Abraham Abraham 159 Ismael 73 Isaac 59 and Isaac He lived as many years after Abraham came into the land of Canaan as Abraham was old when he came thither namely 75 years CHAP. XXV Ver. 11. and from Ver. 19. to the end World 2168 Eber 445 Abraham 160 Ismael 74 Isaac 60 JACOB and Esau born first he that was natural Abraham 161 Ismael 75 Isaac 61 Iacob 1 and then he that was spiritual These children Abraham 162 Ismael 75 Isaac 61 Iacob 2 strove in the womb and Rebeccah inquired after the Abraham 163 Ismael 77 Isaac 63 Iacob 3 cause and the Lord by an oracle it is like by Abrahams Abraham 164 Ismael 78 Isaac 64 Iacob 4 oracle at Beersheba resolves her of the difference of the Abraham 165 Ismael 79 Isaac 65 Iacob 5 children and of the Nations that should descend of Abraham 166 Ismael 80 Isaac 66 Iacob 6 them Esau is born all hairy over like a kid a strange Abraham 167 Ismael 81 Isaac 67 Iacob 7 birth and he is therefore named Esau that is Made Abraham 168 Ismael 82 Isaac 68 Iacob 8 for he had his beard and his pubes now even from the Abraham 169 Ismael 83 Isaac 69 Iacob 9 birth as if he had been a mature man The story is Abraham 170 Ismael 84 Isaac 70 Iacob 10 now to fall upon the acts of Isaac and Jacob and therefore in this Chapter it concludes the story of Abraham and Ismael reckoneth up the tearm of their lives and mentioneth their deaths by anticipation the Reader Abrah 171 Ismael 85 Isaac 71 Iacob 11 will readily reduce the Texts that mention these to Abrah
172 Ismael 86 Isaac 72 Iacob 12 their proper time it is most usual in Scripture thus Abrah 173 Ismael 87 Isaac 73 Iacob 13 to do in reckoning up mens ages as Genesis 5. and Abrah 174 Ismael 88 Isaac 74 Iacob 14 11. c. ABRAHAM dieth here read Gen. 25. vers 7 8 9 10. Isaac is of the very same age when Abraham dieth that Abraham was when the Promise came to him viz. seventy five years old The Promise now is come upon Isaac EBER dieth read Gen. 11. 17. He was the longest liver born since the Flood the father of the Hebrews and denominator of the Hebrew Tongue Religion staid in his family when all the world lost it beside and he liveth to see it gloriously setled in the families of Abraham and Isaac CHAP. XXVI THE time that Esau sold his birth-right and that Isaac went Ismael 98 Isaac 84 Iacob 24 to Gerar are both undated but it seemeth by Ismael 99 Isaac 85 Iacob 25 the Text that they were near together and that the famine Ismael 100 Isaac 86 Iacob 26 that caused Esau to part with his birth-right caused Isaac Ismael 101 Isaac 87 Iacob 27 to depart out of his own residence to go elsewhere to seek Ismael 102 Isaac 88 Iacob 28 for sustenance It appeareth that there was great scarcity of Ismael 103 Isaac 89 Iacob 29 victuals when Jacob is brought to his lentil pottage and Ismael 104 Isaac 90 Iacob 30 when Esau if he got not some of these pottage is like to Ismael 105 Isaac 91 Iacob 31 famish Many precious things were wrapped up in the Ismael 106 Isaac 92 Iacob 32 birth-right as the Priority the Promise the Priest-hood Ismael 107 Isaac 93 Iacob 33 and excellent priviledges and Esau for a mess of pottage Ismael 108 Isaac 94 Iacob 34 despiseth them all Compare this with Adams losing his Ismael 109 Isaac 95 Iacob 35 own and his posterities happiness for a morsel of meat Ismael 110 Isaac 96 Iacob 36 Isaac as his father had done denyeth his wife A Philistim Ismael 111 Isaac 97 Iacob 37 King sheweth here more conscience then he he prospereth Ismael 112 Isaac 98 Iacob 38 exceedingly in the land of the Philistims to the envy of the Ismael 113 Isaac 99 Iacob 39 inhabitants there World 2208 Ismael 114 Isaac 100 Iacob 40 ESAU marrieth Canaanitish wives a vexation to his Ismael 115 Isaac 101 Iacob 41 holy parents for this his impious Polygamy he is called a fornicator Ismael 116 Isaac 102 Iacob 42 Heb. 12. 16. for Polygamy is called fornication Ismael 117 Isaac 103 Iacob 43 or whoredom Hos. 4. 11. and upon this it seemeth that the Holy Ismael 118 Isaac 104 Iacob 44 Ghost giveth one of his wives the name of Adah the wife Ismael 119 Isaac 105 Iacob 45 of the first Polygamist in the world see Gen. 36. 2. and Gen. Ismael 120 Isaac 106 Iacob 46 4. 19. Esau here lay under a double offence namely for Polygamy Ismael 121 Isaac 107 Iacob 47 and for marrying in the stock of cursed Canaan Ismael 122 Isaac 108 Iacob 48 Polygamy in the men of the holy generation as Jacob David Ismael 123 Isaac 109 Iacob 49 and Solomon c. was of a more tolerable nature and Ismael 124 Isaac 110 Iacob 50 of more dispensableness because they sought to multiply Ismael 125 Isaac 111 Iacob 51 the holy seed which Esau was out of capacity to do Ismael 126 Isaac 112 Iacob 52 Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord Yet I loved Ismael 127 Isaac 113 Iacob 53 Jacob and hated Esau Mal. 1. ver 2 3. What shall we say then Ismael 128 Isaac 114 Iacob 54 Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid For he saith Ismael 129 Isaac 115 Iacob 55 to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I Ismael 130 Isaac 116 Iacob 56 will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Rom. 9. Ismael 131 Isaac 117 Iacob 57 14 15. Both the Prophet and the Apostle do rather take Ismael 132 Isaac 118 Iacob 58 their example for election and reprobation in Jacob and Ismael 133 Isaac 119 Iacob 59 Esau then in Cain and Abel at the beginning of the old Ismael 134 Isaac 120 Iacob 60 world or in Sem and Ham in the beginning of the new Ismael 135 Isaac 121 Iacob 61 partly because the free acting and disposing of God is the Ismael 136 Isaac 122 Iacob 62 better shewed in the contrary disposal of these two that were known to be born at one birth and partly because in Jacob there began to be a distinguished people from all the world and the foundation of a distinct visible Church laid and partly since both were born of parents under the Promise that the spiritual and temporal vertue of the Promise might be differenced ISMAEL dieth 137 years old here read Gen. 25. from verse 12. to verse 19. and 1 Chron. 1. verse 28 29 30 31. There may be some argument that he was saved though once he persecuted World 2231 Ismael 137 Isaac 123 Iacob 63 and mocked and was expelled Abrahams house as Abrahams Isaac 124 Iacob 64 prayer for him and Gods promise towards him Gen. 17. 18 20. Isaac 125 Iacob 65 the reckoning of his age and using the very same expression of his Isaac 126 Iacob 66 death as are used of Abrahams Esau going to marry in his stock Isaac 127 Iacob 67 when his Canaanitish matches displeased his parents c. But howsoever Isaac 128 Iacob 68 it was with Ismael himself in matter of piety it is certain his Isaac 129 Iacob 69 posterity grew impious and were constant enemies to Israel they Isaac 130 Iacob 70 and the rest of the seed of Abraham by Keturah lived together in Isaac 131 Iacob 71 Arabiah and were brethren in evil The Turks are held by some to Isaac 132 Iacob 72 be of the seed of Ismael and their using Circumcision is used as an Isaac 133 Iacob 73 argument to confirm it but that may speak them as well if not rather Isaac 134 Iacob 74 the off-spring of the Jews captivated into the Northern parts Isaac 135 Iacob 75 of the world by Assyria and Babylon and now increased into these Isaac 136 Iacob 76 vast multitudes and poured out toward the western parts CHAP. XXVII XXVIII XXIX XXX World 2245 Isaac 137 Iacob 77 ISAAC is now come to that age at which his brother Ismael died 14 years ago namely 137 and it is not improbable that the thought of his death at that age puts Isaac in mind of his own end and he accordingly disposeth towards it by conveying of the blessing and setling it upon one of his sons his sending Esau to hunt for venision that he might eat of his savoury meat and his soul might bless him was not because meat or drink would conduce for that spiritual purpose but he puts him to this that he might know whether he should bless him or no for his missing of venison
before had occasioned the loss of his birth-right and if he missed of it now it would be a sign to Isaac that God would have him also to lose the blessing And this Rebeccah easily knew to be Isaacs mind in sending Esau upon that imployment and she accordingly makes use of it for the advantage of her beloved son Jacob and Isaac likewise passeth some blessing upon Esau when he seeth him to have sped of a prey because he saw that God would have him to have some blessing according to the sign that Isaac had proposed to himself Jacob in his eldest brothers garments obtains the blessing the garments of the Priest-hood which belonged to the first born and so were now kept by Rebecoah in Jacobs right Jacob upon fear of Esaus displeasure fleeth to Haran before he goeth he hath the blessing which he had stollen from his father now confirmed upon him by his father knowingly and purposely At Bethel in his way he hath a vision of a ladder a type of Christ incarnate that brings Heaven and Earth together in his two natures and in his reconciliation he anoints the pillar and consecrates the place where he had lain and voweth his tythes The mention of Esaus going to Ismael that is to Ismaels family for Ismael was dead and taking his daughter to wife is set before the mention of the vision at Bethel and the actions at Haran well though it were not so very soon because the Holy Ghost would take up Jacobs story intire and uninterrupted therefore he setteth that story before Jacob at Haran well sheweth himself stronger then three men and rolleth away a stone from the wells mouth which three shepherds could not he meeteth with Rachel and Laban and indenteth for seven years service A man of threescore and seventeen years old is bound apprentice for a wife That this was the year of these occurrences namely the seventy seventh of Jacobs age is to be collected backward from the story following thus Joseph the son of Jacob was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh Gen. 41. 46. then came seven years plenty ver 47 53. which made Joseph thirty and seven years old then passed two years famine ere Jacob came into Egypt Chap. 45. 6. and now was Joseph thirty and nine years of age when Jacob came at the end of the two years famine he himself was an hundred and thirty years old Chap. 47. 9. Now take the thirty and nine years of Joseph out of the hundred and thirty years of the age of Jacob and it appeareth that Jacob begat Joseph at the ninety first year of his age Now Joseph was born in the last year of the second seven or in the fourteenth year of Jacobs service with Laban in the very conclusion of that year Chap. 30. 25 26. take therefore fourteen years out of Jacobs ninety one when Joseph was born and the remainder seventy seven was the age of Jacob when he entred upon those fourteen years service World 2246 Isaac 138 Iacob 78 Jacob beginneth his seven years apprentiship Leah and Rachel are Isaac 139 Iacob 79 figures of the two Churches the Church of the Jews under the Law Isaac 140 Iacob 80 and the Church of the Gentiles under the Gospel the younger the more Isaac 141 Iacob 81 beautiful and more in the thoughts of Christ when he came in the Isaac 142 Iacob 82 form of a servant but the other like Leah first imbraced and taken Isaac 143 Iacob 83 to wife World 2252 Isaac 144 Iacob 84 At the end of this year Jacobs apprentiship for Rachel is out but Laban deceiveth him with Leah and so is Jacob paid in kind for deceiving his father He had deceived his father with a suborned person taking on him to be Esau when he was Jacob and he is deceived by his father-in-law with a suborned person and so imbraceth Leah thinking he had imbraced Rachel his thoughts were upon a child by Rachel whilst he had Leah in his arms and so the birth-right by his thoughts and intention should be Rachels first-born and so it was in time He being thus deceived indenteth yet seven years service longer for Rachel and serveth a week in earnest that he will serve yet other seven years and at the weeks end he marrieth Rachel World 2253 Isaac 145 Iacob 85 REUBEN born and the rest of Jacobs sons probably in this order Isaac 146 Iacob 86 SIMEON born Isaac 147 Iacob 87 LEVI and DAN born Isaac 148 Iacob 88 JUDAH and NAPHTHALI born Isaac 149 Iacob 89 GAD born Isaac 150 Iacob 90 ASHER and ISSACAR born World 2259 Isaac 151 Iacob 91 JOSEPH born and ZEBULON born not long before him Isaac 152 Iacob 92 Ioseph 1 Rachel prophecieth Dinah not born in these seven years unless she Isaac 153 Iacob 93 Ioseph 2 were a twin with Zebulon Isaac 154 Iacob 94 Ioseph 3 Upon a new bargain with Laban Jacob by Gods blessing and direction Isaac 155 Iacob 95 Ioseph 4 groweth exceeding rich to the envy of Laban and his sons Isaac 156 Iacob 96 Ioseph 5 Laban dealeth deceitfully with him about his cattel as he had done about his daughters but the Lord suffered him not to hurt him CHAP. XXXI World 2265 Isaac 157 Iacob 97 Ioseph 6 JACOB departeth secretly from Laban but at last is persued by him Rachel stole Labans Teraphim which were the pictures or statutes of some of her ancestors and taken by her for the preservation of their memory with her now she is never to see her country and fathers house again Laban had abused them to Idolatry He and Jacob make a covenant CHAP. XXXII and XXXIII to ver 17. Isaac 158 Iacob 98 Ioseph 7 JAcob afraid of Esau is shaken in his faith at his approach though he have the visible attendance of Angels for which distrust the Angel of the Covenant Christ meets him by the way wrestles with him and seeks to kill him but he weepeth and maketh supplication and is only maimed but escapeth with life He is called Israel to assure him that he should prevail with Esau who had thus prevailed with God and now with the first naming of Israel is a ceremony taken up to distinguish Israel from other people namely the foregoing to eat the sinew that shrank Esau and Jacob meet friendly and so they part When a mans ways please the Lord he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him CHAP. XXXIII ver 17 18 19 20. Isaac 159 Iacob 99 Ioseph 8 JAcob maketh some abode at Succoth beyond Jordan Eastward and there buildeth boothes for his cattel till they have brought forth their young See ver 13. and an house or a tent for himself Isaac 160 Iacob 100 Ioseph 9 Jacob is at Shechem thither he came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or peaceably for till he came there there was no miscarriage in his house he purchaseth a piece of ground and buildeth his first altar CHAP. XXXVIII ver 1 2 3 4 5. JUdah
Joseph was sold and some after the story of the thirty ninth Chapter that Judah requital for his sale for he had the chief hand in it might be shewed assoon as his selling of him is related Judah was married before Joseph was sold and Er and Onan were also born before as was observed erewhile therefore the first words of the Chapter At that time are not to be referred to the next words going before in the preceding Chapter concerning Josephs sale to Potiphar but are of a more large extent as that Phrase and the Phrase In those days are oft in Scripture It linketh Josephs selling and Judahs miscarriages very well together that it might be shewed how he was punished in his children that had been so unnatural to a brother and Josephs not sinning with his Mistress and Judahs sinning with his daughter-in-law do help to set off one another towards such an observation The four eldest sons of Jacob fell under foul guilt and so repentance and mercy are taught and shewed in their conversion CHAP. XL. World 2287 Isaac 179 Iacob Ioseph 28 JOSEPH expoundeth his two fellow prisoners dreams and like the two theeves with Christ the one is saved and the other condemned One of these when Joseph said to him Remember me when it shall be well with thee forgat him but one of those when he said to Christ Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom was not forgotten Thus as the telling of two dreams had brought Joseph into misery so this expounding of two dreams will prove in time a forwarder of his delivery as yet the Butler fills and drinks wine in bowles but is not grieved for the affliction of Joseph as Am. 6. 6. World 2288 Isaac 180 Iacob 120 Ioseph 29 ISAAC dieth and Jacob and Esau are friends and bury him read Chap. 35. ver 28 29. and ruminate upon how Esau is changed from what he said Chap. 27. 41. CHAP. XLI Iacob 121 Ioseph 30 JOSEPH expoundeth Pharaohs dream compare Dan. 2. Seven Iacob 122 Ioseph 31 Iacob 123 Ioseph 32 years famine begin Joseph treasureth up corn hath Manasseh Iacob 124 Ioseph 33 and Ephraim born to him within these years of an Egyptian Lady Iacob 125 Ioseph 34 Iacob 126 Ioseph 35 How looks his wretched Mistress upon him now if she be alive Towards Iacob 127 Ioseph 36 the latter end of the seven years famine or thereabout Pharez Iacob 128 Ioseph 37 hath HEZRON born to him CHAP. XLII World 2289 Iacob 129 Ioseph 38 THE first year of famine Josephs brethren bow to him for corn as their sheaves of corn had done to him in his dream CHAP. XLIII XLIV XLV XLVI XLVII to Vers. 13. World 2290 Iacob 130 Ioseph 39 THE second year of famine Benjamin is brought by his brethren World 2291 into Egypt he is now the father of ten children The feasting of Josephs brethren was the better to pretend the stealing of a silver bowle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 44. 5. for which Joseph would make a very narrow search 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for such a man as he that was in so high a place could make a very strict inquiry ver 15. Jacob goeth down into Egypt with seventy souls himself and Joseph and his two sons being counted in the number The Septuagint have added five more viz. Machir Gilead Shutelah Tahan Eden from 1 Chron. 7. 14 20. c. Followed by Saint Luke Acts 7. 14. Jacob and Joseph after thirteen years distance met Jacob presented before Pharaoh and the King asks no other question then about his age It was news in Egypt to see so old a man Jacob is now 130 years old and now just the half of the 430 between the Promise and delivery out of Egypt are passed see Exod. 12. 40. Gal. 3. 17. They had been taken up in these parcels five and twenty years after Abrahams coming into the land before the birth of Isaac sixty years of Isaacs age until the birth of Jacob and now Jacob is an hundred and thirty the sum of all 215. And now to the coming out of Egypt we must count 215 more and that count must lead us on thither CHAP. XLVII from ver 13. to the end and CHAP. XLVIII World 2299 Iacob 131 Ioseph 40 Years of the Promise 216 THE third year of famine Iacob 132 Ioseph 41 Years of the Promise 217 The fourth year of famine Iacob 133 Ioseph 42 Years of the Promise 218 The fifth year of famine Iacob 134 Ioseph 43 Years of the Promise 219 The sixth year of famine Iacob 135 Ioseph 44 Years of the Promise 220 The seventh year of famine Joseph buyeth all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh He feedeth Ioseph 67 Years of the Promise 243 his father and family seventeen years before Iacob 136 Ioseph 45 Years of the Promise 221 his fathers death Iacob 137 Ioseph 46 Years of the Promise 222 as his father had nourished him seventeen years before his sale The Iacob 138 Ioseph 47 Years of the Promise 223 children of Israel grow numerous and into multitudes even before Iacob 139 Ioseph 48 Years of the Promise 224 Jacobs death he adopted Josephs two sons for tribes he bestoweth Iacob 140 Ioseph 49 Years of the Promise 225 the portion of land upon Joseph that he had first bought of the Shechemites Iacob 141 Ioseph 50 Years of the Promise 226 Chap. 33. and was after put to recover it out of the hand Iacob 142 Ioseph 51 Years of the Promise 227 of the Amorite with his sword and bow who had usurped it and Iacob 143 Ioseph 52 Years of the Promise 228 seized upon it in his absence after his departure thence to Bethel and Iacob 144 Ioseph 53 Years of the Promise 229 Hebron He sweareth Joseph to bury him in the land of Canaan Iacob 145 Ioseph 54 Years of the Promise 230 with his fathers Abraham and Isaac Thus is the birth-right clearly Iacob 146 Ioseph 55 Years of the Promise 231 passed upon Joseph when his two sons are taken by Jacob as Simeon and Levi and when the land is bestowed on him for inheritance CHAP. XLIX L. World 2315 Iacob 147 Ioseph 56 Years of the Promise 232 JACOB dieth having first blessed all his sons even every one Ioseph 57 Years of the Promise 233 of them A blessing is to be found in his passages to Reuben Ioseph 58 Years of the Promise 234 Simeon and Levi of whom he speaketh the bitterest things His Ioseph 59 Years of the Promise 235 words throughout concern the future events and occurrences of the Ioseph 60 Years of the Promise 236 tribes most especially for he professeth to tell them what shall befall Ioseph 61 Years of the Promise 237 them in the last days Ioseph 62 Years of the Promise 238 That Reuben should have Jether seeth vejether gnaz a remnant of Ioseph 63 Years of the Promise 239 dignity and a remnant of strength for he was to lead the field in the wars of Ioseph 64 Years of the
as they would make him Chap. 31. Then Elihu the Pen-man undertakes to moderate but inclining to the same misprision with the others the Lord himself convinceth them all of the uprightness of Job which no arguments of Job could do and this not only by an oracle from Heaven but also by Jobs revived prosperity wherein every thing that he had lost was restored double to him but only his children which though they died yet were not lost His years were doubled for he lived an hundred and forty years after his trouble and so was seventy years old when his trouble came and died two hundred and ten years old the longest liver born since Terah CHAP. II. to Ver. 11. Years of the Promise 341 ISRAELS afflictions increase upon them the cruel King of Egypt commanding Years of the Promise 342 all the Male children to be slain Miriam was born not far from Years of the Promise 343 this time she was able to stand and watch Moses when he was cast into the Years of the Promise 344 river her name signifieth Bitterness and Rebellion both and it is not to be Years of the Promise 345 doubted but holy Amram when he gave her name had regard to that sad Years of the Promise 346 cause and effect of which they had so great cause to be sensible Miriam Years of the Promise 347 was a Prophetess Exod. 15. 20. Micah 6. 4. World 2431 Years of the Promise 348 AARON born a Saint of the Lord Psal. 106. 16. His name soundeth Years of the Promise 349 both of sorrow and joy as the tenor of Psal. 88. 89. made in these afflictions Years of the Promise 350 doth World 2433 Years of the Promise 351 Moses 1 MOSES born supernaturally his mother being exceeding old at his Years of the Promise 352 Moses 2 birth she was his fathers own Aunt the daughter of Levi so is Moses Years of the Promise 353 Moses 3 a Levite both by father and mother He is preserved in an ark like a Years of the Promise 354 Moses 4 second Noah his mother is paid for nursing her own child he is adopted Years of the Promise 355 Moses 5 by Pharaohs daughter for her own son and so the King is his nursing Father Years of the Promise 356 Moses 6 and the Queen his nursing Mother And in this doth Moses typifie Years of the Promise 357 Moses 7 Christ that his true Father is unknown to the Egyptians and he Years of the Promise 358 Moses 8 reputed the son of Pharaoh as the true Father of Christ unknown to Years of the Promise 359 Moses 9 the Jews and he reputed the son of Joseph Years of the Promise 360 Moses 10 Moses was educated and learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians Years of the Promise 361 Moses 11 Years of the Promise 362 Moses 12 Acts 7. 22. Stephen speaketh this from necessary consequence not having Years of the Promise 363 Moses 13 express Text for it for it could no otherwise be conceived of the adopted Years of the Promise 364 Moses 14 Years of the Promise 365 Moses 15 son of a King and of a King of Egypt which Nation was exceedingly Years of the Promise 366 Moses 16 given to learning and study JOB is yet alive and probably out-liveth Years of the Promise 367 Moses 17 Moses In the reading of his Book it may be advantagious to the Years of the Promise 368 Moses 18 Years of the Promise 369 Moses 19 Reader to observe how in very many places it toucheth upon the history Years of the Promise 370 Moses 20 Years of the Promise 371 Moses 21 that is contained in the Book of Genesis though that Book was not then Years of the Promise 372 Moses 22 written The creation is handled Chap. 38. The first Adam mentioned Years of the Promise 373 Moses 23 Chap. 15. 7. The fall of Angels and Man Chap. 4. 20. 5. 2. The miserable Years of the Promise 374 Moses 24 Years of the Promise 375 Moses 25 case of Cain that was hedged in that he could not die Chap. 3. 21. Years of the Promise 376 Moses 26 The old world and the flood Chap. 22. 6. The builders of Babel Chap. 3. Years of the Promise 377 Moses 27 Years of the Promise 378 Moses 28 15. 5. 13. The fire of Sedom Chap. 20. 23 26. and divers such references Years of the Promise 379 Moses 29 may be observed which are closely touched in the Book which Years of the Promise 380 Moses 30 Years of the Promise 381 Moses 31 they came to know partly by tradition partly by living so near the Hebrews Years of the Promise 382 Moses 32 and the places where these things were done and partly by revelation Years of the Promise 383 Moses 33 as Chap. 4. 12. 38. 1 Years of the Promise 384 Moses 34 Years of the Promise 385 Moses 35 The Pen-man of the Book before and after the speeches of Job and his Years of the Promise 386 Moses 36 friends often useth the name Jehovah but in all the speeches never but Years of the Promise 387 Moses 37 once and that is in Chap. 12. 10. speaking there of Gods giving the Creature Years of the Promise 388 Moses 38 Years of the Promise 389 Moses 39 his being CHAP. II. from Ver. 11. to the end World 2473 Years of the Promise 390 Moses 40 MOses by faith at forty years old Acts 7. 23. refuseth the Courts Years of the Promise 391 Moses 41 visiteth his brethren slayeth an Egyptian fleeth into Midian Years of the Promise 392 Moses 42 Years of the Promise 393 Moses 43 Heb. 11. 24 25 26. By faith Moses refuseth to be called the son of Pharaohs Years of the Promise 394 Moses 44 daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then Years of the Promise 395 Moses 45 Years of the Promise 396 Moses 46 to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ Years of the Promise 397 Moses 47 greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence Years of the Promise 398 Moses 48 Years of the Promise 399 Moses 49 of the reward In Midian he marrieth Zipporah and hath a son by Years of the Promise 400 Moses 50 her whom he calleth Gershom which signifieth a desolate stranger because Years of the Promise 401 Moses 51 of his remote residence from his own people in a forain land Years of the Promise 402 Moses 52 Years of the Promise 403 Moses 53 Israel is not yet throughly humbled under their affliction and therefore Years of the Promise 404 Moses 54 it is but just they should continue under it they refused the deliverer Years of the Promise 405 Moses 55 Years of the Promise 406 Moses 56 when he offered himself unto them with Who made thee a Prince Years of the Promise 407 Moses 57 and a Ruler over us And therefore they are but answered according to Years of the
with it see the notes at Numb 12. 5. The Priests could not make any man clean but only pronounce him clean 6. He that was Leprous all over and no place free was to be pronounced clean for it appeared that all the poyson was come forth and the danger of infecting others was past but he that had any part that was not scabby over he was unclean he that appears before God in any of his own righteousness like the proud Pharisee he hath his answer in that Parable but that humble confession of a poor sinner that shews him Leprous all over like that of the Publican obtains the best answer 7. The Leper that was cleansed had not his disease healed but the danger of the infection being over he was restored to the society of men again so that he was not so much clean unto himself as unto the Congregation CHAP. XVI THE solemn and mysterious Feast of Reconciliation instituted to be on the tenth day of the month Tisri the day that Moses had come down from the Mount with tydings of reconciliation betwixt God and the People as was said be-before And as the solemnity and carriage of the work of this day was a figure of good things to come in Christ so the very time it self had some respect that way for if Christ were not born and came into the World a Reconciler on that very day yet was he born and baptized nine and twenty years after in that very month CHAP. XVII XVIII XIX XX. XXI XXII XXIII XXIV XXV DIvers Laws are given concerning Offerings Marriages Festivals the Priests and other things and the main end of them all Piety Sanctity Charity and in them a distinction of Israel from other people CHAP. XXVI XXVII SAD denunciation of judgment upon disobedience and the valuation of persons in reference to redemption of vows Hosea speaketh in allusion to the rates and values mentioned here when he saith I bought her to me for fifteen shekels of silver and for an homer of barly and half an homer of barly Hos. 3. 2. The fifteen shekels was the value of a man above sixty years old Lev. 27. 7. The homer of barly which valued fifty shekels ver 16. was the value of a man from twenty years old to sixty ver 3. And half an homer which valued five and twenty shekels was for one from five years old to twenty twenty shekels ver 5. And from a month old to five years five shekels ver 6. World 2515 Moses 82 Redemption from Egypt 2 The Book of NUMBERS CHAP. I. ON the first day of the second month the Lord provided for the pitching of their camp as on the first day of the first month they had begun to erect the Tabernacle First the people are numbred from twenty years old and upwards and their sum amounteth to 603550. men of all which number only two men enter the land The Levites are not reckoned in this sum nor with this reckoning and accordingly they fall not under the same curse with the others of not entring into his rest Not a man impotent through old age in Israel CHAP. II. THeir Camp is pitched and the Sanctuary set just in the middle of it for Religion is the heart of a State The Levites pitch next unto it in a quadrangular body round about it at a certain distance The whole body of the army pitcheth at an other distance about them in the same form and 2000 cubits distance from the Tabernacle every side of the square carried its several colours Judah a Lion Ephraim a Bullock Reuben a Man Dan an Eagle Compare the description of Christ dwelling in the middest of the Christian Church Rev. 4. 4. The Ark the strength of the Lord Pitcheth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh Psal. 80. 2. CHAP. III. IV. THE Levites taken for the first-born of Israel and so interessed in every family among them The first-born had been Priests till the consecration of the Levites now that function must be confined to that Tribe The Levites ingaged to their service from nine and twenty years old compleat or thirty currant till fifty Our Saviours age at his entrance into his Ministry Luke 3. 23. answereth to this type CHAP. V. VI. A Law concerning uncleanness and offences that the Camp might continue in purity and unity chastity and unchastity tried miraculously The Law concerning Nazarites the only votaries of the people The Congregation to be blessed by the Priests in the name of the Trinity CHAP. VII VIII THE Princes offer to the Sanctuary and more ordinances are given about it That they offered not till they were ordered into their standards is plain by the order and method of their offering The Levites to be five years probationers at the Sanctuary before they take their office Chap. 8. 24. compared with Chap. 4. 23. CHAP. IX from Ver. 15. to the end And CHAP. X. to Ver. 11. BEfore the reading of the fifteenth Verse the Reader is to suppose a Passover to be kept the fourteenth day of this second month although the keeping of it be not expresly mentioned but only hinted for on the fourteenth day of the first month which was the proper day for the Passover some men because they were unclean could not observe it and upon their acquainting Moses with their case he presently gives them a warrant to keep it the fourteenth day of the next month which they did no doubt accordingly although it be not in plain terms related For the occurrences mentioned in the Book hitherto came to pass in the first thirteen days of the month save only the offering of the Princes which indeed began before the fourteenth day but continued World 2515 Moses 82 Redemption from Egypt 2 beyond it notwithstanding the Holy Ghost would conclude the story of their offering all together and on the fourteenth day those that had been unclean at the proper time of the Passover kept the Passover by a new ordinance so that the order of the story of this new Passover is most genuine and proper here but Moses could not relate the thing but he must relate the occasion namely because some could not keep it at the right time therefore he giveth the story of the right time here which as we shewed before lieth properly between the tenth and eleventh Chapters of Leviticus From the fifteenth Verse of this Chapter to the eleventh Verse of the tenth Chapter there is mention of two special things namely the dwelling of the cloud upon the Tabernacle and the making of the silver Trumpets which however they were indeed somewhat afore this time for the Cloud descended and the Trumpets were made before the fourteenth day of this month yet are they brought in here as relating to the removal of the Army which is mentioned in Chap. 10. vers 11. for then the Cloud was taken up and the Trumpets were sounded EXODUS XVIII BEtween the tenth and eleventh Verses of the tenth of Numbers as
forty or the eighteen years of Eglons afflicting were the last eighteen Ehud 27 years of Ehuds eighty for by this means Othniel and Ehud are made Ehud 28 to start up in the very end of these sums of years and get a victory and no Ehud 29 Ehud 30 more news of them whereas it is apparent not only by the years of the Ehud 31 men lately cited and by Chap. 2. 19. but also by other passages that the Ehud 32 Ehud 33 Judge was not only their deliverer in one fought battle or the like but Ehud 34 that he was their instructer and helped and strove to keep them to the fear Ehud 35 Ehud 36 of the Lord Chap. 2. 17. and when any of the Judges did not so they are Ehud 37 noted for it as Gideon about his Ephod Abimeleck about his brethren Ehud 38 Ehud 39 and Samson about his women so that in what time of these fourscore years Ehud 40 of Ehud to place the eighteen of Eglons afflicting it is not certain nor is it Ehud 41 very much material seeing it is certain that they fell out sometime within Ehud 42 Ehud 43 those fourscore years A good space of time may we allot for Israels falling Ehud 44 to Idolatry after Othniels death and for Gods giving them up to their enemies Ehud 45 Ehud 46 power upon their Idolatry but whensoever that affliction comes it Ehud 47 comes so home that a King of Moab is King of Israel and hath his very Ehud 48 Ehud 49 Court and Palace in the Land of Canaan in the City of Jericho That City Ehud 50 was inhabited by Israelites before Eglon and his Moabites Ammonites and Ehud 51 Ehud 52 Amalekites drove them out and yet had not Joshua's curse seized on them Ehud 53 for that had reference only to Rahabs kindred and family to prohibite Ehud 54 Ehud 55 them for ever going about to fortifie and build it for a Canaanitish Town Ehud 56 again and Hiel that went about that work in Ahabs time was of that Ehud 57 Ehud 58 stock and that light upon him accordingly as will be touched there The Ehud 59 oppressours of Israel at this time were the very same Nation that came Ehud 60 against Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20. Namely Moabites Ammonites and Meunims Ehud 61 Ehud 62 or Amalekites and Edomites that dwelt promiscuously among Ammon as see Ehud 63 the Notes when we came there and those that are here spoken of are generally Ehud 64 Ehud 65 fat men ver 29. as was Eglon himself extraordinarily Ehud was a Ehud 66 man of Benjamin and probably of Gibeah for he was of the same family in Ehud 67 Benjamin that King Saul was of afterwards and thus the honour of Benjamin Ehud 68 Ehud 69 was somewhat restored in him and as Judah in Othniel hath the first Ehud 70 honour of Judge-ship so Benjamin in Ehud had the second Eglon is destroyed Ehud 71 Ehud 72 with a two edged sword compare Rev. 1. 16. About the latter end Ehud 73 of Ehuds life we may indeed suppose some of the passages of the Book of Ehud 74 Ruth to have come to pass for that Book containeth the story of a very Ehud 75 Ehud 76 long time but the exact place in the Book of Judges where and the exact Ehud 77 time in Chronicle when to lay any particular of those occurrences is not Ehud 78 Ehud 79 to be found nor determined World 2690 Ehud 80 EHUD dieth The Book of RUTH TOwards the aiming and concluding upon the time of the story of the Book of Ruth these things may not unprofitably be taken into consideration 1. That Salmon who came with Joshua into the land married Rahab and of her begat Boaz who married Ruth Matth. 1. 5. 2. That from Salmons coming into the land to the birth of David were 366 years namely 17 of Joshua 299 of Judges 40 of Eli and 10 of Samuel and yet was this long space of time taken up by four men viz. Salmon before he begat Boaz of Rahab and Boaz before he begat Obed of Ruth and Obed before he begat Jesse and Jesse before he begat David so that you must allow to every one of them near upon a hundred years before he begat his son 3. That from their coming into Canaan to Ehuds death were 137 years 4. Now grant that Rahab lived sixty years in Israel before she had Boaz by Salmon and that Boaz lived an hundred years before he was married to Ruth both which are fair allowances yet will this his marriage with Ruth fall but three years after Ehuds death So that this Book of Ruth may be taken in between the third and fourth Chapters of the Book of Judges The Book of Ruth setteth out the great providence of God in bringing light out of darkness Ruth a mother of Christ out of the incest of Lot a special mark over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the story of Lots eldest daughter lying with her father Gen. 19. 34. and a special mark in a great letter in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the story of Ruth going to Boaz his bed Ruth 4. 13. seem to relate one to the other and both together to point at this providence Boaz born of a Heathen woman and married to a Heathen woman but both these become Israelites and holy After the reading of the Book of Ruth the Reader and story return to the fourth of Judges JUDGES CHAP. IV. V. World 2691 Deborah 1 Deborah 2 DEBORAH and BARAKS forty years begin Israel after the death Deborah 3 of Ehud fall to their old Idolatry again and for that ere long fall under Deborah 4 Deborah 5 oppression Shamgar got one wonderful victory for them but wrought Deborah 6 not a perfect deliverance Deborab a woman of Ephraim ariseth after him and Deborah 7 Deborah 8 judgeth the people she being a Prophetess and by the spirit of Prophecy stirreth Deborah 9 up Barak of Nephtali to fight with Sisera whom he overcometh by an army Deborah 10 of Galileans but Sisera himself falleth by the hand of a Proselytess woman Deborah 11 Deborah 12 Then Deborah and Barak sang Here the man of Nephtali giveth goodly Deborah 13 words They tell the sad case of Israel in Shamgars and Jaels times before the Deborah 14 Deborah 15 victory was gotten over Sisera that men durst not go in the common ways nor Deborah 16 dwell in villages and unwalled Towns for fear of the enemy The rich and Deborah 17 Deborah 18 gallant men that used to ride on white Asses durst not ride in those times and Deborah 19 the rulers durst not sit in Judgment for fear of being surprised and people Deborah 20 Deborah 21 durst not go to the Town wells to draw water for fear of the enemies archers Deborah 22 but now all these may speak of the actings of God towards the forsaken villages Deborah 23 Deborah 24 and towards the forlorn places of Judicature in the gates for they
and only salve it with making a statute for her yearly lamentation In some time of the Judges the High-priesthood is translated from the line of Eleazer to the line of Ithamar as appeareth in Eli in the beginning of the Book of Samuel Now in all the story of the Judges we find not any one thing so likely to be the cause of rooting out of that house from the Priest-hood as about this matter of Jephtah they not instructing him better but suffering such a butchery for a sacrifice Jephtah hath a new quarrel with the Ephraimites and slayeth 42000 of them discovering them by the mis-pronouncing of a letter he might have offered many words that had Sh double in them as Shemesh the Sun Shelosha three Shalsheleh a chain but the word proposed is Shiboleh because of the present occasion It signifieth a stream and the Ephraimites are put to call the stream that they desired to pass over by the right name and they could not name it CHAP. XII Vers. 8 9 10. World 2825 Iephtach 1 Iephtach 2 IBSAN judgeth seven years He was a man of Bethlehem and thereupon Iephtach 3 imagined by the Jews to be Boaz without any ground or reason for since Iephtach 4 Iephtach 5 Rahab the mother of Boaz was taken into the Congregation of Israel were 270 Iephtach 6 years and then guess whether Boaz be likely to be active now Ibsan is renowned Iephtach 7 for the number and equality of the number of his sons and daughters CHAP. XIII And CHAP. XII Vers. 11 12. World 2832 Elon 1 ELON judgeth ten years He was a Galilean of Zebulon In the tenth Elon 2 year of Ibsan the Philistims forty years of oppressing begin mentioned Elon 3 Chap. 13. verse 1. Samson is born about this year if not in it for when the Elon 4 Angel telleth of his conception the Philistims were lords over Israel see Elon 5 verse 5. The story of his birth is joyned to the story of his life that there Elon 6 might be no interruption in the story of the Judges before him and that the Elon 7 whole history of his life and birth might lie together but in Chronical Series Elon 8 it lieth about the beginning of the rule of Elon Elon 9 Elon 10 JESSE the father of DAVID born by this time if not before CHAP. XII Vers. 13 14 15. World 2842 Elon 1 ABDON judgeth eight years He is exceedingly renowned for his Elon 2 children having as many young Nobles and Gallants to his sons and Elon 3 granchildren as would make a whole Sanhedrin namely seventy and himself Elon 4 the Head He was an Ephraimite of Pirathon and so Josephs glory Elon 5 shineth again in Ephraim as it had done in Joshua before the time of the Elon 6 Judges and had done in Manasseh in the Judges times in Gedeon Jair Elon 7 and Jephtah Ephraims low estate in the matter of Abimelech and Shechem is Elon 8 now somewhat recovered in Abdon CHAP. XIV XV. XVI World 2850 Elon 1 SAMSON judgeth twenty years A man of Dan and so as Ephraim Elon 2 and Dan had bred the first Idolatry they yield the last Judges he Elon 3 was born supernaturally of a barren woman and becomes the first Nazarite Elon 4 we have upon record He killeth a lion without any weapons findeth honey Elon 5 in the carkass proposeth a parable to thirty Philistim gallants which Elon 6 in three days they cannot unriddle and on the seventh day saith the Text Elon 7 they said unto his wife Perswade thy husband Chap. 14. vers 15. That is Elon 8 on the Sabbath day their irreligiousness not minding that day and now Elon 9 finding the fittest opportunity of talking with his wife alone Samson being Elon 10 imployed about the Sabbath duties He pays them with their own Countrymens Elon 11 spoil Fires the Philistims corn with three hundred Foxes is destroying Elon 12 them all his life but destroys more at his death A type of Christ. Elon 13 It is observable that the Philistims are said to bear rule and oppress Israel Elon 14 all Samsons days Chap. 13. 1. The Lord delivered Israel into the hands of the Elon 15 Philistims forty year and Chap. 15. 20. And Samson judged Israel in the days Elon 16 of the Philistims twenty years This helpeth clearly to understand that the Elon 17 years of the oppressours are included in the years of the Judge and so Elon 18 endeth the Chronicle of the Book of Judges in the death of Samson though Elon 19 the posture of the Book it self do end in another story No Judge of all Elon 20 the twelve had fallen into the enemies hand and under their abuse but only Samson but he slayeth more at his death then while he was living The first Book of SAMUEL THIS Book containeth an History of 80 years viz. from the death of Samson who died by his own hand gloriously to the death of Saul who died by his own hand wretchedly This time was divided into two equal portions namely 40 years to Eli 1 Sam. 4. 18. and 40 years to Samuel and Saul Acts 13. 21. CHAP. I. II. III. World 2870 Eli 1 ELI judgeth 40 years He was of Ithamar For Eleazers line had lost the Eli 2 High Priest-hood in the times of the Judges It had been in that family Eli 3 seven generations viz. Eleazar Phineas Abishua Bukki Uzzi Zerahiah Meraioth Eli 4 Eli 5 1 Chron. 6. 4 5 6. and there it failed till the seventh generation after Eli 6 namely through the times of Amaziah Ahitub Zadok Ahimaaz Azaria Johanan Eli 7 and then comes Azariah and he executes this Office in the Temple Eli 8 that Solomon built 1 Chron. 6. 7 8 9 10. observe these six that failed of the Eli 9 high Priest-hood left out of the Genealogy Ezra 7. 3 4. Eli was the first of Eli 10 the other line that obtained it and it run through these descents Eli Phineas Eli 11 Ahitub Ahimelech Abiathar 1 Sam. 14. 3. 22. 20. 1 King 2. 26. SAMUEL Eli 12 Eli 13 the son of his mothers prayers tears and vows was born in * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 1. 1. that is of one of the two Ramahs to wit that of the Zophites of the hill country of Ephraim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be construed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Sam. 18. 2. one of two and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be construed as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh. 21. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1. 39 5. Not the hill of Ephraim but the hill country Aramathea the Eli 14 twentieth from Levi of the off-spring of Korah who was swallowed up of Eli 15 the ground 1 Chron. 6. and Numb 26. 11. He had murmured at the Priesthood Eli 16 and Magistracy and now one of his line is raised up to repair both when Eli 17 they are decaied Samuel was a vowed Nazarite and dedicated at the
Months 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 19. which the Rabbins interpret And one Officer which was in the Land for the Leap-year or for the thirteenth Month which befel every third year Solomon had four thousand Stables of Horses and Chariots 2 Chron. 9. 25. that is forty thousand Stalls of Horses for his Chariots 1 King 4. 2. one Horse in every Stall and ten Horses to a Chariot and in a Stable So seven hundred Chariots 2 Sam. 10. 18. is rendred seven thousand 1 Chron. 19. 18. that is seven thousand men with seven hundred Chariots ten to a Chariot Solomon is said to be wiser then Heman and Ethan and Chalcol and Darda that is in humane learning for these men lived in Egypt in the time of Israels affliction there and it seemeth were singularly skilled in all the wisdom of the Egyptians Yet Solomon went beyond them in Philosophy CHAP. II. from vers 39. to the end And CHAP. III. vers 1 2. ABout the latter end of Solomons third year or beginning of his fourth Shimei compasseth his own death by breaking the bonds and bounds of his consinement And as the Jews held Solomon after that marrieth Pharaohs daughter The time is uncertain and the determination of it not much material Solomon preferreth her before the rest of his wives for they were of Nations that were his Subjects but she the daughter of an intire King and by this match he allieth that potent King to him and secureth himself the better abroad especially from Hadad his Enemy who had married a Lady from the same Court 1 King 11. 19. CHAP. VI. all And VII from vers 13. to the end 2 CHRON. III IV. World 2993 Solomon 4 THE foundation of the Temple laid on Mount Moriah where Isaac had Solomon 5 been offered It is said That the foundation of the house of the Lord was Solomon 6 laid in Solomons fourth year in the month Zif or the second month and in the eleventh year in the month Bul which is the eighth month it was finished and Solomon 7 Solomon 8 so was he seven years in building it It was exactly seven years and six months Solomon 9 in building but the odd six months are omitted for roundness of the sum as Solomon 10 the six odd months are of Davids reigning in Hebron Compare 1 King 2. 11 with 2 Sam. 5. 5. Now the beginning of the seventh Chapter of 1 Kings relateth the Story of Solomons building his own house before it come to mention the furniture of the Temple because the Holy Ghost would mention all Solomons fabricks together or the piles of his buildings before it come to speak of the furniture of any CHAP. VIII all 2 CHRON. V. VI. VII to ver 11. World 3000 Solomon 11 THE Temple finished in the three thousand year of the world and dedicated by Solomon with Sacrifice and Prayer and by the Lord with fire from Heaven and the cloud of glory This dedication of the Temple was in the month Tisri or Ethanim the seventh month answering to part of our September at which time of the year our Saviour whom this Temple typified Joh. 2. 19. was born and 29 years after Baptized And thus have we an account of three thousand years of the world beginning with the Creation and ending with the finishing of Solomons Temple CHAP. VII From vers 1. to vers 13. World 3001 Solomon 12 SOLOMON after the building of the house of the Lord buildeth his Solomon 13 own house in Jerusalem and buildeth a summer house in Lebanon and an Solomon 14 house for Pharaohs Daughter and his own Throne so sumptuous as there was Solomon 15 not the like And thus doth he take up twenty years in this kind of work in Solomon 16 building the house of the Lord and his own houses His wisdom power Solomon 17 Solomon 18 peace and magnificence exceeding all Kings upon earth did make him not only Solomon 19 renowned among all people but also in these he became a type of Christ. Solomon 20 Thus high in all eminencies and perfections that earth could afford did the Solomon 21 Lord exalt him and yet afterward suffered him so fouly to fall that he like Solomon 22 Adam in happiness might exemplifie that no earthly felicity can be durable and Solomon 23 that here is nothing to be trusted to but all things vanity but the Kingdom Solomon 24 that is not of this world CHAP. IX From beginning to Vers. 10. 2 CHRON. VII From Vers. 11. to the end SOLOMON hath an answer to his prayer made in the Temple thirteen years ago Then the Lord made a return to it by fire and a cloud and here he doth the like again by an apparition this is the second time that the Lord appeareth to him The first was when he was even entring and beginning upon his Kingdom and this is now he is come to the height of settlement and prosperity in it CHAP. IX From Vers. 10. to the end 2 CHRON. VIII all Solomon 25 SOLOMON buildeth Cities up and down the Country conquereth Solomon 26 Hamath Zobah setleth Pharaohs Daughter in the house he had built for her Solomon 27 setteth out a Fleet at Ezion-Geber for Ophir is growing still more and Solomon 28 more potent rich and magnificent Is constant still and forward in Religion Solomon 29 and offereth a constant rate of Sacrifices every day and extraordinary ones at Solomon 30 the solemn festivities The Book of the PROVERBS AMong the Stories of Solomons renown in other things may be inserted also and conceived his uttering of his Proverbs three thousand in number as is related 1 King 4. 32. and the making of his Songs one thousand and five as is storied in the same place Now it is no doubt but the most of these are lost as also are his Books of Philosophy But these that are now extant in the Book of the Proverbs and the Song of Songs we may very properly conceive to have been penned by him in some of those times that have been mentioned The very exact time is uncertain and therefore not curiously to be enquired after but the time at large betwixt his Sons growing to capacity whom he instructeth and his own fall by the inticement of his Idolatrous Wives The Book of the Proverbs falleth under several divisions As 1. From the beginning of the first Chapter to the end of the ninth which whole piece seemeth to have been compiled by him more especially for the instruction of his Son 2. From the beginning of the tenth Chapter to the latter end of the four and twentieth wherein are lessons framed for the instruction of others 3. From the beginning of the five and twentieth Chapter to the end of the twenty ninth are Proverbs of Solomon found in some Copy of his in the time of Ezechiah as Moses his Copy of the Law was found in the days of Josiah 4. The thirtieth Chapter is a script of Agur the Son of Jakeh
should see too much of the true Religion there but that Ahaz might shew himself a worshipper of strange gods as well as the King These sad times and this expedition the Prophet speaketh of in that tenth Chapter but in the eleventh and twelfth he again comforts the house of David with the vertue of the anointing or with the operation of the promise to the Throne of David that his lamp should not go quite out till the Branch of the root of Jesse should bud and a King from thence should bear rule over all Nations And in Chap. 13. 14. he Prophesieth against the Kingdom of Babilon which indeed was but now newly sprung that this stock of Jesse should out-wear both Assyria and it and that the anointing or decree that God had made concerning Davids everlasting Throne should be their ruine that strove against it 2 KINGS XVIII ver 1. 2 3. 2 CHRON. XXIX World 3281 Ahaz 14 Hezekiah 1 Hoshea 3 Division 252 HEZEKIAH reigneth in the third year of Hoshea and so first it is evident that he reigned in his fathers life time for if Hoshea began in the twelfth of Ahaz as he did 2 King 17. 1. and Hezekiah began in the third of Hoshea as he did 2 King 18. 1. then doth it follow inevitably that Hezekiah began his Reign in the fourteenth of Ahaz and said to reign sixteen years 2 King 16. 2. The reason of this is also resolved out of that observation before about Shalmanezers first expedition against Samaria and his then expedition against Jerusalem for he had subdued and deposed Ahaz and made him to become as a private man and set up Hezekiah on the Throne in his stead whom God had reserved for the benefit of his people and for an instrument of much glory to himself out of the bloody sacrifices of Ahaz to Molech and out of the massacring hand of the enemy that slew some of his sons See 2 Chron. 28. 3. 7. It is said in 2 King 18. 7. That Hezekiah rebelled against the King of Assyria and served him not intimating that he had been under the Assyrian homage but he would bear it no longer and that in time provoked Sennacherib against him Secondly Observe how very young Ahaz was when he begat Hezekiah He was twenty years old when he began to reign 2 King 16. 2. and in the fifteenth year of his reign his son Hezekiah begins to reign being then five and twenty years old current 2 King 18. 2. and so was born when Ahaz was but ten years old the like not to be parallelled again in all the Scripture unless it was in the very young age of Judah when he begat his eldest son Er Gen. 38. World 3281 Ahaz 14 Hezekiah 1 Hoshea 3 Division 252 HOSHEA reigneth wickedly but not so wickedly as the Kings of Israel had done that had been before him This is remarkable that the last King of all that succession should be the best and yet under him the Kingdom destroyed 2 CHRON. XXIX XXX XXXI World 3282 Ahaz 15 Hezekiah 1 Hoshea 4 Division 253 HEZEKIAHS first year properly and so is it reckoned 2 King 18. 9. 10. for his fourth year is said to be Hosheas seventh and his sixth Hosheas 9. For though the beginning of his reign was somewhat coincident with the third of Hoshea yet was it but a little time and that year was soon out therefore the Holy Ghost doth tell us when it was that he began his reign at the very first namely in Hosheas third yet he rather counteth the beginning of his first year from the first day of a new year and from his entring upon the work of reformation then from the other date Hezekiah upon the first day of the year beginneth to cleanse the house of the Lord and even in the life time of Ahaz casteth out those defilements that Ahaz had brought into the Temple in eighty and eight days the Priests do cleanse the house and the Court and by Sacrifices they make a new Dedication In the second Month they appoint and keep the Passover and Hezekiah and the Princes send throughout all the ten Tribes to invite them to come in to the true Religion this overture of reconciliation to God and to the house of David they have now before they be destroyed some of them imbrace it come and eat the Passover but not purified yet by Hezekiahs prayer all goes well with them The people departing from this Passover go abroad through the land and break down Idols not only in Judah but also in divers places of the Country of the ten Tribes Hezekiah at Jerusalem restoreth the Priests to their courses and the Tithes to the Priests In this purging and cleansing of the Temple which Hezekiah performed in the beginning of his reign it may well be supposed that that Copy of Solomons Proverbs was found mentioned Prov. 25. 1. and was transcribed by some of Hezekiahs servants out of the old Manuscript which it is like was much soiled and spotted with time and neglect 2 KING XVII ver 3. World 3282 Ahaz 15 Hezekiah 1 Hoshea 4 Division 253 HOSHEA after his subjection to the King of Assyria and receiving his Crown from him yet revolteth and relieth upon the King of Egypt Thus did the ten Tribes trust in Egypt before their captiving and so likewise did Judah before her captivity as they had both trusted on Assyria 2 KING XVI vers 19 20. 2 CHRON. XXVIII ver 26 27. World 3283 Ahaz 16 Hezekiah 2 Hoshea 5 Division 254 AHAZ dieth having lived a good while a deposed King and having seen his Son depose the Idolatry that he had erected World 3283 Ahaz 16 Hezekiah 2 Hoshea 5 Division 254 EGypt becomes a broken Reed to Israel they lean upon it but it does pierce their hand and not support them ESAY XIV from vers 28. to the end IN the year that Ahaz died Esaiah prophesieth against the Philistims that whereas Uzziah had been a Serpent to them and had bitten them sore as 2 Chron. 26. 6. but when he was dead they insulted over Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 18. that now Hezekiah should prove a Cockatrice to them and smite them again as it came to pass 2 King 18. 8. That God would first bring upon them a famine and then Hezekiahs sword and finally a Northern power that should utterly dissolve them But that the terrible Messengers of the Assyrian Nation that should come against Jerusalem as Rabshakeh and Rabsaris c. should receive this answer That God hath founded Zion and the poor of his people should trust in it and the Assyrian should not prevail against it HOSEA VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV ABOUT this time were all these Chapters of Hosea delivered as may be collected by these three observations 1. The common and constant speech that the Prophet maketh to Ephraim in them sheweth that these things were spoken to the ten Tribes before they were captived whose Captivity
One once staid long and they were about to go in after him Some say it was Simeon the Just. They said to him Why didst thou stay so long He answered I was praying for the Sanctuary of your God that it should not be destroyed They say to him Though thou didest so yet shouldest not thou have stayed so long If this Relation carry any truth with it it might be looked upon as the expiring of Vision as Prophesie had also ceased not long before that time for Simeon the Just is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the remnant of the men of Ezra ' s great Synagogue Aboth R. Nathan cap. 4. and upon the death of Zachary and Malachy who were of that Synagogue the spirit of Prophesie departed And here Vision and Prophesie is dawning again Zacharias for not believing the words of the Angel is struck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deaf and Dumb and doth fore-signifie the silencing of the Levitical Priesthood e're long to be In the Jews Canons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one of the five sorts of Persons that they commonly exclude from all imployments and matters of honour trust or import and it means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that can neither hear nor speak Jerus in chagigah fol. 75. col 4. His Wife Elizabeth conceiving with child retires as a recluse for five months space that she might keep her self from all desilement she carrying as choice a Nazarite in her Womb as she did ver 1. 5. Five months were not the whole time of her retiring for that that urged her to keep close so long had the same tie upon her all the time she went with child but five months are only named by way of introduction to the story and occurrence in the sixth month mentioned instantly after In the sixth month the same Angel appeareth to the Virgin Mary and telleth her of the Birth of the Messios to be of her which she believing though by the course of Nature so impossible she presently goeth to her Cousin Elizabeth into the Hill-countrey of Judea to Hebron see Josh. 21. 11. not only to visit her and to rejoyce with her nor only to see the proof of those things that the Angel had told of her but very probably acted by the Holy Ghost that she might conceive the Messias in Hebron where so many choice and eminent Types of him and references to him had been in ancient time These Tidings come to the Virgin at the very latter end of the year that we are upon or the beginning of the next and her Journey to Hebron is in the middle of Winter SECTION IV. MATTHEW Chap. I. All the Chapter CHRIST'S Genealogy by the Line of Solomon and by his supposed Father Joseph His Mother in danger to be divorced upon false suspition of Adultery WHether it were that Mary conceived with child at the instant of the Angels telling her of her Conception as hath been held most generally or at the instant that she came to her Cousin Elizabeth in Hebron by the time that she had stayed with her three months she might easily be discovered to be with child as Tamar was after the same space of time Gen. 38. 24. Whose case and danger of death in that story compare with the Virgins case and danger of divorce in this The Talmudick Decretals do allot three months for such a discovery Every woman say they that is divorced or become a widow behold she may not be married nor espoused till she have stayed 90 days that it may be known whether she be with child or no and that there may be distinguishing betwixt the Seed of the first Husband and the Seed of the second Likewise a stranger and his Wife which are Proselytes they keep them asunder 90 days that there may be a discerning between the Seed sown in holiness that is when they are come into the true Religion out of Heathenism Compare 1 Cor. 7. 14. and the Seed not sown in holiness Talm. in Jebamoth cap. 4. in Chetuboth cap. 5. Maym. in Gerushin cap. 11. This space of time considered in the present story it sheweth how fitly the last Verse of the preceding Section viz. Luke 1. 56. and the 18th Verse of this do joyn together The Genealogy interposed doth not interrupt but illustrate the story intended And it is not only properly but even necessarily set in the Front of the Evangelical History that satisfaction might be given by it in that main Point concerning Christ which the Scriptures do so often inculcate and which the Jews would first of all look after namely to prove Jesus of Nazareth how ever so meanly born yet to be The Son of David There were two remarkable Maxims among the Jewish Nation 1. That there was to be no King of Israel but of the House of David and Line of Solomon Talm. in Sanhedr cap. 10. And consequently they looked for King Messias from that Line 2. That the Family of the Mother is not called a Family Juchasin fol 55. Hereupon hath Matthew most pertinently brought this Pedigree through the House of Solomon and ended it in Joseph a Male whom the Jews looked upon as the Father of Jesus The last Verse of this Chapter as it referreth to the demeanour of Joseph and Mary in their mutual society till the Birth of Christ lyeth properly in the Harmonizing of the Evangelists in the place where it doth But as it referreth to the Birth of Christ it is coincident with Luke 2. 7. The Reader in his thoughts will place it as he seeth cause in these several Relations SECTION V. LUKE Chap. I. from Ver. 57. to the end John Baptist born WHen Maries three months stay with her Cousin Elizabeth was expired it is easily guessed that if Elizabeth by that time were not delivered of her child yet she was very near it and that consideration doth clear the subsequence of this Section to the preceding John Baptist born in Hebron the place of the residence of Abraham and of the first Royalty of David Here Circumcision was first ordained and here is he born that was to bring in Baptism instead of Circumcision The Priests at the Temple as they looked for break of day used oft to say The face of all the Skie is bright even unto Hebron Talm. in Joma cap. 3. in Tamid cap. 3. Compare the dawning of the Gospel now rising there in the Birth of the Baptist and compare the words of Zacharias a Priest ver 78. The time of the Baptists Birth will be found by setting that Clock from our Saviours to have been in the Spring much about the time of the Passeover about which time of the year Isaac was born SECTION VI. LUKE Chap. II. from Ver. 1. to Ver. 40. World 3928 Rome 754 Augustus 31 Herod 35 CHRIST Born LUKE maketh the coherence clear when he interposeth nothing betwixt the Birth of the Baptist and the Birth of Christ and indeed there is nothing
the year or the first of Nisan he began the Reformation and stirred bravely in the restoring of Religion 2 Chron. 29. 3. and therefore that is owned as the most remarkable and renowned beginning of his dominion And so the seventh of Hoshea and his fourth year fall in together In his sixth year the ten Tribes are captived 2 King 18. 10. And so the parallelling of the two Kingdoms of Judah and Israel in their Chronical Annals is at an end and now the times of the Kingdom of Judah lye in an easie and continued Chronicle to the captivity in Babel without any great scruple Only about those turbulent times of Jehoachaz and Jehoiakim there is a little difficulty For there passed some years between the death of Josiah and the reign of Jehoiakim in troubles and distempers though the Text hath mentioned the three moneths only of Jehoachaz The gross sum of 390 between the division and the burning of the Temple keepeth all right and sheweth how much space this was when all the other particulars are taken up as the 480 between the delivery out of Egypt and building of Solomons Temple do by the time of the rule of Joshua though the Text expresly hath not determined it So that now add these 390 years mentioned by Ezekiel which was the exact space between Jerusalem destroyed Anno mundi 3420. the falling away of the ten Tribes and the destruction of Jerusalem to the 3030 years of which age the world was when the ten Tribes fell away and we find that Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians in the year of the world 3420. SECTION VII From the burning of the Temple by Nebuzaradan 2 King 25. Jer. 52. to the return from Babel 2 Chron. 36. 22. Ezra 1. 1. were fifty years IT hath been no small controversie among the learned that have handled the current of these times that we are about where to begin the seventy years of the captivity in Babel so renowned in the Scripture Jer. 25. 11 12. 29. 10. 2 Chron. 36. 21. Zech. 1. 12. For since there were three captivities of Hierusalem by the Babylonian namely in the third year of Jehoiakim 2 Chron. 36. 6. Dan. 1. 1. In the year of Jehoiachin 2 Chron. 36. 9 10. and in the eleventh of Zedekiah 2 King 25. 2 3. Jer. 52. 4 5. it may very well be questioned where those seventy years of captivity did begin and where those 390 years from the falling away of the ten Tribes should terminate To omit varieties of opinions and reasons that fix these periods some here some there these reasons do plainly and sufficiently demonstrate that the seventy years of Judahs captivity in Babel did begin from the third year of Jehoiakim First Because Daniel that measured out the whole space of that captivity and that giveth account of the state of the people that time beginneth from thence Dan. 1. Secondly Because it is most proper to begin the seventy years captivity by Babel from the very first time that any captivity by Babel began Thirdly It is prophesied by Jeremy Chap. 25. 11. that not only the Jews but also all Nations round about them should serve the King of Babel seventy years So that those seventy years are to be counted the time and space of the absolute Monarchy of Babel and they are to begin from the beginning of Nebuchadnezzar the first Monarch Now the beginning of his Monarchy is easie to settle viz. in the third of Jehoiakim from these Texts Jer. 32. 1. 52. 12. It is true indeed that in Jer. 25. 1. the fourth of Jehoiakim is called his first and so it might be very well for the first of Nebuchadnezzar might take up part of two years of his reign as any one year of the King takes up much time of two Lord Mayors he entring his year in the Spring and they in Autumn Thus do the seventy years begin from the beginning of Nebuchadnezzar but the 390 that we have been so long upon do not there end but they end at this nineteenth or at the eleventh of Zedekiah when the City and Temple was utterly ruined and the captivity entirely consummate as the chain of the years drawn out to the length do really fix it and as the very intent and stile of the Prophet doth the like who in that sum doth comprehend the whole time of the peoples being in their own Land after the revolt under Jeroboam So that nineteen years compleat out of the seventy must we take into that sum and so there are but fifty years of that captivity to the time of their delivery under Cyrus remaining which sum being added to the age of the world at the burning of the The Jews return to Babel Ezra 1. 1. Anno mundi 3470. Temple 3420 doth make the world to be 3470 years old at the first of Cyrus when the captivity did return SECTION VIII From the return of the Jews out of Babel to the death of Christ 490 years THIS is so plain in Dan. 9. in the seventy weeks or seventy time seven years there mentioned from the Commandment going forth from Cyrus to restore and build Hierusalem to the cutting off of the Messias that it needeth as little to confirm it as to tell that seventy times seven is four hundred and ninety For if the Angel speak not of a fixed and certain time in this sum he nameth this sum to no purpose in the world but he doth so clearly fix the time the two termini of its extent and some particular links of it as it passed that nothing can be more clear evident and perspicuous Now add these 490 years which reach to the death of Christ to the age of the world 3470. at the time when they began and it resulteth that our Saviour died in the year of the world 3960. Out of which subduct the two and thirty years of our Saviours life and it appeareth that he was born in the year of the world 3928. that year being then but newly begun stilo veteri or according to the account used from the beginning of the world from Tisri or September so that that year was his first year and 3929 his second year at Christ born Anno mundi 3928. the which the wise men came to visit him 3930 his third year and so 3960 half passed or at Easter his two and thirtieth and an half at which age he died And now he that desireth to know the year of the world which is now passing over us this year 1644 will find it to be 5572 years just now finished since the Creation and the year 5573 of the worlds age now newly begun this September at the Aequinox THE HARMONY OF THE Four EVANGELISTS SECTION I. S. LUKE CHAP. I. The Preface or Epistle Dedicatory The occasion and warranty of Lukes writing the Gospel FOR AS MUCH as many a a a a a a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used for a
further Some point thus All things were made by him and without him was nothing made That which was made in him was life A reading which Chrysostom Hom. 5. in Job saith was used by Hereticks whereby to prove the Holy Ghost to be a Creature And this is the very reading of the vulgar Latin Others have read it thus All things were made him and without him was nothing made which was made in him And then they began a new sentence He was life c. A reading conceived to have been used by the Manicbâ—es whereby to prove duo principia a good and a bad 4. In him was life and the life was the light of men 5. And the light shined in darkness and the darkness comprehend it not 6. There d d d d d d From Mal. 3. 1. 4. 5. And thus dothe two Testaments joyn together was a man sent from God whose name was John 7. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the Light that all men through him might believe 8. He e e e e e e The Baptist was a light John 5. 35. but not that light that was to come â—s the light of the three first days of the Creation without the Sun was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that light 9. That was the true Light f f f f f f It may be either read which coming into the world lighteth every man or as our English hath it which latter is approved the true 1. By the very place where the word comming or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyeth for it followeth not immediately the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so being joyned with it reason and the custom of Grammar tell that it should be construed with it 2. It is ordinary among the Jews to call men by this Periphrasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as come into the world which Idiom of the Hebrews the Evangelist followeth here The Syriak readeth as we do which lighteth every man that cometh into the world 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not 11. He came unto g g g g g g As it were into his own house or among his own people as Joh. 16. 32 19. 27. Act. 4. 23. 21. 6. his own and his own h h h h h h In ver 11. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 12. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though they signifie the same thing yet might some distinction of sense be observed in the distinction of words For Christ came among the Jews bodily yet they would not so much as receive him bodily nor acknowledge him for Messias at all but coming among the Gentiles by his word and spirit they received him spiritually received him not 12. But as many as h h h h h h In ver 11. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 12. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though they signifie the same thing yet might some distinction of sense be observed in the distinction of words For Christ came among the Jews bodily yet they would not so much as receive him bodily nor acknowledge him for Messias at all but coming among the Gentiles by his word and spirit they received him spiritually received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name 13. Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we behold his glory the glory i i i i i i As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimâ—bi in Micol as Numb 11. 1. The people became as murmurers Prov. 10. 20. The heart in the wicked is as little worth that is very murmurers very little worth so here The very glory of the only begotten as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Reason of the Order THE Preface being made the story is to begin and that it doth here from Christs Divinity most Divinely For whereas the other Evangelists begin their relations no further back then from the birth or conception of our Saviour or at the furthest of his Forerunner John draws the Reader back to behold him in the Old Testament in the Creation of the world and in the promises to the Fathers And therefore this portion is first to be begun withall and of it self will justifie its own order Especially it being considered that the Person of Christ is first to be treated of before his actions and in his Person the divine nature which John here handleth before the humane Harmony and Explanation FROM Gen. 1. 1. the Evangelist sheweth that the redemption was to be wrought by him by whom the Creation was namely by the Word or the second Person in the Trinity as being sittest for that great work as whereby confusion both in the external works of the Trinity as also in the term of Sonship might be avoided In the external works of the Trinity when the Creator of man became his Redeemer and in the term of Sonship when the Son of God and the Son of Man were but one and the same person Ver. 1. The Word He is so called in the Old Testament First as the Author of 2 Sam. 7. 2. For thy words sake which in 1 Chr. 17. 19. is expressed For thy servants sake the title of Christ Esay 42. 2. the Creation Psal. 33. 6. Secondly as the Author of the Promise 2 Sam. 7. 2. compared with 1 Chron 17. 19. Thirdly as the very Subject of the Covenant and Promise it self Hag. 2. 5. Deut. 30. 12. compared with Rom. 10. 6 7. So that these things being laid together and well considered they shew why John calleth the Son of God the Word rather then by any other name First because he would shew that as the world was created by the Son so it was most fit it should be redeemed Secondly that as in him the promise was given so in him was fit should be the performance Thirdly that as he was the Subject of the Covenant in the Old Testament so also was he the Substance of it in the New From such places as these forenamed where the Son of God is called the Word in the Old Testament it became most familiar and ordinary among the Jews to use this title personally for him And this may be a second reason deduced from that that was named before why the Evangelist here useth it namely as a name most familiarly and comly known amongst his own people Examples hereof might be alledged out of the Chaldee Paraphrast even by hundreds It will suffice to alledge some few Gen. 28. 20 21. If the word of the Lord will be my help c. The word of the Lord shall be my God
year at which he was born as we have done into the year it self or the time of the world heretofore The year of the world as we observed then was 3928. The year of Augustus is neither so necessary to seek nor so easie to find partly because there is some difference among Historians about the number of the years of his Reign and partly because there may be some about the year of Tiberius in which Christ was Baptized from which we should count backward For though it be said that John came Baptizing in his fifteenth year Luk. 3. 1. yet may it be questionable whether he Baptized Christ in that year or no But not to swarve from the most common consent of Roman Historians that say that Augustus Reigned six and fifty years and of Christians that hold that Christ was baptized in the fifteenth of Tiberius then may it be readily concluded that he was born in the forty second of Augustus The time of the year at which he was born hath been much mistaken being concluded upon at the latter end of December This mistake did first arise by another for it being misunderstood that Zacharias was the High Priest and that he was in Sancto Sanctorum on the expiation day when the Angel Gabriel appeared unto him they could do no less then conclude that John was born in the middle of Summer and Christ in the middle of Winter A time very unfit for people to travail to their several Cities to be taxed but far more unfit for Shepherds to lye abroad in the fields all night For finding out therefore the true and right time of his Nativity these things are to be taken into consideration First That the time that Christ lived here upon the earth was two and thirty years and a half exactly And so long did David reign in Jerusalem 2 Sam. 5. 4 5. This time was divided into two unequal parts twenty nine years compleat he spent as a private man before he was baptized for it is said he began to be thirty or was entring upon this thirtieth at his Baptism Luke 3. 23. And three years and an half from his Baptism to his death This sum was precisely told of by the Angel Gabriel Dan. 9. 27. In half that week shall he cause sacrifice and oblation to cease And is plainly parcelled out by Passovers and other circumstances of time Matth. 4. 2. Joh. 1. 29. 35. 44. 2. 1. 13. 5. 1. 6. 4. 13. 1. Secondly That the time of Christs death was at Easter or their Passover as is most plain by all the Evangelists Thirdly That he living just two and thirty years and a half and dying at Easter it must needs follow that he was born about the middle of the month Tisri which answereth to part of our September And it is not only probable but also necessary if he lived thirty two years and a half exactly that then as he died upon the fifteenth day of the month Abib or at the Passover so that he was born about the fifteenth day of Tisri at the Feast of Tabernacles a month and a Feast that had been exceedingly renowned in ancient times In this month the World had begun and sin had entred into it In this month were all the Fathers born before the Flood as the Jews aver and reason confirms it From this month began the circle of the year from the Creation to the redemption out of Egypt From this month began the typical year of Jubile in the ages after And in this month were the three famous Feasts of Trumpets of Expiation and of Tabernacles And like glorious things may be observed upon the Feast of Tabernacles it self At that very time did Israel fall upon the making of the Tabernacle in the wilderness Exod. 35. At this very time was the consecration of the Temple 1 King 1. 8 2. And at this very time was our Saviour born and began to carry the Tabernacle of his flesh and at this very time was he Baptized and began the Ministery of the Gospel So that here appeareth one addition more to the present misery and subjection of the Jews at the time of this tax that not only they must leave all their occasions to wait upon their own taxing and promote their own bondage but that they must neglect a main part of the service of God the Feast of Expiation and the Feast of Tabernacles as Zech. 14. 16 17. to attend the Conqueror and their own thraldom And now it being considered that John the Baptist was but half a year older then our Saviour it will be observable how the four points of the year as it may be so said were renowned with their conception and nativity John conceived at the Summer Solstice and our Saviour at the Winter John born at the vernal Equinox and our Saviour at the Autumnal §. And wrapped him in swadling cloaths This passage is one ground-work whereupon Expositors conclude that Christ was born without pain to his mother for that she performed the Midwives part her self and none to help her A second is this That he was born without his Mothers pain because he was conceived without her pleasure A third Argument may be fetched from the blessing of propagation given to our first Parents in the Garden And a fourth from the example of the delivery of the Hebrew women in Egypt For first When God gave this blessing to Adam and Eve in their innocency increase and multiply Gen. 1. 28. it inabled them to beget children agreeable to their own perfection that is holy righteous and without any symptoms or consequents of sin either in themselves or in the mothers But they never begat any child thus because of their sudden fall What did this first blessing then utterly fail and never take effect in its proper sense and full extent Could such emphatical words of God to man in innocency fall to the ground without performance No they took place in the second Adam who was born according to the full extent and intent of that blessing to our innocent parents in perfect holiness and righteousness and without pain to his mother Secondly If the Hebrew women in Egypt had so quick and easie a delivery as that they were not like to other women much more may we think the travail and delivery of the Virgin to have been quick lively miraculous and painless as Esa. 66. 7. Before her pain came she was delivered of a man child §. Because there was no room for them in the Inn. At the return out of Babylon the children of Bethlehem were a hundred twenty three persons Ezra 2. 21. Now that being four hundred and fifty years past and somewhat above to what a multitude might the stock or breed of that City be grown by this time of Christs birth This multitude pressing together to their own City according to the Emperors edict the weakest go to the walls and Joseph and Mary are excluded
together § Wisemen That is Sorcerers or Magicians and so might it not unfitly be translated For first though Magus and Magia admit of a gentle construction and be often taken not only in an harmless but in a laudable sense in prophane Authors yet are they never so in Scripture and by the Idiom and propriety of that must the word be expounded and not by Forreign and Heathen Language and acceptation It is true indeed that among the Persians the Magi have been renowned for men of excellent wisdom and skill in natural and in other things and that none were admitted to reign among them unless he were well versed in the learning of the Magi and that Plato Tully Philo Pliny and others do extol Magia or Magick to be the very height and perfection of Philosophy But the Scripture who is ever the sure Expositor of it self doth never take the word but in the worse sense for the Devilish and damnable practice and practicers of sorcery and unlawful arts as Acts 8. 9. Simon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13. 8. Elymas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Babylonian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Wizards are so called by the Greek of Daniel whosoever traslated it whether the LXX or Theodotion or who else soever Dan. 1. 20. 2. 2. c. Now it is against sense and reason to refuse the sense of Scripture for a Scripture word and to fetch the intepretation of it from Persia Plato Pliny and I know not whence 2. It doth the more set forth the lustre and glory of the birth of Christ and the power of himself and kingdom by supposing that these men that had been hitherto devoted to the arts service and converse of the Devil should now forsake them and him and their own delight and their old profession and dedicate themselves travailes and gifts to a child unknown far off and but poorly born 3. Nor is this opinion but newly minted but it carrieth with it the passeport and priviledge of antiquity For Ignatius Martyr in his Epistle to the Ephesians speaking concerning the Wisemens Star saith thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the wesdom of this world grew foolish Sorcery a toy and Magick a derision personating the men in both their contrary professions and devotedness Devilish and Divine to Satan and Christ. So likewise Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho speaking of these same men and how they were qualified and affected before they came to Christ he saith they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 captived or led away as a prey by the Devil to all evill actions And so Theophylact the mouth of Chrysostome They were saith he adversaries or enemies to God and devoted to Devils in a more special manner And to this sense doth the Gospel of Mathew in Hebrew render the word whosoever translated it But to spare more those fathers confess their opinion to be the same with these and those neither mean ones nor a few which hold some of them that these Magi had obtained their knowledge concerning the King of the Jews from Sybilla Erythraeae and others from Balaam to whom they hold that they stood in relation not only of Nation and kindred but also of the same profession and art of Wizardy and Magick § From the East This doth something confirm the foregoing opinion of their being Magicians if it need any more confirmation For that the East was infamous for Sorceries auguries and incantations is apparent by Esa. 2. 6. as it is understood by the LXX by R. Solomon D. Kimchi and even approved by the context it self But what Country of the East this was whence these men came is as hard to determine as it was what manner of men they were Divers have asserted that they were of Chaldea minding it seemeth rather the strictest and worst sense of both the words Chaldeus and Magus which signifie both one and the same ungodly profession then the letter of text and of other Scriptures For it plainly telleth that these came from the East and all the Prophets that have spoken of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans have fetched those destroyers from the North as Jer. 1. Others therefore do hold them for Persians and that chiefly because the word Magus is thought to be originally a Persian word But first as was said before the Scripture word is to be interpreted according to the Scripture Idiom and so it consineth them to Persia no more then to any other Country Secondly if it should be averred that the Persian Magi grew renowned from a family of that name or from some Ancestor that was called Mag or Mago rather then from any relation that the word hath to the depth of Learning or any notation for a great Scholar I suppose it would be hard to prove the contrary especially since in Babylonia there was * * * * * * Jer. 39. 3. Rab. Mag or the great Mag and in Carthage Mago two Noblemen or Princes and for ought we know no great Scholars neither of the very same name More probable therefore and plausible is their opinion though it leave the Reader in a Bivium of irresolution that holdeth these men either for Arabians or Mesopotamians about Haran but their resolution the best of all that bring them from Arabia and of this mind is Justin Martyr very confidently in so much that he applieth a Prophecy thereto namely Esa. 8. 4. about the breaking of the strength of Damascus For first Arabia is full Eastward from Judea and the inhabitants thereof are constantly called men of the East as Gen. 25. 6. Judg. 6. 3. Job 1. 3. Secondly the gifts or presents that the Wisemen offered Christ were native commodities of the Land of Arabia as gold of Sheba Psal. 72. 15. Frankincense from Seba or Saba as in the verse Sua Thura Sabaei and Myrrhe from thereabouts as appeareth in stories ann it is more probable to think that they would bring the choice commodities of their own Country as Jacob sent to Joseph then of another Thirdly to conceive these men for Arabians doth very well sort and harmonize with some considerable things in Scripture As 1. the first Proselite to the Jewish Church that we find mentioned in Scripture was Jethro an Arabian and of the seed of Abraham And so if we hold these first Proselytes to Christ it suiteth very fitly 2. it agreeth also with that Prophetick Psalm mentioned before namely Psal. 71. 3. With the rule and dominion and homage that David and Solomon Types of Christ had over and from that Country For 4. much of Arabia was the Land of Canaan as well as Judea for the heedfull eye that shall but seriously look upon the Nations that planted there at the first will find that the whole Country was inhabited by the two sons of Ham Cush and Canaan and in after time that the seed of Abraham dispossessed them and dwelt in their steads not by any usurpation or
Text of Daniel from whence the phrase is taken and by divers places in the Gospel where it is used but the full clearing of this I have chosen to refer to that difficult place which will call for it to be cleared when the Lord shall bring us thither Matth. 16. 19. To thee will I give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven where I conceive Christ to have foretold to Peter that he should be the first that should Preach the Gospel and open the door of Faith unto the Gentiles as Acts 15. 7. and 10. Now The Kingdom of Heaven signifying thus not barely and simply the Preaching of the Gospel but the Preaching of it to the Gentiles and their conversion it sheweth how proper and pregnant an argument this was to inforce the doctrine and practice of Repentance upon the Jews because the calling of the Gentiles was near at hand which would prove their rejection and casting off if they did not repent as Deut. 32. 21. Before the coming of Christ these four Earthly Kingdoms that are mentioned by Daniel in the Chapters cited bare all the sway and domineered over all the world with cruelty and tyranny but when they were destroyed at his coming he set up a Kingdom of his own and swayed the Scepter of Righteousness over all Nations and ruled them with his word and Spirit And whereas before his coming also the Church consisted but of one Nation and Kingdom and was couched upon a small parcel of Earth the Land of Canaan â—nd had earthly promises and earthly rites when he came and published the Gospel he gathered a Church of all Kingdoms and Nations and Languages under Heaven and built it up with Heavenly and Spiritual promises and instructions and thus The Kingdom of Heaven may fitly be understood in opposition to these two earthly ones Luke 3. ver 5. Every valley shall be filled c. These borowed phrases intend the removing of obstacles and stumbling blocks out of the way and plaining and clearing the way for men to come to Christ and to the obedience of the Gospel The Jews conceive that the cloud of glory that led the people of Israel in the wilderness did really and according to the letter do what is here spoken of for facilitating of their march and journey as that it levelled Mountains raised vallies and laid all of a flat that it burnt up bushes and smoothed rocks and made all plain that they might travail without trouble or offence And some of them also say that when Jeroboam set up his goden calves and Idolatry in Bethel and Dan that he and his wicked agents laid ambushments and scouts in the ways to Jerusalem to catch up every one that should go thither to worship and to this purpose they apply that saying of the Prophet Hos. 5. 1. O ye Priests and O ye house of the King ye have been a snare on Mizpah and a net upon Tabor And the revolters are profound to make slaughter c. If either of these things were undoubtedly so as they suppose how properly might this passage of the Prophet Esay and of the Evangelist from him be thought to refer thereunto but since they be but surmisals it is safest to take the words for a borrowed speech to express what was said before the removing of obstacles in the way to Christ. Mat. 3. ver 6. Confessing their sins Not to John but to God For neither was it possible for John to hear their confessions nor was it necessary Not possible because of the vast multitudes that came to be baptized nor necessary for to tell him they had comitted such and such sins what conduced it either to their baptism or forgiveness Nor was this their confession of their sins before there being baptized but after For first if we should strictly take the Grammatical construction of the word that importeth their confessing it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which would have denoted that they had confessed before they were baptized but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both the Evangelists that speak of that matter Secondly It was far more agreeable to the end and doctrine of Baptism that their confession of sin should be after their baptizing then before in that they were baptized to repentance ver 11. and not e contra the Sacrament was more intentionally to enter them into repentance then repentance to enter them into the Sacrament For as was said before it obliged them more properly to repentance after the receiving of it then before Thirdly the gesture of our Saviour after his Baptism seemeth to have been according to the common custom and gesture of the people and as he coming out of the water fell to prayer so they when they came out used to do to make their penitent confession to the Lord. Mat. 3. ver 7. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Saduces coming to his baptism The Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans the three Sects of the Jews Josephus Antiq. lib. 13. c. 9. are those three Sheepherds spoken of Zech. 11. 8. whom our Saviour at his coming was to cut off The two former whom we have now in hand are very frequent in mention in the Gospel men of enmity one against another yet both joynt enemies to Christ and to his Apostles The original of the Pharisees is not so easie to go back unto as that of the Sadduces nor is the significancy of their name so readily determined and fixed upon as the other The Sadduces it is well known were so called from Sadoc the first Author of their Sect and he the Scholar of Antigonus Rabbi Nathan in his Aboth Perek 5. hath thus clearly given us their original Antigonus of Socoh saith he received his learning from Simeon the just This was his saying Be not as servants that serve their Master because of receiving Vid. Talm. Bab. Basileae tom 6. in fine * * * * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a portion a reward but be as servants that serve their Master not for the receiving of a reward but let the fear of God be upon you This Antigonus had two Scholars which changed his words they changed them to their Scholars and their Scholars to theirs They stood up and taught after them and said what saw our Fathers to say thus is it possible that a work-man may do his work all the day and not receive his wages at even But if our Fathers had known that there is a world to come and that there shall be a resurrection of the dead they would never have said thus They stood up and separated from the Law and from them broke out the two Sects the Sadduces and Baithusaeans the Sadduces after the name of Sadoc and the Baithusaeans after the name of Baithus So he Now this Antigonus whose good doctrine had this bad construction was Scholar to Simeon the just whom we shall have occasion to look after by and by But the time and
from above but from the Temple as Isa. 66. 6. And this can hardly be denied to have been one of their Bath Kol voices And if we will believe the Jewish Authors in every place where they give examples of this their Bath Kol it will appear rather to be such a voice as came to Samuel which was so far from a perpendicular descending voice that he could not distinguish whether it were the call of Eli. Secondly Because whereas the Jews repute their Bath Kol both the last and the lowest kind of divine Revelation among them this kind of a voice from Heaven was both most ancient as Gen. 21. 17. 22. 11. and also most honourable Exod. 20. 22. Deut. 4. 33 36. §. From Heaven The opinion that these words were spoken by an Angel deputed by God for that purpose which some do hold is not only improper but also dangerous improper because it crosseth a plain and facile Text and dangerous because it bringeth a created Angel into a kind of equality and compartnership with the sacred Trinity For First Why should there be any surmise of such an Angel uttering these words unless it might be thought that God could not utter them himself Secondly As Paul saith To which of the Angels said God at any time Thou art my Son So may it be said much more which of the Angels ever durst or might call Christ his Son Thirdly Peter speaking of the Parallel or like voice to this which was uttered at our Saviours transfiguration he saith it came from the excellent glory which doubtless sheweth more than from an Angel 2 Pet. 1. 17. Matth. 3. Ver. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased In Mark and Luke it is Thou art my beloved Son c. whereas Matthew expresseth it This is which though it shew some difference yet is it not material nor doth the difference breed so much difficulty as it doth satisfaction to the Reader and fulness to the story For the two Evangelists first named relate it as spoken to Christ for the sealing of his person and in answer to his prayer but the other expresseth it only as spoken of Christ and not to him but pointing him out to the notice of John Now this whole speech is taken from 2 Sam. 7. 14. Psal. 89. 26 27. and Isa. 42. 1. and when it is uttered again from Heaven at our Saviours transfiguration this addition Hear him is put to it Matth. 17. 5. Luke 9. 35. sealing him then for the great Prophet of his Church whom all must hear Deut. 18. 15. as it sealeth him now for the high Priest of his Church being now to enter into his Ministry Luke 3. ver 23. And Iesus himself began to be about thirty years of age Agreeable to this age of Christ when he began his Ministery was the age of the Priests when they entred their Office Numb 4. 3. the age of Joseph when he came to promotion Gen. 41. 46. and the age of David when he began to Reign 2 Sam. 5. 4. Now how this is to be understood is some controversie Some there are that take it thus that Jesus was now fully and perfectly thirty Others thus that he now began or drew on to be full thirty and so preaching three years and six months that he died at thirty three years old and an half But this interpretation the phrase used by the Evangelist and the common and ordinary manner of the Scriptures reckoning of the ages of men and of other things doth sufficiently contradict For First In that Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was baptized beginning to be as it were thirty the word beginning to be denieth his being thirty compleat and the word as it were denieth his drawing upon thirty compleat likewise For if he were full thirty then he began not to be so and if he were drawing on to full thirty then was he not drawing to as it were thirty but to thirty indeed By the phrase therefore is to be understood that he was now nine and twenty years of age compleat and just now entring upon his thirtieth and this the Evangelist hinteth so clearly that it needeth not much confirmation For that he was in his thirty current and not compleated is plain by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were thirty that is thirty years old after a certain reckoning and that he was but now entring upon this his thirty current is as plain by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he began but to be so To which also secondly may be added the common and current use of Scripture in reckoning of ages either of men or beasts to account the year which they are now passing for a year of their age be it never so newly or lately begun Examples of this it is needless to give the thing is so usual and obvious to every eye So that now to take up the times of the world and of our Saviour according to this computation they result to this First That since he was born in the year of the World 3928. stilo veteri but newly begun he was baptized in the year of the World 3957. but newly begun by the same stile likewise Secondly That since he was born in Tisri he was also baptized in Tisri Thirdly That since his last residence in Bethlehem to his first appearing publickly in the work of the Gospel were full seven and twenty years all which time he had lived either in Nazareth the Town of his Mother or in Capernaum the Town of his supposed Father and so his birth in Bethlehem is utterly grown out of the thoughts and observation of the people Fourthly That he hath now three years and a half to labour in the Gospel from his Baptism to his crucifying Rabbi Janna said Three years and a half the glory of God stood upon Mount Olivet and preached saying Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near Midr. Tillin Fifthly That he lived but two and thirty years and an half and that his thirtieth year was the first year of his preaching and not the last year of his private life Compare the date of Davids reign in Hierusalem 1 Chron. 29. 27. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years Seven years reigned he in Hebron and thirty three years reigned he in Heirusalem Exactly Seven years and six months reigned he in Hebron 2 Sam. 5. 5. and then thirty and two years and six moneths reigned he in Hierusalem Sixthly That if Hierusalem were destroyed exactly forty years after our Saviours death as it is apparent it was both in Christian and Heathen Stories then that destruction of it befel just in the four thousand year of the world and so as the Temple of Solomon had been finished Anno mundi exactly 3000 so in Anno mundi exactly 4000. both the City and the Temple that then was was destroyed never to be repaired or rebuilt
better than to use an expression from the morning and evening Lamb that was offered at Jerusalem For besides that 1. John had had newly to deal with Priests and Levites whose chief employment was about that Lamb. And 2. besides that it was about sacrifice time on the second day when John useth these words between three and four a clock in the afternoon ver 39. And besides that 3. the Lamb represented the innocency and purity of Christ in his being without spot and the death of Christ in being offered up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Mart. Epist. ad Tarsenses It was 4. most proper and pertinent to the doctrine and preaching of John which he had used before to use now such an Epithet for Christ when he came in sight For he had still spoken of remission of sins and remission of sins still to all that had come to be baptized Mar. 1. 4. a doctrine not usual among them that stood upon their own righteousness and performance of the Law and therefore when Christ first appeareth he from an allusion to the daily Lamb upon whose head the sins of the people were confessed and laid sheweth how remission of sins cometh indeed namely by the sacrifice of this Lamb of God Christ who should bear and take away the sins of the world as that Lamb did in figure the sins of the Jews Vers. 31. And I knew him not The clause is spoken to and explained in the Notes on Matth. 3. 14. §. But that he might be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing The baptism of John did tend to the manifesting of Christ especially two ways 1. Because by the strangeness of his Ministery and the wonder of such a baptism as his was the eyes of all the people were drawn to look after what he meant by it For though his baptism for the manner of it was suitable to the baptism so well known among the Jews as was observed before yet was the doctrine and end of it so strange to them that it put the whole Nation to an enquiry what was in it And 2. then did John preach Christ as ready to come to every one that came to be baptized Vers. 39. They came and saw where he dwelt It is questionable whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here doth intimate his Inn or his habitation but I rather understand the latter and that the place was Capernaum where Christ had an habitation and was a member or Citizen of that City For though he was a Nazarite in regard of his mothers house and residence yet it is very probable he was a Carpernaite by his father Josephs For 1. Observe that Capernaum is called his own City Matth. 9. 1. compared with Mar. 2. 1. 2. There he pays tribute as the proper place where he should pay it Matth. 17. 24. 3. When he is refused at Nazaret his mothers Town he goeth down to Capernaum his fathers Luke 4. 31. 4. His resort to Capernaum was very frequent and his abode there very much John 2. 11. Luke 4. 31. John 6. 17. Luke 10. 15. 5. That his father and mother are very well known there John 6. 42. 6. That in regard of this frequency of Christs being in this Town and its interest in him as an inhabitant and member of it Capernaum is said to be lifted up to Heaven Now Capernaum standing upon the banks of Jordan and on the very point of the lake of Genazaret as Jordan began to spread it self into that lake he and these disciples that go with him pass over the water before they come thither for now they were on the other side Jordan where John baptized Vers. 40. One of the two was Andrew Simon Peters brother Who the other was it is uncertain and undeterminable possibly it might be the Evangelist John himself but there is no fixing on him or any other particular man but this may be observed that Peter was not the first that came in for a Disciple to Christ but his brother Andrew and another And it was well he was not the first that so much of the Romanists boastings may be stopped §. We have found the Messias Andrew speaketh 1. In reference to the expectation of the Nation that looked so much and so earnestly for the coming of Christ and for his coming at this time 2. In reference to the opinion of the Nation that held that when Christ came none should know whence he was Joh. 7. 27. And 3. in reference to the common and constant testimony of John that spake so much of Christ to come after him The word Messias doth solely and singularly betoken Christ as it is interpreted most pertinently by the Evangelist here and Chap. 4. 25. For though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew in the Scripture signifieth any anointed one whatsoever yet in this Greek form Messias it never signifieth but only Christ. Nor is the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in Hebrew Authors but in the same sense and so it is used infinitely among them sometimes set single without any other addition and very often with this addition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King Messias as he that is never so little versed in Jewish Authors will find in great variety In this propriety the word is used Dan. 9. 25 26. and so was it confessed by the Ancient Jews though the Modern would elude it The Jews of the Talmud age say that the end of the Messias was spoken of in the Book of Cetubhim aiming at this place but how the latter generations turn off such a sensee see in R. Saadias and Rab. Sol. in loc c. Vers. 42. Thou art Simon Christ nameth him at the first sight and hereby sheweth that he was the Messias in that he could thus name Simon and his father with whom he had had no converse before Simon or Simeon as the Syriack renders it for they are all one as Acts 15. 14. was a name that was exceeding much in use among the Jews at this time as Matth. 27. 32. Mark 3. 18. Luke 2. 15. Acts 8. 9. 13. 1. c. And it was very frequent in use in their Schools in putting of cases as Reuben borrowed such a thing of Simeon c. The Jews themselves seem to have brought the Hebrew word Simeon into this Greek manner of pronouncing Simon for their own Authors speak of one Rabbi Simon §. The son of Jona Bar Jona in the Syriack Matth. 16. 17. and Simon Jona in the Greek Joh. 21. 15 16 17. There are that conceive a corruption to be in the writing of this word for say they it should be Joanna And of that mind is Jerome the Vulgar Latine Erasmus at Joh. 21. 15. and of that writing is Erasmus his Greek copy there and some others here But upon what ground this facil and most general reading of Jona for so the Syrian Arabick most and best Greek Copies and most translations utter
Cains and his desert of punishment proportionable for Cain had slain but one man and but the body but he by his evil example had killed old and young and their very souls and therefore he maketh his complaint to his two wives that had brought him to it CHAP. V. A Chronicle of 1556 years and all the years are reckoned compleat but only Noahs five hundreth year in vers 32. Vers. 3. Seth born in Original sin the Father of all men in the new world after the flood Numb 24. 17. Vers. 23. Enoch liveth as many years as be days in a year Those that lived nearer the flood lived the longer unmarried because they would not generate many children for the water Vers. 29. Noah a comforter because in him liberty should be given to the World to eat flesh CHAP. VI. In the general corruption of the World Noah the eighth person in descent from Enoch in whose time profaneness began as 2 Pet. 2. 5. Escapeth the abominations and desolation of the times CHAP. VII VIII IX The flood the Beasts in the Ark live without enmity which sheweth how the words Gen. 3. 15. about enmity with the Serpent are to be understood the Serpent and Noah are now friends each to other this is alluded to Esay 11. 6 7. Noah is in the Ark just a compleat and exact year of the Sun but reckon'd in the Text by the Lunary Months Universal darkness all the forty days rain The door of the Ark under water The Ark draweth water eleven cubits The waters when they came to abate while they lay above the Mountains fell but one Cubit in four days but far faster afterward After their coming out of the Ark for a whole half year together Noah and his family and all the Creatures live upon provision that was still in the Ark for they came out just upon the beginning of Winter when there was neither grass corn nor fruits till another spring The forbidding to eat flesh with the blood condemneth the Doctrine of Transubstantiation CHAP. X XI Seventy Nations dispersed from Babel but not seventy Languages the fifteen named in Act. 2. were enough to confound the work and they may very well be supposed to have been the whole number Sem as he standeth in the front of the Genealogy of the new world hath neither Father nor Mother named nor beginning of days nor end of life Nahors life is shortned for Idolatry CHAP. XII Abraham at 75 years old receiveth the promise and cometh into Canaan and just so many years did Sem live after Abrahams coming thither and so might well be Melchizedeck in Chap. 14. Vers. 6 7. Abraham buildeth an Altar near if not upon Mount Gerizim the hill of blessing and vers 8. Another Altar he buildeth near unto if not upon Mount Ebal the hill of cursing Deut. 27. And so taketh possession of the land by faith in the very same place where his sons the Israelites did take possession of it indeed Josh. 8. 12. c. 30. Vers. 11. When he is ready to enter into Egypt whither famine drave him as it did his posterity afterward he is afraid of his life in regard of Sarah who being a white woman would soon be taken notice of by the Egyptians who were Blackmoors This was one main inticement to Josephs Mistress to cast an eye of lustfulness upon him because he was a white Man and she a Moor. Of the same complexion was Pharaohs daughter whom Solomon took to wife of whom that in the first and literal acceptation is to be understood which spiritually is to be applied to the Church Cant. 1. 5 6. I am black but comly and I am black because the Sun hath looked on me and that Psal. 45. 13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within for she was a Blackmoor without Vers. 20. Pharaoh plagued for Sarah's and Abrahams sake who was an Hebrew Sheepherd giveth charge to the Egyptians making it as it were a law for time to come that they should not converse with Hebrews nor with forrain Sheepherds in any so near familiarity as to eat or drink with them which the Egyptians observed strictly ever after Gen. 42. 32. 46. 34. CHAP. XIII Abraham and Lot quarrel and part in the valley of Achor and this is at the very same time of the year that Israel came into the Land viz. in the first month of the year or Abib CHAP. XIV Noah in the blessing of his son Sem maketh him in a special manner Lord of the Land of Canaan Gen. 9. Hither therefore came Sem and built a City and called it after his own peaceable condition Salem here he reigned as a King but so quietly and retiredly as that he was a Priest also In this sequestration of the father from worldly cares and affairs Elam his eldest son and heir apparent though he were seated far distant in the East yet it concerneth him to have an eye to Canaan and how matters go there for the land by bequest of his grand-father Noah descended to him as by the Common Law This title bringeth Chedorlaomer an heir of Elam from Persia into Canaan when the five Cities of the plain rebel Into this war he taketh three partners younger brothers of the House of Sem Amraphel of Arphaxad King of Chaldea Arioch of Lâ—d King of Ellasar bordering upon Babylonia and Tidal of Assur King of Nations and late built Niniveh These four thus banded together and all children of Sem and all in claim of his land against the usurping Canaanites are resolved to march over and so they do all that Country both within Jordan and without Their first inrode is upon the Rephaims that lay most North and lay first in their way and so over run the Zuzims in Ammon Emims in Moab Horites or Hivites that were Troglodytes or dwelt in the rocky Caves of Mount Seir in Edom as Jer. 49. 10. Obad. ver 3. And all the Canaanites South-East and full South to Hazezon Tamar a point below the dead Sea There they turn in to the land of Canaan properly so called and as they had subdued all the Countries from North to South without Jordan so now they intend to do from South to North within And so they did but when they were come to Dan the North out-going of the land Abram overtaketh them and conquereth the conquerors and now he is doubly titled to the land namely by promise and by victory This Sem or Melchizedeck observeth upon his return with triumph and perceiveth that it was he and his posterity to whom the Lord had designed that Land in the prophetick spirit of Noah and had refused the heirs that were more apparent in Common Law and reason and therefore he bringeth forth bread and wine the best fruits of the land and tenders them as livery and sâ—isin of it to him whom he perceived that God had chosen and pointed out for the right heir CHAP. XV. All fear of claim
Agrippa having laid hold upon him deferred his execution till after the Passover e e e Sanctius in Act. 12. either because he would not defile that holy feast with effusion of humane blood or because he would afflict Peter the more and give the Jews the greater content by his long restraint and strait imprisonment or rather because he feared a tumult if he should have slain him in that concourse of people as was there at Passover time Thus lay he guarded with four quaternions or as the Syriack hath it with sixteen Souldiers which as it seemeth watched him by course for the four watches of the night two close by him and two at the gate Besides these two and two successive jaylors he was bound with two chains and if f f f Sanct. ubi supra ex Chrysost some say true his two keepers were tied for the more sureness in the same chains with him Happy men were they sure that had so great interest in these happy chains which if you dare believe g g g Augusti 8. c. 18 19 20. Surius had the virtue to work Miracles to diffuse Grace to procure Holiness to heal Diseases to affright the Devil and to defend Christians They were preserved saith he by some of Herods servants that believed and in process of time laid up for a sacred relique at Constantinople and there either he or they lie That very night that preceded Peters intended execution he being fast asleep between his keepers is waked loosed and delivered by an Angel h h h Anna ad ann Baronius maketh a great matter of it that the whole Church prayed for Peter whilst he was in prison and since the like is not related to have been done by them for any other he will needs from hence infer his primacy the whole flock praying for her universal Pastor whereas the reasons of this expression are apparent to be only these two First To shew that the Church was praying for him whilst he was sleeping for after he had taken a part of his first sleep this night he cometh to the house of John Mark and they are there still out of their beds and at prayer Secondly Because the fruit of their prayers were shewed in his delivery There is no doubt but constant prayers were made for James by the whole Church whilst he was in prison as well as for Peter but so much is not expressed because the story could not answer that relation with relation of his delivery And Atheism and profaneness would have been ready to have scoffed that the whole Church should have prayed in vain The Angel and Peter thus loosed pass two watches and then come to the iron gate there are some that hold these watches to be two prisons and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be taken as it were passively for places where men are kept and that Peter was in a Gaol within these two as in the worst basest and surest place and that all were closed with a gate of Iron But i i i Vid. Baron others hold these watches to be guards of men and that the prison was without the City between or within the two outmost walls but in these things it is not material to insist for determination The latter is far the more probable both in regard of the signification of the Greek word and that Josephus mentioneth three walls about Jerusalem and divers towers in every wall as also in regard of the greater heightning of the miracle in that Peter escapeth not only his own sixteen mens watch at the prison door but also two watches more at the two walls gates and the second which was the Iron gate gave them free passage of its own accord Peter being cleared of the danger and left of the Angel betaketh himself to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark where when Rhoda upon his knocking and speech averred constantly it was Peter the whole company there assembled conclude that it was his Angel Here is some ambiguity about their thus concluding k k k Chrysost. in loc hom 27. Some understand it of his tutelar Angel and from hence would strongly plead the opinion that every man hath his proper and allotted Angel to attend him But first we sometimes read of one Angel attending many men Secondly Sometimes of many Angels attending one man But thirdly If the matter may be agitated by reason if a singular Angel be destined to the attendance of every singular man what doth that Angel do till his man be born especially what did all the Angels but Adams and Eves and a few more for many hundreds of years till the world was full l l l Vid. Salmâ—ron en locum Others therefore understand it of a messenger which the Disciples supposed Peter had sent to them upon some errand But this opinion is easily confuted by Rhoda's owning of Peters voice m m m Arâ—tius in loc There is yet a third opinion as much unwarrantable as either of these That the Disciples concluded that an Angel by this knocking and voice came to give them notice of Peters death to be near at hand and that therefore they call him his Angel and that it was sometimes so used that one Saint should know of anothers death by such revelations The Jews indeed in their writings make frequent mention of Samael the Angel of death but they call him so for inflicting it and not for foretelling it And we have some examples indeed in the Ecclesiastical history of one man knowing of anothers death by such revelations and apparitions as these but because those stories are very dubitable in themselves and that the Scripture is utterly without any such precedent this interpretation is but utterly groundless and unwarrantable The most proper and most easie meaning therefore of those words of the Disciples It is his Angel seemeth to be that they took it for some Angel that had assumed Peters shape or stood at the gate in his resemblance Vers. 17. He departed and went to another place The place whither he went is not to be known because not revealed by Scripture As for his going to Rome which is the gloss that Papists set upon this place it is a thing senseless and ridiculous as was touched before and might be shewed at large were it worth the labour I should as soon nominate Antioch for the place whither he went at this time as any other place at a far distance For I cannot imagine any time when he and Paul should meet at Antioch and Paul reprove him Gal. 2. 11. so likely as this time for it is most probable that Peter being put to flee for his life would get out of the territories of Herod for his safety now there was no place more likely for his safety than in Antioch where not only the distance of place might preserve him but the new born Church would seek to secure
cross of our Saviour in the title are three Tongues Hebrew Greek and Latine Greek the foundation of the other two some few additions In the Greek Master Broughton hath given learned rules and examples of the kinds of it viz. Septuagint Talmudick Attick and Apostolick The Hebrew or Syrian for so that word Hebrew in the title of the cross must be understood is easily found out even in Translations Latine there is some in the Gospels but not much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Census for tribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ward or watch Matth. 28. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiculator Mark 6. 27. which word is used by Targum Jeruselamy in Gen. 37. of Potiphar that he was Rabh Sapulachtaria Princeps spiculatorum And some other words of the Latine Tongue which Language in our Saviours time the conquest of the Romans had scattered in Jerusalem and in the parts adjoyning and so may one find some Latine in the Syrian Testament and abundance of Greek CHAP. XXXIII Of the Chaldee and Syrian Tongues THE Chaldee and Syrian Tongue was once all one as appeareth in Gen. 31. 47. Ezra 4. 7. Dan. 2. 4. In Character indeed they differed they of Babilon using one kind of letter they of Syria another This was that that nonplust the Babilonian wizards about the writing of the wall so that they could not read it though it were in their own Language because it was not in their own letter In after-times the very Languages themselves began to vary as the Chaldee in Daniel and Onkelos and Jeruselamy and Jonathan and the Syrian in the Testament do witness The Paraphrasts do much differ between themselves for purity of speech and all far short of the Bible Chaldee They are very full of Greek words and so the Syrian a relick of Alexanders conquests some think they find some Greek in Daniel Montanus himself renders Osphaiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all along Four kind of Characters is the Chaldee to be had in or if you will the Chaldee in two and the Syrian in two Our Bible and Paraphrasts and Rabbins Chaldee is in the Hebrew letter and the other kind of letter is the Samaritan The Syrian hath either a set letter such as we have the New Testament imprinted in or their running hand such as the Maronites use in their writing for speed there is no great difference betwixt them as you may see by their Alphabet CHAP. XXXV Of the Arabian Language THIS is the most copious of the Hebrew Dialects and a Tongue that may brag with the most of Tongues from fluency and continuance of familiarity This Tongue is frequent in Scripture especially in Job a man of that Country How other parts of the Bible use it I think may be judged by the nearness of Judea and Arabia and of the two Languages In this one thing it differs from its fellow-Dialects and its Mother Tongue that it varieth terminations in declining of Nowns as the Greek and Latine do and that it receiveth dual numbers in forming Verbs as doth the Greek Of the largeness of the Alphabet and difference from other Alphabets and quiddits of the Tongue or indeed any thing of the Tongue I cannot say which I have not received of the most Industrious and thrice Learned both in this and other the noble Tongues Master William Bedwell whom I cannot name without a great deal of thankfulness and honour To whom I will rather be a Scholar than take on me to teach others This Tongue was Mahomads Alcoran written in and is still read in the same Idiome under pain of death not to mistake a letter which is as easily done in this Tongue as in any CHAP. XXXVI Of the Latine Tongue THIS is the first Idiom of our Grammar Schools A Tongue next the sacred Tongues most necessary for Scholars of the best profession Whether Latine were a Babel Language I will not controvert pro contra Sure I dare say that what Latine we read now was not at Babel if we may believe Polybius who saith that the Latine Tongue that was used in Junius Brutus time was not understood in the time of the first Punick War but only by great Scholars So much in few years it had degenerated The old Poets compared with smooth Ovid and Tully shew much alteration This spacious Tongue once almost as big as any and as large as a great part of the World is now bounded in Schools and Studies The Deluge of the North the treasury of Men overwhelmed the Romane Empire scattered the Men and spoiled the Latine Goths Vandals Lombards and the rest of the brood of those frozen Climates have beaten the Latine Tongue out of its own fashion into the French Spanish and Italian But some sparks of their hammering are flown into other Languages of the West So that most Countries hereabout may own Rome for a second Babel for their speech confused CHAP. XXXVII The Language of Britain near a thousand years ago Ex Beda lib. 1. de Hist. Angl. Cap. 1. BRitania in praesenti juxta numerum librorum c. Britain in my time saith Bede doth search and confess one and the same knowledge of the High Truth and true sublimity in five Tongues according to the five Books wherein the Law of God was written namely in the English Britain Scotish Pict and Latine Tongues And in the nineteenth Chapter of the same Book he saith that when Austen the Monk came from Gregory the great to Preach the Gospel in England he brought with him Interpreters out of France to speak to the English That Language it seems was then usual in England but whether the French that France speaks now is a question William the Conqueror took great care and pains to have brought in his Tongue with his Conquest but could not prevail CHAP. XXXVIII Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast his conceit of Levies chosing to the Priesthood translated out of his Paraph. on Gen. 32. 24. AND Iacob was left alone beyond the foord and an Angel in the likeness of a man strove with him and said Didst thou not promise to give Tithe of all that thou hadst and behold thou hast * * * He had but eleven sons as yet but the Hebrew Comment upon the Chaldee Text helps out at this dead list and saith that Rahel was great with child of Benjamin and so he is counted before he is born twelve sons and one daughter and thou hast not tithed them Out of hand he sets apart the four first born to their four mothers for saith the margin they were holy because of their primogeniture and then were eight left He begins again to count from Simeon and ended in Levi for the tenth or tithe Michael answereth and saith Lord of the World this is thy lot c. thus the Chaldee On whose words if they were worth Commenting on I could say more CHAP. XXXIX Of the Iews abbreviature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS short writing is
ibid. R. Sol. in Exod. XXX He laid his right Hand upon his right Foot and his left Hand upon his left Foot and the Cock or Spout running upon them he thus stood stooping and washed Hands and Feet together And he that went about the Service with unwashen Hands and Feet in the morning was liable to death by the Hand of Heaven And none might enter into the Court to do the Service there till he hath bathed yea though he were clean And in the Service he must stand upon the bare pavement so that here was exceeding hard and bitter Service all the Winter when he must bath his Body in cold Water before he enter and wash Hands and Feet in cold Water being entred and stand in thin linnen and on the cold Stones all the while he was there SECT II. Solomons ten Lavers 1 King VII IT is not much important to question and search whether the Laver made by Moses in the Wilderness escaped the fate of time and survived to be set up in Solomons Temple a a a Vid. D. Kimch in a Chron. IV. as some Jews assert but it is pertinent to observe that were it or were it not Solomon made exceeding great provision in that case and to that end for which the Laver was ordained and as in all other particulars of the Temple he shewed and provided for magnificence as well as he did for necessary use and for conveniencies so in this provision for Water for the occasions of the Temple he did not only take care for abundance but he did it with that cost and sumptuousness that only himself in the other things he did can shew a parallel I believe neither any story nor any Founders Art did or will ever shew such Master-pieces of Workmanship in that skill and in that mettle as were his Lavers and his molten Sea and the Holy Ghost hath been as copious and precise in the description of these two but especially of the former as in any piece of Art or Workmanship especially of that bigness in all the Scripture The great addition that Solomon made to the first pattern in the number of Candlesticks Shewbread Tables and Lavers was not only in state neither but something in Figure seemeth to have gone along with it namely that there might be signified the abundance of Light Bread of Life and Purifying that was to be exhibited in and by him whom the Temple did represent And as Moses his single parcels did hold out a signification of these things themselves so his decuplated number did hold out the happy abundance of them to be found in him that is all Light Life and Holiness The Lavers ten in number and all of one mold cize and fashion were for the washing of the parts of the Sacrifices that were to be washed as the Sea was for the bathing of the Priests Their situation was five on either side the Court over against the Altar and place of slaughtering as evenly and conveniently as they could be set For howsoever b b b Id. ibid. some of the Hebrew Doctors have been of a mind that all the ten Tables of Shewbread that Solomon made stood on one side of the House and the Table that Moses made just in the midst of them and the like by the ten Candlesticks and the ten Lavers yet is the Text so plain about the Lavers that they were placed five on the one side of the House and five on the other 1 King VII 39. that it doth not only put the matter out of all doubt for them but it doth confirm the like for the two other sufficiently if there were no other confirmation The fashion of every one of the Lavers for by any one of them you may view all the rest is described by the Holy Ghost to this purpose First There was a flat piece of brass of a very great cize for length breadth and thickness born upon four Wheels such pieces are not to be seen in these our days and it is great odds that no days have shewed such but only these for every piece is said to be four cubits long and four cubits broad and three cubits high and since in the World we cannot find a piece of Brass to parallel them withal we must compare them to something of another material and so let us liken them for proportion to a Stone or Marble Table of these dimensions The Septuagint by what misprision it is hard to tell have made the length of every one of them five cubits and the height six and so c c c Ios. Antiq. l. 8. cap. 2. Josephus who constantly followeth them hath followed their error upon which mistake we shall not spend time that that d d d R. Sol. in 1 Kings VII Rabbi Solomon giveth occasion to scruple at is better worth looking after and that is whether when the Text saith that the height of every piece was three cubits it mean that it was so thick or that the upperside of it was so far from the ground as it lay upon the Wheels Of these two things the later seemeth to be the more probable upon these two considerations 1. Because it is not said the thickness but the height of it was three cubits as shewing that it meaneth not the massie thickness of the piece but that as it stood supporting the Laver the surface of it was so high from the ground 2. There was no need of so vast a thickness either for the weight that it was to carry or for the sumptuousness that it was to bear but half such a thickness would more than abundantly discharge both the one and the other And therefore the conception of our Rabbin is very probable and not unfit to be entertained and that is that whereas the Wheels are said to be a cubit and an half high vers 32. it is not to be understood of the full height of the Ring of the Wheel but of the height from the ground to the Axletree or laying on of this massie piece of Brass and that this piece was a cubit and a half thick it self and so the surface of it lay three cubits high from the ground These huge pieces of Brass are called by the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word the Seventy and Josephus reserve in the Greek and write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our English hath well rendred A Base and so hath the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the very Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as when Moses was commanded to make the Laver he was also commanded to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Base Exod. XXX 8. which our English hath translated his Foot not to be conceived a long Leg or Shank whereon the Laver stood but some flat massie piece of Brass whereupon it was to sit so for the setting and setling of these Lavers this base of this cize and description was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
besides the Inhabitants of Bethshemesh it was now upon the time of the Feast of Tabernacles when the Ark came up to them and it may be that might cause the more conflux to the Ark when it was come and the Lord for the boldness of Priests and People that would be looking into the Ark breaketh out upon them with the Plague and destroyeth so many thousands of them The Priests of Bethshemesh that had escaped sent to the Men of Kiriathjearim to fetch up the Ark to them and so they do It is equally questionable why they that were Priests should send about such a matter as this to the Men of Kiriathjearim which were not and that the Men of Kiriathjearim should venture to fetch up the Ark when they had seen the speeding of Bethshemesh by it But the Lord had now forsaken the Tribe of Ephraim in which Tribe Shiloh stood and had made choice of the Tribe of Judah Psal. LXXVIII 67 68. of which Kiriathjearim was a chief City and whether he used the counsel of Samuel to the People for a means to accomplish his determination or what other way is not determinable but it is brought to pass and the Ark now seated in the Tribe of Judah out of which it never unsetled again whilest it was in being A long time whilest it stayed in Kiriathjearim it was under the curb of a Philistine Garrison which was in that City 1 Sam. X. 5. which might much damp the Peoples seeking and resorting to it especially in this loosness and lukewarmness or rather utter coldness of Religion that was amongst them However at the end of twenty years a general Reformation doth begin amongst them and they begin to hearken after God the Ark and Religion and put away the strange gods that were among them and God at that very instant doth grant them a miraculous Victory against the Philistins 1 Sam. VII We read once of the Arks being within the compass of the Tribe of Benjamin before David fetched it up to Jerusalem and that was with Saul at Gibeah 1 Sam. XIV 18. but it was restored from thence to Kiriathjearim at the place appointed for it as yet by Divine direction for otherwise it might as easily have been set up in Nob where the Tabernacle was now standing David about the second year of his Reign in Jerusalem fetcheth it up from Kiriath-jearim thither and there pitched an habitation for it in Sion where it resided till it was translated into Solomons Temple save only that once it was taken out to have flitted with David in his flight from his son Absalom but soon restored to its place again 2 Sam. XV. At this Tabernacle in which the Ark was lodged in Sion David sets up an Altar 1 Chron. XVI 2. for the offerings at that present time of the Arks bringing up thither but not for continual sacrificing And there he appointed a constant Musick to attend of the Levites but the Priests waited at Gibeon where the Tabernacle was and the daily Sacrifice CHAP. XL. The state and fate of the first Temple AT Naioth in Ramah where Samuel and David spent some time together they platformed the buildings of the Temple and the manner of the Service It was an unlikely time for David to think and contrive for such a thing at that time when he knew not where to hide his own Head from the fury of Saul yet so sure was the Promise to him and so assured was his Faith in it that even from that time he laid the Foundation of his thoughts towards the building of a Temple setling of a Service and even all his time after was preparing towards it In all his Wars and Victories he still remembred to dedicate something of his spoils for that purpose 2 Sam. VIII 10 11. 1 Chron. XVIII 8 c. so that at his death he left the greatest sums of Silver and Gold and stock of Brass and Iron and such materials that is Recorded in any Story And as he had his first instructions from Samuel so did he ripen then by the Prophetick directions of Gad and Nathan the Prophets 2 Chron. XXIX 25. and so setled the Priests and Levites in their courses and Carpenters and Masons to work and had described the platform of all things so exactly that he left to Solomon in a manner but the care to see the Work done for he had prepared all things before About eleven or twelve years space was the Work of the Temple in Hand before it was finished namely four years in hewing Stone and framing Timber and seven years and an half in bringing up the building For David in the last year of his Reign had gathered all the Proselytes in the Land to the number of one hundred fifty and three thousand and had set them to work and so they continued framing and preparing materials till the fourth year of the Reign of Solomon in the second month of which year the Foundation of the House was laid and in the eighth month of the eleventh year the Work was finished 1 King VI. 38. and so it was seven years and an half in building which the Text for roundness of number doth count but seven It was a year within a month after that it was finished before the Dedication of it in which time it is likely they were getting away the rubbish and preparing for its consecration it lying useless all the while for the Providence of the Lord disposed that it should be Dedicated at such a time as that the time should carry a Mystery and Type with it as well as the Temple it self In the eleventh year of Solomons Reign in the month Bull which is the eighth month it was finished 1 Kings VI. 38. and in his twelfth year in the month Ethanim which is the seventh month it was consecrated even at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles 1 King VIII 20. 2 Chron. V. 3. or the fifteenth day of that month Concerning the title Ethanim by which this month was named the Jews have these Glosses The Chaldee renders that verse in the Book of Kings thus And all the Men of Israel were gathered to the King in the old month which they called the first month but now the seventh h h h Aruch in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some of the Rabbins say it was called Ethanim which signifieth strength or strong ones because the Fathers were born in it which were the mighty ones of the World And others i i i Levi Gersh in 1 King VIII because in it were the greatest Feasts or k k k Kimch iâ—i as others because in it the Fruits were gathered which are the strength of Mans life c. But whatsoever was the notation of the Name certainly the remarkableness of that month was singular in regard of many eminent occurrences that befel in it of which we have spoken elsewhere the most renowned of all which was that our Saviour
in that month was born into the World and what if on that very day that the Temple was Consecrated namely the fifteenth day of the month of whose Incarnation and Birth how lively a Type the Temple and its Dedication were I need not to illustrate Thus was the Temple dedicate and the Service of it began Anno Mundi three thousand and one At the Dedication of it both the Books of Kings and Chronicles inform us that the Tabernacle of the Congregation and all the Holy Vessels that had been in the Tabernacle were brought up thither 1 Kings VIII 4. 2 Chron. V. 5. But the question is What became of them there were they used or were they laid up There are that assert either way and the later seemeth the more probable namely that these things of Moses upon the rising of a greater and more eminent Glory did decay and were laid aside as all his Ceremonies were to do upon the rising of the Gospel The Temple though it were of a Heavenly resemblance use and concernment as figuring Christs Body John II. 19. enjoying Gods presence 2 Chron. VII 16. and Israels worship Psal. CXXII 4 c. yet being but an earthly building it was subject to the universal condition of earthly things casualty and changing Nay there is hardly any State or Place in any Story of which may be found more vicissitudes and alterations of condition than of this and there is hardly any Kings time of all those that reigned in the time of the Temple in which it received not some remarkable alteration of estate or other In the time of Solomon that built it it received that vile affront of an Idol Temple built by him in the face of it and what became of the Service of the Temple in these times may be shrewdly suspected In his son Rehoboams time it was first forsaken by the Ten Tribes and afterward by Judah it self who fell to Idolatry and then it was plundred by Shishak How oft the Treasuries of it were plundred sometimes by Forainers sometimes by their own Kings how oft it self prophaned as by Athaliah Ahaz Manasseh how the Service of it either totally slighted or slightly performed how Idols set up in it and Altars to strange gods how the Blood of the High Priest shed and the manners of the Priests corrupt and the House of Prayer made a Den of Thieves as also how sometimes again it was repaired the Service restored the Priests reformed and matters amended with it is so plainly and copiously described in the Books of Scripture that it were but transcription of the Text to recite them in particular At last it had run out its date and it self fired and all its precious Vessels were Captived by the Babylonian what became of the Ark the Scripture doth not mention the Jews conceive that it was hid in some Vault that they say Solomon had purposely made against such a time where it escaped the Conquerors fury but this we leave to their own credit The time of the standing of this first Temple from its finishing in the eleventh year of Solomon to its firing by Nebuzaradan was four hundred and twenty years SECT 1. The state of the second Temple under the Persian Monarchy ALthough between the return out of the Babylonian Captivity and the final desolation of Jerusalem there might seem to be strictly and literally two Temples that of Zorababel and that of Herod for Herod began his Temple from the very Foundation yet do the Scriptures and all Jewish Writers so unanimously and generally own them but for one Temple calling it the Second Temple all the time there was a Temple after its first building under Cyrus that it would be but needless labour and unwarrantable curiosity to take up any other notion or distinction of it For though the Temple built by Zorobabel were pulled down to the very ground by Herod when he built that Fabrick that stood to the last fate of Jerusalem yet since that demolition was not by destruction and ruine but for reparation and for its bettering there is no reason to reckon these as two several Temples but as one Temple first built and then repaired to a more excellent and glorious condition From the first year of Cyrus in which he Proclaimed Redemption to the Captives and gave Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem to the death of Christ were four hundred and ninety years as they be summed by an Angel Dan. IX and from the death of Christ to the fatal and final destruction of Jerusalem were forty years more five hundred and thirty years in all In all which time it were endless to shew every particular occurrence and change of condition that befel the Temple and it would require a large Story and Volume I shall therefore only touch upon the chiefest distributing the times into those several and remarkable periods that they fell into and applying the Stories to the times accordingly The first parcel of this time was taken up by the Persian Monarchy which how long it continued and for how many Kings Succession is a thing of as disputable and controverted a nature as any one thing in Chronology I will keep to the number and names of the Kings of that Throne that we find in Scripture In Dan. XI 2. there are these words Behold there shall stand up yet three Kings in Persia and the fourth shall be far richer than they all and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the Realm of Grecia And a mighty King shall stand up c. And when he shall stand up his Kingdom shall be broken and shall be divided toward the four Winds of Heaven and not to his posterity c. It is observable concerning this Prophesie and account about the Persian Monarchy 1. That this was told Daniel in the third year of Cyrus Chap. X. 1. and so when he saith There shall stand up yet three Kings and the fourth c. he meaneth four besides Cyrus the first beginner of the Kingdom and therefore some of the Jews do make but a cross reckoning upon this place who will have Cyrus which was the first to be meant by this that is called the fourth 2. The Prophesie speaketh of the length of the Persian Monarchy till it brings it up to Alexander the Great the destroyer of that Monarchy of whom it speaketh plainly vers 3 4. and of his Successors afterwards vers 5 c. 3. There were therefore by the account of the Angel here but five Kings of Persia namely Cyrus and four more 4. These four are thus named in the Scripture 1. Ahashuerosh Ezra IV. 6. 2. Darius Ezra IV. 24. VI. 1. c. 3. Artaxerxes Ezra VI. 14. 4. Darius Neh. XII 22. To which may be added for the confirmation of this account 5. That Nehemiah lived quite through the whole length of the Persian Monarchy being at Mans estate the first year of it Ezra II. 2.
denomination from the last Letter of Arphaxad's Name 13 Chaldean and curious Arts what 820 Chambers The Chambers in Solomon's Temple their height breadth and evenness of them without notwithstanding they were not of the same dimensions within p. 1065. * overlaid with Gold 2 Chron. 3. 9. over the Holy Place what or whether any such thing p. 1085 1086. * The Treasury Chambers what 1097. * Changers of Mony or Mony Changers what 213 550 Chapiters belonging to the Pillars what 1074. * Chargers what and of what use in the Temple 2048. * Charming was much used among the Jews 371 Chazan that is Episcopus or Overseer 375 Chel what and how put for the Temple 1089 Cherubiâ—s what number of what resemblance and where placed 1086 * Chests in the Treasury where placed and for what use p. 1095 1096. * The Chest set in the Gate of the House of the Lord what 2022 * Chief Priests put for the Sanhedrim many of them being Priests p. 282. They were the Heads of the Families of the Priests or the chief of the 24 Courses c. p. 438 439 Children How an Holy Seed p. 203. The Infants of Believers were brought to Christ to be received as Disciples which he did declaring them to be such and blessed them 248 Children came under the Title of Believers when all things were in common or else they must have farnished p. 277. When a Master of a Family was baptised his Children though never so young were baptised with him as had been the Custom among the Jews and was in the times of the Apostles unaltered p. 277. What Children are to be taught by their Fathers p. 295. They were sometimes named by the Mother as soon as born sometimes by the Standers-by but the Fathers at the Circumcision had the casting voice Whether the Name should be so or no. 421 Children for Scholars or Disciples 759 Children begot by or on Angels or Devils a nonsensical story 995 Chochebas and Barchochebas the same with Ben Coziba coyned Mony with his own Stump tortured the Christians to make them deny Christ was at the head of a most desperate Rebellion p. 366 367. He reigned two years and an half 366 367 Christ how Abraham saw his day p. 13. How Isaac typified him p. 13 14. He gave the Ten Commandments p. 28. He appeared weaponed and was Lord General in the Wars of Canaan p. 40. When he ceased to be Israels Captain and Conductor p. 45. Glorious things are spoken of him p. 102. His Divinity shewed and his fitness to be Incarnate p. 201 202. He was born in Tizri about the Feast of the Tabernacles that is about the close of September at which time 30 years after he was baptised p. 204 210 c. We have no History of him for nine or ten years p. 206. When he was twelve years of Age and all the time of his Ministry he disputed with and proved his Doctrine against the most learned Sanhedrim p. 207. He came in a double seasonableness When Learning was at the highest And Traditions had made the Word of God of none effect p. 207 440. His Life from Twelve to Twenty nine is passed over by all the Evangelists in silence they having a special eye at his Ministry only so has the Angel Gabriel Dan. 9 24 25 c. p. 208. Those years in which we hear nothing of him he spent at Nazareth in his Fathers Trade of Carpentry which made the Jews stumble at him looking for a pompous Messiah p. 208. He appeared not till fully looked for what were the things did intimate his coming p. 209. The time when he was born and when he died were both eminent p. 210 211. He was circumcised into the Jewish Church and baptised into the Church of the Gospel p. 211. He was unknown to John the Baptist and those whom John had baptised into faith in Christ until Christ himself came to be baptised of John p. 212. He was admitted at Nazareth as a Member of the Synagogue to be a Maphteir or Publick Reader of the second Lesson in the Prophets for that day p. 215. His reading and interpreting the Original Hebrew shewed him to have a Prophetical Spirit he not being educated in that Language 215. At his second Passover he declares his Authority and Power before the Sanhedrim that being a time of Wonders p. 221. He was a great Priest and a great Prophet when and how p. 239. He did not so fully and openly reveal himself to be the Messias till he sent forth the Seventy Disciples p. 242. He could not be apprehended without his own leave p. 263. The Jews transgressed two of their own Canons in arraigning and judging Christ on an Holiday and by Night p. 263. He was had before the Sanhedrim in Caiphas his house p. 263. The Wine offered him at his Crucifixion was to intoxicate him p. 268. How bewailed when he went to Execution p. 268. The manner even of his friends burying him shewed the small expectation they had of his Resurrection p. 269. His Disciples and Mary Magdalen notwithstanding their saving faith in him neither of them believed his Death nor his Resurrection p. 270. His coming in Clouds in his Kingdom and in power and great glory all signify his Plaguing the Nation that crucified him p. 342 343. His birth was called The fulness of time p. 383. He was born in the year of the World 3928. about the close of September p. 390. He was not born at the later end of December but September a Month famous indeed p. 427. Why he would be baptized that needed no cleansing being purity it self eight Reasons p. 472. Why John refused to admit him to baptism p. 472. His Ministry was just Three years and an half p. 476. Why he was tempted p. 499. What were his Temptations and where and how tempted p. 503 to 511. In his Temptations his being hurryed about by the Devil does afford some material and profitable Considerations p. 506. He is shewed to be the Son of God p. 504. That he was the Messias he easily convinced the Mind by telling of secret things p. 535. He was the seed of the Woman illustrated from Lukes Genealogy and Christs calling himself the Son of Man p. 471 491 537. His Union of two Natures in one Person is plainly shewn with what refers thereunto p. 577 578. How he could be said to be in Heaven whilst speaking with Nichodemus on earth p. 578. The several Properties of the two Natures in Christ are sometimes indifferently applied to the whole Person p. 578. Believing in Christ for salvation excellently illustrated by being healed by looking on the Brazen Serpent p. 579. He is said to do what his Servants do p. 581. His anointing was his setting apart for Mediator and Minister of the Gospel c. also his apparent Installments into that Office by the Spirit p. 616 617. His Ministry had six parts in it p. 617 to 619. Why it was
given me by the Nazareans who use this Book in Berea a City of Syria to write it out It is not at all to be doubted that this Gospel was found in Hebrew but that which deceived the good man was not the very hand writing of Matthew nor indeed did Matthew write the Gospel in that Language but it was turned by some body out of the original Greek into Hebrew that so if possible the Learned Jews might read it For since they had little kindness for forreign books that is Heathen Books or such as were written in a Language different from their own which might be illustrated from various Canons concerning this matter some person converted to the Gospel excited with a good zeal seems to have translated this Gospel of S. Matthew out of the Greek Original into the Hebrew Language that learned Men among the Jews who as yet believed not might perhaps read it being now published in their Language which was rejected by them while it remained in a foreign speech Thus I suppose this Gospel was written in Greek by S. Matthew for the sake of those that believed in Judea and turned into Hebrew by some body else for the sake of those that did not believe The same is to be resolved concerning the original Language of the Epistle to the Hebrews That Epistle was written to the Jews inhabiting Judea to whom the Syriac was the Mother Tongue but yet it was writ in Greek for the reasons above named For the same reasons also the same Apostle writ in Greek to the Romans although in that Church there were Romans to whom it might seem more agreeable to have written in Latine and there were Jews to whom it might seem more proper to have written in Syriac CHAP. II. VERS I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now when Iesus was born A calculation of the times when Christ was born WE thus lay down a Scheme of the times when Christ was born I. He was born in the year of the World MMMDCCCCXXVIII For from the Creation of the World to the Deluge are commonly reckoned MDCLVI years From the Deluge to Abrahams promise are CCCCXXVII years This being supposed that Abraham was born the CXXXth year of Tharah which must be supposed From the promise given to the going out of Egypt CCCCXXX years Exod. XII 40. Gal. III. 17. From the going out of Egypt to the laying the foundations of the Temple are CCCCLXXX years 1 King VI. 1. The Temple was building VII years 1 King VI. 38. Casting up therefore all these together viz.  MDCLVI  CCCCXXVII  CCCCXXX  CCCCLXXX  VII the sum of years amounts to MMM And it is clear the building of the Temple was finished and compleated in the year of the world MMM The Temple was finished in the eleventh year of Solomon 1 King VI. 38. and thence to the revolting of the ten Tribes in the first year of Rehoboam were XXX years Therefore that Revolt was in the year of the World MMMXXX From the Revolt of the ten Tribes to the destruction of Jerusalem under Zedekiah were CCCXC years which appears sufficiently from the Chronical computation of the parallel times of the Kings of Judah and Israel and which is implied by Ezekiel Chap. IV. vers 5. Thou shalt sleep upon thy left side and shalt put the iniquities of the house of Israel upon it c. according to the number of the days three hundred and ninety days And when thou shalt have accomplished them thou shalt sleep upon thy right side the second time and shalt take upon thee the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days Concerning the computation of these years it is doubted whether those forty years are to be numbred together within the three hundred and ninety years or by themselves as following after those three hundred and ninety years We not without cause embrace the former opinion and suppose those forty years to be included within the sum of the three hundred and ninety but mentioned by themselves particularly for a particular reason For by the space of forty years before the destruction of the City by the Chaldeans did Jeremiah prophesie daily namely from the third year of Josias to the sacking of the City whom the people not harkning to they are marked for that peculiar iniquity with this note Therefore these three hundred and ninety years being added to the year of the World MMMXXX when the ten Tribes fell off from the house of David the age of the World when Jerusalem perished arose to the year MMMCCCCXX At that time there remained fifty years of the Babylonian captivity to be compleated For those remarkable Seventy years took their beginning from the third year of Jehoiachim Dan. I. 1. Whos 's fourth year begins the Babylonian Monarchy Jer. XXV 1. And in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar the Temple was destroyed 2 King XXV 8. when now the twentieth year of the Captivity passed and other fifty remained Which fifty being added to the year of the World MMMCCCCXX a year fatal to the Temple the years of the World amount in the first year of Cyrus unto MMMCCCCLXX From the first of Cyrus to the death of Christ are Seventy weeks of years or CCCCXC years Dan. IX 24. Add these to the MMMCCCCLXX and you observe Christ crucified in the year of the World MMMDCCCCLX When therefore you have subtracted thirty two years and an half wherein Christ lived upon the Earth you will find him born in the year of the World MMMDCCCCXXVIII II. He was born in the one and thirtieth year of Augustus Cesar the computation of his Monarchy beginning from the Victory at Actium Of which matter thus Dion Cassius writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. a a a a a a Dion Cass. lib. 51. in the beginning This their Sed-fight was on the second of September And this I speak upon no other account for I am not wont to do it but because then Cesar first obtained the whole Power so that the computation of the years of his Monarchy must be precisely reckoned from that very day We confirm this our computation by drawing down a Chronological Table from this year of Augustus to the fifteenth year of Tiberius when Christ having now compleated the nine and twentieth year of his age and entring just upon his thirtieth was baptized Now this Table adding the Consuls of every year we thus frame Year of the World City built Augustus Christ born Consuls 3928 754 31 1 Cas. Aug. XIV and L. Aemyl Paulus 3929 755 32 2 Publius Vinicius and Pub. Alfenus Varus 3930 756 33 3 L. Aelius Lamia and M. Servilius 3931 757 34 4 Sext. Aemilius Carus and C. Sentius Saturninus 3932 758 35 5 L. Valerius Messalla and Cn. Corn. Cinna Magn. 3933 759 36 6 M. Aemil. Lepidus and L. Aruntius 3934 760 37 7 A. Licin Nerv Silanus and Q. Cecil Metel Cret 3935 761 38 8 Furius Camillus and Sext. Nonius Quintilianus
3936 762 39 9 Q. Sulpit. Camarin and C. Poppaeus Sabinus 3937 763 40 10 Pub. Corn. Dolabella and C. Iunius Silanus 3938 764 41 11 M. Aemil. Lepid. and T. Statilius Taurus 3939 765 42 12 Germanicus Caes. and C. Fonteius Capito 3940 766 43 13 L. Munatius Plancus and C. Silius Caecina 3941 767 44 14 Sext. Pomp. Sexti F. and Sext. Apuleius Sexti F. Augustus Cesar died the XIXth day of August on which day he had formerly entred upon the first Consulship b b b b b b Dion Cass. lib. 56. He lived LXXV years X months and XXVI days He bore the Empire alone from the Victory at Actium XLIV years wanting only XIII days c c c c c c Eutrop. lib. 7. Tiberius held the Empire in great slothfulness with grievous cruelty wicked covetousness and filthy lust Year of the World Of the City built Of Tiberius Of Christ Consuls 3942 768 1 15 Drusus Caes. and C. Norbanus Flaccus 3943 769 2 16 C. Statil Sisenna Taurus and Scribonius Libo 3944 770 3 17 C. Caecil Rufus and L. Pomponianus Flaccus 3945 771 4 18 Tiber. Caes. Aug. III. and Germanicus Caes. II. 3946 772 5 19 M. Iulius Silanus and L. Norban Flac. vel Balbus 3947 773 6 20 M. Valerius Messala and M. Aurel. Cotta 3948 774 7 21 Tiber. Caes. Aug. IV. and Drusus Caes. II. 3949 775 8 22 D. Haterius Agrippa and C. Sulpitius Galba 3950 776 9 23 C. Asinius Pollio and C. Antistius Veter 3951 777 10 24 Sext. Cornel. Cethegus and Visellius Varro 3952 778 11 25 M. Asinius Agrippa and Cossus Cornel. Lentulus 3953 779 12 26 Cn. Lentulus Getulicus and C. Calvisius Sabinus 3954 780 13 27 M. Licinius Crassus and P. L. Calphurnius Piso. 3955 781 14 28 Appius Iul. Silanus and P. Silvius Nerva 3956 782 15 29 C. Rubellius Geminus and C. Fusius Geminus In the early spring of this year came John baptizing In the month Tisri Christ is baptized when he had now accomplished the nine and twentieth year of his age and had now newly entred upon his thirtieth The thirtieth of Christ is to be reckoned with the sixteenth of Tiberius Of Augustus now entring upon his one and thirtieth year wherein Christ was born Dion Cassius hath moreover these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having now compleated thrice ten years being compelled indeed to it he continued his Government and entred upon a fourth ten of years being now more easie and slothful by reason of age In this very year was the Taxation under Cyrenius of which Luke speaks Chap. II. So that if it be asked when the fifth Monarchy of the Romans arose after the dissolution of those four mentioned by Daniel An easie answer may be fetched from S. Luke who relates that in that very year wherein Christ was born Augustus laid a Tax upon the whole World III. Christ was born in the thirty fift year of the reign of Herod which we gather from the observation of these things 1. d d d d d d Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 10. Herod reigned from that time he was first declared King by the Romans seven and thirty years 2. Between the death of Herod and the death of Augustus there was this space of time 1. e e e e e e Ios. Antiq. lib. 1â— cap 15. The ten years current of the reign of Archelaus 2. f f f f f f Id. ibid. lib. Coponius succeeds him banished into Vienna in the Presidentship of Judea 3. Marcus Ambibuchus succeeds Coponius 4. g g g g g g Id. iold cap. 3 Annius Rufus succeeds Ambibuchus during whose Presidentship Augustus dies 18. cap. 1. Since therefore only fourteen years passed from the nativity of Christ to the death of Augustus out of which sum when you shall have reckoned the ten years current of Archelaus and the times of the three Presidents we must reckon that Christ was not born but in the last years of Herod Thus we conjecture In his thirty fift Christ was born In his thirty seventh now newly begun the Wise men came presently after this was the slaying of the infants and after a few months the death of Herod IV. Christ was born about the twenty seventh year of the Presidentship of Hillel in the Sanhedrin The rise of the family of Hillel took its beginning at the decease of the Asmonean family Herod indeed succeeded in the Kingly government a family sprung from Babylon and as was believed of the stock of David For h h h h h h Hieros Taanith fol. 68. 1. a book of genealogy was found at Jerusalem which we mentioned before in which it was written that Hillel was sprung from the stock of David by his wife Abital Now Hillel went up out of Babylon to Jerusalem to enquire of the Wise men concerning some things when now after the death of Shemaia and Abtalion the two sons of Betira held the chief seats And when he who had resorted thither to learn something had taught them some things of the Passover rites which they had forgot they put him into the chair You have the full story of it in the i i i i i i Pisachâ—n fol. 33. 1. Jerusalem Talmud We mention it Chap. XXVI 1. Now Hillel went up to Jerusalem and took the Chair an hundred years before the destruction of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k k k k k k Bab. Schabb. fol 15. 1. Hillel and his son Simeon and his son Gamaliel and his son Simeon bare the Government for an hundred years before the laying waste of the Temple Of those hundred years if you take away two and thirty and an half of the life of Christ and forty years as it is commonly computed coming between the death of Christ and the destruction of the City there remain the twenty seven years of Hillel before the birth of our Saviour Hillel held the government forty years So that his death happened about the twelfth or thirteenth year of Christ His son also held it after him and his grandsons in a long succession even to R. Judah the Holy The splendor and pomp of this family of Hillel had so obscured the rest of the families of Davids stock that perhaps they believed or expected the less that the Messias should spring from any of them Yea one in the Babylonian Gemara was almost perswaded that Rabbi Judah the Holy of the Hillelian family was the Messias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l l l l l l Sanhedr fol. 98. 2. Rabh said If Messiah be among the living our Holy Rabbi is such if among the dead Daniel was he V. Christ was born in the month Tisri somewhat answering to our September This we conclude omitting other things by computing backwards from his death For if he died in his two and thirtieth year and an half at the feast of the Passover in the month Nisan you must necessarily lay the time of
only asks How shall this be c Doubtless she took the Prophecy in its proper sense as speaking of a Virgin untoucht She knew nothing then nor probably any part of the Nation at that time so much as once thought of that sense by which the Jews have now for a great while disguised that place and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 II. Give me leave for their sakes in whose hands the book is not to transcribe some few things out of that noble Author Morney a a a a a a De Verit. Christ. Relig. cap. 28. which he quotes concerning this grand mystery from the Jews themselves b b b b b b Moses Haddarson in Psa LXXXV Truth shall spring out of the earth R. Jotten saith he notes upon this place That it is not said truth shall be born but shall spring out because the Generation and Nativity of the Messiah is not to be as other creatures in the world but shall be begot without Carnal Copulation and therefore no one hath mentioned his Father as who must be hid from the knowledge of men till himself shall come and reveal him And upon Genes Ye have said saith the Lord we are Orphans bereaved of our Father such an one shall your redeemer be whom I shall give you So upon Zachary Behold my servant whose name is of the branch And out of Psal. CX Thou art a Priest after the order of Melchizedech He saith R. Berachiah delivers the same things And R. Simeon Ben Jochai upon Genes more plainly viz. That the Spirit by the impulse of a mighty power shall come forth of the Womb though shut up that will become a mighty Prince the King Messiah So he VERS XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath also conceived a Son in her old age THE Angel teaches to what purpose it was that Women either barren before or considerably stricken in years should be enabled to conceive and bring forth viz. to make way for the easier belief of the Conception of a Virgin If they either beside or beyond nature conceive a Child this may be some ground of belief that a Virgin contrary to Nature may do so too So Abraham by Faith saw Christ's day as born of a pure Virgin in the birth of his own Son Isaac of his old and barren Wife Sarah VERS XXXIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. She went into the hill Country c. THAT is to Hebron Jos. XXI 11. For though it is true indeed the Priests after the return from Babylon were not all disposed and placed in all those very same dwellings they had possest before the Captivity yet is it probable that Zachary who was of the seed of Aaron being here said to dwell in the hill Country of Judah might have his House in Hebron which is more peculiarly said to be the City of Aaron's off-spring VERS XLI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Babe leaped in her Womb. SO the Seventy Gen. XXV 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Children leaped in her womb Psal. CXIV 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mountains skipped That which is added by Elizabeth Vers. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The babe leaped in the womb for joy signifies the manner of the thing not the cause q. d. it leaped with vehement exultation For John while he was an Embryo in the Womb knew no more what was then done than Jacob and Esau when they were in Rebecca's Womb knew what was determined concerning them a a a a a a Hieros Sotah fol. 2. 3. At the Red Sea even the infants sung in the wombs of their Mothers as it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. LXVIII where the Targum to the same sense Exalt the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye infants in the bowels of your Mothers of the seed of Israel Let them enjoy their Hyperboles Questionless Elizabeth had learnt from her Husband that the Child she went with was designed as the fore-runner of the Messiah but she did not yet know of what sort of Woman the Messiah must be born till this leaping of the infant in her womb became some token to her VERS LVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abode with her three Months A Space of time very well known amongst the Doctors defined by them to know whether a Woman be with Child or no. Which I have already observed upon Matth. I. a a a a a a Iâ—â—â—moth fol. 33 2. 34. â— 35. 1 c. VERS LIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they called it c. I. THE Circumciser said a a a a a a Schabb. fol. 137. 2. Blessed be the Lord our God who hath sanctified us by his precepts and hath given us the Law of Circumcision The Father of the infant said who hath sanctified us by his precepts and hath commanded us to enter the Child into the Covenant of Abraham our Father But where was Zachary's tongue for this service II. God at the same time instituted Circumcision and changed the names of Abraham and Sarah hence the custom of giving names to their Children at the time of their Circumcision III. Amongst the several accounts why this or that name was given to the Sons this was one that chiefly obtained viz. for the honour of some person whom they esteemed they gave the Child his name Which seems to have guided them in this case here when Zachary himself being dumb could not make his mind known to them Mahli the Son of Mushi hath the name of Mahli given him who was his Uncle the Brother of Mushi his Father 1 Chron. XXIII 21 23. b b b b b b Cholin fol. 47. 2. R. Nathan said I once went to the Islands of the Sea and there came to me a Woman whose first born had died by Circumcision so also her second Son She brought the third to me I bad her wait a little till the blood might asswage She waited a little and then Circumcised him and he lived They called him therefore by my name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nathan of Babylon See also Jerusalem Jevamoth c c c c c c Fol. 7. 4. d d d d d d â—ab Jevam. fol. 105. 1. There was a certain Family at Jerusalem that were wont to die about the eighteenth year of their age They made the matter known to R. Johanan ben Zacchai who said perhaps you are of Elie's Lineage concerning whom it is said The increase of thine House shall die in the flower of their age Go ye and be diligent in the study of the Law and ye shall live They went and gave diligent heed to the Law and lived They called themselves therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Family of Johanan after his name It is disputed in the same Tract e e e e e e Fol. 24. 1. whether the Son begot by a Brother's raising up seed to his Brother should not be called after the
II. 1. Their conceptions in this thing we have explain'd to us in Midras Schir m m m m m m Fol. 16. 4. My beloved is like a Roe or a young hart Cant. II. 9. A Roe appears and is hid appears and is hid again So our first Redeemer Moses appear'd and was hid and at length appear'd again So our latter Redeemer Messiah shall be reveal'd to them and shall be hid again from them and how long shall he be hid from them c. A little after In the end of forty five days he shall be reveal'd again and cause Manna to descend amongst them They conceive a twofold manifestation of the Messiah the first in Bethlehem but will straightway disappear and lye hid At length he will shew himself but from what place and at what time that will be no one knew In his first appearance in Bethlehem he should do nothing that was memorable in his second was the hope and expectation of the Nation These Jews therefore who tell our Saviour here that when Christ cometh no man knoweth whence he is whether they knew him to have been born at Bethlehem or no yet by his wonderful works they conceive this to have been the second manifestation of himself and therefore only doubt whether he should be the Messiah or no because they knew the place Nazareth from whence he came having been taught by Tradition that Messiah should come the second time from a place perfectly unknown to all men VERS XXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that sent me is true whom ye know not A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here must be taken in the same sense wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so often used amongst the Lawyers to signifie him whose word and testimony in any thing may be taken n n n n n n Chagigah fol. 24. 2. The men of Judea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be credited as to the purity of the wine and the oyl Gloss. Even the people of the land the very vulgar sort may be credited for the purity of the wine and the oyl which is dedicated by them to the Altar in the time of the vintage or pressing Men not known by name or face to the Priests yet if they offer'd wine or oyl were credited as to the purity and fitness of either from their place of habitation There are numberless instances of men though perfectly unknown yet that may be credited either as to Tythes or separating the Trumah or giving their testimony c. To the same sense our Saviour Chap. V. 31. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true i. e. In your Judicatories it is not of any value with you where no one is allow'd to be a witness for himself and in this place He that hath sent me although you know him not yet is he true or worthy belief however I my self may not be so amongst you VERS XXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. To the dispersed among the Gentiles c. I Confess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles writings does very frequently denote the Gentiles to which that of the Rabbins agrees well enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wisdom of the Greeks i. e. the wisdom of the Gentiles But here I would take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its proper signification for the Greeks It is doubtful indeed whether the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be understood the dispersed Greeks or the Jews dispersed amongst the Greeks There was no Nation under Heaven so dispers'd and diffus'd throughout the world as these both Greeks and Jews were o o o o o o Senec. in Consolat ad Helvean cap. 6. In mediis Barbarorum regionibus Graecae urbes Inter Indos Persasque Macedonicus sermo c. In the very heart of all the barbarous Nations the Greeks had their Cities and their language spoken amongst the Indians and Persians c. And into what Countries the Jews were scatter'd the writings both Sacred and Profane do frequently instance So that if the words are to be taken strictly of the Greeks they bear this sense with them Is he going here and there amongst the Greeks so widely and remotely dispersed in the world If of the Jews which is most generally accounted by Expositors then would I suppose the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set in distinction to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That distinction between the Hebrews and the Hellenists explains the thing The Jews of the first dispersion viz. into Babylon Assyria and the Countries adjacent are called Hebrews because they used the Hebrew or Transeuphratensian language How they came to be dispers'd into those Countries we all know well enough viz. that they were led away captive by the Babylonians and Persians But those that were scatter'd amongst the Greeks used the Greek Tongue and were called Hellenists It is not easie to tell upon what account or by what accident they came to be dispers'd amongst the Greeks or other Nations about Those that liv'd in Palestine they were Hebrews indeed as to their language but they were not of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dispersion either to one place or another because they dwelt in their own proper Country The Babylonish dispersion was esteem'd by the Jews the more noble the more famous and the more holy of any other The land of Babylon is in the same degree of purity with the land of Israel p p p p p p R. Salom. in Gittin so 26. 1. The Jewish off-spring in Babylon is more valuable than that among the Greeks even purer than that in Judea it self q q q q q q Kiddush fol. 69. 2. Whence for a Palestine-Jew to go to the Babylonish dispersion was to go to a people and Country equal if not superior to his own But to go to the dispersion among the Greeks was to go into unclean regions where the very dust of the land defiled them it was to go to an inferior race of Jews stain'd in their blood it was to go into Nations most heatheniz'd VERS XXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the last day that great day of the Feast THE Evangelist speaks according to a receiv'd opinion of that people for from Divine institution it does not appear that the last day of the Feast had any greater mark set upon it than the first nay it might seem of lower consideration than all the rest for on the first day were offer'd thirteen young Bullocks upon the Altar on the second twelve and so fewer and fewer till on the seventh day it come to seven and on this eighth and last day of the Feast there was but one only as also for the whole seven days there were offer'd each day fourteen lambs but on this eighth day seven only Numb XXIX So that if the numbers of the Sacrifices add any thing to the dignity of the day this last day will seem the most inconsiderable and not
Targumized He calls to the Architect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying ramm him in under the foundation R. Jose saith they whelmed him under an heap of Clay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is there any Clay in the Mountain of the Temple Gloss. There was Mortar which they used in building It may be noted by the by that they were building in the Temple in the days of the first Gamaliel who sate President in the Sanhedrin about the latter days of our Saviour which confirms what I already have noted in Chap. II. 20. And further let us see how they might have stones in readiness for they were now building and they might have pieces of stones enough there CHAP. IX VERS II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who did sin this man or his Parents I. IT was a received Doctrine in the Jewish Schools that Children according to some wickedness of their Parents were born lame or crooked or maimed and defective in some of their parts c. by which they kept Parents in awe lest they should grow remiss and negligent in the performance of some rites which had respect to their being clean such as washings and purifyings c. we have given instances elsewhere II. But that the Infant should be born lame or blind or defective in any part for any sin or fault of his own seems a riddle indeed 1. Nor do they solve the matter who fly to that principle of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of souls which would have the Jews tinctured with at least if we will admit Josephus as a just Interpreter and judge of that principle For thus he y y y y y y Lib. de Excid II. cap. 12. It is the opinion of the Pharisees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the souls of all are immortal and do pass into another body that is those of the good only observe this but those of the wicked are punished with eternal torments So that unless you will say that the soul of some good man passing into the body of this man was the cause of his being born blind a supposition that every one would cry shame of you say nothing to the case in hand If the opinion of the transmigration of souls amongst the Jews prevailed only so far that they suppos'd the souls of good men only pass'd into other bodies the very subject of the present question is taken away and all suspicion of any punishment or defect happening to the infant upon the account of Transmigration wholly vanisheth unless you will say it could happen upon a good soul's passing out of the body of a good man 2. There is a solution attempted by some from the souls pre-existency which they would pretend the Jews had some smatch of from what they say about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those souls which are in Goph or Guph z z z z z z Avodah Zarah â—ol 5. 1. R. Jose saith the Son of David will not come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till the souls that are in Goph are consummated The same passage is recited also in Niddah a a a a a a Fol. 13. 2. and Jevamoth b b b b b b Fol. 62. 1. where it is ascrib'd to R. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asi. There is a repository saith R. Solomon the name of which is Goph and from the Creation all the souls that ever were to be born were form'd together and there plac'd But there 's another Rabbin brought in by another Commentator that supposeth a twofold Goph and that the souls of the Israelites and of the Gentiles are not in one and the same Goph Nay further he conceives that in the days of the Messiah there will be a third Goph and a new race of souls made R. Jose deduceth his opinion from Isaiah LVII 16. miserably wresting the words of the Prophet to this sense My will shall hinder for the souls which I have made For so Aruch and the Commentators explain his mind Grant now that what I have quoted might be sufficient confirmations that the Jews did entertain the opinion of the Souls pre-existence yet what concern the pre-existence of souls hath with this place I confess I have not so quick an apprehension as any way to imagine unless we will suppose a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too or that some souls come immediately from the hand of God stain'd and defiled III. I would therefore seek to untye this knot some other way 1. I would have that passage observ'd which we have in Vajicra rabb c c c c c c Fol. 184 3. And the days draw nigh in the which thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Eccl. XII 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those are the days of the Messiah wherein there shall be neither merit nor demerit That is if I mistake not wherein neither the good deserts of the Parents shall be imputed to the children for their advantage nor their deserts for their fault and punishment They are the words of R. Akibah in loc and they are his application of that passage in Eccles. and indeed his own invention but the opinion it self That there shall be neither merit nor demerit in the days of the Messiah is what is commonly receiv'd amongst the Jews If so then let me a little enlarge this question of our Saviours Disciples by way of Paraphrase to this purpose Master we know that thou art the Messiah and that these are the days of the Messiah we have also learnt from our Schools that there is no imputation of merit or demerit from the Parents in the days of the Messiah whence then is it that this man is born blind that in these days of the Messiah he should bring into the world with him some mark and imputation of fault or blame somewhere What was it his Parents fault This seems against the receiv'd opinion It seems therefore that he bears some tokens of his own fault is it so or no 2. It was a conceit amongst the Jews that the infant when form'd and quicken'd in the womb might behave it self irregularly and do something that might not be altogether without fault In the Treatise last mention'd a woman is brought in complaining in earnest of her child before the Judg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it kickt her unreasonably in the womb In Midr. Cohel and Midr. Ruth Cap. III. 13. there is a story told of Elisha ben Abujah who departed from the faith and became an horrible Apostate and amongst other reasons of his apostacy this is render'd for one There are which say that his Mother when she was big with child of him passing through a Temple of the Gentiles smelt something very strong they gave to her of what she smelt and she did eat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the child in the womb grew hot and swell'd into blisters as in the womb of a Serpent In which story his Apostacy is supposed
as originally rooted and grounded in him in the womb upon the fault of his mother eating of what had been offer'd to Idols It is also equally presum'd that an Infant may unreasonably and irregularly kick and punch in the womb of its mother beyond the rate of ordinary infants The infants in the womb of Rebecca may be for an instance where the Jews indeed absolve Jacob from fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he took Esau by the heel b b b b b b Bemidbar rabb fol. 230. 2. but will hardly absolve Esau for rising up against his brother Jacob. c c c c c c Sanhedr fol. 91. 2. Beresh rabb fol. 38. 1. Antoninus askt R. Judah at what time evil affections begin to prevail in the man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether in the first forming of the foetus in the womb or at the time of its coming forth The Rabbi saith unto him from the time of its first forming Then saith Antoninus it will kick in the mothers womb and rush out This I learnt of Antoninus and the Scripture seems to back it when it saith Sin lyeth at the door It appears from this dispute whether true or feigned that the ancient opinion of the Jews was that the infant from its first quickening had some stain of sin upon it And that great Doctor R. Judah the holy was originally of that opinion himself but had lightly chang'd his mind upon so paltry an argument Nay they went a little further not only that the infant might have some stain of sin in the womb but that it might in some measure actually sin and do that which might render it criminal To which purpose this passage of the Disciples seems to have some relation Did this man sin that he was born blind That is did he when his Mother carry'd him in her womb do any foul or enormous thing that might deserve this severe stroke upon him that he should bring this blindness with him into the world VERS VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He spat on the ground c. I. HOW far spittle was accounted wholesome for weak eyes we may learn from this ridiculous tale d d d d d d Hieros Sotah fol. 16. 4. Vajicra rabb fol. 175. 2. R. Meir sat and was teaching in the evening of the Sabbath-day there was a woman stood by hearing him preach after he had done she went home and found her candle gone out Her Husband saith to her where hast thou been I have been saith she standing and hearing the voice of a Preacher Her Husband saith to her thou shalt not enter in till thou hast gone and spot in the face of him that taught After three weeks her neighbouring women perswading and heartning her to it she goes to the Chappel Now the whole matter was already made known to R. Meir He saith therefore to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is there ever a woman among you skill'd in muttering charms over eyes for he feign'd a grievous ailment in his eyes the woman said R. I am not skill'd However saith he do thou spit seven times upon my eyes and I shall be healed which she did Gloss. Whenever they multer'd any charms over the eyes it was necessary that they should spit upon them II. It was prohibited amongst them to besmear the eyes with spittle upon the Sabbath-day upon any Medicinal account although it was esteemed so very wholesome for them e e e e e e Maim Schab cap. 21. They do not squirt wine into the eyes on the Sabbath-day but they may wash the eye-brows with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as to fasting spittle which was esteem'd exceedingly wholesome it is not lawful to put it so much as upon the eye-lids f f f f f f Schab fol. 108. 2. One saith that wine is prohibited so far that it may not be injected into the middle of the eye upon the eye-brows it may Another saith that spittle is forbidden so much as upon the eye-lids So that in this action of our Saviour's we may observe I. That he does not heal this sick man with a word as he did others but chuseth to do a thing which was against their Canonical observation of the Sabbath designing hereby to make a trial of the man whether he was so superstitious that he would not admit such things to be done upon him on the Sabbath-day He made an experiment not much unlike this upon the man at Bethesda as we have before observ'd II. Whiles he mingles spettle with dust and of that makes a clay to anoint the eyes of the blind man he thereby avoideth the suspicion of using any kind of charm and gives rather a demonstration of his own Divine power when he heals by a method contrary to nature for clay laid upon the eyes we might believe should rather put out the eyes of one that sees than restore sight to one that had been blind Yea and further he gave demonstration of the Divine authority he himself had over the Sabbath when he heals upon that day by the use of means which had been peculiarly prohibited to be us'd in it The connexion of this Chapter with the former is such that the stories in both seem to have been acted on one and the same day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Going through the midst of them so passed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as he passed by he saw a man which was blind If it be so which I will not much contend about then do they bring the Adulterous woman before Christ yea and attempt to stone him too on the Sabbath-day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus hid himself or perhaps the sense is he was hidden that is by the multitude that had a favour for him and compast him about lest his enemies should have wreakt their malice and displeasure against him VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is by interpretation sent WE have already shewn that the spring of Siloam discharg'd its self by a double stream into a twofold Pool the upper Pool which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pool of Siloah and the lower which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pool of Shelah Nehem. III. 15. Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly and properly signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so as we have already noted Probably the Evangelist added this Parenthesis on purpose to distinguish which of the Pools the blind man was sent to wash in viz. not in the Pool Shelah which signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fleeces but in the Pool of Shiloah which signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent VERS VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That sat and begged THIS may be oppos'd to another sort of beggars viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that beg from door to door The words used by the beggars were generally these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vouchsafe something
of spirit Why to east down thy thirty pieces of Silver which thou hadst got so notoriously and bought so duly Oh! Conviction of mine own Conscience which bears me down and lies heavier on my Soul than a thousand thousand milstones They shall say to the Rocks fall on us and to the Hills cover us And those weights seem lighter than the burden of Conscience that lies upon them Here is Conviction of Conscience overpowering ad ultimum quod sic as far as possible in that kind and as far as possible in this World a man so throughly convinced of his lost undone damnable condition that his Conviction is his Hell already and he cannot suffer or feel more of Hell till he come there But Secondly There is a Conviction of Conscience overpowering to the utmost effect of Conviction that is smoother like Jacob and not such a rough thing as this Esau a child of the freewoman and of the promise and not of this spirit of horror and bondage and that is when a man is so convinced in Conscience concerning his duty that he cannot but with all earnestness set to it and keep to it As in Jer. XX. 9. The word of the Lord was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones that I was weary of forbearing and could not stay This I shall illustrate to you by looking into a case or state of Conscience referring something to the Conviction spoken of last before and also to this we are speaking of now Many a dear child of God walks in darkness and sees no light from the time of his new birth to his grave he walks in brokenness of Heart and dejection of Spirit and never sees good day His example may be instance enough for all others in Psal. LXXXVIII 15 16 17. I am afflicted and ready to die even from my youth up I suffer thy terrors I am distracted Thy fierce wrath goeth over me and thy terrors have cut me off They came round about me daily like waters they compassed me about together Now what is that that bears such a Soul up that it does not sink under despondency and despair It is a wonder that such a one can live and what is it that he lives upon Upon the strong and overpowering Conviction and sence of his duty Every child of God that is born to God by the new birth is in Rebecca's case with a Jacob and Esau struggling in her but the younger overcoms the elder He hath a twofold overpowering of Conscience in him namely concerning his lost condition and concerning his duty and the latter overcoms the former He hath those pangs and anguishes of Conscience through the sight of his sins and sence of Gods displeasure that it brings him to the very brink of Hell and of the gulph of dispair but he hath withal so strong an impression of his duty that that keeps him from sinking or falling in A travailer towards Heaven walks upon two legs Hope and Sence of his duty Now many and many a time his hope like Jacobs thigh is sinnew-shrunk and lame and hath no strength at all in it yet he makes shift to bear upon his other leg the sence of his duty that Jacob-like at last he limps out to his journies end The hope of a good Soul may be in the dark that he cannot see the glimmering of the least spark of it but the sence of his duty is always in his sâ—ght that he cannot but look on it and walk after it The case of Jonah in the Whales belly Jon. II. 4. I said I am â—â—t off from the light Why Jonah then thy case is desperate and there is no hope But I will yet look toward thy holy Temple That is my duty and I must not give out from it That good man in Psal. LXXXVIII thou seest thou hast waited and prayed and laboured for comfort all thy time and no comfort comes there is no hope strive no longer I but it is my duty to wait and pray and labour and I must hold to that and not give out Job dost thou not see thy hopeless case dost thou still hold thine integrity blessing God and dying Ah! thou speakest like a fool saith he though God kill me yet will I trust in him I will wait on him this is my duty and I must do it Oh! This is worth your laying to heart If ever your case come to despond in hopes and comforts yet to â—ear up with this Though I cannot see it is the Will of God to shew me comfort yet I am sure it is his Will that I should hold out in doing my duty I long for assurance of pardon of my sins and cannot find it I pray and wait and labour for grace and hope and comfort and cannot feel it My heart is as sad as ever as dull as slippery as incumbred as ever yet come what will I must not leave my hold I must pray and wait and labour still it is my Duty Thus hath many a sad Soul been born up under despondencies that have seen no light hope nor comfort that it hath been a wonder how they have holden up yet have lived upon a hidden manna as in Revel II. 17. have been born up upon this crutch the overpowering Conviction of their Conscience concerning their Duty IV. Fourthly Every Conscience in the World must at one time or other come to such ultimate Conviction in the one kind or other either to confusion and horror or to conversion and setting to his duty Cain if thou do well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou do not well sin lies at the door Gen. IV. 7. The word in the Original â—â—â—â—â—fies sin but more commonly a sin-offering and that laid at the door And that I take to be the meaning of the place and this to be the first doctrine of Repentance in the Bible Though thou do not well yet there is a sin-offering to make thy peace repent and thou shalt be pardoned but if thou do not repent sin and vengeance lies at the door ready to seize upon thee Sinner if thou improvest trying Conviction as thou oughtest to do thou mayest come to the kindly overpowering Conviction to set thee to thy duty for thy everlasting comfort but if not expect overpowering Conviction at one time or other to thy eternal horror And to this sence could I easily be induced to believe those borrowed expressions of Daniel mean Dan. XII 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth Joh. V. 28 29 shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt A resurrection of dead Consciences as well as dead bodies Conscience of it self is one of the sleepiest things in the World if God would let it sleep but he will suffer no Conscience to sleep for ever But up sluggard Jonah why sleepest thou either call upon thy God or betake thy self to thy duty or into the
III. An Instance or two of the practise of all the Church And all this will serve for illustrating the second thing I propounded for the clearing this Duty viz. Secondly The Evidence of the use of it in the first times I. Our Saviour the very next thing he did after signing sealing and sanctionating the New Testament was to sing a Psalm And who then can doubt of the institution of this as a New Testament-duty Matth. XXVI 28. 29 30. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom And when they had sung an Hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives Let us stick here a little and from this singing of an hymne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may observe three things 1. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number Beza approves of Erasmus here for departing from the Vulgar That hath it Hymno dicto He cum cecinissent Beza hereupon Ut intelligatur Apostolos una cum Christo cecinisse That men might understand that the Apostles joyned with Christ in singing And very true for it was the custom among the Jews in all companies that celebrated the Passover so to do for though one chiefly rehearsed yet all had some share in the Quire And so in the case in the Text though the Psalm were of their own composing yet the Congregation bare some part in it as Miriam with Moses XV. Exod. 21. Apostolos cecinisse the Apostles sung Was Judas there or no I wonder it is not confessed by all the World it is so plain that he eat the Passover received the Sacrament and stayed the Psalm and was present till all rose from the Table And Christ knew him and yet gave the Psalm and sung with the whole Table And Peter and John knew him and yet it were peevishness to think that they joined not in the Quire when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they had sung What can they say to this that refuse to joyn with us in this exercise Will they can they say that Judas was not there But if that be granted that he was gone yet at the eating the Passover it is well known every company sung together without bogling 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung What The very same that every company did viz. The great Hallel as it was called which began at the CXIII Psalm and ended at the end of the CXVIII No expositor but grants this and no reason to the conrary for Christ complied with all the rites of the Passover and started not from them in this Here the Lord of David sings the Psalms of David What Christ saith by way of posing If David in Spirit call him Lord how is he his Son We may say the like by way of admiration If David in spirit call him Lord how did he descend to make use of his Poetry What says our Caviller now Set forms are too strait for the Spirit He that had the Spirit above measure thinks not so but useth such He that gave the Spirit to David to compose sings what he composed That All-blessed Copy of peace and order could have indited himself could have inspired every Disciple to have been a David but submits to order which God had appointed sings the Psalms of David and tenders the Peace of the Church and takes the same course the whole Church did 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung a Hymn In what Language Here is a question indeed and that might provoke a Scholastical dispute both in Divinity and Antiquity In Divinity Did they sing in the original Hebrew That was not now understood In Antiquity Had they a translation of the Psalms and Hagiographa now Yea they had the LXX But all that sung understood not the LXX But had they a Vulgar Translation in their own Tongue This draws into another question viz. What was their Tongue I should answer Not the Syriack we now read but the old Syriack or Chaldee which they call Turgumica And I should answer to the former question That they had the Hagiographa now in the Tongue as well as the Prophets of Jonathans translation and I find in both Talmuds that each speaks to it to confirm it However who thinks they sung in a Tongue they understood not or in any other but the Vulgar And here is our warrant for our framing the Psalms into our Tongue and Metre Thus have we seen the Example nay institution of our great Master II. Now let us hear our great Apostle the Apostle of the Gentiles In two places he speaks to this subject besides what he says in this Chapter Ephes. V. 18 19. Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And Col. III. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where let us take up three things as we did in the former 1. Observe how spiritual a pitch he set this at and what elevation of Heart he ascribes to it Be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymus c. It is the very vent and issue whereby a spiritual frame breaks out in its chiefest demonstration The more we are filled with the Spirit the more we break out this way and a most fit vent it is to the Spirit when both Tongue and Heart speak and put forth themselves in their best vigor by singing to the praise of God when the heart is full of spiritual fervor this excellent way So in that place to the Colossians Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you When it does it will break out in all wisdom and in Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns c. 2. Observe the three Titles he useth Psalms Hymns Spiritual Songs They are variously indeed taken but very generally for the Psalms of David Psalms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Psalms upon any subject Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Psalms of Praise Spiritual Songs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Cantica magis artificiosa Psalms about which is employed greater art and curiosity Others differ upon particulars but agree upon this that by these three are meant the Psalms of David and other Songs in Scripture What If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the Psalms of David upon any subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hymns be such Psalms as are picked out and used for special occasions as Hallel those of Degrees and for every day So that word seems to imply from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is used to express the Psalms that Christ and his Apostles
deliverance answering and verifying the promise of deliverance they might be built up in belief and expectation of the truth of the promise of the great Deliverer when he should come But when Christ was come and had done that great Work and there being now no such peculiar people to be born up in hope of their subsistence till Christ should descend of them but the Church of God being scattered through the World and Christ having sanctified the bearing of the cross to them by his own bearing it and having allotted the cross to them for their portion and assured them 1 Cor. X. 13. That they should not be tempted above what they were able but that with the temptation he would make way to escape that they might be able to bear it First It cannot be imagined that every particular Church in the World should be acquainted with what persecutions and afflictions should come upon them and how long they should last and when they should be removed as God was pleased to acquaint that peculiar Church Nor Secondly Is it requisite that God should punctually and exactly tell them the end of their persecution and affliction but that they should always be kept to their duty waiting patience and dependance When Peter would be curious to enquire concerning what should become of John Christ answers If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee follow thou me Look not thou at his end but mind thou thine own duty So if any people now should be inquisitive How long Lord and what and when will be the end of this calamity God might justly answer It is not for you to know the times and the seasons but keep to your duty possess your Souls in patience and wait to see the salvation of God in his own time and way For let me repeat my Doctrine again and now come to clear it further The time of the affliction of the people of God is determined with him He knows it nay he hath set it For these two are the main things we shall speak to in this Point That no times no mens times are hidden from God Job makes it a principle as of which there is no questioning Job XXIV 1. Why seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty do they that know him not see his days The latter half of the verse is of some scruple and translations are various and scrupulous upon it but the former is of no scruple but of undoubted concession that times are in no wise hidden from God Only the botching Greek Translation which some would authorize above the divine Hebrew original reads it clean contrary Why are times hidden from God As if they were hidden from him Point the latter clause right as you should do for I observe in some Bibles it is mispointed and the passage is much cleared Why since times c. do they that know him not see his days Or not more consider of his Eternity Dan. VIII 13. There is a word something strange in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English Text reads it That certain Saint Then I heard one Saint speaking and another Saint said unto that certain Saint that spake How long shall be the Vision c. But the margent reads it The numberer of secrets or the wonderful numberer His name is Wonderful Esa. IX 6. And Judg. XIII 18. Why askest thou after my Name seeing it is secret Marg. Wonderful When he is now treating concerning times he is called the wonderful numberer of them Mene mene Tekel He numbers and he finishes the Times of Men and Kingdoms he weighs men and their Times and their Conditions He is the Wonderful Numberer in whose hand and knowledge and disposal are the times of all men as David saith of his own Psal. XXXI 15. My times are in thy hand Concerning Gods knowing and dating the Times of men and their affairs I might largely speak to these two things for evidence to it I. His foretelling of times and affairs before they come By this very thing he proves himself to be the true God and by coming short of this the Gods of the Heathen to be but lies and vanity Esa. XLI 22 23. Let them bring forth and shew us what shall happen let them declare us things for to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods But Chap. XLIII 12. saith God of himself I have declared and saved and shewed when there was no strange God among you And Chap. XXVI 9 10. I am God there is none like me Declaring the end from the beginning and from antient times the things that are not yet done saying My Counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure How did he determine the time of the sojourning of the children of Israel before their coming out of Egypt four hundred and thirty years before to the very day Exod. XII 40 41. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years even the self same day it came to pass that the Hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt How did he foretel of the Death of Christ seventy sevens of years even four hundred and ninety years before it was to the very hour Dan. IX 21. At the hour of the evening sacrifice the Angel Gabriel tells Daniel the time to that very hour Christ should suffer for he suffered at that hour Is not the time of the affliction of his people determined with him who foresees foretels of times and affairs to a day to an hour so many hundred of years before they came II. His harmonizing of times in so sweet an union as he hath done doth not that shew that he is the wonderful Numberer of times and Numberer of times of the affliction of his people The Scripture is most copious and the providence of God most sweet and heavenly in this kind of consort and it may much refresh and ravish the Reader of Scripture to observe such harmony Henock that glorious shining light upon Earth to run his course here just in as many years three hundred sixty five years as the Sun doth his course in Heaven days three hundred sixty five days Gen. V. 23. David to reign exactly so long a time in Jerusalem as Christ the son of David lived here upon earth thirty two years and an half 1 Kings II. 11. No rain in Elias time three years and an half Luk. IV. 25. Antiochus desolating of Religion three years and an half in the verse before the Text and Christs Ministery to be three years and an half Dan. IX 24. Doth not this Harmony tell that God is the wonderful Numberer of time and Weigher of all affairs Multitudes of such Harmonies of times are to be found in Scripture which all â—ound out this truth we are upon
ye are of the murtherer Secondly The first man dying was Christ in figure as the first death that of Sacrifice was Christ in figure also The Jews say that when Cain killed his Brother he made wounds in his hands and feet Thirdly That Cain who was first born into the world should so miscarry So the first estate of Man miscarried Eve hoped well of him when she named him Cain saying I have gotten a man from the Lord or a man the Lord. But the first born miscarried And so Esau the first born lost his birth-right But to return to our subject He slew his Brother We may cry Murther Murther with a witness If it had been a stranger that had been slain or an enemy or one that had been too many in the world but a Brother an only Brother the only man in the world this vastly aggravates the crime Fratricide is horrid this without parallel or possibility of parallel It is justly said that he was of that Wicked one Else this story would have choaked all belief How think you was Adam amazed when he heard it but when he resolved it thus he is of him that murthered mankind this ceased his wonder From hence I raise this Doctrine How much devilishness can the Devil infuse into Mans Nature This story is set first after the Fall to shew how much of Devil breathed in our Nature and how far it may be enhanced to devilishness Seth was begotten in the image of Adam Cain of the Devil See against how many Divine and Humane Laws and bonds he did this Act. 1. It was besides reason There was room enough in the world for both It was not with them as it was afterwards with Lot and Abraham Gen. XIII 6. The Land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together Nor as it was after that with Jacob and Esau Chap. XXXVI 7. Their riches were more than that they might dwell together and the Land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their Cattel 2. It was contrary to reason 1. In that they should have been mutually helpful And 2. Why should not Abel live as well as he 3. It was contrary to Nature He was his Brother-twin with him 4. Contrary to the tender dealing of God 5. Contrary to all reason and Religion He slew him because his works were righteous As Caligula slew a man because he was a proper man But Cain was not alone I might shew as much Devilishness appearing in others as in Pharaoh Ahab Nero c. Men in all things like the Devil and Cain And the reasons of this are I. Because the Soul of Man is capable of all evil to all extremity Not only that Gen. VI. 5. that the wickedness of Man was great and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually but he is capable of all manner and degrees of evil Not only that in Matth. XV. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts false-witness Blasphemies but these to the utmost extremity That in Rom. VII 18. In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing is short of the utmost extremity by far 1. The Soul is large enough to hold all evil Immensity is part of the Image of God in it desires it hath never satisfied covetuousness voluptuousness never satisfied it is a gulph that never says Enough 2. The spawn of Original Sin contains all sin in it As a spark is enough to consume all if fuelled As the Mud after the overflowing of Nilus produceth all Monsters And the Leprosie spreads all over if let alone Consider these three things of our Nature First It being contrary to God contains all evil as he all good It is a question in the Schools whether sin is contrary to Gods Nature or Will Our sinful nature is contrary to both To his Will 1 Thess. IV. 3. For this is the will of God even your sanctification To his Nature He light but we are darkness He holiness but we sin and impurity Other Creatures are not contrary to God but divers and different from him but sinful Creature is contrary Our nature as evil is contrary to the Divine Nature Our misery is not only in the loss of the Image of God but in the obtaining the contrary Image Secondly There is nothing in our nature to limit its breaking out to evil It is an untamed Heifer will bear no yoke It is like waters running downwards without bounds Nay there is that in us that breaks all bounds as the stirring of Conscience the Motions of the Spirit Education Laws all bounds but those of Grace Our principle is to please self to have our own Wills Now this consists of an hundred unsatiable gulphs to satisfie Pride Covetousness Envy Lust. Self Conjures up these Devils but there is nothing in us to conjure them down again The body breeds a disease but can master it but the Soul cannot because it is overcome with content in its disease Thirdly These distempers of our Nature are boundless in themselves No bottom no stop but Grace or Death II. Another reason how it comes to pass that there is so much Devilishness in some Mens nature is because the Devil is still urging and never saith Enough As we are ever stirring evil in our selves so he is hatching evil in us We read of some that were taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. II. 26. But I will not insist any longer on the proof Let us consider in the next place what sins are most devilish and how men come up to them James III. 15. This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish There are degrees of sin first earthly then sensual and lastly devilish The Devil himself is without an earthly mind and without sensuality He is not covetous he offers Christ all the Kingdoms of the world Matth. IV. Nor is he lascivious They misconstrue Gen. VI. 2. that thought from thence that the Angels lay with Women Nor is he luxurious No the Devil flies at higher game to defy God and damn souls All sin bears his stamp but some his picture As namely these that follow 1. Pride and to be puffed up against God and his charge and bounds which he hath set This is the Devils peculiar sin See 1 Tim. III. 6. Not a Novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil 2. Hatred and cruelty Satan is an Enemy a Murtherer Joh. VIII 44. a roaring Lion and devours them that serve him 3. Enmity against Righteousness and the ways of God See vers 10. of this Chapter His name is Satan that is an Enemy to what is good 4. Lying and falshood That appeared sufficiently in the story of the Fall And in Joh. VIII 44. He is a Lyar and the Father of it Now are not some as devilish as the Devil himself in these 1. In Pride Some will be
study is it to study God as the great Maker of Earth and Heaven to look seriously upon this great Fabric the Variety Order Beauty of the Creatures and deeply to think what kind of thing is God that made all these things with the word of his mouth How great dreadful terrible is the Creator with whom we have to do Study upon the first verse of Genesis God created the Heavens and the Earth And can you find it otherwise there than that he did that in a moment that in an instant in the twinkling of an eye he made these two parts of the world Center and Circumference spread out this great Canopy over us like a Curtain and hung this vast Ball upon which we tread upon nothing both at once and both in a moment Oh! what an amazing power is here to think of Oh! what a God have we to deal withall How can this God crush a sinner check the pride and presumption of wicked dust and ashes when he can do such wondrous and incomprehensible things as these How can this God create comforts to a poor afflicted child of his own How can he find out means to deliver and releive a poor distressed Saint that puts his trust in him when with a word he can make a world nay if he had pleased could have made a thousand Such use and other might we make of the study of our Creator and his creating And O! that he that created us and all things would create in us frequent solid meditations of him and of his mighty power and working whereby he made all things of nothing It was once questioned by one What did God before he made the world And answered by another He created Hell for curious and impertinent enquirers It was once asked by another With what instruments tools and engines did God make the world if he made it His own Spirit gives answer to this By the word of the Lord the Heavens were made c. But we may not unusefully and unchristianly move this question Wherefore was it that God made the world The Scripture answers this too Prov. XVI 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself Rev. IV. 11. For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created But this leaves us to our inquiring still viz. In what sense to understand his making all things for himself and what his Will and pleasure aimed at Did God create Creatures because he had need of Creatures Did he make the Heavens because he wanted a House for himself And the Earth because he could not be without Tenants in those tenements below And the nayl of this question might be driven further why did he make this world seeing he will mar it in time and bring it to desolation Why made he millions of men whose end proves to be damned for ever Had it not been as good this house of the Universe had never been as to be built and to be fired and burnt down again Had it not been better for millions that they had never been born than to be born and brought into the world for a little time and then to be damned to Eternity But O vain man who art thou that disputest against God Shall the pot or vessel say to him that made it why madest thou me thus or why at all For his will and pleasure were all things made and it is not fit to dispute his will or pleasure that could make all things But that we may receive satisfaction in this poynt and that we may not be ignorant of so great a matter as the reason why God made the world First we may resolve it without any sticking that he that created all things stood in need of nothing and that gave being to all needed not any thing from the Creature to amend his own well-being That is a most just challenge of all the world if it can to shew that God is beholden to any or had ever need of any the Apostle makes it Rom. XI 35 36. Who hath been the Lords Councellor to teach him or who hath first given to him c. But Secondly We may give him that for a proper and direct reason of Gods creating all things which the Apostle says Rom. IX 23. That he might make known the riches of his glory viz. That he might glorifie himself and that he might impart of his own riches to his Creature It might almost be questioned whether God could choose but create the world not to put a necessity or compulsion upon God who doth freely whatever he doth and hath no other tie upon him for his actings than his own Will But in regard of that infinite goodness that is in God could that do other than flow out upon the Creature God from all Eternity dwelt in and with himself blessed ever blessed in the enjoyment of himself and needed nothing beside himself But could that infinite Ocean of goodness that was in him be kept within those bounds of self enjoyment and not communicate it self to the Creature A lively full flowing fountain cannot contain its ever-flowing waters within its own brims but it must flow out to refresh and water the places that are about it The Sun cannot keep its light and heat within it self but must impart it to the world We shall not impose any such necessity upon God as he hath done upon these Creatures And yet if we should say God the everlasting fountain of Being of Goodness could not but impart Being and his Goodness to Creatures this would speak no imperfection in God but his infinite perfection But we will take the thing up in terms of Scripture He was willing to make known his goodness it was his pleasure to create the world that he might communicate the riches of his glory God would give being to Creatures that he might glorifie his own being would communicate of his goodness to his Creatures that he might glorifie his own goodness So all terminates and centers in that great end his own glory He created the world to glorifie his power gave being to Creatures that he might glorifie his own being shews goodness to them that he may glorifie his own goodness and receive glorifying from them And at last will destroy the world to glorifie his power and justice damn the wicked to glorifie his truth and justice and glorifie his Saints to glorifie his grace So that God made all things for himself that is for his own glory doth all things for his own glory created thee me and all flesh that he might reap glory from us But let us consider of the second thing as it tends to the End of this Command II. the setting forth the reason of the Institution of the Sabbath That he created all things in six days And what needed he take six days that could have done all in a moment He had as little need to take time for his work as he had of the
added another end as the Sabbath was given to his peculiar people given at Sinai with all these ends and this more viz. To distinguish the Jews from all others for Gods own people See Deut. V. 15. And remember that thou wast a Servant in the land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day And so in Exod. XXIII 12. And the Sabbath is reckoned with the Jewish Festivals Col. II. 16. Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath days They were distinguished by Times from all other people But how is this Sabbath distinctive I answer 1. None in the world kept the like resting day Therefore the Jews were scoffed at by other Nations as Idle and taken advantage of on that day 2. They kept this Rest as a redeemed people Deut. V. How had they toyled in Egypt and had not the liberty of a Sabbath Now on the contrary when they were delivered out of Egypt they kept the Sabbath as a signification of their rest from their labours there And now look on the Sabbath in its Moral Commemorative Evangelical Typical and Ceremonial End Look on it in its Royal Dress with what possible it can put on as Queen Esther was drest and then view its beauty First in its Antiquity It was from the beginning as it is said of the word of God 1 Joh. I. 1. Ask after the antient paths and the Sabbath will be found to be one of them This is not of the Law but of the Fathers It is the first born of Ordinances and hath a double portion of honour due to it It was the first day of comfort in the world after Adam was adjudged to toyl and misery The Jews say of it that it is a Mediator The Consideration of these Ends of the Sabbath may serve to assoyl that controversie about the Antiquity of its Institution viz. Whether its institution was not before the giving of the Law In the Dispute about the Sabbath afoot in England some years ago there were some went so high shall I say or so low as to maintain that our Sabbath was not of Divine Institution but Ecclesiastical only not ordained by God but the Church And to make good this assertion they would perswade you that there was no Sabbath instituted before the giving of the Law None from the beginning but that the world was two thousand five hundred and thirteen years without a Sabbath for so long it was from the Creation to Israels going out of Egypt and that then and not before was the Law for the Sabbath given Then I pray why should Moses speak of Gods sanctifying the Sabbath when he is speaking of the first week of the world if he meant not that the seventh day of that week was sanctified And what sense were it to read the Command thus For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. and rested the seventh day therefore two thousand five hundred and thirteen years after he blessed the seventh day and hallowed it But read it as it lies before you He rested the seventh day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it and must it not needs mean he blessed that seventh day that he rested and sanctified it and so the seventh successively in following generations But you may observe in Moses that the Sabbath is given upon two reasons or accounts here because God rested but in Deut. V. 15. because God delivered them out of Egypt Thou O Israel thou must keep the Sabbath day in remembrance of thy deliverance out of Egypt but withall he bids them Remember to keep the Sabbath in memory of Gods resting Therefore certainly the Sabbath was kept in remembrance of that before it was given to Israel to keep in memory of the deliverance out of Egypt I said Adam should have kept the Sabbath had he continued in innocency then certainly he had more need of a Sabbath for the benefit of his Soul when he was become a sinner And those four Ends of the Sabbath already mentioned were also ends of the Sabbath to him as well as to us The beauty then of the Sabbath consists First in its Antiquity Secondly In the Universality of its reception throughout of all ages One generation left it to another from Father to Son And it is known to all Churches Thirdly The Bravery of its institution It had Gods example God hallowed blessed drest it nobly but his example is an addition without parallel Fourthly The nobleness of its nature 1. In it there was some of every part of the Law It was Moral Typical Ceremonial As there is something of man in all the Creatures so there is something in the Sabbath of all the Law 2. By it is the propagation of Religion See Es. LXVI 23. And it shall come to pass that from one new Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord. As Psal. XIX 2. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge So from Sabbath to Sabbath God is spoken of and knowledge of divine things revealed This was the Market-day that still furnished the Jews with what was needful for their spiritual food and sustenance All marketing was forbidden on it Neh. XIII 15 c. because a greater market was to be minded So Manna was not rained on that day because better things were rained 3. By it came benefit to man and beast It gave them rest from labour and renewed their strength Fifthly Its Durableness Exod. XXXI 16 17. The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant It is a sign between me and the Children of Israel for ever It reacheth as the Cherubins wings from one end of the World unto the other Hence also we may see what little difference there is twixt our Sabbath and the first Sabbath of the world Both commemorate the Creation both the Redemption but only that ours is removed one day forward the Sabbath of old on the seventh day of the week ours on the first Much dispute hath been about this change into which I will not ravel only observe these things in reference to this that it is changed to the day of Christs Resurrection I. As great a Change as this do we not read in the Old Testament viz. the change of the beginning of the year from September to March Exod. XII The year had a natural interest to begin in September because then the world the year and time began and yet when God wrought for Israel an extraordinary work in redeeming them from Egypt a figure of our redemption by Christ he thought good to change the year from that time that naturally
it did begin So though the Passover be appointed to be in that first month that began the new year and be called an Everlasting Ordinance Exod. XII 16. Yet upon occasion the Lord ordained it to be kept in the second month Numb IX To this we may add Gods changing the very end and memorial of the Sabbath to Israel themselves Changing said I or rather adding a new memorial which it had not before In Exod. XX. the memorial is to remember Gods creating and resting in Deut. V. where the Ten Commandments are repeated it is in memorial of their redemption out of Egypt Not unclothed of its first end and memorial but clothed upon So if Adam had continued innocent he must have kept the Sabbath and then it had been to him but the memorial of Gods creating and resting But when Christ and redemption by him was set up and come in before the Sabbath came in then it was clothed with another memorial viz. the remembrance of the redemption II. Christ had power and authority to change the Sabbath Mark II. 28. The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath He had power over all Divine Ordinances Hebr. III. 5 6. Now Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant c. But Christ as a Son over his own house He is not a Servant in the house but a Son to dispose of the affairs of the house as he sees good He is greater than the Temple and so may order the affairs of the Temple as he saw good If a Jew question why he laid by the Ceremonies of Moses The answer is ready because he was greater than Moses Lord of the house in which Moses was but a Servant Nay it was he that appointed Moses those Ceremonies and he might unappoint them at his pleasure That is observable Act. VII 38. This is that Moses that was in the Church in the wilderness with the Angel which spake to him at Mount Sinai and with our Fathers who received the lively Oracles to give us With the Angel who was that It was Christ the great Angel of the Covenant as he is called Mal. III. 1. The Angel of Gods presence as he is called Esai LXIII 9. Then who spake with Moses at Mount Sinai It was Christ. Who gave him the Lively Oracles Laws Testimonies Statutes It was Christ. And then might Christ that gave them dispose of them as seemed him good So that if a Jew question why Christ changed Circumcision into Baptism the Paschal Lamb into Bread and Wine the Jewish Sabbath into the Christian Sabbath The answer is ready he was Lord of them and might dispose of them Het set up Circumcision the Passover the Jewish Sabbath and might take them down and alter them as he pleased III. Ye read once and again in Scripture of Gods creating a new world Esai LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. III. 13. We according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth Rev. XXI 1. And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth Now when was this done The Apostle tells us when viz. in his own time 2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature The meaning of it is Gods creating a new Estate of things under the Gospel a new Church the Jews cast off and the Gentiles taken in new ordinances in his Church Ceremonious worship taken down and Spiritual set up new Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper instead of the Circumcision and Passover a new Command of love to one another a new Covenant a new and living way into the most holy a new Creature and in a word all things become new Then certainly a new Sabbath was fit for a new Creation Lay these two places together Gen. I. 1. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and Esai LXV 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth In fulness of time God created new Heavens and a new Earth and as the first Creation had the old Sabbath so was it not fit the new Creation should have a new Sabbath As our Saviour speaks Mat. IX 17. New cloth must not be put into an old garment nor new wine into old bottles but new wine must be put into new vessels and both are preserved So in this case a new manner of worship new Ordinances new Sacraments to be committed to the old Sabbath This is improper but a new Sabbath must be for these as well as they themselves are new How pied would Christianity have looked if it had worn a Coat all new in other respects but had had on the shirt or piecing of the old Sabbath And how unfit was it to have tyed Christians to the observation of the old Sabbath of the Jews IV. The Resurrection of Christ was the day of his birth and beginning of his Kingdom Observe the quotation Acts XIII 33. The promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled to us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee When was the day wherein Christ was begotten In the day that God raised him from the dead That is strange for as he was God was he not begotten from Eternity and as he was man was he not conceived by the Holy Ghost and born three and thirty years and an half before his Resurrection Yes both most true and yet that true too that he was begotten from the day of his Resurrection And the Apostle tells you how to understand it viz. He was the first begotten and first born from the dead begotten that day to the Gentiles and all the world from thenceforward a Saviour to them and by his Resurrection as the Apostle saith Rom. I. 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power by the Resurrection from the dead So likewise his Resurrection was the beginning of his Reign and Kingdom Consider upon that Mat. XXVI 29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom That is when I am risen from the dead And see Mat. XXVIII 18. Now I begin to reign All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth For now he had conquered all his Enemies Devil Death and Hell Now was not the first day of the week the day on which Christ rose fitter to be made the Sabbath to commemorate his Birth-day from the dead and his entrance into his Kingdom than the last day of the week the old Sabbath on which day he lay in the grave and under death Kings and Potentates use to celebrate their Birth-day and the day of entrance into their Kingdom and this King of Kings was it not fit that such a memorial should be of his Birth-day and entrance into his Dominion And compare the Creation and Christs Resurrection whether of
the Justice of God that Christ was to satisfie and if he could not have done that then there would have been some reason he should have suffered his wrath The Justice of God challenged obedience of men or no coming to Heaven satisfaction for disobedience or they must to Hell Here is enough saith Christ to serve for both ends They have disobeyed here is obedience more than all their Disobediences do or can come to They cannot obey as they should here is that that makes it out viz. Obedience infinite III. The truth was that Christ had to deal with the wrath of the Devil but not at all with the wrath of God Consider but these passages and see what was the stress that Christ had to deal withal in his Passion First That Gen. III. 15. He shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Satan the seed of the woman shall destroy thee This is explained Heb. II. 14. For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil And 1 Joh. III. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil And then observe that Joh. XIV 30. The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me And Luke XXII 53. When I was daily with you in the Temple ye stretched forth no hands against me but this is your hour and the power of darkness While I preached there was a restraint upon you because my hour was not come but now you and Hell are let loose to have your full swing against me There was a Combate proposed in the sufferings of Christ before God and Angels Twixt whom Christ and the wrath of God No but twixt Christ and Satan and all his power What doth God in this quarrel Doth God fight against Christ too as well as the Devil Was his wrath against him as well as the Devils wrath What against his own Champion his own Son No he only tries him by affliction not overwhelms him with his wrath He only lets him alone to him to be the shock of Satan He little assists Satan by his wrath laid on his own Champion See the great Mystery of this great Dispensation in brief God had created the first Adam and endued him with abilities to have stood Thus endued he leaves him to stand of himself and permits Satan to tempt him and he overcomes him and all mankind are overthrown God raised up a second Adam endued with power to foil Satan do he his worst and not only with power to withstand Satan if he will but a will that could not but withstand Satan He sets him forth to encounter and leaves him to himself lets Satan loose to do his worst Satan vexeth him with all the vexation Hell could inflict upon him Did not God love his Son look with dear bowels upon him all this while It is a very harsh opinion to think that Christ undertaking the combate for the honour of God against his arch-enemy that obeying the Will of God even to the death that retaining his holiness unmoveable in the midst of all his tortures paying God an infinite obedience it is harsh I say to think that God should requite him with wrath and look upon him as a wretched damned person No it was the wrath of the Devil that Christ had to combate with not the wrath of God at all IV. Though Christ is said to bear sins yet for all that God did not look upon him any whit the more wrathfully or in displeasure but rather the more favourably because he would bear the sins of his people For God looked on Christ not as a sinner but as a Sacrifice and the Lord was not angry at him but loved him because he would become a Sacrifice Joh. X. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life Esa. LIII 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his Soul unto death Do those words speak the anger of God No his wel-pleasedness his rewarding him for that he would be numbred with transgressors being none but a Lamb without spot and blemish Some say That Christ was the greatest sinner murderer c. because he bare the sins of those that were so which words border upon blasphemy and speak besides a great deal of imprudence and inconsideration See Levit. XVI 21 22. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live Goat and consess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins putting them upon the head of the Goat And the Goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities Is it not sensless now to say That the Goat was the greatest sinner in Israel Was he any whit the more sinful because the sins of the people were put upon him And so of other sacrifices on whose heads hands were laid and sins put was the wrath of God upon the Sacrifice No the pleasure of God was upon it for attonement In such sense are those places to be taken Isa. LIII 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 1 Pet. II. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree 2 Cor. V. 21. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin He bare our sins not as a sinner but as a Sacrifice And that Joh. I. 29. makes it plain Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World As a Lamb at the Temple bare the sins of the people so Christ bare our sins How Was the Lamb guilty or sinful No as an attonement and sacrifice And so God looked on Christ as a Sacrifice well pleasing to him not as sinful at all Need we any more illustration Observe that Exod. XXVIII 36 38. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the engravings of a signet Holiness to the Lord. And it shall be upon Aarons forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts and it shall be always upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. Holiness to the Lord because he bare iniquity It should rather have been Unholiness if Aaron had been any whit the more sinful for bearing the peoples iniquities But he is said to bear their iniquities because he by his office undertook to attone for them How did God look upon Aaron in his Priesthood With anger because he bare the iniquity of the people Nay with favour and delight as so excellent an instrument of attonement Such another passage is that Levit. X. 17 c. Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place
and those Northern Climates there was so great a peace that in some places there Money and Jewels were hung up by the high way and there was neither Theif nor Enemy to take them away Such times became the coming of Shiloh the Peaceable one Isa. 6. 9. And such a beginning was befitting the Gospel of Peace Augustus having brought the Empire under this quiet obedience like a politick Prince will have it all taxed and brought into the Subsidy Book that he might know the extent of his command of his strength and of his revenues And thus we see and may observe Rome come to its intire and absolute Monarchy but at this time and the state and power that should persecute Christ in his Members to the end of the world beginning and born as it were at the very same time when Christ himself Augustus as c c c c c c Annal. lib. 1 Tacitus recordeth of him did cause an account to be taken of all the Empire and himself had a Book and Record of it written out with his own hand Opes publice continebantur quantum civium sociorumque in armis quot classes regna Provinciae tributa aut vectigalia necessitates ac largitiones quae cuncta sua manu perscripserat Augustus which contained the publick revenue the number of Citizens or confederates in the Armies what Shipping Kingdoms Provinces Tributes or Subsidies and relief money and beneficences Dion also in the life of Augustus and much also about this time mentioneth a tax laid by him upon those that dwelt in Italy whose estates were not less then five thousand Sesterces and poorer then these he taxed not Ver. 2. This taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria The Tax is dated by the time of Cyrenius his Governing of Syria First Because Judea was annexed to Syria as a member of it and in naming the one the other is included Secondly Hereby the loss and want of the Scepter and Law-giver in the Tribe of Judah is the better seen for the subjection of the Jews by this is shewed to be in the third degree They subject to Herod Herod to Cyrenius and Cyrenius to Augustus Thirdly From Syria had Israel had their greatest afflictions that ever they had in their own Land as by Gog and Magog Ezek. 38. or the house of the North Dan. 11. And Luke deriving the taxing of the Jews from Syria calleth those things to mind and layeth as it were the last verse of Dan. 11. and the first of Dan. 12. together The taxing is said first to be made in his time As first Denying that ever there was such an universal taxation in the Empire before for the Empire was never in that case of universal quietness to be taxed before And secondly Importing the taxes of that Country that followed after Augustus at this very time laying the platform subjection and submission of the Empire for succeeding posterities And here let it be said again in exact propriety beginneth the Roman Monarchy and is far from being any of the four mentioned Dan. 2. or 7. Josephus c mentioneth Cyrenius his coming into Syria after Archelaus his death To do d Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 1. justice and to assess and tax every mans goods and he came into Judea which was now annexed to Syria and did so there Now Archelaus reigned after Herod Matth. 2. and reigned till Christ was about ten years old for ten years he reigned as saith the same d d d d d d Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 15. Josephus and therefore either Cyrenius came twice into Syria to lay taxations as Funccius concludeth or else Josephus faileth here as he doth not seldom elsewhere in Chronology Ver. 3. And all went to be taxed This taxing was first by Kingdoms and Countries then by Cities and Towns and then by poll First Kingdoms and Provinces were divided one from another Secondly Cities and Towns in every Kingdom and Province were also particularized and notice given that every one should repair to the place to which by stock and descent they did belong Thirdly The people being thus convened in their several Cities their names were taken and inrolled and so the Greek word here used doth signifie in the nearest propriety Then did they make profession of Subjection to the Roman Empire either by some set form of words or at least by payment of some certain sum of money which was laid upon every poll And now first are the Jews entring under the yoke of that subjection which they never cast off again but it pressed them into a final desolation even to this day Secondly They had voluntarily brought this misery upon themselves in calling in the Romans in their civil wars Thirdly No spark of their former freedom and authority is left among them for their King and Law-giver is clean gone Fourthly They are now to be inrolled and registred for vassals to all succeeding generations Fifthly They must now leave their own occasions and many of them their own houses to attend their own bondage and misery And thus It is in the words of our Rabbins if thou see a generation that hath many afflictions then look for the Redeemer from Isa. 59. 17 18. Jer. 30. 6 7 c. D. Kimch in Isa. 59. Ver. 4. And Ioseph also went up from Galilee c. Whether it were for the fear of Herod that had a murderous spite at the stock of David or for the more commodiousness for his trade or for whatsoever else it was that Joseph a Bethlehemite became a resident in Galilee surely it was the wondrous disposal of the Lord that a decree from Rome should bring him now from Galilee to Bethlehem that the Prophesie of Christs being born in that place might take effect Ver. 7. She brought forth his first born This is to be understood according to the propriety and Phrase of the Law agreeable to which it speaketh Now the Law speaking of the first-born regardeth not whether any were born after or no but only that none was born before As Hur is called the first-born of Ephrata 1 Chron. 2. 5. and yet no mention of any child that she had after So Christ is here called the first-born not as though she had any children besides but to shew that in him was fulfilled what was typified by the first-born under the Law who was as King Priest and Prophet in the Family and holy to the Lord. And so likewise in that speech of Matthew chap. 1. 25. He knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born it implieth not that he knew her after for the word till inforceth no such thing as see the Geneva notes upon the place but the Evangelists intention is to clear the birth and generation of Christ from any carnal mixture of Joseph and Mary before he was born And here it is not unseasonable to look a little narrowly into the time of our Saviours birth namely the time of the