??ff:.;||i^^,vr^;r..;j:^ I THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, * ] f ^ Princeton, N. J ^-^ ^ ^' ^ •.* ■"^^'i^vs ^"^f^* Division /|c--^-^ Sect(«n J L ^oo/% Ij- ^ 4^iL,(^^^ NEW VERSION OF THE a GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW; WITH A LITERAL COMMENTARY ON ALL THE DIFFICULT PASSAGES : TO WHICH IS PREFIXED AN INTRODUCTION TO THE READING OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, in'TENDED CHIEFIiY FOR YODNG STUDENTS IN DIVINITY. WRITTEN ORIGINALLY IN FRENCH, BY MESSIEURS DE BEAUSOBRE AND LENFANT, Br THE ORDER OF THE KING OF PRUSSIji. LONDON: PRINTED FOR G. & W. B. WhITTAKER, 13, AVE-MARIA LANE; AND Deighton & Sons, Cambridge. 1819. IT appears from an advertisement prefixed to the puhli-' cation, of which the follovnny one is a copy, that the editor first designed to translate the whole work, of which he gives an account in his preface. But he never published more of his translation than what this volume contaiyis. H. Hodson, Primer, Cross Street, Haiiou Garden, London. THK TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE, •••®®{^?>|®9«»- _J_ HE authors of this incomparable Version and learned Commentary having given a particular account, at the end of the Introduction, of each branch of their tvorh, the translator has thought fit to prefix, by way of preface, the substance of what is there said, tiiat the reader may beforehand have a just notion of the nature of the whole undertaking. It having been represented to the late king of Prussia, that the French Versions of the holy scrip- tures being, by length of time, become obsolete and unintelligible, it was necessary either to make a new translation, or revise the old ones ; he was pleased to cast his eyes on Messieurs De Beausobre and Lenfant, as the properest persons to do the public that import- ant piece of service. Accordingly they jointly set about this work, by the king's express order, and after some years completed the whole, consisting of the fol- lowing parts ; An Introductory Discourse to the Reading of the Scriptures ; An Abstract or Harmony of the Gospel History ; A New Version of all the Books of the New Testament; A literal Commentary on all the difficult passages, with a General Preface to all St. PauTs Epistles, and a Critical Preface to each hook in particular. iv THK IRANSLATOR'S I. THE INTRODUCTION. Though there is nothing in the Introduction but what divines are well acquainted with, yet it may not be displeasing to them to see so many particulars alluded to in the scriptures, and dispersed up and down in the icorhs of the learned^ brought together and handled in one treatise. It was chiefly intended for students in divinity, who have not the opportunity, or perhaps the ability, of coming at those voluminous works that treat of the many curious as well as ??eces- sanj points here discussed. In the first part you have a clear account of all the Jewish matters as far as is requisite for the understandinoj the scriptures. The civil and religious state of the Jews : The Samaritans ; ceremonies: The temple: sacrifices: sijnagogues: high priest, and others : courts of' justice, particularly the Sanhedrim : prophets and scribes, Jewish sects, Pharisees, Saddacees, Essenes: Proselytes oj the gate, and Proselytes of righteousness : years, months, days, and hours of the Jews : fasts and feasts, parti- cularly the Jewish sabbath, &c. In the second part, which relates more especially to the New Testament, you have the proof's of the truth of the Christian religion : The nature of the New Testament style : The chronology and geography of the New Testa- ment: Tlie Hebrew money, weights and measures: The various readings : The division into chapters and verses : The heresies in the days of the Apostles : The versions of the New Testament, ancient and moderji, to which will be added an account of our English ones, &c. II. TOE ABSTRACT OR HARMONY OF THE GOSPEL HISTORY. As for the evangelical and apostolical Harmony, 1. It contains the history of the actions of Jesus PREFACE. V Christ and the Apostles in their true order of time, which the Evangehsts did not so much regard, as not conducing to their principal design of proving Jesus to be the Messiah from his doctrines and miracles. 2. It shews what is common to all the Evangelists, and what is particular to each of them. 3. It paraphrases or explains in other words the original text, which otherwise would require notes. 4. It clears up many things which could not so well be treated of in the Commentary. 3. It may serve also for a table of the principal matters. III. THE VERSION. When our authors were ordered by the king of Prussia to undertake this work, they consulted whether they should revise the old version, or make an entire netv one. But when they considered that a ?ieiv translation would cost them no more time and pains than the revising an old one, and that it was impossible to revise an old version, so as to make it all of a piece ; they resolved upon the former, well l^nowing that the best way to make an ancient misshapen edifice regular and uniform, is to pull it down, and build it all anew. As the most approved versions are those, that adhere not too close to the letter, nor deviate too far from it, our authors profess to have kept between both. Indeed they have often, out of a regard to the sacred text, and a deference to the opinion of the generality of the world, not taken the liberty necessary to an exact and perfect translation. But lest the liberties they have sometimes taken, may r.ot be relish.ed by those, who have not sufficiently attended to the rules of a good translation, they thought proper to make the following remarks upon that subject. ri THE TRANSLATORS 1. In the first place it must be observed, that in translating we are not to render ivord for wor'd, but sense for sense, and that the most I'lteral versions are not always the most faithful. There is a great deal of difference between the letter and the literal sense. The letter is the word explained according to its etij- mology. The literal sense is the meaning of the au- thor, which is frequently quite different from the grammatical signification of the words. The design of a version is not to explain the ivords of a book, that is the office of a grammarian, the intent of a trans- lator ought to be to express the thoughts. Thus a man may be a good grammarian, and at the same time a wretched translator. 2. Nothino; is more common than for tlie same words, in the mouths of different nations, to have dif Jerent significations. In this case to consult your dic- tionary would be a certain means to put you wrong as to the literal sense of an author. For instance, were we to render the Greek word scandaiizien by the English word to scandalize, we should be far from expressing the meaning of the sacred ■penman. For scandaiizien in Greek signifies to lay a snare, to put an obstacle in the ivayjo dishearten, to cause to waver and fall, &c. Whereas in English, to scandalize, is properly to speak ill of a person, to defame, and the like. ?). It often happens that one author uses a word in a diflerent sense from that of another. Of this, to justify and justification Rve instances. In English to justify a person, is, to speak in. his defence, to clear him from what he is accused oj ; whereas in the scrip- ture language, to justify, is an act of God's mercy, whereby nardoning our sins, in consideration of our fail It and repentance, l:e declares us just or righteous, and treats us as such, for the sake of Jesus Christ. There are abundance of word.? of thf Iii;e nature: the PREFACE. vii sacred writers of the New Testament forming their style upon the Hebrew and Septuagint version, often give a particular meaning to the Greek words. If therefore we were to render such words by their most usual signification, we should indeed render them according to the letter, but at the same time should be far from expressing the ideas annexed to them by the author. The same writer also very often uses the same word in different senses, not only in different places, but sometimes in the same sentence. If we were to ren- der them always by the same word, on pretence of being faithful and exact, we should, on the contrary, express ourselves in a very improper and frequently in an un- intelligible manner. The Greek word, for example, that signifies /«/7/i *, is made use of by St. Paul in very difierent senses; sometimes he means by it the heinu: persuaded of' a t hi n g^, somQinwn^ trust or reliance'j^, and sometimes the object of' faith ^, that is the gospel. As these are very distinct ideas the rules of a good trans- lation require, that in each place we give the word Jaith the meaning which is agreeable to the context. 4. It is well known, that in Hebrew, upon which the Greek of the New Testament is formed, there are certain expletives, or superfluous particles, which in that tongue may possibly have their ^/'ac£?5, or at least may not be so disagreeable as in ours. Such is the conjunction copulative, kai, and, which commonly in the New Testatnent instead of connecting begins the discourse. Hence it is that we meet with such multi- tudes oi ands, without any meaning at all, and which in the living languages sound very odd. Of the same nature is the adverb, behold or lo. It often has its meaning and emphasis, but for the most part it is a mere Hebraism without any particular signification. * risri?. t Rom. xiv. 13. \. Hcb. sviii. &c. S ^o^- »v. 14. a 4 ▼iii THE TRANSLATOR'S 5. As for the other particleSj^br, hut, as, now, then, &-C. the critics have very well observed, that they have not determinate significations, and therefore it would be very wrong to render them always in the same man- ner. In fixing their sense the context and connection of the discourse must be our guide. These several meanings of the same particle are owino- to the Hebrew, where the particles vary extremely in their significa- tion*; but the same thing is to be met with in both Greek and Latin authors. 6. As several may think it strange that in this ver- sion thou and thee are changed into you, it will be proper to remove their scruples, which can proceed only from their being used and accustomed to the contrary. But such should consider. That no prescription ought to be pleaded against reason, and that to .speak in a harharous style in 2l polite age and language, is highly unreasonable. Those, who object against this, either forget or do not know that the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin tongues having no you in the singular number, it was impossible for the sacred penmen to speak other- wise. The pretended dignity of thee and thou in the gospels, is to be met with in all the discourses and books of those times, because they could not talk to one another in any other manner. But now-a-days that YOU is made use of in the singular number, when we would speak handsomely, and that to say thou is ex- tremely rude and uncivil, or a sign of great familiarity, or of the meanest dependance, there can be no reason of admitting this indecent manner of exj)ression in the version of the New Testament. What can be more grating than to hear ihe disciples calling their Lord, thou and thee, and our Saviour talking to the Apostles as to the meanest of servants ? * Sec Boyle on the style of the Holy Scripture?. Obj. 3. e. '2. PREFACE. ix ^ It is not the same thing when we address ourselves to God, as when men are talking one to another. God is infinitel}^ above the little rules of our breeding and civi- lity, and as the addresses of the faithful to this Su- preme Being are of a supernatural order, it is proper their language should in some measure be so too. Upon this occasion the oriental style has a certain sublimity in it, which may be much easier conceived than expres- sed. And if, when we speak to kings in heroic style, we find thou has something very noble, grand^ and respectful, how much more so when we address our- selves to the King of kings! 7^ In this version the translators had solely in view the thoughts of the sacred penmen, without any regard to the particular explanations and applications of di- vines. Systems of divinity are to go by the scriptures, and not the scriptures by them. To prove a doctrine by a text, which in its natural sense proves it not, or does not do it without a strained and forced interpre- tation, is to betray at once both the scriptures and doc- trine too. Divines, who go this way to work, expose at the same time the Christian religion in general, and their own principles in particular. In each communion a man is obliged to adhere to the articles, therein estab- lished, but then every one ought to be left free to in- terpret the scriptures by the same rules that are necessary for explaining any other book whatsoever. Besides, when a doctrine is proved by several express texts, or by one such, to endeavour to prove it by passages quite foreign to the purpose, is unfair dealing, a pious fraud very blame-worthy, or at least shews such a strong pre- judice and blind obstinacy, as can never make for tlie credit of any sect or party. Calvin was a truly ortho- dox divine. But he ingenuously disclaimed both the ancients and moderns, when in proof of certain myste- ries they alleged texts, which in his opinion had no manner of relation to the matter in hand. Howbeit the like liberty is not here taken, but without confuting any X THE TRANSLATOR'S particnlar explanation, our authors have laid it down as a law, to represent the text just as it is, and to leave every one at liberty to judge of the truths therein contained. 8. There are two sorts of Hebraisms in the New Testament. Some there are, which all the world un- derstand, having been accustomed to them ; but there are others, which would be unintelligible, if not ex- plained. The first of these are preserved, in order to give the Version the air of an original, which is essen- tial to a good translation. Tlie others have an [English] turn given them, and the Hebraism is marked in the Comment, For instance, as it is usual in all languages, as v/ell as in Hebrew, to term the disciples or folloicers of any person, his children, this expression is retained, as the children of God, and the children of the devil. The Hebrews say, to eat hread^', when they would ex- press eating in general or making a meal. Now this Hebraism cannot be rendered literally without ambi- guity. Again, for the edge of the sword, they say, the mouth of the sivord^, which is unintelligible in English. For a thing they say, a ivor^d ; for posterity/, they say, seed ; for a tree, they say, ivood ; and make use of the word, to answer, in the beginning of a discourse, before any person has spoke. It is evident in these and the like cases the Hebraism must be dropt, and the author's meaning, not his expressions, must be kept to. To give the Version a certain oriental turn, natural to the Nevv^ Testament, all the figures are carefully preserved, as far as perspicuity and the purity of language will admit. There are several ellipses, that is, words understood, which it was necessary to supply ; and several enallages, or changes of tenses and persons which cannot l)e imi- tated without barbarism, and leaving the sense obscure, equivocal, and sometimes entirely wrono;|;. In fine, there are several allusions to words, which are very seldom * John xiii, 18. i Luke xxi. 21. | Sec Luke xiii. 34. Mattli. xxiii. 37. PREFACE. xi capable of being translated from one language to ano- ther. This is done where the words in our lanouasre would bear it; for instance, let the dead hiirif their dead, which is a sort of an enigmatical expression, the understanding whereof depends on the taking the word dead in two different senses. To conclude, nothing has been omitted to keep up the character, genius, and stjt/le of the sacred penmen, as far as was consistent with preserving their sense. If there are any supplemental words, they are no more than the text necessarily requires. They, for whom the sacred, writings were at first designed, supplied without any difficulty the words that were wanting, being used to that way of expression. But our language will not admit of any of these ellipses. All modern and affected expressions are carefully avoided, and though the familiar and popular style of the Evangelists is closely imitated, yet is it done without descending to any mean or low expression. There is a nobleness in the simphc.itij of the language of the sacred authors, which distinguishes them in an eminent manner from common writers, and no endeavours have been wanting to follow them in tliat particular. IV. THE NOTES. The Notes were designed for the following uses. 1. They shew the difference between the [English,] and Greek, to the end they, who understand the ori- ginal, may the better judge of the faithfulness of the translation. 2. They serve to clear up tlie literal sense, when any obscurity occurs. 3. They describe the places, persons, and usages, spoken of or alluded to, as well as explain the proverbial sayings, ivays of expression, and the like, the knowledge whereof gives great light to the meaning of a passage. For instance, our Saviour prefers the whiteness of the lily before all the magnificence of Solomon's royal robes. Now xii THE TRANSLATOR'S the beauty and force of this comparison are much more conspicuous, when we are told, the robes of the eastern princes were white. 4. When a passage may be rendered several ways, or is not understood in the same manner by interpreters, the different senses are taken notice of m the Notes, and eitlier that, which is thought the best, is remarked, or the reader is left to judge for himseU!, when the case is doubtful. 5. The various readings, that make any alteration in the sctisc', are set down. G. Our authors candidly own, they know not the meaning of some passages. They lay nothing down for certain but what appears so, and what they cannot rationally explain, they leave as they found it, doubtful and obscure. It is impossible a work of so great antiquity should be every where equally clear since we are deprived of many helps, which would have given great light into several difficult places. It is sufficient that every thing, relating to our faith and morals, is delivered with all imaginable plainness and perspicuity. V. THE PREFACES. As there will be an occasion to mention the Prefaces to each book of the New Testament, in the In- troduction, the reader is referred thither, in order to avoid repetition. CONTENTS. PART I. fRE Previous Knowledge of several things is necessary to tlie Understanding of the Scriptures 1 The Gospel was to be preached to the Jews first, and by Jews 2 The State of Mankind, and of the Jewish Nation in particular at the time of our Saviour's appearance 5 The necessity of a Forerunner g Of the Political and Religious State of the Jews 8 The Captivity of the Ten Tribes 9 — Tribe of Judah , n Concerning the Herods, and first of Herod the Great 14 Of the Posterity of Herod I9 — the Grandsons of Herod the Great 25 — those Jews who Avere dispersed in several Parts of the World 27 Concerning the Samaritans , 28 OF THE RELIGIOUS STATE OF THE JEWS. Of the Jewish Ceremonies in general 36 OF THE HOLY PLACES. The Holy Land 41 Of Jerusalem 42 Solomon's Temple 44 Of the Neighbouring Places of Jerusalem 54 — the Kings of the Jews ...,..,. 76 — the High Priest 78 — the Levites ^. , 84 OF THE COURTS OF JUDICATURE AMONG THE JEWS. The Sanhedrim 87 OF THE JEWISH PROPHETS AND DOCTORS, Of the Prophets, Scribes and Doctors . , . . _ 91 Xiv tONTRNTS. OF^HE JEWISH SECTS. PA or Of the Sadducees 95 Herodians 97 Pharisees ih. ■ — Essenes 100 Proselytes 103 OF THE HOLY THINGS, Of whole Burnt OlFerings, , 109 — Sin and Trespass Otl'erings 110 — Peace Offerings ib. — Oblations or Inanimate Sacrifices Ill — First Fruits , 112 — Perfumes <• 114 — Vows ib. Concerning Circumcision 117 OF THE HOLY SEASONS. Of the Jewish Years 121 — their Months 122 — Days 123 — the Passover 12G — the Pentecost 133 — the Day of Expiation 134 — Fasts 138 — the Feast of the Tabernacles 141 OF THE SABBATHS. Of the Sabbath • 142 ■ Sabbatical Year 153 ■ Jubilee 154 The Feast of Purini, or Lots 157 Dedication 1515 PAllT li. Concerning the New Testament in general 159 Of the Version of the Seventy 172 Chronology of the New Testament 171 THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Of Judea 18G — Galilee 192 — Tiberias and Scphoris 193 CONTENTS. XV PAGE Of Nazareth. 194 — Bethsaida 195 — Mount Taber and the lake of Gennazereth 196 — Upper GaHlee 197 — Tyre 199 — Syria ,. 202 — Damascus ib. — Julias, Decapolis and Bethabara 203 — the Hebrew Money and Measures 205 Concerning the various Readings 209 — . Chapters and Verses of the New Testament . . 217 OF THE HERESIESTHAT AROSE IN THE APOSTOLICAL TIMES. Of the Gnostics and Simonians 221 ■ Nicolitans and Nazarenes , 223 Cerinthians 224 " Ebionites 225 OF THE VERSIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Of the Italic Version ►, 229 • • Vulgate ib. • Syriac Version 230 — Armenian Version 231 — Ethiopic, Arabic and Persian Versions ., 233 • Gothic and Anglo-Saxon Versions 234 • — Modern Latin Version of the New Testament 235 Of Erasmus ib. — Arian Montanus, and the Zurich Versions ib. — Robert Stephens, the King's Printer, & Castalio's Version 236 — Theodorus Beza 238 Preface to St. Matthew's Gospel 241 The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to St. Matthew 252 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE READING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. PART I. VXOD having been pleased to make use of the The previous ministry/ of men, in revealing to us his will, and s'yieTamfingf transmitting to posterity the divine oracles; a ge- '^ZZl'ill wera/ knowledge, at least, of several previous arti- s';?;;',!,"^.!"' cles, is absolutely necessary for a right understanding the hoy scriptures. We must know, for instance, the time and country/ the ^acrec? penmen lived in ; their language and cha- racter; the religion, manners, customs, and usages of the people Avith whom they conversed ; and many other particu- lars, taken notice of hereafter. Though there be this material difference between the sacred writings, and all others, of what character soever, that the ^rst having been inspired by the Spirit of God, their authority is divine, and consequently infallible, beyond all contradic- tion, as well as beyond all par«//e/ and comparison; yet in explaining both sacred and profane authors, the same rules of common sense must be observed : we must have recourse to studi/ and meditation, we must call in the help of history^ chronology, geography, and languages; in a word, of what the learned term criticism, or the art of judging of authors and their works, and of arriving at the true sense of them. This method is absolutely necessary for the understanding both the Old and New Testament ; but then there is this difference between them, that the New having succeeded the Old, and been, as it were, the accomplishment of it, the sacred writers of the former liave borrowed the language of the latter, have perpetually alluded to it, and applied the predic- tions to the events of their own times, in imitation of their Divine Master, who always referred back to that source. So that in order rightly to understand and explain the New B 2 AN INTRODUCTION TO Tenlament, one ought to be xcell read in tlic O/r/, and have a true notion of the state of things in the days of the Evange- lists and Apostles, These are the reasons tliat have induced us to compose this Discourse, as an hilroduclion to the Rtad'nig of l/ic New Tcslarinnt. It is indeed true, that all things necessary to salvation are clearly and plainly revealed, and therefore such persons as have neither the leisure nor opportunity of improv- ing themselves in such parts of learniug as are before men- tioned, have yd this comfort and satisfaction, that tliey may easily find and discover all saving truths without much study and application ; as, on the other hand, they are entirely ■without excuse, if they neglect to search the scriptures on pre- tence of ignorance or inability. However, it must be owned, when we come to a close and thorough examination of the ho' i/ scriptures^ we shall, unless furnislied with the knowledge of the particulars above-Jnentioned, be continually liable to mistakes, imagine we understand what we have no notion of, or, at best, but a very imperfect one, and find ourselves puzzled and put to a stand at every turn. For want of these helps, the scriptures are frequently ill understood, and ill explained. Some put abstracted and metaphj/sical senses on passages that contain plain and simple truths, and expressed in roiniiio)! terms. Others having learnt a sj/stem ofdivinifj/, instead of ex})laining scripture by scripture, by considering the context and paralhl places, wrest the word of God to their pre-conceived opinions. Others again, having regard only to the viodem languages, customs, and manners, cannot but mistake the meaning of the inspired writers, for want (if I may so say) of conveying themselves back to the time xchen^ and country zchere^ the sacred penmen wrote. Hence it comes to pass, that the holy scriptures, and the christian religion, are so disfigured, as hardly now to be known in tlie schools and seniivari< s o'i learning: where the heads of young students aie filled with a thousand chimerical notions, entirely unheard of by the Evangelists. In order to remedy these in- conveniences, we shall endeavour to give a general knowledge of what is necessary for the more profitable reading the holi/ scriptures, esj)ecially the New Testament. i. -As God designed, and had accordingly revealed it to ThoGo^pei tjie worUI by his prophets % that the gospel should p?ea.i,fd = " It wa'^ a custom among the Jews, of what rank or quality soever, to " teach their children some insienious craft or art, not only as a remedy " agiainst iflleness, but as a reserve in time of want. — We have a. me- " morable instance of this custom in tho;e two brotbf-rs, C!hasinai and Chani- " lai, wl;ose story Josephus relates at large -.—though they were persons of " note, they were nevertheless put w ith a weaver to leara the trade, which, " says the historian, was no lUsparagement to them, ( CTo«)!(7£Oi ey. ovroi '* a^r^E'TrS^'ToIV E7ri;)(^&;§ioK, ^C.) Rabbi Joie was a currier, or. a Icather- " dresser; Rabbi Jochanan was a shoe-maker, aul from thence surnamed " Sandalar, Ac." Mr. Falle's Sermon on Acts xviii. 3. p. 12, &c. b2 4 AN INTRODUCTION T<;:f, the Homans, that, accordins: to Cicero^, The order of the Puhlirans consisted of the choicest of the Jioman J{nio;htSf was the ornament of the eilij^ and. the support of the common- Zi)ea/th. Hence it is evident, that thoujrli St. Matthew, in all appearance, was a Jew ; yet he could not be of the meanest oi the people, since he had been admitted to so considerable a post. These few reflections and instances may serve to shew, how talse and ijroundk'ss the objections are, that were ur£:ed by the Heathens ag-ainst the Apostles, as if they had been a parcel of wea/c and si//// men. Hence also, on the other hand, it is manifest, that they had neither /earning nor anthority enouij^h, as that the wonderful propas^ation of the gospel throughout the world could be ascribed merely to their own power and wisdom. ,', y ^.V!, J^ However this be, in reading the New Testament, we mit^ have always in our minds, 'Y\v\i{\\c gospel was at first preach- ed by the Jews, and in Judea, the Evangelists and Apostles having been all of that nation; (excepting St. Luke, who was born at Antiocli in Syria, and concerning whom it is not well known whether he was a Jew, or a Heathen, when he embraced the Christian religion. It is very likely that he was a Heathen by birth, but a Jewish proselyte, as we have ol)served in our preface on his gospel, and in St. Paul's epistle to the Colossians). For this reason, we meet, in the New Testament, with frequent allusions to the Jewish cus- toms and ceremonies. Their proverbs and mora/ sayings are often mnde use of; and for want of beitjg acquainted with the style of the inspired writers, we are apt to be at a loss, and look for mysteries where there are none, by understand- ing lit(ra//ij what is only an cd/usion to some custom or say- ing of the (^Id Testament. The author of tlie new coxenanl proceeded in the sarfte manner as the legislator of the 0/1/ had done before. God's design in aiving the children of Israel a law, ])eing to dis- tinguish them from the rest of the world by a particular kind of worship; he adapted, in the best manner that can be con- ceived, the ordinances he gave that people, to their state and circumstances. Whatever might lead them into idolatry, that he forbid upon the severest penalties. But lest they should, at the same time, have an aversion for the religion he instituted, he was therefore jtlensed to apj)ropriate to his worship, some of the Jiarni/ess customs and ceremonies that •* Flos pqiiitnin Ronianortiin, oniainonfum civiiatis, firmaiDenduii reipublicae, Publicanoruin ordiiie contiiietur. Oral, pro I'lancio. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 6 were received among those nations, wbom the Israelites had conversed with. The same method was observed by Jesus Christ in his establishment of the religion which he revealed to mankind. Though circumcision was a seal and token of the ancient covenant, yet the Mediator of the new was circum- cised, that the Jews might have no manner of pretence for rejecting him: and, for the same reason, all other things relat- ing to him were performed according to the law ot Moses. The baptism of Jolin assured men of pardon, ])rovidcd they repented of their iniquities. The Son of God had undoubt- edly no need of it ; yet we find that he desired to be baptized, not only that he might thereby authorize the ??//??/>/»;// of his forerunner, but more^ especially, thai he might by this means fulfil all righteousness ; i. e. omit no custom that was prac- tised by the Jewse. Jesus Christ being the accomplish- ment of the law, it consequently ceased to be in force at his coming : But as it was not then a proi)er time to reveal this mystery^ our Saviour therefore observed the law with great exactness, and even constantly went up to Jerusalem at the \,solemn feasts. If he is sometimes accused of breaking the 'sabbath^ he answers all objections of that kind, with such 'reasons and instances, as ought to have convinced at once ^those that made them, that they were guilty both of calumny ind superstition. From these several particulars it appears, Ihow necessary it is, for the right understanding of the New 'Testament, to be furnished with such parts of learning, as |i|iYe been mentioned above. ^^' ll.^ tte 'eoiidition mankind was in, at the time of I^^J^^l''^ ^'Jesus Christ's appearance in the world, may 5^^^^,', '^\^. very fitly be represented under the idea of a person ;!;•;;,;•; p^j'" afflicted with a deadly disteni|er; aid the coming t';- ^■^'n^^;^^,^ .of our blessed Redeemer be considered as the criti- al^peal^nce.* ■ cal time, which was to decide either the death or cure of the diseased person What therefore John the Baptist said of the /Jewish nation, that the axe was laid unto the root of the tree% hath in other words, been said by St. Pauls, of all the inha- j bitants of the world. The best part of the universe was with- out GoA^-, idolatry, which then generally prevailed, being 'the most inexcusable sort of atheism.', because not content ^•with not acknowledging the true God, it rendered to crea- ;' tures a worship that was only due to the Almighty Creator of f ^_ things. It is indeed no wonder, that since the heathen « Mattti. ii;. 15. ' Matth. iii. 10. s Rom. i. 18. »- F-ph. ii. 12. ' Ibid. 6 AN INTRODUCTION TO TV'orshipjicd for their gods monsters of unclcamiess, and of all kinds oi' itijif Slice, ihey should give theinselvcs up to the most enonnoiis vices, as \vc are tokl by Hi. Paul they did^. But, on liie other hand, the Jewish nation, that had been so highly favoured by Almighty God, was neither more holy, nor less vicious than the rest of the world, as the same Apostle observes in several parts of his epistles'. We do not lind indeed that they were ever guiity of idolatry, after their return from the Babylonish cajUivity. But they had fallen into several other heinous crimes, whereby they no less deserved the wrath of God, or the compassion of the great lover and physician of souls. TJiough (lod liad, by a very special favour, com- initted liis iioly oracles to them, yet they had been so ungrate- ful as to slight and neglect so valuable a treasure. For after the gift of prophecy ceased among tliem, and their liiibbins ajid Scribes came to interpret and comment on the ^ac/ra' writings they adulterat(;d them to that degree, that they rendered thera of none effect by their false glosses, and foolish trauiliom^. They made the essence of their religion to consist in cere- monies, while they trod under foot the weightier matters of the law, and their worship was resolved into a set of formal shews and hypocritical })ageantry. Pulled up morever with arrogancy and pride at this their specious outside, and for liaving a law, whicii would indeed have promoted their glory and happiness, if they had stuck to the true sense of it; they fancied ihey had a right to hate and despise the rest of man- kind, with whom they agreed in no one point, but in an extreme corruption of manners. Those autliors that arc most jealous of the glory of the Jewish nation, for instance, Josephus, have given a most shocking description of it, in this respect. The account we have here given of the moral state of the u'oni'fo'ri!- Jews, idlbrds us an occasion of admiring the excel- runner. ]cnt mcthocl God was pleased to follow, when he sent liis Son into the world. For liencc it is evident, that it was absolutely necessary the Messiah should have such a, fore- runner, as John the Baptist was. Before any precepts can be instilled into men's minds, it is proper that the errors and prejudices which they labour under, should be removed; to the end that the obedience, which tliey render to Ctod, may be the effect of deliljeration and choice: but when their cor- ruption is conu> to an exorbitant height, and their understand- ings are clouded with a thick darkness, we must create in them "' Rom. i.21. 2. Chron. xxxiv. 9. = 1 fluon. ix. 3. "» Jer. 1. 4. THE NEW TESTAMENT. n the children of Israel should come, ihej/ and the children of Jtidah together^ and seek the Lord their God. The same tiling is further evident from the gospel. Anne the daughter of Plianuel, mentioned by St. Luke^ was of the tribe of Aser. St, MatthcAv says' that Jesus Christ went and preaciicd in the borders of Zabulon and Neptha/im, that it might be fulfilUd which i£as spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, the Icmd of Zabulon, and the land of Nepthaliin hath seen great light. It may indeed be said tliat the tribe of Judali and the remains of that of Jienjamin iook possession of these countries alter their return from the captivity, liut this Qpinion cannot well be reconciled with the contemptuous manner with whicli the Jews treated the Galileans, and their extreme aversion for the least mixture with the Gen- tiles. It is manifest from the whole tenor of the gospel, and the testimony of Josephuss, that though tiie Galilems pro- fessed the Jewish religion, and had some dealings with the Jews, yet that they were looked upon by the latter as persons of quite a difierent character from themselves It is more- . pver evident from the same authors, that Galilee was a very populous country, which could not possibly have been, if it had been peopled only by colonies sent tiiither from the tribe of Judah, whose country was large enough to hold them all. It is then very probable, that the cities of Galilee were peopled with such of the ten tribes, as remained in the land, or had returned thither from several parts, upon difier- ent occasions. The tribe of Judah did not continue more faith- Ti.e captivity ful to God, than Samaria, the metropolis of the jLa'ai,!"^'''"' kingdom of Israel had done. Accordingly they were alike severely punished for their disobedience, by being ^ often delivered into the hands of their enemies, and at a- c. G'm. last all carried away captive by Nebuchadnezzar w. in the 19th year of his reign. Nebuzaradan, the sss. captain of his guard, having taken and destroyed the city and temple of Jerusalem, carried away Zedekiaii the last king of Judah, captive to Babylon, with such as survived their unhappy country, excepting some of tlieir poorest, "whom he left to dress and till the ground. Tlieir jmmber must notwithstanding have been pretty considerable. For they are siiled a people ; they inhabittid several towns; and Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah a very famous man for their governor, since all the Jews, who had fled for . = Luke ii. 36, f Malt, tv. 13, 15, 16; e- Joseph, -de- Bell. Jyd, 1. \\\. c.2. * 2 Chron, xxxiii. 2, Tixxyi. 6, 17. 2 Kings xxiv. xxv, Jcr. Hi. li AN INTRO DOCTION TO refuge among ihe Moabitcs, Amnionilos, Idiimaeans, and other neighbouring nations, came and iniph)red his protection. As soon indeed as this president had been barbarously murdered by the treachery of Ishniael, the greater part of them fx'ing afraid of falling into the hands of the Chaldeans, went down into Egypt ; though God had given them an express prohi- bition to the contrary by his Prophet Jeremiah', because ho was desirous of keeping together these remains of Judah. However this be, after the captivity of Babylon had lasted seventi/ years, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah ^^ it ended with the empire of the Chaldeans, which was destroyed by Cyrus the founder of the Persian monarchy. This prince being moved thereto by God, in a special manner, signalized the tirst year of his reign over the Babylonians, by his edict in favour of the Jews ; fultilling thereby the prophecy of Isaiah i, which as .losephus pre- tends f", Cyrus himself had read. Thus much is {.lain Irom scripture'^, that he acknowledges, it was by God's order, he set the Jews at liberty, and caused the city and tem])le of Jeru- salem to be rebuilt. However, this work was but just begun during the life-time of Cyrus, who was wholly taken up with his war against the Massageta?, wherein he tell, it was after- wards interrupted and stop])edo for several years, under the reigns of some of Cyrus's successors, by the treachery and calumnies of the Samaritans or Cuthaans, the professed and perpetual enemies of the Jews. So that the temple could not be finished till the reign of Darius the son of HystaspesP, nor Jerusalem rebuilt till the time of Artaxerxes his succes- sor, according to the opinion of the most famous Chronolo- gers. About these times prophesied Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, the last of the prophets, with whose writings the Jewish canon ends. This is necessary to observe in relation to the New Testament, because neither the sacred authors, nor Jesus Christ, have quoted any other books but what ■were in that conon. The Jews after their return from the Babylonish ca])tivity, remained in subjection to the kings of Persia, till the time of Alexander the Gnat. Though they were tributary to them, yet they enjoyed the free exercise of their religion, and were governed by /wg.? of their own nation. Josephus relates 1 that Alexander the Great being liighly incensed against- the ' Jer. >li. xlii. xll K k Jcr. xxix. 10. ' Isa. xliv. 98, xlv.'IS. ■ Jos. Ant. Jud. 1. vi.c. 1. ■■ '2 Cliron. xxxvi. 22, !^3. I zra i. 1, 2. • l-.zra IV. p Ezra ^i. vii. Kuseb. Cbron. ■> Joieplius Anliq. Jud. 1. xi. c. 8. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 13 Jews, because they had refused him assistance, had resolved to go and lay siege to Jerusalem ; but that as he was march- ing towards it, his anger was immediately turned into a re- verend awe at the sight of Jaddus the high-priest, who came out to meet him in his pontifical robes, and that he granted the Jews all the privileges they required of him. We are not indeed obliged to give credit to all tlie fine things Jose- phus hath advanced in this part of his history. But thus much is certain, from that time the Jews began to hellenize ^ ; that the Greek tongue, spoken by the Macedonians, became more common among them; and that they also embraced some of the opinions of the Greek philosophers, as the transmigration of souls for instance. We find some steps of this notion even in the New Testament, as in St. Luke xvi. 23, where there is an account of the abode of departed souls, conformable to the Grecian Philosophy, and in St. John ix. 2, where we find an allusion to the pre-existcnce, and transmigration of souls. It is moreover evident from the apocrj/phal writings % from Philot, Josephus^i, and the Thalmudists, that the Jews, especially the Pharisees, had learned and followed the Grecian Philosophy, ever since their conversing with the Greeks under Alexander the Great, the Ptolemies and Seleucidae his successors, who leigned in Egypt and Syria. After the death of this illustri- ous monarch, the administration of the common- wealth of Israel came into the hands of the high-priests, and was some- times protected, and at other times oppressed by the kings of Egypt and Syria its neighbours, who became successively masters of it. Ptolemy Lagus x, king of Egypt and successor of Alexander the Great, surprised Jerusalem, and carried several thousands of Jews with him prisoners into Egypt, where they were followed by several others, w ho were induced . to go thither, upon account of the great trust Ptolemy reposed in them. Ptolemy Philadelphus had a great kindness for them, and gave several thousands leave to return into their own country. They underwent very great hardships, during the long ancl continual wars between the kings of Egypt and . Syria. Bat their religion and state never were in so ^ ^ j^^, great danger, after their return from the Babylonish captivity, as under Antiochus Epiphanes. What a terrible persecution that cruel and impious prince raised against rAem, is so well known, that we need not give an account of i .\ y » See Easeb. Chron. & Praepar, Evar.g, vii. 14, & viii. 10. * '^^^^ Tii. 17. ' Philo Passim. • Jos. de BelL'^JJodi 1. u. 12. " Jos. Antiq, Jud, !. xii. c. I. 14 AN INTRODUCTION TO it here ; nor of the valour and lieroic zeal of the Maccabees', who llien freed tiiem from it. A few years after, the regal authority and the priestiiood were united in Aristobulus, the son of Hyrcanusy, who liad shaken oiFthe yoke of the Mace- donians, destroyed the temple of Gerizim, sacked several towns in Syria, and forcedtheldumieansto be circumcised, for which reason they were thenceforward looked upon as Jews. We may observe by tlie by, tliat it came likewise to pass about the same time that Onias, exasperated at seeing the high- priesthood given to Alcimus, who was not of the sacerdotal race, went into Egypt, and got Ptolemy Philometor's leave to build a temple there upon the model of that at Jerusalem. Thus the Jews came to have three temples that rivalled one another, one at Jerusalem, another at Gerizim in Samaria, built by the permission of Darius, and afterward of Alexander the Great; and that of Onias in Egypt. The Jewish state remained in this condition till the time of Pompey the Great, who deprived Hyrcanus of his crown, leaving him hoAvever in possession of the priesthood, and invested with jirincely power, and made the Jews tributary to the Romans^. Thus did tlic Je^rs forfeit their liberty, by means of the fiictions of those very Asmonoeans, whose valour had procured it for them before *. Julius Caesar having defeated Pomi)ey, he continued Hyr- concerning cauus higli-pricst, aud gave the government of aMd"rst'o'f Judea to Antipater, an Idumasan by birth, but "ua.*! "'*' '^ Jewish proselyte, and the father of Herod sir- A. c. 48. named the Great i^, who was afterwards king of the Jews. Antipater divided Judea between his two sons, be- stowing upon Phasael, who was the eldest, the government of Jerusalem; and that of (zalilee, upon Herod, his second son: who, being naturally bold and active, was not long witliont shewing the greatness of his mind ; for he cleared his country of the robbers it was infested with, and signalized his courage against Antigonus the competitor of Hyrcanus in the priest- hood, who was set up by tlie Tyrians. Mark Anthony rati- fied these regulations of Antipater, and gave his two sons the name of Tctrarclis, or Princes^. In the mean time the Par- thiaiis having invaded Judea carried away captive Hyrcanus, and Phasael, Herod's brother oii He- rod, giving up all for lost, tied to Mark Anthony at Rome, Avho, with the consent of the Senate, bestowed upon " Jos. AnCui. Jiitl. 1. xiii. 0. 19. ' Laini Anpar. CliroJi. p. 11. ' Jos. dr Rello J«ul. 1. i. c. 5. >> Jo^. Anfui. xiv. 'i. 1'2, "^ Jo-, \ntiq. xiv, 23. &. dc Bell. Ju>1. 1. ii. 8. "■ Id, Aiitiq. xiv.25. * THE NEW TESTAMENT. u him the title of King of Jiidea^, which he designed to beg for Aristobulus the brother of Mariamne, and grandson of PJyrcanus, of the Asinouiean family. He kept himself in possession of this dignity by the help of the Roman arms, notwitiistanding the faction of Antigonus, who liad the greatest partot the Jewish nation on his side^. The intestine war that happened u])on this occasion, and lasted for about three years, brought Judea to the very brink of destruction. Jerusalem was taken, the temple plundered and ravaged, and a dreadful slaughter ensued on both sides. Though Herod got the better, yet he Mas not well settled on his throne, so long as he had tlie displeasure of Augustus to fear, after the overthrow of Mark Anthony, with whom he had sided. However he was continued by Augustus in his government of Judea. If this prince may be said to have had any good qualities, his vast magnificence in buildings must be reckoned as one. This manifestly appeared in his founding or repairing several cities s, to which he gave the names of Augustus Caisar, and Agrippa : as for instance, Samaria which he called Sabasteh, that is Augusta; Turris Stratonis' which he named Cjesarea, different from tliat other t'aesarea which Philip the Tetrarcli honoured Avitli that name out of respect to Tiberius Caesar, and which for that reason is stiled in the New Testament, CcBsarea Philippi'*. But the greatest glory and ornament of Herod's reign, in tliis respect, was the building of the temple of Jerusalem anew, which had been rebuilt about five huntlred years before by Zerubbabel. The he reason alledged for this undertaking, was, that the second temple was sixty cubits lower than Solomon's^. When he acquainted the Jews with his design, they were alaniied at it, thinking that it would be both difficult and dangerous to put such a thing in execution, and moreover judging it unlawful to meddle with a temple which God liad restored to them in so wonderful a manner. Besides, tiiey were afraid that the dhine service would have been interrupted for a considerable time, while this new temple was a building. But Herod removed their fears, by assuring them that the old templeshould remain untouclied, till all the materials for the new one were got readv; And accordingly it appears from history, that the divine service was performed all the time the new one was building, or rather the old one repairing. Joseplms observes™, that ' Jo3 Antiq. Jud. 1. xii, c. 26' ' Dio. Hist. 1. 49. p. 463. « Jos. de Bell. Jud. 1. i. c. 1 6. ^ Til. AiUiq. 1. xv. c. 11. ' Id. ibid. &r. 23, *■ Matth. xvi. 13. ' Jos. Antiq. 1. xv. c. 14. "" Id. ibid. 16 AN INTRODUCTION TO Herod, " durst not presume to enter into the holu place " himself, because not being a priest, he stood prohibited by " law, but that he committed the care of this part of the " work to the priests themselves;" from whence it plainly appears, that place was not pulled down, but only some alterations made in it. The same is further evident from the gospel n, wherein it is said, Joseph and Mary went to Jerw salem ever?/ year of the feast of the passover, which was celebrated in the temple, and that they went thither with Jesus Christ according to custom^. Had their been any interruption in that matter, the Evangelist could not have used that expression. And therefore the Jews never make mention of any more than two temples, looking upon Herod's only as Zcrubbabel's repaired, though it might justly have been reckoned a new temple, both upon the account of the inagniticent buildings he added to it, and the rich materials he used; which, whilst the disciples of Jesus Christ were onceadmiringo, he took an occasion from thence of foretellino- the ruin of that temple. This magnificence the prophet HaggaiP had an eye to, when he declared that the glory of this latter house was to be greater than that of the former. But notwithstanding all the beauty and sumptuousness of Herod's temple, this prophecy was not fulfilled but by Jesus Christ's coming into it; He, who was the true temple of God, and of whom that of Jerusalem Avas no more than a very imperfect figure, as St. Paulq and Jesus Christ him- self r do intimate. How noble soever the descriptions are* which the Jews have given us of Herod's temple, yet they unanimously agree t that there were several things wanting in it, as well as in that of Zerubbabel, which were the chief glory of the first temple; that is, the Ark of the coxoiant, wherein were put the two tables of the law, with the pot of manna, and Jaron's rod that budded ; the Urim and Thum- mini; the cloud, or Shecinah, which was a token of the divine Presence ; the spirit of prophecy ; and the holy anointing oil. Of all these there Avere but faint representations, and imperfect copies in the second temple, as is owned by the Rabbins themselves. And therefore Haggai's propjiecy was applied to the Messiah by tlie ancient Jewish doctors i^, who say, that the glory of the second temple consisted in this, that it was honoured with the Messiah's presence. Joscphus tells " Luke ii. 41, 42. » Mntth. xxiv. Mark xiii. 1. Luke xxi. 5. p Ha?, ii. 9. 1 Coloss. li. 9. ' John ii. 21. • Jos. Antiq. Jud. I. xV. c. 14. Thalmud. ap. Lightfoot, torn. ii. Opp. p. 275. • Abcn-Asra ap. Deyline Obs. Sacr. Part. iii. OI)s. 20. i J » THE NEW TESTAMENT. IT us*, that Herod set about this work in the eighteenth year of his reign; and finished it in the space of nine years and a half. Which must necessarily be understood of the walls and main body of the building; and not of all its parts and ornaments, since the same historian relates in another place, that it was not quite finished till the time of Agrippa the younger, the grandson of Herod, that is about sixty years after the birth of Jesus Christ. We have no reason there- fore to be surprised at what the Jews told Jesus Christ x, that //»'s temple was forty and six 1/ ears in buildings since if we reckon from the eighteenth year of the reign of Herod, [when he undertook to rebuild the temple] to the thirtieth year of Jesus Christ, [in which this dispute happened between him and the Jews] we shall find iw&iforty-six years. It is more natural to put this sense upon tlie words of the Jews, than, as others have done, to compute those forty-six years from the order given by Cyrus for rebuilding the temple, to the finishing of it; because by this last calculation those J' ears cannot well be made out. Josephus relates that the people were overjoyed to see the work completed, and that they offered numerous sacrifices upon that occasion. How great a shew soever there might be of religion in this undertaking, yet it could by no means make amends for the miseries which that unhappy people suft'ered from the impieties, and above all from the cruelties of Herod. If he built a temple in honour of the true God, he erected several, on the other hand, to false deities, in order to ingratiate himself with Augustus and the Romans z. But his prevailing character was an extreme inhumanity, and the most enormous cruelty. Though Josephus hath extolled, as much as possible, the good qualities of Herod, yet he could not conceal his crimes and vices, and above all his horrid cruelty. He imbrued his hands in the blood of liis wife, of his children, and of the greatest part of his family : of so restless and jealous a tem- per was he, that he spared neither his people, nor the richest and most powerful of his subjects, nor even his very friends *. He was naturally so suspicious, that he put the innocent to the torture, for fear the guiltt/ should escape b. It is justly won- dered at, that Josephus should make no mention of the slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem c, which was done by Herod's order, not long after our Saviour's birth. 'J'o ^ Jos. Ant. 1. XV. c. J4. ^ John ii. 20. ^ Jos. Aut. 1. xv. c. 12, 13. ^ Jos. Ant. 1. xi. cap. 11. & de Bell. Jud. I. i. p. 17. ' Jos. Ant.!, xi. cap, \\. & de Bell. Jud. 1. i. p. 19. ' Mattli. ii. Ifi. c 18 AN INTRODUCTION TO account for this omission, some learned men have imasifined, that this massacre having' been done privately from house to house b)' a few soldiers, it made no great noise, or else was not set to Herod's account^. But it is most probable that Jose- phiis knew nothing" oi it, since he found it not in the Memoirs of Nicolaus Damascenus, an historian of those times ; whom he himself charges with having- palliated and disguised the most notorious and extravagant cruelties of Herod*'. It seems however not to have been unknoAvn to a heathen avthor^, who speaks of it (though confusedly,) in the following- manner: *^ Anf/nfif?/.> Jos. Ant. 1. xvii. cap. 8. He was parched up with a faint, inward fever, that almost burnt his heart out, and >et scarce sensible to the touch. He was tormented witli an insatiahh appetite, w/ccrs and f Ao^irfcs in his bowels; phlegmatick tumours \\\ his feet and ?roin ; asthmas, cramps, isc. ' Id. ibid. ^ Rle£;illath Taauith ap. Usscr. ^ Ann. p. 535. Lauii Appar. Chron. p. 73. ' Josephus ubi supra. THE NEW TESTAMENT. ^& we should next give an account of his sons and ffratid- or ,he pn.t^- ,j50ws, as far as is requisite for the understanding n'j ofHeioj. the New Testament. We find three of his sows mentioned there, between whom, by liis last will and testament, he di- vided his dominions : viz. Archeiaus, to whom he oave the kingdom of Judea, together with Idumaea and Samaria ; - . Herod-Antipas, or Antipater, whom he appointed Tetrarch or governor of Galilee and Percea ; and Pliilip, w hom he made likewise Tetrarch ofItur«>n,Batanjea,Trachonitis,Auranitis, and some other countiies. It wiis necessary that Herod's rciil should be ratified by Augustus Ccesar, and it was accordingly- done, excepting this, tliat he would not bestow upon Archeiaus the title of khif/, but only that of Ethnarcfi, that is, prince or chief of the nation^. This name, which had been oiven before to some of the high-priests, (as to Hyrcanus for" instance,) seems to denote a dignity superior to that of a Tetrarch, but inferior to that of a king, since Auoustus refusino- to confer this latter title upon Archeiaus, was however willing to distinguish him from his brothers by that of Ethnarcln The learned are not agreed about the meaning of the word Tetrarch. But it may be inferred from what hath been just now said, that it m as reckoned less honourable than the name of king or prince. In its primary and original signification it implies a f/overmr of a fourth part of the covntry, and this seems to have been the first meaning that was affixed to ito. But it was afterwards given to the governors of a pro- vince, whether their government was the fourth part of a country, or not ; as it happened in the case now before us, for Herod divided his kingdom only into three parts. However, the Teti-archs were looked upon as princes, and sometunes com- plimented even with the name of kings P, but this w as a nn'sap- plying of the word. Archeiaus was acknowledged kiucf l)y the peojjle with vast expressions of joy ; but though he had declared that he would not usurp that title, without the empe- ror's consent yet he soon acted like a king, or rather a tyrant, that is, in a very absolute and arbitrary manner. Augustus had promised him the kingly power, whenever he should make himself worthy of that honour^; but he, instead of endeavouring to gain the favour of his sovereign, and the good-will of his subjects, exercised in the very beginning -of his reign such cruelties towards them, that not being able to bear his unjust and barbarous dealings, they com- plained of him to Augustus. It Avas undoubtedly upon the •" Joseph. Antiq. 1. xvii. p. 13. ■ Id. Aatiq. 1. xiv. p. 22. o Harpocrat- Lexic p. 330. p Matth. xiv. 9. Joseph. .Antiq. 1. xvii. p. 18. c 2 20 AN INTRODUCTION TO account of the tyrannical temper of this prince, that Joseph and Mary, ^vhen they came back from Egypt, and heard that he reujued in Jtnlea, in the room oj' his father He- rod, mere a/raid to ijo thither; and therefore came and dwelt in the city of Galilee called Nazareth ^ which was under the jurisdiction of Antipas, a good and mild g-overnor. We cannot exactly tell Avhether this return of Joseph and Mary happened before, or after Archelaus's journey to Rome to have his father's will confirjned. However, when he came back to Jerusalem, he acted in as tyrannical a manner as ever, so that the chief men of the Jews and Samaritans joined in such grievous complaints against him, that Csesar banished him to Vienne, a city in Gaul, wliere he died*. From that time Judea was made a province of the Roman empire, and as well as Samaria and Idum{ea, governed l)y Roman magis- trates, Avho had the name of Procurators, the first of whom was Coponius, of the equestrian order*. These Prociuators depended upon the president of Syria, to which Judea and Samaria also were annexed, after Augustus had reduced them into provinces. Quiriuus, a Roman senator, >vas then gover- nor of Syria, and he it was who with the assistance of Coponius )ut the emperor's commands in execution, by thus reducing udea and Samaria into provinces. This is the same Quirinusi whom St. Luke and Josephus " call Cyrenius, who by Coesar's order, made a taxing in Judea and Syria. Josephus mentions only this last taxing). But it is unques- tionably manifest from St. Luke, that there Avas another ten years before, that is, at the time of our Saviour's birth*. It is therefore to distinguish this first taxing from the second, that the Evangelist says, that this, which happened at the birth of our Saviour, was juade before that of Quirinus, which the same divine author makes also mention of in the Acts of the apostlesy. It is true that St. Luke's words are obscure and ambiguous, for one would think at first siglit that they should be rendered, This first taxiuif was made when Cyrenius was f/overnor oj St/ria^. But this translation of them cannot be reconciled with the history of those times ; for it appears that, at the time of our Saviour's nativity, it was either Sentius Saturninus or Quintilius Varus, that was president of Syria, and not Quirinus^. It may however be supposed, that as it happened sometimes, Quirinus was sent by the emperor into ' Maitli. ii. 22. ' Josepli. Antiq. I. xvii. p. 15. ' Id. de Rello Jud. 1. ii. p. 7. " L«kpii.2. .lo-eph. Aiiliq. 1. xviii. p. 1. For an account of the natm-e of tlio Procurator's office, see Bishop Pearson on the Creed, upon ihe^ewnrd^, [fnder Pontius Pifate. ^ Luke ii. 2. '' Acts v. 37. * TertuU. adv. Marc. 1. iv. p. 19. s THE NEW TESTAMENT. 21 Syria with an extraordinary commission to make his first taxing-, and was perhaps invested with the title of qovervor or procurator, these two names being often promiscnously used by sacred and profane Mriters^. But, in short, there is no occasion for having recourse to this supposition, if we do but render the m ords of St. Luke thus, Tins taxing was made before Cyrenivs was governor of Syria. The original will admit of this sense, as well as the other, and therefore we have follo^ved it in our translation after several learned critics^. Quirinus's taxing had made so much noise, and the memory of it Avas so fresh in men's minds, when St. Luke Avrote his gospel, that he had reason to sup- pose it had caused the other to be forgotten, since it had been, in all likelihood, less taken notice of, as being no more than a bare enrolling of the citizens' names, without taking an estimate of their estates, as Avas done by Quirinus; therefore the Evangelist thought fit to distinguish them one from ano- ther. For it is to be observed, that Avheu Jrsus Chpist was born, Judea was not tributary to the Romans, as it had been before in the time of Pompey, because Augustus had cviven it to Herod; but, when after the banishment of Arche- Faus, it Avas again reduced into a province, it became of course tributary to the Roman empire, and accordingly an estima- tion of it Avas made in order to settle and regulate the taxes and tribute. The reason Avhy Josephus doth not speak of the first taxing mentioned by St. Luke, is, m all likelihood, because it being only an enrolling of the people's names, he did not meet Avith it in the acts of Nicolaus Damascenus, as havino- no relation to the life of Herod, Avhich that author wrote? It is probable that this taxing was made according to Auo'ustus's survey of the Roman empire, Avh'ch he liad taken^, that he might readily knoAV, hoAV many forces, and what sums of money he could raise in his provmccs. Before Ave conclude this digression, it will l)e proper to add a Avord or tAVO Avith reference to the version and notes on Luke ii. 1. Avhere the terms in the original, Mlnch accordtug to the letter signify, all the habitable earth, are rendered by, the whole country, that is, Judea. We are not ignorant, that some famous authors understand by this expression, that great part of the Avorld then in subjection to the Romans', and that »Lami Appar. cap. 10. sect. Hi. • See Pcrizonius, Dissertat. de^Augi Descript. And Dr. Whitby, in li.s Comment on this place. Tao, Annal.l.i. p. 11. Sueton. Vit. Augusti, cap. iilt. « Potron. hatjr. FJorus, l.iv. p.2. s. 1. Diouys.Ilalicarn. r3 "22 AN INTRODUCTION TO thoy actuall}' .styled themselves The rnasteraoflhewnrJd'^. But it is extremely improbable that ever Augustus, or any other emperor, did enrol, or tax the whole Roman empire at once. For, 1. No historian makes mention of any siieh thing, except- ing Suidas, and he is too modern an author to be credited; besides, he has it from an nnoinfmovs writer. Now can it be imagined that among so many Roman historians, as have been handed down to us, not one should mention this supposed general tuxhirj of the whole empire, especially since they have taken notice of several particular oness? 2. Taxing of par- ticular countries, always occasioned abundance of murmurino-s and discontent, and therefore what noise must a general one have caused? Dio Cassius relates, that Augustus having once attempted to take an account of the value and incomes of some provinces, in order to lay a tax upon them for the maintaining his armies, they declared, that they Avere resolved rather to undergo the greatest hardships and miseries, than suffer any such thing ; so that Augustus Avas forced to get it done privately and by stealth h. Which certainly Avas very far from being like a public decree for a general tax. It is well knoAvn that Avhen Quirinus undertook, by Caesar's ormit, and that it caused a very great sedition '. Tacitus informs us, that Avhen Cappadocia AA^as reduced to a province, part of the country rebelled upon their being en- rolled, in order to be taxed ^. The emperor Claudius in a speech to the senate, speaks of evrolfinffs as a very delicate point, though designed only to knoAV the riches of the empire K S. As St. Luke takes occasion of mentioiiing this first taxing-, Avhen he is speaking oi that of Quirinus, Avhicli Avas confined to Judea, it is natural to jiulge of the one by the other; and by all the world, to understand only the Avhole couirtry of Judea, including the Tetrarchies. This way of speaking seems to be a ery coniformable to the stile of this EA'angelist. Thus he tells us "^^ that men's hearts shall fail them for fear, and for looking after those things Avhich are coming on the earth"", that is, on Judea, as is evident from the 23d verse. It is also much more probable that Avhen he tells us, in another place ", that Agabus had foretold there should be great dearth throughout all the world; he understood thereby only all f Atlien Di'ipnnsoph. I. i. s Dio Cassius, p. 56. Moiiinii. Ancyr. Suet. Aup. p. 27. ^ Dio Cassius, ul)i supra. ' Josepii. Aiitiq. I. xviii. p. i. Jiiirl ypt nor Cyprus, since according to JosepliusP, queen Helena sent for provisions from thence to relieve the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who were ready to perish for want of sustenance. You may observe here, that Josephus mentions only Jeru- salem, and therefore it may from hence be inferred that the famine was not universal. This way of speakino- was not peculiar to St. Luke, for the sacred writers of the Old Testa- ment often g-ive Judea the name of the whole earfh% which the seiie7ttif most commonly render by the habitable wor/d^; and they call so not only Judea, which was looked upon as the earth by way of eminence, but any other country they are speaking of, as St. Jerome hath observed^ In the mean while, Herod-Antipas and Philip were in peaceable possession of their Tetrarchies. As mention is often made of these princes in the gospel, it Avill be proper to give some account of them. Josephus* seems not to be consistent with himself, when he speaks of the mother of Herod-Antipas; he calls him sometimes the son of Cleopatra, and at other times of Malthace, which were two of Herod's wives: but this is a matter of very little consequence to our present purpose. He cannot but very improperly be called a kingS since he never was so. Herod had indeed in his first will nominated him his successor to the kingdom; but he altered it aftenvards, and conferred that dignity upon Archelaus, who notwithstand- ing- had it not. Antipas is represented in the New Testament as a very vicious prince, who added the death oJ'John the Bap- tist to all the evils which he had done^. Josephus gives him no better character^. He plainly discovered his incontinence by marrying' Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. It must be observed, by the by, that this Philip seems not to have been the Tetrarch of Iturtea, and son of Cleopatra; for according* to Josephus y, he, whose wife Antipas married, was the sou of Mariamne, the daughter of the high-priest Simon. Josephus does not indeed call this son of Mariamne, Philip; but all the Evangelists give that name to him, whose wife Antipas mar- ried'. That historian stiles him only Herod the brother o/* • Dio Gassius, p. 60. Sueton. Vit. Claudii. p. 18. f Joseph. Antiq. I. XX. c. 2. ^ r'l.i«tn"'7D Deut. xxix. 2.?. Josh. xi. 2:i. Jer. i 18. iv. 20. viii. 16. xxiii. 15. ' Oixy^Enj. Tcaiah xiii. 5. xiv 26, &c. » Hieronym. in Esai. xiii, 5. * De Bello Jud. l. i. c. 20, 21. ' MaUh. xiv. 9. " Luke iii. 19, 20, " Joseph, Antiq. Jud, 1. xix. c, 7, ^ Id, Antiq. I. xviii. c. 7. De Bell. Jud. 1, i. c. 19.' Matth. xiv. 3. Mark vi. 17. Luke iii. 19, c 4 24 AN INTRODLCTION TO Herod (,/lntipas,) hy afioiher mother. And therefore in the nofeon tlint place we have chose rather to fo!lo»v the Evansfe- lists, wlio lived in those daysj, than Josephns, who iniffht easily be niistjiken in a fact so lono- before his time, and besides of very little consequence. There is certainly a vast deal of confusion in the oencalooies of Herod's family given us by Josephus*. However this be, such a vile things as the de- bauching' his brother's wife, and basely putting away his own, which was the daughter of Aretas king- of Arabia, manifestly shews 'he character of Herod-Ant ipas was but very inditfercnt. The death of John the Baptist, of which he Avas the author, was a couiplication of crimes; for he could not commit this murder witnout great impiety, because John was looked upon as a prophet, ancl Herod nimself seems not to have been igno- rant of it. However he was severely and justly punished for this Avickedness : for Aretas, to revenge the injury done to his daughter, denovuiced war against Herod, and utterly routed his army ; the generality of the Jews, if we may believe .Josephus'', were of opinion that this was a just judgment of God upon that prince, and his army, for the murder of John the Baptist ; but it is doubted whether this passage be g-e- nuine. In w hat year the deatji of John the Baptist happened, is not well kno'-vn ; Ijui it is certain that Josus ChrLst had then preached a considerable time, and done many miracles in Galilee. It may thereiore seem strange, that Herod-Antipas should have so little knowledge of what passed in his dominions, as never to have seen Jesus Christ, as the Evan- gelists tell us^. But it may be Herod Avas a))sent whilst our blessed Saviour preached in Galilee ; accordingly Josephus makes mention of his taking a journey to Rome, before he married Herodom of Jiulea, Idurasea, and Samaria, with the Telrarchy of Antipas, which was approved of and contirmed by the emperor Claudius, who moreover added to his dotni- nions the territories which had belonged to Philip P. This is the same A^rippa who in the Acts is named Herod thp kJnq % and who, to please the Jews, killed James the son of Zehedee with the sword, and cast St. Peter into prison. Like his grandfather, he was cruel, efteminate, and impious; and he met also with the same unhappy end, for he was smitten by the hand of God for his crimes ^ After his death, which oc- casioned great joy to alibis people, Jndea became again a province to the Roman empire, and m as governed hy Cuspi- dius Fadus ; the son of Agrippa being* then too young- to be entrusted with the government of a kingdom *. The other son of Aristobulus was Herod king of Chalcis, commonly known by the name of Claudius's favourite ; fi oni whom he obtained the privilege of chusing- and deposing the high- priests ^ together with the charge of the temple, ?\\\([ the /vith Berenice, p Joseph. Antiq. 1, xviii. c. 9. and de Bell. Jud. I. ii. c. 8. "i Acts xii. 1. ' Ibid. c. 23. » Joseph. Aiitiq. I. xi.x. c. 7. ' Id. ibid. 1. x.\. c. I. " Joseph. Antiq. 1. xx. c. 8, 9. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 27 the tlaug-hter of Agrippa the Great, and consequently his own sister, who before had been the wife of Herod king- of Chalcis, his uncle, and was after married to Poleino kincr of Cilicia*, whom she soon forsook, being drawn away by her immoderate and excessive lust. This is the same with him in the Acts of the Apostles y. Agrippa was the last king of Herod's race. In what year he died is uncertain; some ima- gine that he lived till the time of Trajan. This much Me know, that he survived his country, and endeavoured to pre- vent the fall of it by his wise counsels, and prudent ad minis- tration z. But the time appointed for the destruction of that impenitent people was come; they were now become their OAvn enemies, contriving, as they did, their own ruin, by repeated seditions, and contniual revolts. Thus have Ave brought down the history of Herod and his posterity, to the downfall of the Jewish commonwealth, which happened in the 70th year of the Christian Id, x. 16. "= Acts ii. 5, &c. aa AN INTRODUCTION TO Iribes which were scaltered tliroughout the Avorld; the latter to those in particular that were in Pontus, Galatia, Cappa- docia, Asia, and Bithynin. We may judge of the prodigious number of them by what king- Agrippa the Elder wrote to the emperor Caligula, to dissuade him from setting up the statue of Jupiter in Jerusalem, and from ordering that he himself should be worshipped there as a god**. " Jerusalem, " saith he, is the metropolis not only of Judea, but of many " other colonies that have been planted from thence. In " the neighbouring parts there are abundance of them, as " in Egypt, Phcenicia, Upper and Lower Syria ; Pumphylia, " Cdicia, and several parts of Asiji, as far as Bithynia and " Pontus. And so in Europe, Thesssdy, Boetia, Macedonia, " vEtolia, Athens, Argos, Corinth, and the better part of '• Peloponnesus. And not only the continent, but the islands " also of niost eminent note, are tilled with Jewish planta- " tions; as Euba^a, Cyprus, Crete; to say nothing of those " be} ond the Euphrates." These words of Philo give a great light to the second chap- ter of the Acts. And that the case was the same even in the time of Josephus, appears from the speech which Agrippa the Younger made to the Jews, with a design to persuade tJiom not to engage in a war against the Romans; where, among" other arguments, he offers this, that " ihe Jews, ti-ho irere " scattered over the face of the whole earth, would he in- " voided in their ;wj««." These dispersionsof the Jews M-ere owing" to particular occasions and causes ', but they were imdoubtedly the efl'ect of the wonderful wisdom of God, who thereby gave the Apostles an opportunity of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, because the Jews, w ho aa ere mixed with, and resided among them, professed to be in expectation of the Messiah. It cannot moreover be questioned, but that this dispersion did very much contribute towards ihe preserv- ing the body of the Jewish nation, as a lasting momuuent of the truth of Chrisfianity; since very fcAv of them survived their country, and, such ns then remained, Avere almost entirely destroyed ami cutolf by the emperor Adrian after- wards. • '^ f Having given an account of the Jew ish nation, property' Concerning SO Called, it A\ ill not be amiss to give an abstract ihesamari- ^^> ^j^^ history of the SiimaHtans, Avho Avere a branch *• Vid. Philonis Lcgationrm ad C ainm, p. 16. « Josrph. do Bello Jud. 1. ii. c. 16. ' You may soean account of the several di>|)ersion^ of the Jews, and Ihe causes and occasion? of them, in the famous Mr. Basnage's History ©f the Jews, THE NEW TESTAMENT 29 of the Jew;?, and of whom mention is often made in the New Testament. The Samaritans M^ere so called from Samaria, whicli fonnerly was the capital of a country of the same name, as it was also of the kingdom of the ten tribes. Omri king^ of Israel, by whom it was built, gave it that name, because he bought the hill, on which it stood, of one Semer or Samarh. One would be apt to think, by what Josephus says, that Samaria and Sichem were one and the same city, since that historian places Sichem on mount Gerizim, and calls it the capital of the Samaritans'. But the most exact geographers make Samaria and Sichem to have been two different cities. This being of little moment, we shall spend no time in examining it. What is certain is this, that Sichem is the same with Sichar in the gospel k; the alteration of the name being- occasioned, either by changing the letter M into an R, agreeable to the different dialects of the Jews and Samaritans, as the learned have observed; or else by way of reproach, because the Hebrew word Sichar, according- as it is Avritten and pointed, signifies several scandalous and igno- minious things, viz. a liar, mercenary, drfinharcf, sepulchre. We have spoken already of the schism of the ten tribes:,^ which was the first rise of the extreme aversion the Jews had for the Samaritans, Samaria being- the metropolis of the king-- dom of Israel, and set up, in a manner, as a rival to Jerusa- lem. Samaria stood firm, for a considerable time, against the repeated and violent assaults of Benhadad king- of Syria; but was, at last, entirely destroyed by Salmaneser king of Assyria, when he carried away the ten tribes captive ^ It seems, nevertheless, to have risen again out of its ruins, since we read that the Samaritans got leave from Alexander the Great, to build a temple upon mount Gerizim"™, because* from thence had been pronounced the blessincfs annexed to the observance of the law of Moses". It became subject to the king's of Egypt or Syria, till it was besieged and taken by Johannes Hyi-canus, the high-priest of the Jews^; who ' defaced and laid it \vaste to that degree, that (to use Jose- phus'sP words) "there Avas not the least mark left of any building that had ever been there." It was afterwards wholly rebuilt, and considerably enlarged by Herod the Great, who gave it the name of Sebaste, that is Augusta, and who built 8 t Kin^s xvi. 1\, and 2 Kings xxiii. 19. " 1 Kings, iibi supra. The Hebrew name of its Schomeron. ' Joseph. Antiq. 1. 11. sub fineni. kJohniv.5. 'SKingsxvii. >" Anno 3668. Joseph. Antiq, 1. U. c. 8. " Dent. xi. 29. xxvii. 12. " Anno. 3869, r Joseph. Antiq. I. xin. 18. 30 AN INTRODUCTION TO therein a temple in honour of C?psar Ausfiistusq. Lastly, as it M as united with tlie kingdom of Judea, it became with it a province of the Roinnii empire. Theorio'in of the Samnritans is well known: and the account which the scripture oives us of it is undoubtedly to be pre- ferred before that which we meet with in the Samaritaii Chronicle ^ for this is manifestly a new-fang^led and spurious work, and therefore deserves no credit. Josephus ag-rees in this particular with the sr^cr^rf writing's «. The Samaritans Av ere a mixture of such Jews as remained in the land, when the ten tribes were carried away captive ; or of those that afterwards returned thither upon several occa- sions ; as likeAvise of those idolatrous people, which were transplanted thither by Salmaneser, and are known by the general name of Cutha?ans t. These brought their g-ods along- with them, and highly provoked the true and great God to indignation against them for the worship they paid to these idols ; whereupon God, to punish thejn for their idolatry, and to keep the rest of the inhabitants from following their example, sent lions among them, which devoured several of them. But they having been informed (as Josephus tells us ") by an oracle that this punishment, which he calls a plaqve, was brought upon them because they did not worship the true God ; they sent commissioners to the king- of Assyria, with a petition, that he would be pleased to send them some of the priests that were carried away captive with the Israel- ites, to teach them the Avorship of the true God, whom they called the God of the land. Which having been g-ranted, they ceased to be infested Avith lions, l)ut continued still to be idolaters ; fearing the Lord, and servinff nitha/ their graven images. Thus there came to be among- the Samaritans a mix- ture of religions as Avell as of nations. It cannot exactly be determined how far the ancient inhabitants of Samaria Avere concerned in this Avay of Avorship ; but it is \'ery probable, that they emlnaced the religion of their conquerors, as peo- ple are naturally apt to do''. And that even before this time they had Jiot been entirely free from idolatry, as is plain from Jeroboam's golden calves y, and the scriptures reproaching- them upon that score. What helped moreover to spread the infection, was their neighbourhood to Syria, the kings Avhereof had great pOAver in Samaria 2. It is hoAvever generally sup- 1 Joseph, Antiq. xv. 12. & do Bollo Jiul. 1. i. c, 16. ' Reland Dissert, de Saniarit. p. 14, 17. * Josepli. Antiq. 1, i.\. c. 14. ' 2 Kings xvii. » Joseph. Antiq. 1. ix. 14. * 2 Kings, svii. 29, &c. > 1 Kings ill. 2S. ^ lleland de Saiuarita. p, (3, 7. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 31 gosed that tlieir worship was reformed hy Manasseh, whom anballat made high-prievhose ci»e was the same with Manasseh's, withdrew to Gerizim ; from whence we may infer, that, bating these marriages, they observed in other respects the law of Moses. He further testifies, that the Samaritans kept the sf//>6«<'ca/ year, and desired of Alex- ander the Great that they might be exempted from paying tribute that year ; because they could neither reap, till, nor sow •». St. Chrysostom, who might possibly have received it from tradition, says, in his xxxth homily on St. John, that in process of time the Samaritans forsook idolatry, and served the true God. But it is plain from history that their worship was far from being entirely free from idolatry «=. Their temple was dedicated to Jupiter of Greece in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. And even, if we may believe Josephus, they solemnly abjured their religion, in a letter Avhich they wrote to that king, in order to avert from themselves the terrible calamities which were by him brought on the Jews, pretend- ing they were originally Sidonians, and that they looked upon the observance of the Mosaic law as a crime, moreover stiling Antiochus « God, But it may be questioned whether Jose- phus is absolutely to be depended upon in this matter; at feast if we judge of him by other Jewish authors, who have, upon all occasions, made it their business to cry down the Samaritans, as a pack of idolaters. However this l>e, as the persecution of Antiochus did not continue lono-, they might repent of this their shameful dissembling, and return to the worship of the true God. Nevertheless one would be apt to conclude from these words of our Saviour to the woman ot Samaria, ?/e worship ye hwiv not what^ that the J mth of the Samaritans was neither grounded upon clear evnlence, nor their worship so pure as it oughtto have been. Ihe which would be no wonder at all, considering the strani^e mixture before observed; but in the comment on this place it will be made appear, that our Saviour's words will admit ot another sense. In the mean time, these four things may he inferred from this passage in St. John's gospel concernm|j the Samaritans. 1. That the Samaritans did at that time call themselves the posterity of Jacob ^; which inclines one to • Jos. Antiq. 1. xi. c. 8. - Id. ibid. « Jo.- Antiq. I. »ii. c 7. < Jolin iv. 22. « Ibid. v. 12. 32 AN INTRODCCTION TO entertain a favourable opinion of their religion and worship. 2. That they professed to ])e in expectation of the Messiah *^; which Avas ow of the chief articles of tlie Jewish faith. 3. That Jesus Christ found them well disposed to embrace Christianity, before it appears he had wrought any miracles amonsT them, which, had they been idolaters, would scarce have happened f^. Besides, our Saviour's sojournino- with them so long- as he did, is a good argument that they were not such. 4. That they looked upon the temple of Gerizira as the only place where men oiu/ht to worship. If the Samaritans had known or received all the books of the Old Testament, they could not possibly have been ignorant that Jerusalem was the only place that God had chosen and appointed for the performance of his worship. Perhaps, the reason why they rejected all the sacred writings, except the five books of Moses, and it may be those of Joshua and Judges, was, that they found therein all their pretensions which they alledged in favour of tlieir temple on mount Gerizim, abso- lutely condemned and overthrown. Though their hatred and av ersion to the Jews was the true cause of their adhering so obstinately to Gerizim, yet they alledged some specious pre- tences for what they did. They pleaded, in their defence, the blessings that were pronoimced on mount Gerizim on the faith- ful observers of the law. Moreover they found in their Pen- tateuch, that Joshua built an altar on the same mount after the blessings Avere pronounced, Avhereas in the Hebrew the altar is said to be erected on mount Ebal'^. This supposed altar of Joshua, they pretend, was afteriA ards converted into a temple; and so by a fabulous tradition they have ascribed to their temple on mount Gerizim a nuich greater antiquity than that of Solomon's; Avhich Jeroboam had induced them to for- sake, by erecting an altar at Dan, and another at Bethel, the latter of which places w as apt to create reverence not oidy by lis name, Avhich sig'nifies the house oJ'God, but especially upon account of the vision w hi cii Jacob was there honoured with'. Tlie Samaritans, not satisiied with asserting- their temple to have been built by Joshua, endeavoured to render mount Gerizim still more venerable, by affirming- that the twelve patriarchs Avere buried there '^j and that Abraham Avas met ^ John V. 25. « Ibid. V. 43. '■ Dcut. xxvii. 4. To reconcile the fjrcatcr vciienilion to mount Gerizim and their place of worship thcroon, tliey have been s;"'''.Y of a very great prevarication in corruptin^tiietcxt (here quoted) — for they liave made a sacrilegious change in it, and instead of mount Jibal have put mount Gerizim, tlie better to serve their cause by It. Dr. I'rideaux Connect. Part 1, IJook 6, ad Ann. 409. • Gen. xxviii. 16, 17. '^ Epist. Siiinar. ad Scalig. p. 12G, THE NEW TESTAMENT. 33 there by Melchisedek ' ; applying- to it what the Jews say of Jerusalem. The contests and disputes between the Jews and Samaritans about their temples rose to the greatest deoree imaginable. Josephus relates that they came to that height at Alexandria"^, that Ptolemy Philometor, king- of Egypt, was forced to take the matter into his own cognizance, who accord- ingly appointed advocates on both sides, the one to speak in defence of the temple of Jerusalem, and the others of that of Samaria. The king was prevailed upon to decide the case in favour of Jerusalem ; and the Samaritan advocates were con- demned to death for having- so wretchedly defended their cause. "The difference between the Jews and Samaritans in point of religion, may be reduced to these three heads : (for we are not to believe all the scandalous stories, which are by the Jews laid upon them in this respect;) 1. That they looked upon the temple of Gerizim as the only place which God was pleased to be worshipped in, and as the centre of true religion. 2. That they received none other scriptures but the Pentateuch, that is, the live books of Moses, rejecting all the other books of the Old Testament, excepting perhaps the boolcs of Joshua and Judges, which they also acknowledged, but would not allow to be of the same authority as the Pentateuch. 3. That their worship had some tincture of paganism, and of the opinions of the nations with whom they conversed. But it is very proba- ble it was reformed in the time of Jesus Christ. The Jews indeed and some ancient Christian writers, confounding- them with the Sadducees, have accused them of denying- the resur- rection of the dead and the inmiortality of the soul », but this accusation is so far from being- proved, that it plainly appears by their chronicle, these doctrines were firmly held and cer- tainly believed among them, as learned critics have observed?. The Samaritans are still in being, and profess to be more strict and exact observers of the law of Moses than the Jews them- selves. Some of them are to be found in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and other parts of the East. What their religious tenets and notions are, may be seen in several letters which they have wrote to some learned men in Europe, and which have been collected in one volume % There is no necessity of aggravating or nudtiplying- the ' Euseb. Pr^p. Evangel, ix. 17. "" Joseph. Ant. 1. xliii. c. 6. " Sec Dr. Pridcaux Conn. Part 1, B. 6. sub fincm. " See Dr. Prideanx, ibid, p Rcland iibi supra, p. 30. "• Under the title of Antiquitril. Kccle-. Orient. Londini, 1682. 80. See also B;isnage Ilistoirc det. Juifs, torn. v. Pritii Ir.tioduct. in Lect. N. Tcstam. D 34 AN INTRODUCTION TO errors of tiro Samaritans, to account for the extreme aversion which Matt. X. 5. Jciviii. xiii. 1 1, 1?. xYiii '.' 13. Hoseaxi. 8. " Ei-.ia iv. c ^ " Id. 1. xiii. 18. "" 14. 1. xviii. D 2 36 AN INTRODUCTION TO OF THE RELIGIOUS STATE OF THE JEWS, Having spoken of the external and political state of the Of the Jew- Jews, it will now be proper to take a view of their ish ceremo- religion. As the Jewish church was a type of the r"i? '" ^^"^ Christian, it is worth while to have a thoroug-h know- letlo-e of its ceremonies. When any one considers the cere- monial laM' in itself, without reflecting upon the state and circumstances of the people for whom it was calculated, there is something in it that appears at first sight, surprising- and unaccountable to human reason. But upon a closer examina- tion, and especially by the help of that light which the gospel affords, it will appear on the one hand, to have been so excel- lently adapted to the necestsitics of those for whom it was instituted, and on the other, to be such an exact representa- tion of things future, that the wisdom of its author cannot be sufficiently admired. The ceremonial law may be said to have had two objects, a nearer and a more remote one. The proxi- mate or nearer object were the children of Israel, to whom God gave it, to distinguish them from the rest of the world, and make them his peculiar people *. As they had been very prone to idolatry in Egypt, and had since discovered a veiy great hankering after it, there was need of a strong barrier to keep them off from so pernicious a bent and disposition. And accordingly this was the end of the ceremonial law, as might easily be shewn, if it were proper to do it here. It cannot be doubled but that each of these laws had some other particular views ; but it is certain that this was the chief design and intention of the legislator in giving them, as hath been proved by some learned writers^. But besides this end and design, which related directly to the people oj' Israel, the New Testament lays before us a view more extensive, and more worthy of the Supreme Being: it teaches us that the law was a shadow of things to come, a school-master to bring vs nnto Chrisf^, and that Jesus Christ was the accomplishment, the substance, and the end of the law. So that Christianity may be looked upon as the key of that law, and, as it Mere, an apology for the law-giver against the objections that may be advanced against it. Whoever hath read the New Testament, cannot deny, Imt that besides the plain and literal »ensc, this law admitted also of a mi/stical • Josh, xxxiv. 14. Ezek. x\ii. 2, 8, 21. ^ Particularly by Dr. Spoiicor. <= Rom. X. 4. Gal. iii. 24. Coloss. ii. 17. Ileb. x. I. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 37 or allegorical one, which was reckoned much more sublime than the literal. Though therefore tliese words of our Saviour, I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it^, ought chiefly to be understood of the moral law, Avhich he was then speaking of, yet this is not the full and adequate mean- ing of them. For it is plain from the following verse, that by that law which he said he was come to fulfil, we ought to understand the whole body of the law both moral and cere- monial, and the prophecies relatino- to the Messiah. Thus likewise, when speaking of himself, he said to the Jews, Destroy this temple^ he thereby intimated to them that he was the true temple of God, of which theirs was only vi figure ; that he was the only true expiatory sacrifice, without Avhich there could be no remission of sin, and consequently that he was the Messiah whom they expected. For this reason it was, that St. John said. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus CJirist^ ; that is, our blessed Redeemer was the reality and substance, of what the ceremo- nial laic was only a shadow and faint representation. This typical way of reasoning is mostly used by St. Paul in his epistles, and especially in that to the Hebrews. And it may very reasonably be supposed that the method he hath fol- lowed in applying the Jewish ceremonies to Jesus Christ and the Christian religion, was familiar to the Jews, since he takes it for granted and argues from them, as from truths generally owned and received ; though some passages in the epistle to the Hebrews may now seem to be very hard and obscure to us that are not accustomed to such a way of reasoning, it is very probable that they were plain and intelligible to those whom it was at first directed to. Upon the whole, it is cer- tain, that whoever rejects and condemns absolutely all typi- cal reasoning, doth manifestly depart from the end and .design of the law, and contradicts Christ and his Apostles, i , But if it be a very great rashness to censure and find fault with the allegorical interpretations which the sacred writers of the JVew Testament have given of several parts of the Old, it is on the other hand of a pernicious consequence to give too much scope to one's fancy in this particular, and to find types ., and allegories every where. Some authors have long ago ,^ complained of the excessive liberty which some of the fathers ,,have taken in turning the whole Bible into allegory. St. \.. Jerome for instance, who was himself a noted allegorist, accused Origen of departing from the truth of scripture history, ' '""''^ ''^ ^ Matth. V. 17. ' John ii. Kfi ''"■^^'^ John i, 17. d3 38 AN INTRODUCTION TO and of delivering his oirn inventions atui uitty conceits Jor sacraments of the chvrch^, i. e. for essential parts of the Chris- tian religion ; and St. Basil compared such as gave into the allecforical way, to those men that endeavour to make their own conceptions and Avliimsical dreams become subservient to llieir private niterests or systems. The design of these allegorical writers was, as they pre- tended, to give mankind a more exalted notion of the holy script?(res ; but they did not consider that tliey brought in at the same time a very bad precedent ; for this way of reason- ing proved afterwards a great disservice to true religion : the school-men, treading in the steps of the fathers, had recourse to alleyories, in order to make out and confirm some odd opi- nions, and vnaccoimtahle ceremonies, which were no way countenanced by tlie w ord of God, Our first reformers there- fore, and after them several learned protest ant divines h, have very justly observed what pernicious consequences such a method as this must inevitably be attended with, since it ren- ders the only rule of christian faith equivocal and amhiyiiovs ; and makes it as capable of as many senses as the fruitful fancy and copious invention of superstitious men are able to frame. It must indeed be owned, that the immoderate use of allegories, whicli hath been in fashion for a long time, and is not yet oat of date in some places, destroys tlie very sub- stance of ail true religion, and sonnd divinity. By means of them, holy scriptures become a mere quibble, or at best, a per- petual riddle, Avhich will admit of as many different solutions and meanings as there are persons to read them : this shame- fully betrays and exposes them to the scorn and contempt of profane and unbelieving persons, and to the reproaches and insults of heretics. Moreover, supposing- this allegorical way of expounding scripture to be the best, or the only true one, then what occasion was there, that God (in order to adapt hhnself to the capacities of his rational creatures) should reveal his will by the ministry of men, if quite another sense is to be put upon the sacred writings, than what ihc words.naturally convey to one's mind ! Besides, it would be entirely needh^ss to learn the original languages, in Avhich the Old and Mew Testament are written, or to get an insight into the customs and manners of the Hebrews ; if, in order rightly to explain the holy scriptures, nothing more was requisite, than a strong and lively imagination, and to till one's 8 Ingcnium facit Ecclesiae Sacraincnfa. Hieron. (dc Orisr. Loqii.) Coinmpii- tat. in Eiui. '' Luther, Calvin, Si\tiniis Aniauia, Scalisor, Aniyraldu:-, Dr. Hull, Dr. Mill.. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 39 head with any and metaphysical notions. Tlieie is, in 8liort, no one thing- in the world, though never so out of the way, or so contradictory in itself, but what may be represented as countenanced by the sacred writinos, with the help o{ forced and unnatural types ; especially, if a maxim laid down by some divines be true. That theivords of scripture mean every thine/ they are capable of siynifyinf/. By this maxim, the glorious objects which the word of God sets before us, to exercise our faith and ])iety, will be banished, in order to make room for empty trifles, ana vain subtilties ; which may indeed amuse and divert the mind, but can never afford any solid instruction, or lasting satisfaction. Most of the facts, upon which the truth of our religion depends, will be converted into types and prophecies. The duties of morality will be alleyorized into mysteries, which method the corrupted heart of man will readily close in with, as more rcconcileable with its depraved appetites. Hence it is evident there is a necessity of setting some bounds to the mystical \va.y of explaining scriptnre ; and of our being sparing and cautious in the use of allegories. For this reason, it will not be improper to lay down here some general rules and directions concerning this matter. First, then, we ought never to put a mystical or allegorical sense upon a plain passage, ^vhose meaning- is obvious and natural, unless it be evident from some other part of scripture, that the place is to be understood in a double sense. For instance, St. Paul teaches us that the law was a shadow of' things to come, that it Avas a school-master to bring men to Christ^ ; v/e must therefore, without any hesitation, acknowledge that the ceremonial law in general, was a type of the mysteries revealed in the gospel. We must pass the same judgment upon the brazen serpent, which Moses lifted up in the wilderness, and which our blessed Redeemer makes a type and emblem of his own crucifixion^ ; as likewise on Jonas's being three days, and three nights in the whale's helly\ which he likewise represents as a figure of his own death and resurrection. There are also abundance of types in the epistle to the Hebrews, which therefore ought to be received as such. But it is rash (not to say worse) to seek for types and allegories, where there are not the least marks of any ; and that too, by running counter to tlie plain and literal meaning of scripture, and very often to common sense. Should not the prudence and moderation of Christ and his Apostles in this respect be = Colas.Mi. 17. Gahit. iii, 21. ^ John iii. 14. ' Matth. xii. 39, 4<^, D 4 40 AN INTRODUCTION TO imitated ? Is it not a pretending to be wiser than they were, to look for mysteries, where tliey designed none? How unreasonable is it to lay an useless Mcight on the consciences of Christians ; and to bear down the true and revealed, under the unwieldy burden of traditional mysteries. Secondly, We must not oidy be careful not to encrease the number of types, but also not to cany a type too far, but confine our- selves to the relation, which evidently appears between the type and antitype. In a type, every circumstance is far from beino- typical, as in a parable there are several incidents, which are not to be considered as parts of the parable, nor insisted upon as such. Complaints have long- ago been made, that under pretence that the tabernacle of Moses was a figure of the Chnrch, or of Heaven, even the very boards and iiails of it have been converted into types. What we have said concerning types, may be applied to allegories. But it mrtst be observed that there is this dif- ference between them"^; that a type consists in some action or event, designed to be the figure or sign of some other ; as the brazen serpent, (for instance,) Jonas's being in the whale's belly, the budding- of the tabernacle, ^c. Whereas an alle- ffory consists rather in certain Avords or sentences, that have a Jiyurative sense, and which are used either to convey more effectually some truth or doctrine into the minds of men, or to recommeud some moral duty to their practice. Several alleyor lies of this kind are to be found in the swcret/ writings, where an explanation of them is sometimes given at the same time ; as when St. Paul represents the new covenant under the emblem of Sarah, and the old under that of Hagai-n. But it would be as absurd and ridiculous for any one to think himself autho- rized thereby to turn the whole Bible into alleyories, as to convert it all into types, because some are clearly and plainly expressed in it. Care likcM^se must be taken, not to carry an alleyory beyond the intention and design of the author. When Jesus Christ, for instance, speakinij of the temple of Ids body, said to the .Jews, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it vpo; we nuist be careful not to push this alleyory beyoiul the design of our Saviour, Avhich was, there- by to prefigure his death, and to signify that he should rise again the third day. For if any one should from thence apply to Jesus Cmrist every thing that could be affirmed of the /r'w^/^/f', he must with IrenirusP, conclude that our Saviour was then iorty-six years of age. Whoever desires more par- '" Lr;ii>m. do laf. Coiicioiuuidi, i>. 367. " Gulat. iv. 2i, 5^5. ° John ii. 19. l> Iron. I. XV c. 39. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 41 ticular directions concerning the use of tifpes and aliec/ories, let him consult the most excellent and judicious oliserva- tions of Erasmus upon this point, in his Treatise de ratione Concionandi, or the Art of preaching. After we hare thus given a general idea of the Jewish ceremonies, it Avill now be proper to descend to a more par- ticular examination of them; which we shall do, by follow- ing" the same method a late learned author hath done^; from Avhose excellent writings we shall extract all that is neces- sary for our present purpose under the following' heads. 1. The A o/j/^/rtce.v among the Jews. 2. Their holy perso7is; and here we shall give an account of their sects, and of their most famous rabbies. 3. Their sacrifices and oblations. 4. Their holy-days and J estivals. OF THE HOLY PLACES. We may reckon among the holy places the land ^he i,oiy of Israel, as the Jews term it% which is also called '«"<<• God's inheritance, or the earth, and the land, by w ay of emi- nence. Jews and Christians have also unanimously bestowed upon it the name of the holy land, though for ditterent rea- sons. It is not our business here to describe the bounds juid divisions of it, but only to consider it according to its real or pretended holiness. The whole world was divided by. the Jews in two c/eneral parts, The land of Israel, and the land out of Israel; that is, all the countries that were inhabited by the nations of the world, to use their own phrase, i. e. by the Gentiles. We meet with some allusions to this distinction in the holy scrip- tures^. All the rest of the world, besides Judea, was by the Jews looked upon as profane and unclean. The whole land of Israel was holy, without excepting Samaria, notwithstand- ing the animosities between the Jews and Samaritans; nor? even Idumcea, especially after its inhabitants had embraced the Jewish religion. As. for Syria, they thought it between both; that is, neither quite holy nor altogether profane. Besides the holiness ascribed in scripture to the land of Israel 1 lleland Antiq. of the Hebrews. ^ 1 Sam. xiii. 19. Ezek. vii. 2. Hoj. ix. 3. Ruth i. " MiiUh. vi. 32, 42 AN INTRODUCTION TO in g-eneral, as it was the inheritance of God's people, the place appointed for the performance of his Morship, the Jews were pleased to attribute different degrees of holiness to the several parts of it, accordinjLf to tlieir different situation. They reputed, for instance, those parts whidi lay beyond Jordan, less holy than those that were on this side. They fancied likewise nailed towns Xohc more clean and hohj than other places, because lepers were not admitted into them, and the dead were not buried there. Even the very dust of Israel was by them counted pure, whereas that of other nations was looked upon as polluted and profane; which undoubt- edly was the reason why our Saviour ordered his Disciples, when they departed, out of any house or city that would not receive Hor hear them, they should shake off' the dust of their feet. As the Jewish traditions concerning- the holiness of their country do not directly come under our consideration, we shall be contented with having just pohited out some of them by the Avay. There was nothing in the whole land of Israel, that was Of jeiusakm. supposcd morc holy than the city of Jerusalem*, otherwise called the holy city, and the city of the great Kiuy''. Before the building of the temple, the Jewish religion and worship were not fixed to any one particular place, the tabernacle having been several times renmved from one place to another, for the space of 471) years, accord- ing to the calculation of some of their wiilers. After that time Jerusalem became the centre and seat of their religion. As this capital of the holy land is very remarkable, upon the account of the many womlorful works M'hich God wrought therein; and especially for the preaching, the miracles, and the death of our Saviour Jesus Christ, it therefore deserves a very particular consideration. It is, besides, worlli while to have some idea, of a city, which was thv Jlyure of that heavenly Jerusalem, of which we have so noble a descrip- tion in the Revelations'^. Jerusalem (which, according to the Jewish notions, stood in the middle of the world) was formerly caSled Jel)us, from one of the sons of Canaan*^. Some auihors imagine tiiat it was the aiuient Salem, men- tioned in the scriptures^, of which Melchizedek was king; but this is uncertain. Neither is it well known who was tin' * Authors arc divided about the ctymoh)tjy of the word Jerusalem, some imagine it sii^nifics Fear Sitloti. hecause tiie city was very strong; others, Thty shall sec pcucv. IJiit others, with a greater probability, say it means, The inhcrilana of ^i caw. *= Mutth. v. 35. " Revel, xxi. " Joshua xviii. 28. ' Gen. xiv. 18, THE NEW TESTAMENT. 43 first founder of it. After the taking- of it by Joshua^, it was jointly inhabited both by Jews and Jebusites^, for the space of about 400t years, that is, till the time of kino- David. This prince having- driven the Jebnsites out of it, made it the place of his residence', built therein a noble palace, and several other magnificent buildings, so that he made it one of the finest cities in the world k. Upon which account it is sometimes called the city of David K Josephus gives us a full and elegant description of it>^, wherein he represents it as a very large strong place, and divides it into the upper and loioer city. The vpper was built on mount Sion, and the loicer on the hill Acra. The learned are divided in their opinions about the situation of these two cities, and of the hills 051 which they stood, in respect one of another; some placing the upper city and mount Sion on the north, and others, on the south. We have embraced the latter opinion, judging it to be the most probable. This city was not always of the same bigness, for at first it took up no more than mount Sio7i. But in Josephus's tune it was thirty-throe stadia in compass, that is, between four and five Italian miles. V/e cannot precisely tell how many r/ates it had. There were eleven in Nehemiah's time. We find some of the gates of Jerusalem mentioned in scripture under other names than what Nehemiah gave them" ; whether they were the same under different names, or not, we cannot easily determine. It is probable the city had twelve gates, since the heavenly Jerusalem, spoken of in the Revelations, had so many. As Jerusalem was situated in a dry soil, they took care to make a great number of 7)0M«/« or conservatories of water o within tlie city, for washing- the sacrifices, and purifying the people; among others, the pools of Bethesda and Siloam mentioned by St. JohnP, though some are of opinion these were one and the same. There is no need of taking notice here of the several palaces in Jerusalem, as David's, Herod's, Agrippa's, the house of the Asmonoeans, and many other noble edifices, which are placed dift'erently by the learne'^"™p*«- which instead of folding- doors, had only a rich vailf. In this first part of the temple were hung- up several valuable ornaments, which were presents from kings and princes, and which were carried away by Antiochus Epiphanes^ Jose- phus and the Rabbins speak of a f/olden vine in this place, which crept up the pillars of cedar : this vine was the pro- duct of the presents made by private persons when they dedicated their first fruits of their grapes. Here stood also a golden table; and a lamp of the same metal was fixed over the gate which led into the sanctnary. These were given by Helena, queen of Adiabena, when she embraced the Jewish religion. There were two other tables in this porch; a marble one, m hereon were set the loaves of sheio- bread, before they were carried into the holy place ; and a golden one, on which they were placed, when they were brought back from thence. The sanctuary, or holy place, called by the Jews ^.^^ ^^^. the outer house, (it being such in respect of the Holy p'"e. of Holies) was between the porch, and the most holy place; being twenty cubits broad, and forty in length and height. It had two gates, one whereof was called the lesser ; through which they went in order to open the great gate, which had * " Herein was to be put some of the blood of the sacrifice?." Dr. Prideaux Connect, part 1. book. iii. ;id ann. 335. p 2ChroD.iv. 6. " Ibid. 2—3. ■■ It was 150 feet in length, and 105 in breadth, from out to out, salth Dr. Pridcaux, ibid. :id aiso. 334. + some place here a gate plated with gold. See Lamy, p. 92. * 2 Maccab. iii. 2. v. 16. E 50 AN INTRODUCTION TO four ibldiiij^ doors. The sanctitary was divided from the Hohf of Holies neither by a wall nor "-ate, ])ut only by a double ^•rt?7^ This is supposed to have been the vail which was rent in twain at our Saviour's death", because it was to be of no further use. Allusion seems to be made to this in the Revelations, where it is said, that the temple of God vas opened in heaven^ and the temple of the tahernacle of the testimony ires opened''. What we are chiefly (o consider in the Sanclnarif are the The altar oi f/olden cmullestick ; the table, whereon av ere put incense. jjj(. (akes or loavcs of shew-hread ; and (betMcen it and the candlestick) the altar of incense, so named from the incense that burnt on it every «lay, which by St. John is stiled the prayers of the saints''. This altar was also called the inner altar, in opposition to the altar of bnrnf-off'erinfjSy already - interpretation of some passao^es ot scripture % but in the sanctuary near the vail, which parted it from the Holy of Holies, and over ag-ainst the wr/i of the covenant^. This is the altar so often mentioned in the Revelations. It was one cubit in lrcad having- been carried to l>al>ylon, and lost there, they were forced to make a new one 'for the second temple. This last, Titus rescued from the flames, (at flie tjikin<»- of Jerusalem) and had it carried to Rome with (he candlestick, and sonu; other rich spoils, to grac(! and adorn the triumph <»f his liither Vespasian. It was mad(! of wood, and ov<'rlaid w ilh gttld; and was two cubits long", one broad, and a cubit and half high. It was placed ' It Avns divided l)y a wall and a vail, saitli Lamy, Apjjar. p. 92. " Mallh. xxvii. 51. "^ Revel, xi. 10. and xv. 5. Kevel. v. S. ^ Exad. XXX. 3. " Sec I Kinss vi. 92. ami Ilel). \\.A, '• Lxod. XXX. 6. and xl. 5. •■ F.xod. xxx. 10. " Over the water-gate in the room JblUines. '' Exod. xxv. 24. ' iv. 8. THE NEW TESTAMENT. a* by the altar, at some distance, and against the north wall of the sanctnary. Upon this table were put the tu^clve loaves of shetr-bread, called in Hebiew the hreaih^'fuces^, because the table being- almost over ag-ainst the ark of' the cocennut, they might be said to be set before the ^ace of God^\ These twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel, and were offered to God in their name, for a token of an ever- lasting- covenant. They were oblong-, shaped like a brick; ten palms long, and live broad, and might weigh about eight pounds each. They were unleavened, and made of jfine iioiir. After the Levites had made and baked them, they brouo-ht them to the priests, who set them upon the table in two rou:s, six on a row, on the sabbath clay. Frankincense was put upon each row; and to keep them from moulding-, they were separated from one another by a kind of reeds. The following sabbath the priest took them away, and put immediately others iu their room; so that the table was never without them. The old loaves belonged to the priests that were upon duty, who accordingly }>arted them among themselves. As this sort of bread was loly, it Avas not lawful for any but the priests to eat of it, except in a case of necessity'. Besides the loaves, there were some vessels and utensils upon the table; but the learned are not agreed about the shape or use of them. It appears from the 2d book of Chronicles, that of the golden there were ten candlesticks in Solomon's temple, '^^nnd'esuck. five on the right hand, and five on the left''. But there was only one in the tabernacle, and the second temple, which stood near the south wall of the sanctuary, over against the table. It was all made of pure y old, of beaten work^; and had seven Ijianches, three on each side, and one in the mid- dle bigger than the rest. Each branch had three bowls made after the fashion of almonds, three ktiobs, and three fowers, but the middlemost had four. At the end of each of these branches there was a lamp; but whether fastened to the candlestick or not, is not well known, it is most probable they were not. The scripture tells us, that these lamps were to burn continually '", which undoubtedly ouoht to be restrained to the night time, at least in respect of tfie candle- stick, tlmt was in the tabernacle, since it is said" that the ;.,■!). <<. , it.*' i;i *•' E Exod. XXV. 30. & alibi. " Ex«d. xl. 23. niiT" ^l^h. >'(. ,. ,, . ' . '. ,Mu..- h'. t" : :*r '^:;, , „ i( V MaUb. sjii'. 4. I'Sam. xxi.3,&c..n ^«Chron. iv. 7. ' Kxvard towards each other; and that their faces were * " The defect was suiiplicd, as to the outward form. For in the second " temple there was also an ark made of the same shape and dimensions' with " the first, and put in the same place. But it had none of its preroga- " tivesor honours • For there were no tables of the law, no aj)pear- " ance of the divine glory over it, &c." Dr. Prideaux Conn. p. i. b. iii. under the year 5.S4. y i.e. Thestoneon which the ark stood in the first temple. Dr. Prideaux ibid. ' Exod. xxv. 10. ■^ According to Buxtorf (Lexic. p. 373.) it was so caUcd Quod illic Dominus se propitium ostenderet. * Of the thickness of a hand's breadth. Dr. Prideaux, ubi supra. " Psalm xxxii. 1, e3 54 AN INTRODUCTION TO turned towards the mercy-seat, (so that they were in the pos- ture of figures worshipping*^.) Their Avings were expanded, and embracing the whole circumference of the mercy-seat, met on each side in the middle; and over them did the pillar of the cloud appear, which was a token of the Shechinah, or divine presence'^. In Solomon's time there was nothing- in the ar/c, besides the two tables of stone, containing the ten commandments, which Closes put there by the command of God®. But before that time as some suppose, the pot of viamia/, and Aaron's rod that budded s, had been laid in it. And indeed this opinion seems to be countenanced by these words of the apostle, That nnthin the ark ivere the golden pot, that contained the manna, Aaron's rod, and the tables of the covenant^. But the Greek particle h in doth also signify with, or near, as we have observed in our commentary on this Ijlace. It is very probable, that those sacred monuments were aid up on the side of the ark, in the Holy of Holies, as well as the golden censer, mentioned in this place. There stood also near the ark some boxes, wlierein were put vessels and utensils of gold", and the original and authentic copy of the law, as written by Moses''. It cannot be questioned but that the ark had some typical uses, but it is not safe to carry types further than the holy scriptures, and the epistle to the Hebrews have done. Thus have we given an account of the temple of Jerusalem, as far as is necessary for our present purpose. It is well known what was the unhappy end of that noble hvilding, and how God was pleased to permit that it should be laid waste, because it had been polluted and profaned, but espe- cially because it was to make room for that spiritual temple which God was to raise upon its ruins. We learn from his- tory, that Julian the apostate, out of hatred to Jesus Chiust and the Christians, used all his endeavours to have it rebuilt; but God rendered this rash and impious attempt of his ineffec- tual, and put a stop to it by very wonderful and supernatural means'. Before avc leave Jerusalem, it v/ill be necessary to say ofuieiieigii- something of the places about it, especially those }!hu'rT rf jt- which btir blessed Saviour was pleased to honour THsaiern. < '^yith Tus prcseucc. The first remarkable place, on ^li'e e«S^ 's?"rfe "of the" city, was the Monnt oj' Olitcs, from " Dr. PridePiitx, ubi supra. ■' Levit. xvi. 2. I'-alm xcix. 7. ' •■ 1 Kin^s viii.9. ■■ Kxod. xvi. f33. ?■ Num. xvii. 6— 10. , " Hob. ix. 4. ' ISamivi. 15. "^ Di-ut. xxxi. 20. ' "Socraf. Hist. ImtI. iii. c. 22. Chryso.Mom. Orat. iii. rontr.i Jud. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 55 wbeuoe Jesus Cuiiisr was taken up into Heaven. It was by the Jews called the mounl of anointiny^ because abundance of olive trees^ grew there, of Avhich oil for anoinfinr/ the priests, and other uses were made. St. Mark tells us, that this mount was over against the temple"; and St. Luke, that it was a sabbath's ve therel^y iujiue his * Matth. xxvi. " Mattb. xxi. 19, '20. ^ John xi. ^ Jolin v. ?, S. ' John V. 4. Cf HE NEW TESTAMENT. 57 wisdom, atid give superstitious people a handle of forgino- as many false miracles as they please. But when, on the other hand, a miracle is clearly revealed, we must readily acknowledge it for such, when it cannot be fairly accounted for by natural means; which seems to be the present case, where every circumstance tends to represent the matter as something miraculous and supernatural. For those cures were only done at a certain season^. The waters healed all sorts of diseases. There Mas a necessity for an angel to trouble the waters ; whereas people chuse generally to bathe when the waters are still. In fine, he only was cured that first stepped in after the waters Avere troubled. Besides it is the opinion of the Jews, and of several Christian writers'*, that the entrails of the victims were always Avashed Avithin the temple. And most certainly the pool of Bethesda Avas not in the temple. This one observation carries in it a suffi- cient confutation of those Avho maintain, that the poAver of healing- diseases, Avhich these waters had, was occasioned merely by the blood of the sacrifices which Avere Avashed in them. And then farther: -^i- »jj^ « J'^ >« t>^i»'A>-"»l - As for the supposition of thoseWiib'lrtla'^fti'^fJftit the anrjel, spoken of in this place, was only an officer appointed for stirring the water at a certain season, it is in my opinion, very groundless and extravagant. For I question Avhether there be any one passage throughout the Ncav Testament, where the AAord angel^ used absolutely, and without some epithet or other; as, for instance, my anrjel, the anrfe/ of' some person, the an(jel of the church, or the like, is ever foimd to signify an officer or messenger. We are not ignorant, that the fourtli verse of this chapter is Avanting in some ancient manuscripts, and that consequently there is no mention in them, either of the angel that troubled the Avater, or of the sick persons that Avaited lor the moving' of it. But can it be rea- sonable to prefer the authority of three or four manuscripts, where this passage is left out, to so many others where it oc- curs; especially since there is no manner of absurdity or con- tradiction in Avhat it contains? We must pass the same judg- ment upon the silence of Josephus, and other Jewish Avritere about this point. For, first, all things considered, this may be reckoned as a good rule. That the silence or omission, even oj'many historians, ought not to countervail or make i:oid the testimony of any one author, tcho positively relates amatter of fact. Nothing- is more common in history, than to find some particulars advanced by one historian, and omitted by all the " John V. 4. " Lightfoot, 'VVilbiuSj cScc. " AAft^a;. 58 AN INTRODUCTION TO rest, and yet who would from the silence ol" the on?, take an occasion oC charging- the otlicr with forgery and insincerity ; especially if there be no manner of gromul or reason for call- ing' in question his veracity? Secondly, St. John ought to be believed in this matter, though he were considered not as a divinely inspired writer, but only as an author endoM ed with a moderate share of judgment and prudence; for it is not to be imagined tliat he would have exposed himself to that degree, as to have advanced such a notorious untruth, and which might have been so easily detected, had it been one. As for Josepbus, this is not the only thing which he hath omitted, especially as to what relates to the history of the gospel; for he makes no mention of the iaxing under Augus- tus*^, of the star that appeared to the wise men% or of the slaaffhier of the inj'auts oj' Bethlehem^. And Avho knows, whether he, and the Thalmudists, looking' upon this miracle as a forerunner of the Messiah, have not designedly sup- pressed it, lest any one should conclude from their own testi- mony, that Jesus of Nazareth Avas the Messiah, since we hear nothing of this supernatural event, either before or since the coming' of Christ. At what time these waters were first endued with this miraculous power, Ave cannot exactly tell. Thus much is certain, that they had it some time before our Saviour's birth, since the man, of whom Ave lead in the (fospel, had been a long time at the pool, to be cured=. But because the authors of the Old Testament do no where speak of it, Ave may reasonably suppose that it had not this virtue in their time. There Avas another famous pool, Avhich Avas supplied Avith water from the fountain of >S7/o«7«, and borrowed its name. And that this also had a miraculous power of healing diseases, is evident from the cure of the man Avho Avns born blind''. The JcAvs tell us, that David ordered his son Solomon should be anointed l>y the fountain oi'Siloah, thereby to denote that his kingdom should be as lasting- and extensive as the waters of this spring; and they fancy that God speaks of it in these Avonls of the prophet, Withjotj shall ye draw water otit of the tvells of sahathm'. For which reason they made use of tli is Avater at thvj'east of laheruacles. It is not then without good and sufficient reiison, that St. John hath observed, by way of parenthesis, that Siloam is by interpretation, sent^; foi' there- by lie hints at this, That the healing virtue which Avas in the •' Luke ii. 1. ^ Mallli. ii. 2. ' Ibid. v. 16. JoLn v.6. ^ John ii. 7. ' isui. xii, 3. ^ St. John i.\. 7. THE NEW TESTAMENT. fig waters of Siloam, was an emblem of that great salvation which the Messiah, who was certainly sent from God, should bring into the world. On the west end of the city was mount Cahary called by St. Matthew' GoUfotha, that is to say, the Skull, (either because the Jews were wont to behead criminals there, or else because it was shaped like a skull; and by St. John Gabbatha, that is, « lojhj place.) This place is noted for the death and sufferings of our blessed Redeemer. It was divided from Jerusalem by a deep valley, named, the valley of carcases, or skulls. JMount Calvary stood without the city, according- to the law'". And to this St. Paul alludes in his epistle to the Hebrews, when he saitli, that Christ, as a sacrifice for sin, suffered without the gate; and when he exhorts Christians to CfO forth out of the camp, that '\h, out of Jerusalem*, this city being" looked upon by the Jews as the camp of Israel. As the village Emmaus was no more than sixty furlongs fi'om Jerusalem, according to St. Luke", and Josephus", it may therefore be reckoned among the neighbouring places of this city, mentioned in the gospel. But we must take care not to confound it with a city of the same name, which was 176 furlongs from Jerusalem, and was afterwards named J^'icopolis. This village is the place Avhere the two disciples, who disbelieved and doubted of the resurrection of Christ, were going, %vlien he appeared to them, and convinced them of the truth of it. We are told that he yielded to their entreaties, when they desired him to abide with them, and that accordingly he went in, and ate with them. On what side the city of Emmaus lay is not well known. But it is very probable that it stood on the road that led to Galilee ; and that the two disciples, of whom we have an account in St. LukeP, being- Galileans, were travelling through this place into their own country, thinking there was nothing to bo done in Jerusalem, after the t'', by Antiochus Epiphanes, by Pompey, and by Ibaod the Great ; ■ ^'^tsWtli. xxvii, 33. "' JLcvU. iv. « Ueb. xiii. li.', 13. " Luke xiiv. i:^. " Jo.scpli. do Bell, JiiH, 1 . vif. c, 26. '' J.ukc xiiv. 33, 34, " 2 Cliron. xii. ea AN INTRODUCTION TO and twice utteHy destroyod, by Nebudiadnczzar, and by Ves- pasian. After this last overthrow, Crrsaren, formerly calitd Tiirris Stratonis^ or Strato's Tower, became the capital of the land of Israel. Some historians are of opinion, that Jerusalem was rebuilt by Adrian. It is true, he built a city where Jerusalem stood before, Avhich he called ^Elia, after his OMn name^ and Capitolina in honour of Jupiter Capitolinus. But not satisfied Avith having given it a profane name, he made it so very different from the ancient Jerusalem, that he seemed to have built it only with a design to be revenacd of the Jev, s, 1111 111* !• •■ who had rebelled against him, by bringing* to their remem- brance this once glorious city. He did not take in moimt Sion, which was the best and strongest part of Jerusalem, tte levelled mount Moriah, that there should not be the least foot- steps of the templeremaining, and joined mount Calvary with such parts of the old city, as were still standing-. So that vElia Capitolina M^as not above half as large as Jerusalem, and of quite a different form. Upon one of the gates he caused the figure of a soic to be carved*, of which several reasons have been assigned ; but the most probable, as well as the most natural, is, that he did it out of spite to the Jews, who had an aversion for this animal. Under the reign of this same emperor, that ludiappy people attempted the recovery of their liberty, under tlie conduct of the false Messiah, Barco- chebah ; who was defeated and slain at Berittus near Jerusa- lem. iElia Capitolina remained in this condition till the time of Constantino the Great, when it Avas again called Jerusalem,! though improperly. This emperor built therein a noble and stately temple, after he had purged the place from the pollu- tions of heathen idolatry. We have a description of this tem- ple in Eusebius", But an ill use Mas afterAvards made of these illustrious monuments of Constantino's piety, as Avell as of his mother Helena's, vi ho built a temple at Bethlehem, and another upon the mount of Olives ; and also of the emperor Justinian's, Avho erected likewise a temple at Jerusalem, Avhich he dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was this that gave super- stitious people an occasion of ascribing a greater degree of holiness, contrary to the nature of the Christian religion, and the express declaration" of Jesus Christ himself, to these places, than to other parts of the world ; and at last, proved the ground of those mad expeditions of the crvsades, or holt/ war. ' Wilsins Hist. Iliciosol. " His naine v.as /Eliiis Adiianui^. ' Did Cas:,iu5. " Euseb. Vit. Constant, 1. 3. c. 2b. seq. and c. 42, 43. " John iv. 20, 23. THE NEW TESTAMENT. ^ We liave before observed the fruitless attempts of the Jews to rebuild their temple, under Constantiiic, notwithstandiuo- the zeal of this emperor for the Christian religion, and under Julian who favoured their design. The city of Jerusalem, (for so was vElia Capitolina then called) continued in a flou- rishing state for a considerable time, under the Christian Ejn- perors. But in the seventh century it fell into the hands of the Persians, who were not long masters of it, and afterwards of the Mahometans, who built (as hath been said) a mosque in the place where stood the temple which Mas destroyed by Titus. The Christians recovered it in the twelfth century from the Sultan of Egypt, who had taken it from the Turks^ but enjoyed not their conquest long ; for the Sultan of Eoypt taking the advantage of their discords and contentions, took it from them again. It was however retaken in the thirteenth century by the emperor Frederick II. but the Sultan of Babylon made himself master of it in a few years after ; and at last, in the sixteenth century, it came into the hands of the Turks, who are the present possessors of it^. According- to the relations of travellers, it is still large and handsome. The chief inhabitants of it are Moors. There are some Chris- tians who are even allowed the free exercise of their reli- gion, and but very few Jews, and those in a poor and mean conditioli. These last are persuaded, that before they are put again in possession of Jerusalem, it is to be consumed by a fire from heaven, that it may be refined, and purged from the pollution, contracted by being inhabited by foreign and pro- fane nations. For this reason, none but the poorest of them live there, and such as have no where else to go. Synagogues^ are so frequently mentioned in the ofthesyna- NeAv Testament, that it is absolutely necessary we e"K"«- should give an account of them here. The Jcavs looked upon them as holy places, and Philo doth actually call them so. The Greek word (a-vtccyuyri) as well as the Hebrew, to which it answers, signifies in general any assembly, whether holy or profane ; but it is most commonly used to denote the place where people meet to Avorship God*. The Christians them- selves often gave the name oi' synagogues to their assemblies, as also to the places where they assembled, as is evident from St. James'', from several passages in the epistles of Igua- :._ ..lOUi'l;.- Ill' y It is now called ytlkuds, i. e. the Holy, by the Turks, Arabs, and all ot|^ef nations of the Mahometan religion in those parts. Dr. Prideaux Connect, p. i. b. 1. under the year CIO. ^ Upon this head see Bu\torf's Treatise de Si/nagoga Judaica, and Utringa de Synaguga vetvre, where you may find- a verj full account of them. ' Luk.cvii.5. '' James ii. 2. .laoJ.tiV .doeu.i ■ G'2 AN INTRODUCTION TO tiiis% and from the writings of Clemens Alexandrinns. But our business at present is to consider the synaqorjues or ora- tories of the Jews. Authors are not agreed about the time >viien the Jews first began to have synagogues ; some infer from several places of the Old Testament '\ that they are as ancient as the ceremonial lav.\ Others, on the contrary, fix their beginning- to the times after the Babylonish captivity. It is certain they have been long* in use, since St. James saith in the Acts% that Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath-day. The Jews erected synagogves not only in towns and cities, but also in the country, especially near rivers ; that they might have always water renAy at hand both to wash and clean them, (which they were very careful to do) and also to purify them- selves before they went into them. They were not allowed to build any one in a toicn, unless there were ten persons oj' leisure in it*. What is to be understood by these ten persons of lei- sure, is not agreed among- the learned^. All that can be gathered from what they have advanced upon this point, after the Thalmudists, is, That they were ten persons of learning and approved integrity, free from ail worldly occupations, and disengaged from all civil affairs, who were maintained and hired by the public, that they might always Tesoitjlrsf to the synagogue, that whosoever should come in, ntight find tenjjer- sons there ; which number at least the Jews thought necessary to make a congregation. They assign them otherjmictions, but what they say concerning them is not to be relied upon as cer- tain. When there Avere ten such persons in a town or city, they called it a great city, and here they might build a syna- (fogue. As for other places, it was sulHcient if there were the like number of persons of a mature age and free condition. These synagogues were erected upon the highest part of the town. After a synagogue was built, or some house set apart for this use, it was consecrated by prayer, without much cere- mony or formality. The which the Jcavs, who were in other respects superstitious enough, undoubtedly did, that they might not imitate the vain ceremonies used by the heathens at the dedication of their temples and chapels. When a synagogue had l>een thus consecrated, it was looked upon as a sacred place, and particular care Avas tiiken not to j)ro- fane it. It would be too long to mention all their precautions <= lj;iiat. ad Polyc. ad Trail. " Levit. xxiii.3, 4. Deut. xxxi. 11,12. Psal. Ixxiv. t, S. *= Acts xv. 21. ' Or Balelnim, see Dr. Pridoaiix Con- nect, p. i. I). 6. under the year 444. -' Li2;htfoot, llluMiferd, Vitringa. THE NEW TESTAII^ENT. g3 in this rospcct, and tliercfore Ave shall only observe this one, that it was unlawful to speak a word in the synarfoijne^ ; to which our Saviour seems to alhide, Mattli. xii. f3f>. There might be several synarfogves in the same city, and even in one quarter of it. Philo, for instance, says, there were several in every district of the city of Alexandria*. And it appears from the Acts of the Apostles', that there was more than one at Damascus. The Jews tell us there were four hundred and eighty in Jerusalem, but so vast a number hath very much the air of a fable, or at least it is a very grand exaggeration ^ It is however true, that there were a great many in this large and famous city, since we find St. Luke mentioned those of the Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and Asiaticks^ Some authors do indeed fancy that these were but one and the same sipiagofjne, where the people of these several countries were wont to assemble ; but it is much more natural to understand this of so many different Kpiatjogues, as the construction of the words necessarily requires, since it is well known otherwise, that there were a great many in Jerusalem. The most famous synnfforine the Jews ever had, was the great sifnaf/of/ne of Alexandria, of which the Rabbins say, that he ivho hath not seen it, hath not seen the c/lory of Israel. The chief things belonging to a synufjogne, were, 1. The ark or chest, wherein lay the book of the law, that is, the Pen- tateuch, ox Jive books of Moses. This chest avos made after the model of the ark of the covenant, and always placed in that part of the synagogue Avhich looked tOAvards the holy land, if the synagogue Avas out of it ; but if it Avas Avithin it, then the chest Avas placed toAvards Jerusalem ; and if the syna- gogue stood in this city, the chest was set towards the Holy of Holies. Out of this ark it AAas they took, Avith a great deal of ceremony, and before the Avhole congregation, the book of the law, Avhen they Avere to read it. The Avritings of the pro- phets AA ere not laid therein. Before it, there Avas a vail repre- senting the vail Avhich sep.irated. the holy place from the Holy of Holies. 2. The pulpit with a desk in the middle of the synagogue, in Avhich stood up he, that Avas to read or expound the laAV. 3. The seats or peivs whcrcm the people sat to hear the laAv read and expounded. Of these some Avere more honourable than others. The former Avere for those Avho AAere called Elders, not so much upon account of •' Buxtorf SynagDs;. Jiiil. c. 2. * Philo Lt-gaf. ad Caium. ' Actsix.2. '' Or else they have expressed an uncertain large niinil)er, hy a rertain ; see Dr. Prideaux, ubi supra. ' Acts vi. 9. 64 AN INTRODUCTION TO their age, as of their gravity, prudence, and authority. These Elders sat with their backs towards the f'orementioned chest, and their faces towards tlie congregation, who looked towards the ark. These seats of the Elders are those which are called in the gospel the chipf seats^; and which Jesus Christ ordered his disciples not to contend for, as the Phari- sees did. It seems as if it may be inferred from St. James", that the places Avhere the primitive Christians assembled themselves, were like the Jewish synagogues, and had their uppermost seats where the rich were placed in contempt of the poor. The women did not sit among the men, but in a kind of balcony or (jallery. 4. There were also fixed on the Avails, or hung on the ceilings several lamps; especially on the sabbath day, and other festivals, which served not only for ornament, but to give light at the time of the evening ser- vice. They Avere chiefly used at the feast of Dedication, Avhich was instituted in remembrance of the repairing of the temple, after it had been polluted by Autiochas. 5^ Lastly, there were in the synagogue rooms or apartments, wherein the utensils belonging to it Avere laid; as trumpets, horns % and certain chests for keeping the alms. To regulate and take care of all things belonging to the synariogve service, there was appointed a councilor assemhli/ of grave and Avise persons, M^ell a ersed in the laAv, over Avhoiii Avas set a president, whoAvas called the ruler ofthesynarjogue. This name Avas sometime given to all the members of this assembly; and accordingly we find the rulers of the synagogue, inentioned in the New Testament, in the plural number p. It is very proba]>le, that these are tlie same Avhich are stiled in the sacred Avritings, the chiefs of the Jeics% the rulers, the priests or elders, the governors, the overseers or bishops, the fathers oi' the synagogues^ Their business Avas, 1. To order and direct every thing belonging to the synagogue ; and, 2. To teach the people. We shall hereafter give an account of this last function of theirs. The government Avhich they exercised in the synagogue, consisted of these particulars. To punish the disobedient, either by censures, excommunication, or other penalties, as fines nm\. scourging; to take care of the alms, Avhich the sacred AiTiters as Avell as the rabbins, call by the name of ™ Matlh.xiiii. 6. " James ii. 2, 3. ° With which aman standing at the top of (he Synagogue, proclaimed the time of prayer, and the hour when every festival begun. i' Afx^^a-vva.yuyoi Mark v. 22. &c. Lukeviii.41. « Acts xxviii. 17. ' Matth. ix. IS. Mark v. 22. A€ts xviii.8. iv. 5. THE NEW TESTAMENT. G5 vighteonsness ^ The chief ruler, or one of the rulers, gave leave to have the law read and expounded, and appointed who should do it. Of this there is an example in tJie xiiith chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where it is said, that Paul and Barna})as having entered into a synnffoffue at Antioch, the rulers gave them leave to speak*. As for the puiiishmeuts which they inflicted on offenders, the JeAvs have reduced them to these three heads or degrees. 1. Private reproof. When the chief ruler of the synagogue, or any other of the directors, had admonisJied or rebuked a person in private, that person was obliged to stay at home in a state of humiliation, and not to appear in public for the space of seven days, except in case of necessity. If at the end of those days, the sinner shewed no sign of repentance, then, 2. he was cut off, or separated from society; that is, he underwent that sort of excommunication, which they called niddiii, or separation. While he lay under it, it m as unlaw- ful for any to come within four cubits of him", during the space of thirty days. At the end of which term, he was restored by the officers of the synagogue, if he repented; but if he did not, the excommunication lasted thirty days longer. However the rulers of the synagogue were at liberty to prolong or sliorten it, as they found occasion. But it is to be observed, that this sort of excommunication did not absolutely exclude the person, on whom the sentence of it passed, from the synagogue. For it was lawful for him to go into any synagogue provided he did not come within four cubits of any one that was in it. 3. At length, if he per- sisted in his rebellion, without repenting at all, they then pro- ceeded to denounce against him the greater excommunication^ called by them anathema, whereby he was separated from the assembly of the Israelites, and banished from the syna- gogue. Jesus Christ did undoubtedly allude to these three sorts of punishment ; in that discourse of his to his disciples, which we find in the xviiith chapter of St. Matthew's gospel*. Mention is likewise made in .St. John, of pnttinef out of the synagogue ^'; whereby whether the greater or lesser excom- ' munication be meant, is not well known. But we may with- '^ out any scruple, understand it of both. There are also in St. Paul's epistles several ti'aces of these three sorts of excom- munication ^. It must be observed, that the Jews were ,| ^ Psal. cjiii.9. 2 Cor. ix. 9. ' Vor. 15. " " Except his toifc j ^and children." Calmet Dissertat. on the several ways of punishing offender^. j^ " Ver. 15—18. ^ John ix. 22. xii. 42. xvi. 2. ^ Rom. xvi. 17. I Cor. V. 1,2. 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7. 2 Thessal. iii. 10. Titus iii. 10. And 2d Epistle of John, ver. 10. F 66 AN INTRODUCTION TO always very backward in excommunicating any famous rabbi, or teacher, though his offence was great, unless ho was actually guilty of idolatry. Which undoubtedly was the reason why they never went about to excommunicate our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, though he was liable to it, for condemning and opposing the doctrines and traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees'^. We shall not here give an account of the Jines, which the guilty were sometimes wont to pay to redeem themselves from scourging, because they are no where mentioned in holy scripture. As for sconrginrj, some are of opinion, that it M as a punishment not falling under the jurisdiction of the rulers of the sipiuf/of/ne, but belonging to the civil courts, which they take to be meant by the sjpiagoyues, where our Saviour tells his disciples they m ould be scourged''. Others, on the contrary, have fully and solidly proved from several passages of scripture, that by the word synayorpies in the place here quoted, we are to understand synagogues properly so called ; besides, there are several other reasons to induce one to believe that scourging Avas practised there. This punishment was not reckoned so ignominous as excommuni- cation, and it was sometimes inflicted even upon a rabbi, or doctor. Very often people submitted to this discipline, not so much by way of punishment for a fault they had com- mitted, as by way of a f/eneral peuance. Such was the scourging which the Jews gave one another on the great day of expiation. As they were expressly conmianded in their law not to give above forty stripes'^, the rabhins, for fear ol" exceeding this number, had reduced it to tliirty-nine. This limitation was fixed in St. Paul's time, since he tells us he received five times of the Jews forty stripes save one"^ : and also in that of Josephus, who likewise reduces the forty stripes^ appointed by the law to thirty-nine. The rulers of the synagogue Avere likewise bound to take care of the poor. As the nature and constitution of things is such, that among the several members of every society, there will ahvays be some poor and indigent persons ; the Divine Lavyivcr had in this particular, given directions exceedingly becoming his infinite goodness, and tender regard for his cvtaiid'ing before the ark or chest wherein the scriptures were kept, repeated the prayer cadisch before and after the reading- of the law. This was to be a person very eminent for his learning- and virtue. Sometimes indeed the chief ruler, or one of the elders of the syuajgogue, repeat- ed this prayer, but most commonly the sheliach zibbor did it. And hence it is, that the bishops of the seven churches of Asia, are in the Revelations called thcaitgels of those churches, because what the sheliach zibbor did in the synagogue, that the bishop did in the church of Christ. 2. Another officer, who was called the minister of the sifnagogne, from the pulpit gave the Levites notice when they were to sovuul the trum- pet'^. This minister read sometimes the law; though at first there was no particular person set apart for the doing- it; for, excepting- Avomen, any one that was but qualified for it, auor for that week, and read it half way tiirengh " and on Thursday proceeded to read the remainder; and on Saturday, " which was their solemn sabbath, they did read all over again, from tin; " beginning to the end of tlic said lesson or section ; and this both morning. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 78 They beg-an it on the sabbath next after the feast of taber- 7iacles. It was divided mio fifty-three ox fifty-fonr sections^, and each section was again sub-divided into seven parts for so many readers. The book being- opened or mther unfolded, he that was to read, rehearsed some sliort prayers over it, which the people joined in, by M'ay of responses. After which he that was appointed to read first, began the section for that day. There were commonly seiien readers each sabbath. Every Israelite had the privilege of renditiff, except women, slaves, and others that were deemed unfit for it. They commonly however pitched upon a Priest, a Levite, a Doctor, or person of distinction among the people, sooner than on any of the vulgar, who were not permitted to read till the others had done''. When the last reader had made an end of reading, he folded the book, and gave it the Chasiin, or Minister, who put itagain into the chest. After which followed some thanksgivings or doxologies, which ended with the prayer Cadisch. The person that read, did it standing; but the audience either stood up, or sat down as they thought fit. After the reading of the law, followed that of the prophets^ before which they rehearsed some passage out of the writ- tings of Moses. On Mondays and Thursdays they read only the lau-, but on the sabbath, as also on /«j*^ day s mu\ festivals, they read the prophets, and that in the morniny only; for in the afternoon they constantly read nothing- else but the law. The Jews did not reckon among- theprophetieal tcrit- inys the moral books of the holy scripture, otherwise called the Hayioyrapha, as the book of Job, the Psalms, ProverJ)s, Ecclesiastes, and the Song- of Solomon; which were read in their synagogues only upon particidar occasions. Neither did they rank among- the prophets, the books of Ruth, " and evening;. On the week days they did read it only in the morning, but " on the sabbath they did read it in the evening, as well as in the morniuj; *' for the sake of labourers and artifieers, who could not leave their work to " attend the synagogues on the weekdays, that so all might hear, twice every " week, the whole section or lesson of that week read unto them." Dr. Prideaux Connect, p. i. b. 6. under the year 444. s The Jewish year being lunar, they had near 54 weeks in it. See Leus- den's Preface to his Hebrew Bible, sect. I. " A Pnesf was called out first, and next a Levite, if any of these orders ■were present in (he congregation, and after that any other Israelite, till they made up in all the number of seven. And hence it was accidentally, that^ every section of the law was divided into seven lesser sections, for the sake of these seven readers. And in some Hebrew bibles these lesser sections are marked in the margin ; the first with the word Cohen, i.e. the Priest; the second with the word Levi, \.e. the Levite; the third with the word Shclishi,i. c. i\\c third, &c. Dr. Prideaux, ubi supra. 74 AN INTRODUCTION TO Hester, Ezra, Nehemiah, nor even that of Daniel", thou<»li they read some portions out of tlie four^r*^ on their solemn days. As for the Psalms of David, the greatest part of the prayers and thanksgivings that were used in the synagogue being- taken from thence, they dispensed witli reading some passages extracted out of them. What they meant there- fore by the prophets, was, the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles: These they supposed to have been Avritten by prophets, and gave them tlie name of the former prophets. 2. In the second class they placed Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, with the twelve lesser pro- phets; all these they call the latter prophets. It is inaeed amazing how Daniel came to be excluded from among the prophets, since there is no one book more prophetical in the whole Bible. Perhaps because it was not read in the syna- gogue, as being- too hard to be understood by the people, it came by that means insensibly not to be placed among the prophets. However it be, by the laic and the prophets, mentioned in the New Testament i^, we are to understand the five books of Moses, and the prophetical writings as here set down, though the Psalms seemed to be included in that division^. The same ceremonies before and after the reading- of the prophets were used, as at the reading of the law, except that there were some additional thanksgivings then repeated. The prophetical writings were not read over from one end to another; but such parts of them were picked out, as had a relation to what was read before out of the lair. To read the prophets, there was a particular person appointed different from him that had read the larc ; and sometimes young men that were under age, were admitted to do it. After the Hebrew language ceased to be the mother tongue of the Jews, the holy scriptures were from that time for« ard interpreted in their synagogues either in Greek or Chaldee; which afterwards gave rise to the Chaldee paraphrases now extant'". Some are of opinion, that this custom Avas esta- ' And that for this reason ; because, says Maimonidos. every thiiij; that Da- niel wrote, was not revealed to him when he was awake, and iiad the use ol his reason, but in the ni2;Ut only, and in obscure dreams. Or, according to others, because he lived more like a courtier than a prophet. All these are certainly very insignificant arguments. •^ Matth. V. 17. vii. 12. xi. IS. xxii. 40. Acts xxvi. 22. ' Luke xxiv. 25, 27, 41. Tliis last verse ruus according to tlie Jewish divi- sion of tlie holy Scripture into three parts: ,411 things ntuvt be fuljillcfl tchich arc wrillcn in the law, and in the ptophets, and in the Psalms, t)C. Where by the psahns is meant the thiid part called Uagiographa. '" Sucli arc those of Onkelos, Jonathan, &c. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 75 blislied by Ezra; others on the contrary, fix the beginning" of it to the time of the Maccabees; which last is the most probable. This way of iiiterpretin"" scripture was per- formed in tlie following- manner: The minister, (or any other person that was appointed to read) read one verse in the original Hebrew, if it was out of the law; and three verses together, when it was out of the prophets; then stopt to let the interpreter speak; who standing near him, rendered the whole in the vidgar tongue". This interpreter was reckoned by the Jews less honourable than the reader, undoubtedly out of respect to the orif/inal text. And even very young persons were admitted to this office, where nothing m as wanting- but a good mtanory °, Here we must observe, that there were several places of scripture which it was not lawful to interpret ; as the incest of ReubenP, of Thamari, and Amnion, the blessing Mhich used to be given by the Priesf^; and the latter part of the history of the (foldeu calf^; which last was omitted for fear of creat- ing in the people' an ill opinion of Aaron. And this no doubt was the reason why Josephus hath made no mention at all of the golden calf'. St. Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians*, alludes to this custom of interpreting the scriptures in the synagogue, as we have observed on that place. The reading of the prophets, according to the Rabbins, was closed with the Priest's blessing- ; after which the congregation was dis- missed, imless somebody Avas to preach. The afternoon service consisted, 1. in singing the eiohfy- fourth psalm, from the fifth verse to the end, and all the hundred and forty-fifth. During which the SheUach Zihhor, or angel of the synagogue, stood up, while all the pcoj)le sat down. 2. In rehearsing the prayer Cadi.^ch. 3. In saying- first in a low voice, and afterwards aloud, one of the pmyers that had been said in the morning, with several other prayers and thanksgivings. 4. They concluded the service with the prayer Cadisch. The evening service was almost the same. ° Dr. Prideaux gives us the same account of this matter, tibi supra. But according to Lamy, the reader softly whispered in the interpreter's oars, what he said, and this interpreter repeated aloud what had been thus whisiK-red to him. ° Dr. Prideaux is not of the same opinion, — for, saith he, " learning and " skill in both languages (Heb. and Chald.) being requisite, when they found " a man fit for that office they retained him by a salary, and admitted hiui as " a standing minister of the synagogue." ibid. P Gen. xxxv. 22. " xxxviii. 16. '■ Num. vi.23— 26, ^ Exod. xxxii. 21—25. * 1 Cor. xiv. 7G AN INTRODUCTION TO One of the principal ceremonies perfonned in the syna- gogue was circumcision ; though it was also done sometimes in private houses. OF HOLY PLACES. Having dwelt longer upon the holt/ places of the .Jews than was at first intended, we shall endeavour to be as concise as possible in other matters, without omitting however any one thing essential or necessary to our present design. We may very properly set the kincfs of the Jews at the head Of the kings of tliose pcrsons they Tcckoncd /io/?/. The common- wealth of Israel was at first a theocracy, that is, governed by God ; he Avas the ruler of it in a more especial manner than of the rest of the universe ^ He had regulated the government thereof, given it laws, and prescribed what rewards and punishments should be dispensed therein. The judf/es, by whom it was governed for a considerable time, held their power and authority immediately from him. Now what can a king do more than this? The ark of the covenant, with the cJiernhims that stood over the mercy seat, were the throne of this glorious monarch. God therefore being the chief and immediate governor of the Israelites, whenever they committed idolatry, they not only offended against their maker and preserver, but also incurred the guilt of high treason, as acting against their lawful sovereign: Avhich undoubtedly was the chief reason why their magistrates were ordered to punish every idolater with death. The Israelites perceiving Samuel was broken Avith age, and moreover being disgusted at the administration of his sons, had the boldness to require a king like other nations ''. Which request being granted them their government became monarchical and even absolute: whereas before, under Moses and the Judges, it was limited. Saul, their first king, wore for the badges of his regal autho- rity a crown or dindem, and a bracelet on his arm. We may frame some idea of these royal ensiyns used by the kings of theJcMs, from the insults of the soldiers over our Saviour Jesus Christ, when they treated him as a mock-king'. " Isaiah xliv. 6. Psalm Ixxxiv. 4. * 1 Saui. viii. & .\ii. cUai). " Matth. xxvii. 28, 29. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 77 Though the administration of the Jewish g-overnment was in the hand ofking-s, yet God was looked upon as the supreme director of it, whilst the kingdom remained elective, as under Saul and David ; but when it once became hereditary under Solomon, the «-overnment was entirely managed by the kings. Notwithstanding this alteration, God was still reckoned tlie king of Israel * ; for which reason Jerusalem was stiled the city ofthef/reat khiff^. And the Jews, even when they were in subjection to their kings and the Roman emperors, valued themselves upon having had God for their king; and it was undoubtedly upon the account of this privilege they told Jesus Christ, that they never were in hondnr/eto any man\ It was unlawful sfor them to chuse any one* for their kino-, unless he was an Israelite, or, at least, an Idumtean ; those being looked upon by the Jews as their brethren ; and there- fore the Herods, though Idumseans by extraction, were admit- ted to the regal dignity. But a woman was absolutely excluded from the throne. So that Athaliah's reio-n was a downright usurpation, and she was deservedly put to death for it. We find Asa commended in holy scripture for haviuo- removed Maachah his mother from being queen ^, Avhen she had invaded the government. There is but one instance of a queen's reigning over Israel, viz. Alexandra the daughter of Jannoeus; but she cannot so properly be said to have ruled as the Pharisees, to whom she left the whole administration of affairs. Anointing was a ceremony that also accompanied the coro- nation of the kings of Israel^, and therefore they are fre- quently named in scripture the anointed^. What sort of oil, was used on this occasion, is not agreed among the Rabbins. Some asserting that it was the oil of holy ointment^ which was made for the anointing of the Priests. Others, on the contrary, maintaining that it was a particular kind of holy q'\\ made on purpose''. This ceremony was performed either by a prophet or the high-priest. One may see at length in the sacred writings the several duties incumbent on the kings of Israel', and the abuses they made of their power. Among the duties prescribed to them, there is this very remarkable one, That as soon as they were settled upon the throne, they were to write with their own hand a copy of the book of the • lloseaxiii. 10. Zephaniah iii. 15. * Matth. v. 35. ' John viii.33. <■! Kings XV. 13. s 1 Sam. x. 1. xvi. 13. I Kings i. 3J. xix. 16. "2 Sam. i. 14.21. Psalm cv. 15. 1 Sam. xxiv. 6. 'Exod. xxx. 25. •^ Psalm Ixxxix. 20. ' Deut. xvii. 16—20. 1 Sam. viii. U— 17. , See Maimonides Tract. Melakim. . ^-j-i. • 78 AN INTRODUCTION TO law, wliicli tliey were to cany about witli them, anil read therein all the days of their life, that they mif/ht learn to fear the Lord"^, and have the divine laws constantly before their eyes, as models of those which they prescribed to their sub- jects. Hereby God gave them to understand, that they were not to look upon themselves as independent, and that their laws were subordinate to his; for when he appointed and set them up, he still reserved the supreme authority to himself. The last thing we are to take notice of concerning the kings of Israel, is. That, according- to the Rabbins, they were obliged to read publicly every seventh year at the feast of tabernacles, some passages out of Deuteronomy, in that part of the temple which was called the court of the women. This custom they ground upon Deuteronomy xxxi. 10 — 13. though there is no mention at all made of a king in that place. There were three orders of holy persons tliat conunonly ofihe high ministered in the tabernacle, and afterwards in the '"'^^" temple, the hir/h-priest, the priest, and the Lerites. The hif/h~priest was otherwise called" the pi-iest hy May of eminence, and sometimes the head or chief of the high-priests, because the name of hiyh-priesfs was g'iven to the heads of the sacerdotal families or courses. He was the greatest person in the state next the king ; and was not only above the rest of the holy persons, but Avas also deemed equal to the whole body of the people of Israel, because he represented it. His business was to perform the most sacred parts of the divine ser- vice, as will be shewn hereafter. He was likewise commonly president of the Sanhedrim ; but it doth not seem to have been absolutely necessary that it should be a high-priest who should preside over that body, and whenever one was chose to fill up that post, a greater regard was had to his personal quali- fications, than to his ofiice. Though the high-priesthood was elective, yet it was annexed to the fiimily of Aaron", who was the first that Avas invested with this dignity. From Aaron it descended to Elcazar his eldest son, antl afterwards to Ithamar his second; after whose decease it returned again into the family of Eleazar by Zadock, and remained in it till the Babylonisli captivity. Before Avhich, as is commonly sup- posed, there Avere thirty hiyh-priests successively, and from thence to the destruction of Jerusalem sixty, according to the computation of JosephusP. '" Dcut. xvii. 19. " Exod, xxix. 30. Neliem. vii. 65. " Numb. iii. 10. P Joseph. Antiq. xv. 8. THE NEW TESATMENT. 79 Under tlie Jirst-temple the liiivh-priest was elected by the otlier priests, or else by an assembly partly consisting of priests. But under the second temple they were frequently chosen by the kings. According to the law, they had their office for life. But this custom was very ill observed, especially about the time of our Saviour's birth, when the dignity and authority of the high-priest dwindled almost to nothing ; that is, when it came to be purchased for money, or given without discretion and judgment, accordin«- to the caprice of those that had the supreme power in their hands, or else to those that had the people on their side; by which means worthless men happened to be promoted to this honourable dignity; or else raw, unex- perienced, and ignorant persons, and sometimes even those that were not of the sacerdotal race. While the tabernacle and first temple were standing, these four ceremonies were observed at the consecration of the high-priest. I. He was washed or purified with water "i. II. They put on him the priestly garments. Now besides those that lie had in common with the rest of the priests, these four were peculiar to him. 1. The coat or robe of the ephod, which was made of blue wool, and on the hem of which were seventy-two golden bells separated from one another by as many artificial powe^rawa^e*. 2. The ephod, which is called in Latin superhnmerale, because it was fastened upon the shoulders. This was like a waist- coat Avithout sleeves, the hinder part of which reached down to the heels, and the fore part came only a little below the stomach. The ground of it was fine twisted linen, worked with gold and purple, after the Phrygian fashion \ To each of the shoulder-straps of this ephod*, was fastened a precious stone (an onyx or a Sardonian) in which were engraven the names of the twelve tribes of Israeli 3. The liigh-priest wore moreover upon his breast, a piece of cloth doubled, of a span square*, which was termed the breast-plate, otherwise the rationale or oracle. It Avas Avove and worked like the ephod, and in it Avere set in sockets of gold, tic elve precious stones, which had the names of the twelve patriarchs engraven on them. The Urim and Thummim were also put in it. (The former of these words signifies light ; and the latter truth, or perfection.) These were consulted upon important occa- •• See Exod. xxix, where you have an account of the priest's consecration. •■ The Phrjigiansare supposed to have been the first inventcrs of embroidery. * Exod. xxviii. 6, 7. Joseph. Antiq. 1. 3. chap. 8. " tn that on the right shoulder were the names of the six eldest, and in tliat on the left, those of the six youngest. Lamy, p. 101. ' Ivxod. xxviii. 15, &c. 00 AN mTRODUCTTON TO sions, and especially in time of war''. The learned are not agreed about thej'orm or Jiffvre of them, nor a1)0ut the manner in which the oracle or answer was given by God, Avhen con- sulted by the high-priest, nor even whether the Urim. and Thnmmim had different uses^ There is no mention of this oracle in scripture after the succession was settled on the family of David, and the theocracy was ceased, because as some pretend, it was by this God revealed his will, and gave his orders to the Israelites, as their king^. The Urim and Thnmmim did entirely cease under the second temple. 4. The fourth ornament peculiar to the high-priest, was a plate of gold, w liich he w ore upon his forehead, which was tied upon the lower part of his tiara or mitre, with purple or blue rib- bons. On it were engraved these two Hebrew words, Kodesch lajehoi-a, th?it in, Holiness to the Lord, whereby was denoted the holiness belonging to the high-priest. This plate was also called the crotcn^. All these clothes and ornaments the high-priest was obliged to have on, when he ministered in the temple, but at other times he w ore the same clothes as the rest of the priests. And this according to some learned writers, was the reason why St. Paul knew not that Ananias was the high-priest, when he appeared before him in the Sanhedrim^ III. Another ceremony practised at the consecration of the high-priest, was, anointing tcith oil^. The Rabbins tell us that the holy oil, which Moses had made by God's direction % having been lost during the captivity, they observed only the other ceremonies, without anointing the high-priest at all. IV. The last ceremony performed at the consecration of the high-priest, was a sacrifice, of which a full account may be seen in Exodus '^, and Leviticus ^ The high-priest might execute the fiuictions of the other priests whenever he pleased. Those that pecidiarly belonged to him, were to make expiation for the people ; and to ask counsel of God by the Urim and Thnmmim. This he did standing in the sanctuary with his priestly garments on, and his face turned toM ards the ark. The high-priest being looked upon as the most sacred person in the whole land of Israel, nothing was omitted that " 1 Sam. xxviii, 6, xxx. 7, 8. '^ Concerning the TJrim and Thttmmim, see Dr. Pridcaiix Conn. p. 1. book iii. under the year 334. ^ This is the opinion of Dr. Spencer. ^ Exod. xxix. 6. and xxxix, 3. ^ Acts xxiii. 5. •> Kxod. xxx. 30, &.C. The oil was poured upon the priest's fore-liead, and this unction was made in the form of the letter \, Lamy, p. 160. •^^ Exod. xxx. 22, Sic. ■' ILxod. xxix. 1, &c. ' Lcvit. viii. 14, Monarch, p. 639. *" Luke xiv. 26. " Levit. xxi. 10. The Jews were wont in time of affliction to uncover their heads, and put dust or ashes upon them. ° Philo de Monarch, p. 639. i" Matth. xxvi. 65. Mark xiv. 63. G da AN INTRODUCTION TO real or pretended, was uttered in their preisence. 4. The hig-h-pricst was ordered to abstain from wine and otiier strong- liquors at the time of the celebration of divine serviced The same injunction Avas also laid upon the rest of the priests. To these particulars the Rab])ins have added several others, which excluded men from the high-priesthood, but there is very little certainty in all they have advanced upon this head. 5. The high-priest was not allowed to marry awidow, or a divorced icoman, or even a virgin, of whose virtue there was the least suspicion. According- to Philo% she was to be of the sacerdotal race. As for the rest of the priests, they might marry widows, and women of other famiIies^ If the high- priest had contracted an unlawful marriage, he was obliged either to divorce his wife, or quit the priesthood. His whole family, in short, was to be of so inviolable a chastity, that if any one of his daughters prostituted herself, she was burnt alive. When the high-priest had happened to pollute himself, before the celebration of divitie service, there was a sort of a vicar, named Siu/an, appointed to supply his place. We meet with some footsteps of such an officer as this, in Jeremiah lii. 4. He was also sometimes stiled high-priest, which gives somelight toLukeiii.2. where we find Annas and Caiaphas both honored with that title. This Sagan had the prece- dence before all the other priests. He is thought to be the same as the captain of the temple, mentioned in the New Testament*. There were also among- the priests, several degrees of dis- or the tinction and subordination* 1. The Thalmudists, for •"'""• instance, authorized by Deuter. xx. 2, 3, speak of a priest of the camp, otherv, ise called the anointedj'or the wars, whose business was to exhort the army to fight valiantly. Some place him above the Saqan. 2. The priests were also distinguished otherwise". Tliere were usually two. Called Catholics, who were set apart to supply the Sagan's place, when there was occasion. 3. Besides these, there were seven that kept tlic keys of the conrt of the priests. 4. Others had the superinfondency of times, places, offices, &c. Such a regulation as this Avas absolutely necessary, for the main- taining of order in a service of so great a leng;th, and so full of variety. 1 Lev. X. 9. Sec Philo de Monarch, p. 637. ' Pliilo ile Monarch, p. 639. » Lcvil. xxi. 7. Joseph. Antiq. 1. 3. 10. ' Acts v. 24. conip. with 2 Maccab, iii. 4. " Nchcin. xiii. 13. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 83 The common priests were of the family of Eleazer, and of Ithamar, the sons of Aaron. They were by David divided into four and twenty courses, ov jamilies''; who performed the divine service weekly by turns, and according to their rank. That of Abia, mentioned Lukei. 5, was the eighths But whereas at the return of the children of Israel, from the Babylonish captivity, no more than Jhur of these courses could be found; Ezra therefore % either to keep up the insti- tution of David, or to follow his example, divided those /b?«' courses into twent}f-fonr. The offices Avhich the course upon duty was to perform every day, were appointed to the priests by lot^; but on the solemn feasts, several courses joined in the service. Each course had its father, head, or president, who were also stiled high-priests; and this is the reason, why in the gospel, we find the hiffh-priests so often men- tioned. The people of Israel were also divided into twenty-four classes each of which had a head. One person out of each of these classes, was appointed to attend upon the divine service on the solemn feasts; and to be, as it were, the repre- sentatives of the whole nation, because all the people could not possibly be assembled in the court, nor be present at the sacrifices. These were called the stationary men^. The same precautions and ceremonies that were used in the choice of a high-priest, were also observed in the election of the common priests. We have already observed the difference between their quality and habits, which were plainer than the high-priest's, except when he entered into the Holy of Holies. They might keep on their habits as long as they staid in the temple, even after sacrificing was over; excepting the belt, which they were not allowed by the law to wear, but only in time of divine service; because it was made of linen and woollen woven together*'. The functions of the priests were of two sorts. Some were daily perfoi'med, and consisted in general, 1. In offering- the morning- and evening sacrifices''. On. the sabbath-day they offered three. 2. In lighting the lamps. 3. In burning- the incense. 4. In guarding the temple, properly so called, iind 5. In sounding the trumpet at the stated hours. These offices were subdiviiled into several others, which were appointed ^ 1 Chron. xxiii. 6. ^ 1 Chron. xxiv. 10. * Ezra. ii. 36-30. '^ Luke i. 9. '' Sec Cuna-us de Repul). Ileh. 1. ii. c. 12. "^ Lev. xix. 19. " The tnorning sacrifice was od'ereA, as sooa us tlie day began to break; and the evening one as soon as darkness began to overspread tlie earth;, Lsuny, p. 147. 84 AN INTRODUCTION TO unto the priests by lot, four times a day. The other functions belonging- to the priests were not daily: they consisted, 1. In judging of the leprosy, (which was a distemper that seems to have been peculiar to the Jews) and of other legal unclean- nesses. This last business was the most troublesome by far, because of the numberless rules and restrictions that were to be observed in it. They were not all indeed prescribed by the law; but yet some of them were of a very ancient date. It was undoubtedly upon their account, that St. Peter said% The law teas a yoke, which neither they, nor their fathers^ loere able to hear. 2. In judging also of the thinc/s and persons devoted to God, and to appoint the price of their redemption. 3. In making; the woman that was suspected of adultery drink the bitter water ^. 4. In striking off the head of the heifer that was offered as an expiation for the murder, the author of which was not known". 5. In setting- the shew-hread on the golden table every sabbath-day, and in eating the stale loaves. G. In burning the red heifer^, the ashes of which being mixed with water, served to purify those that had defiled themselves by touching a dead body. To this, as some imagine, St. Paul alludes, when he speaks of those that are baptized, that is washed for, or because of the dead'. This mystical interpretation is agreeable to St. Paul's method. He, in another placed alludes to this cere- mony, which was most commonly performed by the high- priest. 7. Lastly, the priest's business was to instruct the people, to bring up the children of the Levites, and to answer the doubts and scruples that might be raised about any part of the law. The Levites were so named because they were the posterity The Levites. of Lovl, oue of the SOUS of Jacob. In point of dig- nity, they Avere of a middle rank, between the priests and the people. They were, properly speaking, the ministers and assistants of the priests, during the whole divine serviced At first, they were divided into three branches, according to the number of tlie sons of Levi ; that is, the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites'"". Their business at the time of their first institution, was to cairy the most holy place, the ark, the tabernacle, with the boards and utensils belonging to it; they did not enter then upon their office, till they were thirty years o]» Matth. XV. 2, 3, 6, Mark vii. 7, 8, 9. V-'iJf ll'jiil/,' .i-svw II The Thalmud is a collection of the Jewish doctriti^ and traditions. There are two of them ; that of Jerusalem, which was compo-^od by Kabbi Judah, the son of Simeon, about the year of Christ 300, and that of IJaby- lon, published about the year 500. Each of them consists of two parts, one of which, called the Misnah, is the text of the T/jfl/zHurf, or traditions: and the other named Gemara, is the supplement or comment upon them. See Dr, Prideanx Conn. p. i. b. 5. under the year 446. * The Hebrew word Cara signifies to read, and Rahhan a doctor that receives the traditionary law. It is supposed, that the founder of this sect was a Jew, called Anan, w ho lived about the middle of the eighth century. Sec Dupin. Hist, of the Canon, &c. b. i. chap. x. sect. 4. 94 AN INTRODUCTION TO g-ospel ; but, as we have already observed, this is too ground- less and uncertain to be relied on. To reconcile the different opinions of the learned upon this head, the scribes or Jewish doctors may very fitly be divided into two classes, namely, such as owned and received the traditions, and sided with the Pharisees: and those that adhered to the sacred text, and were afterwards called Cardites. As these were not distinct from the body of the Jewish nation, or the assembly of the doctors, it is no great wonder that they should not be men- tioned in the New Testament under the name of any particular sect. Besides, as they did not corrupt and alter the law of God by their traditions, as the scribes and Pharisees did ; Jesus Christ had therefore no occasion of mentioning- them. When their adversaries, the followers of oral traditions, in order to represent them as odious as possible, confound them with the Sadducees, do they not in effect own that their antiquity is very great? In Origen', and Eusebius'', we find the Jewish doctors divided in two classes, one of which adhered to the text and letter of the law, and the other received the traditions of the elders. It is then very probable, that the Cardites and traditionary scribes are both of the same antiquity, and that their disputes begun, when traditions came in vogue, that is, about a hundred years before tlie birth of Christ. The Cardites disagreed with the rest of the Jews in some particu- lars, as in the keeping the sabbath, of the neio moons, and other J'estiv a Is ; but the main difference between them con- sisted in these particulars : 1. In that, as hath been already observed, they entirely rejectetl all traditions in general, and stuck to the text of scripture, that is, to the canonical books of the Old Testament, explained in a liteml sense. 2. In that they thought scripture ought to be explained by itself, and by comparing one passage witli another, without having recourse to the Cabala, or traditions, 3. They received the interpretations of the doctors, provided they were agreeable to the sacred writim/s; but withal, left every one at liberty to examine those explanations, and either to embrace, or reject them, as he thought fit. The charge of sadducisni, which hath been brought by the Jeics against the Cardites, is entirely groundless, since it is evident from their writings, that they believed the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection. There are still at this day great numbers of Cardites dispersed in several parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. ' Origcn in Mattli, p. 'ilS. Ed. Hoi. " Euscb, Piu'i). Evang. 1. 8. c. 1.0. THE NEW TESTAMENT. ^ The most tincient SIsct among* the Je^vS, was that on^g g^j oi' the Saddttce^s ; so named from ♦S'crf/oc, the fonn- Nueces. der of if, who lived about two hundred years before Jesus Christ'. What the main points and most essential branches of their doctrine were, is evident from scripture, wherein we are told, that they did not believe there is any resurrection, neither angel nor spirit"^. The Jews irtiagine that Sadoc fell into these errofs, by misapplying- the instructions of Antig-o- nus his master, who taught, that men ought to practise virtue disinterestedly, and Avithout any view to a reward. Josephus asserts", that they denied the mwior?rt/?7y of the soul; but he ascribes to them several other opinions, which there is no mention of in the sacred \rritings: as, "that they did not " allow oi ^ny fatality at all in what case soever; but main- " tained, that every man has it in his own power to make his ** condition better or worse, according as he takes right or " wrong measures." Which hath given some persons occa- sion to believe, that they denied ?i providence, but this hath been advanced without any solid proof; for as they professed to follow the law, they coidd not well entertain such an impious notion, even though they had received only the five books oj" Moses, as some authors have asserted, without any good grounds. Josephus relates indeed, that they rejected all traditions, and were persuaded that only the written law was authoritative and binding; but he doth not say that they rejected the prophets, nnd the other canonical books of Serin- ture. What hath given rise to this opinion, is, that Jesus Christ cites a passage out of Exodus to prove the resurrec- tion to the Sadduceeso, instead of chusing some others which occur in other parts of scripture, and seem to contain more express and positive arguments for that truth. But this cannot be reckoned any manner of proof, because Jesus Christ may have had particular reasons for pitching upon that place rather than any other. All that can be inferred from it, is, that though the Sadducees rejected the traditions of the Pharisees, they notwithstanding allowed of the mys- tical interpretations of scripture, since otherwise they coidd not have apprehended the force of Jesus Christ's argu- ment, which cannot well admit of any other sense than a mystical one. Perhaps not being used to this \^'ay of argu- ing, they were put to silence by it p. However it be, we ' Dr. Prideaux plac \i. .'is. ' Matth. vi.5, &r. '" Luke vii. 39, cSt xv. 1, &c. " Jidinvii.49. Set" ouv note on tliis jilacc. " Is. Ixv. 5. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 99 heart. But the Pharisees lost the whole benefit of it by their vanity and ostentation, and altered the very nature of fasting-, by taking' for rehgion what js only a help towards the perfor- mance of it Just as if a child should value himself upon his being' forced to be carried about ; or, an old man, that he cannot walk without a stafJl 5. They were scrupulously exact in paying- tithe of the least things, and beyond what the law required. Jesus Christ does not blame theinP for paying^ tithes in general, for the law required it ; but for ima- o'ining that they could therei)y atone for the omission and transgression of the most essential duties. 6. They were so strict observers of the Sabbath, as to think it unlawful for any one to rub ears of corn'*, or to heal a sick person. 7. They wore broader phylacteries, and larger fringes to their gar- ments, than the rest of the Jews^ Ihese phr/lacteri^s* were long and narrow pieces of parchment, whereon Avere written thirty passages out of Exodus and Deuteronomy, which they tied to their J'oreheads and left-arms in memory of the law. Some authors infer fi'om Exod. xiii. .9, and Deut. vi. 8, that they were of divine institution. But these passages may be taken in &, /igurative sense, as they are by the Cardites, who wear no phylacteries at all. However, in Jesus Christ's time, they were worn by the g-enerality of the Jews, as well by the Sadducees, avIio received only the law, as by the Pharisees ; with this ditference, that the latter had them larger than the rest, thereby to g"ive the people a greater idea of their holiness and piety. Such a specious shew of religioa had gained them, to that degree, the esteem and veneration of the people, that they could do with them whatever they pleased, though they held them in the utmost contempt, as hath been already observed. This vast respect Avhicli the common people cntei*tained for the Pharisees, made the nobility keep fair with them*. Thus beloved by the people, and dreaded by the grandees, they had great power and authority ; but it was g"enerally attended P Matth. xxiii. « Matth. xii. 2, Luke vi. 7. "^ Mattli. xxiii. 5. * Phylactery is a Greek word, that signifies a memorial or prestrvatiuei It M'as a kind of amulet, or charm. The Hebrew name for phylacteries is tephillim, which signifies prayers, because the Jews wear them chiefly when they are at prayers. The phylacteries are parchment cases, formed with great nicety into their proper shapes ; they are covered with leather, and stand crept upon square bottoms. That for the head has four cavities, into each of wiiich is put one of the four following sections of the law, viz. Exod. xiii. 1 — 10. Exod. xiii. 11—16. Deut. vi. 4—9. Deut. xi. 12, 13. The other hath but one cavity, and into that four sections are also put. See Lamy's IntrodtKt. to the Script, p. 238. ' Jos. Ant. 1. xiii. 23. ' '' H 2 ' ' ' 100 ANiNTRODUCTION TO* with pernicious consequences, because their heart was very corrupted and vicious. We may judge of their character by the frequent anathemas which Jesus Christ denounced against them, and the descriptions he hath given of their morals. He represents them as monsters of pride ; as hypo- crites, who under a fair outside of religion, had minds tainted with the blackest vices ; as impious wretches, who rendered the word of God of none effect by their traditions. It is how- ever probable, that such heavy censures reached only the greatest part of them, and that all the Pharisees were not of so odious a character. Bating the timorousness of Nicode- musS we observe in his whole behaviour and conduct a great deal of goodness and honesty. We may pass the same judg- ment upon Gamaliel. If Saul persecuted the church of Christy he did it out of a blind zeal ; but without insisting upon the testimony he bears of himself, it is manifest from the extraor- dinary favour of God towards hun, that he Avas not tainted with the other vices common to that sect. What he says of it, that it was the strictest of all, cannot admit of any other than a favourable construction. , The third sect among the Jews, was that of the Essenes. ... Of the These are no where mentioned in scri/>^wre, because Essenes, ^^y lived iu dcsarts, and seldom resided in cities *. fit is notwithstanding worth while to give some account of them, because of the great conformity of some of their maxims with those of the Christian religion. They have been con- founded with the Rechabites ; but very wrongly, since these were of a much longer standing. Besides, they were not originally Jews : but the posterity of Rechab, one of the descendants of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, and a Midianite. It was the name of ix family, and not of a sect. It is true that the Rechabites led a very uncommon kind of life, prescribed them by Jonadab their father, the son of Rechab, as we read in the prophet Jeremiah". They drunk no wine, they built no houses, but lived in tents ; they nei- ther sewed seed nor planted vineyards ; but still they were no sectarists. They may properly enough be compared with the Nazarites, (of whom we mtend to give an account here- after) but with this difference, that the vow of the Nazarites was of divine institution, whereas that of the Rechabites was a human appointment, but approved of by God. As for the Essenes, they all along made a sect among the Jews, as we ' John iii. * Philo nevertheless says that there were about four thousand in Judea. Phil. p. 678. " Jer. xxxv. 5, 6, 7, «, 9. See also I C hron. ii. 55. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 161 are assured by two credible authors, viz. Philo* and Jo- isephusy, who have given an exact and pretty uniform descrip- tion of them. It is supposed, with a good deal of probability, that this sect began during the persecution of Antiochus Epi- phanes, when great numbers of Jews were driven into the wilderness, where they enured themselves to a hard and labo- rious way of living. There were two sorts of them ; some lived in society, and married, though with a great deal of wariness and circumspection. They dwelt in cities, and ap- plied themselves to husbandry, and other innocent trades and occupations. These were called prac/ica/. The others, which were a kind of hermits or monks, according to the primary and original signification of that Avord^ gave themselves up wholly to meditation. These were the contemplative Essene^, otherwise sailed Therapevtre, that is physicians, not so much upon the account of their studying physic, as of applying themselves chiefly to the cure and health of the soul. It was to preserve it from the contagion of vice, that they avoided 'livmg in great towns, because the noise and hurry that reign in such places Avere inconsistent with that sedateness which they were so fond of, and that besides they were hereby less exposed to temptations. It doth not appear that they had any traditions, like the Pharisees, but as they were alleqorists, they .had several mystical books, which served them for a rule in 'explaining- the sacred writings, all which they acknowledged and received. Both these sorts of £'ssew«?s followed the same 'maxims. They drank no wine; and were eminent for their frugality and continence. All kinds of pleasure they were perfect strangers to. They used a plain simplicity in their 'discourse, and left to philosophers the glory of disputing and "^talking eloquently. Commerce they did not meddle with, .'.imagining- that it is apt to make people covetous. There was |nosuch thm^ dis property among them, but they had all things in common ; and whenever any one was admitted into their society, he was forced to give up his goods, for the use of the community. As they were charitable one towards another, and hospitable to stiangers, want and indigence were things Uhey knew nothing of. All such arts as were destructive of mankind, or hurtful to the public, were banished from amone- them. They reckoned war unlawful, accordingly they had " no workmen that made any sorts of arms. However, when they travelled, they carried about them a sword to secure * Philo ubi supra. ^ Joseph, de Bell. Jud. 1. ii. c. 7. « Monk, or ^^,i>vct^xJ>(;, originally signifies a person that lives a solitary and retired !if^ 102 jlN INTRODUCTIOX TO themselves against t]ie thieves and robbers, that w^re theti very numerous in Judea. They never took any thing with them, because they were sure of finding all necessaries where- ever tliey came. There was among tliem neither masters nor slaves. All were free, and sei-ved one another. There was notwithstanding a great deal of order and subordination be- tween them. The elders especially were very much respected, and the disciples had a great veneration for their masters. They never swore, at least without mature deliberation, because they had an extreme aversion for a lye ; and their word was more sacred than the oath of any other. However, when they admitted any person into their number, they made him " bind himself by solemn execrations and professions, to love " and worship God% to do justice toward men, to wrong no " one, though commanded to do it; to declare himself an " enemy to all wicked men, to join witli all the lovers of right " and equity; to keep faith with all men, but with princes *' especially, as they are of God's appointment, and hisminis- " ters. He is likewise to declare, tliat if ever he comes to be " advanced above his companions, he will never alnise that " power to the injury of his inferiors, nor distinguish himself " from those below him, by any ornament of dress or apparel : " but that he will love and embrace the truth, and severely " reprove all lyars. He binds himself likewise to keep his *' hands clear from theft and fraudulent dealing-, and his sowl " untainted Avith the desire of unjust gain : that he will not " conceal from his fellow-professors any of the mysteries of " religion ; nor communicate any of them to the prophane, " though it should be to save his life. And then for the mat- " ter of his doctrine, that he shall deliver nothing but what he " hath received : that he will endeavoiu* to presei-ve the doc- " trine itself that he professes ; the books that are written " of it ; and the names of those from whom he had it. These " protestations are used as a test for new comers, and a secii- " rity to keep them fast to their duty. Upon the taking- of " any man in a notorious wickedness, he is excluded the con- " gregation : and whoever incurs this sentence, comes proba- " bly to a miserable end. For he that is tied up by these rites " is not allowed so much as to receive a bit of bread from the " hand of a stranger, though his life itself were in hazard : " so that men arc driven to graze like beasts, until they are " consumed with himger. In this distress, (he society hath " sometimes had the charity and compassion to receive some " of them again." 1 have set down this passage all at length, ^ Jos dc licU. Jiul.l. ii.c.7. THE NEW TESTAMENT. iq;s 1. Because the oath which the Essenes exacted of those whom they admitted into their order, was nearly the sajue as that, which, according- to Pliny*, the primitive Christians were used to bind themselves with. 2. It appears from thence, that the Essenes were not so eager to gain proselytes as the' Pharisees. This Philo testifies. Their morality was both pure and sound; and they reduced it to these three particu- lars. 1. To love God. 2. Virtue ; and 3. Mankind. Reli- gion they made to consist, not in offering- up sacrifices, but according' to St. Paul's advice ^ in presenting- their bodies as a holy sacrifice to God, by a due performance of all religious duties. It is notwithstanding somewhat surprizing, that Jews who professed to folloAV the law of Moses, which punished with death all those that presumed to speak ill of the leqisla- tor, and Avho besides w ere stricter observers of the sabbath than the rest, should omit so essential a part of worship, as sacrijicing was. And therefore Josephus says, " that they " sent their gifts to the temple, without going thither them- " selves ; for they offered their sacrifices apart, in ^peculiar " way of worship, and with more relicjious ceremonies"" Those two authors'^ have very much cried up the extreme firmness of mind, which the Essenes have shewed upon seve- ral occasions, as under distresses^ and persecutions, sufferino- ^death, and the most grievous tovments, even with joy an3 cheerfulness, rather than say or do any thing- contrary to the law of God. Such being the dispositions of the Essenes, they could not be inclined to embrace Christianity; but they must not be confounded with the Christians, as they have been by Eusebius*', since it may easily be made appear, tliat when Philo gave an account of them, there were liardly any Christians in the world. This sect was not unknown to the heathens. Pliny*, and Solinus^, speak of it, but in so very fabulous and obscure a jnauner, as plainly shews that they had no true notion of them. Thus much Is certain, that there was a great conformity between the Essenes and Pythago- reans; as there was between the Sadducees and Epicureans; and the Pharisees and Stoicksf. There is frequent mention of Proselytes in the oniiePro- New Testament, and therefore it will be proper to "'yt«. . ' '' * Pliii. Epist. 1. X. Ep. 97. — Sequc sacraincnto non in scelus aliquod obstrin- gcre, seel ne furta, ne latrocinia, ne adulteriacominittcrcnt, ne fidom fallcrrnt, ne depositum appellati abnegarenf. ** Rom. xii. 1. '^ Joseph. Antiq. 1. xviii. c. 2. "^ Viz. Philo and Josephus. " Euseb. Hist. Eccl. I. ii. c. 17. •^ Plin. 1. V. c. 17. s Solinus, p. 65. t For a full and particular account of each of these sects, see Dr. Prideaux Coud. part. ii. b. v. under the year 107, h4 104 AN INTRODUCTION TO add here a word or two about them. They were heathens that embraced the Jewish relig-ion, either in whole, or in part, for there were two sorts of them. Some were called the proseljites of habitatioit, or of the gate, because they were allowed an habitation among- the children of Israel, and were permitted to live within then gates. These were not obliged to receive or observe the ceremonial law, but only to forsake idolatry, and to observe the seven precepts, which, as the Thalmudists pretend, God gave to Adam, and afterwards to Noah, who transmitted them to posterity. The first of those precepts forbids idolatry, and the worshipping of the stars in particular. The second recommends ihejear of God. The third forbids mnrder. The fourth adultery. The fifth theft. The sixth enjoins respect and veneration for magistrates ; and the seventh condemns eating of fesh with the blood. This last, the Rabbins tell us, was added after God had per- mitted Noah to eat the flesh of animals. Of this kina of proselytes are supposed to have been Naaman the Syrian, the eunuch belonging- to Candace queen of Ethiopia, Cornelius, Nicholas of Antioch, and several others mentioned in the Acts. These proselytes were not looked upon as Jews, and therefore it doth not appear that there was any ceremony per- formed at their admission. Maimonides expressly says, that they were not baptized. ni^r The other proselytes were cfiUed proselytes of the covenant, because they were received into the covenant of God by circumcision, which was named the blood of the covenant, because, according to St. Paul'', men by it Avere bound to observe the ceremonial law. They were otherwise called proselytes of righteousness, on account of their acknowledg- ing and observing the whole ceremonial law, to which the Jews and the Pharisees in particular, attributed the cause of our being accounted righteous before God, as we have obs(;rved in our preface and notes on St. Paul's epistle to the Romans. The proselytes were also stiled the drawn, to which Jesus Christ undoubtedly alluded when he said', J\'o man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him; meaning thereby that his disciples were drawn by quite other bands or motives than >v ere those of the Phari-. sees. There were three ceremonies performed at their?; admission: the first was circumcisioti ; the second was bap-b iism, which was done by dipping the whole body of theJi proselyte in water"?. "Gal. V. 3. ' John vi, 4*. I .:, " Maim.de Proselyt. THE KEW TESTAMENT. lie orig-in of the ceremony of baptism, is entirely unknown, bfecanse it is not spoken of in scripture, when mention is made of those strancfers, which embraced the Jewish reli- gion'; nor in Josephus'", when he relates how Hyrcanus oblig-ed the Idumeeans to turn Jews. The Rabbins will have it to be of a very ancient date. Some of them carry it up as high as the time of Moses, And St. Paul seems to have been of the same opinion, when he saith that the Israelites were baptized unto Moses\ But after all, as the children of Israel were not proselytes, though they had been guilty of idolatry in Egypt, the words of St. Paul cannot admit of any other than n fic/urative sense. The hnptism of proselytes may then very properly be said to have owed its rise to the Phari- sees, who had very much augmented the number of pnriji- cations and washings. It is manifest from the gospel, that it was usual among the Jews, to admit men to the profession of a doctrine by baptism. For the Pharisees do not tind fault with John's baptism, but only blame him for baptizing when , he was neither the Messiah, nor Elias, nor that prophet. When therefore this fore-nmner of the Messiah baptized such persons as he disposed and prepared to receive him, he did no more than practise a thing that was common among the ' Jews, but his baptism was consecrated and authorized by a voice from heaven o. The proselytes were baptized in the presence of three per- sons of distinction, who stood as witnesses. To this Jesus ' Christ seems to allude, when he ordered his disciples to baptize in the name oj-' the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ,• and St. John, when he speaks of the three witnesses of the Christian religion?. The proselyte was asked, whether he did not embrace that religion upon some worldly view; whether he was fully resolved to keep and observe the commandments of God; and whether he repented of his past life and actions ? John the Baptist did exactly the same to the Pharisees and Sadducees that came to his baptism '. Maimonides relates, that the miseries and perse- cutions which the Jewish nation was then exposed to, were also represented to the proselyte, that he might not rashly embrace their religion. Jesus Christ dealt almost in the - same manner with the scribe, who was williuo- to become his -; disciple^ When the proselyte had answered all the ques- tions that were put to him, he was instructed in the principal ^ ' Exod. xii. 48. " Jos. Antiq. 1. xiii. c, 17. " 1 Cor. x. I. » Johni. SSUabuiK^Johu v,8. « Mauh, iii.7— 10. ' MaUl>.vliflp8e. runs AN INTRODUCTION TO articles and duties of religion^ and the rewards and pnnish- ments annexed to the breach or observance of them in the worhl to come, that is, eternal lij'e and death. It is evident from the question which the young man in the gospel put to Jesus Christ % Lord what shall Ida that I may inherit eter- nal life ? that this truth Mas aheady acknowledged and received among- the Jews. It is upon the account of these instructions that were given to proselytes before their being baptized, that the word baptism is sometimes taken in scrip- ture for the instructions themselves, and that to baptize in some places signifies to teach, or make disciples. For this very reason undoubtedly it was, that baptism is by some ancient writers stiled enliffhteninr/. The third ceremony performed at the admission of a prose- lyte, Avas a sacriJJce, which generally consisted of two turtle- doves, and two young pigeans. When the proselyte had gone through all these ceremonies, he was looked upon as a new-born infant ; he received a new name, and no longer owned any relations in the world. To this there are are fre- quent allusions in the New Testaments Such a proselyte was thenceforward reckoned a Jew, from whence it appears, that when we find in the Acts, the Jews distinguished from the proselytes^, it is to be understood of the proselytes of the gate, and not of those of righteousness. But though they were looked upon as Jews, yet it is manifest from the Thal- mudical writings, that they were admitted to no office, and were treated with great contempt. Which was a most inex- cusable piece of injustice, especially from the Pharisees, who being- extremely zealous in making proselytes^, ought in all reason to have dealt gently and kindly with them, for fear of creating in them an aversion to their religion. OF THE HOLY THINGS. The oblations and sacrijices of the Jews, deserve to be set at the head of their hobj things. It is evident from the offerings of Cain and Abel, u\iit saerificirig is as ancient as the world. It is not Avell known Avhether they offered those sacrifices by " Fjukc xviii. 18. ' John iii. 3. Luke xiv. 26. 2 Cor. v. 16, 17. I Pet, ii. 2. " Acts ii. 10. xui.43. " Mattli. xxiii. 15. iTHE NEW TBSTAMEN'r. 107 the positive command of God, or of their own accord; reiisoii and religion teaching- them that nothine;- could be more just, than for them to profess some gratitude to their munificent Benefactor for the manifold advantages they received from his bountiful hand. This last opinion is the most probable for the following-rea- sons. 1. Had God given any such command, the sacred his- torian would undoubtedly have mentioned it, 2. Though God had appointed sacrifices vnider the law, yet it appears from several passages of the Old Testament, that he had instituted them, not because this kind of worship was in itself acceptable to him, but for some other wise reasons ; either because it was a shatlow of things to come, or else adapted to the circumstances of the people of Israel. Jfe «ven saith expressly by his prophet Jeremiah % that in the day when he Ijrought the children of Israel out of Egypt, he g-ave them no commandment concerning- burnt-offerings and sacrifices. Now it is not at all probable that God would have spoken in that manner concerning- sacrificps, if he had enjoined tliem to the first inhabitants of the world imme- diately after the creation. 3. If sacrificing had been ordained from the beginning, as a worship acceptable to God in itself, it would not have been annulled by the gospel. This annulling of it manifestly shews, that the end and design of the sacrifices under the law ceasing upon the coming- of Jesus Christ, whose death and sacrifice was typified by those sacrifices, as St. Paul teaches us, the gospel brought men back to a spiritual service, and to the religion of the mind. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews says indeed ^ that by faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain ; but this very passage may serve to prove that God did not enjoin sacrifices to the first men. For if by faith, we were to imderstand obedience to the revealed will of God, the sacred writer might have said it of Cain as well as of Abel, since they had both of them the same revelation. It is then plain, that by fa\th here we are to understand that good disposition of a grateful mind, which being fully per- suaded that God rewards piety, freely offers to him the first fruits of the benefits which it hath received from him as we have observed in our note on that place. This was a natural and a reasonable service, especially in the infancy of the world, when mankind had not perhaps a true notion of the nature of the Supreme Being. This hath been the opinion of ^ Jcr. vii. 22. " Heb. xi.4. 406 AN INTRODUCTION TO the greatest part of the Jewish doctors, and of the ancient fathers of the church. But how true it is, we shall not go about to determine. However it be, it is certain that the sacrifices of the law were of divine institution. Besides their being figures of things to come, as we are assured in the gospel they were ; God's design in appointing them, was moreover to tie up the people of Israel to his service, by a particular kind of wor- fship, but which should not be very diti'erent from what they had been used to; and also to turn them from idolatry, and to keep them employed, that they might have no leisure of inventing a new kind of worship. And indeed if we reflect upon the great quantity, and prodigious variety of the sacri- Jices of the law, as well as upon the vast number of ceremo- nies that were enjoined, we shall have no reason of wonder- ing at what St. Peter says, Acts xv. 10. The Jewish doctors have distinguished the sacrijices into so many different sorts, that the following their method could not but be tedious and ungrateful to the reader. We shall therefore just touch upon their general divisions. They have divided them into sacrifices properly, and sacrifices improperly so called; the last were so named, because though they were consecrated to God, yet they were not offered upon the altar, nor even in the temple. Such were, 1. The sparrows, or two clean birds that were offered by the priest in the houses of the lepers for their cleans- ing, by sacrificing one, and letting the other go *=. 2. We may rank among these the heifer, whose head was struck off to expiate a murder, the author of which was unknown '^. 3. As also the red heifer that was burned by the priest without the camp; whose ashes were saved to put in the water, wherewith those that had been defiled, by touch- ing a dead body, were wont to purify themselves^ 4. And lastly, the Azazel*, or scape-yoat, which was sent into the wilderness loaded with the sins of the people^. As for the sacrifces properly so called, and known by the general name of corban, that is, a holy yift, they may be divided into two general parts; into bloody or animate, and into unbloody or inanimate sacrifices. The first were of ' Levit. xiv. 49, 50, &c. Concerning these ceremonies, see Spencer of the Jewish Ceremonies, dis. 1. ii, 15. and iii. 10. '' Dcut. .xxl. * Numb, xix. 2. * The learned are not agreed about the mcairing of the word azazel. According to some, it was the name of a mountain. According to others, it signifies going or sent away. Others will have it to mean a devil. Concerning this goat, see Dr. Prideaux Coun, p. 8. b. i. near the beginning. ' Lev. xvi. 8. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 109 three sorts, viz. whole humt-offerinrfs, sin-afferings, and peace-qffenngs. Some were public, and others private; there were some appointed for the sabbaths, the solem Jeasts, and for extraordinary cases or emergencies. Before we g-ive a particular account of each of them, it will be proper to sit down what was common to them al!, 1. Sacrifices in general were holy offerings, but the public ones were holiest. 2. It was unlawful to sacrifice any where but in the temple. 3. All sacrifices were to be offered in the day time, never in the night. 4. There were only Jive sorts of animals which could be offered up, namely, oxen, sheppy goats; and among birds, pigeons and turtle-doves. All these animals were to be perfect, that is, without spot or blemish. 5. Certain ceremonies were observed in every sacrifice, some of which were performed by those that offered it, as the laying their hands on the head of the victim, killing, flaying, and cutting it in pieces, and wash- ing the entrails of it ; others were to be done by tlie priests, as receiving the blood in a vessel appointed for that use, sprinkling it upon the altar, which was the most essential part of the sacrifice, lighting the fire, setting the wood in order upon the altar, and laying the parts of the victim mpon it. 6. All sacrifices were salted. > A holocaust*, or whole burnt-offering, was the whoiebumt- smost excellent of all the sacrifices, since it was all off"ing». consecrated to God, the victim being wholly consumed upon the altar^ whereas some parts of the others belonged to the vpriests then upon duty, and those that had offered the victim. .Accordingly it is one of the most ancient, since we find it ^offered by Noah and Abraham, but with what ceremonies is mnknown, and also by Job, and Jethro the father-in-law of • Moses s. It is commonly supposed that Cain and Abel also ^offered this kind of sacrifice wliich was chiefly intended as an '■ acknowledgment to Almighty God, considered as the Crea- tor, Governor, and Preserver of all things; and this undoubt- edly Avas the reason why no part of it was reserved. This sacrifice was notwithstanding offered upon other public and i private occasions, as to return God thanks for his benefits, to theg a favour from him, or atone for some offence or pollution. Whole burnt-offerings, like the other sacrifices, Avere either "public or private. The same animals were offered in these, as in the rest of the sacrifices, and the same ceremonies (iisjnuoiTE B )o aincn ■HM ecir Jt ,sm<' ^" '■» n ivBJf fliw ?T*HtO .•'^•M^ ^nas "?'' » , . . , ''- , * Tlie Greek word Holocaust \ohoxavrot) signifies what is entirely comumcd lyfire, Phil, de Vict. p. 648. « Gen.viii. 80. xxii. 13. Job.i,5. 110 AN INTRODUCTION TO almost were observed. Only with this difference, that a holocaust could be offered by a stranger, that is, a proselyte of the gate. When St. Paul exhorts the Romans'' to present their bodies unto God as a «acr(/?c*', he undoubtedly alludes to the tohole bvrnt-offerings, because the Christian religion requires a perfect sacrifice; we must deny ourselves, and not set our affections upon this^vorld. Propitiator g sacrifices yrere of two sorts, some being- for Of sin and sin, and others for trespasses. What the differen ce be- offerings. twccu thcsc two was, IS uot agreed among- the Jewish writers. All that can be made out from what they have said upon this point, Ls, that the sacrifice J'or sin is that which was offered for sins or offences conunitted through inadvertency, and undesignedly against a negative precept*, or a prohibition of the law\ And indeed it appears from scriptvre^, that there was no sacrifice or expiation for sins committed wilfullv, presumptuously, and out of defiance to the Divine Majestv, and that such an offender was punished with death. As for trespass-offerings, it is not well knoMU neither what they Avere. It is however generally supposed that they were ofi'ered for sins of ignorance. So that the Hebrew word, which has been rendered sin, signifies such an offence as we are conscious of, but have committed undesignedly ; and that which has been translated by trespass, denotes an action, concerning- which we have reason to doubt whether it be sinful or not. But this, after all, is very uncertain, since both those words are pro- miscuously used. We shall therefore conclude this article, by observing-, that it is the opinion of the most learned among- the Jews, those sacrifices could not really atone or make satis- faction for the sins of men. They were only designed for a confession or remembrance of men's iniquities, and as a kind of intercession to God for the remission of them, who actually forgave them upon condition of repentance, without which there could be no remission. This is Philo's notion of the matter'. But St. Paul is very express upon this point, when to shew that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was the substance and original of what was only prefigured by the sacrifices of the law, he says, the expiation and atonement of these last was only typical and fioiirative. Upon this head you may consult our preface on the epistle to the Hebrews. Peace-offerings, or saci'ifices of gratitude, are so named Peace offer- becausc they were offered to God in hopes of iiigs- '' Rom. xii. 1. * The Jews rrckoncd 365 negative precepts, and S48 affirmative ones. ' Levit. iv. 2. Numb, xv. 27. " Ibid. vcr. 30— i2. Ilcb. X. 26, &c. ' Philo de Vit, Mos. 1. 3. p. 51. THE NEW TESTAMENT. m obtaining- some favour from him, or as a thanksgiving for hav- ing- received some signal mercy from his bountiful hand. In the first sense, they were termed salutary, that is, iov safety / and in the second, they were called eucharistical, i. e. of thanksgiving-, or sacrifices of praise. Besides those that were appointed iovfestivah, and which were public, there were also some private ones. These were consecrated to God by a vow, to crave some blessing from him, or else they were volurv- tary, to return him thanks for favours received. The first were of an indispensable obligation, upon account of the vow ; in the others, men were left more at liberty. There are in scripture numberless instances of these two sorts of sacrifices"". In them the blood and entrails were burned upon the altar, the breast or right shoulder belonged to the priest, and the rest of the flesh with the skin, was for the person that made the oftering. For this reason this kind of sacrifice is by some Jewish authors called a sacrifice of retribution, because every one had his share of it. We may rank among the peace-offerings that of the paschal lamb, of which we design to give an account hereafter ; that of the first-born, whether man or beast", and also the tenths of cattle. All these belonged to God, according to the law. The first-born of the chddren of Israel were oifered to God as a memorial of his having spared the first-born of their fore- fathers in the land of Egypt; but they were redeemed, and the price of their redemption given to the high-priesto. As for clean beasts, they were oft'ered to God in sacrifice, and the flesh belonged to the priests P. If the animal was unclean, a lamb was offered in his place, or else they struck oft" his head, but never sacrificed him "J. The tithes of herds and of flocks were also by the Jews consecrated to God, as a thanksgiving for his having blessed their cattle'. It remains now that we should say a word or two or obiauons, concerning unbloody sacrijices; which were, I. The sacrifices. offerings and libations; 2. ffrst fruits ; 3. tenths, and 4. per- fumes. Some ofterings were accompanied with libationj*, as the whole burnt-offerings of four-footed beasts, and peace- offerings, but it was not so with propitiatory sacrifices. This offering consisted of a cake of fine flour of wheat, and in some cases of barley, kneaded with oil without leaven, with a certain quantity of wine and salt, and sometimes of frankin- cense. 13esides these offerings that were joined with the ■» Judg. xi. SO, 31. 2 Sam. xv. 7, 8. 2 Cliron. xxix. SO, 31. Psal. Ixvi. 13, 15. Jonah ii. 9. , " Exod. xiii. 15. Numb. iii. 13. "Numb, xviii. 15. p Exod.xiii, 15. 'Ibid. "^ Levit. sxvii. 32. 113 AN INTRODUCTION TO bloody sacrifices, some were offered sing-ly and apart ; either for all the people on feast-days, or for particular persons on different occasions. They were nearly the same with those that accompanied the sacrifices of living creatures. Some obLitions were made without any libation at all, as the omer or handful of corn that was offered at the feast o^ the passover, the two loaves at the feast of Pentecost, and the shew-bread, of which an account hath been given before. We have but two or three things more to observe concerning the offerings. The first of which is, that the children of Israel were expressly forbidden to mix honey with them^: the learned have accounted for this injunction several ways, but the most pro- bable is that which makes it to have been given with a desig-n to distinguish the oblations of the Hebrews from those of the Egyptians, who were used to put honey with them*. The second is, that in every oblation it Avas absolutely necessary there should be salt ". To which law there are some allusions in the gospel^. Thirdly, offerings were to be of unleavened bread y, except the two loaves at the feast oi Pentecost, which were leavened^; but it is to be observed that these were not offered upon the altar. Besides the first-horn of living creatures, which by the law Of first-fruits, were consecrated to God, thejirst-frnits of all kinds of corn and fruit, were also appropriated to him*, as of grapes. Jigs, pomegrantes, and dates\ The first-fruits of sheep's wool were also offered for the use of the Levites ^ The law doth not fix the quantity of these first-fruits. But the Thalmudists tell us, that liberal persons were wont to give the fortieth, and even the thirtieth ; and such as were niggardly, the sixtieth part. The first of these they called an oblation icith a good eye, and the second an oblation icith an evil eye. Which may serve to illustrate Jesus Christ's expression*^. These first-fhiits were offered from the feast of Pentecost till that of dedication, because after that time the fruits were neither so good, nor so beautiful as before •^. The Jews were forbidden to begin their harvest, till they had offered up to God the omer, that is, the new sheaf, which was done after the day of unleavened bread, or the* Passover. Neither were they allowed to bake any bread made of new • Levit. ii. 11. 'To which may be added, that the bee was ranked among the unclean animals, " Levit. ii. 13. * Mark ix. 49, 50. Colos. iv. 6. y Levit. ii. 11. * Levit. xxiii. 17. * But were not burnt upon the altar. See Levit. ii. 12. ■ Numb. xv. 7. xviii. 12, 13. Deut. xxvi.2. Nehem. x. 35. •• Dcut. xviii. 4. "^ Matth. xx. 15. ** The feast of dedication was iu December. * Levit. xxiii. 10, 14. fif HE NEW TESTA?^IENT. j^s corn, till they had presented the new loaves upon tlie altar on ^^the day of Pentecost, without which all the corn was looked ,y.Upon as profane and unclean*. To this St. Paul alludes when J he says, If the first-fruit behohf, the lump is also holif*. The ^vfirst-fruits belonged to the priests and their families, >vhich -brought them a large income, as hath been observed by \ Philo ^. We have in Deuteronomy and Josephus an account f^g^i the ceremonies that were observed at the oftering of the first-fruits. After the first-fruits had been offered to God, Te»ths. every one paid the tenths of what he possessed to the Le vites for the support of themselves and their families'*. The anti- ,.quity of this custom of paying tithes to those that are appointed to wait at the altar, is manifest from the instance of .Abraham, who gave Melchisedek tithes of all the spoil he had ^takenfrom the kings of Canaan', and from that of Jacob, who ;, promised to give God the tenth of all he should procure by his blessing ''. As it is supposed that in those early times the priesthood belonged to the first-born of every family ', some have asserted, with a great deal of probability, that Melchi- sedek was the first-born of the children of Noah ; that as ,such he blessed Abraham; and with regard to this it was, ^that Abraham gave him tithes of all; for what is said by the ^author of the epistle to the Hebrews'", that Melchisedek was without father, without mother^ without descenty Sec. must be understood in a mystical sense, as we have observed in our comment on that place. But it is not meant that ^Melchisedek had no father nor mother, but only that there is no account in ^scripture of the parents and genealogy of any person under I the name of Melchisedek. The Levites gave to the priests iithe tenths of their own tithes". When these tithes were paid, the owner of the fruits gave besides another tenth part of them, which was carried up to Jerusalem, and eaten in the temple, as a sign of rejoicing and gratitude towards God". These were a kind of uf/apce, or j love feasts; and these are Avhat we find named the second ..tithesP. Lastly, there were tithes allotted to the poor, M'hich 'the Levites, like the rest, were obliged to pay, because they IjWere in possession of some cities. Besides which there was appointed for the sustenance of the poor, a corner in every *-,■ - . - -■--,■-.. .. .ra- liam's justification. For it is to be observed, that, accordino- to St. PauH, this father of the faithful having been justified, whilst he was yet uncircumcised, he was not so by virtue of his circumcision, which was only a sign of his justificah'on. This is what the Jews did not duly attend to. Instead of imitating the faith and piety of their father Abraham, they fancied that they could be justified through circKmcision^, and even boasted of this pretended privilege % instead of being thereby excited to follow his exauiple, as Christ tells them they ought to have done*. It !! :;..;; . ; 1 , . *' '^. .1 ■ s'l'.l i, J ff IX i., "» Gen. xvii. 10, 11, 12. " Ilerodof. 1. ii. c. 104. Philo Ac Circuin< . ;j. &2h " Geii. xvii. 14. « Johu vii. 22. ' Rom. iv. II. ' Act- xv, I. * Rom. ii.25. ' John viii. 39. , ,• 118 AN INTRODUCTION TO When God delivered his law to the children of Israel, he renewed the ordinance of circumcision, and it became a sncranient of the Jewish religion. For which reason >St. Ste- phen ca]i« it f/*e corewf('?«^ o/' c?rc7//wc?s/o«"/ and upon this account Jesus Christ says, that Moses instituted circum- cision, though it came from the Patriarchs'^. Besides the design which God proposed to himself in establishing this ceremony, he apj)ointed it for some other ends, suited to the circumstances of the people of Israel. 1, It included in it so solemn and indispensable an obligation to observe the whole law, that circumcision did not profit those who trans- gressed ity. Hence the Jewish relhjion is often stiled in scrioiirre the circumcision^, and the Jews those oj' the cir- cvmcislon^ . For which reason St. Paul says, that whoever is circumcised, is bound to keep the whole law**; and upon this account, to be circnmcised, and to keep the law, are parallel expressions ^ 2. This was a ceremony whereby not only the Jews, but also all st}-angers, were to be initiated into the Jew ish religion, and without wSiicli none could be admitted into the body of the nation '^. No uncircumcised person was allowed to celebrate any of the festivals, and the passover in particular. We read in the book of Esther % that gi-eat numbers of Gentiles became Je^vs. This the severitj; have rendered thus, the^j were circvmcised and Jvdn'ised, or turned Jews % which shews that it was by circumehion men were admitted into the Jewish religion*. Such of the children of Israel as v/ere born in the wilderness having remained uncir- cumcised, Joshua ordered that this ceremony should be per- formed upon them before they were brought into the land of promise "/ whereupon God told them he had removed, or rolled away the reproach of Eyypt from off them ; that is, they should thenceforward be looked upon as the people of God, and no longer as the slaves of Egypt. To this St. Paul undoubtedly alluded, when he said to those Ephesian gentiles that had embraced Christianity, that while they were in uncir- cumcision, they were excluded out of the commonwealth of Israel. 3. Circumcision was an open profession of the wor- ship of the true God, and also at the same time a kind of abjuring of idolatry. For which reason, during the perise- " Actsvii. 8. '= Johnvii.22. > Rom. ii. 25. "^ Horn. iii. 1, 30. Gal. ii. 7. ^ And thus wp iiiul Josus Christ called (ho minister of cir- cumcision. Arts X. 45. '' Gal. V. 3. "' Acts xv. 5. '' Gen. wii. 10— 14. «• Esther Hi. 17. ' nf^iETE/^tavTo y.xi \Hoa,'iQjv. * Forwliich reason the newly circumcised child was called the bridegroom, because he then v,as, as it were, married to God anl his church. '»' Josh. v. 4, 5, 6, 9. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 110 putioii of Antiochiis, the heathens put those women to death that caused their children to be circumcised''; and such Jews as turned pagans took away, as much as possible, all marks of circumcision. As circumcision was an open profession of the Jewish religion, some of those Jews that embraced Christianity, thought that this superstition ought to be retained, especially among- those that were of Jewish extrac- tion. But St. Paul expressly forbids it". Lastly, circum- cision was appointed for mystical and moral reasons. It was, as well as baptism \ a token of purity and holiness of life. Hence these expressions, to circumcise the fore-skin of the heart, the circumcision of the heart, the circumcision made without handsK It is plain from an excellent passage of Philo, that the Jews were not ignorant of this mystery". The chief particulars to be observed with relation to circumcision, are as follows : I. The law had ordered that every male-child should be circumcised the eifjhth * daif. The reason why it jwas fixed to that time, undoubtedly was, because it could not legally be done sooner «, for the mother of every man child being unclean for the seven first days after her delivery, the child was consequently so too. They were not, on the other hand, to do it later, because the new-born infant could not be too soon consecrated to God. The Jews took such particular care to do it exactly on that day, that they never neglected it, even though it happened on a sabbath-day, as Jesus Christ observed to them when they found fault with him for having healed a man on that day p. This they termed dnv- inq awatj the sabbath. When they were any way compe led to' perform circumcision either sooner or later, they looked upon it as a misfortune, and did not reckon such a circumcision so good as that which was done the eighth day. And when this ceremony was put off, it never was used to dnce aicay the sabbath. This is the reason why we find St. Paul accountino it no small privilege to have been circumcised the eighth day S as we have observed on that place. Accordingly J esus Christ and John the Baptist were circumcised exactly upon it 2. It is evident from the gospel that it was usual to name the child the day he was circumcised, since John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, were named upon the pertormance ot this ceremony. We learn from the same history, that it was com- H 1 Mac. i. 63. Jos. Antiq.xn.7. .. ' I ^or. vii. 18 "^ ! P^'^ ^j- ' Deut X 16 \xx.6. Jcr. iv.4. Rom. n. 29. Colnss. ii. 11. Acl. vii. 51. ™ Phiio ki Circiunc. ' Including the Cay in v.h.ch he --'-"v-'' that in which he ivas circumci.ed. " Ocn. xvu. 12. Levit. xii. J. " John vii. 22, 2?. '' Philip, m- o- I 4 120 AN INTRODUCTION TO nionly the father, or some near relation, that gave the name, 3. Circumcision was reckoned so absolutely necessary, that it could be done in any place, in private houses, as well as in the synag'og-ues ; and by all sorts of persons, provided they were Jews, and qualified for it. Tliere was notwitlistanding- a man appointed for this employment, who did it in the presence of several witnesses, that the initiation might be more solemn and authentic. 4. It is not well known, whether it Avas the custom, in the time of Jesus Christ, that the child should have a God-viother that brought him to the door of the syna- goo'ue, and no farther, because she was not allowed to go in, and a God-father that held him during the ceremony. Which was accompanied with prayers and vows, and before and after it there were great rejoicings. As necessary as circumcision Avas while the ceremonial law remained in force, it became as indifferent and unnecessary upon the abrogating of that law by the destruction of the tem- ple. Till that time the apostles allowed the Jews converted to Christianity, the use of it, but they expressly ordered that this yoke should not be put upon the necks of the Gentile con- verts. And therefore St. Paul, who hath fully proved how unprofitable and unnecessary it is% and who makes it consii^t only in regeneration, of which it was a figure % thought it however proper to have Timothy circumcised', because his : mother w as of Jewish extraction ; and would not, on the other hand, suffer this ceremony to be performed on Titus, because he was a Greek". Wherein this apostle hath given the . church in all ages a most excellent pattern, either of conde-v^ scension, or resolution, in insisting upon, or omitting, things.! indifferent, according to the variety of times and circum- stances. It is generally supposed that baptism succeeded circumci- sion, though there is nothing said about it in the gospel. There is indeed a great conformity between these two cere- monies. 1. Baptism is the first and initiating sacrament of the Christian religion, as circumcision w as of the Jewish. 2. It is by baptism men are consecrated to Jesus Christ, admitted into the Christian rt^Z/r/^'ow, and pul)licly received as membei*s of his church. 3. Baptism is a token of our regeneration, of. our dying to sin, and rising again unto righteousness in Jesus , Christ^. But these ceremonies disagree also in some parti- culars. I. Baptism is administered to both sexes*. 2. There ■■ 1 Cor. vii. 19. - Gal. v. C. and vi. 15. ' Actsxvi. 3. " Gal. ii. 3.,' "Roin, vi. 3. Gal. iii. 27. IPet. iii.2l. * We learn from history, that among some nations the women were circumcised. But in instituting this cere- THE NEW TESTAMENT. 121 is no particular day or season appointed for baptism ; ^rown persons were at first instructed in the principles of religion before they were baptized, and to some this sacrament was not administered till they were at the point of death. But this custom is of a later date than the apostolical ag-e. 3. Water was never used in circumcision. It is true that tLe child was carefully washed, and the persons that made the offerings purified themselves, but then it was in order to fit and prepare themselves for the ceremony, and not upon account of the ceremony itself, wherein wine and not Avater was used. We may then safely affirm, that baptism hath some conformity, both with circumcision and the baptism of the jnoselytes, which hath been spoken of before. ■ '•■■ :>>. mM OlUiJ ,! y'jilj ?ut*^ ,li'l?< ' March and April. April and May. May and June. Jane and Jidy. July and August. August and September. September and October. October and November. November and December. December and January. January and February. [^February and March. The origin of weeks is of the same standing as the Morld Of weeks, itself. The Jews had two sorts of them, some con- sisting of seven days, and others of seven years. These aie called in scripture iveeUs of years. At first the IlebreMs had no particular name for the days of the week. They were * The sofar year con-sistotl of 365 days, 5 hours, and some ininii(e!;. Tire lunar year was of 354 dttys, 8 hours, and some odd minutes, according to the Jewish computation. + To intcrcalulc was the addin*:; of a month to ttie year, between February and Mareli ; which was done, when the corn couhl not be rij)e at the passovcr, nor the fruit-> at t\\c penlccoal. ' Gen. ii. 2,3. viii. 10. Axix. 27,28, Levit. xxiii. b". tHE NEW TESTAMENT. K3 wont to say, the first, the second day of the week, &c. as is evident from several places of the New Testament^. We learn from the revelations of St. John**, that the first day of the week was as early as that time called the Lord's-day, because it Avas on that day, our blessed Lord rose again from the dead. There are two sorts of days; the natural, which or days. is the space of four and ticeniy hours, from one sun-set to another ; the other called artificial or civil, consists of ticelve hours', from the rising to the setting of the sun. The civil day, that is the sun's stay above the horizon, was by the Jews divided into fo?ir parts^, each of which consisted of three hours, that were longer or shorter according to the dif- ferent seasons of the year. The first was from six o'clock in the morning till nine. And therefore they called the third ho7ir\ what we call nine o'clock, because #/iree hours were past from sun-rising to that time. The second part of the day lasted from ?iine of the clock till noon. The third from noon till three. This they called the 7iinth hour of the day™, because it actually was the ninth from the morning. ITie fourth was from three o'clock till six in the evening. They gave the name of ho7ir to each of these four parts, as well as to the hours properly so called. Some authors are of opinion, that the four parts of the day were otherwise divided by the Jews. Whether they were, or not, it is of little moment. But it will be very proper here to reconcile St. Mark, who affirms", that it was the third hour, when they crucified Jesus Christ, with St. John", who says that it was about the sixth hour. This may be done several ways. Besides the method which we have folloAved in our notes on those two e^-anrjelists, it may be said that by crucifying, St. Mark did not mean the nailing of Christ to the cross, for according to St. LukeP, it was not till the sixth hour, that is, noon, but only all the prepara- tions towards it, after sentence had passed upon him. We must here observe, that in several Greek manuscripts of the gospel according to St. John, the third is read instead of the sixth hour, as we have observed in our note on that place. The Jews divided also their nights into four parts, which they called watches*. The 1st. was named the evening ; the 2d. the middle-watch, or midnight; the 3d. the cock-crowing, from midnight till three in the morning ; the 4th, the morn- e Matth. xxviii. 1. Mark xvi. 2. Acts xx, 7. 1 Cor. xvi.2. " Rev. i. 10. ' John. xi. 9. ^ Nchem. ix. 3, ' Matth. xx. 3. "' Ibid. ver. 5. " Mark XV. 25. <> John xix. 14. p Luke xxiii, 44. * Matth. xiv. 25. Mark xiii. 35. Luke xii. 3S. 124 AN INTRODUCTION TO mn, or break of day. As the evangelists, in the account which they have given of St. Peter denying- our Saviour '^, often mention the cock-crowhiff, and w ith some seeming con- tradiction, it will be proper to give a full ex])lanation of this point, which could not conveniently be done within the com- J)ass of a {gv/ short notes. The difficulty lies in this, that fEsus Christ is said in St. Mark ^ to have told Peter that before the cock crowed twice, he would deny him thrice. And indeed the same evanr/elist relates, that the cock crowed after Peter's first denial; and again after he had denied his master the third time. Whereas accordino; to the rest of the evangelists% the cock did not crow till Peter had denied Christ three times. To solve this difficulty, we have observed in our note on that place, that as the cock crows at several times, the meaning of St. Matthew, St. Luke, and St. John is, that before the cock had done crowing, St. Peter deiu'ed his divine master three times. But to be a little more particular upon this point; it is to be observed further, 1. That the cock commonly crows tivice every night, viz. at midnifjht, and between ?/taf and break of day. IlXuh second crowing is pro- perly called the cock-crowinq. It may therefore be sup- posed that St. Peter having denied Jesus Christ the first time, about midnight, the cock crowed ; and that after he had denied him the third time, the cock crowed again. This explains St. Mark's meaning. As for what is said by the other evangelists, that the cock croiced after Peter had denied him three times, it must be understood of the second croAving, which is properly the cock-croicing. Or else, 2d. That wordof St Mark which hath been translated twice, may be rendered the second time^, by w hich means the m hole diffi- culty will vanish; and after all, it is of no great consequence. We have but one observation more to make concerning the i/ears and months, &c. of the Hebrews. And that is, that in their language ang part of a year, a month, a week, a day, or an hour, is often taken for a whole year, month, week, day, and hour. Which serves to explain what was said by Jesus Chris I, that he Avould rise again the third day, as mc have observed on Matlh. xii. 40. Festivals are solemn days set apart for the honour and oiiustivais. service of Cod, either in remembrance of some spe- cial mercies which have been received from his bountiful ■sib 'lo aaorft aioi") ,f)oy nl li-.cji j; i, y, . •. ,,.-,ii ;.vr'.'i nil ^ojl^in'jiiit^il.-i ■> Malth. xxvi. 69— 75. Mark xiv. 68, 71, 72. Luke xxii. 56-60. John xviii. 27. ' Mark xiv. 30, 68, 69, 70, 71. •• MaUh. xxvi. 74. Luke xxii. 60. Jolin xiii. 3S. ' Murk xiv. 30. ^>5. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 125 hand, or in memory of some punishments which he hath inflicted on mankind", or else to turn away those which hanjr over their heads. Those of the first kind were attended with reioicinos, feastings, hymns, concerts of music, eucharistical sacrifices, and a joyful and innocent exemption from labour*. Upon Avhich account they were termed sabbaths. Those of the second and third sort ; were days of fasting- and atone- ment. We learn from profane history, that the institution oi festivals is of a very ancient date". But the sacred writers make no mention of the festivals of the Hebrews, before their comino' out of Egypt. It was undoubtedly there the Israel- ites learned to have a liking and inclination for festivals, as is evident from their rejoicings when they worshipped t\\e golden calf'\ And it was with a design to turn them from the idola- trous practices that reigned in th& heathen festivals, that God, out of a condescension suitable to his wisdom and goodness, appointed some in his own honour, with such ceremonies and circumstances, as distinguished them from the festivals ot^ idolatrous nations ^. , /. ' The Jews had several sorts of Feasts, whereof some were more solemn than others. They were either of divine or human institution. To begin with the first: the most solemn of those that had been established by God, were the ^assou^r, the pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles. These three fes- tivals were to be celebrated every year at Jerusalem and all the Israelites were obliged to go thither, unless they had very o-ood reasons for absenting themselves. Some lasted but one day, others continued a whole week. The latter had some days less solemn than the rest; as those, for instance, that were between the first and the last, when the feast lasted seven days. And therefore it is said in St. John y, that about the middle of the feast of tabernacles Jesus Avent up into the temple and taught, because he could not do it sooner for the crowd. The holiest days were called the great or the good days. Accordingly St. John calls the last day oHhe Jeast oj tabernacles, the great day ^ that is, the most solemn as we have rendered it. During the^e festivals, that part of the sacrifices which was to be eat,and the shew-bread, was divided among the four and twenty courses of priests. Lriminais were also kept till these solemn occasions, that their punish- * This distinguishes the feasts that were instituted by God, from those of the heathens, which were accompanied with very ^^'"^1 """P^Tpvod xxxii " Ilerodot 1 iii c 58. F-nseb. pr^par. Evang. 1. 1. c 9, 70. >^Exod. xxxii. 5."! ' Chrjsostom. t. vi. de Chr. Past. p.^i97 Theod .n Deut. Erot. I. & Qu. in Exod. 54. > John vii. 14. Mbid. ver. 37. 126 AN INTRODUCTION TO ment might be a terror to others. The Jews however were not willing to put Ji:sus Christ to death durino- the feast, because they were afraid this woukl cause some disturbance among- the people, who took him for the Messiah, or at least for a gTeat prophet. Which course soever they took, they must needs have acted against their consciences ; for if he m ere not an impostor, as uncfoubtedly they did not look upon him as one, they ought not to have put him to death, either before or after the feast. And if he were an impostor, they should have put him to death during* the feast, according to the law. Providence ordered it so, that he should suffer death at the time he did, because, since as he was the true paschal lamb, or our passover, to use St. Paul's expression % it was necessary that he should die at that very juncture of time. As there came up to Jerusalem vast numbers of people at these festi- vals, the Roman governors were wont to g'ive the Jews a garrison of Roman soldiers, to prevent any seditions, or dis- turbances among the people ^. It is well known that the passover was so named from the oftiie pass- angel's passitn/ over the houses of the Israelites, and sparing their first-born, when those of the Egyptians were put to death *. The name of passover was also given to the lamb, that was killed on the first day of this feast c. Hence these expressions, to eat the passover^, to sacrijice the passover^ : and hence also it is that St. Paul calls Jesus Christ oz/r Passover*^, that is, oxir paschal lamb. The pass- over was otherwise named the J'east of vnleavened breads, because it was unlawful to eat any other sort of bread, during the seven days the feast lasted ''. This name however more particularly belongs to the second day of the feast, ?'. e, the fifteenth of the month '. We have an account of all the cere- monies belonging to the passoiwr in several places of the pen- tateuch. They may be reduced to these three heads. 1. The killing and eating of the paschal lamb. 2. The eating the unleavened bread. And, 3. Offering up to God the omer, or handful of })arley. The chief things to be observed with relation to the paschal lamb or kid, are as follows. 1. It is to be noted, that on all =" 1 Cor. V. 7. » MiiUh. xxvii. 65. * Kxod. xii. 12, 13. The Hebrew verb, from -n lienre llio word passorcv is derived, doth not only signify to pass from one place to another, but also to pass over, to spare, to pass icilh- out doing any harm ; and therefore the seventy have rendered it by a word that signifies to protect. " Ezra vi. '20. I\!atth. xxvi. 17. '' Mark xiv. 12, 14. '^ICor.v. 7. fibid, « Luke x.xii. 1. Mark xiv. 12. '■ Exoil. xii. 18. Numb, xxviii. 17. Deut. xvi. 8. ' Lev. xxLii. 6. Mark iiv. 1. Jos Antiq. I. ill. cup. 10. THE NEW TESTAMENT, 127 the feasts^, and particularly at the passover, there were great numbers of victims slain from among- the cattle, as hulls, and the like *. The paschal feast begun by serving up of the flesh of these sacrifices, after which the lamb was eaten. The first was what the guests were to sup upon, for the lamh was sym- bolical, and it was sufficient for any one to eat of it about the bigness of an olive, if they were satisfied before, or in case the lamb was not enough for every one. 2. This lamb was la representation of that which the Israelites had eaten in Egypt, and was called the body of the pmsoveVy to distinguish ^/torf part of the paschal lamb which was eaten, from what was offered upon the altar ; that is, the blood which was sprinkled, and the entrails that were burnt. Jesus CiiRi?yT manifestly alluded to this expression, when he said of the bread, this is my body ; as if he had said, this is not the body of the paschal lamb, which we have just now eaten, but the body of the true Iamb, whereof the other was only a figure. 3. The lamb was killed the fourtee7ith day of the month Nisau^, in the even- ing, or as the scripture expresses it, between the two eveningsf. Such as could not celebrate the passover on the day appointed, upon the account of some legal uncleanness, or any other in- disposition, were obliged to do it the fourteenth day of the next month. We will leave it to the learned to determine exactly the hour when it was done. Josephus, who may justly be looked upon as a competent judge in such matters, says, that the paschal lamb was killed between the ninth hour, that is, three in the afternoon, and the eleventh, i. e. about the setting of the sun. And within this space of time also it was, that Jesus Christ our true paschal lamb was crucified". 4. The lamb was to be a male of the Jirst year, and without blemish". The apostles often make allusion to this last quality, when speaking of Jesus Christ, of the Christians, and of the church of Christ %. It was with a design to know whether the lambs or kids had all the conditions required by the law, that they were enjoined carefully to chuse them, and set them aside some days before the feast. 5. This sacrifice was to be offered up in the tabernacle, as long as it stood, ^ Deut. xvii. 2 Chron. xxxv. * These the Jews termed chagiga, i, e. rejoicing. "• Exod. xii, 6. Numb. ix. 5. Deut. xvi.6. Josh. v. 10. + That is, from 12 or I o'clock till sun-setting. "Matth. xxvii. 46. ° Exod. xii. 5. t Heb. ix. 14. I Pet. i. 19. Ephes. i. 4. v, 27. Coloss. i.22. Revel, xiv. 5. In most of the Greek copies of the seventy, there are tTTO epithets, M>i7Aouf blemish, and perfect. There is an allusion to this last word, Rom. xii. i. the perfect will of God, i. e. the sacrifice God requires of us, ought to be perfect. 128 AN INTRODUCTION TO and afterwards in the covrts of' the temple^, tj. Every par- ticular person slew bis own victim % and one of the priests received the blood into a vessel, which was banded by the priests or Levites to the high priest, by whom it was poured at the bottom of the altar. Wiien any person happened to be unqualified for offering- this sacrifice, by reason of some uncleanness he had contracted, it >vas then performed by the Levites ^ 7. After the lumh was slain, the 6/ooc? sprinkled, and the^ai consumed upon the altar, the lamb was returned to tlie person by whom it had been offered, who carried it to the place where it was to be eat. It was necessary that it should be thoroughly roasted, and not broiled, or half done % The occasion of this last institution is not well known; the rea- sons that are alledged for it, would undoubtedly seem too far fetched to the generality of our readers, we therefore judge it more proper to own our ignorance in this particular, than to advance any thing uncertain about it. St. John assures us, that the prohibition of not breaking a bone of the paschal lamb, was typical of what happened to our Saviour*. 8. After the lamb was thus dressed, it was eaten in every family*, by all sorts of persons, freemen and slaves, men as well as women. It was necessary there should be as many persons as could eat the whole lambf". And therefore when the family was not large enough, the master of the house invited his friends. The assemblies that were invited to this feast, were named brotherhoods, and the guests, com- panions or J'riends. The reproof which Jesus Christ gave Judas, by calling him friend or compunion^, was both just and cutting, because he betrayed him after having eat the passover with him. 9. It was a very ancient custom among the eastern nations to wash their feet before meals, especially when they returned from a journey*. There were good reasons for this custom, because they commonly travelled on foot, without stockings P The area of the three courts of the temple (besides the rooms and other places in it, where the paschal lamb might be offered up) contained above 435,600 square cubits, so that there was room enough for above 500,0(X) mea to be in the temple at the sjirae time. Lamy de Tabcrnaculo, I. vii. c. 9. Sect. 4, 5. " Deut. xvi. 2, 5. ' Philo de Vit. Mos. 1. iii. "Exod.Aii. 9. 2 Chron. XXXV. 13. ' John xix. 36. 'The strangers that camenp to Jerusalem from all parts of the land to celebrate the passover, were furnished with lodgings, g-;a/2s. + The Thalmudists tell us, that they were not to be under ten, and might be twenty. " See Joseph, de Bell. Jud. 1. vii. c. 17. ^ Matth. xxvi. 50. ■' Gen. xvui,,4., xix. 2. xxiv. 32. Judg. xix. 21. ,„,|j • THE NEW TESTAMENT. Vl9 and their shoes were open at the top. Some imagine, with a good deal of probability, that they were also wont to wash itheir feet before the paschal feast, nothing- being- a fitter representation of the state and condition of a traveller. Slaves and mean persons were commonly put to that employ- ment, but Jesus Christ was pleased to perform it to his disciples, to give them an example of humility and charity ^ It is however to be observed, that this was not done during the paschal feast, but the night before. 10. The guests leaned on their left arms upon beds round a table, on which was set the lamb; with bitter herbs, unlea- vened bread, and a dish full of a kind of sauce or thick mixture, wherein they dipped the bread and herbs*. This perhaps was the dish in which Judas dipped with Jesus Christ, of which we read in the gospel''. It Avas very common among the eastern nations to lie on beds when they took their meals, as is evident from sacred as well as profane history; but as the Thalmudists pretend'', this posture was then absolutely necessary at the eating of the paschal lamb, as being a fit emblem of that rest and freedom, which God had granted the children of Israel, by bringing- them out of Egypt, because a slave doth not commonly take his meals with so much ease and comfort, and that besides they were obliged to eat it standing in Egypt. This custom of leaning at table over one another's bosom, was a sign of equality and strict union between the guests. Which serves to explain several passages of scripture, as what is said of Abraham's bosom'', and of the son's being in the bosom of the father '^. When the guests were thus placed round the table, the master of the family, or some other person of note, took a cup full of wine mixed with water, and after he had given God thanks, drank it up, after which he gave one round to every one there present; who were all obliged to drink thereof. Hence the words of Jesus Christ, drink ye all of it^. Afterwards they eat of the bitter herbs and unleavened bread, which they dipped in the mixture before- mentioned. Then the master of the family drank another cup, that was accompanied with several thanksgivings, after which, they began eating again as before. Lastly, they eat the paschal lamb, and drank the third cup, which was * John xiii. 4, 5. * This the Jew^ called cA«rossc<, in remembrance of the mortar which they had used when making bricks in the land of Egypt. They made it at first with dates and dried figs; i)ut the modern Jews make it with chesnut?, apples, &c. See Basnage Hist, des Jtiifs, torn. 3. p. 622. * Matth. xxvi, 23. " Maiuion. dc Azymis, 1. vii. <■ Lnke xvi. 22. ^ John i. !8 compared with Philip, ii. 6. See John xiii.23. <" Matth. xxvi. 27. K l:}0 AN INTBODUjeTWNifO called the rvp of blessing, or ihanksfjlviny^. The whole ceremony ended with the fourth cup, and the singing of some psalms*. This is wliat by St. Mark is termed an uhy^^*-" ' It cannot exactly be determined, whether .Jesus ,,CiiRisr observed all these particulars. It is very probable that he did, and we meet -with some tracks of it in the i>ospel'i. St. Luke speaks only of two cups in the account he |oives of the institution of the Lord's supper'. 7 ,, God enjoined the Israelites, under pain of death, not to ■' touch any leavened bread, as long as the passover lasted. Several reasons may be assigned for this institution, but there is only one set down in scripture, viz. that it was to put thfnn in min hen Jesus Christ instituted his lo^^t supper.^ it canuQt be questioned but that he made use of it. And yet the Greek chnrcli, which hath retained leavened bread in tlie encharht, imagined that Jesus Christ used it; and the bet- ter to support their opinion, they have asserted, that he cele- brated the passover one day before ihe Jews. We shall here- after examine this matter. The Latins have, on the other hand, supposed, that the better to conform themselves with Jesus Christ's institution, they ought to celebrate the Lord's supper with uideavened bread. This was one of the occa- sions of the schism between the eastern and >vcstern churches; ?./ 1.Cdf. x-1^ t'if. \.-.* »Diiiijig the ceremony, tlieynWPg a^..f^>ei5aV,4Ha^s the followiug psalms: 1. Psalm cxiii. cxiv. ' 2. Psalm cxvi. cxvii. cxviil. or cxxxvi. Thislast singing was termed the hallel, or praise. The master of the family, or the reader, explained ar.d gave an account of every cere- mony. •■' Murk xiv. 26. " See Matth. xwi. &c. ' Luke xvii. 17. 20. *• txod. xxii. 34,39. Deut. xvi. 3. ' Matth. xvi. 6, 1 Cor. v. 7. t Leavened bread was likewise forbidden the Koinans, upon some particular occasion?. Aulus Gel. 1. x. 15. . THE NEW TESTAMENT. 131 which, after all, was a very slight one, and consequently very scandalous, since after the abrogating of the ceremonial law, it ought to be reckoned an indifferent matter, whether we communicate with leavened or unleavened bread, and since Jesus Christ, by giving no directions about it, hath left the church entirely at liberty in this respect. The next day after the feast of unleavened bread, that is, the sixteenth day of Nisan, they offered up to God, on the altar, the Jirst-J'rnits of the corn that was ripe at that time, that is, oats and barley"". These first-fruits were a sheaf of com, called in HebrcAv homer, or gomer, which is the name that was afterwards given to the measure that held the corn, which was threshed out of the sheaf. This oblation was per- formed with a great deal of ceremony*. Towards the close of the fifteenth day, the Sanhedrim appointed some grave and sober persons, who, with a great number of people, went with scythes and baskets into the fields that lay nearest Jerusalem, and cut down the sheaf of barley. When they were come thither, the reapers, having got first the owner's leave, put the sickle into the harvest; and after they had cut down the sheaf, they carried it in a basket to the high-priest, who was to offer it up. The high-priest having beat out the grain, caused it to be dried upon the fire, and had it ground ; then putting some oil and frankincense to it, he presented it to God. After that a lamb was offered up for a whole burnt sacrifice, with several other oblations, that were accompanied with libations. It was unlawful to begin the harvest, till this offering had been first made. There seems to be an allusion to this in the Revelations", where the angel orders the sickle to be put into the harvest. Thus have we explained the several particulars observed in the celebration of the passover. It remains now that we should examine a question, which hath exercised the wits of several critics : i. e. whether our Saviour celebrated the pass- over the year he was put to death, on the same day as the Jews kept theirs? We have observed before, that the Greek church maintains Jesus Christ celebrated it one day sooner thaii ordinary ; and have shewed at the same time, M'hat rea- sons they allege to support their opinion. Some authors have inferred from a few passages out of St. John's gospel, /?') 1(1 •" Lev. xxiii. 9—14. Jos. Antiq. 1. iii. c. 10. * It appears from Exodus xvj. 16. that the homer held as much as a man that has a good stomach can eat in a day. According to the Jewish way of reckoning, this measure contained about 43 hen eggs, (i. e. 3 of our pints.) It was the tenth part of an «pha, which held 432. " Revel, xiv. 15. K 2 132 AN INTRODUCTION TO that for several reasons which they bring-, the Jews did not keep the passover that year on the fmirteenlh day of the month, as usual, but tlie day after. The first of these pas- sages is in the thirteenth chapter^, wherein it is said, that before the feast of the passover, ichen supper was ended, wliereby they understand the holy communion, Jesus Christ washed' his disciples' feet. The second occurs in the eigh- teenth chapter i'; Jesus was apprehended by the Jews, had celebrated the passover, and instituted the eucharist the night before; and yet the Evangelist says, that the Jews would not go into the prcsloritm, or judgment-hall, for fear they sbould defile themselves, and thereby become unfit to eat the pass- over. The third is in the nineteenth chapter \ where the day on which Christ was crucified is stiled the preparation d/' the passover. Notwithstanding- which, other writers have asserted and maintained, that Jesus Christ celebrated the passover on the same day as the Jews. And indeed there are very good reasons to believe that he did. 1. Supposing the Jews had put it off for any time that year, Jesus Christ v/ould, in all probability, have complied with it, else the Jews Avould never hare failed to lay this to his charge, since after public notice was given of the new w/oow, people were obliged to keep to it, even though there was a visible mistake in the matter ^ 2. Those that have thoroughly examined the reasons alleged for this delay, find no manner of weight in them, since they are grounded upon customs that are of a much later date than the times of Jesus Christ. There were not then, for instance, two different ways of finding out the new moon. As it was known only by its appearance, and not its conjunc- tion with the sun, there could be no room for celebrating the passover on two difierent days. Besides, the Caraite Thai- mud ists made but one body with the rest of the Jewish nation, and therefore did celebrate the fetist on the same day with them. Moreover, the custom of transferring the pass- over, when it fell on the .day before the snbl)ath, is not of sO ancient a date. 3. it is untjuestionably certain, that the lamb was to be sacrificed pnhiichj in the temple, and tbat it Avas necessary liiat the priests should poiu' the blood of it at the bottom of the alttirs. As all these particulars are plainly enjoii>ed by the laAV, Jesus Christ would not have omitted ■ , . •; • ir )■■■ "Vcr. l,g, 4. >' Ver. 2S. ■' Vpr. l4. "^ Maimon. Cliail. Hacc. CJij;. V. sect. 2. ^ Dciil. xvi. 5, 6, 7. 2 Chron. xx.v. 10. xxxv, II, THE NEW TESTAMENT. 133 any one of them. Besides, is it probable that the priests would have ministered to him in so manifest an mnovation as this must have been? 4. The three other Evangelists expressly say S that Jesus Christ celebrated the passover on the same day the Jews were used to do it, which seems entirely to decide the question. It is therefore more proper to put another sense upon St. John's expressions, than to embrace an opinion which manifestly contradicts the rest ot the Evangelists. For it may reasonably be supposed, that in the first of the forementioned passages, St. John doth not speak of the Lord's supper, or of the paschal J east, but only of a private supper at Bethany, the day before the passover". Tn the second, there is no necessity of understanding by the passover the paschal lamb, since the other sacrifices that were offered up during the feast, had also that name given them^ By the preparation of the passover, m *be last place, may be meant the preparation before the sabbath ot the nassover, which is ehewhere cnWed the preparation oj the Jews. i ^r. * t ;, It was after having celebrated the passover that Jesus Christ instituted the encharist to be a lasting monument ot our redemption by his death, as the passover was of the deli- verance of the Hebrews out of Egypt. !' The second solemn festival of the Jews was the of ,he Pen- Pentecost. It was so called by the Greeks % because 'e^°^'- it was kept on the fiftieth day after the feast of unleavened bread, i. e. after the fifteenth of March \ It was otherwise named the feast of weeks'', because they celebrated it seven weeks after the passover; and also the feast of harvest, because 'on it the first-fruits of the harvest were offered up to God. The law having been given from mount Sinai upon that day, . as the Jews pretend, this festival was appointed for a memorial ,'of this great favour. They then offered tAvo cakes made of new wheat, which were not carried up to the altar, because they were leavened ^ One of them belonged to the priests then upon duty, and the other to those priests and I.evites that "Ttept the watch. They were obliged to eat them that very day in the temple, and to leave nothing of them remaining. " This oblation Avas accompanied with great numbers of sacri- '';fices, and several other offerings andlibations. The feast of • Matth. Axvi. 17. Mark xiv. 12. Lukexxii. 7. " Compare Luke xxii. 1 , 3. with John xi.i. 1,2. - Dcut. xvi. 2 3. 2 C hron xxxv. 8. y Compare Matth. xxvii. 57. Mark xv. 42. Luke xxiii..54. John x.x. 14,31,4^;. '- UsvrmoiT,. ^ Levit. xxisi. LO, 15, 16. " Jos. Antio. 1. iii. c 13. ■^ Exod. xxxiv. 23. K 3 134 AN INTRODUCTION TO Pentecost lasted but one day, and was kept with abundance of mirth and rejoicing. We have nothing further to observe about it with relation to the New Testament, except this, That the new law, or the gospel, M'as fully confirmed on this day of Pentecost by the Holy Ghost descending* upon the Apostles. . As the day of expiation happened between the Pentecost ' cftiiedayof ^^^ i\ie feust of tabemacles, it will be proper to txpiaiioiu speak of it in this place, though it M'as of a quite different nature from other festivals, and cannot be properly stiled one. It was celebrated the tenth day of the month Tisri^ ; and was named the great J'east^ or the J'ast only, because they fasted all the day long, and began even the day before, but especially because this was the only fast enjoined by the law. This probably is the J'ast mentioned in ihe Acts% where it is said, that they were afraid of a storm, because the J'ast was alreaihf past ; that is, it was about the beginning of October, when sailing becomes dangerous. Jt may liowever be understood of a fast of the heathens, which was celebrated about this time, as we have observed on that place. The institution of this day, and the ceremonies performed upon it, may be seen in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus. Of those ceremonies some were to be observed both by the priest and people, as the abstaining from all kind of food, and all manner of work ; others related only to the high- priest *^. Seven days before the feast he left his house, and went into the temple, to purify and get himself ready against the approaching solemnity, On the third, and seventh, some of the ashes of the red heifer were put upon his head, which was a kind of expiation. The night before the feast, he washed several times Ins hands, his feet, and his M'liole body, and changed his garments every time. When the day was come, after the usual sacrifice, he offered several others both for the priests in general, and for himself and his family in particu- lar *. For his family he offered a young bullock, on which he laid his hands, and confessed his own sins, and those of his house. He afterwards cast lots upon two goats, that Mere offered for the people, one whereof was to be sacrificed, and the other sent into the desert^. From thence he came back and jileWi^Jt^e calf and the ram that were apjiointed for the i' . If.-,' :'i'i -: liii 1/ ■'>.;«;< '«iir. \iMin, "• Which vVaa the first month of the cn>;/.vefli'. * Acts xxvii. 9. ''Ltv. xvi. 29. and xxiii. 27, 28. * They oU'ered on that day 15 Kacrilii »• ;, viz. 12 whole burnt-oftevings and other expiatory sarritices huth for the people and priests. * Lev. xvi. 8. ui-jii*«uTji, io noirjwii*-' / THE>1S"EW TESTAMENT^ it»/ ex'pifition of his own sins, and those of his brethren the priests. When all these piepju*atioiTS were over, beiw^nt into the Hohf of Holies, m the dress of a common priest *, and burned before the mercy seat the perfumes which be had brought from the altar. This perfume raised a kind of a cloud, that hindered people from looking into the ark**, which was reck- oned ,) fieinous offence. Then he came, out to receive from one of the priests the blood of the yoiuig' bullock, and carried it into the Hohf of Holies, where standing between the staves of the ark, he sprinkled some of it with his finger upon the mercy-seat'. And Ijy this ceremony he made himself fit to- atone lor the sins of the people. Afterwards he came out of the Holy of Holies, to take the blood of the goat he had slain'', Avhich he sprinkled upon the mercy-seat, as he had done that of the bullock before. He came once more out of the Holy of Holies, and took some of the blood of the goat and bullock, which he poured into the horns of the inuer altar i,nesiT the vail that divided the holy place from the most holy, and also on the basis of the outer altar. Each of these sprinklings was done seven times. Lastly, the high-priest laid both his hands upon the head of the other goat, and had him conveyed in the wilderness by a fit person, after he had confessed over him the sins of the people, and laid them upon his headl. rj .,< :,i ,-.< . This was a very expressive ceremony. The sins of the people were done away by the sacrifice of the first goat, and to shew that they would be had no more in rementbrance, the second was loaden with them J, and carried them with him into the wilderness, which was thought to be the abode of devils II, the authors of all vice and iniquity. And therefore the people were wont to insult over and curse him, to spit upon him, to pluck off his hair, and in short to use him as an accvrsed thinff. There appear no foot-steps of this usage in the law, but it is certain that it was very ancient, since St, Barnabas'", who was cotemporary with the. Apostles, makes; >■■■■■ "{.*• Because this was a day of affliction. ^ Lev. xvi. 12, .13. 1 Sara. vi. 19. ' Levit. xvi. 14. ^ Levit. v. 18. + Which were hollow for that pur- pose. See before page 49. ' Lev. xvi, 21, 22, 23. | This goat was called Azatel, that is, according to some a devil, because it was sent away with the sins of the people, as hath been said elsewhere. The LXX have rendered it by a word that signifies to remove or turn away evil. The word azazel may also signify an emissary or scape-goat, from the word [^*] which signifies S. goat and azal to separate. See Prid. Conn. p. ii. b. i. under the year 291. II It was a common opinion among the ancient Hebrews, that descrtS' and uninhabited places were the abode of devils. Matth. xii. 43. Rev. xviii.2. > '" Ep. p. ra. 22. This epistle must have been written^not long after tjje (destruction of Jerusalem. d m »4J -Ji'<» K 4 13« AN INTRODUCTION TO express mention of it. The ill treatment Jesus Christ met with from the Jews, had some conformity with this custom, and it is evident that his enemies dealt with him in the same manner as they were usetl to do Avith the g-oat aznzel, as Tertullian liath observed". It is very probable that the ancient Jews took occasion from some passages out of the propke1s°, to bring- in the custom of insidting thus the goat azuzel, and crowning* him Avith a red ribbon*. If it be asked, For Avhat reason God was pleased to chuse the vilest and most despicable of those animals that were clean, to be ottered on the day of expiation^ we shall answer M'ith some learned mithors'^ : that the Egyptians entertaining- a very great veneration for goats, and the Israelites themselves having worshipped them in Egypt% God's design was to turn them from this kind of Idolatry, by appointing- the one to be ottered for a sacrifice, and the other to be load en with the iniquities of the people. U hen the high-priest had performed all these functions, he wejit into the court of the Momen, and read some part of the law. Lastly, he came the fourth time into the Hobf of Holies to fetch back the censer, and the pan wherein the fire was. When therefore it is said in the scripture', that the high-priest entere; the lieatheiis to load uith curses and imprecalions (hose human sacrifices that were ofl'ered for the piihlie welfare, and to crown them with red ribbons. See Virs;. /lln. 1.2. v. 13^. »' Bochart. de Animal. .Sac. Ser. I. i. c. 53. ' •' I.evit. xvii. 7. Kxod. XXX. 10. Lev. xvi. 31, llel). ix, 7. ^ Phil, de Somn. p. m, 447, THE NEW TESTAMENT. 137 that Jesus Christ (fave himself' a ransom for many^, that he was made the propitiation Jor our sins^, that he was the pro- pitiation not only for our sins, hut also for those of the whole world^, and such like expressions that occur ahnost in every page of tlie gospel, can mean nothing more, but that Jesus CuRisr hath, by the sacrifice of himself, performed that which was only prefiguretl by those of the law, and particu- larly by the general and solemn expiation we are now speak- ing of. The same Jewish author quoted just before, had also some notion of this matter. It will be proper to set down his very words, not as if we thought they M^ere any confirmation of the Christian revelation, but only to shew that these were truths >vhich the wisest part of the nation acknowledged, and had found out by close and senous meditation. He saith, then that whereas the priests of other natiarts offered sacrifices for their own countrymen only, the high-priest of the Jews offered for all mankitid, and for the whole creation^. And not only these sacrifices that were offered on the day of expiation were a more exact representation of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ than any other, but also the person, by whom the atonement was made, was in every respect qua- lified to represent the high-priest of the Christian church. And that, 1. Upon the account of his dignity, which according to the Jews, was at its utmost height, when he entered into the Holy of Holies. For which reason he was called Great among his brethren^: this dignity was so very considerable, that Philo does not scruple to say, according to his lofty and rhetorical way of speaking, that the high-priest was to be something more than human, that he more nearly resembled God than all the rest, that he partook both of the divine and human nature*. It seems to have been with a design of ex- pressing both the holiness and dignity of the hi^h-priest, that the law had enjoined none should remain in the tabernacle, whilst the high-priest went into theHoly of Holies^ 2. He further represented our high-priest by his holiness. We have shewed before what extraordinary care the law had taken to distinguish him from his brethren in this respect. It was to denote this holiness, that in the anointing of the high-priest a greater quantity of oil was used, than in that of his Ijrethren, from whence he was called the priest anointed^. <■ Matth, XX. 28. " 1 John iv. 10. ^ 1 John ii. 2. » Philo de Monarch, p. 637. ^ Lev. xxi. 10. * Philo de xMoiiarch. [>. 63. de Somn. 872. ^ Levit. xvi. 17. " Levit. iv. 3, 3. 138 AN INTllODUCmON TO Notbino- can bitter represent tbe ^reat boliness of Jesus Christ tbau this great plenty of oil usetl in tbe consecration of Aaron, and it was undoubtedly with allusion to this anoint- > ino-, tbat Jksus Christ is stiled in Scripture the holy one, byni way of eminence '^. .i* 3. He represented Jesus Christ by his being- on thsit day ^mediator between God and the people. For though Moses be called a mediator in the New Testament, yet it is certain that the high-priest was invested with this oltice on the day of expiation. Moses must indeed be acknowledged as a mediatorrn; God having" by his means made a covenant with the children of Israel. But as they were very apt to transgress the law, it was necessary there shovdd be a mediator, who by his inter- cession and sacrifices might reconcile them to God. Now this was the high -priest's function. So that Moses and Aaroiit . were exact types of the t>vo-fold mediation of Jesus Christ* By him was the fiew covenant made, and by his own blood liath he forever reconciled God to mankind. 4. The entrance of Jesus Christ into heaven once for all, there to present his own blood to God as an atonement for our sins, was very clearly typified by the linjk priest's going* once a year into the Holy of Holies with the blood of tlieo . victims '', As for the two rfoats, we learn from the epistle of St. Barna- bas, as quoted above, that they were even then looked upon as typical. They both represented the same thing, but under different ideas. The offering of the one was a manifest token of the people's iniquities being- remitted and forgiven ; and the sending of the other into the wilderness shewed, that they were carried away, or blotted out of God's remendjrance. To which there seems to be an allusion in the prophet Isaiah % when it is said, that God casts sins behind his back, and in the. bottom of the sea. The sacrifice of Jksus Christ may be considered under these tMo different views, he hath done away our sins, hath taken them upon himself, and nailed them to his cross ^ It hath been already observed that the only fast appointed Of Fasts. by tne law, was the day of expiation. The insti- tution of the other Jewish fasts is however of a very ancient /i ties or misfortunes. That which was kept on the 17th of June^ for instance, was, to put them in mind of Moses's breaking the two tables of the law, and of other mischances that happened on the same day*". The fast that fell on the 9th of July, was appointed upon account of the temple's having* first been burnt on that day by Nebuchadnezzar, and afterwards by Titus. This fast was the most solemn of the four, and which every person was obliged to observe. The next sabbath after it, the fortieth chapter of Isaiah was read, which begins with these words. Comfort ye my people, &c. From whence the consolation of Israel^ came to be used to denote the coming of the Messiah. On the fast which was kept the third day of September, they mourned for the death of Godaliah, who had been appointed ruler over the Jews that remained in the land of Israel, when the rest were carried away captive to Babylon, and who was murdered by Ishmael at Mizpah''. That on the tenth of December was in comme- moration of the siege of Jerusalem, which was by Nebuchad- nezzar begun upon that day'. Besides these fasts that were fixed to particular daya^ there were others, and those either public, enjoined in the time of any general calamity, or private, appointed for par- ticular occasions, such as were those of David, Daniel, Nehe- miah, &c™. Notice was given of the first by the sound of the trumpet, that all the people might gather themselves together. And then the chest or ark, wherein the law was kept, was brought out of the synagogue, in the presence of the whole assembly, and strewed with ashes, in token of sorrow and affliction. All persons were obliged to appear in sack-cloth. And one of the presidents of the synagogue made a speech suitable to the day and occasion, which was accompanied with several ejaculations and prayers. When particular persons fasted, they were wont likewise to cover tliemselves with sack-cloth and ashes, and to shew all other signs of grief, as to forbear washing, and anoint- ing their bodies with oil, &c. The Pharisees having made an ill use of these outward expressions of sorrow, Jesus Christ ordered his disciples to take quite a diflferent method when they should fast, that their fasting might be concealed from men". Particular persons fasted not only in the times of affliction ; but the more devout sort were used to do it " Exod. xxxii, 19. ' Luke ii.25. " Jer. xl. xli. ' 2 Kings xxv. ™ 2Sam. xii. 16. Psalin xxxv. 13. Dan. x. «. Neh. i.4. '' Matth. vi. 16. 140 AN INTRODUCTION TO twice a wrok, on jyiovdays and Thursdays, as we find tho Pharisee boastins: in the gospel o. jf^\fsh7trf \vf\s unlaM'fuI at some certain times, as on fes- tivals and sabhath-f/rnfM, unless the day of expiation fell upon either of them. This custom seems to be of a very ancient date, since we find it related in the book of Jndith, that she fasted all the days of her widmc-hood, except the sabbaths, and neic-moons, trith their eves, and the feasts ajid solemn days of the house oj' Israel^. It is a maxim amono- the Rabbins, that fasting Avas to cease upon the coming of the Messiah. If it be of any great antiquity, as most of the Jewish sayings are, the disciples of John the Baptist, as well as tlie Pharisees, ought from thence to have learned that Jesus was the Messiah, instead of finding fault with him because his disciples did not fast'i. The answer he made to this objection of theirs, seems to allude to the notion above- mentioned. But here it is to be observed by the way, that the reproach cast on Jesus Christ about his disciples not fasting, ought undoubtedly to l)e understood of frequent and affecled fastings, it not being at all probable that the disciples of Christ, who, after the example of their divine master, were strict observers of the law, would have neg- lected to keep the same fasts as the rest of their nation did. •' Jfi:sus Christ himself fasted forty days, but that was a very extraordinary kind of fasting^ He allowed his dis- ciples to observe this ceremony ^ The Apostles sometimes practised it,' and exhorted their followers to do the same. But it is certain that Jesus Christ hath left no positive command about fasting, and that this custom hath crept accidentally into the C*hristian institution. Did Christians but faithfully observe the precepts of the gospel, their state would be a continual feast, and they Avovdd have no manner of occasion to afflict their sovls* by these marks of humiliation and repentance. Or, had God ordered it so, that tlie Christian church should be delivered from those calamitous times in M'hich if 1 may so speak, the bridegroom is taken from her, by the violence of her enemies, there w^ould have been no need for her to humble herself under his hand with fasting. P'or, in a m ord, nothing can recommend us to Cod's favour, hut true holiness, and fasting- is no farther acceptable to him, than as it leads us thereto. '■ Luke xviii. 12. '' Jiiditli viii. 6. i Matth. ix. 14, 15. Luke v. 33. yMaUh. IV. 2. " Mattli. vi. 16. « This is the phrase used in ^.ciipiuro to ilciiotc a fast. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 141 The feast of tabernacles* lasted seven- days, or eifjht, as some authors infer from Iavo or three of tabema. passages of scriptm'eS and began on the fifteenth of *^'"' the month Tisrif. It was instituted by God for a memorial of the Israelites having dwelt in tents or tabernacles while they were in the desart", or else, according to others, in remem- brance of the building of the tabernacle. The design of this feast was moreover to return God thanks for the fruits of the vine, as well as of other trees, that were gathered about this time; and to beg his blessing on those of the ensuing year. No feast was attended with greater rejoicings than this §, which was owing to the expectation they were in of the Mes- siah's coming, and for which they then prayed with a greater earnestness:}:. The principal ceremonies observed in the celebration of this feast, were as follov. s. 1. They were obliged to dwell, during the whole solem- nity, in tents, which they at first used to pitch on the tops of their houses'^. 2. They offered every day abundance of sacrifices, besides the usual ones, of which there is a particular account in the book of Numbersy. 3. During the whole feast, they carried in their hands branches, or posies of palm- trees, olives, citrons, myrtles, and willows % singing //osa«?2a, that is, Save, I beseech thee. By which words taken out of the hundred and eighteenth psalm, they prayed for the com- ing of the Messiah. These branches bore also the name of Hosanna, as well as all the days of the feast. In the same manner was Jesus Christ conducted into Jerusalem by the believing Jews, avIio looking upon him as the promised Mes- siah, expressed an uncommon joy upon finding- in him the accomplishment of those petitions wiiich they had so often put up to heaven, at the feast of the tabernacles^-. They walked every day, as long as the feast lasted, round the altar with the forementioned branches in their hands*, singing * Or of booths. For the tents used in this 'east were made of branches of trees, ' Lev. xxiii. 36. Nehem. viii.- 18. + Which answered to part of our September and October. " Lev. xxiii. 43. § For which, rea- son it was named chag, i. e. a day of rejoicing. It was besides called the feast of in-gathering . Exod. xxiii. 16. Deut. xvi. 13. :{: The daj's of the Messiah were styled by the Jevvi;, the /eas< of tabernacles. ^ Nehem. viii. 16. Which in that country were tiat, and like terraces. ^Numb. xxix. " Lev. xxiii. 40. Nehem. viii. 15. 2 Mace. x. 7. These they tied wijh gold and silver lines, or with ribbons: and did not leave them all the day, but carried (hem with them even into the synag;o£;ues, and kept them by them all the time they were at prayer. Laray's Introd. p. 135. "^ Matth, xxi. 8, 9. * During which ceremony the trumpets sounded on all sides On the seventh day of the feast, they went Aeye« times round the altar, and this was called The great Hosanna. Lamy. p. 135. 14-2 AN INTRODUCTION TO HoKaniia. To this last ceremony there seems to be an allu- sion in the Revelations'*, wherein St. John describes the saints, as walking round the throne of the Lamb, with palms in their hands, and singing- the following hymn, Salvation comethj'rom God and the Lmnb. 4. One of the most remarkable ceremonies performed on this feast, was the libations, or pouring out of the water, which was done every day. A priest went and drew some water f at the pool of Siloam, and carried it into the temple, where he poured it on the altar *, at the time of the morning sacri- fice, the people singing in the mean time these words out of the prophet Isaiah^, With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells oj' salvation. As according to the Jews themselves, this water was an emblem of the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ manifestly alluded to it, when on the last day of tlie feast of tabernacles^ he cried out to the people. If ' any man thirst. We must Hot forget to observe, that during the whole solemnity, the Jews used all imaginable expressions of an uni- versal joy, (still keeping within the bounds of innocence) such as feasting, dancing, continual music, and such vast ilhuni- nations, that the whole city of Jerusalem was enlightened with them ^. The greatness of these rejoicings, and their hap- pening in the time of vintage, hath made some authors believe, that the Jews were wont to sacrifice to Bacchus^ n \m OF THE SABBATH. There were three sorts of sabbaths, or times of rest*^, among Of 1 lie Sab- the Jews; the sabbath properly so called, that is, baiii. the seventh day in each week; the sabbatical year, or every seventh year; and the jubilee, which Avas celebrated at the end of seven times seven years. We shall give an account in the first place of the sabbath properly so called. ' The sabbath is a festival instituted by God, in commemora- * Rev. vii.9. f In a golden vessel, ibid. * Whilst the members of the sacrifice were upon it. But llrst he mixed some wine with the water. Id. ibid. , " Isaiaii xii. 3. and Iv. 1. The ancient Latin translator hath properly enough rendered the last words of the first passage here quoted, by. The wells of (he Saviour. " John vii. 37. § It is supposed that these rejoicin•!;^ were performed in tiie court of the women, that they might partake of tlie public mirth, '" Plutarch, Symp. 1. iv. 5. Tacit. Hist. 1. v. ' The Hebrew word sa66a , This hath given rise to a question, that hath very miidi exercised the learned world, whether the sabbath was appointed from the beginning of the world, and only renewed after the coming of the Hel3rews out of Egypt; or whether it be a ceremony instituted with respect to the children of Israel, to turn them from idolatry, by putting them in mind of their Creator and Deliverer; in a word, whether the sabbath is a mere ceremonial institution, or an universal law, which binds all mankind '? We shall no^ determine this question either way, but only set down the chief arguments that render the ^st opinion most probable, and give an answer to the objec- tions that have been advanced against it*. 1. That scripture does not make the least mention of the sabbath's being observed before the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt, though there are frequent accounts of the worship which the patriarchs rendered to God. Now, is it probable that the sacred historian would have omitted so holy and solemn a law as that of the sabbath, (a law, the violation whereof was punished with death; a law, which having been deliverecl from the beginning of the world, ought tp have been universally received) and not have spoken of it, till two thousand years after its institution? Moses, indeed, when giving an account of the times that went before him, speaks of the number seven, as if it had been accountefl holy, but says not the least word about keeping the sabbath. Would tlie same sacred historian, that hath so carefully and .- ^uQea, i^.f,^»,i^r) ,' no; .^iW ,hiE;$o* xx«l(>, II. ' Deut. v. IjJ '^ Exocl. xxxi. 13, 16, 17. ♦ Vide Warburton, b. 4. sec. 6. vol. 1. , 144 AN INTRODUCTION TO exactly transmitted to posterity the travels of the patri- archs, not have sometimes taken notice of their stopping to celehrate the sabbath ?- or, can it bo supposed, that tlie patriarchs would have ne«-lected to observe so strict a com- mand? 2. The sacred writings never represent the sabbath otherwise than as a sig-n between God and the children of Israel, as a privilege peculiar to that nation, as a rest which God had granted them, and a festival whereby they were dis- tinguished from the rest of the inhabitants of the Morld. Consider, saith Moses to the Israelites', that God hath ffhcn ynv the sabbath, or rest; and in another place'". My sabbath shail lion keep, for it is a sir/n between me and yov, tliroiHjh- ont yovr f/eneratiot>s, that you way know that I am the Lord who hath sanctified yov, that is, separated you from the rest of mankind. Nehemiah speaks of the sabbath, as of a par- ticular favour Mhich God had granted the Israelites, and places the ordinance relating to it among- those other laws, w Inch he had g-iven unto them by the hand oj' Jtloscs". In the prophet Ezekiel*' the sabbath is ranked among the spe- cial mercies which God had vouchsafed his people, and the marks of distinction he had been pleased to honour them with. Accordingly the most ancient Avriters that have spo- ken of it, have considered it under no other view. Philo doth expressly rank the sabbath among the laws of Moses p, and when in another placed he calls it the feast, not of one people or country alone, but of the Avhole universe, it is plain that he there speaks figuratively. Josephus also men- tions it always as a ceremony peculiar to the Jews, and stiles it the lair of their conntry^. The ancient fathers of the church had the same notion of this matter; Justin Martyr, in his dialogue with Trypho the Jew, tells him®, that the sabbath was given to the Jews upon the account of their transgres- sions, and for the hardness of their heart; and Theodoret* also says, that the observation of the sabbath was enjoined them, with a design to distinguish them from all the other nations of the world. The Jewish doctors are of the same opinion, telling us, that their countrymen were so strict observers of the sabbath, that they Avould not even allow the proselytes of the yafe, to celelirate it with the sam<> cere- monies as tliemselves, because they were not circumcised'. ' Exotl. xvi. 29. "> Exod. xYxi. 13, 16, 17. " Nchem. ix. 1 1. " Ezck. XX. 11, 12. ■' Phil, de Uceal. p. 185. dc Vita Mosi?, p. 529. De Opif. Miiiidi. p. 15. '■Joseph. Antiq. 1. " Just. Mart. Dialog, contra Tryph. * Theodor. in Ezck. xx. To which may be added Cyril of Alexandria, Horn. 6. de Fest. Pasch. and several others, both Greek and Latin, fathers. ' Sold, de Jur. Nat. et Gent. 1. iii. c. 5, 10. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 145 3. The keeping of the sab])ath was attended with such cir- cumstances, as plainly shew, that it weis a ceremonial insti- tution peculiar to one people, and not an universal law given from the beg inning- of the world ; as . appears from theijf superstitious exactness in not doing- any manner of work for the space of four and twenty hours, and that under pain of death. Reason itself will teach us, that one day is not more holy in the sight of God than another, and that idleness in itself cannot be acceptable to him. This law therefore must have had for its object, a people considered under some particular ideas. The Israelites were just come out of Egypt, where not only the stars, but also mew, ani- mals, plants, and all creatures in general were looked upon as deities, and where they had also paid divine worship to them. Now it was necessary there should be a day set apart, to keep them in pei'petual remembrance of the crea- tion; and none could be fitter for that purpose than the seventh, for the reason before alleged. Besides, they were come out of a country where they had been kept to continual toil and drudgery; and therefore it was but just and reason- able, that their rest on that day should be an everlasting memorial of the rest God had procured them, and that it should be v, holly consecrated to his service. It was a capital crime to gather wood on the sabbath-day. The law did not intlict so severe a punishment upon other faults, that were much more grievous than this, because they might happen to be committed through inadvertence and infirmity. But it would have been an inexcusable ingratitude, a profanation, and even a very criminal impiety in the children of Israel, to break so easy a command, and to rob God of one single moment of a day, which he had entirely reserved to himself. 4. Were all men, and all the nations in the Avorld, bound to observe the sabbath, then it would never have been abro- gated, as it actually was ; and the Christians ought to have kept it throughout all ages, as they at first did, out of con- descension to the Jews. Besides Jesus Christ would never have said of a like injunction as the sabbath, that he was at liberty to observe it, or not; that the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath". From his answer to the Pharisees, when they found fault with his disciples for pluck^,^ ing- some ears of corn on the sabbath-day, these three parti- culars are to be observed. First, That he sets the sabbath upon the same foot with the command, Avhereby all sorts of '"/''■ .."•as i»53i0 :- " MaUll. xii. 8. Mark ii. 97. ',' 14« AN INTRODUCTION TO persons, besides the priests, were forbidden to eat the shew- bread. Secondly, Tiiat llie service of Jesus Christ, who is the tiiie temple of God, dispenses men from the observation of the sab])ath, and drives it awcnf, to use the Jewish expres- sion. Tliirdly, That by Jesus Christ's saying the sabbath is made for man, and not man for the sabbath, it is plain he looked upon it only as a ceremony appointed for the use of man; whereas mankind was made for the noble duties of justice and holiness, because they do not depend upon insti- tution, but are enjoined by reason as well as scripture. These reflections of Jesus Christ set the sabbath in the same rank with the Jewish ceremonies. St. Paul also places the sahhuth-days among those ceremonies, AvhereM'ith he would not have Christians think themselves bound, because they were a shadoic oj' thiiKjs to come^. It may perhaps be imagined, that Sunday having succeeded to the sabbath, the law concerning the sabbath is conse- ([uently still in force. It must indeed be OAvned that there is some conformity between the Jewish sabbath and our Sun- day; and that the design of the primitive chvrch was to make the latter insensibly succeed the former, as to what was of moral obligation in the sabbath; but we ought to take care upon several accounts, not to confound the one with the other. For, 1. The keeping of Sunday is not a ceremony, but a duty which we are bound to perform for these two reasons ; that we may set apart one day in the week for the service of God, and secondly, that we may enjoy ourselves, and give our dependants, some rest from their labours. 2. Sunday is not of divine, but of hxnnan institution. It is true that there is mention of this day in the New Testament luider the name oi the first day oJ' the week^, and the Lord's day^, and it is moreover manifest from those places, that it was a day reckoned more considerable tlian the rest, and set apart for the exercises of religious duties; but still there is no express couunand to keep it holy. 3. We do not find, either in holy scripture, or ecclesiastical history, that there is an obligation of abstaining from all work on Sundays, which was one of the chief articles relating to the sal)bath. If people do no work on Sundays, it is because they may not be taken off from religious duties, but may have leisure to meditate on holy tilings, which is the end for which this day was appointed. 4. Sunday is the Jirst day of the week, and not tlie seventh, which was essential to the sabbath. * Colosf. ii. 16, 17. >^ Actsxx. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. ^ Revel, i. 10. THE T^EW TESf AMENT. 147 5. iSunday is iiistituted {\^on quite a different view than the sabbath was. This latter was appointed in reniembrauce of the creation of the world, and the deliverance of the Jews out of Egypt ; on the Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and meditate at the same time on our Christian hopes, and the truth of our holy religion, which was fully proved and confirmed by Jesos' rising a^ain. There are notwithstanding some reasons which would incline one to believe that the institution of the sabbath is of a longer standing than the law of Moses, that it is an appoint- ment calculated not only for the Israelites, but for all men in general, and that it is almost of the same nature as the moral law. It seems indeed, that the design of the sabbath beino- to keep in men's minds, and celebrate the memory of the creation of the world, it ought to be universally received, and for ever observed. But on the other hand, the scripture making no mention of the keeping of the sabbath, for the space of two thousand years, serves very much to clear this*', difficidty, as hath been already observed. Besides, a legis-,^ lator is seldom known to enact any laws, except in case o^. necessity. Now this provision against idolatry* was the less^ needful in those early times, when the remembrance of the ^ creation was still fresh in men's minds, and upon the account^ of the long lives of the patriarchs, might be preserved fof: several ages, since they had been, in a manner witnesses thereof. The case was altered, when the rememl)rance of the creation came to be worn out of men's minds, and they began to worship creatures. And if God thought it proper, to leave other nations in the hand of their counsel, nothing- could be more Morthy of his wisdom and goodness, than to, guard his own people against the worshipping of creatures," by instituting the sabbath, and also thereby to call to their remembrance how on that day they were saved out of the hands of the Egyptians. The words in Genesis, wherein it is said that God hlessisd' the seventh day, and sanctified iV^i because on that day he rested from his work ; and those in Exodus, where God's resting is alleged as the reason of his instituting the sabbath,^ seem also to prove, that all men in general are equally bound; by this institution as Avell as the Jews. There may be some; probability in this, but it is also attended with difficultiesj^ It is indeed said in Genesis that God blessed, that is, pi-o- Mounced happy the sabbath-day, and that he sanctified, or * Viz. the institution of the sabbath. l2 148 AN INTROBWTION TO separated it from otlier days ; but there is no command abouf celebrating', or keepinq- it //o/i/. It would be somewhat strant»c if the sacred historian had recorded an injunction given to Adam in particular, and not have mentioned a command wherein all mankind was concerned. When God sent the delug-e into the world as a punishment for men's ini- quities, among the crimes laid to their charge, we do not find that tliey are ever accused of having broken the sabbath, which would nevertheless have been a crime committed against the majesty of heaven. It is then very probable that in Genesis the sacred historian hath spoken of sanctifying the sabbath-clay by way of anticipation, as all the other his- torians are often used to. do*. The account of the creation was not given, till after the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt, with a design to turn them from idolatry, and the Avorshipping of creatures. Moses takes from thence an occasion of giving them to understand, that this is the reason why God hath sanctified the .seventh day, and appointed this festival, to be by them celebrated every week. Upon this supposition, the sanctifying of the sabbath does not relate to the creation of the world, where we find it mentioned, but to after-ages. Another argument, whereby it hath been atteinpted to prove that the sabbath is not a mere ceremony, is, That the law whereby it is enjoined being part of the decalogue, which contains the laws of morality, that are of an eternal obligation, this consequently seems to be of the same nature. Welmve already shewed that the law concerning the sab- bath hath all the marks of a ceremony, and not of a moral duty. The most ancient fatlters of the church have been of the same opinion, as we have also observcdf . The heathens^ have expressed some regard for all the other articles of the Jewish law, ajnl ridiculed only the sabbath, which they looked upon as a vain and trifling ceremony, not knowing for what wise reasons it had been appointed. It was not- withstanding necessary that the law concerning the sabbath, though merely ceremonial, should be ranked among the ten commandments, and that for these two reasons, 1. The observation of the sabbath being then a part of the divine worship, and a fence against idolatry, as God was therein acknowledged the Creator of the world, it was very * Tliere are sever;il anticipations of tlic like nature in tlie Pentateuch. ^ Justin Mint. Dial. cont. Trjjjli. Terlull. Theoiloret iu Jlzeeli. \v. f;hiys«»st. Auguslin Lib. ad Marcei. ,Au^. «t«:Ci»vit, c. vi. 11. Juvenal. Sat, 14. Rutil. Itin. 1. 1. /r'x'i; i-^" THE NEW TESTAMENT. 149 expedieht that this law should be placed in the first table, which contained the duty of the Israelites towards God. It is moreover to be observed, that this commandment is the last in that table, because by observing- it the children of Israel could therein discover the grounds of the three first. The second reason why the law concerning- the sabbath is placed in the decalogue^ is plainly this, because it is an abridgment not only of the moral, but also of the ceremonial iaw; According to Philo% the sabbath was a summary of the latter. The fourth commandment, saith he, is ovfif an abridgment of whatever is prescribed concerning the festi- vals, vmcs, sacnfices, and all religions worship. Thus have we set down tiie chief reasons relating to the nature and origm of the salibath. We shall leave the reader to deter- mine either way, or else to suspend his judgment. *' {.> u.i We come now therefore to consider the sabbath a^ tit Jt^- ish ceremony. This word most commonly denotes the seventh day of the week, but it hath sometimes a more extensive sig- nification in scripture. It is sometimes taken for all the festi- vals, because they were so many days of rest. The feast of expiation in particular is frequently stiled tlie sabbath, as well as the Jirst and eighth days of the feast of tabernacles, and the sabbatical year^. Sometimes it signifies the whole week*^, because the sabbath was the most remarkable day in it. As for the sabbath properly so called, it is ofteii termed in the sacred writings, and in Josephus, the sabbaths in the plural \ Which it was proper to observe by the way, to pre- vent any one from being embarrassed at it. The sabbath began the Friday in the evening, which was the preparation*, about smi-set, and ended the next day at the same time. What chiefly deserves our notice in this day, is, that both man and beast were obliged to rest and abstain from all s'ervile occupations ^ This rest was the most essential part of the solemnity and worship of that day, for the reasons before mentioned. It appears from several places of the New Testament, that religious exercises, as reading the law, praying and blessing. Were reckoned neces- sary on the sabbath, but they are not prescribed by the law; ^C'/,^ Philo de Decal. '■ Levit.^^vi. xxiii. 24. xxv. 4, Ezek. xx. 21. " Luke, xviii. 12. Matth. xxviii, 1. * Matth. xii. 1. Mark i. 21. Joseph. Antiq. i. 2. * Mark xv, 42. The law of the sabbath obliged the Jews to so strict a rest, that they were not suffered to dress their victuals, nor even to light their fires ; which oblig;ed them to prepare things the day before, i. e. the Friday. And for this reason it is riatned the pr-tparation of the sabbath. Lamy, p. 106. * Exod. xvi. 29, 30. xxiii. 12. Jerem. xvii. 22, 27. L 3 150 AN INTRODUCTION TO whereas rest was enjoinet! with the utmost strictness imagin- able. Hence in tlie scripturo-lanouage* to profane the snhhath is the same as to work upon it, as to scmctijy it sigiiilies to rest. Even the most necessary works were for- bidden on pain of death ^, as g-athering manna, or wood, baking bread, lighting a fire^; not only solving and reaping were then reckoned luilawful, but also plucking any ears of corn, carrying- any thing from one place to another, or going above two thousand paces or cubits ; which in scrip- ture is called a sahhath-dmfs journey^'. The Jews had carried their scruples in this point to such a height, that they imagined they were not so much as allowed to fight in defence of their lives on the sabbath-day. They ])aid sometimes very dear for their superstitious notions, especially during the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, when they suffered themselves rather to be burnt and smothered in the flames, than defend or stop the mouths of their caves ; this prince having pitched upon the sabhath-day to attack them', Matthias soon convinced them indeed of their error, by teach- ing them that self-murder was a greater crime, than ]>reaking the sabbath. Notwithstanding they fell again a sacrifice' to this superstition under Pompey, who taking an advantage qf it, fixed his machines against Jerusalem, without any manner of opposition. There were however several thing's, which it was lawful to do on the sabbath-day; but they could not well be looked upon as servile employments. Of which kind were circumcision, and works of mercy, that m ere to be performed to beasts, and therefore much more to men, as Jesus Christ told the Pharisees, when they found fault with him for having healed a man on the sabbath'^'. All occupation in general relating* to the divine service was allowed of on that day', as getting ready what(!ver was necessary for the sacrifices, slaying the victims, &c. "; * Exod. xxxi. 14. xxxv. 2. xx. 8. •■ Numb. xv. 32, &c. Exod. xxxi. 14. s Exod. xxxv. 3. xvi. 23. Philo de Vit. Mos. p. 508. And tlierpfore as soon as tlio sun was! gone down, llio Friday in tlte evenins;, so far that it slioiie only on the tops of the mountains, they lighted their lamps. '' Josh. iii. 4. John V. 10. Acts i. 12. Matth. xii. 1, 2. If liiey took a journey, they took care to be at the end of it before sun-set. Some of their reasoninjjs on thi-. point were as follow, viz. it is forbidden to nap, and it is forbidden lo gather ike ears of corn, boenuse that is a sort of reaping. It is not laMfiil to sow, and therefore neiibor is it to walk in ground ncioly sown, because the seed may stick to the feet, and so be carried from place to place, wli'ich b in some sort sowing. Laniy's Introduction, p. lUo and 188. ' Joseph. Anfiq. xii. 18. and xiv. 8. Plutarcii.de Supcrst, p. 163. " Matth. xii. 5. Johnvii.22. Luke xiii. 15. xiv. 5. ' It was a maxim among the Jews, that there wa^ no sabbath in the sanctuary. THE NEW TESTAMENT. lal It is evident from the New Testament, that the celebration oi the sabbath chiefly consisted in the religious exercises, which were then performed. But there is no injunction relating to them in the Old Testament, except a burnt-offer- ing of two lambs, which was on that day added to the morn- ing and evening sacrifices. But reason alone taught them that God having reserved this one day to his service, it ought to be spent in devout meditations, and a Sacred rest, as Philo hath expressly observed™. We have before had occasion of mentioning the religious exercises performed on the sabbath. Feastings and rejoicings were also thought essential to the sabbath, according to Philo, Josephus, and the Thalmu- dists". These however do not seem to have been of divine institution. It is only said in the law, that the sabbath was appointed as a day of respite, as a breathing-time according to the septuagint, or as a day of rej'reshment according to the ancient Latin version. This custom is certainly of a very lono- standing, since it is taken notice of by an heathen author", by way of reflection upon the Jews. There could be no manner of harm in it, if, satisfied with some few inno- cent diversions, and moderate mirth, they had not exceetled the bounds of temperance and sobriety, as they are charged by that author, as well as by St. Augustine p, of having done. Jesus Christ made no scruple of being at a feast on the sab- bath-day "J. But such was the sensuality of that people, that they could not but soon make an ill use of this custom. Accordingly we find some foot-steps of it in the prophet Isaiah^, where rewards are proposed to such as would not take an occasion from the sabbath, to indulge themselves in all manner of rioting and excess. It is certain that the sab- bath was a day of rejoicing", and that, as a token of it, they sounded the trumpet at several different hours*, made great illuminations, and every one put on his best garments, and dressed over night a greater quantity of victuals than usual. Before we conclude this article concerning the sabbath properly so called, it will be propeir to explain what* St. Luke means by the second-first sabbath, the which is the more necessary to do here, because the note on that passage happens ' i ' ° Philo de Decal. p. 585. " Philo de Vita Mosis. Jos. cont. App. 1. 1'^ " Plutarch Syinposiac. 1. iv. p Aug. Tract. 3, in Joan. '^ Luke xiv. K >■ Isaiah Iviii. 13, 14. * The first time was at the ninth hour, or our three in the afternoon, and then they left off working in the country ; the second was sometime after, and this moment all the workmen in the city left oflT work- ing, and shut up their shops ; and the last was, when the sun waj ready to set, and then they lighted up the lamps. Lamy, p. 129. ' Luke vi. 1. l4 152 AN INTRODUCTION TO to be omitted in our version of the New Testament. As this expression is to be found no where but in this place, the learned are very much divided about the sig-nification of it, and (irei>ory Na/.ianzen excused himself in a very pleasant manner from delivering- his opinion about it, Mhen desired by St. Jerome ^ The Jewish year having- two beginnings, as hath been shown before, some authors pretend that there were consequently two Jirst sabbaths, namely, the tirst sab- bath of the month Tisri or September, which was the begin- ning- of the civil year. This, according to them, Avas the first snhhath of all. The other was the first sabbath in the month Nisan or March, and this was named the second-Jirst. Cle- mens of Alexandria speaks indeed of a sabbath", that was stiled the first. And this conjecture would appear plausible enough, was it not liable to this difficulty, viz. That if the second-Jirst sabbath mentioned by St. Luke had been the first sabbath of the month Nisnn, it would thence follow that the disciples had transgressed the law by eating ears of corn.^, since the omer of barley, which was not presented to God till the next day after the feast of unleavened bread, that is, the sixteenth, had not been at that time offered up. Yet we do not find that the Pharisees upbraided the disciples for having- transgressed the law in this respect, but only for having- phicked ears of corn on the sabbatii. Others have imagined that the Jews called Jirst sabbaths those three, that imme- diately followed their three solemn festivals ; insomuch that the first of all was that which came after the passover, the second-frst after the petftecost, and the third-Jirst after the J'east of tabernacles ; but this conjecture is built upon too weak grounds to be depended on. The most probable opi- nion therefore is that which is connnonly received among the learned, namely. That by the second-Jirst sabbath is to be understood the first sabbath after the second day of the feast of unleavened bread, when the handful of barley was offered y, and from which the seven weeks between the passover and pentecost were reckoned. Every circumstance tends to confirm this supposition. The disciples might then lawfully cat ears of corn. Josephus says% that on the second day of the feast of unleavened bread, >vhich is the sixteenth of the month, they are allowed to reap, but not befon-. Besides, the Greek word used by St. Luke% properly sigui- ' Hicr. Kpist. xxiv. nd Ncpotiaii. "' Cloin. Aloxand. Str. \i.\). Oj6. " Lev. xxiil. 14. '' Lev. xxiii. 15. ^ Joseph. Antiq. 1, iii. 10. " AlVTBc^OTTfUTOi;, 1. 0. TTfWTO; UTTO T»)? OlvlsfXi. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 143 ties the first after the second. This moreover agrees with the Jewish way of computing- the fifty days between the passover and pentecost^. The next day after the offering of the omer, they were used to say, this is the first day of the omer^ and so on, till the fiftieth. The Hellenist Jews instead of saying' the first after the omer'^, said the first afiter the second^ that is, after the second day of the J'east of unlea- vened bread. The sabbatical year happened every seventh Qf j,,g j^^. year, and therefore it was also named the sabbath '^, ^^t'*^^' y^^r- according to the Jewish calculation. The first sabbatical year celebrated by the children of Israel was the fourteenth after their coming into the land of Canaan, because they were to be seven years in making themselves masters thereof, and seven more in dividing it among themselves. This year was reckoned, not from Abib or March^ but from Tisri or Sep- tember. It was called the year of release^ for several reasons. 1. Because the ground remained untilled. They were not permitted to sow, to plant, or prune trees, in a word, to culti- vate the ground in any manner whatsoever®. So that during the six foregoing years, and especially on the sixth, which was stiled the eve of the sabbatical year, they were obliged to lay in provisions against the ensuing* time of need. This hath made some believe that when Jesus Christ told the Jews, Pray ye that your fiight be not on the sabbath^, he meant the sabbatical year, when there was but little suste- nance to be found upon the ground. But another sense may be put on that passage*. 2. Such debts as had been con- tracted during' the six preceding years were remitted^. But it may be questioned whether a creditor was not allowed to demand his debt at the end of the sabbatical year ; the Thal- mudists are not agieed about it, but thus much is certain, that the sabbatical year was a time of acquittance for deb- tors. 3. Hebrew slaves were then set at liberty. It is how- ever probable, that masters were obliged to make their slaves free at the end of every seventh year, whether it happened to be the sabbatical year or not*^; unless the slaves were wil- ling to remain in the same state for life, in which case, their masters brought them before the judges, and bored their ears through with an awl against the door-posts. To w^hich David alluded w hen he said, that God did not desire sacri- •• Leo of Modena Cer. of the Jews. " Bartolocci. Biblioth. Rabb. apud Bern, Lami, Appar. Chron. p. 202. "^ Lev. xxv. 4. •* Exod. xxiii. 10, &c. Levit. XXV, 2, 3, 4, 5, ' Matt. xxiv. 20. * Whatever grew of itself was left on the ground for the use of the poor and the stranger. Exod. xxiii, II. s Deut. XV. 2. " Exod. xxi, 5, 6. Jerein. xxxLv. 14. 154 AN INTRODUCTION TO fice or oblation from him, hut had bored his ears', that he might be his servant for ever, and become always obedient to his voice. These words to bore the ear, are rendered in the septuagint by others that signify to Jit, or prepare a body, meaning", that the body or person of the slave w as no longer his own, but his master's. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews brings in Jesus Christ makiiio- use of the same expression, and applies it to his subject''. Lastly, When men- tion is so often made in the New Testament of the remission of sins, it is undoubtedly spoken with allusion to the sabbatical year, which was a year of remission in all these respects. The jubilee f was celebrated at the end of seven times seven, Of the or forty-nine years, that is, every fiftieth year l. It jubilee, began on the tenth day of the month Tisri, and was proclaimed throughout the country by the sound of a ram's horn, or a trumpet. There is no mention of the jubilees, but whilst the twelve tribes were in possession of the land of Canaan. The Thalmudists pretend that they ceased when the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half of Manasseh Avere car- ried away into captivity, and they are not at all mentioned under the second temple, though the sabbatical years con- tinued still to be observed. The jubilee had the same pri- vileges as the sabbatical year, the ground was not then cultivated, and slaves were set liberty "'. And besides, such lands as had been sold or mortgaged, returned to the first owners, if they could not redeem them sooner"; excepting- houses in walled towns". These were to be redeemed within a year, otherwise they belonged to the purchaser, notwith- standing thejubil.ee. Some learned men p have attempted to prove by a calcula- tion, that appears pretty exact, that if the Jews had still observed the jvibilees, thefifteenth year of Tiberius,w hen John the Baptist first began to preach, would have l>een a jubdee, And conseijuently the last, since fifty years after the Jewish commonwealth was no longer in being. This particular is of some conse Ibid. ver. 40. " Ibid. ver. 28. " Ibid. ver. 30, p Father Lamy. Appar. Ciiron. p. 1-12 '" Geinar. Tract. Sanhed. c. 11, 12, D.2n. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 155 children of God, foretold by Zechariah% and prefigured by the jubilees of the Jews. This article concerning the sahhatJi, the sabbatical year, and the jubilee, gives us an occasion of reflecting on the number SEVEN, so famous in the Old and New Testament. It is certain that an extraordinary degree of perfection and holiness hath ever been ascribed to it, even among the heathens, as is evident from Philo% as well as the seven altars, which Balaam caused to be erected, to sacrifice thereon seven bullocks, and seven rams*. We learn from Genesis that this number was much respected also by the patriarchs. God ordered Noah to choose seven pairs of clean animals, and bring them into the ark". Noah sent every seven days a pigeon out of the ark to see if the waters were abated^, Abraham set apart seven Iambs for Abimelechy, Jacob served Laban twice seven years ^ Cain was to be revenged seven-fold, and Lamech seventy and seven, or eleven times seven\ God commands Job's friends to ofFer seven bullocks and seven rams for a burnt-ofrering\ Pharaoh saw in a dream seven cows, and seven ears of corn, which Joseph interpreted by seven years *=. This nuniberwas no less famous under the law, and it became entirely holy by the institution of the seventh day. Most of the extraordinary sacrifices were generally seven, and if there were more, they were reckoned by multiplying this number. The aspersions were done seven times. Several festivals lasted seven days. There were seven Aveeks between the passover and pentecost. More festivals were kept during the seventh month than any other; there being no less than six. The number seven seems also to have been observed in performing several miraculous operations. When the Shunamite's son was brought again to life by Elisha, he sneezed seven times 'i; and the same prophet ordered Naaman to go and wash himself seven times in the river Jordan, in order to be cured of his leprosy. Is Jericho to be taken, we presently see seven priests sound- ing the trumpet for seven days, and on the seventh com- passing the city seven times. All these instances, and many others that might easily be produced, plainly shew that the number seven was reckoned full of mysteries. There are likewise in the New Testament manifest tokens of the mysteries which this number was supposed to contain ; par- ticularly in the Revelations, where every thing that can be . 11117. r'-[ ' -1:1 r ^ .«• Zech.ix.H. ^ Phil, de Muiidi Opif. 17, 18. ' Numb, xxiii,,!^ " Gen. vii. 2, 3. '' Gen. viii. 10, 11, 12. y Gen. xxi. 28. » Gen.xxix, 18. ='Gen.iv.24. hjobxlii.8. <= Gen. xli. 2 Kings iv. 35. & V. 10. ! f .:- .b2i!r.'i5 j.-i;sX .icojoo' .•■uij 11,9 , 156 AN INTRODUCTION TO numbereil, is rorkonod by sf yp?js. The Jews have raiisiuked all arts and sciences, to account for the pretended peHeclion of the number seven. They have fetched arguments for it from physics, the human body, and all the parts of nature; from arithmetic, astronomy, and g-eography. There Avas no need of so much leartiitig". The number seveyt. hatli no per- fection in itself. But it is plain that God m as pleased to make it as it were a sacrament of the truth of tiie creation, that men seeing- that nnml^er so often distinguished from the rest, and forming" the most remarka])Ie epochas and computations, might always remember, that it was on the seventh day Cod had rested from his works after the creation of the >vorld. Philo having advanced several odd and extravagant things concerning' the number seven'^, concludes all his speculations upon thatpoint with these excellent words: P'or these reasons, saith he, and several others, is the number seven hononred; hut chieffif, hecaiise by it is manifestpd the Father and Author of the universe, and the mind may in it behold, as in a loohinij- (jlass, Godcreatinn the world, and all thinrfs that are therein contained. But it must be observed that this number is mys- tical, and wherever it occurs in scripture, is not always to be taken in a literal sense, for frequently it is a certain and defi- nite number put for an uncertain and indefinite one, and sometimes it sig-nifies no more than some certain larg-e num- ber. We have but little to say concerning- the rest of the Jewish festivals that were of divine institution, that is, the wetc- moons. The feast of the new^ year, which happened on the first new moon, was celebrated with a great deal of solemnity on the first and second days of the month Tisri, which was the beginning- of the civil year of the Hebrews*. This fes- tival was called in scripture the J'east oj' trumpets, because during- all that time the temple resounded wMth these instru- ments. It was spent in rest, feastings, and rejoicings^. Several extraordinary sacrifices were then offered ; especially h goat that was offered vp to the Lord, as is expressly said in scripture*. There could ])e nothing more natural, than to consecrate to God a rlay which had by the heathens l)een dedicated to their false deities, thereby to turn them from idolatry ; but among the other reasons which rendered this day holy, the most reiuarkable is, that it was the first day in *■ Philo lie Drcal. "^ Lov. xxxiii. 24. ^ P o. 158 AN INTRODUCTION TO of the Jews was changed into joy, by the unexpected victory, wliich God oTanted them over their enemies*. The whole book of Estlier was read in the synagogue upon this occa- sionf, and some passages concerning Amalek. The rest of the time Mas spent in feastings and rejoicings. The feast of the dedication, spoken of by St. John *", The feast of ^'^^ appointed by Judas Maccabeus, in imitation dedication, of thosc of Solouiou and Ezra, for a thankful remem- brance of the cleansing of the temple and altar, after they had been profaned by Antiochus ||. It began the twenty- fifth of Cisleu or December, and lasted eight days. They callcjl it otherwise the feast of lir/hts, either because during it, they illuminated their houses X, or, according to Jose- plius §, ])ecause of the extreme happiness of those times. The whole feast >vas spent in singing hymns, offering sacri- fees, and all kinds of pastimes and diversions. These are all the Jewish festivals that deserve our notice. They had others of a more modern institution, but we shall pass them over here, as having no relation to our present design. * This probably happpnod under Artaxcrxrs Longimaniis, who is supposed to have been the same as Ahasticrus, about 500 years before Christ, f And as often as the Children heard tiie name of llainan,they struck the benches of the synagogue with as much joy, as they would have struck Hainan's head, if it had been before them. Laniy, p. 137. When the year had 13 months, this feast was twice celebrated, both in the first and second Adar. lb. "' John x. 22. 1 Maccab. iv. 59. || The Jews celebrated four of these feasts. The first was that of the temple built by Solomon in the month Tisri ; the second, that of the temple rebuilt by Zorobabel, in the month Adar ; the third, that of the altar rebuilt by Judiis Maccabeus, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Cisleu ; and the fourth was that of the temple of Herod. Lamy, ib. I By setting up candles at every man's door. See I'rid. Counect. p. 2. b, 3. under the year 165. ^ Joseph. Ant. \ii. 11. les. oT yroy[ 159 ] INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT. PART II. 1 HE first part of this iniroctnctwn hath but an concerning indirect relation to the New Testament, but this J|J^,^,^rin" second part will more particularly refer thereto, gen^ai. The four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, fourteen Epistles of St. Paul*, one of St. James, two of St. Peter, three of St. John, one of St. Jude, and the Revelations of St. John, make up that sacred collection which goes under the name of the New Covenant, or New Testament. This title was not given by the Evangelists or Apostles, since in their time the canon of the books of the New Testament was not yet composed, it being not done till the end of the/r*^ or beginning of the second century. It is notwithstanding of a very ancient date, and occasioned undoubtedly by a passage of Jeremiah, wherein God promises to make a new covenant with his peo- pled In the old Latin version the original Greek wordf, is rendered by that of Testament, in allusion to that passage of the Epistle to the Hebrews, wherein it is said, that the JVew Testament was ratified by the death of the Testator**. It is called J^'eiv in opposition to that collection of the sacred Hebrew writings, which are by St. Paul named the Old Testa- ment, or Ancient Covewaw^, because it contains the conditions of the covenant which God had made with the children of Israel by the ministry of Moses ; as Jesus Christ gave the name of JSTew Covenant, to that which God made, through his media- tion with mankind •>. The JVew Testament therefore, or the * We have proved in our preface to the Epistle to the Hebrews, that that Epistle was written by St. Paul. ^ Jerem. xxxi. 32. + Ata9»)x»). This word signifies both a law, and an agreement, a covenant, and a testament. »• Heb. ix. 16, 16. <= 2 Cor. iii. 14. ■> Matth. xxvi. 28. 1 Cor. xi.25. 160 AN INTRODUCTION TO JVVw Covenant, are tliose books which contain the last w'\\\ of oiir heavenly Father revealed by his Son Jesus Christ; the benefits which, through him, are conferred upon us here below, those which are promised to us hereafter, our obliga- tions to God; in a word, the conditions of the evangelical covenant or oeconomy. The Old and New Testament may properly be stiled the sacred deeds and the originals of the two covenants mentioned by St. Paul in his epistle to the Galatians^ But here we must observe, that when those laws which God hath at different times delivered to mankind are named a Cove- nant or Testament^, these words are not to be taken in a strict and literal, but in a figurative sense ^; that is, as far as God's dealing w ith his creatures, and the laws he hath given them, may be said to have a conformity with a testament or cove- nant. The name of Testament, for instance, which is but improperly applicable to the first Covenant, does exactly belong to the JVeir, because in this the death of the Testator intervened'', which happened in the first only in a figurative manner. There are other respects in which the name of Testament cannot be applied to either of the covenants. An heir is at liberty to accept or reject a will. But under the law and the gospel the w?7/of God cannot be rejected without rebellion anil impiety. As for the name of Covenant, it may be applied two ways, both to the Old and J^ew, 1. They contain reciprocal conditions. God makes promises, and requires some certain duties. 2. They Avere both ratified w ith blood, as covenants used formerly to be. But there is this difference between the covenants that are made between man and man, and those which God jliath been pleased to make with mankind; That in human covenants the contracting parties are at liberfy, and have nearly the same right of pro- posing the conditions upon which they are willing to agree and covenant together. The case is otherwise here. God is the Creator, and men his creatures; he is the supreme Monarch and they his subjects. He is the sovereign Law- giver, must be obeyed al)solutely, and without reserve. When therefore God says that he makes a covenant Avith mankind, his meaning is, that out of condescension and mere goodness, he is pleased to descend from his supreme majesty, and not use his power that he may engage tliem to obedience by a principle of gratitude and love. We must pass the same judgment upon the words aco- 'Halat. iv.21. fCal. iv.^. ^^ Ileb. i. 1. " Ilcb. i.\. 16, 17, 18, THE NEW TESTAMENT. 1^ nomif and dispensation, that are used to express the different states of mankind nnder God's direction, and the several methods he hath followed in the government of them. The term ceconomy is very ambiguous in our language; we have therefore thought fit to change it into that of dispensation, which is more plain. These words are taken from the lan- guage and customs of mankind, and are to be figuratively understood, according to the nature of the things in ques- tion. The meaning of theni is, that God, like a prudent Father, deals diifefently with his children, according to the ditference of times an'^d places, according to their age, strenoth and capacity. A governor may alter his laAvs and government, and still remain very constant and unchange- able, because he hath not always the same subjects to o-overn, or because their condition may alter. Before men entered into society, when there was only Adam and Eve, just come out of the hands of God, and consequently inca- palde of transgressing any article of that law, which God gave afterwards to his. people, it was necessary that their obedience should be tried by a law peculiar to them alone. After the lirst inhabitants of the world had departed from that law of nature, which God had implanted in them when he made them reasonable creatures, it was necessary they should be brought back by an express revelation. God having brought" his people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt, where, through a long slavery, they had been used to^the manners and sinful ceremonies of the Egyptians, it was expedient another course should be taken with them, than would have been with persons that were not in the same circumstances, or were not appointed for the same ends. Besides, whoever designs to go about any great undertaking, ought beforeliand to get all things ready towards it. When a man intends to build, he must erect scafiblds, which must again be taken down, when his build- ing is once finished. This is the reason which the New Testament designs for the ditference there is between the two covenants. And here I shall observe, that it is all one, whether we suppose only two covenants, or three, and even four, provided we understand by them the different methods of God's dealing with men according to tlieir various circum- stances; and tiiat, instead of disputing about Mords, we exactly perform the conditions of the covenant which God hath been pleased to honour us Avith. The prefaces which we have placed before each of the books of t]\e New Testament, render it unnecessary for us to M 162 AJi INTRODUCTION TO enter into a particular examination of them here. We have shewn who were the authors of them ; given an ahstract ot their lives; pointed out their character; spoken of their style ; and made a kind of an analysis of their writings. Having in each of these prefaces particularly applied our- The truth of sclvcs to sliCAV, that the books of the New Testament Ih'eNcwTcs- were written by those whose names they bear, this lament. must go a great way towards proving the truth of them, and conse(piently that they were written by divine inspiration. When the persons that relate any matter of fact, or the authors of a new doctrine, are once well known, we may easily judge by their character, whether they are to be believed, or not. When, besides honesty, there appear in witnesses all the wisdojn and knowledge requisite in order to attest certain truths and matters of fact; when we may be certain, that they neither could be deceived themselves, nor would have imposed upon others; their testimony nmst be received, as unquestionably true. Now the most inveterate enenn'es of the Christian religion cannot deny, but that the Evangelists and Apostles, whose writings we now have, were all such, as we are going- to shew. 1. There appear in their writings an uncommon strain of wisdom, and a most extraordinary degree of holiness. And if integrity is necessary to render a testimony valid, theirs cannot be more authentic in this respect, than it is. This same argument is aproof of their sincerity, since that quality is essential to an honest man. 2. But moreover their giving- an account of their own Aveaknesses, is a very strong argu- ment of their sincerity in all other respects. Tluy might justly enough have concealed their own failings, since it Avas not essential to the Christian faith, nor consequently to their ministry, that they should be transmitted down to posterity. If therefore they have made mention of them, though preju- dicial to their reputation, it is one of the strongest proofs in the world of their veracity in whatever else they have advanced. 3. They speak only of such things as tln^y saw and heard, w hich they were themselves concerned withal, or had learned from those that were the eye-witnesses of them. It is mani- fest from their discourses and reasonings, that they were not persons liable to be inqtosed upon. Though tln^y do not rea- son accordino- to ihtj method observed by tlie phihjsophers and orators of their own, and our age; yet there certainly reigns an excellent solidity, and a continued strain oi" gooti sense through all tluir writings. Besides, the things they speak of, are of such a nature, as not to admit of :uiy delusion: THE NEW TESTAMENT. 163 they are not done in the dark, but g^eneraliy in the day-time, and before all the world. To instance in one particular: Was St, Luke's account of the birth of John the Baptist, of his father Zecharjf>h's becoming dnmb in the temple, and Elizabeth his wife's bringing- forth after she had been baiTen for a long- time; was all this, I say, a mere forgery, nothing could be easier than to display the falsehood of it, and every one woidd have laughed at the cheat. 4. For this very reason it was impossible they could deceive others, supposing- they had had any such design, because the imposture would have been too easily found out. They must have invented less absurd and palpable stories, if they had had a mind to impose upon the world. Most of the Apostles wrote but a few years after the death of Jesus Christ. An innumerable multitude of people, who had been witnesses of the things the Apostles related, were still alive; now Avould the Apostles have ven- tured to teach and write, that at such a time a man called Jesus of Nazareth was come from God ; that he had revealed eternal life: that he had confirmed his doctrine by several remarkably miracles, which were performed in the face of the world ; that after having preached throughout all Jud6a, in the synagogues and other public places, he had been con- demned to death by the rulers of the Jews, and crucified imder Pontius Pilate ; that after three days he rose again ; that, according- to his promise, the Holy Ghost was come down upon the Apostles, on the day of pentecosf, and that they had sjjoken all kinds of tongues before all the people ; that from thence they had dispersed themselves almost all over the world, and converted the best part of it, confirming their doctrine with signs and miracles? Would the Apostles, I say, have dared to advance in their writings things of this nature, and not have thereby exposed themselves to the scorn and contempt of the world? It is certainly very improbable, that'the Apostles could be the authors of so extravagant an imposture, and that they should be suffered by the Jews to propagate it without restraint, since it M^as so much their mterest to put a stop thereto. 5. Let us again suppose that the Apostles had contrived such an imposture; with what view could they doit? Men are seldom known to do mis- chief for mischief's sake, especially when the crime they would Commit is attended with a visible danger. Tliey are always drawn in by some interest or passion *. Bui no such thing is to be found here. The integrity 6f|thie Ajiostles ' * 1 Cor. iv. 13. m2 104 AN INTRODUCTION TO gives us not tlie loai^t room to suspect them of ambition, and had they had any advantage in view, they must have found themselves sadly mistaken, since as they themselves declare, they were as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring- of all things. Their aim besides could not be to get riches^ like niercenary teachers. They were poor, and would take nothing of any one. Their utter aversion for all kinds of pleasures was moreover no likely method to gain them the protection and applauses of sensual men, who love to have their passions indulged. In short, they must have been tlie most imprudent of men, daily to expose themselves to certain death, only to maintain a heinous imposture. (>. The agree- ment between several witnesses dispersed here and there, who did not Avrite in concert, and were by persecutions hindered from carrying on a cheat; this agreement is a proof of no small weight. It often happens that several historians write the same history, but you can never discover in them a perfect uniformity, unless the same memoirs have by them been perused. We have only given an abstract of this proof drawn from the character of the Apostles. It may be carried on a good deal farther by the same way of reasoning. And it must cer- taiidy have a very great influence upon any man tiiat will but make lise of his reason. For if a heathen, or a libertine will not admit of it, we may just ask them, whether they have any other rule to satisfy themselves of the truth of any matfer of fact, besides the cliaracter of the persons by whom it ls attested. It is really strange that so much credit should be given to prophane history, and men should be so very nice and over-cautious in embracing the Christian religion, and the historical matters relating thereto, when there is not any heathen author that has, at least in the same degree, any one of those qualifications that are to be found in the Apostles, much less all of them together. Some write of things that happened at a great distance of time from them. Such as were cotemporary, could not be witnesses of every thing; and then, how often are men biassed by interest, passion, or flattery ? Besides, as the greatest part of them treat only of such matters as are apt to excite people's curiosity, they might invent as many falsehoods as they pleased, in order (o stiike their readere with wonder and admiration. As for the Jews, if they refuse to admit, in behalf of the truth of tlie New Testament, this kind of proof drawn from the character of the Apostles, they must needs betray their own cause by such a refusal, their being no other proof of the truth of TH.E NEW TESTAMENT. 165 what is attested by Moses and the prophets, than tlie inte- grity of these holy men. This gives us an occasion of proceeding* to another proof of the truth of the books of the New Testament, that is, their agreement with the Old, at least, in respect of those that acknowledge the authority of the latter. It is true that the Old Testament seems to be contradicted in the JSTew, espe- cially in St. Paul's epistles, who strenuously asserts the abrogation of the ceremonial laiv. But since he shews at the same time how this law was fulfilled in the gospel, there is only a seeming contradiction between them, and the relation or analogy between the Old and JVew Testament gives such an insight into them, as must needs be discovered by every intelligent person. Had not St. Paul learned from revelation as well as tradition, that the Messiah was the truth and suIj- stance of those things whereof the law was only a shadow, it cannot be conceived how he could have invented such a system. Besides, the fulfilling of the ancient prophecies in the Messiah shines so conspicuously in the writings of the New Testament, and all these so exactly center in Jesus Christ, that it is absolutely impossible a mind free from prejudice, should not be affected with these marks of truth and sincerity. The modern Jews are not indeed willing to own that these prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, or can be applied to him. But in answer to them, it will be suflicient to observe, that all the prophecies which have by the writers of the JVeto Testament been applied to Jesus Christ, were by their ancient doctors thought to belong to the Messiah. This might easily be proved by several authentic testimonies, did the bounds of this Introduction allow it. We shall therefore only observe, that in the Chaldee paraphrases, which were written by Jewish authors, most of the prophecies of the Old Testament that are applied to Jesus Christ in the New, are there also applied to the Messiah. Now let the Jews produce, if they can, any other subject to which these prophecies can better agree than to our blessed Saviour. If to this retiection we add what hath before been said concerning the character of the Apostles, it can never come into any man's mind, that doth in the least reflect on things and is free from prejudice and passion, that so natural and so exact an application of the ancient pro- }>hecies concerning the Messiah, to Jesus Christ, can be of lunian invenlion. To sum up this argument: a book Avherein every thing that seemed obscure and unaccountable in the ceremonial law, is so excellently well cleared up and m8 166 AN INTRODUCTION TO unfolded, and wherein the prophecies of the Old Teatament have so exact a completion, must come from God. Now the Nmc Testament is such; and therefore the New Testament must come from God. But amoiig- all the arguments of the truth of the JVeir Tes- tamenty there is no one that oug-ht to be more universally received, or is more agreeable to the design of this Introduc- tion, than that which is taken from the consideration of the nature of the things contained in these sacred writings. There are indeed in the New Testament mysteries that are above, and some that seem even contrary to reason. But this could be no real difHculty, would men, instead of cavilling at them, as lil)ertine.s are used to do, and instead of darken in^^ mysteries by too subtile interpretations, or diving too far into them, as most of the school-divines are known to have done, put a rational meaning upon the sttcre^Z writings, such a meaning as is worthy of God, and adore at the same time such things as we cannot comprehend. A very pernicious method hath in this regard prevailed in the wprld, which is to explain an obscure point by an obscurer. After all, the design of the Christian religion is not so much to reveal to us what God is in himself, as Mhat he is to us; and our duty is rather to attain to a right understanding of the v.ill of God revealed to us in the J^"etc Testament, that Ave may duly perform it, than to attempt to penetrate into the secrets of divine wisdom. But, to speak the truth of the matter, that obscurity which God hath been pleased to diffuse over some parts of the holy scripture, is very often no more than a pretence used by some men for rejecting all the rest, because they can no more bfe reconciled with their corrupt inclinations, than their reason can account for the mysteries therein containcMl. Were the sacred writings of the Mew Testament read with the same spirit as hath been just now taken notice of, we may venture to affirm that there is no Jeiv, heathen, or any other infidel, nor even a Uhertine, but what would find them excellently well fitted to discover the perfections of the Snpreme Being, and to supply all the wants of mankind, and that those who have written that book could not have done it out of their own invention. Then would the Jew most readily embrace a doctrine, which, like the Old Testament, teaches the unity of God, and expressly forbids all kind of idolatry, llien would he joyfully receive a Mediator which frees him from a yoke, that had by the former Mediator been laid upon hiju. if he will but cast his eye on the ends of the ceremonial law, which THE NEW TESTAMENT. 167 are displayed in the JVew Testament, he could not be sur- prised to find it abrogated. And as much as their former jniserable state had made them earnestly desire the coming of the Messiah, so much ought their calamities, after the taking of Jerusalem, and the temple, which was the only place appointed for the performance of divine worship, have convinced them that the Messiah is already come. The hea- thens, on the other hand, would no longer find any thing- strange in the doctrine of one God, since the wisest among- them have discovered the absurdity of a plurality of deities, and that there is reason to believe Socrates died a martyr to the unity of God. It seems also that it would be no more difficult for pagans to acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the Mediator between God and men, than to admit dcemons to that ofHce*. The offence of the cross would soon be removed, by reflecting on the divine justice and mercy, which are so very conspicuous therein. The Jews, by embracing the tloctrine of Jesus Christ, would reap some advantage from the crime committed by their ancestors. And the heathen, who thinks himself bound to offer numberless sacrifices in order to atone for his sins, would adore the wisdom of God in suffering the commission of this crime for the expiation of the sins of mankind. All men in general, of what rank soever they be, or what- ever religion they profess, cannot but look Avith profound respect, and a pious admiration, on a book which has these two characters. First, That lays before them that supreme happiness, of which the author of our nature hath implanted an invincible desire within us ; and which, secondly, in order to lead them thereto, brings them only back to a spiritual worship, to the dictates of their oAvn consciences, and requires nothing of them, but what they would have been in duty bound to perform, even though no other law had been given them, if they would but have made a due use of their rea- son. Where shall we find a book that teaches a worship , more worthy both of God, and of a reasonable creature? It is plain and unaffected, free from all rites and ceremonies which are not either holy in themselves, or directly tend to make men holy in their lives and conversation, and is withal great and noble. It teaches us to love above all things the most amiable of beings, and to express this love by a perfect and sincere obedience to his commands. When had there ,.svi '^ By the rfiEwons they understood their demi-gods, or the aouls of their deceased heroeSf..|,jf)^,<,' M 4 1C8 AN INTRODUCTION TO been before, a more coin]>ioto collection of the whole duty of men, both towards God, themselves, and others? Must not every lionest mind be overjoyed to see natural riobt and equity rescued from the oppression, which, tbroutyh the pre- Vcdencf of men's passions, they had so loni^- g-roaned under? The duties of justice, mercy, and brotherly love, those of temperance, contentment, firmness in times of adversity, patience under tribulations, all these are strenuously recom- mended there, and grounded upon the strong-est motives. This blessed relig-ion, not content with regulating our out- ward actions, reaches as far as the inmost recesses of our minds, teaching us to be pure in heart. Even the hardest prescriptions it contains, and such as are most repugnant to the corruption of human nature, as self-denial, &,c. have some foundation in the law of nature. For what is denying one's self; but to put off a blind and inordinate self-love, which hurries us into an ignoble slavery to our passions, and proves our ruin, to let ourselves be g-iiided by another prin- ciple of self-love, Aviiich will promote our salvation both here and hereafter? Martyrdom and sufferings do not indeed essentially belong- to a religion which was calculated for the happiness of mankind, but reason itself teaches us, that we ought much rather to lose our lives, and even suffer a thou- sand deaths, than disown our God, and forfeit our own sal- vation by criminal actions. If the Christian religion enjoins its professors to bless their enemies, ought we not in this particular to comply with the appointment of Providence, which has thought fit we should ])e exposed to them? Besides, this command of forgiving injuries, and being- in charity with our enemies, prevents private acts of reveng-e, which would destroy society, and leaves the Supremo Direc- tor of all things a right which he is extremely jealous of. In a word, if a lawgiver had a mind to frame a w ell regu- lated society, and make a nation happy, he could not have pitched upon fitter maxims, than those of the gospel, to pro- mote the public good, as well as that of private persons, and to procure to liimself, at the same time, a firm and last- ing- obedience, because it would proceed from a principle of love and esteem. 80 that the Christiim religion ei»joys this privilege above any other, that by the same maxhns, it tends to promote at once the happiness of men, both in this world, and that which is to come. . ..1 t j* . i , It must indeed be acknowledged to the honour of several heathen pluloso})hers, that they have delivered exc- made man, exactly knows how lie is to he g-Qverned. 1 omit several other reasons, which, tog ether with those that have been already mentioned, are also of" trreat weight; as the wonderful prog-ress of the gospel; siicii a variety of torments as was undergone for the confirmation of" it ; the miraculous preservation thereof, notwithstanding the attacks of the enemies of the Christian religion, and such numberless heresies as have arisen in the church, and might probably have caused some alteration in those sacred m ritings. From the veracity and faithfulness of the sacred writers, spring- up, as from a copious and pure source, several im- portant truths. For, if the authors of the New Testament nave advanced nothing but what is true, that book must have come from God, since, as they assure us, they had a divine commission for revealing to the world wliat they have taught. If these sacred authors have advanced nothing but truth, the Christian relig-ion must be true ; and consequently an eternal reward is annexed to faith and piety, as a dismal eternity is to be the consequence of unbelief and inq)enitence. If what- ever the writers of the New Testament have said is true, then all other religions are either false, or abrogated. The last particular deserves to be seriously attended to, because at the same time that the writers of the New Testament confirm the truth of the Old, they withal discover the reason why the ceremonial parts of it are now no longer in force. The Holy Ghost, by whose direction and assistance the Concerning Evaugclists and Apostles wrote, did not frame a par- thcNcw"^ ticular language for them. He only suggested the Tesiaihcnt. matter to their minds, and kept them from falling- into mistakes, but left each of tliem at liberty to make use of their own style and expressions. And as we observe dif- ferent styles in the writings of the prophets, according to the temper and education of those holy men, so every one that is versed in the original language of the New Testament, may discover a great diversity between the styles of St. Matthew, St. Luke, St. Paul, and St. John. Which would not have happened, had every expression been dictated to the Apostles by the Holy Ghost. For, in such a case, the style of every book in scripture would, in all probability, have been alike. Beside, there were some particulars wherein there was no need of inspiration ; namely, when they wrote of matters of fact, which they themselves had seen, or which had been reported to them by credible witnesses. When St. Luke undertook (o write his gospel, he says that he hath given an account of things, as he hath learned them THE NEW TESTAMENT. 171 from those, which from the beginning- were eye-witnesses of them ; and that having- had a perfect understanding of aU things, he thought fit to transmit them to posterity. An author that had been informed of such matters by divine inspiration, would naturally have said, I have related things as they were dictated to me by the Holy Ghost. St Paul's conver- sion was an extraordinary and supernatural event ; but yet to give an account of it, nothing more was necessary for St. Luke, than the testimony of St. Paul himself, and of those that were with him. And accordingly there is some variety in the relation of it, but still without any manner of contra- diction. The difference of style in the sacred writers of the New Testament, is a good argument of their truth and sincerity. Was their style exactly alike, one would be apt to suspect, that they had all combined together when they wrote, or else, that having agreed what they should teach, one of them had set pen to paper, and made a system of their doctrine. When in a work, which goes under the name of one author, there is observed a difference of style ; we have reason to believe that it was written by several hands. For the very same reason, when books, which go under the name of dif- ferent authors, are written in a different style, we may rea- sonably suppose that they were not the composure of one per- son. The books of the New Testament then contain divine matters, written in the language of man, but with the parti- cular direction and assistance of the Spirit of Grod. Though each of the writers of the New Testament hath a particular style, yet they all wrote in the same language, that is, the Greek*. This tongue being then most in vogue, it was very proper that books, which were to serve to convert the whole world, should be written therein. It must notwith- standing be observed, that the Greek of the Evangelists and Apostles is not pure and unmixed ; it abounds with Hebra- isms t, and Latin words put in Greek characters and termina- tions. Besides, as the greatest part of the Jews, which were dispersed through Greece J, had forgot the Hebrew language, and made use of the Greek version of the Old Testament, which goes under the name of the Septnar/int ; th^ sacred MTiters of the JVew have frequently adapted their style * WellSve proved in our prefaces that they all wrote in Greek. + This is, a mixture of Chaldee and Syriack, which was then the vulgar tongue in Judea. :j: These Jews were called Hellenists or Grcecising Jews, (because they used the Greek language in their synagogues) and their tongue may be called the fMlenhtical, without making pf it however a particular language. 172 AN INTRODUCTION TO thereto, and have ahnost always followed that translatioit in their qnotatious, as we have made appear in our pref'ucea and notes. And the apostolical style not only bears a great conformity with the septuagiut version, and the Hebrew tona^ue, but there are likewise found in it abundance ot words, expressions, proverbs, and maxims that Mere in use among- the Rabbins*. For though the Thalmud was not compiled till after Christ, yet the main of it was in beuig a long time before, as hath been observed by the learned. These remarks on the style of the New Testauient are of great use, either to help us to understand several diliicult passages, or else to discover the true sense and occasion of some expressions, which, at first sight, seem a little strange. This the heathens did not consider, when they undervalued the style of the sacred writers, as we find they did frojn Origen% Lactantius^ and others of the fathers. There hath been also some ancient doctors of the church, as well as modern authors, Avho, for want of reflecting on this, have taken too much liberty in finding fault with the style of the New Testament. It is certain, as St. Augustin hath observed*^, that the Evangelists and Apostles have all the elo<{uence and elegancy suitable to their character and design. Theii business was to convert the ignorant as well as the learned,, and therefore it was necessary they should use a popular j style, and intelligible to all. The gospel was at first to be preached both to the Jews of Judea and of Greece, and there- fore it must have been in such a language as was familiar to them. Add to this, that the style of the Apostles is in itself a proof of their being the authors ol the books which go under their names. Had they written like Isocrates, or Demosthenes, it would have been objected against them, tha|« it was impossible for Hebrews, who professed to be men of no learning, to have written in so pure and excellent a style^ and conse«juently that the books which were ascribed to them, nnist have been the invention of some imjjostor. So that all tjie objections that are framed against the style of (he New Testament, serve, after all, to confirm the.truth of it, and to prove that it canie from God. hu i)>jiai ikij As we have been frecjuenliy obliged to mention in our li&ie^ Of the V *''^ version of the Seventi/, and the Apostles having sionoftiic often folloAVfd it in their quotations, and imitated "'"''^' the style oi" it, it will be proper to give some short . ■ ''i" * Instances of all those may be scon, in an excolUnt onlloctioii ot ns ooncornini; the -style of tho Now Tostamont, Van ilon Uonort do stilo Novi Tostanuiiti C.ia^co. Loowardia-, 1702, '' Contra Column, I. vi. iuit. " InsCitul. I. V. c. 1. ^ J)o Dootiina Clnisl. I. iv. c. G. mV. NEW TESTAMENT. 1-73 account of it here. It is the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament, which was used by the Jews who M'ere dispersed throughout Egypt and Greece, because the greatest part of them did not understand Hebrew. A certain author named Aristeas'\ who, as he relates, was cotemporary with Ptolemy Philadelphus, King of Egypt, by whose order this translatiou was made, gives us a very pompous account of it. He says, " that this prince making a great library, was desirous of pro- " curing the JcAvish writings ; and that for this ])urpose he " sent embassadors with rich presents to the then high-priest " Eleazar, desiring that he would send six men out of each of " the tribes of Israel to make this version. Aristeas tells us " that he was one of those embassadors. The seventy-two " Jews were gladly received at Alexandria; and having set " about tlieir translation, they finished it in seveiity-tv/o days, " to the great satisfaction of the king." Thus far Aristeas. But several learned authors'^ have plainly shewed, that this Aristeas, though he pretends to be a heathen^, was some Jew of Alexandria, who composed this romance since the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus, to give the greater authority to the septuagint version. It is notwithstanding- certain, that the counterfeit Aristeas is pretty ancient, since we find him quoted by Josephus^ who takes almost word for word out of him what he hath said of this translation. But it is very probable that he lived after Philo, for though this last gives a full account of the version of the Seventy'', he never mentions Aristeas, who, in all likelihood embellished Philo's account. However this be, it is acknowledged on all hands, that the chief part of this version was made by the Jews of Alex- andria', under the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus, or while he was his father Ptolemy Lagus's associate in the kingdom; but whether they did it by order of this prince, or of their own accord, is not well known. It may be inferred from the relations of Philo, Aristeas, and Josephus, that there were no more than the Jive hooks of' Moses translated at that time. The rest was done afterwards by several hands, as is evident from the dift'erence of style. Though this version is not to be compared with the original Hebrew, it was notwithstanding- reckoned of great authority in the primitive church. We ^ Aristeas Hist. Ixx. Intcrp. ab Humf. Hody. See this whole story fully confuted by Dr. Prideaux, Connect, p. 2. b. i. '^' Dr. Hody de Ixx. Interp. Oxon. 1705. Vandale de Aiist. Amst. 1705. f Jos. Antiq. 1. xii. c. 2. s Id. ibid. •■ Philo de Vita Mosis, 1. ii. p. 509. ' About 300 years before Christ. Dr. Prideaux, after Archbishop Usher, places it underthe jtar 277, and gives a very accurate account of the occasion on \vl>ich it was made. See his Connect, p. ?. b. i. under the year 277. No. viii. 174 AN INTRODUCTION TO have already observed that the Apostles have chiefly adiiered to it ill their quotations. The Greek fathers ahvays made use of it, and the most ancient Latin version of" the biblfe was translated from it *". It is moreover very useful upon several accounts, l.The consulting' of it often serves to clear the Hebrew text, as the learned have shewed in numberless instances. The vou-el- points of the Hebrew not being of the same standing- with that language, the Seventy have frequently read otherwise than the Massorites, the first inventors of these points^. There are also found in the septuagint whole verses which are not in the Hebrew, and which, according to the sense, should he there. 2. It is very necessary for the understanding of the New Testament, there being several expressions therein, which could not be well understood, was that sense to be put upon them which they commonly bear in Greek authors, and not that which they have in the septuag-int. They therefore that are desirous of understanding the true meaning of the books of the New Testament cannot be too often advised carefully and diligently to peruse the septuagint version. The sacred writers having set down neither the year, montli, Of the Chro- ^^^' ^'^y of fiT Saviovu''s birth, men have been all noiogy of tiie alonir divided in their opinions about it. Tliere are New 1 esta- !^ i • • i i i i • i ment. notwitlistandmg m tlie gospel some marks which may help us to discover, if not the day and month, at least the year in which this happy and glorious event happened. We are told by St. Matthew, that Jesus Christ was born in the reign of Herod the Great, and it is certain that it was but a little before the death of that king, since Jesus Christ was but a child when he came back from Egypt, upon the infor- mation which Joseph received from an angel, of Herod's being dead. The words of St. Matthew shew plainly enough that this information was given immediately after the death of Herod; and it cannot well be supposed that after that, Joseph and Mary made any considerable; stay in Egypt, since, when they came back, they knew not that Archelaus reigned in the room of his father; m hich they must have known, had this happened any time bcjfore. Now it is no difficult matter to guess pretty nearly at the time of Herod's death; Josephus' * This is what is called the Italick version, which was before tf|at of St. Jerome. "^ The vowel-points, according to some, were invented about the SOOth year after Chri. AN INTRODUCTION TO if we reckon fvom 73G lo 780 or 781, when, in all probability, this ooiit'erence passed between Jesus Christ and the Jews, we shall find about A^^ years. If" therefore Jesus Christ was then 31 years old, it follows that he was born 16 or 17 years after llerod had begun to build the temple, that is, about the death of that prince. As for the day and month on which the birth of Christ happened, nothinj^ can be said of them that may be depended upon. From Avhat we find related in St. Luke, that there were then shepherds in the field watching- over their flocks, one Avould be apt to think that it was not in winter time. Some authors^ imagine, that the festival of C!1Rist's nativity, who was the restorer of mankind when polluted and ve read in Sj. lAike% To this taxing- did Judas (iau- lonita% or the Galilean, oppose liiniself, as to a tyrannical imposition which the Jews ought not to suffer. He drew into his party great numbers of rebels, which filled Judea Avith murders and robberies; though he was overthrown, he lefit behind him a very considerable party, which by their outrages and cruelties occasioned the ruin of Jerusalem, and conse- quently made Avay for the establishment of tlie Christiun re~ lirfion. It Avas rather a faction than a sect, though Joseph us gives it that name. It is supposed, Avith a great deal of pro- bability, that those Galileans, Aviiose blood Pilate mixed Avith P Olderin. dc Fast. Eneaen. p. 15, 16. i Luke ii. ^ Luke ii.2> Acts V. S7. Jos. Ant. & de Bcllo Judaic. 1. ii. c. 7. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 177 then sacrifices ' were some of them. To commit this massacre, Pilate took an advantage of the feast of the passorer, wlieji the Galileans Avere come up to Jerusalem, to offer sacrifices, because he could not have done it in Galilee, it being- not under his jurisdiction. This might happen about the third year of Jesus Christ's entertnio' on his minisforial office. The emperor Augustus died four years afterthe banishment of Archehius, in the seventy-seventh year of his age, after having- reigned fifty-seven. He v/as succeeded by Tiberius, in whose time Jksus Cniusr Avas crucified. Some ancient fathers" have notwithsJanding- imagined that this emperor favoured the Christians, and that upon the account which he received from Pilate of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and of his being- reckoned as a God, he had proposed to the senate to have him ranked among- their deities. He adds moreover, that the senate rejected this motion, either out of envy, because this relation had not been at first com-' uumicated to them, or esse because they thoug'ht that a matter of titat conwequence had not been fully enoug-Ji enquired into. Notvr Jilistanding- this, Tiberius, as they pretend, remained in the same niiiid, and Avent so far as to order that Christians should !iot be persecuted. But several learned writers"' have plainly sIr wed, that this tradition having no better foundation than sonie certain feigned acts of Pilate, Avhich are manifestly forged, it is not to be relied on. Most of the ancient fathers of fhe church Avere, like the generality of honest and Avell meaning- nun, very credulous; and received, without much examiuation, whatever they diought could be of any "service to relig-!. 1. ii. c. y. Oros. vii, 4. ^ Alb. Fabiir. Codex- A [»or, Nov. Tost. ' Hist. I^ctl. 1. i, 9. & ix. 5. ^ Procurator. N 178 AN INTRODUCTION TO It will be proper to give some account of lua character. Tlie Jews underwent several hardships during* his administration. He began with a very bold undertaking, that is, with bringing one night into Jerusalem some ensigns of Ctesar's with his image upon them, which he designed to set up there ^ The Jews, moved with an extreme indignation at the sight of such an attempt upon their laws and liberties, went and fell down at his feet, beseechino- him that he would remove those images out of the city. Whereupon this cruel and dissembling tyrant called them together, as if it had been only to receive a favourable answer. But he had posted soldiers in a private place, Avho upon a signal given, were ordered to put all these poor MTetches to the sword. But finding that they were obstinately resolved rather to die, than suffer such a profanation of their laws, he desisted from this undertaking- ; several Jews however perished on this occasion, some being slain and others dangerously wounded. This is not the only piece of cruelty which he exercised against that unhappy nation. We have already seen how he massacred tlie Galileans. He made besides a terrible slaughter of the Jews, when they went about to hinder him from rifling their corhan or holy treasury''. He did not behave himself with more equity and moderation towards the Samaritans, so that they carried their complaints against him to the emperor, whereupon he Avas forced to go to Rome to get himself acquitted *. Philo*^ gives him a very oflious character. He charges him Avith bribery, he accuses him of having committed all kinds of violence and extortion, of being the author of several massacres, of having caused innocent persons to be put to death ; in a word, of having exercised a most horrid barbarity. Eusebius relates*' that he laid violent hands upon himself, after having led a lingering and uidiappy life, till the fortieth year of Jesus Christ. The luiwillingiiess a man of his cruel and inexorable temper shewed in corulemning Jesus Christ, is a very clear proof of our Saviour's innocency. Tho pnssnvcrs celebrated by Jesus Christ after his baptism, are so many epochas, that may help us to trace out the history of his life. The learned are not agreed about them, some admitting only of three, and others maintaining there were fovr. That the latter is the most ])robabhs St. Joiin's gospel gives us no room to doubt. The Jirst passover is mentioned ^ Sec Jor,ppli. lie Bello Jud. 1. ii. c. 8. ** Which he siieiil in l)uil(fingaii aqua>(lu(:t for the Ijringing in of writer at the distance of 300 fiirlon^^. Jos. ibid. * But instead of being aetiuitted, \»'as b;ini>hcd to Vieniie, a city tif Ciaiil. * Philo Leeiat.ad Caiiirn. "' Eu?iel). Hi^t. Keel. ii. 7. ^tlE NEW TESTAM ENT. 179 in the second chapter% M-hen Jesus Christ drove out of the temple the merchants and monev-changers. From Jerusalem he went with some of his discipfes into other parts of Judea, where he stayed till the imprisonment of John the Baptist. After which he travelled into Galilee through Samaria, where he preached the gospel. After some fruitless attempts to establish it at Nazareth, he departed to Capernaum, where he resided more than in any other place. Here he chose some disciples, as Peter, Andrew, John, and James. He went afterwards through the cities and villages of Galilee, preaching the kingdom of God in the synagogues on the sabbath-days. All this was done within the space of one year, or thereabouts. The second passover is mentioned by St. John, in the fifth chapter of his gospeF, where he saith, that when the feast of the Jews was at hand, Jesus Avent up to Jerusalem. It is true that the Evangelist not expressly saying which feast it was, hath made some writers imagine, that it was not the feast of the passover. But it seems much more natural to understand it of a feast of the Je-n^* by way of eminence, such as the passover was, than of any other. Besides that, this is very conformable to the style of St. John and the other Evangelists^, who call the passover the J'eaM only. When this festival was over, Jesus returned into Galilee, where he chose from among his disciples, twelve, whom he named Apostles, and whose busi- ness it was to be always with him, or else to execute his com- mands in different places. From that time he began to deliver his instructions in a more plain and extensive manner, and to perform a greater number of miracles, for the confirmation of his doctrine, than he had done before. Having taught the multitudes at Capernaum, and near the sea, or lake of Tiberias, lie came to Nazareth. At his departure out of this city, be sent his disciples to preach throughout Galilee, while he him- self went to other parts. The Apostles came to him again at Capernaum, or some other place near the lake. The third passover is that of which St. John says'', that it was at hand, when Jesus Christ fed five thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves and two fishes. The Evangelist doth not expressly say, whether Jesus Christ went up to Jerusalem, to celebrate this feast, as he was Avont to do ; but it is very probable that he did. From thence be Avent into that part of Galilee which borders upon Tyre and Sidon, where he was less known. Afterwai'ds conning back towards the lake of Gennesareth, he stayed for a considerable time in * V. 13. See Mr. Le Clcrc, of the years of Jesus Christ. ^ V. i. « See Mark xv. 6. Luke xxiit. 17. '' V. 4. n2 100 AN INTRODUCTION TO country of Decapolis. As he avoided all concourse of people, lor fear of being charged with sedition, he often removed from one place to another, being .sometimes on the lake, and, at other times, in the neigidjouring cities and villages. For this same reason he enjoined people not to make his miracles known, nor even to tell that he was the Christ. From hence he departed into Paneas, near the source of the river Jordan, and afterwards returned into Galilee, where he was trans- figured upon a mountain in that province, to several places whereof he Avent at that time. He came up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of tabernacles. At his return, the disciples, whom he had sent about to several places, came to meet him in Galilee ; from whence he departed, travelling towards Jeru- salem, and preaching from place to place. He then returned into Galilee, and afterwards into Juaea, where he made but a short stay. But in a little time came back there, to raise Lazarus from the dead. After this miracle,he went to Jericho, where he remained till the h\st passover, when he was crucified on a Fnday^ after having preached somewhat about three years. He rose the Sunday morning, having remained only about six and thirty hours in the sepulchre. After his resur- rection, he continued forty days upon earth, appearing several times to his disciples, and others. It is manifest from the gospel, that he appeared no less than twelve times. At the end of those forty days, he ascended into heaven, after having blessed his Apostles, who, ten days after, that is, on the day of Pentecost, received the Holy Ghost, according to their divine Master's promise. By these miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, Avherewith they were then endued, it w as, that they were enabled to publish the gospel throughout the whole world. Having in our prefaces to each of their books set down the tune in which tliey were written, and given as full an account as possible of their preaching, travels, hardships, sufi'e'rings, and martyrdom, we shall here conclude this article concerning the chronology of the New Testament. Though there were, even in the Apostles' time, several (»r the hnr- trcutiscs handed about, undeV the name of nospels', niony of the , ... ,,, . . ,. , . , •' ' . t.Hu gosptu. yet the primitive Christians did unanimously receive hut Jour; nannly, those of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John. This we find attested by four of the mostancient fathers of the church. The first is St. Irenieus'^, who lived in the second century, and Avho expressly says, that there ,^ere, no other gospels but the font jufit nt)w mentioned ; ' Luke i. I. ' Iron. iii. 11. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 181 and Tie adds, that this tradition is so much the more to be depended on, because the heretics themselves acknowledj^ed these ffospels. The second is Tertullian', an author of the same century, who says, that the ffospel was written by two apostles, St. MattheAv and St. John ; and by tNvo of then- disciples, St. Mark and St. Luke. The third is Ori^en"', who tells us that he learned from tradition, that none but our four gospels are received by the universal church. The last is Eusebius", who, writing- iu the fourth century, testi- fies that in St, John's time the four gospels were received all over the world, and that this Apostle had given them the seal of his approbation. , • V ,. . As the churches kept very carefully thfe*6ngihal copies, this was a very sure and easy method to distinguish the tvxxe from the counterfeit gospels, and to discover the forgeries df heretics «. Besides, by St. Paul ordering that his epistles should be read by all the faithful^, we may reasonably sup- pose, that the gospels were so too, as soon as they appeared In the world. And that it was so, is evident from the testi- mony of Justin Martyr^, who wrote in the second century ; when giving an account of the religious offices of Christians, he says, that the apostolical monuments, that is, the gospels, and perhaps the Acts, were read every Sunday. The sixteenth canon of the council of Laodicea enjoms, that the gospels, with the other scriptures, should be read on the sabbath-day, which the Christians then observed. This canon seems plainly to insinuate, that it was usual to read the oospels on Sundays, but that on Saturdays, to comjlly with the Jews, they read only the books of the Old Testa- ment. From all these particulars it is manifest, that the canon of the oospels was already made at that time. Tlie date of it may be fixed to St. John's approbation, just before men- tioned. St. Ignatius S who Avas cotemporary with the Apostles, at least with St. John, speaks of the evangelical canon, under the name of gospel, as some authors have o'^served. St. Ireneeus^ stiles the f/ospel the pillar and ground of the faith ; whereby he means the four Evangelists, as he explains his meaning more fully afterwards. EusebiusS when speaking of the four gospels, uses the word canon. It would have been a very hard matter to have been imposed upon at that ^^^^i' tertuU. adv. Marc. iV. f . " Ori-en. ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccle.. vi. 25. -H^-^aseb; Hist. Eccl. lii. 24. » This was TertuU.an> method. Prsaer. HSretc21. p Coloss. iv. 16. 1 Thess. v. 27. ^ Just Martyr "poTl. n p 17. ^ Ignat. Ep. ad Philipp. & alibi. See Dr. Mill Prole- X N T Oxon. fol. xxiv. * Iren. ii. 1. ' tu.eb. ub, supra. 182 AN INTRODUCTION TO time by false j^ospels*. Besides, it was tin easy matter to jiuloo by those very compositions, that they Avere no way suitable to the character of the Evangelists, of which they were but imperfect copies. If there was any g-ood thing in tliem, it wim blended with a parcel of fables, and with other silly and trifling thing's, which Avere unbecoming the gravity and simplicity, as well as the wisdom of the sacrrd Avriters. Thus have we both internal and external proofs of the>se writings being forged and fictitious, as we have on the other hand substantial arguments of each of these kinds lor the truth of the books of the .JVeiv Testament. Those that have read the history of the gospel, have undoubtedly observed, that though the four Evangelists are perfectly agreed in the main, yet there is some difference between them; either because^ some take notice of circum- stances that had been omitted by the rest, or else follow a different order and method in relating- the matters they treat of. This hath, from the earliest ages of the church, set men upon comparing the gospels together, in order to shew the harmony and agreement bet^veen them. The first that under- took aAVork of this nature, as we are informed by Eusebius", was Tatian, who lived in the second century, and was the disciple of Justin Martyr; his performance he entitled, one qospel out of four, or the chain of the four EvnngeUsts'^, JBut as Tatian fell into some heretical opinions, and had even suppressed the genealorfies of Jesus Christ, and whatever proved that he was of the family of David, his composition soon cajne to nothing-. It was hoM ever still extant in Theo- doret's time, who says that it used to be read in churches", but that he destroyed all the copies of it, to bring the four gospels in the room of the abridgment which that heretic had made of them. In the third century, Ammonius, a Chris- tian philosopher of Alexandria, published a harmony, which, in the ninth century, was illustrated with notes, by Zacharias Chrysopolitanus. Eusebius*^ hath transmitted to us an excel- lent fragment of a letter written also in the third century by Julius Africanus, wherein he reconciles St. Matthew and St. Luke in the genealo .• i.. ; i7-,A«g. torn, iii, part. 2. ^ Colel, Monuro. lied. Graec. .to*}. ^M- • The MS. of it is in St. Paul's library at Leipsicjt. ja-xil A n4 181 AN IMlllODUClUOJS TO is the opinion of several authors concerning' the heaihndcs*, and oJher passages ot'theAcit' Testament. St. Matthew for instance tells us*^, that it was to the twelve Apostles Jesus Chris r said, I sent you as sheep in the midst of wolves: whereas, aecordinw' to St. Luke, this w.is spoken to the seventy disciples'. Nothinii can be more natural than to suppose;, that it was said to both of them at difterent times. , ■ Besides, when an historian omits any one circumstance, Avhich is taken notice oi by another, it doth not at all tbllow that the latter hath invented it. Thus St. ]\iatthew '' speaks of two persons possessed with devils, whicli were cured by Jksus Christ in tlie country of the Gerj^esenes; whereas St. Mark and Si. Luke mention but owe'': ail that can he interred from this is, that there are some circumstaucfs in this hisiory, v,itich have been omitted by one of the Evangelistj?, and taken notice of l>y the other. iia«l St. Mark and St. Luke said, that there was no more than one person possessed, they would iiuleed have coutra- ♦lictedSt. Matthew; but because they speak but of one, it doth not at all Ibilow that there were not two. St. Luke alone makes mention of tin; sevenly disciples'^. Now what conse- <|uence can be drawn from hence'.' No other certainly tlian this, that tiiere is that circumstance more in St. Luke tban in the rest of the Evangelists. d;-* >'»i!' Besides, a thing is often taken for a contradiction when it really is not so, or at least but a seeming- one. St. Matthew tells us th;»t the miracle just now mentioned was done in the country of the Gergesenes, whereas, according to St.Mark and St. Luke, it was in that of the Gadurenes ; but Gadara beijig; in the land of the GV^y7/t,sc«t'5, there is no manner of contradic- tion here. The same Evangelist says*', that it was the njotiier oi Zehedee's children wliich came to desire of Jksls Chrisi', that ber two sons might sit down, the one on his right band, and the other on his left in his kingdom; but St. Mark tells US'*, that the sons themselves made this request. The two accounts are by no means contradictory. The mother, and the children being together, they jointly put up their petitions. Besides, nothing is more connnon in the style of the eastern nations, than to say that a man hath done a thing himself, a; hen he hath caused it to he done by another. The sons <»f Zebedee therefore having got their mother to make Jhsls Christ this request, arc here said to have done it thcntselvesv' . i't " Hesycli. Quaest. Monum. Eccl. Gr. t. iii. p. 5, 15. '' Matlli. x. 16. " Luke X. 1,3. " Matth. viii. 'ib. ^ Mark v. 1. Luki- viii. 2f). ' Luke .\. 1. ■■ Malth. \.\. til. " Mark x. 31. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 185 Wljfcl), l>y the way, clears up a seeming' coutiadictioii that occurs in the history of the centurion, who is by one oi" the Evangelists said to have gone himself to Jesus Christ, and by another to have sent to him'. St Matthew affirms, that Judas hanged himself*, and St. Luke that he cast himself head-long-, and iiis bowels gushed out^. It is really strange, that large volumes should have been written to remove a difKcuIty which is only imaginary, and hath no other founda- tion than an extn^me fondness for gain-saying, there being- several ways of reconciling- the two Evangelists, as we have observed in our notes on those places. The Evangelists may have had also particular reasons for suppressing' or relating- some circumstances. St. John for in- stance observes, that it was St. Peter who cut off Malchus's ear, but the other Evangelists say only that it was one of those that Avere with Jesus "\ Avery probable reason may be assigned for this difference. St. Peter being yet alive when the other Evangelists wrote, they did not think it proper to name him, because the law took cognizance of what he had done ; but St. John having- Avritten since St. Peter's death, hatt no need of using the same caution*. There are likewise in the accounts of the death, resurrection, and apparition of Jesus Christ after it, some particulars wherein the Evangelists seem to differ one from another. But we may safely affirm, that there is none of those pretended contradictions, but what might be easily reconciled, would men but read the books of the New Testament with the same can- dour and impartiality, as they peruse profane historians, wliion to instance in this part of the r()\intry, in his parable eoncernint; the man that fell among thieves. See Luke x. .30. WelPs Geogr, of (he N. t. part i. p. 121. " 2 Kings ii. SO, 21, &c. >= John xi. 54. THE NEW TESTAMENT. i89 Ramay, that is, aliigh or lofty place, is placed by the sacred writers in this neighbourhood. This town, which lies six miles from Jerusalem, is in the road that leads from tlie king- dom of Judah to that of Israel. Through this place the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin passed, when they were car- ried away captive to Babylon ^ Wliicli occasioned this say- ing of the Jews, That there are t7vo places of tears, Rama and Babel, applying- to this captivity the 15th verse of the thirty-first chapter of Jeremiah. There were several towns of this name in Judea, but all more remote from Bethlehem than Rama of Benjamin, which was likewise at a considera- ble distance, since people were obliged to pass through Jeru- salem, in order to go from Rama to Bethiehem\ This dis- tance hath induced some authors, after St. Jerome, to render the words that have by St. Matthew been applied to the mas- sacre at Bethlehem, in the following- manner, i.^ a hir/k piaee was lamentation heard^, instead of rendering them thus, in Rama was lamentation heard, as the passage of Jeremiah % which St. Matthew alludes to, hath been translated by the seventy, whose version the Evangelist follows. By this high place these writers have understood the hill-country of Judea near Bethlehem. But as Jeremiah speaks of the town Rama, it is much more natural to put the same sense upon it in St. Matthew, because Rachel's sepulchre was between Rama and Bethlehem. This last opinion we have followed in our note on that place. Beyond Rama stood Gibeah, noted for the shameful violence offered by some of its inhabitants, to a Levite's wife*^. This was one of the Levitical cities. Shiloh and Bethel are also on the north of Jerusalem, near the bor- ders of the tribes of Benjamin and Ephraim. They are no where mentioned in the gospels, but are both famous in the Old Testament, tlie former upon account of the tabernacle being- set up therein®, and the latter for the vision of the patriarch Jacob, who gave it the name of the house of God^, and afterwards for an altar that was erected there by Jero- boam^. Upon this last account it was called Beth-aven, that is, the house of iniquity ''. There M^as however another Bethaven ' on the east of Bethel. The most remarkable place west of Jerusalem J<>i.pa. •---.;v ; .:-■'. ,r,H f ^U f , I{.,S » Josh, xviii. 25. Jiulg. iv. 5. xix. ISf. .' ' '" Jerem. xl. 1. ■ This is -wtiat may be inferred from Jiidg. xix. II, ' ' ^ JVlatth. ii. IS. "^ Jerem. xxxi. 15.. ,,:f., ,.„-'' Judg. xix. * Josh, xviii. I. Jerem. vii. I'd. ' Bethel. : ttvy^s before called Luz. Gen. xxviii. 19. - 1 Kin^-; xii. 29. Amos iii. 14. '' Hosea iv. 15. v. 8. x. 5. ' Josh. yU.'i. 190 AN INTRODUCTION TO was Joppa*, remarkable upon several accounts, and particu- larly for the history of Jonah, and its convenient harbour. It was situated in a most delicious plain, close by the Medi- terranean sea. Through this place king- Hiram conveyed cedar trees from Libanus to Solomon, for building the temple. Strabo tells us'' that Jerusalem could be seen from Joppa, though they were forty miles distant one from another. According' to the descriptions g-iven of this city by historians, there are few places in the world that enjoyed a better situa- tion. It appears from the Acts of the Apostles', that the gospel Mas received in this place soon after Christ's ascension; for here .St. Peter restored Dorcas to life. In tl)e way from Joppa to Jerusalem was Lydda, or Diospolis, famous for the cure of Eneas™. Between Joppa and Lydda, lay Arimathjea, to which Joseph belonged, who begged the body of Jesus from Pilate". Below Lydda stood Azotus or Ashdod, between Gaza, and Jamnia or Jafnia, which was a sea-port town, as well as Azotus. In this last place was Philip found, when he was carried away by the spirit, after his baptizing the eunuch. This Apostle preached the gospel in the neighbouring parts. Azotus Avas a bishop's see at the time of the first general council. Though Askelon be not mentioned in the New Testa- ment, yet it is so famous that we cannot pass it over in silence. This city lies indeed in the tribe of Judah, near the sea-coast, but Ave do not find that it ever belonged to that tribe. It was inhabited partly by Jews, and partly by Philistines ; and was also a bishop's see at the time of the first council just before mentioned. Gaza may be reckoned among the cities of Judah that are on the west of Jerusalem, though it be nearer the south. This was one of the five cities of the Philistines, which fell l>y lot to the tribe of Judah"; but we learn from JosephusP, that the Israelites could not make themselves masKrs of it, nor oi" Acaron. The same historian tells us, that Hezekiuh added to his own territories all the cities of the Phi- listines, from Gatli to Gaza''. It was taken by Alexander the Great'; and afterwards by Ptolemy Lathurus king of Egypt* ; but Alexander Jamnieus king of the Je^ s took it again soon after*. The proconsul Gabinius having had it repaired with several other cities of Judea", it remained in the possession of the Romans, till Augustus gave it to Herod". Josephus * Tilt- Hebrew word Joppa signifies beauty ; it is the ancient Japhos: it is now called Jada. •> Strab. 1. xvi. ' Acts ix. 10, 1 1. ""Actsix, 33. " iMatili. xxvii. 57. " Joih. xv. 47. v Joseph. .\nt. 1. v. c. 2. " Id. 1. ix. c. 13. >• Td. 1. xi. c. 8. •• Id. 1. xiii. 21. ' Id. ibid. " Id. 1. xvi. c. 10. " Id- 1. XV. e. II. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 191 ranks Gaza among- the Grecian cities, and says tliat it wns not annexed to the jurisdiction of Archelausy. This city is men- tioned but once in the New Testament, and that in the Acts, where it is called desert^. The word desert may be referred to the road that led thither, as we have done in our note on that place. If it be applied to the city, then it must be said that it retained this appellation from the time it was laid waste ; for we learn from Josephus that it was desert, when Gabinius caused it to be rebuilt. The bishop of Gaza was present at the council of Nice. The city was notwithstanding- partly inhabited by heathens for a long- time, since, as is sup- posed, there were in the fourth century, eight temples therein dedicated to false deities ^ Having taken a survey of the several parts of Judea, we must now enter into Samaria. But as we have already had an occasion of speaking- of the country, and city of that name, and of its several inhabitants, we have but little more to say about it. Samaria was situated between Judea and Galilee, so that the Galileans were forced to pass through it in their way to Jerusalem, when they would shorten their journey. Josephus tells us'', that Galilee was three days journey from Jerusalem. What the bounds of Samaria were, may be seen in the same historian*^. Its chief cities were Samaria, other- wise Sebaste, and Sichem, now called Naplouse. Autipatris may likewise be reckoned among- the cities of Samaria, since it laid in the road from Judea to Galilee. Throug-h this place the soldiers carried St. Paul, when they were going alon^ witli him to Cnesarea'^ It was built by Herod, Avho gave it the name of Antipatris, in memory of his father Antipater. One of its bishops was at the council of Chalcedon, in the fifth century. Some famous ancient and modern geographers have ranked Caesarea of Palestine * among the cities of Samaria, though Josephus places it ia Phoenicia. It was formerly called Turris Stratonis, or Strato's toicer, from the name of its foun- der. Herod having adorned it with abundance of jnagniticent buildings, aiul particularly with several temples, and a most noble harbour, he named it Caesarea, in honour of Cfvsar Augustus''. This city was for the most part inha])ited by ,}|p^jhei^gi,wl^ \yere frequently tro^biliiig ajid Y^xji^glJi^ f)/&ws. y.m\l\-ii>a\, ,*lK>f'>n HUViU^iut' [Jii ^J^ilCdLoJl till h> ' But was by Augustus annexed to Syria, Joseph. Ant. 1, xvii. c. 13. ^ Acts viii. 26. ^ Act. Sanct. T, V. p. 635. " Joseph. Vit. « Id. de Bell. Jud.l. iii. c. 2. " Acts xxiii. 31. * It was other- wise called Caesarea Maratima, to distinguish it from another Caesarea, of which we shall speak hereafter. ^ Joseph, de Bell. Juil. I. I. c. 16, a^i^d A^^iq. 1. xiv. c. 8. . ' I Ki . .tiTi .1 .bl *- 192 AN liNTKODUCTTON TO For an instance of Avliicli, Josephus gives an account of a massacre of" the Jews at Ctiesarea, which was occasioned l>y a Greek that had a house adjoining- to their synagogue, and wiiich they woukl liave purchased, that thoy migfit not be disturbed in their divine service '. The same historian relates, that there happened grievous disputes and quarrels between the Jews and Syrians about this city. The first claimed a rifht to it, because it had been rebuilt by Herod, and the latter on the contrary maintained that it Mas theirs, because no Jew had any footing- therein, when it was at first built by Strato^. We take notice of th«ise particulars, because Josephus ascribes to them the cause of the war, and the ruin of the Jewish nation. As the first propag'ators of Christianity were forced to go through Civsarea, in order to preach the Cospel to the Gentiles, it is therefore frequently mentioned in the Acts''. It m as for- merly a bishop's see, and a couvicil Avas held there towards the end of the second century, in which Theophilus, the then bishop of it, presided, (.'a^sarea was about fourscore miles from Jerusalem. There were two mountains in Samaria famous for the blessings and curses of the law ; namely, Gcrizim, whereon stood the temple of the Samaritans, and Ebal. IJefore the schism of the ten tribes, Samaria belonged to the tribe of Ephraim, and the half-tribe; of Manasseh. The soil of it is nearly the same as tliat of Judea. Galilee is often mentioned in the Old Testament'. We Galilee, rcad iu the first book of Kings, tisat Solomon would have given Hiram twenty cities in Galilee, but the latter would not accept of them''. This is to be understood of Upper Galilee, which bordered upon Tyre, and was niostly iniiabiled by heath<'ns. And this, in all pro])ability, is the same as is called in scri[)ture Gd'iler oj' the (icnlites^. Some authors make Galilee reach beyond Jordan ; hut this opinion is rejected by others, because Josephus always places it on this side the river*. Without entering into this dispute, we shall ^ He not only refused to let them have it, though they oflTcrcd much more than it was woiih ; but, out of pure crossness, he blocked tlie way in a manner quite up, by rrowdinf.'j so many little shops into the passage, tiial tliere was hardly any room left for one sins^le body ;o get into the syuasjogue. Tlie next day, being the babbatli, w lion the people were all together in the synagogue, a Ctesarean set an earthen vessel just before llie door wiili a sacrilice of birds upon it. 'i'his contemptuous mockery put the Jews out of all j)atienc<», — « hereupon they went to blows. Jos. de iJcll. Jud. I. ii. c. 14. " id. Aiiliq. I. x.\. c.G. " Acts viii. 40. ix. 30. xii. 19, xviii. '22. xxi. S. xxiii. 33. ' Josh. xx. 7. I Chron. vi. 70. ^ I Kings ix. 11,12. Joseph. Ant. 1. viii. c. 2. ' Isaiah ix. 1. Matth. iv. 13. * In order to frame a notion of what is on this side Jordan, we must represent to ourselves the cliildrcii of l-rael, as coming out of iigyjU. in lliisview, Judea, Samaria, and tialilee will be found to be on this side Jordan ; and Perapa, (iaulonitis, &c. on !lic ollici. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 10» at present speak of Galilee on this side Jordan, and afterwards of the country on the other side. Galilee was bounded on the north, according- to Josephus™, by the Tyrians; on the west by the city and territory of Ptolemais, and mount Carniel ; on the south with Samaria and Scythopoiis, as far as the river Jordan ; and on the east by Hippene and Gadaris. To begin then with the first, as lying- near Samaria and Judea Avbiicb we have been giving- an account of, it reached in length from Tiberius to Zabulon, and in breadth from a village called by Joseplius Xaloth, which was situated in the great plain *, to another named Bersabe f. We learn from Josephus" that the chief cities of lower Galilee were Tiberias, Sephoris, and Gabara. Tiberias the capital of Galilee was so named by Herod Antipas, the founder or repairer of it, i)i honour of Tiberius. It was situated in a plain, near the lake of Gennesareth, which, from that city, was also called the lake or sea of Tiberias. This city is very famous, and frequently mentioned Tiberias. in the Jewish writers, because after the taking- of Jeru- salem, there was at Tiberias a succession of Hebrew judges and doctors^, till the fourth century. It was a bishop's see in this same century. We are told by St. Epiphaniuso, that a Hebrew translation of St. John's gospel, and the Acts of the Apostles, was kept in this city. Tiberias might be about fourscore and ten miles from Jerusalem. Sephoris, sephoris. otherwise called Diocaesarea, was also a considerable city, which lay in the midst of Lower Galilee towards the west. It even became the metropolis of this country, after Nero had bestowed it upon Agrippa the younger p. Josephus repre- sents it as the strongest place m Galilee''. It Avas also a bishop's see. Though the same author ranks Gabara among- tlie chief cities of Galilee, yet he hath nothing remarkable about it, nor about Scythopoiis, which was formerly called Bethschan ^ There would be no occasion neither to speak of Giscala, another city of Lower Galilee, M^as it not for one particular recorded by St. Jeronie% which is, that St. Paul was of that city, and that Avhen Judea was conquered hy the Romans, he went and dwelt at Tarsus in Cilicia, Giscala, *" Joseph, de Bell. Jud. 1. 3. c. 2. * There was anodier plain on the west of Galilee, called also the ^rcat plain of Jizreel,or Lsdraelon. t We must take care not to confound this Ber.-al);» with Boerslieba before mentioned. " Joseph, in V^ita. :{: JNIaimon. .Suuch 4. Tiberias was the plare where the jl/assoj77es resided. ° Hares, xx v. p. 127. " Joseph. Antiq- J. xviii. c. 3, 1 Id. de Bell. Jud. 1. iii. e. I. ' Judg, i. 27. i Chrnn. vii. 29. '^ Catalog. Script. Eccl. o W4 AN INTRODUCTION TO was a very strong- place. It held out against the Romans to the last extremity : but was at length surrendered to Titus upon terms. Josephus relates a remarkable circumstance that happened at that time'. Namely, that Titus having- made some overtures of peace to the inhabitants of Giscala, on the sabbath-day, one John, the head of a troop of robbers de- sired him to put it offtill the next day, because it was unlawful for the Jews, either to make war or peace on that day. Titus readily granted them their request, and even removed his troops, and encamped farther off the city. From whence John took an occasion of flying- in the night to Jerusalem with several thousands of people. Titus entered the city the next morning, and sent a party of horse to pursue those that were fled away. The small towns and villages of Galilee have received abundantly more honour from our Saviour's presence in them, than from whatever else is recorded of them in his- tory. It doth not indeed appear from the gospels that Jesus Christ ever was in the cities last mentioned, for he exercised his ministry only in the smallest towns of this province. For the same reason undoubtedly it was, that he avoided, as much as possible, all concourse of people, that he stole away from the multitude that would have made him king, and that he forbid those that Avere the witnesses of his miracles to make them known, as we have before observed, for fear his enemies should from thence take occasion of charging- him with sedition. At Tiberias stood the palace of Herod the Tetrarch, and here the Jews had great authority, as well as at Sephoris, which besides was well guarded, and strongly fortified. It was not therefore consistent with the wisdom of Jesus Christ, who was to suffer death at a certain time and place, to run himself into an unnecessary danger in those cities, where perhaps, after all, his doctrine would have been rejected. To which we may add, that it is probable he sel- dom went to those cities that were inhabited both by Jews and heathens, for fear of creating in the former an aversion to his precepts. The case was otherwise with Jerusalem. There stootl th(! temple, there it was necessary he should preach, and there he was to lay down his life for the redemp- tion of mankind. In order therefore to take a view of the chief places of ,NazirMh. Galilee, we shall begin with Nazareth ", where Jesus Christ was l)rought up, where he preache*!, and from ' Jusepb. de Bell. Jud. 1. iv. c. 4, " M&tth. ii. 33. Mark i. 9. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 195 wb«nce ne was called a Nazarene. It was but a small town, built on a rock, from the top of which the inhabitants would have thrown Jesus Christ headlong- ^ It lay west of Jordan, not far from mount Tabor ; at the distance of about twenty- seven leagues from Jerusalem. If we will believe St. Epi- phaniusy, there were no Christians at Nazareth before tne time of Constantine, who caused a church to be built there. It appears from the gospel according- to St. John% that Naza- reth was looked upon by the Jews as a very contemptible place. It was still in being- in the twelfth century*. At some distance from thence towards the south, stood the little town Nain, where Jesus Christ restored to life a widow's son'' ; and on the north, Cana, where he did his first miracle, by changing water into wine% and where he cured the son of an officer belonging to Herod Antipas''. St. Matthew tells us, that Jesus Christ departed from Nazareth, and Avent into Capernaum, a sea-port town, on the borders of Zehvlnn and Nepthali^, where he did many miracles. The reason why he chose to go there, was because that place lying near the sea of Tiberias, he could conve- niently go backwards and forwards to preach the gospel in , the neighbouring parts. It may be inferred from the saying of Jesus Christ concerning Capernaum, namely, that it had been exalted unto heaven^, that it was a considerable city. The Jews had a synagogue there ^, as the Christians had a church afterwards. Not far from thence was Beth- Bethsaida. saida, of which were Philip, Andrew, and Peter**, and where Jesus Christ restored a blind man to his sight. Geogra- phers are not agreed about the situation of this city. The JEvangelists place it always in Galilee', and on this side Jordan. Besides Jesus Christ joins Capernaum with Bethsaida and Chorazin'', which were two towns of Galilee, on this side the lake. Notwithstanding-, Josephus speaks of a village called Bethsaida, where Philip the Tetrarch, whose domi- , nions were on the other side the lake, built a city, Avhich he named Julius'. For which reason several authors have imagined, that the Bethsaida mentioned in the gos])el, was on tlie other side the lake of Tiberias. But there can be no manner of inconvenience in supposing two cities of the same name, because the >vprd Bethsaida signifying- a house oj' , ^ LuUe iv. 29. j; ,, , f jppiphan. Haeres. i. p. 136.,,, .^ _,,.. ,* John i. 46. * "<5ul. Tyr. 1, xxlu ^e:? " Luke vii. 11-15. ""^^ohn ii. 9— 11. " Id. iv. 50. « Matth. iv. 13. ' Matth. xi. 23. b John vi. 59. ? John i. 45. Mark viii. 23. ' John xii. 21. , " Lute jt, 13.15. * Joseph, Ant. 1. xviii. c, 3, o2 19(> AN INTRODUCTION TO fishing, there mi^ht be one on each side the lake. Near the eastern Bethsaida was a desert of the same name, where Jesus Christ went, when he was informed that Herod the Tetrarch desired to see him"". A little above Bethsaida, stood Chorazin, and tM o villages styled Dalmanutha and Magdala, where Jesus Christ preached". We must not forget to mention here Enon near Salim where John baptized, because there was plenty of water in that place*. The two last towns lay near the river Jordan, on the south side of the lake, between Tiberias and Scythopolis. Mount Tabor t is one of the most famous places of Gali- MouniTabor. Ice; and is frequently mentioned in the Old Tes- tament". It stands about the middle of Lower Galilee, between Nazareth t, and the country of Gennesareth. Accord- ing to JosephusP, it is thirty furlongs in height, and twenty- six round. It is remarkable upon this score, that it stands by itself in a plain ||, without any other mountain or hill near, having a plain area at the top§, most fertile and deli- cious. Josephus tells us, that he had it sunounded with walls**, within the space of forty days, for no other reason undoubtedly, but that he might render it the more inaccess- ible to the Romans. We learn from an ancient tradition % that it was upon mount Tabor Jesus Christ was transfigured, and that it is the same place which is by St. Peter called the Holy MounV. But this hath been called in question by some learned authors, because the transfiguration is related nnmediately after the discourse which Jesus Christ made to his disciples at Cirsarea-Philippi, and that the Evangelists do not mention our Saviour's coming back from thence into Galilee. This hath inclined those authors to believe, that that event happened upon a mountain near C'.esarea-Philippis. But after all, this is no sufiicient reason for departing from so ancient a tradition. For since the Evangelists observe*, that six days passed between Jesus Christ's discourse at Ca'sa- rea-Philippi, and his transfiguration, he had time enough to "> I-uke ix. 9, 10. " Matth. xi. 21. Mark viii. 10. Matlh. xv. 39. * John iii. 2.S. + The same as is called Ilabyrium (IrccQv^toy) by Josephus and the Seventy. Jer. xlvi. 18, &c. " Josh. xix. 22. Judg. iv. 6. 12. l^aliii Ixxxix. 12. Jer. xlvi. 18. Hos. v. 1. :}: At two hour!, di>tance from Nazareth eastward. i' De Bell. Jiid. I. iv. c. 2. II The plain of Esdraelon. ^ Of an oval fi. ' Matlh. Mark, Luke, ubi supra. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 197 return into Galilee, it being not above five and twenty leagues from Tabor. We meet in the first book of Chronicles with u city called Tabor". But it is not well known how it was situated in respect of the mount. Since we have come to the lake of Gennesareth The lake of so frequently mentioned in the gospel, it will be proper to give a description of it before we pass into Upper Galilee. This lake was formerly called Cinnereth% from a city of the same name, as is commonly supposed. Afterwards it went by the name of the lake of Gennesareth, which is a very beautiful country, on the Avest of this lake, wherein are situated most of the cities just before described^. It was otherwise called the sea of Galilee, or the sea of Tiberias. Josephus makes this lake to be one hundred furlongs, that is, about four leagues in length ; and forty furlongs, or near two leagues in breadth. The river Jordan runs through the mid- dle of it, and afterwards discharges itself into the Dead sea. The water of the lake of Tiberias is fresh, sweet, and good to drink, and also very full of fish, as is evident from the gospel history ^ There are but very few cities of Upper Galilee, upper caii- which contained the tribes of Neplhali and Asher, '^'*' mentioned in the New^ Testament. It reached in breadth from Bersabe before-mentioned, to a village called Bacca, which, according to Josephus* divided the Tyrians from Galilee ; and in length, from Thella, another village near Jordan, as far as Merothf. One of the first places on the west of Upper Galilee was Dor, a sea-port town, and a bishop's see. Near Dor stands mount Carmel, famous in the Old Testament* for the miracle performed there by Elias ; and in profane history, upon account of the idol Carmel, which was worshipped there by the heathens''. We must take care not to confound this mount with a city of the same name, which was situated upon a mountain, in the tribe of Judah, and on the east of Hebron. Mount Carmel is never mentioned in the New Testament, though we find the contrary asserted by a geographer that lived in the tMelfth century^. From this mountain you goto Ptolemais% one of the most consider- " 1 Chron. vi. 77. '^ Numb, xxxiv. 11. Jobh. xii. 3. yJoseph.de Bell. Jud. 1. iii. c. 18. "^ Matth. iv. 18, and elsewhere. * Concerning Bacca, Tliella, and Meroth, see Joseph, de Bell. Jud. 1. iii. c. 2. + Sanson says, that Meroth was a village : others, that it was a lake. Josephus doth not expressly say what it was. ^ 1 Kings xviii. 19, &c. '' Plin. xxxi.2. Tacit. Hist. J Joan. Phoc. apud. Rel. Pal. Sac. p. 330. "= Formerly called Acco, Judg. i. 31. now Acra. o 3 108 AN INTRODUCTION TO able cities of Upper Galilee, standing upon a g-iilph of the Mediterranean sea. This city was partly inhabited by hea- thens, who were very troublesome to the Galileans'^. St. Paul went throuj^h it injhis Journey from Ephesus to Jerusalem, and abode one day with the Christians that were there «^. On the east and north of Upper Galilee, were Bacca, Cades, and Dan, which are the frontier towns. Before we leave Galilee, it will be very proper to give an account of the character of the Galileans. Josephus'' describes Galilee as a very fruitful and populous country ; and represents the inhabitants as an industrious and laborious sort of people, and of so warlike a disposition, that though they were surrounded by heathens, who continually harassed them, yet they were always able to make head against them. Not- withstanding- which, it appears from several places in the gospel, that tlie Jews had but a very mean opinion of the Galileans. It was out of contempt they called Jesus a Galikan, as did Julian the apostate", who gave the Christians also the same name. As it wa-s a commonly received opinion among the Jews, that the Messiah should be born at Beth- lehem, as the scri))es told Herod'' ; and Christ being born there, they affected to call him a Galilean, because his mother belonged to Galilee, designing by this means insensibly to wear out the remembrance of his being born at Bethlehem. This at least we find Origen charging them with'. It was with an intent to render St. Peter odious, that they said he was a Galilean '^ They cast the same reflection upon Nico- demus, adding, that out of Galilee never came a prophet i. Jesus Christ seems to give the Jews an indirect reproof for this aversion, when he asks them, whether those Galileans, w^hose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices, were greater sinners than themselves'". There Mas a saying current among the Jews, which plainly enough discovered their hatred to the Galileans. And that is, that when the JMessiah comes, Galilee will be destroyed, and the Galileans shall wander from city to city, Avithout meeting with pity or compassion. From whence a learned conunentator" hatli very ingeaiousiy observed, that when the person possessed with the devil at Capernaum asked Jesus Christ, Are yon come to destroy M«.^ he meant the Galileans, and not the devils. A •^ Joseph, de Bell. Jud. 1. ii. c. 9, 20. « Acts xxi. 7. ' Jo.^cph, de Bell. Jud. 1. iii. c. 2. ^ Socnu. Hist Eccl. L iii. 12. " Mattli. ii.3. Jo!invii.42. ' Origen contra Gels, p. 39, 40. ^ Mattli. .\xvi. 73. Luke xxii. 59. ' John vii. 52. This was a great falsehood, as wc have observed in our uote on that place. ■" Li^l^e.xiy. 2. " Ligljtfoot Ilor. Ilebr. in Marc. i. 24. . 4= o THE NEW TESTAiMENT. 198^ Several very probable reasons may be assigned for this aversion which the Jews had for the Galileans. 1. It is undeniably certain, that the Jews ascribed a ffreater degree of holiness to Judea, than to the other parts ol the Holy Land, because Jerusalem and the temple stood therein. 2. We have already observed, that Galilee was inhabited by those parts of the ten tribes that remained in the land, when the rest were carried away captive, or returned thither from the place of their captivity". Now the Jews, properly so called, «et a vast difference between themselves and the ten tiibes. 3. Tlie uncouth language of the Galileans made the Jews slight and despise them. It is well known how the wrong pronunciation of the word Shibboleth betrayed the inhabitants of Ephraim? ; and that St. Peter was known to be a Galilean by his speech^. We have this maxim in the Thalmud, that because the Jews speak their own language well, therefore the law was con- firmed to them; whereas it never was so to the Galileans, because they speak ill. 4. The Galileans being mixt with the Gentiles, was a very great cause of this aversion. They were not only in a manner surrounded with them, having for their neighbours the Phoenicians and Syrians, but they also jointly inhabited several cities in Upper Galilee, and other places, as Scythopolis% &c. It is true that there were Gentiles in some cities 01 Judea, but that was only in sea-port towns, at a consi- derable distance from Jerusalem, and the rest of Judea, as Azotus, Gaza, Jarania, where Philo says% that the heathens were very troublesome to the Jews. Let us now return to the north of Upper Galilee, Tyre. where lay Phoenicia*, and Syria. In Phoenicia there are two remarkable cities on the sea coast, namely. Tyre and Sidon. The former**, which is built on an island of the same name, is a place of great antiquity, and famous upon several accounts, as its vast trade^, the nations and colonies it transplanted into several parts of the world*, as Carthage, &c. and the wars which it was engaged in against Nebuchadnezzar, who besieged it for thirteen years together y, and against Alex- ander the Great, who spent seven months in taking it^. The ° See this proved by Lightfoot in Chron. Nov. Test. torn. ii. p. 14. aod Gasp. Abel. Monarch. Israel, p. 294, 295. PJudg. xii.6. " Luke xxii. 59. "■ Joseph, de Bell. Jud. 1. ii. c. 19. " Philo Legat. ad Caium. • Called otherwise Syro-Phcsnicia, because it bordered upon Syria, to distinguish it from Palestine, properly so callsd, which sometimes went by the name of Phoenicia. " Tyre was formerly called Tzor. Josh. xix. 29. * Ezek. xxvi. xxvii, * PHn. Hist. Nat. v. 19. * Joseph. Antiq. I. z. c. Ii. * Q. Cur. 1. iv. c. 4. Arrian. de Exped. Alex, and 1. ii. o 4 20(r AN INTRODUCTION TO prop]iets draw almost the same character of this city% as St. Jolin doth of the mystical Babylon iu tlie Revelations'', and denounce almost tliesainejadgnientsa<>ainst both of them. Ezekiel in particular'^ foretold that Tyre should he huilt no more. It was, notwithstanding, in all its ^lory in the time of Alexander the Great, who took it about three hundred years after Nelvuchaduezzar. It was still in great repute in our Saviour's time; he frequently mentions it'^ he preached in the neighbouring- parts, and there he healed the daughter of a Canaanitish woman. We find that the Tyrians made a con- siderable figure in the reign of Herod Agrippa, who designed to go and wage war with them, had tliey not made their ])eace with him by their deputies ^ There were Christians at Tyre, when St. Paul travelled through that placed It was a bishop's see in the second century. St Jerome tells us^, that in his time it was the most famous, and most beautiful city of Phoenicia, and a mart for all the nations of the world. That ancient father alleges this, as an objection against the fulfilling- of the prophecy of Ezekiel'', and solves it, by saying that the prophet';^ meaning is only this, That Tyre should no longer be the queen of the nations, and enjoy the same autho- rity and dominion it had under Hiram, and its other kings, but should be subject to the Chaldeans, Macedonians, Ptole- mies, and at last to the Romans. Others suppose that the prophet doth not there speak of the ruin of Tyre by Nebuchad- nezzar, and Alexander the Great, but of its final destruction, whereof the others were only so many fore-runners. And indeed Tyre is now only a poor village inhabited by a few fishermen. So that the prophecy is fulfilled, which declared, That it sliovJd Ic a place for fishers to dry tlieir neta on\ Ezekiel may also be explained by the prophet Isaiah'', who limits the destruction of Tyre to seventy years. But, without having recourse to explanations, that may seem to be far fetched : it is much more proper, with some learned authors*, to interpret this prophecy concerning Old Tyre', Avhich stood a little lower c. xvii. Le Clerc, Coinp. Hist. ' i. e. Palajtyrus. Alexander the (Jreat used tiie best part of the materials of tiiis city in making the isthmus, which now joins Tyre to the continent. Sec Q. Curr. 1. iv. c. ?. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 201 their most valuable goods, and came to the island of Tyre, where they built a city of the same name ; so that Nebuchad- nezzar, according- to the prophecy"", got nothing by his expe- dition. It is somewhat strange that St. Jerome", who hath recorded this particular, doth not make use of it to answer the objection he brings. We learn from Josephus", that there Avere Jews at Tyre, who underwent very great hard- ships from the Tyrians. This city was formerly the metropo- litan see for the province of Phoenicia. Among the chief cities of Phoenicia, mo must not forget to rank Tripoli, which was also a sea-port town, and a l^ishop's see. It is still in being, and in the hands of the Turks. There are some Christians in it belonging to the Greek church*. Above Tyre on the sea-coast, stands Sidonf, named the Great in Joshua i*. This city, which is of a longer standing than Tyre, had been assigned to the tribe of Asher, but they could not drive out the Sidonians from thence i. Josephus, who places it within the dominions of the Phoenicians, tells us, tliat the inhabitants shook off their government, and sub- mitted to Shalmaneser. Sidon is but occasionally mentioned in the New Testament, and that is when St. Luke tells us that Julius the centurion gave St. Paul leave to go there and see his friends'". It was a bishop's see. Between Tyre and Sidon lies Sarepta, a little town, remark- able upon account of the miracles performed there by Almighty God for the sake of Elijah, and a Avidow woman belonging to that place^ We learn from the Itmerary of Antoniiis the martyr, who is supposed to have lived in the fourth century, that there were Christians in his time at Sarepta, and that they pretended to shew there Elijah's chamber, and the widow's cruse. Another traveller* tells us, that they had built a church in the place where that mira- cle was done. On the east of Sidon stands mount Libauus", so famous for its fine cedars, and Anti-libanus, another mountain over against it, as you go towards Damascus. Between these two mountains lies a large valley, of a considerable length, where '" Ezek, xxix. 18. " Hier. in Ezek. xxix. IS. ° Joseph, de Bell. Jud. 1. ii. c. 20. * See the description of Tripoli, and mount Libanus, in Daudini's Voyage du Mont Liban. + It took its name from Sidon the eldest of the sons of Canaan. Gen. x. 15. " Jos. xix. 28. « Joseph. Antiq. 1. v. 1. and ix. 11. ■• Acts xxvii. 3. ' 1 Kings xvii. 9. ' Phoc. Descript. Loc. Sanct, " Libanus is derived from a Hebrew word signifying white, because this mountain is covered with snow. Jerem. xviii. 14. ■ 202 AN INTRODUCTION TO Coele-Syria is coiumonly placed. They reckon several cities in this part of Syria, as Abila, from M'hence the province Abilene, which was bestowed by Agrippa upon Lysanias*, seems to have taken its name. Several countries of Asia went under the name of Syria, as Syria. Palestine for instance, and Mesopotamia, which is called Si/ria of Rivers, because it is between the Tigris and Euphrates. But by Syria here we understand, that which lies on the north-east of Upper Galilee, and is called in scripture Syria of Damascus Y. David made himself master of this province, and annexed it to the land of Israel ^. It was taken from Solomon by the Syrians of Zoba''. Benhadad was king- of Syria in the tijne of Elisha''. This country fell afterwards into the hands of the Assyrians, from whom Alexander the Great took it. After the death of this monarch, his dominions being divided among his chief offi- cers, this province fell to Seleucus' share, and was for a considerable time enjoyed by his descendants, who from him w ere called Seleucides. It Avas at last conquered by Pompey, and thenceforward governed by Roman presidents, on whom the procurators of Judea did depend. The chief city of Syria is Damascus, more remarkable for Damascus. St. Paul's couvcrsion that happened near it^, than for any thing- else that could be said in its commendation. It appears from Genesis*^ that it is a place of very great anti- quity, since we read that Abraham pursued as far as that city, those kings which had taken his nephew Lot prisoner. Damascus is frequently mentioned in scripture under differ- ent ideas, sometimes as a noble and magnificent city, and at other times as a place full of pride, violence and idolatry. It was heretofore an episcopal seat, and the bishop thereof suffragan to the patriarch of Antioch. It remains now^ that we should say a word or two concern- ing' that part of Palestine which lies on the other side Jordan, beginning at the north. The most considerable city on that side, at the upper eiul of the lake, is Ctesarea-Philippi, so called, because Philip the Tetrarch repaired, and beautified it with several stately buildings in honour of Tiberias Ccesar*. It was before named Panamas, because situated near mount Paniuni. Jesus Christ ofteii preached near this * Lukeiii. 1. ' 2 Sam. viii. 6. » 2 Sam. x. " 1 Kings .\i. 25. " 2Kingvi. "^ Actsix.3, &c. " Gfii. xiv. 15. For an acrount of the present s(alp of Damascus, hee Mr. Maundrell's travel?. * Joseph. Antiq. xviii. 3. Philip's douiinionit weit" Gauloniti.^, Iturtea, Trachoniti^, Batauaea, and PeiiBa. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 203 city; but it is no where said that he ever was in it. And therefore what is related concerning a statue of our Saviour's being set up in that city, in remembrance of his curing a woman there, that had been troubled with an issue of blood for twelve years c; is all a fable. The miracle might indeed have been performed near the city, but it doth not appear that it was done therein. However it be, we are further told, that Julian beat down that statue, that the heathens put the Emperor's in its room, and that the Christians placed Jesus Christ's in their own church. Ceesarea-Philippi is fre- quently mentioned in the gospel history. But the two Caisardas lying near one another, it is no easy matter to know which is meant, when we find Ccesarea mentioned, without any distinguishing appellation. Above Fames, on the east of the lake, stands juiias. another city of Gaulonitis, named Julias, built also by Philip the Tetrarch in honour of Julia, in the place of a village called Bethsaida^ We have spoken of it elsewhere. One of the most considerable places on the other Decapoiis. side Jordan is Decapoiis, that is, the country or territory of ten cities. It is frequently mentioned in the gospels^, as well as in Josephus, and other profane authors. But it is no easy matter exactly to know which were these ten cities, because the learned are not agreed about it. It is even sup- posed that there were some of them on this side Jordan, as Scythopolis. We may safely rank among the cities of Deca- poiis, Gadara"*, which was situated on the other side Jordan between Gaulonitis and Persea; where Jesus Christ did some miracles*. As also Pella, where the Christians retired after the destruction of Jerusalem. This last was a bishop's .see. It is very probable that BethabaraS where John Betuabara. baptized, stood on the other side Jordan. At least St. John seems to place it there ^ Some authors are indeed of opi- nion, that the Greek word*, which is conunonly rendered beyond, signifies also alony, which makes it doubtful whether Bethabara was on this, or the other side Jordan. We shall " Theophanes, who lived in the ninth century, relates this matter : but the truth of it may justly be questioned, because that author was a great stickler for image worship, and it is even supposed that he died a martyr for it. ' Joseph, ubi supra. s Matth. iv. 25. Mark v. 20. and vii. 31. "There was another Gadaranear Azotus, on the west of Judea. ' Mark v. I. Luke viii.26. ^ Bethabara signifies the house of passage, because here was a ford over the river Jordan. ' Johu i. 28. a. 40. * Hi^uv. '204 AN INTRODUCTION TO leave tlie luaiter uiulecided, because it is u( no conse- quence*. There are several other places in that part of Palestine lyinoon the other side Jordan, which we shall take no notice of, because they are no where mentioned in the gospel. For this reason we shall say nothing- of Batanaea, Itureea, other- wise called Auranitis, nor of' Trachonitis, a province on the north of Percen, Avhich was the most considerable of all. There will l)e no occasion neither for speaking- of the several countries, where the Apostles preached the gospel, because they are sufficiently described in our notes and prefaces, on the Gospels, Acts, and Epistles, and besides are known by every body. Here therefore we shall conclude this articlef. As there is frequent mention of the distance of places, both Of the dis- in the New Testament, and also in our notes, and v\act" this Introduction, it will be proper to give a general notion of them here. The Greeks commonly reckoned the distance between places by stadia J, as did afterwards the Romans; and the Hebrews'" since their intercourse with the Greeks. The stadium was 125 paces, eight of Avhich made a Roman mile. The miles m ere so called, because they contained a thou- sand paces, of five feet each. The Romans used to mark them by setting- stone pillars at every mile's end : hence this expression in their authors, at the first, second, or third stone". The miles are mentioned but once in the gospels". One Roman, which is the same as one of our English miles, was 1000 paces. The land of Israel might be near 220 miles in length, and about 120 in breadth. The cubit, which was used in measuring buildings, con- sisted of one foot and a half. And therefore 2000 cubits, which Mas the sj)ace the Jews were allowed to walk on the sabbath-day P, amounted to about eight stadia, or one of our miles. * It isliovvever very probal)lc, that in St. John's tvo.spel the Greek word (TTi^civ) si^mdcabeyniitt, on Ike other side: since Perjea, uhicli is eertainly on the other side Jordan, took its name from that word, and that lli<; other provinces which are beyond, and not along the river, went also under the name of Peraea. + As 2;eoa;ra|)liers are not .always agreed about the situation of some j>laces, we have followed Josephus, I'Uisebius, and especially l\Ir. Reland's Fala^stina Sacra, wherein this whole matter is fully handled. :}: The stadium Avas a space of 125 paces in length, where people exercised themselves in runnins;. 1 Cor. i.\. ^4. '" Luke xxiv. 13. Johnvi. 11>. " Ad priinuui, secundum, tertium lapidem, &c. i.e. mile. " Matth. v. 41. '• Acts i. 1','. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 205 It cannot be unacceptable to the reader to have here all these measures comprised in five Latin verses, which we have borrowed from a late learned author % Qnatuor ex granis dicfitvs componitur uniis. Est quater in palmo dhjitns, quater in pede palmus, Quinque pedes passum faciunt ; passus qnoque centum llpinti quinque ^- stadium dant; sed miliar e Octofacit stadia; Sf duplatum dut tihi leuca. OF THE HEBREW MONEY. They were formerly wont in their commerce and payments, not to tell the money, as we now do, but to weigh it; and the same pieces served them both for weights and money. They were made of one of these three sorts of metals, brass, silver, or gold\ But the word hrass was used to denote any kind of money, of what metal soever'' ; the reason of which is, that the weight of brass was the standard whereby money was valued. One of the least pieces of money mentionetl in the New Testament is the lepton or mite, wJiich is by St. Jerome called minuta. St. Mark tells us% that two of these pieces made one qnadrans. It is probable that the word lepton was used to specify any small piece of money, since what St. Matthew calls qnadrans, is by St. Luke'' named lepton. (The lepton was worth 0/. Os, Od. Oq. |L). The qnadrans was a piece of brass money weighing three ounces, which makes the fourth part of the Roman as, or penny. This word, as well as lepton was used to denote any small piece of money. The qnadrans was the fee of the bath- keepers at Rome. (0/. Os. Od. Oq. ^.) Tile as, or penny, was a brass piece, which weighed seven ounces and a half, at least, in the time of our Saviour Jesus Chrfst". For it is to be observed, that at first the Roman as or penny weighed one pound, that is, twelve Roman ounces. Afterwards it was reduced to ten ounces, then to nine, and at last to seven and a half, as it was in Augustus's 1 Leusden ap. Pritium Introd. ad Lert. Nov, Test. p. G09. " Matlli. x. 9. " Mark vi. 8. ' Mark xii. 42. '' Matth, v. 2G. Luke xii. 50. xxi. 2. * The sestertius was worth two-pence half-pennj. 206 AN INTRODUCTION TO time'. There is no mention in the Evanjrelists of the as, but only of a piece of less value, which is by them termed a^sarion*. The as, as is supposed, was worth 8 lepta, (or The drachma was a silver coin, in use among- the Greeks, and afterwards among- the Jews and Romans^. It was some- what less than the Roman denarius, and more than the as, since it weighed eight ounces. The didrachma was two drachmas, which made half a shekel. Every Israelite, when he Avas arrived at the age of twenty, was obliged to pay yearly tbis tribute for the use of the temple''. It is com- monly supposed that the Roman emperors, upon their becoming- masters of Judea, exacted the same sum', and that so the Jcms came to pay it twice, once to the temple, and once to the Emperor. If this conjecture is well grounded, it may give a great light to these words of Jesus Christ; Render to Ceesar the thhufs which are Cfvsar^s, and to God the things that are God's.^ But Christ is not there speaking- of the tribute of the didrachma, wliich is mentioned else- where', but of that of a denarius. Thus much is certain, that after the destruction of the temple, Vespasian ordered all the Jews to pay yearly those two drachmas to the capital"". (The drachma Avas Id. Sq. of our money.) The Roman denarius was a silver piece weighing ten ounces, which was worth at first ten as's'^. After the war M'itb Annibal, it mounted to sixteen, and afterwards was reduced to twelve. It is frequently mentioned in the gospels; being one of those Latin words to which the Evangelists have given a Greek sound and termination. The denarius was worth 7d. Sq. of our money. The stutera° Mas also a piece of silver money worth about four drachmas or denaraii. It was the same with the shekel, which made 2. MaUh. xiii. 33. * This word is derived from Hie Hebrew sea/i, which is the name of this measure. f We must talie care not to confound the chomer with the ^omer, whicli held three pints. Tiie corns is mentioned, Lnke xvi. 7. ^ Ezek. xlv. 14. •' 1 Kings v. 11. Lukewi.T. i* jAlatth. v. 15. Grot, in loc. • The inodius is one of tliose Latin words to which the Kvans;elists have 5>iven a Greek sound and termination. '' Mark vii. 4. + The word sexlariux is also a Latin word, to which the FA'angelists iiavc given a Greek ter- mination ; it was so called, because it was the sixth part of t'le Roman cungius, which was a vessel containini!; ten Roman pound-: of water. '' Lev. xiv. 12. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 209 bigness of the measure which is by St. John named wie^re^e^e^. some fancy that it was the same as the epiiah. Others takino- the dimensions of the vessels or cisterns mentioned in that place, (which are said to contain two or three metretce a piece) according- to those of the amphora, or Attick vrn, which con- tained, as is supposed, 100 pounds of liquor, imagine that the metretes held 200, or 300 pounds of water. Others, in short, iraaoine that it answered to twelve Roman congii *. It is of no manner of consequence after all, to know the bigness of those cisterns, because though Jesus Christ had changed but one drop of water into wine, the miracle would have been as large as if he had changed a great quantity. The miracle would not have been indeed so conspicuous, but it could not upon any account have been the less certain or unquestionable. CONCERNING THE VARIOUS READINGS. It was next to impossible that the original copies of the New Testament should not in process of time be lost, especially during the grievous persecutions Avhich the church was at first exposed to, without a perpetual miracle which there is no ground for supposing. To prevent such an inconvenience, the primitive Christians took care to write out several copies, that if any should happen to be lost in one place, there might be some to be found in another. There are none of those ancient copies, which were taken from the originals, extant at this time ; but as the number of them increased by degrees, there are several of a considerable antiquity still in being, from which, editions of the Greek Testament have been printed at difterent times f. Great numbers of these manu- scripts are to be seen in the most famous libraries of Europe j. All diversity between copies made by different persons, and at different times, and places, could not possibly have been prevented w ithout a great, and a continual miracle. These differences that occur in manuscripts, are termed various read- '^ John ii. 6. It is a Greek word which signifies measure. It was in use among the Greeks and Romans. (It held 7| pints.) * The congiusvias a Roman measure, which held six sextarii, and was the eighth part of the amphora. + The first was in the year 1515, at Complulufa a city of Spam, now ca\\eA\Alcala. \ For an account of them, see Dr. Mill's Prolego- mena to liis edit, of the New Testament, printed at Oxford in 1707. And a dissertation upon that subject, printed at Amsferdrim, anno 1709. P •210 AN INTRODUCTION TO ings. When therefore it is said that there is in such, or such a place, a varions readinf/, the meaning of it is, that you read otherwise in one manuscript than in another. Origen long ago complained^ of these diversities, which he ascribed to several causes, as the negligence, rashness, and knavery of transcribers. St. Jerome'' tells us, that when he made his version of the New Testament, he collated the manuscripts that were then extant, and found great difference among them. Several persons are of opinion that it would have been much better to let those vanons readings remain in libraries, than communicate them to the public, as hath been done, especially in this, and the last century : but this diversity is so far from being any way prejudicial to religion, that on the contrary, the making- of it known to the Avorld hath been of great service to the Christian cause, and that upon several accounts. 1. As this diversity could not by any means be so well concealed, as not to be discovered some way or other, the enemies of our religion would have taken from thence an occasion of insulting, and magnifying this difference, and would have proclaimed it every where, that there must needs be a very great diversity between the manuscripts and printed copies, since people were unwilling to communicate the various readings to the world. Whereas by their being made public, we find with pleasure, and even with some admira- tion, th.it those variations consist in indifferent points, that there is none of any consequence but what may be easily reconciled by comparing other manuscripts, and that they are almost every where nothing' but pure mistakes of the tran- scribers, which are unavoidable in any Mork whatsoever. It may also liave sometimes happened, that a sclioliinu or note, which had by one transcriber been put in the margin to illustrate a ])assage of scripture, was foisted into the text by another, either Ijecause he looked upon it as a good observa- tion, or imagined that it belonged to the text. But in this case, it is very observable, that the difference caused by such additions asthew;, doth no way affect eitlter faith, or morality. Several critics, for instance, are of opinion, that the seventh verse in the fiftii chapter of the first Epistle of St. John, crept in this manner frou! tlie margin into the text, because this passage is not to be found in niost of the ancient Creek and Latin manuscrij)ts, nor in the writings of the Greek fathers, that disputed against tlie Arians. But let it be, if you will, * Origpn lloin. 8 in IMattli. *' Hior. Pia^f. in 4 FAaug. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 211 an omission in the manuscripts where it is wanting-, or an addition in those where it occurs, it can no way be prejudicial to the Christian faith ; since whatover sense you put upon that passage, the same truth being; taught in other places of the New" Testament, there is no more occasion of adding, than there is inconvenience in omitting it. The w!)oIe question then is to know the truth of the matter ; [i. e. whether this passage hath been foisted in or not.] 2. It is evident from those various readiiu/s, that the books of the New Testament have not been corrupted by the malice of heretics, and that if there occurs any difference between the several copies of them, it is entirely owing to the care- lessness or ignorance either of the transcribers, or of those that dictated, the latter of which might possibly mistake in reading- or pronouncing. And indeed it is plain that if those transcribers had been directed by heretics, they would have made such alterations as countenanced their errors and prejudices, and that their varying- from the other copies would not have been confined to Avords, or different turns, which in the main signify the same thing, or to some additions or omissions, from which they could reap no manner of advan- tage. If likewise they had altered any passage in one of the gospels, they must have altered also all the rest, where the same matter is recorded. Now we find no such thing-, and instead of the differences observable in their copies, they would have taken care to render them exactly uniform, had they had any design of corrupting the text on purpose to sup- port their opinions. In shori, neither would an orthodox Christian nor a heretic, have presumed to falsify any one place in the New Testament. Had the former been guilty of such a pious fraud, the heietics Avould not have spared him in the least ; as, on the other hand, no orthodox person would have suffered heretics to make any falsification in the sacred writings. The heretics that sprung- up in the apostolical times attempted indeed to corrupt the gospels, but all their endeavours proving- unsuccessful, they forged several gos- pels, as we learn from St. Iren?eus'. This father does not charge the heretics with falsifying the New Testament, but only with putting a wrong sense upon it, and taking some passages from thence, Avhicli they put into their pretended gospels'', it is true, that Ave find Origen complaining % that the Marcionites, Valontinians, and Lucianites had adulterated ■= li-cn. 1. i. c. 17. " Id. 1. i. c. i. p. 1 — 19. ' Oris;- contra CeJ;. I. ii. p. 77. p 2 212 AN INTRODXICTTON TO tlic ccospol. Hut it is well known how thoroupi^lily tlieir I'raiuls were «]f tocted and exposed by St. Iren?eus, TertuUian, and others. There are no manuscripts extant of the N(;w Testament prior to the fourth century. Now tJiough Arianism had then been anathematized, yet it did not fail to g-et the upper hand in the followino- ages. There was nothing there- fore to hinder the Arians from getting- possession of all the copies, and changing them as they thought fit. Yet this is what the Greek fathers, who disputed against them, never charged them Avith. They confuted them, on the contrary, with passages, which were not by them called in question. St. Ambrosius, a Latin father, accuses indeed the Arians of having added to the 82nd verse of the xiiith. chapter of St. Mark these words, vor the Son ; and he affirms at the same time, that they were not in the ancient manuscripts. But we have more reason to believe in this particular the Greek fathers, than St. Ambrosius, who in all probability had con- sulted but iitvf Greek manuscripts, aud who used the ancient Italick version. It is really strange, that these Avords should be Avaating iu the ancient manuscripts, Avhen they are found in all those that are noAV extant, some of Avhich are supposed to be as old as the fourth century. Then Ave cannot well imagine whai St. Ambrosius ineans by the ancient mamiscripts. The I tal ick version Avliich he used,and wherein these words occurred, had been translated from the most ancient manuscripts, and perhaps from the originals themselves, since it was done in the beginning of the second century. St. Irenopus* who lived about the same time, found these Avords in his manuscripts. When Arius pressed Athanasius Avith this passage^, nothing- could be more natural than for him to say, that these Avords, neither the Son, were not in the ancient copies. But instead of that, in answer to the objection made to him, he observes that the rest of the Evangelists Avere silent in this particular, and he puts an orthodox interpretation upon the AVords of St. Mark. So that iu all pro))ability St. Ambrose had been imposed upon in this matter, and too rashly given credit to a false report. The manuscripts written in after ages have not the least marks of the errors which sprung uj) after Arianism. Some of the Latin fathers have indeed accused the Pelagians aud Eutychians of falsifying the gospels, but without any manner of ground. It is suppose,sec our note.; on Jam. V. 12. 1 Pet. v. 13. 2 Pet. ii,9. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 2J7 of some words, especially of proper names. But we ought above all to render the version of the Seventy familiar to us, because the sacred writers of the New Testament have chiefly followed it in their quotations, as we have before observed. By such means as these, and especially with the assistance of the writings of so many learned and pious persons that have made the sacred writings their particular study, we may easily extricate ourselves from all the objections and difficul- ties that may be raised against the text of the New Testa- ment, especially if we do it with a design of being informed and arriving at the ti'uth, and not out of any cavilling and contradictino- humour. CONCERNING THE CHAPTERS AND VERSES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. The ancients were wont to write or indite their composures without breaking- off between every word, neither did they divide them into sections, chapters, or verses. And even in manuscripts of any considerable antiquity, there are neither points nor accents. This, which to us may appear inconve- nient, and is really so, was not without its conveniences. Men could not then be led into any mistakes by a wrong- punctuation, as we often are at this day, and the reader used a greater application in order to discover the meaning of his author, which is now frequently dark and intricate, because inmost manuscripts, Avords and sentences are separated which ought to have been joined, and those are joined which should have been separated*. There is indeed no manner of accent, or any other mark of distinction in most of the manuscripts of the New Testament, and this is even looked upon as a sign of antiquity. But these sacred writings being read every Sunday, in the churches, they were for this purpose divided into sections, that the reader might know how far he was to read every Sunday f. The books that were thus divided were called * There are some learned persons, who, when they would find out the mean- ing of some difficult Greek passage, write it down at length, without leaving ing any distinction between the words or letters; which is a very good method. i In imitation of (he Jews, who divided the law into perashim, or sections. 218 AN INIliODUCTlON TO lectioriaries, and the sections went under the name oi' fill's*', and chapters. In these lecfionaries there were yet other distinctionsf, which were of use in quoting passages, and comparing the gospels together. The author of these sec- tions is supposed to have been Animonius of Alexandria, a ■writer of the second century, of whom mention hath been made elsewhere. His method was followed by Eusebius, who made use of it in compiling the ten canons he invented, w herein he shews what particulars are recorded by all the Evangelists, and Avhat is mentioned only by one or two of them. As these canons are not in use at present, we think there is no occasion of giving any account of them here ^ The ancients were also wont to divide their books into verses, each of Avhich contained only a line. There were no marks of this division in the text, but the number of lines was set down at the end of the book, to shew the bigness of the volume**. Lastly, they used to reckon how many sen- tences there were in a treatise '^. It is not well known who was the author of the distinction into chapters. It seems to have been done in the thirteenth century^. The verses were invented in the sixteenth cen- tury '^ by Robert Stephens, as we are told by Henry Stephens his son". This division of chapters into verses was found so very convenient, that it hath been used in all the editions of the bible that have been made ever since. It is notw ith- standing attended with some inconveniences. For, 1. The sense is often interrupted by this division, and so the reader may hereby be led into mistakes, by fancying that every verse completes the sense. Instances enougji of this are to be met with the first moment we ]>egin to read. 2. People are insensibly come to this notion, that every verse contains a mystery, or some essential point, though there is frequently no more than some incident or circum- stance recorded in that place. * The tides were generally larger than the chapters. There are some manu- scripts, for instance, wherein St. Matthew's gospel hath 68 titles, and .S55 chap. St. Mark's 48 titles, and 234 chap. St. Luke's 83 titles, and 342 chap, and St. John's 17 titles, and 231 chap, but these two words were often used promiscuously tly reckon as fictitious what is related by some authors of tlie fourth cen- tury, as the author, nr rather the intcrpolater of the Apost. Constit. vi. 9. A mob. contra Gent. 1. ii. p. .50. Cyril. Hieros. Catech. vi. p. 88. concerning ilie pretended fight of St, Peter with Simon, and the miraculous victory the Apostle got over the lungician ; because they are not mentioned by more THE NEW TESTAMENT. 223 believe such thing's, or so wicked as to adhere to sxich a vile impostor. However Origen* and Eusebius** tell us that there were still some Simonians in their time*. St. Irenteus gives a shocking description of their morals. We may rank the Dositheans among the Simonians. The author of them was one Dositheus, who was cotemporary with Simon, and, as is supposed, his master f. The Nicolditans are represented in the Reve- xheNicoiai- lafion'' as very infamous upon account of their ido- ^^"^• latry and lewdness. It is supposed, and with a great deal of proiiability, that the followers of the doctrine of Balaam^ were the JVicola'itansX. The Hebrew name Balaam signifies the same thing- as the Greek word JVicolas, that is a con- queror oj' the people. St. Irenieus accuses them of being given to brutish and sensual pleasures. There is no manner of reason for supposing that the deacon Nicolas, mentioned in the Acts^, was the founder of this sect, though we find it asserted by St. Irenoeus% and though they were wont to boast of it §, grounding themselves upon an ambiguous expression, which Nicolas is said to have used. But Clemens Alexandrinus hath cleared him from this imputation b. And indeed is it likely that the Apostles, after having called upon the Holy Ghost, would have chosen for deacon, a man of so indifferent a character? The Micolditans soon came to nothing'^. We learn from the Acts of the Apostles 'i, that xiieNaza- all Christians in general were at first called Maza- '^^"^^• renes. That name was afterwards given to those jiidaizing , Christians, Avhich joined the observance of the ceremonial law with the Christian institution. And for this reason they rejected St. Paul's epistles, as we are informed by St. Jerome, who calls them also Ehionites^. Eusebius tells us, that they dwelt at Choba, a little town near Damascus ||. It was in opposition to them that St. Paul wrote his epistle to the Galatians*'. There were some also at Bersea a city of ancient authors, namely Justin, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Eusebius. The latter speak indeed of a dispute between St. Peter and Simon, but not a word of the pretended fight. Euseb. 1. ii. c. 14. ' Orig. contra Ccls. i. 44. " Euseb. Hist. Ec. 1. ii. c. 13. * Such as were Menander, and his fol- lowers, concerning whom see Iren. i. 21. and Tertullian de Anima. + Euseb. H- E. 1. iv. c. S'i. Orig. Tract. 27. in Matth. xxvii. 1. 1. ^ Rev. ii. 15. > 2 Pet. ii. 15. Jude, ver. 11. Revel, ii. 14. % They were in all pro- bability so called because they were very great seducers. ^ Acts vi. 5. - Iren. i. 27. ^ Kuseb. Hist. Ec. iii. 29. " Clem. Alex. Strom, iii, p. 436. " Euseb. ubi supra. "* Acts xxiv. 5. * Hier. Ep. ad Aug. 74. ,t,o^n.,jy^(?d. Benedict. || Euseb. Onom. 'Catalog. Sx-ript. EccI, „;,; .-,,,,•' vhi: 224 AN INTRODUCTION TO Syria, who, as St. Jerome tells us, gave him leave to tran- scribe the Hebrew copy of St. Matthew's gospel. These first Nazarenes not entertaining-, as far as we can find, any erro- neous opinion concerning- Jesus Christ, it is very probable that they have been confounded with the Ebionites, which di• Tertul. coiilra Hermog. iiiit. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 227 Diotrephes, that ambitious man, who cast malicious and virulent reflections upon the Apostles, is likewise ranked among' tlie heresiarchsK The author of this accusation is indeed too modern to be relied on™. We may however easily g-uess, from the description St. John gives of him, that he was one of those false teachers Avhom St. Paul complains of". As for Demas, who accompanied him for some time, and afterwards forsook him, he is only charged Avith having- loved this present worlds. St. Epiphanius hath accused, him but without any proof, of believing- that Jrsus Christ was only a mere man. From all that hath been said, one may easily judge, that the Apostles were exposed to more troublesome persecutions from those heretics and false brethren, than from the Jews and heathens themselves, though it must be owned they were not attended with so many acts of cruelty. But martyrdom added a lustre to the church, whereas by heresies it was dis- figured and disgraced. After all, we ought not to think it strange that so many heresies should arise even in the time of the Apostles. For, 1. This is what was foretold by Jesus Christ, as well as by St. Paul and St. Peter*. 2. St. Paul says, that there mnst needs be heresies^. Whereby we are not to understand an absolute necessity. But the Apostle's meaning is only this, that, considering the corruption and perverseness of men, heresies are unavoidable; just as when our Saviour said, Offences must needs come% But waving- this consideration, it is only reflecting on the state and con- dition of those that at first embraced the gospel, to discover that it was next to impossible but that sects and heresies should arise. The Jews coming out of the synagogue, brought the same spirit into the church. And the different sects that were among them, proved so many seeds of dissention and discord. Such of the Sadducees as embraced Christianity were not easily brought to believe the resurrection. The Pharisees being extremely zealous for the ceremonial law, and their OAvn traditions, could not bat give the Christian religion some tincture of this zeal. The cabala gave birth to the mon- strous opinions of the iEones. The heathens, on the other hand, that had been brought up in the schools of the philo- sophers, introduced into the Christian institution, the subtil- '3Jobii9, 10. ™Bec!aadloc. " 2 Cor. xi. 13. "Coloss. iv. 14. * Matth. vii. 15. 2 Tim, iii. 1—5. 2 Pet. ii. 1. p 1 Cor. xi. 19. " Maffh. xviii. 7. q2 2-28 AN INTRODUCTION TO ties of the Platonic philosophy, and of the other sects^ Per- haps also the disputes that happened between them might occasion a mixture, or rather a confusion of ideas, which gave rise to ill-grounded and incoherent systems. There are besides in the Christian religion some truths that exceed human apprehension, and require such a degree of faith as nev/ converts are not always capable of. Thus Ceriu- thus could not believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, because he looked upon it as an impossible things The same religion recommends us to duties that seem con- trary to men's natural inclinations. And this was enough to make Simon and the gnostics reckon martyrdom as a piece of weakness and folly*. As in those early times there was no canon of the books of the New Testament, and that besides all instruction was delivered viva voce, people Avere more apt to misunderstand, or forget things, than now, when they have them laid open before their eyes in a book. And even after the canon had been compiled, and approved of by the church, some diffi- cult passages might give rise to different notions, and even to sects, if this diversity of opinions was accompanied with perverseness and obstinacy, as it is generally known to be. Add to this, that copies of the sacred writings being- then very scarce, there were persons that took the liberty of forging- gospels as they thought fit. Lastly, This might be occasioned by a spirit of contradiction, and an ambitious desire of distinguishing- one's self froni the crowd, which as we have before observed, was the case of Diotrephes. 8. St. Paul shews of what use heresies may be to the church, namely, that f/je?/ trho are approved may he made vianifcst*^. As in all numerous assemblies there will always be some wicked persons, that may for a long time conc(;al their pernicious dispositions, it is proper there should happen occasions of discovering and finding- them out. Besides, as St. Chrysostom hath well observed", truth receives a great lustre by being- opposed by falshood. When there arose any false prophets under the Old Testament, it served only to render the true ones more illustrious. It is nmch the same with meii as Avith trees, Avhen they have once taken deep root, they grow the stronger by being- shaken with storms and tempests. Had the truths of the gospel been exposed to ■" Tert, de An. c. 18. ^ Ircn, i. 25. * Oiig. contr. Cels. 1. vi. It was against this error of the gnostics that TertuUian wrote this book entitled Scorpiace. ' J Cor, xi. I9. " Chrvsin Acta Horn. 5t. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 229 no inaiiner of" contradiction, men might insensibly have fallen into an ignorance or neglect of them. But their being con- tradicted, hath induced Christians to collect all their stock of knoM ledge, strength and assistance, in order to defend them against their adversaries. OF THE VERSIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. The ancient versions of the New Testament may also serve to clear several passages in it, because most of them Avere made, if not from the originals themselves, at least from more ancient copies than any we now have, as St. x'Viigustin hath observed". The same author tells lis, that even in the ear- liest times of Christianity, several had attempted to translate, as well as they could, the Greek text of the Old and New Testament. But among all these versions, he prefers that which he calls the Italick*, undoubtedly because it ^1,^ ,,^1;^.,. was made in Italy, or for the use of the Latins, version. As it was used in the church till the sixth century, there are several fragments of it extant in the quotations of those Latin fathers that wrote before that time. There are some parts of it to be seen in the margins of some ancient manu- scripts. Dr. Mills supposes that it was done by several hands in the second century, by order of pope Pius I. who Avas an Italian f. To this version succeeded that of St. Jerome, The vuigate. which commonly goes under the name of the Vulgate. This father having observed that the Italick version was extremely faulty, and that there was a vast difference between the copies that were dispersed in the world, undertook towards the end of the fourth century, by order of pope Damascus, to revise this translation, and render it more conformable to the original Greek; he began by the New Testament, and published at first only the four Gospels. He declares that he used a great deal of care and circumspection in this work, never varying from the Italick version, but where he thought it misrepresented the sense''. But as the Greek copies he had, were not so ancient as those from which the » Aug, de Doctr. Clir. ii. 11, 15. * St. Jerome calls it the Common and Vulgar. Gregory the Great, the Ancient. + Dr. Mills' Proleg. fol. 41, Sec, You have th^re an account of the qualities of this version ; and how far it may be of use for discovering the true reading of the original Greek. ■* Hier; Praif. ad Damas. Q 3 230 AN INTRODUCTION TO Italick version had been made, some learned authors are therefore persuaded that it would have been much better, if he had gathered all the copies together, and by comparing them, have restored that translation to its original purity. There was, for instance, in the Italick version *■, Givens our chiUif hreffd ; now instead of the word da'tly, which very well expresses our Saviour's meaning, St. Jerome not well apprehending the signification of the original* Greek term, hath rendered it by onef that signifies aiore onr subsistence; whereas the true meaning of it is, of the time to come, or for the 7iext day. There are several other places, wherein St. Jerome seems to have departed from the Italick translation, without any manner of reason^. The Epistles, and the rest of the books of the New Testament, were published by him some few years after. But it is plain, that he never put the iinishinohand to this work, and even that he left some faults in it, for fear of varying too much from the ancient version, since he renders in his commentaries some words otherwise than he had done in the translation. This version was not introduced into the church but by deg-rees, for fear of offeliiding- weak persons''. Rufinus, notAvithstanding he was St. Jerome's professed enemy, and had exclaimed very much against this performance; was yet one of the first to prefer it to the Vulgar, as is manifest from his commentary on Hosea, at least if it be his. This translation gained at last so great an authority by the approbation it received from pope Gregory I.|| and the preference that prelate gave it above the other, that it came thenceforward to be publicly used all over the u-estern churches, as we learn from Isidorus Hispa- lensis'', who was cotemporary with Gregory. Though tiiis version is not reckoned authentic^ among us, yet it is cer- tainly of very great consequence, and may serve to illustrate several passages both of the Old and New Testament. The Syriac version is generally acknowledged to be very Thesyriac aucicut, but pcoplo are not agreed about the time *•-'"""• when it was made. If we will believe those Syrian Christians that made use of it§, part of the Old Testament c Mattli. vi, 11. * £7r*yo-ioc. f Supersuhstanlialcui. St. Jerome himself tclk us that there was in the Hebrew gospel of the Jiaziirenes, our bread of the next dat/, which answers to the original Greek Yvord. I For an instance of this, see our note on J'.piiep. i. 6. " Aug. Ep. ad Ilieron. 82. || Greg. 1. I^pi. ad Leandrum l-xpos in .Tob. c. 3. • Isidor. llispal. Divin. Oil". •■ It was never declared s!u li il the council of Trent. § That is, the Nestoriaus, Jacobites, and Mariouitcs. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 231 was translated in the time of Solomon*, and the rest under Agbarus, king- of Edessa, by Thaddeeus and the other apos- tles. Some authors s, in the editions they have given of the Syriac New Testament, have carried up the antiquity of it as high as the apostolical times, but without alleging any proof. As the second epistle of St. Peter, the second and third of St. John, that of St. Jude, and the Revelations (which have been called in question for a long time) are not in this version ; it is very probable that it was made before the canon of the New Testament had been made and approved of by the church. It is supposed that Melito bishop of Sardis*", who lived towards the end of the second century, hath made mention of a Syriac version; but in this there is no certainty. Ephrsem a Syrian author, who wrote commentaries upon the holy scriptures in the Syrian tongue, quotes some passages out of the sacred writings in the same language, which seems to prove that in his time the bible was translated into Syriac. As there were in the earliest ages of Christianity some Christians beyond Euphrates, most of whom, as not being subject to the Roman empire, understood neither Greek nor Latin, Mr. Simon supposes, that they soon got a version of the New Testament. This version having been made from the Greek, and from very ancient manuscripts, may be of the same service as the Italick and Vulgate. It may also serve to correct the Vulgate in some places, as having been made from ancienter copies : that word for instance, which is by St. Jerome rendered super substantial^, hath by the Syrian interpreter been translated the bread which is needful J'or us, which very well expresses our blessed Saviour's meaning*. According to the account given by several learned The Armpni- authors*" of the Armenian version, there is none more ^" """""• valuable among all the ancient ones. But nothing can give a better or greater idea of it than a letter f, which we shall * For the use of Hiram King of Tyre. See Dr, Prid. Conn, part 2. b. I. under the jear 277. § 10. e Treraellius, Trottius. >> See Dr. Mill's Proleg. p. 127. ' Matth, vi. 11. "^ Mr.. Simon, Dr. Mills, Father le Long. + " The Armenian version, is to " ceive it hath any manner of relation " me, the queen of all the versions " to it in the version of the New Tes- " of the New Testament. The excel- " tament. Nothing can be more favor- " lency which this language has above " able than the judgment of the late " any other, of being able to express " Mr. Picques passed upon the Arme- " word by word the terms of the " niau version. " original, is peculiar to it alone. " The antiquity of the Armenian " You know what is the nature of " version is unquestionable. The " the Syriac tongue; the Egyptian " historians of that nation assert it " is yet more ditferent from the " was done in the beginning of the " Greek, so that you can hardly per- " tifth century, and their authority, Q 4 232 AN INTRODDCTION TO here coiinimnicate to the public. It was Avritten to us by a learned person', who is a perfect master of the Armenian lan- guage, and hath thoroughly studied this version. *' which is not to be slighted, is very " agreeable to what may be observed " concerning it, in comparing this " version with the most ancient copies " that arc now extant. Of numberless " instances which I could bring, I " shall mcntiun but two, which, in my " opinion, are remarkable. You know " what father Lami hath observed in " his harmony on the fourth verse of " the fifth chapter of St. John. This " verse, which is omitted by Nonnus " in his paraphrase, and wanting in " several manuscripts, is not to be " found in the Armenian. I mean, in " the Armenian manuscript; for Us- " can, bishop of Armenia, hath foisted " it in the Armenian editions that " have been printed in Holland, hav- " ing translated it from the Latin of " the Vulgate. In the xxviith chapter " of St, Matthew, the author of the " Armenian version hath read the 16th " and 17th verses, as I set them dow n " here. 16. Y.t^xj'v ^\ tote ^bo-^^ho, 17. 'Lvi'T/j'i'yhuv ol a,VTuv. utriv " a.vTo7^ ^^^aT©. Tivac. Bs^^iTi cctto. " Xiiau V1/.T11', 'Ijjj-Sk Ba.pfoi.$oiv ri " 'I'/5cr5> TOi Xiyof^ivov X^i^oii. This " reading, though it may seem strange, " is very ancient, and among all the " versions, none but the Armenian " hath retained it. I would even have " taken it for a palpable mistake in " the translator, had I not discovered " it in Origen's homilies on St. Mat- " thew. His words are as follows: " Homil. XXXV. fol. 86, of the Paris " edit. 1512. The Greek of that ho- " mily is lost. Quejii vultis dbnittain " vohis Jesum liurabbnin, an Jesuin " qui dicitur (J/iristus In /null is " cxemplaribus non continetur quod " Barabbas etiam Jesus dicebatur, S; " forsitan recte, ut ne nomen Jesu « conveniat alicui iniquorum. Some " peremptory critic would be apt to 4t imagine that Origen's reasoning had <■<■ eclipsed the ancient reading. " These two instances may suffice • for the present. I give a full account ■ of the Armenian version in the ■ preface to my dictionary of this • language. This translation is not ■ so well known as it ought to be. ' It is in every respect preferable ' to the Syriac, which, as is manifest ' from the testimony of several au- thors, particularly of Gregory Abul- faragius, hath often been revised upon the Greek text; whereas the aversion the Armenians have always had for the Greeks ever since the council of Chalcedon, had so en- tirely stopt all manner of communi- cation between these two nations, that nothing like it can be suspected in the present case. This way of rea- soning may indeed appear of no force, and I would even have omit- ted it, could I have made you as sensible as I am of the beauty, per- fection, energy, and antiquity of the Armenian version. To beconvinccd of it, one ought to learn this lan- guage, it being as useful for the understanding the Greek of the Old Testament, as that of the New. The text of the Seventy may be restored in a thousand places by means of this version. " I have set down in the margin of my copy of Mr. Simon's critical history some of the blunders he hath committed when speaking of the Armenian edition of the holy scrip- tures, published at Amsterdam by bishop Uscan. This prelate was a zealous Roman catholic, as all his prefaces plainly shew. He under- stood a little Latin, and had no manner of taste, or judgment. He iiath not indeed left out or altered any one passage ; but when he found any thing more in the vulgate, he made no scruple of foisting it in his edition. He owns it in one of his yirefaces, and hath even the confi- dence to boast of it. 1 have observed it before with relation to the fourtii verse of the lifth chapter of St. ' Mons. de la Crosc, counsellor and iibrary-kccpcr to the king of Prussia. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 235 Thouo-h the Greek tong-ue hath been used in xue Coptic Egypt' for ah>ng- time, the Coptic or Egj/ptian ver- °' Egjpuan. sion is not withstanding of a considerable antiquity. Some authors'" place it in the fifth, and others even in the fourth century. This version agrees in several particulars, Avith the Armenian, as the same learned person, Avhose letter we have just now given, hath observed. The coptic translation was made from the Greek. The Ethiopic version is also very ancient, and the xi.e Eth.opic first of all those made in the eastern languages that '^'"""• ever was printed. Some pretend that it Avas done in the third century. Was the time of the conversion of the Ethi- opians exactly known, Ave might more easily judge of the antiquity of their version; but some fix this conversion to the Apostolical times, and others to that of the emperor Jus- tinian, that is, in the sixth century. An Ethiopian abbot named Gregory, Avho, as we learn from the celebrated Ludol- phus", was well versed in these matters, pretended that it Avas made in the time of St. Athanasiuso, i. e. in the fourth century. Thus much is certain, that that father placed at AxumaP, Avhich Avas then the chief city of Ethiopia, a bishop named Frumentius, Avho was banished into Egypt* by the emperor Constantius. It is supposed that the Ethiopic ver- sion Avas made by some Ethiopian monks, because of its agreement with the Alexandrian manuscripfJ. If so, this version is of no small consequence. The orio-in of the Arabic version is unknoAvu. The Arabic Some imagine that St. Jerome hath mentioned it, but it is more probable that he speaks only of some Arabic terms which are to be found in some of the books of the Old " John. He hath undoubtedly done " Epistles, Mr. Simon hath given but " the same with the passage concern- " an imperfect and superficial account " ing the three witnesses mentioned in " of the Armenian version, as he com- " the fifth chapter of the first epistle " monly doth of matters which he did " of the same apostle. The fair Arme- " not understand. Ishould write a " nian manuscript of the four Gospels, " whole book, was I to tell you all " which I have procured for the king's " that I have to say of the Armenian " library, hath given me an exact " version, for which I have a very " knowledge of all the interpolation, " great value, and not without good " the Arnienian bishop hath made to " reason. ^^ " his edition. To my great sorrow I " Berlin, Sept. 29, 1718. " have no manuscript of the Acts and ™ Mills, fol. clii. clxvii. " Hist. ^Ethiop. 1. iii. c 4. " Athan. Oper. t. i. p. 696. 1' Now called Acco. * The churches of Ethiopia depended on the patriarch of Alexandria. " Mills Proleg, fol. 121. »134 AN INTRODUCTION TO Testament, as in that of Job'. It is commonly placed in the eighth century. But it is not well known whether it was made from the Greek, or from some Syriac versions ; perhaps from both. As the Arabic lang-uage was used almost all over the east, there are more versions in this tongue than in any other of the oriental languages, and it is likely that some were made from the Greek, some from the Syriac, and others from the Coptic^. The Persian translation of the four gospels is commonly Tiie Persian supposed to Iiavo bccu doHo iu the fourteenth cen- tury. Those that can read it, say that it is very loose, more like a paraphrase. It was made from the Syriac. There is another Persian translation of the four gospels of a later date, which was made from the Greek. We do not find that the rest of the New Testament Avas ever translated into Persian. We must not forget to rank among- the ancient versions Tiie Gothic of the New Testament, the Gothic, m hich was done in Saxon ver' the fourth ccutury by Ulphilas the first bishop of sions. jjjg Goths. Philostorgius' tells us, that this bishop translated the Avliole Bible, except the books of Kings, because they chietly treat of Avars, and that the Goths being a very warlike nation, have more need of a curb than a spur in this respect. This version is the more to be valued, because, as is pretended, it agrees with the manuscri pts from which the Italick was made. There are only the four Gospels remaining of the Gothic version *. It is supposed that the Anglo-Saxon trans- lation of the gospels was done about the same time, and con- sequently may be as usefvd. From this account of the ancient translations of the New Testament, Ave may learn, 1st. To adore the providence of God, which hath thereby so Avisely provided for the conversion and salvation of all men. So that these versions may be said to have supplied the gift of tongues whercAvith the apostles were endued. 2ndly. From the agreement which so many translations that Avere made in different parts of the Avorld, have Avith the original, it is plain that this latter hath not been altered. 3dly. AVe find, that notwithstanding the cor- ruption and barbarity Avhich have reigned in the AAorld, there have been in all ages, persons that had at heart the conver- sion of souls, and Avere besides furnished Avith a sufficient stock of learning to be able to put into the hands of the •■ Mills Proleg.fol. 136. '^ Le Long Biblioth. Sacr. sect. i. c. 2. ' Philostorj;. Hist. Ec. c. 5. Social. Hist. Ec. 1. iv. c. 33. * The manu- script of it, wivich is very fair, but withal very imperfect and worn out, is kept in (he library of Upsal in Sweden. Several tliink that it is the very original of Ulphilas, Tlicrc are copies of it in several places. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 235 faithful, the sacred instrument of this conversion, by trans- lating- the holy scriptures into the vulgar languages. Since the restoration of learning, several persons of me Nfo- have applied themselves to translate the Bible '''^'^'! '-^^v' £ 1 version ot from the oriq'mals : that is, the Old Testament the New from the Hebrew, and the New from the Greek. Some of these translations have been made by persons of all persuasions, and into all languages, without excepting the modern Greek. We shall here give an account only of the Latin and English versions. Among the Roman Catholics, the celebrated Erasmus. Erasmus* was the first that undertook to translate into Latin the New Testament from the Greek. In this translation he followed not only the printed copies, but also four Greek manuscripts. According to St. Jerome's example, he varied but very little of the vulgate, which had been in use for several ages. The first edition of this book was published in L516, and dedicated to Pope Leo X. who sent Erasmus a letter of thanks, wherein he mightily commends this version. It was notwithstanding extremely found fault with by the Roman Catholics themselves. The author defended himself with as much courage as he was attacked, and these disputes have been of no small service to the public. This version hath been printed, and corrected several times by Erasmus himself, and others. Arias Montanus undertook, by the order of the Arias council of Trent, as some persons pretend, a version Momanus. of the Old and New Testament. In his translation of the Old, he followed that of Pagninus, a Dominican monk, and keeper of the Vatican library, who had translated the Old Testament from the Hebrew by order of Clement VIII. As for the New, Arias Montanus changed only some words in it, namely where he found that the Vulgate differed from the Hebrew. This version was never much in request, because it is too gram- matical. There is also ascribed to Thomas de Vio, a Dominican, who is commonly known under the name of Cardinal Cajetan, a Latin version of all the New Testament, except the Revela- tions. But as he did not understand Greek, it is likely that he got somebody to make it in his name f. * See Beza's opinion of Erasmus's translation of the New Testament, in Beza's preface to his edit, of the New Testament in 1560. See also Dr. Mill's Proleg. p. Ill, and 112. + We have not seen this version. It was printed at Venice in 1530, and 1531, with the Cardinal's commentaries on the whole New Testament, except the Revelations. 236 AN INTKODLCTION TO We Iiave not seen another Latin version that was published by an English writer in 1540, and dedicated to Henry VIII. We are told, that this version was made not only from the printed copies, but also from very ancient Greek manuscripts *. One of the most ancient Latin versions made by Protestants, The zurici. is that which commonly goes under the name of the version. Zimcli traiislution. Part of it was done by Leo Juda, one of the ministers of that city, avIio was assisted in this performance by the most learned'of his bretJiren. But as he was prevented by death from finishing this work, he left the care of it to Theodorus Bibliander, minister and pro- fessor at Zurich ; who, Avith the help of Conradus Pellicau, professor of the Hebrew tongue in the same place, translated the rest of the Old Testament. Tlie New was continued by Peter Cholin, professor in divinity ; and by Rodolph Gualte- rus, Leo Juda'sf successor in the ministerial function j. Though this version hath not been free from all censure, it hath notwithstanding met with a general approbation, because it keeps a due medium between such translations as stick too close to the letter, and those wherein too much liberty is taken. Mr. Simon hath even a remarkable story about it" ; which is, that a Spanish monk had praised this version in a book printed at Venice, and licenced by the inquisitors. It is true, the monk fancied that Leo Juda was bishop of Zurich, as he calls him himself, and therefore thought that he might safely commend his performance. The seventh verse of the fifth chapter of the first epistle of St. John is omitted in this translation, and put only in the margin. We have chose, say the translators in their note, to Jolloic Cyril, and the best copies\\. They had in their library an ancient manuscript, where this verse was left out. Which made Builinger say% that some pretender to learning having found it in the mar- gin, where it was put by way of explanation, had inserted it into the text. The year following, Robert Stephens printed this same edi- phens'uie' tiou with a {ew alterations. To it he joined the He- kings printer, j^j.g^y text, aud the Vulgatc, and illustrated his edition with notes taken from the public lectures of Fran- * Le Long Bibliotli. Sacr. Part i. p. 752. That English author's name was AValter Deloeii. i Some have imagined that Leo Juda was originally a Jew, but they were mistaken. X This version was published in 1544, with prefaces that are well worth reading, and short notes to explain the text. " Simon His(. Crit. des Versions, c. 23. || We forgot to observe before, tiiat Erasmus did not put this passage in his first editions of tlie New Test.i- ment, because lie found it not in tlie Greek copies; but having afterwards met witli it in a manuscript in I'^ngland, he |)ut it in the following editions. * Comment, ad loc. THE NEW TESTAMENT. 237 I iscus Vatablus, regiiis professor of the Hebrew tongue. But the latter disowned the notes, because, as he pretended, Robert Stephens liad inserted among them things which favoured the protestants. This edition was censured several times by the doctors of the Sorbon, against whom Stephens briskly defended himself. Notwithstanding all their cen- sures, this edition was afterwards printed at Salamanca. Of all our Latin versions, none hath made more castaiio. noise than that of Sebastian Castaiio, professor of the Greek tongue at Basil*. It was vastly run down, upon its first appearance by Theodorus Beza, and the rest of the Geneva divines, who charged it with impiety, and did not spare the author of it in the least. What chiefly gave offence in this ver- sion, was,l. That Castaliodeparted in some places from the pro- testant's system, concerning- predestination, grace, and free- will. 2. That he affected an elegance which was suitable nei- ther to the simplicity nor majesty of the sacred writings. No- thing could be more specious than what this author proposed to himself in translating the books of the Old and New Testa- ment, according to the purity of the Latin tongue; namely, thereby to engage some over-nice persons to read the holy scriptures who had an aversion to them, upon account of the rough and uncouth language of the common versions. But surely, he could have arrived at this end, without departing so much from the style and manner of writing of the sacred authors, as he hath done. For, besides the false elegance and overstrained politeness, Mhich he is justly blamed for, he oftentimes takes more liberty than a faithful translator ought to do. We shall allege some instances of it taken out of the xxvith chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, at the first opening of the book y. In the eleventh verse, instead of rendering the word synagogas by synagogues, he translates it assemblies'', which is ambiguous, and even unintelligible in this place. In the same verse, instead oi to blaspheme, he translates to speak impionsh/ % which hath no determinate signification. In the eighteenth verse, instead of these words, that they may obtain, by faith in me,J'orgiveness oj' sins, and their lot in the inheritance of the saints ; he hath rendered thusf, that they may have the same lot as those which shall be sanctijied by faith; joining by faith with sanc- tified, whereas it ought to be joined Avitli to obtain ; which is all a piece of aft'ectation to remove the idea of an absolute and unconditional election. This edition hath notwithstanding- * Castaiio was born in Savoy, and 18 years professor at Bazil. -^ The edi- tion we used is that of 1355, which is dedicated to Edward VI- ^Collegia. ^ Impie loqiii. + Ivandein cum eis sortcm consequanter, qui fide mihi habcnda sancti fact! fuerint. 238 AN JNTRODUCTION TO met with nn abundance of admirers, and hath had several editions. He translated the Bible afterwards into as uncouth and barbarous a French, as his Latin version is elegant. Among- all the Latin versions made by protestants, none is Theodorus uiorc uiiiversally liked than that of Theodorus Beza. Beza. Chamier'' gives it the preference above all the rest. Rivet hath bestowed very great encomiums upon it, in his pre- face to the version of the Old Testament by Junius and Tre- mellius, at the end of which Beza's version of the New hath been joined. A Geneva divine *= found it the most exact of all, and Avished it was introduced into churches and schools in the room of the Vvdgate. This translation did not meet with the same approbation from the Roman Catholics, who, perhaps, out of prejudice, accused Beza of having accommodated this version to his prejudices. Though it hath been several times printed in England, yet the English have not expressed the same value for it as the rest of the Protestants. It was even judiciously enough criticised upon in several places by a Canon of Ely'S who had been put upon it by the bishop of that diocese^ Bishop AV^alton^is of opinion, that Beza hath been justly charged with having departed from the common reading- Avithout necessity, or having- on his side the authority of the manuscripts, and also with deciding- frequently in a magisterial way, and having substituted mere conjectures to the words of the original. But it is only reading this version to be satisfied of the contrary. The account Beza gives in his preface of the method he had followed, is far from those peremptory airs which he is charged withal. If he hath not always followed his own rules, this is a fault common to him with all translators. Dr. Mills liath kept no more moderation than Walton in the judgment he hath passe Lib. iii. c. 1. " Ili.t. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 15, •■ Catal. Scrip. Eccl. '' De ConseiiS'. Evang. 1. i. r. 1. ' Ubi supra. ' L. i. c. 29. 8 Philocal. c. V. '' Pra!script. c. 51. ' Haeres. 1. i. n.9. '' Philocal. ubi supra. ' Aiii^ustin. coiilra Faust. 1. xvii. c. 1. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 243 that St. Matthew's gospel could be none of his, because he speaks of himself in the third, and not in the first person ; for nothing is more common both in sacred and profane historians, as St. Augustin observes with relation to Moses and St. John. So trifling an objec- tion therefore cannot invalidate in the least the testi- mony of all ancient Christian authors that have unani- mously ascribed this gospel to St. Matthew. III. We ought undoubtedly to express a great regard for the authoritv of the same ancient authors, when they tell us with one consent, that St. Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebrew, for the use of those of his own nation. But this has been called in question by abundance of very judicious critics^, and that for very material reasonSc The chief whereof are as follow. 1. Eusebius™, who relates this matter upon no other authority than that of Papias, gives us at the same time such a character of that ancient father, as renders his testimony very weak and insignificant, when he says, that he tvas a man of a very mean capacity, and apt to misunderstand, and put a ivrong construction on the informations he received from the Apostles. 2. Papias himself, who pretends to inform us that St. Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebrew, adds to this relation one circumstance which renders the whole very doubtful ; and that is, that every one interpreted, as tveil as he could, the Hebrew text of St. Matthew. As the arbitrary interpretation, which Pa])ias here speaks of, cannot be supposed to have been done but by such Jews as had embraced Christianity, this mani- festly shews, that the Hebrew tongue was not then very common among the Jews, since it needed an interpre- tation. And indeed it is well known, that Hebrew was then understood by none but the learned of that nation, as is evident from the Chaldee paraphrases, and their custom of interpreting the law in their synagogues in the '" Hist. Ectl. 1. iv. c. 39. R 2 244 PREFACE TO vulgar tongue, which was the Syriac or Syro-Chaldaic, But to be fully convinced how little knowledge the Jews had at that time of the Hebrew language, we need but reflect on what Josephus says towards the end of the last chapter of his Jewish antiquities: H'^e reckon those wise, or learned, saith he, that understand so ivell the holy scriptures, as to he able to interpret them ; which is, adds he, so very uncommon a thing, that hardly are there two or three to hejound, that can succeed in that undertaking. Now how came St. Matthew, ( who as we are told by St. Jerome, wrote for the sake of the Christians of his own nation,) to pen his gospel in Hebrew, which was a language that could not without difficulty be understood at that time? Why did he not write, as the rest of the Evangelists have done, in Greek, which was understood over all the Roman empire", and particularly in Judea, as we are informed by the Jewish doctors", that his gospel might equally serve for the instruction of the Jews that dwelt in Judea, as well as of those that were dispersed over the world *, and also of the Gentiles whom the Apostles were commis- sioned to teach ? 3, To solve this objection some learned authors have supposed, that St. Matthew did not write his gospel in the Hebrew tongue properly so called, but in the Syro- Chaldaic, that is a mixture of Syriac and Chaldee, which was then the vulgar tongue in Judea, and is even called in Scripture the Hebrew dialect^, because it was in reality a dialect of the Hebrew. But this answer is so far from removing the diflicuhy, that it really creates a new one. For supposing that tlie Syriac is sometimes called in the sacred writings a Hebrew dialect, it doth rot follow from thence, that the fathers, from whom we liave it that St. Mattliew wrote in Hebrew, have con- founded these two languages. It appears on the con- trary, that they have carefully distinguished them, and " Cicero pro Aichia. " Apud Liglitfoot Hor. Hcbr. in Matth. i. 25. * Matth. xxviil. '' Arts xxi. 40. xxii. 2. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. -245 especially Eusebius, who hath transmitted to us this tra- dition concerning St. Matthew's gospel. For speaking of an ecclesiastical writer named Bardesanes '^, he says, that he was well versed in the Syriac tongue, and that his disciples had translated his books from Syriac into Greek. He doth not say from the Hebrew. The same author tells us in another place "", that he had translated from the Syriac tongue into Greek, the pretended letters of Agbarus to Jesus Chri!>t, with the answers of Jesus Christ to Agbarus. In the 4th. book of his history s, speaking of Higesippus, he says, that he had translated several passages of the gospel according to the Hebrews, and abundance of things from the Syriac as well as from the Hebrew tongue. Here we have the Hebrew and Syriac particularly distinguished one from the other; and had St. Matthew written his gospel in Syriac, Eusebius had here a very proper occasion of saying so. Neither did St. Epiphanius* confound the Hebrew with the Syriac when speaking of the Nazarenes, he said, that they were well versed in Hebrew, and had the holy scriptures read among them in that language, as tiiey were among the Jews. And that he there means the Hebrew tongue, properly so called, is very plain, since it would otherwise have been no such wonder that the Nazarenes understood thoroughly the Syriac; from whence it is evident, that when the same father said" that the Ebionites had the Hebrew copy of St, Matthew's gospel, he thereby understood the Hebrew language, and not the Syriac. But St. Jerome alone will decide the matter. This author hath spoken in several parts of his works of the Hebrew tongue, and the nature of it ; but he always meant in those several places that language in which the books of the Old Testament were written, and never the Syriac. He even carefully distinguishes the one from the other upon occasion, as in his com- mentary on the second chapter of the epistle to the Gala- 1 Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c, 30. ■• L. i. c. 13. ' Cap. 22. ' Haeres. xxix. n. 7. " Ibid. HiErcs. xxx. n. 13. R 3 246 PREFACE TO tians". Whenever therefore he says, as he doth more than once, that St. Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebre' *, he thereby always understood the Hebrew tongue pro- perly so called. From whence it follovvs, that it St. Matthew wrote in Hebrew, it was in the same Hebrew in which the books of the Old Testament were written, and not in Syriac ; which leaves in its whole strength the objection that is taken from the little knowledge the generality of the Jews then had of the Hebrew tongue. Add to this, that the Jewish nation being upon the brink of destruction., as Jesus Christ himself foretold in several places of St. Matthew's gospel, it is very improbable that the Evangelist would have written his gospel in a language which was soon to perish with the people by whom it was spoken. 4. Some stress might perhaps be laid upon the testi- mony of Irenaeus, who also asserts that while St. Mat- thew was among the Hebrews, he wrote his gospel in their own tongue ; could we be but sure that he hath some better authority for this assertion than that of Papias, from whom he likewise borrowed the notion of a millennium, as he owns himself^, and as we learn from Eusebius ^. We must pass the same judgment upon the rest of the fathers, and other ecclesiastical writers that have recorded this particular : as they have copied Irenaeus and Eusebius, it all depends upon the bare authority of Papias, which, as we have shewed before, is of no great weight. 5. To prove that St. Matthew did not write his gospel in Hebrew, some other pr^obable reasons are produced, which would indeed be of no great force, was the fact otherwise unquestionably true; but considering the slight foundation on which it is built, they are not to be entirely rejected. Is it probable, for instance, say some, that if St. Matthew's gospel had been written in Hebrew, such a valuable original should have been lost, I ^^ Tom. mihi ix. \). 99. G. ^ Dc Scriptor. Eccl- & iii Etai. cap. 6. ' L. V. c. 33. * Euscb. iibi supra. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 24T and not have been as carefully preserved as the rest of the gospels ? Is it moreover likely that so precious an original would have been left to such an arbitrary interpretation as Papias speaks of? If the Hebrew copy of St. Matthew's gospel was at first translated not as every one ivas able, but by some particular person, it is really very strange that the author of this translation should have been entirely unknown to all the ancient writers, as we find it was ? Some supposing it was done by St. John, as Theophylact, upon hearsay =^; others ascribing it to St. James of Jerusalem, as the author of the Synopsis wdiich goes under the name of St. Athanasius ; others to St. Luke and St. Paul, as Anas- tasius the Sinaite ^ and others, in short, as St. Jerome \ declaring that it is uncertain who was the author of it. These are the chief reasons which make it appear doubtful whether St. Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebrew, and which have induced several learned critics to believe that he wrote in Greek, like the rest of the Evangelists. As they undoubtedly wrote for the sake of the Jews, as well as St. Matthew and the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, that is, to the Christians of Jerusalem and Judea, to distinguish them from the Hellenistical Jews, they ought also to have written in Hebrew, if the reason above be of any force, and yet we find they all wrote in Greek. It seems then very probable, that Papias, who was apt to be mistaken, took the gospel of the Nazarenes, or that of the Ebio- nites, (supposing they were different,) which was writ- ten in Hebrew, for St. Matthew's. "And indeed we are told by St. Irenaeus^ that the Ebionites, boasted they had the gospel of St. Matthew, and used no other. Eusebius% speaking of the Ebionites, said, that they used only the gospel according to the Hebrews, mean- ing undoubtedly thereby the same which is by St. ' Piosm. in Matth. •- Anagog. Contempl. c. 8 •• Dc Script. Eccles. « L. i. c. 26, & 1. iii. c ii. p. 220. * L. in. c. 27. R 4 248 PKErACE TO Irenaeus called the gospel according to St. Matthew. St. Jerome^ confounding the gospel of the Nazarenes with that of the Ebionites, tells us that he had tran- dated \t from Hebrew into Greek, and that it gene- rally passed for tlie authentic copy of St. Matthew. But yet it appears from the passages he cites out of it, that it \va^ far from being so. Or else, the Ebionites, or Nazarenes, having translated into Hebrew the ori- ginal Greek of St. l^latthew, which they corrupted and interpolated, as St, Epiphanius tells us it was in his time ", and having styled tlieir translation the gospel according to the Hebrews, or else the gospel of the Apostles, or of St. Matthew, Papias and others were hereby led into such a mistake, as to imagine that St. Matthew had written in Hebrew. This conjecture is confirmed by what Epij)hanius relates'' upon the authority of some Jews converted to Christianity, viz. that the gospel according to St, John, and the Acts of the Apostles, had also been translated into Hebrew. Upon this supposition the Greek text of St. Matthew must be the original, and the Hebrew only a transla- tion. Thus much is certain, that they who are of opi- nion that St. Matthew wrote in Hebrew, entertain not- withstanding the same veneration for the Greek copy of it we now have, as if it was the original. The authority of St. Matthew's gospel, as it is "now extant, not being therefore any way called in question, it ought to be reckoned a matter of the utmost indifference, to know in what language it was wriiten. IV. We must now say a word or two concerning the title of this gospel, (accoroing to St. Matthew) which will serve for all the rest. St. Chrysostom tells us, in the beginning of his first homily on the epistle to the Romans, that the titles of the gospels had not been put by the Evangelists themselves, but by some of the primitive Christians, that took care to set at ' In Matth. c. 12. & I. iii. adv. IVla^. o. 1. s HaTc-. \x\. n. 13 ^ H;er. xxx. n. 3. p. 127. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 249 the head of each of the gospels the name of the Evan- gelist by whom it was composed, that after ages might have no manner of pretence for doubting of their hav- ing been written by those, whose names they bear. The (ireek word evangelion, (which we render gospel) signifies any good news whatsoever; and this signifi- cation of that term is so very common and obvious, that there is no need of producing any instances. It is also sometimes used in the Septuagint version, and in profane authors', to denote tlie reward that was given to those that brought good tidings. See 2 Sam. iv. 10. and likewise the sacrifice that used to he ojf'ered upon 7^eceiving good news. In the sacred vvri tings of the Old and New Testament^, the words evangelizein and evangelion, are particularly applied to that eternal salvation which was revealed and procured by our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, and foretold by the prophets. See Isaiah Ixi. ], and numberless places in the New Testament. Hence those books, which con- tain an account of the doctrine and life of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the author of the gospel, came to be called evangelia or gospels. In this sense, Justin Martyr styles the gospels the monuments, or memoirs of the Apostles. The meaning therefore of these words^ The gospel according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John, is this, The account of the doctrine, preaching, and life of Jesus Christ, as compiled, and set forth, hy St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John : in the same manner as those false gospels, that appeared in the first century, and perhaps before the true ones were named. The gospel according to the Hebrews Apostles Egyptians, &c. V. St. Matthew's style is natural and unaffected, as that of an historian, and especially of a sacred writer should be, who ought to avoid, as much as possible, all manner of affectation, and all such ornaments as * Cicero Ep. ad Attic. Lib. ii. Ep. 12. Plutarch Vit. Flioch. p. 749. 250 PREFACE TO are unbecoming the sublimity and seriousness of the matters he relates. As for his language (I mean that of the Greek copy, which is the only authentic one we have) like that of the rest of the writers of the New Testament, it abounds in turns and expressions taken from the Hebrew, or Chaldee, which was then the vulgar tongue in Judea : as doth also the ver- sion of the Seventy, which was made by Jews of Alexandria, whose language was a Greek mixed with Hebraisms. When St. Matthew cites any prophecies from the Old Testament, he doth it some- times according to the Hebrew, as chap. ii. 15. as St. Jerome hath observed'*; at other times, accord- ing to the Greek of the Seventy; and sometimes he follows neither, but only takes the sense and expresses it in his own words, according to the use he designed to make of those applications which is the method the sacred writers have in general taken, as the same father hath observed^. St. Irenseus", who may be supposed to have been a competent judge of this matter, tells us, that Petev, John, Matthew, Paul, and all the rest, as well as their disciples, have alleged all the prophecies, according to the version of the Seventy, which seems to be too general an assertion, unless the version of the Seventy was then more agreeable to the Hebrew than it is at present. And indeed it is manifest from several passages in Justin Martyr's dialogue with Trypho, that at that time the Jews altered the Septuagint translation as they thought fit"; and St. Augustin testifies », that be found it so very much changed, that hardly could it be known. St. Jerome relates nearly the same thing in his commentary on the Vth. Chap, of Ezekiel. However it be, St. Jerome'', who was no great admirer of the version of the Seventy, says, it must be observed in general, that whenever the Apostles and apostolical writers address themselves to the heathens, they make " 111 Matth. ii. ' Hier. ad Es. \.\ix. .t ad Jcrem. xxxi. '" Lib, iii. c. 25. " Just. Mart. p. 247, 297. " I'-p. iii. i> Qusst. Heb. p. 228. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 251 use of those testimonies which were already publicly known among the gentiles, that is, of the Septuagint version. This, to several persons, is another argument of St. Matthew having written in Greek, and not in Hebrew; because had he written in Hebrew, he would always have followed in his quotations the Hebrew text, and never the Seventy. To this it is replied, that it was the Greek translator of St. Matthew's gospel, and not the Evangelist himself that made use of the version of the Seventy, when passages were quoted out of the Old Testament. But in so doing he would not have acted like a faithful translator ; for he ought to have rendered literally the passages in Greek, as they are in the Hebrew, without adhering to the Seventy ; or if he had a design of following the latter, he should have done it every where. From hence it is inferred with abundance of probability, that St. Matthew having followed sometimes the Hebrew, and sometimes the Seventy, as the rest of the Evangelists have, that he con- sequently wrote in the same language as they did. We do not find that St. Matthew hath always related things in the same order in which they happened; he doth it indeed generally, but frequently also relates matters as they come in his way, as we shall have an occasion of shewing elsewhere. The gospel of St. Matthew may be divided into four parts: 1. The three first chapters contain the genea- logy of Jesus Christ, with a relation of his conception and the arrival of the wise men; his flight into Egypt and return from thence; his baptism by John the Baptist, and the preaching of this his forerunner. 2. In chap. iv. &c. to the.xxvi. we have an account of the actions, discourses, and miracles of Jesus Christ. 3. In the xxvi. and xxvii. are his sufferings and death. 4. And in xxviii. his resurrection. THE HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO ST. iMATTHEW. CHAP. L The f^enealo(/fi of' Jesus Christ, 1 — 17. Mary with child by the Holy Ghost, LS. Joseph thinks oj' pvltiny her away ; but heiricf irtf'ormed by an Angel oj' the truth, takes her home. Prophecy oj' Isaiah, 19 — 25. A HE history of the life of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was father of Isaac. Isaac was father of Jacob. Jacob was father of Judas and his brothers. V. I. Luke iii. 23. V. 2, Gen. xxi. 2, xxv. 24. xxix, 35. Gospel.'] In Greek cvacyyiXiciv, jiccording to St. Matthew.] Or, of that is, good news. The word Evan- ^^- Matthew, or, by St. Matthew : gelizein having been used in the Sep- ^or the original may be rendered these tuagint version of the Old Testament three ways. The Gospel of Jesus to denote the doctrine of salvation i'hrist, according to St. Matthew, which was to be revealed by Jesus signifies then, the history of the gos- Christ, the doctrine itself came from pd preached by Jesus Christ as it thence to be called Evangelion. And is related by St. Matthew. See the the same title has been prefixed to tlie preface. four books which contain an account V. 1. The History.] Gr. Book. of the preaching and establishment The Greek word Bifc^o? answers to of the Evangelical doctrine by our the Hebrew [Sepher] which signifies Lord Jesus Christ. See the preface to a calculation, list, catalogue, descrip- St. Matthew. [As for our P^nglish tion, letter, edict, contract, history, word gospel, it is derived from the narrative, and in general any writing Saxon god, signifying both God and wliatsocver, whether long or short. good, and spel vvord.l See instances of all tliese dillerent sig- ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 253 3 Judas had by Thainar, Phares and Zara. Phares was fiither of Esroiii. Esroni was lather of Aram. 4 Aram Avas father of Aminadab. Aminadab was father of Naasson. Naasson was father of Sahnon. 5 Sahnon had Booz by Rachab, aud Booz V. 3. Gen. xxviii. 27. 1 Chron. ii. 5, 9. Ruth iv. 18. V. 4. Numb, vii. 12. 1 Chron. ii. 10. V. 5. Ruth iv. 17. I Chron. ii. 10, 11, 12. nifications in Deut. xxiv. 1. Esth. ix. 25, 26, 30. Isaiah xxxvii. 14. Jer. xxxii. 10, 11. Josh. X. 13. History of the life.'] Otherwise, the genealogy, or, list of the ances- (o)-s, in case the words be taken only for the title of the 17 first verses of this chapter, as they have been by the generality of commentators. Or else, the history of the birth, if we look upon the 16 first verses of this chapter as a digression, from which the historian returns in the 18th verse. The terms in the original are Bi^Ao? yiVBOSui;; which last word answers to the He- brew Toldoth, that signifies the birth, or origin, the family and ancestors, or else, the events and actions per- formed by any particular person. It is a maxim among the Jews, that when we meet in scripture with these words, the book of the generation, they are to be understood both of the birth and actions of the person there spoken of. This is the construction Aben-Ezra hath put on the 2d ver. of the xxxviith chap, of Genesis, which runs thus, these are the generations of Jacob. We must undoubtedly put the same meaning upon Gen. v. 1. and vi. 9. since there are some events intermixed there with the genealo- gies. In the same sense likewise in the first Book of Moses styled Genesis, i. e. not only an account of the origin of the world, but also of the first inhabitants of it, and the events that happened therein. This meaning of the word Genesis is further confirmed by Judith xii. 18. where Judith says, this day is the most glorious in my whole life, the Greek word is yeviaiu?. Thus St. James says, iii. 6. that thg tongue setteth on fire the whole courSg of life, yivia-iOK;. So that the true im- port of this expression here BitAoj yiviatuq IvjaS X^j;y> is, the history of the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ. And this is the title of the whole gospel, and not of a few verses in this chapter only. Son of David.'] It was a current opinion among the Jews, that the Messiah was to be of the family of David, See John vii. 42. For which reason those that acknowledged him for the Messiah, called him the Son of David. See Matth. xii. 23. xv. 22. xxi. 9, &c. This persuasion was grounded on the promises God had made to David. See Psalm cxxxii. 11. comp. with Acts ii. 30. and Isaiah ix. 6. comp. with Luke i. 32, 33. Son of Abraham.'] These two an- cestors of Jesus Christ, Abraham and David, are here particularly set down, because to them had the promises been made ; to Abraham that of a Son, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed. Gen. xxii. 18. And to David, that of a Son, whose kingdom should be without end, 2 Sam. vii. 12, 13. The believ- ing Jews waited for the full accom- plishment of tliese promises in the person of the Messiah, Luke i. 32, 69, V. 2. TVas father.'] Gr. begat. As this word is not used but in a figura- tive sense in our language, and never in genealogies, we have rendered it by the word father, which is the proper term, and well expresses the original Greek word. V. .3. Judas had by Thamar.] Gr, begat of Thamar. Thus ver. 5, and 6. V. 3. By Rahab.] It doth not appear from the genealogies which are extant in the Old Testament, that Salmon married Rahab ; St. Matthew therefore had this in all probability out of some genealogical tables kept, by the Jews; who have even at this' day a tradition among them, that Ra hab was married to one of the prince of Israel. 254 A NEW VERSION OF had Obed hy Rutli. Ohei\ was father of Jesse. G Jesse was father of king David, and king- David had Solomon by her that had been the wife of Urias. 7 Solomon Avas father of Roboam. Roboam v/as father of Abia. Abia was father of Asa. 8 Asa \\ as father of Josaphat. Josaphat was father of Joram. Joram was father of Ozias. 9 Ozias was father of Joatham. Joathara was father of Achaz. Achaz was father of Ezekias. 10 Ezekias was father of Manasses. Manasseswas father of Amon. Amon was father of Josias. 11 Josias was father of Jechonias, and his brothers, about the time that the Jeics Mere carried away to Babylon. 12 And after their being car- ried to Babylon, Jechonias was father of Salathiel. Salathiel V. 6. I Sara. xvi. 1. xvii, 12. 2 Sam. xii. 24. V. 7. 1 Kin^s xi. 43. xiv. 31. xv. 8. 1 Chron. iii. 10, 2 Chron. xiv. 1. V. 8. 1 Kings XV, 24. 2 Kings viii, 16, 24. 2 Chron. xvii. 1. xxi, 1, V. 9. 2 Chron, xxvi. 23, xxvii. 9. xxviii. 27. V, 10. 2 Kings xx. 21, xxi, 18. 1 Chron, iii, 14. V. 11, 2 Kings xxiii. 30, 34. xxiv. 6. 1 Chron. iii. 15. 2 Chron. xxvi. 1, 4, 8. V. 12. Haggai i. I tzr. v, 2. 2 Ezr, xii. 1. V. 6. By her that had been the icife of Urias.'\ Gr. By her of Urias. This is an expression that was com- mon both among the Greeks and Ro- mans; instead of saying such a man's wife, they only said her of such a 711 an. V. 8. Joram was father of Ozias.J St. Matthew hath left out three kings of Judah, with a design, as is sup- posed, of retaining the number four- teen in each of the three classes of tlie generations he hath here set down. There are instances of the like omis- sions in other genealogies. See Ezra vii. whereby comparing that chapter with 1 Chron, vi, it is found that five generations are left out. Tiie Jews arc wont sometimes to do so, on pur- pose to make numbers even, that come near one another. Tiie kings omitted here, are Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, which were the de- scendants of Ahai> king of Israel, by Athaliah, his daugliter, the mother of Ahaziah. See 1 Kings xxi. 22. and 2 Kings ix. 8. The reaso.n perhaps why these princes w ere omitted, was, hat tiieir memory might be blotted >ut till the third generation, because t'.cy were descended from very im- lious parents, and were themselves e;tremely wicked. But after all, nothing but mere conjectures can be assigned for this omission. V. II. Josias was father of Jecho- nias.'] This Jechonias is the same as Jehoiakim, called otherwise Elia- kim, 2 Kings xxiv. 6. Accordingly several manuscripts read Jehoiakim; but the most learned critics have ob- served, that it is not the best reading, and that theword Jehoiakim had been foisted in by some transcriber, who saw it was wanting, And his brother.] Jehoiakim had two brothers that deserve to be taken notice of, because they both reigned, namely, Johanan, alias Jehoahaz, and Mattaniah, alias Zedekiah. See 1 Chron. iii. 15. 2 Kings xxiii. 30, 34. and XXV. 7. V. 12. Jechonias.] If the Jecho- nias mentioned in this verse be sup- posed to be the same as is mentioned in the foregoing verse, there will then be but thir!een generations from Je- chonias to Jesus Christ, and we shall have another omission of king Je- hoiakim, for which no good renson can be assigned. In order therefore to avoid this omission, and make up the number fourteen, we must sup- pose that the Jechonias sjjoken of here, is .Tehoiachin, the son of Je- hoiakim, mentioned in the foregoing ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 255 Avas father of Zorobabel. 13 Zorobabel Avas father of Abiud. Abiud was father of Eliakim. Eliakim was father of Azor, 14 Azor was father of Sadoc. Sadoc was father of Achim. Achim was father of Eliud. 15 Eliud was father of Eleazar. Eleazar was father of Mattban. Matthan Avas father of Jacob. 10 Jacob w as father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of Avhoni was born Jesus Avho is called Christ. 17 Thus all the generations, from Abraham to David, are fourteen genera- tions. From David to the time that they were carried aAvay to Babylon, fourteen generations. And from their being carried away to Babylon doAvn to Christ fourteen genera- tions. IS NoAV the birth of Jesus Christ AA^as after this manner. Mary his mother having been contracted to Joseph, before they had been together, she Avas found to be with child by the V. 18, Luke i. 27, 35. verse. They are both called Jecho- nias, because their names are very much alike in Hebrew, either as to the sound, or siguiiication ; so that the iittle differeace between thera, hath been, in all probability, the cause of their being confounded. (See Dr. Whitby in loc.) V. 13. Zorobabel was father of jibiud.] Among the sons of Zoroba- bel, reckoned up 1 Chron. iii, there is no mention of Abiud, or his poste- rity. But as the Jews were very care- ful to keep genealogical tables of their families, St. Matthew had, in all likelihood, what he mentions here, out of tome authentic genealogies that were preserved in the family of Jo- seph, who-ie ancestors, from Zoroba- bel, are likewise omitted in the gene- alogies that are extant in the Chro- nicles, because, in all probability, their condition was but mean and obscure. V. 16. Jacob was the father of Joseph."] It is a maxim among the Jews, that the family of the inother is not called a family. All their pedi- grees are reckoned and deduced from the father. This is the reason v, hy St. Matthew hath here set down the genealogy of Joseph. And thus Je- sus Christ is the son of David, be- cause Joseph's marriage with Mary gave our Saviour Jesus Chri>t a right to all the privileges which a child that was born of strange parents was entitled to by adoption, and which were granted by the law to tiie poste- rity of a man that had married his brother's widow, Gen. xxxvii. 8. Deut. XXV. 5. Ruth iv. 5, 6, 7. It is moreover very probable, that Mary was an only daughter, and an heiress, and consequently obliged to marry in her own family, (See Numb, xxxvi. 7, 8, 9.) So tiiat by giving the gene- alogy of Joseph, St. Matthew gave at the same time that of Mary. Husband of Mary.'] The names of husband and Kifs were given by the Jews to persons that were only be- trothed. Thus Rachel is called Ja- cob's wife, Gen. xxix. 21. See also Deut. xxii. 24. Who is called Christ.'] i. e. A/V'ho is known by that name, and is really the Christ. See Luke i. 32, 35. The Chrisl.] This is a Greek word, that signities the anointed, and answers to the Hebrew Messiah, John i. 42. Which last is the name that was given by the Jews to that prince w4;om they expected, and h ho, as they imagined, was to come and avenge them of their enemies. They had undoubtedly borrowed it from Daniel ix. 25, 26. See likewise 1 Sam. ii. 10. Ps. ii. 2. V. 18. Before they had been to- gether.'} Or, Before they had lived to- 250 A NEW VERSION OF operalion of the Holy Ghost. 19 But as Joseph her husband was a just man, and unwilling to expose her to public shame, he resolved to put her away privately. 20 But while he Avas musing- in his mind upon these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and said, Joseph, son of David, scruple not to receive Mary your wife ; for that which is conceived in her, is by the Holy Ghost ; 21 and she shall be delivered of a son, to whom ye shall give the name of Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 (Now all this was done, to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, in these words : 23 I declare unto you, that a virgin shall conceive and be delivered of a son, and he shall be called Immanuel, that is to say, God with us.) V. 21. Lukei. 31. ii. 2. V. 23. Isaiah vii. 14. Acts iv. 12. V. 31. xiii. 23. Eccles. xlvi. I, 2. gether ; that is, before Joseph, to whom Mary was betrothed, had taken her into his house as his wife ; and this is evident from these words of ver. 20. Scruple not to receive Mary your wife, i^c. Among the Jews there was a con- siderable space of time, (generally a year, or six months) between the be- trothing and wedding. And during this space of time it was, that Mary was found with child by the power of the Holy Ghost. V. 19. Just."] The original word properly signifies a good man, one that fears God, and hates vice, Matth. V. 20. XXV. 37. Luke i. 75. But it also signifies a man of a tender and tnerciful disposition, one that is willing to conceal a fauK. That justice is sometimes taken for mercy, appears from Psalm cxii. 2. Prov. xi, 21, 30. xii. 10. James iii. 17, 18. To expose her to public shame."] This is the meaning of the original Greek word in the Soptuagint, Ezek. xxviii. 17. Jerem. xiii. 22. And in the New Testament, Heb. vi. 6. It also signifies to itijlict an exemplary punishment. See in the translation of the Seventy, Numb. xxv. -1. Tlie law allowed of it in tliis case, Deut. xxii. 21,25. 2'o put her away privately."] The meaning of tliis is not, that he de- signed to put her away williout having any witnesses ; but, without accusing her, and alleging any reason in the bill of divorce. V. 20, Scruple not.] Gr. fear not. Is of the Holy Ghost.] Hath been formed by the Holy Ghost. See a like expression Psalm cxviii. 23. V. 21. Jesus.] This is a Hebrew word, that properly signifies a sa- viour, and which is in the Old Tes- tament given to those that saved and delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of their enemies, as to Joshua, which is the same as Jesus. Ecclesiastic, xlvi. 1, 2, but it is in the New Testament applied to Jesus Ciirist, who is the Saviour and Re- deemer of mankind. V. 23. / declare tinto you.] Gr. Behold. A Virgin.] This prophecy of Isaiah vii. 14. hath been completely and li- terally fulfilled in no other person than Jeius Christ, and the virgin Mary. As for the completion it is suj)posed to have had in tiie time of Aiiaz, it cannot but be very remote and improper. He shall be called.] i. e, he shall be, (for the Hebrews, as well as the Greeks, used to be called for to be, Isaiah hi. 7. Luke xix. 46. Isaiah ix. 6. Jer. xxiii. 6. Homer II. b. v. 2G0) or else he shall deserve to be call- ed, as Isaiah i. 26. viii. 3. ix. 6. Ix. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 257 24 Joseph, when he awaked, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and received his wife. 25 But he had not known her, Avhen she brought forth her first-born son, whom he called Jesus. CHAP. H. Certain Mcufi came from the East to pay homage to Jesus, 1 — 12. Herod endeavours to put him to death. Joseph fties into Egypt with Jesns and Mary. Massacre of the 'infants of Bethlehem, 13—19. Joseph returns from Egypt, and lives at Nazareth, 20—23. 1 Jesus then being born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the time of king Herod, certain Magi came from the east to Jerusalem. 2 And inquired, where is the king of the Jews, that is born ? for we have seen his star in the East, and are come to pay him adoration. V. 1. Luke i. 7. 14. Ixii. 4. Jerem. iii. 17. xxxiii. 16. Ezek. xlvii. 35. Zech. xiii. 3. God with us.'] See John i. 14. (God witli us is the same as God our Saviour.) V. 25. Whenslie.l Gr. till she. We have given here the true sense of this expression, which excludes the time past, but doth not imply that the thina; was done afterwards. For in- stances of this, see Matth. xii. 20. Gen. xxviii. 15. 1 Sam. xv, 35. First-born.1 This doth not imply that Mary had other children after- wards, but that she had none before; comp. Luke ii. 23. See Exod. xiii. 2. V. 1. Bethlehem of Judea. "] This was a small town in the tribe of Ju- dah, which lay on the south of Jeru- salem. There was a city of the same name in Galilee, which belonf^ed to the tribe of Zebulun, Josh. xix. 15. And this is the reason why the for- mer is here called Bethlehem of Ju- dea. In the time of king Herod.'] The great, who was at first tctrarch or jjo- vernor of Judea, and afterwards was declared king of the same country. Joseph. 1. xiv. c. 3. 1. xvii. c. 10. Magi.] This is the name that was given by the Persians, Chaldeans, and Arabians, to those wise men, or phi- losophers among them, that applied themselves to the study of nature, and particularly to astrology, and were besides the priests and ministers of religion. See Dan. ii. 2, 27. v. 11, according to the Septuagint version. From the east.] From Persia, or Arabia. V. 2. The king of the Jews.] They meant hereby the Messiah, having learnt from- tradition, that God was to send to the Jews a deliverer and a king, who should rescue them from the slavery of the Gentiles, under which they groaned. Herod was then indeed king of the Jews; but as he had been set up by the Romans, his government was odious and intoler- able to them. IJis star.] This might be some new phenomenon of the same nature as that 258 A NEW VERSION OF 3 King- Herod having heard this, was alarmed at it. and all Jerusalem with him: 4 insomuch that having- assembled all the chief nriests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them wliv'Tc Christ avrs to be born. 5 They answered him, in Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the pro- phet: 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art by no means the least among the cities of the rulers of Juda, for out of thee shall arise a o-overnor, that shall rule Israel my people. 7 Then Herotl having called the Magi secretly to him, he inquired of them the exact time of the star's appearing; and sending them to Betlilehem : Go, says he to them, search carefully for the young child, and when you have V. 5. Mii-ah v. 2. John vii. 42. which conducted the children of Israel through the wilderness. The philo- sophers here mentioned knew what the meaning and design of it was, either because being possessed with the general expectation which then prevailed all over file East, that about that time a king was to arise out of Judea, they judged according to the rules of their art, that this star was a sign of his birlh ; or else because it had been revealed to them in a mira- culous manner, as they were advised afterwards in a dream of not going to Herod. They might also have infer- red the same from the prophecy of Balaam, Nurab. xxiv. 17, which was known in the east l)y tradition ; add to this, that they had among them the writings of Dcniel, who had been in great repute with tlio ancient Magi, Dan. V. 11. Pai/ him adoration."] i. e. the same obeisance as w as used to be paid by the eastern nations to their monarchs: for so the original word is here and elsewhere to be understood. V. 3. All Jerusalem.'] Such a thing as this was likely to occa'^ion a great deal of noise and disturbni;ce in Jeru^ salem, according as j)eople approved of Herod's administration, or were dissatisfied with it. V. 4. Ml the chief priests.'] That is, not only the high-priest, but also the heads of the '•Z\ sacerdotal fami- lies. See 1 L'hron. x.\iv. 6. and 2 Chron. xxxvi. 14. Scribes of the People.] i. e. The rabbles or doctors that explained the law 10 the people, 1 Ezra. vii. 6, 10. Matth. vii. 29. V. 5. In Bethlehem.] Bethlehem was tile birth-place of David, 1 Sam. xvi. 1,4. from whom the Messiah was to be born : it appears from the an- cient books of the Jews, as well as from the gospels, that the Jews were persuaded the Messiah should be born at Bethlehem, see John vii. 42. \^ 6. Thou art by no means the least.] Thus were these words for- merly read in the Greek version of the Old Testament, which goes under the name of the Seventy, as is evident from Origen contra Celsum, I. i. p. 39. from Chrysostom's Treatise concern- ing the Trinity, t. vi. p. 195. and from the ancient Italick or Latin version which hath been followed by St Cy- prian, and St. Augustin, in his Trea- tise de Civitate Dei, xviii. 30. And these words of St. Matthew would be found very conformable to the original Hebrew of Micah v. 2. were they but translated by way of interrogation. Among the cities of the rulers.] Gr. Among the rulers of Juda. The He- brew word, which Si. Matthew hath rendered here rulers, signifies also thousands, because the people of Is- rael were divided into thousands, each of which had a head or cajjtain. See Exodus viii. 25. The meaning of this is, that Bethlehem is none of the meanest among the cities of the ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 259 found him, bring- uie word, that I also may go and pay hiui adoration. 8 The Magi having- heard the king-, departed, and immediately the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them, till being- over the place, where the child was, it stood still. 9 When they beheld the star thus stand- ing still, they rejoiced exceedingly. 10 And having- entered the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and casting- themselves at his feet, they paid him adoration. 11 Then opening- their treasures, they presented him with gold, frankincense and rayrrh. 12 But having- been admo- nished from heaven in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned into their own country by another way. 13 After they were departed, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph, and says to him, rise, take the young- child and his mother, fly into Egypt^ and go not thence till [ bid you ; for Herod will search for the young child to put him to death. 14 Joseph therefore being risen, took the child and his mother by night and fled into Egypt, 15 where he continued till the death of Herod, (that what the Lord had said by the prophet might be accomplished. Out of Egypt have I called my Son.) V. 11. Psalm Ixxii. 10,13. Isaiah Ix. 6. V. 15. Numb. xxiv. 8. Hosea xi. 1. princes, i.e. the principal or chief came from thence, made the like pre- cities, or those that have given birth sents to Solomon, I Kings x. 2. In to the princes of Judah. Arabia there was plenty of gold, Shalt rule.] Gr. that shall/eed. frankincense, and myrrh. Plin. Hist. V. 8. Seai'ch carefully for the young Nat. 1. vi. c. 28. child.] Take care to know exact V. 13. Into Egypt."] There were where he is. abundance of Jews in Egypt. Some V. 10. Standing still.] We have fled thither in the time of Jeremiah, borrowed this word from the forego- (see ch. xlviii.) and great numbers ing verse, and added it here by way were brought there afterwards upon of supplement, because the sense seems account of the temple of Onias. to require it; for the Evangelist says V. 15. Till the death of Herod.] that upon the appearance of the star. He died 37 years after he had taken the wise-men directly went into the the name of king, and reigned 34 house where Jesus was. years in Jerusalem, since the taking V. 11. Their treasures.] The Greek of that city by Anthony, and ihc de- word Thesauros signifieB not only a feat of Antigonus. Josepii. Ant. I. collection of rarities and precious xiv. 28. xv. 1, & xvii. 10. things, but also whatever serves to Have I called.] See' Hosea xi. 1. hold them. Here it signifies the ves- These words belong in their proper sels or boxes wherein the wise-men and literal sense to the people of Is- had put the presents they designed for racl, as appears from the beginning of the king of the Jews. the verse. See and comp. Exod. iv. Gold.] The nature of these pre- 22, 23. Numb. xxiv. 8. St. Mat- sents gives us reason to iuppose that thew applies them lo Jesus Christ, the wise-men came from Arabia, be- according to the method of the Jew- cause the queen of Sbeba, which ish doctors, who fancied there were s2 260 A NEW VERSION OF 10 Then Herod linding- that the Magi liad deceived liiin, fell into a great rage, and sent and slew all the children of two years old and under, that were in Bethlehem and in all the districts thereof, according to the time he had exactly enquired of the Magi. 17 Then were fulfilled these Mords of the prophet Jeremiah: 11 In Ramah Avere cries heard, lamentations, mournings, and a great moan; Rachel bewailing her children, and refusing to be com- forled, because t'hey are no more. 1.9 But after the death of Herod, lo, the angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 and says to him, Rise, take the young child and his mother, and return into the land of Israel, for they who w ould have taken away the child's life, are dead. 21 Joseph therefore being risen, took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus reioned in V. 18. Jerem. xxxi. 15. several particulars in the Old Testa- ment that related to the Messiah, though in their literal and obvious sense they had a relation to other mat- ters. See ver. 23. V. 16. l7ito a great rage.'] Ha- man's rage againt Mordecai is ex- pressed by the Seventy in the same terms as Herod's anger is here. Esth. iii. 5. V. 9. (e9ujw,a;S»j Xtav vel atpoopoi,) V. 17. These ivurds of the prophets, &C.J See Jerem. xxxi. 15. These words of Jeremiah relate in their lite- ral and primary sense to the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, uiiich v\'ere by Nebuchadnezzar carried away cap- tive into Babylon ; and in their way thither passed tlirough Rama. See Jerem. x1. 1,2, 3,4. They are ap- plied here by the j'.vangelist lo the massacre of the infants at Bethlehem, because they have an exact relation to it, and were again fulfilled in that dreadful slaughter. V. 18. In liama icere cries heard.'] Rama was a town in the tribe of Benjamin, not far from Beth- lehem. See Joshua xviii. 25. Judg. xix. 13. It is very probable, that tiie massacre reached as far as the terri- tory of Rama, which bordered upon that of Bethlehem. Jtachtl /icwailing her children."] The inhabitants of Bethlehem were not the posterity of Rachel, but of Juda the son of Leah: But besides that, Rachel's tomb was near Beth- lehem, see Gen. xxxv. 19. xlvii. 7. 1 Sam. X. 2, and that the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin were united together, and made one kingdom, ever since the revolt of the other ten ; if the slaughter reached as far as tiie territory of Rama, as it is likely it did, the children of Rachel were con- sequently involved in it, as well as those of Leah. V. 20. fVho would have taken away the life.] Gr. that sought the soul. This is a Hebrew expression, of which we have given the sense. See 1 Kings xix. 10, 14. Exod. iv. 19, The angel seems to allude to this last passage. V. 22. Archelaus.] Who was the sixth son of Herod, and the most cruel of all those that survived him. He caused 3000 citizens to be mur- dered in the' temple. The Evange- list says here that he reigned, lie- rod indeed appointed him, in his will, his successor, and bestowed upon him the regal authority; but Augus- tus gave him only (he title of eth- narch, or i)rince of llie nation, of which however he deprived him af- ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 261 Judea ill the room of Herod his father, he durst not ^o thither; but being- admonished from heaven in a dream, he retired into Galilee, 23 and went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what had been said by the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazarene. CHAP. HI. John the Baptist preaches repentance ami baptizes, 1 — (). God's judf/ments upon the impenitent and vnbelievint/ Jews, 7 — 12. Baptism o^' Jesus Christ, IS — 17. 1 In those days appeared John the Baptist, preaching- in the wilderness of Judea in this manner: 2 Repent, for the V. 23. Judg. xiii. 5, Isa. xi. 1. V. 1. Luke i. 80. iii. 2. John i. 28. Mark i.4. Malach. iv. 5, 6. Luke i. 16, 17. iii. 3. John v. 13. V.2. terwai'ds, and sent him into banish- ment for his tyranny and cruelty Joseph. Antiq. 1. xvii. 15. Int€ Galilee.l Which belonged to the jurisdiction of Antipas, one of the sons of Herod, who was himself afterwards called Herod, See Matth, xiv. 1. V. 23. Nazareth.] A small town of lower Galilee, near the frontiers of the tribes of Zebulon and Issa- char. By the prophets.'] That is, by some one of the prophets. Thus, Judg. xii. 7, the cities of Gilead, are put for one of the cities of Gilead. He shall be called a Nazarene.] As these words are not expressly found in any one of the prophets, St. Chrysostom supposed that the Evan- gelist had taken them out of some pro- phecy which is now lost. They seem however to be extant, Judg. xiii. 5. and perhaps St. Matthew looking upon Sampson as a type of the Mes- siah, alluded to that passage. Or else it may be supposed, that the Evangelist had an eye to Isaiah xi. 1. where the Messiah is stiled the Met- zer, or Branch, from whence the word Nazareth is derived. Such allusions to words as these are very frequent in the sacred writings. The Jews and heathens were wont to call Jesus Christ a Nazarene by way of scorn and con- tempt, Mark i. 24. xiv. 67. John xviii. 5,7. Acts vi. 14. xxiv. 5. But the Christians were proud of that name, John i. 44. Acts ii. 22. iii. 6. iv. 10. and Jesus Christ sometimes styled him- self Jesus of Nazareth, Acts xxii. 8. V. 1. In those days.] That is, while Jesus was yet at Nazareth, where he dwelt till he entered on his public ministry. He was then in the 30th year of his age. See Luke iii. 1, 2. It is usual with authors to denote the limes they are speaking of in an indeterminate manner. John the Baptist.] Gr. or the Baptizer. This name was given him, because baptizing was one of his chief functions, ver. 6. Wilderness of Judea.] It was not a place wholly void of inhabitants, but hilly, not so fruitful or so well inha- bited as the rest of Judea, though there were several cities therein. Joshua reckons six. See Josh. xv. 61,62. St. John was born, and had been brought up in this wilderncst. Luke i. 39, 40. V. 2. Repent.] This is only the substance and result of his preaching. 3 2(J2 A jSEW version of kingdom ofJieaven is at hand. 3 It is of him that the pro- phet Isaiah spake, when he said, The voice of one crying- in the wilderness is heard: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths level. 4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair, with a leathern girdle about his loins, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then came to him the inhabitants of Jerusalem, of all V. 3. Isai. xl.3. Mark i. 3. Luke i.76. iii. 4,5. V. 4. Mark i. 6. 2 Kings i. 8. Zech. xiii. 4. Hebr. xi.37. V. 5. Mark i. v. Luke iii. 3,7, The kingdom of heaven.'] That is, tile A:2»|§'rfo;« o/ God, according to the style of the Hebrews, who frequently use the word heaven to denote God himself who dwells there. Hence what is here by St. Matthew called Me kingdom of heaven, is by St. Mark and St. Luke named the kingdom of God, Mark i. 15. Luke vi. 20. The kingdom of heaven signifies then here. The kingdom of God which was founded and established by Jesus Christ; and this expression is ground- ed on Dan. ii. 44. and vii. is, 14. JVow as the kingdom of heaven was to be opened by the preaching of the gospel, John the Baptist rightly says, that it was at hand, since Jesus Christ entered on his public ministry about six months after. Luke iii. 2, 3, See Dr. Whitby on this verse. V. 3. It is of him.l viz. of John. This is a reflection the Evangelist makes. Prepare the voay.'] See Isaiah xl. 3. This prophecy seems to relate in its primary and original signitication to the return of the Jews to Jerusa- lem after tiiey had been set at liberty by Cyrus; but it also belonged in a typical sense, which was as much as the former intended by the Holy Ghost, to John the Baptist, (Sec John i. 23.) considered as preparing the Jews to receive Jesus Christ, either by exhorting them to repentance, or by testifying that Jesus was the' Mes- siah. See John i. 31. Luke i. 76, 77. and Matthew xi. 10. Level.'] Gr. Make iiis p/it/is straight, or level. V. 4. Of camefs hair.'] The Jews used to wear hair, or coarse gar- ments, in times of sorrow and humi- liation. See Matth, xi.21. The Na- zarites did the same till thty had fulfilled their vow, it was also a dress that was sometimes worn by pro- phets. Zech. xiii. 4. 2 Kings i. 8, Revelat. iv. 12. and xi. 3. And in all these respects it suited John the Baptist, as he preached repentance, as he was a prophet, and as he imi- tated the austerity which was prac- tised by the Nazarites. A leathern girdle.] As some of the old prophets, and in particular Elijah, whom John the Baptist represented in habit as well as in spirit and office. See 2 Kings i. 8. comp. Hebr. xi. 37. Matth. xi. 14. Locusts.] The eating of Locusts was allowed by the law. Lev. xi. 22. ff'ild Honey.] Whicli he found in the holes of rocks and trees. Or else it was a kind of honey, which is found in Syria, on the leaves of trees, like dew. V. 5. Of the whole country round about Jordan.] As the river Jor- dan runs through avast tract of land, it cannot be supposed that all they that lived near it came to John's bap- tism. By all the region round about Jordan, St. Matthew therefore means some of those countries near Jordan v/hicii i)ordercd upon Judea, as the plain of Jordan, which is by the Seventy called the country about Jordan. Compare the Septuagint with the Hebrew in the following passages. Gen. x\x. 17,25. xiii. !0, II, 12. 2 Chron. iv. 17. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. -m-A Judea, and of the whole country round about Jordan, G and confessing- their sins, were baptized by him in Jordan. 7 But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his bap- tism, he said to them, Generation of vipers, who has warned you to fly from the wrath to come? 8 Produce therefore fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and pretend not to say within yourselves ; we have Abraham for our father, for I declare to you, that out of these stones God is able to raise children to Abraham. 10 The axe is already laid at the root of the trees. V. 6. Mark i. 4, 5. V. 7. Matth. xii. 34. xxiii. 33. Luke iii. 7, Rom. V. 9. IThess.i. 10. V. 8. Luke iii. 8. V. 9. Isa. li. 1, 2,3, 4. Luke iii. 8- Joiin viii.33, 39. Acts xiii. 26. Matth.viii.il. V.6. Confessing their sins.'] That is, they acknowledged they were great sinners, they repented of their of- fences, and promised to forsake them. This confession of sins was absolutely required as a condition w ithout which there could be no expiation, Lev. xvi. 21. nor remission of them, 1 John i. 9. If those that were baptized had com- mitted any great crime, or scandalous oft'ence, they might make a public and open confession of it, as appears from Acts xix. 18. Were baptized.'] Baptism was an ancient ceremony performed by the Jews at the admission of their pro- selytes. John administered it to the Jews themselves, thereby giving them to understand, that at the opening of the Christian ceconomy, they were to look upon themselves no otherwise than as proselytes, and that they had as much need of repentance as the heathens. For baptism was not only ■ a pledge and assurance to those that received it, of the remission of their oflenccs, but, upon the administering of it, they also bound and engaged themselves to lead lioly and unbtame- able lives; baptism was an open pro- fession of this engagement. 1 Pet. iii. 21, V. 7. Pharisees.] A Jewish sect so called from the Hebrew word Pharas that signities separated or set apart, because they distinguished themselves from the rest of the Jews by pretend- ing to greater degrees of holiness and piety than the generality of them did. and by some particular observances. For an account of their rise and te- nets, see Joseph. Antiq. 1. xiii. 9. (and especially Dr. Prideaux Conn.) Sadducees.] Another Jewish sect so named from Sadoc, the founder of it. For an account of their rise and notions, see Joseph, ibid, and Matth, xxii. 23. Coining to his Baptism.] It is ma- nifest from the reproof of John the Baptist, that they did not come lo it with true faith, or else that tliey fan- cied that baptism alone could procure them the remis-ion of (heir sins. See Luke vii. 29. and Matth. xxi. 25, from which passages it appears, tliat the Pharisees did not receive the baj)tism of John. It is also evident from Luke iii. 7. that there were among the mul- titude, some persons that were in no better dispositions than the Pharisees ; since John the Baptist gives them the same reproof. The icrat/i to cotnc.] That is, not only from the Gehenna, Matth. v. 29. but also from the dreadful calamities that were ready to fall on the Jewish natioil. V. 8, Worthy.] i. e. Do such works as may manifest (he truth and sin- cerity of your repentance. See Acts xxvi. 20. and comp. Kphes. v. 9. V. 9. To raise children, i^c] This is an allusion to Isa. li. 1, 2,3,4. St. John hints here at the calling in of the Gentiles, which was occasioned by the unbelief of the Jews. V. 10. The Jxe, i^c] See Ua- x. s 4 264 A NEW VERSION OF Every tree therefore which bears not good fruit, shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. 11 As for me, I baptize you Avith water to bri/if/ you to repentance; but He that comes after me is superior to me, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He it is that shall baptize you m ith the Holy Ghost and with fire. 12 His fan is in liis hand, and he will thoroughly clean his floor; he will lay up the corn in his granary, but will burn the chafi' with fire unquenchable. V. 10. Matth. vii. 19. Luke iii. 9. xxiii. 31. John xv. 2, 6. 1 Pet. iv. 17,18. Deut.xx.20. V. 11. Mark i. 7, 8. Luke iii. 16. John i. 15, 26, 33. vii. 33, 39. Acts i. 5. ii. 3, 4. x. 45. V. 12. Luke iii. 17. Matth. xiii. 30. Micah IV. 12. Malach. iii. 3. Job xxi. 18. 33, 34. These words contain a pro- phecy of the total ruin and destruc- tion of the temple, the city, and the nation of the Jews, which happened forty years after the death of Jestis Christ. V. 11. ^s for me.] This is the answer John made to the question that was put to him, Whether he teas the Christ, or no ? John i. 20. In it he shews the diflerencc there was be- tween the Metsiah and him. With Knter —with the Holy Ghost — with fire.'\ Gr. In the vcater — in the Holy Ghost — ^'c. These words do very well express the ceremony of baptism, which was at first performed by plunging the whole body in water, as also the copious eft'usion of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. 'I'o bring you to repent(ince.'\ Gr. for repentance. For tiiey that were bap- tized, did not only declare that they repented of their sins, but they bound themselves never to commit the like again, and to lead a life of holiness and virtue ; which is the meaning of John in this place. And this is the new life, Rom. vi. 4, which people en- gaged themselves to when baptism was administered to them. After me,"] John the Baptist seems to have entered on his ministry about six months before Jesus Christ. Our Saviour entered on his, wlien tliirty years old, as did also John the Baptist, Luke iii. 23. It was at this age the high-priest wa- allowed to enter on his office. Kow John was about six months older than Jesus Christ, Luke i. 36. Whose shoes I am not worthy to carry.li This is a proverbial expres- sion, denoting the vast superiority of Jesus Christ above John the Baptist. See Luke iii. 16. Mark i. 7. (i. e. Wiiose servant I am not worthy to be. Whilby in loc.) With the Holy Ghost.] St. John styles the eflusion of the Holy Ghost, (on the day of Pentecost) a baptism, shewing thereby the copiousness and abundance of it : and indeed it was a glorious eflusion over the church, of which Jesus Christ was the author, Acts ii. 2, 3S. And with fire."] Becanse the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles in the sh.'ipe of tire, and had the same power and virtue of that element, viz. of purifying, &c. V. 12. Uisfanis in his hand.'] This expression is taken from the prophe- tical writings. See Levit. xxvi. 23. Isa. xli.16, &c. With fire unquenchable.] Thus the prophets are sometimes wont to de- scribe the most terrible judgments of God. See Isa. i.3l. Ixvi. 24. Jerem. xvii. 4, 27, &c. But though St. John foretells in these words the ruin of the Jewish nation, we must understand tliem in a larger sense, as including that future punishment, which is to be inflicted on wicked persons, the Gehenna nieniioncd beloH , Mattli. v. 29. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 26$ 13 Then went Jesus from Galilee to Jordan, to John, that he might be baptized by him. 14 But John would have pre- vented him: I have need, said he to him, to be baptized by you, and do you come to me ? 15 Jesus replied to him ; sufier it to be so at present ; for thus it behoves us to accomplish all righteousness. Then John suffered him. 16 As soon as Jesus w as baptized, he came up out of the water, and immediately the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting upon him. 17 At the same time, a voice was heard from hea- ven pronouncing these words. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. V. 13. Mark i. 9. Luke iii. 21. John i. 32, .S3. V. 17. Mark i. II, xvii. 5. Psal. ii. 7. V. 16. Mark i. 10, Luke iii. 21,22. Luke iii. 22. ix. 35. Matth. xii. 18. V. 13. To Jordan.'] At Bethabara, a city in tlie wilderness of Judea, near the river Jordan, John i. 28. V. 14. TVould have, Sfc] Gr. did hinder him- See our note on John i. 31. V- 15. ^11 righttousness-'} i. e. "Whatever befits us, and is suitable to our employment and profession. That the word i ighl.cousness sometimes sig- nifies in general what is fitting, and may be of some edification, appears from Luke xii. 57. Phil. i. 7. Jesus Christ's design in being baptized, was, thereby to ratify and authorise the baptism of John ; besides he v.ell knew what miracle was to follow his baptism, in order to convince and sa- tisfy John the Baptist that Jesus was the Messiah. John i. 32, 34. V. 16. I'ke heavens were opened to Iiim.'] St. Mark says that tlie heavens parted asunder: which is to be under- stood a very great light, or an extraor- dinary appearance of fire, which was seen in the heavens, as when it liglit- eueth; this is the sense which Justin Martyr hath put upon this passage in dialogue with Trypho, p. 315. Great visions were commonly attended with such an opening of the heavens. See Ezek. i. 1. John i. 52. Acts vii. 56. He saie,'] It was Jesus Christ that saw the Spirit of God descending. Thus it must be also understood, Mark i. 10. In St. John's gospel, i. 32, 33, it is said that it was John the Baptist. (And this seems to be indeed the true sense here.) They both saw him. Like a dove.] In a bodily shape, like a dove. Luke iii. 22. V. 17. My Son.] See ch. iv. 3. Not. Beloved.] The original Greek word ccyuTf/tToq is frequently used by au- thors that have written in that lan- guage, to denote an only son, and the Seventy make use of it when there is a word in the Plcbrew signifying only. Gen. xxii. 12. Zech. xii. 10. and else- where. In whom I am well pleased.] Or, on whom I have placed my aff'cction. In whom I delight. The original word ivoQKiu- signifies to acquiesce in wha^ one loves, or approves. Sec a like expression, Psal. xliv. 4. in the He- brew, and xliii. 3. according to the Seventy. Comp. Isa. xlii. 1. Gen. xxii. 2. 2 Sam. xxii. 20. 266 A NEW VEIISION OF CHAP. IV. Chrisfs fasting and temptation, 1 — 12. His preachinf/ at Capernaum, 13 — 17. TJie calling of Peter, Aiiciren-, James, and John, 18 — 22. The sick healed, the fame oj' Jesus, 23 — 25. 1 Then Avas Jesus conducted l>y tlie Spirit into tbe wil- derness, to be tempted by the devil. 2 There he fasted forty days and forty nights, after Avhich he grew hungry. 3 The tempter therefore approaching- him, said to him, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves. 4 But Jesus replied, It is Avritten, Men shall not live by bread alone, but by every thing- which the mouth of God shall ordain. 5 Then the devil carries him into the V. 1. Mark i. 12, 13. Luke iv. 2. V. 1. TAen.] Immediately after his baptism. Mark i. 12. Conducted hy the Spirit.'] i. e. lie was moved by tlie Holy Ghost to re- tire into the wilderness. See Luke iv. 14. where it is said that Jesus Christ returned into Galilee by the power of the Spirit. The devil.'] The word, which in the original signifies a slanderer, or a false accuser, answers to the Hebrevif Satan. It is found in the scripture only in the singular number, and sig- nifies that evil spirit which tempted our first parents, and who is repre- sented in the sacred writings as the head of the rebellious angels, and the adversary of all good men. 1 Thess. iii. 5. I Pet. v. 8. and elsewhere. V. 2. Forty days."] As Moses and Elijah had done before. Exod. xxiv. 28. Deut. ix. 9, 18. 1 Kings xix. 8. V. 3. The tempter.] We may infer from Mark i. 13. that during the forty days, w hich Jesus Christ spent in the wilderness, he was exposed to several other temptations, that are not mcn- tioHed here. If you are the Son of God.] There is only in the original, if you are Son of God, with the article the. But we have inserted it, because the mi- racle which the devil retpiircs of Jesus Christ, was not, that he might shew he was a Child of God, but the Son of God, i. e. the Messiah. The Jews were persuaded that the Messiah was to be the Son of God, and they ap- plied to him these words of Psal. ii. 7. Thou art my Son, &c. and of 2 Sam. vii. 14. By comparing several pas- sages of the New Testament, it ap- pears, that, in the language of the Jews, the words Messiah and Son of God, were of the same import. See and comp. Matth. xxvi. 63. Luke xxii. 60, 70. John i. 41, 44, 45. and Matth. xvi. comp. with Mark viii. 29. Luke ix. 20. V. 4. But bij every thing which the mouth, ^c] Gr. but by every word, that proceedeih out of the mouth of God. This is a Hebrew expression: iL'ord being put for thing. See Luke i. 37. ii. 15. Acts v. 32, &c. Now whatever proceedeth out of the mouth, is the same as whatever God appoints or commands. See Deut. viii. 3. from whence this passage is taken ; and where word is not in the Hebrew, but only in the Septuagint, which the Evangelist hath here followed, t'omp. Luke xii. 15. 1 Kings xvii. 1. Isa. xxxviii. 16. V. 5. Carries him.] The Greek word {j7rcK,(^a'hciixQuv(ii) signifies no more than to lead, to take along with one, as in the Seventy. Numb. xxii. ST. iVlATTHEVV'S GOSPEL. ♦267 holy city, and placing him on the top of the temple, he saith to him, if you be the Son of God, throw yourself tlown ; for it is written that he shall give his angels charge to take care of you, and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said to him, It is likewise written, You shall not tempt the Lord your God. 8 The devil carries him once more into an exceeding high mountain, and showing him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them ; 9 I >vill give you, says he to him, all these things, if prostrating yourself before me you will pay me adoration. 10 Then says Jesus to him, depart from me, Satan, for it is written. You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. 11 At the same time the devil left him, and immediately angels came and served him. V. 6. Psal. xci. 11,12. V. 7. Deut. vi. 16. Luke i v. 12. 41. xxiii. 20, 27, 28. See Matth, xvii. 1. that it hath no other sense in this place, and also v. 8. is plain from Luke iv. 5, 9. The holy city.'] i. e. Jerusalem, which is honoured with that name. Isa. xlviii. 2. Jeiem. xi. 1 Dan. ix. 24. Matth. xxvii. 53. Placing him.'\ We must not ima- gine that the devil took Jesus Christ, and disposed of him as he would. But only that our blessed Saviour, who yielded to the temptation, was pleased to do what the devil required of him. It is a common thing to say, that a person does a thing, when lie orders, or causes it to be done. On the top.] Gr. on a wing of the temple. We have made use in our translation of a general word, because it is not well known what part of the temple the Evangelist means here. It is very probable that it was the king's gallery; which, accciding to Jose- phus, was of such a prodigious height, that no one could look down from the top of if, without making himself giddy, Joseph. Antiq. 1. xv. c. 14. V. 7. You shall not tempt.] See Deut. vi. 16. To tempt God here signifies, out of a principle of dis- trust and unbelief, to require proofs of God's power and protection, after he has given sufficient demonstrations and reasons for our encouragement to depend upon them. See Ex. xvii. 7, Numb. xiv. 22. Psal. xcv. 8. The meaning of Jesus Christ then is, that since he had no manner of reason to doubt of God's protection, he was not willing to tempt him, i. e. to demand fresh instances of it, especially by throwing himself headlong rashly and without any necessity. V. 8. Carries him.] See the note on V. 5. ^11 the kingdoms of the world, &c.] This might be an allusion of the devil, who raised in the air ap- pearances of large cities, palaces, &c. and shewed them Jesus Christ. By glory here, are meant riches, as well as splendor and magnificence. See Genesis xxxi. 1. xlv. \3. Isa. Ixvi. 12. comp. with Ixi. 6. It may also be supposed that the devil gave Jesus Christ a short and lively description and representation of them. V. 10. Satan.] This word, which signifies an adversary, is a name com« monly given to the devil. See the note on Matth. xvi. 23. V. 11. Served.] Though the original Greek word (otacKoviu) signifies to serve, or wait upon in general ; if not- withstanding signifies also to wait at table, to give one to eat, Matth. viii. 15. XXV. 44. Luke xxii. 27. and else- where. Now as Jesus was very hungry, it may here be taken in the latter sense. See 1 Kings xix. 268 A NEW VERSION OF 12 After this, Jesus, having- heard lliat John was cast into prison, retired into Galilee: 13 And leaving Naza- reth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, a sea-port to7vu on the borders of Zabulon and Naphthali, 14 that these words of (he prophet Isaiah might be fidfilled, 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Naphthali, along the sea-side, about Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, IG the people which were in darkness saw great light, and to them who dwelt in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung V. 15. Isa. ix. 1,2. V. 16. Isa. xlii. 7. V. 12. Jfler this.'] Gr. Now. We have put in the words after this by way of supplement, in order to con- nect the thread of the history, and because the imprisonment of John the Baptist did not happen till after the temptation of Jesus Christ. Be- tween these two events, there hap- pened what is related in the three first chapters of St. Joiin's gospel. It is commonly supposed, that the ministry of John the Baptist lasted but about 18 months at most, and that he was put in prisonayear after Jesus Christ's baptism. Cast into prison.] Gr. delivered. Retired into Galilee.'] We shall transcribe out of St. John's gospel what is here wanting in the historj' of Jesus Christ. He went from ISa- zaretli into Judea, where he was bap- tized by John, JMark i. 9. From Judea he returned into Galilee, John i, 43, ii. I. He went again into Ju- dea, and there celebrated the passover at Jerusalem, John ii. 13. lie bap- tized in Judea, while .John was bap- tizing at ^'Enon, John iii. 22. All this time John was at liberty, ibid. 24-. But the Pharisees having conspired against Jesus, John iv. 3. and Jesus bearing that John had been put into prison, by Herod Antipas tetrarch of (lalilee, Mark i. 14. Jesus went into Galilee, V. 13. Leaving Tsazar.th.] Where he dwelt, till his baptism, iMark i. 9. What induced him to leave it, was the incredulity of the inhabitants. Luke iv. 29. In Capernaum.] Which Jesus C'lnist chose for the place of his resi- dence. Matth. ix. 1. Mark ii. 1. as being a largo city, and where he y\as likely to bring abundance of peo])le to the knowledge of his gospel. Matth. xi. 23. yj sea-port toicn.] Situated near tlie lake of Genesarelh, which is called in scripture the sea of Cinnereth. Numb, xxxiv. 2. Josh. xii. 1. as also the sea of Galilee, or of Tiberias. Matth. iv. 18. John vi. 1. The Jews were wont to give the name of sea to all collections of water. For an ac- count of the bigness of this lake, and the fruitfulness of the neighbouring country, see Josephus of the wars of the Jews, 1. iii. c. 18. V. 14. That these teords of the prophet.] See Isa. viii. ^2, This pro- phecy relates, in its primary signifi- cation, to the wonderful deliverance of the Jews, by tiie overthrow of Sen- nacherib's army. 2 Kings xix. 36. St, IMatthew applies it here to the spiritual deliverance that « as wrought in Galilee by our Saviours presence and preaching, wherein Isaiah's pro- phecy was fully veriiled. V. 15. Mout.] The Gr. word (^TTi^ccv) which is commonly rendered beyond, signifies both on this, and the other side, as also what lies near a place, or along a river. For proof of this, see Deut. i. 1, 5- Josh. xii. 1, 7. and John vi. 1, Galilee of the Gentiles.] i. e. Upjjer Galilee, wherein several nations were settled, such as Pha'nicians, Egyp- tians, Arabians, and other heathenish nations. V. 16. Whiclt jcer .] Gr. which sate. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 269 tip* 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, Repent, said he, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 As Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, namelif, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, (for they were fisher- men.) 19 And he said unto them, Follow me, and 1 will make you fishers of men. 20 Upon which they immediately left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from thence, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were in a ship, with Zebedee their father, mending their nets ; Jesus having called them, ^ they instantly quitted the ship and their father, and followed him. 23 Thus Jesus went over all Galilee, teaching in their V. 17. Matth. iii. 2. x. 7. Mark i. 14, 15. Mark i. 16. Luke v. 2. John i. 42. Luke ix. 2. V. IS. In darkness — in the region and sha- dow of death.'] This country under- went very great hardships, during the calamities which befel the kingdoms of Israel and Juda: these were for it times of darkness, and of the shadow of death, i. e. of extreme affliction, according tothescripturestyle, where- in light is used to denote prosperity, and darkness adversity, Isaiah xlv. 7. and elsewhere. The prophet had foretold that this country should see happier days, which happened when Jesus Christ preached the gospel there, V. 17. Began to preach."] Jesus had already preached at Jerusalem and in Judea. See John iv. 3. and V. 12. of this chap. But St. Matthew having omitted this part of the evan- gelical history, he dates the beginning of Jesus Christ's ministry from his preaching in Galilee. The kingdom.] See the note on Matth. iii. 2. John the Baptist gave notice that the coming of the Messiah was at hand. Jesus Christ declares that he is come, and orders his Apos- tles to reveal the same thing to the world. V. 18. Called Peter.] See Matth. xvi. 13. comp. John i. 42. Casting their nets.] For an account of the call of these two Apostles, see the note on Mark i. 16. V. 19. Follow me.] They had al- ready acknowledged Jesus for the ^lessiah, upon the testimony of John the Baptist, John i. 33. They had even readily followed liim ; but it ap- pears from the relation of St. Mat- thew and St. Mark i. 16, 17. that they afterwards withdrew again into their own houses. See the note on Mark i. 17. I will make you fishers, Sfc] i. e. " Ye shall gain and convert them " from sin and misery, to righteous- " ness and happiness." [Dr. Clarke in loc] V. 21. James.] This was James Major, or the Elder, the brother of St. John the Evangelist, who were both sons of Zebedee and Salome. It was this James Major that was put to death by Ilerod, Acts xii.2. V. 23. Synagogues.] This is a general word, which in its original meaning signifies both civil and eccle- siastical assemblies, and also the places where those assemblies were kept. Here, as also Matth. xiii. 54, and almost all over the Xew Testa- ment, it is taken for the places or buildings, where the Jews met to pray, and to bear the interpretation of the law and the prophets, and this is the common acceptation of the word Synagogue. It is manifest from Acts XV. 21. that there had been of a long 270 A NEW VERSION OF syiiagogiies, preacliing- the gospel of the kingdom of God, and healing all manner of diseases and infirmities among the people. 24 By this means his fame was spread over all Syria, and all sick persons, who were troubled with divers distem- pers, and pains, men possessed with devils, lunatics, paraly- ticks, were brought to him, and he healed them. 25 And a great multitude of the people followed him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judeea, and from the covntry about Jordan. time synagogues in each city, and that tlip Jews were used to meet therein every sabbath-day. These synagogues had several heads and officers, who performed diiferent functions, that of the scribes was to teach and instruct the congregation : But it was evident from Acts xiii. 15. that after the read- ing of the law and the prophets, the heads of the synagogue desired such learned and grave persons as happened to be there, to make a discourse to the people ; and by virtue of this custom it was, that Jesus Christ and St. Paul were allowed to preach in the syna- gogues. Acts ix. 23. xiv. 1. Of diseases.] The term in the original signifies long, and painful diseases, that were very hard to cure. The Seventy, 2 Chron. xvi. 12. have used the same word when speaking of Asa's distemper which seems to have been the gout. And the same au- thors have rendered by the like word the original Hebrew term, Gen. xlii. 4, 38. which is by the Chaidce para- phrasts and Jewish interpreters trans- lated death ; i. e. a deadly accident or distemper. V. 24. Syria.] A province near Galilee. And pains.] The Greek (^cca-avoi) properly siguities rack or torture, but is used here to denote diseases ex- tremely grievous and painful. Possessed with devils.] The Jiws were persuaded that those diseases that were attended with surprising and uncommon symptoms, were caused by devils, which God employed in chastising mankind. Hence they •rave most diseases the name of un- clean or evil spirits. Thus also niad- ness hath by the Greeks been stiled « devil ; and when any one was afflicted with it, they were wont to say that he was possessed with a devil. Among those many diseases that were cured by Jesus Christ, it cannot certainly be questioned but that some were really caused by devils, since he speaks to them, and since we find them coni- plaining that he tormented them before their time. But it is also probable, that some of them were owing only to natural causes, though they were by the Jews ascribed to the devil, ac- cording to the language and prejudices of that nation. See the note on v. 1. of chap. X. of this gospel. Lunatics.] It is manifest from the symptoms of this disease, as set down lilatth. xvii. 15. Luke ix. 39. Mark ix. 17. that it differed but little, if at all, from the falling sickness. Yet the Syriac version hath rendered the original Greek word by the sons of the field, i. e. Men that lived abroad like beasts. So that, according to this, the lunatics here mentioned were crazy and melancholy persons that rambled abont the woods and fields. Comp. Luke viii. 26. Mark v. 2, 3. V. 25. Decapolis.] A country of Palestine, so called, because it con- tained ten cities, about the names of which the learned are not agreed. It bordered upon Syria, and extended on both sides Jordan, and the lake of Tiberias. You have a description of it in Josephus of the wars of the Jews, 1. iii. 16. and in his life, p. 1025, and in Plinv's Nat. ili.-,t. 1. v. c, IS. ST. MATTHEW'S OOSPEL. CHAP. V. 271 Sermon on the mountain. The beatitudes, 1 — 12. Disciples, salt and lif/ht of the earth, 13 — 16. Perfection oj'the laiv, 17 — 20. Glosses of the Pharisees concerning mvrder refected, 21 — 26/ and likewise concerniti^ adultery and divorce, 27 — 33. Concerning oaths, 33 — 37 / and love of our neighbour, 38 — 47. Charity the perfection of a Chris- tian, 48. I Jesus seeing- the great multitude of people, went up into a mountain, and when he was sat down, his disciples drew near him. 2 Then taking- up the discourse, he taught them in the following- manner : 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who are in affliction, for they shall be comforted. V. 3. Luke vi. 20, 24. Matth. xi. 5, 23. xix. 23, 24, James ii. 5. V. 4. See V. 11, 12, of this chap. Luke vi. 21, 25. John xvi. 20. 2 Cor. i. 4, 7. James i. 12. Rev. vii. 14, 17. xxi. 7. V. 1. Into a jnountain.^ Com- pare Luke vi. 12, 17. from which passages it will appear that Jesus went up to the top of a mountain to pray, and coming down from thence, he stood on a plain and even part of the same mountain, from whence he could easily be heard. Was sat down.'] As the Jewish doctors did, when they taught. See Luke vi. 16,20. His disciples.'] That is, not only the twelve apostles, but all those in general tliat followed Jesus Christ. See Luke vi. 13. John ix. 27. and in most places in the Acts, the Chris- tians are called disciples. The Pha- risees stiled themselves the disciples of Moses. V. 2. Taking up the discourse."] Gr. Opening his mouth. This is a Hebrew expression signifying to speak. See Mafth. xiii. 35. V. 3. Blessed.] All the following beatitudes have some reference to the precepts that are delivered by Jesus Christ afterwards, and include not only the blessing of the gospel, but also the qualifications of a true disci- ple of Christ. In this fir^t beatitude, our Saviour had an eye to those ob- stacles which the immoderate love of riches was likely to bring to the ob- servance of the preceptsof the Gospel. See vers. 40,41,42, of this chapter, and comp. James v. 1. Poor.] St. Luke api)lies this to the poor properly so called, vi. 20. In spirit.] That is, those that are endued with the sjiirit and virtues po- verty requires,and are free from pride, covetousness, and the cares and anxie- ties riches are commonly attended with. A rich person may be happy, provided he is thus disposed, 1 Tim. vi. 17. This is the sense Clemens of Alexandria hath put upon this passage in his treatise entitled, Q.uis dives sal- vetur, p.' 42. By the poverty of spirit recommended here, we may also un- derstand humility, as Psalm xxxii. 18. Prov. xxix. 33. Isaiah Ixvi. 2. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.] i. e. The blessings of the kingdom of heaven, or of the gospel, nan.cly, the remission of sins, eternal life, &c. See below ver. 20. That is, because they are better disposed than other men to receive these blessings. V. 4. Those who are in affliction.] 272 A NEW VERSION OF 5 Blessed are those who are meek, for they shall possess the earth. 6 Blessed are tliose who hung-er and thirst after righteous- ness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are those who are of a pure heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God. V. 5. Psal. xxxvii. 11. V. 6. Luke i. 53. vi. 21, 25. John iv. 14- vi, 35. vii. 37.38. Isai. xli. 17. Iv. 1. Jerem. xxxi. 25. V. 9. Rom. xii. 18. 2 Cor. xiii. 11. 2 Thess. iii. 16. James iii. 17, 18. Or, that mourn, namely, upon the accoiiiit of the gospel. See 11 and 12 verses. John xvi. 20, 21, 22, 23. Rom. V. 35. viii. 37. V. 5. Meek.'] This word includes gentleness, equity, patience, and kind- ness or benignity. Whicii virtues are all most conspicuous in Jesus Christ and the gospel, xi. 29, xxi. 5. Jerem. xi. 19. Gal. V. 22. 1 Cor. xiii. 4. James iii. 13, &c. 'I'hey shall possess the earth.] The Greek word {>i>--^poiiof/.i(^) properly signifies to inherit, but it is also some- times taken for possessing. This ex- pression is borrowed from Ps. xxxvii. 11. and applied by Jesus Christ, in a spiritual sense, to all the advantages of our future everlasting inheritance. See Hebr. x. 34, 36. xi. 16. Isai. Ix. 21. See also what promises arc made to the meek, Psal. cxlvii. 6, cxlix. 4. Ixxvi. 10, ll.andxlv. 4. according to the Septuag. Ver. V. fi. Hunger and Thirst.] St. Luke's words are, vi. 21. that hunger now. Those that are here said to hunger and thirst, are those that earnestly longed for, and were sen- sible of the want of that salvation which the Messiah was to procure, such as were Zacharias, Simeon, and other devout persons, that waited for the consolation of Israel. To such persons as these it was that Jesus Christ addressed iiimself, when he said: come to me, &c. Matth. xi. 28, 29, 30. After righteousness.] i. e. That holiness which llie gospel teaches and recommends, in opposition to the righteousness of the Pharisees, Matth. v. 20. and vi. 33. V. 7. The merciful.] Those that relieve the poor, as below, v. 42. Rom. xii. 8. and freely forgive the wrongs and injuries they receive from others, or have jcompassion on the miserable and unfortunate. See chap, vi. 14. xviii. 32, 33. Mark xi. 25. James ii. 13. Ecclus. xxviii. 2. V. 8. Of a pure heart.] That have a conscience void of offence, and lead holy and virtuous lives, free from all hypocrisy. See Psal. xxiv. 3, 4. where purity of heart is joined with innocency of life. I'hey shall see God.] It is to such persons as these, the holy scripture promises they shall see God. See the Psalm just now quoted, ibid, and Psal. Ixxiii. 1 Hebr. xii. 14. To see God, is to enjoy his favour and pro- tection in t seeing your good works, they may glorify your father which is in heaven. 17 Think not that I am conic to abolish the law or the pro- phets. I am not come to abolish but to fulfil them, 18 For 1 assuredly tell you, that as long as heaven and earth endure, there shall be nothing of the law which shall not be fulfilled, V. 15. Mark iv. 21. Luke xvi. 17. Luke viii. 16. xi, 33. V. 18. Matt. xxiv. 33. and observed, might stop the progress of the gospel. Compare Phil. iii. 17. 1 Pet. V. 13. and the parallel places. V. 15. When a candle is lighted, 5^c.] This seems to be a proverbial expression. See the application Jesus Christ makes of it on another occa- sion. Mark iv. 12. Luke viii. 16. xi. 33. They formerly used lamps only, instead of candles, and the can- dlestick was the foot on which they were set up. The meaning of this comparison is the same as that of the aforegoing. The disciples and Chris- tians being the lights of the world, were designed to light men out of the ways of ignorance and vice, into the paths of holiness and viriue. V. 16. 7'hey may glorify.'\ To glorify God, is not only to praise him, as Luke ii. 20. and elsewhere ; but also to acknowledge the truth of the gospel. See Luke xxiii. 47. 1 Pet. ii. 12. Comp. 1 Cor. xiv. 25. Rom. ii. 23, 24. Tliis expression, to glorify God, includes edification, as opposed to the giving of oll'ence. In heaveti''] Gr. in the heavens. The Jews reckoned three heavens, the air, the firmament, and the third heaven, or tlie heaven of heavens, the usual place of God's residence, 2 Cor. xii. 2. 1 Kings viii. 27. 2 Chron. ii. 6. vi. 18. V. 17. To abolish the law."] i. e. either to transgress and violate it my- self, John v. 18. vii. 23. or to adul- terate the sense of it by wrong inter- pretations, and disannul its authority by giving precepts contrary fo those it coiitains, as the Pharisees did in their traditions, Matth. xv. 3, 6. This is chiefly meant of the moral law, and those rules of morality that occur in the prophetical writings. Mattii. v. and x\ii. 39, 40. But it may also be understood of the ceremonial law which Jesus Christ fulfilled in his own person. Rom. viii. 3, 4. x. 4. Gal. iii. 24. To fulfil them.'] i. e. 1. To ob- serve them myself. See a like ex- pression, Rom. xiii. 8, 10. and comp. James ii. 8. Gal. iv. 14. John xxi. 46. And,' 2. To recommend and procure the perfect observance of them. Rom. iii. 4. Philipp. iii. 3. V. 18. Assuredly.'] The word Amen, which is here translated as- suredly, is of a Hebrew original, and frequently retained by the Evangelists. St. Luke hath sometimes rendered it by a word signifying i/es, and at otiier times truly. See Luke ix. 27. comp. with Mattii. xvi. 28, &c. The Se- venty have done the same. When the word Amen is a sign of wishing, it then signifies so he it, as the Se- venty have rendered it. As long as heaven and earth en- dure.] Gr. till heaven and earth pass. Which is a proverbial expression, de- noting the utter impossibility of a thing. There shall be nothing of the law, is'c.'] Gr. one iota, ^'c. shall not pass from the laio. This is to be under- stood of the whole law, both ceremo- nial and moral, i. e. No man sliall be dispensed from the duties enjoined by the law ; and the types and oracles it contain-; shall be exactly fulfilled. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 275 even to the least jot or tittle. 1.9 Whosoever tlierefore shall break one of these least commandments, or shall teach men so to do, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but he that shall observe and teach them, shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I declare to yon, that if your righteousness exceed not the rifjhteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kindora of heaven. 21 You have heard that it has been said to the ancients, V. 19. James ii. V. 21. Gen. ix. 6. Deut. V. 17. 10. V. 20. Matth. xxiii. 23, 24, 25, 28. Luke xi. 39. Exod. XX. 13. Levit. xxiv. 21. Numb. xxxv. 16,17. as well as what Jesus Christ hath taught or foretold. See Matth. xxiv. 35. Iota.'] This is the name ^iven by the Greeks to the letter i, which is the least of letters. Tittle.] Thus we have rendered the Greek word (x.£^xloe,) which sig- nifies the least part of a letter, or a point. V. 19. One of these least command- ments.] i. e. Those that are reckoned to be of the least importance. Shall be called the least.] i. e. shall Jiever be admitted tliere. Thus, Matth. xix. 33. Luke xiii. 30. the least are those that shall be excluded. Shall be called is the same Hebraism as hath been observed before, i. 23. v. 9. that is, he shall be or shall be reckoned such. We may also put this sense upon these words, he shall be the least among Christians, as Matth. xi. 11. Kingdom of heaven.] See the note on Matth. iii.2. V. 20. If your righteousness.] Ex- cept you observe the law better than the Pharisees do, who notwithstand- ing pass for the strictest observers of it, and the holiest persons in the na- tion, &c. Acts xxvi. 5. See, in the following verses, tlie characters of the pretended righteousness of the Phari- sees, and the restrictions they gave the law, and the righteousness that is enjoined by it. i'ou shall by no means enter,] i. e. Unless you lead more strict and vir- tuous lives than do the Phiirisee^, you are not fit to be Christians, and con- sequently you shall not enter into heaven. The kingdom of heaven signifies here both Christianity, and the happiness of heaven, which is the eftect and reward of the true profession of Christianity. See Matth. iii. 2. V. 21. That it hath been said to the ancients.] Or by the ancients ; that is, by Moses to your ancestors. Jesus Christ instances in the com- mandments of the second table, how the Jews had corrupted the word of God by their traditions ; but he pur- poses here these commandments in the same sense as they were under- stood by the Pharisees, and some- times with the glosses they put upon them. And from these it is he endeavours to vindicate and rescue them. By the judgment.] This is the name that was given by the Jews, to a court of judicature among them, consisting of 23 judges, tiiat had power of" life and death. The mean- ing then of these words, he shall be liable to be punished by the judgment, is, he shall be guilty of death, Deut. xvi. 18. xxi. 2. But here it is to be noted, that though Jesus Christ makes use of the same expressions as were used by the Jews to denote temporal punishments, yet his words are to be figuratively understood, and applied to tlie future punisiiments of the wicked, of w hich he distinguishes tlie dift'erent decrees according to the dif- ference of crimes. O r -^ 276 A NEW VERSION OF Thou slialt not kill, and whosoever shall kill, shall be punished by the judgment. 22 But I say unto you, whosoever V. 22. 1 John iii. 15. Ephes. iv. 26, 27. V. 22. Whosoever shall be angry. "] Jesus Christ does not mean here, that anger, or every scornful and reviling word, deserves the same punishment from the magistrates as murder, that is, death. But only that anger being an indirect violation of the sixth commandment, thou shalt not kill, because it tends and disposes men to murder; the judgment of God will take cognizance of anger, de- sires of revenge, hatred, opprobrious and reviling language, &c. 1 John iii. 15. Without cause.'^ These words are found in almost all the Greek manu- scripts now extant, but are omitted in most manuscripts of the Vulgate. The reason of which is, that St. Je- rome, who revised the ancient Latin version, fancied they ought to be left out. But the Syriac translation hath retained them, as have also the printed copies. With his brother."] i. e. with ano- ther Christian. This is the meaning of the word (ad'sAipoi;) in the sacred writings ; and that the same sense is to be put upon it here, is evident from the next verse. See Matth. xviii. 15. and numberless places in the acts and epistles. The Jews would give the name of brother to no one that was not an Israelite 4 they vouch- safed to give that of neighbour to a proselyte, but would by no means bestow it on a 'ientile. Jesus Christ did not design to authorize a like dis- tinction when he made use here of the word brother, for he elsewhere enjoins his disciples to forgive all men in general, and shews that our neigh- bour is any man whatsoever, Luke x. 29, 30. Jtaca.} A term of contempt and reviling, frequently to be found in Jewish authors, signifying a vain, empty fellow. Sanhedrim.'] This word is formed from the Greek (awi^^iov,) and sig- nifies the council or senate of the nation. It consisted of 72 judge-, or, according to others, of 70 besides the president. It used to sit at Jeru- salem. Concerning the place where it met, see John xix. 13. This was the supreme court of judicature among the Jews, and to it appeals were made from inferior tribunals. It took cognizance only of the most impor- tant matters, as, for instance, such wherein a whole tribe was con- cerned, those that related to the high- priest, a false prophet, idolatry, trea- son, &c. The meaning of Jesus Christ in this place is, that scojftng ami de- riding our brethren is so great a sin, that it ought to be ranked among those that used to be punished only by the Sanhedrim, which took cog- nizance of none but the most grie- vous offences. These words are to be understood like the foregoing pas- sage. See the note on the word jurf^'- menf. Fool.] This reviling expression adds to the foregoing one an idea of maliciousness and injustice. Fully in the style of the Hebrews is com- monly the same as wickedness and impiety. See Psalm xiv. 1. Ixxxv. 9, &c. With the fire of Gehenna.] Gr. The Gehenna of fire that is, the burn- ing Gehenna. Gehe,nna is a Hebrew word compounded of Ge and llinnon, i. e. the valley of llinnon, which was a place near Jerusalem, Josh. xv. 8. wliere the Canaanites, and afterwards the children of Israel, were wont to make their children pass through the fire to Molocli. See 2 Kings xxiii. 10. xvi. 17. Jerem. vii. 31, 32. Je- sus Christ makes use of that word here to denote the torments of hell. See Mark ix. 43, and ver. 29, 30, of this chapter. It was also made use of by the Jews to signify hell- fire. Of which we have an in- stance in the Chaldec parapiirast on Isaiah xxxiii. 14, where what we have translated everlasting burning, is rendered the Gehenna of eternal fire. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 277 shall be angry with his brother without cause, shall be punished by the judgment ; and he that shall say to his brother Raca, shall be punished by the Sanhedrim; but who- soever shall call him, fool, shall be punished with the fire of Gehenna. 23 If therefore, when you present your offering at the altar, you there call to mind that your brother has any thing- against you; 24 leave your offering before the altar, and go and be first reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering : 25 Agree with your adver- sary forthwith, whilst you are in the way with him, lest _?/o?/r adversary deliver you to the judge, and tlie judge to the officer, and you be cast into prison. 20 I tell you assuredly, you shall not come out from thence till you have paid the last farthing-. 27 You have heard that it hath been said to the ancients. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 28 But I say unto you, whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye be to you an occasion of sinning V. 24. Mark xi. 25. Coloss. iii. 13. V. 25. Luke xii. 58, 59. V. 27. Exod. V. 14. Deut. V.18. V. 28. Job i. 31. Prov. vi. 25. Ecclus. ix. 5,7,8. V. 29, 30. Matth. xviii. 8, 9. Mark ix. 43, 45, 47. Coloss. iii. 5. V. 23. When you present.'] When you are about to offer, wiien you carry your oblation into the temple. Vour offering.'] Your voluntary sacrifice, Levit, i. 2. Mattii. xxiii. 18. Or else it might be some piece of mo- ney that was put into the treasury. That your brother hath any thing against you.'] i. e. That you have done him any wrong, for which he is angry with you. See Rev. ii. 4, 20. V. 24. Go and be first reconciled."] We read in some ancient Jewish writing, that the day of expiation did not atone for a man's offences against his brother, uuless he first was recon- ciled to him. V. 25. Whilst you are in the way.] Going to the judge. See Luke xii. 58. This meaning is, that we should in this life prevent the judgment of God by a speedy reconciliation. V. 26. Farthing.] This was the least brass coin the Romans had. In a figurative sense, which is (hat o,f Jesus Christ here, the prison is taken for hell, out of which the unrelenting sinner shall never come, because he shall never be able to make satisfac- tion. V. 28. Looks, &c.] See the pre- cepts and maxims the Jewish writers have laid down upon this subject. Ecclcsiasticus ix. 5, &c. xii. 27. xlii. 12. To lust.] Or, till he lusts after her. This word denotes all loose desires, which are either the causes or effects of impure looks; to which may be added all the arts and devices that are used to- satisfy these wicked inclina- tions. There occurs in the Jewish writings a maxim very much like that which is here laid down by Jesus Christ, namely, that he loho looks on a woman with an ill design is guilty of adultery. The Pharisees must have had another kind of morality in the time of Jesus Christ. V. 29. Be to you an occasion of sinning.] Gr. Scandalizes you. The GreeA: word {vKciv^aMv) properly sig- 3 278 A NEW VERSION OF pluck it out, and cast it from you; for it is better for you, that one of your members should perish, than that your whole body should be thrown into Gehenna. 30 80 if your right hand be to YOU an occasion of sinnino", cut it oif, and cast it from you ; for it is better for you that one of your members should perish, than that your whole body should be thrown into Gehenna, 31 It hath been said aho, if any one puts away his wife, let him give her a libel of divorce. 32 But I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except on account of adultery, causes her to become an adulteress; and he that shall marry her, commits adultery likewise. 33 Again, you have heard that it hath been said to the ancients, you shall not forsweaV yourselves, but you shall perform to the Lord the oaths you have made. 34 But I say unto you, swear not at all ; neither by heaven, because V. 31,32. Deut. xxiv. 1. Jeremiali iii. 1. Matthew xix. 7. Mark x. 4, 11. Luke xvi. 18. Romans vii. 33. 1 Corinth, vii. 10, 11, and 39. V. 33. Exodus XX. 7. Leviticus xix, 12. Dent. v. 11. xxiii. 21, 23. Numb. XXX. 3. V. 34. James v. 12. Ecclus. xxiii. 9. xxvii. 15. Isaiah Ixvi. 1. nifies a snaie or a stumbling block. And figuratively, whatever leads into sin, or proves an occasion of sinning. To scandalize therefore signifies here, to he an occasion to sin, or cause to sin, to turn from piety and virtiic. Pluck it out.'} Every one knows that these expressions, as well as the following ones, are not to be literally understood. The meaning of them is, that we must avoid all occasions of sin, and have such a command over our senses, that they may never prove the instruments of sin. V. 31. ^1 libel of divorce.'] This was a note or writing whereby a man declared that he dismissed his wife, and gave her leave to marry whomso- ever she would. The Jews shame- fully abused the liberty they had of putting away their wives, so that one is amazed to find what slight and trifling causes of a divorce are allow- ed of in the writings. See Matth, xix. 31. and Ecclus. xxv.3. V. 32. On account of adultery.'] There is only in the Greek, for for- nication, but the word 'Tro^vnct is here taken for adultery. Causes her to become an adulteress.] i. e. Is the occasion of her commit- ting adultery, by setting her at liberty to marry another husband. SeeMattli. xix. 4, &c. and compare 1 Cor. vii. 39. V. 33. You shall perform, &c.] Gr. You shall perform unto the Lord your oaths. V. 34. Sieear not at all.] Though this prohibition is expressed in a very general and absolute manner, it must notwithstanding admit of some re- strictions, as must also several other passages of Scripture that are express- ed in general terms. What Jesus Christ forbids here, is, 1. Swearing by the creatures. 2. All such rash and profane oaths as the Jews were wont to utter upon every trivial occa- sion, without any manner of neces- f.ity, but only out of an ill custom, or what is worse, with a design of de- ceiving. For it is manifest from seve- ral places of scripture, that swearing upon some occa'iions (as liefore a ma- gistrate, or in the case of contracfs and promises) is not only lawful, but also expedient and necessary. See ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 279^ it is the throne of God ; 35 nor by the earth, because it is his footstool ; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the areat king-. SG Neither shall you swear by your head, seeiiiff you are not able to make one single hair white or black. 37 But let your words be yes, yes; no, no; for whatever is more than these, proceeds from some evil. 38 You have heard that it hath been said, eye for eye, and tooth for tooth: 30 But I say unto you, resist not him that does you evil ; on the contrary, if any one shall strike V. 35. Psalm xlviii. 2. V. 36. Mattl, x. 30. . V. 37. 2 Cor i. 17 18. V.38. E.xod. xxi.24. Ueut.xix.2i. Lev.t. xx.v. 20. V. 39. Proverbs xx. 22. xxiv. 29. Isaiah 1. 6. Lamentations ni. 30 Luke vi. 29. Romans xii. 17, 19. 1 Cor. vi. 7. 1 Tliess. v. 13. 1 Pet. in. 9. E\od. xxii. 11. Psalm ex. 4. Rom. ii. 1. 2 Cor. i. 23. xi. 31. Gal. i. 20. Hebrews vi. 16. Revelations X. 6. ^ ^ Neither by heaven.'] The Jews fancied that swearing by Heaven, by Jerusalem, &c. was an insignificant thing, and not at all binding; accord- ingly they accustomed themselves fre- qn^ently to use such oaths, without any manner of scruple. But Jesus Christ tells them, that the heaven and the earth, &c. had so intimate a relation with God, that he was im- plicitly named whenever the name of his creatures was used, and that oaths taken in their name, ought to be as strictly and religiously observ- ed, as if they had been made in the name of God himself. Compare Matth. xxiii. 16—22. V. 35. His footstool.'} Greek, the footstool of his feet. The earth is represented as the footstool of God s throne. The city of the great king.] i. e. of God. Sec Malachi i. U. Psalm xlviii. 52. V. 36. Von are not able to make.] That is, your head and life are not in your power, or at your own dis- posal, that you should presume to bind and engage them by oaths. v. 37. Yes, yes, no, no, — ] >• e- You ought to be satisfied only with bare affirmations or denials, and go no farther. The meaning of this also may be, that we ought to be faithful and punctual in the execu- tion of our promises. The Jews have a proverb among them to this purpose, the yea of the just, is yea, and their nay, nay. That is they arc sincere, and perform whatever they say or promise. See James v. 12. From some evil.'] From the devil; or from evil, i. e. from a bad princi- ple, that is, whatever goes beyond this is evil. V. 38. Eye for eye, &c.] Deut. xix. 21. This is the law which God had given as a rule whereby magis- trates were to be directed in taking cognizance of the wrongs and injuries that were offered by one man to an- other: The Jews made a very ill use of this precept, by applying it to countenance and authorize private revenge. V. 39. Hesist not him.'] Jesus Christ doth not forbid here all man- ner of resistance when we are un- justly attacked or oppressed, but only the rendering evil for evil, the avenging ourselves, Romans xii. 17. See the force of the original word (imr^mi) 2 Tim. lii. 8, where to resist the truth, is the same as to en- dcavoflr to destroy it. That does you evil.'] Greek, the wicked. In the same sense, the LXX. have rendered the Hebrew word (rasha) or wicked by an injurious person. // any one should strike you on the, &c.] This is alleged as an in- stance of the most heinous attront. Job xvi. 10. Psalm iii. 8. Present him the other also.] 1 ins isan allusion to Isaiah 1. 6, and the t4 280 A N£W VERSION OF you oil the right cheek, present him the other also. 40 And if any one will go to law with you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. 41 And if any one will compel you to go a mile with him, go with him two. 42 Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you, turn not away. 43 You have heard that it hath been said, you shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy : 44 But I say unto V. 40. Luke vi. 29. 1 Cor. vi. 7. Rom. xii. 20. Ecdus. iv. 5. xxix. 1, 2. 34. Actsvii. 6. Romans xii. 14, 20, 21. V. 42. Deut. XV. 8. Luke vi. 30. V. 44. Luke vi. 27. xxiii. 1 Cor. iv. 12. 1 Pet. iii. 9. lamentation of Jeremiah iii. 30. Tiie meaning is, that it is much better to bear repeated affronts, than to shew want of patience and meek- ness, which were virtues that our blessed Saviour made it his particu- lar business to train up his disciples to, because they were to suft'er abun- dance of persecutions and atflictions for his name's sake. V. 40. Your coat.'] Gr. Tunick. We have no very proper terms in our language to convey an idea of the Jewish garments ; and the words used here, in the original admit of diflereut senses. It may however be observed, that the coat here men- tioned, is the under garment, the skirt; and the cloak the upper gar- ment, which was commonly more costly ; this may serve to give some notion of Jesus Christ's meaning, which is to this eft'ect : If any one will oxtc^rt a thing of a small value from you, suffer him patie;itly to go away witli it, and even yield him rather more, than continue in conten- tion with him. Let him have your cloak also.] All these, and the like maxims in the gospel, must necessarily admit of some imitation: our Saviour's de- sign in them not being to render his disciples defenceless and exposed to all the allVonts and indignities which wicked persons will think fit to inflict upon them, nor oblige them to suffer themselves to be stripped of all their goods. But, that jus- tice ought to give way to, and be regulated by charity; that we are not always strictly to insist upon our own rights ; and, that it is much better patiently to bear some incon- siderable loss, than fall into violent contentions, or come to law suits, 1 Cor. vi.7. V.41. Compel you to go a mile.] The Gr. word (ocfya^vsiv) which we have rendered to compel, is taken from a Persian custom, which was also in use in Judea, and the Roman em- pire. Namely, that the posts and public messengers were wont to press the carriages and horses they met on the road, if they had occasion for them, and even forced the drivers or riders to go along with them. See the same word used Matth. xxvii. 32. A mile.] Gr. One mile. V. 42. Turn not aicay.] Or, do not send back. This precept of charity is to be regulated by the circumstances of the giver, and the wants of the jierson that asks. V. 43. Your neighbour.] See what sense was put by the Jewish doctors on this word, in the note on Ver. 22. And hate your enemy.] These words are not to be found in the law, and even the contrary is plainly and expressly enjoined therein. Exodus xxiii. 4, 5. Levit. xix. 17, 18. Prov. XXV. 21. But the Jewish doctors pre- tended they could draw such an infer- ence from r.xod. xxxiv. 11, 12, from Deut. vii. 1, 24, and xxxiii. 6. And accordingly the Jews have been charg- ed by some Ae«, as, on ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 281 yoii, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those Mdio hate you, and pray for those who injure and persecute you; 45 that you may be children of your father which is in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the wicked and on the good, and sends rain upon the just and unjust. 46 Indeed if you love those onhj, who love you, what reward shall you have? Do not the publicans themselves do as much? 47 And if you salute only your brethren, what extraordinary tliinq is it? Do not even the publicans do the same ? 48 Be you therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven, perfect. V. 45. Luke vi. 35. Ecclus. iv. 10, 11. Ephes. v. 1, V. 46. Luke vi. 32. V. 48. Luke vi. 36. Levit. xi. 44. xx.26. 1 Pet. i. 16, 17. the contrary, to curse, is to wish ill, Rom. xii. 14. Who curse 3/0M.] Slander you. This is the meaning of the Gr. word (kiCYi^soctpyruv.') Seel Pet. iii. 6. Or else abuse, and revile you. V. 45. The children.'] i. e. may imitate him, and become heirs of his heavenly kingdom. See v. 9. and 48. of this chap. V. 46. The publicans.'] These were the Roman tax-gatherers; some of which were Jews: these were more extremely odious to their countrymen, than those that were heathens. The other Jews would have no manner of communication with them, Luke iii. 13. Mark ii. 16. Luke vii. 34. They looked upon the profession as scandalous, and a\l publicans were to them very hateful upon account of their extortions. See Matth. ix. 10. xviii. 17. V. 47. Salute.] The Gr. word (ao-7ra(7550-6£)denotesalloutward signs of friendship, such as kissing, em- bracing, wishing well, &c. It is the word that is used by the apostles in their salutations, Rom. xvi. &c. The meaning of it here, seems to be the same as that of the word to bless, v. 44. See Matth. x. 12. and compare Luke x. 5. which will explain St. Matthew's meaning. Your brethren.] Some copies read, 1/our friends, which seems to have been added by way of explanation. The Jews embraced their own coun- trymen, and welcomed them as breth- ren. But the Gentiles they thought unworthy of that honour. Jesus Christ teaches here his disciples, to make their charity extend to all men. See Rom. xii. 17, 18. V. 48. lie perfect, &c.] That is, practise charity in as perfect a man- ner as doth your heavenly Father, without any regard to friends or ene- mies. Comp. Luke vi. 36. Ephes. v. 1,2. This perfection here is op- posed to the imperfection of the righteousness of the Pharisees, v. 20, 282 A NEW VERSION OF CHAP. VI. The continuation of the sermon on the mount. Privacif in alms and prayers, 1 — 6. Vain repetitions condemned, 7, 8. The Lord^s prayer, 9 — 13. Toforyive in order to be J'or- yiven, 14, 15. Privacy in fastiny, lb' — 18. Treasure in heaven, \9 — 21. Eye simple, 22, 23. To serve God, and not mammon, 24. To trust hi providence, 25 — 32. To seek the kinydom of God; not to be solicitous about the future, 33, 34. 1 Be careful not to give your alms before men, to be seen of tbem: otberwise you shall receive no reward from your Father Avho is in heaven. 2 When therefore you give an alms, let not the trumpet be sounded before you, as the hypo- crites do in the synagogues and streets, that they may have the applause of men. I tell you for certain, they have their reward. 3 But M'hen you bestow an alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does, 4 to the end your alms V. 1. Rom. xii. 8. V. 2. Luke vi. 24. John v. 44. xii. 43. V. 4. Luke xiv. 14. V. 1. Be careful.'] The several precepts contained in this chapter arc found in the xi. xii. and xvith chap- ters of St. Luke. It must therefore be supposed that Jesus Christ gave the same precepts more than once, and that the Evangelists did not always take care to set down our Saviour's very words, nor to place his discourses in the same order they were delivered. See the note on chap. viii. 2. You s/iall receive, t, in imitation of the heathens, were apt to run into. Our Father tchick art. &c.l This name was commonly given by the Jews to God ; and is also ascribed to him by Jesus Christ in this chapter. See Matth. xviii. 35. Halloaed be thy name.'] To hal- low, or sanctify the name of God, is to sanctify God himself; as to call on the name of the Lord, to trust in the name of the Lord, signify to call ■upon, and trust in him. See 2 Sam. vii. 26. Matth. xii. 21. }\o\r to sanc- tify God, is to acknowledge his holi- ness, and all his attributes and per- fections in general, to honour him alone by faith, fear, and religious worship ; in a word, to glorify him. See Isai. xxix. 23. where to sanctify the holy one of Jacob, is afterwards expressed by fearing the God of Israel. By comparing Deut. xxxii. 51. with Numb. xx. 12, 24. xvii. 14. it will appear, that not to sanctify God, is to deny his infinite power, and veracity ; to distrust his promises, and rebel against hira. See also Levit. X. 3. Isai. viii. 13. V. 10. Thy kingdom come.'j The kingdom of God being universal and everlasting, Psal. cxlv. 13. these words cannot be understood of it ; but of the kingdom of the Messiah, which is also called the kingdom of God. See Matth. iii. 2. There are in the coming of this kingdom, seve- ral steps to be observed. The resur- rection of Jesus Chri=t, his ascension, and the sending down of the Holy Ghost, were the beginnings of it. Acts ii. 32, 36. The preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles, extended it beyond the bounds of Judea, espe- cially, when after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter extir- pation of the ceremonial law, the earthly kingdom of Judeu, over which God presided, entirely ceased, and the gospel came to be preached all over the world, Psal. ii. 8. See Matth. xvi. 28. compare with Mark ix. 1. Luke ix. 27. This kingdom hath ever since enlarged its bounds, as the gospel hath been by degrees received in the world; and will con- tinue to enlarge itself, till God hath brought all our ble^sed Saviour's enemies under his feet, 1 Cor. xv. 24, &c. What we desire or pray for, in this petition, is the advance- ment and progress of the gospel, obedience to the faith, or doctrine of Christ, and hi» appearance in glorv'. See 2 Tim. iv. S. Rom. viii. 19, Sec. Rev. xxii. 17, 21. Thy tcill be done, ^'c] i. e. Grant that all men may obey thy will with proportionable sincerity and con- stancy, as do the angels in heaven. Compare Psalm ciii. 20, 21. We also acknowledge in this petition, the wisdom of God's proceedings, and acquiesce in the dispeusations of his providence, Matth. xxvi. 42. Acts xxi. 14. V. 11. This day.] i.e. Every day, as appears from Luke xi. 3. Daily.] Thus hath the ancient Latin translator rendered the Greek word (iffiKS-ic;) which is no where else to be found, neither in the Sep- tuagint version, nor in any Greek author, nor in any other place in the New Testament, but in this part of the Lord's prayer. This word is formed from another, signifying the next day, and according to the Hebrew style, the time to come. This signification of it is confirmed by what St. Jerome relates, that he found in the copy of St. Matthew's gospel for the use of the Nazarenes, the Hebrew word 3Iahar, which signifies the morratc, or the time to come. See the note on verse 34. The meaning of it then is this, give us every day the bread [or such a portion of the things of this ST. MATrHEWS GOSPEL. 285 us this dav our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we foro-iVe our debtors. 13 And lead us not into tempta- tion; but" deliver us from the evil one; for to thee be- lono^, throu2:hout all ages, the kingdom, power and glory. Anien. 14 If vou forgive men their offences, your hea- venly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you forgive not men their offences, neither will your heavenly father forofive vours. 16 When you fast, put not on a sad look, like the hypo- V. 12. Matthew xvlii. 21, 22. Luke xi. 4. Ecclus. Mviii. 2. V. 13. Matthew xxvi 41. Luke xi. 4. xxii. 40, 46. 1 Cor. x. 13. Rev. vii. 10. fpeterv.S. 2 Cor.xu.7,9. V. 14. Matthew xvui. 23 &c Mark x.. 25. V. 16. Matthew ix. 14. Luke xviii. 12, 14. Isaiah Ivui. 5. Joel m. 13. world] as may be sufficient for our subsistence, during the remaining part of our lives. See and compare Exod. xvi. 16—21. Prov. xxx. 8. xxxi. 15. 2 King§ XXV. 30. Job xxxiii. 18. 1 Tim. vi. 6, S. Jam. ii. 15. y. 12. Our debts.'l This is a Syriac expression signifying our sins. See Luke xi. 4. xiii. 2, 4. Js tee forgive.'] i. e. As we are bound, and as we engage ourselves to forgive them, Matth. v. 23, 24. V. 13. Lead us not into tempta- tion.'] Gr. Jnd bring us not into temptation. Thus the Evangelists have expressed in Greek what Jesns Christ spoke in Hebrew or Syriac. The Jews were wont to beg of God in their prayers, that he aould not deliver them into the hand of tempta- tion, whereby they did not desire that he would" keep them from falling into temptation, but that he would not give them up to it, or suffer them to yield thereto. And indeed to enter into temptation, Matth. xxvi. 41 . is to be overcome by it ; as to lead, or cause to enter into temptation, is to suffer men to fall a prev to it ; for, after all, God never suffers us to be tempted above what we are able. Jam. i. 13. comp. 1 Cor. x. 13. From evil.] i. e. The devil, the tempter, Matth. iv. 3. v. 37. Luke xxii. 31. We may also render the word (7r3?r;^S) from et"7, for it ad- mits of eilhersense. The Jews were used to entreat God to the same pur- pose, that he Kould deliver them from fVil. For to thee belongs.] These last words are left out in several ancient manuscripts, and in most versions. St. Luke likewise hath them not, chap. xi. 4. But the Jews joined them at the end of their prayers. Amen.] See Matthew v. 18. The Jews added this word at the end of their prayers, and it was commonly the people that said Jmtn,at the con- clusion of the Chasan's or minister's prayer. See 1 Cor. xiv. 16. Deut. xxv'ii. 15. 1 Chron. xvi. 36, &c. The same word is found at the end of Psalm xli. andlxiii, V. 14. // you forgive.] Gr. For if you forgive. We have left oat the for, because it is sometimes re- dundant. If it is to be expressed, then these words must relate to the fifth petition of the Lord's prayer, as if they were a consequence ot them. Their offences.] i. e. If you for- give them the injuries they have done you, and pass over their other failings. V. 16. Put not on sad looks.] The Gr. word (s-xiSgwTroi) properly de- notes a fretful and angry countenance; but here it signifies, gloomy and de- jected looks, a face disfigured with mortification and fasting. The LXX have used the same word. Gen. Ix. 7. to express a sad countenance. See Prov. XV. 13. according to the same translation. Like the hypocrites.] That is, the Pharisee;. Jesus Christ reflects here on their private and voluntary fastings, for in public fasts it was lawful for 286 A NEW VERSION OF crites, who disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast. I assuredly tell yon, they have their reward ; 17 But you, wlieu you fast, anoint your head, and wasli your face. 18 That yon may not appear to men to fast, but oidy to your Father, wlio is icith you in yonr retirements; and your Father, who beholds rvhat you do in secret, will reward you openly. 19 Lay not up treasures upon earth, where the moth and the rnst do consume, and where thieves break through, and steal. 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in hea- ven, where the moth and the rust consume not, and Avliere thieves break not through nor steal. 21 For where your V. 19. Luke xii. 33. 1 Timothy vi. 9, 17, Hebrews xiii. 5. James v. 2. V.20. Matthew xix. 21. Luke xviii. 22. Tobit iv. 9. V.21. Luke xii. 34. men to put on melancholy and sor- rowful looks, and use all other sig;ns of repentance and humiliation. The Pharisees fasted on Mondays and Thursdays ; those that would be thous:ht more devout than the rest, fasted besides on Tuesdays ar.d Fri- days, and abstained from all kind of food, till sun-setting. Who disfigure their faces.'] The Greek word a.(pa,n^8c7i^ signifies to cause to disappear, or vanish, to de- stroy. It is the same word that hath been rendered in the 19th and 20tb verses, by consuming, spoiling. It signifies here no more than a pale countenance, disjigured by fasting, and austerities, and by an aflected sorrow; or else, that is nasty and dirty ; for in all probability, the Pharisees were wont to sprinkle ashes on their head, in token of sorrow and repentance. V. 17. Anoint your head.'} i. e. ail'ect nothing that is uncommon; and rather than putting on a sad countenance, which may shew that you fast, isiash, on the contrary, your face, and anoint your head. Except- ing times of affliction, the Jews were wont to wash and rub themselves witli oil, which was commonly per- fumed, e-pt'cially on festivals. See Kuth iii. o. Judith x. 3. Luke vii. 73. But they never did it on fast- davs. Pee Daniel x. 3. V. 18. Who is with you in your retirements.} See the note on verse 6. Openly.'\ See the same note. V. 19. The 7noth.] The Gr. word a-ng, literally signifies a moth. We have rendered it by the general name of vermine ; because the word that signifies a species, is often put for the whole kind. For an instance, see Luke xii. 24. comp. with Matthew vi. 26. Here it is to be observed, that the ancients were wont to lay up in their treasures, [See the note on Matthew ii. 11.] not only gold and silver, but also rich clothes, and the like. See Ezra is. 69. Job xxvii. 16. James v. 2, 3. This is what gave Jesus Christ an occasion of saying that the moth and vermine ; consume those treasures. V. 21. For where, &c.] This is a reflection made on the last two verses. The meaning of which is: if jou consider this world's goods as your true riches, you will be wholly taken up with the care of getting and keep- ing them, 1 Tim. "vi. 9, 10. But if, on the contrary, you look upon the kingdom of God, and its righte- ousness, as your supreme and only happiness; you will make it your whole business to obtain theiu, and will never renounce or for- sake them. Compare Colossians iii. 2,3. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 287 treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The eye is the light of the body; if then your eye be simple, your M'hole body will be enlightened. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be dark. If therefore what is light in you be but darkness, how great will that darkness be? 24 No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other; or he Avill be attached to the one and neglect the other. You cannot serve God and mam- mon. 25 For this reason I tell you, be not solicitous with regard to your life, about what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor as to your body, about what you sliall wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing-? V. 22, 23. Luke xi. 34, 36. Phil. iv. 6. 1 Timothy iv. 8, V. 21. Luke xvi. 13. V. 25. Luke xii. 22, 23. 1 Peter v. 7. Psalm Iv. 23. V. 22. The light.] Gr. The lamp. Eye bn simple. A simple eye is pro- perly a good and sound eye ; in op- position to a bad or weak eye. In a figurative sense, which is that of Jesus Christ here, it signifies a mind free and disengaged from the love of this world, for it is manifest from the 19, 20, 21, and 24th verses of this chapter, tiiat Jesus Christ con- demns here covetousness. He hath made use of the words single, and evil eye, agreeably to the scripture style, which calls the love of riches, the lust of the eye. [1 John ii. 16. comp. Ecclus. v. 11.] which denotes liberality, by the word singleness or simplicity {^"^tT^otyj^) [Romans xii. 8. 2 Cor. viii. 2,] and which uses the words evil eye, not only to signify envy; but also avarice and liard- heartedness to the poor. See Deut. XV. 18. Proverbs xxiii. 6, &c. — Thus Proverbs xxii. 9. yi good eye is a kind and merciful disposition. V. 23. If therefore what is light, &c.] This is to be understood of the heart, which in the Hebrew style is taken for the mind and will. This Is what Jesus Christ calls here the light of man. The meaning of this pas- sage then is; if the heart which is to regulate and direct you, be erroneous and corrupted, what will your actions, and thegeneral course of your life be ? V. 24. Two masters.] i. e. Of con- trary dispositions. He will hate.] To Jiate here, is not to mind, to have a less value ; and to love is to have a greater regard for ; as appears from the remaining part of the verse, and from Matth. x. 37. compared with Luke xii. 26. Matnmon.] We have retained this word, which is Syriac, and signifies riches or treasures, because the Evan- gelists have retained it, when writing in Greek, as have also some ancient versions; and that besides Jesus Christ hath represented riches here as a kind of false deity. V. 23. Be not solicitous. — ] Our blessed Saviour condemns here only that immoderate carefulness, which is occasioned by the love of thig world, and of its advantages and en- joyments, and proceeds from distrust, and incredulity. See Phil. iv. 6. 1 Peter v. 7. St. Luke hath made use of the word //.etew^i^w, which signifi-os to have a waverins; and doubtful mind, disquieted, or tossed about with mistrust and fear, chap, xii. 29. Your life.] Gr. Vour soul.- This is a Hebrew expression, very frequent in the sacred writings. See Exod. xxi.23. Deut. xix. 21, &c. Is not life, &c.] i. e. He that gave you life and being, will never fail to ijestow u])on you such things as are necessary for the support and preser- vation of it. Tills is an argument a major i ad minus. 288 A NEW VERSION OF 2G Consider the birds of tbe air : They sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of much greater value than they? 27 And which of you, by his solicitude, can add one single cubit to his stature ? 28 As for clothing", why should you be solicitous about that? Behold the lilies of the field how they ^-ow; they toil not, neither do they spin. 29 And yet I say to you, that Solomon himself, in all his magnificence, w as not clothed like one of these. 30 Now if God thus clothes the flowers of the field, which to-day are, and to-morrow are thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O distrustful men? 31 Be not solicitous therefore, and say not, What shall Ave eat, or what shall we drink, or with what shall we be clothed? 32 For they are the heathens which seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows, that they are necessary for you. 33 But seek in the first place the V. 26, Job xxxix. 3. 29. Psalm civ. 27, 28. cxlv. 15. cxlvii. 9. Luke xii. 24. V. 27. Luke xii. 25, 26. V. 28. Luke xii. 27, 2S. V. 32. Psalm xxvii. 18, 19, 25. xxxiv. 9, 10, 1 Kings iii. U, 12, 13. Luke xii. 13. Mark x. 30. V. 26. Of the air.'] Gr. Of the heaven. Jesus Christ cannot by any means be supposed to countenance here idleness anil negligence: his whole design, in these words, being to recommend trust in God's provi- dence, and calmness of mind, while we are em])loycd in our several call- ings, and improve all those means which God bath set before us. Comp. Prov. vi. 6, V. 27. Can add, &c.] See Luke xii. 25, 26. V. 28. The lilies.'] We must un- derstand by this word, all sorts of flowers, according to the style of the Seventy. Compare the Hebrew and the LXX in the following passages, Exod. XXV. 33, 31. Numb. viii. 4. L-^a. XXXV. 1. S( e preface to tlie in- troduction, p. 10. V. 29. Magnificence] Gr. Glory. See li-a. Hi. 1. where what is rejuUred hcaiUiful gar7iier>ts, is in the Hebrew, garynents of glory. It is the same as Esther v. 1. To put on the kingdom, (hat is, royal aj>parel. See Isa. iii. 18. Luke vii. 5. V. 30. O distrustful nun.] (ir. O ye of little faith. The word faith here, and in the like places, is to be understood of trust or reliance. V. 32. The heathens.] i. e. the un- believers in general. Which seek.] The seeking after earthly advantages condemned here, is that which is accompanied with anxiousness and fear of l)eing in want, (Seever. 25.) That which proceeds from the love of this world, and want of reliance on God, for such can only be applied to persons destitute of faith, verse 30. V. 33. The kingdom of God.] i. e. True religion, the a(lvant:>ges of the kingdom of God. Romans xiv. 17. The treasures mentioned, verse 20. comp. 1 Kings iii. 11, 12. JJis righteousness.] See ch. v. 6. That is particularly, the performance of God's commaiidmonts, as they have heen illustrated and explained by Jesus Christ, and not as they were understood by the Pharisees, Matth. v. 20, 48. Over and above.] i. e. The goods of this world ought not to be looked upon i)y Christians :i- true and c>scu- ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. •289 king-dom of God, and his riohteonsness, and all these things shall be over and above snpplied to yon. 34 Be not there- fore solicitous for the morrow, for the morrow shall take care of the thing's of itself. Sufficient to each day is the trouble thereof. CHAP. VH. I. Not to judge others, 1 — 5. J\rot to expose hohj thhufs, 6. Ejfficnc}! of prayer, 7 — 11. To treat others as ice wovld he treated, 12. Narrow gate, 13, 14. Characters of true and false prophets, and of true and false Christians, 15 — 23. To hnild on a rock, 24 — 27. Doctrine of Jesus Christ admired, 28, 29. 1 Judge not, that you be not judged, 2 For in the same manner as you judge, shall you be judged ; and the same measiu'e you use to others, shall be made use of to you. 3 Why do you see a mote in your brother's eye, and perceive V. 34. Matth. vi. 11. Exod. xvi. 15, 20. V. 1, 2. Mark. iv. 24. Luke iv. 37, 38. xvi. 15. xviii. 9, II. Rooi. ii. 1. xiv. 3, 4, 10, 13. I Cor. iv. 3, 4, 5. xiii. 7. Gal. vi. 1, James ii. 13. iii. 1, 2. iv. II, 12. Piov. x. 12. V. 3. Luke vi. 41,42. tial advantages. They should make a good use of them, if God thinks proper to bless them therewith, 1 Timothy iv. 8, But if not, their duty is to be satisfied with their own por- tion, whatever it is, being possessed with spiritual goods, and hoping for those that are eternal, Hebrews xi. 10, 13, 16, 17. V. 34. For the narrow.] i. e. For the time to come in general ; for the Hebrews use this word to denote any time to come, though at a considera- ble distance. See Exodus xii. 14. Josh. iv. 6. in wliich places the word is Mahar, i. c. the 7norrow, though it was not really so. See ver. 11 of this chapter. This expression was also in use among the Greeks. T/ie trouble.] The Gr. word v.axia, which properly denotes wickedness, signifies here evi!, or punishment, as in Eccles. xii. 1. according to the LXX. V. 1. Judge not.] This is to be understood of those rash and censo- rious judgments, whereby we disap- prove and condemn people's actions. See Luke vi. 37. Jesus Christ for- bids here not only rashness, 1 Cor. iv. 5. but also severity and rigour in judging of others; for judgment is sometimes opposed to mercy. See James ii. 13. and compare James iv. 11, 12. V. 2. ylnd the same measure.] Or. jind with what rneasure you meet, it shall be measured to you again. This is a proverbial expre-sion, much in vogue among the Jews; it occurs in the Chaldee paraphrase on Genesis xxxviii. 25, 26. and Isaiah xxvii. 8. V. 3. Do you see.] To see here signifies not onlv to be acquainted u 290 A NEW VERSION OF not a beam in your own? 4 Or how can you say to your brother: Letine take the mote out of your eye, whilst there is a beam in your own ? 5 Hypocrite, take first the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the mote out of your brother's. () Give not holy thing^s to dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turning against yov, tear you in pieces. 7 Ask and it shall be given you ; seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. 8 For whosoever asks, shall receive ; whosoever seeks shall find ; and to him that knocks, it sail be opened. 9 is there a man among you, that would give his son a stone, if he asks him for breail? 10 Or, that would give him a serpent, if he asks for a fish? 11 If therefore you, wicked as you are, know how to give V. 6. Matth. X. 11. 14. xi.25. Ac(s xiii. 45, 46. Phil, iii.2. Prov. ix. 7. V. 7. Matth. xxi. 22. Markxi. 24. Luke xi. 9. xviii. 1. John xiv. 13. xv. 7. xvi.23,24. James i. 5, 6. lJohniii.22. Psalm cxviii. 5. 2 Cor. xii. S, 9. Heb. iv. 16. Gen. xxxii. 26, 27. V. 9, 10. Lukexi.ll. V. 11. Luke xi. 13. Heb. xi. 10. with other people's faults, but to pry into them, with a design to censure and reprove them. A mote— a beam — 1 These were also proverbial expressions, formerly in use among the Jews. They are to be found in their ancient writings, where a mote signifies, as it doth here, a small and inconsiderable failing, and a beam^ great and enormous crimes. V. 4. Or how can you say.'] Gr, Say you. We have given the tense of this passage, which is, How can you have the confidence to say, &c. V. 6. Give not, &c.] The dogs and swine, here mentioned, are obstinate opposers of the doctrine of the gos- pel, wlio despise and reject it; and who, instead of tMnbracing truth, load with scoffs and reproaches those by whom it is proposed. There is a like maxim in the Thalmudical writings, Do not cast pearls before swine ; to which this is added by way of explanation. Do not offer wisdom to one that knows not the price of it. This was ti)e reason why Jesus Christ tanght in parable=. Comp. Acts xiii. 45, 46. and the parallel places. V. 8. For whosoever, &c.] In these words Jesus Christ teaches us, tiiat God grants us always our requests, provided we observe these two con- ditions, that is, 1. Provided we ask aright, and 2. Pray for what is agree- able to his will. See 1 John v. 14. and the parallel places. Compare John ix. 31. V. 11. Wicked as you are.] It may seem somewhat strange, that Jesus Christ should speak thus to his dis- ciples, whom he had called before the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, because they were in duty bound to be so ; for they certainly were good and virtuous men, Matth. V. 1, 13, 14. These words therefore, wicked as you are, are to be under- stood of them, as compared with (Jod who is a being of infinite holiness and purity. Good things.] i. e. The true goods, Luke xi. 13. The gifts of the Jloly Ghost ; whatever in general is proper and necessary for tiiem, and will prove to them a real good. ST. MATTHEWS GOSPEL. 291 good things to your children, how niucli more will your Father, who is in heaven, give good things to those that ask them of him? 12 Deal in all things by other men as you are willing they should deal by you, for this is the law and the prophets. 13 Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate which leads to destruction is wide, and the way spacious, and many there are that go therein. 14 Whereas the gate which leads to life is narrow, and the way difficult; and there are but few that find it. 15 Take care of false prophets. They come to you in ilu. garb of sheep, but within they are ravenous wolves. 16 You shall know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from tliorns, or figs from thistles? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit. IS A good tree cannot bear bad fruit; nor can a corrupt tree bring {forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bears not good fruit, is V. 12. Luke vi. 31. Tob. iv. 19. Matth. xxii- 39, 40. Rom. xiii. 8, 10- Gal. V, 14. ITim.i. 5. Tit. iii. 2, 3. V. 13, 14. Luke xiii. 24. V. 15. Micahiii. 5. Alafth. vii. 22. xxiv. 4, 5, 11, 24. Mark xiii. 22, 2 Pet. ii. 1,2. IJoiiniv. I. Kom. xvi. 17, IS. 2 Tim. iii. 5. Zecli. xiii. 4. Acts XX. 29, 30. V. 16. Matth. vii. 20, 23. 2 Tim. iii. 1. 2 Pet. ii. I, &c. Jude i— 20. Luke vi. 43, 44. James iv. 12. V. 17. Mattli. xii. 33. V. 18. Matth. vi. 22, 23. xii. 34,35. V. 19. Matth. iii. 10. Luke iii. 9. Deut. XX. 20. John xv. 2, 6. V. 12. Deal in all things. Sec] This precept, which contains the rule of natural equity, and justice, and even of charity, was familiar to the Jews, and one of their maxims. See Tob. iv. Ifi. [The like precept hath been likewise delivered by several hea- then w riters, TevS Tracriv ug aoi SeAsk Tras'Ta;. Nilus. Quod tibi fieri uon vis; alteri ne feceris, S^c. See Grot. in ioc] For this is (he law, &c.] The snm and substance of all that the law and the prophets have delivered, concern- ing our duty towards our neighbour. See Rom. xiii. 8. Gal. v. 14. V- 13. Enter on.'] i.e. Strive to enter. See Luke xiii. 24. The gate wide, the way spacious.'] By these figurative expressions our blessed Saviour gives us to understand, how easy it is to enter into destruc- tion, and how hard to procure our own salvation ; intimating at the same time, that the generality of mankind tread in the wide paths of error, and follow their passions, wiiile very few know how to find out truth, and to adhere thereto, notwithstanding all the obstacles and discouragements they meet in their way. Compare Prov- xiv. 12, 13. vii. 27. Ecclesiasticns xxi. II. V. 15. In the garb of sheep.] Jesus Christ alludes here to the clothing of the prophets, who were sometimes wont to cover their bodies with sheep- skins. See Ileb. xi. 37. Meaning thereby those outsides of meekness and piety, which the Pharisees af- fected to put on. Compare Rom. xvi. IS. 2 Tim. iii. 5. V. 16. By their fruits.] By their morals and doctrine, 1 John iv. 1. 1 Cor. xiii. 3. yj re grapes gathered.] This seems to be a kind of proverb : there occur in profane authors some snyings much like this. u 2 292 A NEW VERSION OF cut down and cast into the fire. 20 By their fruits therefore you shall know thcni. 21 All those that say to me, Lord, Lord, shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but those onfy who do the w ill of my Father, which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name ? Have we not in your name cast out devils ? And have we not in your name worked many miracles 1 23 But then will I openly declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Whosoever therefore hears these my instructions, and puts them in practice, I will compare him to a prudent man, that built his house upon a rock. 25 The rain fell ; the rivers overflowed ; the winds blew, and beat against the house, and it was not overturned, because it was founded upon a rock. 2() But it shall be with him, who hears these instructions, and practises them not, as with a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. 27 The rain fell ; the rivers overflowed ; the winds blew, and beat against the house, and it fell down, and great was the fall thereof. 28 When Jesus had ended this discourse, the people were V. 21. Matth.v. 20. Hoseaviii. 2. Luke vi. 46. Rom. 23. James i. 22, V. 22. Lukexiii. 25, 26. 2Thoss. ii.9. V. 23. Luke vi. 46. xiii. 26,27. Matth. XXV. 12, 4L 1 Cor. viii. 3. xiii. 2. 2 Tim. ii. 19. Psalm i. 6. V. 5. Habbak. i. 13. Prov. xv. 29. V. 24, 25. Luke vi. 47, 48. V. 28, 29. Mark i. 22. xi. 28. Luke iv. 32. vii. 16. xx. 2. Matth. xiii. .^)4. xxi. 23. V. 21. ^ill those that say to jne, being put for the e^eci, Matth. xi. 20. &c.] i. e. Among those that acknow- Mark vi. 2. Acts ii. 22, &c. ledge me for the Messiah, none but V. 23. / never knew i/oii."] You such as do tlio will of God sliall be are none of mine, I never approved admitted into Ins kingdom. On these you. To know, frequently signifies last words, see the note on ch. v. 20. in scripture to acknowledge and ap- V. 22. In that day.'] At the day prove, Matth. xxv. 12. 1 (Jor. viii. 3. of judgment, 2 Tim. iv. 8, &c. 2 Tim. ii. 19. John x. 14. Have we not prophesied. Sic."] Have V. 24. These my instructions.'] Gr. we not received commission, and an- These words of mine. Thus ver. 26. thority from you to preacii the gospel. V. 25, 26, 27. The rain, &c.] For the meaning of the word pro- The meaning of these verses is, that phay, see the note on Horn. xii. 6. whoever grounds his salvation upon 1 Cor. xiii. 2. Here it signifies to a mere outward profession of the gos- preach the gospel. pel, without performing the coni- Have we not in your name. Sic] niandments of God, will see all his i. e. By calling upon your name, ill-grounded hopes vanisli and come ihrougii your power. See Acts xvi. to notiiing, when lie appears before 18. xix. 13. the judgment seat of God, who will Miracles.] Gr. powers, or virtues, judge all men according to their works. Thus are miracles frequently styled V. 28. ^t his doctrine.] Ov, IJis in thegosjiels. The name of ihc c- queiitly that are uiiHorlhy of being admitted to the fea^ts, are ra>l tnit into darkness, tiiat is, delivered up to the torments of hell. Jf'etping.] The Greek word (xXafO/xo<.) signifies al>o the cries and bowlings that sometimes accom- pany weeping, and the gnashing of Itelh, that is added here, compleli-. the description of rage and despair. See Malth, xiii. 42.— 50. .Kcu vii. 54. V. 13. Said to him.] Sent hint word. 11 is servant icfls hraled.] In several manuscripts, the following words are inserted here, ./nrf Ihc centurion returning to hi> houtt, found that his servant had hem healed at 1)4 296 A NEAV VERSION OF 14 After tliis, Jksus being- come into Peter's house, found his mother-in l:nv, lying on a bed, sick of a fever; 15 He took her l>y the hand, and th(i fever having- left her, she crot up, and served them. 16 In the evening- there Avere brouniit to hijn many that were possessed Mith devils, out of whom he cast the evil spirits Avith a word. He healed likewise all that were sick; 17 That this saying- of the prophet Isaiah might be accomplished, he took our infir- mities, and bore our sicknesses. 18 Jesus perceiving- himself surrounded Avith a great crowd, gave orders to pass over to the other side of the fake. 19 Then a certain scribe coming up to him, said ; Master, I will follow you wherever you go. 20 Jesus answered him ; The foxes V. 14. Mark. i. 29. Luke iv. 38. V. 16. Mark i. 32. Luke iv. 40. V. 17. Isaiah liii. 4. i Pet. "li. 24. V. 18. Mark i. 33. V. 19, Luke ix. 57. that selfsame hour; but it is pro- bable that these words have been taken from Liike vii. 10. by ajipljin^ to the centurion what is there said of the friend? he -ent. Y. \-i. Into Ptier''s hoitse.'] Name- ly, in that wliere he was wont to retire at Capernaitm. See Mark i. 21,22. He was of Betlisaida, wliich was at a little distance from Caper- naum, John i. 45. JJis 7tivther-in-'aw.'] His wife's mother. See 1 Cor. ix. 5. V. 15. Served them,} Waited upon them at table. See Matth. iv. 11. V- 17. JJe took our iiijirmilies.} This propltecy of Isaiah liii. 4. re- lates properly to the sins of men, whereof diseases are the emblem and consequence; for which reason the original Hebrew words, that are rendered itere our infirmities^ have, by the Seventy, and St. Peter, 1 l^l)h. chap. ii. 24. been translated by our sins. .St. Matthew applies this proi)iiecy to our Saviour's curing diseases, in imitation of the Jewisli doctors, who were wont to prove two dilVerent thin<;> by the tame text of scripture, csi)ecially if they had aTiv resemblance or connection one with anoilier. See the note on chap. ix. 3. v. 18. To pass over to the other side, &c.] In the country of the Gergesenes, which was on the eastern side of tile lake of Tiberias. V. 20. Jesus answered him ,• The foxes, lie] From this answer of Jesus Christ, it appears, that the scribe was willing to become his dis- ciple with no other view, hut that he might partake of the temporal .ndvant;iges, which he expected to find in following the Messiali. The Son of Man.'] Tiiis name is borrowed from the prophets, Dan. vii. 13. Psalm viii. 5. and is that which Jesus Christ commonly gives himself: as he was called so by none but himself, it is ])lain, tliat he chose this title out of humility, as having some relation to his mer.n and huml)lc ajipearance in tiiis world. .Son of Man, in tlie propiiets Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah, doth not so much denote the human nature, as the frailty and weakness of man, and in tliis sense undoubtedly is this expression used, Psalm viii. 6. and xlix. 2. Jesus Clirist takes care indeed (o lay a stress upon it, when he would make his power and au- thority known, Matthew ix. 6. xiii. 26, &c. Hut he ceriainly made use of it for this end, that he might rectify the mistaken notions they had framed of the nature of his kingdom, and to give them to under- stand, that the way he was to enter ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. •291 have holes, and the birds of the air have nests ; hut the Son of Man has not Avhere to lay his head. 21 Another of his disciples said to him ; Lord, g'ive iiic leave to i;o and l)ury my father, before I follow yon. 22 But Jesus replied , Fol- low me, and let the dead bury their dead. 23 Upon this he went into the burk, accompanied with his disciples. 24 And on a sudden so t>reat a storm arose at .sea, that the vessel was covered with the Maves. IJut Jksis jiim- self was asleep. 25 Then his disciples cominij- to him, wakt;d him, and said ; Lord, save us, we are perishiui^-. 2() Ji;sus answered: Why are you afraid, O ye distrustful min '.' Ami rising- up he rebuked the winds, and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 At which every one was amazed : what is this man, said they, that even the winds and the s^-'a obey him ! 28 When he was arrived on the other side, in the country ol the Geroesenes, tM o possessed persons, which came out from amono' the tombs, and were so exceeding fierce, that no man durst'pass that Avay, 21) Met him, and cried out; >Miat have we to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Are you come here V 21 Lukeix.59. V. 22. Luke ix. 60. r>ev.xxi. 10, 1 1. Numb. vi. 6, 7. V ^3 Mark iv. 35. Luke viii. 22. V. 27. Luke viii. 25. Psalm Ixv.H. lxxx~ix. 10. V. 28. Mark v. 1. Luke viii. 26. V. 29. 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude v'er. 6. Luke viii. 31. comp. with Rev. xx. I. into glory, was through suflerings and the cross. V. 21. Another of his disciples.^ One of the twelve, or one of his fol- lowers in general. Sec v. 1. Give me leave to go and bury my father.'] This answer suppose, that Jesus Christ had ordered him to fol- low him. See Luke ix. 39. It is uncertain whether this disciple's fa- ther was just dead ; it is more pro- bable that he being very old, his son desired leave to stay with him till his death. See 1 Kings xix. 20. V. 22. Let the rfcarf.] i. e. Those that are spiritually dead, that are dead in sins and trespasses, i:phes. '''Bury their dead.] i. e M'"J earthly things, Luke ix. 60, 61, b4. v. 24. Ok a sudden.] Cir. Be- hold, TO ML V ''S. Gergesencs.] bt. iMariv saysU was the country of the (iada- renes, v. 1- So doth also St. Luke viii. 26. Gadara and Gergcza were two neighbouring cities on the ea>i(ern side of the lake of Gennesarelli, b«-- yond Jordan. See Jo-ephus of the Jews 1- ii- f- 2<1- '• '•'• "^- 2- Ttvo possisicd persons.] St. Luke and St. .Mark speak but of one, either because there wa-one tiercer than the other, that called himself Legion ; or, because he distinguished himself by oflering to follow Jesus, for which reasons the two Evangelists, St. Mark and St. Luke take notice only of tlii* one. See Murk v. 2. Luke viii.VT, That came out from th* tombs.] The Jewish sepulchres were /^rvtloi wherein people could shelter nml dwell. . V. 29. ff'hat have tee to do tciin you.f] This i^ a Hebrew phra.e, which signifies, ff'hy do you eourern yourself about ui / 2 Snm. xvi. 16. John ii. 4. H'hy do you u$ Kfong / IVhat dilftrence hare Ke had toge- ther .' f'yhat injury have we done you? Thu= 2 Cliron. ixxv. «!• 298 A NEW VERSION OF to torment us before the time ? 30 Now there was at some distance from them, a great herd of swine feeding : 31 And the devils intreated him saying-; If you cast iis out, permit us to enter into the lierd of swine. 32' Jesus said to them ; Go. The devils therefore, coming- out of the possessed, went into tlie herd of swine, and immediately all the swine were seen to run headlong- down a precipice into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33 Then the keepers ran away, and coming- into the citv, related all, and what had happened to the possessed. 34 Whereupon the Avliole city went out to meet Jesus, and M'hen they saw him, they desired him to depart out of their country. JopI iii. 4. See the note on Mark V. 7. Son of God.l Sec the note on Mattli. iv. 3. Tu torment us before the time.'] They were afraid of being sent into tlie abyss, or deep, Luke viii. 31. where tlie devils are confined till the day of judgment. 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude ver. 6. These fancied they ought longer to enjoy the liberty that had been allowed them of tormenting mankind. V. 3C». ^t some distance from them.'] There is literally in the original, a great way from them. But by com- paring Mark v. 11. and Luke viii. 32. with St. Matthew it will be found, that the true meaning of the word I /xaji^av) is that wliich we have given here. The Latin translator hath ren- dered it, not far from them. A great herd of swine.'] St. Mark says, there w ere about ttco thousand : which will not seem strange, if it be considered, that the generality of the inhabitants of that country were hea- thens. Gadara is ranked by Josephus among the cities that lived according to the Greek customs and manners, which is the reason why it was taken oil' from the dominions of Archelaus, and annexed to the province of Syria, Joseph. Ant. Jud. 1. xvii. 13. We learn from the same author, that the Gadarenes and Gergesenes were for the most part heathens, though there were Jews in their cities. Joseph, de Bello Jud. 1. ii. c. 20. V. 33. Into the citi/.] In Ger- gesa, otherwise called Gereza, or else in Gadara. V. 34. Whereupon the whole city.] Gr. And behold the whole city. They desired him, &c.] This they did out of dread, for so extraordinary a person ; or jjcrhaps, they were afraid of suftering more losses. See Luke viii. 37. comp. 1 Kings xvii. 18. Job xxii. 17. See also the note on Mark v. 17. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. CHAP. IX. The paralytic cured, 1-— 8. CuUhuj of St. Matthew. Jesus eats with publicans, 9 — 13. His disriplrs fast not; and tchy, 14 — 17. A icoman with an issue (f blood healed, '20—22. Jairus's damjhter raised from the dead, 23—26. Tivo blind men restored to their sijfhtj 27—31. Of one dumb and possessed, 32, 3:3. ^ Ji/as- phemif of the Pharisees, 34. Jesus preaches in (Halilee. The lost sheep. The harvest, 35—38. 1 Jesus ffoing again into the bark, crossed over the lake and came iSto his o^;n city. 2 They brought to him tln-rc a paralytic, lying on a bed, and Jesus perceivnig their taith, said to the paralytic; Son, be of good courage, your sms are foroiven. 3 Upon which, some scribes that were present, said within themselves ; This man blasphemes. 4 But Jesus knowing their thoughts. Why, says he to then., do you tlui»k ill of me in your hearts? 5 For which is eitsiest lo say, V. i. Mark ii. 1. Matth. iv. 13. V. 2. Luke v. \^. Dent, xx^iii 15, 22, 27. Johnv. U. iv. 2. 1 Cor. xi. 30. James v. \o. V. 3. I^a.ah xlii. 25. xliv. 22. Job xiv, 4. v. 1. Into his own city.'] i. e. Info Caperuaum, to which he removed from Nazareth. See MaUhew iv. 13. Mark ii. 1. t rri • V. 2. Perceiving their faith.] This remark is made by the Evangelist, upon occasion of what the persons that carried this man sick of the palsy did, when not being able, by reason of the crowd, to bring him into the room where Jesus was, they let him down through the roof; which was a plain demonstration of the full reliance they had on our blessed Saviour's power and goodness. See Mark ii. 4, 5. Luke V. 19, 20. , . T The Your sins are forgiven.} i"i^ Jews were persuaded that diseases, especially such as were grievous, were sent for the punishment ot some sin. Though they carried this matter too far (See John ix. J- it is notwithstanding certain that human calamities are often no more than the just punishment of men ^ iniquities. See Deut. wmii. 21. 1 Cor. xi. 30. John v. 11. Jamc. V. 15. 1 John V. 16. This i> the reason why Jesus Chri>t >aid lo the man sick of the palsy, when he healed him, Vour sins be for- given you, compare Isai. x\xm. 24. and observe that what is in Mark iv. 12. and their sins should br for- given them, is thu> expressed Matlh. xiii. 15. and I should heal them. V 3. Upon trhich some icribes that' were present.] Gr. And behold some of th< scribes. Blasphemes.] This wor.l denole* in general, any impious word or rx- l,r.-s>ion whatsoever. Jcmis I hn.l would have actually reiulcrrd h.mM If guilty of impiety, had he been no more than a mere man. This w.is the opinion of the f'"'-;'''"^' «•?".:)[- knowledge that none but God haih authority to forgive sins. Luke v. V. 5. FK/iiV/i is casiiil.] The meaninc of Jesu. Christ here, i-. 300 A NEW VERSION OF Your sins are forgiven; or to say. Rise up and walk'? (> HoAvevcr, to let you see that the Son of" Man has power to fori^ive sins on earth; Rise, says he then to tlje paralytic, take up your bed and go home. 7 Immediately the para- lytic arose, and went home. 8 And the people having- seen vhat vas done, Avere filled with admiration, and glorified God for having given such power to men. J) After this, Jesus departing- from thence, saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the tax-office; and he said to him. Follow me, Upon which, he rose up and followed him. 10 And as Jesus was sitting at table in the house oj' Mafthew, several publicans and persons of a corrupt life, came and sat down with him and his disciples. II The Pharisees seeing- this, said to his disciples, why does your Master eat with publicans and sinners'? 12 But Jesus over- bearing them, answered : Not those that are in health, but V. 9. Mark. ii. 13, 14. Luke v. 27. 28. V. 11. Matth. xi. 19. Luke V. 30. XV. 2. John iv. 9. Acts x. 28. 1 Cor. v. II. 2 John v. 10. Gen. xliii. 32. Daniel i. 8. That since he iiad the power of curing diseases, he must consequently have at (he same time, and for the very same reason, the power of for- giving sins, that were the cause of them. V. 8. Filled icith admiration.'] This amazement was attended with fear. Several Greek copies as also some an- cient versions read, Thej were seized Kith fear. See Luke v. 26. and the note on INlalth, viii. 34. Glorified God.] lilessed God, See Matth. v. ifi. What was to the scribes an occasion of bla?pheniiiig, proved to the people an incitement to bless God. Fur having given such power to wicn.] i. e. To a man, or to men in (he person of Jesus Christ. Com- pare Mark ii. 12. Luke v. 26. They blessed God for his having sent among them a person, that had the j)ouer of curing iiieir dis- eases, and forgiving their ollences. comp. Luke i. 68, us Ihrist repre- sents himself here under the idea of a bridegroom. St. John had de- scribed him under that name, John iii. 29. compare Matthew xxv. 6. The time will come—] Our ble«»ed Saviour speaks here of his death and sutVerings, and forotelU all the atflic- tions that were after it to happen to his disciples. This he hath expre>.ed in a figurative manner, t/ity shall fast. V. 16. No man puts, ^c.J The meaning of this comparison, as well as of the following one, is, that wc must observe in every respect, the rules of prudence; adapt our aitiont to times, places, and person^; and not lay on raw and new disciples laws, the observance whereof is not suitable to their state. Of neio cloth.] The firrek word (paxsj a7»a a ju^t reproenlaiion of per- sons, tliat'have not yd been trained up and instructed. some heathen philosophers, that have made use of it in return to such like reproaches. V. 13. / trill have mercy, and not sacrifice.] i. e. / Kill rather have mercy than sacrifice ; accordingly the Seventy have thus rendered the words in Hosea vi. 6. and the prophet ex- plains his own meaning afterwards, when after these words, / will have mercy, and not sacrifice; he alters the turn of the expression, and adds, and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings. The meaning of Je- sus Christ here, is, that a work of mercy, such as the conversion of sin- ners, is preferable to all sacrifices. See the like expressions, Matth. x. 20. John vii. See also this phrase ex- plained, Matth. xxiii. 23. J am not come to call, &c.] This is an ironical reflection on the Phari- sees. I came not to save such right- eous persons as you are, &e. V. 14. We—fust often.] As John the Baptist preached repentance, he not only lived on coarse diet, but also fasted often, and trained up his dis- ciples thereto. Sec ch. xi. 18. Luke v. 33. concerning the fasting of the Pharisees, see the note on chapter vi. 16. Your disciples fast not.] i. e- '^» not fast often, or are not used to fast. See a like expression, Mark xiv. 12. and XV. 16. 302 A NEW VERSION OF jrarinent, and by tliat means it would become still more torn. 17 Neither do men put new wine into old vessels, otherwise the vessels happenino- to burst, the wine is spilt, and the ves- sels are lost; but they put new wine into new vessels, and both are preserved. 18 As he was discoursing in this manner, the ruler of the si/ufif/of/ue came to him, and throwing- himself at his feet, said to hin), My daughter is just now dead, but come and lay your hand upon her, and she shall live. 19 Jesus rose up and followed him, together with his disciples. 20 In the mean time, a woman, who had been troubled with a bloody flux twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. 21 For she said to herself, if 1 do but touch his garment, I shall be healed. 22 But Jesus turned about, and looking upon her, said, daughter, be of good courage, your faith hath cured you. And the woman was healed from that very moment. V. 18. Markv. 22, 23. Luke viii.41, 42, The piece which is added.'] Gv. The filling np. Tliis whole passage in the original is ambiguous; and may signify, cither that a piece of new cloth rends the old garment to which it is sewed ; or else, that he that hath put it, tears it out again when he observes how ugly it looks. Wiiich way soever you take it, it makes no alteration in the sense. V. 17. Old vessels.—] Gr. in old skins, that is, in vessels made with goat skins, wherein they formerly put wine, in order to convey it from one place to another on mules or horses. This comparison hath the same sense as the foregoing. V. 18. The ruler of the st/nagogue.] Or, one of the rulers. There is only in the Greek, the ruler or prince. It was Jairns, ruler of the synagogue at Capernaum, Luke viii. 41. There were in every famous syn.jgogue, several doctors, that were named the rulers, or princes of it. See Mark V. 22. Acts xiii. 15. and above them all a president, such as Jairus seems to have been in that of Caper- naum. Mij daughter is just note dead.] His meaning is, lh;U he had left her at the agonies of death, so that she must be dead by that time. See Mark v. 23. Luke vi. 41. and 49. Come and lay your hand upon her.] This was an ancient ceremony, prac- tised by the prophets, which they joined with the prayers they made for any person. See Numbers xxvii. 18. 2 Kings v. 11. Matthew xix. 13, &c. Jairus desires Jesus Christ to come and pray for his daughter, not doubting but that, as he was a great prophet, Ciod would hear his requests. See and compare Genesis XX. 7. V. 20. In the mean time a tuoman.] Gr. And behold a woman.]. The hem.] This is t!ic most com- mon acceptation of the original word (n^xaTrE^a.) The Seventy have by it rendered a Hebrew word of an. un- certain signification. Numb. xv. 38. whicli some of our versions iiave translated n fillet, and others n fringe. What the llvangelist would here ob- serve, is only, that this woman toucli- eil the hem of Jesus Christ's garment, as la manifest from the next verse and from Mark v. 27, 28. V. 22. lie of good courage.] The woman was struck with fear, when Jesus Christ turned about, and looked uj)on her, Mark v. .33. Luke viii. 47. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 303 23 When Jesus was come into the house of the ruler of the synac/ogne, antl saw the players on the flute, and a rom- pany of people making a great noise, 24 He said to tlicm, Withdraw; for the young' woman is not dead, hut asleep. And they derided him. 25 When therefore the company were put out oj the room, he went in, and taking her by the hand, she rose up. 26 And the fame thereof was spreail over all the country. 27 Afterwards as Jesus was going from that place, two blind men followed him, crying out; Son of I)itvi' '><;'''' ^ XV. 25. See the note on Mark v. 33. v:as only asleep; .. e that lu r dca h Hath cured you.-] This is the mean- was going to be a very short >h . p. ino- of the original Greek word, both CompareJolinxi.il. Kancl eheKre. See Mark iv. 56. V. 27. Oi//«, o-if Greek, Cr^ ,1 • i\ "^"v' 23 rt 'players on the flute] isSne of tli!^ nlimcs that were .hen by l.Ias'tt nirto^n'Long the j4s to theJc.s ascribe to the ^o ;h have musical instruments at their fn- Matth. xii. 23, ii.c. bee tne nerals, whereon were played mourn- M.mh .. 1 ^^^^ ^^^^ twelve years old. ., , • " i ,o„ riis.-d the danshler of Jereni. ix. 17. 304 A NEW VERSION OF 35 Now Jesus went through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom o/' God, and healing- all sorts of diseases and infir- mities among the people. 3f) And having cast his eyes on the multitude, which foUmced him, he had compassion on them, because they were faint, and dispersed like sheep without a sheplierd. 37 Then he said to his disciples: The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few . 38 Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send labour- ers into the harvest. V. 35. Mark vi. 6. Luke xiii. 22. Mattli. iv. 23. Daniel ii. 44. V. 36. Mark vi. 34. Numb, xxvii. 17. Matth. v. 6. 1 Kings xxii. 17. Jerein. 1. 6. Ezek. xxxiv. 2. Zecii. x. 2. V. 37. Luke x. 2. John iv. 35. Acts xvi. 9, 10. xviii. 10. 2 Thess. iii. 1. V. 38. Luke vi. 12, 13. man that liad a bloody issue, restored two blind men to their sight, and cured a dumb man, j)ossessed with a devil, and all this in Capernaum. V. 35. Infirmities.'] See the note on Matthew iv. 23. Y. 36. Faint.'] The Greek word (IxAeXi'hae'voi) denotes here a kind of faintness, the weakness that is caused by hunger and weariness. See Matth. XV. 32. Hob. xii. 32. There are not- witlistanding, several Greek manu- scripts, wiiich read, as doth also the Vulgate, weary, fatigued. These mul- titudes came not only from several parts of Galilee, but also from Judea, and Idumjra, from beyond Jordan, and the borders of Tyre and Sidon. See Mark iii. 7, 8. Dispersed.'] We mpy easily repre- sent to ourselves tlie condition these multitudes were in, by fancying a company of people so weary, as to be obliged to lie down all about, like a flock of sheep, dispersed in the fields, because they were unwilling to leave Jesus, though they were hardly able to follow him. Like sheep, &c.] These words con- vey the idea which we have just now expressed; to which may be added, that this phrase is used in scripture to denote a most deplorable state, Numb, xxvii. 17. Zech. x. 2, &c. V. 37. The harvest is great, &c.] The multitude that followed Jesus, and that expressed, so earnest a desire of receiving his instructions, gives him an occasion of making this re- flection. He compares Judea and the neighbouring countries to fields covered with ripe corn, where no- thing was wanted but reapers. Com- pare John iv. 35. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 306 CHAP. X. Names, viimon, power of the apostles, I — 8. ^^ut tn provide ant) tliiuf), 9 — U. Punishment of unbelievers, 12 — 15. Prudence and simplicit)/, IG. Persecutions foretold, 17^ 23. Motives to patience and trust, 2A — 33. Jesus brings war into the icorld, 34 — 3fi. To love him above all thiu(/s ; to hear his cross, 37, 38. To lose ojie's life in ordt-r to save it, 29. Reward of him that receives the disciples o/' Jesus Christ, 40—42. 1 Jesus having called to him his twelve disciples, gave them power to cast out unclean spirits, and to lical all sorts of diseases and infirmities. 2. Now the names of the twelve Apostles are these. 'Jlie first is Simon, called Peter; then Andrew his bnitlier; James V. 1. Mark iii. 13,&c. vi. 7. Liik(^ vi. l.'J. ix. 1. V. 2. Act-s i. 13. V. 1. Having called,] Or, Caused to come near him. His twelue disciples.'] It appears from these words of St. Matthew, that Jesus had already chosen from among his disciples, those whom he afterwards honoured with the name of Apostles, Mark iii. It. Luke vi. 13. This number twelve, seems to have a relation to the twelve patri- archs, and the twelve tribes of Israel, Matth. xix. 28. Luke xxii. 30. Rev. xxi. 12, 14. See also Exodus xxiv. 4. Dent. i. 23. Josh. iii. 12. Unclean spirits.] As the Jews were persuaded that God suffered evil spirits to inflict several diseases on mankind ; they distinguished these diseases into such as rendered men un- clean, and those that did not. Thus the woman mentioned Luke xiii. 11. which had a spirit of infirmity that kept her bowed together, had uoi an unclean spirit, because her distemper was not defiling ,• whereas those that were afflicted with polluting distem- pers, were, in their opinion, possessed with unclean spirits. Now, ai no- thing was reckoned more defiling than sepulchres, the persons possessed with devils, that dwelt therein, were, ac- cording to them, tormented with wn- clean spirits. It is also observable, that those lying spirits, which in- spired the fal-e prophets, are named ill scripture, unclean spirits, Zerh. xiii. 2. Revelations xvi. 13, 14. com- pare Luke iv. 33. because, in all propabiiity, those prophels went into sepulchres to endeavour to get there some inspiration; they wtre a kind of necromancers. For ever since the captivity, the Jews were very much addicted to magic. Infirmities.] Sec the note on iv. 23. V. 2. Apostles.] This name, which signifies sent, was by Jesu- thrist given to twelve of his disciples, Luke vi. 13. and St. Mark assigns the rea- son of it, becau-e Jesus Christ sent them to preach, Mark iii. 14. Our blessed Saviour set apart these twelve, whom he called when he fir>t en- tered on his pul)lic miiii>lry. that they bring fully satisfied and con- vinced of the truth of hi> doctrine, and miracles of his rcsurrertlon and ascension into heaven, might bear witness lo the certainly of them.— See Acts i. 21, 22. Peter.] Jesus Christ gave him this name, when he came to him for the first time, with John hi- bn.ihcr. Sec John i. 42. 306 A xNEW VERSION OF son of Zebeilte, and John liis brother; 3 Philip and Bartho- lomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican ; James, son of AIj)liLUs, and Lebbeiis, sirnamed Thaddeus ; 4 Simon the Can.ianite, and Judas Iscariot, who Mas the person that ])etrayed Jesus. 5 These are the twelve, whom Jesus sent forth after he had o iven them the Jo Noirivej instructions ; Go not to the gentiles, nor enter into «;/i/ city of the Samaritans; 6 but go rather to V. 6. Matthew ix. 36. xv xiii. 16. Romans XV. 8. l-aiah liii. 6. 1 Peter ii. 25. .24. xxii. 1. John i. II. Acts iii. 26, 26. Luke i. 54, 55. Ezekiel xxxiv. 4, 5, 16, 23. Jeremiah 1. 6, 17. Zech. xi, 17. V. 3. James son of Alpheus.'\ Who is also called the Less, Mark xv. 40. either because he was younger, or of a lesser stature than the other of tlie same name ; he is likewise named vnr LonVs brother, Calatians i. 19. Tills was the author of the sjeneral epistle of St. James, which is extant among the books of the New TcstaiiKMit. Lehbeus sirnamed Thaddeus.^ As is otherwise called Jude, Luke vi. 16. and wrote the epistle which goes under his name. V. 4. Simon the Cnnaanite,^ As St. Luke st\les this apostle Simon Zelotcs, and the Hebrew word cana, signifies (o be zealously ajj'erled, it is very probable that th<' sirname of Canaanite signifies no more than a ztalot. See Luke vi. 15. Iscariot.'] The origin of this sir- name is unknown ; and commenta- tors are very much divided in their opinions ai)oiit it. Tiie most inge- nious, as well as the most ijrobable Is, that whicii supposes, tliat this name was given Judas after his death, and that it is derived from the word i^^cara, that signifies slraiigling. V. 5. Go not to the f^entiles.'} (ir. Go not in the tcay of the gtnUlcs, i. e. into the way that leads to \W gentiles. The reason why Jesus Christ gave liis di-eiples this prohibition, was, (hat he might not give any offence to the Jews. For as they were ])<>r- Miaded that the ]\Iessiah was to come only for them, they would have iinagined that Jesus was not the Mes- liyh, had he preached the go'pel lo the gentiles. It was besides expedient he should maintain the privileges of that nation. They were the children of the kingdom. Matthew viii. 12. compare Acts xiii. 46. This prohibi- tion was afterwards taken off, Matth. xxviii. 19. ]Sor enter into any city of the Sa- maritans.'] They were not properly forbid going into them, see Luke ix. 32. John iv. 4, 5. but preaching the gospel there. The Jews entertained no better opinion of the Samaritans (though they were not idolaters) than they did of the heathens ; nay, those two nations had such an extreme aversion the one for the other, that the Samaritans were much more odious to the Jews than the heathens them- selves. John iv. 9, viii. 48. V . 6. To the lost sheep of the house of Jsrael.] i. e. To the Jews. As they were God's chosen people, to whom (he Messiah had been pro- mised, and out of w hom he was to be born. Roil), ix. 4, 5. God was pleased that they should first be honoured with the preaching of the gospel, and that Jesus Christ should converse with them during the whole time of his ministry, as did also his disciples before liis ascension into heaven. See Matthew xv. 24. Romans xv. 8. Luke i. 54, 55. Lost.] Or, Strayed. Jesus Christ compares the Jews to wandering sheep, which a shepherd goes and looks for. Compare Luke xv. 4. and Matlh. ix. 36. Jeremiah 1. 6. Isaiah liii. 6. P?nlm cxix. 170. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 307 the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 Preach jr/tereivr you go, that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick ; cure the lejirous ; raise the dead ; cast out devils ; freely you have received, freely impart. 9 Provide neither gokl nor silver, nor money in your girdles ; 10 Nor bag for the journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor staff. For the labourer is worthy of his sustenance. 11 Into what city or town soever you enter, inquire who is worthy to entertain you, and stay with him till you ^o from that place. 12 When you enter into a house, salute it; 13 If the house be worthy, let your peace rest upon it ; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 When any one will not receive you, nor hearken to your instructions, as you go out of that V. 7. Lukeix. 2. x. 9. Matth. iii. 2. iv. 17. Dan. ix. 25. Mai. iii. 1. V. 8. Matth. xi. 5. Acts \x. 33, 34, 35. 1 Cor. ix. 12, 15, IS. 2 Cor. xi.9, 12. xii. 13, 14. V. 9. Mark vi. 8. Luke ix. 3. xxii. 35. V. 10. Luke X, 7, 8. 1 Cor, ix. 7, 11, 14. 1 Tim. v. 18. Dent. xxiv. 14, 15. Lpv. xix. 13. Tob, iv. 14. V. 13. Isaiah Iv. 11. P?a\in xxxv. 13. V. 14. Mark vi. 11. Luke ix. 3. x. 10, 11. Acts xviii. 6. xx. 26. compared with xiii. 50, 51. V. 7. Wherever you go."] Gr. Going, or be gone. The kingdom of heaven.'] See the note on iMatth. iii. 2. V. 8. Cure the leprous.'] Or, Cleanse the lepers. See the note on Matth. viii. 2. Freely impart.] This doth not exclude food, and other things neces- sary for their subsistence, which the Apostles were allowed to take of those whom they taught. Only they could not sell the gifts of God, because they were not their own, and that thev were not the dispensers of them, 1 Cor. iv. 1. V. 9. Provide.] The Gr. word (^>(lna-n^i) which signifies to possess, signifies also to get, to furnish one's self with a thing. This last is the meaning of it here. In your girdles.] i. e. in your purses, as St. Luke hath it, ch. x. 4. The ancients were used to carry their money in purses, hanging to their girdles. V. 16. Nor shoes.] That is, no other shoes but what you have on. This is explained by Mark vi. 8. Nor staff.] i. e. No other stalT be- sides that wliich you have, .Mark vi. 9. Luke ix. 3. .Jesus Christ's design in giving his disciples these directions, was to teach tiiein, even in their first journey that they ought to trust to providence, and that provided they did their duty, they should want no- thing. But it mu>t be ob-.crved, ihal this injunction relates only to the tir>t mission of the Apostles, for it was af- terwards repealed, Luke xxii. 35. V. 12. Into a house.] The house is iiere put for the family. .Salute it.] The form of (he salu- tation is thus expressed by St. Luke X. 5. Peace be to this house. V. 13. Jiesl upon it.] Gr. Come upon it. Return to you.] i. e. They shall re- ceive no advantage by it. For the meaning of this expression, sec Isaiah Iv. II. Psalm XXXV. 13. V. 14. Shake off the dunt of your feet.] This action shews that that city was to be looked upon by them as a heathen city : Tor the Jews fan- cied, (hat the du>t of heathen lands was polluting. See Luke x. 1 1 . comp. Matth. xviii. 17. X 308 A NEW VERSION OF house or city, shako oft' the dust of your feet. 15 Assuredly 1 tell you, Sodom and Gomorrah shall be treated with less riifour in the day of judg^ment than that city. 1() 1 send you as sheep among- wolves, be ye therefore wise as soqients, and harmless as doves. 17 And take care of these men, for they will deliver you to their tribunals, and cause you to be scourged in their synagogues. 18 You shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, to the end ye may bear witness of me before them and the Gentiles. 19 But when ye shall be delivered into their hands, be not solicitous, either how ye shall speak, or what ye shall say ; because at that very instant you shall be inspired with what you have to say. 20 For it will not be you that shall speak, but the spirit V. 15. Matth. xi. 24. Lament, iv. 6. V. 16. Luke x. 3. Rom. xvi. 19. 1 Cor. xiv. 20. Coloss. iv. 5, 6. Eph. v. 15, 16. Phil. ii. 15. Gen. iii. L V. 17. Acts ii, 40. Matth. xxiv. 9. Mark xiii. 9. Lukcxii. 11. xxi. 12. V. 18. Mark xiii. 9. Luke xxi. 12, 13. Acts xii. 1. XXV. 23. 2Tim. iv. 16. V. 19. Luke xii. 11. xxi. 14, 15. Jerem. i.6, 7. V. 20. Acts ii. 4, 16, 17. iv.S,31. vi. 10, 15. Exod. iv. 12, 15. 2 Sam. xxiii. 2. V. 15. Sodom and Go7norrha.'\ Gr. The land of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha. V. 16. Wise as serpents.'} A ser- pent i^ generally reckoned a very pru- dent and wary creature, in preserving; itself from danger. See Gen. xlix. 17. Psatm Iviii. 6. Harmless.'] The Greek word ya.yA^ot.\(j{) properly signifies /(uj-p and unmixed, or else innocent and imuiil- ling to do harm. Tlie simplicity re- commended here, includes meekness, sincerity, and innocence ; and it is with these virtuous qualities, that Je- sus Christ tempers what might be pernicious in the serpents, whose pru- ion, which Jesus Christ applies on dillVrcnt oc- casions ; here, and John xv. 20, it relates to the persecutions his disci- ples were to undergo; if is applied to another subject, John xiii. 16, Luke vi. 40. V. 25. Beelzebub.] This is a name, which was by the Jews given to the prince of the devils. See ch. ix. 34, xii. 24. The Hebronifcs had an" idol, which they called BeeUa- men, that is, the God, or Lord of hea- ven, or as other nations expressed it, Jupiter Olympius.1\\\^'^Ao\ is, 2 Kings i. 2, named Beelzebub, i. e. the god of flics; but as the Jew« aflecled to give slighting names to fal-e d.-uio, they had changed thi< name into that of Behebub, i. e. a dunghill god, or the prince of idols, because they look- ed upon all idol^ a^ dunghill govhispered in your ear, proclaim on the house tops. 28 And fear not those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul : fear him rather who is able to destroy both body and soul in Gehenna. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and yet not one of tliem falls to the g-round w ithout your Father's per- mission. 30 The very hairs of your head are all numbered. »31 Therefore be not afraid, you are of more worth than many sparrows. V. 26. Mark iv. 22. Luke viii. 17, xii. 4. Job xii. 22. V. 28. Jerem. i.8. Isaiah viii. 12,13, li. 7, 8. 1 Pet. iii. 14 Wisd. xvi. 13. V. 30. Luke xxi. 18. Acts xxvii. 34. 2 Samuel xiv. 11. See 1 Kings xv. 12. 2 Kings xvii. 12. This word Beelzebub, was al>o a title of respect, which tiie heathens gave to some of their deities, as appears from Pliny, lib. x. c. 28. xxix. 6, be- cause, as they fancied, they were by their means delivered from the trou- blesome tlies. V. 26. Be not afraid of them.'] The meaning of this verse is, that the disciples ought not to conceal the truth, which had been committed to » them, notwithstanding all the contra- dictions they might meet with in the course of their ministry, because the design of God was, that the gospel, which Jesus Christ revealed to them in private, and n hich was a mystery to all the rest of mankind (Matth. xi. 27. 1 Cor. ii. 9, &c.) should by them be pul)lished all over the world; our blessed Saviour a])plies here a jjroveibial saying to the gospel. See Mark iv. 22. Luke viii. 17, xii. 2. There is not/ting hid, Sec.'] This is a general rule, that may admit of several exception-; ; Jc.-us Christ ap- plies it to different subjei ts. Here he gives his disciples to understand, that it was his design they should openly and courageously reveal to the world those truths, Hhich time did not then permit him to disclose every where. See Mark iv. 22. Luke viii. 17. xii. 2. V. 27. hi darkness.] i. e. In pri- vate. In Ihe light.] i. e. In public. Proclaim on the house tops.] This is a proverbial expression. The roofs of the houses in Judea were flat, so that people could walk about upon them. See Acts. x. 9. V. 28 Fear not those who kill, ^c] This was a saying familiar to the Jews. See Wisdom xvi. 13, 14, compare Isaiah li. 7. In Gehenna.] i. e. In hell. See Matth.v. 22. and xxiii. 15,33. V, 29. yf farthing.] The Greek word {cca-ffcc^iB) denotes a very small piece of money, about the value of which, commentators are not agreed. The Vulgate hath rendered it hy a penny. Falls to the ground.] i. e. Pe- rishes. It is a Hebrew phrase. See Joshua xxiii. 14. 2 Kings x. 10. Compare Luke xxi. 18, with Acti xxvii. 34. V. 30. The very hairs, &c.] The following words must be understood, though they were not expressed by Jesus Christ, not one of them falls to the ground without God's permission, since he knows the number of them. This is a proverbial saying, which gives a very noble and lively repre- sentation of the care God takes of the righteous. See 1 Samuel xiv. 45. 2 Samuelxiv.il. I Kings i, 51. Luke xxi. 18. V.31. Than many sparrows.] i.e. Than all the sparrows in the world. There is in the original Greek tnany ; which is sometimes put for a great ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 311 32 Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will | also confess before my Father, who is in heaven. H-i lUu whosoever shall renounce me before men, him will 1 also renounce before my Father, who is heaven. ;j4 Imaj-ine not that I am come to bring- peace on earlh ; 1 am not come to bring- peace, but a swonl. :35 I am come to .sow dissentiou between the son and his father, between the daughter and her mother, between the daughter in law and her mother in law; 36 And even a man's own dit- mestics shall be his enemies. 37 He that loves father 01 mother more than me, is not worthy of me. liH And m ho- ever takes not his cross, and follows me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that saves his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake, shall save it. 40 He that receives you, receives me; and he that receives V. 32, 33. Mark viii. 38. Luke i.v. S6. xii. 8. 2 Tim. ii. 12. Uev. iii. 5. V. 3t. Luke xii. 49,51. V. 36. ver. '21. of this chap. 4 l.sdras v. 9. \i. -ii. V. 37. Luke xiv. 26. V. 38. Mattli. xvi. 24. .Mark viii. 31. Luke ix. 'i.S. xiv. 27. V. 39. Matth. xvi. 25. Mark viii. 35. Luke ix. 24. xvii. 3.1. John xii. 25. V. 40. Matth. xviii. 5. Luke x. 16. John v. 23. xii. 44. xiii. 20. xiv. 21, 24. number, or for all. See Dan. xii. 2. and compare Rom. v. 12 and 15. V. 32. Shall confess me.] To confess, here signifies publicly to ac- knowledge Jesus Christ for the pro- mised Messiah, aud the Son of God ; this confession extends to the receiv- ing of his whole doctrine. See Mark viii. 38. Rom. i. 16. and even the least of his commandments, ver. 19. of this chapter. V. 33. Shall renounce 7ne.'\ To deni/ Jesus Christ, is, not to acknow- ledge, or to disown him ; to renounce his doctrine, and be ashamed of tlie profession of it. See Mark viii. 38. Luke ix. 26. / will renounce him."] This is what is otherwise expressed before in these words, / never knew you, chap, vi, 33. V. 34. / am not come to bring peace, but a sword.] It must not from these words be inferred, that to sow strife and dissentions among men, was either the intention of Jesus Christ, or the tendency of the gospel, whose maxims and precepts are so excellently well calculated to promote peace and good will in the wprld. liut only that (his is what should happen u{)on the account of the gos- pel, through tlie incredulity and pcr- verseness of men. V. 35. The son.] Gr. ^/ man, .is in Dent. xxii. 30. Frov. xv. 20. conip. Luke xii. 53. These words are an imitation of .Micah, chap. vii. 6. V. 37. He thai loves.] See Deut. xxxiii. 9. to which Jcsu^j Christ tca- nifestly alludes. Is not icorlhi/ of mc.] i.e. Ofbting my disciple. See Luke xiv. 26. V. 38. Takes not his crosi.] Or, bears his cross. Christ allude" here to a custom then in use, of innkinic the criminal carry his ero-s to the place where he was to be fa«lrned thereto. The disciple- taking up «r bearing their cross, signifies to bear with constancy and patience, the per- secutions they were to undergo. V. 39. lie that sav'S hii life.] Gr. finds his soul. As .Matth. ii. 20. 1. e. lie ihat to save his life, shall renounce my doctrine. Sec Luke x>ii. 33. and eomp. Matth. xvi. 25. and Mark viii. 35. St. Mattheu hath here put to find one's life, for pre-:-rving it when one is in danger of being deprived nf x4 312 A NEW VERSION OE iiip, receives him that sent me. 41 He that receives a propliet, as a |)io|)h wa> appointed for a l)ropliet, and ronx'cuientjy a very con- siderable one. Comp. Daniel xii. 3. Luke xix. 5, 9. Heb. viii. 2. This is an allusion to an ancient custom of giving the prophets ;>resfn/4. 1 Sam. ix. 7,8. yf Just man.] He that without being commissioned to teach, believes in Jovis Christ, and observes bi> coiii- inandiiicnls. This jiisi person lialli been described, cli. vii. 21,25. Here, as also Mattli. xiii. 17. the ri-jhti-ous person is joined with, and subordinate to a propliet. Tlicse are the believers, and the disciples of the prophets. V. 42. Tu one of these, Sic] Je- sus ( hrist i-o styles those persons that were recoinmendable neitlierfor their learning nor dignity ; nlain and well- meaning men, who, though they were illiterate, were of a teachable dispo- sition, and entertained a great love for truth. IMatth. xi. .5, 25. xviii. 6. Mark ix. 42. Luke xvii. 2. As to one of my disciples.] This is not to be understood of the twelve Apostles; for Jesus Christ observing here a gradation, descends from a j)ro- phet to a just man, and from a just man to a di.-cii)le. It is tiierefore in general any one that believes in Christ, Alatth. xviii. 6. v. 1. Here vve see that what renders good works valu- able in tiiesiglit of (ioti, and procures tluni a recom[)once from him, is their lieing dune out of regai'd for him, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. V. 1. In the cities.] That is in ST. MAITHEW'S GOSPEL. 313 and preach in their cities. 2 In the mean while John tlu' Baptist havino- heard in prison tlie actions of Jesus Christ, sent two of his disciples to ask him this question. S Are you he that was to come, or are we to expect another'* Jesis made answer, Go and tell John both what yon hear and what you see. 5 The blind receive their si'jrht, the lame walk, the leprous are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them, 6 And happy is he to Avhom I shall not be an occasion of fallino". V. 2. Matth. xiv. 3- Luke vii. 18, 19. V. 3. Gen. xlix. 10. Isai. xxxy. 4. Dan ix. 24. John vi. 14. V. 5. Ijai. xxix. 18. xxxv. v. xlii. 7. Ixi. I, Psal. cxlvi. 8. Matth. x. 8. John ii. 23. iii. 2. v. 36. x. 25. 3«. xiv. 1!. Luke iv. 18. James ii. 5. V. 6. Matth. xiii. 57. xxi. 44. xxiv. 10. xxvi. 31. Isai. viii. 14, 15. Compare Rom. ix. 32, 33. and 1 Pet. ii. 8. Luke ii. 34. John vi. 60, 66. 1 Cor. i. 23. ii. 14. the cities of the Jews. The pronoun is often put without having a noun going before, to which it relate?. For instance of this, see Luke iv. 15, v. 17. or else, by the cities here men- tioned, we must understand those cities of Galilee, of which the dis- ciples were, Acts ii. 7. V. 2. John the Baptist having.'] This shews that John the Baptist had been put in prison a little while after Jesus Christ had entered on his public ministry, and before he had wrought any con^ide^able number of miracles. See Matth. iv. 12. In prison.'\ AVhere he had been put bv Herod Antipas. See Matth. xiv. 3. The actions.'} Or, The miracles; for the Gr. word ( ^ya^) is often used in this sense. Luke xxiv. 19. John V. 32. vii. 3, 21. Heb. iii. 9, Sec. Sent tico of his disciples to ask him, &c.] Gr. Having sent two of his disciples, said unto him, tliat is, he ordered them to say unto him. See Matth. ix. 18. V. 3. Are i/ou he."] Though John the Baptist had borne witness to Je- sus Christ, John i. 15. yet it is evi- dent from this question, and from what Jesus Christ says, verse 6. and 11. that the long imprisonment of the Baptist, proved no small temptation to him, and that he began to doubt whether Je-us was the Messiah, since he did not deliver him. That teas to come.'] Thus they were wont to describe the promised Messiah, whom the Jew- were then in expectation of; it is a compendious way of speaking; put for the king that teas to come. See Psalm cxviii. 26. Isaiah Ixii. 1 1. Zech. ix. 9. compare Mark xi. 10. Hebr. vi. 5. V. 4, 5. Go and tell. Sec. The blind, &c.] These miracles were exactly the characters of the Mes»lah, Isai. xxxv. 5, &c. Ixxii. I. M^itth. viii. 17. St. Matthew hath omitted here one circumstance, which serves very much to illu-trate this relation ; name- ly, That Jesus Christ worked several miracles in the presence of John's dis- ciples, Luke vii. 24. The leprous are healed,] See the note on chap. ix. 8. ' The poor have the gospel, &c.] These words are added here from Isai. Ixi. 1. to give the disciples of John to understand thai the kingdom of heaven wa.* to have -nothing of outward pomp and grandeur. The poor here are the little ones mentioned chap. X. 42. \. 6. Happy is he to whom, &c.] Gr. JVhosoevfr shall not be scanda- lized in me. We have rendered in our translation the meaning of the word <7)c«»aaX»oS5. See Matlh. v. 29. This is an indirect reflection on John the Baptist, who, being prepossc'sed, as all the Jews, and even the di«ciplc'^ of Jesus Christ were at that lime, with 314 A jNEW version of 7 When they were gone, Jesus said to the people speaking of John, what was it you went to see in the Milderness'? a reed shak) ii with the wind? 8 What Mas it then you went to see? a jxisoii richly apj)arelled? but those that are clothed in that manner are in kings' palaces. 9 AVhat then >vas it that you went to see? Mas it a prophet; yes, 1 assure you, and more than a prophet : 10 For it is of him that it is written ; V. Luke vii. 24. Mattli. iii. 5. V. 9. Matlli. xiv, 76. V. 10. Matth. iii. 3. Mark i. 2. Luke vii Malachi iii. 1. 5- xxi. 26. Luke i. 27. Isaiah xl. 3. wrong notions of Christ's kingdom, could not think that if he was the Messiaii, he would leave his fore- runner lying; in Herod's prison. This relates, in general to the humble and mean ai)i)earance of Je^us Christ, his ob^cu^(• birth, his jiillVrinsrs and death. Compare Matth. xiii. 57. xxvi. 31. Mark vi. 3. V. 7. A reed.] Earthly powers are sometimes compared in scripture to reeds, upon account of their uncer- tainty and instability. See I^ai.xxxvi. 6. Lzekiel xxix. G. The meaning of this passage is, that they were not to expect either in Joiin the Baptist, or the kingdom of the Messiaii, whose fore-runner he Has, any lhi;ig like those short-lived and transitory gran- deurs, 01; which no reliance can be had. ]Iis design herein is to unde- ceive them from the wrong and sen- sual notions the disciples of John the Baptist, and j)crhaps John himself, had framed of the kingdom of the Messiah. V. S. Richly apparelled.] Gr. In soft elulhes, i. c. made witli fine and soft >liiiy, such as purple, fine linen, «)r ^ilk. Accordingly Si. Luke hath exj)re.-scd Jou- ('liri>t's meaning by sumptuviis clot/ici, Luke vii. 25. Our Saviour's design in these words, is to make hi'* hearers rellect on the austerity of John the I'japti^t, and coii- sequenlly on the nature of the king- dom of heaven, wh(»e fore-niniier was M) sar reniole fniiii Ihe luxury and elTeminacy of great men. See Matlli. iii. 4. from whence it follows, that this kingdom was not an earthly kingdom. V. 9. 77,(71,1 fir. liu/. More than a prophet.^ See the note on verse 10. V. 10. ] seiid.] Gr. Behold I send, i. e. I am going to send. The word behold, which is frequently used by the Hebrews in their discourses and relations, and is generally no more than an expletive, serves here only to denote that this event was at hand. Before you.'] Gr. Before your fare. This is an Hebraism. There is in the Hebrew, before me, or, be- fore my face. This difference makes no alteration in the sense. Jesus Christ hath explained here Malachi's prophecy iii. 1. in quoting if, be- cause (Jod is come into the world only in the jierson of his son. Compare Matthew x. 40. John xiv. 9, 10, 11. My rnessenger."] Gr. My angel. The word (ayAAo?) signifies only a messenger or ambassador. This name is sometimes given to the prophets, as fo Moses, >iumb. xx. 16. Hag. i. 13. Sometimes to the high-priest, Malachi ii. 7. To the bishops of the churches under the New Testament, ilevel. ii. 1. To all those that are sent from God, Judges ii. 1, 2. Chron. xxxvi. 15, 16. And to the Sou of (iod himself, who is styletl f/ie ungel of the covenant, Mai. iii. 1. What gave John the Baptist the pre-eminence above the rest of the liiophets, was, that he was the «us- sfugi r or fore-runner of Jesus Christ ; that he saw with his own eyes that salcalion which the otbcr> had only foretold, and that he immediately |)repared the way before him. ff'ho shall prepare, &c.] Gr. That ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 31. I send before you my messeiig-er, who shall prepare the way for you. 11 Assuredly I tell you, that a ftreattr than John the Baptist has not yet appeared aiuon<»- those tli:it arc horn of women : nevertheless, the meanest in the kiiiodom othniven is greater than he. 12 Ever since the time ot J«)hn the Bap- tist, to this hour, the kingdom of heaven is, as it iccrr, invaded by violence, and none but the violent forcibly seize it. l.J For V. 11. Matth. iii. II. xiii. 17. Luke i. 15. iii. 16. Rom. xvi. 25. Epii. i. 9. Coloss. i. 26, 27. 2 Tim. V. 12. Luke i. 16, 17, 76. vii. 29. xvi. 16. Matth. iii. Luke xvi. 16. Mai. iv. 4, 5. Compare with Luke i. 17. John i. 15, 87,80. 10. 1 Pet. i. 20. ,5. V. 13. shall prepare the tcay before you. This is an allusion to what is prac- tised by kings, who send persons be- fore them, to prepare what is neces- •sary in places they are to go through. St. John prepared the way to Jesus Christ, by testifying he was the Mes- siah, and by disposing sinners to re- pentance. See Matth. iii. 3. and Luke i. 76, 77. V. 11. Those that are born of wo- wien.] This is a Hebrew circumlo- cution used instead of the word men. See Job xiv. 1. xx, 14, &c. It is to be noied, that this passage is to he understood only of the times that preceded the coming of John the Bap- tist and the Messiah, as is evident from the following word?. The meanest in the kingdom, &c.] The meaning of this is, that the least of the faithful, since the exaltation of our blessed Redeemer, hath a more perfect knov\ ledge of Jesus Christ, of his redemptiou and kingdom, than John the Baptist had, seeing he was put to death before the full mani- festation of the gospel. See the note on ver. 27. and Matth. iii. 2. ver. 20. The sense of this expression, the least in the kingdom of heaven, is not the same as above, v. 19. It must also be observed, that these words con- tain an indirect reflection on the doubts which John the Baptist had shewed immediately before concern- ing him, and discovers the cause of them, namely, because he entertained wrong notions about the nature of his kingdom. V. 12. Ever since the time, &c.] This hath a connection with these words of the foregoing ver>e, there hath been none greater than John the Baptist. The reason of this is, ihat since he began ti» preach, the king- dom of heaven hath been revealed to mankind, and, as it were, set before all those that would conquer it. Compare Luke xvi. 16. In this consisted the greatness of John the Baptist. S'one but the violent forcibly seize it."} By the violent here Jesus Christ means the publicans and centurions ; all those that followed such employ- ments as might dispose them to vio- lence and extortiiMi, and who being wrought upon by the exhortations of John the Baptist had emhrared the gospel. They took it aicay, in a manner from the Pharisees .ind doc- tors of the law, to whom it seemed of right to belong. The meaning then of these words is, that the gospel is published since the preaching ol John the Baptist, and that they mIhi are most ready to embrace it, are chiedy those that seemed most unworthy of it, such as publicans, soldiers, and prostitutes. Compare Luke vii. 29, 30. Matth. x\i. 31, .'i2, -13. and viii. 11, 12. See also the note on verse 19 of this chapter. V. 13. For all the prophets, Sic] i. e. The law and the prophets have been your guides till the coming of John ; but now (iod hath <.ent me to you as another director, and .lohn U "that Llias who was to go before mc. 31G A NEW VERSION OF all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And inoreuv« r, if you will believe ine, he is the Elias who was to come. 1') He that hath ears to hear, let him heai*. 16 But to what shall I compare the men o/* this generation ? they are just like children sitting in puhlic places, and crying to their companions. 17 We have played on the flute to you, and you have not danced ; we have sung mournful airs to you, and you have not lamented. 18 For John came neither eatin»- nor drinking, and they said, he is possessed with a devil. 1.0 The son of man is come eating and drinking, and they say, he is a glutton, and a drinker, a companion of pub- licans and sinners. But wisdom has been justified by her children. V. 14. Matth. xvii. 12, 13. Mai. iv. 5. Luke i. 17. John i. 21. Com- pare IVlatth. xvii. 10. V. 15. Matth. xiii. 9. Rev. ii. 7. V. 18. Luke vii.29, 30, 31, cScc. V. 18. Matth. iii. 4. Luke i. 15. \ii. 33. John x. 20. V. 19. Matth. x. 11. and declare my coming; to the world. Comjjare Jolin i. 17. liel). i. 1. V. 14. The. Klins.'} It was a gene- ral tradition among the Jews, that tlias was to come in person in the time of the Messiah. See JMatth. xvi. 14. John i. 21. This expectation they grounded on Malachi iv. 3, which tliey applied to l-.lias ; whereas it ougiit to be understood of l/ie spirit anil ]joic:r of Elias, wiiich conspicu- ously appeared in John tlie Haptiitt. Sec the note on Luke i. 17. and Matth. iii. 4. V. 1.5. ife that hath ears, &c.] This is a smart and pithy reflection, wherewith Jesus Christ sometimes concludes his discourses, to make his hearers sensible of the importance of what he delivers, and to engage tliem to dive into the sense of it. Mattii. xiii. 9. St. John uses it in the reve- lations. V. 10. Of this generalion.] The men of this age. 'They are like children.^ That ge- neration was not, properly s-peaking, like children that call, but thoL^ed Saviour wrought more miracles, and preached longer there than any where else. They hid then the truth from themselves, blinded as they were, with prejudice and the fal>e notions they entertained concerning the jjcrson and kingdom of the Messiah, and with the sway their |)assions had on their minds, (lod hides the gospel in the same sense as Jesus Christ says that he came to send a stcord on earth, Matthew x. 31. Tills was by no means the inten- tion of Jesus Christ, but only owing to the perverseness of men, of whicli the gospel Iialh been made an occa- sion. Compare John ix. 39. Mutth. xiii. II, 12, 13, It, 15. From the wise.'] i. e. the learned. The words wise and wisdom denote only the learned and learning. It is a Hebrew and Greek expression. See the three first chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians. The pru- dent nxe i\\e cunning and politic men of this world. But Jesus Christ doth by this word denote those that are pufl'ed up with their own knowledge, 1 Cor. viii. 1, 3. That are wise in their own eyes. To children.] To the little ones, to the modest and humble, in oppo- sition to the learned, noble, and cun- ning men of this world. See 1 Cor. i. 16. Compare Luke i. 48. Matth. X. 42, xi. 5. 1 Cor. ii, 7, 8, 9. Psalm xxv. 14. Eccles. xxiii. 17,18. These babes could notwithstanding, reason very well, as appears from John ix. 30, 33. V. 27. Hast shewn.] The Greek word Tra^Edofirj admits of this signifi- cation. It is a Hebrew way of speak- ing. See 1 Corinth, xi. 2, 23, xv. 38. This interpretation is confirmed by the following words, «o ?>!«« knoweth, ^'c. and by the parallel places, John viii. 28, xii. 49, xv. 15. The mean- ing then of this jiassage is ; the Father hath given me the knowledge of all things, hath revealed unto me all his secrets. SeeJohniii.il, 13, i. 18. This passage may also be thus ren- dered, all things have been delivered unto me by my Father. No one fc/joics the Son, Sec] All this is to be understood of the gospel, ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. gm things, and no one knows the Son but the Father, nor do.s any one know the Father but the Son, or he to wliomthe Son IS pleased to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all you that labour and are over-burdened and I wdl relieve you. 29 Take upon you my yoke, and learn of me, because I am mild and of a humble heart, and you shall find peace in your souls. 30 For n'ly yoke is easy, and my burden light. "^ CHAP. xn. The phckiuf/ the ears of corn, and icithered hand cured on the Sabbath-day, 1—14. Patience and f/ent/eness of Christ, 15 — 21. Devil cast out. Calnmny refuted, •22— Hi)', (npar- donable blasphemy. Account to be r/iven of idle words, 31 — 37. Jews condemned by the Ninevites and queen of' Sheba, 38— 42. Parable of the unclean spirit, 43 — 4o. True relation of our Lord, 46 — 50. 1 At that time, as Jesus was walking through the corn fields on the Sabbath day, his disciples being- hungry, began V. 28. John vii. 37, 38. xxxi. 25. Ecclus. vi. 25, 28. Wisdom viii. 16. Prov. iii. 17. V. 29. Zech. ix. 9. Phil. ii. 7,8. Jer. vi. 16. V. 30. 1 John V.3. Actsxv. 10. Gal. v. 1. either with regard to the Father's de- sign of saving the world by the death of his Son, and by faith ; of calling in the Gentiles without bringing thctn in subjection to the law of Moses; or with regard to the person of the Son of God, which was then unknown to the world, as was also the nature of his kingdom. This is what Jesus Christ calls, to know the Father and the Son, and his meaning is, that no one could of himself arrive at this knowledge, that none but the Father and the Son could reveal it, and that it is only by the Son that the Father reveals it. Compare Matth. xvi. 17. John vi. 44. V. 28. That labour and are over- burdened, &r.] With your sins and miseries, Psahn xxxii. 4. xxxviii. 5, with the ceremonies of the law. Gal. V. 1. Acts XV. 10, and with the tra- ditions of the Pharisees, Matthew xxiii. 4. V. 29. Learn of me.] Or, Become my discipUsfor I am metk. Which makes also very good sense. Mild, and of an humble heart,'\ Or, I 0771 of a lotely spirit. That is, the temper of my doctrine is meek and merciful. Thi- character of Jcsus Christ is opj)0-ed to cruelty, Jo the pride and hauglitinos of the Phari- sees, who daily rendered the yoke of the law more intolerable by their tra- ditions, and who despised the humble and the meek. See Matth. xii. 19, 20. xxiii. 4, 7. V. 30. My yoke is easy. ] Lasy to bear ; in opp(»iti(>n to the ceremonies of the law and the traditions of the Pharisees. V. 1. yit that time.'] See Luke it. 1, where the i:vangcli>l points out the sabbath, and day whereon this happened. It was after Ihc fca»t of the passover. Through the cornfields.] Through :ViO A NEW VERSION OF to pluck tlie ears of corn, and to eat them. 2 The Pharisees observing- this, said to Iiim; See, your disciples are doing- what it is not hnvful to do on the Sabbath-day. 3 Jksus ans«<'ri-d fluin ; Have ye not read Avhat David did, M'lien he was liunnry, he and tliose that were with him? 4 How he entered into the house of God, and eat the shew-bread, which it was not lawful for him, or for those that were with him, to eat, but for the priests alone. 5 Or have ye not rea w ere Iti'tlve oO'ered every sabba(li-d;iy , which were set in the sanctuary, on the golden table. Lev. xxiv. 6. The loaves David did cat, were some of tiiose that had been taken away the day before to put others in their room. (See Introduction, p. 56, 57.) V. 5. The priests break the sab- bath.] Because they lighted thereon the fire, slew the sacrifices, &c, whereby they would have profaned the sabbath had not those things been enjoined by God. Accordingly the Jews were wont to say, that there is no sabbath in the temple. See JNumb. xxviii, 9. V. 6. One greater than the temple, &c.] i. e. The business I am engaged in, and wliich my disciples are now entering upon, is more important and necessary than any tiling that is done in the temple ; and indeed the curing of diseases, and the instructing of mankind, which was the employment of Christ and his Apostles, were works more excellent than the observ- ance of the ceremonial law. Some copies read, IJe that is here is greater than th^ temple. And if so, tlien these words nui^t relate to Jesus Christ. V. 7. / will have mercy.] These ^t'ords are a confirmation of w hat is said in the foregoing verse. Works of mercyare uu)rearccptable to Clod than all the sacrifices. Sec Matth. ix. 13. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 321 have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord, even of the sabbath. 9 Then Jesus being- departed from thence, went into their synag-oo-ue. 10 And a man with a withered liatid, being- there, the Pharisees, that they mio ht have somewluU whera^' to accuse Jesus, asked him, whether it was lawfnl to heal Me wt«w on the sabbath-day ? 11 He replied, Is fliere any one of you, who having- a sheep, if it happen to fill I info a ditch on the sab])ath-day, wonhl not iuimriliafr/if lav hold of it, and draw it out? 12 vVnd of how iuimIi yrcahr worth is a man than a sheep '.^ It is lawfid (hertforr to , is cuminonly translated, he charged lh*m with threatnings, but it is unnecessary to add these last words. See the note on Matthew viii. 26. Not to discover him.'\ Wc have in our note on Matthew viii. 4, .ijsijjned the reasons why Jesus C'liri-.t was un- willing that hi> miracles should be jjublished every where, anil whj he withdrew when the IMiarisees con- spired against him. V. 17. Might be fuljUlcd, S.C.] This prophecy of I>aiah, which con- tains a true representation of the meekness and patience of our blessied Saviour, is not cited iicre according to the Hebrew original, llie I.>.ingelist having contracted it. .NeilJur h it quoted according to ihc version of the Seventy, wiio have but indilVerenlly paraphriiM-d Ihispassnge of I-aiah. :J-22 A NEW VERSION OF Tsaiah ini is one of tiie characters of Jesus C'hrist, Acts viii. 32, which was imi- tated by his disciples, 1 Peter iii. 15, 16. I Cor. xi. 16. xiv. 33, and is opposed to that of his adversaries, Koinans ii. 8, compare I Tim. vi. 4. yfnd clainofou.i.'] The original word denote-, the ravings of a fretful and impatient person. .See Acts xx. 22, 23, compare Kph. iv. 31. Isaiah liii. 7. v. 20. J hniisfd it(d shall he not break.'] This expression is used to denote our Saviour's gentleness to- wards those whose repentance and salvation he did not despair of. It implies also his forbearance towards such enemies as he could easily have destroyed. Compare Job xiii. 25. Till he shall have rendered righte- ousness victorious.] Greek, Till he hath sent forth judgment unto victory. This is, Jesus Christ's forbearance to- wards the Jews, will last till the gos- pel iiath been preached to them, and till he hath vindicated tiiem from the calumnies of their adversaries. This is what is tlius expressed by Isaiah, Till he hath established judgment or justice uponearth. V. 21. ylnd inhis name. Sec] i. e. In him. ^-it. Matthew hath followed here the Seventy, which he did not in the first part of his quotation, be- cause they mi^took the prophet's meaning. \ . 23. The Son of David.] i. c. The Messiah. See Matth. i. 1. V. 24. Jieehcbuli.] See the note on chapter x, 25. ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 323 26 Now if satan casts out satan, ho is divided aoainst him- self, how then should his kinofdom stand"? 2/ And if it is by Beelzebub that I cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? For which reason tjuy t lie m. selves shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out devils by the spirit of God; it follows from thence, that the kiiig-dom of God is come to you. 29 Or hoAV can one enter into a strouif man's house, and carry off his goods by force, unless one first bind the strong- man? Then one shall be able to |)iilage his house. 30 He that is not with me is against me, and he that with me heaps not up, squanders away. 31 1 declare to you, that V. 28. Luke xi. 20. Daniel ii. 44. vii. 14. compare Luke i. 33. Ileb. xii. 28. V. 29. Isaiah xlix. 24,25. .Tolni xvi. 11. V . 30. Luke xi. 23. V. 31. Mark ill. 28. Luke xii. 10. 1 John v. 16. llel). vi. 4. x. 26. 1 Samuel H. 25. V. 27. Your children.} i. e. Your disciples, or your countrymen in ge- neral. There were among the Jews several that took upon them to exer- cise. Some made use for that pur- pose, of herbs, perfumes, and super- stitious ceremonies. Others conjured the devils by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and some even by the name of Jesns, that they vfould come out. See Mark ix. 38. Luke ix, 49. Actsxix. 13. V. 28. // I cast out devils, &T. The kingdom of God.l That is, you may thereby discover that I am the Messiah, or that king who was pro- mised to the Jews. The miracles of Jesus Christ, and the manner in which he performed them, were ma- nifest demonstrations of his having been sent from God (see John iii. 2, &c.) and consequently that what he said of himself was true. Hut the casting out of devils in particular, was a miracle that proved Christ to be the Messiah, since he came into the world on purpose to destroy the works of the devil. See 1 John iii. 8. John xii. 31. Heb. ii. 14. V. 29. Or hoic, /feci In this com- parison, by the strong man is meant the devil, and Jesns Christ is the person that binds that strong man, and .-polls his goods, by casting him out of those whom he tormented and possessed. Compare Isaiah xlix. 24, 25,26. V. 30. fic thai »■>• not «ith me, &c.] This is a proverb founded up- on this, that when two power> are at irreconcileable enmity a^ain^t e.ich other, he that forbears joining with one side, is rp|>nled to be against it ; and >iuch is the war between Je«us Cliri'it and the devil, Gen. iii. 15. The inference our Saviour would draw from heuce i-, that one, who far from standing neuter in this war, op- pose and ca'.t' out deviK, cinnot well be >aid to be on iheir siile. or net by their power and luilhoriiy. Jesu* Clirist may seem also to have an eyr to fon)e of the Pharisee-, who though they could not forbear acknowledg- ing the holinos of hi- doctrine, were notwithstanding kept by fear, inlrr- est, or vain glory, from making an open profession of it. See John xii. 42, 43. There is in St. Luke a pas- sage that seems contrary to this. Sec Luke ix. .50. V. 31. Jll other sins and hint- phemies.] i.e. All oiher >in, (hat i- not attended with the same degree of malice. St. Luke restrains lhe»e bla-phemies to those thai are >poken against the Son of Man. Luke xii. 10. Shall he forgiven.} I'pon their hearty and unfeigned repc nfance. The b'ttsphtniv against the Ifoln Ghost.} By tlie hiasphemy agaimt the tlohi Ghost, is to be understood that intolerable alfronl, which was by y2 324 A NEW VERSION OF iiHii shall })«• tbrnivcn all oilier sins and blaspliemies, but as for the l)Ias|)Ii( iny aoainst the Holy Ghost, it shall never he tnini\( n tlnin. •32 And if any one speaks against the Son of" Man, it shall be forgiven him; but if any one speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven liini, either in this uorid, or the world to come. .*3'J Either say the tree is good, and its fruit good; or else sav. the tree is corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for a tree is knoun by its fruit. 34 Oifspring of vipers, how is it possible V. 32. . Matthew xiii. 55. Jolin vii. 12, 52. Matthew xi. 19. V. 33. Matthew iii.8. vii. 16, 17, IS. Luke vi. 43, 46. V. 34. Matthew iii. 7. xxiii. 33. Luke vi. 45. the Pharisees offered to the Holy Ghobt, in ascribing the miracles that were wrniigiit by iiis influence to the power of the devil. Jesus Clirist lays, verse 28 of this chapter, that he cast out devils by the Spirit of fiod. (For a fuller explanation of what the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was, see Hales's Tracts; and J)r. Whitbv's Append. 4. to St. Mat- thew.) Jt shall not be forgiven A/m.] For here meaiil sp<>;iking ;igainst Jesus ('hri,l, as considered in that state of btimilialion which is in the New Tes- i.imrnt il< H-ribed by the Son of Man, and which was so apt to give offence to persons possessed with false notions of the Messiah, Matth. ix. 6. The Son of Man is opposed to Jesus Christ as acting by a divine power ; and the blasphemies spoken against him are opposed to those malicious rcvilings that were uttered against his minis- try, though it was undeniably proved and confirmed by present and unques- tionable miracles. See Mark iii. 30. 'To speak against the Son of Man, is the same as to blaspheme, Mark iii. 28. Luke xii. 10, compare Luke xxil, 65. xxiii. 34. Matth. xxvii. 39. Mark XV. 29. 1 Tim. i. 13. Either in this world, or the world to come.'] i. e. Neither in this life, nor in the life to come. In the Jew ish style, the age lo come is the age of the resurrection. This is con- firmed by Luke XX. 34, 35. The meaning of this passage then is. That blasphemy shall never be forgiven ; for thus it has been explained by St. Mark chap. iii. 29, but shall be pu- nished both in this life and the life to come. See a like expression, 2 Mac. vi. 26. V.33. Either say.'] Greek, Make. That is, since to cast out devils is a good fruit, ye must needs acknov\'- Icdge, lliai the tree which bears that fruit, i- good. Or else, if you deny the latter, you must then say, that to cast out devils is a bad frtiit, which is absurd ; for the fruit partakes of the nature of the tree. See Matthew vii. 16, 17. \'.34. Since it is from the abund- ance, Sic] There is co occasion to ST. MATTHEWS GOSPEL. 325 for you, Avicked as you are, to say good things, since it is from the abundance of the heart that tlie nioutli sneaks; :V) The good man, out of the good treasure of his heart,' pro- duces good things ; and the Avicked man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, produces evil things. 36 But I de- clare to you, that men shall be accountable in the day of judgment for every vain word they shall have utteVed. 37 For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned. S^ Then some of the Scribes and Pharisees said to him: Master, we Avould fain see you work some miracle. :i'j To which Jesus made answer; This Avicked and adulterous generation of men require a miracle, hut no other nnracle shall be given them, but that of the prophet Jonas. 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the belly of a large fish, so shall the' Son of Man be three days and three V. 36. Exod. XX. 7. Levit, xix. 12. Ephes. v. 4, 6. V. 38. Malth xvi I Markviii. II. Luke xi. 16,29. 1 Cor. 1. 22. V. 39. Mattli. xvi. 4. Mark viii' 12, 38. John iv. 48. V. 40. Jonah ii. 1. wonder at the malice yon express in your judgments and discourses. Such as the heart of man is ; such are bis ■words. Comp. Matth. vi. 22, 23. V. 36. Fain word.'] The Seventy, whose style the Apostles generally make use of, render the Hebrew word shaker, which signifies falsehood, re- vilings, calumny, by vain or unprofit- able. Comp. the Hebrew with the Seventy in these passages, Exod. v. 9. XX, 14. Deut. V. 17. Hosea xii. 1, Mieah i. 14. Habak. ii. 3. and see Eph. V. 6. where the word vain is joined with deceit and imposture : now it is manifest from verse 31, 32, tliat Jesus Christ doth not speak here of idle or impertinent, but of false, reviling iiaA blasphemous words. For this reason some manuscripts read, every wicked word ; and thus St. Chrysostom understood it. V. 38. Some miracles.] Gr. We would see a sign from you. Miracles are in the Hebrew style termed signs, because they are proofs aud manifest tokens of a divine mission. See Exod. ix. 8, 9, &c. The miraculous works of Christ, such as healing the sick, &c. were indeed signs, but the Jews required some of another nature, so that the sign meant here, is some un- common appearance in the heavens. Luke xi. 16. like tho-e that wore caused by Joshua, chap. ». 13. by Samuel, i Sam. vii. U). and by lllijah, 1 Kings xviii. 32. V. 39. IVicked and adulterous ge- neration.] i. e. A degenerate and base generation, which hath de|)arterf from the holiness of it< ancestor';. This passage is an allusion to Isaiah Ivii. 3, 4. comp. John viii. 34—14. Psal. cxliv. 7, 8. It is the generation of vipers, mentioned in the 34lh verse. Perhaps Jesus Christ allude^ iiere to the debauchery and unlawful divr)rces then so common among tin- Jews, whicli proved the occa-ion of number- less divorces among that |»eopIe. W miracle.] Cir. yf sign. \- in the foregoing verse. That of the prophet Jonas.] i. c. Tliat which happened in the person of Jonas. V. 40. Of a large fish.] Thus we read in Jonas, chap. it. I. ami the Gr. word x'>i1o<;, which is used here in (he original, signifies no more than a large Jish^ and not properly a whale. It hath even been observed, that a whale's gullet is so narrow, that she cannot swallow a man ; therefore the learned have supposed (hat tiie t\A\ that >wal- 3 -.yir. A Ni:W VERSION OF ni. That tlicwit- ncbscs stood up, when they accused the criminals, and bare witness against them, I\Iark xiv. 17. Shall condemn it.] i. e. Shall cause it to be condemned, as Heb. xi. 7. and verse 28 of this chapter. ^ greater than Jonas is here.] Gr. Jnd behold, &<■. Thus in the next verse, ^nd behold more than Solomon. V. 42. The queen of the south.] That is of Sheba, or Saba, in Arabia Felix, on the south of Jiidea. From the farthermost bounds, &c.] The kingdom of Saba extended as far as the ocean, and was the extremity of the earth on that side. The leisdom of Solomon.] That is, the learning of Solomon. The Greeks were wont to give the name of tcisdo7n to the knowledge of divii.#, and human things, of nature and re- ligion. This was the wisdom which the Egyptians boasted of. Acts vii. 22. and the Grecian philosophers pro- fessed. V. 43. IVhcn an unclean spirit, &c.] This is a comparison that is ex- plained in the 45th verse. See the note on Mafth. x. I, Through dry places.] \. e. In de- serts, wherein, as the Jews fancied, the devils were worn to reside. See Isai. xiii. 21, according to the LXX. \ . 45. ^cven other spirits.] i. e. Many, John iv. 1. 1 Sam. ii. 5. // shall happen.] The Jews had ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL. 327 and tbe last of that man is worse than the first. In the same manner it shall happen to this wicked generation. 46 As Jesus was yet discoursing to the people, his mother and his brothers stood without, and wanted to speak with him. 47 Upon which, one said to him, Your mother and brothers are without, and desire to speak with you. 4H Hut Jesus replied to him that spake to him : Who is my mother, and who are my brothers ? 49 And pointing with his liand towards his disciples, Behold, says he, my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever shall do the will of my father, who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. CHAP. xni. Parable of the sower, 1 — 9. Why Christ spake in parables, 10 — 15. Explication of that of the soiccr. A